AUSTRALIA Not surprisingly, considering the country's relationship with England, the Australian range of breakfast foods is fairly

similar -- bacon, eggs, toast with butter and jam, cereal with milk, tea or coffee to drink. There are a couple of idiosyncratic food combinations on the Australian breakfast menu, though. Toast, topped with either spaghetti or baked beans and bacon, is quite common. JAPAN (asa-gohan) In spite of the fact that asa-gohan means "morning rice," most people in Japan these days -- at least in urban areas -- eat quick western-style breakfasts like eggs, toast, juice and coffee. Those who prefer more traditional foods are likely to have tea and miso soup or, yes, rice. Some season the rice with nori seaweed flakes or mix in a little raw egg for added protein. Umeboshi, pickles made from unripe plums soaked in brine and packed with red shiso leaves (which are responsible for their vivid color and flavor), are popular breakfast accompaniments. They are also used to balance the digestion. In Northern Africa, where the culinary traditions have a great deal in common with the Middle East, breakfasts are likely to include tea or coffee and breads made with sorghum or millet. In Egypt, in particular, ful medames is considered to be a traditional early morning meal. SCOTLAND Scottish contributions to the breakfast table in the British Isles include oatcakes, scones, and Arbroath smokies. Scones are very much like biscuits and are traditionally cut into wedge shapes before baking. Oatcakes, also called bannocks, are made with a mixture of oat and barley flour, then baked on a griddle. Scots are, if possible, even a little better known for eating oatmeal in the morning than the British or the Irish; popular additions to morning porridge are sugar, cream, and black treacle. Arbroath smokies are made of small haddock that are gutted, then tied together in pairs and either salted or pickled in brine before being smoked over a peat fire. They are eaten with with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of black pepper, accompanied by brown bread and butter. FRANCE (petit dejeuner) and ITALY (prima colazione) Also BELGIUM (petit dejeuner) and LUXEMBOURG (kaffidrinken) These are the countries that define the term "Continental breakfast," paring down the morning meal to the absolute minimum of stimulant and sustenance: coffee and bread. In France, the most common coffee choice is caf au lait, served in a large ceramic bowl, although, of course, there are those who opt for other beverages, say black coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Similarly, inItaly, the choice is most likely to be cappuccino, caffe nero, t, orlatte al cacao. In both cases, the bread is usually a croissant, brioche, or slice of toast, served with butter and preserves. CANADA Breakfast in Canada is little different than in the United States, except perhaps for a slightly stronger tendency to indulge in large English-style spreads. It is not a surprise that a country whose flag bears a maple leaf is the largest producer of maple syrup in the world and claims the pancake and maple syrup breakfast as a local specialty. The syrup can only be produced in the eastern part of the country, where the climate is just right to encourage sap production by sugar maples. Canadian bacon, a popular side dish, differs from the crispy strips that are familiar to United States residents; it tastes more like ham, and is served in thin round slices.