Bed and Breakfast

"Bed" redirects here. For other uses, see Bed (disambiguation).

A double bed

A bed is a piece of furniture or location primarily used or intended for sleeping upon, but also commonly used for sexual activities, relaxing, sitting, and reading.

Beds come in a wide array of shapes and sizes. Early beds were little more than piles of straw or some other natural materials. An important change was raising them off the ground, to avoid drafts, dirt, and pests.

To make beds more comfortable the top layer is frequently a mattress. Originally these were bags of straw for most people and filled with feathers for the wealthy. Eventually new fillings such as cotton and artificial fillers became common. In modern times most mattresses use springs, solid foam, water, or air.

At the top of the mattress, to provide greater support for the head, most people use a pillow. Also used is some form of covering blanket to provide warmth to the sleeper, often bed sheets, a quilt, or a duvet.

The bed frame may simply be made of wood or metal, but many also use springs. Most expensive and bulky, but also strong and comfortable are box springs, a large mattress-sized box containing wood and springs. A valance may be used to make the bed frame match the rest of the bedding.

Bed sizes

Most countries have a standard set of 4 sizes of mattress. While the "Double" size appears to be standard among English speaking countries, based on the imperial measurement of 4 ft 6 in by 6 ft 3 in. the sizes for other bed types tend to vary. The European sizes differ. They are based on the metric system.

(Width by length. Metric sizes (Europe) rounded to nearest half decimetre; inch sizes (US, UK, AUS) rounded to nearest inch.)

The sizes in the UK, other than the Double, vary compared to the US sizes, being generally smaller. The US Queen corresponds to UK King and King to Super King.

The Australian Single is the same as in the UK while the Queen is the same as the US. The Australian King size differs again, having the length of the US King but the width of the UK Super King.

The European or continental basic sizes are similar to the UK but have a set length of 2 metres (width by length, Imperial sizes rounded):

These dimensions are for the mattress – the actual bed frame will be a little bigger in order to fully encompass and support the mattress. The thickness of the mattress may vary considerably.

Other less common sizes are

US:

Twin Extra Long 

39 in × 80 in (1 m × 2.05 m)

This size is fairly popular in college dormitories.

Three Quarter 

48 in × 75 in (1.2 m × 1.9 m)

This size is considered obsolete by the major manufacturers.

Olympic Queen 

66 in × 80 in (1.7 m × 2.05 m)

California Queen 

60 in × 84 in (1.5 m × 2.15 m)

Eastern King 

76 in × 80 in (2 m × 2.05 m)

This is the same as a US "King"

California King 

72 in × 84 in (1.85 m × 2.15 m)

California King is, by far, the standard king size on the West Coast of the United States, and is sometimes called the "West Coast King" or "WC King"

UK:

Small Single 

30 in × 75 in (0.75 m × 1.9 m)

Super Single 

41 in × 75 in (1.05 m × 1.9 m)

Three Quarter 

48 in × 75 in (1.2 m × 1.9 m)

Australia:

Extra Long Single 

36 in × 80 in (0.9 m × 2 m)

King Single 

41 in × 80 in (1.05 m × 2.05 m)

Three Quarter 

48 in × 75 in (1.2 m × 1.9 m)

Europe:

Extra Small Single 

0.75 m × 2 m (29½ in × 78¾ in)

Small Single 

0.8 m × 2 m (31½ in × 78¾ in)

Large Single 

1 m × 2 m (39½ in × 78¾ in)

A king-sized bed differs from the other sizes in implementation, as it is not common to have a king-sized box spring; rather, two smaller box-springs are used under a king-sized mattress. On an American "Standard" or "Eastern" King, the boxsprings are identical in size to a Twin Extra-Long.

