3 top tips for hosting a Brunch event at home – the perfect meal for entertaining a crowd!

Mid-week public holidays are a great opportunity to host an event!
There’s usually something to celebrate – hence the day off – and guests have fewer prior commitments to work around.
And brunch is the perfect meal!

It can all be done ahead.

It’s flexible enough to fit in any budget.

It’s easy to adapt to special dietary needs

It is just one course that can be set out ready, leaving plenty of time to chat to guests.

It can all be cleared up to allow for a relaxed evening before heading back to work the next day.
But these are the three top tips for success!

Set beautiful tables

it sets the scene
it leaves plenty of room in the kitchen to set out the brunch buffet for everyone to help themselves
it leaves the washing up on the tables and not in the kitchen getting mixed up with the food. It also allows it to be cleared up gradually as the dishwasher capacity allows.

2. Do everything ahead

Prepare dishes ready to serve and organise drinks

3. If you are accepting offers of help – ask guests to bring anything that needs to be done on the day ( eg fruit platters, fruit salad) as this keeps the day free for last minute organising.

Some menu ideas:
Drinks:

Lemon and mint ( or other flavours) infused iced water ( freeze ice in large containers to add)

Non- alcoholic fruit punch

Peach infused white wine

Sparkling wine and rose

Mango lassi shots

Food:

Baked French toast using croissants and other pastries in a bread and butter pudding recipe

Bircher muesli breakfast trifle using alternate layers of Bircher muesli, Greek natural yogurt and poached fruit and berries, topped with toasted muesli crumble, dried fruit and nuts and berries

Pancake stacks (banana pancakes are yummy) layered with Greek natural yogurt, brown sugar and sliced banana and cinnamon, topped with chopped almonds or walnuts ( assemble on the day)

Frittata or Spanish omelette

Corn and Chorizo muffins

Oven baked bacon

Banana bread

Scones with jam and cream

And generously offered by others:
Croque Madame

Savouries

Dolmeh

Fruit platters and fruit salads

The Boathouse by the Lake, Canberra – excelling at private functions!

The Boathouse by the Lake may well be Canberra’s best spot for function dining. This is where they really excel. Food and wine is elegant, delicious and well priced. Staff and service is delightful. The setting is perfect. But most of all, they offer a real sense of generosity.

A well set out Private Dining Function Brochure explains the options well.

Choose from three rooms, East End looking more towards Kingston Foreshore…

…Walters, looking more towards Kings Avenue Bridge and Russell…

…or West End, looking straight across the lake and more towards Kings Avenue Bridge.

All have access to lovely decks, although East End and West End are larger.

The minimum spend, particularly at lunch time, is very reasonable – $1,100 for lunch January and April to October, $2,500 in peak times of Nov-Dec and Feb-Mar.

Menu Options start at $77 per person for 3 courses. The beverages packages are particularly good starting at $31 per person for three hours for lovely Canberra wines, draught beer, juice and soft drinks.

Also good value is the Corporate Two Course Luncheon with 2 hours of beverages for $90 per person.

We were there for a Christmas Party dinner for 23 people and after much consideration we chose:

6 savouries $21 per person (3 is $12) to allow for plenty of time to mix and mingle on the deck…

… before being seated at the round tables.

3 courses with alternate entrée and a choice of three options for main and dessert – $87 per person

3 hour silver drinks package – $31 per person

Dan and Lauren took great care of us with drinks and savouries and this set the scene for a wonderful evening.

Savouries

Pea and Haloumi Fritters

Persian Fetta Mousse and Tomato Puffs

Avocado and Cherviche Tarts

Roast Pumpkin, Leek and Cheddar Quiche

Popcorn Prawns with Sriracha Mayo

Marlin Rice Cracker (the highlight)

For entrée we chose two alternates:

Spiced pork belly with avocado, white balsamic, togarashi

Seared prawns, butter milk, chlorophyll juice, charred baby gem

Mains were a choice of three:

Chicken breast, pea puree, baby potatoes, roast, chicken jus

Black angus striploin, burnt onion, asparagus, potato mash

Slow cooked pork, cauliflower puree, currant & fried cauliflower salad, coriander

The brioche bread buns and cured butter was excellent too!

For dessert guests could choose from:

Banana parfait, dark chocolate, peanut brittle, Chantilly cream

Malt ice cream, caramel ganache, honeycomb, dehydrated milk

Mango mousse, coconut sorbet, caramelised white chocolate, passionfruit

Everyone was very impressed with their choices and the evening was a great success.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Boathouse by the Lake for all the ingredients of a successful event.

Venues for large meetings around Australia – How do they rate?

If your work involves organising catered meetings or workshops for large groups you may be interested in a quick guide to the best venues around Australia.

From best to least (and ranked on the basis of venue, catering (a light morning/afternoon tea), service and cost) the list is as follows: