FOLLOWING THE STORY ON PANERA'S BREAKFAST!
The entry Chris Wolf posted here last week (see Panera’s Semi-Super Souffle and Starbucks Backorder on Bars, 8/28/05) put my wheels in motion. I had to try Panera Bread Company’s new breakfast offering ASAP! But before we get started, let me make one thing clear: Whether this quiche-like offering is inappropriately billed as a soufflé is of no consequence to me. Back in the days when some oaf came up with that catchphrase, “Real men don’t eat quiche” this self-assured guy’s reply was “Just let me at it!”
One of my ironclad Rules to Live By is that any breakfast dish that incorporates eggs and bacon can’t be anything but good. And so it is with Panera Bread’s new Baked Egg “Souffle” in the Spinach & Bacon version I tried just this morning.
The filling is exquisitely savory, although as Mr. Wolf noted, a bit shy on egg. Still, any breakfast dish that can get me eating a little spinach for breakfast can’t be too far off-track. According to Panera’s own tout sheet, the “delicious mélange (of eggs, parmesan and Asiago cheeses, as well as spinach and bacon) is baked in our French dough similar to a croissant.”
When I stop to think what a vast improvement this mélange is over anything that Burger King has been putting into its greasy croissants, I believe it would be a great value if they could just up the egg count a little bit.
But even as it is now, Panera’s Spinach & Bacon Soufflé is something I plan to order again. For one thing, the dish is positively filling?something that can easily keep you going until lunch, if not longer. I tried slipping mine out of its paper casing to eat by hand, and I can tell you that it does not break apart easily?and there seems little possibility that the filling might drip down on your lap. In other words, it’s something you could conceivably eat in your moving car while driving to work, if that were not so inadvisable and against the law.
In any event, this dish deserves high marks for introducing a new element?at last!?to the standard fast-food breakfast-sandwich paradigm. And I think its possible success will encourage other food corporations to move forward in the breakfast field. Starbucks, are you listening?
I would also encourage one other company, in particular, to take a closer look at these puff pastry-encased “soufflés.” Krispy Kreme Doughnuts could make an end run beyond its competitors and make major progress in rising from it current troubled state if it initiated a couple of savory-pastry items like these at breakfast time.
I can’t help but notice that Krispy Kreme currently has an apple-filled pastry item that departs considerably from its usual excessively sticky-sweet fare. How hard would it be to substitute an egg-based filling instead? I’ll give Krispy Kreme fair warning not to drag its feet on this proposal. Some executive at Dunkin’ Donuts could be reading my report right now and thinking, “Hmmm!” Art Siemering is Editor-in-Chief of The Food Channel Trendwire. For more information on this weekly e-mail newsletter for food marketers, hit the “Subscribe” button on this Web Site’s front page.
Comments
On Dec 5 at 09:40 AM said:
The souffle is delicious! I only hope a recipe for it will surface one of these days. It's so popular, that they are out of them by the time I get there.
On Dec 5 at 09:40 AM said:
Why they didn't start with a simple bagel breakfast sandwhich is beyond me? They make them for lunch...what's the hold-up for them? Prep time? Cost of entry...
On Dec 5 at 09:40 AM said:
I first tried the souffle in Florida this past summer and haven't hd it again, only because we have no Paneras here in my area of Vermont. However, I do run a food service operation for a local elementary school and was looking for the recipe, so that I could use it for my students' breakfast choice. It is one way to get them to eat breakfast first of all and another way to get them to eat spinach. If possible, could yu e-mail me the recipe. It sure would be appreciated. It is a super item and should be shared with everyone. Thanks again for a great breakfast item.
On Dec 5 at 09:40 AM said:
I love the Panera baked egg souffle with the spinach and bacon. I would also love to have the recipe. If anyone has it, or a similar one, please email it to me. Thanks!
On Dec 5 at 09:41 AM said:
The artichoke and spinach is my favorite. Why doesn't Panera come to Arlington??? It is a long drive to Ft Worth, but it is worth it! I want the recipe too!
On Dec 5 at 09:41 AM said:
Has anyone come up with the recipe?, I would be happy to put it into pre-made puff pastry shells....or a biscuit-esque shell...
keep me posted, Thanks!
