Gale Gand's Brunch -- So tasty you'll want to lick the cover!

Brunch! 100 Fantastic Recipes for the Weekend’s Best Meal

By Gale Gand with Christie Matheson

 

I admit it. I picked up this book not because it looked healthy, but because it looked yummy. There was enough fat and cholesterol in the front cover picture alone to change my lipid profile. Besides, I love breakfast food at any time of day, and believe that brunch is the greatest meal ever invented. (Although I still think the British are really onto something with “elevenses” and “tea time.” But I digress…)

Gand’s book is broken down into short chapters and full of luscious color photos. In addition to “Brunch Basics” and “Brunch Bites” she has individual chapters devoted to eggs, pancakes, waffles and French toast, salads and soups, and condiments. There is a wide variety here, and several of the recipes would make a nice, light supper as well. Some of the recipes are very involved, but others seem pretty simple and demonstrate what can be done with a small number of high quality, fresh ingredients. The Crunchy Zucchini rounds with Goat Cheese, Panini Finger Sandwiches, and Cheddar Grits are things I wouldn’t be afraid to try. Even the more elaborate recipes have clear directions and rarely require exotic or inaccessible ingredients. Although this book is not targeted toward those trying to maintain either a vegetarian or organic diet, many of these recipes could be adapted to either simply by judicious choice of ingredients. If you are a fan of all things brunchy, this is well worth picking up.

Brunch!