A Porch Brunch

The menu for Brunch -- one for each guest

The Lunch Bunch comes monthly -- usually the third Tuesday of the month but . . . . July and August were a "zoo" as each week it seemed one of us was going somewhere far far away and our motto is "one for all and all for one" so . . . we postponed July and August was almost as bad for we couldn't figure out a date until . . . a Monday would do but wait, Joyce had a doctor's appointment in the city -- but it was late -- if we could move lunch up a bit . . . and so I say "how about brunch" and brunch it was!!!!

I've been wanting to do brunch for a while now and a 10 a.m. time gave me the perfect opportunity.   My original menu for August (with a main course of ratatouille strudel) was put on hold and I searched cookbooks for the perfect dishes to serve.

The table on the porch awaiting my guests.

And, thankfully, the triple digits had subsided and the forecast was for a much milder day and so I decided to serve breakfast on our screened porch.

The table waiting for the guests to arrive

My blue and white Spode Blue Italian are the perfect dishes for a brunch.    I even have matching cups and saucers!

A perfectly set brunch table with my Grandmothers silver pot holding coffee.

With yellow in the tablecloth, a bouquet of yellow mums are the perfect flower to plop in a Spode Blue Italian pitcher.     Napkins in red and white add a second pattern to the table.    The napkins (and a runner) were a gift from a very dear friend!

It was a wonderful way to begin a day and soon Joyce was off to keep her appointment and Sally and JoAnn lingered over a second (no, wait -- third) cup of coffee before they bid goodbye.

The food:

Apricot coffee cake

Apricot coffee cake made with my "special" dried apricots.    We all pronounced it wonderful!   It makes a 9 x 13 but I made two rounds so I have one for another day!

Freshly baked croissants

I am not enamored with store croissants -- they're more spongy than flaky but freshly baked croissants . . . that is a different story and the ones from Trader Joe's are excellent!    I shall always have a box in the freezer!

Sarah's Fruit Salad

Daughter Sarah often helps me menu plan and she suggested this fruit salad -- actually it's not really the fruit used but the dressing that goes on the salad -- it's yummy and after we finished the fruit, we all finished the dressing with a spoon!!!    For the fruit I used blueberries, raspberries and a Farmer's Market cantaloup.

Fruit salad, baked eggs with leeks and tarragon and roasted cherry tomatoes

The main course was baked eggs with leeks and tarragon.    Leeks, however, are sometimes missing from the markets on the prairie and so I substituted green onions.   It was really really good and I think I would always use the green onions instead of the pricier leeks whenever I make this recipe.    It's not a quiche, it's not a frittata, it's not a baked omelet -- it's just baked eggs and was it ever good!

It's Thursday and time to join Susan at Between Naps On the Porch to see all the fun tables this Thursday!