May 28
Anniversary of the Election of Pietro Orsini as Pope Benedict XIII\ |
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Pietro Bracci (1700-73), Bust of Pope Benedict XIII (1724) �
Museo Nazionale del Palazzo di Venezia, Rome, Italy
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Pope
Benedict XIII governed the Roman Church from 1724 to 1730.
Pietro Orsini
was seventy-six years old when he was elected Pope. The aged
pontiff's reign can be remembered for four accomplishments. Benedict
cracked down on the Roman lotteries; forbade the cardinals to wear
wigs;
repealed the world wide smoking ban set by Pope
Urban VII; .and
lived on a diet of poached eggs and dry toast because of his chronic
digestive problems. Since a poached egg and dry toast diet was
rather bland, the eggs were often served with a lemon sauce. The
lemon-sauced egg on toast became known as Eggs Benedict.
The addition of ham, the substitution of an English muffin, and the
sliced truffle garnish were later embellishments. Oscar of the
Waldorf claimed to have created the final assemblage as part of an
anti-hangover cure for Samuel Benedict, a New York playboy. Oscar,
remembering the antispasmodic powers of poached eggs, cream sauce,
and toast on the playboy's namesake, transformed an elderly pope's
dietary staple to the ubiquitous staple of the classic brunch. * |
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Eggs Benedict
(Papal Version without Ham)
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Ingredients |
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4 egg yolks
3 1/2 TB lemon juice
1 pinch ground white pepper
1 cup butter, melted
q TB water
1/4 teaspoon salt
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4 English muffins, split
2 TB butter, softened
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Instructions |
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- Fill the bottom of a double boiler part-way
with water. Make sure that water does not touch the top pan. Bring water to
a gentle simmer. In the top of the double boiler, whisk together egg yolks,
lemon juice, white pepper, and 1 tablespoon water.
- Add the melted butter to egg yolk mixture 1
or 2 tablespoons at a time while whisking yolks constantly. If hollandaise
begins to get too thick, add a teaspoon or two of hot water. Continue
whisking until all butter is incorporated. Whisk in salt, then remove from
heat. Place a lid on pan to keep sauce warm.
- Preheat oven on broiler setting.
- ill a large saucepan with 3 inches of water.
Bring water to a gentle simmer, then add vinegar. Carefully break eggs into
simmering water, and allow to cook for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Yolks should
still be soft in center. Remove eggs from water with a slotted spoon and set
on a warm plate
- While eggs are poaching, brown the bacon in
a medium skillet over medium-high heat and toast the English muffins on a
baking sheet under the broiler.
- Spread toasted muffins with softened butter,
a followed by one poached egg. Place 2 muffins on each plate and drizzle
with hollandaise sauce. Serve immediately.
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*
Several other people named Benedict have taken credit for either inventing
or inspiring this recipe, including Commodore E. C. Benedict (a close friend
of Grover Cleveland), a Mrs. LeGrand Benedict, a distant relation of the
Commodore's, and Lemual Benedict, a New York stockbroker. Their claims are
false. |
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