Wahei Freiz Deep Fry Pot
We love this new Japanese-made tempura pot from Wahei Freiz. To make tempura, veggies or seafood are deep-fried in a thin batter until puffed and crispy with a light texture (often referred to as “bloomed”). But more often than not, cold oil or a crowded pan delivers soggy, dense grease bombs, even if everything else is right.
Wahei Freiz’s pot is built to avoid this. Compact and shallow, like classic tempura pots, the carbon steel pot is about 10 inches in diameter and deep enough to hold over two liters of oil. The brilliance of its construction is in its details: A built-in thermometer with a highlighted frying range shows you exactly how hot your oil is, so you can heat or cool it for your recipe’s needs; we tested it against our gold standard thermometer and found complete accuracy. The removable lid sits open on an angle and with a built-in rack. So the moment a piece of tempura is ready, it can drain and cool on the pot lid while any extra oil drips back into the pot (meaning less oil waste, too). The rounded opening of the pot reduces spatter, or simply lower the lid for any bigger pops or splashes. Try the pot for any small or batchable fry jobs, like fritters; the pot works on induction, electric and gas stovetops.
Suncraft Silicone Spatula
Most spatulas are either too soft or too firm—rendering them useless for doing two tasks at the same time, like mixing dough then flexing to scrape the edge of the bowl—or come in two pieces that become home to grime between uses. Thankfully, Suncraft’s Silicone Spatulas solve both of these problems. The Small Silicone Spatula features both a hard stainless steel core and a flexible soft side, so you can use the same tool for as many jobs as needed. Try it for anything from mixing small amounts of ingredients and melting chocolate to scraping out small jam jars.
The Large model has the same strong, stainless steel spine that creates a hard, squared-off tip, plus the silicone exterior that creates a flexible soft edge, so you can use the same tool for as many jobs as needed. It’s perfect for anything from scraping up the remnants of batter from a bowl cleanly and kneading hard butter.
Exclusive to Milk Street, the stainless steel core of these spatulas undergoes the same hardening process as a knife, making it ultra-durable to avoid bending. Equally as durable is the black silicone material itself, which is made extra firm to stand up to the inner core so it won’t rip through. The square silicone handle also offers complete comfort with just the right amount of softness to help maneuver easily. Heat-resistant up to 428 degrees Fahrenheit, use the spatulas while frying or handling hot sugar, then simply stick them in the dishwasher when you’re done.
Milk Street Julienne Peeler
Shredding vegetables into a fine julienne turns tough vegetables tender and opens up their flavor. However, it usually requires the hassle of hauling out the food processor—and finding the shredding attachments, or using a box grater, which will tear at your knuckles if you’re not paying keen attention. Or, you can try your luck with any number of the cheap, gimmicky shredders on the market, which dull quickly and buckle under use.
The Milk Street Julienne Peeler makes shredding vegetables easy, safe and effective. We married our confidence-inspiring, ergonomic 304 stainless steel handle to a razor-sharp, 16-tooth julienne blade for a lifetime tool. Shred your way through soft and hard vegetables alike for salads, slaws, hash browns and more. And when the blade eventually wears out, its easily replaceable with the turn of the screw.
Villa Jerada Saffron
A few threads can go a long way of this incredible organic saffron harvested from the Moroccan city of Taliouine, high in the country’s Atlas Mountains. While most saffron is cultivated in the Middle-East, with much of the world’s production coming from Iran, but there’s something so special about Moroccan saffron. It tastes of hay, honey and hibiscus flower, with a lovely aroma that hits you the second you open the jar. Inferior saffron threads are often dry and brittle and crushed to bits by the time you crack open the jar (a sign of lackin freshness) but these are fully intact and look like delicate threads of rich crimson. It’s even placed judiciously in the tin in such a way that prevents breakage. Plus, it’s pure saffron with no fillers—some less quality versions are bulked up with dyed corn silks. Moroccan saffron is some of the most fragrant available—a sweet aroma of honey with a pleasant bitterness. It’s remarkably potent, rich, heady and unmistakably saffron.
🐰 Milk Street Nakiri
What if we told you there is a Japanese knife specifically designed for vegetable prep that will make your cooking safer, easier and faster? It is vastly better than the all-purpose European chef’s knife, which is clunky, heavy and too thick to precisely slice and dice onions, cut carrots into perfect coins or reduce chard into feathery ribbons. The solution is the Milk Street Nakiri. It’s light, thin and sharp, with a design that resembles a mini cleaver—2 inches deep with a squared-off tip. A very thin blade, just 1.6 millimeters at the top, tapers down even thinner toward the end so it slices through even tough ingredients effortlessly without bending. The broad blade shields your fingers when you chop and works as a bench scraper to transfer chopped veggies to the simmering pot. With the help of veteran industrial designer David Lewin, we added a few special touches. The blade is embossed with a nonstick file pattern that replicates the kourochi (blacksmith) or tshuchime (pear skin) finish to traditional nakiris, so sliced ingredients fall right off. A gentle curve accommodates fingers when choking up tight for control, and the handle has been designed to provide a nonslip grip.
