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Welcome to What’s New, our column where we round up the latest in food products, beverages, and kitchen and cooking tools.
In this June edition of What's New, learn about a sleek whistling tea kettle from KitchenAid, a good-looking cast-iron pan from Our Place, and some intense dessert nachos from Guy Fieri. As a reminder, some of these items we’ve tried, and some are so new that we haven’t gotten our sweaty little hands on them yet. Regardless, all of the products mentioned are from brands that we know and love. Whether you’re in search of a gift for your favorite dinner party host or you just like to keep your pantry on trend, consider this a timely shopping guide.
KitchenAid Whistling Tea Kettle
You know KitchenAid for its elite stand mixers (and I happen to love the cordless hand mixer). Their latest release? A sleek, modernist 1.9-quart stovetop tea kettle. The body is made of brushed stainless steel for superior heat retention, but the base is made of thick aluminum for faster boiling; it’s also induction compatible. The tight-fitting lid whistles when your water reaches 212°F. Keep this thing on the stove for your morning coffee, tea, and oatmeal. —Tiffany Hopkins, commerce writer
Vermont Creamery Vanilla Crème Fraîche
Crème fraîche cannot be improved upon. (Me, outside crème fraîche’s door: “To me, you are perfect.”) Or so I thought, until I tried Vermont Creamery’s Madagascar vanilla crème fraîche. It’s flecked with vanilla bean seeds and just barely sweetened with cane sugar. This past weekend I dolloped spoonfuls onto grilled designer peaches, and even my fruit-skeptical spouse asked for seconds. Use it anywhere you’d use whipped cream for a dose of richness coupled with the unbeatable sour tang of cultured dairy. —MacKenzie Chung Fegan, senior commerce editor
Tingly Sichuan Salt
Whether it’s Zhong sauce, chili crisp, or black vinegar, we can’t get enough of Fly By Jing. Needless to say, we’re excited about their new Tingly Sichuan Salt, which is a combination of hand-picked numbing Tribute peppers and kosher sea salt from Jacobsen Salt Co. (another brand we keep in heavy rotation). Like the rest of FBJ’s lineup, we imagine this spicy seasoning is delicious on just about everything from grilled chicken to fried eggs to roasted veggies. Catch me using it to salt my margarita rims all summer long. —T.H.
Nikka Miyagikyo Limited Edition Peated Single Malt
In the lead-up to its 90th anniversary in 2024, Nikka Whisky is getting a little freaky. The historic Japanese brand distills its single malts at two different locations; the whisky that emerges from their Yoichi distillery on the northern island of Hokkaido makes use of peated malt (although it’s nowhere near as smoky as a robust Islay Scotch), and you can taste the salinity of the nearby ocean. Nestled in the mountains near Sendai, Miyagikyo distillery makes a brighter, elegant whisky that tastes of orchard fruits. For this limited release, Nikka’s done a swapperoo, sending unpeated barley to Yoichi and peated to Miyagikyo. The unpeated Yoichi single malt is lovely, but it’s the peated Miyagikyo that is a complete stunner—gently smoky, roundly fruity, and worth every cent. —M.C.F.
Haand Cloudware Collection
When it comes to setting an aesthetically pleasing table, handmade ceramic dinnerware is hard to beat. We love Haand’s porcelain pieces for their quirkily uneven edges, eccentric colors, and the fact that no two items are exactly alike. The new Cloudware Collection is no exception. Each piece is glazed in marbleized deep blue and white to look like a summery afternoon sky. In this collection you’ll find bowls, mugs, vases, and more—all meant to be used and admired. Did we mention they’re offering 15% off sitewide until July 1? —T.H.
Guy Fieri Dessert Trash Can Nachos
I was heretofore unfamiliar with the concept of a “trash can nacho,” but I am nothing if not a lifelong learner. Taking matters a step further, the Mayor of Flavortown—and Tom Brady’s upcoming cinematic costar—recently dared to ask the question, “What if nachos, but dessert?” The result is this multitiered assemble-it-yourself bonanza from Goldbelly, which comes with mascarpone cream; chocolate and caramel sauces; brownie, toffee, pretzel, and cannoli pieces; and a cylindrical metal “trash can” for assembly. Layer the ingredients guided by the spirit of Guy, unmold your tower of dessert nachos, and go nuts. —M.C.F.
Cast-Iron Always Pan
Our Place’s nonstick 8-in-1 Always pan braises, sears, steams, fries, and more. Now it’s available in cast iron form, which means it’s oven safe up to 500 degrees and can handle a few tasks the original nonstick version couldn’t—like roasting, baking, and broiling. The interior is made with black matte enameled cast iron that doesn’t require seasoning, and the glossy exterior comes in six different colors including dusky pink, creamy oatmeal, and earthy green. The cast iron Always Pan also comes with a modular glass lid, a beechwood spatula, and silicone grips for safely maneuvering it from the stove to the oven to the dinner table. —T.H.
Ghia The First Sip Kit
It’s prime park-drinking season, but sometimes <whispers> I don’t want to drink all day long. That’s when I grab a can of spritzy nonalcoholic Ghia soda or Ghia ginger from the cooler. Bitter and fizzy, they hit the same pleasure centers as a Cynar spritz but without any of the booze. If you haven’t tried Ghia yet, this new tasting kit is a great place to start. It includes two cans of each of their ready-to-drink bevs, plus a scaled-down bottle of Ghia apéritif so you can mix your own no- or low-ABV cocktails at home. —M.C.F.
Kwame x Tilit Apron
Chef Kwame Onwuachi has been busy. Last month he released My America (one of the best cookbooks of the year so far). This month he partnered with chef wear brand Tilit to launch a limited edition apron, available in lavender, white or mist gray. The design is a nod to Onwuachi’s love of ’90s pop art, and the print incorporates images of some of his favorite foods (sushi), ingredients (okra), and sayings (“DON’T F**KING LABEL ME”). —T.H.
