A CLASSIC NEW ORLEANS BRUNCH

By Leah Berhanu, Pigéon Catering & Events Photo (Photo, above): Images by Robert T, (Photos, below) Jessica The Photographer

FRITTATAS, MIMOSAS, EGGS BENEDICT…WHO DOES NOT love a good brunch?! I mean, it’s two meals in one; you really cannot go wrong. The possibilities are endless, the timing is flexible, and the best part, there is no wrong way to do it. Originally created to cure hangovers, the British writer Guy Beringer wrote, “Brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting. It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” Looks like the definition of brunching has not changed much, if at all, since its creation in the late 1800s.

Brunches have become a part of weddings in so many ways over time, whether it’s to welcome your guests as they arrive for your wedding weekend, have a small intimate spread for your wedding party as you get ready for the big day, or a nice meal the day after the wedding to cure those well deserved hangovers from a night of wedded bliss, celebrating the beautiful union of the new couple. And of course, let us not forget about the big day! More and more couples have opted to do a brunch reception for a lighter fare to celebrate their nuptials.

Over time New Orleans has made brunch feel like home by incorporating traditional Cajun and Creole cuisines that have given meals more of a local flair; we have developed classic dishes that pair well with your traditional bloody mary or mimosa that gives us New Orleanians a reason to day drink...as if we really needed a reason that is. Options include Grillades and Grits, Beignets, Turtle Soup, Bananas Foster, Pain Perdu…all classic and favorable dishes that you can find at almost every local eatery on a Sunday afternoon. And of course, it would not be New Orleans if we did not have our own cocktails to go along with it! Brandy Milk Punches, Café Brûlot Diabolique, even Bloody Marys with a nice twist with using green tomatoes instead of red, and a little extra tabasco with some boiled shrimp never steered anyone wrong.

Green Tomato Bloody Mary

Some Pigéon classics that tend to make their way onto almost every brunch menu include BBQ Shrimp and Grits, Croque Madame, and Chargrilled Oysters. Pigéon also offers a number of dishes that are friendly to customize as well; Frittatas can be made with seasonal vegetables, Avocado Toast with the couples favorite topping selections, Stuffed French Toast with ANY topping (let your imagination run wild!), Gnocchi cooked onsite with various sauces, or a Burrata Board with an assortment of honeys, vinegars, and toppings. Brunch can be the easiest menu to put together since there are no rules, but the hardest to put together because you want everything! One important rule to remember when putting the menu together is to make sure there is a good variety for your guests to enjoy. This ensures that all of your selected dishes will be thoroughly enjoyed by some or all of your guests.

Kahlua Iced Coffee

Here at Pigéon Catering brunches have expanded over the years in so many ways and we are so excited when a couple wants to incorporate a brunch into their wedding weekend. The mash up between breakfast and lunch dishes really allows for couples to incorporate their personal favorites to share with guests on their special day. No matter the event, our first question we ask our couples is what type of dishes do you absolutely love, and what type of dishes do you absolutely hate, this gives us a good starting point in creating a customized menu. Any and every detail of your menu preferences goes a really long way in discussing your needs with your caterer to create a memorable day for you and your guests.