Royal Wedding Party

Britain's coming royal wedding has many of us on both sides of "the pond" excited and preparing to watch as Kate Middleton (soon to be Princess Catherine) arrives at Westminster Abbey Friday to meet her prince, William. On the East Coast in the United States, viewers will be tuning in to live television prewedding coverage at 4 a.m. (9 a.m. London time). The wedding begins at 11 a.m in London, 6 a.m. EDT. Given the hour, a proper English breakfast may be just the thing to get you, and any early rising guests, in the festive spirit.

See also: Are You Related to the Royals?

A traditional full English breakfast or "fry-up" usually includes bacon, poached or fried eggs, fried tomatoes and mushrooms, toast with butter and sausages, and often hash browns and baked beans. Here are some recipes:

The Full English by Jamie Oliver: Complete with pork and leek sausages, bacon, eggs, toast, mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans and even black pudding, this certainly qualifies as "the works."

Welsh Cheddar and Bacon Rabbit Fondue by Rick Rodgers: Hot cheddar "rabbit" (a melted cheese sauce) supposedly got its name because cheese was as commonly found in a Welsh kitchen as rabbits were in the fields.

Glazed Canadian Back Bacon by Rose Murray: For a more a la carte take on the British breakfast, this savory glazed back bacon is an excellent place to start.

Kedgeree by Bonnie Tandy Leblang and Joanne Lamb Hayes: Kedgeree, a breakfast dish consisting of cooked, flaked fish (often kippers), eggs, curry powder, parsley, butter and cream, originated in India and was brought to the United Kingdom by returning British colonials during Victorian times.

The royal wedding reception will be held at Buckingham Palace, and the feast will surely be plentiful. The bride and groom have chosen a traditional multitiered fruit cake, decorated with cream and white icing with a strong British floral theme and intricate piping. The groom's cake will be a chocolate biscuit cake constructed from a royal family recipe.

While we might not have the privilege of partaking in the royal delicacies, the wedding presents an opportunity to whip up a classic English tea party.

Next: Afternoon tea recipes and traditions. >>