Like you, the Epi editors are starting to think about buying holiday giftsābut that doesn't mean we don't need the occasional gadget, spice, or condiment for our own kitchens. I asked around to see what our team is filling their carts with right now. The answers had a lot to do with the changing of the seasons: tools to prolong backyard dining, along with the occasional pumpkin-spice flavored treat.Ā
Air fryer
āThis air fryer is a quarantine kitchen splurge that's made me super happy. After months of what felt like constant cooking and standing over the stove (and making splattery messes), I resorted to adding an air fryer to my kitchen, with the hope that it would make things a little easier. And it has! It gets all of my veggies super-crispy in minutes (with little effort), and allows me to make delicious crispy breaded fish fillets, without having to fry. Itās currently my favorite set-it-and-forget-it cooking solution.āāTiffany Hopkins, editorial assistant
Sprinkle-on bug repellant that works
"This granulated mosquito repellant is shockingly effective, making it possible to keep backyard meals and socially-distanced outdoor meetups going even though itās been a rough bug season. Itās best to scatter it on the perimeter about about an hour before you plan to sit outside. Itās made with citronella oil, garlic, geranium oil, and lemongrass."āMaggie Hoffman, senior editor
A new kitchen organization solution
"I bought a pegboard and metal hooks because I was in a state of perpetual dissatisfaction with the organization system in my kitchen. I finally decided that I can't be using any cabinet space for pots and pansāit's time for them to go on the wall (even though the cookware I own isn't as chic as Julia Child's trademark copper cookware hung on pegboard)."āEmily Johnson, commerce editor
The best salty snacks
āI've been feeling really nostalgic lately (and maybe a little homesick) so I've been hunting around for my favorite childhood snacks. It turns out I could still eat Twiglets, a crispy, salty, marmite-flavored snack, all day.ā āLauren Joseph, associate editor
A relaxing tea
"I drink this tea whether or not my muscles are actually sore. It has a very pleasant floral-fruity quality that is even better with a little bit of honey."āWilder Davies, staff writer
Fall-flavored granola
"I love Purely Elizabeth grain-feee granola (in particular the coconut cashew variety); I'm not avoiding grains for a health issue or anything, I just love that no oats in the mix means more of what I consider the good stuff, like nuts and seeds. The seasonal pumpkin spice flavor is warm and autumnal without tasting like you're licking a Home Goods. It's just right for early October."āKendra Vaculin, staff writer
Pancake mix
āNo, I didn't coordinate with Kendra, though I am taking her rec for the pumpkin-spice granola. The grain-free pancake mixes from Purely Elizabeth are nutty and savory enough to win me, a devout no-pancake person, over. I usually eat them with a sizable slab of butterāor sometimes I go savory and top the pancakes with leftover roasted veg or caramelized onions for a mid-morning or afternoon snack. āāLauren Joseph, associate editor
Fancy mustard
āMy husband and I been making a lot of sandwiches lately in the few minutes between Zoom meetings, and, not to brag, but weāre getting really good at it. The trick is to always include something pickled or fermented, plus The Good Mustard. For us right now, itās this spicy one from Pommery.āāMaggie Hoffman, senior editor
Really Good Cumin
"If I were forced to use only one spice this fall, I think I'd be just fine with cumin. I can't get enough of the stuff when the weather changes; I want every roasted cauliflower bite or lamb chop to have an extra savory, earthy flavor. Burlap & Barrel's Wild Mountain Cumin, which is hand-picked in Afghanistan by farmers who are paid a living wage, is especially potent."āLauren Joseph, associate editor
