Family Brunch – Jewish Style

It’s a meal I never get tired of – the fish brunch. It’s the family meal you have when everyone gets together on a weekend morning, either for Mother’s Day (like today) or someone’s birthday, or just because you’re all in the same place at the same time.

I suppose every Jewish family has their version of the fish brunch, and this is Mr TBTAM’s family’s –

• Nova (that’s the good lox)
• Sable (if you’re lucky)
• Whitefish salad
• Creamed herring with onions (and/or chopped herring)
• Cream cheese (plain or with chives, sometimes both)
• Bagel (like fish, the plural is the same as the singular, and sometimes preceded by the word “the”)
• Sliced tomato and onion
• Kugel (homemade only)
• Olives
• Sometimes blintzes instead of kugel, but usually just kugel
• Lots of coffee and orange juice.

In the past few years, we’ve added an amazing item to the meal – lobster salad from Sable’s. Of course, it’s not Kosher, but neither is Mr TBTAM’s family. And I’m telling you, the stuff is like heroin…

Today we also had Nancy’s homemade yogurt (excellent with the kugel) and ginger cake with whipped cream for her birthday. If it’s one of the kid’s birthdays, it’ll be the chocolate chip cake. And if it’s Mr TBTAM’s birthday weekend, they’ll be a sour cream coffee cake instead of the Kugel.  (One of these days I’ll have to post that sour cream coffee cake recipe…) A little fresh fruit is nice too.

How to make a fish brunch

You’ll need a supplier of fine fish. Sable’s and Russ & Daughter are our faves, but if we lived on the Upper West Side, it’d be Zabar’s or Barney Greengrass. If you’re in Philly, head to Abe’s & Sons. (Irene – feel free to add more recommendations in the comments.) If you decide to branch out and experiment with a new fish supplier, be prepared to discuss the relative merits of their whitefish salad compared to others you have known.

You’ll also need great bagels. For us, that’s H&H or Hot&Fresh Bagels or better yet, have Irene bring them up from Rolings Bakery in Philly. But bagels are a very personal thing, and you should buy the ones you love the best.

Finally, you’ll want to have a knock-’em dead recipe for Kugel. Make it that morning so it’ll still be warm when you serve it.

Serving the fish brunch

You’ll be serving everything except the dessert cake family style. Arrange the sliced Nova and sable nicely on a big platter. Warm the bagel in the oven and slice before serving them up in a big bowl. Cut the kugel into little squares and serve on a pretty plate. Serve the whitefish and lobster salads, herring and cream cheese in their plastic containers. (If it’s a special occasion, you can serve them in nice little bowls, but don’t get too carried away.) Bring out the coffee pot and OJ and call everyone to the table to eat.

Take your time eating, and be prepared to be asked repeatedly to pass something or other. Save some lobster salad for someone else.

Serve the birthday or coffee cake after you’ve finished eating, cleared the table and sat around drinking coffee for awhile. You’ll slice the cake up and serve everyone on a nice little plate. Have some more coffee

After the fish brunch

Clean up is easy. Put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher, wrap the fish well and distribute leftovers if anyone is heading out. If you’re still staying together for the afternoon, plan something nice to do together.

But don’t stray too far from a fresh water supply – you’ll be thirsty.