A Mother’s Day brunch fit for a queen

She awakes bright and early and moves rapidly through a dizzying day filled with making and serving breakfast, preparing lunches, brushing teeth and hair, driving to school, making beds, doing laundry, housekeeping, grocery shopping, paying the bills, appointments, afternoon carpool, shuttle service to ballet, baseball, piano, karate – you name it, drying tears, helping with homework, cooking dinner, bath time, cleaning the kitchen, setting out clothes for the next day, reading bedtime stories and finally kissing everyone good night. And many do all of this and manage a full-time career outside the home. Is this Superwoman or the Energizer Bunny? No, it’s none other than dear ole Mom.

We couldn’t do it all without her so Mother’s Day is the ideal time to honor the woman who gives so much of herself to her family. In America and Africa, motherhood is a well-honored tradition, but Mother’s Day is a particularly important holiday in Africa as motherhood is one of the few positions of honor for women. It’s every girl’s dream to become a mother, and young African girls prepare for motherhood by helping their mothers care for their siblings. Both mothers and grandmothers are honored and shown extra appreciation on Mother’s Day. In America, women have more opportunity, but motherhood is equally as important.

This Mother’s Day, give Mom the day off (if she’ll take it) and show her how important and loved she is with a Mother’s Day brunch fit for a queen. For a brunch spread with an African twist, start with Scotch eggs, a popular West African snack food, consisting of hard-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage, breaded and deep fried. Serve this with Nigerian yam pottage, a spicy stew made with yams and other vegetables. Fish and other seafood are popular in South Africa and other areas along the African coast, and grilled salmon served with a corn salad are light and delicious additions. For a sweet ending, prepare puff puff, a fluffy and rich Nigerian treat similar to doughnuts.
Mom is sure to feel the love with a day filled with delicious food, extra attention and relaxation because come Monday, the making and serving breakfast, preparing lunches, brushing teeth and hair . . . starts all over again.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms and mom-like women in our lives!