Types of bed

There are many varieties of bed:

• An adjustable bed is a bed that can be adjusted to a number of different positions
• A bunk is a bed used in a confined space.
• A bunkbed is two or more beds one atop the other.
• A cot is a small bed (called a crib in American English) specifically for babies and infants. A cot can also refer to a simple, temporary, portable bed used by armies and large organizations in times of crisis.
• A daybed is an armless couch that is used as a seat by day and as a bed by night.
• A futon is a traditional style of Japanese bed that is also available in a larger Western style.
• A hammock is a piece of suspended fabric.
• A Manjaa is traditional Punjabi bed made of tied ropes bordered by a wooden frame.
• A Murphy bed is a bed that can hinge into a wall or cabinet to save space.
• A pallet is a thin lightweight mattress.
• A sofabed is a bed that is stored inside a sofa.
• A trundle bed is a bed usually stored beneath a twin bed.
• A waterbed is a bed/mattress combination where the mattress is filled with water.

See also

• sleep
• co-sleeping

This article is part of the Meals series

Common meals...

Breakfast

Elevenses

Brunch

Tiffin

Lunch

Tea

Dinner

Supper

Dessert

See also...

Cuisine | Kitchens Wikibooks: Cookbook

Breakfast is a meal preceding lunch or dinner and usually eaten in the morning. Less frequently, the term breakfast may also be used by people that work evenings or late nights to refer to the first meal of the day, although it may not include the same ingredients as breakfast in the standard sense.

The erosion of breakfast has been an ongoing trend in the West since at least the early 20th century, coinciding with later waking times than when most Westerners had agricultural occupations. Today, hampered by busy morning schedules, many neglect breakfast or skip it entirely. This trend now exists in industrialized nations worldwide, where it is accompanied frequently by replacing local breakfast traditions with modern Western-style foods, often packaged or pre-made. Nevertheless, many nutritionists consider breakfast a very important meal, since it provides vital nourishment and energy for starting that day. Studies have indicated that food eaten early in the day is less likely to contribute to fat gain than food eaten in the evening.

Typical breakfasts by world regions

Africa

The typical breakfast in Africa varies greatly from region to region, with the former colonial power of an area exerting a great cultural influence:

• In Algeria, the typical breakfast consists of coffee with French bread and butter or jam.

(In Cameroon, the morning meal is simple and designed to hold one over until lunch. Breakfast often consists of beignets, which are either eaten with beans or dipped in bouilli, a sticky, sugary liquid derived from maize. Others eat fried eggs, often made into an omelette with other substances, such as beans, spaghetti noodles, or sardines.

Asia

• India. In South India, the most popular breakfast is an assortment with several possible main dishes, such as idlis, vadas, dosas and chapatis. These are most often served with hot sambar and at least one kind of chutney (usually coconut chutney). Breakfast is usually followed by a glass of tea or coffee, both made with milk and sugar. Pongal is a common breakfast item in Tamil Nadu, while uppittu and kesaribath are the common items in Karnataka. The usual North Indian breakfast consists of chapati or paratha breads with a vegetable curry, plus sweets like kaju burfi. In Maharashtra, poha, Upma or shira (similar to kesaribath is frequently eaten for breakfast. In urban areas, omlettes and simple butter sandwiches are becoming a popular breakfast food.
• Japan. A traditional Japanese breakfast includes items like miso soup, rice with nori or other garnishes, natto, grilled fish, raw egg , and a pickled vegetable. Western breakfast foods may be eaten. However, the influence of Japanese travelers has made the traditional breakfast a standard option on the menus of many upscale hotels world-wide.
• Korea. In Korea, breakfast has not existed as a distinct concept. Food eaten in the morning does not differ substantially from the other meals of the day. Kimchi (a mixture of fermented vegetables) and rice are staples of the morning meal. Today, people are more likely to eat Western-style breakfasts similar to those in the United States.
• Mainland China. Chinese breakfasts typically include huājuǎn, mántou (steamed breads), rice congee/jook (zōu), shāobǐng (unleavened pocket-bread with sesame) and yóutiáo. Dòunǎi or dòujiāng (soy milk), sweetened or savory, is used as a dip for the fried breadsticks. Street vendors also offer a wide variety of hot foods, often deep-fried. Items commonly sold are jiānbǐng (fried pancakes), bāozi (steamed buns with meat or vegetable filling), lúobogāo (turnip cakes), zòngzi, noodles and soups. The dim sum breakfast, originally found in Hong Kong, Guangdong, and other parts of southern China, is a world in itself, and is often eaten as brunch.
• Burma. In Burma, the traditional breakfast is chapati or naan (Indian-style flatbreads) dipped in sweet-milk (home-made sweet condensed milk). Mohinga, a noodle soup is often eaten for breakfast in cities, where hawkers are common.
• Malaysia and Singapore. In Malaysia and Singapore, breakfast sometimes consists of a popular Malay food called nasi lemak. Other food such as roti canai (known as roti prata in Singapore), kaya toast and wonton noodles are also among the favorites.
• Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. In Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia it is customary to eat soup for breakfast, as well as congee. Street eateries in Bangkok offer a variety of different soups.

