Give brunch a boost with some unique ideas
Delicious fare will please the picky ... and even those with hangovers
Brunch used to be the bane of my existence for a number of reasons. It had its own set of unique challenges that were not present in lunch or dinner service.
It only happened two days a week, using ingredients that were not salvageable, with staff and customers who were hungover and picky about how their eggs were cooked.
I was plagued with constant doubt about how to really cook eggs because in my humble opinion, the lowest common denominator prevailed. And if I ever went out for brunch I would avoid the egg dishes because of that.
I knew all too well the pain it caused to get picky about it. At the end of my restaurant career, I was happy to leave eggs Benedict, the hangovers of others and leathery omelettes behind and get back to cooking and enjoying runny yolked fried eggs, creamy scrambled eggs and omelettes with molten centres.
Brunch at home is now a treat. Brunch can really be anything since it spans breakfast, lunch, and edges into dinner.
In addition to these recipes, brunch boards are a popular option. If you're a sweets person, you'll like a board laden with pancakes or waffles, syrups, jams, fruit and whipped cream. If you're on the savoury side, there are bagel or breakfast taco boards. All of these allow people to assemble their own plates and make it easier on the cook.
I was unsure of how to approach this column as everything this year was turned upside down. We may be able to get together or we may not.
My usual tack for this time of year is to spread the joy and encourage others to spread it with loved ones or through volunteering. If you have the means and mental bandwidth, deliver brunch to someone or donate money instead of time to those who would benefit from your kindness. If you're delivering brunch, remember that eggs Benedict doesn't travel well.
And with those words of wisdom, I'll see you next year. I hope you find peace in the small, intangible and beautiful things that are all around you.