Your Mother Should Know
Whether you were born in the 50’s or any other decade, chances are, you know the Classic Beatles song of the same name. With today being Mother’s day, it is certainly apropos. If your mother is no longer with us, she is still here in spirit. And, if she is around, do yourself a favor: go visit her. She won’t hold it against you if you don’t make it to see her. But, your conscience will remind you if you don’t. She brought you into the world, raised you, and taught you some manners. Don’t you think Your Mother Should Know that you appreciate all she has done for you? She carried you as a parasite inside of her for 9 months. And, she has been there for you. Chances are, you will outlive her, so let her know you are grateful and don’t miss out on time with her.
You don’t have to wait for mother’s day to call or visit her. After all, Mother’s day as we know it was created in the early 1900’s. It became a national holiday in 1914, and was quickly commercialized. The founder, Anna Jarvis spent the rest of her life denouncing the holiday when she saw what it had become. And, she is right. You shouldn’t need a special day dedicated to honoring your mother. That should be every day. Without her, you wouldn’t be here. And, buying a card or flowers is merely a gesture (ones that Jarvis abhorred). Your appreciation for your mother should resonate from within. Don’t you think Your Mother Should Know if your just going through the motions?
Table of Contents
Your Mother Should Know the history of her day
As mentioned above, Anna Jarvis first conceived the American idea of a national Mother’s day in 1908. But, Mother’s day has been around a lot longer than that. Ancient Greeks and Romans celebrated a Mother’s day in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele. And, in the 17th through 19th centuries, Britain had a mothering day based on the church. On this day, you were encouraged to visit your mother church. Not quite the same thing.
But, the move for a day actually dedicated to mothers was an American movement started in the wake of the Civil war. Anna Reeves Jarvis (Yes, Anna’s mother) started a Mother’s day work club where she taught mothers how to care for their children. And, in 1868, she started Mother’s friendship day to promote reconciliation between union and confederate soldiers.
In 1870, There was a Mother’s day proclamation conceived by Julia Ward Howe. She also lobbied for a “Mother’s peace day” to be celebrated on June 2. The goal was nothing less than world peace. Unfortunately, peace isn’t something most politicians care for. And, mother’s day is more profitable since everybody has a mother and no one has peace.
So what should we celebrate?
Since mother’s day was originally a pagan salute to the mother goddesses, there is some reason to take it as a spiritual, mystical, or religious occasion. But, isn’t that something we celebrate all the time? Earth day, solstices, equinoxes, and other days laud the “mother” Earth and her place in the universe. Mother’s day should be about the connection we have with the person who conceived us. While there may be an ethereal connection to the grand architect, supreme being, or creator of all things in the universe, that connection is tenuous and abstract. The connection of a human and all living beings with their mother is immediate and tangible. So, it’s best to stay grounded in the world we know.
So, let’s connect with the ones who do the physical job of bringing life into the world: mother. And, what do mothers want more than anything in the world: Peace. Julia Ward Howe was onto something with “Mother’s peace day.” Every person in the world has a mother. So, why do they disregard the one thing she wants? We wouldn’t have wars if everybody listened to their mother. Rule number 1: don’t hurt anyone or anything. This is international, but, also on a singular level. How many times have you seen or heard people say, “it’s mother’s day, let her sleep in and get some peace”? That’s all she wants. No need to spend money on flowers, cards, and other crap. Just give her some peace. Is that too much to ask for? This is what Jarvis wanted Mother’s day to be. So, let’s honor that.
How do we achieve World Peace?
You have probably seen signs in workplaces that say something like: “Your mother doesn’t work here, clean up after yourselves”. Are people that bad that they need their mother there to tell them to do the right thing? Maybe that’s how we achieve world peace. If Putin’s mother were in the Kremlin, do you think he’d be pulling this crap? “Vlad, you’ve been a naughty boy! Don’t you dare do that mister! Now, put away your toys and go to your room. And, think about what you did! And, don’t even think about coming out until you truly understand what you did is wrong and why you will never do anything like that again. You got that mister? You’re grounded for the rest of your life!”
Whether you are a dictator or a dictionary salesman, your mother should know what you do. And, you should think to yourself: “would mother approve of this?” And, that’s where world peace begins: within every individual. Your mother can’t be with you always. But, you can always think of what your mother would think of what you are doing. And, if your mother is not the nicest person, think of what a good mother would want you to do. It’s a pretty short list:
- Be quiet!
- If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
- Don’t annoy or harm people or animals.
- Don’t touch things.
- Share nicely!
