Actividades: «To be fashionable nowadays, we must brunch», proclaimed the British weekly Punch in 1896. The headline referred to the latest gastronomic fashion imported straight from the Big Apple: the brunch; a fusion between breakfast and lunch, and a very “cool” option to lunch which combines liquids and solids, such as fruit juice and coffee, with buns and toast, eggs, bacon, salmon and different types of meat. Brunch has become the perfect culinary formula for meetings. The protocol to be followed for a brunch in a meeting is: use auxiliary tables where food will be served together with the necessary “elements” (crockery, cutlery, etc.); for bigger meetings held in a hotel (such as congresses or seminars) brunch will be served in a separate room where everything will be ready for the break; if the meeting takes place in a company or other kind of facilities where there is no cafeteria service, hire a private room in a nearby hotel or restaurant (if the budget allows it, theme the venue emulating the decorations of the Waldorf or the Astoria to create a real ‘brunch atmosphere’). Nowadays, brunch is seen as a modality of free buffet with a flexible timetable (in fact time flexibility is the key of its success, although usually brunch is served from 11 am to 2 pm), which many hotels and restaurants have already adopted. The advantages of a brunch for a meeting are many: attendants don’t have to fight to stay awake during the session with the after-heavy-lunch effect. A wide selection of food variety is available where one can choose light meals or heavier courses, and for those who have missed the morning breakfast, they don’t have to wait till lunch to get their bite. It could be constructive where the meeting can combine two breaks: a mid-morning coffee break and lunch into one session. Here are some brunch varieties to treat your attendants with an original bite in your next meeting: Traditional Brunch According to the New York tradition, the original brunch consists of Bloody Mary, coffee and Benedict eggs (poached and served on toast with bacon and Hollandaise Sauce). As Bloody Mary can be a bit too strong for a meeting break, serve tomato juice without alcohol. French style Why not apply the sophistication of French cuisine in brunch? There are various options of French brunch, some more traditional, such as brunch with eggs alla bourguignonne (cooked in red wine, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, crushed garlic and Bourguignonne sauce), or quiche lorraine, shrimp or crab quiche brunch. For a more sophisticated touch, serve traditional French toast and jazz it up with hot chocolate and fresh strawberries. Japanese brunch Although a strange combination at first sight, Asian cuisine gathers tasty bites that can be perfect for a brunch, especially for those who like a salty palate. Get inspiration from traditional Japanese breakfast with fish and rice, miso soup and serve green tea together with rice sprinkled with black sesame seeds, and small plates of salmon cooked in sesame oil and peanut oil served with pickled Japanese vegetables. Another option is to start the brunch with a bowl of miso soup with tofu and wakame (seaweed) in it. Alla italiana Italian cuisine is also a good option for a brunch. Some suggestions are potato and onion fritatta (both ingredients are cooked in olive oil and mixed with prosciutto ham, eggs and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, which is served at room temperature; aubergine quiche with tomatoes and olives brunch, or Calzone brunch: pizza dough turnovers filled with sausages, mushrooms and Parmiggiano cheese, or with a combination of red, green and yellow peppers with prosciutto ham. Chinese Brunch To awaken the five senses and surprise with an exotic brunch, get inspired in Chinese cuisine and serve a variety of small dishes, such as prawn and ginger brochettes, Thailand rolls or Dim Sum, noodles with shitaki mushrooms, bamboo shoots and beef, and mango, lychees and rambutan salad. To drink, serve rose tea with brown sugar, or other Chinese teas for a healthy and digestive brunch.