Buy This: Good Things For You

A summer round up of favorite discoveries

Hello, good people of the Substack universe!

I’m inching back into my routine here, coming off of a many weeks long jaunt through England and Denmark. I came home to too many emails, too many to-do’s, and a persistent, unavoidable sense that perhaps we were gone too long.

I’m happy to be back in the saddle and staring down a busy fall. We’re off to Albuquerque this week for a very fun multi-day shindig with Los Poblanos. I’ve long wanted to visit - it’s an historic inn on a 25 acre organic lavender farm that makes a strong case for never leaving the property. They’ve been selling Jack Rudy in their Farm Shop for many years, and this gathering is a long time coming.

We are showcasing our products throughout the weekend alongside Los Poblanos’ Lavender Gin, and bringing along my wife’s exquisite shirting line for a trunk show in their beautiful shop. (It’s a family affair!) When I return I look forward to sharing some more details about the place for any would-be travelers. I’m told it is quite special.

Travel refills my inspiration coffers. I’m a curious person, I ask a lot of questions, and I love learning about new things. In the context of my line of work, travel is imperative - it keeps me fresh, abreast of new products, trends, or ways of doing business. And it keeps me interested, curious, and aware.

To that end, I wanted to share some of my favorite discoveries from the summer. I’m working on a deep dive Copenhagen list for next week - so please stay tuned for that. I believe it will be the most reliable and vetted guide available.

Until then, thanks as always for coming along for the ride.

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Jake’s London

I’ll be profiling Jake Wigham and his unique shirting line in the coming weeks; in preparation for that I wanted to stop in and meet him while we were in London.

Jake studied tailoring at the London College of Fashion and has created a beautiful, personal business of men’s shirting. His shirts are made-to-order, with the fabrics being cut and sewn in his East London studio (when we met he was in the midst of moving to the beautiful Chiltern Street.) It’s a tiny operation - a cutting table and one sewing machine, where Jake constructs his shirts by hand.

I took home one of his off-the-rack Leisure Shirts in a blue linen, with a handsome convertible collar and a generous, comfortable fit. I’ve been wearing it nonstop since. And while I was there Jake took my measurements for a custom white Oxford with a patch pocket and a square hem.

I love small producers like this, and it’s always a joy to support them.

Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company

In my continued efforts to drink less booze (which correspond with a sharp uptick in edibles) I’ve kept my eyes open for interesting Non-alcoholic options. Water is enough, but sometimes popping something at the end of the day rewards my pavlovian booze-craving response to sunset, and gives me the sense of occasion I’m seeking without the effects I’m keen to avoid.

Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company was an exciting discovery while shopping Copenhagen’s storied Torvehallerne. The tight, pronounced bubbles evoke a great sparkling wine, and the flavor was just familiar enough. This would make a fantastic no-alcohol spritz, or just a fun pairing for a working lunch.

These kinds of products are a convincing case that the low or no booze lifestyle will continue to grow in popularity, and it’s not just a passing fad.

Galle & Jessen chocolate sheets

In Denmark they eat these thin chocolate sheets on warm toast or wedged into a warmed roll for what amounts to a chocolate sandwich. What’s not to love?

I bought these in the grocery while we were away, and found them online now that I’m home. I preferred the dark chocolate version.

If you’re after a simple pleasure, lay one of these long thin sheets on your tongue and enjoy. These had me wishing all chocolate came in these thin, elegant doses.

&Tradition portable lamp

It’s a golden age for rechargeable lamps. We’ve long used Neoz lamps across our restaurant properties, but the price made them a very tough pill to swallow.

Fortunately, it is boom times for rechargeable lamps, and there are countless styles to suit varied tastes.

At home I love the Bellhop lamp from FLOS - we use them outside when entertaining, across our bookshelves, or for a little accent light in a bathroom.

I saw this lamp from &Tradition at a restaurant in Copenhagen and loved the warm glow through the textured shade. It would make a great dining table lamp if you don’t have an overhead option.

Panda Licorice

My grandmother was an avowed licorice lover in her younger days, and always had a box of Mike & Ike’s at hand. I hated them.

I bought these Panda bars on a lark at a weird health food store in Copenhagen, and was immediately romanced. I returned the next day and bought a handful to cart home. You can find them online. If you’re a licorice lover, try them out.

Japanese Denim at Clutch Cafe

Clutch Cafe is the London outpost of Clutch Magazine from Japan. The shop (both in store and online) is deeply stocked with some of the best Japanese clothing brands, vetted and loved by the magazines editors.

As you may or may not know, no one does Americana better than the Japanese. Their precision and appreciation for details and craftsmanship means they do the best versions of classic American clothing. And nothing is more American than denim - we invented the jean, but the Japanese have perfected it, rescuing many of the best machines from defunct US mills and shipping them back to Japan where they continue to produce with an eye toward tradition.

I was looking for some roomier jeans - a proper bootcut, harkening back to the glory years of classic Levi’s 501’s. Clutch Cafe had a wall of denim that left me dizzy with excitement. If you’re looking for some distinctive denim made well, look no further.

I walked away with a couple pairs of chinos as well as some great jeans from Full Count. They fall beautifully over my old Roper boots, and the roomy leg is comfortable and easy wearing.

Cardamom Croissant from Hart Bageri

While I wanted to include things you could mostly track down stateside, I would be remiss not to mention a highlight of the eating portion of our trip: the Cardamom Croissant from Hart Bageri in Copenhagen.

The Danes do a mean pastry, and while we were there we enjoyed their talents every day. Cardamom is a common addition to croissants and buns across the city, and we tried them all. No one could compare to Hart.

The beauty of this particular riff was the way the croissant dough was formed. It reminded me of monkey bread, or pull-apart bread. The dough would pull off easily, each bite a riot of buttery, flaky dough studded with the aromatics of cardamom. The bottom, dusted in sugar, baked into an impossibly thin, pliable layer of caramelized sugar that added a sinful touch without veering into cloying territory.

It was easily the best baked good I’ve ever eaten.