Moms are superstars! Dads are too (we’ll get to them in June when it’s their special day). Not sure what to get the person who means the world to you? We’ve rounded up the most amazing and thoughtful gifts, from breakfast-in-bed recipes, tips for garden bouquets and gifts to transport Mom to the world’s most iconic hotels. Let’s face it – she deserves it! Happy Mother’s Day to all our special moms out there!
The Bellini by Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc, Cap D’Antibes, brings a sparkle to Mom’s Breakfast-in-Bed with this Venetian Speciality.
Treat mom to a beautiful Bellini from the French Riviera’s most glamorous hotel, the 150-year-old Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. The Bellini was created in 1934 by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice. He named the cocktail so because its unique pink colour reminded him of the toga of a Saint in a painting by 15th-century Venetian artist, Giovani Bellini. The Bellini started as a seasonal speciality at Harry’s Bar and, today, is the symbolic drink of the city of Venice, continuing the old Italian tradition of marinating fresh peaches in wine. This Bellini recipe has been perfected by Christophe Lencioni, Head Bartender at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. The hotel even named one of its much-loved bars, the Bar Bellini – the Côte d’Azur’s cocktail bar of choice for Hollywood stars. With a beautiful outdoor terrace and spectacular views over Hotel du Cap’s enchanting gardens and the famous Grande Allée down to the sea, it’s hard to imagine anything more spoiling than sipping a Bellini here.
RECIPE:
140ml of Champagne
15ml peach cream or Peachtree liqueur
100ml fresh peach purée
METHOD:
Mix all ingredients and serve in a long, chilled Champagne flute
A Decadent Pain Perdu by Villa Marie St. Barth – The Original French Toast from the Uber-Chic Island of St. Barth
Start mom’s day with the most decadent of brunch dishes – the Pain Perdu– in which brioche is soaked in cream, fried, and topped with maple syrup, berries, and yoghurt. Villa Marie St Barth– Maisons & Hotels Sibuet’s chic tropical hideaway – has revealed its signature recipe to spoil mom, with its crisp, buttery exterior and soft custardy interior. A firm favourite on the menu at Villa Marie St Barth, this quick and easy recipe is straight from its Caribbean kitchen and best served in bed with a signature Bellini.
RECIPE:
Three eggs
30g sugar
300g milk
100g cream
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
5g vanilla extract
Stale bread of brioche bun
METHOD:
- Mix the custard ingredients n bowl
- Soak stale bread or a brioche bun in custard for 2 -3 minutes
- Slice and then fry French toast in a pan until it is golden brown on each side. Top with maple syrup, berries, and yoghurt
Treat Mom to Michelin Star Madeleines with Melting Hazelnut Spread by Chef Eric Frechon from The Original Palace of Paris, Le Bristol
Long considered a bastion of gastronomic excellence, Palace hotel, Le Bristol Paris holds three Michelin stars at revered Epicure, and one Michelin star at ‘brasserie de luxe,’ 114 Faubourg. Acknowledged by foodies all over the globe as ‘Chef Royalty,’ Eric Frechon – who has been at Le Bristol’s culinary helm for over a decade – has now shared one of the secrets of his trade, just for moms. A quick, easy, and ever so quintessentially French recipe is Frechon’s Hazelnut Spread Madeleines. Highlighting his passion for baking, last year, he installed a working flour mill at the hotel, making Le Bristol Paris today the first and only hotel in Paris to produce its homemade fresh flour from ancient wheat. Eric Frechon has spent over 35 years in restaurants, having presided over some of Paris’ most prestigious kitchens throughout his career. Today, he is one of the most celebrated names, unanimously hailed by critics and gourmets the world over for having raised Le Bristol to become the hotel to bear the most Michelin stars in Paris.
