consumed on 9/24/05

In my circle of friends I’m known as the one who “over does” it with parties and food, so I always enjoy meeting people who are even more over the top than me. Culinary Fool is just such a person so when she invited me over for her semi-annual ladies brunch a few weekends ago, I gladly accepted.

I walked into an amazing smelling house and was quickly ushered out to the sunny back deck where coffee, orange juice and champagne were waiting. After introductions and some chit-chat we were asked back inside and seated around a table overflowing with food. This was the spread:

Crab and Shrimp “Quiche” – A beautiful mix of fluffy, light eggs packed with crab and shrimp.

Oven Omelet with Vegetables – Another egg dish more geared towards the vegetarians.

Tomatoes with Shallots, Basil and Balsamic – A colorful and tasty side dish with cherry tomatoes and basil from her garden.

Homemade Orange and Cranberry Rolls – Culinary Fool said that these didn’t turn out as good as usual, but I still enjoyed them.

Chicken and Apple Sausages – Completely addictive sausage from Aidells. It almost tasted like a savory-sweet kielbasa.

Pork Roll with Apple Stuffing – A pork roast stuffed with a chunky apple filling.

Bacon Fritters – When I saw these, a wave of happiness came over me and I wanted to hug Culinary Fool. They were light pancakes studded with bacon, served with arugula and sautéed balsamic onions.

Brunch is such a lovely occasion on its own, but when done Culinary Fool Style it’s elevated to a whole new level.