This is my favorite time of year, and Mother’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. I usually have a long relaxing brunch, filled with good food good cocktails as a way to celebrate Mom on her special day.
A lot of restaurants offer brunches and dinner specials, and those are okay, but you don’t always have the choices you want and it’s usually crowded (Mother’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants), so a few years back, I started just hosting my own. It’s less expensive and more relaxing and an overall good time for all.
I try not to do things that are overly complicated, and usually try to stick to more breakfast like items, although I have served flatbreads and panini sandwiches in the past, and these worked extremely well. I like to keep it to things I can do ahead as much as possible, that way I can enjoy spending time with my mom and the rest of the family while the food is going.
I’ve found that you can still have a good time without overworking yourself, and you can definitely eat good food without spending a fortune or making dishes that not everyone will love. There’s a reason you often see eggs and pancakes at brunches. People love them.
Some things I like to serve:
Homemade Belgian waffles with fresh berries and vanilla whipped cream
Various quiches and fritattas; this year I’m going to do an Italian-inspired one with spinach, tomatoes, aged Parmesan and oil cured olives
Homemade scones. I have two favorites: A deep dark chocolate one and a Meyer lemon with fresh cranberries.
Good coffee made in the French press, various teas and homemade juices, and of course cocktails.
I usually do a signature cocktail for my brunch in addition to a few classics like Bloody Mary’s. I’ve done martinis, to various mimosa’s and bellini’s with much success. This years is a lemon spiked sweet tea, garnished with fresh basil. I got the idea after going to a brunch at my favorite restaurant. I experimented, and changed a things, but the results are delicious.
No matter what you decide to do for Mother’s Day, just make sure it’s safe and a lot of fun.
Lemon Basil Spiked Ice Tea
Lemon-Basil Spiked Sweet Tea
8 cups water
7 black tea bags
1 1/2 cups sugar
Juice from about 4 lemons
1 cup high proof golden rum
Lots of fresh basil leaves, left intact
Bring half of the water to boil and add your tea bags. Steep them for about 5 minutes, and remove. Add the sugar and stir the tea until it’s dissolved. Transfer the tea to a pitcher and stir in your lemon juice and the rum. Add some fresh basil leaves and chill in the fridge to let the flavors meld. Serve in ball jars or your favorite glasses over ice, and garnish with lemon wedges and more fresh basil.
Do you have any traditions for Mother’s Day?
