Steen's Syrup Dark Molasses
Steen’s is a 4th-generation family company making cane sugar products that became a household staple for Southern Louisiana families in the 1950s. Their dark unsulphured molasses is rich and sweet with an almost tangy flavor—with much more complexity than what you can find in the grocery store. Unlike robust or black strap molasses, it has very little bitterness and an almost smoky flavor. Steen’s molasses works just as well in sweet classics like gingerbread cookies and cake as it does in savory applications like barbecue sauces.
Vain Vanilla Original Baker's Blend Pure Vanilla Extract
This small-batch vanilla extract from Kansas-based Vain Vanilla is prepared completely by hand using only the best ingredients. The Original Baker's Blend is made with top-shelf rum that emphasizes vanilla's sweet characteristics and adds its own cane-sugar dimension. We especially love that Vain Vanilla leaves its vanilla pods in the bottle, which has two benefits. First, over time the extract will continue to deepen in color and become more complex as the pods release more flavor compounds. Second, when you're done with the vanilla extract, you can still slice open the pods and use the beans themselves in your desserts.
Burlap & Barrel Buffalo Ginger
This heirloom Buffalo Ginger from the mountains of northern Vietnam has an intense vibrancy and a spicy-sweet aroma like gingerbread. Compared to store-bought versions, it's much more nuanced in flavor, with earthy and floral notes and a cleaner taste overall.
Burlap & Barrel Cloud Forest Cardamom Seeds
The cloud forests of Guatemala create the ideal environment for cardamom to thrive—with plenty of rainfall, high altitude and a temperate climate—and this varietal shows how much of a difference that environment makes. Grown on one of Guatemala’s only single-estate farms, these seeds are sweet and tart, with the spice of ginger and fresh fruitiness of apricot. A touch of grassiness, pine and citrus yields a welcome freshness, while the intoxicating aroma reminds us why it’s worth buying spices outside of a grocery store. This cardamom comes “decorticated”—as in seeds that have been removed from the papery, flavorless husk of the pod—for more concentrated flavor. And we love that it comes packaged in a grinder, allowing for coarsely ground seeds that add crunchy pops of flavor.
Earlywood Tapered Rolling Pin
Working with Montana-based Earlywood, we designed our perfect rolling pin. The gentle, graduated taper starts off at 1 3/8 inches thick, slimming down to roughly 3/4 of an inch at the ends—perfect for rolling out the flattest, most even crusts. We prefer this French style to American-style ball-bearing pins because the lighter weight provides better control; tapered pins are also ideal for rolling out circles of dough. (Rotate the pin in an arc with the right hand while keeping the left side of the pin stationary.) In addition, we prefer longer pins that can handle a full pie crust, so we designed this model to be 20 inches long. Finally, a rolling pin has to be just the right weight: heavy enough to do the work for you but not so heavy that you lose touch with the dough underneath. This pin is a perfect one pound. Earlywood’s dark, dense hardwoods feel good in the hand and won’t dent if used to crush ice or flatten cutlets. For an especially sturdy rolling pin that is destined to become a family heirloom, we recommend the Mexican ebony. Not only does it have a gorgeous dark luster that will add interest to your kitchenware collection, the wood is also nearly indestructible.
Trudeau Structure Silicone Pro Loaf Pan 8.5” x 4.5”
This loaf pan is our top pick for banana bread and more, as the silicone prevents food from sticking and eliminates the need for greasing the pan. Each Trudeau pan is made from silicone with an internal steel frame around to top rim for added structure, so it won’t flop around like other silicone bakeware. And silicone in general is known for being easy to clean and provide exceptionally even browning. We made a sticky chocolate loaf cake and a wet bread using this pan. The bread tipped out perfectly, and the moist chocolate cake slid out with some slight flexing of the pan. Note: Silicone does heat differently than glass or metal. Your bake time may be a few minutes longer than the recipe suggests.
