Making brunch next Sunday



B

Bob

Guest
I'm making brunch for my girlfriend's family next Sunday, and this is what I'm thinking of offering.
(There will be four adults and a five-year-old, and we'll be eating around 10:30 AM, so something
like a tossed salad would be a little out of place.)

"Everything" Bialys with: Cream Cheese Smoked Salmon Capers

Eggs Benedict, and variations thereof: Smoked salmon Avocado

Omelets with any or all of the following: Brie Feta Cheddar Spinach Avocado Blanched Broccoli
Roasted Garlic Bacon Smoked Salmon

Cheese Blintzes with honey & strawberries

Waffles with: Maple Syrup Honey Canned Sour Cherries Canned Apricots Fresh Strawberries
Whipped Cream

Fresh Fruit Pineapple chunks Orange segments Honeydew chunks Cantaloupe chunks Bananas Strawberries

Plain croissants Sugar doughnuts Chocolate croissants Almond croissants

tea coffee fresh-squeezed tangelo juice milk

The bialys, fruit, blintzes, waffle toppings, and pastries will be laid out in a buffet style. The
waffle batter and hollandaise sauce will be made about a half-hour before the guests arrive. The
omelet fillings and Eggs Benedict ingredients will be laid out at the stove.

Any suggestions for refinements? (Don't bother telling me that there will be lots of leftovers. I'm
fully aware of it, and I don't have any problem with that.)

Bob
 
Bob wrote:
> I'm making brunch for my girlfriend's family next Sunday, and this is what I'm thinking of
> offering. (There will be four adults and a five-year-old, and we'll be eating around 10:30 AM, so
> something like a tossed salad would be a little out of place.)
(snip)
> Any suggestions for refinements? (Don't bother telling me that there will be lots of leftovers.
> I'm fully aware of it, and I don't have any problem with that.)
>
> Bob

What, no champagne to go with the tangelo juice and strawberries?!

You did say 4 adults and one child? You're going all out and cooking for at least 12-15 people.
I know, I know, you realize there will be leftovers :) You must really want to impress this
gal's family!

Personally, I'd cut out the duplication on eggs. Omelets are easier than benedict so I'd have the
omelets, the waffles; fruit and pastries, coffee, tea and juice. Have milk on hand for the child.

Sorry but I don't know what bialys are.

Jill
 
Jill suggested:

> What, no champagne to go with the tangelo juice and strawberries?!

I've got it if anybody wants it, but none of them are any kind of morning drinkers.

> You did say 4 adults and one child? You're going all out and cooking for at least 12-15 people.
> I know, I know, you realize there will be leftovers :) You must really want to impress this
> gal's family!

Oh, I ALREADY impressed them with my Christmas Eve seafood feast and my Christmas dinner. Now I'm
just maintaining the standard! But really, I won't be cooking all that much. While they're here,
I'll probably just make one or two waffles, one or two omelets, and maybe four variations of Eggs
Benedict. The blintzes are already made. The fruit can be cut up the night before. The bacon can be
cooked in the toaster oven at the same time that I blanch the broccoli early that morning.

> Personally, I'd cut out the duplication on eggs. Omelets are easier than benedict so I'd have the
> omelets, the waffles; fruit and pastries, coffee, tea and juice. Have milk on hand for the child.

The Eggs Benedict are mandatory. My girlfriend has bragged extensively about how well I prepare
them, so now I have to demonstrate my proficiency. (In all fairness, her bragging is completely
justified. :) ) I'll probably be one of the only people who has an omelet.

> Sorry but I don't know what bialys are.

Hmm...kind of hard to describe a bialy, but I'll try. The texture of a bialy is kind of a cross
between a bagel and a piece of white bread. It's in the shape of a disk with a flattened middle. My
"Everything" bialys are sprinkled with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, cooked diced onions (which
caramelize and get crisp), kosher salt, garlic, and coarse black pepper. If I happen to have kalonji
or flax seed, I put them on, too. I start out with the Onion Bialy recipe in _Baking With Julia_ and
add all those extras. (Bialys are also mandatory items.) I'll be making the bialys and the
croissants the day before.

