Happy Mother's Day from the Bistro!

​And, another fine week it has been!!  Mother’s Day is Sunday and its history dates back to 380 BC in ancient Egypt with a festival honoring Isis, Mother of the Gods. Grecians celebrated Rhea; their Mother of Deities during spring fairs and in the 1600’s Christians in England worshiped Mary the Mother of Christ which evolved to include all mothers and became Mothering Sunday, a tradition held every second Sunday in May. Early settlers to America did not carry on the holiday in the new world. They were to poor, hungry and busy to take a day to celebrate. In 1908, after her mother died, Anna Jarvis, an Appalachian homemaker, wanted to celebrate her life and campaigned for a day dedicated to mothers. By the next year many states were holding services, mostly religious, and in 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed it as a nationally observed holiday. The day has become fiercely commercial and is the largest dining out day of the year and the biggest day for florists.
 
I don’t need Mother’s Day as a reminder of how much I admire and respect my Mom. She was born Marjorie Edick in 1929, the 7th of 10 children, in Buffalo N.Y.  Her father worked the second shift for the U.S. Postal Service and her mother took care of organizing the havoc that a family of 12 could create. They always ate dinner together and Grandpa would do much of the cooking. They barely fit around the table and meals were mostly a roast of some sort, veggies, potatoes, “good bread and real butter.” Game was often the “protein” part of the meal even squirrel stew.  Mom remembers that there was always a huge pot of soup made on Saturday morning that would be eaten throughout the week. It was always meat based because chicken was way too expensive. Bones were cheap. Mom started school just over the age of 4 because the nuns of Annunciation Parish felt sorry for her mother having so many little ones at home. She transferred to a public school, Lafayette High, at the ripe old age of 14 where she was on the swim, diving and cheerleading teams. She took mostly clerical and business classes and graduated at 16.  Over the next few years she continued working for the law firm that she’d interned at during high school, then was recruited by Western Electric Company and was secretary to a department head in the plant. During that time she met my Dad, married and had 7 of her own children. In 1967 they moved to Detroit and she continued to be a stay-at-home mom until Josephine, the youngest, was in elementary school. She is still an avid golfer and strong swimmer.  She loves to read and one of the best things my Mom instilled in us as children was the love of the written word. Thanks Mom!

The other famous Bistro Mom is Sharon’s, Sandra Juergens.  Born in Atlanta, Ga. in 1945 she, to this day, still has a soft Southern drawl. She was the youngest of 3 children and is still fortunate to have her brother William and sister Margie alive and well. Sandra studied nursing and just retired after a successful 50 year career. I’ve known Sandra for nearly 25 years and have always admired the love she has for her profession. And, she is one tough cookie raising 3 girls after loosing her husband at the tender age of 36. She pulled up her bootstraps and made a good life for her children and herself. Each of her daughters have college educations and successful careers of their own. They adore their mother. Sandra loves to travel and has been to most states, Scotland, Mexico, Finland, Italy and Sweden. She too likes to read and play cards. And, most importantly is a really good cook who taught Sharon all her secrets.
 

​Our Mom’s Rock!!!  We are Lucky Girls!!!
 
Join us at the Bistro Sunday for Mother’s Day. We’re serving a combination of Brunch and Main Course Plates including Praline French Toast, Scottish Salmon Apple Wood Bacon Smoked Quiche and Steak Diane. We look forward to seeing you soon.
 
Weekend Features are Awesome Per Se!!! Wild Troll Caught West Coast King Salmon is Grilled and Glazed with Peppered Honey and Served with Roasted Fingerlings and Skinny Green Beans; Lake Superior Walleye is Walnut Crusted and Presented with a Wedge of Blue Cheese and Caramelized Tart, Carrot Slaw and Port Wine Reduction; Roasted Pork Tenderloin is Accompanied with Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Corn and Bell Pepper Jumble and Whole Grain Mustard-Chipotle Sauce and Seared-to-Golden Jumbo Sea Scallops are served Over Cheddar Grits and a Grilled Scallion Butter Sauce. YUM!!!
 
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE BISTRO AND WISH YOU MANY MILLION DOLLAR DAYS!!
 
XO,
Mary, Niki, Pico, Picasso and Z