A brunch invitation is the easiest way to get me to abandon my budget. The promise of freshly brewed coffee and the wafting scent of bacon over a shared meal with friends pretty much makes my weekend.
However, depending where you go, it can also be two or three times more expensive than cooking on your own.
Seriously.
It’s time to reclaim brunch. This weekend, grab your roommates and head to the grocery store, because for just a few dollars, you’re going to have a five-star meal.
I know, I know — you may be groaning, “but I just can’t cook as well as that cafe down the block.” Nonsense, my friend. I had exactly the same fear, until I realized the big secret: it all comes down to ingredients.
Instead of buying that discount, sliced white bread, splurge on brioche, challah or sourdough. A small, freshly baked sourdough boule cost $1.50 from my local bakery, and was large enough to feed 3-4, depending on your appetite.
Then, instead of going with the tried-and-true French toast recipe, buy an orange (40 cents) to infuse the toast with even more flavor.
With these two simple tricks, you’ll create a layered brunch treat that satisfies and surprises as you move from the crisp, cinnamon-flecked crunch of the initial bite to the fluffy, sweet center, before finally savoring just a hint of orange at the end.
To really up the wow factor, garnish the dish with a few orange slices, instructing your friends to eat them after they’ve finished. The full-bodied citrus burst ties all of the flavors together, leaving your palate completely refreshed — and your friends raving.
Just be sure to leave a tip jar next to their plates.
(Recipe adapted from Emeril’s There’s a Chef in My Soup! Recipes for the Kid in Everyone, which I discovered while visiting She Runs, She Eats.)
Kitchen gadgets: wide bowl for dipping the bread (a square Tupperware container or pie plate are perfect), fork, frying pan, stovetop, measuring cup
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk (or half and half)
- 2 oranges (I used navel)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 4-5 drops of vanilla extract
- Light pinch of salt
- 6 slices of bread (sourdough, challah or brioche are awesome with this)
- Cooking spray (or butter/oil to coat the pan)
- Maple syrup (or honey)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Time commitment: 15-20 minutes
Steps:
1.) First, crack the eggs into a shallow bowl. Remove the chalaza — those two hard, white, stringy bits attached to the yolk — before using a fork to beat the eggs, blending them into a pale yellow goo.
2.) Next, take a butterknife and scrape the blade along the skin of an orange, removing teeny, dust-sized bits. Guess what? You’re zesting an orange! Just be careful not to scrape down to the white part of the skin (AKA the pith), because it’ll create a bitter orange flavor instead of a sweet one. Collect about a 1/2 teaspoon of the zest, then squeeze the rest of the orange until you get 1/4 cup of its juice.
3.) Add the orange zest and juice to the egg mixture, then stir in the milk, sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract until it’s thoroughly combined.
4.) Give the frying pan (or skillet, if you have one) a light spritz with cooking spray (or coat the surface with butter/oil), and turn it on medium heat. Dip a slice of bread into the egg mixture, coating both sides, then gently set it onto the pan.
5.) Let each side cook for about 2 minutes, or until lightly golden.