Special Occasion Silverware, a Matcha Latte Secret Ingredient, and More Products BA Editors Loved in July
As people who write about food and kitchen gadgets for a living, Bon Appétit editors are constantly surrounded by a wide range of products. Between our own purchases and the endless stream of samples sent our way, it means there’s always something new coming across our desks and into our homes. Each month we round up the standouts we tested or bought ourselves that changed the way we cook and eat.
This month, a plant-based fruit and vegetable wash, a desk lunch-friendly food storage set, and a dinner-party-worthy flatware set.
Read on for all the products we obsessed over in July.
Quince Royal Osetra Caviar
Quince wasn’t the first place I expected to buy caviar. But after years of ordering its linen sheets, gold hoops, and famously affordable cashmere sweaters, I figured I’d give the brand’s Royal Osetra caviar a chance when it debuted as a limited holiday release in 2024. My sister ordered two tins the minute they went on sale because, at $125 each, they cost about $100 less than comparable products. We ate it with Doritos and crème fraîche for New Year’s Eve, and I was super impressed by the quality. The glossy black pearls were buttery, briny, and savory with a subtle mineral finish that rivaled pricier options.
Now that this superb sturgeon roe is available year-round, I picked up a tin for a weekend of hosting down the Jersey Shore. This time I swapped the Doritos for Old Bay potato chips, whose iconic seafood blend of celery salt, paprika, and spices makes an exceptionally good match for the caviar’s salinity. It’s the ultimate way to level up a post-beach snack situation beyond the usual chips and salsa. —Olivia Tarantino, senior shopping editor
Brezi Cold Coffee Maker
The quest for cold coffee you don’t need to wait 12 hours for has been picked up by a number of companies in recent years. I was, and am still, quite taken with the Cumulus Cold Coffee Maker, which can produce a glass of nitro cold brew in less than 60 seconds. But it’s kind of a cheat. Cumulus pods are, best I can tell, ultra-concentrated coffee, reconstituted with cold water (along with a little proprietary magic). The Brezi, which recently went from Kickstarter (yes, people are still using them) to a fully fledged company, actually brews individual cups of cold coffee from freshly ground beans. With hot water to bloom the beans and rapidly chilled water (down to 41°) the rest of the way, the Brezi process is sort of a cross between a flash brew and a slow drip, and it delivers exceptionally tasty results. As someone who likes a fruitier, punchier cup of cold coffee, I prefer this method, which takes about 10 minutes, at best. But the Brezi has options for all kinds of cold brew, including the ability to brew cold brew concentrate and slow cold brew (which takes about 4 hours), that deliver the smoother, more chocolaty results lots of cold coffee that drinkers are looking for. —Noah Kaufman, senior shopping editor
Artifaqt Heirloom Tomato Candles
I received a trio of these delightful beeswax candles by Artifaqt as a hostess gift. The heirloom tomato and romanesco cauliflower candles are so realistic, they could easily be mistaken for a farmers market haul. The beeswax collection, which also includes renderings of carrots, asparagus, scallops, sea urchins, and cheese, each with varying burn times, is among the handicrafts made by Pennsylvania sculptor and industrial designer John Luttmann. —Jamila Robinson, editor in chief
Motif Cinnamon Babka Syrup
Lately I’ve been trading my morning coffee for an iced matcha latte, and at this point, I’ve got my at-home recipe down pat. I use a generous amount of high-quality matcha (Rocky’s, Kettl, Muracha, and Matchaful are some favorites) and less milk than you’ll find in most coffee shop lattes; but the thing that really levels up my homemade matchas is the addition of Motif’s Cinnamon Babka Syrup. I use just a splash, and I find that the hint of sweetness and warm cinnamon notes perfectly complement the grassy tea. —Alaina Chou, commerce writer
Siete Jalapeño Botana Sauce
I have a two-and-a-half-year-old so you better believe we’re making a lot of eggs. And guess who gets to eat the egg scraps after the kiddo has decided he’s done? After much trial and error, I can definitively say that Siete’s Jalapeño Botana sauce is my favorite method of bringing sad scrambled eggs back to life. It provides a delightfully creamy hit of acidity to the reality that I’ll be eating cold eggs most mornings for the foreseeable future. —Jonathan Wise, senior programming director
Raazi Tea Duo
Contrary to popular belief, drinking hot tea during the summer is perfectly acceptable behavior and is a particularly grounding, digestive-aiding practice in the midst of summer travel. Raazi Tea, a Brooklyn-based brand that sells premium whole-leaf teas (in biodegradable plant-based sachets, which is a huge win), has been my new go-to. It’s one of those brands that you’d grab off the shelf because of the packaging alone, but the teas, which include ginger turmeric, peppermint, and Indian breakfast, are delightfully fragrant. —K.K.
