Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day happens every year, on the second Sunday in May, a special holiday is celebrated to honor mothers of all generations. This special day filled with flowers started as a Memorial Mother’s Day Meeting for the mother of Anna Marie Jarvis, a social activist during the American civil war. “Mother’s Day” was officially recognized in 1909, and accepted in 45 states. Five years later, in 1914, Europe started to follow suit and by 1923 it became a national holiday in Germany.

Childhood memories of Mother’s Day

As a child, my siblings and I would decorate the breakfast table with some wildflowers picked in the meadows.

      

Or, lilac from the garden. We did this while my mother was sleeping in. This was a special gift because she was always the first one to get up and the last one to go to bed.

                       

By the end of April/beginning of May, sweet woodruff was ready to be picked and prepared for desserts and drinks.

Using in Season Produce

Since the beginning of May is the season for fresh white asparagus, our family (like many German families) would take full advantage. The lunch menu on Mother’s Day would consist of asparagus with Hollandaise sauce, cooked ham, and potatoes sauted in butter. (Green asparagus is much more common in the states, but if I had a choice between the two, I would go with the white variety). You could easily replace the ham with Oma’s cordon bleu. 

Dessert was always a special treat in our house. A chilled Vanilla Cheese Cream Pudding mixed with fresh strawberries, plus a glazed Strawberry Sponge Cake. So good. (Look for links to recipes below).

As nice as it is to have a special day for mothers, I believe they deserve extra recognition and appreciation throughout the whole year. Every day should be a celebration for all that they do—and all that they’ve done. After all, if it weren’t for our moms, we wouldn’t be here. So, go ahead, surprise that special lady with something unexpected and not just on Mother’s Day.

Remember, do not just tell her you love her, show her.

Yours, Oma

Mother’s Day Recipes

White Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce, Sliced Ham and Sautéed Potatoes (Weiβer Spargel with Hollandaise Soβe, Schwenkkartoffel und Schinken)

Strawberry Sponge Cake Dessert – Erdbeertorte

Vanilla Cheese Cream Pudding with Strawberries (Kaesecremespeise mit Erdbeeren)

Chocolate Roll Cake with Whipped Cream Filling (Schokoladenrolle)

Strawberry Shortcake (Erdbeertorte mit Sahne)

Linzer Cake (Linzer Torte)

Sweet Woodruff Cheese Cake with Strawberries (Waldmeistertorte)

Sweet Woodruff Jelly (Wackelpudding Waldmeister)

May Wine Punch (Maibowle)