Zen and the Art of Mother's Day Brunch

Today is Mother's Day in the U.S. It usually starts with families rushing to make their brunch reservations, waiting in line, ordering, keeping their kids in tow and hoping for the best experience ever. Yes, all-in-all quite a stressful morning for someone like me, who is always seeking a state of Zen.

A few days earlier, my colleague, who lives in Charlotte, asked me for a recommendation in Davidson for his wife who had obviously mothered his child. I mentioned Restaurant X, Toast and the North Harbor Club. As he considered the North Harbor Club and started calling for his reservation, it dawned on me that my sweet husband would probably not have made a reservation by that point. So, I called him and very cordially informed him of my wishes. And my wishes came true.

I have a rose garden in my backyard which helps transport me to that state of Zen I mentioned earlier. The table had been set before the roses, with white linen and four chairs. Breakfast of whole wheat bagels smeared with cream cheese, smoked salmon, eggs over easy, home-made hollandaise sauce and turkey bacon awaited. Two Mimosas waited in the kitchen. We had all dressed up for the event. I had on my purple linen dress from Malaga, my five-year old in her pink silk dress from her grandmother, my husband and son were smartly dressed in shirts and khakis. The roses were in full bloom and the weather was perfect. The light filtered through the trees onto the beautiful table.

As I set my Mimosa down, I had forgotten the foldable table was not to be trusted. To the cry of "Mamma!" I watched my glass topple over and the mixture of champagne and orange juice wash over the eggs with the hollandaise sauce, toasted bagel with cream cheese with sides of crispy bacon and soft smoked salmon. I screamed my son's name thinking it was his fault. Thankfully, he kept his calm and said, "Mamma, it fell over on its own. I was only trying to help." My husband was watching from the deck with furrowed eyebrows, not knowing which direction this was going to take. I was determined to enjoy this morning despite the drink on my dress. I picked up my plate, held the food in place with my fork, and tipped it slightly to drain the drink off the plate and set it back down. We all sat down and I informed my little family that I had an extra champagne sauce on my dish. It turned out to be the best Mother's Day brunch ever.

Cinnamon