RECIPE:
A small pot of hazelnut spread
35ml milk
100 g sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
125g flour
125g melted butter
Two small eggs
½ packet yeast
1 tbsp butter (to grease the mould)
1 tbsp flour (to dust the mould)
METHOD:
- Melt the butter over low heat
- Grease the madeleine mould with melted butter and dust with flour
- Preheat oven to 210°C / 410˚F
- Beat the eggs in a small bowl
- In a mixing bowl, add eggs, sugar, milk and vanilla extract
- Add melted butter, flour, and yeast and stir until combined
- Add mixture to madeleine mould until half full
- Add a dollop of hazelnut spread to each madeleine and top with the remaining mixture until full
- Bake for 10 minutes in the oven until perfectly golden
Fabulous Flowers – Top Tips from the Lowell, New York
Renowned Restaurateur & Florist, Charles Masson is behind the epic florals available at The Lowell’s destination restaurant Majorelle, as well as the hotel. He has shared his advice on how to create a Mother’s Day bouquet to remember at home.
The Lowell is a landmark New York hotel, sitting in the heart of Manhattan in the chic and stylish neighbourhood of the Upper East Side. It is the hotel of choice for many world travellers and has become well known for its impressive flower arrangements. The incredible aromas of vast bouquets welcome guests in the hotel’s intimate lobby, and this floral theme continues throughout the hotel, from the fresh flowers in the suites to signature restaurant Majorelle, the stunning botanical oasis in the heart of Manhattan. The Lowell’s renowned florals are dreamt up by resident Restaurateur and Florist Charles Masson, who says that no dining experience is complete without flowers. He believes, “A dining experience should delight all of our senses. Outstanding cuisine deserves to be surrounded by beauty – the décor should be beautiful, the air should carry a lovely scent, the presentation on the plate should be exquisite, and flowers should delight our eyes.”
For the perfect Mother’s Day celebration, Charles has shared his top tips to create a long-lasting, beautiful bouquet. He recommends complementing it with an indulgent meal and delicious wine (ideally delivery from Majorelle, of course, for local New Yorkers). These tips apply to whatever flowers you might be able to gather from your garden or local area.
CHARLES MASSON’S TOP FLOWER ARRANGING TIPS:
- Always prep your vase – before creating a bouquet, clean your vase with white vinegar and water and then rinse out thoroughly with clean water.
- Fresh cut flowers need water, and the longer a flower drinks, the longer it lives. Remember the importance of clean water, and make sure you change it regularly.
- Cut all leaves that will touch the water in the vase. Leaves are known to dirty the water and cut flowers thrive in clean water, so minimizing dirt is key.
- Use sharp, clean instruments. Blunt blades will tear stems, so it is essential to safely sharpen them and ensure blades are cleaned by rubbing with alcohol
- When gathering the flowers together, take inspiration from a bird’s nest, an incredible engineering marvel! The crisscrossing of twigs teaches us to do the same without using synthetic foam, tape, and wire.
Bring a Taste & Touch of Safari to Mom’s Fingertips with Singita’s Online Boutique and Cookbook
Bring a taste of safari to mom’s fingertips with Singita’s coveted new online boutique, available to non-guests for the first time. The Singita Boutique & Gallery showcases the lodge’s award-winning interior design, curated by South African design duo Cécile & Boyd, in addition to an extraordinary range of art, home décor, tableware, furniture, jewellery, and clothing. Highlights for mom include beautiful cashmere pashminas, which reinterpret Africa’s traditional animal prints and textures, ethically sourced and hand-crafted ostrich eggshell mosaic photo-frames, and elephant knot bangles, based on the conventional elephant hair bangle, which was woven from the hairs of an elephant’s tail and believed to be good luck. For moms who love to cook, Singita’s 274-page coffee-table style cookbook showcases recipes gathered from every region – from Tanzanian Futari (sweet potato, butternut, and coconut stew), South African classics such as malva pudding and Zambezi beer-battered bream, inspired by the catch of the day from Lake Malilangwe at Singita Pamushana Lodge Zimbabwe. All profits from the sales of the cookbook go towards supporting the Singita Community Culinary School in South Africa and Tanzania. These programs work to support and develop the next generation of Singita chefs who reside in the neighbouring communities to Singita Kruger National and Singita Grumeti, fulfilling a local need for career opportunities as well as a broader need for the hospitality industry as a whole in these countries.
