Making a full English special

[secondhoneymoon]

I'm cooking breakfast for a friend's special birthday. She's asked for full English which I'm happy to do. Any ideas for making it special (either the food or table decors other than birthday decor). She's pregnant so won't touch alcohol even a Buck's Fizz. Any thoughts appreciated thanks

Ooh laaahvly! I'd go with posh bread, maybe sourdough grilled, and if you do a few cherry tomatoes cooked in the oven still attached to the vine it makes it look quite fancy. Maybe use a poached duck egg to make it different? God I'm hungry.

Sausage and bacon from the butcher instead of supermarket. Always so much more tasty.,

Thank you both - oh yes, roasted cherry vine tomatoes - that's the sort of idea I'm after. Generally buy bacon and sausage from butchers - agree Lucky, so much better.

If you feel up to it, maybe ask how she wants to have her eggs served (fried, scrambled, poached - or perhaps even baked / en cocotte)?

I know it's not to everyone's taste but good quality black pudding is delicious in a proper English breakfast.

Sounds a lovely treat OP

Some lovely portobello mushrooms, grilled or fried.

Serve tomato juice with a little tray of condiments, Lee & Perrins, Tabasco sauce, celery salt, sea salt, cayenne pepper etc for a mix your own Virgin Mary.

Instead of Bucks Fizz, elderflower presse served in a champagne flute with a strawberry or two in the glass.
Or a tropical juice such as guava in a martini glass with a fruit garnish on the rim.

Toasted pepper/cheese muffin instead of fried bread.

Potato rosti, you can probably get these frozen to heat in the oven.

Instead of eggy bread make eggy crumpet.

Roast vine tomartoes

Good quality bacon and sausages

Duck eggs (could scrambled them with cream if she prefers)

Use some lovely fresh bakers bread for toast, with proper butter

You could put Apple juice, elederflower cordial and sparking water in a champagne glass. Or pineapple juice and sparkling water

They've already been said, but another vote for roasted cherry vine tomatoes and posh bread - have you got a griddle pan? If so, griddled sourdough (so you get the stripes on it).

Also posh orange juice would be good? You could even get fizzy grape juice (Asda for example do alcohol-free muscat) and do a non-alcohol bucks fizz?

Posher mushrooms (e.g.Chestnut or wild)?

Cakes of bubble and squeak.

Great ideas here just a few suggestions about the table.

Rolls of butter make things look so much posted and are easy to do.

Couple of nice jars of jam / marmalade

Fresh juice in a jug.

If you want to do a virgin morning cocktail then decorated glasses with fresh fruit.

Maybe different types of toast / bread in a basket

I tend to serve all the ingredients in nice dishes - that way people can taliour their preferences.

Ketchup / Brown Sauce in bowls with spoons looks so much nicer than bottles

Warm plates

Side plates for the toast

Sounds like a lovely way to celebrate a birthday

Really good bacon. Our local butchers is good, but theres a farm shop locally which has totally and utterly epic home cured bacon.

I like fried new pots with a full english, really good butter (pref with salt crystals), lovely marmalade (pref from the WI or other small batch produced), maybe a choice of jam.

You sound like a fab friend!

Lots of great suggestions here, I love the DIY Virgin Mary idea.

Is it just you and her or a group? I would check with her if there is anything she doesn't like, you don't have to give away what you are planning exactly, but if you asked me I'd say no beans or tomatoes (apart from the Virgin Mary) and no to marmalade and jam. Marmite would be my choice - maybe see if you can get one of those heart shaped pods of it that you get in hotels.

You could take all the advice above to make it really good quality, cooked perfectly, served with lovely drinks......

Or you could just do a normal one but serve it in a shovel for cool hipster purposes which no-one will understand [

And Black Pudding.......keep her iron levels up!

She knows about it as I offered her lunch or brunch and she said full English would be great. Lots of fabulous ideas, thank you all, I think I could probably combine lots of them!

Thanks, very much appreciated.

Have a great time, what a lovely thing to do for your friend.