Editor’s note: Food & Dining Magazine’s Spring 2026 print publication (Vol. 89) could not be published in the usual manner owing to the unexpected death in late February of our friend, founder, publisher and mentor John Carlos White. F&D’s future has yet to be determined. However, our Spring 2026 columns, profiles and features are being released online prior to Kentucky Derby 152: The SPRING 2026 (Vol. 89) F & D Compendium.
—
Savory Spring Brunch Favorites
Story by Lelia Gentle; photos by Andy Hyslop
Once again, spring is here, and the mad dash for the first of the season strawberries and asparagus is upon us. Our first task is to talk ourselves into crawling out of bed early on Saturday mornings to reach the farmers market before the star-studded harvest sells out. When these long-awaited treasures are in hand, our next big decision is what to do with them.
One of my favorite ways to showcase spring produce is with brunch recipes. With all the spring celebrations—Derby, Mother’s Day, graduations and more—we are in prime brunch time. You put the dates on the calendar and I have the recipes!
While sweet versions of bread pudding have certainly earned their celebrity, I encourage you to try a savory version. But first, bread pudding’s story.
—
Bread pudding indeed has humble origins. While bread is always at the heart of this dish, the original version was far less indulgent than the custardy confections we know today. Bread pudding dates back to 11th-century England, when food was scarce and wasting anything was unthinkable. Cooks would collect bits of stale bread in a “pudding bowl” until there was enough to soak, season and bake. Early versions used boiling water, sugar and spices. By the 13th century, recipes began incorporating eggs, milk, and fat, evolving into “bread and butter pudding.” Eventually, the dish came to be known simply as “bread pudding.”
Although its ancestry is rooted in frugality, the dish has evolved over generations. As opposed to the peasant food of the past, bread pudding today is often made with rich breads like brioche, challah, panettone, artisan breads or croissants―right alongside whatever leftover pieces of bread we may have lingering in the pantry. Its status has quietly risen to epicurean.
In places like New Orleans, it is an iconic dessert, garnished with pecans, raisins and bourbon sauces, often served with cream anglaise or a scoop of ice cream. Here in...Read more
