The Best Things the Eater Staff Bought in June (Including a Bucket of Maldon Salt)
The first month of summer came and went like a charcoal grill flare-up, leaving the Eater staff to not only consider purchasing an electric pellet grill (Traeger’s having a sale, after all), but to take stock of all the delicious, handy, and head-turning kitchen and food items that we bought in the month of June. […]
The first month of summer came and went like a charcoal grill flare-up, leaving the Eater staff to not only consider purchasing an electric pellet grill (Traeger’s having a sale, after all), but to take stock of all the delicious, handy, and head-turning kitchen and food items that we bought in the month of June.
Last month, the Eater staff took home radicchio motif dresses and whimsical butter dishes. In the month of June, we found ourselves smashing the order button on tadka spoons, Cuisinart food processors, and giant Mason jars, because vertical meal prep storage is where it’s at; we dressed our tables with Belgian linen napkins, served up Ina Garten’s cult-fave coconut cake for Father’s Day, and found the Platonic ideal of dirty martini olives.
Polish your cocktail shaker, and let’s shop for the very best stuff the Eater staff bought (and loved) last month.
The absolute perfect dirty martini olives
True dirty martini heads know: When you make them at home, one of life’s greatest quandaries is how to deal with the not-quite-balanced ratio of olives to brine in your standard jar, resulting, in many cases, in the need to buy supplemental brine. The geniuses over at Quincy have (deliciously) resolved this issue by designing a (frankly very attractive) jar of olives that has the ideal quantities of brine and olives so that there’s no waste either way. Not to mention, the olives are large, juicy, and delicious, and the brine is supremely salty and savory for a perfect ‘tini every time. Now all I need is this $200 zodiac-themed cocktail pick set (my birthday is in 10 months). —Hilary Pollack, senior commerce editor
A pre-seasoned tadka spoon
Some people treat themselves to new shoes or jewelry when they get good news. But when I had something to celebrate earlier this month, I splurged on a spoon. As someone who cooks a lot of Indian food, I’m often making tadka — the spice-infused oil drizzled on top of many dals and curries. But using a sauté pan or, once, a ladle bent at 90 degrees, just wasn’t cutting it. Diaspora Co.’s tadka spoon is a beautiful cast iron piece, deep enough to let me heat fat and bloom spices without having to chase them around a pan. Plus, it’s light enough to move easily from stovetop to plate. Anyway, you should put tadka on everything. —Jaya Saxena, correspondent
Cuisinart’s little chopper-grinder is my personal assistant
A few months ago, I broke my cheap mini food chopper. The silver lining was that I got a chance to reassess whether I needed it or not. After ending up in a very bad mood after trying to crush too many herbs with my too-small mortar and pestle, I decided that I did, in fact, need it. I went for a slightly larger, upgraded version from Cuisinart, since its regular food processors are such workhorses. I still don’t have room in my kitchen to justify one of those, but there’s just enough room on top of my fridge for this little four-cup version. —Bettina Makalintal, senior reporter
Amazing-smelling sanitizing hand wipes for eating on the move
I just got back from a delightful trip to Japan, where I ate approximately seven tons of noodles, sushi, muscat-flavored gummies, and other delights. It was difficult to resist the temptation to grab a super soft ham-and-egg sando or a little on-the-go fried chicken when passing a konbini (convenience store), and as a result, I did a lot of impromptu snacking. It’s not always easy to find a place to wash one’s hands while exploring cities, and so I packed a bunch of these ALŌH Skin sanitizing hand wipes I really love. They smell ~*~expensive~*~ (like peppermint and eucalyptus — instant aromatherapy), leave your hands feeling super clean and moisturized with aloe, and come individually wrapped so there’s no risk of them drying out. I keep a few in my purse now at all times; you never know when you might need to grab a sandwich or a Family Mart Hokkaido melon pan. Also great for long plane rides. —HP
More big Mason jars, because vertical storage rocks
Out of all the non-plastic storage containers I own, the classic Ball Mason jars really pull their weight, serving as charming vases for sprawling farmers market bouquets, air-tight jars for dried goods, and as the ideal vessels for storing tomato-ginger chicken and rice soup in the refrigerator. —Francky Knapp, commerce writer
These Belgian linen napkins
Last year, I visited Oaxaca de Juárez, a city known for many things including gorgeous indigenous textiles. I stuffed a duffel bag with all sorts of goodies, including a set of woven placemats in an off-white and cobalt blue. But, like an idiot, I didn’t get matching napkins. Thankfully, LA’s Block Shop has saved me from my own stupidity with their gorgeous Dolly napkins. The linen napkins match my Oaxacan placemats (and most of my other ones), and their striped and polka dot design add a cool pop. Best thing I’ve used to wipe sauce off my face in months. —Alex Zaragoza, contributing writer
Ina Garten’s cult-fave coconut cake saved Father’s Day
Ah, Father’s Day — that famously hard-to-shop-for non-bank holiday where I usually end up buying my dad another Carhartt T-shirt and a book about the Gold Rush. In the spirit of not buying more things that my spartan pops doesn’t really need, I ordered Ina Garten’s famous coconut cake to my parents’ house in California for the celebration; I’m happy to say that it arrived in just three days in perfect condition, and received reports from the whole family that it tasted like a coconut cloud. —FK
A versatile Le Creuset braiser
After years of gazing at the Le Creuset website and ogling the factory-to-table sale mystery boxes, I finally got a braiser to call my own. The price initially scared me, but after a few weeks of using it, it’s quickly become one of my favorite purchases ever. After some trial and error with finding the right cooking temperatures and preheating time, I’ve been reaching for the braiser for practically everything. Recent hits made in the braiser have been Xi’an Famous Foods-style cumin lamb and biang biang noodles and kimchi jjigae. I’m already looking forward to making focaccia in the pan, or even salsa-drenched enchiladas. — Rebecca Roland, associate editor
Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Braiser (3.5 qt.)
Where to Buy:
A bucket of fancy Maldon salt
Maldon’s finishing salt is so delectable and flaky, it makes me understand why wars were once fought over this ionic compound. The sea salt is still hand harvested in the English village of Maldon, and it has a pyramid-like shape that gives it a delicate crunch that’s perfect for cookies, eggs, ice cream — you name it, it could use some Maldon salt. No wonder I bought an actual bucket of the stuff. —FK
A condiment for true garlic freaks
One of my best friends came down from Portland recently and brought a bunch of local food products as gifts. Among my favorites, and the most deliciously stinkiest, is Garliki Fermented Garlic Culinary Paste. If you’re into your garlic hitting you like a city bus with broken brakes, this is for you. I’ve added bits of it to dressings, sauces, and even dared to dip a pita chip into it straight. My breath could fend off all of Wisborg’s hottest townspeople from Nosferatu. –AZ
See you next month.
