Theresa Gambacorta, Author at 1800Flowers Petal Talk

8 Best Mother’s Day Gifts for New Moms

In my early days of new motherhood, I was caught in a whirlwind of euphoric love, feedings, doctor’s visits, family visits, and keeping our 450-square-foot apartment — which had turned into “baby central” — from falling into an abyss of clutter.

“Me” time? It wasn’t happening. Sure, I had managed a date night here and there with my husband (thanks to my mom) and a quiet walk or two (thanks to my husband), but it wasn’t until my first Mother’s Day rolled around that I was ready to pause and celebrate all that I had accomplished growing this little one. And, now, making a new life with him.

This lineup of gifts for new moms this Mother’s Day has celebratory self-care and the little pleasures in “life before baby” in mind.

1. “Feeling Sunny” Coffee and Cookies Gift Box

Mothers Day gifts for new moms coffee and cookies gift box

Coffee-loving new moms love it for the energy boost, but the ritual of enjoying a great cup of coffee from start to finish is a rare occurrence. This gift basket, replete with a beautiful new mug, the deep flavors and aromas of two types of coffee, including two dozen cookies and other treats, puts the joy back into her java.

2. Sunny Days Fruit and Cheese Gift Box

Mothers Day gifts for new moms Fruit and Cheese Gift Box

After nine months of being unable to enjoy blue and soft-ripened cheeses, every cheese-loving new mom will yelp with joy after unwrapping this gourmet cheese and fruit topper box. This duo of artisan cheeses covers a wide-ranging palate: sharp white cheddar and a salty yet creamy Gouda.

3. Wild Ahi Tuna Steaks

Mothers Day gifts for new moms Wild Ahi Tuna Steaks

Sushi is another food pregnant women have to forgo during pregnancy. Hence, a gift of these delectable, line-caught, sushi-grade yellowfin tuna steaks brings one of her favorite foods to her doorstep to enjoy any time she likes, and in recipe-ready portions. We recommend searing them.

4. Embroidered Luxury Ivory Fleece Robe

Mothers Day gifts for new moms Embroidered Fleece Robe

Downtime for a new mom feels that much better when she’s wrapped in the cozy comfort and relaxation of this luxurious fleece bathrobe — and monogramming it gives it a special touch. Surprise her by embroidering it with an inspirational moniker, such as a favorite nickname or “Awesome Lady,” and this robe is now a power garment!

5. Relaxing Self Care Gift Box

Mothers Day gifts for new moms Self Care Gift Box

This gift epitomizes “Me Time.” Take the baby for a walk so mom can take herself to the land of bliss. Mineral bath salts, hand cream, an eye mask, and a scented candle will help her imagine being in a fortress of solitude.

6. Sweets & Sparkling Wine Bar

Mothers Day gifts for new moms Sweets and Sparkling Wine Bar

Set the scene for celebration with this fun Mom-osa bar, which includes two sparkling wines along with an assortment of baked treats, including cookies, brownies, and mini cakes. Invite her friends over and offer it as part of a brunch spread. Or, save it and wake her up to something other than the baby that, too, is sweet and bubbly!

7. Aromatherapy Shower Steamers

Mothers Day gifts for new moms Aromatherapy Shower Steamers

New moms love nothing more than luxuriating in a hot bath – but not every new mom has time for one. Make her shower time something to look forward to with these shower steamers, which come in 12 scents that are sure to put her in a state of calm and relaxation.

8. One-of-a-Kind Bouquet

Mothers Day gifts for new moms One of a Kind Bouquet

Creating a one-of-a-kind flower bouquet is a great way to celebrate a new mom’s beauty, grace, and unique personality. A stunning custom arrangement can include a unique flower from her wedding bouquet or blooms she treasured growing up. It’s a Mother’s Day gift that reminds the new mom that even though she might be exhausted, she is still a queen.

