Brunch borrows flavors from Southeast Asia

A CHEERY weekend brunch provides a most civilized platform for outdoor eating, especially when the dishes can be prepared almost entirely ahead. When all you have to do before you wish to eat are simple assembly jobs, you are left to fill the role of laidback (dare I say glamorous?) brunch hostess.

The menu here, skewed to Southeast Asia, does not pretend to be authentic but borrows fresh, vibrant flavors from there.

Delicate omelets, peppered with fresh herbs and sharpened with tamarind, are cooked a few hours ahead and then cooled. They are destined as wraps for warm, shredded duck, along with a dab of hoisin sauce, rice noodles, plenty more herbs and a few spears of cucumber and scallion for crunch.

A snappy crab and melon salad can be chopped in advance and kept chilled, ready to be doused with a hot, sweet-and-sour dressing before serving.

For coffee and sweet in one, offer a Zen and sophisticated take on the ice cream sundae born of both the Vietnamese cafe sua da — espresso dripped over condensed milk — and the Italian affogato — espresso poured over ice cream.

In my book, artfully piled groups of cutlery and tumblers say, “It’s brunch, it’s a holiday, and we’re all relaxed,” far more loudly than a formally laid table ever could. Cluster them together with a vase of fresh flowers and a selection of drinks, ready for your guests to help themselves.

When it comes to beverages, I hardly need mention the obvious fresh juices, mimosas, teas and coffees you could offer, but, for an incredibly refreshing addition, I like to steep aromatics in cool water for an hour or so before serving. Think pared strips of cucumber or citrus zest, slices of root ginger, fresh mint, Thai basil or lemon verbena leaves. Stuff them into glass pitchers as a single flavor, or in any combination you like, and add plenty of ice. They look beautiful on any table.