Though deep down I have a sneaking suspicion that the Mother’s Day holiday is a conspiracy dreamed up by greeting card and flower delivery companies to drive business, I accept it for what it is – an opportunity to pay homage and say thanks to my wonderful mother, who’s always been there
for me, cheering me on, through good times and bad. Since my mother is British (she’s from Abercynon in South Wales), she has always favored classic Brit desserts such as trifle, bread pudding and custard. In fact, she is known for her delicious bread pudding, which she claims is The Duchess of
Windsor’s favorite recipe. (My guess is the Duchess wasn’t doing much cooking – she was too busy buying expensive jewelry shaped like reptiles.) Another favorite of hers, though, is also one of mine: Coconut Custard Pie, an American classic. The great thing about this dessert is that it’s so darned
easy to make (once you get past the crust, that is). Just whisk together some eggs, sugar, milk and a few other ingredients, and your filling just needs to be poured into the pie crust and baked. I like to top the simple custard filling with sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkling of toasted coconut and, my
secret ingredient, ground candied violets. It gives the pie a floral backnote and adds a little lavender sparkle to the white topping. So, Happy Mother’s Day to you, Mom, and to everyone else out there who’s also a mother. Mother’s Day comes but once a year, so my advice to you is this: Milk it for all it’s worth!