Blending Roses with Rosé

You say rose, I say rosé. One’s a flower and the other’s a type of wine, and their connection goes beyond their color — all the way back to ancient times and the first bottlings of delicious rosé wine.

Rosé got its start in Rome

In the sixth century A.D., the Phoenicians planted red and white grapes in modern-day Marseilles, France. They crushed them together, producing a pink wine with a pleasant color and refreshing flavor that people enjoyed throughout the Mediterranean. In fact, the Romans loved it so much that they traded it across their empire. Along with their armies, they brought grapevines to the areas they conquered, including Provence, France, where they cultivated and began to export their pink wines. From there, the term rosé, meaning “pink” in French, was born, and Provence became and has remained the epicenter of the best rosés in the world (though some folks in Southern Oregon might say otherwise…).

Modern-day winemaking

While the ancients made rosé by blending red and white grapes, modern rosé is created exclusively from red grapes using two standard methods. The first is the “skin contact” method, and it happens during the wine’s maceration — the process during which the juice of grapes is left in contact with the skins and seeds so that a wine’s color, as well as its tannins and flavors, are reflected in the juice. Whereas a red wine takes weeks to macerate, the “skin contact” method of rosé winemaking requires the grapes to macerate for just 12-24 hours, yielding a paler wine with lighter flavors and less tannin.

The second method, called saignée (French for “bleeding”), involves a winemaker pouring off some of the red wine juices early in the maceration process. This lighter juice then becomes rosé. This method is frowned upon in the wine world, however, as it is a by-product of the red winemaking process.

Enjoying roses in rosé

Floral notes are among the wide-ranging aromatics you’ll discover in a glass of rosé. Provence’s rosé wines boast distinctive flavors ranging from citrus, white flower, and bright lime zest to the deep-colored and dark berry flavors of rosé wines from its southerly Bandol area.

Rosé made from the red grapes grown in hot and sunny southern Italian regions like Sicily and Puglia offers up aromas of dried thyme, black cherry, and violets.

Europeans aren’t the only ones who produce delicious rosé wine — we Americans make it, too! Harry & David’s version of this varietal boasts bright fruit flavors, with notes of melon and strawberry.

And if it’s roses you’re looking for, try sipping the rosé wines made from the Nebbiolo grapes in the cool climate of the northern Piedmont region of Italy. They feature gorgeous flavors of cherries, aromas of roses, and the tang of rosehips (the tart part of the rose flower). Their light scents announce that spring is in the air — and in your glass.

Flower-Flavored Dessert: Homemade Rose Water Ice Cream

Rose water may sound like something you might find in your grandma’s perfume collection, but this fragrant liquid has been used for thousands of years for its medicinal purposes. Today it is found in beauty products and used for cooking, adding a burst of flavor to everything to which it’s added, including ice cream — and we owe it all to the Persian Empire.

History distilled

Rose water, a clean and delicate floral distillate of roses, has its roots in antiquity. From as far back as the 6th century, rose water was traded throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Europe along the Silk Road. This network of trade routes, which originated in China and wended across 4,000 miles, connected goods, culture, and religious and political ideas from the Far East to the Roman Empire in the West. Historians credit Avicenna, a 10th-century Persian scientist and pilosopher, with elevating the rose water distillation process from a crude soaking-and-boiling method to one that involves steaming to capture the potent essence of roses — a process that is still used today.

a photo of rose water ice cream with rose water in a glass

Rosewater in cooking

We owe the use of rose water in Middle Eastern and European cooking to the Persian Empire. Before the Arab conquest of Persia in the 7th century, the Persians had been adding rose water to desserts. Ancient recipes for faloodeh (a frozen dessert with rice noodles, rose water, and lime juice) and saffron- and rosewater-scented halvah (a soft, sweet paste of flour, butter, and sugar) are still a part of modern-day Persian cuisine. The use of rose water in confections spread throughout Europe, the Middle East, and, later, America. Recipes for puddings, cakes, and custards from the late 18th and early 19th century call for the use of rose water.

