Where would we be without Mom? Mom might mean your own biological mother, or you might want to honor the mother of your children, your grandmother, stepmother, or a woman in your life who has always looked out for you. In any case, in May we have set aside one day a year to honor that maternal person who has made life a little easier for us. Usually we run around panicked trying to figure out what it is we want to give them, forgetting that what they want from us, more than anything, is, well, more time with us.
But we still want to get them something. This year’s Chocolate Zoom’s gift of choice for your mother? Spend time with her!
What could be better than breakfast with Mom on Mother’s Day? It doesn’t have to be a fancy, crowded brunch out somewhere. Think simple. Think, for example, coffee and pain au chocolat (chocolate croissants), with maybe a few berries on the side. This is something that you can easily do at home, if you don’t feel like running out to the nearest bakery to pickup croissants first thing in the morning Mother’s Day.
Try picking up Trader Joes Chocolate Croissants. Pick them up the day before so you have time to let them rise on the counter over night. In the morning pop them in the oven for 22 minutes. You have fresh baked chocolate croissants for Mother’s Day. They come four to a box and are reasonably priced. If you have a larger crowd to satisfy, try the similar pre-made croissants at Williams-Sonoma, which come 15 to a box.
Another option, if you want to something simple for the kids to make for Mom is to make the chocolate croissants (recipe). Get a package of ready roll butter puff pastry, the chocolate bar of your choice, and a beaten egg. Cut the pastry into squares and then triangles (they will look very small). Put a small square of chocolate in the center of the pastry, roll the pastry, and place on a lined baking tray. Paint the croissants with the beaten egg. For variety, sprinkle sliced almonds on top. Bake in the oven at 425 for 15 minutes. Voila! You have homemade Mother’s Day breakfast and it doesn’t include burnt toast.
Because moms like to be healthy, as well as get their daily dose of chocolate, add a bowl of sliced strawberries, or other berries such as blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries on the side. Serving the berries with cream is an indulgent touch. But the real gift is the letter you and/or the kids have written telling your favorite Mom how much you love her and why.
Sometimes, however, Mom is far away, or wants something that doesn’t include the kids. For the maternal unit who would rather have a kid-free evening, try sharing a Young’s Double Chocolate Stout and pizza with her. Or, if she lives far away send her a package of her favorite chocolates, such as Godiva or Leonida’s truffles. Include with the chocolates a certificate for a nice, long phone call at a time and date that she specifies. She gets time with you, plus a sumptuous treat. If you time it right, you can call her while she’s enjoying your gift and it will almost as if you were right there with her.
Remember the mothers in your life and honor them, what they have done for you, how much they love you. This year for Mother’s Day, spend time with Mom. It will be one of the best gifts she’s ever received.
