The Rich History of the Traditional English Breakfast傳統英式早餐趣史

The full English Breakfast （also known as the “fry-up”）： Some consider it a culinary masterpiece， while some laud it as the perfect， greasy hangover cure. The iconic morning plate of bacon， eggs， sausages， and baked beans is an integral part of British culture. You’ll find it on the menus of cafés， hotels， greasy spoons1， pubs， and restaurants.

全英式早餐俗稱fry-up，有人視之為美味珍饈，也有人奉之為絕佳的油膩解酒良方。這道包含了培根、雞蛋、香腸和焗豆的經典早餐是英國文化的重要組成部分。咖啡館、酒店、廉價小餐館、酒吧和餐廳的菜單上都有它的身影。

Such is the emblematic status of the traditional English breakfast that playwright William Somerset Maugham once famously said that “To eat well in England， you should eat breakfast three times a day.” This beloved morning meal has evolved over centuries since the Middle Ages. Here’s the history behind the meal， which is as rich as the food itself.

傳統英式早餐備受推崇，劇作家威廉·薩默塞特·毛姆有句話說得妙：“想在英國吃好，早餐三頓吃飽。”自中世紀以來，這種深受人們喜愛的早餐經歷了數百年的演變，其背后的歷史就如同其菜品一樣豐富，讓我們一起來看看吧！

It started with the English gentry

起源：英國鄉紳階級

Back in the 1300s the gentry—a well-heeled social class of landowners—thought of themselves as guardians of the English countryside. They felt it their duty to uphold the culture and traditions established by their Anglo-Saxon forefathers. During the Middle Ages， daily meals often consisted of a mid-morning breakfast and dinner. The gentry were famous for their love of hearty breakfasts and Anglo-Saxon hospitality. They would convene around the tables of their lavish homes to feast on meats， vegetables and other produce grown on their land. Breakfasts gave lords of the manor the opportunity to showcase their wealth to visiting friends， family and fellow landowners. Guests would fill up after decadent parties， before journeying home or going out on a hunt.

早在14世紀，鄉紳階級（富有的地主階級）自視為英格蘭鄉村的守護者，以傳承盎格魯-撒克遜先輩建立的文化和傳統為己任。在中世紀，人們通常只吃兩頓飯：上午的早餐和晚間的正餐。當時的鄉紳以喜愛豐盛的早餐和秉承盎格魯-撒克遜式的好客傳統聞名。他們會在奢華的宅邸中圍坐一桌，盡情享用自家土地上收獲的肉類、蔬菜和其他農產品。早餐是莊園主向到訪的親朋好友以及其他地主展示財富的好時機。賓客們會在徹夜狂歡之后，吃上一頓豐盛的早餐，然后啟程回家或外出打獵。

... Then evolved by the Victorians

發展：維多利亞時代

The 19th-century was an era of great change throughout the United Kingdom. Queen Victoria’s accession to the throne came at a time when the power of the gentry was in decline. They were soon replaced by affluent merchants and industrialists， many of whom were driving forces behind the Industrial Revolution. In a bid to improve their lives， this new social class took inspiration from the lifestyle of the gentry. One such custom was the English breakfast as an important social event. Just as the gentry had done， Victorians took pleasure in celebrating their riches with exuberant meals.

19世紀，英國社會發生了巨大的變化。維多利亞女王即位之時，鄉紳的勢力正在衰落，他們很快被富裕的商人和工業家所取代，而這當中有許多人正是工業革命的推動者。為了提升生活品質，這一新興社會階層開始從鄉紳的生活方式中汲取靈感。其中就包括將英式早餐視為一項重要的社交活動。就像過去的鄉紳那樣，維多利亞時代的人們也熱衷于用奢華的早餐來彰顯自己的財富。

Victorians also took the notion of breakfasts to new levels of luxury. They were leisurely and civilized affairs， with tables adorned with abundant silverware and crystal glassware. Guests were given newspapers to browse while taking their time to pick through the plates of typical Anglo-Saxon and exotic dishes. Eggs and bacon became common staples， alongside tongue and kippers. Some offered kedgeree， an Indian dish of smoked fish， boiled eggs and rice.

他們也將早餐的概念提升到了更加奢華的程度。早餐成為了一種悠閑而優雅的活動，餐桌上擺放著琳瑯滿目的銀器和水晶玻璃器皿。賓客們一邊悠閑地翻閱著報紙，一邊挑選品嘗各式地道的盎格魯-撒克遜風味和異國風味的菜肴。雞蛋和培根成為常見的主食，牛舌和煙熏鯡魚也是桌上的常客。有些家庭還提供魚蛋燴飯，這是一道由熏魚、水煮蛋和米飯組成的印度美食。

... And perfected by the Edwardians

完善：愛德華時代

Come the turn of the 20th century and Edward VII replaced Queen Victoria on the throne. For a decade， the Edwardian era was somewhat of a Golden Age for the British Empire. It was characterized by long， sun-drenched summers and effervescent2 garden and street parties. Hotel guests， restaurant goers， train travelers， and businessmen now found the fry-up readily available in every corner of the country.

