Recipe - Spring Brunch

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This month, Virginia Willis, the food stylist for "The Main Ingredient,"
helps you create an elegant yet casual weekend gathering of good friends
and good food!

SPRING BRUNCH

Spring seems to make us shed not only our winter coats but also our
tendency for coldinduced, hermitlike behavior. Brunch, usually served
between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm, lends itself to casual yet very social
dining. Graduations, Mother's Day, Father's Day and spring weddings are all
perfectly wonderful reasons to host a Sunday brunch. There's something
rather elegant (and decadent!) about hanging out and sipping mimosas or
Bloody Marys at noon on Sunday.

PLAN AHEAD

Decide on the date, the number of guests and a menu. Make a time chart
detailing what must be done when. Remember that Sunday brunch requires a
lot of daybefore preparation.

INVITATIONS

Because spring seems to make us all more social, send the invitations out
well enough in advance. Make sure to include a phone number and ask guests
to RSVP, that way you'll know how much food you'll need. Most card and gift
shops sell preprinted invitations that you can simply fill in.

Neatly handwritten invitations look very clean and smart. Your invitations
should indicate the degree of formality, or lack thereof, of the brunch. If
it's a simple family affair you may want to make arrangements over the
phone instead.

LOCATION

What will the weather be? Will you be able to host the gathering outside on
the lawn or will you need to be ready to accommodate people inside? If you
plan an outdoor party, make sure you have an indoor backup location. One
idea: Have beverages outside, then bring everyone in to dine. Make sure the
area you create for the buffet is conducive to having people walk through
without creating a traffic jam. Be sure it's easy for you to set up and
clean up. Many people set up the buffet on the kitchen counter top or table
and have guests move to the dining room to eat.

DECORATIONS

Don't spend a fortune on exotic flowers. Instead, take advantage of local
spring blossoms. The makings for simple bouquets of daffodils in glass
vases or an arrangement of azaleas or dogwood blossoms may be available
right in your own front yard. Use crisp white or pastel cotton or linen
tablecloths and napkins. Everything should be clean and fresh. Card tables
can be transformed with a bit of decorative flair.

Bring out the silver and crystal if you have any and make the occasion as
elegant as possible. Drape English ivy around the buffet to accent the
table settings.

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Recipe by: Virginia Willis

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