While planning for my recent summer cabin experience, there was one tool I made sure to pack: an oven thermometer. In fact, I rarely leave home without it when I know I'll be using the oven in an unfamiliar kitchen. 

We're into wedding season now, which means bridal showers, honeymoon send-offs, and housewarming parties. A set of these hand-painted ceramic measuring cups or spoons from Chicago-based 7 Doors Studio would make sweet one-of-a-kind gift, particularly for animal lovers!

We know it's important to conserve space when traveling, particularly if you're flying or backpacking and don't have the space luxury of a car. But that doesn't mean you have to give up the supplies you'd need to take advantage of an impromptu picnic opportunity. These five picnic essentials are small, light, and totally portable, so you can be ready for a picnic whenever, wherever!

Would it surprise you to learn that the maker of the flour sifter or cheese grater your great-great grandmother may have used is still in business? Jacob Bromwell is the oldest housewares company in America, and one of only a handful of kitchenware companies that still manufacture all their products in the US. 

It wasn't that long ago that you could pick up old blue canning jars for just a few quarters at your local thrift shop. Now they're a hot vintage item and you're likely to pay ten times that amount or more, if you can even find them. But the blue jar situation is no longer so difficult, or expensive, thanks to Ball, the 125 year old producer of canning equipment. In honor of the 100 year anniversary of the first Ball canning jar, they've released the vintage-style-but-brand-new blue-toned Heritage Jar collection.

I'm a serious person. I was forty years old in my own mind by the time I was in first grade. But having children has made me a little more fun. We spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and they've found some silly kitchen tools that make me smile and are just as functional as their more mature counterparts.

I absolutely love the smooth chicness of anything matte black, particularly in the kitchen. With so much that's already bright and shiny in that room — stainless steel appliances! Shimmering tile! Glossy ceramic plates! — I find matte textures a welcome diversion. They're understated yet still glamorous. Here are a few matte black kitchen and dining things I've had my eye on lately, from a simple faceted vase to a mind-blowing Bertazzoni range. (Guess which one I will not be purchasing anytime soon.)

I'm married to a scientist, so that fact that I haven't thought of this until now is kind of embarrassing. I currently have a 1000ml Pyrex beaker (well, technically a flask) that I brought home from a wedding. (The bride and groom — also scientists — used them as flower vases at the reception.) I'd been using it as a vase, too, when suddenly it dawned on me. These are actually perfect prep tools for cooking! They're non-porous, heat-, cold-, and crack-resistant, have easy-to-read measurements on the side, and a spout for pouring. So why aren't more people using them in the kitchen? Here are 3 reasons why we should all start: 

I am so obsessed with whisks. I have, at last count, seven whisks — including one spiral sauce whisk that is still buried in our moving boxes and I miss rather desperately. I use my whisks of varied sizes and shapes all the time for dressings, sauces, and yes, puddings, so this plethora of wire is not just for show. I'm always looking for an excuse to buy a new whisk, and so this incredibly clever design caught my eye — do you see what it does? 

Spring is in the air, finally! In celebration, I went looking for verdant and vibrant kitchen things in all shades of green. Here's to the end of dark, grey days and the beginning of a beautiful season — outside and in your kitchen!