I Watched Meghan Markle’s New Show, and These Are the 3 Breakfast Tips You Need to Know

For anyone who hasn’t been paying attention to pop culture over the past week, season one of Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan, has officially launched. 

There’s been a lot of huffing and puffing about whether the Duchess of Sussex has the expertise or know-how to teach people about cooking, crafting, and entertaining, which inevitably invites comparison to the most iconic hostess of all time, Martha Stewart. To the critics who claim Meghan can’t compete on the same playing field as this maven, I say: Martha was a stockbroker before she entered the culinary world and never had formal culinary training before launching her catering business. So why can’t Meghan follow a similarly nontraditional path?

Even if you’re the greatest naysayer when it comes to Meghan’s new career, it’s undeniable that her show’s got some delightful moments and fun tips. The Duchess places great emphasis on making others feel welcome, usually with gifts and food, and one of the places she shines the most is when she serves her friends breakfast. 

As someone who sees myself as a bit of a breakfast expert and an enthusiastic host, I even picked up a few new ideas from the morning meals that Meghan creates. Try any of these essential tips the next time you’re hosting a brunch, or simply to make your own breakfast feel more special.

Make your own coffee creamer

While preparing for the arrival of her friend and neighbor Vicky Tsai — who also happens to be the founder of the Japanese beauty and skincare brand Tatcha — Meghan introduces a simple hosting tip I can’t believe I haven’t thought of myself: make your own coffee creamer.

Having coffee at the ready for anyone who comes to visit seems to be a staple part of home hospitality in the United States. I can’t remember a dinner party where my parents didn’t offer everyone coffee after their meal. And although the simple act of making coffee for someone is already kind and hospitable, whipping up a warm and frothy homemade coffee creamer takes it to an even more luxurious level.

Meghan keeps it simple when making her coffee creamer, starting by heating half-and-half on the stove (she notes that you should heat it low and slow to prevent scalding the milk). Pour in sweetened condensed milk for sweetness, adjusting the amount based on your taste. Next, you can optionally toss in a touch of cinnamon or scrape in some fresh vanilla beans if you’d like. Whisk everything thoroughly to blend the sweetened condensed milk, then let it simmer on low heat for a few minutes to infuse the flavors and heat throughout.

Watch it carefully to ensure it doesn’t boil over — although Meghan’s almost does and she says it still tastes great — then decant it into a ceramic creamer jar if you have one, or just a Pyrex measuring cup if you don’t. Regardless, your guests will be impressed.

You can garnish almost anything

Sometimes the difference between a good meal and a great one comes down to the way you present it. Guests will remember a stunning presentation — perhaps they’ll even take photos — and Meghan has some easy ideas for making things look nice without expending a ton of effort.

Early in the season, during episode two, when Meghan hosts actress Mindy Kaling for brunch and a lesson on the art of throwing a child’s birthday party, the Duchess whips up a vegetable frittata with roasted tomatoes and bacon on the side. The secret to making her frittata look stunning in no time? Flower sprinkles. Meghan dusts the top of her frittata, along with many other dishes on the show, including oven-baked doughnuts she makes for Roy Choi, with a sprinkle of colorful, edible flower petals. 

She’ll soon be selling her own flower sprinkles through her new brand As ever, but you can easily purchase these through Amazon and other retailers as well. Flower confetti, or flower sprinkles, typically consist of dried petals from edible flowers like marigolds and roses. Just make sure that you’re purchasing something that’s intended to be used on food.

If you want to decorate your meals without buying flower sprinkles, Meghan demonstrates a knack for making almost everything look nice. Along with the homemade coffee creamer that the former Suits actress whips up for her friend Vicky, she serves some of her favorite store-bought croissants. But these flaky pastries aren’t kept in a cardboard box — instead, the Duchess places them in a basket, adding a sprig of mint and a handful of ripe strawberries alongside them. 

It’s surprising how these simple, fresh garnishes can turn a store-bought croissant into something that shows your guest how much you care. Meghan also suggests spooning some of your jams of choice into small bowls or other vessels for serving, instead of putting the jar they typically come in on the table.

How to perfect a parfait

If there’s any dish that Meghan Markle knows her way around, it’s a yogurt parfait. I suppose this isn’t surprising, considering she’s made fruit preserves her specialty — they pop up regularly throughout the show, and her brand will be selling a raspberry spread — and fruit preserves pair perfectly with yogurt.

Yogurt with fruit, jam, and granola is a foolproof parfait formula, and I’m sure many of us are relying on it during this time of rising egg prices. However, if you present it well, this breakfast staple can be worthy of hosting friends for brunch. To begin, layer your ingredients like Meghan: place jam at the bottom of the bowl or cup, followed by yogurt, and top it off with your fruit and granola (the Duchess prefers raspberries and goji berries in this episode). 

Using fruit preserves as the first layer in the parfait creates a beautiful separation of color, unlike simply spooning some on top, which might blend in with your fruit.

Make sure to use a glass vessel for serving each individual parfait so everyone can see the vibrant layers. You don’t need to own a glass dessert coupe like Meghan — although if you’re the kind of person that has one on hand, go for it — you can also opt for a small glass bowl, Mason jar, or even a rocks glass to hold your picture-perfect parfait.