Mother’s Day is all about expressing our love and gratitude to Mom, traditionally in the form of handmade gifts, breakfast foods, and floral arrangements. Teenagers are usually pretty good at navigating the festivities on their own, but in a house with young children, it’s Dad who will be doing the heavy lifting when it comes to showering Mom with attention.
So listen up, Dad! Here is a checklist for creating a perfect Mother’s Day brunch.
STEP 1: Let Mom Sleep
… and greet her with a beverage whenever she makes her appearance from the bedroom. You could look up a fancy drink recipe, but it’s easier to pour her a glass of sweet, fruity Fissata. Hand her the drink and tell her how particularly beautiful she looks this morning, and you’re already off to a great start.
Oh, and you need Mom to sleep late, because you’ve got work to do.
STEP 2: Set the Mood
A beautiful meal needs a beautiful table. Paying attention to this part of the morning will let Mom know you’ve crafted a special experience for her.
– Over the top: Mismatched china teacups on stacks of antique books of varying levels, each with a single Gerbera daisy blossom floating inside.
– Just lovely: Lace tablecloth and a bouquet of flowers in a vase.
– Gets the job done: A cleared off and clean table (for most moms of young kids, this is a rare luxury). Adding a single flower at Mom’s place would be sweet.
Now, get out some art supplies and occupy the kids with card-making while you prepare the meal.
STEP 3: Make Brunch
There are lots of ways to do this right; the menu itself is not nearly as important as the fact that Mom didn’t have to make it. And she gets to eat it while sitting down at the table with a glass of wine!
If you are confident in the kitchen, the brunch classic, Eggs Benedict, is a hit with a buttery chardonnay like Zeffer Hills, which will also match the rich, creamy texture of cheesy quiche or savory crepes. The lightly sweet Calamity Sue is a great foil to the heat in huevos rancheros and other spicy favorites.
Tanglerose Backyard Red should be your “go to” for breakfast meats – it’s stellar with bacon, sausage, or ham. Mix some OJ with Confetti, a sparkling moscatel, for a delicious partner for a variety of sweet breads: waffles, French toast, cinnamon rolls, and muffins will all taste better with Confetti’s refreshing bubbles.
If you’d rather not do the cooking yourself, liven up bakery croissants and jam, coffee shop lemon pound cake, or fresh fruit from the market with sweet and floral Beeline.
STEP 4: Top it Off
After eating, pour Mom another glass of Fissata and send her into the living room to cuddle with the kids and enjoy their cards while you clean up the kitchen. This step is essential. Even if you do nothing but hand Mom a donut and a cup of coffee as she comes out of the bathroom, you must, must, must clean the kitchen. Period.
That’s all there is to it, Dad. Just follow these steps and the result will be a thoroughly happy mom on Mother’s Day! If you do a nice job and are especially lucky, Mom will repay the favor on Father’s Day with a tender steak and a glass of Whiskers Red Blend.