Boxing Harry and the mythology of the Full English Breakfast

Nobody in England eats a “Full English Breakfast”, when they’re catering for themselves. They just make breakfast.

Just as Cornish housewives would send their men down the tin-mine with a pasty, rather than a “Cornish pasty”, and Americans do not feel the need to call their national sport “American football”. We can take it as a rule of thumb that nicknames indicating a place of origin are not normally used IN the place of origin, which rather gives the game away.

The Full English Breakfast as it is known today is a commercial product consumed by tourists, from home or abroad, and created by the establishments which cater for them.

The starting-point must have been “bacon and eggs”, a simple and convenient meal in farming circles, and certainly not unique to England. I notice that Edward Lear was fed with macaroni, scrambled eggs, and bacon by one peasant family during his tour of Calabria.

Another intriguing literary reference comes from “Wild Wales”. George Borrow was told at a hostelry that they had not much to offer him for dinner except for bacon and eggs. His reply was “I will have the bacon and eggs with tea and bread-and-butter, not forgetting a pint of ale- in a word, I will box Harry”. The words “box Harry” prompted the lady to assume that he must be “a commercial gent”. Later in the chapter, he admits that he has never been able to discover where the expression came from. Google hasn’t either. My own theory is that it comes from “old Harry”, meaning the devil, and here representing the pangs of hunger. That simple meal is just enough to stifle the pangs and put old Harry back in his box. Anyway, that meal (probably, but not necessarily, omitting the pint of ale) is recognisable as a fairly standard English breakfast of the twentieth century.

The obvious reference point on cookery questions is “what mother used to make”. We frequently had fried breakfasts cooked on a small gas stove in a caravan somewhere in the heart of Scotland. I remember the typical meal as eggs, bacon, halves of tomato, and fried bread. The bread had a large footprint in the pan, so it would be cooked first and then kept warm in the grill space under the gas-rings. My mother was cooking in lard, which remained in the pan to be topped up and used again the following day. For me, a well-cooked slice of bread saturated with bacon-flavoured lard is part of the authentic taste of a fried breakfast.

There would also be a pot of tea on the table, of course, and jars of things to be spread on the bread-and-butter. Jam (probably Hartleys); marmalade (probably Robertson’s Golden Shred, labelled with the cheerful and now banned golliwog figure); frequently lemon curd; perhaps Marmite. I remember Dad picking up a jar of Whisky marmalade on one trip.

Let’s notice some of the things that are missing from this menu.
Baked beans. The whole point of a fried breakfast is doing everything in one pan. Beans would have required an extra saucepan, so they were more likely to appear later in the day.
Mushrooms. We would not have seen mushrooms on sale before supermarkets came along. If we had been sure about the difference between (edible) mushrooms and (poisonous) toadstools, we might have been able to find them in the woods.
Black pudding. We were not northerners.
Hash browns, or potato in any other form. We were not Americans. And we did not have domestic freezers. In fact the caravan didn’t even have a refrigerator.

That was what happened in domestic life. I’m convinced that the modern “Full English Breakfast” is a commercial development driven by the competitive needs of bed-and-breakfast landladies.

It would have begun in the Sixties. More families then were taking their summer holidays “on the Continent”, as we say. They discovered that hotels there tended to serve an uncooked breakfast, which made the uncooked breakfast more fashionable. In order to compete with this trend, the lodgings in English resorts began offering what they would call a “Continental breakfast”, even if it wasn’t much more than coffee and a basket-full of croissants. But this meant they also needed a proper name for the traditional option. Otherwise the waitress would have come out sounding like the dialogue on a saucy McGill postcard; “Will you take the Continental breakfast, or do you want a bit of the other?” So that, I think, is the real origin of the term “English breakfast”.

It's important to note that “Full-English” is a single expression, pronounced almost as a single word. I’m sure anyone who has ever heard it in situ will back me up on that point. “English” means “not-Continental”, and one implication of the word “full” is “not uncooked”. So part of the original meaning of ”Do you want the Full-English” was “Do you want the native cooked breakfast instead of the exotic coffee and croissants?” But the expression also covers the fact that the plated meal itself is not the entire breakfast; it embraces the tea or coffee, your opening cereal and/or fruit juice, and the toast and accompaniments, which are all included in the concept and the price.

Then over the decades, in competition with each other, they began giving extra value to the word “full”, taking it as meaning that more items should be piled onto the main plate. Hence the combination of bacon and sausage, the addition of baked beans, mushrooms, hash browns, whatever they could think of.

But I think the addition of black pudding must come from the food theorists, who seem to have turned it into something of a gourmet item. I have stayed in bed-and-breakfast houses from Oban round to Caernarvon (clockwise, of course), and I have never yet seen black pudding on a breakfast menu. Having said that, I’ve never been to Blackpool.

On the other hand, ironically, the one item that often disappears from the social media version of the menu is fried bread. Undoubtedly authentic, very capable of making the plate “full”, but not trendy enough. Health reasons, I suppose.

So it seems to me that the Full English Breakfast which I now find celebrated on You-tube or even mentioned on ATS has become something of an artificial meme (if that’s the right word). The act of eating an overly-full platter is presented as a challenge, although essential features like tea and toast have been left out of the equation. I would say that the Britishness of that experience is a little forced. If you want to share the authentic taste of British culture at the breakfast table, all you really need to do is to box Harry.

Brilliant post Disraeli. Loved reading that.
I agree the 'English breakfast has been bastardised over the years, which is neither a good or bad thing in this case.
I love a good 'Full English' occasionally. When I lived in Scotland, then husband and myself would have a 'Full English' on a Sunday morning. Not every Sunday mind. We had 12 things on our plate, I had 2 less...... no black or white pudding for me....blegh! But I do miss the Scottish Fruit pudding. Can't seem to source it anywhere in England. However, a couple of months ago a student of mine (Scottish descent) posted a photo of an array of 'puddings' a family member had sent her from a butcher in Stranraer, so I am going to get around to ordering some up.
Oh, the 12 things on hubby's plate?
1. bacon
2. sausage
3. egg
4. black pudding
5. white pudding
6. fruit pudding
7. fried bread, HAS to be cooked in lard!
8. baked beans (so crucify me)
9. hash brown or bubble and squeak or potato cakes
10. the proverbial mushrooms
11. tomato
12. and..... wait for it.... a type of spam!
But I agree with you.

Rainbows
Jane

Why is is called pudding if it is a sausage?

Then why is fruit pudding not a sausage?

a reply to: TheAlleghenyGentleman
A pudding is a soft or stiffish mixture of animal or vegetable ingredients, esp. mixed or enclosed in flour or other farinaceous food, cooked by boiling, steaming, or baking. This includes intestine of pig etc., stuffed with oatmeal, blood, etc. (such as Black, White, hog's, q.v.). It comes from the Middle English PODING, of obsc. orig., possible related to Old French BODIN.

a reply to: DISRAELI
I thought 'puddings' came into their own in the Middle Ages, seems they started much earlier than that but it is a British 'thing'.
Here's a really interesting write up about puddings and includes all the various kinds...

Though they were right about one thing: the pudding is certainly a British invention that was developed from the sausages the Romans brought into the country in the first century BC. The word pudding comes from the Latin word botellus, which means literally sausage; the French word boudin has the same root.

Briti sh Food History website: What is a Pudding?
Rainbows
Jane

Interesting thread. Ive been all over Europe in 1973, and enjoyed the Continental breakfasts. I loved the unsalted creamy butter on croissants. I dont remember what we ate for breakfast in England, but I surely remember the dinners there. My favorite dinner in London, was, lamb with mint sauce, and I still make it here fairly often. Their roast beef was wonderful too.

Hot breakfasts here in the US in our home consisted of oat meal, cream of wheat ,or cold cereal on week days. Weekends were special though. Saturdays were bacon and eggs, toast and tea or coffee, sometimes fresh grated hash browns. Sometimes mom prepared fresh giant sweet strawberries that we first dipped into sour cream, then into brown sugar before devouring.

Dad kept a sour dough culture in the back of the fridge, and he would add some to flour, water, and sugar the night before and have it fermenting and rising all night. You knew you were in for a real treat the next morning. Those hot cakes were so fluffy, light, and tart, drenched in Mrs Butterworth syrup. They were amazing. He once made them for 100 people at our church, and everybody went wild. Most people have never had anything like that.

Here at my home, I sometimes run whole oats through my hand crank roller for fresh hot oat meal. I sometimes make fruit smoothies with pineapple, strawberries, papaya, blueberries, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, and coconut water. My grand kids love those.

Another favorite of mine for breakfast, if I have meat in the fridge, is street tacos. That will be this mornings brunch. I usually slice barbequed London Broil, and lay it on a white corn/wheat tortilla, and heat it, then smother it in fresh salsa, grated cheddar, and jack cheese, then drip chipotle pepper sauce on it, before devouring it. This morning, I will be slicing meat off a half ham ( bone in) for my tacos. You should all try this. It is a very addictive breakfast. Herdez makes the best chipotle street taco sauce, if you can find it.

I thank the Lord every day for the parents he selected for me. Lovely Godly parents that taught us wonderful cooking skills.

