It’s a mother of a day

When we think of days like today, we assume it was something made up by Hallmark, just to sell cards and gifts. But, as we explained in previous years, Mother’s day has a long history, pre-dating Greeting card companies and the like. The Mother’s day we celebrate today is the American version. So, don’t be surprised that other countries have different variations on mother’s day. Most tend to fall in the spring, like Britain’s mothering day on the 4th Sunday of Lent, and a host of others with May dates. In Thailand, they celebrate in August on the Queen’s birthday. And, in India, they have a May Mother’s day similar to the US one, in addition to a 10 day Hindu celebration in October dedicated to the mother Goddess Durga. Regardless of when you celebrate, the general consensus is that it’s a mother of a day.

So, what is it that we celebrate on mother’s day? The answer seems obvious: the woman who birthed you. But, that doesn’t really encompass all things motherly. In fact, the first proposed mother’s day in the United States was actually a call for world peace in the name of all mothers. The modern version of the holiday isn’t what the founders had in mind. And, it’s definitely different from the ancient versions that were actually celebrations of the mother goddesses, like the Phrygian celebration of the Cybelle, or the Greek Rhea. The aforementioned Hindu celebration of Durga is an example of what Mother’s day used to be about: honor the mother Earth. In essence, the word “mother” has multiple definitions beyond the biological. It’s more about concept and verb over noun.

Anna Jarvis said it’s a mother of a day

In previous posts, we discussed the origin of mother’s day. So, we’ll be brief today. As pointed out above, mother’s day is not an American invention. But, the American version is the modern standard. Even in countries with longer standing traditions, giving gifts to mothers, and giving them the day off is par for the course. But, that wasn’t the original concept of Mother’s day. Around the time of the civil war, A woman by the name of Anna Reeves Jarvis and her group of motherly friends proposed a Mother’s peace day in the wake of the war. They sought to reconcile North and South through a common theme that everyone has a mother. She had even grander ideas that went beyond our borders with a call for world peace. Unfortunately, They were unable to get the date on a national calendar.

When she passed away, her daughter held a memorial service for her on May 12, 1907. She dedicated the service to all mothers, creating the first “Mother’s day” in America. It spread across the country over the next few years. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made the day official. Unfortunately, capitalists adulterated the day. The Jarvises wanted a solemn day of reflection, reverence, and appreciation. They were opposed to flowers and gifting. Unfortunately, A man by the name of Joyce Clyde Hall, Started a postcard business in 1907 also, And, it morphed into the Hallmark greeting card company in 1910. They saw a market ready to be exploited. And, the rest is history. Jarvis spent the rest of her life combating the commercialization of the day. So, think about that before you buy that card, flowers, or toaster.

How should we celebrate?

Mother is not just a noun. The verb “to mother” is far more inclusive. And, if you are like Shaft, mother isn’t even gender specific. So, let’s take mother in all it’s forms to honor and appreciate. You can mother a child. But, you can also mother an idea, business, plant, planet, universe. It’s about caring for things. The Jarvis concept was to nurture everything from a child to Peace. The beauty is, you don’t need to give birth to tap into your motherly abilities. Today is about building bonds and protecting all that exists, not promoting one at the expense of another. It’s not about buying a card that says something that you were too lazy to write yourself. Nor, is it about buying flowers that will wilt and die shortly. It’s about honoring all that is, and can be. At heart, it’s truly a mother of a day.

Unfortunately, in our capitalist society, peace and love have little to no monetary value. So, it’s all about the stuff. So, let’s push aside the conventions of the Hallmark mentality, and focus on what’s really important, honoring love and connection amongst all living things. And, how do we best do that? Live together with our mother earth and the universe. Go outside, feel the warmth of the sun, watch the skies, revel in the breezes, sights, smells, and tactile sensations of the world around us. Know that we are part of this world and beyond. And, feel the connection of the Universe we come from, and all we can share. For mothering works both ways. Is it not love for one another? Not just people, but, everything that is.

It’s existential

Seek to nourish and be nourished today. Instead of just buying crap, let’s make this something existential. And, let’s start with food. Here are some recipes to make it truly a mother of a day. While a vegan menu would be appropriate, remember, that plants are living things too. The only way to truly protect all living things is to not exist. Since we do exist and need nourishment, it’s okay to eat different things. Just be grateful and mindful of your food. And, don’t forget to have a couple drinks as well. We have some recipes for those too.

Cheers, Mom, Mum, Mummy, Mother, Ma, Matriarch, Matron, Mumsy!

