What's up Reader!

This week’s newsletter is dedicated to some of the most important people in my life — my wife, my mom, my mother-in-law, and all the incredible moms out there doing the daily, often invisible, hard work of being a mother.

I’ve spent nearly 20 years cooking brunch on Mother’s Day — from Langdon Hall, to the Four Seasons with Chef Boulud, to many places in between. I still remember standing shoulder-to-shoulder with my friend Jen at the Four Seasons, blasting out hundreds of Bennies and Tarte Flambées while service rolled straight into dinner.

So yes, I’ve cooked a few brunches. Case in point:
Here’s a recent one for my kids featuring quail eggs on baguette crostini, because apparently I can’t help myself.

This newsletter is a little love letter to brunch — and to all the moms out there who deserve to sit back, sip coffee, and be celebrated. I’ve pulled together some of my all-time favourite brunch recipes for Mother’s Day — savoury, sweet, nostalgic, and a little cheffy too.

Can’t cook them all this weekend? Bookmark this email and come back to it. The next birthday, rainy Sunday, or brunch craving will thank you.

And if you're looking to gift something to a baking mom (or yourself), I'm running a 20% off sale on all my baking courses through Sunday night — details below.

Happy Mother’s Day to every mom out there. You deserve a warm croissant, a hot coffee, and a whole lotta love.

In this week's newsletter, you will find:

1. Mother’s Day Sale: 20% Off All My Resources 💐
2. Brunch Centrepiece: Sourdough Tarte Flambée 🥓
3. Sourdough English Muffins + Eggs Benedict 🍳
4. Brunch Dessert Worth Fighting Over: Sourdough Rye Chocolate Cake 🍫
5. Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes? (Why Not Both.) 🧇
6. Flaky, Jammy, and Just Plain Fun: Sourdough Pop Tarts 🥧
7. A Classic Reimagined: Sourdough Banana Nut Bread🍌

Mother’s Day Sale: 20% Off All My Resources 💐

In honour of all the moms, bakers, and brunch lovers out there, I’m running a 20% off sale on all my online baking resources.

From now through Sunday, May 11 at 11:59 PM, you can save on every resource below using code MOM at checkout.

Whether you're looking to dive deeper into sourdough, master the art of panettone, or finally feel confident with rye, now’s the time to level up your bakes.

Resources on Sale:​
🍞 Simplifying Rye Bread​
🥖 Simplifying Sourdough​
🍕 Simplifying Sourdough Pizza​
👽 Simplifying Sourdough Panettone
​​
👉 Use code MOM at checkout
👉 Sale ends Sunday, May 11 at 11:59 PM (ET)

🧮 Plus: My Sourdough Excel Calculator ​
Normally $55 — now $44 with the discount.

Brunch Centrepiece: Sourdough Tarte Flambée 🥓

A brunch showstopper that’s rustic, elegant, and deeply flavourful.

If you’re looking to bake something truly special this Mother’s Day, let me introduce you to Tarte Flambée — a.k.a. Flammkuchen. Think crisp sourdough crust topped with crème fraîche, sweet onions, and smoky bacon… It’s comfort food with a French passport.

I first learned to make Tarte Flambée while working under Chef Daniel Boulud, and it’s one of those recipes that never left me. We served it during Mother’s Day brunch at the Four Seasons Toronto, and it always flew off the line faster than we could bake them. It’s a dish that feels celebratory, but casual — perfect for a family gathering, a lazy Sunday, or just to spoil someone who deserves it.

Bonus? It looks stunning on the table with very little effort.
Even more bonus? You can totally riff on the toppings — think goat cheese and fig, mushrooms and truffle oil, or a handful of peppery arugula just before serving.

👉 Get the full Tarte Flambée recipe here

Sourdough English Muffins + Eggs Benedict 🍳

If there’s one dish that screams Mother’s Day brunch, it’s Eggs Benedict — and trust me, I’ve made a few. Back in my Langdon Hall days, we’d serve a full-on Eggs Benny brunch and I must’ve poached thousands of eggs in that kitchen. It was chaos. Beautiful, buttery chaos.

These days, it’s a little calmer — but still just as special. A few weeks ago, I made Lobster Eggs Benedict for Juniper’s birthday (her request — she’s got high standards for a 6-year-old 😅). Now my wife’s put in her request for Mother’s Day… so I’ve got my marching orders.

