Products I Love
09 Mar 2019We are in the middle of a “stuff” revolution.
The success of Mario Kondo’s book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and its Netflix successor Tidying Up speaks to what earlier books like Stuffocation have realized about our era: most of us have too much crap.
I fit neatly into the generational shift towards preferring experiences over things, but I’m also a hobbyist with a short attention span. Any time I take on a new hobby, I accumulate the associated stuff. And very occasionally, that stuff doesn’t make me feel “stuffocated” - it sparks joy, if you will.
These are a few of the things that “spark joy” for me. Hopefully they’ll bring you joy too.
Tovolo Narrow-Handled Jar Spatula
Flex-Core Stainless Steel Removable Head, Dishwasher Safe
I find it easiest to explain why I love this spatula so much by considering the variety of tasks that we put a spatula through: it’s a tool that needs to be flexible enough to conform to the edges of a container, but sturdy enough to scrape away stuck-on bits. It needs to be wide enough to flip an omelet but narrow enough to fit into a jam jar. It should never scratch the coating of a pan, but never get melted from the heat. It should be able to get tossed in the dishwasher but not leave food residue trapped inside it.
This spatula nails all of these, which alone make it the best spatula I’ve ever owned, but that’s not what sparks joy about it.
It’s the heavy stainless-steel handle.
Like a good knife that is balanced to require only the tiniest effort from a cook, this spatula considers the ergonomic of its use. The heft of the handle helps press the spatula into the bowl so you don’t have to use a ton of force to scrape the sides. It can rest on the edge of a cutting board without tipping over the edge of the counter. And it’s removable, so you can thoroughly wash the joint between the head and the handle.
You can get one here, and help a charity through Amazon Smile: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EBZ0IFQ
Buttermilk Co - Fresh Indian Food in 5 Minutes
I never had Indian food until I was in college. I loved the richness and flavor-forwardness of the food in Indian restaurants in the U.S., and as I sought out more I learned there’s a whole world beyond what you get in those restaurants. Indian food has featured heavily in my Vegan January cooking explorations, and is an extremely versatile cuisine for the Instant Pot that I was recently gifted (for excellent Instant Pot Indian recipes, check out My Heart Beets). Buttermilk brings those real flavors of Indian kitchens, not just what’s found in restaurants, right to your freezer. The food is packaged fresh but freezes well, is all vegan, and takes around 5 minutes to heat up in a microwave. Their upma has become my weekday breakfast staple. Get some Buttermilk and help me get some more too at http://buttermilk.refr.cc/frederict
MROCO Large Waterproof Mousepad Mouse Mat (14” x 11”)
For years, I have used the surface of a desk or the bottom-tier mousepads freely distributed at my office. Spending $7 on a large mouse pat with a proper grip has improved my computer experience more than I ever expected. My mouse glides over the surface, it feels like an air-hockey table. This keeps up with the spatula’s theme of a tool helping me expend as little effort as necessary to use it well. It’s pretty new to me, so we’ll see how well it holds up, but I expect the stitched edges to go a very long way in preventing fraying. Get one at https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D99QJRS.
Macpac Merino 150 Boxer Briefs
I bought these Merino wool boxer briefs while traveling in New Zealand, and they’re still my favorite pair after a year of wear. Merino is naturally anti-odor and moisture-wicking. These don’t ride up, the elastic in the waist hasn’t stretched out, and I can wear them for multiple days of a backpacking trip (ew) and they’re still comfortable and far less ripe than a dri-fit T-shirt worn at the same time (I know from experience). You can’t get them shipped to the U.S., but maybe ask a friend down under to mule them home for you? (Looking at you, Zac).
Onsen Bath Sheet Towel
These towels are outrageously expensive but totally worth it. They are woven with these little waffle pockets that soak up water but are very breathable, so the towel always feels cool and light and always has capacity to dry more. https://onsentowel.com/products/the-onsen-bath-sheet?variant=50915279755
Is there something you love that I should know about? Drop me a line @z3ugma.