15 chef's corner Sunday brunch aka Late-Morning Whiskey Break Every Sunday, groups large and small, usually with children in tow, gather all over Astoria at their favorite restaurants to consume way too many mimosas and eat unnatural amounts of eggs and bacon prepared in every possible fashion. This carefree event, shared with friends and family, is a wonderful New York tradition. But there is a dark side to the sunbathed dining rooms adorned with flowers and tables loaded with bloody mary mugs and pitchers of mimosas. As most of us look forward to our Sunday Funday second lunch, behind the scenes, the chefs are dreading the arrival of Sunday morning. Brunch goes back to the late 1800s and has its origins in England as a post Sunday hunt snack leading into an early Sunday dinner. In the early 1930s in the U.S. we had the “elevenses” aka “late-morning whiskey break,” which was a daily occurrence in place of the modern “coffee break” and included a small meal or snack with alcohol. The most current version of brunch is believed to have evolved out of the post-World War II culture shift when Sunday became less about church and more about doing absolutely nothing productive, just reading the paper, eating and chilling on the couch. In the 1950s, housewives, thirsty for a much needed break from cooking and entertaining all week, began gathering outside the home to gossip and let loose. Today, all three stages of evolution have merged into one big carefree-gossip-booze fest. Only during brunch is it acceptable to request nearly everything on the side, eggs done-your-way, and expect to have every dish tripled in size, but reduced at least by half in price. This conundrum forces the kitchen to plan a menu that is nearly entirely contrary to the regular menu offered during the week. And so, the brunch food we have come to love today was a result of chefs scrambling all the leftovers from the weekend, drowning them in eggs and batter and there you go – the hangover burger and kitchen sink omelet was born. All chefs love a challenge, one that requires a creative transformation of the menu is very much welcomed. However, no chef welcomes customer requests, even if they say they do. The problem is that executing a menu takes planning, and the chef doesn’t like to be forced to change those plans on a whim. The ideal chef’s brunch would not include a menu at all, instead a simple prix fixe without options. The chef hopes you would just eat what is offered without requests for adjustments, because after all it was prepared by a professional cook. Don’t question the kitchen, just eat and enjoy. And come 3 p.m., once all the eggs have been cooked, the chefs and kitchen crew settle in for their own, much awaited “late-morning whiskey break.” If you love your chef and your favorite restaurant, send the lady or man in the kitchen a drink when you arrive, although it is merely symbolic, it’s a wonderful lost tradition that helps us all get through the four hours of eggs and gossip. Chef Natasha Pogrebinsky Executive Chef and Owner of Bear Restaurant 12-14 31st Avenue, Long Island City www.bearnyc.com “The Bear Jumbo Bloody Mary with Candy Bacon” Photo by Bradley Hawks Serves: 4 pints Ingredients: Tomato juice 12 oz. Fresh tomatoes (2 cups of freshly grated tomatoes, pulp and juice) Worcestershire sauce 3 oz. Lemon juice 5 oz. Horseradish 2 tbs. (or to taste) Fresh ground black pepper (to taste) Salt (to taste) Celery salt (1 tablespoon) Secret Ingredient: Paprika 1/2 tablespoon Four pieces of sliced bacon Brown sugar 1 tablespoon 4 hardboiled eggs 4 celery sticks 4 sour pickles Whole grain mustard Ice Vodka (about 8 oz, or to taste) Tools: Baking sheet and wire rack Large bowl and a whisk (or immersion blender) 4 pint glasses Preparation: • Pre-heat oven to 375F • Place four pieces of bacon on a wire rack on a baking sheet • Cover each piece of bacon with about 1 tablespoon of brown sugar • Place in the oven for about 12 minutes. Remove from rack and place on a cool plate to harden • Combine tomato juice, grated tomatoes and pulp, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, horseradish, black pepper, salt, celery salt and paprika in a bowl and blend well using an immersion blender or whisk Serve: Pour the mix over ice into glasses. Top with vodka and stir with a straw. Garnish with celery, a pickle, and candy bacon. Serve with a hardboiled egg and mustard on the side CHEF NATASHA POGREBINSKY
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