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.
Soom Premium Tahini
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.
Il Colle Del Gusto Sicilian Pistachio Spread
Made from Sicilian pistachios and extra-virgin olive oil, Pistacchiosa is a creamy, aromatic spread you will want to put on all your desserts and, yes, eat straight out of the jar.
Christopher Kimball for Kuhn Rikon Traverse Power Whisk
Our Traverse Power Whisk has a revolutionary flat, coiled design, which works faster than a balloon whisk to whip up egg whites or heavy cream. It has more concentrated tines, which are in constant contact with liquid to incorporate more air. Also, it will reach all the way to the edges of your saucepans and containers, unlike that awkward balloon whisk. Use it back and forth, not in a circular fashion, and see how much time and energy you will save on whisking. The traverse whisk is also versatile enough to emulsify pan sauces or blend batters—it’s the only whisk you’ll need. Try it in our Tangy Maple Whipped Cream.
Il Colle Del Gusto Hazelnut Spread with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Il Colle del Gusto's hazelnut spreads are lighter, glossier and more aromatic versions of Nutella. With a high hazelnut content of up to 42%, they are made using local, high-quality roasted nuts from Italy, which have a toasty, buttery flavor, light sweetness and earthy depth.
Cuisipro Measuring Spoons
Every element of these stainless steel measuring spoons was thoughtfully designed to conveniently reach the bottoms of your most narrow spice containers, from the oval bowl to the long, slender handle. Their durable stainless steel feels sturdy and balanced in the hand, and the contours of the handle are comfortable to grip. We especially like that the spoons feature a gentle curve at the end that keeps them upright on countertops—no more spilled salt—and helps the spoons neatly nest into each other for compact storage.
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.
GIR Silicone Spatulas
GIR's silicone spatulas are beautiful, durable and heat-resistant up to a whopping 550 degrees Fahrenheit, so they won't warp or melt when you're cooking. They have a unibody design, with a layer of pharmaceutical-grade, BPA-free silicone wrapped around a heat-resistant polymer core, so they will never break. We like that the nonporous material is easy to clean and antimicrobial—it also won't pick up any odors or flavors, unlike wood. The thin blade is sturdy yet flexible, perfect for scraping food from the edges of your containers. GIR offers these spatulas in both an Ultimate and Skinny size, so you can use them with your largest mixing bowls or narrowest jam jars.
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 Royal Cinnamon
Also known as Saigon cinnamon, Royal Cinnamon is a hard-to-find heirloom variety that comes from the mountains of central Vietnam. Our recipe developers agreed it was the sweetest and brightest cinnamon we have ever tasted, with an aroma you can smell from across the room. It's clean-flavored and boldly spicy-sweet, yet with a delicate quality. To fully appreciate its flavor, we recommend trying Royal Cinnamon first in simple applications.
de Buyer Bain Marie/Double Boiler
French company de Buyer's compact stainless steel bain marie is a double boiler with a convenient built-in water chamber for gently heating foods. Simply fill the water chamber through an opening in the handle, and when heated the bain marie applies gentle, indirect heat to foods. It's ideal for melting chocolate, heating sauces or making custard. We like its pressure valve and heat-resistant silicone handle, which make for safe and easy handling. Plus, de Buyer has measuring marks for the pot's internal volume (in quarts) and a clear window in the handle that allows you to keep an eye on the water level of your double boiler.
Hayden Flour Mills Artisan Bread Flour
This bread flour is stone-milled in small batches so it's incredibly fresh and has an enticing nutty aroma, robust flavor. A naturally high protein content that makes for a chewier texture, and the flour's complexity is unmatched by conventional flour brands.
India Tree Dark Muscovado Sugar
Conventional brown sugar is simply white, refined sugar moistened with molasses. On the other hand, raw muscovado sugar has a rich, earthy and almost smoky flavor, as well as a high molasses content. India Tree’s moist-textured variety, processed in Mauritius, can be substituted for dark brown sugar in any recipe (we tested this) or used to add extra flavor to coffee, tea or cocktails (perfect in an Old Fashioned).
Accuweight 207 Digital Food Scale
This lightweight, portable kitchen scale is the only one you'll ever need, with settings for five different units of measurement (pounds, ounces, grams, fluid ounces and milliliters) and four precision sensors for accurate readings within 1 gram or 0.1 ounce. User-friendly design details such as a large, backlit display and an auto shutoff function make the scale a pleasure to use, while its sleek, slim design will look great in any kitchen setting.
Wadaman Organic Black Sesame Paste
With deeply aromatic, rich, and toasty undertones, this sesame condiment can be used in both sweet and savory applications. It is ideal for adding some earthy depth to dishes, with a subtle pleasant bitterness that you can't get with white sesame seeds. Many Asian cultures use black sesame for desserts, with good reason—its slight bitterness cuts through rich dairy and balances bitter with sweet like no other. We like to substitute black sesame paste for tahini in our Tahini Swirl Brownies—if you like the bitter sweetness of dark chocolate, you'll love the roasted element black sesame paste brings to this dessert. Or simply drizzle Wadaman's Black Sesame Paste over vanilla ice cream for a visually stunning Japanese-inspired dessert. On the savory side, try a drizzle of the paste over our Sumac-Spiced Chicken (Musakhan) for visual contrast and an earthy counterpoint to sumac's citrusy tartness. Or add it to our Chinese Chili and Scallion Noodles to complement the sesame oil and add another dimension of flavor. Or substitute black sesame paste for tahini to make a roasty, earthier version of our Pita and Chickpea Salad with Yogurt and Mint (Fatteh).
iSi Flex-It Measuring Cups
For easy, spill-free pouring, these smartly designed silicone measuring cups are just the thing. The flexible material allows you to squeeze the cup and create a spout anywhere on its rim, adjusting as you pour. So whether you need precision pouring for runny liquids—like a thin stream of oil when emulsifying aioli—or a wider lip to quickly pour thick batters, the Flex-It Measuring Cups will work perfectly. Plus, the food-grade silicone can be used in the microwave and is heat-resistant up to 490 degrees Fahrenheit. It's also dishwasher-safe: We found that even after we left the cups sitting overnight with turmeric and chili, the silicone was easy to clean and didn't have any residual smells or stains. Choose between a three-piece set with 1-cup, 2-cup and 4-cup sizes, or buy the largest cup on its own—it's large enough to mix up your favorite pancake batter without dirtying a bowl!
Just Panela Granulated Panela Sugar
Here at Milk Street we have rediscovered more flavorful pantry items including flours, vinegars, oils, and salts. At the top of our list, however, is sugar. This raw, unrefined sugar from Colombia packs a complex, earthy flavor that’s terrific in everything from tea, coffee and cocktails to oatmeal or grapefruit. The bittersweet flavor also does well in savory applications, like a pot of Mexican beans or tomato-based pasta sauces. It will become your sugar bowl standard.
Pure Indian Foods 1.1 Pounds Organic Jaggery
Organic jaggery is a raw, unprocessed Indian sugar produced from unfiltered sugarcane juice. We love this one from Pure Indian Foods for its deep, earthy flavor—reminiscent of maple and caramel—and its moist, almost creamy, yet crumbly texture. The family-owned company traces its roots to 1889 in northern India and sources pantry staples have a complexity and authenticity that just can’t be imitated. Use jaggery as an all-purpose sweetener; it pairs well with warm spices like cinnamon, allspice and cardamom or with anything coconut or citrus.