Happy Mother’s Day

In my experience, Mother’s Day has always included some sort of breakfast celebration – a fancy brunch in the city, a decadent spread at home, and usually a mimosa or two.  I don’t know why we associate Mother’s Day with breakfasts — perhaps because it falls always on a Sunday, or because we want to celebrate our mother first thing in the morning.  Maybe it is because on regular mornings she is usually the first one awake, making everyone’s coffee and eggs, and on this special day we want to beat her to the punch and treat her for a change.

Whatever the reason, we continued the tradition this past Mother’s Day with a multi-course buffet of savory and sweet breakfast treats.  My brother Alex, his girlfriend Claire, and I went all out, riffing on some recipes and meticulously following some others.  The menu, which was fabulous from start to finish, included: 

Strawberry and blackberry salad which I coated with a minted simple syrup (mix 1 part water to 1 part sugar in a small saucepan.  Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved.  Add mint leaves to taste and puree in a blender until smooth) and garnished with a mint chiffonade;

These savory scones, which I split and filled with chive creme fraiche and smoked salmon;

These sweet scones, made with orange zest and dried cranberries;

Prosciutto-wrapped and parmesan-coated roasted asparagus spears;

and Mini Leek, Mushroom and Bacon Quiches, a slight variation on this Smitten Kitchen recipe, made in muffin tins.  I would recommend any and all of the above dishes — they were all fabulous!

I thought the spread looked excessive for only 5 people, but all we had left were 2 asparagus spears, 3 mini quiches and a couple of cranberry scones.  I think I left my mom sated until next year…