When Nespresso asked me to plan an Easter brunch featuring the Limited Edition SELECTION VINTAGE 2014 coffee, I pictured colourful tulips and white rabbits decorating a table laden with French toast made from my homemade bread and topped with mascarpone cream and caramelized peaches . Alas, like the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, it was all but a dream. With the deadline for this story fast approaching, I realized that I couldn’t pull together white rabbits and tulips AND bake bread, so I settled for a quick trip to Hof Kelsten yesterday for a loaf of fresh Pain de mie followed by a pit-stop at the supermarket for all the other things I would need for an improvised Easter brunch for women on the go. In all, my total time invested was about two and a half hours, including an hour to pick up the bread and groceries, and an hour and a half to set the table and prepare brunch. If you like to entertain, below are my tips for a fancy brunch that’s very easy to pull off. 
If you want to save time, pick up your Pain de mie and other groceries the day before instead of waiting until the last minute. The French call French toast, pain perdu because it’s day old bread or literally, the lost bread which you are able to save by soaking it in an egg and milk mixture before grilling it. I like to add cinnamon and vanilla to my egg and milk mix. 
I spent more time on ironing table cloths and setting the table than actually preparing the meal because to me, presentation is everything. Since I didn’t have time to hunt down tulips, I bought a grocery-store bouquet and deconstructed it into two lovely smaller bouquets. This one I made for the centrepiece and I used the leftover flowers for a second bouquet for the powder room. I love for my guests to be surprised by a bouquet in a place where you least expect one. 
I always have Prosecco on hand and make sure that it’s chilled in a bucket of ice before my guests arrive. As an alternative to a mimosa, I like to serve Bellini – which is especially nice for a spring brunch. It’s simply peach juice instead of orange juice, and you make it with 2 parts Prosecco to 1 part peach juice. To make sure the French toast is still hot when your guests arrive, I place the French toast on a cookie sheet in the oven, on the lowest setting. Instead of whipped mascarpone cream, I just sprinkled the French toast with icing sugar and let my guests pour the amount of maple syrup they desired. Since I didn’t have time to hunt down Easter chocolates, I stopped at the corner store and bought Kinder Surprise eggs, which I unwrapped and placed on each plate. This was my little nod to Easter.
And, of course I served Nespresso‘s Limited Edition SELECTION VINTAGE 2014 coffee in my vintage cups because it’s the simplest, no-mess espresso to serve when you’re entertaining. And, the pretty pink capsules are better than any Easter eggs, if you ask me!This post is sponsored by NESPRESSO – opinions are my own.
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