I grew up in a home where brunch was often a festive, elaborate affair. My mother reserved her midmorning gatherings for holidays and special occasions but kept the mood light with a casual atmosphere and a buffet table laden with dishes both savory and sweet.
I have fond memories of these potluck-style parties but as an adult have realized that brunch can take a different form as well. In contrast to the spirited celebrations of my youth, I’ve come to prefer a party that caters to a smaller crowd with a menu meant to serve four.
The familiar faces—pancakes and bacon among them—are still essential parts of my menu. But I’ve discovered that tweaking the recipes just slightly gives guests a taste of something familiar and unexpected at once. In place of the traditional mimosa, I opt for a peach Bellini infused with faintly herbal rosemary simple syrup. Pancakes shape-shift with the addition of poppy seeds, lemon zest, lemon extract, and a jewel-toned raspberry sauce, while bacon gets a boost from a sweet, peppery glaze. And in place of scrambled or over-easy eggs, I bake mine with cream and Parmesan in a ceramic dish and then encourage guests to scoop up the creamy whites and rich yolks with slivers of soft country bread.
In a large skillet set over medium heat, melt enough butter to coat the skillet. Working in batches, spoon ¼ cup of the batter into the pan. Cook the pancakes until the edges begin to brown and air bubbles form on the surface, about 1 minute. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden, about 45 seconds longer. Serve immediately.
Raspberry Sauce
Doctoring frozen raspberries with a shower of sugar and a hint of lemon zest creates an easy “homemade” berry sauce.
Makes 1¼ cups
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
1 12-ounce package frozen raspberries
3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus additional sugar as needed
zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
In a small saucepan, combine the raspberries, sugar, and lemon zest. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the raspberries soften and the liquid starts to bubble, about 10 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Taste the sauce and add additional sugar to taste, if needed. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and serve warm.
Peach-Rosemary Bellini
Rosemary-infused simple syrup lends this traditional brunch cocktail a delicate herbal finish. The recipe makes slightly more puree than you’ll need for 4 cocktails. Reserve any remaining puree for guests who desire a refill.
Makes 4 cocktails
Prep time: 5 minutes
6 ounces (¾ cup) frozen peaches, thawed
3 tablespoons rosemary-infused simple syrup (see note)
1 bottle (750 mL) chilled sparkling wine
In a blender or the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade attachment, blend the peaches with the rosemary-infused simple syrup until well combined.
Set up 4 champagne flutes and spoon approximately 1½ tablespoons of the peach puree into the base of each glass. (Reserve any remaining puree for second servings). Add the sparkling wine to fill each flute and serve immediately.
Note: To make rosemary-infused simple syrup, warm 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Add 2 rosemary sprigs, cover, and let steep until cool. Discard the rosemary sprigs and strain the syrup into an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
The popular combination of lemon and poppy seeds moves beyond the muffin in fluffy pancakes brightened by lemon zest and lemon extract. Look for lemon extract in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup reduced-fat milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus additional butter
for coating the skillet
zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon lemon extract
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt together.
In a small bowl, whisk the milk, egg, and 2 tablespoons of the buttertogether. Gradually whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix in the lemon zest and lemon extract until just combined.
Baked Eggs
A baked egg appetizer from Portland’s Lincoln restaurant inspired this savory brunch accompaniment. Though this recipe serves 4, you can easily halve it to feed 2 or double it to feed a crowd. Pair the eggs with batons of soft country bread for dipping.
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 8 to 10 minutes
4 eggs
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons toasted breadcrumbs, preferably homemade
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Gently crack 2 eggs into each of 2 gratin dishes to avoid breaking the yolks.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the cream over the eggs in each dish. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan over the eggs in each dish. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake until the whites of the eggs are set but the yolks are still runny, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the eggs from the oven and garnish with the parsley, breadcrumbs, and chives. Serve immediately.