![Full English breakfast](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Full_English_breakfast.jpg)
A full breakfast is a substantial cooked
breakfast meal, often served in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
and
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, that typically includes
back bacon,
sausages
A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders.
W ...
,
eggs
Humans and human ancestors have scavenged and eaten animal eggs for millions of years. Humans in Southeast Asia had domesticated chickens and harvested their eggs for food by 1,500 BCE. The most widely consumed eggs are those of fowl, especial ...
,
black pudding
, type =
, course =
, place_of_origin = Great Britain and Ireland
, region =England, Ireland, Scotland
, associated_cuisine = United Kingdom and Ireland
, creator =
, year =
, mintime =
, maxtime =
, served = Hot, occasionally ...
,
baked beans
Baked beans is a dish traditionally containing white beans that are parboiled and then, in the US, baked in sauce at low temperature for a lengthy period. In the United Kingdom, the dish is sometimes baked, but usually stewed in sauce. Canned ...
, some form of potato,
tomatoes
The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...
,
mushrooms
A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans.
The standard for the name "mushroom" is ...
,
toast
Toast most commonly refers to:
* Toast (food), bread browned with dry heat
* Toast (honor), a ritual in which a drink is taken
Toast may also refer to:
Places
* Toast, North Carolina, a census-designated place in the United States
Books
* '' ...
, and a beverage such as coffee or tea. It appears in different regional variants and is referred to by different names depending on the area. While it is colloquially known as a "fry-up" in most areas of the UK and Ireland, it is usually referred to as a "full English" (often "full English breakfast"),
a "full Irish", "full Scottish",
"full Welsh",
and "
Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...
fry", in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
,
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
, and
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
, respectively.
It is so popular in Great Britain and Ireland that many
cafe
A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-caf ...
s and
pub
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
s offer the meal at any time of day as an "all-day breakfast". It is also popular in many
Commonwealth nations. The full breakfast is among the most internationally recognised
British dishes along with
bangers and mash,
shepherd's pie
Shepherd's pie, cottage pie, or in its French version hachis Parmentier is a savoury dish of cooked minced meat topped with mashed potato and baked. The meat used may be either previously cooked or freshly minced. The usual meats are beef or la ...
,
fish and chips,
roast beef
Roast beef is a dish of beef that is roasted, generally served as the main dish of a meal. In the Anglosphere, roast beef is one of the meats often served at Sunday lunch or dinner. Yorkshire pudding is a standard side dish. Sliced roast beef ...
,
Sunday roast
A Sunday roast or roast dinner is a traditional meal of British and Irish origin. Although it can be consumed throughout the week, it is traditionally consumed on Sunday. It consists of roasted meat, roasted potatoes and accompaniments ...
and the
Christmas dinner
Christmas dinner is a meal traditionally eaten at Christmas. This meal can take place any time from the evening of Christmas Eve to the evening of Christmas Day itself. The meals are often particularly rich and substantial, in the tradition of ...
.
On its origin, ''
Country Life'' magazine states, "The idea of the English breakfast as a national dish goes right back to the 13th century and the country houses of the gentry. In the old Anglo-Saxon tradition of hospitality, households would provide hearty breakfasts for visiting friends, relatives and neighbours". The fried breakfast became popular in Great Britain and Ireland during the Victorian era, and appears as one among many suggested breakfasts in home economist
Isabella Beeton
Isabella Mary Beeton ( Mayson; 14 March 1836 – 6 February 1865), known as Mrs Beeton, was an English journalist, editor and writer. Her name is particularly associated with her first book, the 1861 work '' Mrs Beeton's Book of Household ...
's ''
Book of Household Management'' (1861). Its popularity soared post–World War II and became a staple of the working class. The
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, res ...
-centric full breakfast is often contrasted (e.g. on hotel menus) with the lighter,
carbohydrate
In organic chemistry, a carbohydrate () is a biomolecule consisting of carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) atoms, usually with a hydrogen–oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 (as in water) and thus with the empirical formula (where ''m'' may or m ...
-based alternative of a
continental breakfast
Breakfast, the first meal of the day eaten after waking from the night's sleep, varies in composition and tradition across the world.
Africa
Breakfast in Africa varies greatly from region to region.
Algeria
Breakfast in Algeria is heavily influen ...
.
