HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY 2014

Cute little stories about my funny mother often occur to me, and I want to share them, but never really know how to do it in this particular forum.

But since Mother’s Day will be here this week-end, I figure now’s the time. This will be my third Mother’s Day without my precious little mo, and I’m sad to report that it really has not gotten any easier for me.

One of the beautiful acrylic paintings by May Rose Salkin.

But, perhaps fittingly, this will be my last week-end in my childhood house, ever; I always feel that my mother’s spirit is still in here with me, so I try to get through as best I can.

But when I was still home in LA in March, I got really into making pancakes for Mr. X on most days. I use these great mixes that I discovered a few years back at the Fancy Food Show in New York; I bought them in four different flavors, but Mr. X likes the plain best. He really isn’t into the chocolate or pumpkin, so after I used up the plain, I was down to the blueberry.

On the first day I was mixing up the blueberry batter, I started laughing thinking about making them for my mother a few years ago. As I’m sure we all know, I rarely cook, or bake, or actually don’t do much else in the kitchen besides open the refrigerator and freezer to choose something ready-made to eat.

So I brought one of the blueberry mixes to New York back then, when I was first using them, planning to treat my mother to probably her first homemade breakfast in almost two decades! I was so excited. I even went to the local market to get the freshest blueberries to top them with, and bought the most expensive whipped cream I could find. I wanted her to have a supreme treat.

I actually even had to buy a frying pan, because she doesn’t even have pots and pans in her kitchen. (I guess this non-cooking apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.)

A stack of Karen Salkin’s famous pancakes. Photo by Karen Salkin.

So there I was, slaving over the hot stove. I proudly presented my little mo with the first pancake with fresh blueberries and whipped cream. As I turned back to the stove to make the second one, (because I’m an idiot who bought just a tiny one-pancake pan,) I heard her oohing and aahing, and exclaiming that it was the most delicious thing she’s had in a long time.

I was qvelling from the experience! As I turned back to the table with her second pancake, I noticed that she hadn’t even eaten her first one, so what could she have been raving about?!

And then I realized what was happening—she was using the pancake as a plate, and eating just the blueberries and whipped cream! I asked what she was doing, and she very calmly told me, “Oh, I don’t like pancakes.”

I was hysterical at the experience then, and I started laughing just thinking about it now. She was always the funniest mother ever.

I wish she was really here to celebrate the day with, but I’m always so grateful to have so many fun memories of her, such as this one.

And I’m happy to wish all of you who are celebrating today the happiest of Mother’s Days!