When it comes to desserts, nothing says “summer” quite like ice cream. Cold, creamy, and satisfying, the quintessential sweet treat can’t help but conjure memories of childhood. But there’s no need to wait for the nostalgic jangle of an approaching ice cream truck to satisfy your cravings; with all the excellent, artisanal ice cream options available in stores these days, you’ll likely be more satisfied just serving yourself. With that in mind, we asked some of our favorite ice cream experts—Michael Palmer, CEO and owner of McConnell’s, Christina Seid, owner of Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, and Tyler Malek, co-founder of Salt & Straw—to share their go-to ice cream scoop. The overarching pick: Zeroll’s 1020 Original Ice Cream Scoop. Read on to find out why it’s considered the best ice cream scoop among pros and to get the scoop on a few other prime options.

• Best Overall: Zeroll 1020 Original Ice Cream Scoop
• Best Value: OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop
• Best Design: Belle-V Ice Cream Scoop
• Best Functionality: Midnight Scoop Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop
• Best Durability: Sur La Table Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Zeroll 1020 Original Ice Cream Scoop

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Material: Aluminum Alloy | Capacity: 2 ounces | Dishwasher Safe: No

Why we chose it: A classic scoop that easily cuts through hard ice cream, and is warmed by the palm of your hand.

There was no debate among our experts over the superiority of this scoop, and with good reason. For starters, it’s been available since 1933, and the patented design featured a conductive fluid in the handle that warms to roll the ice cream, rather than compress it. While there are a lot of more intricate options out there—think: fancy triggers and creative shapes—the Zeroll “provides the perfect ergonomics and a sharp, even blade that cuts through the ice cream,” says Malek. What more could you want?

Best Value: OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop

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Material: Stainless Steel | Capacity: 1.6 ounces | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Why we chose it: A nonstick handle gives extra traction when scooping, while the pointed shape makes it easy to get every last bite from the corners of the carton.

If you’ve got fidgety hands, the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Ice Cream scoop is the scoop for you. It features a pointed tip that easily scoops ice cream and flat edges designed to reach deep into the crevices of any container to collect every last bite. The comfortable, nonstick grip is easy to hold and helps position your hand for a tight grip with minimal effort and strain. Sturdy and heavy, this scoop gives you great leverage.

Best Design: Belle-V Ice Cream Scoop

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Material: Stainless Steel | Capacity: 3 ounces | Dishwasher Safe: Not recommended

Why we chose it: An heirloom-quality scoop that’s as beautiful as it is easy to use.

With its angled head and unique shape, Belle-V’s Ice Cream Scoop is beautiful, durable, and highly functional. Made of hand-polished stainless steel, it has a weighted sculpted handle and spade-shaped leading edge to easily scoop and access tough-to-reach areas. Adds Palmer: “It’s great for showing off your scooping prowess at a summer ice cream party.” Your guests are sure to be impressed.

Best Functionality: Midnight Scoop Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop

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Material: Stainless Steel | Capacity: 3 ounces | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Why we chose it: The shape of the scoop and handle are designed to relieve pressure on the wrists when scooping hard ice cream, while turning heads around a tub of ice cream.

You can’t put a price on quality, and the Midnight Scoop allows you to utilize your arms and shoulders to ergonomically dig into the ice cream for maximum scoopage. The curved handle is specially designed to plow through ice cream, and the spear-shaped front is capable of piercing rock-hard surfaces. It’s no wonder, then, that this scoop was featured as one of Oprah’s favorite things.

Best Durability: Sur La Table Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop

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Material: Stainless Steel | Capacity: .5 or .37 ounces | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Why we chose it: A precise option for ice cream that doubles as a multi-functional tool in the kitchen.

The Sur La Table Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop is built to last, and frankly, we expect nothing less from the purveyor of luxury cookware. Made of sturdy stainless steel, the scoop comes equipped with a handy spring lever to serve up optimum-sized, picture-perfect portions every single time. It works wonders for ice cream, but can also be used for cookie dough, muffins, and meatballs. The possibilities are endless.

Features to Keep in Mind When Shopping for Ice Cream Scoops

Solid vs. mechanical vs. heated

The simpler the scoop, the better. Mechanical ice cream scoops often break, while heated scoops are considered a hoax by many insiders. “Even if [heated scoops] did work, they’d just melt ice cream instead of properly scooping it,” says Malek. He also cautions against using a scoop with a pointy tip. “It can lead to major wrist injury when it twists out of control on you.”

Handle design

Whether the handle is metal or rubber, the most important thing to keep in mind is a tight grip. “Make sure the handle fits nicely in your hand and doesn’t wiggle or twist,” says Malek.

Material

Throwing a party? If you’re going to be scooping a lot, Palmer advises using a solid, single-piece cast aluminum scoop, like the Zeroll.

Ask the Experts

Q: Why did my ice cream scoop turn black?

According to Palmer, this can happen when an aluminum scoop gets oxidized. “It’s just a superficial tarnish,” he says. “Take a clean dish towel with some vinegar or Bar Keepers Friend and your trusty scoop will look brand new in no time.” Malek assures us that discoloration is totally common. “If anything, it proves that you’ve got some ice cream street cred,” he says.

Q: What’s the best way to clean an ice cream scoop?

Because most scoops are either cast in aluminum or stainless steel, Malek recommends steering clear of the dishwasher. “I always hand-wash my scoops to ensure they’re not damaged and keep a nice long life,” he says. Both Seid and Palmer suggest cleaning with water and mild dish soap.

Our Take

Whether you’re scooping dozens of scoops at a party or simply making yourself a cone, the right ice cream scoop will save you (and your wrist) from stress. Our favorite, the Zeroll, is ergonomic to relieve stress on the hand and wrist during repetitive movement, the most important feature in an ice cream scoop in our opinion. Others, like OXO’s scoop, have a sturdy, flexible rubber grip for those who need a little more traction while scooping. Regardless of quantity, these are the scoops to get you through summer, no matter how cold the ice cream or arduous the task.

The post The Best Ice Cream Scoop Is an Under-$20 Classic appeared first on Saveur.

The best anchovies are pleasantly salty, umami-rich, plump, and luxuriating in good-quality olive oil or salt—ready for snacking or mixing into a bright vinaigrette or dip. They’re tinned or jarred, but they taste fresh; they’re a commodity with European panache, and tastes of the coasts from which they came, whether it’s the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Spain, or Italy’s Amalfi Coast. 

There’s also a booming anchovy scene in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the season runs roughly from April to October. There, they are the star of The Anchovy Bar, a culmination of the chef Stuart Brioza’s longstanding love affair with the oily little fish. Brioza receives anchovies at maximum freshness, less than an hour from having been in the water. “We cure our own during the season and serve them as fresh boquerones,” says Brioza. “We use lime juice, not vinegar. That’s the sort of heart and soul and inspiration of The Anchovy Bar, the Bay Area local anchovies.”