Variants
Great Britain and Ireland
England
![Alex Cafe, Islington - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Alex_Cafe%2C_Islington_-_geograph.org.uk_-_453902.jpg)
The "traditional" full English breakfast, includes
back bacon (or more rarely,
streaky bacon), sausages (usually pork or
Cumberland), eggs (
fried,
poached or
scrambled
Scrambled eggs is a dish made from eggs (usually chicken eggs) stirred, whipped or beaten together while being gently heated, typically with salt, butter, oil and sometimes other ingredients.
Preparation
Only eggs are necessary to make scrambled ...
), fried or grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms (
button
A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole.
In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood, o ...
or
Portobello), and
fried bread.
Black pudding
, type =
, course =
, place_of_origin = Great Britain and Ireland
, region =England, Ireland, Scotland
, associated_cuisine = United Kingdom and Ireland
, creator =
, year =
, mintime =
, maxtime =
, served = Hot, occasionally ...
and
baked beans are also very frequently included, and very rarely
bubble and squeak
Bubble and squeak is a British dish made from cooked potatoes and cabbage, mixed together and fried. The food writer Howard Hillman classes it as one of the "great peasant dishes of the world".Hillman, pp. 62–63 The dish has been known sin ...
: potato products are not generally included in a full English breakfast. Buttered
toast
Toast most commonly refers to:
* Toast (food), bread browned with dry heat
* Toast (honor), a ritual in which a drink is taken
Toast may also refer to:
Places
* Toast, North Carolina, a census-designated place in the United States
Books
* '' ...
, and
jam
Jam is a type of fruit preserve.
Jam or Jammed may also refer to:
Other common meanings
* A firearm malfunction
* Block signals
** Radio jamming
** Radar jamming and deception
** Mobile phone jammer
** Echolocation jamming
Arts and ente ...
or
marmalade
Marmalade is a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits boiled with sugar and water. The well-known version is made from bitter orange. It is also made from lemons, limes, grapefruits, mandarins, sweet oranges, bergamot ...
are often served at the end of the meal although toast is generally available throughout the meal. In recent years,
hash browns
Hash browns, also spelled hashed browns, are a popular American and British breakfast food, consisting of finely chopped potatoes that have been fried until browned. Hash browns first started appearing on breakfast menus in New York City in t ...
have become a popular inclusion. In the
North Midlands
The North Midlands is a loosely defined area covering the northern parts of the Midlands in England. It is not one of the ITL regions like the East Midlands or the West Midlands.
A statistical definition in 1881 included the counties of Derbys ...
, fried or grilled
oatcake
An oatcake is a type of flatbread similar to a cracker or biscuit, or in some versions takes the form of a pancake. They are prepared with oatmeal as the primary ingredient, and sometimes include plain or wholemeal flour as well. Oatca ...
s sometimes replace fried bread. The food is traditionally served with tea or coffee, as well as fruit juices.
As nearly everything is fried in this meal, it is commonly known as a "fry-up". As some of the items are optional, the phrase "Full English breakfast", "Full English", or "
Full Monty" often specifically denotes a breakfast including everything on offer. One theory for the origin of the latter name is that British Army general
Bernard Montgomery, nicknamed 'Monty', was said to have started every day with a "Full English" breakfast while on campaign in North Africa during the Second World War.
Breakfast cereal (or
porridge), often precedes the breakfast dish, and the meal typically concludes with buttered toast spread with
marmalade
Marmalade is a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits boiled with sugar and water. The well-known version is made from bitter orange. It is also made from lemons, limes, grapefruits, mandarins, sweet oranges, bergamot ...
,
jam
Jam is a type of fruit preserve.
Jam or Jammed may also refer to:
Other common meanings
* A firearm malfunction
* Block signals
** Radio jamming
** Radar jamming and deception
** Mobile phone jammer
** Echolocation jamming
Arts and ente ...
,
honey
Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...
or other
conserve
Conserve may refer to:
* Conserve (condiment), a preserve made from a mixture of fruits or vegetables
* Conserve (NGO), an Indian environmental organization
* Conserve (publisher), a Dutch publisher
* Conserved sequence, a protein or nucleic aci ...
s, together with additional tea and coffee.
Ireland
![Full irish breakfast 55](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Full_irish_breakfast_55.jpg)
In
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, as elsewhere, the exact constituents of a full breakfast vary, depending on geographical area, personal taste and cultural affiliation. Traditionally, the most common ingredients in Ireland are bacon rashers,
pork sausage
A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders.
...
s, fried eggs (or scrambled or poached),
white pudding
, country = Great Britain and Ireland
, region = England, Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland
, national_cuisine = United Kingdom and Ireland
, creator =
, type = Pudding
, served =
, ma ...
