Your family likely has its classic Easter staples—ham, scalloped potatoes, and Parker House rolls, perhaps? Tradition is nice and all, but if you’re looking to jazz up the annual celebration, look no further than this easy and elegant Easter brunch menu.

Follow along for a savory (and vegetarian) French toast recipe from Fooducopia chef Richard Glover and sparkling lemon cocktails that take inspiration from Spain by way of Indi & Co. Botanical Mixers and fino sherry. To round out the spread, Glover recommends serving the savory French toast with a side of bacon and fresh fruit.


Savory French Toast

Although Washington Park’s Fooducopia recently underwent a full remodel, the farm-to-table eats and fresh market remain as compelling as ever. Stop by the Fooducopia corner store to pick up some of the farm-fresh eggs (they come from just five miles down the road) and make chef Richard Glover’s genius take on French toast, which swaps hollandaise for maple syrup and employs an array of fresh local products. Each piece of toast will serve one person.

For the hollandaise

6 ounces butter

2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Clarify the butter (you can find detailed instructions on the process here) and set aside. Then combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and water in heat-proof bowl. Whisk vigorously over low heat in a double boiler. Mix for 4 to 5 minutes until thick and frothy. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula so the mixture does not overcook or curdle on edges. Remove from heat and slowly drizzle in the clarified butter, whisking continuously, until sauce is smooth and creamy. Whisk in the lemon zest and lemon juice to taste.

For the batter

eggs

milk (Fooducopia uses local Morning Fresh Dairy)

loaf of brioche bread (Fooducopia uses Boulder Breadworks brioche)

butter

Add pasture-raised eggs with equal parts milk to a bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Cut slices of brioche into 1½ -inch slices and soak bread in egg batter.

Over medium heat, add a bit of butter to a flat top, griddle, or nonstick skillet. Cook the slices of battered brioche until golden brown on each side.

For the topping

2 teaspoons butter

2 1/2 ounces Hazel Dell wild mushrooms (or use a mixture of lion’s mane, cinnamon cap, oyster, and king mushrooms)

1/2 of a medium-size organic tomato

1/2 ounce organic spinach

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Then add the mushrooms. Dice the tomato and add that to the pan. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Sauté for 4 minutes, tossing often. Turn off the heat add the spinach, toss until lightly wilted.

For the assembly

For each serving, cut one piece of French toast in half and place on the plate. Top with a bit of the mushroom, tomato, and spinach mixture. Sprinkle liberally with about 1 1/2 tablespoons Mini Moos chèvre cheese. Drizzle with hollandaise (instead of syrup).

Mediterranean Rendezvous Cocktail

Indi & Co. Botanical Mixers have just landed in Colorado by way of España—and they’re worth seeking out. These tonics, which come in flavors like lemon and orange, are eons better than your grocery store variety. The lemon flavor called for in this cocktail is distilled with yuzu, calamansi, and orange blossom, and it brings a transcendentally fragrant note to the drink. Track down Indi at Englewood’s Warehouse Liquor Mart, Lafayette’s Atlas Valley Wine & Spirits, or Wheat Ridge’s Applejack Wine & Spirits.

1 ounce gin (we like using Peak Spirits’ CapRock gin)

1/2 ounce fino sherry

1/2 ounce lemon juice

3/4 ounce simple syrup

Indi Limón Tonic for topping off

Combine ingredients in a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a cucumber ribbon.

Callie Sumlin
Callie Sumlin
Callie Sumlin is a writer living in Westminster, and has been covering food and sustainability in the Centennial State for more than five years.