the brunch guide by dejiss

You know me, a crazy brunch person all the way. Give me croissants, pancakes, smoothie bowls and good coffee and I'll be happy for days. The best part of brunchin' is that you get to enjoy the moment, spend time with your loved ones and enjoy a good meal without a hurry. And well, basically it's just a good excuse to eat lots of yummy things..

But sharing is caring, so I thought I'd share my best tips on how to throw a good brunch for your friends and family, or maybe for that lazy morning you're spending just by yourself.

The hot beverage

If you're a coffee person, you'll probably skip the part where I'm talking about tea anyways, so let's start with coffee. First things first - whether you love an espresso or you're a friend of filtered coffee, make sure you buy good, quality coffee. I often like to buy coffee from my favorite coffee shops, but I'm also a big fan of Italian coffee, usually making my coffee with Lavazza crema e gusto. And warming up the milk makes all the difference, trust me. And if you want to go all the way, foam you're coffee milk. (and forget about fat free milk, that's not for coffee)

But coffee is not for everyone or every brunch, having some tea is definitely as nice as a good cup of coffee. I like to serve my tea in a big tea pot, let it brew properly and enjoy it when it's not too hot.

The star of the brunch

For me this means usually pancakes, croissants, waffles or for example a granola cake. It's like a main course of your brunch and I usually just pick the one I'm in the mood for.

Try these goodies:

banana pancakes with coconut and cardamom

cinnamon bun waffles

granola cake

Feelin' snacky

I like to have different elements in my brunch; so in addition to the star of the brunch I like to have little snacky things. It can be sweet or salty. Grapes, nuts, cheese, crackers, avocado - you name it. Just a little something something you can have a bite of in between wandering conversations or flipping trough the pages of the magazine you're reading while eating.

Eat your greens - or your fruits

For me, brunch is not a super heavy meal, so I always add greens, fruits and healthy stuff to it. I might make a smoothie, put berries on top of my pancakes or slice some fruits just to make it a little bit more fresh and healthy. And I think having something fresh makes me feel good even after the brunch as you're not stuffed with heavy food only.

Setting the table

And now to my favorite part.. Setting the table is almost as important as the food itself, as somehow the food tastes better when it's presented well. And I don't mean making a big fuss out of everything. Keep in mind these four simple things and you'll be good to go

- Choose different plates and pots. The difference might be shapes and sizes, different patterns or just mixing and matching your favorite crockery. My favorite ones are usually vintage and you can get old, beautiful crockery for a bargain from recycling centers and second hand stores.

- Fresh flowers - whether it's a wild bouquet from your backyard, roses from your grocery store or flowers from your favorite flower shop, fresh flowers always make it feel like a special occasion.

- Forget about ugly packages and put everything to it's own dish. A plate for the butter, a cup for the berries and a bowl for the yoghurt. Not a big thing to do, but a big difference on how your table looks.

- The feeling of a cozy cafe comes from ready made portions. The only difference is that you're a lucky one and you get to do it at your own place. Think filled croissants rather than croissants + fillings, a smoothie bowl rather than smoothie + fruits, or a pancake plate rather than pancakes in a pile + stuff to put on them. It's such a nice feeling to sit in a table that is set.

The little something extra

- Music !! Oh it makes aaaaall the difference. My favorite brunch music is definitely Billie Holiday and John Mayer.  And definitely check out also these spotify playlists:

Afternoon acoustic

The Kinfolk Table

Morning dreamin'

An Elegant Affair

French cafe lounge

- Wether it's a sunny summer day or a moody winter morning, don't forget about candles. Maybe just one on the window sill or a bunch in the brunch table.

- When feeling extra special, it's time for Mimosas. Some sparkling wine and orange juice - voilà !

- And if you're still not feelin' it, find some morning moment inspiration here.

xoxo Maria