We tried a ton of vinegar-based barbecue sauces before we found this one from renowned barbecue master Rodney Scott. It’s an East Carolina-style “mop sauce,” which was pioneered by the African enslaved people that populated the area. They kept their sauces simple: a base of tangy, bright vinegar with a touch of spice— and it’s this same simplicity that makes us love Rodney’s sauce so much. The ingredient list only features the essentials with no sign of artificial thickeners and preservatives. It can be used to “mop” or baste the meat as it cooks (it has better penetration properties than a gloppier ketchup or mustard-based sauce) and also for drizzling and dipping at the table. The consistency is thin, so it can sink perfectly into your meat, and you can see the tasty flecks of black pepper that bring a little heat and spice to the sauce. A hint of lemon helps cut through fattier meats like pork, while a hint of sugar balances things out. It’s a picture-perfect representation of what a vinegar barbecue sauce should be.

Unlike other Grade A syrups, which can often come across too delicate for full-fledged maple lovers like us, this one—winner of a 2020 Good Food Award—is incredibly rich and complex. That’s because it’s aged in rye whiskey barrels, which impart the spirit’s distinctive spicy, warming taste into the syrup to further bring out its maple flavor. The result is an amber wonder—bold butterscotch notes at the fore followed by soft, warm spice and caramelized sugar undertones. It’s not boozy and smoky as you might expect, but rather rounded, earthy and complex. Like a fine wine, the syrup’s flavor blooms the longer it sits on your tongue.

The black Kampot peppercorns, picked green and unripe then dried in the sun, are the most intense of the lot, packing a bright, fleeting heat and flavor notes of menthol and floral notes. It’s different than any other pepper we have tasted and an exciting new addition to the home pantry. We use them as our everyday peppercorns for bold flavor or highlight the flavor in Southeast Asian curries and even Italian classics, like cacio e pepe. The red Kampot peppercorns are left on the vine to fully ripen and possess a complex aroma and bright, fleeting heat level tempered by a sweet, almost fruity note. Use these as an everyday peppercorn, or blend with black peppercorns for complexity. We like them blended into southeast Asian curries or salad dressings, where the peppercorn’s sweetness can temper acidity. Fully ripened and peeled of their strong-tasting exterior layer, white peppercorns are the mildest of the bunch (though still pack a bright, fleeting heat) and ideal for milder dishes or light-colored dishes that would otherwise be marred by the fleck of peppercorns.

Also known as “red salmon,” sockeye is much more dense that typical Atlantic salmon, with a richer, deeper salmon flavor. It also has the firmest texture of all Pacific salmon, so it can stand up to use in any dish. We especially love this smoked one, which is sustainably-line caught in the wild waters of Alaska. Packed in thick, coral-red strips, its texture is immaculate—not mushy like other canned fish—and its taste is a blend of the rich fish, a good hit of brine and a sweet, pronounced touch of smoke from a natural wood-smoking process.

This French extra-virgin olive oil is a kitchen favorite, with a fruity flavor and buttery mouthfeel balanced by a tingly, peppery finish; it's pressed from 100% Aglandau olives, a famous varietal from Provence that's prized for its vibrant flavor. We blend it into our vinaigrettes and dressings and drizzle it “neat” over roasted or grilled meats, fish and vegetables, where its grassy-fresh aroma and pure flavor can really shine. As a bonus, the bottle's pop-up pouring spout makes it easy to use.

While many supermarket versions of sun-dried tomatoes packed without oil (just bagged like these) are often too tough and leathery, the ones packed in oil are usually too slimy and slick. When we first saw these, we were struck by how juicy, tender and plump they appeared through the packaging. The texture is wonderful—not too dry straight from the bag, but also rehydrated nicely and stayed wonderfully chewy after sizzling in some oil as well as soaked up vinaigrette beautifully. They can also be eaten as-is, without the soaking. They have the same deep tomato flavor with a good kick of saltiness. Regardless of how they are prepped, the rich and super savory tomato flavor is undeniable. Slightly sweet, intensely savory and aromatic. These start out with a lovely plumpness, much more pliable and soft than most of the dusty old tomatoes you see hanging on shelves in the grocery store.