But when anchovy season is over in the Bay Area, Brioza brings in the best cured anchovies from around the world to pinch-hit, primarily sourced from Spain and Italy. “The goal was to really focus on ingredients that have strong ties to a specific place and that have either transformed or make that cuisine,” says Brioza. Based on his recommendations and our own depth of knowledge, we tested over a dozen anchovies to choose the very best, from budget grocery staples to traditional hand-processed delicacies from Europe. 

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Callol Serrats L’Escala Anchovies
• Best Splurge: Don Bocarte Cantabrian Anchovies
• Best Grocery Store Brand: Ortiz Anchovy Fillets
• Best for Cooking: Delfino Battista Anchovy Fillets

Best Overall: Callol Serrats L’Escala Anchovies

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Quantity: 8–10 fillets per tin |  Region: L’Escala, Spain | Flavor: Clean ocean, tangy salt

Why we chose it: The plump texture and mellow saltiness make these anchovies stars of the show, best eaten out of the tin or draped across pan con tomate. 

One of the oldest producers in the Spanish town of L’Escala, which is known for its anchovies, Callol Serrats are a combination of Cantabrian anchovies caught in the local Mediterranean Sea and the Costa Brava, and cured for about six to nine months. “This renders a plumper anchovy, a little more rustic of an anchovy,” says Brioza. “The longer they’re cured, the more the skin really molts off, and they are pinker/redder with less time.” During the tasting, these were consistently described as plump, pleasantly salty, and sassy, with a springy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. 

Best Splurge: Don Bocarte Cantabrian Anchovies

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Quantity: 10-12 fillets per tin | Region: Bay of Biscay, Spain, and the Mediterranean Sea | Flavor: Buttery, mellow saltiness 

Pros

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• Firm but giving texture
• Mellow saltiness
• Excellent olive oil that’s great for dipping and drizzling

Cons

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• Expensive
• Can be hard to find

Why we chose it: The absolute Cadillac of anchovies with a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a clean, not overly salty taste.

Don Bocarte is highly favored among chefs, including Brioza, who serves them at The Anchovy Bar atop a creamy white bean anchoiade that’s been slathered onto fried sourdough and topped with long-roasted broccolini and orange zest. Part of their appeal is a longer cure time. “Essentially great anchovies are just salt and anchovies, and what makes great anchovies is the selection of the fish, the fishing and handling of anchovies, and the time from the moment they’re plucked from the water to the time they’re preserved in salt.” Their size is another factor, says Brioza, and the fact that they are tinned, not canned (which means that they never go through a heating process). ”Don Bocarte is after a very specific size and obviously they shrink as they’re cured; the whole process is all by hand,” says Brioza. “Hence the price tag.”

Best Value: Ortiz Anchovy Fillets

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Quantity: 3.3 oz jar | Region: Bay of Biscay, Spain | Flavor: Highly salty, deep ocean  

Why we chose it:  While slightly more expensive than other commonly available brands, Ortiz has the quality and versatility to justify being called the best bang for your buck.

Hailing from Northern Spain, Ortiz is most often found in jars, often with a tiny anchovy fork attached for easy removal. These filets have a firm bite, and good texture, according to testers, as well as a salty, deep ocean flavor. While clearly less bespoke than other brands like Don Bocarte and Callo Serrats, they stood up in both texture and flavor, and the olive oil in the jar is high quality as well. Testers felt they’d be good for sauce, with the right amount of saltiness and umami without being overly fishy. 

Best for Cooking: Delfino Battista Anchovy Fillets

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Quantity: 14.5 oz jar | Region: Cetara, Amalfi Coast, Italy | Flavor: Salty, clean umami

Why we chose it: A high-quality, multi-purpose anchovy that’s packed in sunflower oil and ideal for inclusion in almost anything. 

“These are my workhorse anchovies,” says Brioza. “I’ll make a caesar dressing with these anchovies. I’ll make a little anchovy salsa, a puttanesca sauce, or top a deviled egg with these. They’re not center of the plate anchovies, but they’re delicious, a little saltier.” Tasters agreed that these anchovies had a “clean taste,” and smooth texture with just enough saltiness. These are great for whizzing into a spread or dip like Brioza’s anchoiade recipe. Testers described these as oily and luxurious in the mouth, and not overpoweringly salty.

Runners-Up

The anchovies that scored least favorable among testers were both the cheapest and mass-produced, as well as the most available on grocery store shelves. No surprises there: You usually get what you pay for, but anchovies might be one of the best examples of quality that increases proportionally with price. The carefully caught anchovies that are immediately hand-processed and packed with high-quality olive oil won the taste test hands down. However, that doesn’t mean that brands like Cento, Roland, or Crown Prince aren’t worth keeping on hand in the kitchen. They’re perfectly serviceable in a batch of sauce or dressings—not eating on their own— but they won’t provide ‘wow’ factor or change the mind of anyone who doesn’t already love anchovies. All three had spikey bones, extreme salt content, and very fishy-smelling oil in their tins.

How We Chose These Products

We spoke with chef Stuart Brioza, chef-owner of San Francisco’s The Anchovy Bar for his insight and recommendations; Brioza has traveled to the production facilities for many of the anchovies recommended and tasted his way through dozens to find the very best to use in his restaurant. He also has a deep knowledge of the little fish and cures his own. A group of tasters, including contributing editor Ellen Fort, blind-tasted over a dozen different anchovies to determine the very best in terms of flavor and texture.

Features to Keep in Mind When Shopping for Anchovies

Salinity Level

After anchovies are harvested, they’re cured in salt for 6-12 months, depending on the producer. When the anchovies are “ripe”, they’re rinsed and tinned or jarred in olive oil, or packed in salt once more. During this process the anchovies shrink as the salt dehydrates them, giving them a concentrated, fishy, salty taste. When cooking with anchovies, like a pasta sauce or salad dressing, it’s a good idea to taste them on their own to determine their salinity to avoid oversalting your dish.

Texture

Texture is a surprisingly important component of what makes an anchovy one of the very best. The best anchovies are free of bones with a plump, toothsome texture. Good quality anchovies should retain their shape, even when removed from the tin with a blunt instrument (one reason the aforementioned Ortiz forks are handy). Our testers identified texture as one of the main differentiators between the mass-produced brands like King Oscar and Crown Prince versus hand-processed brands like Don Bocarte and Callols Serrats. 

Freshness

Anchovies are tinned, not canned, which means that they are sterilized and sealed but are not heat treated. As a result, it’s best to keep tins and jars of anchovies in a cool or refrigerated space until they are opened; once opened, make sure that they remain covered in oil or brine and tightly sealed in the refrigerator to maintain freshness. An unopened container will continue to cure until opened, much like wine or cheese, though the texture of the anchovies may degrade over time. 

