MOTHER’S Day on March 14 can perhaps trace its origins right back to festivals honouring motherhood in Greek and Roman times.
Its celebration in this country is though to originate from the 16th century Christian practice of an annual visit to one’s mother church which meant most mothers would be reunited with their children on that day.
In modern times it is a chance to give Mums a bit of a break and a nice present to say thank-you for all their hard work during the rest of the year.
Mothers can never be given enough flowers and Maidenhead’s Richard Elder Floral Design based in the walled gardens of Stubbings Nursery has a present which has to be pick of the bunch.
They are offering 50 tulip stems for the price of 35, an offer which is exclusive to bestofmaidenhead members and Richard will also deliver anywhere in the country.
Elsewhere there can be few better Mothering Sunday presents than a lovely meal at Maidenhead’s Taplow House Hotel.
It costs just £29.50, children aged 12 and under cost £16 and under-threes eat free and the menu is absolutely delicious.
Starters are a choice of leek and potato soup with a soft poached quail egg, crayfish cocktail on a bed of iceburg lettuce with marie rose, terrine of chicken and bacon with mustard seed mayonnaise or baked goat’s cheese in herb breadcrumbs with beetroot dressing.
That sets diners up nicely for the main course which is a choice of roast loin of pork with chateau potatoes and apple sauce, guilt head sea bream on a leek risotto with fennel salad and balsamic dressing, spinach gnocchi with wild mushrooms and a garlic cream sauce or breast of corn fed chicken with Mediterranean vegetable polenta cake and red pepper sauce.
Anyone with space left is bound to be tempted by dessert which offers a choice of banana and pistachio iced parfait with caramel sauce, a selection of cheese and biscuits with celery and chutney, chilled almond rice pudding with exotic fruits or rich chocolate truffle cake with white chocolate ice cream.
The hotel will also have Sally Radford from Maidenhead’s Amber Zone complementary health clinic offering hand massages.
The Amber Zone also have an offer for a half-price voucher for a Hot stone massage available to bestofmaidenhead members.