Salsa macha is not readily available in grocery stores, but it’s worth it to track some down—especially if it’s this one from Xilli, which is made by hand in small batches. It has clear chili flavor— smokey, fruity, darkly roasted without being burnt—and a satisfying, crunchy texture from ground buttery, roasted peanuts and flakes of tender chili. They’re almost confetti-like suspended in the silky oil. The taste is dark and deep, but without any bitterness. Simple, yet still nuanced, it’s the perfect condiment.

In Andalusia, Spain, the Garcia-Casas family makes small-batch olive oils and vinegars and imbues them with locally grown yuzu. This wonderful Asian citrus has a floral aroma reminiscent of Meyer lemons and a bright, lime-like tartness. Combined with O-Med's white wine vinegar and a touch of fruity-sweet grape must, this Agridulce de Yuzu is tangy, sweet and exceptionally aromatic, showcasing yuzu's subtle complexities.

Based near Seville, Spain, family producer Losada Olives oversees the entire production process of its heirloom olives—from hand-harvesting in their own groves to naturally curing for 10 months with only salt and water (which better preserves the olives' nuanced flavors). This assorted mix includes petite black Cuquillo olives, which are tender with earthy-fruity notes, as well as two types of green olive with a crisper, meatier texture: grassy Aloreña olives and juicy Gordal olives, the largest of the bunch.

Rumi's Herati Coriander tastes dramatically more complex and vibrant than any other variety you'll find, with the spice's classic herbal and citrus flavors giving way to a distinct cilantro leaf note. It's earthy, nutty and slightly toasty, but less cereal-like than others. Texture-wise, it's also less tough and husk-like than most whole coriander seeds.

Founded in 2015 by a team of U.S. Army veterans who served in Afghanistan, Rumi Spice partners with more than 350 small village farmers to source hard-to-find Afghan spices. The company has provided jobs for more than 3,700 women and works to boost local agricultural economies. Every step of production, from harvesting to packaging in BPA-free glass bottles, is done in Afghanistan so that locals receive their fair share of the profits.

• Net Weight: 1 ounce
• Ingredients: Whole coriander
• Place of Origin: Herat, Afghanistan

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.

I designed this Japanese-style vegetable knife, or nakiri, with Henckels International. Its cutting edge measures 6.5 inches and is 2 inches high, half the height of a Chinese cleaver; the deeper blade makes it easier to rest the flat side of the blade against the knuckles while slicing, for comfort and safety. The high-carbon stainless steel blade is well balanced; its edges are expertly honed and require little maintenance other than the occasional sharpening; and the smooth polymer handle is triple-riveted. This knife will make cooking fun again, since the food prep will be quicker, safer and easier. I could not recommend a knife more highly, especially at this amazing price. The knife is constructed out of German stainless steel with a forged one-piece design and triple-rivets in the handle. — Christopher Kimball

Many supermarket tahinis are over-roasted, which gives them an unpleasant, bitter flavor. They are also too thick and hard to stir into a creamy blend. Soom's tahini has a full, nutty flavor as well as a pourable and well-balanced texture, made from single-origin white sesame seeds from northwestern Ethiopia that have an ideal oil-to-protein ratio.

The moHA! ginger grater has blades that are arranged in all directions for steady grating, as opposed to a one-directional rasp grater. But like with a wand-style rasp grater, moHA!'s cutting surface is made of sharp and durable precision-cut stainless steel. When you rotate the device, an integrated cleaning arm sweeps in a circular motion to scrape shavings off the blade, so all of the grated food ends up in your recipe, not stuck in crevices. A small compartment catches food shavings, for less mess and easier measuring; plus, the concave sides are comfortable to hold and allow you to keep a firm grip on the grater during use. The moHA! Ginger Grater has pieces that detach easily for cleaning, but the device stays together during use. When you're done using it, simply disassemble and toss it in the dishwasher.