Just weeks ago–although, in quarantine time, it feels like months–Anne Milneck made the drive from Baton Rouge to New Orleans and LaPlace for a few special deliveries. Don’t worry, she didn’t step foot inside anyone’s home. Instead, she drove from house to house leaving packages for her relatives, each containing a Piccadilly lemon icebox pie.

“It’s one of my favorite things in the world and is such a big childhood memory for me,” the Red Stick Spice Company owner explains. “I was feeling so homesick for family at Easter that I ordered 6 and dropped them off at my family’s doorsteps.”

Since the onset of COVID-19 restrictions, food has taken a major role in the fight against the virus and its detrimental impact. Images of restaurants and volunteers delivering food to hospitals, programs emerging to keep out-of-school kids fed, takeout initiatives to sustain local businesses–all of these images and more speak volumes about the power food has to bring people together.

“Food is the most basic form of love,” Milneck explains. “We need it to sustain life, but it’s also how we show we care.”

That’s why when she considers ways families can work within socially distanced constraints to create a memorable Mother’s Day this upcoming May 10, her mind goes straight to a family meal.

“As a chef, folks are apprehensive to cook me a meal,” she notes. “But trust me, the effort is so appreciated. I think that’s what all moms want–just to see the effort. Decorations can be homemade; meals can be less than perfect. Seeing everyone make a fuss? That’s so meaningful.”

Since Mother’s Day is a Sunday, what better meal to prepare than a brunch? Head to the grocery and grab plenty of orange juice and Champagne because bottomless mimosas are the perfect pairing for Milneck’s menu.

“Quiche is a great way to start the day and it can be made the day before,” she explains. “It’s really simple and something you can cobble together with ingredients at home. Plus, it’s a task that little ones can help with. Cracking eggs, whisking and pouring into a pie crust all seem easy enough for little hands. Shrimp and grits is another dish that seems fancy but it’s really, really easy. It’s a great way to utilize Gulf shrimp, which are plentiful right now. And don’t forget dessert. Warm brownie sundaes will take care of Mom’s love for chocolate and are an easy dessert that can be prepared the day before.”

None of these dishes look ideal for mom? Milneck says not to force an idea you saw online to fit with the unique and wonderful individual that you are celebrating. Tailoring every aspect to fit the preferences of mom is what will make this at-home party special.

“Be sure you’re tapping into what mom likes, not what you think she likes or what social media is portraying as the perfect Mother’s Day,” she notes. “Some moms love a backyard crawfish boil, while others want candles and flowers. One year, my kids gave me a questionnaire before Mother’s Day and asked me how I wanted to spend my day. They were surprised that I didn’t want breakfast in bed!”

Refer to inRegister’s “Cuisine” tab for dozens of delicious recipe ideas, and find many more great recipes on Red Stick Spice Company’s website. And share with us the ways you celebrate Mom this year by tagging us on Instagram or Facebook.