New England Brunch Menu

Happy April, everyone!

Can you believe how fast this winter went?
Before we know it, it'll be summertime again... ♥

Since it is said that April is the month to have brunches,

I thought I would comprise a little menu, New England-style,

for you all to enjoy (and possibly make yourselves!)

Menu:

Eggs Benedict

Old Tavern Scones

New England Fruit Salad

Cold Rhubarb Tea

Eggs Benedict

(from the Glynn House Inn)

Ingredients
Water for poaching eggs
1/2 cup distilled vinegar, divided
12 large eggs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
12 slices Canadian bacon
12 slices focaccia bread

Preparation

Pour enough water into 2 large skillets to reach a depth of about 3 inches, and divide the vinegar between them. Bring both skillets to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Crack an egg into a cup and carefully slide it into the hot poaching liquid. Quickly repeat with all the eggs.

Cooking

Poach the eggs, turning them occasionally with a spoon, until the whites are firm, or to the desired degree of doneness, about 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs and transfer to a kitchen towel. Lightly dab the eggs with the towel to remove any excess water.  While the eggs are poaching, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the Canadian bacon and cook until heated through, about a minute on each side. To serve, toast the focaccia slices and divide them among 12 warmed plates. Top each half with a slice of Canadian bacon, and set an egg on top. Spoon the hollandaise sauce over the eggs and garnish with the chives. Serve immediately.

Serves 6 people

Old Tavern Scones

(from the Old Tavern at Grafton)

Ingredients

If raspberries are large, cut in half or in quarters

2/3 cup of buttermilk or plain yogurt
1 large egg
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons of baking powder
½ teaspoon of salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut up
1 cup fresh Raspberries
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel (optional)
1 tablespoon butter at room temperature

 Preparations

Heat oven to 375, Measure buttermilk in a 2 cup glass measure, beat in egg with a fork.
Put flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl, stir to mix well.  Add the stick of cold cut up butter and blend with a pastry cutter until mixture looks like fine granules.
Add raspberries, sugar and orange peel, toss lightly to distribute evenly. Add buttermilk mixture, stir with a fork until a soft dough mixture forms.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured board and give it 3 to 4 kneads, just until well mixed.  Form dough into a ball, cut into wedges. Form each wedge and place on an un-greased cookie sheet.

 Cooking

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until medium brown, remove to wire rack and brush with 1 tablespoon of soft butter.  Let cool, uncovered and prepare to serve.

Makes 8 scones

New England Fruit Salad

(from Runkin on eHow.com)

Ingredients

    3 sliced apples
    1/2 cup diced cheddar cheese
    1 cup blueberries
    3 Tablespoons maple syrup
    3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Preparations

In a medium size salad bowl whisk together the maple syrup and cream. You can adjust the amount of syrup and cream you use to make the fruit salad with a heavier or lighter glaze. Slice fresh, crisp apples into wedges and add them to the salad bowl. Dice sharp cheddar cheese into small cubes and add it to the bowl. Sprinkle the blueberries into the salad bowl. Add additional seasonal fruits at this time if you would like to supplement your New England Fruit Salad. Lightly stir the salad until the fruit and cheese until the maple syrup glaze is uniformly mixed into the entire salad.

Refrigerate New England Fruit Salad until it is ready to serve.

Makes 4 servings

Cold Rhubarb Tea

(from Charlie Burke on TheHeartofNewEngland.com)

This is also I Heart New England's recipe-of-the-month!

Ingredients

8 cups rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces
8 cups water
Juice and grated rind of one orange or lemon (avoid the white 

pith under the rind)
3/4 cup sugar
I pint fresh strawberries, mashed (optional)

Preparations

Simmer rhubarb on the water until tender (20 – 25 minutes)
Strain, pressing on rhubarb with a spatula to extract all the juice.
Stir in the lemon or orange juice and rind;
mix in optional strawberries
Add sugar, stirring until dissolved.

Cool and serve over ice.

Makes approximately 2 quarts

----------

"It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"

~ Mark Twain

♥