,
black pudding
, type =
, course =
, place_of_origin = Great Britain and Ireland
, region =England, Ireland, Scotland
, associated_cuisine = United Kingdom and Ireland
, creator =
, year =
, mintime =
, maxtime =
, served = Hot, occasionally ...
,
toast
Toast most commonly refers to:
* Toast (food), bread browned with dry heat
* Toast (honor), a ritual in which a drink is taken
Toast may also refer to:
Places
* Toast, North Carolina, a census-designated place in the United States
Books
* '' ...
and fried tomato.
Sauteed
field mushrooms are also sometimes included,
[Traditional Irish Breakfast recipe](_blank)
from Barry's Tea
Barry's Tea is an Irish tea company founded in 1901 by James J. Barry in Cork. Until the 1960s, tea was sold from a shop in Prince's Street, but thereafter the company expanded its wholesaling and distribution operations. There is a common debate ...
as well as baked beans,
hash browns
Hash browns, also spelled hashed browns, are a popular American and British breakfast food, consisting of finely chopped potatoes that have been fried until browned. Hash browns first started appearing on breakfast menus in New York City in t ...
, and brown
soda bread
Soda bread is a variety of quick bread traditionally made in a variety of cuisines in which sodium bicarbonate (otherwise known as "baking soda", or in Ireland, "bread soda") is used as a leavening agent instead of the traditional yeast. The i ...
.
Fried
potato farl,
boxty
Boxty ( ir, bacstaí) is a traditional Irish potato pancake. The dish is mostly associated with the north midlands, north Connacht and southern Ulster, in particular the counties of Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Donegal, Fermanagh, Longford, and C ...
or toast is sometimes served as an alternative to brown soda bread.
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
in particular has a long-standing traditional association with pork-based meat products.
The "
breakfast roll
The breakfast roll ( ga, rollóg bhricfeasta, ) is a bread roll filled with elements of a traditional fried breakfast. It is served at a wide variety of convenience shops, newsagents, supermarkets, petrol stations, and casual eateries throughout ...
",
consisting of elements of the full breakfast served in a
French roll, has become popular in Ireland due to the fact it can be easily eaten on the way to school or work.
The breakfast roll is available from many
petrol station
A filling station, also known as a gas station () or petrol station (), is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles. The most common fuels sold in the 2010s were gasoline (or petrol) and diesel fuel.
Gaso ...
s and corner shops throughout Ireland.
![Full Ulster fry](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Full_Ulster_fry.jpg)
In
Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...
, the northern
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
in Ireland, an "Ulster fry" is a dish similar to the Irish breakfast, and is popular throughout most of the province (chiefly in
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
and parts of
County Donegal
County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconn ...
), where it is eaten not only at breakfast time but throughout the day. Typically it will include
soda bread
Soda bread is a variety of quick bread traditionally made in a variety of cuisines in which sodium bicarbonate (otherwise known as "baking soda", or in Ireland, "bread soda") is used as a leavening agent instead of the traditional yeast. The i ...
(soda
farl
A farl is any of various quadrant-shaped flatbreads and cakes, traditionally made by cutting a round into four pieces. In Ulster, the term generally refers to soda bread (soda farls) and, less commonly, potato bread (potato farls), which are ...
) and
potato bread
Potato bread is a form of bread in which potato flour or potato replaces a portion of the regular wheat flour. It is cooked in a variety of ways, including baking it on a hot griddle or pan, or in an oven. It may be leavened or unleavened, and ...
.
["Is the Ulster fry the best cooked breakfast in the UK?"](_blank)
BBC. Retrieved 29 October 2018
Similarly to the breakfast roll seen in the rest of Ireland, "filled sodas" are found throughout Ulster, which usually consist of a soda farl shallow-fried on one side and filled with fried sausages, bacon or eggs. Fried onions or mushrooms are usually added upon request. Filled sodas are a popular choice for breakfast from roadside
fast-food
Fast food is a type of mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. It is a commercial term, limited to food sold in a restaurant or store with frozen, preheated or precooked ingredient ...
vendors.
Scotland
![Scottish breakfast](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Scottish_breakfast.jpg)
In Scotland, the full breakfast, as with others, contains eggs, back bacon, link
sausage
A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders.
...
, buttered toast,
baked beans
Baked beans is a dish traditionally containing white beans that are parboiled and then, in the US, baked in sauce at low temperature for a lengthy period. In the United Kingdom, the dish is sometimes baked, but usually stewed in sauce. Canned ...
