Summer brunch ideas
An American traditional custom, the brunch is more and more appreciated even in Europe and Italy. As the name suggests, it represents a “meal in the middle” between breakfast and lunch, that is usually prepared on Saturday or Sunday, when one gets up more calmly and can spend the day with more relaxed tones. The brunch never starts before 11 a.m. and normally it lasts until 3 or 4 p.m., sharing with friends and relatives whichever type of food: sweet or salted.
If during the coldest seasons normally the hot dishes are what suits the most, for the summer, one can choose a lighter and fresher version of brunch: here are some ideas for a tasty summer brunch.
What is the typical meal for a summer brunch?
If you want to organize a proper American brunch at home, you’re going to need some useful advices. First of all, it must be known that brunch is typically seen as a rich buffet in which sweet and salted dishes are disposed at the same time on the table. The traditional sequence of dishes is not followed: all the food, from starters to desserts or fruit, are disposed on the table since the beginning and each one of the diners can freely help himself with anything at any time. Which are the most advisable recipes for a summer brunch?
The brunch from the tradition: the pancakes
In accordance with the US traditions, what can’t miss in a brunch are the pancakes, perhaps to be proposed in a fresh and colored version. For instance, you can accompany them with fruit and some creamy yogurt. A wonderful match? Raspberries and mint leaflets, which will make your pancakes good and also nice. Pancakes are traditionally sweet, combined with salted seasoning: try them in the super fresh version with swordfish, squash and robiola.
The salted dishes of brunch: vegetables and freshness
By staying in the salted section of the menu, the ideal recipes for a summer brunch are the cold dishes, especially those ones prepared with seasonal vegetables. Green light to big salads, to prepare in creative and colored versions: a Caesar Salad enriched with fresh avocado, a detox salad with smoked salmon and fennel, or the fantasy one with walnuts, strawberries and balsamic vinegar.
Another timeless classic for the brunch is the vegetables cous cous: in the summer, you can prepare it the day before and have it cold, joined with some curry, if you like strong flavors.
An idea to give a more Mediterranean taste to your table, it’s to serve the bruschettas, particularly recommended food for crowded brunches. Prepare many different types of them and play around with colours and fantasies: classic ones, with cherry tomatoes, garlic, oregano and extra virgin olive oil, with stewed eggplant cubes, mozzarella di Bufala, with belt peppers and ricotta sauce…there are plenty of tastes!
The sweetnesses of the brunch
Jumping to the sweet side, again the key word is “freshness”. The fruit in all its versions will surely make the main character of the table: the mixed fruit salad can’t miss, to be enjoyed with a more creative and exotic recipe with fabulous mango, avocado, pineapple and coconut skewers.
Among the most favorite sweets for summer and for the traditional American brunch, there is certainly the cheesecake: fresh and very tasty, thanks to the crunchy biscuit bed and the spreadable cheese cream, to be combined with fresh fruit or jam.
Like in a proper breakfast, what can’t miss are all those nice and many little pots in which muesli and corn-flakes are served, to be paired with plain or milk yogurt.
For a very Italian touch, the most classical afternoon snack, loved by children and grownups: bread and jam. “Ready to eat” in slices like the bruschetta or to be served at the moment by chopping the bread and you add the jam from the jars.
All of this must be accompanied with fresh drinks: juices or pressed juice, green tea, homemade centrifuges. As in any respectable breakfast, another must be coffee of course, unfailing cliché.
