Cooking Club: New Orleans Brunch
The Sunday before Thanksgiving, our Cooking Club got together for brunch. We usually try to hold our club on Friday or Saturday nights, since a lot of alcohol is usually involved, but with the holidays brunch was all we could manage in our schedules. Kyle and I were hosts, so we got to pick the theme. After much thought, my sister came up with an idea…New Orleans Brunch! We would have spicy, rich food and bloody mary’s to boot!
Eggs Benedict
Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Frittata
Pecan Waffles with Pecan and Banana Syrup
Cayenne-Candied Bacon
Baked Cheese Grits
Cajun Bloody Mary’s
OJ and coffee
I found the recipes all on the Food Network recipe list. Actually, most of the recipes are from Emeril, which I hated to do but knew if I wanted some “kicked up” food from New Orleans, Emeril was the man to consult. I’m still not a fan of Emeril the personality, but after eating this brunch, I am definitely a fan of his recipes.
My favorites of the morning were the bloody mary’s, the frittata, the grits (which were amazing as leftovers with plenty of Louisiana hot sauce) and the cayenne-candied bacon. Honestly, spicy-sweet bacon? I’m in love.
The biggest disappointment for me were the eggs benedict. I don’t know what happened. The muffins were good, the eggs were cooked well (with runny yolks), the steak was seasoned well, and the Hollaindaise was tasty…but the sum of all the parts just didn’t add up for me. I’m beginning to wonder if I just don’t like eggs benedict. Does anyone know where I should go to put this to the test? Where are the best eggs benedict in the Twin Cities? I really need to figure this out.
Back to brunch…The morning was a lot of fun. We even got to do some cooking together, which usually doesn’t happen in our club. Vickie whipped up the syrup at my house and Katie (not me, the other Katie) was awarded the “utility cook of the day” by helping me with the waffles and the eggs benedict.
Looking back, perhaps it wasn’t a great idea to have this huge brunch the Sunday before Thanksgiving, since we had some big meals coming up. But in the moment that Sunday, I wouldn’t have changed a think. Then again, after two bloody mary’s on a Sunday morning, everything seems like a good idea!
Tags: cooking club, Food, recipe
December 7th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I love eggs benedict so I’ve tried it at my places around the cities. My personal fave is at Barbette, but I also love the benedict at the Egg & I.
Here’s our review of Barbette:
http://wegotserved.blogspot.com/2008/07/barbette.html
December 7th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
That bacon sounds life-changing. I like it spicy, and I like it sweet, but I’ve never combined the two.
December 8th, 2008 at 9:49 am
We tried to make the bacon when we were back home for the holidays. It didn’t turn out as good as it did a Cooking Club – I think we did something wrong. We will have to try again since I declared it the best bacon ever.
Great food.
December 8th, 2008 at 10:01 am
I wonder if the bacon needs more time to cook than the recipe calls for – RJ and Katie finished it at our house bc. it didn’t cook in enough time. RJ? Katie? Any thoughts?
December 8th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
We used thick-cut bacon and the recipe called for thin strips. We also extended the time in the oven by 20 minutes or so to make sure it was cooked well enough.
I am making it again this weekend, I will let you know if I get the same results. Great pictures, Katie! I am looking forward to our next get together.
December 8th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I love the eggs benedict at Jax Cafe! I am not always a huge eggs benedict fan, but these hit the spot.
December 9th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I simply must have the bacon recipe. Everything looked so pretty!