Bacon, egg and cheese sandwich

A bacon, egg and cheese sandwich is a breakfast sandwich made with bacon, eggs (typically fried or scrambled), cheese and bread, which may be buttered and toasted. Many similar sandwiches exist, substituting alternate meat products for the bacon or using different varieties of cheese or bread. The sandwich is often served as a breakfast item with coffee. BEC is sometimes used as an acronym for the sandwich,[1] as is BE&C.

Contents

Variations

Many variations on the theme exist. Common choices for cheese include American, cheddar, and Swiss. The bacon can be substituted with many other types of preserved or seasoned meat like breakfast sausage, ham, Canadian bacon, or pork roll. Similarly, a croissant, bagel, toast, biscuit, muffin (English), kaiser roll, or any other type of bread roll could be used as the bread for the sandwich.[2] The dish is also served as a burrito or taco.[3]

Tomato is sometimes used as an addition.[4] A more robust version includes a hash brown.

A version was adapted as a low carbohydrate meal.[5][6] The bacon egg and cheese sandwich has also been modified into Hot Pockets (170 calories and 7 grams of fat) and Lean Pockets (150 calories and 4.5 grams of fat).[3] A sandwich has about 20 grams of fat and 350 calories.[3][7]

Sonic Drive-In offers a bacon egg and cheese "toaster".[8] Arby’s offers a "Sourdough Bacon, Egg & Swiss" with 500 calories and 29 grams of fat.[9] Burger King serves up a "Croissan'wich with Bacon, Egg & Cheese" (360 calories and 22 grams of fat) as well as a "Double Croissan'wich with Sausage, Bacon, Egg & Cheese" (610 calories and 46 grams of fat).[9] In New Zealand and some parts of Australia a "Massive McMuffin" is offered with ketchup, bacon, egg, American cheese and two sausage patties.

Burger King’s offering of an "Enormous Omelette Sandwich" with two egg patties, two strips of bacon, two slices of cheese and a deep fried sausage patty was a controversial introduction that lives on in a modified recipe in Fast Food Fix By Devin Alexander.[10]

Health concerns

A health publication recommends leaving the sausage, bacon and other meats off breakfast sandwiches to save "200 or more calories and a chunk of saturated fat" and when indulging in the "grab-and-go" approach, choosing the Egg McMuffin as among the lowest in calories and fat.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bacon, Egg and Cheese Sandwich — What does BEC stand for?". TheFreeDictionary.com. http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/Bacon,+Egg+and+Cheese+Sandwich. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
  2. ^ "How to make a bacon egg and cheese sandwich from scratch?". Yahoo! Answers. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090516091002AACuYVw. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
  3. ^ a b c Karen J. Bellerson The complete & up-to-date fat book: reduce the fat in your diet with this guide to the fat, calories, and fat percentages in your food pp. 89, 297, 298 Edition: 5, illustrated, revised Avery, 2006 ISBN 1583332472, 9781583332474 875 pages
  4. ^ Ruth Berolzheimer Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook Baked Tomato Cheese Sandwiches p. 186 reprint, illustrated, revised Perigee, 1988 ISBN 0399513884, 9780399513886 974 pages
  5. ^ Lucy Beale, Sandy G. Couvillon The complete idiot’s guide to low-carb meals Open-faced Canadian bacon sandwich p. 34 reissue, illustrated Alpha Books, 2004 ISBN 1592571808, 9781592571802 384 pages
  6. ^ Linda Gassenheimer Prevention’s Fit and Fast Meals in: Over 175 Delicious, Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes Or Less Sunny-side Up Canadian Bacon and Cheese Toast p. 66 Edition: illustrated Rodale, 2006 ISBN 1594864160, 9781594864162 272 pages
  7. ^ A Complete Guide to Healthful Living p. 544
  8. ^ The Essential Net Carb Counter page 134
  9. ^ a b c Helm, Janet Breakfast on the run: slim pickin’s among fast-food options April 1, 2005 Environmental Nutrition
  10. ^ Devin Alexander Fast Food Fix: 75+ Amazing Recipe Makeovers of Your Fast Food Restaurant Favorites p. 174 Edition: illustrated Rodale, 2006 ISBN 1594863105, 9781594863103 228 pages
Cheese dishes