Search Results

One of my favorite Burlap & Barrel Spices, Smoked Chipotle Cover photo by Jarek Jordan My Early Spice Memories Years ago, when I first started working, I was commuting into New York City by train from Stamford, CT. For this commute, I used the Grand Central Terminal, which is as magnificent as it sounds. One of the things that I remember vividly was a spice vendor who was connected to the train station. While I didn't have the appreciation at the age of 23, spices have become central to elevating every meal we create, and why I am sharing this Burlap and Barrel review. Our spice drawer continues to bust out at the seams as we add more and more spices. I recall walking through the Grand Central Terminal spice store a few different times as I was waiting to board my train. I also remember that I thought buying expensive spices was crazy. First, everything in New York is more expensive and second, I already had my store-bought spices like pepper, table salt, and probably just a few others like dried basil, oregano and parsley. There were probably a few others but not many more. Our spice cabinet was also not too far from the basics of what you would expect two young married 24-year-olds to be using. Needless to say, I never bought them. Burlap & Barrel Review About 15 years later, I was talking to a few people at work, and they had recommended a popular online and retail store brand. We started to experiment with their spices, and it was a major upgrade to what we were using from the store brand. We still use a few of them today based on what the kids became accustomed to for some of their foods as well as they have a few spices we just can’t get from our new vendor. However, we were ready for another sensory experience upgrade for our spices. Enter Burlap & Barrel. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Begin by reading the farm origin story and tasting notes, treating the harvest with the care the local farmer intended. Once you open the jar, notice the vibrant colors, a visual promise of the flavor profile you will experience. Lean in deeply to engage the complex aromas and then finally taste, choosing to season during the cooking process to build a savory foundation, or sprinkle over the plate as a bright, textural finishing touch." Four of my favorite Burlap & Barrel spices: Flowering Hyssop Thyme, Smoked Chipotle, New Harvest Turmeric, and Royal Cinnamon It was a few years ago when I wanted to uplevel our spice cabinet. Similar to the single origin dark chocolate I was buying, I thought that single origin spices could have the same impact. As with all the other stories I am sharing, I did my research and Burlap & Barrel continued to come up in the searches. Every review I read raved about the flavor that was bursting out of every bite. I decided to make an initial purchase with their Royal Cinnamon. Not doing anything different to the French Toast I would make, I tried it with their Cinnamon, and it was impressive. That taste test got us hooked and our cabinet started to quickly change over to Burlap & Barrel spices. After you cook your French Toast, you will want to top it with some Vermont Maple Syrup. As you can see, I keep buying more of the spices in these 16 oz bulk containers. My Burlap & Barrel Favorites To start my Burlap & Barrel review, I started experimenting with peppercorns and purchased all of them, using a combination of the Robusta and Zanzibar for my everyday use. For specialty items that have limited ingredients like eggs, I use the Purple Peppercorns to taste the subtly of the flavor of this limited-edition spice. Of course, eggs also taste better when they are local. Burlap & Barrel's peppercorn lineup. The Wild Timur Pepper gives a nice tingle to your tongue. I mix the Robusta Black Peppercorns and Zanzibar Black Peppercorns together in my pepper grinder for everyday use. The last one I will highlight is my new favorite spice, Smoked Chipotle Chili Flakes. I had ordered a small jar and loved it. I started to put it on everything from corn on the cob to meats to nachos only to run out pretty quickly. I then had to wait for a few months as it was on back order. As soon as it was back in stock, I ordered two large 16 oz containers just to make sure I wouldn’t run out. The flavor of this spice and so many others just make a huge difference in the food you are cooking. I could go on and on about the specific spices. I would encourage you to try a few and then go from there. I am confident it will bring your meals to a whole new level. Frequently Asked Questions Are Burlap & Barrel spices worth it? Yes! This is a company that cares so much about its farmers, frequently posting pictures of their visits, sharing why the local farmer grows such as flavorful spice. Burlap & Barrel's spices are single origin, meaning, they come directly from the local farmer, packaged by Burlap & Barrel, and then straight into your recipes elevating your sensory experience. What is your favorite Burlap & Barrel spice? This is so hard to choose but my favorite is Royal Cinnamon because of the way it enhances the flavor of my French Toast. Recently, I have found a pinch of Royal Cinnamon has given my candied walnuts a rich flavor. What is your favorite non-traditional Burlap & Barrel spice? My wife and I both love the Wild Ramps, which is a relative of the garlic plant. We use it to flavor soups and even started using it as the base for garlic bread instead of parsley. Start Your Own Spice Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own spice sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite spices below. Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

As a child of the 80’s, I am way too familiar with the Ginsu knife commercial (video is linked below). Do you remember it? The Ginsu commercials were all over the TV and it was fascinating to watch as a kid. These knives were so sharp, they cut through tin cans as well as tomatoes with ease. What they were playing up is your frustration that your knives weren’t sharp and could barely cut through an over easy egg. My HORL Rolling Knife Sharpener sitting on my Boos Block Cutting Board When I was a kid, and I was a bit embarrassed to share that up until recently, there were only three options for dealing with dull knives. You lived with it, you went to a professional to sharpen it, or you bought a new one. I think most people either just lived with it or wound up buying a new one. Regardless of your knife, don't forget to leverage a great wood cutting board to protect your blade from prematurely dulling. Summertime Mistakes When I was in high school, probably around the age of 17, I saw an advertisement in the newspaper for a part-time summer job. I remember it vividly. I drove up to a small office building in Edison, NJ and attended an informational session about Cutco Knives. These knives promised something very similar to Ginsu in that they were sharp and you needed the entire set that cost at least a few hundred dollars (maybe more but my memory is a bit fuzzy on this one). I was so excited about it and all I had to do was pay $25 to get started and they handed me a set to go sell. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "With a sharp knife, it just glides through the food. Sharpen your knives regularly to experience the feeling of cutting through your food like it's a hot knife on soft butter." I went home and shared the “new job” with my mom and stepdad, Bill, and they shared that while it was probably legitimate, this was not something that I should be pursuing. The selling premise was that you would have to sell directly to family and friends of family… of which they weren’t keen on me pushing these expensive knives onto our family and friends. The concept is very similar to selling life insurance. Later that day, I took a trip back to the Cutco office and returned the knives and got my money back. Again, my memory is a bit fuzzy, but it is possible my mom or Bill called the Cutco sales manager or wrote a letter explaining I was 17 and this was not something I should be participating in (I wonder if my mom remembers this story). Coincidently, my college roommate of three years, Bill, sold Cutco knives during one of the summer breaks and was wildly successful. My New Knife Set When Mary Beth and I got married (now 27 years ago), we had a knife set on our registry. For about 20 of those years, we had the same set. I never really thought much about sharpening it as I just learned to live with dull knives. We each had our own chef’s knife, and the set came with a few other smaller knives, along with some steak knives. Over the years, on Mary Beth’s trips up to Maine with her mom, they purchased a few other serrated knives that we would use for cutting tomatoes and other soft items that our original set couldn’t cut. It wasn’t until about 7 or 8 years ago that we saw a vendor at a farmers market stand offering to sharpen knives. We started talking about it with one of our neighbors and he offered to do it the next time we saw him as he used his belt sander in his basement. Our newly sharpened knives gave us a new lease on our existing set for a few years. The test that I was fascinated by was our newly sharpened knives could now cut through tomatoes with relative ease. All was good until two things happened. Mary Beth’s knife handle broke and I decided it was time for me to get a new chef’s knife. As I have shared in previous posts, I am not happy with my current chef’s knife, so I won’t be posting a recommendation about it (It cuts but I just don’t like the feel of it). Over the course of a few months, we both had new knives and they were sharp and all was good. Over time, I realized that I should expect more from my knives and they should cut tomatoes with no effort at all. When they started to get dull, I brought up the conversation to our son Michael and he shared that from the initial research he did, HORL was the best option. HORL Rolling Knife Sharpener HORL2 Ceramic Honing Disc (opposite side is the Diamond Grinding Disc) I did a bunch of research on the topic of knife sharpening as there are a few different kinds including whetstone, which seemed a bit more complicated than the effort I wanted to expend. I then looked at HORL Rolling Knife Sharpener and did some research going to a few of the standard product review sites. The feedback was all the same, regardless of the site. Whetstone is a good option if you are more of a professional chef or if you want precise control, but if you want chef quality without the effort, HORL is the way to go. As I dug into my research, there were a lot of lookalike options to HORL but the reviews, both written and via YouTube, were that the cheaper versions don’t glide as nice and didn’t sharpen as quickly and efficiently. The great thing about HORL is it’s small, packed away under my cabinet, and only needs to come up every 6-12 months (I am sure there are specific recommendations as to when to sharpen your knife, but I use my tomato