Traditional aprons can be bulky and inflexible and usually have us folding the waist over on itself to fit more petite frame. That’s why a more flattering alternative is this crossback apron with a cotton-linen fabric that makes for a light and airy texture that makes it both pleasant to wear and easy to wash. Alma Avalle, BA’s digital operations associate, named this as her top affordable pick in a test of 12 aprons: “I’m a big fan of its deep front pockets, where you’ll usually find my instant-read thermometer and a silicone spatula, and its many color options, which gives you some room to customize your apron to your personal style.”
What’s a Mother’s Day gift guide without a floral arrangement? Sure, you could order a centerpiece from any online retailer, but we’re partial to Farmgirl Flowers, a female-founded company that creates its bouquets based on whatever looks best from its growers rather than a preset formula. That means every arrangement feels thoughtful and completely unique, just like your mom. We also love that you can tack on extras like chocolates, tea, or caramel popcorn for a gift that goes beyond the bouquet.
If your mom makes her own dressings, she deserves an olive oil that’s more than just decent. Kosterina’s cold-pressed Greek EVOO has a fruity flavor and a sky-high polyphenol count (anti-inflammatory antioxidants), so it’s both delicious and healthy. This gift set includes their Everyday oil, great for baking and sautéing, and their Original, which deserves to be drizzled generously over everything from salads to ice cream. Once she tastes it, she’ll never go back to the cheap plastic jugs.
There’s nothing quite like a bowl of umami-rich marinara sauce with chewy, al dente noodles—that is, of course, until you’ve had a bowl of fresh pasta that you’ve made with your own two hands! Making pasta is fun, it’s rewarding, and it requires a few ingredients (sometimes just two!), but the payoff is huge. The Marcato 150 rolls out smooth sheets of dough with ease, and its adjustable settings make it easy to switch up the thickness and shape. And, come on, doesn’t it look pretty stylish? Gift it with a bag of “00” flour and your favorite jarred sauce for an unforgettable pasta night.
Well-balanced and gently smoky, Vamonos Riendo mezcal is made from two types of agaves—eight-year-old Espandín and Tobalá, which takes around 14 years to reach maturity. Inspired by the celebratory pechuga-style of mezcals, it’s triple-distilled, with fruit added to the still during the final pass. The result is citrusy and vegetal, making it ideal for sipping straight or topped with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Pair it with a gorgeous piece of handmade glassware if you really want to go above and beyond.
For the mom who doesn’t drink alcohol: Ghia Le Fizz
We’re big fans of Ghia’s nonalcoholic aperitifs and canned spritzes here at BA, but when it comes to setting a celebratory mood, you just can’t beat the drink maker’s Le Fizz. Flavored with orange blossom and strawberry, it’s delightfully tart and dry, with just a hint of sweetness. For a limited time, Ghia is offering customizable labels perfect for adding a personal touch to your Mother’s Day gift.
If your mom cooks frequently and hasn’t replaced her chef’s knife since before you were born, give her this great all-arounder from Hedley & Bennett. In our testing, we loved how well-balanced and comfortable this knife was to grip and maneuver, thanks to the seamless transition between its handle and blade, and the fact that it comes in a few colors. While you’re at it, make sure all of Mom’s knives stay up to snuff with a gift card for Knife Aid’s mail in sharpening service.
While your mom’s current cast-iron skillet will last forever, there’s no reason you can’t add to her collection. If she’s been using a heavy, “new”-style skillet like a Lodge, gift her this set of vintage-style pans from Field Company. They’re lightweight (for a cast-iron skillet, at least) and have a smooth surface that aids their nonstick properties. This set comes with both a 10¼” and an 8⅜” pan, plus a leather handle cover, a sturdy metal spatula, and some tools for keeping those skillets in tip-top shape.
Did you know that you should replace your spices every three months? While they won’t actually go “bad” in that time, ground spices lose their potency way faster than you’d think. If your mom has been using the same bottle of cinnamon since before you can remember, give her the gift of more flavorful food with this set of essentials from Curio Spice Co. Think of these as elevated versions of the basic spices she’ll use every day—things like Indian turmeric, Sri Lankan ground ginger, Spanish smoked paprika, and Turkish Maras biber that’ll give her usual chile flakes a run for their money.
If your mom always keeps a stash of tinned fish in the pantry, get her this gift box from Fishwife that includes a tin each of Smoked Rainbow Trout and Albacore Tuna With Spanish Lemon, a set of tinned fish tongs, the brand’s new cookbook, and limited edition goodies like custom sticky notes for mom’s cookbook notes.
So you’ve done family taco night and everyone fought over who got to press the tortillas. Now, keep them soft and warm until they get to the table! These pretty little pouches are made by seamstress and artisan Deisy Martínez in Oaxaca City and sold through Masienda, our go-to for masa harina and other single-origin Mexican ingredients. Of course, this tortillero looks best when filled to the brim with a stack of tender, freshly pressed tortillas—but off duty, it’s just as good for storing doodads.
We’re kind of obsessed with these sleek silver coasters from Seattle-based design studio Holcomb. They’re neutral enough to go with any tablescape or living room setup, but their eye-catching designs will have your mom’s next dinner party guests asking where she got them. Holcomb’s entire line of kitchen and tableware is worth perusing, for that matter. Pair the coasters with this chic carafe or a matching wine decanter.
The mom who’s constantly plotting her next happy hour soirée will appreciate a set of linen cocktail napkins from Piecework. The brand makes a ton of different versions, but we’re partial to this hors d’oeuvres–themed set that features a tin of sardines, an olive, an oyster, and a wedge of cheese. These would be great paired with the coasters above if you’re really trying to go all out.
For the mom who’s still printing out online recipes: Apple iPad
Allow your mom to save paper and time with a tablet she can use to easily view recipes as she cooks. Pair it with a digital subscription to BA and Epicurious and pre-install the Epi app on her new device so she can get started saving recipes (and cooking them!) right away.
A set of custom stationery makes a great gift for moms who have been reminding you to write your thank-you notes for the past 32 years. London-based Papier makes a range of fun designs at a palatable price point, without compromising on the satisfyingly thick paper quality. These stylish notecards can be used as stationery or for writing down family recipes.
If your mom develops her own recipes or likes to journal meals and track adjustments she makes to online recipes, consider Papier’s recipe journal. Its smart layout allows her to record recipes, yes, but also to rate them and to add notes and adjustments. There’s also space to jot down memories of dinner parties or family gatherings attached to those recipes.
For the mom who’s still making stovetop rice: Zojirushi Rice Cooker
Give the gift of perfect rice every time, at the push of a button. Even if your mom is married to her stovetop rice method, we’re confident the Zojirushi NP-HCC10 will convert her to the rice cooker way of life. This model has been our favorite rice cooker for years because of its intuitive interface, bevy of helpful features, and, of course, the superior rice it produces.
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