The Evolution of the McConway McBreakfast McSandwich

One of my first posts as a food blogger was to share my findings concerning a light and quick alternative to a greasy, nasty breakfast classic. The resulting McConway McBreakfast McSandwich was one of my favorite posts.

This sandwich really hit the mark. In fact, it hit it a little too well. The eggs were rubbery and flavorless, the bacon tasted more like the byproduct of a food laboratory than the blessed gift from a noble animal, and the American cheese tasted like, well, American cheese. Yes, I'd created a low fat version of the fabled Egg McMuffin but it was not yet a truly awesome breakfast sandwich.

So I practiced and refined the recipe a couple of hundred times. Seriously, I've eaten this dish at least 3 times a week for the last 18 months. If practice makes perfect, I should be holy by now!

I call my new iteration the M³ Evolution™. Ok so it's not trademarked and I really just call it an egg sandwich. Sorry, I got caught up in the moment. I'm a little attached to this sandwich.

Regardless, the new and improved m-cubed is better in every way (not just with respect to my food photography skills). Just feast your eyes on those eggs - piled high with a fluffy tenderness matched only by the sublimely succulent tint of yellow sunshine. Gaze upon the finest fake bacon money can buy, the gourmet cheese, the tastiest light bagel toasted with care and love. This is a sandwich worth waking up for, a sandwich that will usher you into a new day and keep you content until the first pangs of lunchtime hunger rise up and say "good day".

I've come to find that the heart and soul of a truly awesome breakfast sandwich is the eggs. Over time I've tossed the Styrofoam microwaved eggs and passed beyond the greener glass-microwaved huevos. Nuked eggs, no matter how much care you take, will always end up dry and rubbery.

Somewhere around the 179th attempt at this sandwich I got sick and tired of my fascist all-white egg mix and bland basil-substitute. Nowadays I sneak a whole yolk into my trio of egg whites and cook them unseasoned. Sure it adds two points, but what an addition! There's so much flavor in the yolk, and it makes the resulting eggs so tender and delicious!

I've gotten pretty good at not overcooking the eggs, which is crucial. I can't quite explain the technique in words, but thanks to the miracle of internet publishing I've created a short video which explains my method. Brace yourselves readers, because NTSCBlog.com is going multimedia!

The only down side is that my newfound culinary joy rings up at a whopping 6 points, a stark increase from the original 3 point version and a scant 1 point less than a "real" Egg McMuffin. Personally, I can skip a snack here and there for the privilege of such a wonderful start to the day. The irony is that I'm usually less hungry during the day when I make one of these for breakfast.

However, if you must you can leave the yolk out of the egg and save 2 points. Cooking the egg instead of nuking it is still a tremendous improvement. Also, lacto-ovo vegans or careful points counters can also omit the fakon, if you must (horror!).

But this is about more than just arithmetic. This is about the most important meal of the day (despite what some naysayers blather on about)! This is about eggs that aren't artificial. It's about fresh bread. This is about a sandwich that is blissfully imperfect, gloriously personal. This is food made with your hands! And it's good for you!

All dishes, however modest, should aspire to such greatness.

Update 10/4/06 - This photo was entered in this month's Does My Blog Look Good in This photography contest!