The second Sunday of May is Mothers’ Day once again and whilst you may view the day as a cynical modern marketing exercise (especially as it is the third largest card sending holiday), and bigger than ‘Ben Hur’ for florists, in actual fact the celebration has its origins in ancient times.
The ancient Egyptians worshipped the goddess Isis because she embodied the virtues of the ideal Egyptian wife and mother. The Isis cult survived well into the time of the Ptolemaic and Greco-Roman eras. Isis worship with the paraphernalia of priests and ritual also became widespread in the Roman Empire.
The ancient Greeks celebrated a day in spring to honour the mother of the gods Rhea and early Christians held a springtime festival in honour of Mary the mother of Jesus. With the spread of the Christian faith through Europe this practice was carried with it and the celebration of the Mother of Christ was in time extended to the Mother Church and eventually to honour all mothers.
The idea of a special day honouring motherhood has had several manifestations during history. For instance, Mothering Sunday has been celebrated in Britain on the fourth Sunday in Lent from the 16th century.
It is thought the custom came about from the festival of ‘Refreshment Sunday’ when everyone was expected to revisit the church in which they were baptised. As many people worked away from home, as servants in the homes of the wealthy, they were given the day off to visit their home church and at the same time visit their families. Eventually this became the prime purpose of this annual visit so ‘Mothering Sunday’ was born.
Mothers’ Day in the UK is not celebrated in May as it is yet another of the days linked to the moveable feast of Easter so it may fall in March or April and is very often celebrated with the baking of Simnel cakes, fruit cakes which incorporate almond paste.
The current Mothers’ Day celebrated in Australia was the creation of Anna Jarvis, an American concerned over mothers being neglected by their adult children, after the death of her mother 100 years ago. Subsequently President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation officially creating the holiday as the second Sunday in May.
From the simple idea of marking the day by wearing a carnation or sending a card, grown up children now visit mum bearing gifts, flowers (chrysanthemums once de riguer, now passé) flowering plants, and rich indulgences such as luxury chocolates and cakes. And in the 21st century Mothers’ Day cards can now go via the internet in the form of E-Cards and cyber-greetings.
Anyone looking for great cakes to share on Mothers’ Day, should check out that long established Melbourne tradition Paterson Cakes where the list of wondrous celebratory cakes is legendary. For instance for this day of celebration they will have the traditional English Simnel Cake with toasted marzipan among other goodies, which can be delivered to your home, making them accessible to all of Melbourne.
Something else in the indulgence department is King Island Dairy’s new premium yoghurt, which is the same exceptional standard as their cheese and cream. This clean green island is home to the 10,000 contented cows responsible for this creamy natural tasting yoghurt which can be used in so many ways.
For a change try mixing vanilla yoghurt with muesli for an easy Mother’s Day breakfast, then rev up a stack of pancakes and layer them with King Island’s knockout honey and cinnamon yoghurt topped with berries.
Alternatively, make this fabulous and easy dessert.
Vanilla Yoghurt & Pear Cheesecake: Serves 4 Ingredients
1 1/4 cups premium-quality sweet biscuit crumbs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
60g butter, melted
250g cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
400g tub King Island Dairy Yoghurt
1 tablespoon gelatine, dissolved in 1/4 cup boiling water
1 1/4 cups King Island Dairy Pure Cream
2 poached pears, cored and cut into chunks
Method
Combine the biscuit crumbs, cinnamon and melted butter and press into the base of four 10cm individual lined spring form pans or a 20cm springform pan. Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric beater until smooth. Add the King Island Dairy Yoghurt and gelatine mixture, beat until combined. Fold in King Island Dairy Pure Cream and chopped pears. Pour over prepared base and chill for 1-2 hours or until set. Serve.
• Contact Virginia Hill at her Cooking Centre, 10c Cromwell Road, South Yarra, 3141, telephone 9804 7235, email: virginiahill@i.net.au Use the same contact details for copies of 'Zap to the Max' $19.95 plus $5 delivery charge. Virginia also presents a radio show on 3RPH every Tuesday morning, beginning on 6 April, 2004.
