If high-end cheeses are always a part of your weekly grocery run, then this two-ply cheese paper, made from the same material European cheesemongers use, is for you. Just like fruits do as they ripen, cheeses release gas as it ages. When it’s wrapped in plastic, foil or stashed in a Tupperware, those gases get trapped and can give the cheese a sharp ammonia taste. This French-made breathable paper is specially designed to wrap and store cheese and prevents spoiling by allowing air to circulate and simultaneously preventing moisture loss, so your wedge will stay soft and free of dangerous molds for longer. The plastic-free material is sourced from sustainable forests and is compostable, biodegradable and recyclable. Each package contains 15 sheets, which are large enough to accommodate a generous hunk of cheese, but have the benefit of being easy to cut down to size so as to not waste a whole sheet. Plus, 15 adhesive labels are included to seal the wrapper shut and mark the date and type of cheese inside.

If high-end cheeses are always a part of your weekly grocery run, then this two-ply cheese paper, made from the same material European cheesemongers use, is for you. Just like fruits do as they ripen, cheeses release gas as it ages. When it’s wrapped in plastic, foil or stashed in a Tupperware, those gases get trapped and can give the cheese a sharp ammonia taste. This French-made breathable paper is specially designed to wrap and store cheese and prevents spoiling by allowing air to circulate and simultaneously preventing moisture loss, so your wedge will stay soft and free of dangerous molds for longer. Each package contains 15 sheets, which are large enough to accommodate a generous hunk of cheese, but have the benefit of being easy to cut down to size so as to not waste a whole sheet. Plus, 15 adhesive labels are included to seal the wrapper shut and mark the date and type of cheese inside.

If high-end cheeses are always a part of your weekly grocery run, then these cheese bags, made from the same packaging European cheesemongers use, are for you. Just like fruits do as they ripen, cheeses release gas as it ages. When it’s wrapped in plastic, foil or stashed in a Tupperware, those gases get trapped and can give the cheese a sharp ammonia taste. These French-made breathable bags are specially designed to prevent this by allowing air to circulate and simultaneously preventing moisture loss, so your wedge will stay soft and free of dangerous molds for longer. Each package contains 15 bags.

From our favorite wooden cutting board maker, J.K. Adams, comes this simple, easy-to-store kitchen workhorse crafted from sugar maple. The board has separate sides for meat and veggies (each marked with their own icon: a small chicken or a bundle of carrots) to help mitigate cross-contamination and streamline prep work. Plus, wood is naturally antibacterial and easier on your knife blades than plastic. The board is spacious enough to accommodate knife maneuvering and proper cutting techniques without creeping into your pile of already cut food. And its 1-inch thickness is hefty enough to stay put on the counter, yet light enough for strain-free transport.

This Balkan red pepper relish has a smooth texture from sunflower oil and a complex flavor from the addition of tomato and eggplant. Fruity red pepper is the star here, but acidic tomato adds a touch of brightness, which is rounded out by the earthy sweetness of eggplant—a traditional addition. It’s usually paired with grilled meats and fish, but is just as flavorful when melted into wintery braises, pastas and stews.

Plump, crisp and mouth-wateringly briny, these capers are an elevated version of the popular pantry staple. Many caper varietals are packed in salt, but the vinegar gives them a pleasant pickle-like quality. These capers in particular have a burst of fruity and floral flavor that makes for a more nuanced bite (that might just change the mind of any caper hater you know). A subtle sweetness balances the tangy vinegar flavor as well. The buds are about medium sized, so you get a juicy pop of flavor, but small enough that you don’t have to chop them up if you don’t want to. Plus, the lovely brine can be used on its own once you finish the jar in vinaigrettes and more.

Earthy, nutty and never bitter, teff is an ancient grain that’s a staple ingredient in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. Brown teff is especially robust, which is why we chose that varietal to feature in our store. It can easily tip sweet when paired with chocolate or savory when drizzled with butter and herbs and, when, cooked yields a creamy, thick texture akin to polenta. Also like polenta, it can be served loose or in a dense, sliceable format. Maskal Teff specializes in this ancient grain that’s only now gaining some more visibility on the U.S. market.

Earthy, nutty and never bitter, teff is an ancient grain that’s a staple ingredient in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. Brown teff is especially robust, which is why we chose that varietal to feature in our store. It can easily tip sweet when paired with chocolate or savory when drizzled with butter and herbs the rich taste works well in both sweet and savory applications, especially in backing, since the lack of gluten yields a delicate crum. Maskal Teff specializes in this ancient grain that’s only now gaining some more visibility on the U.S. market.

For Italian cooks, the rice of choice for risotto is always going to be carnaroli. Easier-to-find Arborio is also commonly used—but it will often render your dish gloopy and gummy. Medium-grained carnaroli, however, is prized for its ability to achieve the perfect, creamy risotto texture without the individual grains turning into mush. Like pasta, the grains should be just a touch al dente—no longer crunchy in the center, but just soft enough that each grain is tender, with a dense, chewy center. This Italian producer’s carnaroli achieves that flawlessly, with tender grains giving way to a creamy, luxurious sauce. When steamed, it’s fluffy with a lovely creamy-dense texture. And it easily absorbs the flavor of whatever liquid you use to cook it.