Suncraft 5.5-inch Serrated Everything Knife
Featured in the New York Times Front Burner - with three unique blade edges, this compact version of the popular Seseragi bread knife from Suncraft combines the function of two knives in one—slicing through everything from delicate fruit to sturdy loaves with ease. The blade is 5.5 inches, perfect for smaller tasks that larger serrated knives are too clunky for, like slicing through bagels, tomatoes, pastries and salumi. The knife’s unique “wavy” serrations, with two different sized teeth, slice cleanly through everything: the larger waves make easy work of crunchy, rustic outer crusts, while the tighter, smaller teeth slip through the inner crumb (or delicate foods like soft sandwich breads or juicy fruit). The knife features a small length of straight blade at the tip to slice through stubborn areas, like a bit of bread crust or melon rind that just needs one last pass to break through. Plus, the handle is specifically designed for a comfortable grip, with a slight curve to it so it fills the palm. And the blade comes with a handy plastic sheath for safe storage, so it protects the tip and your hands when reaching into a cluttered drawer.
Suncraft 9-inch Seseragi Bread Knife
With three unique blade edges, this smartly-designed serrated knife combines the function of two knives in one—slicing through any and all loaves with ease. The blade is 9 inches, so long enough to cut the largest loaf cleanly without sawing back and forth. And the tapered blade features a gently curved belly to facilitate clean slicing. A 2-inch section of wide wave serrations located closer to the tip of the knife dives in and saws through a crunchy, rustic outer crust, while the smaller teeth cleanly slice through the inner crumb. It’s also ideal for delicate foods like soft sandwich breads and juicy tomatoes. The knife features a small length of straight blade at the tip to pierce through tough crusts, tomato skins or melon rinds. Plus, the handle is specifically designed for a comfortable grip, with a slight curve to it.
Milk Street Cast Iron Grill Plate with Detachable Handle
Here at Milk Street, we’re big proponents of cooking with cast iron to get a good sear on food—which is why we designed our Cast Iron Sizzling Plate. The thin yet sturdy construction heats up quickly—over any burner or grill—and holds its heat well. The cast iron surface, when taken care of, prevents foodstuffs from sticking, so you can get an excellent sear on scallops, fish, jumbo shrimp, chicken, pork, steak, vegetables and more. With its sturdy birch wood base and detachable handle, the griddle can also easily be brought to the table and used as much as a hot plate as a cooking pan. Heat it in the oven and fill it with appetizers like warm, spiced nuts or baked feta drizzled with fruity olive oil, herbs and pepper flakes. Or use it to serve sizzling fajitas or stir-fried noodles. Plus, the ingenious handle removes easily for serving and storage.
Dreamfarm Fluicer
Squeezing fresh citrus can be painful and often shoots more juice across your counter and clothes than into your dish. But Dreamfarm’s “Fluicer,” cleverly named to combine “flat” and “juicer,” solves these citrus-squeezing problems. The handheld flat-folding juicer is smartly designed to squeeze citrus from side to side, not top to bottom like most manual juice presses. And it combines a clever hinge and two sturdy handles for an easy squeeze that requires much less force than other juicers we’ve tried (and still gets out all the juice).
The Fluicer can handle citrus of multiple sizes ranging from limes to grapefruits, a built-in strainer catches seeds and the dishwasher-safe squeezer folds completely flat for efficient storage—no more getting your drawer caught on rounded cups.
Maalouf Authentic Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Stone-milled exclusively from a single grove of small, slender Souri olives grown in North Lebanon, Maalouf's early-harvest oil possesses a potent green-yellow color and a buttery, rich flavor with hints of green apple and artichoke. It has a subtle peppery kick and addictively long, nutty finish. This is truly an all-purpose, extra-virgin olive oil without the overpowering bitterness that mars many other brands. We have a very limited inventory of this small-batch oil; once we're sold out, we can't get more until next year's olive harvest.
Aux Co. Ltd. Gassiri Tongs
Though upon first glance Aux Co. Ltd’s Gassiri Tongs seem just like any other pair, our kitchen team was blown away after testing them. The rounded shape makes it easy to pick up spherical items like meatballs, eggs or potatoes that may run away using a normal pair of tongs. But the sides of these tongs are what really set them apart—one is designed with slits and the other with a scoop that can hold about a tablespoon of liquid. Use the slotted side to strain out unwanted liquid, like when rendering bacon, or use the scoop side to add pasta water to your sauce. Sturdy stainless steel construction—complete with a sufficient handle length—also makes these tongs strong and safe so you can pick up heavy, hot ingredients without any problems. However, they can still be used delicately—they work just as well picking up a strand of spaghetti or a soft boiled egg.