test. If my knife starts to struggle to cut the tomato or my tomato gets smushed in anyway by my knife, it’s time to sharpen it. By the way, I use my chef’s knife to cut everything now including very small grape tomatoes. If you are in the market for a knife sharpener, I highly recommend HORL. It is simple to use, offers two “settings” of 15 degrees (Japanese knives) and 20 degrees (American knives) based on your knife origin, which attaches via magnet to the knife. It offers a diamond cut circular end that just rolls along the knife to sharpen. The other side is used to just smooth out any rougher edges. The paper test. Your knife is sharpened when you take a clean sheet of copy/printer paper and hold it with one hand and then cut through it. If it cuts with a sharp, clean cut of the paper, you are good to go. Two other key points to know, if you aren’t familiar already. First, a dull knife is more dangerous to cut food than a sharp knife due to the additional effort you need to place in cutting, leading to more injuries. Second, most (if not all) professional chefs will recommend that if you are going to spend any money on a kitchen utensil, it should be a good chef’s knife. Many will say you don’t need any other knives. To that end, I don’t use the serrated knives anymore to cut tomatoes, only my HORL sharpened chef’s knife. Last part of the story. My mom never really liked to cook although I thought she was a good cook. She often complained and after I moved out, she didn’t cook or entertain like she used to. Mary Beth and I thought it would be a great idea about 25 years ago to get my mom and Bill a new set of knives as we liked our new set from our wedding. Instead of buying them a good chef’s set, we got a bunch of serrated chef’s knives which were a flop of a gift. Serrated chef’s knives just don’t cut it😊 Frequently Asked Questions How long does it take to sharpen a knife using the HORL sharpener? It just takes a minute or two per side. It is really quick and with just a few passes back and forth, you will feel like you have a brand-new knife! Is it more dangerous to have a sharp knife than a dull one? Actually, it is more dangerous to have a dull knife. Dull knives will often require more pressure which can cause the knife to slip and cause more accidents. What is your favorite food to cut with your knives after they are sharpened? I love the smell of freshly cut cilantro, scallions, limes, and tomatoes when I am making guacamole. Do you have a favorite cutting board to use with your knives? Yes, we use and Edge Grain Boos Block from John Boos. Start Your Own Knife Sharpening Sensory Experience If you have a passion for cooking food at home, having a sharp knife is a requirement and it will elevate your sensory experience in the cooking process. Try it today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Let me start from the beginning. Every year since Mary Beth and I have been married; we took a vacation. The year before we decided to have kids, we decided to take a trip to Aruba, in part because I wanted to have the Caribbean experience, which we didn't get in Hawaii on our honeymoon. Me standing next to a cacao pod during our Kauai Chocolate Farm Tour at Lydgate Farms That trip, we bought a Marriott timeshare in Aruba, and as it turns out, as I was prepping Mary Beth not to get too excited when we went on the timeshare tour, I was the first one jumping out of my seat to buy in. Maybe I will post about Aruba and our Marriott timeshares on another post, but this story will ultimately land on a Cacao tour in Kauai, Hawaii. I also wrote a story from our trip about eating white pineapples. For 20 (and soon to be 21 years) we have been going to Aruba on our Marriott timeshare and built so many memories from it. Outside of Aruba, we stayed local during the pandemic heading to Rhode Island and twice we made it to Hawaii, trading our Aruba weeks. The first trip was to Oahu and the Big Island, which officially is called Hawaii but is often referred to as the Big Island to differentiate it from the state itself and the collection of other islands. We loved the Big Island and got to try white pineapples for the first time (which will be another post at some point). The second time around, we wanted to give the kids a different Hawaiian experience which was in Kauai. This was one of the islands Mary Beth and I went to on our honeymoon, now 27 years ago. Kauai is an amazing island full of waterfalls, lush tropical rainforests, and the world-famous Nā Pali Coast. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Immerse yourself in the sensory experience by touring local farms to understand the history and terroir behind the harvest. There is a greater appreciation gained when you witness the love and care taken of a local farmer firsthand." Kauai Chocolate Farm Tour As we started to do our research, which as it turns out we didn't act quick enough to book the tube ride down the mountain, we did book some amazing tours, including Nā Pali Coast Sea Caves Raft Expedition from Nā Pali Riders, which was amazing, and a very close second to my favorite tour of all time, Lydgate Farms Chocolate Farm Tour. This was by far the best tour I have ever been on. From my first story I shared 6 months ago, Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate Review: The Intersection of Art and Flavor, you know I love craft dark chocolate. When I saw that Kauai had a cacao farm and they offered tours, I figured this might be my only time when I get to visit an actual farm and see how they grow the cacao pods due to the location that cacao pods grow (which is known as the Cacao Belt or Cocoa Belt, which is 20 degrees north and south of the equator). We asked all of our kids who wanted to join us on this Kauai chocolate farm tour, especially now as they are older and can decide which activities they want to join us for or not. Not surprising, Michael, who is our foodie kid, jumped at the chance to join us. We booked the tour and now we had to wait for the summer to come (roughly 6 months from the time we booked). From start to finish, this tour was incredible. Not only was I genuinely excited about the opportunity to experience what I loved most, craft dark chocolate, this tour went above and beyond. Initial flowers budding that will develop into a cacao pod. As soon as we got there, they offered us to sit in a small area where they did their first introductions. While we were waiting, they had us crack Macadamia nuts and drink some Cacao chocolate. When we sat down, they offered us Apple bananas (sometimes referred to as a candy apple banana), which are native to the area and smaller than a traditional banana by about half the size and sweeter. Mind you, we tasted three amazing foods, and we didn't even start the tour! Cacao pod in mid development After the introduction about the tour and overview of the farm, they brought us down to the Cacao trees. They talked about how they are grown, offering us the ability to look at the pods when they are in their infancy all the way to full grown. The interesting thing was that Cacao trees have been hit recently with some disease around the world but their farm was relatively insulated as they also grow many other fruits (for fun as they don't sell them) and this splits the attention of a potential disease not to affect their Cacao trees (that is my non-technical description of what happened). Peppercorns from a pepper plant. Then we ventured off to another part of the farm where they walked us down past dragon fruit plants and peppercorns on the pepper plant. They offered that we could taste the peppercorns right from the plant. I took advantage of that opportunity as well as I wasn't sure I would ever get to taste peppercorns right from the plant. Yup, it was as good as you can imagine. After tasting the peppercorns, they led us into the chocolate tasting area. We didn't start with the chocolate but tasting some of the other fruit they grow on the farm but don't sell. This included dragon fruit, apple bananas, and soursop (yup, I never heard of it either as it doesn't travel well) and my personal favorite, white pineapples, which are sweeter and juicier than regular pineapples (and about 4x more expensive). We started with the guide taking a mature cacao pod and splitting it in two. After pulling it apart and seeing the beans strung together in their original form, the guide had us try one. We first sucked on the fruit which was the white fleshy part but had to then wait. From there, we broke apart our beans with our teeth to see the inside of the bean. We ate the outer edge of the bean and were left with the nibs, which I started adding to my smoothies, acai bowls, and ice cream. The guide shared the entire process of how they go from pod to bean to craft dark chocolate. Mary Beth, Michael, and me (left) on our Chocolate tour at Lydgate Farms. Wait, you thought we were done. Nope. We then tasted 10 different chocolates to get a feel for what each would taste like. Five where from Lydgate Farms and 5 were from other manufactures including one popular store brand. I was fascinated to learn that the popular store brand dark chocolate has less cacao (45% or so) then the milk chocolate version of a craft chocolate maker (usually 55% or so). So even milk chocolate from a craft chocolate maker gives you a better sensory based experience in taste than the popular store brands. Time to wrap it up. Nope. We then moved to the honey tasting area. They also offer a honey tour which we didn't do where you get to interact with the bees wearing the protective suits and all. Maybe on my next trip, we can experience that tour. Lydgate Farms offers three different types of honey we which were able to taste as well. We loved the Lehua Blossom Honey and bought some for the trip home. I also plan on writing a story on their honey as well at some point. Our last stop was to a small popup stand on their farm where they were offering their farm grown products for sale. Of course, we had to buy some. Frequently Asked Questions Would you tour Lydgate Farms again? Yes, in a heartbeat. I would absolutely go back to the Chocolate Farm Tour and also add the Inside The Hive: Honey and Bee tour as well. What was your favorite part of the Lydgate Farms Cacao tour? All of it honestly. It is really hard to pick one thing that I liked more than others. There were a few standouts though including getting to taste the entire cacao bean and also tasting the peppercorns right off of the plant. Outside of the chocolate, what was your favorite fruit that you tasted on the tour? White Pineapple was by far my favorite. It tastes 100X better than a regular pineapple (which I also love and eat on a regular basis). Start Your Own Chocolate Sensory Experience If you have a passion for chocolate, honey, maybe consider yourself a foodie, or just want an amazing tour, this is the place to elevate your sensory experience. Book today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself. Enjoy!

