Breakfast with Pepper and Noodles
Student writing explores the tastes, textures and stories of what we eat.
Illustration by Sendy Santamaria
Whetstone is pleased to work with 826 Valencia, an organization that supports underserved students in creative and technical writing. We’ll be sharing student poems and pieces about food.
Clayton Hill, Age 12
Attended Bessie Carmichael
Mr. Pepper
Oh pepper, you’re amazing because you have two sides
of yourself, one is mild, and the other is wild.
You taste like a dragon’s breath.
You smell like a wildfire.
You feel like a soft blanket.
Oh pepper, you’re as red as my face when I’m mad.
Thank you for giving me reasons to write about you.
I ate you in my bed by myself.
I said, “Mmm-mm.”
I chomp into you, chomp chomp.
You make a stain on my bed, splat.
Oh pepper, you smile evilly as a supervillain.
One thing I have in common with you, Mr. Pepper, is I’m
always hot, and I have an evil smile like a villain.
Ready to leap on a plate
Mr. Pepper, you cause a wildfire in my tastebuds.
Pepper, you’re so hot I might turn into a dragon.
Khacina Biggs, Age 11
Attended Bessie Carmichael
The Noodle Explores!
Oh noodles, you are the best because you make me less grumpy,
and you make me happy like a monkey jumping in a tree.
Noodles, you are lucky that my mom made you for her secret noodle recipe.
The second reason is that you make me feel like I am in Noodle Land.
“Oww, it’s too hot. It burned my tongue,” I said.
You smell like heaven!
You are slippery, you taste salty, you smell fresh, and you look clean.
You are as slippery as a fish or a water balloon.
Oh noodle, if I didn’t get to eat you, I would be begging for you for 100,000 years.
I am so lucky to have you as food.
I thank you for giving me some cool ideas to make.
Thank you for always making me feel better.
I have liked you ever since I was a little baby.
You made me better.
That’s why I am not so sick.
My mom made you so you can live.
You beg to not get eaten by me.
I wish you were part of my family and could live forever,
but I might eat you when I am sleeping.
I could smell you.
Mmmm, delish.
When I eat you, I get so excited and yell so much and I say, “I am so happy.”
Sidnie Chapman, Age 14
Attended Everett Middle School
Introducing My Nana: Miss Lena Butler
My Nana was born and raised in San Francisco, CA in the North Beach area. Her adult life doesn’t really involve much cooking unless it’s with me and we’re baking. My Nana is more of the eat out with her friends type or eat alone type because trying new foods is something that excites her. When it comes to food and family there is one holiday where we all get together and cook our dishes together, but that is Thanksgiving that doesn’t seem that special to us (even though it should be). The most important food memories are the ones that don’t come often or can’t be recreated again. The one that happened during our childhood or with family members it’s hard to see or we may never again.
My Nana’s favorite or most memorable memory that involves food is way back when she was in the fourth grade. On this particular day she decided that she was going to pretend to be sick in order to not go to school that day. Or as my nana would say,”Playing Hookie.” She was staying at her grandma's house and not only was she not going to school that day she was going to have a nice and big breakfast. She asked her grandma to not only help her but to teach her how to cook a nice and healthy breakfast that she could enjoy and cook on her own in the future. My great-great-grandmother taught my Nana how to make eggs and bacon. I know you’re thinking this is a simple recipe but to a nine-year-old girl this is a huge step into maturing. Learning to cook is an important life skill and learning from someone you love makes it an even better experience.
This day was very important for my Nana because when I asked her about her most important food memory this one came to mind first. That made me think about the times we spend baking treats together in her kitchen so the tradition of cooking with your grandmother lives on. Some of my best food related memories or most of my best involves baking something delicious with my Nana so yay to that.
The main recipes used in this breakfast were simple eggs and bacon recipes, but everyone has their own way of cooking it. This is how my Nana told me her grandma told her how to cook it. She takes out a bowl and cracks three eggs into it without getting any eggshells into the bowl. Then she adds in a good amount of salt and pepper then stirs until the seasoning is spread evenly across the bowl. Then pour the eggs onto a pre-warmed skillet and mix them so that they don't turn into an omelet. Once they are nice and fluffy, you can turn off the skillet and begin working on the bacon. You place as many bacon strips as your pan can hold at a time with each having its own space at least an inch apart from each other. Fry them until they are a nice red-ish brown and not too brown to where they are burnt. It would smell salty and smoky and absolutely positively delicious. If you don’t have a non-stick pan make sure to add some oil, but not too much. Then you have the toast, just don’t let it burn. Then add a nice glass of classic orange juice and you have yourself a classic breakfast.
A Classic Breakfast
Ingredients
3 Eggs
Bacon (amount of your choice)
Salt
Pepper
Toast
Orange juice (or other breakfast drink)
Hash browns
Directions
Step one: Crack the egg into a bowl and add the seasoning of your choice (salt and pepper could also work)
Step two: put the eggs on a pan that has been on a while with some type of non-stick mechanisms
Step three: Scramble the eggs until they are to your liking
Step four: Use the same skillet to cook the bacon until nice and crispy, but not too crispy
Step five: Make your hash browns by placing them in the oven and taking them out when done.
Step six: Make toast just butter it up and place it in the toaster until cooked to your liking.
Step seven: Arrange on a plate and pour a glass of orange juice.
