Eggs Benedict has got to be one of the most iconic of breakfast or brunch meals in the world. It is simply perfect. It takes the wonders of Hollandaise sauce and combines it with a variety of ingredients. The truth of the matter is that the modern Eggs Benedict has its origins in New York City.
The modern Eggs Benedict will be fought about for ages – and no one will ever know the answer. To lay claim to such an iconic breakfast meal would provide kudos to the place that made it such an icon would be worth its weight in Gold. There are two venues that would profit from being the birthplace of this dish.
The first is the Delmonico Restaurant in New York and the second is the Waldorf Historia Hotel. The rivalry continues to this day.
The claim to fame of the Delmonico is that one night in 1978 a regular named LeGrand Benedict was dissatisfied about the menu choices. The couple – husband and wife were just bored – and she demanded something new. The chef went back to the kitchen and started to think. The result of the couple who were seated in one of the most exclusive restaurant venues in New York was the now iconic Eggs, Benedict.
There is however an alternative – and that was put forward by the Waldorf-Astoria. That claim to fame predates the 1978 story by many years. According to the lore as set forth by the Waldorf-Astoria the origins of the Eggs Benedict are very different.
As most wonderful stories tart it begins with a man who was nursing a hangover. This gentleman wanted the following – two poached eggs, buttered toast and bacon – with some hollandaise sauce on the side. Why on earth he would want that combination of breakfast ingredients is lost in the mists of time.
However, it caught the attention of Oscar, the maître d’hôtel. He quickly realized that there might be other patrons that would find this delicious combination attractive.
The combination of bacon and an English Muffin was born. Added to this winning combination were that iconic poached egg and the hollandaise sauce. One can only imagine what went through the chef’s mind when it came to a classic French sauce and a breakfast egg – poached.
The fact of the matter is that today Eggs Benedict has become an iconic dish not only for breakfast – but the go-to option for brunch. There are so many options for this plated wonder that is now an icon of many cities.
You can make your choice. Stick to the iconic ham or bacon – or go for the smoked or cured salmon as a base.
There can be no more argument. If you want to enjoy a classic that has stood the test of time, and the test of tastebuds there can be no better option than the Eggs Benedict. It will never disappoint – no matter where you are in the world – it is simply a global classic.