Bob
 
Bob <[email protected]> wrote:

> Any suggestions for refinements? (Don't bother telling me that there will be lots of leftovers.
> I'm fully aware of it, and I don't have any problem with that.)

Unless you and your guests are big eaters, that seems like a hell of a lot of food just for four
adults and a young child. If it were me, I would just go with the waffles since that's an item that
the adults and the kid will be likely to enjoy.
 
"jmcquown" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Personally, I'd cut out the duplication on eggs. Omelets are easier than benedict so I'd have the
> omelets, the waffles; fruit and pastries, coffee, tea and juice.

Oh I don't agree here; people just love eggs Benedict when they are eating out, mainly I think
because most of us don't want to tackle making hollandaise sauce first thing in the am. This meal is
obviously designed to impress (I wanna be invited) and a choice of multiple eggs benedict will
surely do that. If anything I'd scrap the omelets. And I don't know what Bialys is either!
:)
 
On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 02:56:11 -0600, "jmcquown"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Bob wrote:

>> I'm making brunch for my girlfriend's family next Sunday, and this is what I'm thinking of
>> offering. (There will be four adults and a five-year-old,
>
>What, no champagne to go with the tangelo juice and strawberries?!
>
>You did say 4 adults and one child? You're going all out and cooking for at least 12-15 people.
>I know, I know, you realize there will be leftovers :) You must really want to impress this
>gal's family!

12-15 people? This is an upscale hotel buffet for 50! Perhaps Bob is trolling.

>Sorry but I don't know what bialys are.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Bread/Bialy.htm
 
"Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm making brunch for my girlfriend's family next Sunday, and this is what I'm thinking of
> offering. (There will be four adults and a five-year-old, and we'll be eating around 10:30 AM, so
> something like a tossed salad
would
> be a little out of place.)
>
>
> "Everything" Bialys with: Cream Cheese Smoked Salmon Capers
>
Having smoked salmon with "everything" bialys is a waste, IMO. Some of the flavours of the bialys
would drown out the salmon. I would make plain ones or make an assortment but serve the plain ones
with the salmon.

> Eggs Benedict, and variations thereof: Smoked salmon Avocado
>
> Omelets with any or all of the following: Brie Feta Cheddar Spinach Avocado Blanched Broccoli
> Roasted Garlic Bacon Smoked Salmon
>

Will you have bacon available for those who just want a slice of bacon? I was at a buffet yesterday
(which was amazing) and I noticed that even people who had omelets, roast beef, roast lamb, whatever
still had strips of bacon on their plates. People just like bacon! Plus the 5 year old may not
appreciate the other things as much (other than the waffles).

> Cheese Blintzes with honey & strawberries
>
> Waffles with: Maple Syrup Honey Canned Sour Cherries Canned Apricots Fresh Strawberries
> Whipped Cream
>

Instead of canned apricots, I might use chopped dried apricots to sprinkle on the whipped cream. I
don't like canned apricots, though, so I think that's just me. I might also add some kind of
homemade fruit sauce--maybe a mixed berry sauce? They're pretty :).

> Fresh Fruit Pineapple chunks Orange segments Honeydew chunks Cantaloupe chunks Bananas
> Strawberries
>

If you really want to go all out and impress them even further, add a chocolate fondue or ganache
fountain (or just a pot :)) alongside the fruit. I don't really like them that much (the chocolate
fondue part is rarely very good) but they sure do look pretty!

> Plain croissants Sugar doughnuts Chocolate croissants Almond croissants
>

Cake doughnuts or yeast? I prefer yeast. Instead of doughnuts, I might do small beignets or doughnut
'holes'. This is because you have a lot of food here and were I attending, I would want to at least
try a bit of everything. A whole doughnut would be too much but a small beignet or 'hole' would give
me enough of a taste to satisfy (and perhaps leave me wanting more).

> tea coffee fresh-squeezed tangelo juice milk
>

And bottled water!

