A Case for Cloches, Vivid Pasta With Peas & a Black Sesame Latte in Portland

When you have a curated shop like ours, there’s a constant tension between what people like to discover and admire and what people buy in great quantities. I feel strongly that we should learn from—but not be overly swayed by—purchase data, otherwise we’d turn into a Staub cocotte superstore. You come to us for our thoughtfully chosen pieces, not because we have the widest selection or clearance prices. We get that you love a good cocotte and we’ll keep them in stock (promise!), but we’re going to continue working hard to show you cool products for every nook of your considered kitchen and home.

In this spirit, I’m going to ramble excitedly about a few products that I think are must-haves, even if they’re not among our best sellers. Yet!

• This fruit bowl is a handsome oval shape set on a low pedestal, which gives it a little altitude and theatrical presence on your counter. You can mix the bowl with regular platters and baskets to make a pretty still life, plus it holds a bounty of fruit, is made of recycled post-consumer plastic, and has a pleasing grooved texture.

• I used to keep our cloche up in a high cabinet, but my husband recently asked me to relocate it because we use it so often and he was tired of climbing a ladder to get it. Fair point! We use our cloche over plates of cookies, pastries, banana bread, and cakes, too. These cloches are a great everyday option since they’re shatterproof.

• I bet you own more than one wooden spoon. So why not have more than one set of sturdy measuring spoons so that you don’t have to wash them mid-recipe? Measuring spoons aren’t a high-ticket item, so go ahead and buy a few sets (I own four), remove the ring (why wash them all when you only have to clean one?), and measure to your heart’s content!

• This week will be our first Butter Week. Our first annual Butter Week, if I have my way. Our premier blog post in 2009 was about butter. It’s our spirit food. We’re going all out for Butter Week: Get ready for quirky facts about butter, the history of butter sculptures, and, naturally, our butteriest recipes.

• Milk punch, an 18th-century drink, is having a 21st-century moment in bars and restaurants all over the country. The warmly spiced punch contains milk, but is clear due to a top-secret magic trick. Cocktail expert Joanna Carpenter wrote about its history and shared a snappy recipe (best served in these slender Nick & Nora glasses).

• We have a whole bunch of talented cooks and food people joining the Food52 family. I hope you'll check out Lucas Sin, who will be creating recipes for us from his base in Hong Kong; Melina Hammer, who's cooking seasonal, ingredient-driven recipes from her home in upstate New York; Zach Johnston, who's exploring the world of coffee for us; and Harper Fendler, who'll be serving up rivers of scintillating cocktails.

• Commerce Editor Julia Gómez Kramer launched our new “Tools of the Trade” column featuring pastry pro Pippa Allen’s 8 at-home baking essentials.

• The Korean coffee pouch trend.

• This Pasta with Green Pea Sauce recipe, which beckons spring without demanding any of its ingredients.

• A recent New York City find: Cocoa Store, a chocolate store on the sixth floor of a building on Broadway. Make an appointment and you can taste rarified chocolates from all over the world. 873 Broadway, 6th floor

• I travel to Portland, Oregon about once a month to work on product development at our sister company, Schoolhouse. I call these trips my mental spa getaways because the long flights allow me to catch up on work and reading, and my post-work wanderings give me a chance to check out new stores, bakeries, and restaurants. I dine mostly alone (my version of self-care). Here’s my current list and what to order:

Less and More Coffee: the black sesame latte.
Street Disco: the splendid Caesar and one of their inventive cocktails.
Takibi: the shaved onion salad, all the fish, and the tofu donuts.
Lilia Comedor: the pork collar carnitas.
kann: akra (fritters), peanut creamed greens, and everything else on the menu, too!
Electrica (located in our Schoolhouse store!): the Saikyo latte, made with miso caramel.

You still with me? If so, thank you. See ya in two weeks!
Amanda

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