Treat Mom to a Feel-Good Keepsake supporting Mauritian Wildlife with Patrick Mavros’ new “Forged from the Ocean” collection.
A beautiful keepsake with conservation at its heart, Patrick Mavros’s new ‘Forged From The Ocean’ bangle collection is the perfect travel-inspired gift for moms. Hand-forged by Forbes in his very own garden in Mauritius during self-isolation amidst COVID-19, the gold and silver bangles have been created using ancient techniques. They can be purchased from the online Patrick Mavros store. 50% of all proceeds will be funnelled into the not-for-profit Mauritian Wildlife Foundation and its extraordinary work in saving endemic species on Mauritius and Rodrigues. Highlights include the Ile Cocos and Ile Aux Sables project (restoring the plant community and monitoring seabird populations on two sandbar islets that host thousands of endemic seabirds), restoration of the Montagne Nature Reserve (planting endemic seedlings and weeding invasive species), tortoise rewilding, monitoring and research into the vulnerable Mauritius fruit bat population, as well as environmental education projects for schools and communities. Patrick Mavros is an iconic African family business, whose unique luxury jewellery collections represent a safari of adventure, romance, and above all, quality. Every piece is designed by a member of the family, who are proud to create timeless and unique heirlooms that will be handed down for generations. | The Forged by The Ocean Ladies Bangle in sterling silver is priced at US$250. 18-carat gold available on request.
Gift Mom Oetker Collection’s Highly Exclusive Signature Pieces, with the “Eden Being By Oetker Collection” Boutique
Eden Being is the heartbeat of the Oetker Collection. Combining e-commerce and physical boutiques in the hotels, art, experiences, and lifestyle, Eden Being offers a carefully curated selection of homeware, travel, fashion, jewellery and accessories in collaboration with luxury brands, including the likes of Globe-Trotter, T. T. Trunks, Diptyque, Raynaud and Alexandra Llewelyn, as well as fine watchmakers and sculptors. Eden Being produces bespoke products of singular beauty to help lovers of the Oetker Collection replicate the feeling of their favourite hotels at home. All products are available to purchase online at the Eden Being Boutique, with a number ideal for housebound mothers to make them feel extra special this Mother’s Day: limited-edition home fragrances and scented candles in collaboration with Diptyque, to transport their senses to Eden Rock – St Barths and the powder-soft shores of the Caribbean; the most elegant bespoke afternoon tea set created exclusively for Le Bristol Paris and hand-painted by Raynaud, the renowned porcelain manufacturers from Limoges; and for those already dreaming of their next escape, the glamorous, refined ‘Mademoiselle’ trunk – a work of artisanal perfection conceived by the two Parisian malletier behind T.T.Trunks – in an exclusive design for The Lanesborough, London in shades of lilac.
Transport Mom to Europe’s Alpine Mountains with exciting new products from Maisons & Hotels Sibuet’s Respected Spa Range, Pure Altitude
Les Fermes de Marie is home to the first of the Pure Altitude dedicated spas, with nature-based treatments and products developed by the Sibuet family. With nature front of mind, three new products have joined just in time for Mother’s Day – the Cold Cream (€32 for 50ml) made using Alpine beeswax and Mont Blanc glacier water, designed to protect the whole family against harsh winter temperatures, and the Edelweiss Organic Cotton Mask (€15 for an individual mask, €75 for a pack of six) which offers 12 hours of hydration. Meanwhile, the Moisturizing & Energizing Alpine Complex Cream (€60 for 50ml) offers a calming combination of Edelweiss, Gentian, Amica, Echinacea, Blueberry and Scots pine for the ultimate soothing product.
