Chinese Laundry Kitchen Dan Dan Noodle Sauce
Bring dan dan noodles, a popular Sichuan street food, home with this ready-to-use jarred sauce from Chinese Laundry Kitchen. The layered, umami-forward sauce gets its tingly spice from roasted Sichuan peppercorns and nutty flavor from sesame, a classic dan dan sauce ingredient. With a hint of sweetness and warm aromatic spice, it makes a near-instant dinner—just boil noodles and toss with the velvety sauce. But we also like it with other ingredients, like fried tofu or in a green bean stir-fry. Made with 100 percent real ingredients and no additives by a family-owned business in California.
Black Garlic Powder
Soft and mildly sweet with savory, rich undertones, black garlic is an umami-packed ingredient that sets itself apart from normal, sharp and pungent garlic. Still not found in most grocery stores, black garlic has grown in popularity in recent years as a simple way to add a complex, earthy-sweet boost to dishes. Using California-grown fresh garlic, The Black Garlic Company, based in Texas, ages their cloves for 60 days to achieve a nearly caramelized depth. The allium is then gently dried to preserve its funky flavor before being made into a powder for an easier and more approachable way to incorporate it while cooking. Rather than tackling a few sticky whole cloves, which can be hard to peel and chop, we love being able to grab it from the spice cabinet instead. Add into sauces, aiolis, eggs, noodles, rice, marinades, meats and more for umami-bomb flavor. A little goes a long way.
Ravida Lemon Olive Oil
This unfiltered, extra-virgin olive oil from Sicily is delicately soft and fruity, with gentle spicy notes and a pleasant hint of lemon. We love its perfect balance between peppery and bitter—a feat even the best producers struggle to pull off. Rather than a sharp, pungent hit of pepper like some brands, this lemony EVOO leaves only a light tingle at the back of the throat. And unlike other lemon oils, which often taste artificial or too strong, this oil tastes simply of fresh lemon zest, with no bitterness or acidity. Family-owned Ravida Azienda Agricola makes their lemon rendition from Biancolilla olives that are handpicked in autumn then pressed immediately, along with organic Zagara Bianca lemons. The result is a complex, well-rounded finishing olive oil that has a remarkable capacity to heighten flavors, from meats and cheeses, to salad dressing, risotto, seafood, rice dishes, soups and more.
Martin Picard Exclusive Set
This exclusive set featuring creamy and sweet Maple Condensed Milk and Dulce de Leche made our kitchen testers swoon. It’s made by a French-Canadian chef, Martin Picard, who operates a sugar shack and maple grove, as well as the renowned Quebec restaurant Au Pied de Cochon. Both renditions stand out thanks to a twist of nutty, homemade maple syrup that gets added to their sweet base. The result? Two complex and luxurious treats that work well in desserts, drinks and more.
Hódi Paprika
Our editorial director found this Hungarian paprika right at the source, at a shop in Budapest from one of Hungary’s best paprika producers. A favorite in Budapest’s finest kitchens, this powdered spice is sourced from Szeged, one of two southern regions known for paprika. Family-run Hódi produces the rusty red spice from start to finish, grinding and packaging it just minutes from where they sustainably grow the peppers. Hungarian paprika tends to be fruitier than smokier, deeper Spanish varieties—this one has a rich, sultry aroma and a light smokiness, tasting of freshly roasted red pepper with a hint of raisiny sweetness. It’s punchier and fresher than any grocery store option we’ve tried, adding depth and dimension to dishes rather than just color.
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.)
Elios Sundried Tomatoes 200g
These sun-dried tomatoes are made with just two ingredients: hand-selected piccadilly tomatoes and salt. Native to southern Italy, piccadilly tomatoes are deeply flavorful and boast a thin skin, making them ideal for drying or using in sauces. Dried the traditional way, using just the sun and zero additives, these tomatoes are supple and soft, never hard, dried out or overly tart. They taste exactly as they should—like vine-ripe tomatoes dried slowly in the Italian sun—and are so much better than supermarket versions.
T’s Japanese Hot Sauce
Unlike most hot sauces that are vinegar-based, award-winning T’s Japanese Hot Sauce is made with a soy sauce base. Alongside dark, salty soy sauce, this hot condiment combines onion and garlic, fresh ginger and red pepper for a unique, chili crisp-like textured topping. Made in Japan by Shibanuma, a 330-year old soy sauce producer, its distinct allium flavor, punch of ginger and mellow lingering heat work well with just about anything. Add it into sauces, soups and marinades to build flavor or drizzle over eggs, rice, veggies or anything else you want to spice up.
City Saucery Vegan Tomato 'Nduja
Likened to a spicy, spreadable salami, ‘nduja is a traditional cured Italian product that combines ground pork and spicy peppers. The flavor-packed Italian staple was only accessible for meat-eaters—until City Saucery created their vegan rendition. Their Tomato 'Nduja won SOFI's Best New Condiment Award in 2017. Milk Street’s Food Editor, Bianca Borges, found it in New York City and raves about it. “This is so deeply flavored that no other seasoning is needed,” she says. Like classic 'nduja, City Saucery's version is a thick paste packed full of spice thanks to hot chili peppers, just without the pork. Instead, their Tomato 'Nduja gets its savory, umami-bomb flavor from the combination of sweet tomatoes, spicy peppers, Italian spices, lemon juice and an unexpected ingredient: miso. Use it like a tomato paste or sauce starter, add to pasta, spread on sandwiches or just eat it on crackers or crusty bread. Bianca like it mixed into warm beans, slathered on salmon or spread on toast underneath avocado.
Kanemoto Garlic Miso
Plain miso already packs a punch of umami, but Japanese miso company Kanemoto takes it a step further combining their miso with garlic. The result is salty and sweet, balanced by pops of sharp chopped garlic, alongside the addition of nutty sesame seeds, mirin and red pepper. The light miso is perfect stirred into sauces or soups, used in marinades for fish or chicken, or added to rice, stir-fry and salad dressings.
Martin Picard Dulce de Leche
Creamy and sweet with a hit of toasty maple, this Dulce de Leche made our kitchen testers swoon. It’s made by a French-Canadian chef, Martin Picard, who operates a sugar shack and maple grove, as well as the renowned Quebec restaurant, Au Pied de Cochon. This rendition starts with the familiar rich, caramel-y flavors that are essential to dulce de leche, but adds a twist of nutty, homemade maple syrup for a more complex and luxurious result. Serve drizzled over pastry and desserts like waffles, sandwich cookies and cakes, use as a spread for toast, as a filling for croissants, or as a dip for cut fruit.
Martin Picard Maple Condensed Milk
Creamy and sweet with a hit of toasty maple, this Maple Condensed Milk made our kitchen testers swoon. It’s made by a French-Canadian chef, Martin Picard, who operates a sugar shack and maple grove, as well as the renowned Quebec restaurant Au Pied de Cochon. Unlike one-note condensed milk from the grocery store, this version’s twist with nutty homemade maple syrup adds a level of complexity with notes of vanilla, butterscotch and a touch of fruitiness. Use as a stand-in for regular condensed milk for coffee, desserts like tres leches cake, drinks, Thai iced tea and more.
The Toffee Merchant Classic Dark Toffee
The best toffee we’ve tried comes from The Toffee Merchant, a small-batch, award-winning confectioner in Arizona that produces tender, crunchy toffee that won’t break a tooth. Unlike any other toffee we’ve tried, this thick slab breaks easily into flaky pieces. Cooked slowly and using the highest quality ingredients, their Classic Dark Toffee is just the basics—done right. It balances sweet yet dark caramel notes with a buttery mixture of almonds and pecans and rich, dark chocolate. Don’t be surprised if you go through a bag in a day. This stuff is that addictive.