This is one of my favorite photos. Michael took it in Aruba about 5 years ago. It is a 3-inch space within the volcanic rock of the Arikok National Park. The white in this photo is sun dried sea salt that was left after the water that splashed up on the surface evaporated. My current SaltWorks collection which includes Sea salt, Himalayan salt, Sel Gris, Flake, and Fleur de Sel Talking about salt (and specialty salts) feels a bit like a Goldilocks situation where sometimes you read about consuming too much salt, and other times you don't have enough. This story will not cover the health benefits (and negative effects) of salt but more about how picking the right salts can help enhance the flavor profile whatever you are cooking or the meals you are eating and help you get started. Like most of you, growing up, there was one main store-bought table salt in the house. You know, the one that says, "this salt supplies iodine, a necessary nutrient". As a side note, while probably not required as much now, there was a part of the country in the US that had illnesses related to a lack of iodine back in the 1920's which is the reason why it was added. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Start with a clean palate. Place a few salt crystals on your tongue, close your eyes, and let the flavors melt. Notice the texture profile and complex taste. Season throughout the cooking process, then finish with a flaky salt to add depth and texture, elevating your sensory experience." In addition to the table salt, some households like mine also had Kosher salt. That was it, just 2 salt varieties to add to your food. Himalayan salt from SaltWorks For years, especially when we were first married, this was the only 2 salts we had in our kitchen. At some point in time, we either bought or received as a gift, salt and pepper grinders. Using these grinders made the food taste better so we started to incorporate it more and more into our daily cooking and meals. I think we started out with sea salt and over time also started using Himalayan pink salt as well. Nothing changed in our use of the grinders and the sea/Himalayan salts we were using for about 10-15 years. These salts became our standard way of cooking and eating but we never had a favorite or was brand loyal. The assumption was as long as we were not using the table salt, we were good. Review Of Specialty Salts and Cooking Blocks A few years ago, I started a quest to upgrade our salts. I started reading about finishing salts (salts that you sprinkle on your meal just before eating) which gives the food flavors an extra pop. SaltWorks finishing salts- Sel Gris, Flake, and Fleur de Sel After doing lots of research, I landed on the company, SaltWorks, which when I went on their website was surprised to see that I had actually used their products once before buying a salt grinder from a local retail store year's prior. I started with buying their Sea salt and Himalayan salt and then extended my purchases to also include specialty salts, which are often called finishing salts, including Sel Gris (French grey sea salt) used for meats, Flake salt (which I use for eggs and guacamole; typically used as well for anything that calls for Kosher salt), and Fleur de Sel (which I use on caprese and cookies). Saltverk Lava salt (great on eggs) We have also been venturing into some other salts (it's like a whole new world of options and can be a full-time job in and of itself tasting all of the varieties and brands). However, two that have made an impact to us are Saltverk Lava salt which is hand harvested from Iceland and Maine sea salt from Slack Tide Maine (picture below). While I haven't tried it yet, I think my next purchase will be their Maine Blueberry Sea Salt as I also love Maine Blueberries (which are smaller and more flavorful than regular blueberries). This is Michael's salt block that he uses for his smoker. The other salt item I want to share is a salt block. This was a Christmas gift from last year that has been such a fan favorite in my household, I had to get a second one to fit all of the food we were cooking on it. If you haven't tried a salt block yet, you don't know what you are missing. It gives a great even profile and subtle flavor of salt across the entire meat or veggie you are cooking on. There is some care that needs to be taken when heating it up (slowly) and cleaning afterwards, but the food tastes incredible. We use it on our grill and cook it at the same length of time we would for anything on the grill itself. Slack Tide Maine Flake salt Just a point to note, when we use the salt block or the finishing salts, I use little to no sea or Himalayan salts when cooking. I don't know if there are any specific rules about using or not using it, I just find that if I use both, the salt taste is overpowering. I hope you try some of these salt options to elevate your sensory experience with your meals. Of course, don't forget to pair your salts with pepper. My favorites are from Burlap & Barrel. What are some of your favorites? Frequently Asked Questions What do you cook on your salt block? We cook steak, chicken, and pork on the salt block as well asparagus and onions. What is your favorite dish to use with Slack Tide Maine Flake salt? I love the Slack Tide Maine Flake salt on eggs. It really brings out the flavor of the eggs. What is your everyday salt that you use? We use Himalayan salt from SaltWorks as our everyday salt. Do you salt your pasta water? Yes, we use Sea salt from SaltWorks to season our water after it boils and just before we put our pasta in the pot. Start Your Own Salt Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own salt sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite flakes below. Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Cover photo by Luke Tokaryk I don't think there was a kid growing up that didn't have pancakes with the breakfast syrups that they sold in the grocery store (unless you lived in Northern New England where maple trees are abundant. While those store-bought brands defined my childhood, I have recently discovered the wood-fired difference of Smugglers' Notch Maple Works and their artisanal approach to crafting maple syrup. Having pancakes, waffles, or French toast with syrup was just a way of being a kid. We all had our tradition of where we would put the syrup. Some it would be on a separate plate, others poured right on top. For me, it was on the same dish but off to the side and I would dip into the syrup to get the perfect amount. Picture from the Stowe, VT bike path celebrating our 25th Anniversary. When we moved up to Massachusetts, we started going to the local wholesale club that sold real maple syrup. This became the standard in our household for years. It did get to the point where shortly after transitioning to real maple syrup, I couldn't go back to the breakfast syrup I grew up as a kid (by the way, it's called breakfast syrup because store brands contain little to no maple syrup). I even became a bit of a food snob where when we would go out to breakfast and they didn't have real maple syrup, I would eat my French toast plain vs having to go back to using the breakfast syrups. For years using the wholesale club maple syrup, we never really tried anything else. Sure, we would go to restaurants that offered maple syrup, but we never ventured to try maple syrups from local producers, which is a shame I didn't start this earlier given we live in New England, home to some of the best maple syrups in the world. Box Opening and initial tasting of Smugglers' Notch Maple Works Single Forest Wood Fired Maple Syrup and Rum Barrel Aged Maple Syrup. Please note, I reference Rye in the video. It was actually Rum. Over the years, we did start to sample the small variety packs of maple syrup and came to really like the Amber flavor, in which the sap is collected in the middle of the harvest season vs. that dark and very dark, which are harvested towards the end. The darker varieties are used more for baking, but some people like it just the same for their pancakes. