Autumnal brunch beverage ideas needed
October 19, 2017 6:38 PM Subscribe
What to drink with savory souffle at a sci-fi book club brunch?
I'm hosting friends for brunch on Sunday and planning to serve a gruyere and thyme souffle, and later carrot cake. This group assembles approximately monthly and we usually have coffee and some form of bubbly, but I'd like to branch out. Searching for what to serve with souffle yields endless recommendations for white wine and prosecco--the opposite of what sounds good for a chilly October morning.
I'd prefer something warm, but mulled wine seems too heavy, and coffee with Bailey's is tasty but obvious. Last winter I enjoyed many cups of chai tea with bourbon and orange, that doesn't seem like it will complement the souffle.
I don't have cocktail gear, but my budget can definitely handle a couple of bottles of liquor, if that's the way to souffle bliss.
We're reading Ancillary Justice so buckets of bonus points to anyone with ideas for themed beverages!
I'm hosting friends for brunch on Sunday and planning to serve a gruyere and thyme souffle, and later carrot cake. This group assembles approximately monthly and we usually have coffee and some form of bubbly, but I'd like to branch out. Searching for what to serve with souffle yields endless recommendations for white wine and prosecco--the opposite of what sounds good for a chilly October morning.
I'd prefer something warm, but mulled wine seems too heavy, and coffee with Bailey's is tasty but obvious. Last winter I enjoyed many cups of chai tea with bourbon and orange, that doesn't seem like it will complement the souffle.
I don't have cocktail gear, but my budget can definitely handle a couple of bottles of liquor, if that's the way to souffle bliss.
We're reading Ancillary Justice so buckets of bonus points to anyone with ideas for themed beverages!
These two sound both autumnal and light enough for early-in-the-day imbibing. They're both chilled drinks but the liquor should have a nice warming effect :)
Food & Wine: Stonewall
Food & Wine: Figa
posted by lovableiago at 6:53 PM on October 19, 2017
Food & Wine: Stonewall
Food & Wine: Figa
posted by lovableiago at 6:53 PM on October 19, 2017
Hot toddies are super versatile. Add orange peel/cinnamon sticks/cloves for extra flavor!
posted by Champagne Supernova at 6:56 PM on October 19, 2017
posted by Champagne Supernova at 6:56 PM on October 19, 2017
Simple hot toddy with just a splash of cider: lighter than mulled wine, more neutral than your chai orange bourbon.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:00 PM on October 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:00 PM on October 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
you could alternatively do this with gin. i prefer the bourbon for fall, though. increase the sparkling water to make it closer to a spritz, if you wish.
posted by halation at 7:05 PM on October 19, 2017
posted by halation at 7:05 PM on October 19, 2017
Hot buttered rum in the crockpot is perfect for chilly mornings. Pro tip - have a measured shot glass for the rum.
posted by jointhedance at 7:13 PM on October 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by jointhedance at 7:13 PM on October 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
Warmed hard cider?
posted by jacquilynne at 7:22 PM on October 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by jacquilynne at 7:22 PM on October 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
My coworker made us a cider sangria like this one that was delish.
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 7:32 PM on October 19, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 7:32 PM on October 19, 2017 [2 favorites]
Hot Ginger Tea is refreshing and different. Also, it's non caffeinated, non alcoholic, and ginger helps with digestion.
posted by spinifex23 at 7:42 PM on October 19, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by spinifex23 at 7:42 PM on October 19, 2017 [3 favorites]
Ginger beer. Hot chocolate with cinnamon. Apple cider or hard cider. I'm sad your state doesn't have Aldi because they are all about Autumnal drinking choices right now.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 8:24 PM on October 19, 2017
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 8:24 PM on October 19, 2017
What about just mulled cider? Not hard cider, but non-alcoholic cider.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:14 PM on October 19, 2017
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:14 PM on October 19, 2017
I thought cider as well. Warmed apple cider is lovely for slow sipping, alcoholic or not. One of my favorite alcoholic ciders I've had was a pear cider, which I think would be wonderful with thyme and gruyere.
