No brunch would be complete without a festive bubbly cocktail! Bellinis were created at Harry’s Bar in Venice. It is a combination of peach purée and Prosecco. But, I honestly prefer to serve it with a dry, brut sparkling wine. Whichever bubbles you choose, either way, this cocktail is delicious.  

Nothing says the arrival of spring like beautiful bunches of asparagus and fresh artichokes at the market. In the past, I have made this dish with fresh baby artichokes that I have to peel and clean. But, there were none at the market, so I’m using frozen artichoke hearts. The frozen artichokes paired very well with the fresh asparagus. They taste quite nice and are absolutely no work at all. We perfectly steam the asparagus and artichoke hearts, than toss them with a tangy vinaigrette and top with some roasted hazelnuts. Serve as a lovely first course or along side the main dish. I’ll be making this recipe all season since it goes so well with so many different meats and fish dishes. 

Torta Pasqualina. “Torta” means cake in Italian, but this is really a savory Italian pie traditionally served for Easter brunch.  It’s so wonderfully satisfying that I bet that you will want to make it so much more often than just one time a year. This savory dish is positively addictive and so easy to cut and serve, making it portable and an ideal lunch, picnic, or snack dish.

In this day and age, coffee cakes are often overlooked as an addition to a brunch menu. Upstaged by bars, muffins and donuts. That is too bad, because to me this is the very best coffee cake. Kinda old school, something you would find at a good diner bakery case. It has a moist cake, a crumbly topping, and isn’t too sweet. When cut into squares, it reveals all the berry goodness in the center. It is perfect for serving with your brunch, with a cup of coffee, or maybe with another Bellini!