# Kippers for breakfast **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 10, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986 "2005-09-10T15:25:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/1 "2005-09-10T15:25:57Z")
I was thinking I might actually have a proper breakfast this morning. Kippers and eggs. I thought of the Supertramp song that says 'Will we have kippers for breafast, mummy dear, mummy dear? / They’ve got to have them in Texas, ‘cause everyone’s a millionaire’. I’ve just finished reading _Angela’s Ashes_, where poor kids were lucky to get a slice of bread and a bit of tea for breakfast. Were (or are) kippers considered a luxury? The tinned ones I get are not very expensive. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/2 "2005-09-10T16:11:49Z")
They are dirt cheap over here. We buy the “boil in the bag” sort . As the name suggests you buy them either frozen or chilled are packed in a bag with a portion of butter . You just put the bag into boiling water 15 minutes and they are ready to eat, The cost is about 80 pence ( $1.50) for two pieces of fish . I never eat them for breakfast though. Instead they make a nice light lunch served with a couple of slices of good brown bread and butter. ---
**Author:** ![deevee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@deevee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deevee)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/3 "2005-09-10T19:18:42Z")
Boil-in-bag fish for breakfast. Where’s the puke emoticon? ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/4 "2005-09-10T19:41:52Z")
Kippers for breakfast, Aunt Helga? Is it Saint Swithen’s Day already? ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/5 "2005-09-10T19:50:53Z")
> [@deevee](#): > > Boil-in-bag fish for breakfast. Where’s the puke emoticon? As I said above I would never have them for breakfast , I don’t think I could face them then, but for later in the day they’re OK. Anyway the traditional way to have breakfast kippers is to have them grilled. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/6 "2005-09-10T19:51:16Z")
[Why would you want this for breakfast?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kipper_the_Dog) :eek: Robin ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/7 "2005-09-10T19:55:55Z")
mmmmm. Kippers on toast. Yum. I tend to get them vaccum-packed in plastic from the supermarket, microwave them and have them on hot toast. Lovely brunch for the weekend when it’s cold but the smell is similar to that of an ancient fish-saturated wooden trawler which has been set on fire. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/8 "2005-09-10T19:58:25Z")
Smoke me a kipper. I’ll be back in time for breakfast. -Ace Rimmer ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/9 "2005-09-10T22:54:05Z")
Kippers themselves have never been a luxury, but because they’re a bit too much of a faff to prepare most mornings, there’s a slight hint of high living about having them for breakfast. Just the merest suggestion of a leisurely early morning in an Edwardian country house, serving oneself from the salvers arrayed upon the sideboard, and hesitating momentarily over the devilled kidneys or kedgeree, before plumping for the kippers and calling for the maid to bring fresh coffee. Or perhaps that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/10 "2005-09-10T23:22:47Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Just the merest suggestion of a leisurely early morning in an Edwardian country house, serving oneself from the salvers arrayed upon the sideboard, and hesitating momentarily over the devilled kidneys or kedgeree, before plumping for the kippers and calling for the maid to bring fresh coffee. Urps … bring a barfbag … quickly. When, IF I recover I’ll have fried green tomatos, spicy hot sausage and gravy on biscuits with grits on the side, and sourwood honey on biscuits, and coffee to end up with. ---
**Author:** ![bobk2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@bobk2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobk2)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2005, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/11 "2005-09-10T23:55:57Z")
FWIW I believe that in several stories by P G Wodehouse “kippers for breakfast” are referrred to as something that youths would want but grownups wouldn’t. I got the feeling it’s an Edwardian carryover, perhaps at English boarding schools. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/12 "2005-09-11T00:01:03Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Kippers themselves have never been a luxury, but because they’re a bit too much of a faff to prepare most mornings, there’s a slight hint of high living about having them for breakfast. > > Just the merest suggestion of a leisurely early morning in an Edwardian country house, serving oneself from the salvers arrayed upon the sideboard, and hesitating momentarily over the devilled kidneys or kedgeree, before plumping for the kippers and calling for the maid to bring fresh coffee. > > Or perhaps that’s just me. I’ve searched a newspaper datebase or two. The expression “kippers on/and toast” doesn’t seem to appear much before the late 1920’s/early 1930’s. I wonder if this was an affectation of writers of the period? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/13 "2005-09-11T03:02:24Z")
> [@deevee](#): > > Boil-in-bag fish for breakfast. Where’s the puke emoticon? How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat your kippers? ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/14 "2005-09-11T03:16:00Z")
> [@SaintCad](#): > > Smoke me a kipper. I’ll be back in time for breakfast. > > -Ace Rimmer I thought it was “Smoke me a kipper, I’ll be back for Breakfast” Hence Arnold’s failed “Stoke me a clipper, I’ll be back for Christmas” when he took over the Ace mantle. But we have some kippers in the fridge. Hubby wanted them. I haven’t touched them yet. They scare me. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/15 "2005-09-11T03:20:15Z")
> [@Sierra Indigo](#): > > I thought it was “Smoke me a kipper, I’ll be back for Breakfast” Ahh, yes. And I think, at least once, “Smoke me a kipper, skipper – I’ll be back for breakfast.” 😉 How many red dwarf nerds do we have here?? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/16 "2005-09-11T05:53:30Z")
> [@Rayne Man](#): > > I never eat them for breakfast though. Instead they make a nice light lunch served with a couple of slices of good brown bread and butter. I never eat them _after_ breakfast. Lunch is too late for kippers (for me). I’ve had the boil-in-the-bag kippers, but haven’t seen them since I left L.A. So I just get the tinned ones – ‘Kipper Snacks’ they’re called – and heat them in a pan after I cook my scrambled eggs. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/17 "2005-09-11T06:37:33Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > I’ve searched a newspaper datebase or two. The expression “kippers on/and toast” doesn’t seem to appear much before the late 1920’s/early 1930’s. I wonder if this was an affectation of writers of the period? I have no idea. What’s toast got to do (got to do) with it? (What’s toast but a second-hand provision?) As Rayne Man correctly said, the best thing to have with kippers is brown bread and butter. If it was smoked haddock, now – then you’d have a poached egg on top, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/18 "2005-09-11T06:57:57Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > The expression “kippers on/and toast” doesn’t seem to appear much before the late 1920’s/early 1930’s. [Kedgeree](http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:aSfd4FYU_yAJ:www.britannica.com/dictionary%3Fbook%3DDictionary%26va%3DKedgeree%26query%3DKedgeree+kedgeree+etymology&hl=en) has been around since 1662, though. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/19 "2005-09-11T09:51:42Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > I’ve searched a newspaper datebase or two. The expression “kippers on/and toast” doesn’t seem to appear much before the late 1920’s/early 1930’s. I wonder if this was an affectation of writers of the period? I wouldn’t expect an informal expression to be found in earlier newspapers. So absence-of-evidence, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kippers-for-breakfast/320986/20 "2005-09-11T10:21:45Z")
> [@Tapioca Dextrin](#): > > Kedgeree has been around since 1662, though. And it’s still a popular breakfast dish in India. (I only know the vegetarian rice-and-legumes version, though, having eaten it only in _shudh shakahari_ or pure vegetarian Hindu households.)