Mother's Day inspiration

I truly cannot believe its almost May and that Mother's Day is around the corner! Does anyone else feel the same? 

This year we are having a Mother's Day picnic with an assortment of fitting treats. In our family, croissants symbolise celebration. Since we were little, every time there was a birthday or Mother's or Father's Day we would have a special sit down breakfast of delicious croissants from the oven and english breakfast tea. This is the only time we would have breakfast as a family so was particularly special! Needless to say it felt fitting to do a lovely Mother's Day croissant stack like this one I tried this week. Yes... I know I am really into the 'stacks' at the moment and for good reason. Easy, different, quick to pull together, cheap (if you purchase wisely), and achieves height for your table. It also looks good enough to be excused from not actually having done any cooking!

To make it I simply stacked the croissants and pierced with 3 skewers vertically to keep together so that they just lift up off them. The little pots are filled with strawberry jam and fig jam - yum (hence the strawberry and the fig for 'labels'). The beautiful teal stand and pots are from our shop. Love the BURST of the colours....teal incredibly refreshing.

In our competition with Life's Little Celebrations, entrants had to describe how they would use one of the goodies in our store for Mother's Day. There were some lovely ideas not that have given me inspiration, not only for product but ways in which people make their day special. Here are a few (And thank you to the people that provided these responses):

The Heart Black Board Stakes are just gorgeous! I could see them being used for so many things to make Mother’s Day a wonderful day. Some ideas – arranging some pink roses (or Mum’s favourite flowers) in a white Ikea plant pot with some ribbon and a Heart Black Board Stake popped in with words to describe Mum – caring, beautiful, inspiring etc. Great price with lots of possibilities

This mothers day i am planning to hold a high tea for all of my gf who like me, live overseas from our dearest mums. Sooooo, i will be using the cake stands, cupcake stands, mini blackboard, garlands etc to make this event as sweet as possible.

I would love the little glass pots. My mom loves individually served desserts and I am planning to make 6 or 7 of her favourites including chocolate mousse, banana parfait, strawberry cheesecake and so on (when served in these pots they would look so gorgeous). So she can enjoy them over a week or so without having to share (something she always had to when we were growing up).

I would love to use the chalk board hearts. I can see 5 of them hanging from a timber hoop, from the ceiling on my Mum’s deck, covered in little chalk pictures my kids have made for her & as they grow up, the pictures could change with each visit.

My Mum loves picnics, so I would arrange a picnic in the park near her place, pack a yummy afternoon tea and use the Mini Picnic Baskets for little take-home treats – I’d put Mum’s favourite chocolates inside.

I love so much that you have but I am IN LOVE with the tiny picnic baskets. You could use these for anything from individual antipasto baskets to individual dessert baskets for a Mothers Day picnic table.

High tea recipes & menu ideas...

I just love high tea and despite the fact that I am a mother myself and should enjoy a day off on Mother’s Day, I just can’t help organising a tea for my family with my sister Mia. I love everything about hosting high tea, from the savouries to the sweets, the tea to the table setting and of course THE SCONES!

Image from lonadeanna.blogspot.com.auNow, I have hosted a few high teas before and feel that I have pretty much worked out the essentials for a delectable spread sure to please! I have taken the liberty of including a couple of lovely recipes which have been tried and tested too.

Firstly, tea sandwiches, I love to do a couple of varieties for the occasion...chicken & cucumber or perhaps ham and salmon with cream cheese or even egg. I think for this weekend I will stick with the two classics chicken and cucumber. Below is a great recipe by Bill Granger for a chicken sandwich...I often cheat and buy a charcoal chicken and have even added some chopped walnuts...Play around with the recipe and see what tickles your fancy.

 The best chicken sandwiches

500g poached chicken breast (see below)
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, outer layer removed, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely diced
1 tbsp freshly chopped chervil
2 tbsp freshly chopped chives
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
125ml ( 1/2 cup) good quality whole egg mayonnaise
Sea salt and black pepper
12 slices soft white bread
Softened butter, to spread on bread

Finely chop the chicken and place in a bowl with the fennel, celery, herbs, lemon zest and mayonnaise. Stir until all ingredients are well combined and coated in the mayonnaise.

Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cut the crusts off each slice of bread then butter. Divide the filling between

6 slices of bread, top with another slice of bread. Cut each sandwich into thirds to make 3 finger sandwiches.

