While there are plenty of amazing brunch dishes out there today, sometimes, you just can’t beat a classic. For many people, one of the most iconic brunch dishes of them all is Eggs Benedict. This is something you can find at almost any brunch restaurant you go to and for good reasons. Eggs Benedict is delicious and has everything you could want in a brunch food. You can’t go wrong getting this the next time you’re out with friends.
So, who do we have to thank for this famous dish? Learn more about how it was created.
What is Eggs Benedict Made From?
Eggs Benedict is a bit more complicated than other egg orders, like scrambled or sunny side up. This dish consists of a few different popular brunch and breakfast foods to make the perfect combination. Eggs Benedict is served on top of two halves of an English muffin, followed by a piece of Canadian bacon and a poached egg. The eggs are topped with Hollandaise sauce, a rich, flavorful sauce made from egg yolk, melted butter, and lemon juice. While this recipe is a classic for a reason, there are many different takes on Eggs Benedict today. Today, you can find variations with substitutions for the English muffin, Canadian bacon, and Hollandaise sauce. At Bank+Vine, our Eggs Benedict swaps the English muffin for our house biscuits and the Canadian bacon for country ham.
Who Made the First Eggs Benedict?
There are a few different people who claim to be the original creator. One of the possible creators of Eggs Benedict is Delmonico’s, located in New York City’s Financial District. Many credit Delmonico’s, which first opened in 1827, to be the first fine dining restaurant in America. Supposedly, Delmonico’s created the dish for Mr. and Mrs. LeGrand Benedict in the 1860s when they requested something new and not on the menu. One of Delmonico’s former chefs also published a recipe named eggs à la Benedick in 1894.
Another famous New York City location is also credited as being the possible place where Eggs Benedict was first created. Retired Wall Street stock broker Lemuel Benedict told The New Yorker in 1942 that he ordered the first Eggs Benedict in the Waldorf-Astoria in 1894 to help his hangover. His order consisted of buttered toast, bacon, poached eggs, and Hollandaise sauce. The maître d’hôtel at the Waldorf-Astoria, who had also previously worked at Delmonico’s, later changed the toast to English muffins and the bacon to Canadian bacon.
Of course, many more Benedicts have claimed that they created the dish over the years. While it will likely never be proven who made this beloved brunch dish, most people agree that Delmonico’s and the Waldorf-Astoria have the strongest claims.
Have an Amazing Brunch in Wilkes-Barre This Weekend
If you’re looking for your new favorite brunch place, look no further than Bank+Vine. With a brunch menu filled with delicious dishes that are both classic and innovative and a beautiful historic bank building to enjoy your meal in, Bank+Vine is perfect for your next brunch outing.
Make reservations today for brunch in Wilkes-Barre!
FAQs
The Delmonico's Restaurant Theory
LeGrand Benedict, who dined at the Delmonico's restaurant frequently, slowly started growing tired of the menu. She wanted something new for her lunch and discussed the same with Charles Ranhofer, a noted chef at the restaurant. The chef created the Eggs Benedict to address her desire.
Did Benedict Arnold invent eggs Benedict? ›
Who Invented Eggs Benedict–a Traitor, a Pope, or a Hungover Dude? The most important thing to know about eggs Benedict is that they have nothing to do with the famed traitor Benedict Arnold.
What are some fun facts about Eggs Benedict? ›
Fun fact: a hungover stockbroker by the name of Lemuel Benedict claimed to have invented eggs benny in New York's Waldorf Hotel in 1894 by ordering buttered toast, poached eggs and crisp bacon with “a hooker of hollandaise.”
Was the original Eggs Benedict different than what we have today? ›
The hollandaise sauce, though, was different from the smooth, creamy topping used today. It included ham and hot, hard-cooked eggs in the sauce. His recipe for eggs Benedict passed through to Montgomery's family, according to the letter, which also included the recipe.
Is Eggs Benedict American or English? ›
Eggs Benedict is a traditional American breakfast and brunch recipe that originated in New York City. It consists of an English muffin, cut in half, toasted, and topped with Canadian bacon, poached eggs, and classic French hollandaise sauce.
What is the origin of the name Benedict? ›
Benedict is a masculine given name of Latin origin, meaning "blessed". Etymologically, it is derived from the Latin words bene ('good') and dicte ('speak'), i.e. "well spoken". The name was borne by Saint Benedict of Nursia (480–547), often called the founder of Western Christian monasticism.
What's so great about Eggs Benedict? ›
The English muffin provides a crispy, buttery base for the dish. By contrast, Canadian bacon or ham adds a salty, savory flavor. The poached egg adds a rich, creamy texture, and the hollandaise sauce provides a tangy, buttery flavor that ties everything together! Eggs Benedict is also an excellent source of protein.
What does egg Benedict means? ›
noun. eggs Ben·e·dict -ˈbe-nə-ˌdikt. plural in form but singular or plural in construction. : a dish of poached eggs and browned ham or Canadian bacon placed on toasted halves of English muffin and covered with hollandaise.
How old was Eggs Benedict when he died? ›
Craig Claiborne, in September 1967, wrote a column in The New York Times Magazine about a letter he had received from Edward P. Montgomery, an American living in France. In it, Montgomery related that the dish was created by Commodore E.C. Benedict, a banker and yachtsman, who died in 1920 at the age of 86.
What is an Eggs Benedict called without the bacon? ›
Eggs Florentine – adds spinach, sometimes substituted in place of the Canadian bacon. Older versions of eggs Florentine add spinach to poached or shirred eggs.
The Difference Between Benedict, Florentine and Royale.
Eggs Benedict is with ham or pancetta. Eggs Florentine is with sauteed spinach. Eggs royale is with smoked salmon. All three breakfasts are created the same, starting with a toasted English muffin, poached eggs and topped with hollandaise sauce.
Who invented hollandaise? ›
Hollandaise sauce was first introduced by famous French chef Marie Antoine Carême (1784–1833). His technique of whisking the air into egg yolk and water-based ingredients in a bain-marie (= making the foam first) and emulsifying molten butter into the foam is still the most often used technique in cookbooks.
What is the difference between eggs Benedict and eggs royale? ›
The Difference Between Benedict, Florentine and Royale.
Eggs Benedict is with ham or pancetta. Eggs Florentine is with sauteed spinach. Eggs royale is with smoked salmon. All three breakfasts are created the same, starting with a toasted English muffin, poached eggs and topped with hollandaise sauce.
What egg dish was famously ordered by miners if they struck gold? ›
Hangtown Fry (Fried Oyster Omelet)
Hangtown Fry is a type of omelet made famous during the California Gold Rush in the 1850s in Placerville, California.