Translucent and slippery with wonderful flavor-absorbing properties, glass noodles (harusame) are a staple on Japanese tables. But many typical brands of these harusame get mushy easily and also have to be soaked or parcooked. Malony’s noodles stand out, since they’re made from a combination of potato and corn starches instead of the conventional mung bean starch. This makes the noodles able to maintain the firm, springy texture glass noodles are known for—so there’s no rushing to finish your bowl before they go soggy. They even keep their shape as reheated leftovers. Plus, there’s no prep required—simply add straight to your soup. Although they don’t have a strong taste themselves, the noodles beautifully absorb the flavors they are cooked in, making for a versatile pantry staple that’s a step up from what you’d find in supermarkets.

The blade is made from 440A stainless steel is normally used for high quality knives, so it stays sharp with daily use and slices through produce with the utmost ease, unlike other flimsy brands. It makes quick work of even the toughest, hard-skinned foods like butternut squash, breaking it down into paper-thin shavings. Find the Ever Peeler here.

A favorite of our Food Editor, Matthew Card, this innovative peeler was developed with smart design elements after testing about 200 other different peelers. Don’t let its visual simplicity fool you—the Ever Peeler is a 2020 Good Design Award winner. The blade is made from 440A stainless steel is normally used for high quality knives, so it stays sharp with daily use and slices through produce with the utmost ease, unlike other flimsy brands. It makes quick work of even the toughest, hard-skinned foods like butternut squash, breaking it down into paper-thin shavings. Plus, it’s eco-friendly, too, featuring replaceable blade inserts that switch out easily. No need to throw away the whole peeler. Its handle also is ergonomically shaped and comes in different shapes for right handed and left handed users, making it comfortable to use no matter what.

With three unique blade edges, this smartly-designed serrated knife combines the function of two knives in one—slicing through any and all loaves with ease. The blade is 9 inches, so long enough to cut the largest loaf cleanly without sawing back and forth. And the tapered blade features a gently curved belly to facilitate clean slicing. A 2-inch section of wide wave serrations located closer to the tip of the knife dives in and saws through a crunchy, rustic outer crust, while the smaller teeth cleanly slice through the inner crumb. It’s also ideal for delicate foods like soft sandwich breads and juicy tomatoes. The knife features a small length of straight blade at the tip to slice through stubborn areas like a bit of bread crust of melon rind that just needs one last pass to break through. Plus, the handle is specifically designed for a comfortable grip, with a slight curve to it.

This two-in-one manual juicer is the top choice of our kitchen team. Its lever-style design is much easier on the hands than a typical reamer style, which requires difficult pressing and twisting, and it’s more efficient than other similar juicers, which require you to buy and store multiple to get every size you need. Made from durable, industrial-grade aluminum, the Zulay’s unique dual-cup design can easily accommodate both lemons and limes. It also inverts the citrus as it juices, accessing spots inside the fruit that other juicers can’t quite reach and catching large pulp pieces and stray seeds along the way. Plus, it directs the juice stream downward, so no more splatter on countertops and clothing.

This finely ground, masa (corn) flour yields a more intense corn flavor than others we’ve tried, which truly sets it apart from lesser brands. It’s earthy and slightly sweet. Originally established to assist restaurants in creating their own in-house masa production programs, Masienda developed their sourcing and production methods with professional chefs in mind, so you know their focus is on flavor over just volume and speed. The primary purpose of masa is to make homemade tortillas and Masienda makes it easy—simply add warm water and mix for the perfect tortilla dough, no grinding or mortar and pestle necessary. When cooked, the tortillas will be pliable with a pleasant chew and, of course, packed with traditional corn flavor.

This finely ground, masa blue (corn) flour yields a more intense corn flavor than others we’ve tried, which truly sets it apart from lesser brands. It’s earthy and slightly sweet, with a bit more of a robust nuttiness than its white corn counterpart. Originally established to assist restaurants in creating their own in-house masa production programs, Masienda developed their sourcing and production methods with professional chefs in mind, so you know their focus is on flavor over just volume and speed. The primary purpose of masa is to make homemade tortillas and Masienda makes it easy—simply add warm water and mix for the perfect tortilla dough, no grinding or mortar and pestle necessary. When cooked, the tortillas will be pliable with a pleasant chew and, of course, packed with traditional corn flavor.

A varietal of holy basil that grows wild in Ethiopia, this herb is freshly fragrant with a grassy flavor. A juicy lemon character gives way to a ripe berry-like sweetness that sets it apart from standard sweet basil or any basil you’d find stocked in a supermarket. It’s unique flavor and fragrance is impossible to substitute—as most dried basils lack aroma in general, let alone the complex and refreshing scent of besobila.

These elongated pepper berries native to East Africa are ever-so-slightly smoky, with a similar fruity spice to black pepper—albeit less prickly and more akin to allspice. The pepper berry grows wild in Ethiopian forests before being harvested by farmers and dried by an open flame. They can be easily broken by hand into small pieces, and grind easily in a mortar and pestle or other spice grinder. For a basic pepper mill or our ratchet grinder, they must be broken into smaller pieces before loading and grinding. This aromatic pepper varietal can’t be found in standard supermarkets, but is a wonderful way to elevate everyday dishes or give making your favorite food from your local Ethiopian restaurant a try at home.