Make Mother’s Day with Mother’s Ruin

There are many who would argue that we shouldn’t need a dedicated day to celebrate mothers, but it would be a brave son or daughter that failed to rise to the occasion.

Originally a Christian festival, before the advent of commerciality, Mothering Sunday in the UK is celebrated on the fourth Sunday in lent. People traditionally visited the church where they were baptised; mothers were reunited with their children, as those in service were released by their masters for the weekend. Just as we all troop home today. 

How to make it special - flowers, chocolates, a meal ….. how about a bottle of ‘Mother’s Ruin’? Yes, gin, the favourite tipple of our Queen, and her mother, who used to travel with it and her Dubonnet, ‘just in case’.  

My recommendation is the gold medal winning Hendrick’s Gin, which comes in a brown apothecary style bottle, costing under £30.

Top-quality gins are flavoured in a unique manner and Hendrick uses two stills to produce different styles. The distilled spirit base is re-distilled, to allow alcohol vapour to waft over dried juniper berries and botanicals, giving it a unique character by extracting the lighter, sweeter, floral flavours and aromatic compounds. Once blended, cucumber and rose essences are added, giving a complex dry spirit with delicate cucumber, rose, honeyed citrus and floral juniper fruitiness. It is medium-full bodied with a long, elegant and satiny smooth finish. Sensational. 

Not a gin fan? Then treat mum to the fabulous Domaines Ott Clos Mireille Rosé 2011, from Provence. Arguably the finest rosé wine available, this elegant wine has an aroma of apricot and peach, with a hint of spice and red berries. Made from Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault grapes, it has balanced acidity and medium alcohol, and pairs perfectly with salmon. Available for around £27.