Breakfast

Maple bacon donut is an American invention that is commonly served for breakfast or as a dessert. The simple meal consists of a donut that is glazed with maple syrup and topped with a few slices of bacon. Today, there are various versions of this unusual breakfast item throughout the United States, and it is especially popular in Nebraska, California, and Oregon.

Maple Bacon Donut

Maqshush is a traditional Arabian dessert and breakfast dish made from wheat flour, ghee, and honey, molasses, or sugar. It's commonly enjoyed in Saudi households during breakfast and also on cold and rainy days. The dish consists of small wheat flour nuggets generously mixed with ghee and sweeteners for a sweet and rich flavor. Maqshush symbolizes tradition and comfort, bringing families together around the breakfast table. It is considered Saudi Arabia's national dessert due to its deep cultural significance, popularity, and wide availability of ingredients. In essence, Maqshush embodies the simplicity and warmth of Saudi culture, providing a sweet and comforting start to the day.

Maqshush

Italy

Dating back to ancient Rome, maritozzi are traditional Italian sweet buns that are sliced in half, then stuffed with whipped cream. In Rome's pastry shops, maritozzi are a staple, usually bought for breakfast and eaten with coffee on the side. They're made with yeast, flour, eggs, sugar, butter, salt, fresh cream, and optional ingredients such as lemon and orange zest, candied orange peel, raisins, and pine nuts. The name of these buns, maritozzi, meaning almost-husband, refers to the young grooms-to-be who gave these sweet buns to their fianc&eacute;es. In the past, maritozzi were the only sweets that were allowed to be consumed during Lent.

Maritozzo

India

Indian masala omelet is a traditional egg-based dish originating from South India. The dish is made with a combination of eggs, onions, green chili peppers, coriander, chili powder, and turmeric powder. The eggs are whisked with the other ingredients, and the mix is then cooked on both sides in a pan until the omelet becomes slightly crisp on the edges. This spicy omelet is traditionally served for breakfast and it's recommended to eat it with pav (bread). If desired, it can be rolled in hot chapati flatbread. The dish is also often prepared and sold at street stalls in the area, and some vendors add ingredients such as tomatoes, coriander leaves, and cheese to the omelet.

Masala omelet

Mas huni is a traditional breakfast. It's made with a combination of tuna, onions, shredded coconut, and hot chili peppers. The ingredients are simply mixed in a bowl and seasoned with salt and pepper. The dish is traditionally served with huni roshi, a Maldivian flatbread that's used to scoop up the food. Sweetened hot tea is often served on the side as a typical accompaniment to mas huni. Ideally, mas huni should be served cold, while the roshi flatbread should be freshly baked and warm.

Mas huni

Masoub is a Yemeni dessert that is popular throughout the Arabian peninsula. In its basic form, the dish consists of mashed bananas and bread that are usually enriched with butter, cream, spices, honey, and dates. Masoub is traditionally served on large plates, and it is meant to be enjoyed as a communal meal. It is often served as a breakfast dish, and usually comes garnished with cream, condensed milk, nuts, or honey.

Masoub

Masroshi is a traditional snack consisting of stuffed and fried dough. The dough is made with flour, oil, warm water, and salt, while the filling includes smoked tuna, grated coconut, hot peppers, onions, garlic, ginger, minced curry leaves, and lime. The dough is rolled into a ball, flattened, covered with the filling, closed, and rolled into a ball that's flattened before being fried in a pan. Masroshi is cooked until it becomes golden brown, and it should be flipped every few minutes so that both sides are evenly cooked. The dish can be served for breakfast or eaten in the afternoon or evening as a snack, ideally paired with a cup of tea.

Masroshi

Matzah brei or matzo brei is a traditional Jewish dish. It's made with a combination of matzo flatbread and eggs. Both are fried together, then served an eaten for breakfast during Passover. The matzo is torn into pieces, often softened with milk or water, combined with beaten eggs, then fried in butter or oil. Although the dish is often savory, it can also be prepared in a sweet version with cinnamon, fruit, and honey. The sweet versions are typically topped with applesauce, whipped cream, yogurt, sour cream, or fruit jams. The savory versions are sometimes enriched with the addition of sauerkraut or onions, along with seasonings.

Matzah brei

Mbaazi za nazi is a specialty of Kenya's Coastal region, consisting of pigeon peas (mbaazi) cooked in coconut milk. When the milk evaporates, the dish is ready to be consumed. It can be additionally flavored with hot peppers, turmeric, garlic, cumin, and onions. This flavorful dish is popular in the area because pigeon peas are quite inexpensive and nutritious, so mbaazi za nazi is a great way to get the whole family fed. Typically served for breakfast, mbaazi za nazi is often paired with mahamri or hot chapatis.

Mbaazi za nazi

Mealie greachie is a traditional peasant dish originating from Northern Ireland. Also known as toasted oatmeal, the dish is usually made with a combination of rolled oats, onions, butter, and Irish bacon. The bacon is browned in a skillet, removed, wrapped in foil, and set aside. The onions are fried in butter until soft, and then mixed with the oatmeal. The mixture is cooked until the oatmeal has browned. Once done, the toasted oatmeal is served with the reserved warm bacon. In the past, mealie greachie was eaten by farm laborers at harvest time for dinner.

