Breakfast

The epitome of a cozy Sunday breakfast in Denmark is a crispy sweet treat known as Danish pastry. It is made with laminated dough, where the dough is repeatedly covered with butter and folded over itself. The result is a creation that is quite similar to puff pastry. The dough is shaped into different forms and filled with flavorful, creamy fillings. Traditional fruit fillings such as apple and raspberry, vanilla custard, and almond paste are Danish favorites, but due to its popularity, the fillings are usually region-specific. For example, cinnamon is more favored during the winter season, while readily available fresh fruit is occasionally incorporated into Danish pastry during the warmer months. The pastry is often decorated with almond flakes or lemon drizzle, which contribute to a more sophisticated look and provide more interesting flavors and textures. It is believed that Danish pastry was created by Austrian bakers who were hired in Denmark during the bakers' strike in 1850, and they brought a tradition of preparing laminated dough to the country. They modified the recipe by adding more butter to create what is today known as Danish pastry. However, in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway it is referred to as wienerbr&oslash;d, originating from the name Viennese bread, and in Vienna, it is often called Kopenhagener plunder. Today, this pastry is an internationally recognized baked product that is found in many European countries and both North and South America. With intricate designs and a variety of flavors, it represents a staple pastry of every bakery and a favorite sweet breakfast of many people.

Wienerbrød

China

Hong Kong-style French Toast is prepared with two slices of peanut butter or coconut jam-smeared milk bread, which are dipped into a batter of eggs and vanilla essence, then pan-fried or deep-fried in oil until golden brown. When served, this french toast version is topped with a dab of butter in the center, and it's often drizzled with maple syrup, condensed milk, honey, or an ice cream scoop. This dish is traditionally served hot, and it's recommended to pair it with a cup of milk tea.

Xi duo shi

Spain

Xuixo (pronounced shoo-shoo) is a Catalan dessert originating from the city of Girona. Dating back to the 1920s, this pastry is cylindrical-shaped and filled with the delectable crema catalana. It's probably best to describe it as a cross between a croissant and a churro, but filled with cream. The xuixo is then deep-fried and sprinkled with crystallized sugar. According to the city's lore, an acrobat named Tarl&aacute; fell in love with a pastry chef's daughter, and one day when the chef entered his bakery he heard a sneeze, leading him to Tarl&aacute;'s hiding spot. The acrobat then promised to marry the chef's daughter and gave him a recipe for this special pastry, which was named after the sneeze that gave the acrobat away. Nowadays, xuixo is usually eaten for breakfast or tea, and it's so popular that there is even a xuixo parade that goes through the city's streets, and when it's finished, the participants are given a treat of fresh xuixos.

Xuixo

Yacai bao is a type of steamed Chinese bun (baozi) which is traditionally associated with Sichuan. The buns are made with leavened dough, and the filling consists of yacai&mdash;preserved vegetables typical for the area. Optionally, the filling can include meat or other vegetables. These buns are most commonly enjoyed for breakfast or lunch.

Yacai bao

As the name states, yakisoba pan is an unusual Japanese combination of stir-fried yakisoba noodles and plain bread rolls. The noodles are first blended with various vegetables and doused in a thick sauce, and the combination is then stuffed inside the roll. The concoction is finished with mayonnaise, pickled ginger, and strips of dry seaweed. Yakisoba pan is available in many grocery stores and supermarkets throughout Japan and is usually enjoyed as a nutritious snack or a quick breakfast.

Yakisoba pan

Youtiao is one of the most popular breakfast foods in China, consisting of Chinese breadsticks that are fried in pairs and connected in the middle. The result is a puffy snack that is crispy on the exterior and tender on the interior. Youtiao dates back to the Song Dynasty when the leader Qin Gui, under the influence of his wife, executed a general named Yue Fei, who was loved by the people. As a sign of protest, a cook made a pair of breadsticks that were shaped to resemble human beings (the leader and his wife), and symbolically deep-fried them in hot oil. That is how youtiao got its nickname - you zha gui, literally translated to deep fried ghosts. Today, the snack is usually accompanied by hot soy milk, rice porridge, or a soup filled with pork, beef, or shrimp.

Youtiao

The Turkish egg-topped flatbread filled with cheese, pepper and tomato, known as yumurtalı pide (lit. egg pita) hails from the Kayseri region in Middle Anatolia where locals sometimes also use another Anatolian delicacy as a topping for this type of pide bread - thinly sliced, spice-coated, and dry-cured beef called pastırma. Yumurtalı pide is made with soft, chewy, oval-shaped pita dough, like most traditional Turkish pita breads, and other regional pizza-like foods. For the perfect yumurtalı pide, the egg is cracked in the middle of each bread only minutes before the end of baking. Beloved throughout the country, this is one of the ultimate Turkish breakfast dishes, but it is also widely available as a snack at numerous bakeries and street stalls.

