Local gift ideas for Mom

Mother's Day is almost here and the Triangle's best purveyors of local food are busy working to make it a special day.

Posted 12:15 p.m. May 4, 2015 — Updated 2:43 p.m. May 4, 2015

DURHAM, N.C. — Mother’s Day is almost here and the Triangle’s best purveyors of local food are busy working to make it a special day. Celebrate our area’s delicious bounty while you celebrate Mom with these Mother’s Day gift ideas rounded up by Nicole Bogas, founder of NC food gift box company, NC MADE.

Culinary Classes at Durham Spirits Company or Piedmont Wildlife Center

Give Mom a unique gift you can experience together with the Mother’s Day Brunch class at Durham Spirits Company. As you spend quality time together, chef and owner Katie Coleman will serve as guide as you prepare a springy southern menu including crepes, frittata, french toast, and biscuits. For the adventurous eater, a class at the Piedmont Wildlife Center in south Durham would make a great gift. Wild food experts lead participants on a hike to forage ingredients, then prepare a gourmet meal with edibles found on the trail. Upcoming classes include Festival of Flowers on May 9 and Wild Infused Marshmallows on June 13.

Herbal Teas from Honeysuckle Tea House

You’ll find a gift for mom and solace for yourself at this gorgeous tea house in rural Chapel Hill. Almost all of the herbs featured in their unique teas are grown organically on site. Choose from blends like lemon verbena, raspberry and ginger and peppermint holy basil. They also offer a selection of flavored salts and herb-infused vinegar and honeys which you can pair with tea for a holistic gift.

Beautiful Sweets from Miel Bon Bons

Whether you need something sweet to cap off a home cooked meal or a boxed-up treat to present to mom, Miel Bon Bons in Durham has you covered. For the perfect end to your Mother’s Day meal, order their Flower Pot Cake in flavors like orange blossom doused in buttercream and topped with sugar flowers or their heart-shaped dark chocolate raspberry cake with mousse filling. Their Deluxe Chocolate Gift Box features truffle flavors like chamomile honey, fleur de sel soft caramel, and apricot rosemary while their French Macaron Gift Box includes macchiato, yuzu, chocolate hazelnut, and more. Call ahead to order cakes, or head to their charming storefront to shop confections.

A Special Meal at Herons at The Umstead or Dashi

There are lots of great places to do Sunday brunch in the Triangle, but if you want to splurge, book a reservation at Herons at The Umstead in Cary. This year, they’ve incorporated plenty of luxurious ingredients into the menu, from North Carolina cheeses to roasted sea bass to a dizzying array of desserts. Or, surprise mom with something a little less traditional by booking an omakase meal experience at Durham’s Dashi where Chef Billy Cotter will prepare a five-course meal with ingredients available that day. Typically closed on Sundays, they’re opening up just for the holiday weekend. Since many of our area’s universities hold graduation festivities on Mother’s Day weekend, be sure to plan ahead and make reservations.

Handmade Housewares from Gather

You’ll find lots of locally made gift ideas for Mom at this gorgeous space in downtown Cary. You can help outfit her kitchen in style with some of our favorite items, including ceramic planters and hand-lettered garden markers for growing herbs, unique handmade pottery mugs, screen-printed flour sack napkins, and all-natural beeswax candles that smell good enough to eat.

Locals Seafood CSF Subscription

Support North Carolina seafood with a gift that keeps on giving throughout the summer. You can purchase a share on Mom’s behalf for pick up at the Raleigh State Farmers’ Market for eight weeks this June through July. Each share includes two species, from live blue crabs to bluefish to tuna and more. Local seafood is a treat, and a foodie mom will surely appreciate this gift while supporting our coast’s fishermen.

Handcrafted NC Food Gift Boxes from NC MADE

Durham-based NC MADE curates artisanal North Carolina foods into beautifully packaged gift boxes and launched two new gift collections just in time for Mother’s Day. The Eden Town Gift Box is a perfect accompaniment to brunch or afternoon tea, featuring almond shortbread from Raleigh, eastern NC candied peanuts, whipped NC honey, and local fruit preserves. The Canning Club Gift Box celebrates a long history of food preserving in North Carolina with a selection of four fruit preserves from across the state. Order online by May 5 for delivery before Mother’s Day.