The History of the Cowboy Breakfast
One of our favorite annual Denver events is the National Western Stock Show which brings in herds of cattle, livestock, and cowboys to our city each January. With all the cowboys and steers in town, we were wondering what is cowboy breakfast, and what exactly the term refers to in a historical sense.
As it turns out, the term “cowboy breakfast” originated in the old west during the time of the American frontier. The original frontiersmen and women and cowboys were hard working folks and needed a hearty, rib-sticking breakfast to get them through long days working out on the cattle drive or ranch. Frontier breakfasts were often limited by what could be easily stored and transported on the chuck –wagon. Breakfasts were created from dried beans, flour, ground corn, coffee beans, lard, hard-tack crackers and large sides of salt-cured meat. Each morning, the cowboys would cook breakfast in cast iron grills, skillets, and pots over a hot fire. Meals often consisted of hot coffee, a large pot of beans, and biscuits that were baked in a cast iron pot and slathered with lard and gravy.
Today the term “Cowboy Breakfast” has evolved to include eggs and skillet potatoes, bacon or sausage, and perhaps biscuits and gravy to round out the plate. One thing has remained constant since the American frontier days – a cowboy breakfast will stick to the ribs and keep you going all day! If you are out for breakfast in Denver, we’d love to share with you our version of a cowboy breakfast. You’ll love our Biscuits and Gravy or our Cowboy Omelet which comes filled with diced ham, bacon and Tillamook cheddar cheese smothered in our homemade sausage gravy, served with three buttermilk pancakes.
Enjoy the National Western Stock Show Denver!
Meet Karen Kinney!
You’ve probably seen Karen Kinney’s smiling face around the Original Pancake House each time you head out for breakfast at our Cherry Hills location. Karen was the Manager of our Denver Tech Center location for ten years before she transferred to Cherry Hills to become a General Manager this past October. We thought you might like to get to know the lady behind the smile. Read on to learn a bit more about our wonderful General Manager, Karen Kinney!
Q: Tell us a bit about yourself and where you are from.
A: My name is Karen Kinney, and I am from Canada. I was born in a small town in Alberta called Medicine Hat, and raised in British Columbia in a place called Invermere, just outside of the Banff National Park. I met my husband Troy skiing in Kimberley B.C. and moved to Spokane Wash. where we lived until moving to St. Louis Mo. for 2 years, and Clovis Ca. for 8 months, before settling down in Highlands Ranch where we have raised our 2 children.
Q: How long have you been with the Original Pancake House?
A: I started as a server for the Original Pancake House Denver Tech Center when my daughter was 4yrs old, and she is now 16 and works as a Host for our Cherry Hills location. Our son also worked for me at the DTC location as a Host while he was in High School. I became a Manager at DTC the same year I started working there and have been with the Franchise for 12 years now. I was promoted in September of last year and given the position of General Manager for the Cherry Hills location.
Q: What is your favorite part about working at OPH?
A: My favorite part of working for the Pancake House is the people! I love the staff and guests as they have become my family since my real family is in Canada still. They make me laugh, cry and smile with all of their stories, jokes and antics.
Q: What is your favorite menu item?
A: My favorite menu item is always changing; I eat something different every day! But interestingly enough before I started working here I did not like to eat eggs. Now I will crave a simple side of scrambled eggs almost every day.
Q: If you could have breakfast with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and what would you eat?
A: It I could have breakfast with anyone I suppose I would choose Lady Diana. She was such an amazing and poised person that had so much to offer in the short time she was with us. With her I would love to show off our delicate Dutch Baby and that would be my breakfast choice, along with a side of our infamous bacon, and hot tea of course!
Thank you Karen for sharing a little bit about yourself! The next time you are out for breakfast in Denver, be sure to say “hi” to Karen, she will always treat you as family.
Pardon Our Dust
Dear OPH Customers,
Our Cherry Hills location at University Boulevard and Orchard Road will temporarily close Monday, September 14 for our landlord to complete necessary repairs. We apologize for the inconvenience! We expect to reopen Saturday, October 3. In the meantime, please visit our Denver Tech Center location where the griddle is on and the pancakes are hot! You can find us in the Denver Tech Center at 8000 E. Belleview Ave., Greenwood Village, CO 80111.
