One of the myths or stereotypes or what-have-you of Mother’s Day is serving Mother breakfast in bed. Once upon a time ladies who had a maid and could afford it always had their breakfast in bed, or at least their morning tea or coffee. And trust Etiquetteer, having someone to prepare and deliver the breakfast to the bedroom makes all the difference. It just isn’t the same if you have to scramble the eggs and fry the bacon yourself and then bring it back into bed with you.
A Perfectly Proper breakfast tray. Note the ashtray at left and the bell to ring for the maid.
Special equipment is needed for a Perfectly Proper breakfast in bed:
A bed jacket to keep your shoulders from getting cold.
A breakfast tray with legs that fit around the Lucky Recipient’s person. Sometimes the legs fold out, but there are wicker trays that have legs with pockets for the newspaper or other reading material.
A breakfast cloth or placemat, freshly pressed. This should keep things from slipping about too much. Never serve a naked tray.
A breakfast china set, which should include at minimum a cup and saucer, a covered coffee pot, a tiny creamer and sugar bowl, and a covered plate for the Actual Breakfast. There are many other pieces that could be included, too, depending on what you’re serving: cereal bowls, toast racks, butter dishes, egg cups, jam pots, depending on what you’re serving. You might even need tiny salt and pepper shakers. But remember, it’s not a banquet, and the tray top is finite.
Silverware, of course: knife, fork, spoon, sugar spoon, and spreaders for butter and jam.
A napkin, clean and beautifully pressed. It doesn’t have to match the placemat.
A bud vase with a Delightful Rosebud is optional depending on space, but elegant and thoughtful.
Breakfast service should always begin with a knock at the door; don’t just barge in. George Howe Colt told the story in his wonderful book The Big House about getting to bring his grandmother breakfast in bed during summer vacation and hearing her call “Come in, my darling!” after his knock.
Possibly the most famous breakfaster-in-bed of the 20th century was First Lady Mamie Eisenhower. After getting up to tie a fresh pink bow in her hair and slip on a pretty bed jacket, her tray would be brought in and she would conduct staff meetings from her bed until about noon. In this century that title would probably be taken by the Dowager Countess of Trentham, played so memorably by Maggie Smith in Gosford Park (“They always send up a good breakfast here. I’ll say that for Sylvia, she’s not mean in that way,” “Yummy, yummy, yummy” and “Bought marmalade, I call that very feeble” will live forever). You’ll observe that this is a fictional character . . . which says something about the state of breakfast in bed!
Maggie Smith in Gosford Park (2001).
Finally, breakfast in bed isn’t just for ladies . . . but don’t take your server for granted!
Note that whiskey bottle on the side table — Not Perfectly Proper.