Mealie Greachie

These soft crescent rolls are regarded as the Argentinian take on traditional French croissants. Even though they are very similar to the French variety, medialunas are slightly more moist, smaller, and a bit sweeter. There are two traditional types of medialunas; the larger version made with butter, and the smaller version made with lard. Both varieties are usually prepared plain, with a rum-and-sugar glaze on top. They are traditionally eaten for breakfast, ideally accompanied by a cup of strong coffee with milk, or as an afternoon snack served with yerba mate, a traditional Argentinian herbal tea. Argentinians prefer to eat them with sweet condiments, jellies, dulce de leche, or chocolate spreads. Even though they are easily prepared at home, medialunas can also be bought in panaderias&ndash;traditional bakeries found throughout Argentina.

Medialunas

Medu vada is an Indian snack that is visually similar to a doughnut, consisting of a deep-fried batter made from black lentils and seasonings such as fenugreek, cumin, pepper, chili, and ginger. The fritters are often served for breakfast with coconut chutney and sambar on the side. It is believed that medu vada was invented in the city of Maddur, located in the region that is today known as Karnataka.

Medu vada

Menemen is a traditional spread consisting of tomatoes, eggs, peppers, and various spices. There are many version of menemen, so it can also contain garlic, cheese, spinach, sausage pieces, or onions (when menemen is served as a main dish). It is usually sold at breakfast or brunch places in Turkey, and most restaurants serve it in metal pans, with a big basket filled with bread as an accompaniment. Most people don&rsquo;t use forks, as they opt for bread as the utensil of choice, scooping up this flavorful spread in the process.

Menemen

Türkiye

Mercimek &ccedil;orbası is a beloved Turkish soup made with red lentils, chicken stock, onions, and carrots. It is often seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin, or paprika. Easy to prepare, filling, and warming, the soup is consumed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in rural parts of Turkey, especially in local eateries known as lokantas.

Mercimek çorbası

Mettbr&ouml;tchen is a type of sandwich consisting of a fresh br&ouml;tchen (a German bread roll) and mett (raw pork mince). The bread roll is sliced, then topped with a layer of mett, which is usually seasoned with salt and pepper and garnished with slices of raw onions on top. This sandwich is a typical breakfast item in Germany, and it is typically enjoyed in northern parts of the country. Interestingly, Mettwoch is a German custom of savoring mettbr&ouml;tchen on Mittwoch (Wednesday).

Mettbrötchen

United States

Midwestern orange rolls are a cherished pastry from the American Midwest, often enjoyed for breakfast or dessert. These rolls are similar to cinnamon rolls but feature a distinct orange flavor. The dough is soft and sweet, made with ingredients like flour, sugar, yeast, milk, eggs, and butter. Instead of a cinnamon filling, the rolls contain a mixture of sugar, butter, and orange zest, providing a fresh, citrusy taste. The dough is rolled out, spread with the orange filling, rolled up, and sliced into individual rolls. After baking, they are typically topped with an orange-flavored glaze made from powdered sugar, orange juice, and zest, enhancing their bright flavor. Midwestern orange rolls are a staple at holiday breakfasts, family gatherings, and special occasions in the Midwest, offering a refreshing alternative to traditional cinnamon rolls. Orange rolls are also very popular in Alabama.

Midwestern orange rolls

Spain

Migas canas is a traditional dish originating from C&oacute;rdoba. This version of migas is made with stale bread, milk, salt, olive oil, garlic, and ground cinnamon. The bread is cut into cubes, sprinkled with milk and water, and left to become spongy. It&rsquo;s then fried in oil with garlic until well browned and sprinkled with cinnamon, if desired. When served on a plate, a hole is usually made in the center, and milk is poured into the hole. This version of migas was usually served for breakfast to local shepherds in rural farmsteads.

Migas canas

Milk toast is an American breakfast staple consisting of slices of buttered, toasted bread that is either dipped or covered in hot milk. There are many varieties, so raisins, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, or pepper might be added to the dish in order to improve its flavors. It is believed that milk toast was created sometimes during the late 19th century, when it was considered a typical comfort food dish as it is easily digestible.

Milk Toast

China

Min chiang kueh is a traditional pancake that's consumed in China and Singapore, with similar version in Malaysia (apam balik). These thick pancakes are filled with a combination of crushed peanuts and sugar. The batter is usually prepared with a combination of plain and rice flour, coconut milk, eggs, sugar, yeast, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Once prepared, the pancake is topped with peanuts and sugar, then folded in half and served. Other fillings are also available, such as red bean paste and shredded coconut. The pancake is served for breakfast, always piping hot, and it can be found at most hawker centers. It's believed that these pancakes originate from Fujian, China.

Min chiang kueh

Misal is a specialty dish of the Indian state of Maharashtra, its name literally translated to a mixture of everything, so the ingredients vary from cook to cook. However, a combination of these ingredients is the most common in a typical misal: curd, moth bean or pea curry, gravy, spiced potatoes, and garnishings such as onions, coriander, and tomatoes. It is mandatory for a true misal to be spicy, while the base needs to be crunchy. Visually, it should look like a work of art, with lots of colors - typically red, brown, orange, and green. The earliest mention of the dish appeared around the early 20th century. Since it is highly nutritious, easy to prepare, and relatively inexpensive, it remains one of the most popular meals in Maharashtra.