Salt-Packed or Oil

While both are excellent methods of preserving anchovies, oil-packed are Brioza’s choice. “They’re doing the least amount of work [with salt-packed],” says Brioza. “They’re kind of like a peel and eat shrimp: they do have value there’s just a lot more work on your end. [Salt-packed] are still on the spine, and need to be to soaked and peeled and tossed with olive oil. I think they have incredible value, but I haven’t found one that I’m in love with that has been a ‘center of the plate anchovy’.” Brioza’s choices for use at The Anchovy Bar—Don Bocarte, Delfina Battista, and Callol Serrats—are all packed in oil and ready for immediate use. 

Sustainably Sourced 

Anchovies are sustainable by nature: They are small schooling fish that are often caught as bycatch while fishing for the larger fish that like to feed upon them. The producers based in Cantabria and the Mediterranean Sea are forced to keep their fishing local because of the importance of processing the fish while fresh during the season.

Ask the Experts

Q: Why are anchovies so salty?

Anchovies are cured in salt after they’ve been harvested and had their heads and innards removed. They’re laid flat in large drums, layered in sea salt, and allowed to cure for anywhere from 4-12 months, depending on the size of the anchovy. The salt removes water from the fish during this time, deeply concentrating the flavor. They’re washed and dried before they’re then submerged in olive oil and tinned or jarred, but the salt-cure remains a very prevalent component.  

Q: How do you eat anchovies?

Anchovies can be consumed a variety of ways. The highest quality anchovies are a treat—albeit salty—straight from the tin, or simply on a piece of good bread spread with great butter.

Q: How long do anchovies last in the fridge?

As with most cured and preserved items, anchovies can improve over time in the fridge. However, it’s best not to let them linger too long after opening. Make sure to keep any leftover anchovies covered in oil or brine to prevent spoilage. Ortiz recommends eating opened anchovies within five days of opening, while others recommend several weeks. Just make sure there’s no mold or rancid fishy smells (you’ll know the difference between regular fishiness, we promise) before consuming.

Q: Do I have to cook anchovies?

No. Anchovies are already cured and preserved, whether in salt or olive oil. However, cooking with anchovies is a great way to add a punch of umami to a dish, that nutty, salty, earthy component that makes things like pasta with garlic, anchovies, and chili flakes, really pop. Besides pasta sauces, preparations like caesar dressing, dips, or spreads are also great uses. Brioza uses them in all those ways and more, including an anchovy salsa that’s an adapted version of a bagna cauda from chef Renee Erickson that incorporates currants, hazelnuts, chopped anchovies, garlic, and parsley served on raw slivers of fennel or apples. 

Q: What country has the best anchovies?

While the Northern Anchovy can be found in various parts of the world, Brioza ascertains that the best anchovies come from Spain, specifically Cantabria, the Northern coast. “Cantabrian anchovies are gorgeous, these are from Northern Spain and they are a type of anchovy that is sort of superior to all anchovies in the world, mainly because of their size. The size of them can be six or seven inches long which is big compared to the anchovies we see here in the Bay Area that are four to five inches long, and that makes all the difference.” 

Our Take

While the best anchovies are harder to get and cost a little more, the payoff is worth it for fans of tinned fish, and are easily the star of a dish where they’re draped across a toast, salad, or deviled egg. If you plan to use your anchovies in applications where they might take second fiddle to other ingredients, like a cooked tomato sauce, then standbys like Cento or Ortiz will certainly do it justice. Regardless of which you choose, this list has many fine fish.

The post The Best Anchovies Are Perfect on Their Own appeared first on Saveur.

Geometric color blocks abut in a soft patchwork prism of reds, pinks, blues, and grays, each section of cotton fabric bonded to the next by impossibly tiny stitches. The quilt gracing the entrance to Nashville’s Audrey was sewed by Andrea Williams, a descendant of a member of the famed Alabama quilting collective, Gee’s Bend.

Standing beneath the abstract piece, diners might notice the rich, earthy fragrance of vetiver and the faint chirping of crickets. With these, chef Sean Brock aims to transport his guests to the woods of Appalachia. “The second you walk in the door, I’ve got your ears and your nose and your eyes,” says Brock. “I’m slowly creeping you into Appalachia piece by piece, and surrounding you with things that make me feel comfortable and at home.” 

Audrey, named after the James Beard Award-winner’s grandmother, opened in 2021. Enthusiasm for Brock’s cooking shows no sign of waning, but here, it’s about more than the food. In addition to Williams’ quilt, Brock’s Southern—and particularly Appalachian—art collection also includes works from Butch Anthony, Jimmy Lee Sudduth, and Mose Tolliver. Sharing this collection with restaurant guests was a crucial part of the Audrey plan since day one, when Brock asked the project’s design team to display and light the artwork as though the dining room were a museum. 

For Brock, who grew up in rural Virginia, Audrey’s immersive and transportive experience is the point, complementing a regionally-inspired menu peppered with familiar fare like heirloom grits, pan-fried catfish with turnip greens, and chicken and dumplings, tweaked and concentrated into finely tuned versions of themselves. The chef has a particular fascination with Sudduth. The 20th-century Alabaman artist and blues musician painted on old doors, cabinets, and other building supplies, incorporating grass, charcoal, and even berries and mustard into his paints. “Every time I look at one of his paintings,” he says, “I think I should be able to do that with a head of cabbage.”

The post This Nashville Restaurant Is Basically an Appalachian Art Gallery with Amazing Food appeared first on Saveur.

Nashville, “Music City,” has long been a haven for musicians and songwriters, but these days my hometown is also experiencing a surge of culinary talent. A decade or two ago, finding handrolls made with fish from Tokyo or natural wine by the glass was a challenge. Now, we’re in business, with more options coming down the pike at a rapid pace.

Born and raised in Nashville, I spent my childhood digging into plates of fried chicken with sides of squash casserole and turnip greens at Elliston Place Soda Shop, and meandering out to Highway 100 for a plate of biscuits at Loveless Cafe—establishments that have fed this city for generations. We’ve always eaten well here, but as the city has changed—becoming more international, and influenced by the East and West Coasts—so have its tastes, expanding beyond the down-home cooking visitors might expect. 

That’s a good thing. Ours is a vibrant dining scene that caters to all tastes and budgets, from experimental fine dining to tried-and-true lunch counters. There are way more than 13 excellent places to visit in Nashville, so use this as your primer to getting a taste of Music City. Whether you’re craving a plate of hot chicken from Prince’s or artfully arranged Appalachian food from chef Sean Brock, Nashville has it.