, and tea or coffee. Distinctively
Scottish elements include Scottish style or
Stornoway black pudding,
Lorne sausage
The Lorne sausage, also known as square sausage or slice, is a traditional Scottish food item made from minced meat, rusk and spices. Although termed a sausage, no casing is used to hold the meat in shape, hence it is usually served as square sl ...
(sometimes called a "square" for its traditional shape), Ayrshire middle bacon and
tattie scone
A tattie scone (tottie scone) or potato scone is a regional variant of the savoury griddle scone which is especially popular in Scotland. Many variations of the recipe exist. They generally include liberal quantities of boiled potatoes, butte ...
s. It commonly also includes fried or grilled tomato or
mushrooms
A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans.
The standard for the name "mushroom" is ...
and occasionally
haggis
Haggis ( gd, taigeis) is a savoury pudding containing sheep's pluck (heart, liver, and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and cooked while traditionally encased in the animal's stomach though n ...
,
white pudding
, country = Great Britain and Ireland
, region = England, Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland
, national_cuisine = United Kingdom and Ireland
, creator =
, type = Pudding
, served =
, ma ...
,
fruit pudding
Fruit pudding is a Cuisine of Scotland, Scottish dish which is a mixture of wheat flour, wheat or oatmeal flour or breadcrumbs, beef suet, brown sugar, Zante currants, currants, Raisin, raisins, Raisin, sultanas, salt and cinnamon, formed into the ...
or
oatcake
An oatcake is a type of flatbread similar to a cracker or biscuit, or in some versions takes the form of a pancake. They are prepared with oatmeal as the primary ingredient, and sometimes include plain or wholemeal flour as well. Oatca ...
s. Another more historical Scottish breakfast is
porridge.
Early editions of ''
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
''Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable'', sometimes referred to simply as ''Brewer's'', is a reference work containing definitions and explanations of many famous phrases, allusions, and figures, whether historical or mythical.
The "New E ...
'' referred to a ''Scotch breakfast'' as "a substantial breakfast of sundry sorts of good things to eat and drink".
Wales
As in the rest of Britain and Ireland, the composition of a full Welsh breakfast ( cy, Brecwast llawn Cymreig) can vary. However, with the new-found appreciation of
Welsh food and recipes in the early 21st century, there have been attempts to establish a broad definition.
The traditional Welsh breakfast reflects the coastal aspect of
Welsh cuisine
Welsh cuisine ( Welsh: ''Ceginiaeth Cymreig'') encompasses the cooking styles, traditions and recipes associated with Wales. While there are many dishes that can be considered Welsh due to their ingredients and/or history, dishes such as cawl, ...
. Two key ingredients that distinguish the Welsh breakfast from the other "full" variations are
cockles ( cy, cocs) and
laverbread
Laverbread (; cy, bara lafwr or '; ga, sleabhac) is a food product made from laver, an edible seaweed (littoral alga) consumed mainly in Wales as part of local traditional cuisine. The seaweed is commonly found around the west coast of Great ...
( cy, bara lafwr or bara lawr) (a
seaweed purée often mixed with oatmeal and fried). Fried laver with cockles and bacon was the traditional breakfast for mine workers in the
South Wales Coalfield
The South Wales Coalfield ( cy, Maes glo De Cymru) extends across Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen. It is rich in coal deposits, espe ...
, but a breakfast may have also included Welsh sausages, mushrooms and eggs.
Full Welsh Breakfasts are accompanied by traditional breakfast drinks, with Welsh tea a ubiquitous choice. Today, as they are often served throughout the day in public houses or inns, Welsh beer or ale is not uncommon. Modern alternatives to the traditional full breakfast will often develop the traditional seafood theme. Smoked fish such as sea trout or
sewin
Sea trout is the common name usually applied to anadromous (sea-run) forms of brown trout (''Salmo trutta''), and is often referred to as ''Salmo trutta'' morpha ''trutta''. Other names for anadromous brown trout are sewin (Wales), peel or peal ...
may be served accompanied with poached eggs.
North America
![American breakfast (187066827)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/American_breakfast_%28187066827%29.jpg)
This style of breakfast was brought over by Irish and
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
immigrants
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, a ...
to the United States and Canada, where it has endured. A full breakfast in these countries often consists of eggs, various meats, and commonly one type of fried potatoes –
hash browns
Hash browns, also spelled hashed browns, are a popular American and British breakfast food, consisting of finely chopped potatoes that have been fried until browned. Hash browns first started appearing on breakfast menus in New York City in t ...