Australia

The typical breakfast of Australians resembles breakfast in many Western countries. Owing to the warm weather in most parts of Australia, generally breakfast is light, consisting of cereals, toast, fruit, and fruit juices rather than cooked items. A Full English breakfast might still be enjoyed on weekends or at a café, but is not a daily ritual.

Australia has a unique spread called Vegemite that is routinely smeared on toast for breakfast. It is similar to a popular British spread called Marmite, but has very few followers outside of Australia other than expatriates.

Europe

As a general trend, traditional breakfasts are less substantial and less elaborate in the warmer, more southern countries bordering the Mediterranean, while breakfasts are traditionally larger, with a greater variety of dishes and greater prevalence of hot dishes in the cooler northern- and central-European countries.

An institutional meal plan based on lighter Mediterranean breakfast traditions and served in hotels world-wide is known as a European "Continental breakfast". It is a light snack meant to tide one over until lunch. It consists mainly of coffee and milk (often mixed as Cappuccino or latte) with a variety of sweet cakes such as brioche and pastries such as croissant, often with a sweet jam, cream, or chocolate filling. It is often served with juice.

Hotels and other types of lodging in Europe typically include breakfast in their rates, and in many cases, especially in larger hotels, it is served as a buffet. Specific items will vary from country to country, depending on local breakfast tastes and habits. In Switzerland, for example, cold cuts (luncheon meats), cheese, yoghurt, prepared fruit, butter, croissants, breads, and rolls are served. Regardless of location, the standard requirements for a British breakfast (eggs, potatoes, sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms) are also often a part of the buffet.

Britain

Traditionally, Britons enjoy a substantial hot meal for breakfast, featuring eggs, bacon and sausages.

The full English breakfast also includes tomatoes and/or beans, mushrooms, black pudding. These are served with toast or crumpets. Alternatively fish, especially kippers can be served with bread and butter and often scrambled egg. Eating a full English breakfast daily is, however, now rare, and most opt for cold breakfast cereal or toast, which is usually eaten with marmalade. Grapefruit halves are commonly served.

a full Scottish Breakfast will consist of simliar items to the full English (in fact they could be no different and be defined as a Scottish Breakfast) with additional items such as potato cakes and white pudding becoming more common. Porridge is popular in Scotland.

This is all washed down with tea or coffee.

British imperial experience in India introduced kedgeree to the breakfast buffet in grander households. Today this dish remains popular but is normally served later in the day rather than at breakfast.

Central and eastern Europe

In Eastern European countries with cold climates, such as Russia, breakfasts tend to be substantial. Zavtrak may consist of hot oatmeal or kasha, eggs, cheese, cured meats or sausage, rye breads with butter, and coffee or tea.

Yoghurt or, especially in central and eastern Europe, kefir may be consumed.

In some Balkan countries such as Serbia, savory pastries known as burek are consumed with yogurt.

France

In France a typical domestic breakfast will consist of bowls (rather than cups or mugs) of coffee, often café au lait, or hot chocolate with tartines – slices of baguette spread with jam - to be dunked. Croissants are also traditional.

Ireland

In Ireland, an Irish breakfast may include white pudding, soda bread, and in Ulster, soda farls and potato farls.

Germany

The typical German breakfast consists of bread rolls or toast with butter, honey, jam, ham or sausage, a soft-boiled egg, and coffee. However, cereals have become popular, and regional variation is significant.

Greece

In Northern Greece a pastry called bugatsa is eaten with Greek coffee.

Italy

In Italy prima colazione (Italian: "breakfast") is simply Caffè e latte with bread or rolls, butter, and jam. It is very common for Italians to have a quick breakfast snack during the morning (typically a "panino", or bread roll).

