Made For You, April 2019
In a world of fast food and one-size-fits-all sensibilities, how often does something feel made especially for you? The “Made for You” section celebrates those items that are created with such high quality of hand workmanship and degree of customization that they become individual to you. In each issue, our editors will endeavor to bring you special things from anywhere on the globe, choosing them solely on the basis of outstanding quality. Our goal is to give you guidance on the best of everything.
Curated Travel: Niquesa Your plane lands on an icy runway in Antarctica, and you get the highly
coveted, commemorative South Pole stamp on your passport before going off to visit penguin colonies. What could be cooler than that? Well, the same travel provider, London’s Niquesa, can custom-build many more vacations to your specifications, and offers a slew of other options. One will have you
driving a Rolls-Royce through Scotland’s highlands, while stopping for trout fishing, golf and Dalmore Scotch. Or you can plan your own. Trips include 24/7 support from a dedicated personal assistant. niquesatravel.com
Stay At Home Steaks—New York Prime Beef The first rule of cooking a great steak at home is simple: buy quality meat. Based out of the Bronx, New York, Prime Beef ships premium, aged steaks (at least 28 days) directly to your home so you don’t need to haggle with a butcher. New York Prime Beef specializes in A5 Kobe from Japan, American wagyu from the Pacific Northwest, cowboy tomahawks, porterhouses, T-bones and many other cuts. The company will even fulfill custom “aged to order” requests. newyorkprimebeef.com
Whiskey On The Go—Walnut Studiolo A dram at home is good, but what do you do if you wish to bring that special spirit with you? In comes Walnut’s leather whiskey case ($145). Each case is made by hand in Portland, Oregon, using U.S.-sourced vegetable-tanned hides. For an extra $18, it can be monogrammed. The cedarwood ends and the tight-snapping top protects your precious cargo from breakage, while the leather carry strap makes it easier to transport your bottle to a party, picnic, beach or wherever you desire. walnutstudiolo.com
POUR ON THE JUICE—CHEF’N FRESHFORCE CITRUS PRESS A flood of great drinks—Whiskey Sours, Daiquiris, Gin Fizzes, Screwdrivers and Salty Dogs—tap citrus fruit for part of their super power. Problem is you end up spending the entire cocktail party trying to squeeze enough of the obligatory fresh juice to keep up with demand. The sturdy and simple FreshForce Tabletop Citrus Press ($79.95) uses lever action to quickly express juice in one movement without crushing the bitter pith. Disassembly is simple, making cleanup a snap. chefn.com
Nature’s Smartwatch—Casio Outdoor enthusiasts looking to enhance their adventures can carry a slew of options on their wrists with Casio’s new GPS-enabled WSD-F30 smartwatch ($550). Built on Google’s Wear OS platform, the F30 offers loads of useful
apps for activities that include golf (distance details for more than 41,000 courses), fishing (display and save fishing spots), hiking (trail routes) and many more. The watch’s Extend mode means it can work offline for up to three days on a single charge, useful when the call of the wild takes you far away from an electrical outlet. wsd.casio.com
HIGH-GRADE BLADES—SASAKI “Mindful cooking” is the current rage. But how do you meditate while you’re slicing onions? If you’re working with Sasaki cutlery, you could set your mind on the 60-day process steeped in Japanese tradition that creates each knife. Or the 67 layers of Damascus stainless steel and a Japanese AUS-10 super steel core heated to 1,000° C that make up the blade. Or its honing to a 15° angle on a sand wheel. But be mindful not to cut yourself. Available in chef, santoku and paring sizes. sasakiknives.com
