A central Ohio breakfast

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Monday, October 25. 2010

A central Ohio breakfast

Sometimes a fellow just wants a big bowl of Bob Evans sausage gravy dumped on top of a pile of good biscuits.

Many doctors claim the gravy smooths your arterial linings, thus extending life. The biscuits provide serenity and peace of mind in this troubled world, and many peer-reviewed studies confirm this. It is settled science.

I love to have excuses to travel to places where you can get good biscuits and gravy for breakfast, but I have too few opportunities to do so.

What's your favorite way to dine on this treat? Crumble the biscuit? Split the biscuit? Dump it on top of an intact biscuit? Such details matter in life.

Posted by Bird Dog in Food and Drink, Our Essays at 06:00 | Comments (31) | Trackbacks (0)

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No Bob Evans stores in New England? There are quite a few here in Maryland, and they are a step up from Denny's.

#1 The Bix of Life (Link) on 2010-10-24 18:50 (Reply)

I took an important personage to lunch at Bob Evans' once, since that's where I always ate.

We noticed a pool of vomit outside the door.

"Strictly speaking, we don't know if they were going in or going out," I said.

So in we went.

#2 rhhardin (Link) on 2010-10-25 06:25 (Reply)

Split the biscuit like a hamburger bun, and dump the gravy on top. Not only a great breakfast, but a lifesaver at 3:00am, after a long night out, if you can stay up that late. Medicinal qualities in hangover prevention.

#3 DMac on 2010-10-25 06:45 (Reply)

Mmmmm. Definitely split the biscuit and pour gravy on top. More precision in cutting the biscuit with your fork for appropriate biscuit/gravy balance in each bite. Plus, it soaks in...

If you can't find any up in New England, y'all should come down to North Carolina, we've got plenty. :)

#4 George on 2010-10-25 07:27 (Reply)

Ten years ago no one would have believed this.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Pn6VAGlMjVg/SaAHU0EZCxI/AAAAAAAAFrs/7EzDP2VScho/s1600-h/thefuture.jpg

#5 Smokey (Link) on 2010-10-25 07:39 (Reply)

It's not how you indulge this coronary feast, the challenge is finding a suitable gravy. I have been sorely disapointed on many occasions. The worst was a Perkins somewhere on I90 in the middle of South Dakota that served it with chicken and not sausage gravy. Travesty!

The best by far was Hogg Brothers Cafe in Anchorage Ak. Lots of meat in a creamy white sauce with subtle peppery finish. MMMM!

#6 Scott on 2010-10-25 08:04 (Reply)

Yesterday 2 friends and I were headed to the local "Country Cafe" precisely because we had a hankerin for the biscuits and gravy! One friend is from India and had just recently been introduced to biscuits and gravy.

A retired Naval Master Chief opened the door for us (haven't seen this once common habit in years) to enter. The Master Chief was alone so we invited him to join us for breakfast.

A totally enjoyable morning and the biscuits were divine.

#7 Nancy on 2010-10-25 08:17 (Reply)

Gainesville, Fla. Mid-80s. I'm not sure but I think it was Skeeter's. You only got half a biscuit, but it dang near covered the plate. And the gravy was a masterpiece.
I gotta go now. I need to blot up a puddle of drool.

#8 straight8 on 2010-10-25 08:18 (Reply)

Back in the day when my daughter made a weekend appearance from college (before Air Force OTS and commissioning and other duties), she would say on Saturday morning, "Dad, you know what would be good for breakfast?" Asked I, "What would be good for breakfast?" replied daughter, "Sausage gravy and biscuits." Said I, "You are right." Home made, both gravy and biscuits.

#9 SgtBob (Link) on 2010-10-25 08:44 (Reply)

Yes. :-)

#10 Tom Francis on 2010-10-25 09:08 (Reply)

Having grown up in Ohio with a family from Kentucky and now living in Kentucky, I can assure you the best way to eat this fine meal is with a couple of slices of fresh vine ripened tomatoes (not icky grainy store and restaurant kind) right there on the plate next to the sliced biscuit with gravy on top. Either that or with a 1/2 extra biscuit with blackberry preserves.

#11 H on 2010-10-25 09:17 (Reply)

Has it occured to anyone that the most responses come when food is discussed? Or, given the season, football? Perhas the two overlap.

Bob Evans: sausage cooked slow, a tad of slurrry and some buttermilk...perhaps a stash of strong coffee. Homemade biscuits. A side of ham and ... Dang!

(Gotcha on the tomato side, but only home-grown!)

#11.1 jma on 2010-10-25 10:03 (Reply)

The only place I ever see them is Cracker Barrel. Cut the biscuit in half and pour gravy on top.

#12 Santay on 2010-10-25 09:51 (Reply)

There is a Bob Evans in Westborough, MA but I've only been there once. None close to my house.

As a Yankee youngster, I never had breakfast gravy before enlisting. At Parris Island they simply dumped the gravy on top of the eggs, bacon, and hash browns. At first I ate because I was literally starving, then I learned to love it with pepper, tobasco and ketchup.

They serve it at the firehouse breakfasts in town. My wife is disgusted every time.

#13 NJSoldier on 2010-10-25 09:55 (Reply)

Here in Columbus, OH (also the HQ for Bob Evans) there's a place called TJ's that serves the dish you describe; the "Barnyard Buster." Three eggs, biscuits and a meat, all covered with gravy. Yum, yum!