Netherlands

Pink Muisjes

A traditional Dutch breakfast consists of a combination of poached eggs, bacon (ontbijt spek), sausage (ontbijtworst), breakfast cake (ontbijtkoek), and cold sliced meat such as smoked horse (rookvlees paard) or smoked beef (rookvlees rund), served on toast and topped with cheese.

Today those people that eat breakfast at all typically eat sliced bread with toppings such as cheese, a variety of cured meats, or something sweet like jam, the typically Dutch hagelslag (hail) which comes in two flavors; chocoladehagel (chocolate) and vruchtenhagel (fruit), chocolade vlokken (chocolate flakes), Muisjes (mice), peanut butter, syrup (from sugar beet or fruit) and honey. Rusks are also popular; cereals are less so. Tea, dripolator coffee, milk and juice are the most popular breakfast beverages.

Scandinavia

A typical breakfast in Denmark, similar to its southern neighbor Germany, consists of bread rolls or toast with butter and Danish skæreost (slicing cheese), a buttery creamy white cheese (often Danish havarti or Danish tilsit), fruit jam, and a lot of coffee. A bigger and fancier spread might also include cold cuts (cold, thin-sliced ham, rullepølse, salami), soft-boiled eggs, muesli and sweet rolls of all types. Special occasions are often celebrated with a shot of Gammel Dansk. Danish workers typically start their Friday mornings with "breakfast meetings".

Breakfasts in other parts of Scandinavia may be quite ample. Fish, cheese, eggs, bacon, hot and cold cereals, breads, potatoes, and fruits are all eaten in various combinations, along with juices, coffee and tea. Filmjölk, a soured milk similar to buttermilk or yoghurt is often used on cereals. Whole-grain porridges are popular in Finland, also accompanied by this type of soured milk.

Spain

A distinctive breakfast of Europe is the Spanish early-morning (post-late night) fare of chocolate y churros – an extruded stick of doughnut like dough with a star shaped profile covered in sugar, and very thick, sweet hot chocolate drink. In Madrid churros are somewhat smaller and shaped like a charity ribbon.

Latin America

Latin American breakfasts feature many items seen in North American and Continental European breakfasts in regional variations. Maize-based breads such as tortillas or arepas may predominate, or be augmented with wheat breads or pastries. Coffee, chocolate and tea are usually taken with milk.

In the past, when Mexico's population was predominantly rural and agricultural, breakfast tradition included a light desayuno of hot beverages and breads at dawn, and a heavier almuerzo mid-morning, with egg dishes such as huevos rancheros, meats, beans, tortillas, pastries, and fruits. Today almuerzo generally means lunch, and the Mexican breakfast may be the lighter or heavier version, depending on the person or occasion. Menudo, a tripe stew considered a folk remedy for a hangover, has become a breakfast dish as well as one eaten at other meals.

Middle East

In most Arab areas, the most popular breakfast by far is Pitta bread dipped in rich labnah, a type of creamy curd, or in olive oil and za'atar (a common Middle-Eastern spice). Other popular breakfast foods in the Mashriq include boiled eggs, olives, cheese and beans.

In Egypt the traditional breakfast is Ful Madamis: Slow cooked Egyptian ful Beans (and sometimes lentils too), dressed in olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.

In Israel a typical Israeli breakfast will include eggs (hard-boiled, soft-boiled, fried or omelette), fresh bread, jam, cheese (usually some kind of soft white cheese, most often fine Israeli cottage cheese), sliced vegetables or Israeli salad and olives. Preferred drinks include coffee or tea and orange juice. While this is the traditional breakfast (and is served in many restaurants in the morning), nowadays most people will have a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee before rushing off to work.

Similarly in Turkey a standard breakfast is comprised of white cheese, tomatoes, black olives, bread with honey or preserves, and an egg.

