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If summer has the aperitif as the chief favourite time to meet friends, so, almost by mathematical equation, autumn makes us crave brunch. But what is it exactly? And how can we organise one that is fun, elegant and full of original ideas? First of all, you have to know that Brunch is an English term derived from the union of two words, Breakfast and Lunch.
This is because Brunch originated as a weekend habit of combining lunch and breakfast in a single appointment, to be made on those days when, free of commitments and perhaps returning from a late night out, you end up having the first meal of the day at a time closer to lunch. I happened to do a little survey among my readers and found out that breakfast is not only enjoyed by me, but is the favourite time of day for many people, so it is not hard to see how Brunch has easily won admirers and become one of the favourite Sunday pastimes in Europe as well. If you look around, you will find that specialised Brunch places have opened in almost every city, which during the weekend fill up with people waiting to order wonderful Instagrammable dishes.
Unlike breakfast, which is mostly eaten alone, brunch becomes the social occasion par excellence. In our Bistrot in Paris for example, the Italian-style brunch, with recipes straight out of grandma's cupboards, is always packed with small groups of friends, families with children, and large family gatherings with 3 generations at the same table. Today, however, I would like to suggest that we organise a brunch at home and thus make a different kind of invitation, one that allows us to range between a large number of sweet and savoury recipes and is also appreciated by children, making it a perfect type of invitation to see friends with children. Another very good reason to love brunch is the elasticity of the timetable, which allows us to have it starting at 10 am and continuing even until mid-afternoon, giving even the most sleepy people the chance to join in at different times of the day.
How to choose between set or buffet brunch
As in places that serve brunch, you can also choose different options at home. You could serve an actual menu with several courses or, instead, opt for a buffet at which your guests can serve themselves more freely, choosing from the food that best suits their tastes and appetites. In both cases, however, provide tables where your guests can sit and enjoy their breakfast comfortably. If you choose the table-served version, give priority to the hot savoury dishes, and only then finish with the sweets: you can arrange the food in a choreographic and elegant wayon a large single plate for each diner, giving everyone the chance to move from one dish to another in a somewhat disordered way, unlike during a normal lunch or dinner!
Remember that the aesthetics of brunch are very important, the dishes should always be beautiful colourful and rich. If, on the other hand, you prefer a buffet, the rule I have already given you for other occasions of this kind applies: the tablecloth should be long to the floor, but in this case, on the colour or pattern I recommend something lively, such as a red checked tablecloth touching the ground. A middle way between brunch served by the portion and the buffet is that or better still for serving plates to be placed in the middle of the table from which everyone will be served, then you can decide to set an unruly table. putting at the same time at the disposal of your diners, savoury and sweet dishes. I recommend using cake stands and chopping boards and bowls to create a very scenic multi-high effect!
Where to Set the Table for Brunch: In the Kitchen or Dining Room?
Need I tell you? My favourite brunch invitation is the one made in the big kitchen of the country house, everyone gathered around the table and warmed by the crackling fireplace. I have done this type of invitation several times with our friends and accomplice to the extremely relaxed atmosphere and a thousand laughs, our brunches often extended into the late afternoon, ending in a non-stop five o'clock tea and sometimes beyond! If, however, your kitchen is not comfortable and cannot accommodate all your friends at the table, then opt, of course, to set the dining room table; it will still be you, with the style you give to your table, and your menu that will determine the tone of your invitation. How? Let's see it together
Which Tablecloth to Use For Brunch?
Since this is an invitation for a late morning breakfast, I particularly like to use a tablecloth that has the taste of home and intimacy. I would opt for a large tablecloth, which covers the whole table, because you will certainly have to place a lot of plates, pitchers, teapots and so on in the middle of the table, so placemats would leave portions of the table uncovered and unprotected.
So how about a classic checked tablecloth but perhaps in a more elegant guise like this one from the Gitane version? If you set the table with a tablecloth like this, a mix of good humour and style, you're done! Complement it with napkins with ruffles in the same fabric and you will have a table from which it will be difficult to get up My version is stain-resistant, because I don't like to spend the rest of Sunday worrying about removing stains from the tablecloth and the practicality of stain-resistant combined with the beauty of our fabrics will certainly not make you look bad! In our special anti-stain fabric you have a thousand options in terms of styles and colours: choose the one that best suits the style of your home and make your life easier.
For this fresh and joyful table, combine white ceramic plates and wicker baskets that will For this fresh and cheerful table, combine white ceramic plates and wicker baskets that will hold croissants, chopping boards are perfect for sliced meats or cheeses and you can have a bit of fun with egg cups and fancy jugs. Would you like an alternative with a more casual table setting, with American-style placemats? Sure, as long as you don't leave out the details: choose elegant placemats, because it is still an invitation, and the right accessories.
Today I propose two ideas:
- The first, elegant fabric placemats, possibly stain-resistant, to which matching fabric napkins should be matched. A suggestion could also be to place a runner in the centre of the table for the dishes, the bread basket and the jugs or bottles. Place a bread basket made of fabric coordinated with your table in the centre of the table.
- The second option is to set the table with our grinded and antiqued mirror placemats. On their own they can give a touch of elegance to any table, especially if you have an antique wooden table. Accompany them with elegant linen napkins that will give the table an old-world charm and use reclaimed silver cutlery. The glass or crystal of the glasses, and the reflections of the silverware play with the mirrors creating a magical atmosphere.
I have given you a few ideas to create your perfect brunch set-up but obviously the final touch, which gives personality and style to the invitation, is up to you: let your imagination and creativity run wild with the details to make it truly unforgettable.