Tips And Recipes For Hosting Terrific Brunches: The Best Brunch-ideas Ever

Hosting a brunch is easy and fun - it's the perfect time of day to share terrific food with friends and family. Here, you'll discover exciting tips, recipes and theme ideas that will give a little extra boost to any casual or formal brunch setting.

The Top Five Reasons For Hosting Terrific Brunches

Hosting a brunch is fun!
Brunches are terrific for any occasion
Set a theme and create your own brunch traditions
Brunches can range from casual to formal
You can serve any type of food for a brunch

Best Ever Five Days of the Year to Hold a Brunch

Mother's Day
The "Mother" of all days to hold a brunch, of course!
Any Sunday
Always on Sunday - it's just the perfect time.
Easter
Of course, church first (if you go) and then it's time to eat.
New Year's Day
The perfect time to not have to get up early to prepare a breakfast.
The "Day After"
Plan a brunch on the day after any event that runs late into the night. That includes weddings, anniversaries, graduation, etc.

A Taste of Brunch History

As you can imagine, the early brunch was invented to provide a repast for late-night party revelers. It was decidedly a European invention with records showing a rise in this affair in the late 1800s. Credit is given to Mr. Guy Beringer, a Brit who wrote an article titled "Brunch: A Plea" for the publication, Hunter's Weekly.

Others suggest that while the word "brunch" may have arisen in 1985, the concept lies with the crafty French of earlier generations. Some insist that they captured the spirit of this cure for hangovers and being fashionably decadent before anyone else.

By the 1930s, Americans had eventually realized the value of having a blend of breakfast and lunch, typically much closer to the mid-day meal.

The Best Brunch Hosting Ideas

How to Put on a Perfect Spread

Ideas for Brunch Hosts: How to host the perfect brunch

Best Brunch Tips Ever

--Planning to host a brunch as an annual affair? Try including a new and adventurous dish each time. Of course, you'll want to try it out first, but find something unusual or exotic that will leave your guests with something to talk about long after the brunch is over.

--Make use of those pedestals - they're wonderful for placing lighter weight foods, such as muffins and pastries.

--Set up items "pre-sliced." That way guests can taste without having to take a whole portion if desired. This includes quiches and even pastries.

--Include a variety of "specialty dishes," including those for vegetarians and those who may be on diets. Include low-fat, low-carb and sugar-free offerings.

--Don't invite more guests than you can seat around tables. This is not an appetizer-style affair and it's so much nicer when guests can "spread out" a little with drink glasses and silverware.

--Go with a buffet if you want to invite a larger crowd. And be sure that seating is together; don't ever stick guests away from the center of action or the main group, unless it's extremely casual and the guests know each other well.

Brunch Menu Ideas

Here, you'll find a few recipe lists to spark ideas for any size brunch.

The key to a great brunch is, of course, the food! Below, you'll find a few menu suggestions for any size and type of brunch from casual to forma.

A basic rule of thumb? Here's a quick rundown.

-Always think savory and sweet. If you're more daring, go with some spicy and tart items, too.
-A general rule of thumb for selecting foods:
---Choose one meat and/or one fish dish
---Add an egg dish as your main course (which ca include the meat)
---Select 1-3 sides
---Include bread/muffin mixes
---Include sweets, especially fruits (and those that in season are best)

Menu Ideas for a Small, Casual Brunch

-1 meat and/or 1 fish
-1 egg dish (with/without meat)
-1-2 sides
-muffins/sweetbreads
-dessert

Menu Suggestions for a Smaller Casual Brunch

-Handmade sausage patties (flavored)
-OR specialty sausage pigs in a blanket
-Eggs, scrambled
-Potato pancakes
-Pre-made hash browns
-Grilled sweet potato rounds
-French toast
-Banana pancakes
-Biscuit/sandwich blends

A formal small brunch menu plan

-Plank smoked salmon
-Eggs Benedict (always a classic)
-Or crispy duck with crepes
-Baked brie
-Omelette bar
-Scone Assortment
-In-season berries with cream
-Mimosas
-Flavored coffees

A formal brunch is usually catered. Here are a few tips on selecting a caterer for any occasion.

How to Hire a Caterer

Brunch menu plan for a crowd

Feed a Bunch with this Brunch!

-Glazed ham (basic pineapple/brown sugar glaze)
-Breakfast Burritos
-Frittata
-Muffin mix/Coffee cake
-Herb Roasted New Potatoes
-Fruit Salad
-Fruit Smoothies

Best Breakfast Foods for Brunch

Breakfast foods are good anytime and you can mix them with other types of meals for a great brunch. Here are a few recipes to get you started.

Pancakes-Stack 'em High!: Pancakes are a brunch fave - don't forget the syrup!
Easy Eggs Benedict: What is a brunch without Eggs Benedict?
Waffle-icious Recipe: No one will "waffle" over this recipe!
Betty Crocker's Bacon Pie: This is a terrific make-ahead. Just bake before serving. (Uses Bisquick)

Best Brunch Themes

A themed brunch will add to the fun!

