What's the difference between breakfast and brunch?

A Simpsons TV episode described brunch this way: "It's not quite breakfast, it's not quite lunch, but it comes with a slice of cantaloupe at the end." Only we would suggest it comes with a slice of Vermont cheddar cheese at the end!

Brunch is often marketed as a premium meal, typically served in the late morning before lunch, but some restaurants may offer brunch as late as 5 PM. The challenge for a successful brunch becomes, how to distinguish the menu from that of any ordinary diner or pancake house. Simply offering fresh baked muffins and fruit alongside scrambled eggs and home fries at 11:30 in the morning does not constitute brunch any more than a continental breakfast. Hosts of the meal must take action to support the brunch identity, but how?

Certainly Sunday brunch with the family is casual, but if you're hosting a wedding brunch, a pre-sporting event brunch, or a brunch club monthly social, you want the event to be special. There's a few ways we've found to define this special meal: with lively decor, with trendy food options (specialty foods), by offering a unique topic of discussion, or perhaps using the brunch as a fundraiser, book or hobby club.