Monday, February 14, 2011

The long brunch


We have a long-standing brunch tradition at my place, every Sunday morning. There was a time when people showed up every weekend, but of late we'd had mostly quiet ones. Today's began with some stewed garden plums mum had given me. When halved and stoned you can add what you like, we used Orange rind and the juice of one orange, Cointreau, cinnamon and raw sugar. Some natural yoghurt to go with. A friend had also bought along some stewed dried fruits these too were yummy.

stewed fruit II

Aaron had already made some lovely simple scrambled eggs on toast with avocado and fried cherry tomatoes for an earlier drop-in of a work colleague. Being a Sunday she'd already done an 8 km walk and was ravenous, she'd even rung ahead to warn us to have something laid out.  When she arrived  I started to fuss with dishes, but Aaron ordered us to take a seat and eat, so we both did.

plane eggs

Some homemade crumpets by more friends went over well. I had made up some banana bread with our glut of bananas.  We are in a panic here for the price of Bananas, we know they are set to rise dramatically when supplies run out, due to the recent cyclone.  So we're eating them with both hands while we can. Two cakes were slowly consumed whist sipping tea and coffee.  Some savoury muffins were also laid out, but I missed out on these so I cannot tell you what they were.

As the morning wore on groups arrived, the front yard a temporary parking place for bikes. It made me think for a moment I really love life right now. How nice to spend an afternoon this way, and to have been fortunate to do it outdoors today was so nice.

salon

It is a well known fact amongst friends of ours that my man poaches a mean egg and, well, there was a little challenge placed upon me today. Thus the pained look on Aaron's face when I offered to go in to make the eggs, see I am an all round better cook than he however he still reigns supreme in the brunch department.

I was going to make some indonesian eggs, there are especially a hit if brunch has fallen into the "-unch" end. However the lack of rice in the house meant I needed an alternate plan. I thought a tortilla with creamy green onion scrambled eggs, bacon cooked with some fresh chilli, just picked garden tomato and avocado. Having everybody basking out in the sunshine in the backyard meant some quiet all to myself kitchen time. That was the real reason I accepted the challenge, not to prove I could make eggs!

I sprang into chef mode: Sandwich press on, two pans going, eggs being scrambled, bacon on, tomato salsa prep... all happening, no interruptions.

The filling was just perfect to wrap in the tortilla and toast till crispy. A squeeze of lime juice just to tickle the taste buds and a dash of sea salt that really bring it all together. It needed a little side salad of greens in lemon and olive oil, to just unashamedly use your fingers and stuff into the hot burrito as you ate and a little dollop of sour cream. There was even some tallying up of how many were had and who could have the last one, I guess that means they were good. I am sorry there are no photos, they were all gone before I could get a shot.

Aaron was short on inspiration for sweets, so he passed parts of the library around and asked for suggestions.

set up

There was a collective shutting of cookbooks when I announced "I think I'll make Brownies." I hadn't realised it but they were deciding on a dessert to end the afternoon on. Brownie and vanilla ice cream it was, much to Eliza and Circe's delight. What a pleasant afternoon we had, I need more of these. I am already thinking next weekend.

3 comments:

  1. Afternoon tea is my favorite part of the day, especially on a Sunday. I went off to Queen's Park and had cafe latte served along side a delicious massive piece (to share of course) raspberry and lemon cheesecake, topped with fresh raspberries and dusted with icing with two scoops of french vanilla ice-cream and a bowl of fresh whipped cream, oh and the serving platter was drizzled in chocolate sauce....mmmm (sis)

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  2. That's a lovely tradition. (Love the fruit picture too.)

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  3. No better way to spend your Sunday, Good Food and Good Friends... and it's always those unexpected kind of days that turn out the best...:)

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