Chorizo Chilaquiles with Spicy Chipotle Sauce

Chorizo Chilaquiles with Spicy Chipotle Sauce

It’s been a rough week. I don’t care who you are, the first week of September is generally a bummer. The return to routine after months of BBQ, bonfires and pool parties is a touch, um, unpalatable. How can the daily office grind and mountains of homework compete with non-existant bedtimes and second helpings of s’mores? How?! And while it is true that I’ve sidestepped this shared week of suffering by slipping off to Nova Scotia, I am well-acquainted with the September blues. That’s why I offer you these Chorizo Chilaquiles because I imagine you need them. The weekend you thought would never get here is here and you definitely need brunch.

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Loco Moco with Ume Rice & Shiitake Gravy

Loco Moco with Ume Rice and Shiitake Gravy

For as long as I can remember I’ve romanticized Hawaii. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to go but, as of yet, I have never been. Initially, it was the beaches that drew me in. The color palette kills me. The pinks, the greens, the violets, and blues. Just imagining a Hawaiian sunset is enough to make me weak in the knees. But as I grew older and came to the sharp realization that my life would never be Blue Crush, I became fascinated with the cuisine. It makes perfect sense really. I’m not blonde, I can’t surf but I can sure as hell eat.

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Sake Cured Salmon Blinis with Scallion Silver Dollar Pancakes & Seasoned Quail eggs

Sake Cured Salmon Blinis with Scallion Silver Dollar Pancakes and Seasoned Quail Eggs

No, your eyes do not deceive you. These Sake Cured Salmon Blinis are topped with itty bitty seasoned quail eggs. And yes, they are marinated in the same marinade I used for the season chicken eggs in my Cold Shoyu Somen. Do you consider that lazy or thrifty? Smart or cheap? For me, it just makes good sense. Leftovers are an occasionally daunting part of my everyday life. So, when I find an opportunity to give something in my fridge new life, I take it. Particularly if it’s *this* close to sprouting fuzz, at which point I have to decide whether to throw it out or name it. Just an everyday reality when you are inexplicably capable of bonding with inanimate objects. But anyway…

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Sweet Corn Pancakes with Sour Cherry Compote

Sweet Corn Pancakes with Sour Cherry Compote

Brunch is a funny meal. It is one of the only meals that confronts you with a very difficult choice: sweet or savory. Think about it. How often do you ask yourself this question when it comes to lunch or dinner. Sure, tea time can mean anything from sandwiches to Battenburg cake but with tea, you don’t have to choose. Everything is adorably tiny so you can sample everything. But brunch, brunch is a choice. And, if you’re anything like me, it’s a very difficult choice. Hashbrowns or maple syrup, it might be the most difficult decision you can make on Sunday and at 11 AM, potentially while hungover. It’s a lot of pressure, regret is looming behind every menu item. But believe me, when I say, these Sweet Corn Pancakes with Sour Cherry Compote will leave you with anything but.

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