,
home fries
Home fries (US, Canada), house fries (US), American fries (US), fried potatoes (UK, Canada and regional US), Bratkartoffeln (German), bistro potatoes (southeastern US), or peasant potatoes are a type of basic potato dish made by pan- or skillet ...
,
potatoes O'Brien
Potatoes O'Brien is a dish of pan-fried potatoes along with red and green bell peppers and onion. The potatoes and the bell peppers are fried (varying according to taste) and are served hot. The origin of the dish is disputed. The dish has been ...
, or
potato pancakes
Potato pancakes are shallow-fried pancakes of grated or ground potato, matzo meal or flour and a binding ingredient such as egg or applesauce, often flavored with grated garlic or onion and seasoning. They may be topped with a variety of condim ...
– and some form of bread or toast. Big breakfasts of this kind are most often served on special occasions or weekends only, owing to the time needed to prepare them and the calories involved. In the
Southern United States
The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
,
grits
Grits are a type of porridge made from boiled cornmeal. Hominy grits are a type of grits made from hominy – corn that has been treated with an alkali in a process called nixtamalization, with the pericarp (ovary wall) removed. Grits are of ...
are typically included.
Canada and the US do not follow the trend of the rest of the
Anglosphere, where tea is the usual hot beverage for breakfast, but rather both strongly prefer
coffee
Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world.
Seeds of ...
, drunk black or with milk, cream, or sugar.
Maple syrup is common to both nations, which have
sugar shacks in their Eastern forests. Both nations have
diners, and there the most common components are eggs, bacon and
breakfast sausage
Breakfast sausage (or country sausage) is a type of fresh pork sausage usually served at breakfast in the United States. In the United States, the predominant flavorings used for seasoning are black pepper or sage. There are also varieties seaso ...
served with one or two of either toast,
English muffins, hash browns, home fries,
pancakes
A pancake (or hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack) is a flat cake, often thin and round, prepared from a starch-based batter that may contain eggs, milk and butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or frying pan, often frying w ...
,
French toast or
waffles
A waffle is a dish made from leavened batter or dough that is cooked between two plates that are patterned to give a characteristic size, shape, and surface impression. There are many variations based on the type of waffle iron and recipe used ...
.
Omelette
In cuisine, an omelette (also spelled omelet) is a dish made from beaten eggs, fried with butter or oil in a frying pan (without stirring as in scrambled egg). It is quite common for the omelette to be folded around fillings such as chives ...
s are a dish where anything goes, and several kinds of cheese are added to the mix depending on the cook's desires, such as
cheddar
Cheddar most often refers to either:
*Cheddar cheese
*Cheddar, Somerset, the village after which Cheddar cheese is named
Cheddar may also refer to:
Places
* Cheddar, Ontario, Canada
* Cheddar Yeo, a river which flows through Cheddar Gorge and t ...
,
Colby,
Monterey Jack
Monterey Jack, sometimes shortened to Jack, is a Californian white, semi-hard cheese made using cow's milk, with a mild flavor and slight sweetness. It has been called "an American original" and "as a vestige of Spanish rule in the early nineteen ...
, and
feta
Feta ( el, φέτα, ) is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep's milk or from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. It is soft, with small or no holes, a compact touch, few cuts, and no skin. Crumbly with a slightly grainy texture, it ...
.
Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict is a common American breakfast or brunch dish, consisting of two halves of an English muffin, each topped with Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce. It was popularized in New York City.
Origin and history
There a ...
originated in New York and bagels wherever
Eastern European Jews
The expression 'Eastern European Jewry' has two meanings. Its first meaning refers to the current political spheres of the Eastern European countries and its second meaning refers to the Jewish communities in Russia and Poland. The phrase 'Easte ...
settled, but both are now a staple in both countries.
There is great regional variety.
Oatmeal, made with
rolled oats
Rolled oats are a type of lightly processed whole-grain food. Traditionally, they are made from oat groats that have been dehusked and steamed, before being ''rolled'' into flat flakes under heavy rollers and then stabilized by being lightly ...
, is commonly served at breakfast in much of Canada and New England, yet is generally replaced by
grits
Grits are a type of porridge made from boiled cornmeal. Hominy grits are a type of grits made from hominy – corn that has been treated with an alkali in a process called nixtamalization, with the pericarp (ovary wall) removed. Grits are of ...
in the Southeast, where the climate is too warm for growing oats, and eating oatmeal for breakfast has become more popular in that region only in the past fifty years.