Caraway Food Storage Set
Bringing lunch to work in my Caraway storage containers has become my entire personality. When I started at BA, I bought the 13-piece storage set, and it has dramatically changed the way I think about meal prep. Whether it’s a chicken and veggie bowl with tomatillo salsa or my favorite green goddess salad, I love that my dressing fits perfectly snug in its own compartment. If any of my coworkers catch me without lunch packed in my Caraway, they know I probably need another coffee. —Casey Hendricks, executive director of audience development
Gustin Selvedge Denim Apron
Gustin is a company with an unusual model. Its goods—mostly shirts and pants—come to market after crowdfunding campaigns. You see a pair of jeans you like? You buy into the campaign, and when it gets funded, you get charged, production of those jeans begins, and when they're all done they get shipped to your door. Gustin began to dabble in the apron space recently, and I am loving their selvedge denim apron. It’s lightweight (not necessarily what I would’ve expected from a denim apron) with pockets modeled after the ones on a pair of comfortable jeans. Importantly, it’s affordable at $65. My aprons get dirty (and I assume yours do too), so I don’t want to so much money on something that I will get nervous every time I wear it in the kitchen. A representative from Gustin told me, the brand is just gearing up for a new apron campaign, so you should jump on it now before they’re all claimed. —N.K.
House of Revelry Burled Resin Flatware
After years of relying on the Target cutlery my roommate and I bought when we moved into our current apartment, I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect set of special occasion flatware to pull out for dinner parties, at-home date nights, and any other meals I feel like elevating. House of Revelry’s Burled Resin Flatware fits the bill: I love the pieces’ elegant, elongated shape, and how the sleek stainless-steel metal contrasts the namesake burled resin handles, which are designed to resemble wood. They’re versatile enough to pair with virtually any tabletop aesthetic while still adding a pop of visual interest to each place setting. —A.C.
Oofos OOyea PLUS Two-Strap Sandal
I'm a firm believer in house shoes, and these are now my designated pair. The second I get home, my outdoor shoes come off and my Oofos go on. The plush foam footbed and deep heel cup feel even better than going barefoot, cradling my feet with every step. They’re technically recovery slides designed to reduce stress on your joints, but all I know is they’ve made every other pair of shoes—including no shoes at all—feel like a downgrade. —O.T.
Koala Eco Fruit and Vegetable Wash
Long before concerns about Cyclospora were making headlines, I was using Koala Eco’s fruit-and-vegetable wash. I’m a fan of all of the brand’s plant-based cleaning products, but this one has lately become especially relevant in my kitchen. The mandarin-essential-oil-based wash is designed to help remove dirt, waxes, and surface residue from produce, and I find it leaves fruits and vegetables feeling cleaner than a rinse under the tap alone. Plus, there’s no aftertaste, and the smell is actually pleasant, unlike vinegar or a harsher cleaning solution. While no produce wash—including this one, vinegar, or baking soda—can eliminate Cyclospora, thoroughly washing your produce can help reduce dirt and contamination on the surface. If you’re looking for a better way to prep your produce, this fruit-and-veggie wash will be your favorite purchase of the summer. —Kate Kassin, editorial operations manager
We are in peak summer, which for me translates to keeping a spare cardigan in our overly air-conditioned office, occasionally eating ice cream before noon, and enjoying “grill bourbon” season. Oh, you don’t know grill bourbon? Well, as adults exercising free will, my husband and I have arbitrarily bestowed a one-finger pour to whoever is manning (wo-manning?) the grill. Usually it's an easy-drinking domestic bourbon like a Blanton’s or Bib & Tucker, but lately we’ve been enjoying the Orchard House blended malt Scotch whisky from one of our favorite blenders, Compass Box. The whisky is neat for my husband, but I find a small ice cube or two really opens up the flavors. Fruity without being sweet, bright and lightly oaked, it’s a great companion to someone on grill duty, but there’s a slight smokiness that makes it quite food-compatible too (think grilled zucchini and barbecue-spiced chicken). After dinner’s done and the kitchen’s clean, we may even treat ourselves to a dram of another Compass Box gem: Hedonism 2026, the latest blended grain Scotch whisky that’s definitely more of a special occasion pour, but life’s short, amirite? With notes of brown sugar and toasted nuts, it’s smooth drinking and probably more fitting for cool, crisp nights. But with a single rock, its tropical side reveals itself, and suddenly sipping a nice Scotch whisky in the middle of summer makes so much sense. —Hana Asbrink, deputy food editor
