“No gift to your mother can ever equal her gift to you - life”
- Author Unknown
Welcome to the May issue of Seasoned Cooking. This month brings us Mother’s Day and we can’t help but think that reaching out to our mothers and simply spending time together is perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can give both ourselves and our mothers. And, being a motley blend of food lovers, we would recommend a lovely meal to accompany that get together. So this month, we’re looking at a wide array of delectable meals that will have Mom smiling at how well she raised you!
We begin with an idea that takes advantage of the beautiful weather that May offers us. Few months are as lovely and after a long winter indoors, most of us are itching to spend some time in the great outdoors. Why not celebrate Mother’s Day with a fantastic spring picnic? Check out our special feature on spring picnics and you will get lots of great ideas about how to plan, pack and -– of course – cook. We can even recommend a simple, yet delicious, rhubarb tart to accompany your feast. Get the recipe for this springtime favorite at the Happy Endings column.
Of course, you might also want to go all out and include some more elegant meal ideas for Mom. It’s hard to go wrong with seafood, in that case. First, stop by the Seasoned Opinions column to share your favorite kinds of seafood and a recipe or two and pick up one of your own. If that journey doesn’t fill your coffers with enough recipes, you may want to consider visiting the Ingredient SpotLight column, where the focus this month is shrimp. Get some fun facts about it and a simple scampi recipe that can be on your table in about 15 minutes. If you have a little more time, consider checking out Phil’s International Flair, where Phil is taking spring to Asia by combining shrimp, asparagus and an Asian favorite to make a fun fusion dish that will impress you and your guests. Finally, if you really want to showcase something special for Mom, consider taking her to Peru … by making your own ceviche. If the thought of chemically cooked seafood worries you a bit, don’t be concerned. There’s a recipe at the Kitchen Focus that gives you the option of lightly poaching the seafood before letting it soak in citrus juices … so consider that as training wheels for the ceviche shy!
And for those looking for a special gift for Mom this month, we have a great idea for you. Check out Mom’s Kitchen for a step by step guide to making a cookbook filled with your favorite family recipes. It’s a gift for Mom and the whole family. Preserving your culinary family traditions will be something that will become family heirlooms in time.
There's a lot more to enjoy in this month's issue of Seasoned Cooking -- from the final in a series on breakfast on the go to a vegetable lo mein dish that takes minutes to make. Enjoy and here's to a seasoned lifestyle.