- Always say please and thank you.
- Stop doing that or you’ll go blind!
Your mother should know… you’re giving her the day off.
This brings us to the Mother’s day celebration. If you just keep that voice in your head, she doesn’t have to do it for you. And, you are a better person for it. Now, you can put number 5 from our list into effect. It’s time to let her rest and get some peace while you cook. I know, she probably told you to get out of the kitchen when you were a kid. She just didn’t want you getting hurt. And, frankly, she knew you’d f’ something up. But, this year, you have Only Cumin to help. So, unless you ignore us like you do your mother, you should be just fine. For, today, you are cooking a meal for Mom. It’s the least you can do. And, if she is no longer among us: prepare a meal in honor of her.
We’ll try to make this easy for you. And, we’ll make it nice for her. Remember it doesn’t have to be perfect. And, it really is the thought that counts. So, let’s try to stick with the original Mother’s peace day theme for mother’s day and make something that involves as little killing as possible (Besides plants). So, today’s menu is vegan. You can always use these items as a base and add animal protein if your mother likes that. But, this is a light and refreshing set of recipes that will surprise your mom in a good way.
The Menu:
- Lemon Verbena Chick Pea Puree with Spring Vegetable Hash
- Roasted Beet and Pine nut Salad with baby Greens and Feta
- Grand Marnier Blueberry Consomme with Oven Cured Grapes and Mint
- Cantaloupe Jalapeno Margarita With Mint and Cinnamon Tuille Garnish
Of course, if you want a more traditional brunch type of menu, see last year’s post, here. But, the recipes here,today, are relatively flexible and seasonal. Most of the ingredients are either at peak or coming into peak season soon. So, the meal will sparkle with vibrant colors. No need to buy flowers. make Anna Jarvis proud by celebrating mother in a non commercial way. And, impress mom with a gourmet meal worthy of the hippest restaurants in the big city.
Thank you, Mom!
Lemon Verbena Chick Pea Puree with Spring Vegetable Hash
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Dried Chic Peas Or 4 cups cooked
- 1 Cup Diced Sweet Onion
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
- 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Lemon verbena may substitute lemon balm or lemon Thyme
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Scallion
- For Hash:
- 1 Cup Cubed Sweet Potato
- 1 Cup Cubed Golden Potatoes
- 1 Bunch Asparagus
- 1 Cup Chopped Fresh Spring Onion
- 1 Cup Cubed Fresh parsnip
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Herbs (parsley, Dill, Thyme, Oregano)
- Water for cooking
- Olive Oil For Cooking
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Balsamic reduction/syrup to drizzle
- High quality Olive oil, preferably flavored, like basil or chive for drizzling
- Micro Greens to garnish
Instructions
- Cover the beans in water in a large vessel. Allow them to soak for about 4 to 8 hours at room temperature. They should almost Triple in volume.
- Heat a little olive oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat. Saute onions and garlic until translucent. Drain and rinse the beans. Add to pot and toss until well coated with oil. Stir in the cumin. Add water to cover by double the volume of beans. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender (about 20 to 30 minutes). When tender, strain off liquid. But, reserve some of the liquid for pureeing.
- Put the beans into a food processor and puree until smooth. Scrape down the sides occasionally. Add some cooking liquid as needed to help it get smooth. Add in the lemon juice and continue blending. Add in the lemon verbena. Then, with the machine still running, drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer mix to a pan to keep warm.
- Make the hash: Heat some olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Add in the potatoes and cook until they begin to caramelize and soften. Stir as needed. Then add in the Onions and parsnips and stir. Cook until slightly colored. Add a little water and cook down until the potatoes are tender, but not falling apart. Then, stir in the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. The asparagus should cook in seconds. Fold in the herbs last minute and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Spread the puree evenly on the plate and artfully present the hash. Drizzle the plate with a splash of Balsamic and flavored oil. garnish with micro greens.
Notes
Roasted Beet and Pine nut Salad with baby Greens and Feta
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Fresh Beets
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- olive oil
- 1 Package Baby Greens
- 1/4 Cup Pine nuts
- 1/4 Cup Spring onions (julienne)
- 1/4 Cup Feta Cheese (use a vegan substitute if available or skip if you want)
- 1/2 Cup Seeded orange segments
- For Dressing:
- 2 Tbsp Honey or agave
- 1/4 Cup Orange Juice
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 Tbsp White wine or champagne vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 Cup olive oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Roast the Beets: Preheat oven to 400. Clean the beets and toss with a little oil. Put in a deep pan with a little water in the bottom. Cover with foil and roast for about an hour. Check to make sure they are cooked, but not mushy. Give more time if needed. Remove from the heat. Let them cool at room temperature. Then peel them. The skin should just brush off by hand. If it is being stubborn, use a knife to assist. Cut the beets and let them cool in refrigeration.