I hope you all have a great day!

a reply to: DISRAELI

Now I'm hungry, damn you!

Whenever I've had a choice between a Continental or Full English breakfast, I've always gone for the fry up; especially if it's a self-service buffet... I'm a trash bin, my stomach knows no limits!

I don't mind all the typical stuff except tinned tomatoes. My favourite part is the fried bread and black pudding.

Here in Italy, it is difficult to find a F.E.B., but fortunately, fried bread is a known delicacy and we have our own black pudding, called sanguinaccio.

@Jane, I love Bubble & Squeak, but never had it in a Scottish breakfast.

Finally, I remember seeing or reading about a typically bacon and eggs breakfast cooked in a shovel over open coals. Maybe miners would do it that way. In any case, I'd go for that!

Hey, lets go out for Chinese food...of course, in China, they just call it food....lol

originally posted by: Encia22
I don't mind all the typical stuff except tinned tomatoes.

Our tomatoes came out of a paper bag.

a reply to: Encia22

@Jane, I love Bubble & Squeak, but never had it in a Scottish breakfast.

Hubby was Scottish, I'm Welsh. Bubble and Squeak can make an appearance in a 'Welsh'/ English Breakfast.
There are variants all over the UK, Scottish, Welsh, Devonshire, Cornish and Irish, including Scottish.
My favourite breakfast though is Manx Kippers with scrambled eggs, mushrooms and the proverbial baked beans if I'm not doing 'posh'

Rainbows
Jane

PS, I know steam train drivers used to cook their bacon and eggs on their stoking shovel. I doubt coal miners would, naked flames are dangerous down coal mines in particular.

originally posted by: DISRAELI

originally posted by: Encia22
I don't mind all the typical stuff except tinned tomatoes.

Our tomatoes came out of a paper bag.

Yep, that's how I like them, too. The tinned peeled tomatoes are for making our pasta sauce, not for eating out of the can. Unfortunately, many greasy diners do just that... puts me off the whole meal.

a reply to: angelchemuel

Yes, that's it! My bad, I got the professions wrong. Train drivers makes a lot more sense.

I've had many Welsh and Scottish friends and I often get the traditions mixed up. However, the last time I had Bubble & Squeak (20+ years ago) was in an Irish pub. It was an all-day breakfast sort of thing, cooked and served in a cast-iron skillet.

Something I haven't seen discussed, and which is always a very contentious subject... sauces.

Ketchup, brown or HP (steak sauce)?

My rule of thumb is:

Ketchup on spuds, eggs, bacon, mushrooms.
Brown on sausages, black pudding, beans.
HP on anything and everything.
Toast, buttered or fried bread just get soaked in baked beans sauce and runny egg yolk.

a reply to: Encia22
My brother was an addict of "Daddy's Sauce", which I think was a brown sauce brand. I do remember a visit to friends of my parents, when we were taken to a laden tea table, and he was invited to choose something from the array of cakes and goodies, and he requested one of his favourite treats; "Daddy's Sauce sandwiches!"

a reply to: DISRAELI

Daddy's sauce was the one for me, too. I couldn't eat a simple cheese sandwich without it!

Over the years I've become more sophisticated. I now use a dense balsamic vinegar instead.

Growing up cooked breakfasts were something of a rarity if I'm being honest.
Tended to get cereal and that was about it.

As a teenager I had a milk round and breakfast was a pint of milk - always swapped a pint of milk for the local newspaper with one of the paper boys as well.

When we did get a cooked breakfast it was always called a fry up and never a Full English Breakfast.

As I got older the Full English - or Full Scottish/Irish/Welsh etc - became more and more common.
Me and my mates called it a FEB....but its never been anything other than a fry up in reality.

A mate of mine used to own a proper old fashioned greasy spoon on an industrial estate and every now and then I'd pop in.
There always seemed to be a different girl behind the counter so after ordering I used to pop my head into the kitchen and say hello.
The portions he used to dish up were enormous....and bloody lovely, really set you up for the day.

Since my wife had to stop working she sort of assumed responsibility for all of my meals - I love cooking but she won't let me anywhere near the kitchen other than to make the odd cuppa.
She mixes my breakfasts up and rarely gives me the same thing two days running....and she sometimes takes offence if I ask for something specific.
I have to subtly drop suggestions into conversations and then a day or so later she says 'I thought you'd like a change' and you can guess the rest.

I was hoping for a fry up tomorrow morning but she's just poured herself a Bacardi and I noticed a bottle of vino collapso chilling in the fridge....I may have to settle for something else!🤣🤣

a reply to: Freeborn

I wish my wife treated me half as good!

In any case, a fry up is what I've always called it, too.