Elliston Place Soda Shop

2105 Elliston Place, Nashville, TN 37203
(615)-219-2704

Aside from hot chicken, Nashville’s other hometown food is the “meat ‘n’ three,” a plate lunch consisting of a protein and three sides. The Southern classic is a specialty of The Elliston Place Soda Shop. Opened in 1935, it is one of the few remaining (and best examples) of the genre. Generations of Nashvillians have graced the red leather booths and black-and-white-tiled floors over the years, tended to by staff that feels like it turns over about once a century. (Ms. Linda, “the pie lady,” still makes her beloved coconut meringue pies every morning.) Though Elliston Place moved to a newer space next door a few years ago, it still features the soda counter and pressed tin ceiling, which makes the milkshakes, sundaes, and off-menu Elmer—all made with ice cream from Nashville’s Purity Dairy—taste like the good old days.

International Market

2013 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212
(615)-297-4453

International Market introduced Nashvillians to Thai food in the 1970s, when it opened on Belmont Boulevard serving an exceptionally affordable steam table lunch of Thai and Chinese dishes. Now, with a new location (across the street) and new ownership (Anna and Arnold Myint, children of the original owners), the restaurant incorporates high-quality local meats and produce in an updated setting—though thankfully the original mustard-and-orange bench seating came along for the ride. The kitchen is now a proving ground for chef Arnold Myint, a recent James Beard Semifinalist. Menu items venture beyond the typical selections of curries with five-spice duck lo mein, shrimp and pineapple curry, and red curry rice ball wraps. At lunch, diners can choose from the classic steam table option or order from the menu; nighttime brings table service with Singhas and craft cocktails.

Locust

2305 12th Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37204
(No phone)

At Locust, chef Trevor Moran created his own culinary genre blending influences from Japan to his native Ireland. I’ve eaten briny Belon oysters that tasted—pleasantly—like licking a battery; a roast sole served with morels and uni; and a bowl of tiny sea snails served with toothpicks and spicy salt. The DIY beef tartare handrolls—freshly ground bottom round, fluffy rice, and smoky pickled egg cream, plus freeze-dried capers and nori for rolling—are a must, as is the tuna crisp, featuring house-cured slices of tuna loin and belly atop a fried wonton crisp slathered with horseradish. The chefs deliver these dishes to the tables themselves to an eclectic soundtrack featuring everything from Meat Loaf to old-school hip-hop. The drink list is heavy on natural wines, though my go-to is the Toki Highball cocktail or a can of sake. In homage to Moran’s birthplace, there’s also Guinness by the pint, and Irish gin and tonics compete with Orion beer and sake cups.

Kisser

747 Douglas Ave., Suite 105B, Nashville, TN 37207
(No phone)

The diminutive Kisser, modeled after a Japanese kissaten, a neighborhood spot serving comfort food where locals can eat, drink, and hang out, has been a smash hit since opening in 2023. After spending years in some of the best kitchens in L.A. and Nashville, co-owner couple Brian Lea and Leina Horii decided to focus on their own vision. Inspired in part by Horii’s family sushi restaurant in California, the menu blends traditional Japanese cuisine and their fine-dining techniques with dishes like onigiri stuffed with snow crab and avocado, a perfectly crispy chicken katsu sandwich on fluffy housemade milk bread, and bowls of udon in delicate broth. It’s one of the best places in town to enjoy fresh fish, particularly the chirashi bowl brimming with pristine sashimi and glistening salmon roe. Make sure to end your meal with a green melon-cream soda or a crackly miso crème brûlée. 

Folk

823 Meridian St., Nashville, TN 37207
(615)-610-2595

Folk is a neighborhood gem that Nashville needs now more than ever as hotels and chains threaten to take hold of the dining scene. The restaurant is perched on a quiet corner in East Nashville’s McFerrin Park and welcomes diners with wood-fired sourdough-crust pizzas—my favorite is adorned with Little Neck clams, parsley, bonito, and lemon—and rustic Italian-leaning dishes like Marcella beans with spicy pepper relish, bouncy focaccia with whipped ricotta, and more. From the high-ceilinged dining room, adorned with paper lanterns and exposed brick walls, you can glimpse the bustling kitchen and blazing pizza oven. Natural wines and classic cocktails are the move at the bar, where the afternoon light streams in during the daily apéro hour. The crowd of shockingly healthy houseplants are as well-nourished as the patrons. 

Redheaded Stranger

305 Arrington St., Nashville, TN 37207
(615)-544-8226

Not far from Folk stands a Tex-Mex taco shop with a sense of humor where you can gobble down one chef’s highly agreeable take on Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap. To make it, chef Bryan Lee Weaver (also of Butcher & Bee) fills his fluffy handmade tortillas with Texas red chili, pork green chili, or both when you order it “Xmas-style.” If tacos are more your speed, you’ll find toppings like brisket, tater tots, and freshly roasted Hatch chiles. To me, the sleeper hit is the vegetarian taco with charred poblano, whipped feta, and crispy rice, thanks to its variety of textures and smoky heat. The queso dip comes with more of those warm, velvety tortillas (never chips!), and the frozen margaritas are tart and free of sickly-sweet sour mix. The interior offers retro-diner vibes, with a formica bar and red leather booths, but there’s nothing like grabbing a patio seat in the summertime to let those margs work their Texas magic.

Audrey

809 Meridian St., Nashville, TN 37207
(615)-988-3263

Chef Sean Brock has dedicated his career to studying Appalachian foodways and cuisine, from his time at Charleston’s award-winning restaurants McCrady’s and Husk to present-day passion projects like Audrey. Within this minimalist monolith of a building is a warm restaurant serving food that borrows from the chef’s upbringing in rural Kentucky. On the menu, chicken and dumplings with fines herbes and black truffles are based on a recipe from his grandmother, Audrey, who gave the restaurant its name. The dining room is centered around the kitchen and its woodfired grill; its walls display Brock’s collection of outsider art, from Butch Anthony to Moses Tolliver, selected to immerse diners in his dreamworld. 

Henrietta Red

1200 4th Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37208
(615)-490-8042

Lucky for Nashvillians, former Per Se chef and Nashville native Julia Sullivan came home to open her first solo restaurant in Henrietta Red. This airy, tiled Germantown spot boasts an oyster bar glistening with mollusks including Maine’s salty Mookie Blues and Alabama’s buttery Murder Points. Despite Nashville’s landlocked status (the Cumberland River doesn’t count), Henrietta Red deftly combines coastal ingredients with Southern flavors in dishes like oysters roasted with ‘nduja butter and whole trout with dandelion greens. Wood-fired seafood is the focus here, but the fresh pastas and vegetables—particularly the beet salad with pistachio and mint—stand out, too. Brunch brings its own reason to visit, with dishes like shrimp toast with beets and tahini and smoked fish cakes with lemon-fennel aioli.

