Scallops Wrapped in Zucchini and Proscuiutto and…Me the Stage Mum

According to Archie, three black marks will qualify you as a Stage Mum and Archie assures me I have far more black marks than three so I now need to wear this appalling title.

I don’t know what I did to qualify.

But Archie does.


Scallops Wrapped in Zucchini and Prosciutto

I gained my first notable black mark when he was in Year 11 and rehearsing for a role in The Gondoliers.  He was rehearsing more than an hour away from our home and I had kindly offered to pick him up.  I arrived at the scheduled time but there was no sign of him.  I left my car and entered the building where I knew he would be and someone led me to a doorway where I could hear some singing going on.  Archie was in there with four others from the cast learning to do a difficult five-part harmony.  Well I didn’t want to stand outside the door waiting so as the door was slightly open I squeezed through and took a seat in a corner of the tiny room and rested against the wall.  Momentarily!  I thought I’d done that fairly inconspicuously but no, they had all spotted me.  And Archie was mortified.

It was one of the very first rehearsals and these five cast members were all in the process of getting to know each other and now one of them had a mother in the room.  The singing teacher took control of the situation.  She frowned at me and said, ‘Ah this is a closed rehearsal, could I ask you to kindly wait outside the door?’  On the way home Archie asked that from that moment on, whenever I drive up to collect him from anywhere, could I just wait in my car.  Well that’s hardly any fun.

The Grande Inquisitor in ‘The Gondoliers’

I gained another black mark at the end of that year when Archie wasn’t awarded best actor.  I couldn’t understand why the award had bypassed him so I thought I’d ring the Head of Drama and ask him to explain.  When Archie found out he said I’d been interfering and that the award is only issued to a boy in Year 12 and as Archie was only in Year 11 he didn’t qualify.  But I already knew that because I’d just spoken to the Head of Drama who’d clarified the situation for me.

My third black mark occurred recently.  When Archie was accepted into University I just wanted to make sure that the money we were spending was going into a quality education and not some sort of expensive childcare facility, just like little angels elc dural.  I phoned the college and asked to speak to ‘the person in charge’.  A lovely man came on the phone who happens to be the Head of Drama and he took me through the program, the timetable, the classes Archie would be doing, the opportunities, his own qualifications etc.  We had such a lovely chat.  But then Archie found out all about it and was horrified saying he is now an adult and he had done his own investigative work and I didn’t need to interfere.

So that makes me a Stage Mum, a title I hardly think I deserve but one Archie finds most suitable.

Do you dabble in your kids affairs or was your mother a little too enthusiastic?

Only the best Stage Mums cook their sons their favourite foods.  Archie loves seafood and scallops are something he adores.  Here’s a recipe I cook for Archie when I need to make amends.

Barbecued Scallops with Zucchini and Prosciutto

Makes:  12

Degree of Difficulty:  3/5

A delicious appetiser

Cost:  This is quite an expensive starter because although zucchini are readily available and therefore inexpensive, the proscuitto and the scallops are both expensive items.

Note:  You need to purchase the prosciutto from a deli and ask them not to slice it too thinly as it needs to wrap the parcel without breaking.  If not cooking on a barbecue, cook on the stove in a non-stick pan.

  • 12 scallops
  • 2 cloves finely diced garlic
  • 1-2 red chillies de-seeded and finely chopped
  • 1-2 zucchini finely sliced into ribbons – a mandolin is ideal
  • 12 slices prosciutto
  • toothpicks to secure the parcels

Take a scallop and sprinkle a little garlic and chilli on one of the flat sides.  Wrap the scallop in a ribbon of zucchini.  Wrap the zucchini in a slice of prosciutto and secure parcel with a toothpick.  Cook on the barbecue for two minutes on each side or until the scallop turns white, then arrange on a platter and serve.

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Comments

  1. I used to act all annoyed with an interfering mum but secretly I loved that she cared enough to get involved. Except she should also have made these scallops for me too 🙂

  2. Oh, good! Something else to do with zucchini!

  3. I adore scallops and these look terrific! And there are some vegetables! (One of my favourites). Wonderful, easy recipe!

  4. Don’t worry, Charlie Louie, it’s our jobs as mothers to mortify our children. It just wouldn’t be right in the grand scheme of things if we failed in this. Love the recipe. Have made similar, but without the zucchini. Nice addition.

  5. Those scallops look delicious! Charlie, I hate to agree with Archie, but… 😉

    I do understand, though. I’m massively overprotective, and have been known to text Big Boy at the most inconvenient times. I asked him the other day if his mates took the piss out of him for it. He said, “No, half of them have Chinese mothers as well..” 😉

  6. Ok … true confessions on my first trip here. 1) No kids for us and 2) I’m not an actor … BUT … 3) I love prosciutto and this looks like something I would love. Thanks for sharing and for stopping by to comment at my humble site.

