Still on the hunt for that amazing Mother’s Day gift? This time, forget flowers and candles, it’s time to treat your Mum to an amazing day out with a taste of France without leaving the country. From bread classes to the hottest sweet counter of the year, we’ve got it all covered.
A luxurious French goûter: Cédric Grolet at the Berkeley
World-famous French pâtissier Cédric Grolet who has taken Instagram by storm with his 2.3 million followers has now set foot in London. After Le Meurice palace and his own patisserie in Paris, Grolet now calls The Berkeley his second home in Kightsbridge.
Book ahead for a taste of his iconic trompe-l’œil fruit and flowers pâtisseries. The Goûter menu will get you five delicate bites of his creations with tea or coffee. But if your mum is a true pâtisserie fan and you’d like to splash out, then the “chef’s choice” tasting menu at the designer marble counter is waiting for you, for the ultimate sweet experience in the Master’s lab.
Goûter menu £90, tasting menu £135
Cédric Grolet at The Berkeley
Monday-Sunday 10am-7pm
Cédric Grolet's Counter, three daily sittings at 10.30am, 1.30pm and 4pm.
Wilton PIace, London SW1X 7RL
the-berkeley.co.uk
La vie en rose : a pink flight at Selfridges’ Rosé Lumière Champagne Bar
Spring season is starting at Selfridges and guess what’s the star of the show? A Champagne Bar, where it’s all about Rosé. Moët Hennessy has teamed up with the iconic department store to showcase the best of its pink portfolio. Invite your mother to sip on the best cuvées and vintages from well-established French brands Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Moët & Chandon and even Chateau d'Esclans Provence rosé if bubbles are not her thing.
Shining a light on all pink drinks, the design of the space is inspired by the classic Art Deco French Cinema. Don’t forget to personalise one of the illustrated posters, for the perfect Mother’s Day gift she can bring home.
Tasting flights £35-60
Wine glass from £12, cocktails from £14
Selfridges 400 Oxford St, London W1A 1AB
Monday-Saturday 11.30am-9pm, Sunday 11.30am-6pm
selfridges.com
The essence of French eating: a bread baking class
A warm baguette, a plump brioche or a crusty pain de campagne... These are a few of our favourite French breads. At The School of Artisan Food in Nottinghamshire, artisan baking tutor Emmanuel Hadjiandreou will help your mother master the art of making dough and shaping bread. Author of the award-winning How To Make Bread, he surely knows his trade.
With that hands-on gift, after one day she will know how to make the magic happen in her own kitchen - make sure to invite yourself for dinner that night, as she’ll be taking all of that freshly bread home at the end of the day!
£185 full day from 10am to 5pm, including a buffet-style lunch
Next available dates: 6 April, 9 April, 15 May, 25 June 2022
The School of Artisan Food
Lower Motor Yard
Welbeck, Nottinghamshire S80 3LR
schoolofartisanfood.org
From one Mother to another: a unique cookery class : Raymond Blanc's mum recipes Cookery Class at the Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, Oxfordshire, 4 April - Maman Blanc (Raymond's mother's recipes)
Set in a 15th-century manor in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside, le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons makes the most scenic Mother’s Day trip. Michelin-starred chef Raymond Blanc OBE needs no introduction, but did you know he too had a mother he likes to pay homage to?
At The Raymond Blanc Cookery School, you can attend a rather special session: “Maman Blanc” one-day cookery class will walk you through the chef's mother's recipes. Expect hearty, authentic family recipes with strong links to the kitchen garden. And if you’re in for a full weekend away, combine the lesson with a gastronomic overnight stay.
£385 full day
Next available dates: 28 March, 4 April, 23 April, 7 May, 21 May 2022
Church Road, Great Milton,
Oxford OX44 7PD
belmond.com
Contributor
Valentine Benoist
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