Mulling spices can be overbearing, but mulling as a process is really flexible. If you take the spices you use in your carrot cake and use whole versions of those for mulling I bet you'd get something light and perfectly paired to the cake.
For those of us who don't want caffeine or booze during brunch, red rooibos tea is delicious and would pair beautifully with both dishes, and imo feels very autumnal.
posted by Mizu at 10:49 PM on October 19, 2017 [2 favorites]
Mulling spices can be overbearing, but mulling as a process is really flexible. If you take the spices you use in your carrot cake and use whole versions of those for mulling I bet you'd get something light and perfectly paired to the cake.
For those of us who don't want caffeine or booze during brunch, red rooibos tea is delicious and would pair beautifully with both dishes, and imo feels very autumnal.
posted by Mizu at 10:49 PM on October 19, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: It's Ancillary Justice. You want something that involves tea.
Hot toddies might work, or just go track down your local tea store and ask for suggestions.
posted by steady-state strawberry at 2:34 AM on October 20, 2017 [3 favorites]
Hot toddies might work, or just go track down your local tea store and ask for suggestions.
posted by steady-state strawberry at 2:34 AM on October 20, 2017 [3 favorites]
We made this mulled cider shrub and liked it a lot. You can mix it with some seltzer or sparkling water, and add booze if you like. Very autumnal and great with cheese :)
posted by Drosera at 4:39 AM on October 20, 2017
posted by Drosera at 4:39 AM on October 20, 2017
Best answer: It's Ancillary Justice. You want something that involves tea.
I would say you want green tea in particular.
I'd offer a couple of varieties of green tea (bagged or loose depending on your tea capabilities) and also have a green tea cocktail available like: Green Tea Whiskey Hot Toddy (scroll down to Whiskey)
posted by carrioncomfort at 7:14 AM on October 20, 2017
I would say you want green tea in particular.
I'd offer a couple of varieties of green tea (bagged or loose depending on your tea capabilities) and also have a green tea cocktail available like: Green Tea Whiskey Hot Toddy (scroll down to Whiskey)
posted by carrioncomfort at 7:14 AM on October 20, 2017
Cheese souffle? Beer, Bloody Marys, Virgin Marys. The pre-made bloody Mary mix is very sweet, which I don't love. There's a V-8 Bloody Mary Mix that is good, or make your own. If you want to go over-the-top, a Bloody Mary Bar with tomato juice, vodka, ice, horseradish, Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces, green and black olives on skewers, olives, celery, celery salt and other herbs, pepper grinder, pepperoncini, and maybe even bacon or other frou-frou garnishes. I don't usually get excited about this-n-that bars, but Bloody Mary bars are kind of awesome. Beer is also an excellent accompaniment to cheese souffle. Coffee sounds like a given, and tea, as well.
posted by theora55 at 10:37 AM on October 20, 2017
posted by theora55 at 10:37 AM on October 20, 2017
Best answer: The title, excerpt, and ongoing discussion in here all make me want to come to this event so very much. It just sounds like my perfect Sunday.
A cocktail with those opening green tea flowers would be very spectacular. I've had this in a bar as an autumn cocktail - a glass with with a mix of plum wine and Japanese whisky. They made the tea in front of you, let you enjoy watching the flower open as it brewed, then poured it in and added a strip of orange peel. It was wonderful! The tea flowers look quite sci-fi in themselves too. For a group you could do the tea in a glass pot. It makes the glass quite hot so you need a nice quality and colour serviette to wrap round the glass, which also looks very pretty and cosy.
posted by tardigrade at 11:06 AM on October 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
A cocktail with those opening green tea flowers would be very spectacular. I've had this in a bar as an autumn cocktail - a glass with with a mix of plum wine and Japanese whisky. They made the tea in front of you, let you enjoy watching the flower open as it brewed, then poured it in and added a strip of orange peel. It was wonderful! The tea flowers look quite sci-fi in themselves too. For a group you could do the tea in a glass pot. It makes the glass quite hot so you need a nice quality and colour serviette to wrap round the glass, which also looks very pretty and cosy.
posted by tardigrade at 11:06 AM on October 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by snaw at 6:50 PM on October 19, 2017