Emily, a reader of this newsletter, sent me photos of her kitchen and a note that said, "Renovated my dream kitchen a year ago, but cannot figure out how to style my countertop area, particularly corners. Help if ya'll can!"

Emily, what a lovely kitchen—and I am here to help!

Here goes:

Move that beautiful wood bowl to the island, and give it some friends, like this footed bowl (in white) or this cake stand that can act as a platform for fruit. And a small catchall like this. Aim for a grouping that has different sizes, materials, and heights.

For the left corner, how about adding some canisters? Like these or these (the splurge set)? And a serving board that you can lean up against the wall and have handy.

Add a print hung just above them. One idea. Another. A third. This way, with the canisters and the serving board, you're creating a vignette that draws people's eyes to (rather than, say, to the more industrial visual of the stove).

Let's put a sturdy little lamp in the corner on the right.

I'd recommend a white dish rack so it mostly disappears against the tile wall.

To the right of your stove, where you have salt, etc., I would add a useful object with height—like this crock or this one—and put your utensils in it. Etsy has a million; here's one with a good shape!

If you've been following this newsletter, then you know I'm obsessed with this double oven mitt, which you could hang over the oven door handle. Nice range, btw!

Lastly, I think you could use a semi-permanent cutting board on your island, so you have a place that anchors where you prep. It can live there—just clean after use!

Back at Food52

Daniel, one of our Shop merchants, also has a side gig as a ceramicist. Naturally, he's got his ear to the ground on the famously cutthroat and secretive world of pottery. Daniel leads our limited-edition ceramics series, All Fired Up, and last week he presented a new collection by SOMBRA, an LA-based studio. SOMBRA specializes in vases, jars, and bowls in simple shapes and earthy glazes. I've got my eye on the ribbed stoneware vase.

Tess is back, zipping around her parents' Toronto kitchen with a new episode of It's Fine—she makes a family recipe for pork and chive dumplings from Frankie Gaw's First Generation: Recipes from My Taiwanese-American Home.

Our Hotline champ, Justin, showed us how to make matzo on Instagram, and they are so duh-simple that we should all feel a little shame for ever buying them.

Happy spring! At least, I hear it's spring somewhere—just not Brooklyn,

Amanda Hesser

Founder & Executive Chair

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Dat Candy

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Styling Emily’s kitchen, homemade matzo, and earthy ceramics.

Amanda Hesser

Founder & Executive Chair