Having people over for dinner entails more than just providing a meal and somewhere to eat it. It's a whole experience, from the invite to the last goodbye at the door. A subtle but important consideration is setting the overall tone for the evening and nothing does that like the pre-dinner beverage. These days I'm a fan of offering a simple aperitif before dinner which strikes a nice balance between simplicity and elegance.

So, what is an aperitif and how does it differ from a cocktail?

Item: Nobel Glass Travel Thermos
Price: 16oz thermos: $34.50, 12oz thermos: $29.50
Overall Impression: A stylish and functional way to tote your tea!

I have to admit that I was initially drawn to the Nobel Glass Travel Thermos on looks alone. Sleek and elegant, the thermos consists of a simple double-walled glass column topped with a bamboo lid. Even the small etched logo is unobtrusive and sits quietly towards the bottom. But my superficial admiration was quickly followed by curiosity. I had of course seen double-walled glass used in cups and glasses but never in a travel mug. And the little brew basket tucked into the top meant they were pitching it towards people interested in loose leaf, quality tea. This definitely called for further investigation.

Last week's meditation was all about slowing down and spending the entire morning eating honeyed toast in bed. This week finds me all speedy and mashed up against deadlines and obligations. A complete 180. So it is in this life; sometimes all languid and spacious, other times hip-hoppy and intense.

The truth is, had Anjali not already taken the immersion blender and Emma the kitchen scale, I would been writing about one of those beloved and well-used appliances right now. But the more I think about it, the appliance I next turned to actually gets more use than anything else in my kitchen. It's the first thing I touch in the morning and, since I work from home, it gets regular use throughout the day. Praise be for my Chef's Choice Electric Kettle!

Despite the advice of self-help books and mindfulness coaches, when we have a meal completely to ourselves, we rarely enjoy the singular task of just eating with all our attention on the food. Most of us have at least one other companion at the table with us and usually that companion is an inanimate but distracting object in the form of TV or the newspaper.

I try to always have a few packages of Almondina Biscuits in the Original flavor in my pantry. I've lost count of the times they've rescued me when I've needed a last minute dessert or something to pass with a little cheese and wine before dinner. Almondina biscuits are one of those handy versatile items that can take you from breakfast to dessert, stopping off for afternoon tea and cocktails along the way.

Read on for a few tips on how you can use these delicious, crispy, savory/sweet wafers!

We know from this post that The Kitchn readers are divided when it comes to guests helping out in the kitchen during a party. But what about the washing up afterwards? Do you gladly accept an offer to help or are you happy to do it on your own, in peace and quiet?

As much as I can, I carefully guard my Sunday mornings from any form of hustle and ambition. No alarm clocks, no obligations, nothing tugging at my sleeve. Even brunch plans are carefully negotiated into a late lunch time slot. I am adamant: Sunday mornings are reserved for a gentle, gradual wake-up on a gentle, quiet schedule. Slow entry. Sloth time. There's nowhere to go and nothing to do but make endless cups of tea to be drunk in bed with whichever novel I've been trying to finish propped up on my knees.

I can wallow in this quiet bliss for a couple of long and lazy hours until hunger arrives, usually in the form of a rather alarmingly loud stomach gurgle. Oh right. Breakfast! Time for phase two of the lazy Sunday morning: toast with butter and honey.

What do you call that sweet fizzy stuff that you order with your hamburger or purchase by the can in the vending machine? Soda? Pop? Coke? (Even if it isn't specifically a Coca-Cola?) Your answer might depend on where you live or where you grew up.

Like many people I occasionally (often?) find myself faced with the classic dinner dilemma: It is 6:00pm, I'm hungry, and I haven't even begun to plan dinner. How can I get something on the table relatively fast without a lot of fuss and bother? My secret weapon in these moments is to reach for a favorite ingredient — sausage!