Scott Greenberg, special to wtop.com
I know that the old adage about gift giving is that it’s the thought that counts, but this Mother’s Day mom thinks it would be wonderful to receive a tasteful gift. After all, if you have a mother who loves to cook – and occasionally enjoys a delicious glass of wine along with her culinary efforts – then you’ll love the idea of pairing cookbooks and wine.
And if it really is the thought that counts, chances are good that thoughtful spouses and children will reap the benefits of mom’s kitchen creations.
These suggestions actually came from my wife, so I know what she’d like to take for a taste drive this Mother’s Day.
- “Taste Buds and Molecules: The Art and Science of Food, Wine, and Flavor” by Francois Chartier ($37) – What’s the first thing you do when you are served a glass of wine or plate of food? If you’re like me, you inhale deeply. The sense of smell is integral to the sense of taste. You can’t fully appreciate one without the other. This book discusses “the basic aromatic compounds responsible for taste at a molecular level” to enhance your understanding of food and wine pairings so you may broaden the flavor combinations in your cooking.
- “The Mom 100 Cookbook: 100 Recipes Every Mom Needs in Her Back Pocket” by Katie Workman ($17) – The 20 chapters are categorized by dilemmas, with 5 solutions per dilemma, in which a mom may find herself such as a potluck, lunches to stay or go and bake sale. The recipes have sub sections labeled “make ahead”, “cooking tip” and “what the kids can do” to engage them in the process. The photographs are plentiful, colorful, and inviting.
If you want to keep mom’s palate cool this Mother’s Day, think Prosecco. The Italian sparkling white is vinified and carbonated in stainless steel tanks, which keeps the wine fresh and bright. The Non-vintage Soligo Prosecco Brut from Veneto, Italy has loads of floral notes on the bouquet and delivers flavors of crisp apple, ripe pear and tangy citrus with polish and panache on the palate. The medium-sized bubbles do a wonderful job of cooling off the tongue and make a great way to start off any meal. $20
Of course, every mom likes getting flowers on Mother’s Day, but I prefer my flowers in the form of ros
