The Classic Full English Breakfast

The Full English Breakfast

The full English breakfast was made popular by the architects of the British Empire, although it had already been the tradition for centuries in rural areas of England. The breakfast was used to fortify oneself thoroughly first thing in the morning, to prepare for the day ahead.

The traditional full English breakfast has made a substantial contribution to culinary history, and is generally accepted worldwide, much like the French croissant.

Most hotels serve a breakfast buffet on the English model, however the buffet is merely a variation. It is intended to save on the time and staff which would be used during the breakfast ceremony in it's classic sense. In classic full English breakfast form, the dishes are served over several courses, much in the same way that a menu is presented.

The First Course

A true English breakfast begins with a glass of orange juice or half a grapefruit which is cut into segments, sprinkled with sugar and eaten with a spoon. Prunes or stewed fruit would also be available.

Large pots of tea and coffee to be served with milk are also brought to the table.

The Second Course

Next are cornflakes or porridge. Milk is poured onto the cornflakes, but they are eaten before they become saturated. Though for the real English breakfast enthusiast, nothing surpasses freshly prepared porridge. It is made by cooking oat flakes only with water and a pinch of salt, and is served together with a knob of butter, a sprinkling of brown sugar and hot milk then added. It is said that it is only necessary to try this dish once to become virtually addicted to it!

The Third Course

The third course consists of eggs, usually fried eggs. These would be served with fried bacon. Many people would also have scrambled eggs, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and sausages. The healthier option would be poached eggs, but most preferred theirs a little less healthy!

This part of the breakfast is what is considered to be a 'full English' today. It is also known as a 'fry up' due to the nature in which is is cooked.

The Fourth Course

Now is the choice between fish or meat. The favourite choice for most is the kipper, though another popular choice would have been deviled kidneys. Deviled meaning highly spiced. Another alternative would be kedgeree, cooked fish in curried rice.

The Fifth Course

For the fifth and final course, toast, marmalade and jam are served.

And so this marks the end of the Classic English Breakfast.

Classic Kedgeree Recipe

To serve 4:

• 250g long grain rice
• 500g turbot, cod or salmon (or a mixture)
• 50g butter
• 1 tbs curry powder
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 4 hard bolied eggs sliced
• 2 tbs chopped parley

Directions:

1. Cook the rice in salted water for 10-12 minutes
2. Put the fish in a saucepan, cover with water
3. Bring to the boil, remove lid and then simmer for 10 minutes
4. Cut into large pieces, remove any bones and put to one side
5. Melt the butter in a small pan on the hob, sprinkle the curry powder and cayenne pepper into it, and brown lightly for one minute
6. Drain the boiled rice
7. Stir the rice and pieces of fish into the butter and stir gently
8. Warm for one minute over a low heat
9. Add the sliced hard boiled egg and fold into the mix
10. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with buttered toast.

Classic Deviled Kidneys

To serve 4:

• 8 whole lamb's kidneys, skinned and trimmed of fat
• 2 tsp mango chutney
• 1 tbs english mustard
• 1 1/2 strong mustard powder
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• Slices of bread for toasting

Directions:

1. Cut the kidney's in half lengthways, without cutting through them entirely
2. Mix the chutney, mustard, mustard powder, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper together well
3. Marinate the kidneys in the above mixture for 60 minutes
4. Grease a grill pan and set the grill temperature to maximum
5. Remove the kidneys from the marinade
6. Place kidneys into the grill pan, cut side facing up
7. Grill for 3 minutes
8. Turn and grill for a further 3 minutes
9. Spread the kidney marinade onto slices of toast
10. Place the kidneys in pairs onto the toast and serve.

The Fried Slice

Nowdays, instead of having toast, some people prefer to have a Fried Slice with their bacon and eggs. The difference is that the bread is buttered on both sides and placed in a dry hot frying pan until golden on both sides.

This is a really quick and simple way to make a toasted sandwich too.

1. Butter bread on both sides
2. Place ham and cheese (or anything you like) onto the botton slice
3. Place into dry hot frying pan
4. Add the second slice of buttered bread on top of the filling
5. Push down firmly with a spatula
6. Turn and do the same on the other side
7. Fry on both sides until golden and serve.

English Breakfast Specialities

Baked Beans

In the 1980's the leading manufacturer of baked beans had the following advertising slogan broadcast on the TV:

A million housewives every day
Pick Up a tin of beans and say,
Beanz Meanz Heinz.

The meaning of the rhyme is quite clear, but the skill of the advertising copywriter is to achieve a brilliant identification of product and brand through the catchphrase "Beanz Meanz Heinz". A strong link was also created between the product and the brand by misspelling the words, beans and means. By replacing the S with Z, it ties in with the Heinz brand name.

Baked beans are eaten for breakfast, on a slice of toast, or with a full English; bacon, eggs, mushrooms, sausages... As a morning snack, for lunch, for dunner or for supper. Since it has become known that the beans are particularly healthy due to the high portion of roughage and protein they contain, their popularity has increased even further.

Kippers

A kipper is a herring that has been gutted and smoked over a wood fire. Kippers are very popular as a breakfast dish and are most easily prepared in the following way:

A tall narrow container is filled with hot water, the water is then poured away and the kippers are placed head downwards into the container and boiling water is poured over them. The carefully sealed container is then left in a warm place for 8-10 minutes. The water is then drained and the kippers are served with toast and butter.

Food History

In 2008 the BBC showed a series which took the presenters back into food history, having them eat exactly what people would have back in the period they were focusing on. The series entitled Supersizers, looked at various eras and the cuisines that went with them. In Edwardian Supersize Me, the Classic English Breakfast is focused on, and the true extent of food volume was realised.