Ask George: What dish will you be making or buying for your mom—or the mother of your children—on Mother’s Day?

If I had the opportunity, I would cook up some soup for my late mother this weekend (RIP, Nadine Mahe). And not just any soup—homemade soup. Any variety would do, but her favorite—both to prepare and to eat—was vegetable soup, much of the flavor resulting from a crimson-red, tomato-based broth. Her secret—one she passed down to me and for which I am forever grateful—was using homemade stock, in this case either vegetable or beef, which itself took several hours to make. Her soup was an all-day process that filled the house with several kinds of warmth. The vegetables—mainly carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, and green beans—were all hand-cut then sautéed to coax out more flavor. My mom was firmly in the “soup is a meal” camp, and “soup weather” was any kind of weather. I may have just talked myself into whipping up a batch this chilly weekend. Other local culinarians considered making other things.

Frank Romano, The Parkmoor Drive-In, Madrina: “My usual go-to for bringing an item is a carrot cake from Cravings. If I don’t have to work, I would make arancini eggs Benedict. I would smash the arancini and crisp it in a pan like hash browns. Top it with prosciutto, poached egg, and finish it with a hollandaise with a little tomato sauce blended in. But since I have to work this year, you can find me serving those Benedicts at Madrina!”

Qui Tran, Mai Lee, Nudo House, Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe pop-up: “There’s so many things that would make my mom happy. Making her favorite stew or having family style hot pot at the dinner table with everyone. But I think I’m going to be more sinister, and it would be begging my wife to either make her coconut cream pie or coconut cake because it’s the best we’ve ever had in our lives. So instead of me being a good son and making some sort of soup/stew, I’m gonna burden my wife and ask her to bake.”

Brant Baldanza, OG hospitality Group: “It’s by far one of my favorite days of the year—mothers are the anchors of our family tree.  For brunch on Mother’s Day, which my mom and mother-in-law love, I used to get away with the free breakfast at Shack, but I guess their palates (and my wallet) have changed to Meadowbrook Country Club, where they put together an amazing spread.  For dinner, my son Dominic is cooking up BBQ beef short ribs. A couple weeks ago, I cooked up a post-lacrosse meal, as I usually do—and he called me out as elementary! I said, ‘Fine, you cook for Mom and the rest of us on Mother’s Day,’ thinking this would certainly conjure an apology for the comment. Nope. He follows Jamie Oliver on the Cooking Channel and social media, so he is picking up the ribs from Baumann’s or Bolyard’s and serving that with a spring slaw and fingerling potatoes.  I will be having an ‘elementary’ glass of wine with [my wife,] Heather as we salute the moms that day and prepare to pass judgement.”

Ben Poremba, Bengelina Hospitality Group: “Strawberries and Champagne.”

Courtesy of Nathaniel Reid Bakery

Courtesy of Nathaniel Reid Bakery

Nathaniel Reid, Nathaniel Reid Bakery: “Our Camille almond cake with lemon cream mousse and raspberry compote is my wife and daughters favorite, which is why I bring it back to the menu for Mother’s Day. That’s what I’ll be taking home this weekend.”

Dave Lowry, SLM dining critic: “Well, of course what I’ll be making for the mother in my life is reservations at L’ Atelier de Jöel Robuchon for a dinner of griddled encornets and artichokes, Merlans Colbert, and, naturally, that heavenly Chartreuse soufflé with pistachio glace. Either that, or we’ll be going to Taco Bell for the chalupas.”

Collin Preciado, SLM contributor: “I know I’m supposed to have an answer to this question, but I don’t, so I just asked my wife what her favorite Mother’s Day dish is, and she responded “one that I don’t have to freakin’ think about.”’

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