"It used to be about Jesus, but now it's all about brunch" -- lyric from the Christian rock song "What About Sunday?"
Dear Readers,
My intention in writing this blog is to examine the phenomenon of brunch and how it correlates to The Way We Live Now. Balancing searing social insights with mouth-watering pictures, I hope to unravel the mystery of brunch's astonishing popularity among affluent white middle class urbanites. For a brief history of the brunch tradition, click here.
Now, you may be asking yourself, what exactly is this blog going to cover and why should I read it? In anticipation of these and other questions, I offer some FAQs.
Q: What exactly is this blog going to cover and why should I read it?
A: Each Sunday, I will give a thorough treatment of a brunch staple, such as Eggs Benedict or Steel Cut Oatmeal, and explain how it epitomizes some deep, provocative cultural truth about America. You should read it because it will be epiphany-inducing and funny.
Q: I'm pretty sure they eat brunch in other countries. What's so fascinating about American brunch?
A: Brunch in many ways reflects the values this country was founded on: liberty, freedom of choice, the pursuit of happiness. Our forefathers felt entitled to representation in exchange for taxation; we feel entitled to home fries and toast when we order omelets. The pilgrims wanted the right to choose their own religion; we want the right to choose between lunch foods like burgers and breakfast foods like pancakes.
Q: How can I tell if I'm eating brunch?
A: Ask yourself the following questions:
Am I about to spend more on eggs than I do on a movie ticket?
Does my beverage contain pomegranate juice and/or champagne?
Is Corinne Bailey Rae softly playing in the background?
Are my fellow diners mostly women and gay men?
If you answered yes to more than one of the above questions, chances are that you are in fact eating brunch.
Q: Why do you hate brunch so much?
A: I don't hate brunch at all! There's a difference between thinking brunch is a metaphor for everything that's wrong in this country today and hating it.
Q: What is that difference?
A: If I reveal that now, you would have no reason to read this blog.
