I knew that Mother’s Day was fast approaching when I saw a homemade sign advertising local rhubarb on the back of a farm truck. Follow that up with local asparagus being harvested, and finally with the first-of-the-season strawberries at Trauger’s Farm Market in Kintnersville and the Doylestown Farmers Market.
In addition to being signs that the spring harvest is in full swing, those three are always top contenders for Mother’s Day meals. Asparagus is great in quiches and salads, and strawberries and rhubarb are favorites for pancakes, muffins and desserts.
You may find all three of them if you visit a local restaurant for your Mother’s Day brunch, or buy them from local farmers for your own special meal for mom.
Whether you go out or stay home, brunch for Mother’s Day has evolved into an opportunity to let moms sleep a little later, then have a pleasant meal before spending the day on adventures with their children. One of the charming features of Mother’s Day meals is that many of the foods served are designed to look pretty. Fruit is usually part of the lineup, adding color, flavor and sweetness. That can be berries, bananas or even the orange juice in mimosas.
Meals don’t have to be complicated or fancy to make moms happy. It’s more important that they are prepared or planned for with love. That’s the best gift of all.
You can take advantage of the local strawberries in season (it’s just beginning and will continue into early June) with this recipe from thepioneerwoman.com. Use all strawberries or blueberries if you prefer and omit the chocolate chips and/or the nuts if you like.
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2 ¼ cups whole buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and divided, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup blueberries
½ cup sliced strawberries
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped pecans
Maple syrup, to serve
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, along with 4 tablespoons of the melted butter and the vanilla. Stir the batter together until just combined.
2. Brush an 18-by-13-inch sheet pan with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, then pour in the pancake batter. Sprinkle the batter with the blueberries, strawberries, chocolate chips, and pecans, as desired.
3. Bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the surface of the pancake.
4. Cut into squares and serve with more butter and maple syrup.
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