EGGS BENEDICT
As every food ever created, the origins of the brunch stable are conflicting. Three origins stories exist around the creation of Egg Benedict all taking place right in the heart of NYC. The most popular origin story credits Lemuel Benedict with the creation of dish in 1894. A retired stock broker, Benedict claimed to have ordered “buttered toast, poached eggs, crisp bacon, and a hooker of hollandaise” hoping to cure a hang over. The maître d’hôtel of the Waldorf hotel—where the dish was ordered—was so impressed with the meal that he added to the menu with a few small changes that created the modern Benedict one can brunch on today.
Another origin story claims that Delmonico’s has had Egg Benedict on the menu since it’s created in their kitchens in the 1860’s.
The last origin story credits the creation of the famed meal in 1967 when the recipe was sent to New York Times food columnist Craig Claiborne supposedly on behalf of the Commodore E. Benedict. However, the recipe given was very different from the recipe claimed by Delmonico and the Waldorf. The Commodore’s recipe is different in the preparation of the eggs and hollandaise sauce.
Regardless who when and who invented this great brunch meal, it has been a New York institution since it’s creation, and many variations on the classic have been created.
