Tips for creating restaurant style brunch without leaving the house
Sunday Funday has looked a little different since quarantine started. Sun-soaked boozy days by the beach with with my foodie fam and a seafood garnished bloody mary in hand have turned into brunch for one in my backyard with a garnish-less bloody mary and yoga pants.
If you’re like me and yearning to recreate some semblance of our former lives, one way is to elevate your home brunch. Go from pitiful bloody marys and yoga pants to fun cocktails and small splurges that create a chic yet inexpensive brunch spread.
Cocktails
You can’t elevate your home brunch without elevating your brunch cocktails. There are a few simple and inexpensive ways to elevate your brunch cocktails with things you already have at home.
Cheese cubes and pickle spears are classic bloody mary garnishes. But these days, there are virtually zero rules on what can go on top of a bloody mary. So whatever you’re cooking or have in the fridge during quarantine, use it! Garnishes like shrimp, bagels, and deviled eggs are perfect to give your bloody marys that wow factor.
Changing base liquors, salt rims, and hot sauce are also great ways to switch things up. Head to Bloody Mary Obsessed for the ultimate guide on building your own bloody mary bar at home. This FREE downloadable guide will elevate the heck out of your bloody mary garnish game!
If you’re not #teambloodymary, that means you’re probably #teammimosa, and that’s okay too. Elevating your mimosas for your home brunch is super simple! Whether you have fresh fruit or frozen fruit in the freezer, you can make scratch juices or syrups for your mimosas and sip in style.
Using the same principals, you can make infused vodkas to elevate your cocktails and bloody marys with ingredients already in your fridge or cupboards. All you need is vodka, which if you’re reading this, we know you already have, a sealable container, and time (we got plenty).
Small Splurges
During a quarantine, it’s the little things that really make a big difference in our days. Making small splurges for your home brunch will elevate your brunch dishes without breaking the bank. Chocolate chips, aka mini kisses, can inexpensively elevate your pancakes from bland and dry to happiness on a plate. And won’t cost you an extra $1.50 a pancake, like they do at restaurants!
If you’re into french toast, kick Texas toast to the curb and substitute it with soft and fluffy brioche bread. With your fancy pancakes and French toast, you don’t want to use just any old syrup, splurge for some real maple syrup from Vermont or Canada. You’ll thank me later!
Decor
You know how they say… dress for the part you want! Well, if you’re trying to elevate your home brunch during quarantine and recreate your sense of normalcy, host your brunch for one like you mean it! Find a small bouquet of flowers for under $6 dollars at your grocery store to add some flair and color.
If you have any fancy china, now is the time to bust that out. But if you don’t, you can get decor and plastic china at the $1.00 bins as soon as you walk into Target (only make this extra trip to Target if you’re already going there for food or supplies).
Dress Up and Share
Lastly, elevate yourself and make an effort to shower, get ready, and get dressed! I know that sounds crazy as I’m sitting at my computer with a messy bun and my pajama’s still on at 10:30 a.m., but it will make a big difference in your mindset.
If you live with people, get them on board for your elevated home brunch. But if you’re living alone, don’t worry. You can have your friends and family virtually participate with virtual brunch parties! Showing off your brunch creations is part of the fun!