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Start with pouring a small amount of maple syrup on a spoon. Notice the rich color and viscosity of the pour. Next, lean in and inhale the aroma of being transported to a maple forest. Slowly taste the syrup, allowing it to rest on your tongue highlighting the notes the Sugarmaker intended." As we started to learn about the variety differences, we realized our wholesale club syrup was on the dark side and when taste tested against some of the other maple syrups we started to buy, we realized Amber was our preference. This then started us looking for maple syrups in our travels across New England, especially Vermont and New Hampshire. At any given time, we would have 2-3 bottles of maple syrup from different producers, but they all tasted the same to me. I never actually took the time to do a taste test. Forest Mill Farm Maple Syrup This past weekend when Michael was home for Thanksgiving (yes, I am posting this long after writing it), I decided to do a taste test. We had a few bottles from various Vermont and New Hampshire based travels, plus one from Forest Mill Farm in Coventry, CT. This is owned by Kelly Barber and Brian Murray. Me and Brian Murray (right), co-founder of Forest Mill Farm in Coventry, CT Brian used to be a customer of mine when I used to sell to Travelers Insurance. I stopped by his house, and he showed me around as they owned the farm for a few years now and have been doing upgrades ever since. He was nice enough to give me a small bottle which was one of the bottles we used for tasting. It was the Forest Mill maple syrup that prompted me to do the taste test as to me, it had a bit of a woodsy taste to it which I really liked. Unfortunately, they currently don't ship so you have to go to the Coventry farmers market to try it for yourself. We also tried a few others and one that had a similar woodsy profile that Michael and I both liked was from Ben's Sugar Shack in New Hampshire. Ben's was an interesting story as he started his tapping maple trees as a kid (under 10 from what I recall from him being previewed on a local TV program). He then grew it to a point where he know runs a retail store selling a variety of products and made to order food in Tempeh, NH. I then started to find it ironic that I didn't choose any of my maple syrup options that were from Vermont. It was then that I actually did some research to find what others said is the best around. One that struck me was Smugglers' Notch Maple Works, which is based in the Stowe, VT area. Stowe is one of our favorite places to visit and while my family is not into skiing, we just love the area. It has a great bike path with amazing views along a river and of Mount Mansfield. It also has some amazing restaurants including a cafe in a bike shop, Ranch Camp Stowe. Smugglers' Notch itself is breathtaking. It is a windy road up to the top where many cars get stuck because of the massive boulders next to the road. During the summer, it is near impossible to park in the area due to the extremely limited parking. We went last fall just after peak leaf peeping for our anniversary and had no problems parking, walking around, and hiking. It's also called Smugglers' Notch because people used to illegally transport goods like liquor and livestock in its caves and forests during the Embargo Act in the early 1800's and the Prohibition era of the 1920's. Smugglers' Notch is also home to some amazing waterfalls. Quick side story. We went up with friends many years ago and we did a small hike to a Moss Glen Falls (a waterfall). Michael and I went up the path to a section where you could take pictures. We sat on a log and as I was taking our selfie, the phone slipped out of my hand and slid down the hill (it was very dry out for the last few weeks prior) and over the side to a 100-foot drop. After going around, I could see that it landed on a jagged area not far from the top but nowhere near safe to get it myself. I assumed it was gone for good. Then the friend I was with was a PhD in Engineering and said we can get it. I assumed he was crazy but he thought, we are in Stowe and people like to rappel down mountains for fun. So, we went on a quest to 3 different shops (bike, fishing, and other bike shop) to find Tag, a person that was willing to do it. The next day, it took Tag about 10 minutes to rappel down over the cliff and secured my phone. I did pay him for his time, which was much cheaper than having to buy a new one. Smugglers' Notch Maple Works Rum Barrel Aged Maple Syrup Smugglers' Notch Maple Works Ok, back to the maple syrup. I just had two varieties of the Smugglers' Notch Maple Works shipped to my house to try (video unboxing and taste test at the end of the story). The first was Single Forest Wood Fired Maple Syrup and the second was the Rum Barrel Aged Maple Syrup. The things that I loved was the complex, woody taste of the syrup as it made me feel like I was back in Stowe. The Smugglers' Notch syrups are a bit more expensive than traditional maple syrup so I plan to use it when I have something where I can really take advantage of the taste. The first thing that comes to mind is some candied walnuts (which I am getting better at making) as well as some homemade French Toast. Smugglers' Notch Maple Works Single Forest Wood Fired Maple Syrup I think the Single Forest Wood Fired Maple Syrup is going to be one of my new favorite products and I am excited to go back to Stowe for a visit to their tasting room. The father and son owners, Ron and Jeremy Elliott, primarily own a distillery and then partnered with longtime maple producer Craig Walker of Underhill, VT. Ron and Jeremy took their maple syrup a step further to barrel age it in their own distillery barrels. I am now a huge fan of Smugglers' Notch Maple Works. It is definitely worth the upgraded sensory experience. Don't forget to pair your maple syrup with Cinnamon from Burlap & Barrel your pancakes and French Toast on your new All-Clad Copper Core Pans! Frequently Asked Questions Which is your favorite Smugglers' Notch Maple Works Syrup? We have now tried all three maple syrups, the Wood Fired original, the Rum Barrel and the Bourbon Barrel versions. My favorite is the Wood Fired original. My family, particularly Mary Beth and Michael, love the Bourbon and Rum versions. No matter which you choose, you will love it. Have you been to their distillery and sampled the products in their tasting room? Not yet, but on our next trip to Stowe, it will be the first activity on our list. What recipes do you use maple syrup on? Like so many people, we are big fans of using maple syrup on breakfast foods like French Toast, pancakes, and waffles! I also love it with candied walnuts and every once in a while, as a treat, I will just take a spoonful and enjoy the elevated sensory experience transporting me back to Stowe. Start Your Own Vermont Maple Syrup Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your Vermont maple syrup sensory experience, I’ve listed a few of my favorite products and one that I haven't tried yet, but I am sure will be a fan favorite. Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Cover photo by Declan Sun My mom is still in the same house she bought over 55 years ago. One piece of furniture that is original (or mostly original as I was born a few years after they moved into the house) is my bedroom set and the matching desk and chair that came with it. It also couldn't be more opposite than the Tempur-Pedic Office Chair review I will share below. Most of the furniture has been updated including the 1970's style couches that had the plastic covering on them (I know that was the style and it was used to protect the couch, but I never understood the concept as a kid, or as an adult). This was my childhood desk and chair that I spent hours at growing up. I remember as a kid, I spent hours at my desk doing homework, creating games I would play, and organizing my baseball cards. All of this was done sitting in my wooden desk chair. As a kid, I didn't think of comfort. It was just a chair and had its purpose for me to sit in. Back then (in the 70's and 80's), chairs were built for function, not comfort. Even if you worked in an office, if you wanted a comfortable chair, it was this big, clunky leather chair. It probably wasn't until the 1990's and 2000's where chair design switched from function to comfort. New technologies created new innovations in chair comfort. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "At the start of work each day, take a moment to sit in your chair, plant your feet flat on the ground, rest your hands loosely in your lap or on your thighs, and close your eyes. Drop your shoulders away from your ears, take a few deep breaths, and sit quietly for a minute." I can remember 20 years ago, the company I was working for moved locations and the new office got all new furniture. Everyone had a desk chair with the mesh back and bottom, which were very comfortable. I think I recall the facilities person telling me they were about $700 or so per chair and it was worth it. We also had conference room chairs and when I sat in it for the first time, it was hard, but then all of a sudden, I started to sink into the chair. It was like I just melted into it. These turned out to be really comfortable as well and I found out they were about $1,000 a piece. Following that job, I started to work in my home office and had a chair that I used from the original office closing. It was marginally comfortable but with a growing family, the free chair worked just fine. Over time, I started to work in my home office more and more. And thus, the search for a new office chair was upon me. Tempur-Pedic Office Chair Review Turns out, I actually found an office chair at one of the office supply stores that was one of the more expensive ones at the time, probably around $350 but I remember it being on sale for $250. It was a Temper-Pedic. I always heard great things about Temper-Pedic beds, but I didn't know they make chairs. This was one of the best purchases I have ever made, and the chair has been with me for about 10 years. I love my home office chair. This is the worn seat cover after ~10 years of use. The