The best brunch meals are those that are geared to your personal family or particular social circle and what appeals to them. The term itself brings to mind a leisurely social setting where people look forward to getting together over good food. So be prepared for a longer than usual meal with the focus on everyone having a good time.
Leave it up to some intrepid late night party goers to come up with the idea of combining breakfast and lunch for a mid morning meal for the day after! The custom began in France and was later adopted in the USA. Nowadays, this type of meal is perfect for any late night occasion such as New Years, a prom party, Easter, Mothers Day or any Sunday where friends want to get together.
Having a successful brunch means following a general rule of thumb as far as what to serve. The key is mixing sweet and savory. A meat or fish dish is always served. The meal will also include an egg dish, such as Eggs Benedict, omelets, French toast, etc. Plan to also serve an assortment of scones, muffins, breads or pancakes. Fruit or berries in season are also recommended. It is also important to include two or three side dishes. Finally, plan to serve a nice coffee such as French press or flavored coffees.
Guests will appreciate the convenience of having the food arranged in precut servings. Keep in mind that there will be varied assortment of tastes and food requirements among those attending. Guests will appreciate having a few vegetarian dishes available as well as low fat and low carbohydrate dishes.
One of the main points of a brunch is everyone having a good time conversing together. So be sure to have enough seats at the table for everyone. Or if that is not possible, position an extra table and chairs nearby so everyone can take part.
Depending on the occasion, the meal can be either casual or formal. A formal meal can tend to be quite complex. If that is the case, professional caterers can be called in. Generally a formal event will have smoked salmon, baked Brie or quiche, an omelet bar, etc. On the other hand, if the meal is casual, your guests will be fine about using plastic plates and eating utensils, understanding that you want to spend as much time with them as possible.
Whether casual or formal, a deciding factor in determining the best brunch meal is the food that is served. So be sure to plan your menu well. This is not the time for experimenting. If you already know how to prepare a few good main dishes, it is better to stick with those. On the other hand, if you have prior experience with it, serving one exotic food dish could keep your guests talking for weeks.
All in all, what determines the best brunch meals is the amount of time and thought has been put into planning and preparing the meal. A good host/hostess will be aware of the tastes and dietary needs of each of their guests and will carefully consider these. He/she will also pay careful attention to the table setting and make sure that each guest is comfortably seated and feels included.