Instructions: This weekend, treat yourself to the ultimate brunch-time indulgence! Eggs Benedict is like a fast-food restaurant breakfast sandwich gone to heaven: a crispy, toasty, buttered English muffin supports a gently browned slice of Canadian-style bacon, a silky-soft poached egg, and a rich and tangy drizzle of hollandaise sauce sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley, dill, or chives. Sheer bliss! This divine dish was invented at Delmonicos restaurant in New York City about 100 years ago, and has been tremendously popular ever since. Though this delicacy is not light on calories or fat, none of that will seem to matter any more once you dig into a glistening plateful of Eggs Benedict and the flavors explode like fireworks across your palate.

Hollandaise of Glory
The component that really makes this meal rise above the ordinary is the hollandaise sauce. Hollandaise is a creamy, slightly tart sauce made from an emulsion of egg yolks, butter, and lemon juice cooked over gentle heat. Dont be afraid of making hollandaise! It sounds exotic, but its really quite simple once you get the hang of it. (Pssst! The secret is to keep the heat LOW so that the egg yolks dont curdle, and to whisk constantly!) There is a slight risk of salmonella when making hollandaise because the temperature of the eggs is not raised high enough to kill all potential bacteria. However, if you use fresh eggs and clean utensils, the risk is negligible and you should not let the fear stop you from enjoying this most wonderful of all brunch dishes. Once you have made your first hollandaise, you will feel like a culinary genius and all your guests will fall at your feet in worship and awe.

Its All in the Timing
Eggs Benedict is one of those meals thats at its absolute best when everything is fresh and hot-it does not happily endure sitting around, since nobody likes soggy toast, cold eggs, or congealed hollandaise. The key to flawless Eggs Benedict is good organization. Have everything prepared before you start cooking: melt the butter, arrange the bacon slices in a skillet, split the English muffins and lay them on a baking sheet, and chop up your herb garnish.

Set the table before you begin the hollandaise, and serve everyone their favorite breakfast beverages-mimosas, orange juice, bloody Marys, or steaming mugs of coffee-so theyll be sitting down, sipping, and ready to enjoy their extra-special brunch as soon as its ready. If you can get someone to help you in the kitchen, even better: one of you can make the hollandaise while the other poaches the eggs, fries the bacon, and toasts the muffins.

Round out the meal with hash browns or oven-roasted potatoes. Not only will they make the brunch even more complete and satisfying, but they also come in handy for mopping up every last bit of hollandaise, thus saving you and your guests from having to lick your plates. Take a look at our ultimate Eggs Benedict Menu and get revved up for your most memorable brunch yet!

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