If you really want to go all out and impress them even further, add a chocolate fondue or ganache
fountain (or just a pot :)) alongside the fruit. I don't really like them that much (the chocolate
fondue part is rarely very good) but they sure do look pretty!

rona

--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***
 
[email protected] wrote:
> Bob <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Any suggestions for refinements? (Don't bother telling me that there will be lots of leftovers.
>> I'm fully aware of it, and I don't have any problem with that.)
>
> Unless you and your guests are big eaters, that seems like a hell of a lot of food just for four
> adults and a young child. If it were me, I would just go with the waffles since that's an item
> that the adults and the kid will be likely to enjoy.

Thick Belgian waffles with honey, whole whipped cream, syrup and fresh fruit selection would be
nice. French toast is an alternative. I make a nice french toast literally with day-old French bread
which has been soaked overnight in the egg mixture and orange juice. Served with honey and fresh
fruit, it's a nice special treat :)

I'm not sure, but I think Bob is going to be so busy supervising food prep it will be more like
running a restaurant than actually getting to know the girlfriend's family.

Jill
 
Frogleg wrote:
> On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 02:56:11 -0600, "jmcquown" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Bob wrote:
>
>> You did say 4 adults and one child? You're going all out and cooking for at least 12-15 people. I
>> know, I know, you realize there will be leftovers :) You must really want to impress this gal's
>> family!
>
> 12-15 people? This is an upscale hotel buffet for 50! Perhaps Bob is trolling.

Trolling for food ideas?! That would be novel.

>> Sorry but I don't know what bialys are.
>
> http://whatscookingamerica.net/Bread/Bialy.htm

Ah, okay. Since I'm not in NYC I can see why I never heard of them. Interesting, shelf-life of about
6 hours. They'd better be good, then!

Jill
 
Bob wrote:

> Hmm...kind of hard to describe a bialy, but I'll try. The texture of a bialy is kind of a cross
> between a bagel and a piece of white bread.

I would describe them as a cross between a bagel and an English muffin.

nancy
 
Frogleg wrote:

> 12-15 people? This is an upscale hotel buffet for 50! Perhaps Bob is trolling.

As I've already explained, I won't actually be doing all that much cooking. I'm only going to make
Eggs Benedict for those people who want Eggs Benedict. I'm only going to make omelets for those
people who want omelets. And so forth. I'm making the blintzes because *I* want blintzes, and I'm
making the bialys so that my girlfriend can take them home with her after the brunch.

I doubt that I'll have *any* leftover Hollandaise sauce; I never do. And I'm sure the smoked salmon
will all get eaten, too. So I'll have leftover cheese, which is no big deal, and I'll have leftover
broccoli and spinach, which is also fine. I'll have leftover fruit, which I can pack into my lunch
when I go to work on Monday; I'll have leftover croissants, which I'll have with snacks over the
next few days; and I'll have some leftover whipped cream: Okay, THAT will probably go to waste, but
I don't plan to make a whole lot anyway. Oh yeah, I'll also have leftover waffle batter, but I'll
just make a bunch of waffles as soon as my guests leave, and put those waffles in the freezer.

At any rate, so far I haven't seen any workable improvements suggested, so I guess I'll stick with
my original game plan. Maybe I'll add steamed asparagus and grilled tomato slices to the Eggs
Benedict variations; those are a couple of my favorites.

Bob
 
Bob wrote:
> Frogleg wrote:
>
>> 12-15 people? This is an upscale hotel buffet for 50! Perhaps Bob is trolling.
>
> As I've already explained, I won't actually be doing all that much cooking. I'm only going to make
> Eggs Benedict for those people who want Eggs Benedict. I'm only going to make omelets for those
> people who want omelets. And so forth.
(snip) so I guess I'll stick with my original game plan. Maybe
> I'll add steamed asparagus and grilled tomato slices to the Eggs Benedict variations; those are a
> couple of my favorites.
>
> Bob

Go for it! And good luck impressing the family.

Jill
 
On 23 Feb 2004 14:01:04 -0600, "Bob" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Frogleg wrote:
>
>> 12-15 people? This is an upscale hotel buffet for 50! Perhaps Bob is trolling.
>
>As I've already explained, I won't actually be doing all that much cooking.