​

Of course, we’re not using store-bought muffins. These are made with my sourdough discard English muffin recipe — soft, tangy, and crisped up in cast iron until golden. They’re perfect for Bennies, breakfast sandwiches, or just toasted with a bit of butter.

🧡 Chef's Tip: Toast them, top with poached eggs and hollandaise — or go full Langdon Hall with smoked salmon or lobster if you’re feeling fancy.

👉 Get the Sourdough English Muffin recipe here

Brunch Dessert Worth Fighting Over: Sourdough Rye Chocolate Cake 🍫

This one’s for the chocolate lovers — and the brunch guests who hang around just long enough to see if there’s something sweet after the Bennies are cleared.

This Sourdough Chocolate Cake with Rye is rich, tender, and just the right amount of indulgent. It’s not too sweet, stays incredibly moist for days, and has that deep, complex flavour you only get from high-quality cocoa, a bit of rye flour, and a slow bake.

It’s a riff on a recipe by Alain Ducasse, one of the Chefs I obsessed over early in my career. I’ve added a sourdough twist and swapped in coconut oil for richness (but you can use olive oil if you want that classic pairing with chocolate). Top it with a quick glaze, some chopped nuts, or keep it plain with a strong cup of coffee — you really can’t go wrong.

🧡 Bonus: It makes two loaves. One for Mom… and one for whoever does the dishes.

👉 Get the Sourdough Rye Chocolate Cake recipe here

Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes? (Why Not Both.) 🧇

Some moms are Team Waffle. Others ride hard for pancakes. Around here, we don’t take sides — we just make both.

These sourdough discard waffles have been part of our Saturday morning tradition for years. We use 100% whole grain einkorn, and the batter ferments overnight, which gives them that tangy, buttery flavour and light, crisp texture. The girls help pour the batter and fill each waffle pocket with blueberries, syrup, or (way too much) butter.

And if waffles aren’t your thing? I’ve got a whole grain sourdough pancake recipe that’s just as good. Soft, fluffy, and perfect for stacking sky-high. Either one is a brunch winner — especially when paired with strong coffee and zero rush.

🧡 Chef's Tip: Make a double batch of waffles and freeze extras — then pop them in the toaster for midweek magic.

👉 Get the Sourdough Waffle recipe here

👉 Try the Whole Grain Sourdough Pancakes too

Flaky, Jammy, and Just Plain Fun: Sourdough Pop Tarts 🥧

Every good brunch needs a little whimsy, and these homemade sourdough Pop Tarts totally deliver. They’re buttery, flaky, and filled with jam (I used my rhubarb & vanilla jam for a seasonal twist, and it might be my favourite combo yet).

If you grew up in the '80s or '90s, chances are you had a love-hate relationship with boxed Pop-Tarts. These are nothing like those. Made with sourdough discard and real butter, they hit that perfect balance between nostalgic and elevated. I sampled some like this at a farmer’s market years ago and knew I had to make my own version — and I’m proud to say these are way better than anything from a box.

Great for brunch tables, snack trays, or tucked into a little Mother's Day gift basket (bonus points for sprinkles).

🧡 Chef's Tip: Chill the dough between steps — it makes rolling, shaping, and flaking so much easier.

👉 Get the Sourdough Pop Tart recipe here

A Classic Reimagined: Sourdough Banana Nut Bread🍌

If brunch needs a heartbeat, this is it. Our sourdough banana nut bread is a go-to in our house — not just because it’s delicious (it is), but because it’s made with whole grains, Greek yogurt, and sourdough discard for a healthy, flavour-packed loaf that happens to smell like pure comfort when it bakes.

I probably make some version of this every other week. With two kids, it’s become the unofficial snack loaf of our family — toasted with butter, spread with peanut butter, or just sliced thick and warm. The walnuts give it a lovely crunch, but you can easily swap them for chocolate chips (or both, if you’re my children).

It’s the kind of recipe you bake once and then just… keep baking. And let’s be honest: there’s no brunch table that couldn’t use a banana bread moment.

🧡 Chef's Tip: Slice and freeze a few pieces for an easy weekday snack. Or toast it and top with whipped ricotta + honey for a brunch glow-up.

👉 Get the Whole Grain Banana Nut Bread recipe here

Happy Baking,

MJD

​Unsubscribe · Preferences​