What? Not done with your holiday shopping? Yeah, neither are we. But we've been making lists -- and checking them twice -- and we've got some suggestions for the nice people on your list. Today, Chow Bella's Gift Guide for the Mom.
See also: - Jackalope Ranch's Gift Guide for the Mom - Chow Bella's Gift Guides 2012 for the Gardener, Wine Lover, Foodie and More - St. Francis Posts a Kids Lunch Menu and Sets Off a Little Debate About Children in Restaurants - Traci Zitzer's Urban Table Larder Opens in JAM, Bringing Art and Artisanal Food Together
You know what Mom wants you to make her for Christmas? Reservations. The old joke's a true one. Get a babysitter (if applicable) and take her out to her favorite fancy restaurant. If you insist on being more creative, here are a few ideas that will stuff her stocking in style.
Dinner (or Lunch or Brunch) with the Kids at St. Francis Take the whole family out to eat. St. Francis is not only one of the best restaurants in town -- from the setting to the servings -- it welcomes kids. In fact, they eat for free! And the menu is sophisticated enough for her without leaving them out.
Dish towels from Frances Yes, dish towels. Because she's not going to spend $10-plus on a rag -- no matter how stylish. But she's dying for these (see photo). And while you're at it, peruse the food books and other kitchen items at our favorite CenPho boutique -- which now has two locations, at Central and Camelback and Union at Biltmore Fashion Park.
Vintage Kitchenwares To you, this looks like a beat up piece of crap someone bought at Goodwill for a couple bucks. To Mom, it looks like the super awesome, well loved cake tin she's been dying for, and we promise she won't just not mind that you bought it at Goodwill for a couple bucks, she'll applaud you for it. Go to etsy.com for deals on vintage kitchen items, or hit up Kitchen Switchin', a consignment boutique in Phoenix for less tarnished but still wonderful treasures.
A Basket of Goodies from Urban Table Larder This fall, Traci Zitzer opened a tiny dream of a shop in a room of the old house that serves as home to JAM, a boutique in Old Town Scottsdale. Now JAM's housing not only Zitzer but a Thursday evening market and Friday evening food truck event. You'll be pleased if you only make it to Urban Table Larder, which features an amazing spread in such a small place: artisan-made salts, sugars, syrups -- all non-perishable items designed to make a mom/chef drool. Top off your basket with some kitchen tools and a bauble from JAM, and you'll have one happy maternal unit.
Ice Cream Maker and a copy of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home Until any of our favorite local ice cream makers bust out with their own cookbooks, we're sticking with Jeni's guide to homemade ice cream -- and alongside we'll give Mom an ice cream maker. Cuisinart makes a good one, or you might want to spring for the new KitchenAid mixer, which our own chef-expert Andy Broder recommends for the cool ice cream attachment. This is a gift Mom can experiment with on her own, or with the kids. And you'll get to be a guinea pig (or just a pig). What could be better?
