Brunch is an easy, fun, and typically less stressful entertainment opportunity for friends and family. Room temperature foods, small bites, and family style or buffet service all come together for a low stress mid-day visit. Many dishes made ahead of time and simply pulled out of the fridge at service time - champagne corks popped and poured. Juice or fun white wine blends with grapes like viognier, semillon blanc, and riesling and dark rich coffee. We started serving brunches instead of dinners for special occasions when the family was visiting - it let us all get together and navigate snowy roads in daytime, spend a few hours together, then make it home in the light of day and left the rest of the day free for all of those important day-off activities; like napping.
Brunch tables beg creativity and fun. Flowers! mix-matched champagne glasses, wine goblets, colorful table linens, foods from Italy, France, and Aunt Berdie's tamale pie all share the same space on the sideboard. Last night's pizza with a poached egg can become a new favorite (surprisingly delicious with a white Rhone blend.) The rules of engagement for Brunch are much more relaxed than for a dinner party. Conversations and bold flavors rule. Ties are certainly optional.
As you plan your next social/kitchen event - consider the very civilized approach of Brunch. Give your kitchen the chance to show off your whimsical side!
Pictured: Northwest Portland Pepperoni pizza leftovers with Basted Eggs: Use last night's pizza - trick is to get the crust crisp by heating it on top of stove in skillet - fry eggs in non-stick add a tsp. of water, top with a lid to steam finish the eggs. Serve over pizza with fresh cracked black pepper; chili flakes or sri racha to taste. Easy peasy!
