The truth about ... Mother's Day. And cake

Napoleon, corned beef, flowers, Simnel cake, a rogue apostrophe. Connection? Today.

Mother’s Day. Or maybe Mothers’ Day gifts 2020 ? Even, Fete des Meres? OK. Flowers and a dodgy punctuation mark are obvious, but Napoleon? Corned beef? Simnel cake?

Well, France celebrates Fete des Meres in late May or early June, in accordance with Pentecost. It was declared a holiday by Napoleon B., but not officially recognised until 1950. “Give me an educated mother, I’ll promise you the birth of a civilised, educated nation.” he cried.

Incidentally, he’s also on record saying: “I drink champagne when I win, to celebrate, and drink champagne when I lose, to console myself.” (Sacre bleu! Kind of a win-win approach to life, methinks)

However, corned beef? Well, OK, not exactly – though the little general did part with 12,000 francs as first prize in a Gallic competition to preserve food in tins for his troops’ long marches. To Russia, perhaps, without love?

Then, Mothering, or Simnel, Sunday gives rise to the eponymous, fragrant fruitcake. But not, legend has it, before too many cooks came to blows. Apparently, married Shropshire duo Simon and Nell (don’t get ahead of me!) argued as to how best to prepare the delicacy. Simon wanted to bake it, Nell, to boil it…or vice-versa. Anyway, our odd couple came to blows, merrily hurling oaths and kitchen utensils at each other, before agreeing both to boil and bake the cake, bagel-like. Down the years, their names stuck and we now have the Sim(on) Nel (l) cake variety. Clever, eh?

Only, it’s all myth! Disappointingly, simnel cake was merely named after a Roman type of flour long before Gregg’s opened its doors. Ezekiel even mentions it in the 16th century’s Coverdale Bible: “Thou didest eate nothinge but symnels, honny & oyle.”

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source - https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18325000.truth-mothers-day-cake/