Check our Facebook page @OPHDenver or our website OPHDenver.com for updates on our Cherry Hills location. Please visit us in the Tech Center to fulfill your breakfast cravings during our brief construction project at Cherry Hills. We hope to see you soon!
Cherry Hills will remain open through Sunday, September 13. This closure does not affect the DTC location on Belleview Avenue in the Tech Center, only Cherry Hills will be closed temporarily.
Fit For a Celebrity - What Do Famous Dads Eat For Breakfast?
On Father’s Day we have the opportunity to celebrate some of the most important men in our lives –Dads! Though the fathers in our family often have celebrity status, we thought it would be fun to look at a few other famous dads and see what they eat for breakfast. Read on to see what we found out:
Brad Pitt:
This super-star celebrity is a father to Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh, Pax, Knox and Vivienne, what a crew! Brad Pitt is known for his abs and spends a lot of time in the gym. Reportedly, Pitt eats a very healthy diet full of lean proteins and whole grains. One of his favorite breakfasts is six eggs and oatmeal porridge with raisins.
David Beckham:
A famous soccer player, model, and husband to fashionista Victoria Beckham, David Beckham has his kids' names - Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz -tattooed on his back. David Beckham also works hard to stay in shape and eats a very healthy diet. His favorite breakfast item is a tomato and cheese omelet. Yum!
Will Smith:
Will Smith is father to Jaden, Willow, and Trey, and keeps the family entertained with his jokes and musical stylings. Will Smith is another celebrity dad who has to eat a healthy diet to keep up his physique, but he and the kids like to eat chocolate for breakfast when wife Jada Pinkett Smith is out of town.
Will Ferrell:
You can bet his sons Magnus, Mattias, and Axel never stop laughing with father Will Ferrell around. And though Will’s famous character “Buddy the Elf,” from the movie Elf, enjoys spaghetti, sugared maple syrup, sprinkles, mini-marshmallows, Hershey's chocolate syrup, M&M's, and Frosted Chocolate Fudge Pop-Tarts for breakfast, in real life Will and the kids enjoy eggs and pancakes like the rest of us.
We think each of these celebrity dads could find something to fill their bellies at The Original Pancake House; hopefully they will stop by if they are ever out for breakfast in Denver. And if you need to treat your own dad to a breakfast out, we will be happy to serve him a meal fit for a king. From The Original Pancake House family, we would like to wish all the dads out there a very Happy Father’s Day!
What is Cherry Kijafa Sauce?
One of our favorite breakfast menu items at The Original Pancake House is our Crepes with Cherry Kijafa Sauce. Our version is filled and topped with Montmorency cherries simmered in our Kijafa sauce and lightly dusted with powdered sugar. But what exactly is Cherry Kijafa sauce? Let us tell you all about it!
Cherry Kijafa is a type of fortified cherry fruit wine that is produced in Denmark from cherries with added natural flavors. A fortified wine is a wine to which a distilled spirit, usually brandy, is added. Like a cordial, or sweet desert wine, Cherry Kijafa packs a punch with 16% ABV. Cherry fruit wine is produced from cherries, usually tart cherries that provide sufficient acid. Made in much the same way as a traditional grape wine, cherry fruit wines are often slightly spiced. This Danish favorite is exported to many countries in Europe and North America.
For our Cherry Kijafa Sauce recipe, we simmer Montmorency cherries in the Cherry Kijafa wine until the flavors of the wines are absorbed into the cherries and the sauce becomes thick and syrupy. Because Montmorency cherries are naturally tart, the sweet wine sauce balances the flavors so you have a lovely cherry flavor that is not too sweet and not too tart.
In our mind, you can’t find a better topping than Cherry Kijafa sauce! The next time you are out for breakfast in Denver, be sure to order the Cherry Kijafa Crepes. Your taste buds won’t be disappointed!
Celebrate National Egg Month!
Happy National Egg Month, Denver! The entire month of May is dedicated to nature’s own miracle food, the egg. At The Original Pancake House, we are excited to celebrate one of our favorite breakfast foods this month. Eggs are not only delicious, they are nutritious have many amazing noteworthy qualities wrapped in their shells. Here are a few fun facts about eggs to share with your family and friends next time you gather round the breakfast table.
Did you know?