Bad Idea

1021 Russell St., Nashville, TN 37206
(no phone)

So named because “opening a restaurant is a bad idea,” this natural wine bar is the brainchild of owner-sommelier Alex Burch and chef Colby Rasavong. You might kick things off, for instance, with a scallop-stuffed crêpe in a pool of nam prik blanquette topped by a lacy tuile, and follow that with a vegetarian laab made with sunflower milk, or pain perdu kaya toast topped with caviar. It’s all happening inside a repurposed church sanctuary with original windows and high ceilings. Worship at this altar of wine and food later in the night, and bar snacks are the vibe—think curry-caviar corndogs and fried bologna sandwiches (a late-night Nashville classic) with potato chip aioli. 

Prince’s Hot Chicken

5814 Nolensville Pike, Nashville, TN 37211
(615)-810-9388

Despite the ever-widening swath of restaurants serving Prince’s signature dish around the globe, you have to visit the original purveyor to get real-deal Nashville hot chicken. As the story goes, the ultra-spicy sandwich was created as punishment by a jilted lover of Thornton Prince; but, instead of catching on fire, Prince loved the spice so much that he’d go on to perfect the recipe that launched his business. Today, Prince’s remains the best in class, serving up fried chicken spiced with cayenne pepper oil atop a slice of white bread with a pickle (a foil to all that cayenne).

Wendell Smith’s

407 53rd Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37209
(615)-383-7114

Wood-paneled walls line the dining room of this classic meat ‘n’ three restaurant that’s been serving up Southern soul since 1952. Every day, the fourth-generation owners welcome a regular crowd hungry for roast beef, baked ham, and pit barbecue, plus daily specials like fried catfish, chicken and dumplings, and throwback fixins like candied yams, turnip greens, baked apples, fried corn, and creamed potatoes. Wendell Smith’s is a slice of Nashville that has hung on to its corner lot despite unchecked development all around it, still sharing space with the adjacent liquor store of the same name that’s been operating just as long. 

Loveless Cafe

8400 Hwy. 100, Nashville, TN 37221
(615)-646-9700 

What began 70 years ago as a humble motel and cafe at the start of the Natchez Trace Parkway has been thriving from the moment Lon and Annie Love began serving biscuits and fried chicken to travelers out of their home kitchen. After their continuing success, the couple turned their home into a restaurant and opened 14 rooms as a motel to accompany their new dining destination. The motel went out of operation years ago, and its rooms are now home to retail space with smoked hams, jams, and biscuit mix on offer. Though there is now expanded outdoor seating and an outdoor bar serving bloody Marys when the wait is long, there’s nothing better than grabbing a seat in the tiny dining room that still feels like home.  

Sperry’s Restaurant

5109 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN 37205
(615)-353-0809

An institution since 1974, this legendary West Nashville steakhouse is a windowless dining room featuring backlit stained glass, carpeting, a stone fireplace with a roaring fire (most nights), and sporty portraits of the hounds and horses that once lived on the grounds of the abutting Belle Meade Mansion. Martinis and Manhattans pair perfectly with Sperry’s steaks and seafood, from a filet Oskar smothered in crabmeat and Béarnaise to king crab legs served with drawn butter. Nashville’s very first salad bar remains gloriously intact here, where diners can pile their plate with neon green goddess and bacon crumbles (though the plated iceberg wedge salad topped with bacon and black olives is my choice). Bananas Foster, another highlight, is served tableside in a plume of booze-soaked flames and cinnamon-fueled sparks. The doors open at 4 for happy hour, when sausage-stuffed mushrooms and discounted cocktails draw a steady stream of locals each day. 

The post 13 Excellent Restaurants to Try in Nashville appeared first on Saveur.

Amazon’s newest sale event—aka the Big Spring Sale—is here, and it’s bringing all kinds of springtime deals to the table. Great brands like Cuisinart and Ninja are on big-time sale, including air fryers, ice cream makers, grilling tools, and more. We’ve selected some of our favorite deals to snatch up during the sale, which ends March 25. Don’t wait—these deals are selling out fast!

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Do you secretly harbor the dream of slicing your own deli meats paper thin in the comfort of your own home? If not, reconsider your priorities. If yes, now’s your chance to own a sleek, professional-grade electric slicer at a big discount. This 200-watt slicer comes with two blades—serrated and non-serrated—to slice meats, fruits, cheese, vegetables, bread, and more. Choose your own thickness depending on your needs, whether you’re going for thick slices of turkey for a sandwich or tissue-thin prosciutto for snacking. Snatch it up for 32% off at $94.99 (plus an additional $10 coupon to clip).

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Unlike traditional ice cream machines that churn and aerate an ice cream base to freeze and create texture, the Ninja CREAMi uses a blade to shave already frozen liquids. That means almost anything—from protein drinks to juice to a traditional ice cream base—can easily become ice cream, sorbet, or smoothie bowls. Get prepped for summertime treats with a 10% discount, bringing the sale price to $179.

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Lattes, cappuccinos, espressos, and even regular brewed coffee by the cup are all automated within this high-tech machine. The frother is built in, and automatically steams and delivers the right amount of milk for each drink, too. A purified water tank provides the water, so intermittent filling of beans and water, and emptying of ground is all that’s required for coffee perfection morning, noon, and night. This one is 25% off at $599 during the Amazon Big Spring Sale, which is a great reason to snap it up right now.

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Truly one of the best additions to your kitchen, vacuum sealers are essential tools. Preserve fresh food more efficiently, freeze food longer, and even cook your food better (a vacuum-sealed steak is perfectly juicy when cooked sous vide). And for 20% off at $159.99, now’s a good time to get started.

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If you’re interested in induction cooking, this portable cooktop is a terrific entreé into a very precise world. It’s ideal for maintaining a stable cooking temperature, and requires only electricity. At 10% off it’s now $89.99.

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Set a gorgeous spring table with these multi-colored wine glasses in hues of green, pink, purple, and blue. Right now they’re 18% off at $45.99 for six, so it’s a great time to stock up for future alfresco dinner parties or backyard brunches.

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Toaster oven diehards won’t have to give up more precious counter space to add an air fryer with this multi-functional appliance. It can crisp up pizza and fries perfectly, or even roast a four-pound chicken with ease. Once you’ve added an air fryer to your stable of appliances, you’ll never go back, particularly when you can have this one at -28% for $215.89.

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Ideal for any level of ice cream enthusiast, this Cuisinart ice cream maker has been a simple classic for years. Stash the double-walled freezer bowl in the freezer until it’s time to churn, then just let ‘er rip for 20 to 25 minutes for excellent ice cream or sorbet. It’s an ideal time to grab it on sale as fresh fruits ramp up and ice cream becomes a hot commodity, particularly when it’s 20% off at $55.94.

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Warmer weather means it’s time to pack up the cooler and take your show on the road. This Igloo soft cooler backpack can hold 28 cans of whatever you’re sipping on, from canned cocktails to sparkling water. It’s also a rather stylish sack, boasting light gray fabric with brown leather details, giving it more of a laptop bag vibe than a “bag full of booze in a public park” vibe. Whatever you do with it, this cutie is a cool 31% percent off at only $34.73.

