Weekend {brunch} on the farm

When thinking about sharing the farm with you, and trying to help you get a real feel for life here, it seems that sharing the meal I love most makes a lot of sense. So, you should know, my very favorite meal of the week – the one that I would love to invite each and every one of you to, is weekend brunch. Honestly, if you told me that I could only make one proper meal a week, I would opt for weekend brunch. No question.

There are so many things I love about it. First of all, most of the preparation for brunch begins while my family of boys are still asleep. I make myself a cup of coffee, turn on some music, and start pulling out whatever it is I plan to make. Now, most weekends it is the same basic fare – eggs, bacon, sausages, toast, orange juice, and coffee. There are always jams and jellies, maybe local honey.
Then, I will either add pancakes, waffles, or crepes, the latter of which is a huge hit, as there is always fruit compote and whipping cream from our newest toy – our Isi – on top. There will be real maple syrup as Mr. Taylor insists upon the good stuff. Sometimes there are chocolate croissants (thank you trader joes!), other times – like this weekend – cinnamon chip bread from Great Harvest Bread Co.

The second thing I love about weekend brunch is how leisurely it is. We don’t start before 10 am, but more often, it is closer to 11. By then I have it all ready, the animals have been fed and put out to their pasture, and we can really sit and enjoy our time at the table. A later start time also allows me to get to the Farmer’s Market before we eat if I want. No one complains about having to get up, and everyone is hungry. The house always smells delicious after the bacon and sausages have been cooking on the griddle, which entices those feeling a bit sleepy to get to the table.

Another thing I love about brunch are those times when we are able to eat outdoors. Now, I am a fan of eating any and every meal outdoors when the weather permits, but honestly, sitting outside on a cool summer morning, the sun shining down warming the table, and the sound of birds chattering as they play in the trees is pretty much my idea of bliss. And the thing I am really excited about this year? The plates that we will be using will all be made by Mr. Taylor. He is rocking the pottery scene! So far I have a selection of smaller dinner plates – all of the plates in this setting are his – and he is nearly finished with my soup bowls. I have a number of serving bowls as well, which look wonderful mixed in with my vintage collection. Have I mentioned how spectacular that man is?

Occasionally we entertain friends or family for brunch. I like it because it is not as common as having them for dinner, and it is so nice to gather with friends early in the day, before everyone heads in different directions, weekends filled with activities. It seems a bit more leisurely – and the littles are always well-rested, thus able to sit at the table longer visiting without getting fidgety.

There is something wonderful about wide open weekends with little to no commitments aside from hanging out together. However, when the weekend does include places to go and people to see, it is so nice to begin the day around the table, with a great meal centered around our delicious eggs and homemade jams, gathered as a family.

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