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Posts with tag brunch
Migas - Feast Your Eyes
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| Photo: stuart_spivak, Flickr. |
For diners who shun waffles, pancakes and other saccharine starters, there are few more satisfying brunch options than savory-cheesy migas. Less refined than its Spanish or Portuguese counterpart -- which frugally pairs olive oil with leftover bread and eggs -- the Tex-Mex version piles scrambled eggs high with tortilla chips, salsa and cheese, even tossing in jalapenos, red onions, black beans, bacon, chorizo and more in kitchen-sink versions.
Mark Bittman waxes poetic about the carb-y grub, which takes its name from the Spanish word for "crumbs," in his Bitten column, but our preferred source for the topic -- rightfully so -- is the Homesick Texan, who alludes to the "crime" of not ordering the breakfast when in Austin. But if you're not local, experiment at home with our favorite Lone Star state recipe.
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Nectarine Cake - Feast Your Eyes
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| Photo: sassyradish, Flickr. |
In this recipe adapted from the September issue of Gourmet, the shopping list calls for the usual pantry baking staples to be paired with the sliced fruit of your choice -- perfect for last-minute brunch-time entertaining.
Check out the elegantly simple recipe for yourself at blog Sassyradish.
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Just a Bloody Mary Monday - Feast Your Eyes
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| Photo: Bionicgrrrl, Flickr |
It almost makes us forget we're sitting in front of a computer, transporting us instead to a lively brunch table crowded with beverages: coffee mugs, water glasses, orange juice and that ubiquitous and beloved brunch standby -- the Bloody Mary.
A meal in its own right, a proper Bloody Mary is refreshing yet savory, sometimes piquant and often full of surprises. Lurking within the tomato juice and vodka potion might be a crisp stalk of celery, a pickled green bean or a plump olive (as shown here). Best of all, it's one of the few cocktails that's regularly served in a pint glass, giving new meaning to "the more the merrier."
[Via Flickr]
Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot at having your photos featured in Feast Your Eyes.
'Brunch!' - Cookbook Spotlight
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Recipes by Gale Gand with Christie Matheson
Photographs by Ben Fink
Clarkson Potter -- 2009
Buy it on Amazon
Ah, brunch, that most indecisive and superfluous of meals: it's certainly not necessary, and probably wouldn't even exist if people weren't inclined to sleep in on the weekends.
But where French toast and eggs Benedict are concerned, necessity has never been the point. So it follows that of course brunch should have its own cookbook: any meal that can gouge so much time and effort out of an otherwise unremarkable weekend naturally requires a repertoire of recipes.
Gale Gand, a James Beard Award-winning pastry chef and the owner of Chicago's renowned Tru, has stepped up to the plate, and then some, with 'Brunch!' If the title's exclamation point tells you all you need to know about Gand's enthusiasm for the subejct, then her recipes -- from beverages like White Hot Chocolate and Gale's 3-Alarm Bloody Mary, to caloric delights like Corn and Parmesan Fritters and Chocolate Waffles -- should give you a generous hint of her serious dedication to the cause. Whether you prefer to drink your brunch or be put into a sugar coma by it, there's pretty much something for everyone here.
See what we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.
The Morning After the Wedding - The Hungry Bride
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| Brunch is served. Photo: JasonUnbound/ Flickr |
Whether it's a very casual picnic or a fancy brunch held at a hotel, a little goes a long way. Plus, it's a great time to thank your friends and family one last time for coming, and of course you'll get hear all of those crazy stories that happened while you weren't paying attention! Remember not to schedule it too early, especially if you've had an extremely late-night affair.
Jon's parents will be hosting a small, very casual brunch located in the hotel where we'll be staying. We figured there was nothing better than rolling out of bed to a free breakfast. While we carefully planned out every aspect of the wedding menu, simple and very common brunch fare will be served here: eggs, bacon, croissants, cereal, etc.
