photographs by justin bernhaut food stylist mary-ellen weinrib hair and makeup gigi hale/warren tricomi management
In England, on the bank holiday known as Boxing Day (in feudal times, this was the day that lords gave boxes of practical gifts to their serfs), everyone basically lies around like fattened geese after the gluttony of Christmas. And yet I find a long breakfast nearly impossible to forgo. There are few things better to wake up to than the smell of bangers (sausages to you Americans) sizzling in a pan. My favorite breakfast is one that goes on for hours as people drift downstairs, so I stick with food that doesn’t get nasty quickly. I’ll be serving kedgeree (a dish with rice, fish and eggs that is much tastier than it sounds), bangers with mustard, toast and marmalade, lots of strong coffee and “prune” juice. Much as I love having guests, I’m not a passionate chef, so I asked food writer and fellow Brit Rose Prince to devise a shortcut version of the kedgeree recipe in her can’t-live-without cookbook. The other stuff is so hassle-free, I can practically do it in my sleep.
I adore how Rose Prince takes the best ingredients and shows how to use them throughout the week, in the way that kitchens of old used to. Her book is a great Christmas gift, full of holiday-cooking ideas.
toast and marmalade I like grainy toast to be crunchy and cold, so the butter doesn’t melt, then slathered with a thick-cut fancy marmalade. Never stack hot toast, as the rising steam will make it soggy. In the absence of a toast rack, I prop the slices between the jam and the mustard—or whatever is handy on the table.
kedgeree This dish has been a British staple since the Victorian era (it originated as a breakfast entree with the colonials in India). Traditionally made from leftovers, it’s also perfect for supper in front of a movie later in the day.
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“prune” juice
Prune, the delicious restaurant in downtown New York City, serves an eponymous juice that’s happily made from five citrus fruits—not prunes. And though it’s not at all British, I can’t help but include a version on my menu.
Prune, the delicious restaurant in downtown New York City, serves an eponymous juice that’s happily made from five citrus fruits—not prunes. And though it’s not at all British, I can’t help but include a version on my menu.
bangers Dark, glistening, slightly caramelized sausages and a pot of mustard (classic English or Dijon) are impossible to resist, and they’re really good cold too. Large link sausages are the best for breakfast—make sure they are pork.
To be truly authentic, you can also buy the mustard powder and mix with water.