  7. My son is 3 years old.. so for now I enjoy having the absolute control of things around him.. I dont know how things will change in the future.. Anyways, Congratulations on your son!
    Those scallops are looking at me in a weird way :))

  8. Scallops are so tasty and wrapped with prosciutto, well, is there anything better?

    As to your black marks, I doubt that any parent would find the actions behind them unwarranted.

  9. This is such a great recipe! The contrast in flavors and textures, especially if cooked on the grill, would mollify even the most horrified of university students. I don’t know whether you’re a stage Mom but you sure are a wise Mom.

  10. Love your ninja mothering skills, Charlie; shame that somebody always had to give you away. Love your scallop dish, too 🙂

  11. Well, one thing for sure Archie must eat well. The scallops and prosciutto look absolutely lovely and tasty.

  12. Yummy, my daughter wants to try scallops. This looks easy and delicious! Will make it for her.

  13. I adore scallops and just bought a huge bag of them last week. Wrapping them up like this is a good recipe to make sure they don’t overcook and go tough- great idea!
    I know all about being an overprotective- I mean caring and thoughtful mother. Teenage MiddleC was sworn at by her middle aged Woolies boss, and came home quite upset. I went in the next day and told him that it wasn’t to happen again. He’s 6’7 and I’m 5’2, but he’s the one who backed off first. MiddleC received a full apology, but she was mortified.
    Sometimes you just can’t win… Sigh….

  14. You totally remind me of my mom. She made sure to call the school whenever she needed someone to clarify something, and with college, she knew she wanted me to go to a school where I would learn and not it turn into a babysitter.. those were her exact words lol. Now, at the age of 32, I completely understand and would probably do the same for my future child. And I think the title stage mom doesn’t sound so bad :). Love the prosciutto wrapped scallops.

  15. Aw, I know that feeling – I used to get so annoyed and embarrassed by the “olds”. Times have changed now – now I recognise that they only did these things because they love me (not sure why sometimes, looking back at my behavious over the years! 🙂 )

  16. I wish my parents had been that involved. They would attend the plays I was in but I always sensed they were happier going to my siblings sport events. I don’t know how it started but around a year or so ago we got into a discussion and I informed them about how I wish they would have felt the same way about my after school activites as my sisters and brothers. They were mortified that they came off as not being interested and apologized profusely. I plan on my angel smiling while complaining that I am too involved. Archie is very lucky to have you!

    • hotlyspiced says:

      Thanks so much Maureen. It’s great that you were able to have that discussion with your parents and let them know how you have felt all these years. Great that it’s all been sorted. And yes, follow Angel around so she can only accuse you of being too involved.

  17. oh wow, these little morsels are just TOO divine, when i get back home and to the beach i shall make these for sure and feed them to my children!! c

  18. I think that you sound like a fabulous, caring Mum. Kudos to you!

  19. That sounds like a delicious appetizer! Yum!

  20. It’s probably lucky that I don’t have kids because I would imagine that I’d be a stage mum! 😛

  21. Never seen the addition of zucchini in these, but it sounds awesome! Great idea.

    And I already Like ya on FB. 😉

  22. OH, goodness! You are just being a good, normal mom! And besides, any mom who will cook such marvelous dishes for their child is a wonderful mama!!!

  23. My mother never really interfered too much, although she does with my brother. 😛 I don’t have my own kids yet but when I do, I think I would be like you since I’d be scared my kids would miss important details or not get things right. A little bit of help from parents or a little bit of interfering shouldn’t deserve that name surely! It’s all in the name of love. 😀

    I love scallops too, I dare say it’s my favourite seafood but I generally like to eat them raw as sashimi the most. 😛

  24. My type of parenting 😉 I would say, my parents since we don’t have kids at the moment.

    Lovely scallops — i tried it once, and didn’t like it. I must make it on my own some day 😀

    Love the new blog design, btw!!

  25. I do love your complete honesty. You do all the things I would love to do but hold back. Skater would kill me if I even tried.
    Scallops are my favourite and so is porky , bacony, prosciuttoey anything!

  26. My dad does tend to dabble too much in my affairs, but I know it comes from love. I don’t think he quite grasps the fact that I’m an adult, I’m still his little girl in his eyes. But still, it’s better to have parents who love you too much rather than too little.

  27. Easy to see why these are one of Archies favourites – decadent and with a glass of bubbly on the side wouldn’t hurt either.
    Sadly I never had children but reckon I would have even more black marks to my name!
    🙂 Mandy

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