With no in-classroom teachers guiding kids to make construction paper valentines, and no restaurants churning out a dayfull of brunches, lunches and dinners, kids and spouses need new ideas for making Mother’s Day special in Orlando 2020.
Here’s a round-up of offerings by local businesses. So far there’s just one, yes, but check back regularly. I’ll keep adding on exceptional ideas that come my way.
Monkey Bread and Crab Cakes—Luke’s Brunch at Home
Usually I’d say, “Save the money and scramble your own eggs.” But not if Luke’s Kitchen and Bar is cooking. This contemporary all-scratch restaurant in Maitland, Florida, is selling a family meal to go. You’ll receive a load of goodies, among them monkey bread with pecans, kale salad, marinated shrimp cocktail, frittata (an Italian omelet, here with aged cheddar and vegetables), crab cakes with lemon aioli, and pork belly hash. The midday feast serves four to six people and costs $150. Add on a bulk order of spicy bloody marys ($45) or old fashioneds ($48). Pre-order by Wednesday, May 6, 2002, at 407-674-2400. Pick-up will be Saturday, May 9, 2020, from noon to 4pm.
Two, Two, Two Meals in One—For Ravenous Moms
Heck yea, I’ll eat like a pig with food by The Ravenous Pig on Mother’s Day. The brilliant folks in this kitchen are preparing a Pamper Pack for moms on Mother’s Day Orlando 2020. Start off with brunch for two. That’ll be goat cheese, asparagus and spring onion quiche, accompanied by a frisee and bacon salad with honey-sherry vinaigrette. Finish with Esther’s citrus pound cake. Once you’re bored from social distancing for a few hours, unpack the dinner: porcini-rubbed filet mignon with Bearnaise aioli, lobster potato au gratin, Meyer lemon butter-grilled corn, and a finale of pistachio-chocolate ganache macaron. $100 for the whole shebang. Optional: mimosa kits. I may start dropping hints with a couple of faraway favorite offspring. Order by emailing scott@theravenouspig.com.
Sweet Sensations—Celestial Sweets by Kia
Trust me, Mom does not want you messing up the kitchen with a box of Duncan Hines. Surprise her instead with a cake by Celestial Sweets by Kia, a home-based baker in Gotha. I’ve tried several of Kia’s desserts (easy book club menu!) and was wowed by them. For Mother’s Day Orlando 2020, Kia is offering vanilla or chocolate cake with vanilla or chocolate buttercream. You get to choose. And her flowers … I’m not sure what you can see in this little photo inset, but the flowers look stunning. $20 if you pick up the cake, $25 for delivery. Order by May 3 to receive a cake on May 9, 2020. DM me if you don’t have Facebook and can’t see the contact info.
1921 Reasons to Drive to Mount Dora
OK, two reasons: Mother’s Day brunch from 1921 Mount Dora, and brunch cocktails. Keeping with its theme of Modern Floridian fare, this charming and artsy restaurant invites curbside customers to choose one main dish, two sides and one pastry for each duo of eaters. We’re taking ham-gruyere quiche, biscuits and gravy, or bagels with house-smoked salmon. Perk those up with Waldorf salad, housemade yogurt, crispy potatoes and/or a “brunch meat” platter of the good stuff—ham, bacon and country sausage. Finish with glazed old-fashioned krullers, blueberry bars or pecan-crumble coffee cake. $50 for two people, and you can add on in twos (so for four people, or six people, etc.). Thirsty for inebriation? A mimosa kit is $22, a bloody mary kit is $28. That comes with Wheatley vodka, a pickle, and a “fun stuff skewer” plus a spicy tomatoey mix. Order at 352-385-1921 by 4pm on Thursday, May 7, for pick-up on Saturday or Sunday May 9 or 10 from 10am to 7pm.
Luma Goes Light and Bright for Mother’s Day in Orlando 2020
I hope you’ll have your kids around, because the always-classy Luma on Park is delivering meals for four to six eaters curbside for Mother’s Day 2020. What a cheerful, Mom-ish meal it is. For $155, you’ll receive hearty portions of smoked salmon with fixings and bagel chips, coffee cake and cinnamon rolls, asparagus salad with mandarinquat (!!!?!) and chilled Beranaise sauce, marinated beets with feta, grit cakes with green tomato chutney, roasted cauliflower tart, and a crab and mushroom herb crepe. Add on ready-made mimosas, bloody marys or white linens, plus all wine is half price. Order at 407-599-4111 by Thursday, May 7. Then swing by to pack Mom’s brunch into your trunk on Saturday, May 9th. The meal will come with assembly and reheating instructions.
