Mother’s Day is May 11, and while moms are great at planning ahead, children/husbands can be less so. Don’t worry: The gifts below are readily available, but are bound to make her smile come Sunday.
1. Cuisinart SmartStick Immersion Blender
If Mom’s a kitchen wiz, help her out with this handy, versatile tool that’s a must for home cooks. She’ll save time whisking or washing a big blender when making dressings, puréeing sauces, mixing smoothies, and more. $34.95 at Sur La Table, multiple area locations.
2. Sydney Hale candles
We’re addicted to these locally made, natural soy candles. Pick fresh scents for the season such as rum-sea salt, bergamot-black tea, or citrusy lemon-olive blossom. Added perk: A portion of the proceeds are donated to animal rescue organizations. $28 at various local retailers.
3. GiftRocket E-Card
Gift certificates may seem lame, but these online cards are a more personal, flexible species. Senders suggest a business where the card should be used—say, Le Diplomate or Rose’s Luxury—and can even customize an itinerary including drinks or a movie. If Mom doesn’t like it, she can choose to spend the amount elsewhere. The gift cards can be used nationally, including at businesses that don’t regularly offer them. Available at GiftRocket.
4. Don Ciccio & Figli Italian liqueurs
Give Mom some local love with an Italian twist. Former Bibiana sommelier Francesco Amodeo crafts limoncello, mandarinetto, and other fruit liqueurs inspired by recipes from his family and native Amalfi Coast. Perfect for summer sipping or mixing into drinks. From $32.99 at Batch 13 and other area retailers.
5. My Irish Table
The newest local cookbook to hit the shelves from Restaurant Eve chef/owner Cathal Armstrong makes a wonderful gift, both for its recipes and for its eye-catching photographs. You could even go the extra mile and make Mom an Irish breakfast from the first chapter. $35 at Kramer Books, or from Amazon.
6. Macaron Bee confections
If you’ve given Mom chocolates every year, think outside the truffle box and pick up these colorful, tasty macarons. The Georgetown boutique offers various packages and individual sweets, in flavors such as chocolate-lavender, Earl Grey, and passionfruit. $1.90 per macaron; $11.40 for a box of six; $21 for a dozen.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
