Forget flowers, get Mom something she’ll really like

This Sunday is Mother’s Day in the U.S. Traditional gifts for Mother’s Day are flowers, jewelry, and taking Mom to brunch. (Husbands who buy their wives vacuum cleaners or washing machines for Mother’s Day may be the recipient of the cold shoulder for weeks.) Instead of the same old gifts, why not get Mom something she’ll really like, such as an EYB membership? (Gift vouchers make this a snap.) Mother’s Day isn’t celebrated worldwide, but if you are living in a place that doesn’t note this holiday, take this opportunity to get something nice for your mother for no particular reason. She’ll appreciate it even more.

If Mom already has an EYB membership (go, Mom!), you may consider a cookbook to add to her bookshelf. (Setting up her EYB bookshelf will also put you in good graces for months, and perhaps can atone for that time you forgot to call her on her birthday.) Since it’s one of the busiest times of year for cookbook publishing, finding something your mother will like is a piece of cake. Naturally, the best place to search for cookbooks is right here – you can easily search by author, popularity, or date published to find the perfect book for Mom. It’s also quite convenient to use the Buy Book link on EYB to order your books, and that way you are also helping to fund the indexing of more books. It’s a win-win. 

If your mother likes to travel, give her a book about another culture or cuisine. Recent award winners in this category are Every Grain of Rice, Balaboosta, and Sauces and Shapes: Pasta the Italian Way. EYB picks in this category include Pok Pok and Around the World in 120 Recipes.

For those whose mom (like mine) is a baker, you can get the dual award-winning The Art of French Pastry, Tartine Book No. 3, John Whaite Bakes at Home, or Sweet & Vicious: Baking with Attitude (although you may want to think about that one a bit first).

Some moms are the more scholarly type and appreciate a bit of history with their dinner. Mothers in this category might enjoy Barbecue: A Global History, A Fork in the Road, or Historic Heston. And if your mother likes to collect things, why not get her a collection like the Keep Calm series, the revamped Nigella books, or all the books by Ottolenghi?

To all the moms who are EYB fans: put your wish list here; you never know who might be looking for a hint. (I sure hope someone in my family is reading this!)