Citrus Bar Tool from Microplane
• $19.95
• Williams-Sonoma
This new tool from Microplane is a very handsome all-in-one bar tool that helps create citrus garnishes and zest - AND it opens beers. Doesn't get much more multi-tasking than that!
Faith’s Daily Find
Useful, beautiful, and tasty finds for the kitchen and table.
Hobnail Tumbler from Anthropologie
• $10
• Anthropologie
Old-fashioned and knobbly, this glass is a great way to serve up some of those strawberry basil margaritas. (Glass. Dishwasher safe. 15 oz.)
Cocchi Americano Aperitif
• $17 to $20
• Amazon.com
Cocchi Americano is an aperitif wine infused with herbs and spices. It's similar to the very popular Lillet, but I find it a little more balanced than Lillet, sweet but bracing, with notes of bitter orange.
I serve it just like Lillet - over ice with a big swipe of orange peel and a splash of soda. A lovely aperitif for a spring evening.
Q Tonic Premium Tonic Water
• $2.75 for an 8-oz bottle
• Amazon.com
Q Tonic is by far my favorite tonic water. It avoids the usual high fructose corn syrup that fills up commercial tonic waters with a cloying sweetness and uses agave syrup instead. It's not too sweet, with a sharp, herbal edge of quinine. The taste is clean yet full and not too sweet - you haven't had a really great gin and tonic until you've tried one with this stuff. See the Brooklyn founders of this newish company here, and also check out their Q Ginger Ale.
Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup
• $11
• Amazon.com
Sometimes all you need to make a cocktail is some sparkling wine and one extra-pretty thing. I like to keep a jar of these hibiscus flowers in the cupboard for last-minute aperitifs - just pour wine over a flower in a Champagne flute and you have a very pretty drink. The flowers are sweetly edible, too.
Other ideas for these: Plunk them into apple cider, or make an ice cream sundae with them.
Cake Pop Pans from Nordic Ware
• $19.95
• Sur La Table
Cake pops have become a nearly unavoidable confectionary phenomenon. But I confess I'm not a fan of their usual composition: Cake and frosting smushed together (see how to make cake pops here). These little cake pans from Nordic Ware offer the opportunity to bake less-sweet cakes or even completely savory muffin balls. Frost them and pop them on a stick and ta-da! Cake pops to satisfy all.
Happy Birthday Candle Shot Glasses from Mary Elizabeth Arts
• $38
• Etsy
Yet another way to celebrate a birthday - line these up instead of blowing out candles on a cake!
Felt Ball Birthday Garland from The Fickle Felt Tree
• $19
• Etsy
These felt ball garlands have been everywhere in the design blogs and mags lately - and yet I still like them! They're so delighfully fun. I swagged up a string of them for the holidays, and they were quite charming.
Trained Vine Candleholder from BHLDN
• $10
• BHLDN
Beautiful, classy candle holders. Lovely alone for a child's birthday cake, or in tandem for a grown-up's anniversary.
Floor Plan Studio Square Plate from Fishs Eddy
• $7.95
• Fishs Eddy
A little apartment, a little plate. This appetizer-sized plate would be perfect for a little party, in a little apartment. There's just (just!) enough room for everything.
Graphite Corkscrew from Crate and Barrel
• $6.95
• Crate and Barrel
When it comes to opening a bottle of wine, an inexpensive waiter's key is all you need. Forget the fancy pump action cork extractors; the old-fashioned waiter-style corkscrew is still the most economical option (and easiest to store). This model from Crate and Barrel is inexpensive and quite durable.
Riedel "O" Chardonnay Wine Tumbler, Set of 2
• $24.95
• Williams-Sonoma
My own personal favorite glass - it's ridiculously thin, yet beautifully resilient. It's also not too large, just the right size for a cocktail or a glass of sparkling water.
Joy Tote Bag by The Joy of Ex Foundation
• $16.30
• notonthehighstreet.com
A bag inspired by the designer's own book club! It has long handles, and is easily slung over a shoulder.
The designer says the bag carries a handful of books... or three wine bottles!
Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator
• $39.49
• Amazon.com
When I first saw these aerators I was skeptical. Sure, I understood the value of airing a bottle of wine and letting it open up. But this gadget seemed gimmicky. Then I received one for Christmas, and I tried it out on a cheap, young, tight red wine. It worked very well indeed, smoothing off the rough edges and making the wine more pleasant to drink. Since then I've used this quite a lot, mostly with cheap, big red wines, and I think that it makes a nice addition to the wine-drinker's bar.
Gemstone Magnet Set from Leif
• $36
• Leif
Do you still use magnets on your fridge? I do - it's where I pin recipe printouts when cooking, not to mention shopping lists and a reminder list of all the leftovers waiting to be eaten. I kind of love these sparkling magnets, each set unique, made of real amethyst, pyrite, quartz, geode and agate. In a sleek white kitchen, these would pop with their natural yet playful colors.
Pontormo Knife with Ox Horn Handle from Berti
• $426
• Didriks
I met some folks from this old Italian cutlery company (it has been around since 1895!) at EuroCucina and was smitten by their ox horn-handled knives. Pricey, yes, but also handmade and a true investment. When holding one of these knives you really see the difference between machine-made and handmade. This particular knife, they say, is "based on knives seen in Jacopo Pontormo’s 1525 painting “Supper at Emmaus,” which is currently on display at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence." It's ideal for cutting vegetables and sausages.
Ice Cream and Gelato Maker from Cuisinart
• $299.95
• Sur La Table
Cuisinart has long been a leading player in home ice cream machines with their inexpensive, freeze-the-bowl model that made home ice cream accessible to so many of us. Now they're breaking in to the slightly higher level ice cream makers, with this $300 compressor model. This makes batch after batch, no refreezing of the bowl required. We have a full review of this unit coming next month, but I wanted to point it out now too - ice cream season is coming up!
Parmesan & Salt Server from RSVP Endurance
• $20.15
• Amazon.com
I'm in Milan, Italy this week for Eurocucina, the big European kitchen trade show. At my first real Italian lunch after landing, I noticed the Parmesan dish that the server brought to the table. It looked just like this, with a little metal loop for carrying and pulling the dish around on the table, and an easy open lid to let you get at the Parmesan inside.
This is a great little dish for anything you want to store on the countertop - be it Parmesan, salt, sugar or spices. (Alton Brown uses one too!)
Sunny Mustard Plate Pendant Lamp Shade from GusNBoots
• $55
• Etsy
I love this one of a kind pendant lamp! It's made from a stoneware serving plate that has been paired with a brand new pendant light. So cheery, bright, and mod! Edison bulb not included.
Reclaimed Vintage Tiered Dessert Stand from Fresh Pastry Stand
• $165
• Etsy
Deva, the owner of Fresh Pastry Stand, is a Kitchn reader and when she emailed me to show me her creations I was delighted. These pastry stands are made from sweet and smart combinations of vintage china and glassware. They come apart, and Deva includes a soft bag to store the separate plates and pieces. Very charming and sweet, especially for a special party.
Soda Recipe: Homemade Ginger Ale
Recipe: Spring Fruit and Nut Tabouli
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