The Food - A Spring Blizzard Brunch with a New Combination

A Spring Blizzard Brunch with a New Combination

This morning we awoke to a cold, wet and blustery storm.  There wasn't so much snow, but the storm had come in last night with a forty degree temperature drop and rain.  So there was some much needed moisture even though we couldn't shovel it.  It is supposed to keep snowing here until five tomorrow morning, so we may have to shovel eventually, anyhow. 

For a mid-morning brunch we made farm sausage, gravy and french toast from home-made Italian wheat bread and duck eggs.  First course was french toast, sausage and gravy; and second course was french toast, berry compote, maple syrup and cinnamon.  The new combination was pairing the french toast with the sausage and gravy.  It was pretty delicious.  I think it was the eggs and the gravy flavors blending that was so pleasing. 

I suspect I have shared the recipes for these things before, but just so you don't have to search, I'll post them again. 

Farm Sausage Ingredients

1 lb of ground pork
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
pepper to taste

Mix thoroughly with your hands and shape into patties.  Cook, covered, on low for about 15 minutes a  side, uncovering for the last few minutes to brown.

Gravy Ingredients

flour
whole cow or goat milk
salt to taste

Sprinkle enough flour into the sausage drippings to absorb them.  Cook on high until it starts to brown.  Add cold milk all at once, (about a cup for every tablespoon of flour) lower heat and begin to stir.  Stirr continuously until the gravy is thick and even and starting to bubble.  My mother always said to let it bubble for about a minute to get rid of the raw flour taste.  Add salt to taste.

French Toast Ingredients

4 duck eggs (or 6 chicken eggs )
1 tsp. vanilla
3 tbs. top milk or half and half
4-6 slices of bread
2 tbs. butter

Whip the eggs, milk and vanilla in a bowl.  Soak the bread on both sides in the egg mixture and move to a medium/low heat frying pan in which the butter has been melted.  When the bread has all been nestled in the pan, pour the remaining egg mixture over it. Cover and cook slowly until golden brown.  Turn each piece of bread and cook the remaining side until golden. 

On the Side

maple syrup
fruit or berry compote
honey
cinnamon