Founder Files: a Good Times Jar, a Reusable Berry Basket & July 4th Recipes

Welcome to the latest edition of Food52 Founder Amanda Hesser’s weekly newsletter, Hey there, it’s Amanda, packed with food and travel tips, Food52 happenings, and other matters that catch her eye. Get inspired—sign up here for her emails.

My family started something called the Good Times Jar—every week each family member adds a note about something good that happened that week. It could be anything, but it needs to be detailed, so that at the end of 2024, we can read them aloud and savor the small wins and pleasures from the past year. We keep the jar on our kitchen counter, with a notepad and pen nearby. Every time I see it as I’m rushing by, I’m reminded to slow down the blur and take in the moments.

Speaking of good times and minor wins that add up over time, here are a couple from our HQ in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. We’ve been zhuzhing the space over the past few months, sometimes with fresh flowers, sometimes with a little styling. The other week, I came in to find that our printer area had been Food52’d. Even something as unlovely as a printer area can feel cozy and like home.

We’re hiring Test Kitchen cooks! You already know César, Nea, and Anna—now we’re looking for talented recipe developers and video creators to join their team. If you know anyone great, please send them our way!

We like hanging out outside, and based on your orders, you do, too! Here’s a short list of my essentials. Let us know if there’s anything you’re looking for that we don’t currently carry—email me at [email protected].

• Reusable Berry Basket – A clever product hack that fits neatly into your fridge
• Incense Mosquito Repellant – I buy these as host gifts for when I’ll be spending time outside at friends’ homes
• Woven Food Tent – Timeless, good looking, and practical
• Portable Lamp – Petite enough to be used at the center of your table. Very solidly constructed, and stylish, too.
• Tossware Tumblers – Love the color array and the shape is more sophisticated than other shatterproof options.

Dansk released its Købenstyle Pitcher in this snappy green hue in 1955. This color hasn’t been in production since the 1970s, and we think you’ll agree it was high time to bring it back!

If you’re planning a July 4 gathering, you’ll want to add César’s Juicy Lucía Burger to your menu—a play on a Cubano that you should pair with his Brazilian Limeade.

Nea’s riff on a classic Swedish Midsummer cake, topped with strawberries and blueberries, brings the red, white, and blue and uses a fun measuring method.

Banana Menorah – We’re known for launching holiday products at this time of year so we can get a read on what you like. This year, we’re betting on this banana menorah because … do I need to explain? The small version is a great option in case you’re traveling over Hanukkah.

Ichendorf Glass Cloche – Sometimes you don’t need something, you just have to have it. This glass cloche is handy for covering cheese, small cakes and tarts, and fruit. But mostly it’s just joyful and absurd.

Hope you have some good times this week!

Amanda