There are conflicting accounts as to the origin of eggs Benedict.
Delmonico’s in Lower Manhattan says on its menu that “Eggs Benedict was first created in our ovens in 1860.” One of its former chefs, Charles Ranhofer, also published the recipe for Eggs à la Benedick in 1894.
In an interview recorded in the “Talk of the Town” column of The New Yorker in 1942, the year before his death, Lemuel Benedict, a retired Wall Street stock broker, said that he had wandered into the Waldorf Hotel in 1894 and, hoping to find a cure for his morning hangover, ordered “buttered toast, poached eggs, crisp bacon, and a hooker of hollandaise”. Oscar Tschirky, the maître d’hôtel, was so impressed with the dish that he put it on the breakfast and luncheon menus but substituted ham for the bacon and a toasted English muffin for the toast.
Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, also known as Eggs Royale
A later claim to the creation of eggs Benedict was circuitously made by Edward P. Montgomery on behalf of Commodore E. C. Benedict. In 1967 Montgomery wrote a letter to then The New York Times food columnist Craig Claiborne which included a recipe he said he had received through his uncle, a friend of the commodore. Commodore Benedict’s recipe – by way of Montgomery – varies greatly from Ranhofer’s version, particularly in the hollandaise sauce preparation – calling for the addition of a “hot, hard-cooked egg and ham mixture”.
And every April 16th, the country gathers to honor and recognize one of the most famous breakfast dishes, the Eggs Benedict. Since its creation in New York City, it quickly became a popular staple on brunch menus all over the world. Although this national holiday is a little more underrated than most, like Fourth of July or Thanksgiving, National Eggs Benedict Day is unique and special, with deep roots tied to American culture.
According to en.wikipedia; annashouseus.com. Source of photos: internet
