Summer weekends--I just love them! Sunny mornings, hot, breezy afternoons and lovely, warm evenings, all spent outdoors. And there’s something wonderful about summer meals served outside on a patio, deck, veranda, courtyard, or even a park or beach. When I was growing up my grandmother had a screened in porch with a vinyl cloth-covered picnic table—nothing fancy. Just before dinnertime she would announce that we would be “dining alfresco”. Years later I still remember those meals as special.
So, let’s not waste a gorgeous weekend morning! Why not put together a simple, elegant and delicious breakfast at home, and eat it outside? You can relax, eat and even read the newspaper while you enjoy your coffee.
Here’s the menu:
Coffee or Tea
Toast with ricotta, preserves/honey, and topped with fruit and/or nuts
Yogurt
Hard-boiled eggs or Slices of Ham
The Plan:
1. Decide where you’ll eat. It’s nice to have a table and chairs; dust them off and throw on a tablecloth. Or you can put a blanket on the grass.
2. Shop for the food. The main event of this menu is the toast. You’ll need good bread—sourdough or brioche is nice, especially if it’s fresh from a local bakery; ricotta cheese, a jar of fruit preserves (any flavor) or honey, and a small bowl of fresh seasonal fruit. Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, or sliced peaches or plums work well. You can stop there or add yogurt, hard-boiled eggs and/or sliced ham to the menu.
3. Set the table. Up the style factor with cloth napkins, coordinating dishes, a pretty coffee or tea pot, and a small jar of flowers.
4. Serve the toasted bread, ricotta, preserves and fruit in separate dishes so each diner can assemble their own.
5. Pour the coffee and pass me the funny pages!!