Mother’s Day

How to Surprise Your Mum on Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is coming up, and you want to make your mum feel appreciated. You can give her a gift, make her a meal, help out around the house, write her a note, or take her on a day trip. The important thing is that your surprise comes from the heart. It does not need to be expensive or complicated, but it should be thoughtful. Think about what your mum would appreciate.

Buy her a gift

Buy her something that you know she’s always wanted, or find something that you know she will like. Try to buy something special that she wouldn’t necessarily buy for herself. You don’t need to break the bank with an expensive gold necklace. The important thing is that your gift is thoughtful and makes her feel appreciated. • If you can’t think of a specific item that she wants or needs, try to think of something that plays on her interests. If she likes to garden, give her a packet of seeds, or buy her a potted plant that she can replant in her garden. If she likes dark chocolate, buy her a bar of quality chocolate. • If you don’t want to buy her one expensive gift, try putting together a small gift basket of her favourite things. A bottle of wine, a bar of chocolate, a bouquet of flowers. Even if the individual items aren’t very expensive, she will appreciate the thought that you put into choosing her favourite things.

Make her a gift

Paint her a painting, write her a poem, carve her something out of wood, or arrange photos of the two of you together into a collage. You won’t have to spend much money, and she will appreciate your gift all the more if you make it specifically for her. Don’t be afraid to get creative. • Make her a mix-CD. Make her a card. Make her a thoughtful video and post it to YouTube or Facebook. Make her a picture-frame, a flipbook, a t-shirt, or a portrait. • Make her a found-object sculpture that she can put in her garden. Make her a coffee mug, a bowl, or a vase out of fired clay. Carve and polish a cutting board out of a unique piece of wood. If she loves the beach, give her a mason jar full of shells that you collected.

Make a special Mother’s Day meal

Cook her favourite foods for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Consider serving her breakfast in bed for a classic Mother’s Day treat. Make the meal, set the table, and clean up afterward. • If you aren’t confident in the kitchen, look up recipes online. Ask a sibling, a friend, or another family member for help. • Consider making her sweet treats. Cookies, brownies, muffins—whatever she likes. Make a nice basket with a Mother’s Day card. Consider decorating the treats with her favourite things. If she loves the beach, for example, you might decorate cupcakes with ocean-themed frosting: crabs, palm trees, dolphins, starfish. • If you don’t live with her, you can invite her over to your house for dinner. It might not be a surprise, but she will appreciate it or consider taking her to her favourite restaurant.

Circa 1700 Mo er’s Day

To book your table Please call us on: 01205 461006 Or email: enquiries@thethatchedcottagerestaurant.co.uk Sunday 22nd March 2020 Flowers For Each Mum.

Always serving real ales and great food

• Home cooked food • Sunday lunch • Breakfast served from 9.30am • Garden area • Sky & BT TV available across multi screens • Families welcome

NEW EXTENDED HOURS. Food served until 8.30pm Mon-Thursday. Friday & Sat 9.00pm food served all day Saturday & Sunday Swineshead Road, Wyberton Fen, Boston, Lincolnshire PE21 7JE Telephone: 01205 361323 Rosina Nash-Smith C l a i r v o y a n t For more information or to book your reading please call: 07790 307274 or 01205 481000 Over 30 years’ experience • 30-60 minute bookings • One to one readings • Workshops • Parties and group bookings also available Experience in Psychic readings, palmistry and much more One to one or group development tuition, teaching many psychic arts and use of mantic tools.

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Could you be a respite foster carer?

We are looking for people to give respite care to foster children and young people at least 2 weekends a months, as well as time during the school holidays.

Apply today at lincolnshire.gov.uk/fostering or call 01522 554114 for more information.

Lets Eat

Laura James is a local resident with a passion for food. Laura likes to use good quality ingredients to make wholesome food. Working in the food industry for over 12 years Laura thinks of food day and night and is always thinking of the next creation.

This month, Laura gives a 3 course extravaganza for Mother’s Day! We all like to plan a special treat for our mums on Mother’s Day but rather than taking her out this year, why not treat her to a beautiful three course meal at home filled with love?

Thai Spiced Fishcakes with Mango Salsa

Top Tips • These fishcakes are suitable for freezing – freeze when formed, but before cooking • When flaking the cooked salmon, ensure not to flake too finely, as it will break down further when you combine the mix and it’s better a bit chunkier

20| SIMPLY BOSTON | www.simplyboston.co.uk 1 hour prep, 1 hour cooling, 20 mins cooking

Makes: 8

Ingredients - Fishcakes

• 400g sweetpotato,mashed • 500g salmon(approx.4 slicedportions) ,cookedand flaked • 5spring onions,topped tailedandslicedintorounds • 2redchilli’s,deseededand diced • Thumbofginger,grated • 2sticksoflemongrass,

toppedtailedandgrated • 2limes–zest&juice • 2tbspdarksoysauce • 1 tspsalt • Largehandfulofcoriander • 1 tbspplainflour,plusextra forforming anddusting • 1 egg,beaten • 500mlvegetableoilfor frying

