Welcome to the Bistro!

And, another fine week it has been!! Pico celebrated his 15th birthday with Maddie and Niki last Sunday. They all got “special” treats then we went for a nice walk. The rainy weather has enabled the plant life to grow in leaps and bounds. The rhubarb is ready to harvest – time for pie!  It’s time to get some veggies in the ground too.  The bird houses are full so there will be lots of little ones soon.  There are lots of little tree frogs hopping about and I am seeing lots of bumble bees buzzing around the bleeding hearts, which are magnificent this year. Milford’s Farmer’s Market is open and soon the Thursday concerts will resume too. I love this time of the year!
 
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, playing on a league and by herself several times a week.  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  retired after a successful 50 year career. I’ve known Sandra for over 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 open at 11 and close early, 4 PM, so our staff can be with their mom’s.
 
Sharon and Crew have some awesome Chalkboard Features once again! The STARTER is a Chilled Cucumber Crab Soup. BISTRO PLATES include: Pan Roasted Halibut Topped with Fontina, Prosciutto and Sage Presented with Soft Polenta and Garlic Broccolini; Golden Tilefish, with the texture of walleye and crab-like flavor, Sautéed and Accompanied with a Caramelized Onion and Chevre Tart; Bistro Filet Grilled to Your Specification, Served with Aged Cheddar Potato Gratin and DJB Zip Sauce and for the Veggies Jerk Spiced Black Bean Cakes, Grilled Red Peppers and Zucchini Ribbons Dressed with a Lime Vinaigrette. YUM!!!