Brunch Essentials!!
I know what you are thinking - dang, that’s A LOT of avocado. You would be correct to assume that I bought and sliced way too many avocados but you know what, it’s better to have more than less. Anyways, I digress.
One of my favorite weekend activities is getting friends together, and making brunch! If you are anything like me, brunch is usually a last-minute scramble to the store, and trying to decide whether I lean more towards the breakfast or lunch in brunch.
Although the food is ESSENTIAL for a successful brunch, what matters the most is the people you share it with. That’s honestly why I love cooking so much - because it is one of the best ways to gather friends together - It truly is my love language.
In my opinion, there is a key balance to brunch. You want your brunch to have variety, but certainly not a full-on identity crisis. I often lean more towards the breakfasty side of brunch, but it still requires a balance. The first step is to establish the main “theme” or “direction” you want to go in.
One of my go-to’s for brunch (which I am sure is no surprise) is to have something baked. Whether that is simple like my banana pancakes, banana bread, or baked oatmeal, there has to be something like this that steals the spotlight.
Next, it is important to establish the proteins. Usually, I will go for eggs, bacon, or sausage. These are easy go-to options because they are all crowd-pleasers.
Next, I always like to throw in a nice fruit salad. It can be simple or dressed up, depending on the amount of energy you have. It usually includes strawberries, blueberries, and bananas. You could even spice it up and add some mint, or maybe a little bit of lemon juice to up the tartness.
I think it is also important to have a bridge between the savory and sweet items and throw in something like sliced avocados. Not only because they are so colorful, but also because they are a nice accompaniment to the savory items (you could even toast up and butter a few slices of sourdough to make some avocado toast)!
Next, it is VITAL to have either coffee/tea or some kind of fun drink on hand (typically I go with orange juice). Or, if you want to be fancy, a fun smoothie could add a nice touch (but there is a lot more effort/prep required for something like this).
Not only are the food and the people important, but one thing I have not touched on is the general ambiance of where you are. This will truly make a difference. I recommend picking up some flowers, turning on some music, and setting the table with your favorite dishes!
Although I don’t always stick to the script (ex. the picture above where we made breakfast burritos instead), it is important to at least have a go-to “menu” as your default in case you are like me and fall victim to the last minute scramble to the store.
In my experience, brunch has a guaranteed success rate of 100% as long as you have good people and good food around you.
with love,
just a chefs daughter