Gale Gand is sweet on 'Brunch'

Chicago Tribune (MCT) - Pastry queen Gale Gand has just come out with "Brunch! 100 Fantastic Recipes for the Weekend's Best Meal" (Clarkson Potter, $27.50), written with Christie Matheson.

Gand, executive pastry chef and partner at Tru restaurant, hosted the cooking show "Sweet Dreams" on the Food Network for eight years. In her new cookbook, she offers recipes to dazzle guests and provides primers on making brunch classics. Gand also serves up her signature sweet surprises, with recipes such as ginger scones with peaches and cream, orange-date muffins and quick pear-streusel coffeecake.

We recently caught up with the mother of three to talk about why she thinks brunch is the new dinner and how we can put together an impressive brunch.

Q: So why brunch?

A: I had twins four years ago, and I found I just couldn't pull off a dinner party. It was too long, and it excluded my kids too much. But with brunch I could have my kids around, and the food is really flexible.

Q: Is it also a more affordable way to have a festive meal?

A: It is more economical. Maybe the most expensive ingredient will be your eggs, and you can use up bits of leftover asparagus, leftover ham and leftover bread.

Q: What inspired these recipes?

A: When Rick (Tramonto, her ex-husband and business partner) and I were developing Osteria di Tramonto and Gale's Coffee Bar, neither of which is still there, we cooked through tons of breakfast stuff, and we made a lot of pastries for the coffee bar, so many of these recipes come from there.

Q: What are some easy tips to impress people at brunch?

A: I had been doing a lot of colored and flavored ice cubes on my show, and at Tru they are always a hit. You can make cranberry juice ice cubes for lemonade that makes it pink, or lemon ice cubes for hibiscus iced tea or cinnamon ice cubes for iced coffee. My husband hates to waste, so he always makes ice cubes with his leftover coffee for iced coffee and it retains the richness.

Q: Do you have any tips for Easter brunch?

A: I always recommend separating your shopping days from your cooking days. And always choose something that can be made ahead of time ... like baked apple French toast or a strata (think egg-based casserole).

I think my favorite strata (in the book) is the chicken, broccoli, corn, chilies and Jack strata. Make that with the roasted pears with rhubarb and orange.

You could also go with "The In-Laws are Coming! Brunch" menu I have in the book, which is orange-lime juice with grenadine, baked eggs in ham cups and spiced apple-raisin turnovers, which are really easy.

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