Boost Mom’s Wellbeing with a Signature Cookbook, Supplements & Mood-Boosting Fragrances from the Global Pioneer of Wellness – SHA Wellness Clinic, Spain
Multi-tasking moms around the world will know that juggling the demands of motherhood is not always conducive to inner-calm. This Mother’s Day, SHA Wellness Clinic’s cookbook, is the go-to recipe guide for creating delicious, nutritious, and immune-boosting meals. Inside, moms will find dozens of healthy recipes from SHA Wellness Clinic, a global pioneer of integrated medical and holistic wellness and one of Europe’s leading medical resorts, meaning eating healthily never tasted so good. Delicious recipes including scarlet prawn carpaccio salad, brown rice paella, Indian risotto, and shitake soup are coupled with detailed explainers on how food can be used as medicine and to self-heal – a vital ingredient in SHA Wellness Clinic’s vision for health. Every recipe has been created using evidence from the latest and most prestigious global nutrition studies, meaning healthy living is at the forefront of every meal. The SHA Boutique is also home to an array of beautiful home fragrances in lemongrass and citrus to recreate the relaxing SHA ambience at home, and supplements for healthy hair, detox, and relaxation.
Purchase Handmade Limited-Edition Homewares from mom from the “Creations Dragonfly” collection at Domaine Des Etangs
The Domaine des Etangs hotel was created through the work of expert craftsmen, stonecutters, cabinetmakers, carpenters, and gardeners, and it was their handiwork and knowledge that helped to build the enchanting castle and its farmhouses from the land and the surrounding forests. Creations Dragonfly is a collection of unique items that aspires to transform the emotions into objects, shedding light on the knowledge and intricate skill of the craftsmen behind it. Each object included in the collection originates from a tradition that has been nurtured by the passion and talent of these local craftsmen. Each creation is a limited edition, unique to a particular artisan and the Domaine des Etangs. Objects in the Creations Dragonfly collection to treat mom include: ‘Dans Les rêves’ a one-off handwoven mohair throw with silk edges, ‘Singuliers’ square and rectangular porcelain trays covered in vegetable-tanned leather, ‘Empreinte du temps’ a ceramic stool with rope embossing, and ‘Ciel et Terre’ an exclusive vintage Cognac that has aged for 22 years. From leather to porcelain, ceramics to wood, stone to gold, glass to stained-glass, these objects come together in their shared authenticity, the intelligence of the craftsmen, a respect for nature and its cycles and the balance between the exceptional and the affordable. These contemporary yet timeless objects are available to purchase at the boutique shop in the hotel. The shop features burnt wooden walls, taken from the traditional ‘Crocodile technique’ developed by Cognac coopers who char the lining of their barrels to enhance the amber hue of the spirit.
For when she can Travel – Buy a Hotel voucher to whisk her off to the French Countryside, The Alps, The UK, and South African Wilderness.
What better gift for your travel-obsessed mom than a hotel voucher, to help fulfil her future travel dreams? It’s also one of the best things that individuals can do to support the industry at the moment. Ranging from gourmet experiences, spa treatments, and overnight stays, vouchers from the world’s most sophisticated hotels can be easily purchased online and redeemed at a later date. Our top picks include the ducal Domaine des Etangs in the rolling French countryside – a fairy-tale fiefdom of a hotel, with turrets, towers, meadows, and mills. Mom will adore the library with shelves stocked by esteemed Mayfair booksellers Heywood Hill, the super spa, Michelin star restaurant, and private collection of art to complement the estate’s gallery, spread across the sprawling 2,500 acres. Also, in France, the Maisons et Hôtels Sibuet collection includes 11 properties, some of which are the most beautiful in the country. Treat mom to gourmet experiences, and hotel stays at pretty Provençal farmhouses in the South of France, cosy chalets in the Alps, and even a colonial plantation in St Barths.
Meanwhile, if mom has always wanted to visit the UK, look to the University Arms. Ideally located just steps away from Cambridge’s iconic colleagues and historical city centre, the University Arms is a perfect place to explore one of England’s best-known cities. Treat mom to an overnight stay or even traditional afternoon tea at the hotel’s restaurant, Parker’s Tavern. Relaxing in this Edwardian setting makes for a fantastic introduction to English heritage and a great place to uncover the prestige of Cambridge. Further afield, in South Africa, Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Retreat is a five-star ecological oasis and wilderness experience located just outside of Cape Town. Choose from a tempting selection of experiences such as food and wine discovery evenings in the River Boma, and rejuvenating spa treatments taken alfresco, with views across the tranquil Cederberg Mountains.