South Beach Meets Southern Cooking at Trisha Yearwood's Down-Home Festival Brunch
The beauty of brunch is that there's no need to decide in which direction you want to take the meal — sweet, savory, breakfast or lunch — instead, just enjoy all of the above (and perhaps a cocktail as well). That was the scene this morning on Day 4 of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival; after a weekend of late-night soirees and beachside bashes, festivalgoers woke up to the promise of an epic feast at Trisha's Southern Kitchen Brunch, featuring a down-home menu of Southern classics from chefs across the country.
"I just love it. This is my fourth time hosting this brunch, and it's just fun," Trisha told FN Dish when we caught up with her at the brunch inside the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. "I get to meet everybody a little bit and tell them about the food." As she mingled with guests and snapped photos with her eager fans, she took in the sight of dishes being served at her station, which ultimately included a seemingly complete mini brunch in itself. Grit cakes finished with corn (pictured top), crispy hash browns with tender scrambled eggs, biscuit brisket sandwiches, individual Buttermilk Strawberry Skillet Cakes (pictured above) and even a bourbon cocktail — it was all up for grabs at Trisha's tables.
Of course when Trisha is on hand, you can be sure there will be not just food but also music to enjoy. The country superstar, who took a brief break from her concert tour with husband Garth Brooks to join the Festival, took the stage alongside her bandmates and wowed fans with a set list of familiar favorites and newer tunes alike.
You know the meat sides you usually see at brunch, like short sausage links or lonely bacon strips? They were nowhere to be found this morning. Instead, fried chicken joined the party as a hearty option, and it was indeed a main dish all its own. Frederic Delaire of the Loews Miami Beach Hotel lacquered the chicken (pictured above) with a tangy orange glaze, and he served it alongside charred watermelon wedges.
Bulldog BBQ's Howard Kleinberg showcased meat, too, though this North Miami eatery served succulent short ribs alongside a rich etouffee made with shrimp (pictured above).
Brendan Connor from WHISK Gourmet Food & Catering put a seafood spin on a brunch classic — eggs Benedict — with the addition of blue crab. This luxurious seafood was formed into a moist crab cake (pictured above) and served on a tortilla.
Among the representatives for the sweet side of brunch this morning, Karl Worley from Nashville's Biscuit Love Brunch dished out French toast, and in true Southern fashion, it was made with biscuits instead of traditional sliced bread. These light, golden biscuit halves (pictured above) were nestled atop a not-too-sweet blueberry sauce and finished with a creamy topping of lemony mascarpone.
Keep coming back to FN Dish for more insider coverage of the 2016 South Beach Wine & Food Festival.
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