20世紀之交，愛德華七世接替維多利亞女王登上王位。整整十年，愛德華時代堪稱大英帝國的黃金時代。陽光明媚的漫長夏日、熱鬧非凡的花園派對和街頭聚會成為了那個時代的標志。酒店住客、餐廳食客、火車旅客和商務人士在英國的任一角落都能輕易買到全英式早餐。

This buoyant era was when the English breakfast truly made its mark on society. Back bacon， eggs， sausages， baked beans， black pudding and fried tomato became the standard ingredients. They’d be accompanied by toast， jam and marmalade， tea， coffee and orange juice. With the accessibility of the ingredients， the full English also gained a following among the middle classes. Families ate large breakfasts—now earlier rather than later in the morning—in order to fill up and have the energy to survive long days at work.

正是在這個繁榮的時代，英式早餐真正地在社會中留下了烙印。一頓標準的英式早餐包括豬背肉培根、雞蛋、香腸、焗豆、黑布丁和煎番茄，再配以吐司、果醬和橘子醬、茶、咖啡和柳橙汁。隨著食材的普及，英式全餐也開始在中產階級中流行起來。許多家庭不再等到晚些時候的上午，而是早早地吃上一頓豐盛的早餐，攝入充足的能量，好有精力應對漫長的工作日。

Becoming a working class staple

成為工人階級的主食

Despite rationing3， the love for the English breakfast showed no signs of slowing down after World War II. In fact， it’s thought that half of the British population began nearly every day with bacon， eggs， sausage， and the rest during the 1950s. The working class were getting into the spirit of this national dish， too. This was largely thanks to the greasy spoon， a no-frills café usually situated next to constructions sites， ports and warehouses. A common sight was， and to some extent still is， of laborers sat around the table with a fry-up， mug of tea and a copy of the tabloid newspaper. All day breakfast signs meant that the greasy spoon chef was happy to oblige for breakfast， lunch and dinner. Consequently， the British Isles now had a culinary delight enjoyed by everyone from dignitaries to dock workers. Legend states that Sir Winston Churchill himself chowed down on a fry-up followed by a cigar and whisky prior to getting out of bed every morning.

配給制并未消減二戰后人們對英式早餐的熱愛。事實上，據說在20世紀50年代，有一半的英國人幾乎每天都以培根、雞蛋、香腸等經典搭配開啟一天的生活。工人階級也被這道國民美食的精神吸引，這很大程度上要歸功于那些環境簡陋的廉價小餐館，它們往往設在建筑工地、港口和倉庫旁邊。人們常能見到工人們圍坐在餐桌旁，吃著英式早餐，就著茶讀小報。“全天供應早餐”的招牌意味著無論是在早餐、午餐還是晚餐時分，這些小餐館的廚師都樂于為顧客奉上一份英式早餐。于是，如今不列顛群島上有了一道美食佳肴，上至達官顯貴，下至碼頭工人，無人不愛。相傳溫斯頓·丘吉爾爵士每天早晨起床前都會先吃上一頓英式早餐，然后再抽一支雪茄，喝一杯威士忌。

The English breakfast today and regional variations

今天的英式早餐和地區差異

Today， and regardless of a more health-conscious world， the fry-up is as much-loved as ever. Hotels and guesthouses still serve them as do both traditional pubs， gastro bars and roadside trucks. Scan the sandwich section of a British supermarket and you’ll find pre-packed all day breakfast options. One blogger—aptly named the Fry-Up Inspector—has made it his life’s mission to discover the best on offer. And The English Breakfast Society4 is full of cooking tips and curious historical facts about ingredients.

即使在今天這個更加注重健康的時代，英式早餐仍然深受喜愛。從酒店、賓館到傳統酒吧、美食酒吧乃至路邊的流動餐車，都能找到它的身影。在英國超市的三明治區，還能看到很多預包裝的“全天早餐”品類。有位取名“英式早餐調查員”的博主，人如其名，把尋找最美味的英式早餐當作自己畢生的追求。英國早餐協會也分享了各種烹飪技巧以及關于食材的趣聞軼事。

Like all foods， the full English breakfast is open to regional interpretations. Enjoy yours with haggis （sheep’s pluck sausage-like pudding） in Scotland， white pudding （black pudding without the blood） in Ireland， and cockles and laverbread （edible seaweed） in Wales. Across England individual counties include their own unique sausages， such as the Cumberland， Gloucester Old Spot and Lincolnshire， in celebration of the great British banger. Eat after midday and few would bat an eyelid should you accompany yours with a pint of lager. Just remember the toast to mop up the baked bean sauce and runny egg yolk.

正如所有美食一樣，全英式早餐也講“地方味”。在蘇格蘭，你可以嘗到哈吉斯（即羊雜碎肚布丁）；在愛爾蘭，能吃到白布丁（即不加入血的黑布丁）；在威爾士，還可以吃到鳥蛤和“萊佛面包”（一種可食用海藻）。放眼整個英格蘭，各個郡都有自己的特色香腸，例如坎伯蘭香腸、格洛斯特郡花豬肉腸和林肯郡香腸，彰顯了傳統英式香腸的獨特魅力。就算在午后吃早餐，再配上一品脫啤酒，也沒人會大驚小怪。只是別忘了用烤吐司把焗豆醬汁和溏心蛋黃蘸蘸干凈。

（譯者單位：中國海洋大學）

1 greasy spoons（尤指供應油炸食物的）廉價小餐館。

2 effervescent熱情洋溢的；充滿活力的

3 rationing定量配給制度。此處指二戰爆發后，英國在經濟領域實行的配給制度，以保障軍隊和平民的基本食物供應。

4英式早餐協會，一個致力于維護英式早餐傳統與傳承的非營利性組織，研究英式早餐的傳統和歷史，并在網站上公開發表。