Apple Party Theme: Throw a Party in Praise of Apples

Vegetable Quiche with Filo

A great vegetarian quiche0 points

Little Things that Make a Great Brunch

Here are a few recipes that will provide an extra level of "best-ever-ness" to your brunch

French Press Coffee: Serve the "best" coffee with flair from a French Press
Create a Sorbet or Granita for the Palate: A homemade sorbet is a palate cleanser between courses, but pretty tempting as a refreshing brunch dessert, too!
Best Iced Coffees: Ice coffees will refresh and add some octane to offset those Bloody Marys!
Raclette - Specialty Melting Cheese: Serve a time-honored melting cheese in the traditional way.

Amazon Brunch Cookbooks

Brunch Cookbooks Worth Drooling Over

Brunch: 100 Recipes from Five Points Restaurant

by Marc Meyer, Peter Meehan

Straight from New York's Five Points Restaurant, you can discover new ideas for turning an ordinary brunch into a true feast for two or a crowd.

Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 08/28/2008)

Breakfasts & Brunches (Culinary Institute of America)

by The Culinary Institute of America

A wonderful addition from the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) with basic recipes that are always a good foundation for brunch.

Amazon Price: $23.10 (as of 08/28/2008)

Brunch

by Georgeanne Brennan

You CAN have it all! Here, you'll not only find recipes, but full menus, theme ideas and ways to set up the table.

Amazon Price: $14.21 (as of 08/28/2008)

Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Breakfast & Brunch

by Georgeanne Brennan, Elinor Klivans, Jordan Mackay, Charles Pierce

You simply can't go wrong with anything from Williams-Sonoma. Design brunches for the seasons and the holidays and enjoy a few basics for exceptional feasting.

Amazon Price: $23.07 (as of 08/28/2008)

Morning Food: Breakfasts, Brunches, And More for Savoring the Best Part of the Day

by Margaret S. Fox, John B. Bear

Let yourself go with foods that are perfect for morning and will be an incredible "comfort" setting for any brunch.

Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 08/28/2008)

Let's Do Dim Sum!

One of the most popular brunches ever.

Double Happiness - Mother's Day Dim Sum Brunch

http://www.beYOU.tv brings you Double Happiness - Mother's Day Dim Sum Brunch.

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Plating Bacon

Plate up a heaping batch of bacon for brunch.

Easy Gourmet Brunch Recipes : Plating the Bacon for Brunch

Learn how to plate bacon for a gourmet brunch recipe in this free cooking video.

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If You Could Choose One Brunch Day...

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Best Easter Brunch Ideas & Recipes

Food Network: Start your special brunch right with recipes from the Food Network.
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A Ladies Home Journal Brunch: A brunch spread that can be made ahead!
A Cooking Light Brunch: A super springtime spread.

Best Mother's Day Brunch Recipes

Treat Mom to a brunch she'll never forget!

Fabulous Foods Mother's Day Brunch: From the family to a crowd, everyone can get involved in these great brunch ideas.
Food Network Menu for Moms: Give mom the attention she deserves, but say it with food!
Mother's Day at All Recipes: Pamper Mom with these great ideas
Cooking Light: Cooking Light Does it Right!

Countdown to the Best Mother's Day Brunch

Ideas that will really make Mom feel special!

-Start a tradition of a Mother's Day scrapbook. Take pictures of your special brunch and add to it each year.
-If you're going to grill for brunch, think about adding flavored wood chips for an extra special taste.
-Bring Mom a red carnation arrangement for the brunch table - they're the official Mother's Day flower!
-A mimosa will really sparkle at a Mother's Day brunch. Dress it up with fresh strawberries on the side.

Graduation Brunch Ideas

Hosting a graduation brunch can be easy if you plan well ahead.

A graduation brunch is a great way to honor someone special (or if you're the grad - giving yourself a pat on the back - you deserve it!). Here are a few quick tips to make this event go smoothly.

A grad brunch is one of the times when you can consider a buffet. (Unless you're planning a formal setting, of course.)
Think about a mix of items - some made ahead, some purchased, and some you throw together the day of.
Prepare only things you already are familiar with - this is not the time to experiment.
Make lists: for the week before, the day before and same-day. This will include shopping and a timeline for prep and cooking.
If you're going casual, consider splurging on nice paper or plastic goods. If you're the host and know your guests well, they'll know you don't want to deal with much cleanup afterward.

Great Graduation Brunch Recipes

Food Network Grad Brunch: Great Grad Brunch Ideas
Eating Well Brunch Tips: Brunch menu ideas that are easy and fabulous

Let's Get Together Over Brunch

Time to chat about your favorite brunch ideas!

Evelyn_Saenz

The Purple Gallinules just flew over to check out your lens. For such a great lens we're sending you a virtual cup of coffee on the house. I can hardly wait to read the rest of your lenses.

Posted February 29, 2008