| Sunday Brunch |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-207 |
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Q: How can I make a Sunday brunch special?
A: (Jeanne Benedict, Ask DIY Entertaining Expert) There are no rules with brunch, but if you really want to make it special, color is the key. So here are some tips on setting a vivid brunch table: - Try an orange-shell topiary centerpiece. Crunch some oasis into an ordinary terra-cotta pot and cover it with a little sheet moss. Poke a 4" or 5" stick from the backyard into the center of the moss. Then cut an orange in half and clean the pulp out of one side. Center the peel, round side up, on the top of the twig, impaling it on the twig. Line the peel shell with a plastic bag and then fill it to the rim with oasis (figure A). Poke an arrangement of fresh, colorful blooms into the oasis, and then tie a ribbon around the "stem" of the topiary. That's it: it's ready to use as a centerpiece or a place ornament.
- Choose a theme -- in this case, the south of France. Decorate with bright yellows and blues. Layer a bright-yellow patterned tablecloth over a blue one to add color and body to the table at the same time.
- Use brightly patterned dishes and place mats at each setting. Some bright dinnerware is only $5 a plate at popular home-decor stores.
- Spell out each guest's name on her plate with sugar cubes. Tint frosting from a can and pipe it through a pastry bag with a writing tip (figure B).
- Add flowers and greenery to each plate.
- Serve a colorful Italian vegetable frittata, which you can cook the night before, cover with plastic wrap, and reheat the next morning. The recipe follows these tips.
- Cut butter in individual portions and present it in a nice glass dish. Do the same with colorful jams and jellies.
- Write a menu card and present it on a small easel.
Web Extra -- Italian Red- & Green-Pepper Egg-Tart
Ingredients: Tart Crust 1-1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 egg
2 to 3 Tbs. ice water
Tart Filling 1 Tbs. olive oil
1 red pepper, washed
1 green pepper, washed
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup shredded Jack cheese
3 eggs
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper
Preparation: Combine flour, salt, butter and egg in a food processor. Pulse until just combined (when the butter forms pea-sized pieces). With processor running, slowly add cold water through feed tube until dough just holds together. Form dough into a thick disk, cover in plastic and chill for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (235C). Spread oil in baking pan. Cut off stems and remove seeds from peppers. Slice peppers in half lengthwise and place cut side down in prepared baking pan. Roast for 10 minutes, turn over, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more until extremely tender and skin is slightly wrinkled or blackened. Cool completely. Peel off outer skin and slice pepper into thin slivers. Set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius). Roll out chilled pastry to 1/4" thick on a heavily floured surface. Line a 12" tart tin with removable bottom with pastry and trim edges. Pierce crust bottom several times with fork. Place pie weights or dry beans over surface of crust to weigh down during cooking process. Bake crust for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Set tart pan on a jelly-roll pan in case filled tart leaks during baking. Scatter half of the Parmesan and half of the Jack cheese over bottom of crust. Scatter pepper slivers in an even layer over cheese. Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, salt and white pepper until blended. Pour mixture over red peppers. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until puffed. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes to allow tart to set. More Questions for Jeanne:
Q: I know I need to serve at least one vegetarian dish at brunch. Should I have a second main dish, with meat in it?
A: I wouldn't worry about it, particularly if you're serving bacon or sausage on the side.
Q: My friends always want to bring something when I'm planning a meal. What's the best response?
A: Make it easy on them. Ask them to bring breads or muffins.
Q: I'm no good at making things like centerpieces. If I just want to do flowers, how can I make them look great?
A: The easiest way is to make it simple. Get a bubble bowl and fill it with roses, all the stems cut the same length, and all the same color -- maybe a pastel. With a larger bubble bowl, you may want to float candles in it, or fresh flowers that are really fragrant, such as gardenias. Web site resources for Sunday Brunch: Incredible Brunch Dishes from HGTV.Com Hearty Sunday Brunch for 8-10 from Meal Time Ideas.Com Books: Sophisticated Entertaining: Spirited Food for Grown-Up Parties
By Jeanne Benedict
ISBN: 1557883459
Penguin-Putnam Inc.
Hardcover, 320 pages (October, 2000) Brunch Entertaining
By Janeen A. Sarlin
ISBN: 0737020105
Time-Life Books Inc. (1999)
2000 Duke St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-838-7233
Fax: 703-518-4154
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