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Don’t wait until evening to invite
your friends over; a laid-back weekend morning is an ideal
time to entertain
 Brunch,
as everyone knows, is the point at which breakfast and lunch
collide. But it’s more than two different meals caught
in a fender bender. Brunch is the intersection of two uniquely
different attitudes toward the day. Morning has broken, yet
so has the spell of the night. And where does that leave us?
In fine fettle, especially if you forgo the hustle and bustle
of a restaurant brunch in favor of opening up your home to your
friends for a relaxed and leisurely mid-day meal—and,
of course, a libation or two.
The Mimosa, that utterly familiar concoction of champagne and
orange juice is just fine, as are Bloody Marys and Screwdrivers.
But most of us have been there, done that. A cool cocktail of
White Sangria,
spiked with mint, makes for a refreshing start.
In terms of sustenance, bacon, eggs, hash browns, and toast
are all well and good, but you can do better. Surprise your
guests with something unique, and, better yet, something you
don’t have to stand over with a spatula. To that end,
we suggest that you make up a bit of Kedgeree.
It’s a sumptuous rice-and-fish concoction that originally
hails from India. It was Anglicized in the 18th century and
is still served in England for breakfast. Filling, spicy, unusual,
edgy… it hits all the right notes, especially when paired
with Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio.
Once you’ve moved from cocktails to wine, and are ready
to tuck into a dish of kedgeree, you’ll find that the
Pinot Grigio’s floral notes play nicely off the edge of
the spicy rice dish. Though traditionally served with trout,
this version uses smoked salmon and is spiked with a bit of
jalapeno. It’s an unusual and low-maintenance brunch dish
for entertaining friends.
Brunch can start as early as 10AM, but don’t push it.
It’s the weekend and no one wants to be rushed. Sometime
between 11AM and noon is a civilized time to start, allowing
the revelry to linger into mid to late afternoon. Saturday is
fine, but Sunday is better; it’s the day most worker bees
start looking into the week ahead, and distraction is always
welcome. Unlike a dinner party, a brunch should be a loose affair,
orchestrated in a way that allows your guests to relax and eat
when they’re so inclined. An open-house vibe creates a
sense of leisure.
Brunch should feel bright and breezy, so embrace your view by
opening the windows (preferably cleaned!) or sitting in the
garden if the season permits. If you’re an apartment dweller
and don’t have a view, create your own with flower arrangements
and other decorative flourishes. If the day is gloomy, candles
will brighten the room and the mood.
In sunny weather, nothing could be more cheerful than a brightly
colored tablecloth on a patio table, adorned with a floral bouquet,
and your music of choice, be it the jazz sambas of Stan Getz
and Joao Gilberto, the arias of Mozart, or the best of the Beatles.
Card games and board games like Monopoly or Scrabble may seem
old-fashioned, but they’re also a conduit to a much needed
sense of leisure, and will lull your guests into a badly needed
state of complacent bliss. Follow your bliss, as our man Joseph
Campbell famously said, which is an ideal sentiment for brunch
gatherings.
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