A Brief History of Brunch
ByĀ Andrea Victory
Eggs, camera, action! The orders have been thoughtfully curated, and the drinks cautiously sipped. The plates have arrived, but before anyone knifes their Eggs Benedict, all hands pause; the eggs, waffles, coffee, and mimosas must be documented before being devoured. The question is, if no one ālikesā it, did brunch really happen?
Brunch wasnāt always like this. Itās only recently that itās been less about hash browns and more about #hashtags, but there is one constant that our beloved brunch has always been about: togetherness. Friends together with lunch food, together with breakfast food. So how did todayās brunch become what it is? And what was it before? Hereās a quick breakdown of how our favorite kind of early afternoon eating came to be.
1890s: āBrunchā Becomes a Word
Guy Beringer came up with brunch, or so it is claimed. In a 1895 London publication calledĀ Hunterās Weekly, Beringer made it clear in his article, āBrunch: A Plea,ā that a late social breakfast on Sunday, āWould make life brighter for Saturday night carousersā. He also suggested that alcoholic drinks be served, so we can thank him for making a place for mimosas and Bloody Marys at the brunch table.
A year later in 1896, the word, ābrunchā was published in America for the first time. The article āThe Newest Thing in Lunchesā in theĀ New Oxford News and Notes for Women, introduced readers to the āfadā of eating between breakfast and lunch.
1920s: The Fancy Hotel Brunch
As brunch made its mark across the pond in America, it was a luxury affair served in fancy hotels to the elite. Thereās not much mention of brunch for a while after the late 1800s, other than Emily Post brunching with oysters, eggs and caviar at a posh hotelĀ in the 1920s.
1930s: Early Adoption
In the thirties, brunch was adopted by the middle class. Housewives, business girls, and bachelors caught on to how convenient, cheap, and easy it was and began to have brunch at home. Frying up bacon, picking up donuts and baked goods, and setting out orange juice, tea and coffee was a no-nonsense way to enjoy a relaxing morning with family or friends.
1940s: Brunch is for Everyone
Taking on itās birthright as a meal of leisure time, the people embraced brunch. One of the first brunch cookbooks was published in the forties. Brunch gained steady popularity because it was economic ā a two-in-one meal with special touches not afforded during the week. Oatmeal for the rest of the week, but bacon, waffles, fruit, jams, and coffee on Sunday.
The 1950s: The At-Home Brunch
After WWII, the fifties saw a decline in Sunday morning church service and instead, a leisurely brunch at home took itās place. Convenience foods began to appear on shelves, so the menu was a hybrid of homemade and pre-made foods like homemade jams, pancake mixes, eggs, and of course, coffee.
1960s & 1970s: Anything Goes Brunch
The freewheeling sixties and seventies gave way to a ādo what you feel with this mealā mentality. Cookbooks conflicted on what should be served, and a disregard for rules meant the table could be set with anything from fondue to eggs to casserole. In true sixties and seventies style it was all about the spirit of brunch, and the only rule was that there were no rules.
The 1980s: Brunch Takes Over
One hundred years after brunch became a thing, newspapers claimed it had replaced the classic American meal, Sunday dinner. Although, the luxe glitter days of the eighties ushered brunch back to hotels and restaurants, and out of the house.
1990ās: Brunch All the Time
The people of the nineties were so in love with brunch that restaurants began offering it on Saturday as well as Sunday. Going out for brunch became far more popular than staying in.
2000ās: Brunch Goes Global
Chinese dim sum sees a rise in popularity, and pretty much any cuisine gets an egg slapped on top of it. Some people start lining up for brunch hotspots, while others roll their eyes and take a stance on brunchāsĀ socio-economic implications.
Today: Brunch Hulks Out
Brunching has become a Ā weekend activity worthy of classification of āsportā. Lineups are long, plates are piled high, syrup is infused, waffles are sandwiches, cocktails come in pitchers ā itās a little crazy. But because of the value of flipping tables, brunch has become more rushed than leisurely. Though one constant has remained the same: itās still a social thing. Thanks to social media and foodie culture, itās also aboutĀ sharing itĀ with the world.
The Future of Brunch
Who knows what the future holds, but in a few years maybe we wonāt need lineups, stacks of pancakes, or to be endlessly scrolling and liking other peopleās brunches. Thereās 3D printing now, so perhaps weāll soon be noshing onĀ Eiffel Towers draped in bacon, or Coliseums filled with syrup.
Guy Beringerās initial approach to brunch has served brunch well. It began as a way to sleep in and spend a relaxing time with hungover pals, and itās still about spending some time with friends, even if they are just liking our choice of eggs from another part of the planet. The menu has been modified, leisure has taken a step back, but the one thing about brunch that hasnāt changed: One canāt brunch alone.