Having friends and family over to sit and share laughter and memories over some home cooked food is a wonderful way to spend a weekend, but how do you please everyone, well think about hosting Brunch? Brunch is one of the easiest meals to host, a more flexible than dinner and more relaxed than lunch; more relaxed means easier to prepare and it’s easier for people to come along. Brunches can last as long or as short as you want, people can come and go and it doesn’t mean that everyone has to cancel any other plans in the day.
Here are five brilliant brunch tips to make preparation easier and some menu options to help you along the way.
- Firstly pick a time that works for you, one that doesn’t leave you stressed out, start it early enough so it doesn’t feel as formal as lunch, somewhere between 11-1 is good.
- Brunch doesn’t have to be a cohesive serving on a plate, it’s a melee of sweet and savoury favourites allowing everyone to enjoy a little of what they fancy and there should be sufficient for people to go back for seconds.
- Don’t have too many items that need preparing when your guests are present, brunch should be for everyone to enjoy.
- Try and cook, make ahead or assemble at least one item before everyone arrive, so salad or sandwiches can be made the night before or bake a cake the night before.
- Brunch shouldn’t cost the earth, eggs for example can be made when guests are present, they can be made in abundance and in a form that suits everyone.
Brunch menu items generally consist of what you may have for lunch and brunch, a good brunch could consist of the following. Roasted hash browns, always a firm favourite, make them yourself, buy them from the freezer section, pop them in the oven with a timer and you don’t have to worry. A little bacon and some sausages always goes down well, again these can go in the oven, reducing the fat drainage and of course one less thing to stress about on the stove top. Sandwiches, egg sandwiches or BLT’s can go down well. French toast a winner, can bulk up the meal and the bread can soak overnight in the custard mixture and again bake it rather than the stove top. Pancakes bring a warm smile, and you can just place syrups and jams and yoghurts for people to help themselves.
Fresh bread is a good tip, if you can’t make your own pop out to the baker or supermarket and get some freshly made loaves, the smell is enough to stimulate appetite, the same with other pastries. Don’t forget fruit, perfect for the lighter eaters and it can also match with the pancakes.
The single most important ingredient however is coffee. A coffee maker comes into its’ own here however everyone has different preferences and this is where coffee pods turn brunch into brilliance. If you have a coffee pod machine and brunch is now on your agenda, gourmesso.co.uk have a great range of organic, Fairtrade, Nespresso compatible pods and they can make brunch more affordable.
So as you head into the next weekend, consider having everyone over for brunch.