Biscuits leavened with baking powder or baking soda are a staple of the South and a component of
biscuits and gravy.
Country ham
Country ham is a variety of heavily salted ham preserved by curing and smoking, associated with the cuisine of the Southern United States.
Production
Country hams are salt-cured (with or without nitrites) for one to three months. They are us ...
is very popular in every Southeastern state other than Florida and replaces Canadian bacon in recipes.
Scrapple
Scrapple, also known by the Pennsylvania Dutch name ''Pannhaas'' ("pan tenderloin" in English), is traditionally a mush of pork scraps and trimmings combined with cornmeal and wheat flour, often buckwheat flour, and spices. The mush is forme ...
and
pork roll
Pork roll is a processed meat commonly available in New Jersey and neighboring states.
It was developed in 1856 by John Taylor of Trenton, and sold as "Taylor's Prepared Ham" until 1906.
Though since then food labeling regulations require Tay ...
are breakfast meats common to
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
,
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, and
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, and the sausages eaten in South Texas and Florida are sometimes a type of
chorizo.
Country-fried steak is a dish that is popular in Texas, and
steak and eggs are popular in much of the Midwest.
The West is usually the home of dishes like
migas
Migas () ("crumbs" in English) is a dish traditionally made from stale bread and other ingredients in Spanish and Portuguese cuisines. Originally introduced by shepherds, migas are very popular across the Iberian Peninsula, and are the typical br ...
,
huevos rancheros
Huevos rancheros (, 'ranch-style eggs') is a breakfast dish consisting of eggs served in the style of the traditional large mid-morning fare on rural Mexican farms.
Basic dish
The basic dish consists of fried eggs served on lightly fried or cha ...
, and the
breakfast burrito
The breakfast burrito, sometimes referred to as a breakfast wrap outside of the American Southwest, is a variety of American breakfast composed of breakfast items wrapped inside a flour tortilla burrito. This style was invented and popularized ...
; all three are spicy because they contain sizable amounts of chili peppers. Both coasts of Canada and the United States serve
smoked salmon
Smoked salmon is a preparation of salmon, typically a fillet that has been cured and hot or cold smoked.
Due to its moderately high price, smoked salmon is considered a delicacy. Although the term lox is sometimes applied to smoked salmon, t ...
for breakfast, and it is a staple in particular of
First Nations
First Nations or first peoples may refer to:
* Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area.
Indigenous groups
*First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including:
**First Natio ...
of British Columbia.
Eggs Sardou
Eggs Sardou is a Louisiana Louisiana_Creole_cuisine#Breakfast, Creole cuisine dish made with poached eggs, artichoke bottoms, creamed spinach and Hollandaise sauce. It is on the menu of many Creole restaurants in New Orleans, including Antoine's ...
and
eggs Neptune are local variations on eggs Benedict from Louisiana and Maryland that change out the Canadian bacon with artichoke and crabmeat, respectively. Midwesterners used to eat calf brains with their eggs, Southerners did the same with pork brains, New Englanders eat
johnnycake
Johnnycake, also known as journey cake, johnny bread, hoecake, shawnee cake or spider cornbread, is a cornmeal flatbread, a type of batter bread. An early American staple food, it is prepared on the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to Jamaica. ...
, and
Spam is a staple in Hawaii.
Hong Kong
A few establishments in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
offer all-day breakfast or brunch options (hybrid of English and North American items) from formal restaurants to low-frills establishments.
Foods included
The ingredients of a full breakfast vary according to region and taste. They are often served with
condiment
A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to impart a specific flavor, to enhance the flavor, or to complement the dish. A table condiment or table sauce is more specifically a condiment that is served separat ...
s such as
brown sauce
Brown sauce is a condiment commonly served with food in the United Kingdom and Ireland, normally dark brown in colour. The taste is either tart or sweet with a peppery taste similar to that of Worcestershire sauce.
Brown sauce is typically eate ...
or
ketchup
Ketchup or catsup is a table condiment with a sweet and tangy flavor. The unmodified term ("ketchup") now typically refers to tomato ketchup, although early recipes used egg whites, mushrooms, oysters, grapes, mussels, or walnuts, among o ...
.
“Stress-free full English breakfast”
BBC. Retrieved 30 October 2018
Some of the foods that may be included in a full breakfast are:
* eggs; fried, scrambled
Scrambled eggs is a dish made from eggs (usually chicken eggs) stirred, whipped or beaten together while being gently heated, typically with salt, butter, oil and sometimes other ingredients.
