It's really the trickiest day of the week. So many options for just one of your two days off. It's very different from Saturday, of course, because of the impending workweek that lies ahead and knowing that when you wake up tomorrow, it will be Monday all over again. For some it is a day of reflection, and rest. For others it is a chance to get ahead on work or errands so that you're better prepared for the week. Friday already feels so long ago and now that assignment that you've procrastinated for ages might finally have to be completed by the end of the day. And let's not forget a perfect Sunday afternoon watching football, no matter how you interpret that sport. But sometimes, just sometimes, you decide to indulge in one more day of pure pleasure and before you know it, it's Sunday Funday. The two approaches I prefer for such a gratifying afternoon of course revolve around food and drink. Two different meals. Two different cultures. Two fantastic ways to catch up with friends over a boozy, delicious feast. The American brunch, or the English Sunday lunch?
Brunch is really a cocktail culture. Eye opening mimosas, spicy bloody marys, and luscious bellinis. Any meal that regularly encourages the popping of champagne corks is alright by me! "Brunch. It's not quite breakfast, it's not quite lunch, but it comes with a slice of cantaloupe at the end." Even the Simpsons understood that this wonderful meal is more than just a cross of two smaller meals, it is a gluttonous medley of flavours that packs as many ingredients on one plate as you can imagine. The ultimate combinations of sweet and savory. Mountains of pancakes and french toast sitting side by side sausages, and smoked meats. Inventive benedicts swimming in sweet creamy hollandaise. And the best of all... bacon, bacon, and more bacon! Brunch is a playful meal that allows chefs to create symphonies of food that combine the flavors we love from all times of the day. Breakfast burritos more packed than a Mexican fiesta, egg skillets scrambled with a Thanksgiving feast, and why not the Dr. Seuss favorite green eggs and ham. Brunch is intoxicating, not just by the rounds and rounds of champagne cocktails, but by the laughter and giddiness of friends sharing stories from an eventful weekend. Brunch is the time to escape from the pressures and anxieties of work, and relish an extra day of bliss.
Now, you're just as likely to find a proper English Sunday lunch at a Michelin starred restaurant as you will your local pub down the road, but to truly enjoy in the revelry of Sunday afternoon, there's no better spot than a good old English pub. The rustic walls, wooden tables, and low rickety bar stools are just the first signs that this storied meal from medieval times is rich with tradition. No umbrella drinks to kick things off here, but rather a proper pint of English ale. I'm talking the type of cask aged beer that takes the strength of two men just to pump into your glass. Ordering food is a simple process as there is typically just one option on the menu, Sunday lunch. Juicy roasts of beef, giant joints of lamb, or whole suckling pigs are accompanied by their loyal followers of duck fat-roasted potatoes, fields of roast vegetables, towering Yorkshire puddings and a sea of rich gravy. Whether its a pitcher of the village house red wine or a fine Burgundy or Rhone from a more extensive offering, wine certainly plays its part at this banquet. Nothing too heavy or overpowering, but just fresh and balanced enough to tie together all the flavors of the feast. You can just picture hordes of friends raising their goblets of wine with joy. No, this meal is not for the faint of heart. Sunday lunch is a boisterous time to regale stories of love, conquest, voyages, and victories.
The drinks certainly keep flowing on Sunday Funday, and why shouldn't they in the company of such good friends, food, and celebration. Both these meals remind us that it's important to sometimes take a step back, and break bread with those that matter most to us. And that project you had to finish up for work? Well I'm sure you'll be up early the next morning as most people are in bed by 7 pm on Sunday Funday.
Drink Reccomendations
2009 Ridgeview Sparkling Wine, West Sussex, England - For your Champagne cocktails try using an English sparkler. Trust me, the quality is there. Ridgeview has a fresh palate of brioche, citrus, orange peel, and toasted caramel.
2008 Herringbone Hills Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand - This wine worked perfectly on a recent trip to the Mall Tavern (pictured above) in London for Sunday lunch. Notes of red cherries and rhubarb were followed by pepper and truffles. One bottle will definitely not be enough!
2006 Bourgeuil, Jacky Blot Domaine de la Butte, Loire, France - This cabernet franc from the Loire valley would be another great choice for Sunday lunch. A slightly spicier option than the pinot noir, here you have roasted red pepper, raspberry, and black tea.
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