Showing posts with label shiraz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shiraz. Show all posts

Friday, May 6, 2022

LAst MInute Mom's Day Gifts

what do you get a  mom  home chef  or baker with only two days to Mother's Day? Surprisingly there are a lot of interesting and fun items that can be picked up in these last minutes. There's a wide range to select from cooking to baking, snacking to drinking.

Gadgets are always a fun gift. if mom is a whiz in the kitchen , then think of getting her the eight in one kitchen tool. This a a truly neat gift.It looks like a wine bottle but is a measuring cup and with it comes an egg separator, can opener,,funnel, spice and cheese graters and an egg masher. Does Mom love whipping up souffles or airy frostings? Get a whisk cleaner. This is a plastic circle with slits in it. Just push the whisk through it and the gunk comes off.Makes for a much cleaner whisk and less labor intensive than bending a sponge into all those small spaces. if your mother is a gambler and loves take out then get her take out dice. These are dice with images of pizza, ,hamburger and barbecue on them. Ii's a fun way of saying what shall we eat for lunch or dinner. Cat moms will go crazy over Purr Over Coffee brewer. Thus is a super cute coffee maker in the shape of a kitty.it is a two piece coffee maker that;s perfect at home or in the office. A chopper set is not only practical but it can be fun. It has three different sized blades for coarse and fine chopping. it also comes with a pull out draw to store the chopped veggies and fruits.

What about food or drink as last minute  present? Bakeries are the best place to go for a box of goodies.Mini croissants are always perfect. They can be turned into sandwiches or perfect for breakfast with a good jam or marmalade . A  box of chocolate dipped cookies is a great way to end a Mother's Day meal.  A mini cake is another nice just for you gift. She can have it all to herself and  enjoy a rich gooey treat.Candy is also a fun gift. Yes, you can go old school with a Whitman's Sampler which has everything under the sun. There are chocolate covered cashews and caramels along with nougats and coconut. If there's a good confectioner in your area, then visit them. They will have an amazing array of hand dipped caramels and truffles, perfect for the mom with gourmet tastes. Of course a bottle of wine or champagne will never be refused. A good Zinfandel or Shiraz will not go amiss. A bottle of Prosecco or Asti Spumante is perfect, especially for making mimosa at her brunch.

Don;t worry if you haven;t gotten Mom a gift yet. There is still time to pick up something she'll enjoy. It could a fin gadget , a tasty treat or a good bottle of wine or champagne.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Sassy Drinks

The New York Times Dining section yesterday ran their annual spirits issue. This was and is the perfect guide to holiday cocktails and gift giving. One article featured different cocktails and another featured some very sassy wine labels. All in all it made for some fun reading.


I liked the article about the nontraditional and unorthodox wine labels.William Grimes wrote this fun piece that featured brands such as Bitch and Fat Bastard - perfect for friends - however not for your boss.The taste is the same for any wine. There are shirazes and Cabernets which are lovely additions to any holiday table.These also make good presents between office mates too. Just don't get Big Ass Wine (which sounds like a Letterman joke) for anyone who's weight sensitive.it is a robust red but stick with the reds with the more genteel names.


Another fun article was the one about home cocktails. This is Jeff Godinier's take on creating the perfect cocktail no matter what the cost. His comic zeal in making a heavenly drink takes him to all sorts of liquor stores , wracking up $135 dollars to create the Mount Vernon, This is a drink that features a mix of cherry liqueurs such as Cherry Heering and Kirschwasser. The ingredients are expensive and the recipe made for more advanced mixologists. However it seems worth it. Mr. Gordinier did create his ambrosia.


The holidays are meant for merry drinks and The New York Times knows this. It's a time to have fun with holiday spirits. Make your own or buy some with sassy labels.