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Happy Brunch Hour: Great Uncle's Gin Fizz

YumSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:14:22 -0700

I love brunch and even more so, I love brunch cocktails! This past weekend, my great uncle taught me how to make his effervescent, tangy, and delicious gin fizz.

There are many different types of gin fizzes. The simplest version combines gin, lemon juice, sugar, and carbonated water. The Ramos Gin Fizz, a New Orleans classic, dates back to 1888, and jazzes up the recipe by adding lime juice, cream, orange flower water, and egg white.

My great uncle has perfected his variation to include gin, sugar, cream, lime juice, orange juice, soda water, ice, and one whole egg. The egg made me a little nervous, but it adds a fabulous texture and frothiness to the blended drink. If you don't want to use raw eggs, substitute powdered egg white.

To add a little fizz to your weekend brunch,

Alton Brown's Tips For Perfect Pancakes

partysugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:15:42 -0700

At his Kidz Kitchen demonstration at the NYC Wine and Food Festival, Alton Brown not only answered audience members questions, but he taught the eager crowd how to make a kid-friendly dish, a pancake cake with a slime-like avocado frosting. Here are his tips for making the most delicious pancakes:

Always weigh out the dry ingredients. It's especially important to weigh out the flour which can become very compact.
For the best batter consistency, use both all-purpose and cake flours.
If using baking soda include an acidic ingredient in the wet mixture. Brown likes buttermilk.
To create your own pancake mix, measure several batches of the dry ingredients. Keep stored in air-tight container. Shake to combine before using the pancake mix.
Don't overbeat. The batter should be lumpy.
Be patient! When bubbles form around the edges of the cake and the center looks firm and set, carefully pick up with a spatula and flip over.

Did Alton Brown forget something? What's your technique for making the best pancakes?

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Come Party With Me: Baby Shower — Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:00:09 -0700

After a rich, savory brunch have the young mother open up her gifts. While guests shower the lady of honor with baby toys, set up a small Belgian waffle bar. Place the batter in a pretty pitcher and plug in several waffle irons. Stack plates and arrange toppings — chocolate sauce, whipped cream, fresh berries, maple syrup, etc. — buffet style near the waffle irons. Once all the presents have been opened, invite everyone to Belgian waffles. For a more diverse spread, purchase dainty pastries from your favorite bakery. To see the waffle recipe I'll be using for Denise's baby shower,

Name That Dish!

partysugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:15:04 -0700

The dish pictured below is not on my baby shower brunch menu, but it definitely would be a scrumptious addition. Do you know what it's called?

Come Party With Me: Baby Shower — Menu

partysugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:00:09 -0700

When hosting a baby shower, be sure to consult the mother-to-be before selecting a menu. Her appetite may have changed, so ask her what she wants to enjoy at the party. My pal Denise has requested a delicious spread of savory brunch dishes. Thus the menu will consist of a crisp breakfast pizza made with hash browns and two types of cheese, home fries with peppers and onions, and crunchy slices of fried bacon. The pizza recipe calls for sausage, but I'll make a couple pork-less pies for the vegetarians in attendance.

Supplement the homemade items with easy, grocery store additions. Fresh fruit, plain yogurt, and an assortment of breads are delightful finishing touches. To experiment with these mouth-watering breakfast recipes,

'Wich of the Week: Peanut Butter and Jelly Waffle 'Wich

YumSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:00:51 -0700

Last weekend I was struck by a very intense craving for one of my nostalgic childhood foods, so I hightailed it to the grocery store to buy some frozen waffles. I've said before that some of the best sandwiches evoke memories, and this recipe goes back when I was maybe 7 or 8, and my mom fixed me some waffles before realizing we were out of syrup. She improvised to make this sandwich, and "peanut butter and jelly waffles" soon became one of my favorite meals.Like the nonwaffly version, this PB&J is very easy to make and can inspire countless variations: almond instead of peanut butter, different flavors of waffles or even waffles from scratch, honey in place of jelly, Elvis-style with bananas, and on and on. To see what I did,

Jack in the Box Expands Breakfast Menu

partysugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:15:46 -0700

Jack in the Box has announced its plan to jump on the fast-food breakfast bandwagon with its new Breakfast Bowl, an entire, portable meal. A mix of eggs, hash browns, cheese, peppers, and meat, the dish is a "Sunday brunchworthy meal" to be "enjoyed on a weekday schedule." Jack in the Box hopes to satisfy consumers' need for a hearty breakfast on the go.

Of the fast-food giants, currently McDonald's has the highest amount of breakfast sales. Only time will tell if Jack in the Box's Breakfast Bowls will become as popular as the Egg McMuffin. In other breakfast news, Denny's will compete with the Breakfast Bowls with its new to-go meal that involves a two-tier takeout container filled with bacon, eggs, and pancakes.

Do you eat breakfast at fast-food restaurants? Will you try Jack in the Box's Breakfast Bowl?

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My Plan for a Simple, Last Minute Brunch

partysugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:30:34 -0700

A couple of weeks ago, I hosted a last minute brunch. All of the food was made either the evening before or the morning of the brunch. The easy menu featured something for everyone, with dishes that were both vegetarian and meat friendly. To find out what I made and check out my tips for recreating this exact brunch in your backyard, click the "Start" button.

'Wich of the Week: Kaiser Egg and Sausage Sandwich

YumSugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:00:39 -0700

I love a good brunch, and not surprisingly, I'm also fond of ordering breakfast sandwiches. Both experiences are even better following a night of overindulgence. After attending a very long party on Saturday night, I stopped at San Francisco's Kate's Kitchen and was delighted to see an item had been added to the menu since my last visit: The Lauren Special.This egg and sausage sandwich is way better than your basic breakfast biscuit. Thanks to the fluffy scrambled eggs and soft Kaiser roll, it has a light and airy texture to distract you from the heavier (but heavenly) elements, including melted Monterey jack cheese, guacamole, and sausage. I handily devoured the whole thing, with a bowl of fruit on the side, and I can't wait to re-create it at home. To find out how you can too,

Name That Dish!

partysugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:15:16 -0700

When paired with a cappuccino, a lemon poppyseed cake and the dish pictured below make luxurious breakfasts. Do you know what it's called?