Teaball from Freud

• $105
• Horne

I met the folks from Freud at the last Housewares Show last spring, and I loved their handsome espresso makers and teaware. This tea ball is a showpiece for teatime. More

Good Eggs, Bad Eggs Tea Towel Set from Kinship Press

• $16
• Kinship Press

Good eggs, bad eggs — take your pick. These charming tea towels are 100% cotton flour sack towels, and each measures 30x30 inches, with a 3/8" selvage on both sides.

Machine wash, tumble dry. More

12 Storage Bowls With Clear Lids from Crate & Barrel

• $19.95 for a set of 12
• Crate & Barrel

I just bought this set of bowls to fill out my food storage setup, and they've been great. Each holds about two cups, which is just right for most leftovers, as well as small batches of salsa, sauces, and prepped ingredients. The lids are BPA-free and everything is dishwasher-safe. More

Kikkerland EZ Fold Short Step Stool

• $13.99
• Amazon

I am a rather vertically-challenged cook, and I've been getting tired of dragging a chair out of the dining room into the kitchen when I need to something down from a high cupboard. Enter this stool, which folds up and fits perfectly between the cabinets and the fridge. It's a short cook's best friend.

Weighs 2.4 pounds. Holds up to 300 pounds. More

Orange Polka Dot Paper Straws from Hey Yo Yo

• $4 for 25
• Hey Yo Yo

Paper straws have been all hot and trendy this year — just the right thing to pop into an end-of-summer mojito. But this polka dot set is even cuter than the usual striped straws; they're bubbly! More

PUG! Muddler by Chris Gallagher

• $85
• Mjolk or at designer's website

This is a fine, fine bar tool — designed by Chris Gallagher, a woodworker and sculptor. He decided to improve on the basic muddler and he turned out this lovely and effective design. It has since been used by many top bartenders and mixologists, and although it sells for a hefty price it is a great addition to the serious bartender's gear. More

Zeroll Original 2-Ounce Aluminum Ice Cream Scoop

• $15.30
• Amazon

Fans of this classic ice cream scoop swear by it and won't use any other. This aluminum scoop has heat conductive fluid sealed in the handle, making every scoop smooth and easy.

Not dishwasher safe. More

An Illustrated Guide to Cocktails from Elizabeth Graeber

• $25
• Elizabeth Graeber

Where there's a drink, there's a story. This little book, An Illustrated Guide to Cocktails, by Orr Shtuhl and Elizabeth Graeber, tells tales of cocktails and their heyday, with beautiful handdrawn illustrations and recipes from the classic margarita to the Blood & Sand. A lovely little book for the bar cart.

Perfect bound, 38 pages. More

Double Bamboo Skewers from A. Heirloom

• $16 for a set of two
• A. Heirloom

These bamboo skewers were inspired by antique hairpins, and they are designed to be used over and over — not discarded. They are best for cold foods (not grilling). Wouldn't they be beautiful holding a skewered caprese salad? Also check out the shop's mini bamboo skewers.

Each double pronged skewer is 9.5" by 1.5", and each prong is approximately 1/8" thick. More

Tie Dyed Cotton Dinner Napkin from Handy Gal Studios

• $9
• Handy Gal Studios

Tie dyed napkins? Brilliant! I'm really loving the colors of these, not to mention the practicality. One more little stain isn't going to be noticed in this riot of colors. OK, so they're probably not for Thanksgiving dinner, but they're perfect for the lunchbox.

20", cotton. More