Happy Mother’s Day, 2020! However, the COVID-19 lock down has made doing anything special extremely difficult to impossible. Our traditional practice of taking Mom to her favourite Chinese Buffet Restaurant for a gala dinner is out of the question…
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and music to ‘recreate the Date Night experience at home. Perfect
for the young family; feeds two adults romantically…
Mom’s 95 years old, now, and it’s a big deal for her to get ready and go out anywhere except doctor’s appointments, celebration dinners or special shopping trips that she insists on making herself, to be sure she gets exactly the item she had in mind. (The latter happens a lot with greeting cards, a very personal thing with Mom). But the COVID-19 lock down has made her cautious about going out at all, as well she should be at her age which places her among the most vulnerable.
So… We thought of having flowers delivered to Mom here here at home, but that seemed a thin substitute for her traditional celebration. Then we thought about having a Fruit basket delivered from Edible Arrangements. They do a fantastic job (see photo, top of page), offering offering bouquet-style presentations of specially-prepared Fruit creations such as Pineapple Daisies and Rose Vanilla Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. The ultimate way to get your daily recommended amount of Fresh Fruits and Veggies? Maybe… It’s a great alternative to same-old flowers if Mom lives some distance away. But, while expense is not a consideration when showing our appreciation for Mom and all she’s done for us, we were unsure whether we could consume the whole basket before the last of it went bad. And none of us in this house countenances the waste of food, especially in times like these.
But what Mom really wants for Mother’s Day is the Grand Buffet at The Mandarin, our go-to Asian restaurant. Alas, the establishment is closed during the lock down. And the risk of taking Mom out is just too high, anyway.
The solution was simple
To paraphrase the ancient Turkish proverb: If Mom can’t go to the Buffet,then we must bring the Buffet to Mom. We’re blessed in our town with what some might call an overabundance of Asian Restaurants; there are at least 6 within 10 minutes of our doorstep. It was deciding which one to order from that temporarily stalled us in our tracks. That’s the problem with what some call ‘an embarrassment of riches’. Anyway, we made our decision in consultation with Mom yesterday and will proceed with the plan later today, making sure to order early and beat the inevitable rush.
An amazing array of meal deals…
If Asian food isn’t your Mom’s favourite, don’t despair. Most restaurants that are remaining open for take-out and delivery are offering an array of Mother’s Day Special meal deals that would make your head spin.
A quick Google search revealed an article from the daily paper’s website listing over dozen upscale restos offering Mother’s Day Specials, including a brunch package from Stofa, a locally famous fine dining establishment, which includes 250 g / 9 oz. of Smoked Salmon; 4 Sesame Scones with Dill and Caper Cream Cheese; a Sweet Potato, Asparagus, Mushroom and Green Pea Frittata; Batter for make-at-home Pancakes with a 355 ml / 12 oz. bottle of Maple syrup; Heirloom Tomato and Berry Salad; Wild Blueberry Coffee Cake; and tea. All for (C)$125.
Then there’s the Italian Dinner for 4 from La Roma, another legendary sit-down establishment. It’s just one of several ‘Stofa on the Sofa’ take-out deals being offered during pandemic crisis. You get: Rigatoni, Chicken Marsala, Caesar Salad, 2 pieces of Raspberry Cheesecake and 2 Cannoli. That one will set you back (C)$145. Not bad when you compare the same menu to the resto’s usual full-service and fancy decor prices.
What does your town’s fine dining community have to offer for today’s at-home celebration?
An equally amazing array of less-fancy meal deals…
All the usual chains are offering Meal Deal specials, too. We spotlighted Panda Express’ Family Meal Deal yesterday under the Fast Food Week banner. Earlier in the week, we unpacked Taco Bell’s Take-Home Taco Bar package. The Bell is also offering what it calls a Cravings Pack (4 Tacos and 4 Burritos) and its regular Party Pack (12 Tacos). Red Lobster is offering Date Night Deals To Go (for the young family; designed to feed 2 adults romantically). Wendy’s (in Canada, and in the US where the Beef is available) is offering a pair of Feed The Family Meal Deals (featuring Crispy Chicken Sandwiches, Double Stack Burgers and Junior Double Cheesburgers, plus Fries).
And don’t forget to Google or phone your fave local one-off restos to find out that they’re offering for Mother’s Day. You may be pleasantly surprised at what’s available!
Now, you have to decide..
Celebrate Mother’s Day in your own style, in grand style! And remember to order early to avoid the rush – or, perish the thought, deals selling out!
~ Maggie Js.