Eggs provide high-quality protein, containing all the essential amino acids our bodies need in a near-perfect pattern. In fact, the quality of egg protein is so high that scientists frequently use eggs as the standard for measuring the protein quality of other foods …. now, that’s incredible!
Just how many eggs do we eat?
The average American eats 250 eggs per year, which translates to a total annual consumption of 76.5 billion eggs in the U.S. WOW!
And the grand prize goes to:
Harriet the hen laid the world’s largest egg in 2010, measuring a hefty 9.1 inches in diameter.
Where do chickens come from?
A hen must mate with a rooster in order to fertilize an egg. The eggs you buy at the store or eat in a restaurant are laid by hens that haven’t mated.
We are all the same on the inside:
An egg’s shell color doesn’t indicate the quality or nutritional value of an egg, but rather the breed of the hen that laid it. Hens with white feathers tend to lay white eggs and hens with red feathers tend to lay brown eggs.
Now for the fun part!
If all of these facts are making you hungry, join us for breakfast in Denver! We have a plethora of delicious, and nutritious, egg dishes to sample. Our customers love our eggs benedict, three egg omelets, scrambled eggs, fried eggs, and of course all of the delicious side dishes that accompany them. Happy National Egg Month!
Crepes! Sweet and Savory, Crepes are Enjoyed Around the World.
When we think of Crepes, we often think of French cafes and light, rolled crepes filled with Nutella, bananas, and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Did you know that many countries around the world have their own version of a crepe-like pancake? Though many cultures eat their version of crepes for breakfast, some are more of a savory treat and can be shared at dinner. Here is a look into the tradition of crepes around the globe.
Italy:
Italians enjoy a version of the French crepe called a crespelle. Crespelle are usually made using chestnut flower as opposed to wheat flour and are often filled with savory stuffings such as cured meats, veggies, and Italian cheeses - kind of like a crepe pizza!
India:
In southern India the dosa, or large crepe-like delicacy, is made with fermented rice and lentil batter and is often served with spicy sauces. You will find a masala dosa on many Indian restaurant menus as it is a popular dish involving a dosa stuffed with potatoes and curry.
Malaysia
: In Malaysia they serve a unique waffle weave version of a crepe called a roti jala. These savory crepes are made with turmeric to give them a bright yellow color and unique flavor. The roti are often served as a side dish and are used to mop up flavorful sauces from traditional Malaysian dinners.
South Africa:
The pennekoeke is very similar to a French crepe and is enjoyed as a breakfast treat. In South Africa they fill their pennekoeke with cinnamon custard and a spiced crumble.
Somalia:
In Somalia the anjero, or a crepe-like spongy flatbread is served with most meals. It is made with yeast flour and has a bit of a sour taste, similar to sourdough bread. The anjero is used as a utensil to eat flavorful meats, potatoes, and stews.
It is amazing how many variations on the crepe exist world-wide. If these examples have your mouth watering, we’d be happy to serve you one of our homemade crepes next time you are out for breakfast in Denver. We have many variations of the traditional French crepe on our menu including Cherry Kijafa, Mandarin, Banana Praline, Seasonal Berry, and Continental Crepes. We recommend you try them all!
Hippity Hoppity, Easter Is On Its Way!
One of our favorite Easter traditions is to take our family out to a nice breakfast in Denver to celebrate the holiday. But, on the years that we stay home, we love to make a bunny pancake breakfast for our family and neighbors. Bunny pancakes, plus all the rest of the traditional Easter breakfast fixings, are an easy way to add a little hippity-hop to your breakfast or brunch spread. Here are a few ideas to bring the Easter Bunny to your breakfast table.
- Begin with your favorite pancake recipe and create batter.
- Determine if you have had enough coffee to have a steady hand when spooning out the batter. Bunny pancakes can be made either by dolloping the batter into a bunny face (circle) and ears (two ovals attached to the face), or by simply creating the bunny face and then adding ears using pieces of fruit once the pancake has cooked.
- When creating the bunny face, place two blueberries or chocolate chips in the liquid batter as soon as you have spooned it onto your frying pan. You can also add a nose and whiskers using various fruits and chopped fruit shapes. Get creative! If you are adding batter bunny ears, let the face (circle) set for a minute or two on the pan before you attempt to add each ear. Gently spoon batter into an elongated ear shape on each side and connect to the bunny face. Be careful when flipping!
