Meurisse Belgian Chocolate Bars — Assorted Set of 3
Belgium is already renowned in the chocolate-making world, but for the best of the best, we looked to the country’s oldest company: Meurisse. Operated since 1845 in Antwerp, Belgium, the family-owned business sources the highest-quality ingredients to make every bar of their rich, deep chocolate. This set of three includes one bar of sweet, creamy Caramel & Sea Salt Milk Chocolate, one bar of deep Papua New Guinea Dark Chocolate and one bar of crunchy Himalayan Salt Dark Chocolate.
ITALO Acetaia Pedroni Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena D.O.P.
One of the oldest artisan balsamic makers in the world, Acetaia Pedroni has been in the business since 1862. They make their Italo balsamic vinegar from start to finish in Modena, which earns the bottle the “Protected Designation of Origin” mark—a verification that it’s as high quality as it gets. Made only from pure, juicy trebbiano wine grapes, the vinegar is aged for a minimum of 12 years in oak and chestnut wood barrels, moving into smaller and smaller barrels as it ages to concentrate the flavor. The finished result is filled with complexity: rich, heady, sweet, earthy and tart with notes of raisins and umami. It’s thick and syrupy from years of evaporation and a natural sugar content, so it’s perfect for finishing the most special dishes, like risotto and meats, or drizzled over strawberries and cheese.
Tartuflanghe Grey Salt Guérande with White Truffle
We’re sick of seeing truffle products plagued with bad-quality truffle flavoring—not using the real deal. This salt, however, only uses two ingredients: French Guérande salt and Italian white winter truffle. The result is an aromatic seasoning ideal for finishing all manner of savory dishes. The high quality of both ingredients truly comes through: the earthy, savory, delightfully musty taste of truffles and the delicate brine and minerality of the salt. And it’s incredibly aromatic to boot.
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.
Tartuflanghe Black Truffle Pearls
The petite pearls resemble caviar, but they offer the rich earthiness of black truffle. They’re made from the famous rare black winter truffles of Alba, Italy. The juice is gently extracted from the fresh truffle during a cooking process and then fashioned into little spheres using a molecular gastronomy technique. They’re elegant and surprising in both appearance and taste. Once they burst open on your tongue, you’ll get that immediate flavor of mushroomy, musty, oaky truffle in a silky little package.
Regalis 18-Year Barrel-Aged Black Truffle Balsamic
This infused balsamic vinegar gets its earthy flavor and aroma from real Périgord black truffles, not artificial flavoring, for nuanced truffle notes that don’t overpower. Like all good balsamics from Modena, the balsamic capital of the world, the vinegar has a pleasant acidity and beautiful raisiny aroma—but 18 years of barrel aging gives it a rounded complexity and luxurious viscosity, achieved without any thickeners or preservatives. Save this extra-special vinegar as a finishing touch: It’s delightful for dipping or drizzling over bread, burrata, roasted vegetables or fruit, steak or caprese salad. (It makes a fabulous gift, too.)
Yakami Orchard Yuzu Marmalade
Juicy, flavorful and wonderfully textured Yakami Orchards Yuzu Marmalade is made with fresh, local yuzu from a collective of family farms in Japan’s Miyazaki prefecture. Balanced out with honey and sugar, this yuzu marmalade is bright, tart and warmly sweet with every bite. Just by opening a jar of Yakami Orchards’ product, you’ll be able to smell the bright and subtly floral aroma of yuzu. We love the plentiful chunks of yuzu rind, which are thinly sliced and add texture without making the marmalade clumpy. The yuzu pieces contribute a pop of piney bitterness that is a pleasant counterbalance for the overall sweet spread.
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.
Wajd Fleur de Sel
This fleur de sel salt from Wajd, a Lebanese company out of the historic salt-mining town Anfeh, offers a delicate and pure, briny flavor that’s perfect for finishing. Carefully hand-harvested and dried, it’s satisfyingly crunchy and flaky, without any graininess or bitter aftertaste. Sprinkle it sparingly over any finished dish that could benefit from a touch of salt for visual texture and taste. Whatever the application, start with a small amount first—with its pure flavor and larger crystals, a little of this goes a long way.
Demisaem Korean Gochujang Sauce
Savory, spicy gochujang meets sweet plum in Demisaem’s funky, fruity Chojang-Gochujang Sauce. Made in Korea, this red pepper and plum paste is spiked with fermented plum vinegar, Korean chili powder, traditional rice syrup, garlic, ginger and sesame seeds for an aromatic, sweet-sour balance that gives off a quick hit of heat that doesn’t linger on the tongue. The smooth, deep red paste comes packaged in an easy to squeeze bottle, pairing well with noodles, rice, grilled meats, eggs, burgers, burritos, tempura, bibimbap, grilled meats, barbecue and fish. Or use it as a marinade, mixed into sauces or stirred into dressings for a spicy, tangy kick. We especially like it in place of ketchup and sriracha.