Herbed Spinach, Chia and Quinoa Timbale with Fresh Vegetable Medley

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  

• 1 Cup Chia Seeds
• 1 Cup Quinoa
• 8 Oz Baby Spinach
• 1 Cup Diced Sweet Onion
• 3 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
• 1 Cup Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Cup White Wine
• 4 Cups water
• 1/4 cup Chopped fresh herbs (whatever is available)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 3 to 4 cups Assorted Fresh vegetables (Seasonal, local, and Fresh)
• Olive oil for cooking

Instructions

 

• Heat 2 separate pots over medium high heat. Add in a coating of olive oil. Put 1/4 cup onion and garlic in each. Stir occasionally. Cook until translucent. Then add the quinoa to one pan and chia to the other. Stir both. Add 2 cups of water to each, and bring to a simmer. Add salt and pepper, and stir. Allow the two grains to cook until they are fully cooked through, but not mush. Fold the herbs into both grains. Set aside.
• Char the red peppers on a grille or pan without any oil. The skins should be well charred. Place them into a pan and cover with plastic, so they steam. Let them sit for a few minutes. Then peel the skin off, and remove stems and seeds.
• In another pot, heat some more olive oil. Put in the remaining onion and garlic and stir. Cook until translucent. Then add in the peppers. Add the white wine and reduce by half. Add a little more water and cook for a couple minutes. Then, either transfer the mix to a blender or use a stick blender in the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Blend until a smooth sauce is created. Set aside.
• In a large saute pan, heat some olive oil. Add in the spinach and wilt it down until it is lightly cooked, soft, but still somewhat intact. Season with Salt and pepper.
• Cook your seasonal vegetables in a little olive oil and season lightly.
• Use a round pastry cutter or a dessert cup to assemble the timbale. If using a cup, put the spinach first, quinoa second, and the Chia last. Then, invert onto a plate. Otherwise, use the cutter to hold the three ingredients as you build a tower on the plate. Ladle the sauce around the timbale and add the vegetables to the plate and serve to your guests.

Notes

This dish has several moving parts. If you have enough burners on your stove, you can cook all parts simultaneously. The end result is a layer of dark brown, topped by an off white with the green spinach on top. The red pepper sauce accents these colors and seasonal vegetables round it our. I did not specify the type of vegetables because I want you to see what is fresh in your market. Green beans, squashes, brussel sprouts, or others will do fine. I prefer a variety of colors and textures if possible.

Keyword Chia, Fresh Vegetable, herbed, Medley, Quinoa, spinach, Timbale, vegan

Corn Crusted Sea Bass with White Wine Spring Pea Puree and Sauteed fiddleheads

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

• 1 to 2 Lbs Sea Bass (Striped bass or chilean. Other substitutions re fine, too.)
• 1 cup corn meal
• salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil to cook
• For peas:
• 1 cup sweet green peas (preferably fresh)
• 1/2 cup Sweet onion (Diced)
• 1/2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 2 Tbsp Fresh green Parsley
• garnish:
• 1 cup Fresh fiddleheads

Instructions

 

• Clean the fiddleheads. Soak in water, change the water a couple times to remove all dirt.
• Make Pea Puree: Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Add in onion and ginger. Cook until translucent. Then add in the wine. Reduce by half. Add in peas. Cook until soft, and most of the liquid is gone. Do not overcook. Season withlemon juice, salt, and pepper. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. The consistency should be spreadable, not too thin. Adjust seasoning if need be.
• Mix Salt and pepper in corn meal. Cut fish into portions. Since we are doing a buffet with other items I would go with a 3 to 4 ounce portion. If this is for a main course you could do 6 or 8 ounces.
• Heat olive oil in a saute pan over high heat. Dredge the fish in the cornmeal and place in the pan, I usually start with the top side of the fish, then flip. Cook about 2 minutes per side to get a nice caramel color. Turn down the heat to medium, and, finish cooking. How long it takes to cook through depends on the thickness of the cut of fish. Generally, it should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Saute the fiddleheads in olive oil over medium heat. You just want to bring out the color and cook to al dente. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve the fish with pea puree either as a base or drizzled on top. garnish with fiddleheads. You can also garnish with corn if you have it.

Notes

We used striped bass, but you can use Chilean or Atlantic Sea bass. Other substitutions include: halibut, grouper, tilefish, Branzino, black bass, sablefish. I prefer a thicker filet in general. The fish stands up better to cooking, maintains a nice shape, presentation, and fork feel.

Keyword Corn crusted, fiddlehead, puree, Saute, Sea Bass, spring pea, white wine

Bourbon Blueberry Minted Mimosa

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine American, French

Servings 4 Cocktails

Ingredients

  

• 1 Cup Fresh Blueberries
• 2 Cup Orange Juice, preferably fresh squeezed
• 2 Cup Champagne or sparkling wine
• 4 Oz Bourbon
• 1 Oz maple Syrup
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Mint Leaves
• Oranges, blueberries and mint to garnish
• Turbinado Sugar to rim glasses

Instructions

 

• Place blueberries, maple, and mint in a pitcher. Muddle together with a muddling stick or wooden spoon. Mix until flavors are well blended.
• Add in the remaining ingredients except garnish. Stir to mix flavors.
• Dip the rims of 4 champagne glasses in water and dip them in turbinado sugar. Pour the drink into each glass. garnish with oranges, blueberries, and mint. Enjoy.

