About The News : a publication of the Atlanta Gay Center. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1984-199? | View Entire Issue (May 23, 1986)
BLATHERING BRUNCH by Michael Mungin The News page 7 The eating habits of Atlanta are determined by a list of external factors not directly related to food. Two of these major influences are work and mon.ey-the amount of money we have to spend on food and entertainment. And, of course, a third important factor is the quantity and quality of available imagination. If we work long and difficult hours we make no effort to eat well; also we tend to limit entertainment. As most of us, who are Family members, take pride in our work we spend long hours in the work place. Resultingly, we also generally have change in our pockets to afford entertainment and the time to be entertained I have found that entertaining at home is both satisfying N and rewarding. Entertaining at home on Sunday morning is easy and fun. As so many of the Family choose to celebrate on Saturday night it is appropriate that Sunday morning entertaining be "late" Sunday morning , around noon. And this means BRUNCH. But what is "brunch"? What are the ingredients that go into a brunch? The rules are few! Because brunch usually takes place around noon and merges .the two traditional meals, breakfast and lunch, it is appropriate to serve either breakfast or luncheon foods, or a combination of both. But the glue that binds the occasions together is informality. Brunch should be informal, the food should be served informally, the service should be informal, and if you can get your guests awake they should be informal also. Some of us have tried to make brunch a Family occasion and claim to have created it to reflect our own lifestyles. Pretentious,, of course! Apparently the phrase was coined by an Englishman, Grey Berringer, to describe what he ate after a morning following the hounds. So, though the Family members cannot claim naming the brunch, we Southerners can lay claim to the tradition. After a plantation gallavant we returned to the old home place for an. antebellum midmorning meal. Wg, celebrated the hunt breakfast. And to this day the tradition continues. HELPLINE (404) 892-0661 When credits are passed out for brunch, we must bow to some other ethnic traditions. The Chinese have had their dim sum ("little things that touch the heart"), the Austrians have a second fork breakfast of meat served with spirits, in New Orleans the late morning has long been a custom, and in Atlanta the sausage/biscuit break is ubiquitous. Any food can be served at brunch, just keep it simple. Graciousness is the key. While your guests arrive and you finish the last minute chores, serve a drink. It can be alcoholic like a Bloody Mary or a Bullshot; it can be non-alcoholic like a tomato juice with Worcestershire, black pepper and Tobasco. You may have a Mimosa-champagne with orange juice~or a half-and-half grapefruit juice and soda over ice. If you are going to serve wine with the food, you may also serve the same wine before the meal. Recently, I ran across a great "starter"~half freshly squeezed and strained orange juice and well chilled sparkling grape juice, with a dash of bitters served in a champagne flute, and garnished with a half orange slice. Your drink should be cold, it should not be sweet as it will ruin your appetite for the food td follow; and it should not be served in great quantity. For your own sake keep your guest list small and congenial-six or eight at the most. Serve at table if you have room or on the knees if you don't. But, whatever style of service you choose select your food to be compatible with your style. No thin soup in flat soup plates to be served on your knees, please, try deep mugs instead. If you are going to be busy with last minute eggs, set up a buffet and let -everyone help iK&nselves. Brunch may be a communal effort; ask your guests to cook and serve. The food can be anything you cook well! But be easy on yourself and don't try something new-stick to the tried and true. Start with a fresh fruit cup, well chilled. Choose a variety of colors and textures, cut into bite sized pieces, sweeten each cup with a tablespoon of honey and a squeeze of lemon juice, and garnish with a mint leaf. Follow the fruit with a puffy omlette with a Creole sauce, and bran biscuits with strawberry jam. No meat is needed but if you must, serve fried medallions of pork tenderloin. Don't forget large cups of coffee with hot milk. You may want a less traditional approach. Try smoked ham rarebit with a spinach-orange salad sprinkled with toasted almond slices and finish with a chafing dish dessert of spiced bananas. For drink serve a well chilled California chablis. OMLETTE WITH CREOLE SAUCE Creole Sauce (prepare first) V Cup celery, diced 1 Small onion, peeled and diced Vi Green pepper, seeded and diced 2 Tablespoons butter 1 Can Tomato wedges, drained 2 Tablespoons tomato paste 2 Tablespoons chopped tarragon OR 1 Teaspoon dried tarragon Dash Tabasco Salt & Pepper Puffy omlette (for 4) 7 Eggs 3 Tablespoons Water Salt Black Pepper, freshly ground 4 Tablespoons butter Heat the broiler for finishing the omlette. Break the eggs into a bowl and beat well with a fork, add the water and seasonings, beat lightly. Heat the pan over medium heat, add the butter and as soon as it melts add the eggs. Watch carefully, and when the bottom of the eggs begin to set gently pull the cooked bottom to the center of the omlette. Continue lifting, pulling to the center and letting the liquid eggs run under until the only remaining liquid rests in pools on top of the cooked eggs. Do not let the bottom brown. Immediately run the skillet under the broiler, leave the oven door open, and watch' carefully. When the omlette puffs, about one minute, remove from the oven and spread half the hot sauce over one-half omlette. Fold over and slip onto a serving plate, add the remaining sauce to cover. HAM RAREBIT 1 Vi Cups cooked ham, chopped 3 Tablespoons butter 1 Small onion, finely chopped 1 Cup mushrooms, sliced 1 Tablespoon flour 1 Cup heavy cream 1 Tablespoon fresh tarragon Salt & Pepper 2 English muffins, split and toasted 8 Slices swiss cheese (4" x 4") Tomato, optional In a medium saucepan heat the butter and add the onion, cook until onion becomes transparent. Add the mushrooms arid couk until moisture evaporates, add the flour and stir. Pour in the cream and stir until the sauce thickens. Add the ham, tarragon and seasonings. Place the muffins on individual baking dishes or on a flat baking pan. Spread with the ham mixture. Top with two slices of swiss cheese. (May be garnished with a slice of tomato on top at this point) Bake in 400 degree F oven for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. SPINACH-ORANGE SALAD > Toss a salad of fresh spinach leaves) leaf lettuce leaves, canned mandarine orange sections and toasted sliced almonds with the following dressing. IVi Tablespoons orange juice concentrate 3 Tablespoons light oil 1 Tablespoon white vinegar Vs Teaspoon salt 1 Tablespoorr sugar ~ - - • - - White pepper WHAT NEXT? From time to time you have seen TABLETALK in THE NEWS....so what? For us to continue we need for you to tell us what food and cooking items you want to know about. Do you want more recipes? more technique? more background? or none at all? Drop us a quick note to "Table Talk", The NEWS, 63 12th St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30309. It really will help! ATLANTA FAMILY PRACTICE® MICHAEL D. RANKIN, M.D, MARK L. TANNER, M.D. BOARD CERTIFIED - FAMILY PRACTICE • COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL CARE • • INTERNAL MEDICINE . 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