I have always enjoyed the idea of brunch -- brought to life by words like "leisurely," "relaxed" or "hanging out" -- but my careers included working most weekends and holidays, so I went to brunch mostly in my mind.
I could see myself around a table with my friends, relaxed, a Mimosa at hand and mix of some of my favorite food items from both breakfast and lunch on my plate.
I recently surveyed a couple of friends to get their take on the question -- is brunch an over-hyped trend or a beloved tradition?
Sarah J. -- "It can be a bit of both. But it is lovely to get up late on a weekend morning and go to a local cafe for brunch on a warm, sunny day. A real treat at the end of the week and no cooking or cleaning up. Whether it's with friends or my family, it's a feeling of being together over being there to eat."
John K. -- "I love brunch! I get to sleep in and still have all my favorite breakfast foods and Mimosas! Also, my friends are there. What's not to love? I'd say it's less over-hyped trend, and more one of humanity’s great inventions."
What does seem certain is that the word "brunch" -- a blend of "breakfast" and "lunch" -- may have first appeared in an 1895 Hunter's Weekly article titled "Brunch: A Plea," written by British author Guy Beringer.
There is more than one origin story. The first? Beringer suggested it as a post-hunt meal, served when the hunters returned from chasing the fox and hounds. The second story -- a mid-morning meal as an alternative to the heavy, post-church Sunday meals served in the afternoon.
Since the article ran in the Hunter's Weekly magazine, my money's on the first story. Beringer's article continued, ''Brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting. It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week."
Yep, that's the picture I have in my mind too.
On the other end of the question are folks like the late Anthony Bourdain, who referred to brunch as a "devil's bargain" because, he said, it's profitable for restaurants, but chefs hate making it. He, like many others, denounced brunch as a ploy for restaurant managers to use up leftover ingredients.
Whichever side you are on, the tradition seems to have caught on.
Kicking off in the 1930s, supposedly because Hollywood stars making transcontinental train trips changed trains in Chicago late morning and wanted a hot meal, restaurants hopped on the bandwagon and began offering a decadent spread of foods and signature morning cocktails, such as Bloody Marys, Bellinis and Mimosas, which added a festive note to the entire affair.
Of course, brunch these days is about more than sausage and eggs. Restaurants and home cooks have elevated the meal to an art form, creating Bloody Marys festooned with shrimp and pickled vegetables, turning waffles and pancakes into platforms for fresh, seasonal fruits and flavored syrups; and showcasing eggs in the form of omelets and elaborate scrambles, cementing its reputation as a leisurely weekend indulgence.
Brunch menus have also evolved to cater to contemporary dietary preferences. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and health-conscious options are now standard in many brunch spots. Additionally, the farm-to-table movement has influenced brunch offerings, with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients.
From its 19th-century British origins to its status as a modern culinary tradition, brunch has come a long way.
It has adapted to changing lifestyles and tastes maintaining its core appeal: a relaxing and enjoyable meal that brings people together. Whether you’re savoring avocado toast in a trendy café or indulging in a hearty buffet at a deluxe hotel, brunch exceeds the timeline for trends and holds deftly onto the tradition side, and provides the missing face-to-face interaction that we so desperately need in this technologically driven culture.
All this talk about brunch had me heading to the kitchen to make one of my favorite things -- Avocado Hollandaise! Yes, made from avocado, lemon juice and hot water, it is a fabulously simplistic replacement for the more complicated and time-consuming egg based Hollandaise. Give the recipe a try and amaze your family and friends at your next brunch.
