Savor The Season: Sunday Brunch

By Calvin Virgilio

Photography By Julie Sinkovitz

Judging by the colorful leaves and temperature drop outside, we are in the month of October. It’s officially comfort food season. And while the next few months will be dedicated to evening cooking and entertaining, October makes for a perfect month to plan a weekend brunch.

Lisa and I love brunch. Coming from northern states, we never thought much of this in-between meal until we went to college in Richmond, Va. In Richmond, the Sunday routine for most people involved getting dressed up, going to church and then heading to brunch. Whatever else had to be done on a Sunday could wait until after brunch.

Since we’d be having 24 people for brunch, we set out appetizers for guests to enjoy before the entrees were ready

A bar setup is ideal to allow people to make their own bloody mary, mimosa or cup of coffee.

Lisa’s cousin, Anne Robertson, owns a floral business, Dirt, in Greenwich, Conn. She assembled a few beautiful flower arrangements for the party.

A mix of pastries, fruit, and deviled eggs are light appetizers that will still leave room for the main coarses.

So now that the fall season is here, take a Sunday and plan a brunch with family and friends. Brunch can be as simple or as involved as you’d like. It can be as easy bake-ahead pastries like our pumpkin bread, or you can wake up early on Sunday morning to put a ham in the oven that will be ready before noon. Whatever you choose, the purpose of brunch, as our friends in Richmond taught us, is to take a break from your hectic lifestyle and enjoy good food on a Sunday afternoon.

Our nephews, John and Hunter.

For the arugula salad, I used a maple vinaigrette dressing that added sweetness to the peppery flavor of the arugula.

Arugula salad with candied walnuts, strawberries and maple vinaigrette

If you can’t enjoy brunch outside, bring the flowers inside to give color to your setting.

Cousin John, Joe and Uncle Frank conversing before brunch is served.

Just this past weekend, Lisa and I planned a surprise brunch birthday party for her father’s 60th birthday. We had 24 family members attend and baked a ton of brunch food. Here are some photos from the party and the recipes to go along!