The Beauty of Brunch by Susan Campbell The all-you-can-eat brunch buffet is a culinary cornucopia that can make any Sunday a special occasion.But now à la carte gourmet breakfasts are colliding with avant-garde lunches to carve out entirely new options for the late to rise and shine. And some are served every day of the week! The beauty of brunch
Have you ever wondered how breakfast met lunch to evolve into this midday extravaganza we call brunch? On Aruba, American visitors introduced the all-inclusive Sunday buffet, but “brunching” is actually a British innovation. Though Sunday brunch really took root in North America in the 1930s, the concept originated in Europe in the 1800s. In fact, the word “brunch” (the blend of the terms breakfast and lunch) was first coined in 1895 by Guy Beringer, a British writer who penned an article in Hunter’s Weekly magazine entitled “Brunch: A Plea.” He pleaded for the introduction of a new meal that began around noon to replace the early, heavy after-church Sunday repast so as to make life brighter for “Saturday night carousers.” He also predicted that brunch would “sweep away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” His plea seems to have been heard, as evidenced by an article that appeared a year later in the British magazine Punch that stated “to be fashionable nowadays we must ‘brunch.’ ” Throughout the ages, the freedom to partake in feasts of bacchanalian proportions at a leisurely pace was a privilege reserved for the most affluent. But as the average family income increased, the practice eventually extended to the middle classes where the ability to put out lavish, extensive spreads for Sunday guests became a symbol of spiraling status. As cosmopolitan hotels and restaurants in America began serving
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it, going out for brunch became an opportunity for friends and family to gather and a perfect way to give women a break from their domestic duties, especially on Mother’s Day. Great “eggspectations”
Egg dishes have always been, and still are, one of the most important parts of the most important meal of the day. And brunch would not be what it is without those oval-shaped chameleons that can accommodate almost any savory ingredient so well. Sunny-side up, over easy, scrambled, or folded into interesting omelets are all de rigueur brunch fare. But the classiest stars of the brunch venue are more complicated creations like Eggs Benedict, Quiche Lorraine, and Italian-style frittata. E
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Appealing pan pleasures
Brunch goes gourmet
We have ancient civilizations to thank for the pancakes and crepes that grace most breakfasts and brunches. Using hot rocks as Mother Nature’s very first frying pans, humans soon learned that blending ingredients such as ground oats, wheat, barley, rye, and even potatoes, with eggs and milk and topping them with flavorings like wild honey made for some great eating. Almost every culture has developed its version of “pancakes,” from potato latkes to blinis, flapjacks, and even tortillas. France’s very thin pancakes, called crepes, often delight at brunch. Filled with meat, seafood, cheeses, vegetables, and rich sauces for the main affair, they switch easily to fresh and preserved fruit drizzled in sweet syrups and slathered in whipped cream for dessert. On Aruba, johnnycakes (plain pancakes) have been widely adopted as a local dish though their original recipe is West Indian. But it’s the Dutch pancake culture here that really surprises North Americans.
As our love affair with brunch continues, more international flavors and new culinary trends have become part of the tradition. The true beauty of brunch lies in the vast variety of its choices. From selective grazers to the allyou-can-eaters, there’s bound to be something satisfying for all. Don’t be surprised to see raw bars, sushi selections, caviar bowls, and even chocolate fountains sitting alongside standards like bacon and eggs and home-fried potatoes. But it doesn’t stop there. Brunch offerings have gone full-on gourmet in many spots. New options are including dishes like lavender-infused French toast, lobster mac & cheese muffins, oyster soup, and marinated duck with couscous, wild fruit coulis, and peach chutney. All-you-can-eat roast beef and seafood bars and appetizer offerings have also sidled up to the traditional fruits, pastries, and cheeses on the buffet table. Even bagels are getting special treatment. How about smoked salmon with a dill avocado cream on a mini bagel served with raspberry aspic? And when it comes to desserts, the sky’s the limit! The resorts and fancy dining spots seem to be trying to outdo each other in their sweet table brunch buffet selections. Better wear loose fitting pants!
Dutch pancakes do double duty
In the Netherlands, poffertjes – puffy, little silver-dollar-sized pancakes typically made with buckwheat flour and sprinkled with powdered sugar – are most like North American style pancakes in taste and texture. But the traditional Dutch pancakes, pannekoeken, are certainly nothing like your everyday flapjacks, and they’re served for dinner and lunch as often as they are served for breakfast or brunch.
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The Dutch style pancakes are very flat, thin, and plate-sized (almost crepe style) and stuffed with, and/or topped by, a surprisingly savory array of ingredients. Bacon, ham, cheese, onions, tomatoes, and mushrooms on a thin round base make it almost like a pizza rather than a pancake. But they do have many sweet variations as well, with a variety of fruits and fillings and sprinkled with powdered sugar, then covered with some kind of stroop (syrup). Sometimes they are served with a side of ice cream or topped with whipped cream and candy sprinkles. So you can have Dutch pancakes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert! Aruba’s pancake houses have all styles, and they have also combined their own creative additions like flambéing the sweet ones in orange brandy, or going international like the “Provençale” with French Brie, ham, caramelized walnuts, chives, and honey. E
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Brunch beverages reimagined
Brunch is one of the few occasions where cocktails before happy hour are not only accepted, but also expected. Champagne, Bloody Marys, Caesars, and mimosas (orange juice and champagne) are all part of the perfect brunch experience. But these classic cocktails are receiving creative new twists. Let’s start with mimosas. Turns out that orange juice is no longer the only game in town for mimosa creation. Diligent barkeeps have discovered that champagne or sparkling wine pairs delightfully with almost any fresh tropical fruit juice to create a light, sparkling, and refreshing brunch cocktail. There’s even a name coined for creating frozen mimosas with fresh fruit: “Frimosas”! Another frozen adult slushy cocktail popular at brunch is “Frosé,” which, as the name suggests, is frozen rosé wine. E
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Then there’s the Bloody Mary revolution. First created back in the sixties, the classic Bloody Mary (vodka, tomato juice, horseradish, spices, and celery salt) is still a brunch staple. In fact, nowadays they are served with so many optional additional ingredients that if you used them all, the cocktail would become more of a meal in a glass than a drink! High-styling Sundays
It’s not only the grand extravaganza of food set among fancy ice sculptures and artfully presented in appealing buffets that make resort brunches so special. It’s the atmosphere and setting as well. Typically on Aruba, the dining rooms have special attractions like a killer sea view or a romantic waterfall, and more often than not, classy live music sets the tone for making the occasion ultra special. Big hotel brunches are also the ideal spot to gather big groups of family and friends to celebrate special events, or simply to celebrate being on holiday. Nothing says pure indulgence like a leisurely midday feast in a gorgeous tropical oasis. Breakfast options also abound
Aruba’s multiethnic mix makes it easy to find Latin American breakfast specialties like arepas with grilled meat and fried eggs, and you can also find Cuban tortilla omelets. There are
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many cafés and kiosks making healthy treats to go like delicious, protein-laden and vitaminfilled smoothies and acai bowls full of tropical fruits and nuts. So don’t miss all the breakfast and brunch goodness on “One Happy Island.” Try many different spots. We’re sure you’ll agree that this island goes above and beyond to make a leisurely Sunday even better. So go get energized for lots of fun in the sun via the most important meal of the day – every day of the week. K
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