That first Mother's Day breakfast!

I enjoy cooking and like to think that I am fairly versatile when it comes to preparing food. And Mother’s Day was the successful beginning of my love of cooking.
I can’t remember when I first began cooking, but it probably started when my brother and I were old enough to man the kitchen of my parent’s home on Third Street. Next Sunday is Mother’s Day and I can still remember that first meal that my brother and I prepared on the Sunday morning.
We were up really early that day because we had decided that we were going to serve Mom breakfast in bed. It was a really simple meal. Bacon, eggs, sliced tomato and toast.
The special part was that Mom was going to eat breakfast in bed. And it was going to be a secret and we would surprise mom when we walked through the bedroom door with her meal, and juice and coffee on a platter.
My parent’s bedroom was right across the hall from the kitchen. We were stealthy in our preparations so mom wouldn’t know what was happening. We were as stealthy as two young boys could be as the griddle was pulled out of the kitchen cupboards.
We were as quiet as we could be when we pulled apart the coffee percolator and filled the grounds cup with coffee and put it on the stove to percolate. Little did we realize how much the smell of bacon could waft through the house until my mother asked “What are you doing boys?” Our immediate announcement was “nothing”.
My parents must have had some idea, as my father peaked around the corner to make sure everything was OK. We let him in on our secret, but asked him to keep the secret from my mother.
There were no major catastrophes that morning. The toaster buzzed loudly when it had over heated and we were trying to jam two more slices of bread to toast.
We were actually making two breakfasts; one for my mother and another for my father. Three of the four yolks broke in the pan. All four eggs were probably over cooked and lacked salt and pepper. The bacon was slightly burnt. The toast appeared perfect and well buttered. The coffee was weak.
Most importantly, we managed to carry two trays with breakfast, coffee and juice into the bedroom and present them to our parents without tipping or spilling anything.
It was a success. I can’t remember if we cooked anything for myself, or brother or sister that morning or if we even went to church. That memory eludes me. My Mom was really excited by the surprise breakfast and played the part that she hadn’t heard or smelt anything. It was a successful beginning. Mom did do the cleanup and ever since I am regularly reminded that I can find a way to use two of anything when I only need one.
I’ve planned and cooked many a successful dinner or dessert since. But that successful breakfast going back over 50 years is maybe my proudest accomplishment. Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

–Jim Cumming,
Publisher