Planning a brunch to start the new year? Here are three things you might want to serve.
Smoked salmon lox from SeaBear Smokehouse
Anacortes is a small coastal community sitting at the northwest corner of Washington state. If you’ve ever visited the San Juan Islands, you went through the ferry terminal there. Anacortes’ other claim to fame is SeaBear, a small-batch artisan smokehouse producing some of the most delicious smoked salmon we’ve ever tried. We sampled the smoked salmon lox from SeaBear’s Gerard & Dominique brand, created by French chefs Dominique Place and Gerard Parrat. They developed recipes to smoke salmon in the European style — dry cured with sugar, salt and a little spice, and then smoked over a combination of hardwood and fruitwood. The result is luscious, and it doesn’t overwhelm with either salt or smoke. Some of our testers find some smoked salmon to be too salty or too smoky, but it turned out that this was one we all could enjoy.
$14 per 3-ounce package, $25 per 6-ounce package, $50 per 1-pound package. Available at seabear.com/products/signature-european-smoked-salmon-lox.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Rosca de reyes from the Chastain
Pastry chef Christian Castillo of the Chastain went all-out with holiday baking this year. There was chocolate babka for Hanukkah, and sandwich cookies for Christmas. Coming soon is cranberry orange bread for breakfast, and rosca de reyes for Epiphany, the Jan. 6 celebration of the arrival of the three kings. We were lucky enough to try a preview loaf. This olive-oil brioche ring is garnished with tender slices of candied orange, slivered almonds and chunks of rock sugar. And, as if that weren’t enough, it’s filled with pastry cream, a perfect indulgence for the beginning of the new year. We also bet it’s a foreshadowing of what Castillo will dream up for Mardi Gras.
$25. Order by emailing info@thechastainatl.com or calling the restaurant. Bread may be picked up Jan. 6, between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m., at 4320 Powers Ferry Road, Atlanta. 404-257-6416. thechastainatl.com.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Prosecco from La Gioiosa
Some folks think no brunch is complete without a bottle (or several) of prosecco. Most often made in a sparkling style, prosecco also comes in semisparkling and still versions. The sparkling is a popular choice for celebrations, large and small, and generally is appealing for its effervescence and affordability. We sampled Prosecco DOC Treviso from La Gioiosa. The vineyard, run by the Moretti Polegato family in the Treviso province of Italy, is a leader in the production of environmentally friendly wines, and is seeking Biodiversity Friend certification. This prosecco is a lovely straw-yellow color, and is refreshing, with a fruity aftertaste. The bubbles are persistent, so this prosecco holds its appeal to the bottom of the flute.
$14.99 per 750-milliliter bottle. Available from wine.com and drizly.com. lagioiosa.it/en.
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