Happy Meal

My gold standard for breakfast sandwiches, when I worked in San Francisco, was always the wonderfully gooey, hot-off-the-grill sandwich that is served at Em's Place on McAllister, right next to my former place of employ, Hastings College of the Law.

It was a wonderful start to the work day, a pleasure I reserved for those few mornings (I loved my job) when I didn't really want to be at work, a little treat to make getting to work something to look forward to.

When I retired a couple of years ago, I did manage to get in to the city from time to time and, whenever it was around breakfast time, I'd stop at Em's to say hello to the lovely Chinese couple who run the place and to treat myself again to their breakfast sandwich.

As the years have gone on, however, I have gone less and less to the city and I missed having a good breakfast sandwich now and then. .

But, guess what! Eureka! I have discovered a really good substitute right here in town. At Little Louie's, they make a really solid sandwich of any combination you want - my favorite is whole wheat toast, scrambled egg, Swiss cheese and, of course, bacon. Breakfast Sandwich Heaven.

It's so hearty that I only buy one when My Beloved accompanies Cora and me on our morning walk - it's really too big for one person. We greet which ever family member is working there that day, help ourselves to a cup of coffee, then order the sandwich. While it's being freshly made, we chat with each other, or greet neighbors who happen in, or just sit in comfortable silence, anticipating the feast to come.

We always save a bite containing bacon for Cora - she waits patiently outside, tied within sight to a convenient tree. Then we stroll home, sipping our coffee and stopping frequently to let Cora sniff, comfortably full of well cooked breakfast and all of us content.