When planning a brunch, it is important to pay special attention to the side dishes to ensure that they are appropriate choices for the main courses. For instance, serving corn on the cob with quiche and frittata
is not necessarily the best choice, but serving the same corn with grilled meat kabobs would be extremely enjoyable. Everything else can be fine on the table, but one small detail like serving the wrong side dish can make or break a meal.
Think of it this way: side dishes should complement the entrées, not detract from them. Start by setting a menu and identifying the main courses before trying to determine what sides would work best, and then look for flavors that
will blend nicely on a plate.
Some popular side dishes include plain steamed or grilled vegetables, fruit or fruit salad. Rice dishes like fried rice, rice pilaf or Spanish rice taste great with a wide array of entrées. Garden salads, pasta salads and potato salads are perfect
with lunch type dishes while breakfast fare often sees bacon, sausage and grilled ham slices on the side along with toast and hash browns. Pastas like pasta in herbed butter sauce, pesto pasta and macaroni and cheese can also be found on brunch menus.
Chinese dim sum dishes like wantons, crab Rangoon and teriyaki steak or chicken are tasty sides that are appropriate not only for an oriental theme but also for other lunch type brunch menus. There are many possibilities for side dishes, and choosing
the right ones will add the final details to the table and make guests glad they came.
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