Oset Babür-Winter, Founder of Prix Fixe, Swears by These Food, Home, and Kitchen Staples

“I have at least two candles burning in my apartment at all times, and this herbaceous, smoky, but clean option from Homecourt (a Prix Fixe suite pick for May 2025) has an incredible throw, meaning the fragrance fills the room and stays put. I also love that the terracotta jar is totally unbranded, so it looks like more of a design piece.”

“I’ve cycled through various excellent coffee subscriptions over the years, and Stumptown is the roaster I reliably come back to. Every cup I make with these Mordecofe beans has the bright acidity I gravitate towards in wine, with a little florality and citrus flavor to round things out. It’s my go-to for espresso as well as pour-overs at home.”

“The crown jewel of my nonalcoholic drink shelf, this verjus (pressed, unfermented juice from unripe wine grapes) is made with Pinot Noir from Scribe winery in Sonoma, California. I always have a bottle open to add acid to salad dressings and marinade, deglaze onions or mushrooms while cooking, or just to sip with some club soda.”

“I own these shoes in three colors. The first pair I bought in 2021 is in fantastic condition despite the fact that I’ve worn them to tromp through vineyards and cities around the world. They look polished in a way sneakers just never do, match both sundresses and jeans, and at the end of every trip, I just throw them in the wash and they’re as good as new.”

“Direct-to-consumer cookware is (still) like the wild wild west, and through my work, I’ve tried pretty much every brand under the sun. We’ve used this knife from Made In multiple times a week for the past three years and counting, and despite the fact that I’m terrible at remembering to get it sharpened, it’s in fantastic shape. The option to personalize the blade makes it an especially beautiful wedding or graduation gift.”

“Turning lemonade, seltzer, or soda into a micro-dosed beverage is one of my absolutely favorite picnic, travel, and park hang tricks, which is why I always have a pouch or two of Wims! in my purse. I don’t choose favorites from Prix Fixe suites (because they’re all special brands, I promise) but this was a true highlight for everyone involved.”

“This extra-earthy, complex, soy sauce is the saving grace for the saddest fridge clean-out stir fries my husband and I toss together on busy weeknights. It’s also the key to making frozen ramen kits, quick marinades, and salad dressings taste like hours of meal prep and planning.”

“Soft Services makes the only bar soap I’ve ever been excited to purchase, and it feels, smells (and probably tastes? TBD) like a tropical vacation. The gentle exfoliation is basically the most affordable massage you’ll ever get, and it’s become my go-to little gift for friends who need a pick-me-up.”

“The only time I won’t make pancakes from scratch (with a splash of Cointreau added in for extra flavor) is if I’ve bought Sunrise Flour Mill’s. It’s a comforting, almost savory blend of oat, rye, and buckwheat flours, plus a bit of texture from the flax meal. Topped with fresh fruit, it’s my favorite lazy Sunday breakfast, and I’m still getting emails about it from guests who got a bag at our Winter 2024 Prix Fixe suite.”

“This sunscreen is a great example of a time when I fell in love with a gifted product so quickly that I immediately purchased one for my travel toiletry bag. It acts like a super lightweight tinted moisturizer despite being a serious SPF 50, and the light shade melts goes from white to seamlessly matching my skin tone in a way even the most hyped-up French pharmacy sunscreens I own just…don’t?”