elevated sensory experience of this chair started for me during the set up. I remember vividly that when I had to put it together (and I am the least handy person you will meet), I found the directions to be so simple and clear. The company even had the tool I needed as a part of the set up in the box. I didn't have to go hunt for the right tool, it was already there for me with picture perfect directions. For 10 years now, I just melt when I sit in my Tempur-Pedic chair. The chair molds to my body and provides the ultimate comfort. I often brag about it when I have been on calls as people complain about their office chairs and I share that I absolutely love mine. My Tempur-Pedic chair with the new seat cover. It feels good as new. Recently however, as with any material, the chair started to have some peeling issues on the outer covering (I don't think it's leather, but it gives the leather feel). I reached out to Tempur-Pedic and they put me in touch with the company, Raynor Group that licenses the manufacturing of their chairs (Tempur-Pedic focuses on beds which will be another post at a future date). Working with the Raynor Group was just phenomenal. It's took us awhile for them to help me as I had pulled the tags off and didn't have any documentation. They asked for pictures and then a few days later, I got a message that even though the product was out of warranty, they were going to replace the bottom portion of the chair for me at no charge. Sometimes it's the product that makes the sensory experience. In this case, it was both the product and the company behind it that elevated the sensory experience. They earned a customer for life...and an advocate that wrote about their Tempur-Pedic Office Chair too! Frequently Asked Questions Is the Raynor Group owned by Tempur-Pedic? Yes, Tempur-Pedic does license their technology to the Raynor Group so they can manufacture and sell Tempur-Pedic chairs? Are the Raynor Group Tempur-Pedic chairs the same technology as the beds? Yes, Raynor Group uses the same Tempur-Pedic technology as in the beds and other products made specifically by Tempur-Pedic. Would you buy another Tempur-Pedic chair? Absolutely. We have lots of Tempur-Pedic products including our bed, pillows, and my office chair. Start Your Own Home Office Chair Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your home office chair sensory experience, I’ve listed my the most similar product from mine (as mine is about 10 years old). Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

2025 Sensory Product of the Year I started exploring Italian Olive Oils from a struggle to find a good balsamic vinegar. The short version is I spoke with Louie from Extra Virgin Olio by Madge & Louie, a United States based importer of Italian Olive Oils and Vinegars. "I am beyond excited to share this TESORO Olive Oil review and announce that it was named Rooted & Refined Living's 2025 Sensory Experience 2025 Product of the Year". Olive tree from the FEUDO DISISA estate. Through that conversation, he turned me on to a world of Italian Olive Oils that made everything taste better. The full story can be read at Italian Olive Oil Review: The Peppery Difference. During the last few years, I tried many fantastic Italian Olive Oils from Madge and Louie's. The one that stood above the rest was TESORO. The Sicilian based FEDUO DISISA, which also has a line of award-winning wines, has something really special with TESORO and offers an unparalleled sensory experience. The first thing that you come in contact with is the sleek and elegant look of the black bottle with the gold lettering, giving it a premium feel. The taste is a smooth, complex flavor, with hints of artichoke, and a peppery finish. TESORO also has a great pairing versatility with pastas, caprese, meats and fish. The Rooted & Refined Living Standard: "Unlike traditional review sites, my selection process for Product of the Year involves personal use of multiple Italian olive oils for 5 years of daily use. My family and I personally use TESORO on pastas, meats, caprese and my favorite, bread dipping. This award is a view into what we use at the Fiore dinner table." TESORO embodies what we strive for at Rooted & Refined Living. In a world increasingly shaped by technology and AI, people are craving more sensory based experiences. Also, for those in the US, I highly recommend reaching out to Louie to change the way you experience olive oils and if you are ever in Sicily, visit FEUDO DISISA for some olive oil and wine tasting. In fact, Louie, and his wife Tina may also offer Olive Oil tours in Italy and you may just get to stop by FEUDO DISISA! As a point of reflection, I have been writing about products that elevate your sensory experience for the last 6 months. To date, I have published 10 stories, based on all products I personally use and love. All of these products are amazing in their own right. As I was deciding on the Product of the Year, TESORO stood out based on how it helped elevate our cooking experience across so many dishes including pastas, caprese, steaks and fish, just to name a few. Buon appetito! Congrats again to FEUDO DISISA! ---------------------------- Selection Process Transparency: FEUDO DISISA and Extra Virgin Olio by Madge & Louie did not have any input in this decision, nor was I compensated for this award selection. As shared on previous posts, some of the links are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

This story isn't for everyone, especially if you live in a warm weather climate like my friend Bob. Actually, I may be wrong. If you live in a warm weather location but travel periodically to a cold weather destination like New England or anywhere in a northern climate, this Cotopaxi Fuego Review may actually be for you as well. Me with my Cotopaxi Fuego winter jacket For clarification, I am going to use the word coat and jacket interchangeably. I did research and there is a general difference (jackets are shorter and typically lighter weight), but it's not relevant to this story. When I was a kid, I probably had one or two jackets/coats at most. One was a lightweight jacket for the fall and then a heavy coat for the winter. Then everything changed when I got married. Mary Beth's family, specifically her mother, loved coats. That also meant Mary Beth loved coats too and my closet of two was just not going to cut it. Over the years, I think I have had every type of jacket and coat you can imagine. For purposes of this story, the focus will be on the winter coats. I had a trench coat and raincoat for work as that is what you did when you went into New York City for work in the winter. I also had a ski jacket which was big, puffy, and bulky. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "When the snow begins to fall, step outside and close your eyes. Listen to the silence, as each individual snowflake insulating the world around you. Breathe deep, letting the cold air and stillness ground you." As time went on, more and more jackets and coats filled our closets. I now have lightweight jackets for fall, rain, wind, and coats for cold, really cold, and really, really cold weather. A few years ago, I did donate my trench coat and raincoat as I just wasn't wearing them anymore (they also felt a bit old as felt like I was living in the 1960's on the show Mad Men). Last year, I wanted to update my outerwear a bit and find a jacket that was warm and lightweight. The technology has improved over the years where I don't need to have a big heavy ski jacket but a nice looking lightweight down jacket. Basically, I wanted to feel like I was a part of this century. Cotopaxi Fuego Review I went shopping to try a bunch of brands on. I think I tried them all and found that the Cotopaxi Fuego Down Hooded Jacket was the right one for me. Outside of the jacket itself, I found that Cotopaxi's core values of sustainability were impressive. As well, they make sure their clothing factories adhere to the UN Global Compact and Principles of Responsible Business. As a disclaimer, Cotopaxi is not a small business but is on the smaller side of some of the more popular outerwear brands. Me again with my Cotopaxi Fuego jacket The jacket I picked is very comfortable, lightweight, and stylish. What more can you ask for. The thing I love most is its comfort and lightweight design and it is very warm for those cold Boston winter days. Lastly, if you didn't know, Cotopaxi (koh-toh-PAHK-see) is one of the world's highest active volcanoes, located in Ecuador. If you are interested in discovering what Cotopaxi has to offer, check out the links below. 