However, rose water fell out of favor with home cooks in the early 20th century when advances in the cultivation and distillation of vanilla beans allowed for the mass production of vanilla extract. But today, thanks to the rising popularity of Middle Eastern and Persian cuisines, rose water, along with other Middle Eastern staples such as pomegranate molasses and orange blossom water, has once again become a pantry favorite. You’ll find rose water used in savory Persian dishes as a floral counterpoint to more pungent spices like citrusy saffron and earthy turmeric, but it is most widely known as an integral ingredient in Middle Eastern and Persian sweets — particularly rose water ice cream.

Persian rose water ice cream

In traditional Persian ice cream, called bastani, rosewater, saffron, and pistachio are added to a rich custard base with a chewy, deeply satisfying texture. The addition of salep, a cornstarch-like powder derived from the tubers of orchids, accounts for Persian rose water ice cream’s stretchy, satisfying mouthfeel.

Although salep is not as readily accessible in the United States, you can find rosewater virtually anywhere Middle Eastern groceries are sold, as well as in specialty stores and online. This summer, you can capture the intoxicating essence of Persian rose water ice cream at home in this version of the delicius, ultra-creamy dessert. Along with rose water, the addition of pistachi os offers this ice cream a slightly crunchy and salty counterpoint to the sweet cream and floral notes.

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Rose Water Ice Cream

Ingredients:

3 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
½–¾ cup sugar
3 egg yolks
2-3 saffron threads, ground into a powder with a mortar and pestle (optional)
2-3 tablespoons rose water
½ cup salted pistachios, chopped

Instructions:

Combine the cream, milk, and sugar in a medium saucepan and place it over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot. (Do not boil.)
Remove from the heat. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl and slowly stir in a cup of the hot cream mixture to temper it (this keeps the eggs from curdling). Stir the egg-cream mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the cream and return the pan to the heat.
Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. (It will not be as thick as a pudding; it's more like a crème anglaise — a French custard sauce.) Remove from the heat (if using the saffron threads, dissolve them in the rose water before adding), and stir in the rose water and taste. Add a little at a time until it has the desired flavor.
Freezing modifies the flavor of ice cream — once it's frozen, it will not taste as sweet — so if you like a sweeter ice cream, use the greater amount of sugar; if you prefer the flavor of rose water, add a little more of that ingredient.
Strain the custard into a bowl to get a nice smooth consistency. Chill the custard (if you are in a hurry, place the bowl of custard over an ice bath and stir it until it's cold; if you have more time, just put the bowl in the refrigerator). Once the custard is cold, process it according to the instructions on your ice cream maker.
Garnish with sprinkles of pistachio before serving.

The Women in Chef Joe Flamm’s Life Made Him the Man He Is Today

Our series “MVP Moms” explores the critical role moms play at the heart of families. These uplifting stories for Mother’s Day show that Love Makes a Family and why there are #NoLimitsOnLove.

For Chicago chef Joe Flamm, a mother’s love is the most unconditional love he’s ever experienced. The former Top Chef winner attributes his love for cooking to his grandmother Mary and his mom, Janice. “My mom was a police lieutenant on the South Side for 28 years, and she worked second shift. So, a lot of times I would get home from school, we would cook together, and then I would finish it off later when she was at work, before my dad got home.”

When he was growing up, Joe’s mother wasn’t doling out “cutesy advice” like most moms, he says. “My mother’s advice is all extraordinarily graphic. She’s not saying, ‘Make sure you wear a coat.’ Instead, she would say things like, ‘Don’t wear that hat out of the house or someone’s going to shoot you in the head!’ If you met her, it makes sense.”

Joe admits to having a very similar personality to his mother, and he credits her with his passion for the restaurant industry. “I think we both just enjoy thriving in chaos!”

The 32-year-old feels lucky to live close to his mom. “I’m fortunate that I have a great relationship with my mom. We’re still able to cook together sometimes,” he says.

