A botched version of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ recorded by my friend’s fiancé the night before was all the proof we needed that our sangria-fueled confidence in our karaoke abilities was a fallacy. We sat at the breakfast table like two criminals confronted with the evidence as he held up his phone and played the barbaric recording. Perhaps one day we will owe an apology to Freddie Mercury and the rest of the members of Queen, but for now we have a lovely reminder of what has been one of my favorites nights of the summer.
It started innocently enough. I was visiting Ashton at her new place in Auburn Hills, MI. After breakfast on Saturday we headed over to the Italian market. We left with a cartful of fresh figs, a loaf of sourdough, goat cheese, prosciutto sliced right of the ham, and a couple bottles of wine that we used to mix up a big batch of sangria. We spent the better part of the afternoon assembling an enviable tapas platter and sipping on chilled sangria. Hours passed while we munched on goat cheese stuffed figs, thin slices of salty prosciutto, and chewy sourdough while the cold wine had us feeling nice and warm.
Not quite ready to call it a night, we headed out to a bar down the road promising karaoke and $3.00 long islands. We went back and forth on the mic, Ashton doing Patsy Cline renditions while I went with my Eagles and George Michael favorites before we ended the night together with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’ We couldn’t have asked for a better time and I cannot recall laughing so hard.
Fast forward to morning when we found ourselves dazed and perhaps regretting that last long island. Our saving grace that morning was some quick planning at the market the day before. Along with the ingredients for our tapas spread, we picked up some avocados and smoked salmon.
I offered to make breakfast as a small way to say ‘thank you’ to Ashton and her fiancé for having me for the weekend. Standing in their kitchen, blurry-eyed and disoriented, I managed to assemble some toast that I’m pretty damn proud of.
The combination of crunchy sourdough, creamy avocado, salty goat cheese, and smokey salmon is everything I crave when sangria has gotten the better of me. And I sincerely hope Ashton agreed with me as we sat there reliving the night before, our voices blaring through the speakers and our faces growing red.
We finished the weekend with a trip the the Eastern Market and treated ourselves to Bloody Mary’s from Vivio’s. I’m always grateful for this friendship and the adventures that come with it.
If you want to get a jump on your breakfast (especially if you plan on imbibing on sangria), the avocado mixture can be made the night before. The lemon juice will keep the avocados from turning brown and will give the garlic a chance to mellow out.
Have a go-to meal you turn to when making breakfast for friends or family? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Avocado Toast
Makes 3 Servings (2 slices per person)
For the Guacamole
- 2 Avocados
- 1 Garlic Clove, crushed
- Pinch of Salt
- Handful of Fresh Basil, sliced
- Juice from 1 Lemon
- Zest from 1 Lemon
For the Toast
- 6 Slices Sourdough or Whole Grain Bread
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Italian Seasoning
- 4 Oz. Goat Cheese
- 4 Oz. Smoked Salmon
- Chili Flakes (optional)
- Fresh Basil, sliced
- Sea Salt
Make the guacamole by mashing the avocados in a bowl and adding the garlic, salt, basil, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix and add more salt, if necessary.
Preheat the broiler and combine the olive oil, salt, and Italian seasoning. Brush both sides of the bread with the oil mixture and lay the slices on a pan. Place the pan under the broiler and watch the bread closely. Broil each side until lightly toasted, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Spread the guacamole on each slice of bread then top with goat cheese, smoked salmon, chili flakes (optional), basil, and a pinch of sea salt. Serve and enjoy!