2 Month Update During a recent trip to North Conway, New Hampshire, the temperature was negative 2 degrees with a windchill of negative 15 degrees. Mary Beth, Michael, and I took a trip up the Cog Railway, which is the only railroad in the world that goes straight up the mountain. During the winter, it only goes up part way Mount Washington (during the summer it goes to the summit). It was so cold that Michael’s hot chocolate froze. Mount Washington, NH, which is known as having the worst weather in the world. For example, around 100 days per year, the summit gets hurricane force winds and has a record wind chill of -108 degrees Fahrenheit. The amazing thing about this photo is the entire area got 2 feet of snow the week prior but the only real snow you can see is on Mount Washington. I learned two things during this trip, both being in town and on Mount Washington. First my Cotopaxi Fuego jacket was perfect. It kept me very warm and was very lightweight as I shared in my original writing above. Second, I realized the hat I was wearing was just not sufficient. Following the trip, we went to visit a few outdoor stores, and I went searching for a beanie. I looked at all of them across multiple stores. I felt them for thickness, material feel, and the band strength (basically is it going to stretch out). I was excited to find that the Cotopaxi Alto Beanie met all my criteria. I was really excited after trying it on that it actually kept my ears warm with a combination of the material and the band strength, giving a nice snug feeling. I wore it for the rest of the weekend, and it will now be my first choice for these cold New England days. The only thing that would have made this experience better is to have cooked some French Toast with some Vermont Maple Syrup! Frequently Asked Questions What is the Cotopaxi Fuego jacket filled with? It is made with Insulation: 800-fill down from responsible sources according to Cotopaxi's website. How lightweight is the jacket? Honestly, it doesn't even feel like I am wearing a jacket at all as it feels like it weighs only a few ounces. How did the Cotopaxi Fuego jacket hold up in the harsh cold winters? I wore the jacket up Mount Washington, in New Hampshire in -15 degree wind chill and I was toasty warm. It blocked out both the wind and the cold. Start Your Own Down Jacket (and Beanie) Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own Cotopaxi Fuego Down Hooded Jacket and Beanie Sensory Experience, I’ve shared my current purchases below. Give it a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Cover photo by Nik Owens Game changing! That is the only way to describe the pizza when it’s made with the Ooni pizza oven. Michael and I checking out the new pizza oven on our first day cooking. As you can see, we were both curious. You can also see the table Michael built in High School Wood Shop class. I will get back to the Ooni Pizza Oven Review in a bit as I first need to help set some context. A Pizza Snob from New Jersey When my wife first met me, she called me a pizza snob, and I have to agree. You see, I grew up in New Jersey and became accustomed to the New York style pizza. For the people who live in the New York/New Jersey area, you may have your favorite place to get your pizza from but in general, you will defend the New York style until the day you die. People from the New York area will scoff at the idea that someone likes pizza from Chicago, Detroit, or even New Haven, CT. To New York and New Jersey residents, there is no comparison, period. Emma practicing her pizza throwing I lived in New Jersey for almost 25 years and still visit on a regular basis as my mom and family are still there. Growing up, I used to have pizza a few times a week, especially as I got into middle school and high school where I could ride my bike down to the local pizza shop, Tony's Pizza. My friends and I would get a few slices each and every Friday was pizza night at our house. I still go to Tony's when I am home visiting my mom. However, I moved to New England and my struggle to find good pizza was bewildering (especially because I really wasn't that far away- it's not like I moved across country). My first experience of non-New York style pizza was when I was in college in Rhode Island. Mary Beth, who was my girlfriend at the time (now wife) and I went out for pizza and I asked for a slice. The guy looked at me and stated, “no slides, we only sell a whole pizza”. It was at this time when I started to realize things were different and finding good pizza was going to be a lifelong challenge if I lived outside of the New York/New Jersey area. As they say, the struggle is real. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Transform the prep into a social workshop. Provide individual doughs for guests to curate their own culinary masterpieces, making the creative process just as memorable as the pizza itself." The Struggle to Find Great Pizza For years, I went on a search for good pizza trying to find something that was at least comparable to what I grew up with. I was like a wondering nomad continuing to be disappointed in my efforts to find a place I would stack up, especially living 40 miles west of Boston. Over time, I started to find some restaurants that started offering Neapolitan style pizza, with my first experience in New York City and then a restaurant opened up near me in Worcester, MA called Volturno. Volturno was the first restaurant in Massachusetts to get certified in associazione verace pizza napoletana (apn) to guarantee the style of preparation and cooking that originated from Napoli, Italia. My family and I frequent Volturno often, not only for the great pizza and pasta, but the open-air atmosphere that it offers. However, when we are not going out for pizza, we now cook on our Ooni, which does a great job in replicating my experience going to Volturno with a Neapolitan style pizza. My pizza going into the Ooni Pizza Oven. The metal launch peel is a requirement to slide the pizza in. A turning peel is also required to move it around, so it doesn't burn in one spot. Ooni Pizza Oven Review Now, here is where I can say with 100% certainty that the pizza cooking in Ooni is Game Changing. For over 25 years, we have been using the same bread maker to make pizza dough (I know, I still haven’t ventured into making my dough by hand). The bread maker for us has been a great way to make multiple doughs with little effort. The bread maker and same recipe is our constant in this comparison. As a gift when we were first married, someone gave us a really nice pizza stone which we used to cook our pizzas for many years. At some point about 10-15 years ago, we started cooking our pizzas on the grill. Same recipe from the same bread maker and the grilled pizza was 10 times better than the pizza stone. Cooking on the grill became our go to for pizza making for quite some time. Finished product, about 90 seconds later. Even the slightly crispy/burnt parts of the crust taste really good. To dive into my Ooni Pizza Oven review, A few years ago, Mary Beth gave me an Ooni pizza oven for my birthday and I was entering into a world I never knew existed. She solved the pizza problem I was trying to solve for 30 years. I started to read and watch YouTube videos about the Ooni experience with the oven that gets up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit (482 degrees Celsius). I was impressed and couldn’t wait to get started. The problem was I didn’t have the proper tools and putting in dough into an oven that cooks in 60-90 seconds is unforgiving if you can’t get it out in time or can’t turn it quickly enough. My first day cooking on the Ooni wasn’t a success and most of it burned to a crisp, with all of the pizza going into the garbage. It wasn’t until I got the Ooni Pizza Peel and Ooni Pizza Turning Peel that I was able to control the cooking process. While I don’t consider myself an expert by any means, 9 out of every 10 pizzas I cook are impressive. I wasn't kidding when I said it gets hot. This is pointed to the middle part of the stone inside the oven. As a result, I now have the ability to compare the same bread maker dough recipe cooked on the pizza stone, grill, and now the Ooni. I can say with 100% certainty that the Ooni is hands down, the best option for cooking a restaurant quality Neapolitan pizza in the comfort of your own home. I have the Ooni Pro 16 which has since been discontinued. It is a multi-fuel oven that has an optional gas attachment. I have opted not to get the attachment and use a combination of wood and lump charcoal to cook my pizzas. They have so many great ovens now including electric ones if you live in an apartment. I was fortunate to have my son make me a pizza table that we use but Ooni also offers tables. To my surprise, I learned that Ooni pizza ovens can sit on top of a wood surface (in addition to metal and stone). Since we have been using our Ooni pizza oven, we cook 9-12 pizzas at a time as we typically only bring it out when we have a crowd. To support 9-12 pizzas, we now have 3 individual wood pizza peels and just recently, a stacked pizza rack with 4 additional peels from Slyced. I also recommend getting an infrared thermometer to check the temperature of the stone. Slyced Wooded Pizza Peel Rack holds 4 doughs ready for toppings to be added. Lastly, for my birthday, I just received a cast iron Dual-Sided Grizzler Plate which similar to my experience cooking my first pizza. I am still getting used this new toy. In my first try, I cooked potatoes that cooked so fast, when I took them out, they were still cooking on the Grizzler. They were a bit crispier than I had hoped! As you can tell I am passionate