- If batter ears sound too challenging, try using cantaloupe, pineapple, or bananas for the ears. Arrange your bunny pancake face on the center of the plate and add the fruit to create ears. Try using strips of bacon or sausage to create whiskers.
- Serve and enjoy!
If you are too exhausted after your Easter egg hunt to make your own bunny pancakes, join us at Original Pancake House for a scrumptious brunch. With almost thirty egg dishes, plus pancakes, waffles, and crepes, we have plenty of choices for a delicious, traditional Easter brunch. Happy Easter Denver!
Take our Customer Satisfaction Survey for a chance to win a FREE $50 OPH gift card!
Hello to all our Original Pancake House customers!
In an effort to ensure we continue to provide you with the best possible breakfast experience, we’ve put together a brief customer satisfaction survey. Please take a few minutes to tell us how we are doing. We know you are busy so as a thank you for your time, we’ll enter each respondent into a drawing for a FREE $50 OPH gift card! Just complete the survey and you could win free breakfast for you and your family! As always, we thank you for your continued patronage of OPH and look forward to seeing you soon!
Click HERE to take our brief customer satisfaction survey.
Wishing you a good day and full belly,
The OPH Staff
Winter Warmers – Breakfast ideas to warm even the coldest mornings!
When the barometer dips and the winds howl, you often need a good reason to jump out of bed on a cold winter’s morning in Colorado. Warm up your Denver breakfast table with a delicious meal to share with family and friends. After all, breakfast is still the most important meal of the day! Here are a few of our favorite recipes that will have you ready to rise and shine on even the frostiest mornings.
Heavenly Hot Chocolate
– For your kiddos, a warm cup of cocoa might be just the thing to jump-start the day. Simply add ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ cup water, ¼ cup sugar, and salt to a medium sauce pan. Whisk over medium heat just until beginning to bubble. Whisk in 3 cups whole milk and 1 ½ cups half and half. Bring mixture to simmer. Remove from heat; whisk in 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Serve with whipped cream! And for the adults and coffee drinkers in the house, mix hot chocolate with coffee for a delicious mocha!
Steel Cut Oats –
A piping hot bowl of oatmeal is always a comforting treat on a chilly morning. Simply prepare oats according to package instructions, add milk or buttermilk, and then top with a variety of delicious toppings. Some of our favorite toppings include sliced apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg, or cranberries and pecans, or banana, golden raisins, and dried cherries. It is always fun to play around with your favorite toppings to make the meal special.
Root Vegetable Hash and Eggs –
A warm veggie hash is always a great winter meal! Simply slice and dice your favorite root vegetables. We like sweet potatoes, yellow potatoes, beets, and a little onion and garlic. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil, spread evenly on a baking pan and roast in a 400 degree oven until veggies are soft. Serve hash with your choice of fried or poached eggs for a colorful breakfast treat!
Scrambled Eggs with Spinach and White Cheddar Cheese –
The smell of scrambled eggs cooking in the skillet will rouse even the sleepiest bear out of hibernation! We love to prepare classic scrambled eggs and add a little bit of spinach and white cheddar cheese to spice up this classic dish. And of course we always serve our scrambies with a thick slice of toast!
Of course, if the kitchen is just too chilly to make your own breakfast, come visit your friends at Original Pancake House! Join us at one of our two Denver restaurants to enjoy a variety of warming winter meals including our Green Chile Eggs Benedict, Cowboy Omelet, and of course our famous Apple Pancake! Stay warm, Denver!
Celebrate the Season with Special Holiday Breakfast Treats
‘Tis the season for family, celebrations, and of course many delicious, traditional holiday meals. Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza, or Festivus, you are likely planning to join friends and loved ones for at least a couple holiday feasts. At Original Pancake House, we like to make the season bright with special morning treats. Here are a few holiday breakfast recipes that we like to cook for family and friends.
Christmas “Make-Ahead” Egg Casserole:
This breakfast dish is wonderful because you can prepare everything the night before and simply pop it in the oven on Christmas morning!
