Five Valentine’s Day Brunches, Part 1, French Scrambled Eggs

She'll love you all the more.

1 Sweetheart, 5 Sweet Valentine Brunches. Part 1. Hey Guys (or Gals) why not do something sweet for your sweetie this Valentine’s Day? Is there anyone who doesn’t adore breakfast in bed? You know she’ll love you for it and she deserves it. Think of all the thoughtful things she did for you over the past 12 months.

This is the first of five brunch menus I’ve compiled for your cooking pleasure. You are bound to find just the right menu for the two of you. I pulled from a variety of cuisines, differing heat levels, hot and cold entries and from easy to medium complex, in terms of preparation time and difficulty.

The first menu draws from my Blue Ribbon Buttermilk Biscuit recipe and eggs prepared the way we used to at the White Bear Cafe, back in Berkeley, back in the day.

French Scrambled Eggs–For 2 people, break 4 eggs into a medium mixing bowl, scramble with a fork, add 1 tablespoon snipped chives and 4 ounces cream cheese cut into small pieces. Heat sauté pan, melt 1 teaspoon butter, add egg mixture to sauté pan and scramble on medium heat until the cheese has melted. This recipe produces very creamy scrambled eggs, chives adds a  faint hint of onion.

Buttermilk Biscuits–Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 tablespoon baking powder. Add 2 tablespoons shortening and 8 tablespoons butter cut into 1/4 inch dice , both ice-cold.  With your fingers start cutting the butter and shortening into the flour, work quickly so the butter and shortening do not melt into the flour. When this step is completed the butter should be the size of peas. Add 1 1/4 cup ice-cold buttermilk, stir with a fork a few times until just combined. Turn out onto a floured work surface and with floured hands push together gently into a ball, knead 2-3 times if needed to bring dough together. Pat out until 1/2 inch thick and cut into 2″ circles with a cookie cutter. Bring scraps together and reroll. You will get about 12 biscuits. Place one inch apart on a sheet pan and bake until

Buttermilk biscuits, hmm!!

nicely browned on top, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, brush tops with melted butter and serve warm with butter and jam or honey.

Fresh Fruit–Cut a few strawberries in half, leaving green tops because it looks cool, and add a small handful of blueberries. If you feel ambitious cut a banana on the bias and add to strawberries and blueberries.

Mimosa–In a fluted glass filled 2/3 full of orange juice, slowly pour champagne. Float 1/2 ounce Triple Sec on top. Garnish with a strawberry and orange slice.

Here’s your opportunity to shine fellas, to really show her you care and that you appreciate her. Shop for your ingredients on Saturday morning so that Sunday morning is not so rushed. Make the biscuits first, they stay warm for a while. If you like the French Scrambled eggs spicy add a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce or red pepper flakes. Perhaps serve her the Mimosa first so she can linger over the mood while you prepare brunch. Maybe one of the grandparents will take the kids the night before for a romantic prelude or for a couple of hours Sunday morning.

Buon Apetito!