about my pizza. I hope you can elevate your sensory experience just the same. Also, don't forget to cut all of your toppings on your John Boos wood cutting boards! Have you tried cooking your own pizza? What was your experience? P.S. I had a few people ask me about Gluten Free flour so I asked the Ooni Facebook group. By a wide margin, they recommended the Gluten Free Antico Molino Napoli Antimo Caputo Pizza Flour. Frequently Asked Questions Have you tried the new Ooni Koda2 pizza oven? Not yet but hope to in the future. The newest one with the revolving stone is impressive How long was the learning curve to make the perfect pizza? I am not sure I will ever get to the point in making the perfect pizza, but it took 3 or 4 tries before I was able to consistently make good pizzas that I was happy with. I was comfortable inviting friends over after 5 or 6 tries. Is the metal pizza peel required to launch into the oven? Can't I just use a wooden peel? I highly recommend using the metal pizza peel. Due to the length of the handle and the ease of the dough launching off of the peel, it makes for a great combination. Start Your Own Home-Made Pizza Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own home-made pizza sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite products below. Please note the Ooni pizza oven I use is discontinued so I shared a link to their store for the new products. Give it a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

First week of the kitchen flood after they took out the bottom cabinets, and the floor. Notice they also took out a big piece of plywood due to mold we had. You could see directly into our basement. Cover photo by Fred Kleber It was about 5:00 am one morning about 10 years ago, which was roughly 7 years before we ultimately purchased our Boll & Branch Towels. Our son Michael at the time liked to get up really early for school. He started to head downstairs and heard something. He came in and thought he heard a gas leak. It was loud and constant. Mary Beth and I walked downstairs fortunately to find out it wasn't a gas leak, but it was a dishwasher pipe that burst and flooded our kitchen. The water was gushing from the pipe. I immediately went downstairs to the basement and shut off the main water supply. We quickly assessed the damage and started to try to move things in the main floor and our basement that were going to be or had been affected. My office was directly below the kitchen but honestly, we didn't have too many physical possessions that were going to be damaged. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Wrap the towel around you and close your eyes. Feel the ultra-soft cotton lock in warmth, providing instant peace. Take a deep breath, letting the sensation transport your mind and body to a luxury spa elevating your sensory experience." We then called the insurance company who called a water remediation company. They sent over 11 people the first day and had 24 dehumidifiers going. Then next day they sent 10 people, tearing up our house piece by piece. Each day for the next 7 days, we had people at our house pulling things up like rugs, floors, kitchen cabinets, and walls. They were also removing some items like my office desk and chair that got ruined in the flood. Emma testing out our new kitchen cabinets During the process, we started to clean out our front hall closet as we were going to get our floor replaced. During that time, we noticed water in the outside wall. This had nothing to do with the original water issue, but it was current and we filed a second claim with the insurance company. This second claim was from water damage originating from Matthew's bedroom. As they started to pull out the walls, they tore up the rugs too. Because our rugs were the same across the upstairs, we were able to get all new rugs across the entire upstairs. But that meant one thing, every room in our house, with the exception of the 2 upstairs bathrooms and a 3-season porch we had was torn apart. We had boxes of stuff everywhere we could find an available spot. It was organized chaos everywhere. The biggest challenge we had was we didn't have a kitchen for 4 months as we had to file and settle on the insurance claim, find a contractor, wait for the contractor to start, wait for the new kitchen cabinets to come in, etc. This definitely tested the patience we had as a family, but we made it through. At the end of the 5 months when everything was done, we had a new kitchen, new floors, and new rugs in every room in our house, except for the 3 rooms mentioned earlier. The few months of paid basically gave us a brand-new house. Photo of our shower with a hanging towel However, with this brand-new house, we had the two bathrooms that were old and we never liked to begin with. So, a few years later, and after a few larger commission checks, we saved up some money and decided to redo both bathrooms. This is actually the point of the story. After redoing our bathrooms, where we focused on going a bit upscale, we needed bath towels to match. Basically, we were looking for the feeling of a bath towel you would get at a high-end hotel. After much research, we upgraded. As with many of you, we didn't start out with upgraded towels. We are on our 4th iteration of towels in 26 years, and these are by far the best. Boll & Branch Towels We now use towels from Boll & Branch. We ordered bath towels, a hand towels, and washcloths. It has been about 4 years since we have been using our towels, and they still feel as soft as they did when we first bought them. Also, for complete honesty, we only ordered the towels for Mary Beth and me. The kids got their towels from Target. Photo of our Boll & Branch towels To give you an idea on how these towels have held up, I always fill the washcloth with water and wash my face with it each morning. By cupping my hands, the towel can hold the water for about 10 seconds. Compare that to the ultra-thin washcloths you sometimes get at a hotel that don't hold any water at all, it is a night and day difference. If you are ready to wrap yourself in a soft, ultra comfortable towel that will last for years, and use it to dry your face with a spa like sensory experience, I highly recommend Boll & Branch. They also have bedding, pillows, and other items that we have yet to explore but I am positive it will give you the same luxury experience. After you wrap yourself in luxury, head to the kitchen and make yourself a smoothie and don't turn on the news to help create a more meditative experience. Are you ready to upgrade to a spa like experience in your own home? Frequently Asked Questions How often do you wash your towels? We have 4 bath towels (Boll & Branch calls them Bath Sheets), 4 hand towels, and 16 washcloths between the two of us. We typically wash our towels once every 3-4 days and after 4 years, they are still good as new. Does Boll & Branch sell other items, and have you tried them? Yes, Boll & Branch sells sheets, bedding, pillows, and even pajamas. We have not yet tried any of their other products, but when we are in the market, I will be sure to give them a try. Does Boll & Branch towels really give a spa like feeling? Yes, every time I use one of the towels, which is every day, I feel like I am transported to a spa. Start Your Own Luxury Towel Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own Boll & Branch Luxury Towel Sensory Experience, I’ve listed my specific towel set below. Give it a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

French Toast with sourdough bread from Bread Guys Breads using local eggs and Royal Cinnamon from Burlap & Barrel Mary Beth and I registered for our wedding 29 years ago. Surprisingly, we were getting instructed by my New York/New Jersey Italian family that we weren't putting enough expensive things on the registry (and we were nowhere near thinking about doing an All-Clad Copper Core Review at that time). The reality was, we were being practical and honestly, didn't know the value between most of the expensive items vs. the less expensive items. Mary Beth and I registered for our wedding 29 years ago. Surprisingly, we were getting instructed by my New York/New Jersey Italian family that we weren't putting enough expensive things on the registry. "All things being equal, my French Toast tasted better when I cooked it on my All-Clad pan. But more on that in a bit". The reality was, we were being practical and honestly, didn't know the value between most of the expensive items vs. the less expensive items (and nowhere near thinking about doing an All-Clad Copper Core Review). To us at the then age of 22, our $100 set of 10 pots and pans selection was more than sufficient. This cookware cooked the food the same way an expensive pot would (or we naively thought). Plus, how cool was it that we had 10 different sized pots and pans!. To us at the then age of 22, our $100 set of 10 pots and pans selection was more than sufficient. This cookware cooked the food the same way an expensive pot would (or we naively thought). Plus, how cool was it that we had 10 different sized pots and pans! For years, these pans worked just