Don Senneville and Jim White
Our readers will remember that in our last article, in addition to reporting on coffee and coffee shops, we’re embarking on a project to report on likenesses and differences among breakfast burritos served in our Coffee Row establishments. As we begin the “burrito wars” segment of The CUP, we find that there are lots of details to consider. For example, what is a burrito? The etymology of the word “burrito” means “little donkey” in Spanish, the diminutive form of “burro”, or “donkey”. The name “burrito”, as applied to the dish, possibly derives from the tendency for burritos to contain a lot of different things (see below) similar to how a burro would be able to carry a large burden. Don says he sometimes feels like a burrito. We’ve noted a Scientific CUP Fact: Little Donkey means Burrito in Spanish, therefore a Big Donkey is a Burro in Spanish. So what’s the Spotted Donkey? Burro Manchado. Do not order this. We’re pondering what would be the most important details to note for our readers about breakfast burritos as we enjoy them with morning coffee. Obviously the tortilla carries the load. It’s an exciting subjective scientific quest. As a kind of strange baseline, we have some data. For example, though it’s technically outside our Coffee Row, but still in far western Cave Creek, on Carefree Hwy, the new McDonald’s serves a breakfast burrito. Don is still mad about their cutting down the giant yucca tree that was in what’s now their parking lot (and, incidentally, he is also mad about somebody cutting down the Tamarisk Grove trees to create “affordable”(?) housing – but that’s a story for another day). Here is what McD’s says is in a McBurrito for breakfast, which also makes him mad: They don’t even mention the tortilla.
Review of a Breakfast McBurrito: Cave Creek 2024
Scrambled egg (whole egg, skim milk, modified corn starch, soybean oil, salt, xanthan gum, spices, citric acid, natural flavors [plant source]), Sausage crumbles (pork, water, salt, dextrose, spices, rosemary extract, sugar), Vegetables (tomatoes, green chilies, onions, calcium chloride). Sure get a lot for your money! Hold the CaCL2, please.
Review of Fantastico’s Bacon Breakfast Burrito: Cave Creek 2024
A 77 degree morning sitting on the no frills patio looking at Kiwanis, we enjoyed a Fantastico’s bacon, egg, cheese, pepper, onion, no-potato burrito with hot red and mild green salsa wrapped in an excellent large flour tortilla while watching Cave Creek Road go by. A perfect split plate with friendly service. We watched the Señoras make it. Excellent, and we get to practice our Spanish. There is a variety of breakfast burritos and many other tempting dishes. Their burrito offerings are, by main ingredient: Sausage, Bacon, Country (add potatoes), Steak and Egg, Machaca, Chorizo, or Ham. Wash it all down with an ice cold Mexican coke, which has roughly the equivalent of 2 to 4 shots of espresso.
Review of Carefree Coffee Roastery Bacon Burrito: Carefree 2024
“Carefree and Caffeinated” we head back to the Carefree Coffee Roastery where we started the day. Our friend and barista, Emily, greets us with a smile and more fuel. We may be ready to drive to the lake. But first a bacon burrito, described as a flour tortilla wrap containing 2 scrambled eggs, bacon, avocado, gouda cheese, tomato, pickled onions, and Letti’s salsa roja. Compare to a McBurrito*…. They also offer a Jam/Chorizo Burrito. Interesting, but we are sticking with bacon. The gouda gives the little burro a dutch-mexican twist. The pickled onions take us from the Yucatan to the cheese raclette of Switzerland. So as you can see the breakfast burrito can invoke global connections. The avocado from Peru was just perfect. Thank you, Letti.
So the burrito wars will continue next issue. Your recommendations are welcome. You should be reading this the night before Halloween. Trick or Treat? If you are feeling like a little burrito, contact Don and Jim at [email protected].
