Just because it won’t cool down in Paso for a solid two more months doesn’t mean we don’t feel the pull of fall. Kids heading off to school with sharpened pencils, a slow truck driving down Vine Street filled to the brim with just picked grapes, the urge to roast a chicken and fill the house with aromas of rosemary and butter.

We feel it, too, especially in the kitchen. Our farmer’s market haul shifts from tomatoes to persimmons, and we crave a refresh in the kitchen, a restocking of those tools that make time spent prepping meals a little easier, a little sweeter, and more satisfying.

Here are some of our favorite kitchen workhorses, in case you’re feeling like a reset, too.

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Swedish Dishcloths

  • Don’t let their cute designs fool you. These powerhouses are compostable and absorb 15 times their weight in water. They also dry faster than regular sponges, so are less prone to bad smells. And just one cloth replaces about 17 rolls of paper towels.

Linen Tea Towels

  • We might think of linen as fancy, but it’s actually just beautifully hiding its worker bee nature. Linen feels amazing, is highly absorbent, and lasts longer than its cotton counterparts. It also dries faster and is lint-free. Plus, there’s nothing quite like drying your hands with a linen towel that’s dried in the sun.

Maldon Salt

  • There are a lot of salts out there. This guy is irreplaceable. The pyramid shaped salt crystals give the most satisfying crunch on everything from a roasted potato to the top of a chocolate chip cookie. Sub out that salt shaker for some Maldon Salt in a little pinch bowl by the stove. Your scrambled eggs will thank you.

Felt Coasters

  • If you’ve ever had that perilous moment when your glass has a highly breakable coaster stuck to its bottom when you lift it for a drink, you’ve no doubt wondered why coasters are often made from materials not suited for moisture. Enter felted wool. It absorbs up to 30 percent of its weight in water, doesn’t bead up, and never sticks to your cup. Our felt coasters are made in LA in truly gorgeous colors, and they sure do make that nightstand glass of water look pretty.

Wishing you an easy transition into what might just be our favorite season. 

— The Team at General Store Paso Robles

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