Vendredi Vocab: Eggs Benedict
By: Cecily G
Vendredi means “Friday” in French. Each week we add something new to our culinary vocabulary by delving into a word from our menu.
This week, we will delve into: Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict is a savory, indulgent staple for any breakfast or brunch menu. The dish typically consists of an English muffin, halved, and topped with a poached egg, ham, and hollandaise sauce (aka, delicious goodness of whisked together egg yolks, butter, and lemon), and was first made popular in New York City.
Eggs Benedict, as with many famous dishes, has a conflicting history. 3 histories, actually. There are three accounts for the creation of eggs Benedict; none more convincing than the other.
The early claim for the dish was in 1860 at Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York. One day, a regular patron of the establishment, Mrs. LeGrand Benedict, wanted something new for lunch, as she saw nothing to her liking on the menu. She discussed this with the chef, Chef Charles Ranhofer, who came up with Eggs a’la Benedick, and published the recipe in his cookbook in 1894.
The next claim, published in an interview in the New Yorker, was made by Mr. Lemuel Benedict. According to the article, Mr. Benedict was a Wall Street broker in New York, and on a morning in 1894, he found himself wandering the streets, in search of a breakfast that would cure his hangover. Once in the Waldorf Hotel, he ordered “some buttered toast, crisp bacon, two poached eggs, and a hooker of hollandaise sauce.” The chef, impressed with the order, added a modified version of the dish to his breakfast and lunch menus.
The third claim, and quite possibly the most far fetched claim, was made by Edward Montgomery. In 1967, he claims that Commodore E.C. Benedict, a prominent banker and yachtsman, and a friend of Montgomery's uncle, had sent Montgomery’s uncle the recipe for eggs Benedict. The recipe is said to have come from the Commodore’s mother, though, the recipe included was a slightly different version than what is considered classic eggs Benedict.
Try it at the girl & the fig!
We have a different take on the classic dish here at the girl & the fig, but absolutely delicious nonetheless! Come in and try for yourself.
smoked salmon benedict - sourdough english muffin, heirloom tomato, poached eggs, chive hollandaise
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Vendredi means “Friday” in French. Each week we add something new to our culinary vocabulary by delving into a word from our menu. We love food, we love words, and we love to learn something new. We also love Fridays.
Happy Vendredi, everyone!
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