Are you hosting a day-after event for your guests? If so, I want to hear what you are serving, or what you did serve.
Still hungry? Follow the Hungry Bride on Twitter.
Marvelous Morels
Like ramps and asparagus, morels are synonymous with spring, and an edible reminder of the season's brevity. It feels less like morels have a season than a quick, annual engagement: catching them at the farmers market is like catching a solar eclipse, or Tom Jones at the MGM Grand in Vegas.
Morels are wild mushrooms that grow in forested areas throughout many parts of the country, and generally begin appearing sometime in April. They're usually available until the early summer, but their season can vary by a week or two depending on the region and the amount of rainfall. They're slender, knobby things with intricately ridged and wrinkled skin, and look like they sprouted from the pages of the Brothers Grimm. Their homely appearance belies their heavenly flavor, which is expressed to spectacular effect in the company of dairy, fat and and asparagus. Scrambled eggs are thus an ideal way to enjoy morels -- think of it as less an egg dish than a vehicle for delivering the best of the season to your very happy stomach.
Read the recipe for scrambled eggs with morels, asparagus and spring onions after the jump.
Beauteous Bacony Brunches
Not Martha set the foodie world on fire -- uh, 378 commenters and a bunch of blogs, at least -- with her BLT-themed, freestanding bacon cups. But they required three hours of effort and resulted in a house full of smoke.
Then Merriment Design came along and introduced a microwave to the process. Voila! Cups large and small whipped up in as little as five fire-free minutes. All they required were a few pieces of kitchen paraphernalia, some paper towels and a whole lot of bacon. Click through for the particulars of how it's done, and be in bacon cups all summer long.
Brunching and Beer - The Cleveland Plain Dealer in 60 Seconds
- Chicken Florentine Strata makes a quick and easy casserole for brunch.
- Michael Symon talks about his James Beard win.
- Sam McNulty and his staff at Bar Cento come up with a brunch menu that's big on taste and low on fuss.
- Cleveland's La Strada is named after the Fellini film, boasts a "Christianity-meets-Islam vibe" and serves everything from Turkish to Spanish cuisine.
- A hoppy look at Brooklyn Brewery's 12-pack Party Sampler, which includes Pennant Ale '55, East India Pale Ale, Brown Ale and Lager.
- The Greenhouse Tavern is dishing up delights, Tartine boasts a seasonal, "refreshingly trim" menu, Oasis Grill has a winning egg 'n' burger and The Calla Restaurant features a fabulous fish-fry.
- And last, but not least, some wine tastings for May.
Mother's Day Brunch Cocktails - Wine of the Week
Gretchen Roberts has passed the introductory course at the Court of Master Sommeliers and is studying for her sommelier certification this fall.
Attention doting husbands and children: Mother's Day is right around the corner. As the mom of two small children whose energy levels are inversely proportionate to their ages, I'm here to speak up for mothers of the world and give you a hint about proper Mother's Day celebratory etiquette.
It's simple, really. We want to observe Mother's Day by shirking our motherly duties and being bona fide adults.
Preferably with our feet up and a cocktail in hand.
This brings me to some easy sparkling wine recipes, in case you're planning to whip up a nice brunch for your lovely wife or mother. For mix-in drinks, don't bother spending megabucks on real Champagne; go with an inexpensive Prosecco from Italy (such as Fantinel) or Cava from Spain (Friexenet and Segura Viudas are good bets).
Three basic but beloved Mom-friendly elixirs after the jump.
Continue reading Mother's Day Brunch Cocktails - Wine of the Week
Poached Eggs and Salad - The Delicious Breakfast without Bread
For my entire life, I've believed that two things should always go together -- eggs and bread. (Unless, of course, we're talking about deviled eggs.) In fact, I'd rather go without breakfast, or eat something less desirable, than attempt to partake in eggs without some kind of bread or bread-product. (I've even been known to dive for the bread crumbs when desperate.) Bread and eggs just go together. They're Tom with Jerry, Sonny with Cher, Simon Pegg with Nick Frost. Alone, they're just not the same.
