If you ask the average Joe what their favourite meal of the day is they’ll probably either go with breakfast, lunch or dinner – but they’d be wrong. Brunch is the superior meal in every way, appeasing both those who think breakfast is too early and those that are too hungry to wait till lunch. It also appeals to the day-time drinker in all of us!
If you’re still not convinced by my obviously biased account, why not take in some of the illustrious history of brunch and find out for yourself what makes it truly stand out from the crowd. If you’re not tempted to be a seasoned bruncher after reading this then there really is no pleasing you!
Brunch Beginnings
Taking its roots from the 19th century, the very first recorded use of the word was from the writer Guy Beringer in an article entitled “Brunch: A Plea” for the Hunter’s Weekly. The article suggested a lighter, more ‘sociable’ alternative to the heavy English Sunday lunch that we’re all familiar with. A small meal that puts you in the mood for a good chin-wag (gossip), you can probably tell why it soon became the darling meal for socialites everywhere.
Early Brunchin’
If we’re being honest, nobody really knows what the origins of brunch really were, so it’s anyone’s guess what people ate first. Some point out that possible early adaptions of the brunch could be late hunt breakfasts, where English gentry would feast on the game they’ve spent the morning hunting, complete with stews. Although some believe it was a tradition of Catholics, who were forced to eat late on a Sunday due to fasting before church.
The Good ol’ Brunch Bevvy
You don’t have to have an alcoholic drink with your brunch, but with such a long history of those having a tipple with their eggs benedict, it could be considered insensitive not to – or at the very least just have a mocktail!
The most famous brunching drink must be the Bloody Mary cocktail, traditionally concocted of vodka, tomato juice, a dash of tabasco and garnished with a stick of celery for good luck. Seen by many as the ultimate ‘hair of the dog’ elixir that will instantly cure any hangover that might be bothering you from the night before.
Brunch in the Modern World
Thanks to Sex and the City, brunch is significantly more well-known than it was back in the days of yore. Now the ‘ladies who lunch’ phenomenon is rife within metropolitan city areas, London and New York, many restaurants offer a standard late breakfast/early lunch menu – like the Balham brunch for example – for those in the mood for a light-bite and a catch up with their favourite friends.
DIY Brunch
If you’re a bit short on the cash and think that the Brunch socialite shtick isn’t really for you, but still want to have yourself a tasty breakfast/lunch hybrid concoction, then don’t worry. We have some quality brunch recipes you can try for yourself right here.
- Tex Mex Breakfast Waffle
- Corn Fritters with Crispy Bacon, Red Pepper Jam and Soured Cream
- Oven Baked Sweet Potato Rosti
- Chorizo Frittata
- Summer Eggs Florentine
Do you have a favourite brunching spot? or any banging brunch recipes you’d like to share?
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*This is a Collaborative Post*