Now, ideally another savoury item is required, not an essential but certainly balances out the sweeties for those who don’t have much of a sweet tooth. I have often made salmon & white sauce vol an vants..a bit retro but always goes down a treat. The Gunners Barracks in Mosman offer asparagus tarts and samosas, which are simply delish so either of these would be lovely too.. For a quick no fuss solution why not opt for premade mini quiches or mini spinach and cheese triangles.

Lastly for the sweets!! Of course it would not be high tea without scones, inclusive of strawberry jam and whipped cream....YUM! These are a rare art form and one I am afraid to say I am yet to master! I have tried many recipes including ones using lemonade and others where you only mix using a knife, but alas they have never been fabulous. Please let me know if you have a fool proof scone recipe!

Donna Hay SconesI also like to make cupcakes in a mini form (see my vanilla cupcake recipe in an earlier post) as well as these divine passionfruit melting moments...fruity, tangy and melt in the mouth!

Passionfruit Melting Moments

Passionfruit Melting Moments

Makes about 25 biscuits. Biscuits can be made a week ahead. Join with butter cream close to serving.

3 passionfruit
250g butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (80g) soft icing sugar
1 2/3 cups (250g) plain flour
½ cup (75g) cornflour

PASSIONFRUIT BUTTER CREAM
80g butter, softened
2/3 cup (110g) soft icing sugar

Preheat the oven to moderately slow (160°C/140°C fan-forced). Line three baking trays with baking paper.

Remove pulp from passionfruit; place pulp into a fine sieve and press down with the back of a spoon. You will need 1 tablespoon passionfruit juice for the Passionfruit Butter Cream.

Beat the butter, vanilla and sifted icing sugar with an electric mixer until pale. Stir in combined sifted flours in two batches then stir in passionfruit pulp.

With lightly floured hands, roll two level teaspoons of mixture into balls and place on oven tray about 3cm apart. Dip a fork into a little extra flour, press biscuits lightly.

Bake in moderately slow oven for about 15 minutes or until biscuits are a pale straw colour. Stand the biscuits on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool.

PASSIONFRUIT BUTTER CREAM: Beat the butter and sifted icing sugar mixture in a small bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in the reserved passionfruit juice.

Sandwich biscuits with a teaspoon of the Passionfruit Butter Cream. Dust with a little extra sifted icing sugar, if desired.

You really can incorporate any sweet treats for your high tea, think mini lemon meringue tarts, mini fruit flans or a gorgeous slice.

 Although not necessary and probably a bit over the top, I like to make a cake as a centrepiece and also for complete indulgence. For this Mother’s Day I will either opt for a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting or a banana & butterscotch syrup cake...YUMMMM!

Now although this post was about the food, I just can’t help myself, don’t forget to set your table with tiered cake stands, pretty pastels, vintage crockery and dainty cocktail sized napkins..DIVINE

 Happy high tea & happy Mother’s Day!

A little extra special mothers day

Mothers day might be more commonly known for painted macaroni necklaces, breakfast in bed, a home made card, or even simply a bought gift for mum. But it is actually quite easy to do something a little extra special for mum!

 Girly tea and treats

We threw this little afternoon treats party for mum using our cake stands and other Bon Bon bits and pieces and DIY doily garland (no macaroni required)…It actually was not that pricey either and far less than a fancy high tea out! We hope this inspires you… 

  

Styling and product - Bon Bon Boutique (for other images see our  Themes & Decorations page)

Scrumptious apple pie - Bakehouse on Wentworth, Blackheath

Needle and thread theme (how cute!??)

I actually hadn’t intended on creating another theme for this mothers day post… but after having an Oprah aha-moment (for me this is an aha-theme-moment) in the Paddington Fleur Wood Store, I couldn’t resist! The thing that inspired me was this simple but oh-so-sweet cotton thread décor hanging from the shop’s ceiling.

 

After seeing this, I raced home and put together a few Bon Bon bits and pieces for a Needle and Thread theme with button cookies (pictures below)! Mothers day treat, party, tabletop, tea, breakfast, baby shower…could be what ever you like really. I have a pool of ideas for Needle and Thread and can’t wait to add to it at a later stage!! How I dream to acquire a vintage sewing machine and giant spool or two for the occasion...

Button Cookies - Home made using Martha Stewart's sugar cookies recipe

Styling, Decorations & Baking cases – Bon Bon Boutique