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Grilling season is upon us. Don’t squander your precious meats by overcooking them while you’re off frolicking in the yard; monitor your meats with a smart thermometer that allows you to keep track of your progress from an app on your phone. This option includes four probes that can be used on different cuts of meat or even inserted into different areas to ensure even cooking. At 17% off for $199.95, it’s a great tool to invest in for summer smoking and grilling projects (or even just for use in the oven). 

Every product is independently selected and vetted by editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

The post 10 Must-Have Kitchen Deals During Amazon’s Big Spring Sale appeared first on Saveur.

It’s always Snacky Hour somewhere, at least according to snack-obsessed SAVEUR senior editor Ellen Fort. Follow along as she discovers the best bites that fall outside the confines of breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Savory, salty, spicy, sweet, sour: everything’s fair game during Snacky Hour.

Salty drinking snacks are the threads that hold together the fabric of society. They’re usually nothing fancy: maybe it’s a bowl of cocktail peanuts and a plate of cheese straws your aunt sets out next to the white wine, or a giant jar of rosy-hued pickled eggs at the end of the bar. Bars with popcorn makers have also always been a favorite of mine. It’s an ideal pairing: an ice-cold martini or a fizzy light beer to chase down a handful of the greasy, salty kernels some bartender generously popped for you hours—perhaps many hours—before you arrived.

When I lived in San Francisco, I loved to slide onto a stool at Specs’ Twelve Adler Museum Cafe, where the bartender carves off a hunk of Edam cheese from a giant, red wax-covered wheel behind the bar and serves it to you with saltine crackers—best nibbled with a PBR or well bourbon— amidst conversation with strangers. These are the snacks that bind us to people and places, the quiet backdrop to community. Because drinking without food is never a good idea, and sharing a snack with your friends—new or old—always is.

This kind of deep-seated snack nostalgia is what drove chef Kat Petonito to add her own salty drinking snack, which she calls Bowang Corn Nuts, to the menu at swanky Washington, D.C. gin bar The Wells. Bowang corn nuts are Petonito’s version of a popular Filipino snack called Boy Bawang Cornick. “I grew up eating it and the adults always ate it as a snack with their beer,” says Petonito. “Naturally I thought it was something we should eat at the bar.”

Bawang means garlic in Tagalog, and cornick simply translates to corn nuts, which are the basis for Petonito’s mix. But the original snack is made exclusively with corn nuts in flavors like hot garlic, BBQ, and lechon manok; Petonito goes rogue with the addition of almonds, pumpkin seeds, and cheese crisps, and her own blend of spices. “I based mine off the garlic and BBQ ones and made my own spice blend that’s kind of barbecue-flavored.” While Petonito makes her own cheese crisps, store-bought are fine, which also applies to the corn nuts. The magic happens when the spices and oil are baked onto the crunchy components.  Paprika, both hot and smoked, and urfa biber chiles combine with rich garlic oil for a toasty, crunchy, and deeply earthy flavor.

Petonito, the executive chef at sister restaurants La Collina and The Duck & the Peach, points to her roots for culinary inspiration: her mother is from the Philippines, and her father is Italian-American. Growing up, Petonito’s mother owned a bakery and catering company, which gave Petonito her first taste of the restaurant business. Now, she leads the kitchens of restaurants in Eastern Market, a historic produce market in D.C.’s Capitol Hill neighborhood where she once tagged along on her mother’s shopping trips for her business. While both sides of her heritage are showcased in her food—particularly the Italian side at La Collina—Filipino flavors tend to show up as comfort food, like lumpia or her Boy Bawang-inspired snack mix. On the menu at The Wells, however, it’s written as “Bowang,” which Petonito says is how she and her sister pronounced it as kids. “It’s just a little inside nostalgia,” laughs Petonito. “But my mom always points out that it’s spelled wrong.”

Recipe

Garlicky Corn Nuts with Cheese Crisps

Get the recipe >

The post Corn Nuts Get a Glow-Up in This Filipino-Inspired Snack Mix appeared first on Saveur.

Valentine’s Day approaches, whether or not you’re feeling the effects of Cupid’s arrow. Regardless, it’s a great excuse to shower your loved ones—romantic, platonic, or related—with tasty treats and lots of love. We’ve rounded up some excellent gifts that will please the food lovers in your life, from beautiful handblown martini glasses and adorable heart-shaped baking dishes to date-sweetened chocolates festooned with dried berries and rose petals. And, in case you need further inspiration, check out our favorite chocolates, fondue pots, and places to order seafood (we recommend oysters).

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Why not stay in this Valentine’s Day and have your martinis just how you like them—preferably ice-cold and served in one of Sophie Lou Jacobsen’s exquisite Piano Martini Glasses. They’re just one of the sassy items in this gift set from New York shop Big Night, a perfect gift for sharing a romantic night at home. 

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The newest apéritif from non-alcoholic powerhouse Ghia is a lovely, juicy berry flavor, perfect for a romantic low-or-no-ABV evening. Spritz up with sparkling water for a non-alcoholic treat, or add a splash to sparkling wine for a festive sip. 

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Elegant glassware from Glasvin is always a good choice for the connoisseurs in your life. The Precision is a gorgeous, tall-stemmed little number intended for sipping both white wine and sparkling wine. Add a bottle of champagne for the perfect celebratory gift. 

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These date-sweetened chocolates are incredibly delicious, shipped straight to your doorstep in flavors like mango chili, lavender rose, and mulberry fennel. Because one bar won’t be enough, we recommend sending a set of these velvety treats, like the Garden Party collection. 

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Transport your chosen one to a warm summer day in Italy with a picnic atop this cheerful throw blanket covered with tinned fish, tomatoes, wine, and oysters. Or, skip the picnic and snuggle up on the couch while dreaming of warmer days in a Mediterranean climate. 

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These organic cotton pajamas are screen printed in India with gorgeous patterns. Our favorite is adorned with colorful bottles of bubbly for a festive slumber. 

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Born from their head distiller’s love for his mother, Rose, Glendalough’s blush-pink gin is tinted with wild rose petals. The resulting flavors include lemon and blood orange with all the lush aromatics of fresh roses. Perfectly charming over ice, or mixed into your favorite gin cocktail. 

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A bouquet of flowers is always a gorgeous gift, but for your culinary-leaning love interest, give them a tin of flower-inspired spices instead. Bright, floral pink pepper, citrusy hibiscus, rose petals, and more floral spices combine for a seasoning that’s great on salmon or lamb, or sprinkled atop yogurt. 

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We can’t imagine a more adorable kitchen gift than this mini cocotte in red enamel. The gold, heart-shaped knob is the cherry on top of this cutie, which is the ideal size for baking couple-sized dishes like cobblers or pot pies. Keep it on the stovetop for warm fuzzies all year long. 

