A Better Brunch

Brunches are supposed to be sophisticated affairs yet it seems both home chefs and restaurants still are stuck in the 1950s or 1960s.There are the same old dishes, namely gooey Eggs Benedict and omelets stuffed with soggy veggies and gummy cheeses.It's time to actually serve sophisticated foods made with ingredients suited more for lunch and dinner. David Tanis tackled this problem in his column in yesterday's A City Kitchen column in The Wednesday New York Times Dining section. Brunches both in and out have become pallid affairs.There's no imagination anymore.People ,brunch lovers and even foodie's aren't craving change or any new ideas.This is sad..Mr.Tanis tries to remedy this with spins on classic dishes, even throwing in a variation of a classic Italian dessert.The meal should also be pushed up half an hour to better be classified as more of a weekend lunch.It should also reflect the season.Summer lunches may mean grilled fish with a side of fresh herbs gracing a freshly picked salad . Fall and winter lunches should have a long simmered braised along with featuring the produce of the season. Mr Tanis gives us a truly Spring like lunch.It's great for now or for later on in the season ,perfect for an outdoor gathering.He starts off with a bright and sunny citrus salad , spiked with bubbly Prosecco.(think of this as an homage to that classic brunch libation the mimosa)It is graced with grapefruit ,and Meyer lemon sang with three kinds of oranges, blood, navel and the new Cara Cara.Sugar and almonds are added for sweetness and crunch with a dressing of Prosecco.The main dish is egg free, with it being a crab linguine with creme fraiche.It has mustard and green chile to shake things up.For dessert, it,s a play on the frothy zabaglione.This time it's frozen and espresso flavored. It also has a dash of Cognac along with cocoa powder.It's a great and surprisingly light end for a light meal.Prosecco should be served from beginning to end of the meal instead of mixed drinks. A weekend brunch or lunch should not be weighed down with heaviness.Indulge in good but different than the norm ingredients for something special as well as unique.It will make for a memorable weekend lunch for family or friends.