Ingredients - Mango Salsa

• 1 mango,preppedanddiced • 1 redchilli,deseededand diced • ½redonion,finelychopped • Smallhandfulofcoriander • Pinchsalt • 1 tbspoliveoil

1. Combinealloftheingredientsinthesalsarecipeandchillwhilst making thefishcakes 2. Pre-heattheovento180oc/160ocfan/gas4 3. Peel,roughlychopandboilthesweetpotatoforaround15mins, untilsoftenoughtomash.Oncemashed,allowtocool 4. Whilstthepotatoesareboiling,wrapthesalmonpiecesintin foilandplaceinthecentreofthepreheatedovenfor15minutes. Removefromtheovenanallowtocoolonthetray 5. Oncethesalmoniscooled,flakeitintolargechunksand combinewiththecooledsweetpotatoinalargebowl 6. Addthespring onions,redchilli,ginger,lemongrass,limezest andjuice,soysauce,saltandcoriander–combinethoroughly, butatgentlyaspossible 7. Addtheplainflourandthebeatenegg –combinethoroughly, butatgentlyaspossible 8. Sothatyou don’thavetoweighthefishcakes,flattenthemixin thebowl,divideintoquarters,theneachquarterintotwo,giving you 8portions 9. Withflouredhands,formeachportionintoafishcakeshapeand transferontoabaking tray 10. Onceallofthefishcakesareformed,chilltheminthefridgefor aroundanhour 11. Heattheoilinalargefrying pan.Oncetheoilishot,frythe fishcakesintwobatchesforaround4-5minutesoneachside. Ensurethecentreofthefishcakesarehotbeforeserving 12. Servewiththemangosalsa,wedgesoflimeandchopped coriander Method

Chicken & Asparagus Stroganoff

Ingredients

• 2tbspoil • 1leek,toppedtailed,halvedlengthwaysand sliced • 3garliccloves,peeledandfinelychopped • 200gchestnutmushrooms,sliced • 200mlwhitewine • 4rawchickenbreasts,cutintostrips • 200gasparagus,spearsreserved,remaining cutintorounds • 100gpeas • 60gfinelyshavedparmesan • 300gcrèmefraiche • Salt&pepper • 1lemon,zestandjuice • Handfulofparsley 1. Heattheoilinalargefrying panatalowtemperature 2. Sweatofftheleekandthegarlicfor2mins,sothemixsoftensbut doesn’tcolour 3. Addinthemushrooms,cookfor2mins 4. Addinthewhitewine,increasethetemperatureandsweatofffor about5mins 5. Addinthechicken,turntheheattomediumandallowtocookfor about10mins 6. Turndowntheheat,addtheasparagus,peas,parmesan&crème fraiche–stirthroughthoroughly 7. Heatgentlyandseasontotastewiththesalt,pepperandlemon 8. Finishbybringing theasparagusspearstothetopofthedishandsprinklewithparsley 9. Servewithriceofyourchoice Method 20 mins prep, 30 mins cooking Serves: 4

White Chocolate, Almond & Raspberry Loaf Cake

25 mins prep, 1 hour cooking

Ingredients Cake

• 250g baking margarine • 250g castersugar • 1 tspbaking powder • 4eggs • 3tbspmilk • 1 tspalmondextract • 250g self-raising flour • 200g whitechocolate,roughlychopped • 50g choppedtoastedalmonds

Topping

• 100g butter,dicedandroomtemperature • 150g icing sugar • 100g whitechocolate,melted • 1 tbspmilk • 80g raspberries • 20g choppedtoastedalmonds

Makes: approx. 20 portions

Method

1. Linealargeloaftinwith greaseproofpaper 2. Pre-heattheovento180oc/160oc fan/gas4 3. Addthemargarine,castersugar, baking powder,eggs,milk,almond extractandflourtogetherinalarge bowlwithanelectricwhiskandmix untilwellcombinedandthemixture hasturnedalightercolour 4. Foldthroughthewhitechocolate andalmonds 5. Transferthecakemixtureintothelinedloaftin 6. Bakeinthecentreofthepreheatedovenfor1 hour,oruntilaskewercomesout clean 7. Whilstthecakeisbaking makethefrosting –mixtogetherthebutter,icing sugar,meltedwhitechocolateandmilkwithanelectricwhisk 8. Thecakeshouldhavecrackedonthetop.Allowtocompletelycoolinthetin 9. Removefromthetin,removing thegreaseproofatthesametime 10. Spreadthefrosting onthetopofthecake,sprinklewithalmondsandplacethe raspberriesdecoratively

www.simplyboston.co.uk | SIMPLY BOSTON | 21

A perfect way to personalise your wedding is to choose flowers for your bouquet and floral arrangements that hold specific meanings in the language of flowers.

