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Mother's Day Brunch

Preparing brunch for Mom on her big day is always a thoughtful touch. To make it really special, serve her favorite dishes and set a colorful, flower-filled table.
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An orange-shell topiary is just one way to add color to the brunch table.
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Figure A
  • Create an orange-shell topiary centerpiece. Place some oasis into a terra-cotta pot and cover it with a little sheet moss. Insert a 4" or 5" stick into the center of the moss. Cut an orange in half and clean the pulp out of one side. Center the peel, round side up, on the top of the twig, impaling it on the twig. Line the peel shell with a plastic bag and then fill to the rim with oasis (figure A). Insert fresh, colorful blooms in the oasis. Finish by tying a ribbon around the "stem" of the topiary. That's it — it's ready to use as a centerpiece or a place ornament.

  • Choose a theme, in this case the South of France. Decorate with sunny yellows and blues. Layer a bright-yellow patterned tablecloth over a blue one to add color and body to the table at the same time.

  • Use brightly patterned dishes and place mats at each setting.
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Figure B
  • Create unique place cards by writing each guests' name on sugar cubes and centering them on plates. Tint frosting from a can and pipe it through a pastry bag with a writing tip (figure B).

  • Add flowers and greenery to each plate.

  • Serve a colorful Italian vegetable frittata, which you can cook the night before, cover with plastic wrap, and reheat the next morning. Click here for the recipe.

  • Cut butter in individual portions and present it in a nice glass dish. Do the same with colorful jams and jellies.

  • Write a menu card and present it on a small easel.

    Want a really simple centerpiece? Get a bubble bowl and fill it with roses, all the same color with the stems cut the same length. With a larger bubble bowl, you may want to float candles in it, or fresh flowers that are really fragrant, such as gardenias.

    For more brunch and entertaining ideas, consult Jeanne Benedict's Sophisticated Entertaining: Spirited Food for Grown-Up Parties.

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