U.S.A. and Canada

Pancakes and scrambled eggs

Traditional breakfasts in the U.S.A. and Canada are similar and feature predominantly sweet or mild-flavored foods. Typical items include cold breakfast cereals, hot oatmeal, grits, other hot grain porridges, eggs, bacon, ham, small sausages, pan-fried potatoes (hash browns), toast, pancakes, waffles, French toast, cornbread, English muffins, bagels (often with cream cheese), pastries (such as croissants, doughnuts and muffins), yoghurt (often sweetened and flavored), and fruit. Orange juice is a standard breakfast beverage, along with coffee, tea, milk, and other fruit juices. Caffeinated carbonated beverages are occasionally substituted for these. An emerging tradition is to eat left-over pizza from dinner the night before (commonly called cold pizza, although sometimes reheated) for breakfast.

Eggs are strongly associated with breakfast, to the extent that many Americans and Canadians consider egg dishes out-of-place later in the day. Many fast-food restaurants sell breakfast versions of their typical offerings that include eggs and are usually sweeter and less spicy. Examples of such breakfasts-to-go are: egg-filled sandwiches of croissants or muffins; hamburgers without the usual vegetable garnishes; and breakfast burritos or tacos filled with eggs and cheese, optionally with other additions like meat or beans.

Different regions of the U.S.A. have certain breakfast specialties that may be less popular nationally. In the South, liver and grits are one traditional breakfast food; the Southwest has huevos rancheros; scrapple is a favorite in the Mid-Atlantic states; pork roll is rarely available outside New Jersey and Philadelphia; and New Englanders still occasionally indulge in fried salt-pork, and pie. Sausages also vary in popularity regionally, such as linguiça in southern New England, andouille in Louisiana, chorizo in the Southwest, et al.

A worker's breakfast may include coffee and a prepared food purchased on the way to work or brought from home. Alternative food items that fit this eat-on-the-go strategy include various sweet breakfast breads and pastries, sweetened flavored yoghurt cups, fresh fruit, granola or "energy" bars, toaster pastries such as Pop-Tarts, and instant oatmeal.

A typical combination of food for a "hearty" breakfast would be eggs, one type of meat, and one or two starchy dishes; commonly hash browns and toast. A more basic breakfast combination would be a starchy food (such as toast, pastry, cereal, porridge, or pancakes) either alone or served with fruit and/or yoghurt. This second option, similar to the Continental breakfasts served in Europe, is especially common in situations where serving hot food is difficult, expensive or impractical.

The modern options typical of the U.S.A. and Canada are representative of Western-style breakfasts that have become common worldwide, especially in industrialized nations.

Etymological information

English: 1463, from break (v.) + fast (n.). Cf. Fr. déjeuner "to breakfast," from L. dis-jejunare "to break the fast." The verb is from 1679. The Sp. almuerzo "breakfast" is from L. admorsus, pp. of admordere "to bite into," from ad- "to" + mordere "to bite."

The English name derives from the concept that one has not eaten while sleeping, i.e., one is fasting during that time, and one breaks that fast with the meal. The meaning is therefore the same as the French déjeuner or petit déjeuner and the Spanish desayuno. The German Frühstück, the Danish morgenmad, the Esperanto matenmanĝo, the Japanese asameshi (朝飯), and the Chinese zao can (早餐) mean "morning meal."

The Portuguese pequeno almoço means "little lunch."

Drinks

Common beverages include fruit juices (Orange juice, apple juice, grapefruit juice, etc.), milk, tea, and coffee.

Catering

Some restaurants devote themselves to breakfast or have special breakfast menus. The field is dominated on one hand by greasy spoons, diners, cafés, cafeterias, and fast food places, and on the other hand by hotels. However, some breakfast places resemble standard restaurants in procedure, selection, and price.

Special occasions

Breakfast is occasionally served as an entertainment meal. More popular than breakfast in this regard, however, is brunch.

The serving of a pancake breakfast is traditional on Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday), and some celebrate a festive breakfast on Christmas morning.

During Ramadan, Muslims describe the meal after sunset that breaks the fast as (Iftar).

See also

Wikibooks Cookbook has more about this subject:

Breakfast

• Wedding breakfast
• Full English breakfast
• Irish breakfast
• Breakfast television

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Breakfast

• Complete Recipes: Breakfast
• Wikibooks Cookbook
• Breakfast Cereals
• Mr. Breakfast's articles and recipes