MOTHER'S AND FATHER'S DAY ENTERTAINING

I don't know about you, but I always figured that Mother's Day, as wonderful as it is, was invented by the florist industry or Hallmark. I'm very happy to find that I'm wrong again! A little research reveals that it goes back quite a long way.

It seems we've been honoring our mothers since ancient Greek and Roman times, although it took the form of honoring mother goddesses. One Roman celebration, appropriately called Hilaria, honored the mother goddess Cybele and lasted for three days! That certainly beats brunch and flowers-they really knew how to party!

It's believed that later on the Mother Church was substituted for the goddess Cybele and people attended the church of their parish, laden with gifts and offerings.

Over time people began honoring their own mothers as well as the Mother Church. In the Middle Ages England's poor, including children as young as eight or nine years old, had to leave their homes to either apprentice or become servants for wealthy families. They usually lived with their employers. Quite often there was a considerable distance between the children and their families and travel was difficult and expensive. Consequently, a weekend following Easter was set aside for the workers to visit their families. They were said to have "Gone-a-Mothering."

The children would bring a special cake, and pick wildflowers for their mothers along the way home. In many cases, the workers didn't see their families again until Christmas so this was a very precious weekend, indeed!

Here in the US, Anna Jarvis is given credit for creating a Mother's Day holiday. She had a very close relationship with her mother and never married, so after her mother died in 1905, she felt a great void. She also felt that most of us don't show enough appreciation to our mothers while they're alive. Two years after her mother's death, she and her friends began a writing campaign to declare an official day honoring our mothers. They were very persistent in lobbying influential ministers, businessmen, congressmen and even took their case to then President Taft. It took until 1914, but finally President Woodrow Wilson issued the first proclamation making Mother's Day an official national holiday. Today, it's celebrated in many countries all over the world, and although not necessarily at the same time, we are united in honoring our mothers for their love and dedication.

Father's Day also has a bit of history, although it's not nearly as extensive. As with the founding of Mother's Day, the Father's Day celebration was initiated by a grateful child. William Smart, a civil war veteran, was widowed when his wife died in childbirth. He raised his 6 children on a farm in Eastern Washington State and his daughter, Sonora Smart Dodd, wanted to honor his love and strength in raising them all. She proposed a day to honor our fathers in June, the month of her father's birth, and the first unofficial Fathers' Day was on June 19, 1910 in Spokane, Washington. Later, President Coolidge was supportive of declaring a national holiday, but these things seem to take time. Finally, in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson officially proclaimed Father's Day a national holiday. As with Mother's Day, Father's Day is celebrated all over the world--perhaps in different ways and at different times--but appreciation for Dad is universal.

The best thing about Mother's and Father's Day is spending some time with our families. But as always, it's not a celebration unless we share some good food and wine! Colleen Topper, our proprietor and in-house chef, has created the following delicious menus to treat Mom and Dad on their special day. Enjoy!

Mother's Day Menu:
First course
Asparagus & Orange-Grapefruit Salad
serve with Goosecross Sparkling Rosé

Entree
Sesame Shrimp
serve with Goosecross Viognier

Dessert
Fudgy Chocolate Chunk Brownies with Pecans
serve with Goosecross Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Father's Day Menu:
First course
Strawberry Apple Salad
serve with Goosecross Sauvignon Blanc

Entree
BBQ Baby Back Ribs with Tuscan BBQ Sauce
serve with Goosecross AmerItal

Dessert
Chocolate Crazy Cake
serve with Goosecross Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon