What We Loved in August: Sour Candy Dried Fruit, a Cult Favorite Iced Tea, and More

Each month we round up the standouts we tested or bought ourselves that changed the way we cook and eat. This month: a cult favorite refreshing herbal tea, shockingly tasty instant noodles, and the key to at-home fro-yo. Read on for all the products we obsessed over in August.

Zwiesel Glas Pure All-Purpose Red Wine Glasses

Call me a wine snob, but drinking out of a nice piece of glassware makes wine so much more enjoyable than a plain glass does (and don’t get me started on the short stubby ones you get at most Italian restaurants). So when I hosted a birthday dinner at the park, I couldn’t bring myself to pour into plastic cups just since they’re light and replaceable.

That’s how I found these Schott Zwiesel wine glasses. They’re made of break-, chip-, and scratch-resistant Tritan glass, so you get the look. Feel of handblown crystal with the peace of mind to pack them in a bag (gently), load them into a wagon, and haul them three miles home.

They’re in addition dishwasher-safe, which makes the whole operation about as low-effort as real glassware gets. —Olivia Tarantino, senior shopping editor

BrüMate Togosa

When I pop open a perfectly chilled bottle of Riesling, I want it to stay cold while I sit on my roof and watch the sunset, which is not something an 80-degree New York evening will allow.

My solution is the BrüMate Togosa. It’s an insulated chiller that swallows a full bottle of wine (or a fat bottle of champagne). Comes with a screw-top lid that seals your bottle inside, so you can sip at your leisure instead of shuttling it in and out of a fridge or getting it sopping wet in an ice bucket.

The real genius is the second lid, which turns the whole thing into a leakproof pitcher. I filled it with a batched dirty martini and a load of ice, hauled it to the park, and not a single cube had melted by the time I poured.

It’s become my go-to trick for a martini that stays teeth-achingly cold and a summer hosting essential in my book. —O.T.

Final Boss Sour

Considering my affinity for both dried fruit and sour gummies, it’s no surprise that I was hooked on Final Boss Sour the minute I tried it. The firm blends real dried fruit with sugar, citric acid, and flavoring, and the result is a sticky-sweet, intensely sour treat that feels (just a little) more wholesome than actual candy.

The flavors range from 1–4 in sour “level” so there’s something for everyone, whether you’re more the Sour Patch or Warheads type. My favorite is the Strawberry Lemonade, which packs a decent punch despite its Level 1 rating.

For something more extreme, go for the Souranges, a.k.a. dried slices of mandarin orange that are dusted in enough citric acid to clock in at Level 4. —Alaina Chou, shopping writer

Noble Pottery Platt-Oh Cereal Bowl

This bowl from Noble, aptly named the cereal bowl, has become my vehicle of choice for breakfast since the day I received it this month. The two-tone glazed bowl feels like it was made just for me (technically, no two bowls are the same as the edges are shaped. Created by hand, states Noble) and dramatically elevates my morning slop of chia pudding or yogurt.

Plus, it’s surprisingly dishwasher- and microwave-safe, even if I’ve been hand-washing it as my newest most prized possession. I’m already debating getting a second. —Kate Kassin, editorial operations manager Visiting my parents in Denver as well occasioned me to revisit a forgotten beverage of my childhood.

SPORTea is about as crunchy Colorado as it gets. An herbal concoction of ginger, tea, mate, and eleuthero root, with a bit of citrus savor and little to no caffeine, people drink it as a substitute for energy drinks or Gatorade.

The retro box is covered with all sorts of health claims, which makes it a product at home in the aisles of an independent health food grocery store, the kind with impressive bulk bins and that unmistakable aroma of essential oils and brewer’s yeast lingering in the air. Since I’m not a caffeine person, and I love chugging ice-cold tea, it’s kind of the perfect beverage for me. Lacking bitterness and only subtly gingery, it’s a sweet, citrusy, herbal refreshment that just goes down easy. —Wilder Davies, senior shopping writer

ARIH Modern Noodles

Come on over and let me tell you about microwavable dried clams.

They actually are the surprising standout addition to my new favorite in-a-pinch office lunch. ARIH noodles, which K-Pop superstars BTS have put their stamp of approval on (based on the story on the brand’s website; the band’s involvement beyond that is vague and foggy), have the best texture of any instant noodles I’ve ever microwaved. Chewy and slightly thick, they eat like a meal.

And the vongole, an instant take on the famous clam pasta, is an unexpected delight. No shade on classics like Maruchan or Cup Noodles, but ARIH’s rich and slightly briny bowl is in another class.

If clams aren’t for you, the noodles in addition come in flavors like gochujang butter, soy sauce butter, truffle bulgogi, and black pepper tteokbokki. —Noah Kaufman, senior shopping editor

Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl

It takes a lot for me to get excited about a kitchen appliance. As a food editor, I’m pretty much set in my kitchen and truly don’t need or want anything.

But sometimes a product comes into your life, the angels sing, and immediate purchase is required. This summer that product is the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl.

It had already been on my radar, but I saw it in action during a family visit to Sweden. One of our protein-conscious nephews showed me just how often he uses it, making near-daily soft-serves, composed primarily of quark (higher in protein than yogurt) with a streak of honey and a smattering of frozen berries.

What resulted was the smoothest soft-serve I could ever anticipate having at home—nary a crystallized bite in sight. It was enough to have me seriously adding the apparatus to my cart, right then and there.

It’s a high-ticket item (currently $350), the pints need ample (overnight) time to freeze. The absurdly loud (like ready-for-take-off levels) warm-up the machine requires before actually dispensing soft-serve heaven. Still, I think it’s worth it.

And zero line to stand in for hyped-up Greek yogurt places? A true win. —Hana Asbrink, deputy food director

Manukora Body Recovery + Gut Bioactive Blend

In my wellness gift guide last December, i first wrote about Manukora, a brand that sets the gold standard for Manuka honey harvested from New Zealand.

Since then, I’ve incorporated its MGO- and antioxidant-rich honey into my yogurt bowls, hot tea, and morning matcha (I froth it with my milk) for its purported digestive and immune benefits. My dad’s even become hooked and goes through a jar faster than I can bring him a new one.

The brand of late introduced blends made with concentrated botanicals delivered in bioactive Manuka honey. I can’t get enough of the body recovery and gut one, which has turmeric and ginger and adds a double gut-healing boost to a cup of tea. —K.K.

East Fork Small Mug

For my birthday, my brother gifted me something I’ve been eyeing up for years: East Fork’s Small Mugs.

They’re the same iconic design as the North Carolina brand’s classic mugs but, well, smaller—eight ounces, to be exact. This is just the right quantity if, like me, you never seem to get through a cup of coffee or tea without it becoming cold.

I got them in the cozy color palette I’ve been slowly but surely building toward for a full dish set: eggshell, morel, amaro, panna cotta. Even on mornings when I’m rushing around like a headless chicken, my little mug brings a moment of calm. Or close enough. —Emma Laperruque, preparation director

Date Lady Sweet Chili Sauce

The Date Lady Sweet Chili Sauce is the only sauce that hasn’t seen the inside of my pantry since I got it—the balance of sweet and tangy perfectly tops any simple weeknight dinner.

Plus, it’s sweetened only with dates, so I can get back to my regularly scheduled sweet treat afterward. —Casey Hendricks, executive director of audience strategy