Your drink of choice at brunch?

In a couple of weeks, I am having about 20 folks over for Sunday brunch. They are a drinking bunch, and I'm happy to accommodate, but I don't normally drink alcohol at that hour of the day (I'm usually on my third cup of coffee). So I need some advice and maybe recipes!

Those of you who drink at noon, what would you like to drink at a garden party between 11am and 2pm? Include a recipe if appropriate, please (and it probably will be -- my drink repertoire is very limited!).

I haven't decided what food to serve yet; we've thought of buying pita and falafel and hummus at Pita Inn, but I might make quiche, or ?? I enjoy cooking, but don't want to get too elaborate. There will certainly be a fresh fruit salad. Feel free to suggest what food might accompany your drink of choice.

If it was later in the day, I might serve sangria or daquiris, two drinks I enjoy -- I guess those would be fine at brunch, I just don't associate them with morning. Never made or drank a screwdriver or Bloody Mary or mimosa in my life. But better late than never!

Your suggestions?

You can't go wrong with Pimm's.

Judy H wrote:Those of you who drink at noon...

Hey! It may be noon here but it's 5 o'clock somewhere.

I think a classic daiquiri would be way too tart for my brunch palate. Even though I'm not generally a big fan of vodka, I do like a spicy Bloody Mary with brunch. It's savory, which is why I prefer it. I usually add some sambal, horseradish, hot sauce and a squeeze of fresh lime to the mix and garnish with a dill pickle and some cracked black pepper and/or celery salt. I think Bellinis would be a good choice for those who like sweeter cocktails. A good starting point for them is 2 parts sparkling wine to 1 part peach nectar. You can tweak it with some fresh lemon juice and/or bitters if you like.

=R=

kl1191 wrote:You can't go wrong with Pimm's.

Never had it before -- do you mix it with carbonated lemonade, fruit, cucumber and mint? That's the recipe I'm seeing.

Judy H wrote:

kl1191 wrote:You can't go wrong with Pimm's.

Never had it before -- do you mix it with carbonated lemonade, fruit, cucumber and mint? That's the recipe I'm seeing.

Sure, that's classic. For fruit, strawberry works well, as does most citrus. Cucumber and borage flowers are traditional garnishes. Champagne is a good option in lieu of lemonade for a drier version, too.

Why not a white wine or sparkling sangria with berries since they are in season. Yes, this is coming from the peanut gallery considering I don't consume alcohol, but for a garden party this time of year I'd either go with that or all out with pitchers of LI Iced Tea.

Is it too early for Moosehead?

Ramos Gin Fizz. Start working on your shaking arm now.

Spicy bloody Mary's, or mimosa's if it's a classy affair.
If I just don't care - screwdrivers or sea-breases.

I'm beginning to realize that I will need to test some of these drink recipes before the guests arrive...

Bellinis seem very appealing, as does white sangria -- seems like I will need to choose between the two, as they have some similarity.

And maybe Bloody Marys for those who want something savory. Any thoughts on BMs with gin, not vodka? I don't really drink vodka, and it would be so much handier to have leftover gin

As a Canadian in a past life, and having just celebrated Canada Day, I would be remiss in not recommending the Bloody Caesar as a (superior) alternative to the Bloody Mary. Let the tarring begin.

Since you're a gin fan, try this one: muddle some mint, add 2 parts gin, 1 part Aperol, a few generous dashes of Stirrings Orange Bitters, a couple dashes of simple syrup and top with soda--garnish with an orange slice and a fresh mint sprig. A very refreshing and pretty drink!

Judy H wrote:And maybe Bloody Marys for those who want something savory. Any thoughts on BMs with gin, not vodka? I don't really drink vodka, and it would be so much handier to have leftover gin

Back when I drank, I despised gin, not a fan of tomato juice either, but the thought of gin with tomato juice has me grimacing as I type this. Get a 5th (depending on # of guests) of good vodka & keep it cold.

Actually, I think gin might be fine...particularly if you stay with the British style--more citrus than spice--could be quite interesting...

