Not quite breakfast and not quite lunch, “brunch” is a late-morning meal that invites you to slow down and savor the flavors.

The Smithsonian Institution traces the published origin of the word to an 1895 article in Hunter’s Weekly, though the custom likely existed before then.

In his piece called “Brunch: A Plea,” author Guy Beringer exuded, “Brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting. It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.”

If you haven’t had brunch lately, April is the perfect time for the occasion: It’s National Brunch Month.

Here’s a recipe for building a bagel bar that allows diners to DIY their own creations.

INGREDIENTS

• Bagels, store bought or homemade
  
  
• Butter
  
  
• A variety of cream cheeses (plain, scallion, lox, etc.)
  
  
• A variety of jams
  
  
• Smoked salmon
  
  
• Cooked bacon
  
  
• Tuna salad
  
  
• Egg salad
  
  
• Scrambled eggs
  
  
• Sliced cucumbers
  
  
• Sliced tomatoes
  
  
• Capers
  
  
• Thinly sliced radishes
  
  
• Scallions
  
  
• Red onion, sliced thinly
  
  
• Fresh dill or chives

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. If you are making the bagels, find a recipe online and bake them the same day as the brunch. If you are buying them at a bakery, pick them up early on the day you are serving them.

2. Buy and prepare the fixings. Slice the veggies and herbs, scramble eggs, cook the bacon, etc.

3. Set the bagels out on boards or platters with all the toppings and let everyone help themselves.

Recipe Card for Brunch Bagel Bar

Sources:
Skinnytaste
The Smithsonian