brunch!

I love brunch.

Honestly, there is nothing better than starting your mid-morning with a mimosa–it’s the only social situation in which it’s acceptable to drink alcohol before noon.

My mimosa recipe is uncomplicated and simple: 1/2 fresh squeezed OJ + 1/2 dry brut + lemon twist. Bellisimo.

I somehow ended up with a five pound Easter Panettone, it was clear this beast was meant for french toast. After unwrapping the sweet bread I was presented with a strange challenge… how to carve it up. I must have walked ten circles around my kitchen island trying to determine the best angle to approach the bread.

 

The last time I made Panettone french toast it was ridiculously sweet. Luckily, this Panettone was much less sweet. The bakery also showed some restraint by not choking it full of too much dried fruit. This one only had bits of orange and a brown sugar crust. After I dipped the bread into eggs and created perfect slices of french toast heaven I placed them in a warming dish in the oven. I decided against pairing with syrup and instead made a lightly sweetened fresh whipped cream with blackberries. So, so good.

Blackberry Whipped cream = heavy cream, blackberries, raw cane sugar. I used a hand mixer until I had the desired consistency (light and fluffy).

No brunch is complete without a bloody mary.

I like a thick bloody mary and find that the best results come from expanding upon the traditional bloody mary recipe. Here are some things you can add for extra deliciousness: pickle brine, olive brine, pickled jalapeños, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, bitters, chives, scallions, bell peppers, asparagus, green beans… you get the idea. Oh, Trader Joe’s Garden Patch tomato juice makes a great base.

Now that you’re totally stuffed and sleepy, take a nap so you can stay up to watch Madmen.