During early summers, there is nothing more relaxing than planning a laidback brunch out on the lawn or patio with the gentle sun shining down on you. Baked casseroles, freshly-made quiches, fresh fruit platters, bowls of jam and cream and aromatic, freshly-brewed coffees and teas spell sheer vacation vibes as they appear on the brunch table.
However, hosting a brunch outdoors means carrying all the preparations from the kitchen out on the lawn. Laying the table, arranging the cutlery, putting out salt and pepper shakers means too much travel into the kitchen and back to the patio. Forget something and you have to go inside to fetch it, which can dampen the lazy mood of the brunch. But with just a little bit of planning and a minimal set-up, an outdoor brunch can be smooth sailing.
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Self-Serve Table Outdoors
A handy tip to make the brunch a smoother affair for the host is to curate a self-serve station rather than assembling brunch plates in the kitchen. Include breads, a pop-up toaster, some jams and marmalades, butter, cut fruits and salad bowls in this spread. Guests can then pick up everything they want from the table laid outdoors and settle themselves on easy patio chairs. This not only reduces your workload and the hassle of serving everyone according to their dietary needs and preferences but also makes it easy for you to just carry all the brunch essentials at the beginning, without the need to run into the kitchen again and again.
No-Cook Or Make-Ahead Menu
One other reason there is too much back and forth from the kitchen to the outdoor brunch set-up is in the case of foods like made-to-order eggs, warm French toast or anything that requires you to be tied to the stove. To make the brunch more fuss-free and organised, opt for those dishes which can be made ahead of time, and served all at once. Think warm, baked quiches that can be brought from the oven, coupled with sandwiches or wraps, yoghurt parfait bowls and baked goodies like croissants, all of which can be prepared in advance. This will considerably reduce multiple trips inside the house.
Large Serving Platters
Another organisational hack includes using larger platters instead of small serves to bring out everything that has been cooked and prepped for the brunch. Serving food on such bigger plates reduces the number of goodies you need to carry from the kitchen, also cutting down the number of times you have to go into the kitchen and head back out. Arrange items by category, such as one big plate full of breads, another for fruits, yet another for assorted proteins and one tray for seasonings and add-ons like salt and pepper, paprika, assorted herbs, sugar. Also use a large butter dish as this is easier to manoeuvre when more guests come over.
Outdoor Drinks Station
Whether you are serving freshly-made coffee or tea or even a couple of brunch staple cocktails like a mimosa or a bellini, craft a makeshift bar outside before guests arrive. With this, along with having a pre-decided drinks menu, you can also ready a set of mixing ingredients. This will cut down on repeated trips to the indoor home bar and back out again. Also keep water dispensers, pre-mixed juices and mocktails and glasses, ice and garnishes ready for serving.
Preset Cutlery And A Host Basket
Before guests arrive, lay out plates, napkins and cutlery to avoid a last-minute scramble. Also keep a host’s basket ready with extra spoons, knives, forks, tissues and an assortment of serving essentials like bottle openers or wet wipes to avoid running inside multiple times. This handy basket can contain everything you would need to manage small messes, spills and the need for extra cutlery that is bound to arise when you play host to a large gathering.