Eat it, drink it, wear it, send it: the best buys of the season

From those looking to treat themselves to the latest tableware, to those looking to buy a gift for a friend after a year apart in lockdown, Harriet Prior chooses the best buys of the season

Street’s ahead 

Sourdough, sea salt and chocolate doesn’t sound like a combination that should work together, but with bakers and chocolate makers Pump Street at the helm, there is no surprise it’s good. The sourdough adds a crunch to the smooth Ecuadorian chocolate, and as with all their products, it is handmade in Suffolk. We’ve been reliably informed that it’s the bakery’s best seller, which tells us all we need to know.  
£6.25 https://pumpstreetchocolate.com

A mug’s game 

Many people are justifiably fed up with spending time in their own kitchen, but buying new tableware might make things a little better. New ceramics brand Monoware aims to create ‘timeless tools for the table’ and features a selection of distinctive, matt-glazed stoneware. The range includes everything from a cereal bowl to a serving platter, and the coffee mug is a real favourite.  
£19 https://www.monoware.com

A caffeine hit  

A new mug calls for good coffee. A collection of coffee shops and bars serving speciality coffee, Notes also has an online range to be delivered to home. There are beans, ground coffee or Nespresso-compatible compostable pods available, and customers can choose between one-off delivery or a regular subscription. CODE members, check your app for a special offer.  
£18 for 40 pods https://notescoffee.com

Glass act 

Bars have been closed for the best part of a year and people have been getting creative with cocktail-making at home. Meda’s take on the classic espresso martini is minimal effort, priding itself as a ‘smarter alternative’. Pre-mixed with vodka, the drink is best served in a martini glass or over ice.
£27 https://medahuman.com

Strings attached 

From the creator of Polka Pants for female chefs Maxine Thompson, DOT aprons are the ideal solution to help feel a bit more glamorous when you’re slogging away making an at-home kit that was supposed to take five minutes. Each piece is hand made to order, and they come in three different, fun and colourful styles.  
£55 https://polkapants.com

The sweet spot 

It might not actually make homemade cake taste any better, but it’s worth a try. Ottolenghi’s colourful selection of cake plates are used to serve desserts in the restaurant, and now they’re available to purchase so you can recreate the restaurant setting at home. All the plates have a matt glaze finish and come in various colours.  
£18 https://ottolenghi.co.uk

Feel the burn 

BBQ season is fast approaching, so the team at Small Beer has created a limited-edition kit designed to take your live-fire barbecue to the next level. In collaboration with London Log Co, the kit includes a keg of small beer, charcoal, firelighters and more. There is an exclusive offer for CODE members, too.  
£37 https://theoriginalsmallbeer.com

Special delivery 

We’re all sick of getting stuff delivered to our front door rather than being able to pop out to the shops, but having brownies delivered through the letterbox doesn’t sound so bad. The brownies taste just as good as they look, and there’s a flavour combination to suit everyone. The blood orange brownies taste like an haute version of Jaffa Cakes, while the raspberry and white chocolate brownie is a team favourite.  
£13.95 https://explodingbakery.com 

Take cover  

Face masks look like they are here to stay – at least for a little while – but maybe that isn’t such a bad thing. The monochrome face masks from Greek restaurant The Athenian with their dinky owls help to keep people safe and support the restaurant at of a difficult time. Win, win.  
£5.95 https://www.theathenian.co.uk

Bloomin’ delicious  

Combine baking and art… and Biscuit Boutique is the outcome. These biscuits are great as a gift, or just to treat yourself, and are filled with soft caramel. There are plenty of patterns available, including tulips, vintage red and exotic flowers. Because why just buy flowers, when you can buy biscuit flowers? 
from £15 https://www.biscuitboutique.co  

No passport required 

There is no denying that Top Cuvée are true heroes of lockdown, somehow managing to pre-empt what their customers want at every turn. With the return of outdoor picnics and barbecues upon us, the French 75 cocktail can be ordered to wherever customers would like them. Batched, bottled and ready to drink. 
£29 https://www.shopcuvee.com

Get onside  

Football has caused quite the stir recently, and many aren’t very happy with their beloved clubs of late. Yard Sale Pizza will never let you down, and what better way to prove your allegiance than buying a scarf with pizza on it?  
£15 https://yardsalepizza.com/merch/  

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