On Dec 5 at 09:41 AM said:
I've just tried the bacon this weekend. Even my son (5 years old) loves it. I would love to have the recipe
Thanks,
On Dec 5 at 09:41 AM said:
My wife and I LOVE the Spinach & Bacon Soufflé from Panera. Please, if someone has a recipe I would like to make it for my wife. Please keep us posted.
Thanks!
On Dec 22 at 06:03 AM Mia said:
The souffle with spinich and bacon is WONDERFUL!! If you're sharing the recipe, please forward a copy for me as well!!
On Dec 22 at 10:22 AM said:
I wake up early to get one before work. If there is a recipe out there please forward it to me. This is the only breakfast my husband will eat.
On Jan 7 at 12:31 PM luba miller said:
Does anyone have a copy cat receipe for the Panara Soufflee?? Help
On Jan 19 at 12:59 PM said:
The receipe is in the cookbook they sold at Christmas.
On Jan 31 at 08:05 AM Jackie Purring said:
My husband and I both enjoy the egg souffles at Panera's... I would love to have the recipe. Is there anyone out there who would be willing to share the recipe with me? I checked their current recipe book and could not find it.
On Jan 31 at 09:21 PM Nicole said:
I used to work for Panera. The souffles take about 35 minutes to bake. The company would only allow 3-5 of each depending on the time of morning. We bake them as soon as we could get them in the oven but other employees such as the prep cook had to use the oven during the same time. So alot of times, it would take almost an hour to get new souffles out. Someone will have to figure out the recipe. The company will not give them out. I can tell you that the bacon is made of egg,chedder,asiago and bits of bacon. the spinach has egg, red pepper, hint of tabasco, artichoke,parmesan and asiago cheeses. The egg mixture has to bake untill it reaches at least 160 degrees.
On Feb 11 at 05:59 PM Wendy said:
Has anyone come up with the receipe or a copy cat receipe yet. I look on the web everyday and so far no luck finding it. If you have it would you please email it to me. Thanks in advance!
On Feb 27 at 11:33 PM said:
It's awesome. Spinach and artichoke, two of the worlds most healthful foods.
On Mar 3 at 03:15 PM barry newman said:
i am so happy to see Panerra has come to Foxwood Resort and Casino. My wife loves them and I always have some of their great soup and half a sandwich. Their cheese bread it to die for. I also like the other breads as well.MMMMMMMMM
On Mar 4 at 08:21 PM Erin said:
The spinach and artichoke souffle was heavenly. I am searching the internet for the recipe, but have been unable to find one.
On Mar 29 at 08:04 AM Linda said:
I LOVE panera's spinach/bacon souffle. We came to Florida for vacation and found a Paneras here. Great. Would love to have a recipe for this item.
On Apr 28 at 08:22 AM Judith-Ann Gorczynski said:
Panera's egg souffle is to Die For! Especially the Spinach-Artichoke Souffle. I too would absolutely LOVE THE RECIPE. Thanks to the fella who worked there for some hints into the recipe. I will try to make it at home with that bits and pieces of a recipe along with South-Beach Diets egg cups recipe, maybe I can come up with something. If anyone finds out the recipe I too would love it.
Thanks.
On May 9 at 08:51 AM Daphne said:
If anyone has the recipe (or similar) for Panera's Spinach and Artichoke Souffle PLEASE let me know.... I've been searching the WEB for months... .Thank you!
On May 13 at 10:23 AM chauntel phillips said:
looking for recipe similar to the panera bread egg,bacon and spinach souffle.
On May 14 at 09:45 PM kate burt said:
How do I get this delicious recipe? Please someone send it to me! Thanks.
On May 19 at 10:43 AM Shirley M Turkett said:
I would like to purchase a Panera Cookbook that contains the recipe for Asiago Cheese Souffle. Please advise where this may be purchased. Thank you
On May 19 at 10:43 AM Shirley M Turkett said:
I would like to purchase a Panera Cookbook that contains the recipe for Asiago Cheese Souffle. Please advise where this may be purchased. Thank you
On Jun 6 at 05:42 AM susan amato said:
If someone has the recipe for the souffle can you please forward it on to me thanks. I would love to make them for my husband he just loves them.
thanks
On Jun 10 at 02:22 PM Heather said:
I too have just begun to search for the spinach artichoke souffle recipe. It is AWESOME!
