March is a fickle friend: Longer days and bright sunshine make you feel like youāve finally hit spring. Then a blustery wind comes through. And then it snows. You realize youāve got a long way to go before you put away the parka.Ā
But that doesnāt mean my colleagues and I arenāt impatiently preparing ourselves for spring with our online purchases right now. Here are the books, herb gardens, candles, and more weāre stocking up on to prepare ourselves for the warmer months (and get us through the last of the cold days).
No. 4 Limani Candle
I got this Aerangis candle a few weeks ago and itās left me in a permanent state of anticipation for spring. The scent is made in collaboration with the vodka brandĀ Kastra Elion and inspired by the Greecian town of Nafpaktos. Even when Iām not burning it, I can sometimes catch a whiff of mandarin zest or santal across the room.Ā āMegan Wahn, associate commerce editor
Herb dome
My plant parenthood has gone from hobby to obsession in the past couple of years. With spring approaching I've been starting herbs from seeds or cuttings. Iāve found that some herbs and spring onion cuttings need humidity to thrive. That's where this cloche comes in. Sure, you could use a plastic cup or water bottle, but this does the trick while also looking pretty on your counter.Ā āUrmila Ramakrishnan, associate social media directorĀ
Stainless steel measuring cups
The only set of measuring cups I own are plastic and came from the grocery store a million years ago. And they work totally fine! But I've long coveted these heavy-duty stainless steel measuring cups from All-Clad. Since they're made with the brand's signature high-quality materials, they function as mini pans in addition to measuring cups. You can put them directly on the stove to warm butter or toast spices. And they'll last forever. I think I'll finally upgrade.Ā āEmily Johnson, associate commerce editor
How to Cook ItalianĀ by Giuliano Hazan
After enjoying this collection ofĀ Giuliano Hazan's favorite pastas of all time, I added his 2005 bookĀ How to Cook Italian to my library. I have my eye on his braised chicken with eggplant and peppers and a lemon trifle.Ā āMaggie Hoffman, digital director
Glass spice jars
Recently, I took on the daunting task of organizing my pantryāand I realized I own more than 100 spices, stored in jars of different shapes and sizes. For easy, more organized storage, I bought these glass jars and decanted my spices into them. Theyāre bigger than your average spice jar, and they give that satisfying uniform aesthetic. The Etsy shop will also print custom labels for you, which is particularly helpful for labeling the spices I use the Hindi names for instead of English (methi, kali jeera, or haldi).Ā āU.R.
Wooden cutting board
Iāve been in the market to replace my plastic cutting board with a pretty wooden one. OurĀ cutting board testing found theĀ Brooklyn Butcher Block to be the best wooden option, but thatās a little out of my price range, so I think Iām going to opt for the budget runner-upāthis teak number by Ziruma. āM.W.Ā
Microfiber cleaning cloth
Microfiber towels are the secret to sparkling glassware without finger smudges. Beyond being great for cleaning, you can use these cloths to polish any stemware before your dinner party or before it dries after your guests have left.Ā āU.R.
