Since leaving home and braving the life of an independent “adult” at university I have certainly come to appreciate the true luxury of home comforts. Indeed, although half-way through my second year, the prospect of jumping on the first train home and snuggling up with a cup of tea and a big hug from mum often seems like the only antidote to “essay blues”. Thus I feel it only right that I pay homage to just how fabulous my mum really is; yes people for one day and one day only it is our turn to pamper our mums. I have come up with the ultimate guide to treating your mummy this mother’s day.
Deviating somewhat from my usual ramblings, I’m setting aside the ‘our bodies are temples’ mantra and instead turning my attention to mums! It is the one day of the year where our wants and needs are irrelevant; below are my ultimate five ways to pamper mums this mother’s day.
Start the day sunny side up with Breakfast
I believe that clichés exist solely as the result of brilliance and therefore make it my mission to wholeheartedly embrace them. However the clichéd ‘breakfast in bed’, whilst the go to inspiration for many of us planning on a pamper session, may not hold the same luxurious connotations for our hardworking mums as it does for us.
So avoid the toast crumbs and butter smudges on the bed sheets that she washed and ironed just yesterday and instead create a beautiful breakfast spread at the table. A big bunch of flowers and the whole family together, for once not caught up in the usual morning chaos that threatens to undo many houses every other day of the year, will be much appreciated.
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Give a gift of indulgence
The best present ‘givers’ in the world, mum’s are nevertheless the most difficult to buy for. Any attempt at drawing a suitable gift suggestion out of them usually results in one steeped in practicality; such as a Filofax?! (my mum’s latest request)…
This mother’s day…go mad…get something completely random and out of the blue that neither you nor your mum would ever think of buying normally. Such a gift will be memorable and much appreciated.
Quality time outdoors
Mums lives are so busy they rarely get time to think about themselves. For so many mums things as simple as going for a walk or doing some exercise get side-lined. Sure they spend the best part of every Saturday (and in my mum’s case every other day of the week) bouncing on the balls of their feet on the side-line of a football/hockey/lacrosse/rugby pitch within a hundred mile radius or twitching on the balcony at swimming galas but they never get the chance to really get involved for themselves.
My mother’s day solution; go for a really long, exhausting walk. I know it may not seem the most appealing of pampering inspirations but not only will you both feel the benefits of the physical activity outdoors you will also get some much needed quality time together. If you need further motivation, plan your route so that it ends at a cozy country pub!
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Everyone loves afternoon tea!
Afternoon tea; the ultimate feel good indulgence! Such is the mix of sophistication and childish delight that surrounds the classic British afternoon tea that it becomes irresistible the vast majority of us, therefore a perfect mother’s day treat embracing ‘putting the child at the heart of everything’.
But we are all students here; our purses our light, our bank balances lacking and our piggy banks full of 2 pence pieces. ‘Splashing the cash’ on something as frivolous as afternoon tea is a painful thought…so make your own?!
The Cake
Nothing beats a classic Victoria sandwich. Here is my fool-proof recipe with an added edge of sophistication and nutrition (well I consider the blueberries to counteract the other ingredients).
Ingredients
– 150g Butter (softened)
– 200g Caster sugar (a mixture of golden and normal)
– 50g natural yoghurt
– 4 eggs beaten
– 150gg Self-Raising Flour
– 50g ground hazelnuts
– 1 tsp baking powder
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– ¾ tsp almond extract
– 75g blueberries
– 75g plain chocolate chips
– 3 tbsp blueberry conserve
– Juice of ½ lemon
– 2tbsp maple syrup
– Icing sugar for dusting
Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C and prepare a standard cake tin
2. In a medium bowl sift the flour and baking powder, mix in the ground hazelnuts
3. Then in a separate large bowl cream the butter and sugar together (preferably using an electric mixer) until light and fluffy
4. Add the vanilla and almond extract to the beaten egg
5. To the butter mixture add 1/3 of the egg – beating until fully combined
6. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture – mix until combined
7. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all of the egg and flour is incorporated
8. Fold in the blueberries and chocolate chips to the mixture
9. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and bake in the pre-heated oven for 40-45 mins
10. Leave the cake in the tin for about 10 minutes then remove from the tin and leave to cool completely on a wire rack
11. Mix the lemon, maple syrup and icing sugar in a bowl and put to one side
12. Once the cake is completely cool – cut in half and brush each half with the syrup
13. Spread the blueberry conserve onto the bottom layer of the cake and sandwich together
14. Dust the cake with icing sugar and serve with single cream or crème fraiche (if liked)
The Sandwich
A dainty sandwich is a MUST at any Afternoon tea extravaganza; here are some healthy twists on classic combinations…
– Smoked salmon on rye with a white bean and horseradish spread – mash 100g of white beans (preferably cannelloni) with a teaspoon of horseradish sauce, add seasoning to taste. Spread a thin slice of rye bread with bean mixture and top with strips of smoked salmon. Serve with a sprig of dill and strips of cucumber
– Egg, avocado and cress in a mustard dressing on wholemeal toasts – Hard boil 2 free range eggs, once cooled mix together with 2 teaspoons of wholegrain mustard, ½ a mashed avocado and cress – season with salt and pepper then pile onto bite sized pieces of wholemeal toast
– Baby Asian style prawn cocktail pittas – mix 75g prawns with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, pinch of chilli powder, 3 tablespoons of beansprouts, squeeze of lemon juice, teaspoon of honey, small knob of ginger (minced) and some shredded spinach leaves and heap into lightly toasted mini wholemeal pitta breads
The Scone
A British staple, and a winner with everyone, the scone dominates in the Afternoon Tea arena. My recipe is a savoury twist on a timeless favourite.
Ingredients
– 250g wholemeal flour
– 250g plain flour
– 2 tsp baking powder
– ½ tsp salt
– 100g cheddar cheese (grated)
– 50g gruyere cheese (grated)
– 100g chorizo (diced very small)
– 100g sun-dried tomatoes (chopped small)
– 1 tsp of paprika
– 1tsp of mixed herbs
– 400ml milk
– 1 free-range egg beaten
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, cheese, chorizo, sun-dried tomatoes, paprika and mixed herbs
3. Add the milk and bring the ingredients together to form a sticky ball of mixture
4. Lightly flour a clean surface and tip the mixture onto it. Then fold an knead until it forms a soft dough
5. Roll the dough to approximately 2.5cm thick and use a 6cm cutter to cut out the scones
6. Place on baking tray – brush the tops with beaten egg
7. Cook for 15-20 minutes until risen and brown
These scones are best eaten as fresh as possible.
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and finally…
The Tea
For me, nothing beats a mug of plain old ‘builder’s’ tea with a splash of milk. However keeping with the times and the latest fashion of highly sophisticated herbal infusions, try experimenting with different flavours.
Snuggle up and watch a ‘rom-com’
I defy anyone to come up with a past time more soul soothing than cuddles in front of a roaring log fire whilst engrossed in a much loved ‘rom-com’. My personal favourite is the Meryl Streep masterpiece ‘It’s Complicated,’ a film which never fails to put a smile on my face; the perfect end to a perfect mother’s day.
Image Credits: pinterest.com, www.mostlyfood.co.uk