On Jun 14 at 10:09 AM deb said:
If anyone gets either of the souffle recipes I would like a copy also! They are delicious!!!!
On Jun 14 at 01:18 PM Denise said:
Does anyone have the spinach
artichoke souffle recipe?
On Jun 19 at 09:09 AM Conor Pitkin said:
If anyone gets either of the souffle recipes I too would like a copy. My favorite is the spinach artichoke souffle.
On Jul 17 at 11:02 AM Amy said:
Check out topsecretrecipes.com. The recipe for the Panera Souffle was last weeks recipe. It's still up today but should be gone sometime today.
On Aug 13 at 09:03 AM Diego said:
I just found the ingredients found in the spinach souffle; they are as follow:
Souffle (eggs, skim milk, spinach, Parmesan cheese [cultured milk, salt, enzymes], Romano cheese [cultured milk, salt, enzymes], artichoke hearts [artichoke hearts, water, salt, citric acid], soybean oil, red peppers, Neufchatel cheese [cultured milk, cream, salt, carob bean gum, guar gum, xanthan gum], onions, water, green onions, modified corn starch, garlic, salt, bleached wheat flour, baking powder [sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate], Parmesan cheese paste [granular and Parmesan cheese {cultured milk, salt, enzymes}, salt, lactic acid, citric acid ],lemon juice concentrate, Tabasco sauce [vinegar, red peppers, salt], mono and diglycerides, spices, xanthan gum), croissant dough (enriched flour [wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid] butter [pasteurized cream, natural flavor], water, whole milk, sugar, yeast, whole eggs, vital wheat gluten, salt), Asiago cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt and enzymes, powdered cellulose added to prevent caking).
On Aug 21 at 10:19 AM Sharona said:
I just had the four cheese one last week and wished I had bought 2. So this morning at 6am - I did just that. They are awesome. I'm sick of fast-food breakfast offerings. They are way too greasy and the weird folded, over-nuked eggs in some of these breakfast samdwiches taste and feel like rubber. The souffle is airy and the flakey pastry is to die for!
On Sep 25 at 08:47 AM Paula said:
For the Top Secret Recipes Verion of the Panera bread Spinach Artichoke Baked Egg Souffle' recipe go to this link. I made it everyone here loved it. I had lost my recipe From Top Secret Recipes and found it at the following site.
http://www.newfoodforum.com/joesplace/viewtopic.php?t=287&sid=d42855ce0d51455c42a56fb232b9b6cf
or go to
On Oct 7 at 01:28 PM COURTNET said:
HELLOW MY NAME IS COURTNEY I LOVE THE FOOD EVEN THOUGH THAT THEY ARE STRANGE THEY END UP BEING DELICIOUS!!!!!!!
On Jan 29 at 11:28 AM Brent Danz said:
I ate an artichoke spinich today... and I must say it's one of the most delicious fast food items I've ever eaten.
On May 4 at 01:54 PM Tina said:
My 2 children(ages 8 & 4) enjoy the spinach and bacon souffle so much when we go to Panera Bread Company. Can you please email me the recipe?
Thanks,
Tina
On Sep 25 at 09:05 AM Claire said:
I would like the recipe for the spinach and bacon souffle.
On Sep 25 at 05:07 PM said:
Best as we can tell, the ingredients are eggs, spinach, bacon, cheddar cheese, Tabsco® sauce, garlic and lemon juice. These ingredients are mixed and baked in a croissant dough made of flour, butter, water, milk, sugar, yeast, eggs and salt. We have not yet played with quantities because you can, after all, buy it at Panera. It is not, by the way, in the Panera Bread Cookbook, but we recommend you buy the Cookbook anyway. It has some great recipes and ideas for entertaining.
On Nov 12 at 02:18 PM tobbi said:
“The Panera Bread Cookbook” is published by Clarkson-Potter Publishers in New York. You can order it at http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400080410
I'm sorry, I am waaay behind the power curve on these Panera Souffles. A friend introduced me to them just this morning and I am in LOVE. Did anyone ever find a recipe for the bacon and spinach one? I found the artichoke and spinach recipe, but can't find the other. I would also be interested in the Panera Cookbook. I didn't know they had one.
On Dec 5 at 09:39 AM said:
I'm just glad that there is a breakfast that's semi-fast and not a BURGER!!!