In the sweet time of day just before noon, when the weekend feels long and languid but you still have the warm optimistic feeling of having plenty of time to accomplish everything on your to-do list, brunch is full of possibilities.
Pancakes in the afternoon. Twelve different types of fruit juice. Awesome people.
From The Flying Biscuit Cafe to Peach Valley Cafe, Gainesville has a lot of epic breakfast and lunch places. But what about creating your own awesome brunch experience?
It may seem intimidating, but everybody has to start somewhere. Whether in your cramped resident hall kitchen to the cozy apartment breakfast nook, brunch can be a lovely experience with a little planning and preparation.
Here are a few tips to make yours the one brunch to rule them all:
Have both breakfast and lunch food available.
The entire point of brunch is that you have a variety food and lots of it. Make sure your menu has the breakfast classics, such as omelets, toast, fruits and bacon, as well as some lunch favorites like chicken salad, sandwiches or potatoes. This way, both the people who rolled out of bed to come to your party and those who have been bright-eyed and bushy-tailed since ridiculously early in the morning will feel like they have something to munch on. As I’m sure it goes without saying, mimosas (alcohol optional) are a must. Bring on the Vitamin C!
Brunch on a budget.
Brunch can be as big or small as you, the host, desire it to be. Give yourself a budget to keep from buying those delicious-looking almond-glazed pastries if you don’t have the money for it. If you want to keep things small, try to limit yourself to only a few dishes. The bigger the brunch, the more expensive it will be.
Make a few things that feed a lot of people but are less expensive to create, like yummy spinach and quinoa salad or a red pepper frittata. Encourage your guests to bring their own plate or make your brunch potluck style to keep things cost effective. With a few colorful dishes, a string of Christmas lights lining the counter (you know, the one you usually hang over your bed) and some fresh flowers, your table will look classy!
Put your records on!
A playlist might sound silly, but when has music ever been a bad idea? Put on some peppy, upbeat songs to wake up your guests and get them in the right brunching mood before you all start to eat.
Brunches can be themed just like any other party. Have a Halloween brunch to play the spookiest music you know — the cheesier the better!
Of course the type of music and the quality of the food might change depending on who you brunch with, but the point of this experience remains the same. Brunch is a time to have fun with friends, a time to be lazy and a time to try new things. Isn’t that what food — and college — is all about?
Bon appetit!