While Joe’s hardworking mom handled the day-to-day family meals, it was his grandmother Mary, who was one of nine children, who oversaw traditional holiday cooking, from making ravioli to preparing calamari on Christmas Eve. “My first cooking memory with my grandma was her spreading newspapers all over the table in the mudroom, and we’d open up the squid, scrape it out, and clean it out. I’d get to use a knife, and that was a big deal. The smell of the squid and the newspaper is very nostalgic for me,” Joe recalls.

“I think what I’ve learned from my grandma and my mom in the kitchen is more about just cooking to make people happy, welcomed, and warm. A pot roast cooked in red sauce with rigatoni is simple, but you knew that meant someone cared about you and took the time to do this,” he says.

A Love That Keeps Growing

The warm love of Joe’s childhood is carried on in the family he has made with his wife of five years, Hilary Delich, and their 2-year-old son, Luka. “Love is a huge part of our family, and, especially raising a child — and soon two children — and teaching them compassion, love, and empathy is really the base for everything [in life].”

Hilary, who is expecting their second child in July, is an incredible person, Joe says. “She’s super smart, really driven, and keeps everything on track. She’s unflappable.” And watching his beautiful wife become a mother “was watching someone grow into the person they were always supposed to become,” he adds. “She’s very, very natural with it. It never feels like she has to figure it out.”

For Mother’s Day this year, Joe is going to cook dinner for his wife and hopefully get their son to be his sous chef. As far as cooking with a toddler goes, Joe says, “Luka’s not the worst helper I’ve had in the kitchen, but he’s not the best… Seasoning sometimes can be a little aggressive.”

According to Joe, cooking is a great way to show the special women in your life how much you appreciate them. “[A meal] is something that you’re creating for them. You thought about them when you bought the ingredients, when you put it together, while you made it, while you plated it, and every part and aspect of it. Let them sit back and relax and be able to see and taste how much you care about them,” he says.

What’s In a Name?

It’s fitting that Joe’s debut restaurant, Rose Mary, in Chicago, draws inspiration from the loving women in his life, from its name to its Croatian–Italian cuisine. “Rose Mary is very much about where my life has come, growing up cooking Italian food with my grandmother, and my wife whose family is Croatian and has that heritage. It’s a culmination of those things,” Joe explains.

Hilary had proposed naming the restaurant “Rosemary” — one word, after the herb, which means “dew of the sea” and grows all along the Adriatic coast from Italy to Croatia. However, Joe says, “I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if we split it into two names?’” after his paternal Irish grandma Rose and maternal Italian grandma Mary. “Naming it after the two matriarchs in my family just made a lot of sense to me. And I thought it was a great homage to them.”

And while grandma Rose isn’t alive to see her name on her grandson’s restaurant, Joe’s confident that his grandma Mary, who is in her 90s, is sure to raise a glass. “She and her best friend Kay live across the street from each other, and they’ve come to every single restaurant I’ve ever worked at. Kay gets her gin and tonic, and my grandma drinks Rob Roys. It’s super fun,” Joe says. “She’s always been very proud, she loves it, and she’ll be in there.”

This Mother’s Day, and every day, Joe Flamm says he loves to celebrate the women in his life: “They’re the reason I’m everything I am.”

Celebrate the unique love that makes a family ad

Cooking Up a Strong Marriage with Pati Jinich

On Valentine’s Day, people come together to celebrate love in all its forms. In this series, A Dozen Reasons, we explore special relationships that are on full display — and their life-affirming benefits. #NoLimitsOnLove.

Pati Jinich is a chef, cookbook author, and TV host of the three-time James Beard award-winning PBS series Pati’s Mexican Table. She also co-stars in a deep and loving relationship with her husband Daniel.

Mexico City-born and raised Pati Jinich used to hate blind dates, but that’s how she met her husband Daniel. “A brother-in-law tricked me into going!” she exclaims. “And within a month, we were engaged.” And within a year, they married.