Preparation
Only eggs are necessary to make scrambled ...
or poached
* fried or grilled
Grilling is a form of cooking that involves dry heat applied to the surface of food, commonly from above, below or from the side. Grilling usually involves a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat a ...
bacon, also referred to as "rashers" or "slices"
* sausage
A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders.
...
s or sausage patties
* white pudding
, country = Great Britain and Ireland
, region = England, Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland
, national_cuisine = United Kingdom and Ireland
, creator =
, type = Pudding
, served =
, ma ...
* black pudding
, type =
, course =
, place_of_origin = Great Britain and Ireland
, region =England, Ireland, Scotland
, associated_cuisine = United Kingdom and Ireland
, creator =
, year =
, mintime =
, maxtime =
, served = Hot, occasionally ...
* kidneys
The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; bloo ...
, grilled or fried
* potato, either sautéed or served as chips
''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. It follows the lives of two motorcycle officers of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The seri ...
, potato waffle
Potato waffles are a potato-based savoury dish in a waffle shape. They are common in the United Kingdom and Ireland and are also available in some other countries, including Australia, Canada and United States.
They are made of potato, oil, a ...
s, potato bread
Potato bread is a form of bread in which potato flour or potato replaces a portion of the regular wheat flour. It is cooked in a variety of ways, including baking it on a hot griddle or pan, or in an oven. It may be leavened or unleavened, and ...
, potato cake
Potato cake is a name given to various shaped potato dishes around the world, including a patty of hashed potatoes, a fried patty of mashed potato, a fried and battered slice of potato, or a flatbread made with mashed potato and flour. In some sta ...
, hash browns
Hash browns, also spelled hashed browns, are a popular American and British breakfast food, consisting of finely chopped potatoes that have been fried until browned. Hash browns first started appearing on breakfast menus in New York City in t ...
or rösti
Rösti or rööschti () is a Swiss dish consisting mainly of potatoes, sautéed or shallow-fried in a pan. It was originally a breakfast dish, commonly eaten by farmers in the canton of Bern, but is now eaten all over Switzerland and around th ...
s
* bread, usually toasted
Toast most commonly refers to:
* Toast (food), bread browned with dry heat
* Toast (honor), a ritual in which a drink is taken
Toast may also refer to:
Places
* Toast, North Carolina, a census-designated place in the United States
Books
* Toas ...
or fried
* soda bread
Soda bread is a variety of quick bread traditionally made in a variety of cuisines in which sodium bicarbonate (otherwise known as "baking soda", or in Ireland, "bread soda") is used as a leavening agent instead of the traditional yeast. The i ...
/soda farl (common in Ireland, and available in both white and brown varieties)
* pancakes (in the US)
* baked beans
Baked beans is a dish traditionally containing white beans that are parboiled and then, in the US, baked in sauce at low temperature for a lengthy period. In the United Kingdom, the dish is sometimes baked, but usually stewed in sauce. Canned ...
* fried or sauteed mushrooms
A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans.
The standard for the name "mushroom" is ...
* fried, grilled, or tinned
Tinning is the process of thinly coating sheets of wrought iron or steel with tin, and the resulting product is known as tinplate. The term is also widely used for the different process of coating a metal with solder before soldering.
It is mos ...
tomato
The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...
es
* fried haggis
Haggis ( gd, taigeis) is a savoury pudding containing sheep's pluck (heart, liver, and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and cooked while traditionally encased in the animal's stomach though n ...
(in Scotland)
* oatcake
An oatcake is a type of flatbread similar to a cracker or biscuit, or in some versions takes the form of a pancake. They are prepared with oatmeal as the primary ingredient, and sometimes include plain or wholemeal flour as well. Oatca ...
s (in Scotland)
* fruit pudding
Fruit pudding is a Cuisine of Scotland, Scottish dish which is a mixture of wheat flour, wheat or oatmeal flour or breadcrumbs, beef suet, brown sugar, Zante currants, currants, Raisin, raisins, Raisin, sultanas, salt and cinnamon, formed into the ...
(in Scotland)
* potato (or "tattie") scones (in Scotland and Ireland)
* sliced sausage
The Lorne sausage, also known as square sausage or slice, is a traditional Scottish food item made from minced meat, rusk and spices. Although termed a sausage, no casing is used to hold the meat in shape, hence it is usually served as square sl ...
