The Allusionist 11. Brunchtime
May 20, 2015
Dan Pashman, food podcaster and author known for The Sporkful, joins to untangle what makes brunch brunch. They debate whether brunch is about timing or menu, trace its rise from 19th-century coinage to modern buffets, and play with food naming and branding. Expect playful linguistic sleuthing and a few culinary inventions.
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Episode notes
Lewis Carroll Coined Portmanteau Sense
- Helen introduces 'portmanteau' and credits Lewis Carroll for the modern linguistic sense.
- She cites Humpty Dumpty explaining Jabberwocky as the origin of portmanteau meaning two ideas packed into one word.
Setting Up The Brunch Debate
- Helen frames the episode by picking brunch as a portmanteau to unpack.
- She teases the semantic rabbit hole before introducing Dan Pashman as her guest.
Brunch Replaces Two Meals
- Brunch functions more as a replacement for both breakfast and lunch than a midpoint between them.
- Dan Pashman argues the first meal of the day is always technically breakfast, so brunch must substitute two meals.
