Mother’s Day Japanese Tea

In Mexico, Mother’s Day is always celebrated on May 10th, so today I am calling my mom and my sister on the phone, and we will exchange best wishes and family news; I am also getting pampered by my husband and daughters on Mother’s Day Sunday, May 13th, here in Canada. We are not much into going to crowded restaurants, so we usually stay home, and I get to pick a special meal prepared by them, or we order take out. This year, I am thinking of a Mother’s Day tea, and since I just learned that May is Asian Heritage month in Canada, I am thinking of including a Japanese touch to honour my background (my dad was Japanese, and migrated to Mexico in his early twenties; my mom was born in Mexico, a daughter of Japanese immigrants.) I have a beautiful Japanese tea set that my mom brought me from Mexico the last time she came to Canada; she bought it at the Bazar del Sábado (The Saturday Bazaar), in Mexico City, back when Japanese food and culture were just starting to get a lot of attention in Mexico, and worldwide. At this Bazaar, equally loved by locals and tourists, Mexican artisans bring their own creations – crafted during the week – and offer them for sale every Saturday. My tea pot has the artisan’s signature painted on the bottom:

This is the perfect starting point for my Mother’s Day Tea, with a Japanese set made in Mexico and brought to Canada by my own mom. Now I just have to ask my lovely family for a sweet treat to go with our ocha (お茶, Japanese tea). I have been craving a cake my mom and I used to make together every year for Mother’s Day; the recipe is from her sister’s Home Economics Middle School class, so this Mexican recipe has been around for at least 70 years. It is a large two-layered classic vanilla cake, with a very fine and light crumb. However, in the old-fashioned way, a small 1.5″ slice from this cake will be quite filling; a total of about 25 portions is not a bad estimate. The recipe does not come with icing, so it is up to the baker to decide how to decorate it, depending on the occasion. My younger daughter is willing to bake it with me, so we will continue the family tradition; and she always has the best decorating ideas, so I am looking forward to our baking session this weekend.

Printable recipe: Old-Fashioned Layered Cake – Pastel tradicional de capas