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Send flowers to the one you love, but in the form of a jiggly, wiggly, booze-filled jelly cake. Make a statement with one of these mesmerizing confections made with a Campari lime jelly base, orange juice jelly, and sweet milk jelly flowers. It has about five percent alcohol, so make sure it lands in the right hands.

Every product is independently selected and vetted by editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

The post Our Favorite Valentine’s Day Gifts for Food Lovers appeared first on Saveur.

Valentine’s Day approaches, whether or not you’re feeling the effects of Cupid’s arrow. Regardless, it’s a great excuse to shower your loved ones—romantic, platonic, or related—with tasty treats and lots of love. We’ve rounded up some excellent gifts that will please the food-lovers in your life, from beautiful handblown martini glasses and adorable heart-shaped baking dishes to date-sweetened chocolates festooned with dried berries and rose petals. And, in case you need further inspiration, check out our favorite chocolates, fondue pots, and places to order seafood (we recommend oysters).

Check Price

Why not stay in this Valentine’s Day and have your martinis just how you like them—preferably ice-cold and served in one of Sophie Lou Jacobsen’s exquisite Piano Martini Glasses. They’re just one of the sassy items in this gift set from New York shop Big Night, a perfect gift for sharing a romantic night at home. 

Check Price

The newest apéritif from non-alcoholic powerhouse Ghia is a lovely, juicy berry flavor, perfect for a romantic low-or-no-ABV evening. Spritz up with sparkling water for a non-alcoholic treat, or add a splash to sparkling wine for a festive sip. 

Check Price

Elegant glassware from Glasvin is always a good choice for the connoisseurs in your life. The Precision is a gorgeous, tall-stemmed little number intended for sipping both white wine and sparkling wine. Add a bottle of champagne for the perfect celebratory gift. 

Check Price

These date-sweetened chocolates are incredibly delicious, shipped straight to your doorstep in flavors like mango chili, lavender rose, and mulberry fennel. Because one bar won’t be enough, we recommend sending a set of these velvety treats, like the Garden Party collection. 

Check Price

Transport your chosen one to a warm summer day in Italy with a picnic atop this cheerful throw blanket covered with tinned fish, tomatoes, wine, and oysters. Or, skip the picnic and snuggle up on the couch while dreaming of warmer days in a Mediterranean climate. 

Check Price

These organic cotton pajamas are screen printed in India with gorgeous patterns. Our favorite is adorned with colorful bottles of bubbly for a festive slumber. 

Check Price

Born from their head distiller’s love for his mother, Rose, Glendalough’s blush-pink gin is tinted with wild rose petals. The resulting flavors include lemon and blood orange with all the lush aromatics of fresh roses. Perfectly charming over ice, or mixed into your favorite gin cocktail. 

Check Price

A bouquet of flowers is always a gorgeous gift, but for your culinary-leaning love interest, give them a tin of flower-inspired spices instead. Bright, floral pink pepper, citrusy hibiscus, rose petals, and more floral spices combine for a seasoning that’s great on salmon or lamb, or sprinkled atop yogurt. 

Check Price

We can’t imagine a more adorable kitchen gift than this mini cocotte in red enamel. The gold, heart-shaped knob is the cherry on top of this cutie, which is the ideal size for baking couple-sized dishes like cobblers or pot pies. Keep it on the stovetop for warm fuzzies all year long. 

Check Price

Send flowers to the one you love, but in the form of a jiggly, wiggly, booze-filled jelly cake. Make a statement with one of these mesmerizing confections made with a Campari lime jelly base, orange juice jelly, and sweet milk jelly flowers. It has about five percent alcohol, so make sure it lands in the right hands. 

Every product is independently selected and vetted by editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

The post Our Favorite Valentine’s Gifts for Food Lovers appeared first on Saveur.

The holiday shopping season is in full swing, with big deals on appliances and kitchen tools making their yearly appearance in the pre- and post-Thanksgiving period. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to pull the trigger on a big-ticket item, this is the time of year when discounts will be at their deepest—it’s time to go for the splurge. Cookware, bakeware, countertop appliances like air fryers and ice makers, stand mixers, and so much more will marked down for the days ahead. 

Let us help you cut through the clutter in your inbox by highlighting some of the best deals for culinarians on Black Friday and Cyber Monday (though let’s face it, the sales run together these days).

Appliances

• PHILIPS 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
• GE Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker
• Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer, 3-Cups
• Vitamix E310 Explorian
• Breville Bluicer Blender & Juicer in One
• KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield
• COSORI Air Fryer TurboBlaze 6.0-Quart Compact Airfryer
• Philips Compact Pasta Maker

Tools and Cookware

• All-Clad D5 5-Ply Brushed Stainless Steel Cookware (Set of 10 Piece)
• SAVEUR Selects Nitri-Black Carbon Steel 10-Inch Frying Pan
• SAVEUR SELECTS Set of 2 Rimmed Baking Sheets
• Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Skillet
• Lodge 3.6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Oval Casserole With Lid
• Made In Dutch Oven 5.5 Quart
• Made In 4 Piece knife Set
• Material Knife Set and Stand
• Material Full ReSet Cutting Boards and Bowl
• Hedley & Bennett Essential Apron
• YETI Camino 20 Carryall
• Material The Glasses Set
• YETI Rambler 14 oz Mug
• YETI Rambler 16 oz. Colster Tall Can Insulator for Tallboys

Every product is independently selected and vetted by editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

The post The Best Black Friday Kitchen Deals of 2023 appeared first on Saveur.

First, let’s disabuse ourselves of the notion that a stocking stuffer must be truly small enough to fit in a stocking. Once we can all agree that a stocking stuffer is more of a lagniappe, the quirky, cute gift that refuses to fit into a category, we can get on with the fun stuff. And there’s so much fun stuff to give, from Swedish candy to gold crumb catchers to fabulous party puzzles—there will surely be a gift for everyone on your list. 

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Keep the oyster shuckers in your life well-equipped and ready to pry open a fresh mollusk at a moment’s notice with this sleek, sharp stainless steel number from Messermeister. It has an attractive “fin” that is intended to increase stability while shucking, an important safety feature when dealing with wet, slippery shells and stubborn sea creatures.

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There’s no comparing the quality of typical gummy candies to Swedish gummy candies. Sorry, we don’t make the rules, but Bon Bon’s imported Swedish delicacies are some of the best we’ve ever had, particularly their line of Swedish fish in flavors like wild strawberry and sour elderflower. Send a holiday box of their finest mixed candies to your favorite sweet-toothed friend and start a lifelong addiction. 

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There is no resisting this adorable ladle in the shape of a kitty, a kitchen tool any cat-lover will proudly display in their kitchen (possibly next to their mug that says “Cat Person”). Hang this cutie by its tail before using it to ladle up 

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Glass straws are already more sustainable, easy-to-clean, and generally attractive than their plastic counterparts. However, these handblown borosilicate glass straws are a cut above, featuring beautiful little fish at the bottom, ready to swim about in whatever drink you’ve chosen. 

