Ah yes, I remember it well: that tantalising smell of bacon, the delights of overcooked sausages and a runny egg – none of this 'over easy' nonsense.
Oh dear, a thing of the past I hear you say. I mean, if we're to believe all the media hype not many people bother with breakfast, never mind celebrate it. Even more so if it happens to be a 'Full English'.
I decided that Farmhouse Breakfast Week shouldn't be allowed to pass by without some mark of respect for a classic eating experience. So let the 'cholestrol countdown' begin…
There was only one problem: where should I go? After a little detective work I found myself heading out to the Peak District and The Old Smithy in the village of Monyash.
The all-day breakfasts here are legendary and people come from far and wide to sample them – bikers, cyclists, walkers, daytrippers, you name them they're there.
A couple even travel from Milton Keynes to taste the delights of the cooked breakie while another have been known to cycle
from Wales – and back, after being suitably refreshed.
As the name suggests, the Smithy was a one-time blacksmiths. It had been empty for a while when Ed Driscoll bought it some 15 years ago and put the Big Breakfast back on everyone's plate. Sadly Ed died last year and his son David, who does most of the cooking, is now in overall charge, with a little help from his mum Ruth and brothers Sean
and Daniel.
I decided that to do it justice I needed to work up an appetite – a circular walk around Monyash and Lathkill Dale did the trick, which meant it was more brunch than breakfast.
Unfortunately a lot of other people had been tempted out by the glorious sunny weather – and they all wanted breakfast, or was it brunch?
We had to wait for a table and even then we couldn't get into the main Smithy area but had to settle for one in the back room extension. A few bench tables are situated outside and even these were occupied.
The main thing that strikes you about the Smithy room is the number of musical instruments hung on the walls – guitars, banjo, violin and mandolin to name but a few. All are reminders of Ed's days in a folk
band.
Photographs of Monyash and the surrounding area dominate the walls of the extension.
While the Smithy's breakfast special is by far and away the customers' favourite there's a raft of other dishes, all chalked up on a large, wall-mounted blackboard in the small entrance area.
The mains included sausage, egg and chips, chicken and chips, cornish pasty and chips and a Blacksmiths Lunch of Hartington stilton, cheddar, salad, pickle and a bap which were all priced up at £5.50.
Children's meals (under-12s) ranged from £3 to £4 and featured a mini breakfast.
Hot snacks – soup (£2.75), cheese on toast and scrambled egg on toast (£3.25) – were also on offer along with sandwiches, toasted paninis and desserts.
My order was simple: two breakfasts (£5.75) and a pot of tea for two (£2.70).
You help yourself to cutlery and sauces, etc.
When I describe it as a big breakfast, that's exactly what it is – three rashes of really tasty bacon, two slightly well-done sausages, half an oatcake piled high with button mushrooms, a fried egg on a toasted bap and a good helping of baked beans and tinned tomatoes.
The real plus is that, wherever possible, Dave uses locally sourced ingredients, with bacon and sausage from a Bakewell-based butcher, eggs from a farm up the road, mushrooms from Ashbourne, bread from a Matlock bakery and oatcakes from Bakewell.
There's also a veggie breakfast (£5.50), which is even bigger helpings of the same, minus, of course, the bacon and sausage.
Being as I was now on brunch time – well, that's my excuse – I decided I could indulge myself in some home-made apple cake. Light of texture with a good smattering of apple, although the vanilla ice cream mysteriously turned itself into chocolate mint. I'd have preferred vanilla.
The Smithy is licensed from 11am to 11pm with Peak Ales from Chatsworth, bottled beers from Great Longstone and a decent wine selection from a Bakewell supplier. Wines range from £11.50 a bottle –
also available by the glass – and there's always a guest wine flagged up on a blackboard. This is especially handy on a Saturday 'Bistro' night which features separate dishes such as luxury fish pie, stuffed pork loin, lamb shank and sirloin steak (check on availability, depending on time of year).
The food bill came to £18.70p.
Verdict: the big breakfast lives and long may it do so. Highly enjoyable and excellent value. Go on, give yourself a treat – you can always do a walk before or after.
Opening times: Monday to Friday 10am- 4pm; Saturday and Sunday 9am-6pm (dependant on weather).
The Old Smithy, Monyash, near Bakewell; telephone 01629 810190
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