Milk Street Közmatik
When a recipe calls for charring vegetables, what do you do? Well, you can fire up the grill but that is a lot of work for just one eggplant or two bell peppers. In Turkey, however, they have a better solution called the Közmatik, a metal disk that fits perfectly over the burner of a gas stove. Evenly spaced holes allow heat to circulate around the vegetables, so you are truly roasting, rather than searing as you would on a skillet. The holes are close enough to hold even small veggies, like slender spring onions, and the disk is large enough to keep several bulbous eggplants from rolling off. It’s also less messy than charring directly on the burner: The Közmatik catches nearly all of the bits of charred vegetable skin and juices that would leak onto the surface of the stove. And, once cooled, it can be thrown in the dishwasher for easy cleanup.
Everdure by Heston Blumenthal Cube Grill
We’re the first to admit that most small grills don’t work. It’s hard to get the charcoal started, it’s hard to control the heat and it’s hard to manuever them because of so much heat in such a small area. This little charcoal grill is the exception to the rule. Not only is it easily portable, as it’s made from lightweight and durable steel, but its unique square shape allows you to distribute charcoal evenly and also have the optimum grilling surface area to squeeze in more steaks than a typical small grill. It’s made with a high-temperature finish with chrome handles, which stay cool to the touch even when the grill is in use. And the design of the firebox allows for enough airflow to start the charcoal, but the chimney-like shape protects it from wind as it lights. The grill grates are perfectly positioned, too—we were able to brown steaks quite nicely without burning them. Plus, the grill also has an integrated storage compartment for extra charcoal or grilling tools as well as a built in bamboo wood tray for serving or to use as a cutting board.
Yuasa Ki-ippan Kuromame Shoyu
Made from premium black soybeans and aged in cedar barrels for over two years, this Ki-ippan Kuromame Shoyu is thick and rich in flavor—full of funk, earthiness and a bit of sweetness. Crafted by fifth-generation Japanese company Yuasa Soyu Sauce Co. in Yuasa—a traditional brewing city that’s like a living soy sauce museum—it has won the Grand Gold Medal at the Monde Selection for 10 consecutive years. The deep umami and sweet notes that make this shoyu stand out come from the premium black soybeans, sourced from Tanba in Hyogo Prefecture. Known also as “Kuromame,” they have a black skin and white interior, and contain a distinctive taste. Use this anywhere you would soy sauce, from dumplings to meat to noodles, or in marinades, dipping sauces and salad dressings.
Ratio Six Series 2 Stainless Steel Electric Pour-Over Coffee Maker
The gorgeous Ratio Six is the slimmer, lighter-weight and more affordable version of our favorite automatic coffee maker, producing perfect pour-over coffee with the push of a button. No need to contend with a host of variables or settings—this machine does it all for you, from proper water temperature to blooming the grounds and even water disbursement. The “shower head” delivery system mimics a manual pour-over, and the machine also gives the grounds time to bloom before adding the rest of the water. The stunning glass carafe is laboratory-grade, hand-blown borosilicate glass that is resistant to temperature shock. The machine doesn’t have a hot plate, which tends to “cook” coffee and ruin its flavor rather than keep it warm, but there is an optional heat shield that completely surrounds the shower head during brewing to make an extra-hot cup of coffee.
JIA Inc. Persona Teacups — Set of 4
The teacups in JIA's four-piece Persona set are modeled after gaiwan, lidded vessels for loose-leaf tea that can be used both for steeping and serving. The pieces fit neatly together and are designed to be used together for drinking, with the lid holding back leaves as you sip. When you're not using it to cover the cup, rest the lid upside down, with its handle functioning as a base. This keeps the inside of the lid clean and, much like a saucer, the concave interior prevents moisture from dripping onto tabletops. In classic Chinese fashion, the teacups are made of fine, translucent porcelain, which is exceptionally strong despite its thin construction. A different texture on each teacup in the set shows off the delicate material through four different patterns: checkered, dotted, spiral and striped.
Miya Company Navy Blue Ombre Chopstick Set
Made in Japan, this set of chopsticks—two pairs per set—combine a classic, minimalist silhouette with a modern colorway. Navy blue fades to a stunning sky color toward the bottom of each chopstick, with a dark wood tip that adds a touch of elegance. These chopsticks pair perfectly with Miya Company’s gorgeous blue and white ceramic tablewares.