My wife refers to country gravy as "artery grout."

#13.1 Bigjay on 2010-10-25 10:18 (Reply)

Ah memories - also my first introduction to this fine breakfast repast.

My real addiction though is reconstituted powdered eggs and SOS - I'm telling you if I could find a place that served powdered eggs and real SOS (chipped beef on toast for you civilians) they would have a customer for life. FOR LIFE I'm telling you. :>)

#13.2 Tom Francis on 2010-10-25 12:05 (Reply)

SOS......haven't had that in years! I might have to dig up my daddy's old recipe and make it in honor of his birthday. He will smile at me from heaven, for sure.

#13.2.1 g on 2010-10-25 15:12 (Reply)

Strictly speaking, Bob Evans is from SE Ohio.

Which is why it was more funny when my family was driving S from Canton and discussing where to stop and eat in about an hour.

My wife said Bob Evans would be nice, but then asked, would there be any around if we drove further?

Bless her heart, I had to give her another lesson in Ohio history.

#14 DrTorch on 2010-10-25 10:10 (Reply)

I had a friend tell me that gravy was -not- a beverage. Pfeh. What does he know?

#15 BlogDog (Link) on 2010-10-25 11:09 (Reply)

With the permission of The Editor, I hereby nominate the following I had a friend tell me that gravy was -not- a beverage. Pfeh. What does he know? by BlogDog for Funniest Comment Of The Day.

#15.1 Tom Francis on 2010-10-25 12:10 (Reply)

I pour the gravy over everything but the bisuit! Eggs, sausage, hash browns, and like H said above, tomatos. Use the biscuit to sop it all up and push it onto the fork.

Yummmmm.

#16 arcs on 2010-10-25 11:14 (Reply)

I traditionally split the biscuit then proceed to cut the biscuit into smaller pieces and then pour the gravy over it. When I start to shovel it in I don't want to waste time stopping to cut the biscuit and eat.

#17 Tralfaz on 2010-10-25 11:43 (Reply)

I'm interested in Bob Evans,partly because down here in Texas, biscuits and sausage gravy are considered the State Dish [barbecue is considered the Holiest State Dish]. Jimmy Dean sausage sauteed in an iron skillet, incorporated into cream gravy, and served over fluffy biscuits are a Texas masterpiece. I've seen restaurants down here with lines of folks leading out the door and down into the parking lot on a Sunday morning, waiting to get into the building and get served.

Gollee ...I hadn't realized that you folks in the rest of America ate this dish too.

Marianne

#18 Marianne Matthews on 2010-10-25 11:45 (Reply)

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the White Castle of the breakfast set - Waffle House or the upscale version of Waffle House - Cracker Barrel. :>)

Waffle House had probably the best greasy spoon sausage/pepper gravy of all - I spread the gravy on everything from my eggs (scrambled), grits, hash browns - the whole deal.

By the way, Honorable Mention goes to Waffle House's hash browns Scattered All The Way (scattered meaning on the grill (not contained) which basically is hash browns smothered (with onions), covered (melted cheese), chunked (ham), [/i]topped[/i] (chili), diced (tomatoes), peppered (peppers) and capped (mushrooms). And for the truly adventurous, sausage/pepper gravy.

As for Cracker Barrel - it's ok gravy, but I go there for the biscuits and apple butter. Nom nom nom.

#19 Tom Francis on 2010-10-25 11:58 (Reply)

Biscuits are meant to be split (horizontally), even if you are eating them dry and alone. Personally, for breakfast I prefer them with butter and honey -- I think the sausage and gravy would have to wait 'til dinner unless I were going to spend the morning shoveling snow.

#20 D on 2010-10-25 12:03 (Reply)

We weren't that happy with Bob Evans last trip back east. Seemed like they had deteriorated. Seems like Cracker Barrel was a LOT better.

However, there is one little cafe in Scottsville Virginia, where the food is perfect. It is perfect. Perhaps someone knows the place. I can't think of the name. I think it was a lady's name.

#21 pbird on 2010-10-25 14:33 (Reply)

Gotta have buttered grits or cheese grits with the sausage gravy and biscuits. Best bet is any truck stop south of the Mason-Dixon.

#22 ahem on 2010-10-25 15:15 (Reply)

So let's move on to GRITS!

#23 jma on 2010-10-25 16:40 (Reply)

Minnie's Uptown Restaurant in Columbus, GA is where to have this, after which you will never be the same.

#24 MissyW on 2010-10-25 17:52 (Reply)

Have never tried Bob Evans gravy which I'm sure is good;
however, my wife's sausage and cream gravy is the best
of all breakfast gravies I've tasted in my almost 80 years.

I prefer a hot home baked biscuit but most of our eleven
grandchildren and their friends go for "peely biscuits" or
properly known as Buttermilk Biscuits canned by Pilsbury.
Also Grandma always provides stewed fresh apples when
grandchildren are in attendance.

Cracker Barrel gravy is edible but would suit my taste better
if the smoke flavoring were left out. Their stewed canned
apples help some.

Buel Combs bueljoyce@msn.com

#25 Buel Combs on 2010-10-25 19:37 (Reply)

The Bob Evans in Westborough, MA closed down a good 6-8 years ago.

#26 Joe Luke on 2010-10-25 20:58 (Reply)

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Monday, October 25. 2010

A central Ohio breakfast