fine for what we were doing. We cooked and the food tasted good. As we got older and we would window shop at the retail stores. We always thought it would be cool to get the really nice sets but didn't think much of it. We had other priorities like paying for diapers when the kids were little. Extras and nice to haves were put on the back burner (no pun intended). The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "To prevent your food from sticking, let the water dance. Heat the pan up slowly on a low setting. After a few minutes, the pan will experience the Leidenfrost Effect. Drop a few beads of water and watch them glide across the pan like an elegant dancer. Once this happens, it's time to add your first ingredient." There was a point in time when we did upgrade but it was based on a sales contest my company was running, and I got to choose from a selection of products. We did upgrade and most of our original pots and pans got relegated to a box in the basement for when the kids got older (which Michael is now using now in college). Even with the nicer set, I always wanted the best pots and pans, and that was All-Clad. They were the featured products in all of the nice stores we went to visit and as we got older, some of our friends had them as well. As I learned over time, if you enjoy cooking, having a great set of pots and pans is just as important as a few other key items like your kitchen knife and your butcher block. All-Clad Copper Core Review So, after lots of research, I opted to purchase from All-Clad but even then, there were so many options. For my review, I chose for the All-Clad Copper Core set, but there was a learning curve. Unless you are cooking with a liquid, like boiling water, they recommendation is to heat up the pans on a low temperature and only increase it to medium on occasion. Most of your cooking is between the 3 and 4 range (out of 10) on the stove. I believe this is for most pans, but these were specific rules for cooking with the Copper Core set. Over time, we did augment our original set with two non-stick Copper Core pans for cooking eggs and other items that are a bit easier with the non-stick. I know you can cook eggs on a traditional pan, but we haven't perfected it, and I have ruined too many eggs trying. 5 of the 10 All-Clad pans that came in our set. We have had our pans for about 3 years now and I can share with you that this was well worth the investment. As a point of reference, as you may see, All-Clad is not manufactured by a small company or individual like the rest of my product recommendations. However, to elevate your sensory experience, I highly recommend them. Separately, if you are the type of person who wants the best of the best, check out this site from Duparquet Cookware. These are all handmade silver pots with one of them going for as much as $16,000. I saw him featured on a local tv program and was fascinated. I unfortunately don't have that much cash lying around to buy one! Frequently Asked Questions Should you wash your All-Clad Copper Core cookware while it is still hot? No, adding water, especially cold water will warp the pans. Unfortunately, our largest 12in pan is slightly warped. That means when we go to fry something, the oil all moves to the edges with nothing in the middle. This is the reason why you want to let your pans cool before cleaning. What is the best way to clean your pans, especially if there is food that is stuck? The easiest way is to wait for the pan or pot to cool, soak it in water for 10 minutes and then clean. The food will most likely just fall off the pan making for cooking easy. When is the best time to flip meat when you are cooking on the All-Clad Copper Core cookware? There will be a point when you are cooking meat where the meat automatically separates from the pan. You can test this by just poking it with a utensil and if it easily moves, you can flip. If it's still sticking to the pan, it is not ready to flip. Start Your Own All-Clad Cookware Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own All-Clad Cookware sensory experience, I’ve listed my current set. Give it a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

My Shun bread knife with Italian Olive Oil and local bread from Bread Guy Breads on the Boos Block cutting board Cover photo by Rodolfo Marques Now, before you say that I am crazy for recommending a bread knife that retails for more than you would expect to pay, let me tell you that it is amazing. I love bread and I hope you will love your Shun Bread Knife just as much as I do. That should be the end of the story but there is more. I have always loved bread, and I assume most people are like me. You grew up on bread and now that you are an adult, you are always in search of a great loaf of bread. Whether it is for bread dipping, your favorite sandwich, or an accompaniment to your favorite pasta dish, a good loaf of bread makes everything better. Here was my problem. Up until recently, I had a few bread knives in my butcher block, purchased from somewhere, sometime ago. Honestly, I never gave it much thought and just accepted the fact that when I cut into my bread, it would smush and make a big mess. My family would make comments that they had big hand divots in their bread, and it sometimes would lose its desirability. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Less is more when using a high-end bread knife. Focus on a slow gliding motion. Feeling the steel cut the bread like warm butter will elevate your sensory experience, just like the baker intended." I also recently purchased a chef’s knife after years of not liking the one I had but the new one I bought is just ok and not one that I would recommend (full disclosure, it was not a Shun Cutlery knife). Mary Beth and the kids encouraged me to start researching for a new bread knife, so I dug a little deeper into my search trying to find the best one out there. After cross referencing a few bread knife product recommendation sites, Shun kept coming up and specifically, this high-end version. I was initially impressed by their website and craftsmanship but as with any knife, it’s a very personal experience. I took a big chance on buying a bread knife knowing that it may fall flat just like my chef’s knife. After the unboxing, I had to jump in the car and drive to my local baker, Bread Guy Breads to purchase a loaf of bread so we could try it out. Bread Guy Breads is a success story all by itself as the founder and owner, Chuck Brown, is a retired school principal. During the pandemic, he started making bread out of his house and delivering it to a few people. It started to quickly take off, and he opened up a retail store in town and is the biggest hit each week during the local farmer’s market. Shun Bread Knife Review: Is the expense really worth it? Drum roll…..It cut the bread like I was cutting through melted butter. The effortlessness of each stroke gave me goose bumps. I then started to play around with the knife to see how thin I could cut the bread, similar to those in those fancy chef videos you see on YouTube. I was so impressed. Shun Premier 9" Bread Knife with Italian Bread on a Boos Block Cutting Board The other thing that I found fascinating is the knife itself doesn't look sharp. You can run your finger lightly across the blade and not get cut. Well, not get cut if you don't continually do it for a few minutes. I finally said ouch and got what was the equivalent to a small paper cut. I learned my lesson just like my parents taught me as a kid... don't play with knives! At some point, I will be passing my chef’s knife onto my kids as they move out and will be looking to buy another Shun product to add to my collection. Happy cutting and don't forget to pair your favorite bread with the olive oil and vinegar from Madge and Louie's with your new cutting board from Boos Block. Frequently Asked Questions Should you wash your Shun Bread knife in the dishwasher? It is not recommended to was your knifes in the dishwasher. We hand wash and dry our Shun Bread knife and store it in a knife block. Can you hand sharpen your Shun Bread knife? No. I remember reading when I unboxed my Shun Bread knife that they mentioned if it did need sharpening, to send the knife back to them. So far, we have owned the knife for about a year, and it is still as good as when it started, cutting through bread like it is warm butter. How often do you buy bread at Bread Guy Breads in Grafton, MA? We go about once per week, usually buying a sourdough loaf, and not having them slice it so we can use our Shun Premier Bread Knife. We also love their chocolate honey bread, and cinnamon swirl bread, and pretty much everything else as well. It's also hard going into the bakery planning to buy an $8 loaf of sourdough and then spending $50 because everything smells and tastes so good. During the summers, we often visit Bread Guy Breads at the Grafton Farmers Market. Start Your Own Bread Knife Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own bread knife Sensory Experience, I’ve listed my favorite Bread Knife below. Give it a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.