The first of it’s kind..
I hope to fill this slot every week. I do love a good brunch.
Some friends and I have been making this a thing for the past few weeks.
A couple of weeks ago, we went to a local establishment that I have grown to hate. Yet, I find myself between it’s walls more often than I’d like to admit. Somehow, when there is a large group of people involved, this eatery is thrown into the mix. If I were in charge all of the time, I would ban it from our “places to eat okay foods” list.
At brunch, at the eatery that haunts my dreams, I was forced to do something I have never done before in the history of eating out at restaurants.
I sent something back because it was inedible. (I know that it’s mind boggling that it took me 32 years to do such a thing, but I’m kind of a pussy, and nothing is ever that bad.)(It’s really more that I’m kind of a pussy.)
Chipotle cornbread topped with BBQ pork and fried eggs. A cornbread benedict, if you will. It sounded interesting. The cornbread was a dense brick of flavorless paste, and the BBQ pork was cold pulled pork slathered in Sweet Baby Rays. The fried egg was cooked perfectly. I’ll give them that.
I swapped that mess for a breakfast sandwich… It was delish. Too little, too late. IHATECHU LOCAL BEER HOLE THAT ONLY SERVES FRIED FARE.
I tell you all of this because it only makes last week’s brunch all the more lovely.
BEHOLD!
I’ll start with my contribution first, as you can’t see it on the table. (it’s hidden in that big white bowl near the back)
My friend asked me to bring a citrus salad. (A GD citrus salad!? Who even requests such a thing?!)
I looked up some recipes, and found one that looked interesting. Oranges, grapefruit, mandarin oranges, cardamom, and honey.
I realized day of that I had ZERO time to get fresh fruit(what with all the segmenting, and de-pithing), so I opted for those jars of freshish grapefruit slices that can be found in your produce section. They had mandarin oranges, but no standard. I decided to go off the cuff. I picked up some fresh blueberries, and some pomegranate flavored Craisins.
The grapefruit was a bit dry, and I don’t think I added enough honey. Ehhh.. Bygones.
(Although, if I wanted to point fingers, it would be directly at the host. Citrus. Salad. Blaaaarrrrzzzz.)
My friend, our host, made a spinach and Gruyere strata, and vanilla brown sugar french toast. Best. They win. I will be making both. For you. Here.
Another friend brought a store bought French coffee cake filled with cream cheese. A soiree in your mouth.
There were Tater Tots, a heaping pile of bacon, and the cutest little croissants!
One friend brought strawberry herb jam that he makes and cans himself. I have yet to be that adventurous. It seems to be quite the undertaking.
It’s a neat thing to sit around a table full of your peers, their tiny babies, and an excellent spread.
