With sunny weather on its way, what better way to spend your weekend mornings than sipping bottomless mimosas and eating a yummy plate of something you know will be delicious because let’s face it, it’s brunch and brunch always delivers.
But what exactly is brunch, and how does it differ from other meals?
These are some of the things people tend to ignore when they head off to brunch.
So we got an expert to share.
Dominique Van Wezop, the Head of Food And Drink Operations at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, shares below everything there is to know about the perfect international styled brunch, including what it actually is and how it differs from our breakfast.
What is brunch exactly?
Brunch is something of an event that brings people together.
That you don’t really see people grabbing brunch on their own.
“It’s a social occasion that takes place instead of lunch and is meant to be a generous afternoon experiencing different dishes and testing out numerous drinks.
“South African brunch traditionally takes place as a late breakfast with mimosas, whereas internationally, brunch replaces lunch and is spread out over hours and different courses.
“With an international styled brunch, you can expect to find a range of items and options from canapés to sushi and even tasty desserts.
“Alcoholic beverages are also often served,” she says.
Who is brunch aimed at?
Millennials have latched onto the idea of brunch more so than any other generation.
She says millennials are known to value experiences over things, so brunch has really become a trend with them, but it really is popular with anyone who enjoys experiencing great food and drinks.
When they were doing their research, they found that many use it as an opportunity to celebrate special occasions or get together with friends and family and now even more so seeing as many may not have seen each other for some time.
If you don’t like going out, S Pellegrino Young Chef in Africa and Middle East 2019 winner, Paul Thinus Prinsloo shares below tips on how to create a simple brunch at home.
- First, you need to know how many people you are making this meal for and what kind of food they like. Then plan your menu. To see that you are making brunch then you can include breakfast like items such as quiche, bacon, hash browns, scones, or deviled eggs.
- One or two bread options. This is an opportunity to show off your baking skills. But something that doesn't take up too much of your time such as cornbread or plain fresh farm style bread.
- Make different types of light meal options such as salads so that there is at least an option to select from
- Make something that can be pre-prepared or just heated up like cold meats or just a plain old fashion roast.
- No menu is complete without some sort of sweet or dessert item. If you select a sweet treat, give them the luxury of two or three options, but small selections such as brownies or small lemon meringues. If you're one dessert only type person then select something that won't take too much time to make, such as a chocolate cake. malva pudding or your take on hot cross buns (something cake-like but contains all the spices that hot cross buns will contain).