Voting - The Breakfast of Champions
If you know me, you know that my tolerance for admin work for my personal life is close to zero. I have a bizarre aversion to mail to the extent that most of my mail still went to a DC address almost a decade after I moved. I didn’t see a dentist for almost two years despite having health coverage. I’ve had parking tickets that have piled up with late fees. In general, I am much more likely to spend hours helping someone else than I am minutes in trying to figure out how to change my address, make a doctor’s appointment, or pay a routine bill.
But if there’s one thing that Michelle Obama’s 2020 Convention speech taught me, it’s that I cannot take that mentality to voting this year. If you haven’t watched her speech, watch it. As Obama would have said, it will make you fired up and ready to go. As Michelle said in her speech, “If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it.” And to do that, “We have got to grab our comfortable shoes, put on our masks, pack a brown bag dinner and maybe breakfast too, because we’ve got to be willing to stand in line all night if we have to.”
This recipe is one imagined item that you can pack to take with you to vote all day or all night. Admittedly, this sandwich won’t hold up super well if you pack it, but it’s delicious, and perhaps you or someone you love who has already voted will cook it for you and bring it to the polls.
Personally, I strongly recommend you vote early in person, or request to vote by mail but return you ballot by hand to an official drop off point. Do not use the mail to return your ballot. Take zero risk in getting your vote counted. Surmount administrative obstacles (I’ve had to go through two webforms and now need to call the Secretary of State’s Office, which to me, is a small version of walking through personal hell). Check in with your friends and family to encourage them to do the same. Don’t assume that this will be easy. Do assume that this sandwich might make it a little better.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1 shallot
2 eggs
Splash of half and half
Butter
2 slices of bread
Arugula
Fig jam
Salt
Pepper
~1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Shaved parmesan cheese (optional)
RECIPE
Melt ~1 tablespoon of butter in a frying pan. Dice shallots and add to warm butter. Cook on medium / low. If you’d like, add a little sugar to help the shallots caramelize.
Shallots are like the onion’s more sophisticated cousin from France.
Put bread in toaster. Crack and scramble eggs with a splash of cream and a bit of salt and pepper. Turn heat to low on the frying pan with shallots and add beaten eggs. Beat vigorously to scramble. If you’d like, add a bit of parmesan cheese to the eggs for some extra umami. Stir it in so that it melts.
Something eggstra.
Butter both sides of bread and add fig jam to one side of the bread. Use Kerry Gold butter. Premium butter for things like toast and English muffins is one of those splurges in life that costs a bit more but adds so much more happiness than the extra cost. I am not sponsored by Kerry Gold in any way (though I gladly would be. Hit me up, Kerry Gold! Although even if I never hear back, I will continue to use your delicious product).
Getting figgy with it.
Add scrambled eggs to the butter-only side of toast, top with arugula, and add the other piece of toast to complete the sandwich. Revel in the joy of a great sandwich and in exercising your right to vote for someone who believes that you and all Americans have a right to vote. Hopefully breathe a colossal sight of relief. Otherwise, keep those comfortable shoes on and start packing more sandwiches.
Kerry Gold, call me any time!
Because I ate my sandwich before remembering to take a photo… Too excited by democracy + fig jam.
