‘I hate people who are not serious about meals. It is so shallow of them.’

Oscar Wilde; ‘The importance of Being Earnest’, 1895

The portmanteau word ‘brunch’ has a very modern ring to it. It sounds like a 20th century concoction, similar in origin to words like ‘infotainment’ and ‘advertorial’, all designed to denote a working combination of two activities or items. Like the cringy ‘spork’, a combination spoon and fork, or the equally ungainly ‘skort’, an item of clothing that is part skirt, part shorts, a portmanteau word differs from a compound word, like ‘starfish’ for instance, which uses the entirety of the two combined words – a portmanteau is a blend of the words, both (or more than two – think ‘turducken’) truncated to form a new word.

But back to ‘brunch’. You may be surprised to learn that the word has actually been around since 1895; coined in England by a writer at Punch magazine (predictably) to describe the ideal meal for people who were ‘Saturday-night carousers’. We would know them as Party Animals in current terminology, and any party animal will agree that ‘the post-church ordeal of heavy meats and savoury pies’ normally consumed at Sunday lunchtime as described by the bilious-sounding author, was not agreeable to the hungover constitution. Why not, asked that author, ‘a new meal, served around noon, that starts with tea or coffee, marmalade and other breakfast fixtures before moving along to the heavier fare?’ Why not indeed, and brunch was born. Very popular at hotels, college and university residences (of course) and, oddly, the military. Not to mention with party animals.

Why, you may ask, this sudden focus on a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch, or déjeuner-buffet as the French connoisseurs know it. An easy – and exciting – answer: Waterfront Charters are launching a brand new cruise option on the 24h April, and this focusses on the celebration that is known as brunch. In conjunction with those superb people at Martini Prosecco, we are sallying forth aboard our supremely luxurious catamaran Enigma, loaded to the gunwales with brunch delights and an endless supply of Prosecco based Mimosa cocktails, and no doubt a host of happy guests. The Waterfront Charters Mimosa Brunch Cruise is about to be added to list of must-do activities in Cape Town, and we can’t wait to untie the mooring ropes! Our dictionary definition of ‘brunch’ includes the weighty statement ‘normally accompanied by an alcoholic beverage’. Who are we to argue with tradition? Jugs of iced Mimosa will ensure that no bruncher goes thirsty as they partake of the gourmet fare we will be serving.

Talking of which…feast your eyes (eyes for now – appetite later) on this array of brunch delights, all lovingly prepared and supplied by Raw Catering, our expert catering partner:

Bagel:
Smoked Salmon, Dill-Cream Cheese ,Cucumber & Red Onion
Bite Size Benedict:
Poached Egg, Baby Spinach & Chive Hollandaise
Filled Croissants:
Caprese / or Macon*, Lettuce & Tomato
Rosti Bites:
Smashed Avo, Fresh Lemon & Toasted Sesame Seeds
Toasted Mini English Muffin Camembert:
Caramelised Onion & Wild Rocket
Quiche:
Spinach, Sun Dried Tomato & Feta

Lip-smacking at any time or place, but aboard a luxury catamaran, cruising gently for a full two hours on the Atlantic Ocean with the perfection of the Cape coastline in view, accompanied by iced Mimosas: unbeatable.

And that, as they say in the classics, is not all! Add to the mix the incredible musical magic of internationally acclaimed DJ Dino Moran, who goes to great lengths to ensure the style and tempo of music matches the mood of his audience. A DJ who has played for no less than 39 world presidents (including our own Nelson Mandela, of course), Dino has a musical CV that matches the best in the world. Dino is one of the true leaders in modern music and believes that his legacy should be created by word of mouth based on hard work and exceptional performance. We are proud to have him aboard as we launch our Brunch Cruises.

So! Get clicking on the Waterfront Charters Mimosa Brunch Cruise icon on the website and join us for the maiden voyage of this delightful cruise. We can’t wait to welcome our guests aboard with a flute of Mimosa Cocktail, brimming with delicious Prosecco!