Ingredients:
12 large eggs
1/2 loaf day old bread (sourdough is best)
1 package Polidori Italian sausage
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: At least 2 hours and up to 12 hours before cooking, assemble ingredients. Grease large casserole dish. Beat all 12 eggs until fluffy, set aside. Tear day-old bread into bite-sized cubes, set aside. Cook ground sausage, breaking up meat into small pieces as it cooks, set aside and let cool. Pour eggs and bread cubes into casserole dish, ensuring bread becomes submerged and soaked in eggs. Add cooled sausage and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover casserole dish and refrigerate overnight. On Christmas morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover casserole and place in oven, cook for 30 minutes or until eggs are set. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over top of casserole and return to oven for additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve warm with a side of salsa or hot sauce.
Overnight Egg-nog French Toast
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter (melt the butter while the dish is baking), melted
7 large eggs
2 cups eggnog
1 1/2 ounces rum (optional)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 loaf French bread, cut into 1 inch slices
Powdered sugar
Directions:
Beat together eggs, eggnog, rum, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla. Dip both sides of each slice of bread in this mixture and place them side by side in a greased casserole dish. Pour any remaining mixture over the slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake in 450 degree oven on bottom rack for 20-25 minutes (watch the bottom doesn't get too brown). Place on rack to cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with Canadian maple syrup and the melted butter.
Gingerbread Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground dried ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 cups water
Directions:
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cinnamon in a bowl; set aside. Beat the egg in a separate mixing bowl with the vanilla and molasses until smooth. Whisk in the water until completely incorporated. Stir the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until just combined -- a few lumps are okay. Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.
Don’t forget to treat yourself this holiday season as well. Join us for the best breakfast in Denver and be sure to try our scrumptious holiday specials, which include Egg Nog French Toast, Ho! Ho! Ho! Pancakes, Holiday Link Sausage and Eggs, and the Holiday Plate.
From all your friends at Original Pancake House, we wish you and your family a very happy holiday season.
Labor Day Traditions
Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894 and since then it has signaled the end of summer. Although we’re sad to see summer leave us, there is still much fun to be had over the long weekend in Denver to wrap up the summer memories and create a few more memories.
Host BBQs and Picnics–
What honors the summer season more than a good ol’ BBQ or picnic? Gather up your friends and family and fire up the grill for one last outdoor hurrah with this tasty on-the-grill recipe:
Grilled Grapes: Marinate halved grapes in ½ cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon crushed red-chili flakes, 2 crushed garlic cloves for 10 minutes. Place grapes in a grill basket and pop on medium heat to grill for no more than 2 minutes. Eat as is for a Denver brunch or place atop some toasted bread with brie for a sophisticated, quick and creamy sweet appetizer at dinner.
Splish-Splash—
The weather is still nice enough to take one (or two) last dives in the pool or lake. It’s also a great time for a boating or fishing trip. Soak up the summer rays and spend time on or in the water! Anyone up for a little Marco Polo?
Last Day to Wear White—
Fashionistas say not to wear white clothing after Labor Day given the cooler weather coming in and historical fashion rules. But old habits die hard, so for many of you, this weekend is your last chance to sparkle in white before perusing your closet for those warmer fall colors.
Travel—
A somewhat atypical way to spend Labor Day - but how often do you get a three day weekend, eh? Many find it the perfect time to travel around. Enjoy the beauty of Colorado by escaping to the mountains or enjoying all that the Mile High city has to offer. See the sights and sounds
of a new environment and maybe do some shopping, restaurant-hopping, and outdoor activities with the family.
Community Festivals—
Colorado is packed full of festivals this time of year offering food, music and lots of excitement. Some popular events sure to satisfy your inner foodie, sports fan and artsy side include:
- A Taste of Colorado happening August 29-September 1 at Civic Center Park in Denver.
- Rocky Mountain Showdown happening August 29 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver.
- Chihuly at the Denver Botanic Gardens exhibit taking place through November 30th.
When thinking about the literal meaning of Labor Day, it doesn’t sound all that appealing but knowing these traditions are celebrated across the country makes celebrating the value of work by taking time off, a little more enjoyable, don’t you think? So whether you’re spending time around the pool or maybe enjoying a yummy Denver breakfast with us at the Original Pancake House Denver Tech Center restaurant or Cherry Hills Village restaurant, we hope you enjoy it!