Bacon, Egg & Cheese on a roll (the bodega BEC)
Scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and melted American cheese, all hugged in a lightly buttered and toasted kaiser roll. Simple, hot, and eaten on the go. An absolute classic of New York street culture.
Scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and melted American cheese, all hugged in a lightly buttered and toasted kaiser roll. Simple, hot, and eaten on the go. An absolute classic of New York street culture.
Yo, listen up: you walk into the corner bodega, you haven't slept, your head is full of rhymes, and you just drop 'bacon-egg-and-cheese, salt, pepper, ketchup.' The guy behind the griddle knows the move, he slaps the bacon, cracks the eggs, throws on the slice of cheese that melts straight away, and he folds it up in foil. You pay a handful of coins, you bite into it in the street, and then, my man, you're ready to take on the day. That's Queens, that's our essence.
- •Eggs — two (soft base)
- •Bacon — a few slices (salty crunch)
- •American cheese — one to two slices (melty binder (the signature))
- •Kaiser roll — one (holder)
- •Butter — a knob (for toasting the roll)
- •Salt, pepper, ketchup or hot sauce — to taste (street seasoning)
Bacon, Egg & Cheese on a roll (the bodega BEC)
Scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and melted American cheese, all hugged in a lightly buttered and toasted kaiser roll. Simple, hot, and eaten on the go. An absolute classic of New York street culture.
Why this dish? It's THE breakfast of the average New Yorker, ordered at the counter of the corner bodega before heading out. For young people from Queens who pulled studio nights and rushed mornings at the end of the 90s, this greasy, comforting sandwich for a buck and change was daily fuel.
Yo, listen up: you walk into the corner bodega, you haven't slept, your head is full of rhymes, and you just drop 'bacon-egg-and-cheese, salt, pepper, ketchup.' The guy behind the griddle knows the move, he slaps the bacon, cracks the eggs, throws on the slice of cheese that melts straight away, and he folds it up in foil. You pay a handful of coins, you bite into it in the street, and then, my man, you're ready to take on the day. That's Queens, that's our essence.
Ingredients (period version)
- Eggs — two (soft base)
- Bacon — a few slices (salty crunch)
- American cheese — one to two slices (melty binder (the signature))
- Kaiser roll — one (holder)
- Butter — a knob (for toasting the roll)
- Salt, pepper, ketchup or hot sauce — to taste (street seasoning)
Ingredients
- Eggs — 2 (soft base)
- Smoked bacon — 2 to 3 slices (salty crunch)
- American cheese (or mild cheddar slices) — 2 slices (melty binder)
- Kaiser roll or soft bun — 1 (holder)
- Butter — 10 g (for toasting the roll)
- Salt, pepper, ketchup or hot sauce — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Brown the bacon in a skillet until crispy, then set aside.
- Cut the roll in half, butter it, and toast the cut side in the hot skillet.
- Beat the eggs with salt and pepper, pour into the skillet and scramble gently.
- When the eggs are still runny, lay the cheese slices on top and let melt.
- Fold the cheesy egg, place it on the roll with the bacon, close.
- Add a squirt of ketchup or hot sauce, wrap in foil, and eat hot.
How it was made : The bacon-egg-and-cheese was born from the 20th-century meeting of American diners and the countless corner groceries (bodegas) run by immigrant families in New York. On the always-hot griddle, everything cooks side by side. Processed American cheese, invented to melt perfectly, became its soul. In the 90s, it was the ultimate democratic lunch: everyone, from banker to rapper, ate the same.
The contemporary twist : Served on a board with the sandwich cut in half to show the runny heart, and a small ramekin of homemade hot sauce. You can replace the bacon with smoked turkey bacon as a nod to Q-Tip's vegetarian later years.
A Tribe Called Quest · Charactorium