Yumurtalı pide

Italy

These rustic cornmeal cookies get their name from the word z&aacute;lo, which means "yellow" in the Venetian dialect. They are typically flavored with lemon zest, studded with rum-soaked raisins, and traditionally made without sugar, while a splash of grappa if often added to the dough. Zaletti are excellent for dipping in milk, tea, or coffee, which makes them a popular breakfast choice in Venice, though they are also often enjoyed as an after-meal snack, paired with a glass of dessert wine like Vin Santo.

Zaletti

This savory Bosnian pie (pita) consists of thinly rolled phyllo dough that is filled with a combination of blanched spinach, fresh cow cheese, cream, and eggs. The dough is rolled into a thin sheet called jufka, which is then sprinkled with the filling and shaped into a coil. When baked, the pie is occasionally doused with warm milk or a combination of oil and water. Zeljanica is best served freshly baked, with sour cream or yogurt on the side.

Zeljanica

Zelnik is a traditional North Macedonian pie that can be filled with a variety of different ingredients such as cheese, spinach, eggs, meat, leeks, or cabbage. For the best result, zelnik should be brushed with butter and oil before baking, so that the pie develops a golden-brown color. Zelnik is best when served warm, and it is recommended to pair it with a glass of yogurt.

Zelnik

Zeytin piyazi is a traditional salad originating from T&uuml;rkiye. It's usually made with a combination of green olives, diced tomatoes, sliced scallions, chopped parsley, lemon juice, red chili flakes, thyme, and olive oil. The ingredients are simply mixed together and dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. This green olive salad is typically served with bread slices, then enjoyed for breakfast or as a part of a meze platter. It can also be served as a side dish to fish and meat dishes. If desired, the salad can be enriched with the addition of chopped walnuts.

Zeytin piyazi

The smooth, velvety zhi ma hu or black sesame soup is a variety of Chinese tong sui (lit. sugar water), a dessert soup commonly enjoyed for breakfast, after meals, or served for teatime accompanied by dim sum, the traditional Cantonese bite-sized tea snacks. Particularly popular in southern China and Hong Kong, this dessert boasts numerous health benefits, thanks to the extremely nutrient black sesame seeds which are rich in vitamin B, magnesium, calcium, manganese, and iron. Zhi ma hu is known to improve digestion, kidney function, prevent gallstones, and reduce blood fat. The Chinese also believe that it helps to darken and strengthen hair. A simple but elegant dessert, black sesame soup is not only pleasing to the eye, but an amazingly fragrant m&eacute;lange of earthy and nutty flavors with a distinctive peppery finish.

Zhi ma hu

Zlebiye is a Syrian dessert that is usually enjoyed for breakfast. This traditional dish consists of thinly rolled dough that is shortly deep-fried before it is filled with ashta&mdash;Levantine version of clotted cream&mdash;and the combination is then generously dusted with powdered sugar and ground cinnamon. When rolled, the pancake is additionally sprinkled with ground pistachios, and before it is served, it is usually sliced into smaller pieces.

Zlebiye

Zōni is a versatile Japanese dish which consists of mochi rice cakes served in a flavorful broth, complemented with various toppings. In the Kanto region, zōni is usually prepared with the clear dashi stock seasoned with fish flakes, while the Kansai-style usually employs an opaque broth seasoned with white miso. The choice of toppings and the shape of the chewy mochi cakes are also regionally specific and might include chicken, fish cakes, daikon, and (in some coastal regions) even various seafood ingredients. It is believed that zōni initially appeared as a nutritious dish in the traditional samurai cuisine and was later incorporated in the Japanese New Year&rsquo;s tradition. Nowadays, it is usually enjoyed as a warm and hearty New Year&rsquo;s breakfast.

Zōni

Zuf is a traditional dish originating from the countryside of Friuli. The dish is usually made with a combination of pumpkin, flour, cornflour, water, milk, sage leaves, and salt. The pumpkin and sage leaves are cooked in boiling salted water. Once cooked, both are mashed with a fork and mixed with the two types of flour while stirring in order to prevent lumps. The heat is lowered and the mixture is cooked for about half an hour. The dish is served hot in individual bowls and it's often accompanied by a small ladle of cold milk. This pumpkin porridge is typically eaten for breakfast and it was usually served in the winter as a hearty meal for farmers and field workers. If desired, add a bit of butter to zuf for extra richness, or add sugar for more sweetness.