Artelegno Large Magnetic Knife Block 07
Italian design firm Artelegno uses sustainably sourced wood to make these beautiful, individually crafted knife blocks, which combine the safety of magnetic knife bars with the attractiveness of wooden knife blocks. Store, protect and display your kitchen knives in style: Hidden, built-in magnets that firmly hold blades in place without making them difficult to remove, Artelegno's open design gives it a contemporary, sculptural look. The design also allows you to see the entire knife, not just its handle, making it much easier to differentiate between knives with similar handles. Plus, the relatively wide space between panels is great for showing off design details on your knives such as etched or hammered blade finishes. There's also an extra convenience factor: Rather than different sized slots for different knives, any knife can be placed in any magnetized position—so long as the blade is not longer than the length of the holder.
Graza Co. Squeeze "Drizzle" and "Sizzle" Olive Oil Set
Enjoy the best of both worlds with Graza’s “Drizzle & Sizzle” combo pack of extra-virgin olive oils. Grown and made in Jaen, Spain, the country where about half the world’s olive oil is produced, Graza uses 100% picual olives for both their blends of extra virgin olive oil. Use “Drizzle” for finishing, made from olives harvested by hand in October when they are still young, green and not fully ripe. The younger olives make an olive oil that is full of attitude, grassy and peppery, with a spicy zip that finishes a dish beautifully. “Sizzle” is for everyday cooking, made from picual olives harvested in December and January, when they are more mature and juicy. Once pressed, “Sizzle” is a bit more mellow and milder in flavor—though still with a grassy, peppery bite—perfect for roasting, searing, poaching, pan frying, baking and marinating. Both versions also come packaged in an easy to use squeeze bottle, so you can emulate exactly what chefs do in restaurants.
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.
Lolo Mercadito Hand-Embroidered Tortilla Warmers
Traditional Mexican embroidery adorns this lovely fabric-style tortilla warmer. It's made from 100% cotton, with inner batting to help insulate the tortillas to keep them flexible for filling tacos. We recommend microwaving the warmer itself before use, so your tortillas will keep warm for the duration of your meal.
Raisenne Round Bread Dough Riser
Here’s our problem with proofing: You can never fully control the environment. Your kitchen on a hot and humid summer day might be okay for high-moisture breads, but leave others dense and squat. And if it’s too hot, then you run the risk of the dough rising too fast and not having enough time to develop flavor. But a chilly air-conditioned kitchen will extend the proofing time significantly, as yeast divides and grows much slower in cold temps. That’s why we love this unique dough riser—it takes the guesswork and the risk out of the proofing process. Our kitchen team was incredibly impressed with how perfectly the dough turned out each time. We made loaves with and without using the Raisenne and the loaf made with the tool came out a half inch taller and a half inch wider. It’s compatible with any dough that needs to be leavened and is especially great for low-yeast and whole-grain breads that have longer rest times. Simply place the thin disk under your bowl or pan of choice, plug it in and let the heating circuits do the rest. It heats to an ideal 85 degrees, which is the optimal temperature to let your loaf grow at a consistent pace without sacrificing flavor for speed.
Sarah Kersten Studio 2-Quart Vegetable Fermentation Jar
Handmade in a small Oakland, California studio, this fermentation jug is elegant, functional and compact enough for apartment kitchens. It’s rustic, minimalist aesthetic will be at home on any countertop—made from high-fired stoneware and finished with a hand-made glaze in a glossy, speckled white or silvery, matte black. We also love how the crock uses a traditional water-lock style seal, an ancient fermentation style which does wonders to keep out oxygen. After a water-sealed crock is packed, two half-circle weights (which are included) are placed into the crock to keep your veggies submerged. Then, the lid is placed into an open moat which is then filled with water. Now, outside air is prevented from entering the crock and carbon dioxide gases created during fermentation easily bubble out.
Elevator Coffee for Milk Street 177 Coffee Blend
After tasting coffees from roasters around the country, we decided to partner with Elevator Cafe & Commons, a small roaster in Portland, Oregon, to produce a custom blend for us from the freshest beans. They are the US Coffee Roasting champion of 2023 and the bright, clear flavors and precision of their roasting thoroughly impressed us. When you order our blend, you can be sure that the beans have been freshly roasted and shipped out immediately. Our inaugural 177 Milk Street coffee is a do-it-all blend that works across brewing methods and accommodates a variety of palates. The medium roast mix of Central and South American beans packs a full, rich body and a balanced nutty, cocoa-rich flavor. It’s a solid, full-bodied blend that’ll be terrific brewed in your standard coffee maker, pour-over, French press, Italian-style Moka pot or cold brew.
