Mother's Day 2022 in the UK was unseasonably warm and it took me by surprise. I'd planned a brunch for my mum, my mother-in-law and the rest of the family. It was all nicely set out in the kitchen but the weather had other ideas. I learned a few things in this scenario to share with you in this post.
Side Tables
You really want to keep your main outdoor table for people to eat on. Not many people like eating on their knees, especially if they are wearing their Sunday best.
If you have any light, portable side tables you can press those into service for your outdoor brunch. Here I have used a very light ladder shelving unit from www.no11homeinteriors.co.uk for the pastries and some fruit and veg.
Plates and Cutlery
I was surprised how much cutlery and crockery we got through. I would never recommend disposable plates but have used compostable ones before. The beauty of being in the garden is it's a short walk to the compost bin itself. My advice here is to take more plates, knives and forks outside than you think you will need.
Eggs Eggs Eggs
A poached egg is a feature of many brunch dishes. My husband's Christmas present from Vonhaus was ideal as it can make up to 6 poached eggs at a time. Even better it's totally hands free so we could get on with other things. With so many vegetarians in attendance at the brunch we avoided bacon and instead fried up a batch of Heck Meat free Chipolata Sausages and some Heck 97% Pork Sausages. As usual the non vegetarians loved the Veggie sausages just as much as their designated meat ones!
Drinks
A warm bucks fizz just wont do. Use any ice packs you have in combination with water and a bucket to keep drinks cool. Use the same method to keep food cool to avoid any food safety issues. Avoid many trips into the house for hot drinks by making a big cafetiere of coffee or pot of tea. Get really retro and dust off the tea cosy.
Clearing Up
Fill up your sink with hot soapy water. In the heat food can adhere fast to plates so getting them in the sink can make washing up much easier. A tray is your friend when transporting from kitchen to garden. We have a 'don't go empty handed' policy (and shout this out if anyone dares head back to the house without grabbing a few plates). It makes clearing up a breeze.
Having brunch outside is a real treat for your family and friends and can be stress free for the host too if you follow those simple steps.
Happy Brunching 😁
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