Mother's Day Raspberry Rose Truffles and Champagne

Although celebrations of mother worship have existed since before the Greek’s honored Cybele and Roman women held their festival of Matronalia to honor Juno (goddess of war and motherhood), Mother’s Day as we know it was born in the common grief of loss after the Civil War.

Originally, “Mothers Friendship Day” was established in 1868 by Virginian Anne Marie Jarvis in an attempt to bind the wounds of enmity remaining between the North and the South.

Anne Marie Reeves Jarvis 1832-1905

I discovered on the West Virginia Civil War site that she was an amazing woman. Jarvis had saved thousands of lives during the war by teaching women the basics of nursing and sanitation that she had learned from her brother, physician James Reeves.

Julia Ward Howe had a Mothers Day celebration in 1872 and a temperance-inspired Mother’s Day was held in 1877, however, Mother’s Day was not declared a national holiday in the United States until May 9, 1914 when Woodrow Wilson decreed the holiday, thanks to the tireless work of Jarvis’ daughter Ann.

Ann Jarvis

Times have changed since the Civil War in so many ways, but mothers still hold the world together when it comes near to whirling apart. There are still wars, mothers still cry and still do their best to make things “all better” as they have done since time began.

“The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms.” ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Although the carnation is the official flower of Mother’s Day (because it was Ann Jarvis favorite flower with red if your mother was living or white if she was not), I have always thought of roses for Mother’s Day.

Rose

Ah, roses. I remember one Mother’s Day many years ago at a NYC restaurant known for extravagant flower arrangements and favored by the older, Upper East Side beige-haired set. The genteel calm was broken when a well turned-out mother (whose accent revealed her ‘outer borough’ origins), announced ”What, no roses?” with a piercing squawk to her son. The dignified son was mortified but the rest of the children in the room looked at him empathetically and a shared a universal eye roll.

I like to think of Mother’s Day as a day to celebrate mothers everywhere and I devised a champagne cocktail redolent of and inspired by CRISPIN'S Rose Liqueur (that is made with an apple and honey mead and thousands of hand harvested heirloom roses!!!!) blended with ripe fragrant raspberries (that are kissing cousins to the rose under the large familial umbrella of Rosaceae, genus rubus) with rose chocolate raspberries that would please and amuse any mother for this occasion.

I tip my glass to my wonderful mother, Dorothy. This is my first mother’s day without her.

Here is a drink both romantic and delicious -- for all those things they are and for all the things they have done for us, here’s to a day for moms full of love and a little coddling from their children and spouses.

Raspberry Rose Champagne Cocktail for 4

1 c raspberries

½ c CRISPIN'S Rose Liqueur *

1 T lime juice

2 T Maison Surrenne Cognac

3 T Basil syrup (In ½ c warm simple syrup, soak basil leaves, 1 smashed clove, pinch allspice, ½ t lemon zest, 2 T orange juice and 2 t balsamic vinegar) allow to steep for a few hours and strain)

Champagne, or any dry sparkling wine

Or… If you can’t get the wonderful Crispin’s Rose Liqueur, use ½ c of Cognac and 2 T Rosewater.

Macerate the raspberries, lime juice, cognac and basil syrup with ½ the liqueur for a few hours, covered. Mash and strain them (or use a food mill, if you have one) pressing hard on the solids then add the rest of the liqueur. Spoon 2 T or more into the glass and pour champagne over the puree.

Rose Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

2 oz chocolate, chopped or shaved

5 T heavy cream

1 T butter

1- 2 T CRISPIN'S Rose Liqueur or 2 t rosewater

1/8 t. vanilla

2-3 T sugar

1/8 t chipotle chili powder

1/8 t cinnamon

1 box raspberries

cocoa for dusting

Warm the cream and add the chocolate to melt with the butter. Add the rose liqueur and spices. Cool a little and then dip your raspberries into the chocolate and refrigerate. When nearly firm, roll in cocoa. Serve with fresh raspberries and your champagne cocktails!