TGIF

Brunch has always been my favorite meal, because it's so many things wrapped into one: breakfast and lunch, a reason to drink cocktails during the day, and most importantly, a chance to catch up with good friends.

One of the reasons I love the warm weather is because it means lots of brunches at outdoor restaurants, like this one. NYC comes alive at the first signs of Spring, and I intend to celebrate every ray of sunshine with bacon, eggs, and a stiff Bloody Mary. Here are some of my favorite brunch treats. If you're feeling domestic, try the recipe for orange and ricotta breakfast dumplings after the photo jump.

Croissants dunked in coffee



Tea with Brooklyn Honey



McClure's Bloody Mary mix with chipotle vodka



Egg sandwich with homemade sausage from Mile End



Orange Ricotta Breakfast Dumplings
Courtesy of Crumpets and Cakes

Ingredients
1 C ricotta cheese
1 C all purpose flour, divided in half
1 medium egg lightly beaten
1 tsp orange zest plus more for garnish

In a medium pot bring to a gentle boil 2 quarts of lightly salted water. In a large bowl mix the ricotta with the egg, add half the flour, and mix it with a spoon to form it into a ball. Add orange zest and more flour--little by little--as needed. The dough will be very sticky, but not wet, and the amount of flour you use will depend on how much moisture is in the ricotta cheese. One cup should be right, so don’t add too much flour as it toughens the dumpling.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and cut in half. With your palms, gently roll it into two long strands about 1/2 an inch thick. With a knife, slice each strand on diagonal into about half inch wide dumplings. This will make approximately 44 dumplings. Transfer all the dumplings to a large pot and boil until they float to the surface, about 10 minutes.

Arrange cooked dumplings on a serving platter or divide into small bowls. Top with butter and orange zest, and serve immediately.