Soon, she and Daniel started a family. Pati worked as a political analyst in a policy research center, thinking she had landed her dream job. But when she experienced what she describes as “an early existential crisis of sorts,” it was Daniel’s support that carried her through her resignation and transition to the food world.

Seeking refuge in a “cave”

Daniel, Pati says, is her biggest fan, and she counts on his support. He offers honest feedback to keep her grounded, help her grow, and remain true to herself. When it comes to the depth of love and trust Pati shares with Daniel, she says, “He gives me so much strength… there’s a word in Spanish that I love using: he’s my refugio (refuge), he’s my cave where I go to be nurtured and I go to feel safe.” She points out that, “[Daniel] has got my back. And I have his.”

After 24 years of marriage, the quality that Pati most loves about her husband is his contagious drive that pushes her to keep growing. “Daniel doesn’t take one minute or one second for granted. And he’s always pushing for learning more, for experiencing more.”

Pati, who grew up in a Jewish Mexican family, looks to a common Yiddish word to describe her husband’s good-heartedness and centered character. “I feel so lucky to be married to Daniel, he is a true mensch,” she says. “He always gives everybody the benefit of a doubt, at every turn.”

Always hungry for more

Central to juggling family and an award-winning career has been sharing the couples’ respective passions with their three sons, Alan (21), Samuel (19), and Julian (14). Recently, Pati’s boys have leapt into the kitchen wholeheartedly with their mom. “I mostly focus on Mexican cooking, but our kids have started cooking all sorts of cuisines besides Mexican food: Italian, Mediterranean, Asian, and a lot of French desserts!” Pati’s food reflects a deep well of Mexican history and culture, but at home, her sons’ kitchen adventures satisfy her ever-curious palate. “I’m learning through them which is very exciting,” she says.

Daniel, 55, and Pati, 48, also share an appetite for life outside of the kitchen, most especially when it comes to building strong relationships with their children. And their passions complement each other. “Daniel plans everything that’s an adventure and outdoors, favorite movies to watch, and inspires the family to learn more and more about science, which he loves,” she says. “And everything that is in the kitchen, and not climbing mountains or camping, that’s me,” Pati says.

Tilling the soil

Mexican chef Pati Jinich and her husband, Daniel

Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Mexico on Feb. 14, just like in the United States, but it is not all about romance, with the day officially known as El Día del Amor y la Amistad (The Day of Love and Friendship). Pati, however, recounts that she didn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day in Mexico at all. But now, she always looks forward to it because it reminds her of her love story with Daniel. In recent years, Daniel has indulged her with love letters, as he knows how much Pati loves those. “I’m just obsessed with handwritten letters,” she laughs.

This year, Pati looks forward to their new Valentine’s Day tradition. “During the times that we are living, where time is just flowing like an endless weird river, I feel like we need these special dates to mark the passage of time, to give us meaning in the space that we are living. And so, I will use any celebration, any special date, to make a special meal, to mark the week, and of course to get a love letter.”

Beyond just one day of planned love letters, Pati sees her marriage as the most romantic thing Daniel has done for her. “He’s been there day in day out. He’s been honest and good and true and supportive and, as time goes by, you realize what you’re building together,” she says.

I feel so lucky to be married to Daniel. … He always gives everybody the benefit of a doubt, at every turn.

Pati Jinich

Pati’s Mexican Table

She also points out that their relationship is grounded in selflessness. “When you give instead of expect, expect, expect, [love] grows.” Although there is one thing that Pati loves to get each day from Daniel. “Most mornings, Daniel tells me that I look my prettiest when I just wake up. Which I think is a huge lie,” she laughs, “but he can keep saying it because I love hearing it.”

As for other details, she says he’s not big on bringing flowers. “But as time goes by, he’s doing it more. So, when Mother’s Day comes around, [my three boys] will take him to buy me flowers.”