Tastes and Tastes and Tastes of Asia—Hawkers for Mother’s Day
I will state for a fact that we will not have the Mother’s Day special from Hawkers Asian Street Fare for Mother’s Day. My husband loves this restaurant’s food so much that he lunches on it several times per quarantine week. But for the rest of you? Great idea. Hawkers has three Mother’s Day Meal options: mains and sides for four people ($75) or for eight ($135), or sides only for four $40. The mains are fire-roasted chicken, pork char siu with sweet soy sauce, and crispy siu yoke pork with hoisin dipping sauce. For the sides, you’ll get papaya-shrimp salad, a tofu sitr-fry, Sizchuan green beans, curry mashed potatoes, and basil-fried rice. You can add on caramel and sea salt cheesecake, and two types of wine. Both the Orlando and Windermere locations offer the deal. (Do not tell my family.) Order by 9pm on Thursday, May 7, and pick up your feast from 1pm to 4pm on Saturday, May 9, which means you’re meant to heat up all but the papaya salad at home on Sunday. Instructions will be provided. A staffer will call to confirm your order and get your payment. Then another can pop the meal into your trunk, no touchy-touchy at all. Click here to order, and email @holidays@eathawkers.com with questions.
Take on a Make-it-with-Mommy Treat—A Spoonful of Hope
You still might have to make or buy Mother a splendid brunch, but be sure to add a Mommy & Me Cooking Decorating Kit to the day’s gifts. Mom and the little ones will smile their way through decorating six shortbread cookies. The $19.99 price will benefit A Spoonful of Hope, a culinary training program run by the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. If your kids are too old to ice and sprinkle, make mom happy while supporting neighbors in need by surprising her with Mom’s Nourishment Gift Box instead. It’s filled with goodies like wildflower Honey for Good, shortbread Cookies for Good, and tea. And yes sir, the $29.99 helps those students learn the skills for an employable career in professional kitchens. Learn more by clicking here.
All Girled Up—A Great Menu from The Osprey Tavern
Salmon and tarts and fritattas … that’s girl stuff in my house. The Osprey Tavern must think so too, because it’s to-go Mother’s Day Orlando 2020 meal is filled with Mom foods. The package features oven-roasted salmon salad with grapefruit and artisan greens, a veggie-filled frittata, English muffins with strawberry jam and salted honey butter (let’s assume it’s all housemade), and three tarts — blueberry lemon, chocolate, and vanilla with fresh berries. That’s $55 for two people, $95 for four. You can add on lemon-ricotta pancakes with blueberry syrup for $14 and a mimosa kit for $25. Click here to pre-order and pick it up on Sunday or have it delivered, or email abbey@ospreytavern.com. Yum.
The Reel Deal—Mothers Day Orlando 2020 at Reel Fish Coastal Kitchen
The whole family will feast beachfront-style if you buy your celebration meal from Reel Fish Coastal Kitchen, on Orange Avenue in Winter Park. Whether you pick up your meal for four to five people curbside, or order via Uber Eats (which lets Reel Fish use its own drivers, so staffers get the income and tips), you’ll have quite a treat. Reel Fish’s Mother’s Day at Home includes the choice of cioppino, pecan-crusted rainbow trout or seafood quiche. You’ll also receive house-baked cornbread with herb butter, a North Beach salad, mashed sweet potatoes and Southern green beans. Sweeten Mom’s day with either Key lime pie or carrot cake, your choice. $140. Order by 3pm on Saturday, May 9, for pick-up on Sunday, May 10, 2020, from noon to 8pm.
Marketing for Mom—by East End Market
If you’re willing to chase down East End Market’s mobile delivery truck — here’s the schedule — you can gift Mom a bunch of goodies from vendors. The Mom’s Day Collection features sparkling Simonet de Blanc Brut from La Femme du Fromage, a little plant from Porch Therapy, granola and bread and cheesesticks from Olde Hearth Bread Company, strawberry-lavender jam from Farm & Haus, a Gideon’s Bakehouse chocolate chip cookie, avocado-chocolate pudding from Skybird, and a slice of country pate from Hinckley’s Fancy Meats. $65 for the whole shebang.
