The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Mother’s Day options include brunches, tea
Mother’s Day celebrations include feasts among flowers at brunch, high tea and more
Thoughts turn to Mother’s Day just as Mother Nature welcomes spring with blooms.
Thoughts turn to Mother’s Day just as Mother Nature welcomes spring with blooms from trees to forest floor.
If a special meal is in the plans, it would be difficult to find a better place than the Holden Arboretum or sister attraction the Cleveland Botanical Garden to celebrate Mom amid the glories of springtime. .
The Arboretum’s 1930sera Lantern Court, which is surrounded by 25 acres of gardens at 9203 Kirtland-Chardon Road, Kirtland, is the setting for a high tea on May 12, the day before Mother’s Day. Soup, tea sandwiches and petit tea fancies will comprise the meal accented by a display of vintage fashions. Seatings are at 10 and 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tickets, at $25 for adults and $20 for children, include Holden Arboretum admission. Enter at 9550 Sperry Road and be sure to explore the wildflower garden and check out the crabapple orchard, which should be in full bloom that day. Get details at holdenarb.org and call 216-721-1600, ext. 274 for reservations.
Also in the plans for mothers is a special tour of the David G. Leach Research Station. 1890 Hubbard Road, Madison, which is not normally open to the public. Rhododendron research is conducted here in a woodland setting where gorgeous rhododendrons will be in bloom. Steve Krebs, director of the Leach Research Station, and other knowledgeable guides will lead tours, which are free for Holden Forests & Gardens members and $10 for non-members. Details: holdenarb.org; 440-6023833.
A Mother’s Day Brunch is set for May 13 at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, 11030 East Blvd., in University Circle, where thousands of spring blooms will accent the experience. Nine seatings will be available every half hour between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Cost is $45 per adult member, $50 for nonmembers, $20 for member children and $22 for nonmember children. Children 2 and under are free. Ticket cost includes admission to the Botanical Garden that day. An extensive buffet built around chef-carved strip loin of beef, seared chicken breast and medallions of roasted salmon will include tasty treats such as banana pancakes and morel mushroom risotto cakes, along with grilled veggies, a broccoli-and-smoked cheddar frittata, made-to-order omelette station, kids’ menu, salads and pastries. Get details at cbgarden.org and reserve at 216-721-1600, ext. 274.
A survey by the National Retail Federation found that 86 percent of Americans will celebrate Mother’s Day, spending more than $23 billion this year. More than half of those consumers will treat Mom to a meal, while 23 percent will give experiences, such as a spa day, gym membership or concert tickets.
An experience such as A Mother’s Day Surprise class at the Loretta Paganini School of Cooking, 8613 Mayfield Road, Chester Township, may be a great treat. It’s at 6 p.m. May 12 with chef Tim McCoy doing the honors in 2.5-hour class creating a dinner of smoked salmon roses on grilled flatbread; lobster bisque; romaine and cherry tomato salad; brie-stuffed chicken roulade in puff pastry with dried cherry and pinot noir reduction; roasted baby carrots and new potatoes; and a chocolate truffle and strawberry mousse tart. It’s $65. Sign up: 440-729-1110; www.lpscinc.com.
Or consider a 2:30-to4:30 p.m. brunch at Paganini’s nearby restaurant Sapore, 8623 Mayfield Road. It’s also on May 12 and is $45, including tax and service. The menu: wild mushroom bisque with crostini; crab and avocado salad; chicken scaloppine
piccata with artichoke and red peppers; creme brulee with strawberries; and gelato and assorted truffles. Reservations: 440 729-1110; www.lpscinc.com.
Those wishing to plan a brunch for Mother’s Day itself should check out the offerings at Quail Hollow Resort in Concord Township and The Lodge at Genevaon-the-Lake.
The brunch at Quail Hollow, 11080 Concord Hambden Road, is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at CK’s Steakhouse. It includes unlimited Bloody Marys and mimosas for guests 21 and older. It’s priced at $55 for adults, with discounts for seniors and kids. Reservations: 440-350-3579.
At The Lodge at Genevaon-the-Lake,
a Lake Erie view is part of the pleasure of dining at Horizons’ Mother’s Day brunch which takes place there from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is priced at $41.95 for adults, with discounts for seniors and children. It’s at 4888 North Broadway, also known as Route 534, in Geneva on the Lake. Reservations: 440-415-1546.
There are other options to consider, as well.
Brunch is from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. May 13 at the Cabin of Willowick, 28810 Lake Shore Blvd. It’s priced at $33 and even includes sushi, along with eggs dishes and a carving station for roast beef and pork. Reserve: 440-943-5195.
BRAVO Cucina Italiana, 7787 Reynolds Road (Route 306), Mentor, has a Sicilian omelette among its brunch specials for Mother’s Day. Its ingredients include cherrywood smoked ham, bacon, sweet Italian sausage, tomato compote, caramelized onions, mozzarella, and brunch potatoes. It’s serving brunch until 3 p.m. both May 12 and May 13.
The Capital Grille, 25389 Cedar Road — at Legacy Village in Lyndhurst — serves Mother’s Day Brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 13. It’s priced at $49 for adults and $15 for children and includes endless mimosas and peach bellinis for $14. Reserve: 216-382-5093.
And to celebrate mothers, Boston Market is selling a whole rotisserie chicken for $2.99 with purchase of a family meal this month. Thanks to the internet, it’s easy to find easy-to-make recipes online that use a whole roasted chicken. The Mentor store is at 9361 Mentor Ave.