>At any rate, so far I haven't seen any workable improvements suggested, so I guess I'll stick with
>my original game plan. Maybe I'll add steamed asparagus and grilled tomato slices to the Eggs
>Benedict variations; those are a couple of my favorites.

I think the suggestions you've received are quite reasonable. Nearly all in the line of "scale down,
f'r goodness sake!" You don't have to offer every single conceivable breakfast/brunch item in one
meal. When you have 3 additional people to dinner, do you roast a turkey and a ham and a rib roast
and a rack of lamb and poach a salmon and have a platter of spaghetti and meatballs on the table?

Assuming everyone likes eggs, omelets with several choices of flavorings sounds good. A lavish
selection of croissants/doughnuts/pastries would not be unwelcome. A fresh fruit selection as you
describe would be very nice.

OR

Eggs Benedict with enhancements, fruit, meat things (bacon, sausage, ham), toast and bagels.
Grilled tomatoes

OR

Waffles with choice of fruit, syrup, yogurt, or sour cream. Meat things.

OR

Blintzes, bagels & cream cheese & lox, creamed spinach(?), sliced tomatoes, sauted mushrooms.

Potatoes of some sort (hash browns, country fried) might fit into some of the above.

Rona's suggestion of bacon and more bacon is apropos. If you need the 5-yr-old on your side, give
it anything it wants, but don't try to make it eat *anything*. Back up with Rice Crispies. Don't
forget milk.
 
Frogleg wrote:
> On 23 Feb 2004 14:01:04 -0600, "Bob" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Frogleg wrote:
>>
>>> 12-15 people? This is an upscale hotel buffet for 50! Perhaps Bob is trolling.
>>
>> As I've already explained, I won't actually be doing all that much cooking.
>
>> At any rate, so far I haven't seen any workable improvements suggested, so I guess I'll stick
>> with my original game plan. Maybe I'll add steamed asparagus and grilled tomato slices to the
>> Eggs Benedict variations; those are a couple of my favorites.
>
> I think the suggestions you've received are quite reasonable. Nearly all in the line of "scale
> down, f'r goodness sake!" You don't have to offer every single conceivable breakfast/brunch item
> in one meal. When you have 3 additional people to dinner, do you roast a turkey and a ham and a
> rib roast and a rack of lamb and poach a salmon and have a platter of spaghetti and meatballs on
> the table?

ROFL! If he does, I want to go to his house for dinner!

> Assuming everyone likes eggs, omelets with several choices of flavorings sounds good.

Can't imagine a 5 year old going flippy over hollandaise sauce.

> Rona's suggestion of bacon and more bacon is apropos. If you need the 5-yr-old on your side, give
> it anything it wants, but don't try to make it eat *anything*. Back up with Rice Crispies. Don't
> forget milk.

Rice crispies or Kix. I always loved Kix when I was a kid :)

Jill
 
[email protected] wrote:
>
> Bob <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Any suggestions for refinements? (Don't bother telling me that there will be lots of leftovers.
> > I'm fully aware of it, and I don't have any problem with that.)
>
> Unless you and your guests are big eaters, that seems like a hell of a lot of food just for four
> adults and a young child. If it were me, I would just go with the waffles since that's an item
> that the adults and the kid will be likely to enjoy.

Funny, that was the item I was going to suggest omitting.

gloria p
 
On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 16:05:10 -0600, jmcquown <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Can't imagine a 5 year old going flippy over hollandaise sauce.
>
[snip]

Maybe you should exercise your imagination a bit more. ;P If someone had been generous
enough to make it for me when I was five, I would've eaten it with a spoon! I was a picky
eater about quite a few things, but wonderfully rich, buttery, eggy, lemony sauces over eggs
sure weren't one of 'em. :)~

Then again, I also loved spinach and broccoli, always have. Not all five year olds only
want sawdust-tasting cereal for breakfast. ;)

