With many restaurants doing excellent do-it-yourself take-away dinners, perhaps if Mum is in your bubble, this might be a good idea? Otherwise, someone is going to have to make that lunch. Someone is going to have to produce a cake suitable for the occasion..
Could that someone – with a little help from Eating for Ireland – be YOU??
Read on and adapt to our changed circumstances..
My absolute favourite picture of Mum and me, taken in 1975. That hat of hers is Liberty fabric.. she hated hats btw..:)
What do you call your Mother?
At home in Dublin we called her Mammy, abbreviated to Mam. For some reason, it changed to Mum as we grew up. In many parts of Ireland people still refer to anyone’s mother as ‘Mam’ as in – ‘How’s your Mam doing these days?’
When we were teenagers, there was a fashion for calling Mothers ‘The Old Dear’ – behind her back obviously, unless you wanted a clip on the ear, and to be grounded for life. This, of course was the arrogance of youth aimed at a woman who might only have been in her early 40’s..
Mum, or Mummy, is still very popular. Mom, I think, remains American..
My daughter calls me ‘Ma’, which I like.
Mum and my daughter on the beach at Skerries..
My Mother had a great interest in how people lived in times gone by. She loved a good biography better than any work of fiction (apart from anything by the Brontës). It was she who told me about the origins of ‘Mothering Sunday’. How girls, working ‘in service’ at the Big House, got a Sunday off before Easter to go and visit their Mothers. They often brought a cake, as evidence of the skills they were learning.
Anyway, Mothering Sunday, is still celebrated every year. The basic idea is that Mums are supposed to get spoiled. Many get taken out for lunch, but if you prefer a quiet day at home while treating your Mum, here’s your chance to show off all you’ve learned on Eating for Ireland since last year! (and I won’t tell her if you don’t 😉 )
A family lunch? An afternoon tea? A High Tea? The choice is yours, always bearing in mind what the lady in question would prefer.
If it’s a buffet lunch for a family circle, a couple of savoury dishes – perhaps a beef Chilli https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/my-chilli-con-carne/ ; a family favourite pasta dish, that the kids will eat https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/family-favourite-pasta-bake/
My warm chicken salad https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/warm-spicy-chicken-and-mango-salad/ which is absolutely brilliant for a buffet crowd.
A good option for a sit-down lunch is my Bacon-wrapped Stuffed Chicken https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/stuffed-chicken-and-bacon-parcels/
A huge dish of the ever-popular Potato Gratin https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/my-easy-peasy-potato-gratin-or-to-give-it-its-official-title-scalloped-cream-potatoes-with-rosemary-and-garlic/ will go down very well.
Afternoon Tea? Get out the best china! This set was one of Mum and Dad’s wedding presents ..
An afternoon tea wouldn’t be complete without freshly-made scones https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/home-made-scones/
and a chocolate cake https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/hilarys-all-in-one-chocolate-cake/
If you’ve made some Lemon Curd to go with the scones, why not send her home with a whole pot of your home-made Lemon Curd all for herself? https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/home-made-lemon-curd/
And perhaps a few Bailey’s truffles? https://eatingforireland.com/2017/12/28/baileys-truffles/
She’s definitely going to feel spoiled with that lot!
Whatever way you choose to spend your Mother’s Day, make sure that everyone enjoys it 
Don’t forget that Mother’s day includes Mothers, Grandmothers, God-Mothers, Mums-to-be, People who are like a Mother to you.. With that list to cater for, you’d better get moving.. :
Once again I’m adding the easiest cake ever – Mary Berry’s Tiramisu cake – perfect for any celebration, and so, so delicious – go on, give it a go!
https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/mary-berrys-tiramisu-cake/
However you’re celebrating Mother’s Day this year, make the most of it.
Your Mum is one-in-a million, so make sure that you tell her that!
I started writing down recipes in an old copybook when I was about 16. With 6 children at home, my Mother was always glad of a hand in the kitchen, and really allowed us to experiment - as long as we washed up afterwards, and left the kitchen immaculate! Having a tidy kitchen has followed me through my life, as has the habit of writing down my favourite recipes; except that these days I write them for my website, and add photographs when I can. The website really started when it occurred to me that my daughter might like to have these recipes when I've forgotten them. In my early days of cooking for family and friends, I used to phone my Mum all the time to ask her for the recipe for some of our favourite family dinners. She rarely had a recipe to hand - I think, like me, she made a lot of it up as she went along.. So welcome to Eating for Ireland - these are the recipes that my friends and family having been eating these past 40 years.. yes, I truly am ancient! They are tried and tested, and have worked for me for all that time - I have updated them as new ingredients became available - I really hope you'll find something that you can make into a family favourite of your own. You don't have to tell anyone where you found these great new dishes that you're serving up - it can be our little secret, but I'd really love it if you could give me a sneaky 'follow' on Facebook and Instagram.. So off you go - have a good rummage around, you're bound to find something new! My sincere thanks to all of you who have found a recipe that you liked and dropped me a line to tell me - I really do love to hear from you! Happy Cooking! Becks xx