And then I found myself eating brunch at the Park Hyatt Toronto. I ordered an egg-topped green salad, and an ordering mishap left me without my side of bread. Reluctantly, I began to eat my salad -- for the first time ever, I could eat eggs without the bread. Diced chunks of cheese and meat balanced the light and airy lettuce, and the runny yolk became a delicious extra hint of dressing to the salad.
Best of all -- it's easy to make. The above salad is just a bunch of romaine hearts tossed with olive oil and red wine vinegar, then topped with some diced tomato, finely diced onion, and chunks of kielbasa, cheese, and avocado. Two poached eggs went on top, and then a good grind of salt and pepper. It's delicious, easy, quick, and hugely filling.
*Note: The eggs are red because they were poached in some left-over red wine that has sat too long in my fridge. It offers s a nice extra hit of flavor.
Dining at 7:30 and More - The Toronto Star in 60 Seconds
- The politics of restaurants and picking a 7:30 dining time.
- Corn: The dark secret behind fast food.
- The EU welcomes wonky produce, but what about Canada?
- Wines: Quinta Da Alorna Reserva 2006 Arinto/Chardonnay (Portugal), Domaines Mau Château Ducla 2005 (France), Gloria Colheita Seleccionada Tinto 2004 (Portugal), J. Lohr Los Osos 2006 Merlot (California), Pirramimma 2005 Petit Verdot (Australia)
- Restaurant Reviews: Brunch Spots in Toronto and Restoran Malaysia
- Recipes: Bayou Shrimp Stew and Truchas a la Parrilla
Make Weekend Breakfasts Easier - Tip of the Day
By the time you lug yourself out of bed at 11 a.m. on a Sunday, do you really want to spend another 30 minutes prepping brunch before you start cooking? Try using make-ahead brunch recipes for an even more relaxing weekend morning.
Continue reading Make Weekend Breakfasts Easier - Tip of the Day
Slashfood Ate (8) - Fruit pancakes
Over the weekend, I ate the best pancakes of my life. I headed to CT with friends, and we had pancakes BOTH mornings. Sunday morning, I tasted the most delicious blueberry pancakes that you can imagine -- the taste and fluffiness were beyond what I thought a pancake could achieve. So I was already on a pancake high when I returned to the internet Sunday night to find TWO WHOLE blog posts on fruit pancakes. It made me even more excited to start experimenting with these types of recipes at home. Here are some from around the web that look particularly tasty:1. Apple Pancakes from Smitten Kitchen
2. How to add fruit to pancakes post from Baking Bites
3. Whole-wheat pumpkin pancakes from Pinch My Salt (not a fruit, but so mouth-watering!)
4. Pineapple orange pancakes from All Recipes
5. Oven pear pancake from Real Simple
6. Vegan blueberry pancakes from Epicurious
7. Oatmeal raspberry pancakes with berry coulis from My Recipes
8. Spiced banana pancakes from Post Punk Kitchen
Sunday Brunch: Sourdough waffles
I know it's still early in the week, but it's never too early to start thinking about what you want to cook this weekend. Tuesday afternoon is the perfect time to start planning your lazy Sunday morning meal! If you maintain your own sourdough starter, this recipe is a sure winner. If you don't, why not start one!
If you have your own starter, sourdough waffles are a great way to use up some of the excess that you might normally throw away. This recipe comes courtesy of Bakers' Banter, and you can find great images to walk you through the whole recipe.
I think sourdough waffles are an excellent idea. I'm definitely trying them this weekend, even though I don't keep my own starter. Mixing one half cup each of flour and water with the tiniest pinch of yeast about 3-6 hours before you need to use it should supply the amount of starter needed. The waffles won't taste exactly the same, but it should be pretty close.
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