Trudeau Structure Silicone Pro Fluted 10 Cup Cake Pan
This fluted cake pan is our top pick for bundt cakes and more, as the silicone prevents food from sticking and eliminates the need for greasing the pan. Each Trudeau pan is made from silicone with an internal steel frame around the top rim for added structure, so it won’t flop around like other silicone bakeware. And silicone is generally known for being easy to clean and for providing exceptionally even browning. While bundt cakes typically get stuck in the pan and tear due to their complex shape (causing some serious heartache), this pan cuts down on the chances of that 10-fold—though, you can use a light layer of butter still if you’d like. Note: Silicone does heat differently than glass or metal. Your bake time may be a few minutes longer than the recipe suggests.
Trudeau Structure Silicone Pro 8" Square Cake Pan
This cake pan is our top pick for brownies and birthday cakes, as the silicone prevents food from sticking and eliminates the need for greasing the pan. Each Trudeau pan is made from silicone with an internal steel frame around to top rim for added structure, so it won’t flop around like other silicone bakeware. And silicone is generally known for being easy to clean and for providing exceptionally even browning. We love how even delicate cakes slide out fairly easily with some slight flexing of the pan, though a light layer of butter might be welcome for especially delicate desserts. Note: Silicone does heat differently than glass or metal. Your bake time may be a few minutes longer than the recipe suggests.
Trudeau Structure Silicone Pro Jumbo 6-Cup Muffin Pan
These pans—available with 12 or 6 cups— are our top pick for muffins and cupcakes, as the silicone prevents food from sticking and eliminates the need for greasing the pan. Each Trudeau pan is made from silicone with an internal steel frame around to top rim for added structure, so it won’t flop around like other silicone bakeware. And silicone is generally known for being easy to clean and for providing exceptionally even browning. We love that you don’t need paper liners, since treats will come out much easier—although a light layer of butter isn’t a terrible idea for more delicate cupcakes. Note: Silicone does heat differently than glass or metal. Your bake time may be a few minutes longer than the recipe suggests.
Casafina Batter Bowl
The built-in spout and handle of the Casafina batter mixing bowl makes for easy pouring, meaning you can go right from bowl to pan without making a mess or dirtying another dish. Ideal for whipping up pancakes, brownies, muffins and quick breads, this ceramic bowl is handcrafted by skilled artisans in Portugal with local all-natural materials. And the white speckled glaze and unique, timeless design make this piece attractive enough to leave out on the shelf.
Dreamfarm Flisk 3 in 1 Whisk
We know it’s easy to be skeptical of the infamous kitchen multitool, but believe us when we say the Flisk is not a gimmick. Our kitchen team was blown away by the quality. This nifty tool didn’t win a Red Dot design award for nothing. It seamlessly shifts between three different shapes with a simple click of the knob located at the end of the handle. The first setting is a classic balloon whisk, perfect for beating egg whites into stiff peaks or making a quick batch of homemade whipped cream, and another half-opened setting (it’s narrowly X shaped when looked at from above) is ideal for stirring sauces, as it can also sneak into the edges of pans to make sure everything’s evenly mixed. Lastly, it folds completely flat, which does wonders for deglazing a pan and also for easy, tangle-free storage. We found the durable plastic of the ergonomic handle to stand up to a good amount of wear and tear and so can the Flisk’s 10 wires. They’re made from high-vibration spring steel to give you maximum aeration efficiency with (this means fluffy frostings in a flash) and are hygienically sealed within the handle.
Milk Street Coffee Sugar Sampler 6-Pack
The Milk Street Coffee Sugar Sampler 6-Pack includes all six of our flavors in regular, full-size pouches.
Milk Street's coffee and tea sugars are inspired by global coffee traditions and will transform your morning cup. This sampler pack includes 6 full-size pouches of our Milk Street Coffee Sugars. Flavorings range from the earthy, chili-spiked Mexican Mocha that we tasted in the markets of Oaxaca to a tropical Coconut Ginger Cream, Vietnamese-style Caramel Brûlée reminiscent of their sweet, malted coffee and, closer to home, an homage to New Orlean’s most famous cup of coffee, orange-cinnamon scented café Brulot. Our Original Cardamom Coffee Sugar, mates our favorite spice with vanilla and a touch of cocoa for a classic paring common in both the Middle East and Scandinavia, and our lighter, brighter Honey-Spice Tea Sugar blend, designed to enhance black tea, blends warm spices with granulated honey and a refreshing mint-lavender finish.
