Mother's Day Weekend

I hope all the mum's out there had a fabulous weekend and got spoiled rotten!

 I made an executive decision a few weeks ago and booked a trip to Tassie to visit my parents-ALONE.

 I hadn't spent a Mother's Day with mum since I had become a mum myself and thought after seven years I deserved a weekend escape. I decided it was my turn to sit on the deck sipping champers and telling tales with mum and dad and more importantly it was MY turn to send a photograph of ME to my sister instead of the other way round- I would be the one eating crayfish and salad with mum and dad this Mother's Day weekend.

Well the idea and intentions were all there-however, my parents would have to be some of the busiest people I know and to think they would have Mother's Day weekend off to lazy about with me was quite honestly- wishful thinking! It wasn't all bad, if you knew my parents you'd agree that what ever happens there is always laughter and food.

Day one:

I arrive in Tassie, dad picks me up from the airport and whisks me home to sip one of his delicious coffee's before driving me down to mum's work to say a quick G'day before I meet up with her this evening. I was to help her up out with a 7 course Korean feast for some lucky punter. That's correct ladies and gents, I was to work within 6 hours of beginning my 'holiday'. It was the work I was looking forward to, after all I am my mum's daughter and she was my first teacher of all things culinary and I was eager to see what she was up to.

After donning our uniforms we drove off to the catering event. A beautiful kitchen was awaiting us, as was mum's co-worker Marlow. We started the evening with tempura fried prawns stuffed with pork and herbs, Kim chi (fermented cabbage), and steamed vegetable and pork/prawn dumplings, dipped in a mirin and soy dipping sauce (below).

Following these starters was Miso soup lightly flavoured with chicken and spinach- a lovely pallet cleanser.

 

Once the miso came back next to go were 'roll your own' prawn, cucumber and mushroom pancakes that were so fresh and crunchy you couldn't possibly stop at one (I think I must of eaten 3-4, thank god she made extra!).

I was bursting at the seams by now but we had one more savory dish- the main dish of steamed rice, stir-fried vegetables with a hint of sesame oil and marinated beef topped with a soft poached egg and shavings of seaweed. A delicious combination of textures and flavour I couldn't resist. 

By the time desserts rocked around mum and I were in full swing, the lime semi-fredo were pulled out of the freezer to soften up, mum cut into the yummy strawberry marshmallow she made (it was a much lighter texture than marshmallow but I don't know what else to compare it to?) and topped it all off with a toffee shard.

The night was a complete success. The customer was delighted, I got to spend the night in the kitchen with my mum AND I managed to eat myself into a stupor (I can only do this when I haven't been the one in the kitchen cooking all day so thanks mum).

I think I'll leave you with these tastes and delights and tell you about day two- on the donut machine with dad tomorrow............