, also known as Lorne sausage
The Lorne sausage, also known as square sausage or slice, is a traditional Scottish food item made from minced meat, rusk and spices. Although termed a sausage, no casing is used to hold the meat in shape, hence it is usually served as square sl ...
(in Scotland)
* spam, often fried in slices (in the UK; unusual)
* laverbread
Laverbread (; cy, bara lafwr or '; ga, sleabhac) is a food product made from laver, an edible seaweed (littoral alga) consumed mainly in Wales as part of local traditional cuisine. The seaweed is commonly found around the west coast of Great ...
(in Wales)
* grilled smoked mackerel/kipper
A kipper is a whole herring, a small, oily fish, that has been split in a butterfly fashion from tail to head along the dorsal ridge, gutted, salted or pickled, and cold-smoked over smouldering wood chips (typically oak).
In the United Ki ...
s
* cockles (in Wales)
* hog's pudding (in Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
and Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...
)
* corned beef hash
Hash is a culinary dish consisting of chopped meat, potatoes, and fried onions. The name is derived from , meaning "to chop". It originated as a way to use up leftovers. In the U.S. by the 1860s, a cheap restaurant was called a "hash house" or ...
(in the United States)
* grits
Grits are a type of porridge made from boiled cornmeal. Hominy grits are a type of grits made from hominy – corn that has been treated with an alkali in a process called nixtamalization, with the pericarp (ovary wall) removed. Grits are of ...
(in the US)
* scrapple
Scrapple, also known by the Pennsylvania Dutch name ''Pannhaas'' ("pan tenderloin" in English), is traditionally a mush of pork scraps and trimmings combined with cornmeal and wheat flour, often buckwheat flour, and spices. The mush is forme ...
(in the US)
* English muffin
An English muffin is a small, round and flat yeast-leavened (sometimes sourdough) bread which is commonly round and tall. It is generally sliced horizontally and served toasted.David, Elizabeth (1977). ''English Bread and Yeast Cookery''. Lo ...
s or biscuits (in the US)
* bubble and squeak
Bubble and squeak is a British dish made from cooked potatoes and cabbage, mixed together and fried. The food writer Howard Hillman classes it as one of the "great peasant dishes of the world".Hillman, pp. 62–63 The dish has been known sin ...
.
See also
* Builder's tea
Builder's tea, also known as a builder's brew or gaffer's tea, is a British English colloquial term for a strong cup of tea. It takes its name from the inexpensive tea commonly drunk by labourers taking a break. A builder's tea is typically brew ...
* Cafe (British)
In Britain, a cafe (), also known colloquially as a caff or greasy spoon, is a small, cheap eatery typically specialising in fried foods or home-cooked meals.
Though it uses the same word origin as the term "café", it is distinct from the ...
* Culture of the United Kingdom
* English breakfast tea
English breakfast tea or simply breakfast tea is a traditional blend of black teas originating from Assam, Ceylon and Kenya. It is one of the most popular blended teas, common in British and Irish tea culture.
English breakfast tea is a black ...
* Irish breakfast tea
Irish breakfast tea is a blend of several black teas, most often a combination of Assam teas and Ceylon teas. Irish tea brands, notably Barry's, Bewley's, Lyons and Robert Roberts in the Republic and Nambarrie's and Thompson's Punjana in North ...
* List of breakfast topics
This is an index of breakfast-related articles. Breakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day's work. Among English speakers, "breakfast" can be used to refer ...
* List of Irish dishes
* Mixed grill
Many regional cuisines feature a mixed grill, a meal consisting of a traditional assortment of grilled meats.
List of mixed grill dishes
Mixed grill dishes include:
* ''Churrasco'' – typically featuring various cuts of chicken and beef, esp ...
* Northern Irish cuisine
Northern Irish cuisine encompasses the cooking styles, traditions and recipes associated with Northern Ireland. It has distinctive attributes of its own, but has also drawn heavily from Irish and British cuisines.
History
Northern Ireland's cu ...
* Welsh cuisine
Welsh cuisine ( Welsh: ''Ceginiaeth Cymreig'') encompasses the cooking styles, traditions and recipes associated with Wales. While there are many dishes that can be considered Welsh due to their ingredients and/or history, dishes such as cawl, ...
References
Reference bibliography
*
*
External links
Stress-free full English breakfast
Why the great British breakfast is a killer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Full Breakfast
Breakfast
British cuisine
Irish cuisine
Cuisine of Northern Ireland
Eggs (food)
Pork dishes
Food combinations
National dishes