Keyword barbecue, blueberry, Bourbon, Brunch, Champagne, Holiday, Mimosa, Mint, orange, Sparkling wine

Candied Lemon, Berry, and Ricotta Grilled Flatbread pizza

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Dessert

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  

• 4 Cups Typo 00 Flour
• 2 Cups Warm Water
• 1 Tbsp Yeast
• 2 Tbsp Turbinado Sugar
• 1 tsp Kosher or sea salt
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil
• For the lemon
• 2 Medium Lemons
• 2 Cups Water
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• For berries
• 2 Cups Assorted Fresh Berries (Sliced strawberry, Blueberry, Raspberry, Blackberry)
• 2 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Grand Marnier
• 2 Cups Ricotta Cheese
• 2 Tbsp Chiffonade Fresh Basil Leaves
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• Large Grain Kosher or sea Salt like Malden's sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

 

• Make the pizza Dough: Mix the water, yeast, and turbinado Sugar. Let it "bloom" for about 10 minutes until it becomes frothy. Add flour, oil, and salt and mix with a dough hook until a firm dough is achieved. Oil the dough and allow to rise in a bowl. Then punch down the dough and form into 2 or 4 balls. Set aside. This can be refrigerated or frozen until needed or just keep out if using immediately.
• Use a zesting tool or peeler to make thin julienne strips of zest from the lemons. Mix the zest, the juice from the lemons, water, and sugar in a pot. Cook over medium heat until the zest is soft and the juice becomes a syrup. Allow to cool.
• Fold a little of the lemon syrup, honey, and basil into the ricotta. Taste it. Add more sweetener if you want it sweeter or less if not.
• Slice the Strawberries. Mix all the berries with sugar and grand Marnier. Let it macerate for about 10 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat a grille to high heat. Also, preheat oven to 400.
• If pizza dough was refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature and rise slightly. Otherwise, it should be good to go. Dust with a little flour to prevent sticking. Pull the dough by hand. Shape into rounds or rectangles as you prefer.
• Place the pizza dough on the grille to give it marks. The dough will begin to bubble. Flip and mark on the second side. be careful not to burn it. Place the grilled doughs on sheet pans sprayed with pan spray.
• Brush the dough with the lemon syrup. Sprinkle the ricotta and berries around the dough evenly. Drape the lemon zest over the cheese and berries in an evenhanded manner as well. Place the pizzas in the oven and cook about 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
• Remove from the oven, cut and serve. Sprinkle with a little Large grain salt if desired. Accompany with a nice Rose wine.

Keyword berry, Candied, flatbread, Grilled, Lemon, Pizza, Ricotta

Mexican Chorizo and Corn Empanadas with Cumin Chili Sauce

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

• For Dough:
• 3 cups Flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 oz Melted coconut oil
• 1 cup water
• Filling:
• Avocado oil for cooking
• 4 oz chopped chorizo sausage
• 1/4 cup diced sweet onion
• 1/2 tsp chopped fresh garlic
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh tomato
• 1/2 cup cooked corn, removed from the cob (preferably fresh, we grille ours)
• 1/4 cup Shredded cheddar or jack cheese
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• For Sauce:
• Avocado or olive oil to cook
• 1 cup fresh diced onion
• 1 tsp chopped fresh garlic
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh jalapeno or chili of your choice
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 oz tequila
• 1 each 28 oz can of crushed tomato
• 1 can water (the can from the tomatoes)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Make the dough: Either by hand or in mixer, using dough hook, combine flour and salt. Add in oil and water. Mix until a smooth dough is formed. It should be very pliable, but not wet or sticky. If too wet, add more flour. If too dry add more water. Lightly flour the dough and set aside, covered with plastic for about an hour. The gluten needs to relax.
• Make the sauce ahead of time as it takes a while to cook. Heat oil in a heavy pot, over high heat.. Add in garlic and onion. Cook and stir until translucent. Add the jalapeno and stir. Then add the tequila. Cook off the alcohol. Then add the remaining ingredients. Stir and bring to a boil. Then cut the temperature back to low to medium. You want a light simmer. Allow to simmer at least an hour, stirring occasionally. It should resemble pasta sauce when done.
• Make the filling: Saute the onion and garlic in heated oil until translucent (stirring occasionally). Add in the chorizo, and allow it to brown. Stir as needed. Add the spices and mix well. Remove from heat and add in the rest of the ingredients. Fold together until the mix sticks together. You should be able to make a ball of the mix.
• Make 8 to 16 balls out of the dough. Press them in a tortilla press or flatten by hand. Place a little bit of the filling in the center of each disk of dough. Then fold up the sides to create a half moon and crimp the edges to seal in the filling. Place them in a flat pan lined with parchment and spray with pan spray or use a silicone non stick pad. Place in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. They should become golden brown. Serve hot with the chili sauce.

Keyword Appetizer, Chorizo, corn, Cumin chili sauce, empanada, Mexican