Ariane
 
Ariane Jenkins wrote:
> On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 16:05:10 -0600, jmcquown <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> Can't imagine a 5 year old going flippy over hollandaise sauce.
>>
> [snip]
>
> Maybe you should exercise your imagination a bit more. ;P If someone had been generous enough to
> make it for me when I was five, I would've eaten it with a spoon! I was a picky eater about quite
> a few things, but wonderfully rich, buttery, eggy, lemony sauces over eggs sure weren't one of
> 'em. :)~
>
> Then again, I also loved spinach and broccoli, always have. Not all five year olds only want sawdust-
> tasting cereal for breakfast. ;)
>
> Ariane

Agreed... I learned to love steamed artichokes with lemon-butter sauce quite young. But you cannot
assume that these days with kids. The kids I see in public restaurants kick and scream and cry and
want anything but what they are served, even if it's chicken nuggets which I hear every kid loves.
Better safe than sorry; I still think waffles would be the way to go.

Jill
 
"jmcquown" <snip>
:
: > Assuming everyone likes eggs, omelets with several choices of flavorings sounds good.
:
: Can't imagine a 5 year old going flippy over hollandaise sauce.
:

<snip>:
: Jill
:
: =========

You haven't seen Nathan around Bearnaise Sauce, have you? He would like Hollandaise sauce, too but
it's not as exciting (my word!) as Bearnaise.
--
Cyndi <Remove a "b" to reply
 
On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 16:47:37 -0600, jmcquown <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Agreed... I learned to love steamed artichokes with lemon-butter sauce quite young. But you cannot
> assume that these days with kids. The kids I see in public restaurants kick and scream and cry and
> want anything but what they are served, even if it's chicken nuggets which I hear every kid loves.
> Better safe than sorry; I still think waffles would be the way to go.

*I* wasn't assuming, I was the one who said you couldn't count out the possibility the kid
would like Hollandaise sauce, remember? ;) Maybe the kids you've seen throw a fit at
anything remotely exotic, I've had the good fortune to be in the company of better behaved
children with more open minds. I think at least some of it has to do with their parents'
attitudes toward food. Not limiting one's imagination regarding what foods kids might
conceivably enjoy would help a great deal, I'd imagine.

Even if he doesn't like some of the options, it's not like Bob's menu lacks things that may
appeal to a pickier eater. Hell, Bob's menu hardly lacks anything, I wish he'd invite ME to
this brunch! :)

Ariane

P.S. I'd eat chicken nuggets as a kid, but they were far from my favorite food, and wouldn't
even have made it to my top ten. Spinach stir-fried with garlic and oyster sauce would
have, though.
 
"Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Frogleg wrote:
>
> > 12-15 people? This is an upscale hotel buffet for 50! Perhaps Bob is trolling.
>
> As I've already explained, I won't actually be doing all that much
cooking.
> I'm only going to make Eggs Benedict for those people who want Eggs Benedict. I'm only going to
> make omelets for those people who want
omelets.
> And so forth. I'm making the blintzes because *I* want blintzes, and I'm making the bialys so that
> my girlfriend can take them home with her after the brunch.
>
> I doubt that I'll have *any* leftover Hollandaise sauce; I never do. And
I'm
> sure the smoked salmon will all get eaten, too. So I'll have leftover cheese, which is no big
> deal, and I'll have leftover broccoli and spinach, which is also fine. I'll have leftover fruit,
> which I can pack into my lunch when I go to work on Monday; I'll have leftover croissants, which
I'll
> have with snacks over the next few days; and I'll have some leftover
whipped
> cream: Okay, THAT will probably go to waste, but I don't plan to make a whole lot anyway. Oh yeah,
> I'll also have leftover waffle batter, but I'll just make a bunch of waffles as soon as my guests
> leave, and put those waffles in the freezer.
>
> At any rate, so far I haven't seen any workable improvements suggested, so
I
> guess I'll stick with my original game plan. Maybe I'll add steamed asparagus and grilled tomato
> slices to the Eggs Benedict variations; those are a couple of my favorites.
>
> Bob
>

Steamed Asparagus! Perfect! (Why didn't I think of that for you???) kili
 
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