National Eggs Benedict Day

On April 16th, National Eggs Benedict Day celebrates a long-favored breakfast or brunch dish. Eggs Benedict consists of poached eggs with Hollandaise sauce and Canadian bacon or ham on English muffin halves.

Origins: There are two different stories as to how Eggs Benedict came to be. In 1894 stockbroker Lemuel Benedict ordered “buttered toast, poached eggs, crisp bacon, and a side of Hollandaise” at the Waldorf Hotel. They were so impressed with the dish that they put it on the menu, substituting ham and English muffins in place of the bacon and toast. In the early 18th century, Pope Benedict XIII liked an egg dish so much that he requested it time and time again. Many believe that Pope Benedict XIII had an illness that added to his desire for this particular egg dish, hence the name Eggs Benedict.