Though I’ve been a mother for quite some years (27 and counting since you ask), I still think of Mother’s Day mostly as an occasion to celebrate my own brilliant Mum. If you are lucky enough to be spending the day with the very best woman in your life, here’s how to treat her.
Put those childhood memories of a wobbly tea tray at ridiculously early o’clock, featuring an undercooked boiled egg and some cornflakes, behind you. We have a very different breakfast in mind. And we’re really all about the visuals. Here is a Mother’s Day Wake Up Call:
Set your tray with a tea towel or napkin (we used a Bungalow kitchen cloth), a pretty plate (Bordallo or Costa Nova). And pick a bunch of Spring flowers from the garden (anemones are the perfect foil for this soft green set up) and put them in a vase or glass (Arcucci tumbler is perfect). I think it’s good to keep the food simple (croissant or toast and delicious jam). Breakfast in bed is a lovely idea but it can be a bit lonely, and a bit of a practical challenge, eating a full English under the duvet.
You’re celebrating your mum. But I think we’re sort of all celebrating Spring too. Keep the colours cheery and bright. We took our lead from a haul of daffodils, white anemones and early clematis from the garden. And, back to my colour theory from an art history degree hundreds of years ago, we used yellow’s not quite complementary opposite, blue. Keep the feeling loose. There’s nothing precious about this table lay. Switch up the candlesticks with a mismatched pair. Ditto the candles. We used a set of Perigord wine glasses but added in a bright tumbler. A Vaisselle vase adds a chunky counterpoint to the glass and plain white china. Piccolo seeds make perfect table favours and there’s all sorts of scope to pick a colour to match your table scheme. We’ve gone for a marigold mix.
Needing very little excuse to practice my baking (and eating) skills I set about researching the tea time element of this story by trying out the new Istria cookbook by Paola Bacchia. Get involved in her delicious recipe for Almond & Coffee Cake (Torta di mandorle e caffé if you will) which she describes as a humble version of a Hapsburg style Hungarian layer cake. It’s just the right side of indulgent to eat, not too pfaffy to make and special enough to serve to your very favourite mum. Please serve on a cake stand for maximum effect.
We’ve put together a cheeky gift guide for Mother’s Day. If you have all your catering requirements sorted; if you’ve picked the garden clean of flowers; if you’ve layed the table to within an inch of its life and you’re still looking for inspiration for gifts: this way please.