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Clocking in at 3.4 fluid ounces, Brightland’s mini olive oils are ready to travel the world with you. Never leave home without a teeny bottle of liquid gold, because you never know when you’ll encounter a baguette or a bowl of greens that are desperately in need of a glug of smooth and grassy  extra virgin olive oil. 

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Truly there is nothing more adorable than this miniature pot from Dansk, the iconic purveyor of mid-century Danish cookware. It comes in a plethora of lovely colors (arugula and midnight blue are our favorites) that will look lovely on your stove or on the table. Soup for one? Warm milk for hot chocolate? Melted butter for pancakes on a winter morning? The hygge options are endless. 

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Tinned fish continues to charm us all with adorable packaging and delectable sea creatures captured at the height of freshness with no expiration dates. Now, it’s time to accessorize with this pair of astonishingly efficient tongs that were “born to pluck fish from a tin,” according to their maker. They’re a cross between chopsticks and the plating tweezers used in professional kitchens, designed to deftly drape an anchovy across a generously buttered baguette with elegant precision. 

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Puzzlers are a serious bunch. Liven things up with this puzzle dedicated to the art of merrymaking. 1,000 pieces of jigsaw make up this fantastical tableau of cocktails, trinkets, and more. 

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Whether the task at hand is smashing burgers or chiseling the browned and cheesy corner piece of lasagna free of its pan, this sturdy new spat from Charleston’s Smithey Ironware Co. is up for it. A knife-sharp edge ensures that the offset flipper glides smoothly beneath delicate ingredients like fish and fried eggs, while a buffed walnut handle has the heft necessary for maneuvering weightier foods. In short, a workhorse that any home or pro cook will appreciate.

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Because even if you’re sweeping up your toast crumbs from the table, you’ll want to do it in style. Bring the cache of a fine dining restaurant to your table at home with a bougie golden crumb catcher from Gohar. It’s fun gift for your etiquette-obsessed friend, or simply a lovely objet d’art for their dining room. 

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The 90s are back baby (we called it), and so are the cocktails that reached icon status during that epic decade. And the espresso martini isn’t the only one returning to menus: The Cosmopolitan, made famous by Sarah Jessica Parker’s sipping habits on Sex and the City, is popping up all over, too. Now the tart, sweet, Barbie-hued cocktail is available by bottle or can from the Cosmo Queen herself. Slip The Perfect Cosmo by SJP into the stocking (or Manolo) of your most SATC-obsessed pal or keep it on hand for when the craving arises.  

Every product is independently selected and vetted by editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

The post The Best Stocking Stuffers appeared first on Saveur.

The joy of carefully choosing that perfect gift for your friend or loved one doesn’t have to end with the holidays. Draw out the fun for months, or even the whole year, with a gift subscription that lands on the lucky recipient’s doorstep long after the giving season has ended. Depending on their taste, there is a gift for almost anyone, from cheese and wagyu to Japanese snacks and perfectly plump Medjool dates from California.

Island Creek Oysters

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Now you can send tins of hard-to-find seafood straight to the doorstep of your most discerning friends, via Island Creek Oysters’ limited edition Tin Lover’s Club. There’ll be razor clams, Spanish bonito, Galician cockles, pickled mussels, and more, all ready to star alongside crusty bread, cornichons, and bottles of crisp white wines. It’s like sending a little European vacation in the mail every month, something we very much endorse.

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Send your favorite carnivores a quarterly shipment of buttery beef, straight from the beautiful pastures of Vermont. Each box contains three to four cuts of beef, ground beef and sausage, and food items from local purveyors like maple syrup and coffee. This family- and woman-run farm promises 100 percent wagyu from happy cows, which results in some of the best beef around.

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There’s something so luxurious about fresh dates, sent directly from towering date palms in the Coachella desert of California. These rich, perfectly toothsome Medjool dates can be delivered monthly or biweekly to anyone who needs a taste of sunshine on their doorstep. Blend them into a classic date shake, bake them into bread, or simply pop them straight into your mouth for a naturally delicious treat.

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Cheese fans are nothing if not adventurous, willing to travel the country or the globe to find a unique flavor, or at least factoring cheese into their journeys abroad. A bite of brie in France, a trek to a cave in Switzerland, or eating edam in Holland are all fine ways to explore the world. Give that gift with the Cheese Explorer’s Club from legendary NYC cheese shop Murray’s, offering two ½-pound pieces of cheese and a special item only for club members, accompanied by tips and intel on their places of origin.

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If you’ve ever had the delight of tasting aged jamón Iberico, then you already know why those pigs are prized for their buttery meat in Spain. Now try cuts of fresh pork from the same Black Iberian pigs that are richly marbled and tender—more like wagyu than the pork most of us are accustomed to eating. Send a subscription box of your favorite cuts, from ribs and tenderloin to lesser-known cuts like secreto and presa.

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Send a box of gorgeous Italian pantry items via a one, three, or six-month subscription, ensuring that your gift stays top of mind (and top of table). All of Bona Fortuna’s offerings are grown on its organic estate in Sicily, including sauces made from Corleonese tomatoes, honey from local bees, and olive oil from its own grove. The subscription box is curated to include recipes and ingredients that create dishes from all over Italy, at home. Make sure to give this one to a recipient who lives nearby.

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Founded by two Nashville chefs in search of the very best meat, Porter Road has grown into a thriving whole animal butchery business, now shipping their cuts of beef, pork, and chicken across the country. Gift your favorite meat lover a three-, six-, or nine-month subscription of dry-aged steaks, pork chops, pork bacon, sausages, and more.

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Whether it’s a taste of home, a love of the culture, or the next best thing to traveling there, a box full of Japanese treats will be a hit. Bokksu packs its subscription boxes with a dazzling array of sweet and savory snacks, candies, and a tea pairing, accompanied by a 24-page magazine with a backstory on each item. They’re all sourced from Japanese small businesses and sent directly from Japan, too. Count on items like sesame mochi, yuzu-sake candies, Kanazawa Earl Grey cake in your first box, which is an introduction to the treats of Japan; following months are themed, and equally delightful.

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Never let a loved one go uncaffeinated again with a subscription to high-quality beans from a variety of roasters like Good Citizen, Sightglass, and Joe Coffee. Choose how many bags you’d like to give, then let them choose their schedule because everyone drinks at different speeds. While you’re at it, grab yourself a subscription and save yourself the horror of waking up even one morning without a bag of fresh beans.

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Sample buttery, luxurious olive oils from all the world’s best regions, from Italy to Greece and beyond. It’s a great reminder not to ration your oils; use them while they’re at their freshest and best. 

Every product is independently selected and vetted by editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

The post The Best Subscription Gifts Keep on Giving All Year Long appeared first on Saveur.