When your guests step into a venue for the first time, the sight and scent of beautiful blooms are one of the first things they notice.

And while the colour and shape of your chosen flora is important, a magical touch for your big day is to choose flowers that have specific historical associations, providing an added layer of meaningfulness to your wedding celebrations.

By using the language of flowers, you can communicate emotions and feelings of love on your special day.

What is the Language of Flowers? Although finding symbolism in nature has been a part of human culture for centuries, it was the Victorians who first began crafting an emotive language out of flowers, expressing the feelings through bouquet gifting when words and gestures failed.

The popularity of floriography, or the language of flowers, in the late 1800s saw the publication of flower dictionaries and a trend in sending secretive messages to lovers through floral gifts.

Today, the London Flower School suggests that a floral arrangement can convey “themes and motifs”, as well as “emotional content and a range of meanings” from its composition.

We’ve researched a selection of the most popular wedding flowers and their meaning to find out which blooms will add a magical message to your big day…

Roses

The classic wedding flower of the rose has different meanings when used in an arrangement, depending on the colour you pick. White roses, a popular bouquet choice, stand for purity, innocence and youthfulness, while red roses represent love, passion and beauty. Light or dusty pink petals are said to mean admiration, gentleness and grace and peachcoloured blooms suggest sincerity and gratitude.

Roses also have a complex symbolism dependent upon how they are represented. The gift of a singular red rose on a wedding day is, according to Victorian tradition, a depiction of utmost devotion, while two roses entwined together can be interpreted as a floral illustration of marriage. Watch out if you’re future partner comes home clutching thirteen roses in a bouquet, however – it’s said to be the gift of a secret admirer!

Sweet Pea (Lathyrus)

The homely sweet pea, with its rich fragrance and array of tones to suite any wedding colour scheme, is a firm bouquet favorite, inspiring thoughts of country weddings and delicate girliness. According to George Rouledge & Sons’ 1888 dictionary The Artistic Language of Flowers, this two-petalled flower symbolises the initial enjoyment of delicate pleasures, fitting for a bride’s bouquet.

Lily of the Valley (Convallaria) According to The Artistic Language of Flowers, Lily of the Valley symbolises the return of happiness. This beautiful little plant was chosen by Kate Middleton for her wedding day bouquet because of its secondary meaning as well – trustworthiness.

Freesia

Named by botanist Christian P. Ecklon after his friend Friedrich Freese, these sweetly scented blooms represent friendship, trust and honesty. They’re a beautiful addition to any wedding arrangements, representing the intimate trust a couple places in each other on their special occasion and the importance of friendship within a marriage.

Peony

Peonies can have different meanings, depending on their colour, and both meanings stem from ancient Greek mythology…

In the first, legend has it that Paeon, the Greek physician of the Gods, was a student of the god of medicine Aesculapius. When Paeon successfully used a peony root to heal Pluto, Aesculapius became jealous of his apprentice’s talents and tried to kill him. To save the doctor, Pluto

transformed Paeon into a peony, cementing one meaning of the beautiful bloom – compassion.

However, in a darker myth, the peony is linked to a nymph called Paeonia. The beautiful and attractive creature attracted the attention of Apollo. When Paeonia realized that the Greek god Aphrodite was watching them, she became bashful and blushed red. In anger and jealousy, Aphrodite transformed the nymph into a red peony. Today, a red peony symbolises bashfulness and timidity.

Ranunculus

The Artistic Language of Flowers suggests that ranunculus symbolises the receiver being “radiant with charms” and “rich in attractions”. These ruffled, bold blooms come in a variety of colours from elegant whites and pinks to fiery reds and golds.

The etymological meaning of the various blooms that come under the name ‘ranunculus’ is thought to be a combination of two Latin words: rana meaning frog and unculus meaning little. The story goes that the flower earned its name when it grew plentifully along streams during the summer months.

Stephanotis

The delicate white flowers of Stephanotis can look strikingly stunning in a simple bouquet. The elegant trumpet flowers of this Madagascan plant are said to symbolise marital happiness, making them a perfect addition to any floral arrangement on your special day.

Gardenia

Gardenias might have been used in days gone by to as fabric dye, food dye and medicine, but today its heady fragrance and bright, voluptuous

Museum

Boston’s beautiful, medieval Guildhall can be the setting for your special day. Have your ceremony in the stunning banqueting hall, used for centuries for celebrations and have your photographs taken in any of our wonderful historic rooms. Boston’s beautiful, medieval Guildhall can be the setting for your special day. Have your ceremony in the stunning banqueting hall, used for centuries for celebrations and have your photographs taken in any of our wonderful historic rooms.

For more information please contact us ticboston@boston.gov.uk www.bostonguildhall.co.uk South Street, Boston, PE21 6HT (01205) 365954 For more information please contact us guildhall@boston.gov.uk www.bostonguildhall.co.uk South Street, Boston, PE21 6HT (01205) 365954

Boston Guildhall Museum

@bostonguildhall