Kyuemon Awase Dashi-Powdered Soup Stock
Savory, briny and packed with complexity, Kyuemon’s Awase Dashi Powdered Soup Stock is a perfect marriage between sweet and smoky flavor. Naturally made with just four ingredients—a rarity amongst other brands that contain artificial flavoring, preservatives and salt—this blend combines only dried bonito flakes from Kagoshima, dried sardines from Nagasaki, Japanese shiitake mushrooms and kelp from Hokkaido. One small seasoning sachet is all you need to create a clear, traditional Japanese dashi stock or use it to flavor stews, soups, simmered vegetables, pasta and more. We even like the powder on its own as a topping for rice and noodles or mixed into dumpling filling and soy sauce.
Topfi Pot Lid Holder
Most home cooks can relate to the annoyance of scrambling to find some counter space to put down a pot lid, all while dripping liquid all over your floors and counters. But with a bit of German engineering, this problem is solved. Topfi’s Lid Holder, made of pure stainless steel, attaches to virtually any pot to provide a convenient and sturdy spot to store your lid when not in use. Small but mighty, it was a hit during testing with everyone in our kitchen. It’ll keep your surfaces clean, is dishwasher safe and, once you put the lid back on, it doubles as an easy way to allow some steam to escape from your pot. Plus, it has attached silicone tips to protect your pot from damage. It may just become the most used tool in your kitchen!
🐰 Milk Street Sofrito
We created our sofrito to be the perfect building block to cook a wide variety of recipes in less time, based on the tradition of Italian and Spanish grandmothers who make this by the jar to simplify cooking and boost flavor. After much testing, we came up with an aromatic base of sautéed onions, carrots and celery, complemented by the bright tones of tomatoes, white wine and vinegar. For additional depth, it has earthy, umami notes from mushroom powder, aromatic notes of rosemary and thyme, and just a hint of heat from black pepper and Kashmiri chili powder. A few tablespoons of this jammy sofrito is all it takes to spread rich, concentrated power into soups, sauces, stews, braises and nearly anything else that needs a boost of big flavor.
Mount Mansfield Maple Products Maple Syrup
This incredibly rich syrup has notes of butterscotch, honey and toasted sugar, with a heady base of vanilla and dried fruit. A member of our kitchen team likened its richness to a melted Werther's candy. It’s medium-bodied, which means it can easily be drizzled, but never too watery like store-bought versions. Compared to others, this one has a strong “true maple” flavor to it—nothing like more run-of-the-mill syrups that often have an off pine taste.
Marna Silicone Piggy Steamer Lid
Designed for steaming food, the Marna Piggy Steamer from Japan is a silicone lid that forms a tight seal over pots and containers, vents excess steam through its snout and is easy to lift by its ear-shaped handles. Use it for perfect stovetop steaming, splatter-free microwave cooking or even refrigerator storage in place of plastic wrap. It's more compact and flexible than metal pot lids and fits any vessel less than 8.5 inches in diameter, with the silicone locking in moisture for effective steaming; smartly designed holes in the pig snout act as vents to avoid built-up pressure. When you're done using it, you can throw the lid in a kitchen drawer for storage without worrying about finding a spot on the shelf.
Aux Co. Ltd. Japan Sukueru Knife
This unique serving spoon-knife combo tool is a must-have for serving. Right at the table (or the picnic blanket or the potluck), you can use the serrated edge to cut out your perfect portion of food and then use the dipped bowl of the spoon to easily scoop it into your plate. The concave shape and wider width actually lifts up the food and holds it there—it won’t go tumbling back onto the platter like it would with a classic narrow, triangular server. The blade is sharp enough to cut through pizza crust and it’s ideal for slicing through gooey lasagna without lopping off that top layer of chewy cheese trying to slice and serve. Plus, it’s made from durable, dishwasher safe stainless steel with a satin finish, which is great for camouflaging scratches after frequent use. (And we promise you’ll be using this tool quite a bit.)
Pure Indian Foods Alphonso Mango Puree
Rarely have we seen a mango puree in supermarkets and, if we do, it’s often full of sweeteners and additives. Made from Alphonso mangoes, which are renowned in India for their natural sweetness and buttery-smooth texture, this puree contains no added sugar or preservatives—it’s just pure, juicy mango. About five fresh mangos are packed into every jar of this luscious puree and its silky texture is pourable, yet decadent like yogurt, and has a rich, bright flavor that balances sweet and tart, akin to snacking on refreshing mangoes at their peak season.