Mothers, and women in general, are incredible. They manage to get so much done in the course of a day. With Mothers' Day coming up, I thought I'd share a few tips on how to pamper the mothers in your life.
There's very little more indulgent than breakfast in bed. Here are a few things to help make a breakfast tray extra special (and please, don't forget to bring her coffee)
1. This breakfast tray folds flat for convenient storage and has a ledge that's perfect for reading the news on an iPad.
2. My mother, grandmother, and great grandmother taught me to always put a tea towel down on a tray before putting anything else on it. This set of
three tea towels is really pretty (one looks like it could be Roller Rabbit, one of my favorite brands). I also have this
linen one and cannot tell you how beautifully it's held up (and worn) over the years.
3. Flowers are a
must on a breakfast tray,
especially on Mothers' Day. With space at a premium, I'd use a pretty
bud vase with a single flower. My mom is particular to lilies but a tulip or rose would be really pretty too. Speaking of roses, I'd love to see a rose in this
white bud vase. For flowers, I'd pick up something pretty at my local farmer's market. If that's not an option, buy a grocery store bouquet and pull a flower out for her breakfast tray.
4. My mother loves freshly squeezed oj for a special occasion and Mothers' Day is the perfect excuse to squeeze some for her. I think this
juicer from SMEG is gorgeous and if you have to leave an appliance out on the counter, this is pretty enough to do so. If that's a bit too expensive for you,
here's another version for under $30.
5. She'll need to drink her juice from a pretty glass. We grew up with the clear duralex glasses but I think these
blue ones are a pretty upgrade (I also own them and they're great water glasses for a colorful tablescape).
6. For plates, I'd pull something pretty but rarely used from the china cabinet. My mom's fanciest china pattern is Herend's
Rothschild Bird which I just discovered you can purchase on Amazon! I'd use a luncheon sized plate over a dinner plate if that's an option.
7. I think these floral embroidered
napkins are so pretty (and the hydrangeas would tie in
beautifully with the duralex glasses above). They'd be a pain to iron but that little bit of extra effort is really sweet for Mothers Day.
8. If you're making your mom soft boiled eggs for breakfast, egg cups are absolutely essential. (When I was in college, I'd use a shot glass as an egg cup but that's probably not the route to go with your mom).
These ones from Royal Copenhagen are gorgeous. If you want something a bit less fancy, these
white ones are a great basic
9. If you bring your mother a card on her Mothers' Day breakfast tray, you'll win the day. I find the most amazing cards at a store called
Paper on Stone in Lexington. Whitney always has the best selection and is hilarious. If you can't make it into Paper on Stone in the next few weeks, you can still write your mother a sweet note on a pretty card like these ones.
10. The most important part of bringing your mother breakfast in bed is the actual food. If you're not particularly skilled in the kitchen, I'd recommend soft boiled eggs, toast, and fresh fruit. If you're feeling a bit more decadent, you can add some caviar to the toast points.
Another great option for Mothers' Day is eggs benedict. Poaching eggs can be intimidating but once you do it a few times, you'll realize how easy it is. There are tons of tutorials online, just make sure to add a bit of vinegar to the water to help keep the egg together. You can find an easy guide here. I buy ready made hollandaise (no separating eggs) from Kroger but it's linked here. Add a little avocado or sautéed spinach to an English Muffin and you're set.
Perfect Soft Boiled Eggs
The trick to soft boiled eggs is letting the eggs reach room temperature before boiling them. If you forget this step, add an extra minute to the cooking time. I recommend boiling eggs after you've arranged your breakfast tray (and right after you put the toast in the toaster) to ensure they're still warm by the time your mother cracks into them.
Fill a medium sized sauce pan with a lid 2/3 full of water. Bring to a boil. Using a spoon, gently drop 2 eggs into the boiling water. Boil for 5 minutes 30 seconds. Remove eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and run quickly under the cold water tap. If your mother likes the whites a bit firmer, skip the cold water step (they'll continue cooking in the shell until you serve them).
I hope you like these finds. Let me know what you think of these in the comments. And if you have anything to add, I always love to hear from you!
Please know that, as an associate, I may receive a commission if you purchase any of these items but all product selection is entirely my own.
