Mother's Day
May 09, 2018
It’s that time of year again, where we reflect on some of the most important people in our lives: mothers. However you look at it, not one of us would be here without one. We all either have one, are one, or love and appreciate one (or more, if we are lucky). Motherhood is a privilege, a cherished responsibility, and a deeply meaningful relationship, based on the purest love there is. It is sometimes rather complicated, and undeniably hard to encapsulate all that it means into one emotion on a single designated day.
This year, Mother’s Day is especially meaningful in my family. Some of you may know that my own lovely mother was adopted at birth. Her greatest wish has always been to have a photo of her birth mother, to be able to see her face. To this end, I have obsessively researched and successfully found (with lots of help!) my mother’s birth parents. Her mother was a woman named Elsie, who unfortunately died long before we made this discovery. It has been quite a journey, to say the least, and where it ended up is in many ways a wonderful surprise. We finally have been able to see what my maternal grandparents look like, learn a bit about them, and it is quite amazing to see the family resemblance most strongly between myself and Elsie. I am acutely aware of the strong role genes play in so many of life’s determinations. The best feeling of all, in addition to finding my grandparents, is to have fulfilled my mother’s lifelong wish. It is a gift greater than any other, and it has been my most sincere pleasure to have succeeded in giving it.
Usually, Mother’s Day involves flowers, brunch, and hopefully a heartfelt love letter to the woman who means the very most to us. Oftentimes, celebrating her can also mean a truly special gift, and this is an area where you could not possibly be in better hands. Our collections of both fine jewelry and fine lingerie and sleepwear contain many wonderful options for spoiling these beautiful women and ourselves this year. I hope you’ll let us help you find something perfect for celebrating all of the wonderful mothers in your life.
Jewelry is always a treat to receive, and especially appreciated. Our adjustable length beaded necklaces with 18K gold accents are always a great choice. We have a lovely collection in a myriad of colors, and would love to help you choose one or even a few together for layering. We have this beautiful one-of-a-kind, ancient glass and agate bead necklace in shades of blue and green, and a new handmade chain, both of which would make a stunning gift.
I also love the ring with the 18k gold flowers that delicately wrap the finger. A new bracelet, selected from one of the recent arrivals, or one of the blue sapphire stacking rings would be a lovely idea too. We have lots of other stacking ring options, and these are always well received. You could make a nice stack with family birthstones this way.
We also have a new selection of Liberty of London print robes in 100% silk crepe-de-chine. From the loveliest shades of pink and blue, to darker florals, these universally adored robes are a sophisticated and chic. They go anywhere, are the perfect weight for any season, and look great worn out in the world over jeans and a camisole, or a simple dress, too, not just at home. A little something feminine and special goes a long way in our experience. We have plenty of pieces to choose from, in both silk and the finest Swiss and Italian cottons.
Lastly, I am going to be traveling on Mother’s Day this year, so I’m pushing the family celebration back a week. This will give me more time to organize something delicious for the lunch I’m planning to host. The farmer’s market has been spectacular lately, with the grandest strawberries, and most gorgeous purple artichokes. I will admit to being a bit obsessed with these pink lemons I’ve discovered. They are so pretty, and more juicy than any other variety I’ve found. They have the perfect balance of tartness, without too much acid. They have a subtle green stripe on the skin, so if you find some, try them. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
I’m not sure what I’m making yet, but it may just be the purple asparagus, leek, potato, goat’s cheese and pesto frittata that I made last week for lunch. My husband said it was the best one yet. It went something like this, if I recall.
Seasonal Vegetable Frittata
One dozen large organic pastured eggs
One bunch of large purple asparagus, ends trimmed and stalks cut in half lengthwise
Five small purple potatoes, roasted whole in the oven, then cut into fourths
One leek, trimmed and sliced thinly lengthwise in 2-inch strips
One log of goat’s cheese
One handful of aged and grated parmesan cheese
One half-cup of homemade pesto sauce (basil leaves, pine nuts or pumpkin seeds, parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, all whizzed up in a food processor or by hand in a mortar and pestle)
salt, pepper, and freshly torn soft herbs (I use a combination of parsley, dill, chives, mint, and tarragon)
Sauté the asparagus and leeks in butter over a medium heat in a wide, low, enameled cast iron pan until softened. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.
Add in the cut potatoes, then whisk the eggs with the parmesan in a separate bowl, and add that to the pan as well. Turn the heat to low, and while the eggs begin to set, add the goat’s cheese in pieces evenly distributed around the surface of the egg and vegetable mixture. Afterwards, do the same with spoonfuls of the pesto sauce, tucking some of it under the surface of the egg mixture. Sprinkle the surface with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, and place the pan in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, until the top is puffed and set, and the eggs are no longer runny. After removing the pan from the oven, sprinkle the top with whatever fresh herbs you are using, and serve immediately. It is also delicious at room temperature. I usually pair it with a big green salad, and plenty of fresh baguette. Feel free to substitute different vegetables or another cheese if you prefer. It’s a very forgiving dish, and I’ve made it in a million different ways.
Enjoy,