Cheese Grotto Classico
Inspired by the caves used for centuries by cheesemakers to store their wheels and wares, this cheese grotto is aptly designed to preserve the food’s freshness, aroma and taste using natural materials and careful climate control. It’s handmade from breathable bamboo wood to prevent premature molding and contains a clay brick humidifier on the bottom that, when soaked in water regularly, regulates moisture (no more crumbly cheese!). A vaulted ceiling makes for ideal airflow and condensation control, while an adjustable back panel promotes extra breathability. Plus, you won’t waste any more plastic wrap on cheese that’ll only make it slimy. The Grotto Classico is the most similar to a cheese cave out of the grotto collection; it can hold up to 8 pounds of cheese and will fit well in a medium-large-sized refrigerator. Its two removable shelves help to accommodate wheels and wedges of all sizes, while the plexiglass windows and pull-down door let you easily access and keep an eye on your cheese. And for budding cheese makers, this grotto can also be used to age homemade cheeses thanks to its air channels. Includes a 2oz bottle of mineral oil to help care for the wood.
Cheese Grotto Sustainable PaperStone® Black Resin Cheese Knives
This set of three minimalist cheese knives are perfect for serving cheese for a party. The set comes with a piece of chalk so you can label each knife to coordinate with the cheeses you are serving and while the black resin has the chic look of soapstone, it’s much more durable.
Verve Culture Market Tote Backpack
Style meets practicality with the woven Market Tote Backpack, a shopping basket that can be worn as a backpack (with adjustable straps!) or carried using the two leather handles at the top. Even better, there is an interior lining and pull cord to cover your purchases and protect them from the elements. Made with Dwarf Palm from the Fez region, artisans hand weave the material before it is finished by leather workers in Marrakesh. Wear it as a backpack (with adjustable straps!) or carry it using the two leather handles at the top. Carry your farmers market haul or picnic just about anywhere with the help of this handy pack.
Vermicular Musui
Vermicular’s enameled cast iron Musui takes Dutch oven cooking to the next level. Its name, which is Japanese for “waterless,” refers to the lid’s exceptionally tight fit thanks to hand-machining the edges of the pot and lid to less than 0.01 milimeter of variance. The resulting seal locks in so much moisture that no liquid is required to cook most foods, which concentrates the natural flavors of the ingredients. Three layers of heat-resistant enameled coating made from a proprietary glass composition distribute the heat evenly and self basting rings on the lid redistribute moisture onto the food. Ridges on the base create space between the heat source and ingredients to help prevent the bottom from burning, and the Musui’s lid was designed to be lighter at the front so it gently floats to vent pressure instead of boiling over. Both the lid and pot are equipped with ergonomic handles for a secure, comfortable grip when transferring the pot from stove to oven or from kitchen to table. Use on its own to steam-roast vegetables, cook rice, soups, stews, braises and more. Or, insert with the Vermicular Kamado for precision cooking. Available in black, charcoal or sea salt.
Vermicular Musui-Kamado
The Musui-Kamado induction cooker is downright revolutionary—unlike anything we’ve seen before. It consists of a Musui cast-iron Dutch oven-style pot that is inserted into the Kamado, which is a precise induction heater that cooks from the bottom and sides. Even without the Kamado, the Musui is exceptional. Its name means “waterless” because the lid fits so tightly that little to no liquid is required, so food cooks in its own juices and concentrates flavor for restaurant-quality meals with very little effort. And it’s about half the weight of other enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens.
But when you insert it into the Kamado, that’s what’s really impressive. It was designed to mimic the enveloping heat of a traditional Japanese wood-burning stove, heating on all sides up to 445℉. The Musui-Kamado’s precise temperature controls means you can roast meat or make yogurt, sous vide or ferment. But it’s at its best for methods we use at Milk Street all the time, including braising with little to no added water, searing then steaming vegetables, and low-temperature roasting.
Ridges on the base of the Musui create space between the heat source and ingredients to help prevent the bottom from burning, and the tight-fitting lid was designed to be lighter at the front so it gently floats to vent pressure instead of boiling over. Both the lid and pot are equipped with ergonomic handles for a secure, comfortable grip when transferring the pot from stove to oven or from kitchen to table.
A user-friendly LED touch panel helps you click the right temperature for whatever you’re making, including in 1-degree increments between 90℉ and 200℉ for proofing, fermenting or making yogurt. Available in charcoal, sea salt and matte black.