- Toast the pine nuts. Place pine nuts on a flat pan in a 300 degree oven and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until they are lightly toasted. Set aside
- Make orange segments. If you can get clementines, they are seedless and break easily into segments. If you have full sized oranges, Cut the top and bottom and cut the skin off the outside. Carefully, cut out orange fillets between each segment, remove seeds as possible.
- Make the dressing: Place all ingredients except oil in a blender. Turn on the blender and drizzle in the oil while it is running to create an emulsified dressing.
- Place all the ingredients except dressing and cheese in a mixing bowl. Also reserve some beets and nuts for garnish. Toss the salad with some of the dressing. Don't go too heavy. Save some dressing if people want more on the side. Place in a serving bowl or individual plates. Top with feta and garnishes.
Grand Marnier Blueberry Consomme with Oven Cured Grapes and Mint
Equipment
- Cheese cloth and/or large coffee filters.
- Sheet pan and non stick pad or parchment paper and pan spray
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 Lb Fresh Blue Berries
- 1 Lb Organic Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Grand marnier
- 1/2 Cup Sweet White wine like Reisling
- 1/2 Cup Lime Juice
- Zest of 2 limes and 2 lemons
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Mint Sprigs, plus extra for garnishing
- For Grapes:
- 1/2 Lb Seasonal Grapes (preferably something unique like muscat or champagne grapes)
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200.
- Toss grapes in sugar and oil to evenly coat. Then spread out on a non stick pad on a sheet pan. Slow roast at 200 degrees for about an hour. They should shrivel a bit. You don't want raisins. But, you do want them relatively firm to the touch. The purpose is to intensify the flavor. Allow to cool naturally. Refrigerate until service.
- Make the "consomme": Rough chop the Berries. and toss in a bowl with all the ingredients. Mix well. Allow to macerate for at least 2 hours in refrigeration. You can even do this overnight to get a really intense flavor.
- Carefully strain the liquid from the berries through cheesecloth or coffee filters for a really clear broth. The liquid is the soup. Don't press too hard on the mix or the liquid can get cloudy. Try to extract as much liquid as possible. This process can take hours. When you have enough to serve your guests, take the solids and cook them over low heat. Add a little more liquid. This will become a blueberry syrup you can use for a dessert topping. Blend it until smooth. You can use some to garnish the soup today or save it for future use.
- Serve the "Consomme in glasses so the color and clarity show through. Garnish with the grapes and syrup if desired or serve with other fruit. This goes well with a light cookie like a tuille also.
Cantaloupe Jalapeno Margarita With Mint and Cinnamon Tuille Garnish
Ingredients
- For Tuilles:
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg whites
- 1/4 Lb melted butter
- 1/2 cup AP flour
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- For the drink:
- 6 to 8 ounces tequilla We prefer a higher grade version.
- 4 oz Grand Marnier (or orange liquor)
- 2 cups peeled and cubed fresh cantaloupe
- 1 each jalapeno, just the flesh, rough chopped
- 4 ounces fresh lime juice
- 2 cups simple syrup (1 cup sugar and 1 cup water, boiled, then cooled)
- 2 cups ice
- 8 each fresh mint leaves
- Fresh lime wedges to garnish and squeeze
- salt for the rim
- Extra mint for garnish
Instructions
- Whisk the eggs and sugar until frothy. Then whisk in the butter. Once the butter has been incorporated, whisk in the rest of the ingredients and mix until a smooth batter is achieved. refrigerate the batter for 4 hours.
- preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
- Put a non stick pad on a sheet pan. Spread the batter in a thin layer in 4 inch straight lines on the pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool 15 seconds. Then, lift cookies off the tray quickly and give them a twist or lay them over something to form a bend. They are pliable for a very short time. Pop them back in the oven to reheat if they get too stiff. Of course, you could also leave them as they are. But, we like a twisted tuille.
- Make the margarita: Put the cantaloupe and jalapeno in a blender and puree. Then add all the ingredients except for the garnishes and salt. Blend until everything is incorporated and larger ice chunks are more like slush.
- Use a lime wedge to moisten the rim of the glasses. Dip the rims into Large grain salt. Pour the margaritas into the glasses and garnish with lime, mint, and the tuille. Enjoy!