Brunch is probably one of our favourite meals here at Ffiona’s. We like to think it provides an opportunity for friends and families alike to get together, recover from an evening’s revelry, get ready for a day out or just as an excuse to enjoy good food, drink and company.
But where did the famous Brunch come from?
The roots of Brunch, a playful mix of the words “lunch” and “breakfast” can be traced back to an article that appeared in Hunters Weekly in 1895 titled “Brunch: A Plea”. Unfortunately the original article is no more, we only know of its existence due to its reference in another article published a year later in Punch magazine, although we have found some quotes that purport to be from the original article online.
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.
Apparently Guy also seemed to think that is was well suited to those who had perhaps had a little too much fun on Saturday night.
Instead of England’s early Sunday dinner, a post-church ordeal of heavy meats and savoury pies, why not a new meal, served around noon, that starts with tea or coffee . . . By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers.
Neither the quotes from the original article nor the later piece in Punch actually tell us the origins of the word, but the two main theories are that brunch was a meal eaten late on Sunday morning to break the fast or alternatively that is was a meal eaten before a hunt.
Brunch in the 30s & 40s
So we know that brunch has been about for over 100 years but it seemed to have gained even more popularity in 30s Chicago. With Hollywood stars travelling across the continent, they would often stop off in Chicago for late morning meal.
It was in the post war 40s however that Brunch really began to take a foot hold. With church attendance dropping and housewives keen for a day off, the tradition of going out for a Sunday Brunch took off; what had previously been a treat for the famous and wealthy, became a norm for the middle classes and restaurants across the country were now opening for Sunday Brunch.
Modern Brunch
Nowadays brunch is available all over the world, and the dishes served are as varied as the places serving them. This is perhaps not very surprising, after all we don’t all feel like eating the same type of food first thing in the morning and with the only prerequisite being that it’s the first meal of the day served after breakfast but before lunch, it seems only fitting that people can chose whatever they want.
At Ffiona’s we apply our ethos of “Inclusive Not Exclusive” to everything, including brunch. Not only does our menu include everything from Porridge to Chicken Schnitzel to Pancakes; wherever possible we offer gluten free options. In fact our Pancakes and Waffles are Gluten Free as standard.