I would probably offer coffee, tea, orange juice and mimosas only. Mostly because they are easy to make and most people I know do not drink much at brunch. I do think bloody marys are popular. I think of Sangria as an afternoon drink for some reason. Another drink I like is white wine spritzers with fresh wedges of lemon or lime. I make them with pinot grigio.

toria wrote:Another drink I like is white wine spritzers with fresh wedges of lemon or lime. I make them with pinot grigio.

Any of the crop of higher-end vermouths make fantastic spritzers. Just pour a couple ounces over ice, top with Perrier or Pellegrino and squeeze a strip of citrus peel over the top. My personal preferences are Cocchi Americano with Grapefruit, Punt e Mes with Orange and Vermouth di Turino with Lemon. The result is something cool, refreshing and with a touch of herbal/bitter complexity.

kl1191 wrote:Any of the crop of higher-end vermouths make fantastic spritzers. Just pour a couple ounces over ice, top with Perrier or Pellegrino and squeeze a strip of citrus peel over the top. My personal preferences are Cocchi Americano with Grapefruit, Punt e Mes with Orange and Vermouth di Turino with Lemon. The result is something cool, refreshing and with a touch of herbal/bitter complexity.

That sounds interesting -- and just when I had decided to serve red and white sangria.

If I understand these spritzers correctly, you are first talking about a brand of vermouth (di Turino, for example) and second a flavor of Pellegrino -- lemon. What are the proportions I should start with? Herbal sounds very appealing.

I've been obsessively planning this for the past two weeks, I don't think I have ever spent so much time thinking about drinking. If I test all of these out, I will drink more than I have in years. However, I have been working entirely too hard lately, and perhaps that is part of what makes all this thought of drinking particularly appealing.

Also -- my neighbor was telling me I should serve mimosas, but honestly, it just sounds like a bad think to do to a nice bottle of Champagne. Am I wrong?

Judy H wrote:

kl1191 wrote:Any of the crop of higher-end vermouths make fantastic spritzers. Just pour a couple ounces over ice, top with Perrier or Pellegrino and squeeze a strip of citrus peel over the top. My personal preferences are Cocchi Americano with Grapefruit, Punt e Mes with Orange and Vermouth di Turino with Lemon. The result is something cool, refreshing and with a touch of herbal/bitter complexity.

That sounds interesting -- and just when I had decided to serve red and white sangria.

If I understand these spritzers correctly, you are first talking about a brand of vermouth (di Turino, for example) and second a flavor of Pellegrino -- lemon. What are the proportions I should start with? Herbal sounds very appealing.

I've been obsessively planning this for the past two weeks, I don't think I have ever spent so much time thinking about drinking. If I test all of these out, I will drink more than I have in years. However, I have been working entirely too hard lately, and perhaps that is part of what makes all this thought of drinking particularly appealing.

Also -- my neighbor was telling me I should serve mimosas, but honestly, it just sounds like a bad think to do to a nice bottle of Champagne. Am I wrong?

I'm talking about taking vermouth, adding plain sparkling water and then squeezing a bit of fresh citrus peel over the top to express the oil. Depending on the type of vermouth, different citrus work better than others.

I'd never use Champagne for mimosas...a Crémant or even Gruet (New Mexico's finest) is just fine.

Have a selection of fruit purees and juices and some sparkling wine, prosecco or champagne. Let folks mix or match to create bellinis or mimosas or whatever their poison is. Have club soda for those who want the sparkle but not the punch...

Those of you who drink at noon, what would you like to drink at a garden party between 11am and 2pm? Include a recipe if appropriate, please (and it probably will be -- my drink repertoire is very limited!).

Pimms #1 Cup. Dets & recipe here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimm%27s if you're not familiar. Binneys stocks Pimms.

Also -- my neighbor was telling me I should serve mimosas, but honestly, it just sounds like a bad think to do to a nice bottle of Champagne. Am I wrong?

Its a waste of good champagne. We use something like an inexpensive Cava for mimosas, or better yet, prosecco & make bellinis.