Feb. 16, 2011 - Issue #800 : Brunch

Ideal brunch

Edmonton foodies share brunch memories

When I was a kid, few things could get me as excited as simply the mention of the word "brunch." Back then, brunch meant going out, something we didn't get to do very often, and it usually meant a buffet. I could stuff myself with however much I wanted of whatever I wanted, which usually meant chocolate in every variation imaginable. Now that I'm officially an adult, my idea of what constitutes an ideal brunch is a bit different and somewhat more mature. Now it has to include a great latté, but chocolate is still on the menu.

Let's peer into the stomachs of some of Edmonton's illustrious foodies and see what's churning about after they've indulged in brunch ...


Nate Box

Elm Café

In Box's world, brunch is all about comfort food and simplicity. "I don't want to get up at 11 am on a Sunday and slave," he firmly states. But simple doesn't have to translate into boring.

"When I'm in the mood for something savoury, I'm a sucker for a frittata. They're simple, forgiving and not nearly as boring as scrambled eggs. Plus, you can use a ton of different ingredients in them." So, on a Sunday that demands frittatas, you can find Box in his kitchen whipping one together with some of his favourite ingredients: caramelized onions, farmer's sausage, greens of some sort and, for a bit of bite, a touch of cheese.

Of course, there are Sundays when only something sweet will do, and on those occasions Box leans towards "proper" French toast, meaning French toast made with thick French bread and a well-seasoned egg batter. After dipping the bread, he gives it a quick sear and then puts in the oven to bake for a bit. Once it's out of the oven, he treats it to a dollop of butter and a big splash of maple syrup—but definitely no whipped cream—before digging in. He has been known to use a touch of coconut crème in the batter and then smother the French toast in coconut syrup and butter-fried fresh pineapple, though.
 

Jacqueline Jacek

Jacek Chocolate Couture

Jacek's favourite brunch right now—or brunch memory, anyway—is pancakes, but these aren't just any pancakes. They happen to be stacked pancakes and Jacek happened to eat them in the sunny locale of Mexico. "My husband and I took off to Mexico just after Christmas and while we were there I had the most amazing pancakes. There were three in a stack—I love it when they're stacked—and they were served with a strawberry/raspberry purée and some caramelized apples that reminded me of candied apples. And for a touch of decadence they were topped with syrup and drizzle of dark chocolate. They were so good—dessert for breakfast, you could say!"

When having brunch at home, Jacek makes a mean sourdough French toast that she sprinkles with cinnamon and icing sugar and then tops with butter and maple syrup: "Totally unhealthy but oh-so good." If she's indulging in brunch out, she likes to head over to Café Haven and have a plate of Huevos Rancheros.


Michael Harvey

Café Haven

For Harvey, a big part of brunch is the setting and the location, and as he says, "Food is the keystone that puts it all in place." So it's no surprise that exotic locales factor into some of Harvey's best brunch memories.

"I used to live on the coast of Brighton in the UK and it has this amazing amount of restaurants—there are restaurants everywhere. I'd get up, grab of bunch of different Sunday papers—hours of reading worth—and then find a place where I could eat a classic English breakfast, read, and glance at the sea from my big comfy chair. I could—and did—sit there for hours."

Another one of Harvey's brunch memories comes straight from the beaches in India. "I have an unhealthy obsession with curry and I used to love to eat potato dosas—they're kind of like massive, long pancakes—for breakfast on the beach in Varkala. It's definitely not everyone's idea of brunch, but I loved waking up, seeing the vultures flying around overhead and the golden beaches sparkling down below, and eating curry for breakfast."

Strictly food-wise, the best brunch Harvey has ever eaten was a spin on traditional eggs benedict. This one did away with the ham in favour of a more unique combination that featured salmon, avocado, spinach and lemon.

"Really, though, Sunday mornings are intrinsic to who you're with ... " V
 

MORE BRUNCH STORIES IN VUEWEEKLY....

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