Breakfast for Dinner: The Strawberry Ember Evening

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There's something about early summer evenings that makes the kitchen feel alive: like the light itself is leaning in to see what you're up to. My west‑facing kitchen turns gold at this hour, the kind of gold that makes dust motes look like tiny fae drifting through the air. The windows were open, the breeze was warm, and the kids were outside doing whatever kids do when the sun is still high enough to promise adventure.

I was in a playful mood, the kind that makes you look at a loaf of locally made white‑chocolate strawberry sourdough from Simply Sourdough by Maria Gray and think,
Yeah… we're doing breakfast for dinner.

The loaf had been calling to me since I bought it at the same pop‑up market I was working last Saturday at Willow and Finch. A little synchronicity, a little kitchen mischief, a little "why not?" energy. So I cracked eggs into a bowl, splashed in oat milk, melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, pink salt, and — because intuition whispered it — one grind of black pepper.

The custard smelled like warm berries and caramel magic.

As I whisked, I glanced out the window. The kids were in the yard, bathed in that soft, golden light that makes everything look like a memory even while it's happening. Just a quiet moment, no shouting, no chaos, just a glimpse of them in the glow. It grounded me right there in the middle of my messy, enchanted kitchen.

Then I dipped the first slice.

The pan hissed. Butter foamed. The whole kitchen smelled like a strawberry bonfire.

And while the first slices were sizzling in the pan, I had the Honey‑Cinder Drizzle warming on the stove: honey and butter melting into a glossy, cinnamon‑kissed syrup that poured over the pain perdu like liquid gold.

When the first piece was done, I took a bite and said, out loud, to no one...
"Holy shit."

Then I handed a piece to Jason.
He took one bite, looked at me, and said,
"Wow, that's good."  
Understatement of the year.

Breakfast for dinner turned into a whole summer‑evening ritual; chaotic, playful, mythic, and absolutely perfect.

THE STRAWBERRY EMBER PAIN PERDU

Ingredients:

2 eggs

½ cup oat milk

1 tbsp melted salted butter

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 dashes (or more) Cinnamon 

½ pinch pink salt (3 grinds)

1 grind black pepper

Butter for the pan (approx. 5 tbsp)

Thick slices of white‑chocolate strawberry sourdough

Yield:

5–6 large full slices, I cut mine into halves for easier soaking and cooking, so 10–12 halves.

Method:

Whisk eggs, oat milk, melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, pink salt, and black pepper.

Heat a small pan over medium‑low and drop in a pat (approx. 1 tbsp) of butter. Let it melt and get foamy.

Dip each slice (or half‑slice) 5-7 seconds per side.

Place 2 halves in the pan at a time. Do not overcrowd! Each piece needs room to crisp and caramelize.

Cook 2–3 minutes per side until golden and custardy.

Serve warm with Honey‑Cinder Drizzle and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

HONEY‑CINDER DRIZZLE

Ingredients:

¼ cup honey

1 tbsp salted butter

1–2 tbsp oat milk

Pinch of cinnamon

Optional: 1 micro‑twist black pepper

Method:

Melt butter over low heat.

Stir in honey until glossy.

Add oat milk a little at a time, until syrupy.

Stir in cinnamon and optional pepper.

Warm gently (do not boil or scald) and pour immediately.