“A great wine pairing dinner is more than just the wine — it’s the whole experience.”
Whether I’m hosting a casual pairing party or cooking something new to match a bottle I’ve been excited about, I’m always hunting for supplies that make it easier, prettier, and more delicious.
That means beautiful-but-affordable party supplies that look great on the table without the fuss. Kitchen tools and specialty ingredients that help me pull off a dish with confidence. And wine accessories that genuinely improve how you open, serve, and enjoy every pour.
This is my curated list of the things I actually use and recommend — everything you need to host, cook, and sip better.
This page contains affiliate links — if you buy through them I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I actually use.
| CATEGORIES – CLICK TO JUMP TO SECTION |
| Wine Accessories |
| Dining & Party Supplies |
| Kitchen Tools |
| Specialty Ingredients |
Wine Accessories for Home Entertaining
The right tools make every bottle better. From a good opener that actually works to aerators, decanters, and stoppers that protect a wine you’re not finishing tonight — these are the accessories I reach for again and again. Whether you’re buying for yourself or gifting a fellow wine lover, this is a great place to start.
See more details and examples:
❖ Clever wine tools – little finds to extend and expand your wine experience.
Dining & Party Supplies: Plates, Linens & Table Essentials
Disposable doesn’t have to mean forgettable. I’ve tested a lot of plates, cups, and linens over the years of hosting pairing dinners, and the right ones genuinely elevate the table without adding a pile of dishes at the end of the night. These are my picks for supplies that look intentional, hold up through a full meal, and keep your focus on the food and wine — not the cleanup.
Disposable Plates
for small plates, plated appetizers, salads.
clean line, elegant. for small plates, small salads, plated appetizers
clean line, elegant. for small plates, small salads, plated appetizers
See more details and examples:
❖ The Best Disposable Plates That Actually Look Good on a Dinner Table
Disposable Bowls and Cups
Vintage feel, traditional look. For salads, soups, dishes with sauces (like pasta) and desserts.
Very petite and clean lines. For salad bites, appetizers with sauce (shrimp cocktail), fruit, mini desserts.
Clear and sleek looking. For mini cocktails, smoothies, chilled soups, mini mousse desserts.
See more details and examples:
❖ Elegant Paper and Plastic Cups — Yes, They Exist
❖ Sweet, Simple Endings: Disposable Dessert Dishes for a Polished Finish
Utensils & Napkins
full black utensil set pre-wrapped in a linen-feel napkin. Easy to set up for seat dinners, buffets, cocktail parties.
full gold utensil set pre-wrapped in a linen-feel napkin. Easy to set up for seat dinners, buffets, cocktail parties.
full silver utensil set pre-wrapped in a linen-feel napkin. Easy to set up for seat dinners, buffets, cocktail parties.
See more details and examples:
❖ Event-Worthy Disposable Utensils and Napkins
Trays & Serving Tools
Set of 12 metal mini tongs. Great for charcuterie boards, buffet platters and trays of appetizers
Set of 4 type of wood picks including 4″ wood skewers, bamboo “sword” skewers, cocktail forks and cocktail picks. Great for buffets, appetizers, cheese boards, cocktail garnishes
Metal servers for cakes, pies, desserts, casseroles, quiches. Easy serving for buffets or use for clean plating.
See more details and examples:
❖ Five Trays I Use All the Time for Parties
❖ Ten must-have serving tools for appetizers, platters and small plates.
Kitchen Tools Every Home Cook Actually Needs
Good cooking is a lot easier with the right gear. These are the tools I’ve added to my kitchen over time because they actually solve a problem — speeding up prep, improving technique, or just making a recipe more approachable. Nothing gimmicky, just the things that earn their drawer space.
Plating Tools
Set of 5 types of tweenzers. Excellent for precision plating and garnishing.
All in one starter set for the tools you need for elegant, efficient plating.
Essential tools for precision plating of sauces and purees.
See more details and examples:
❖ Plating Prep Checklist: list of tools I keep on hand for quick, clean plating
Kitchen Gadgets and Appliances
Essential tool for home chef. Accurate measurement of ingredients for fussier, professional – especially modern cuisine
Great tool for home-made whipped cream, but also for modern cooking foams.
Good beginner kit for home chefs learning modern cooking techniques.
See more details and examples:
❖ Small Appliances Worth the Counter Space for a Serious Home Cook
❖ My molecular gastronomy tool kit – aka cool kitchen science kit
❖ Kitchen Tool Checklist – what I take for parties outside my home
❖ My favorite bakeware and molds for unique, elegant dishes
Specialty Ingredients for Adventurous Home Cooks
Some recipes call for ingredients that your average grocery store just doesn’t carry. This is my go-to list for hard-to-find staples — things like agar agar, specialty flours, and other pantry items that open up a whole new range of dishes. If you’ve ever abandoned a recipe because you couldn’t find an ingredient, this section is for you.
One of the best mixes, tested formula. Makes a tasty, flaky crust.
A natural thickening and gelling agent using frequently in modern cooking. Vegetarian substitute for gelatin.
Safe and easy way to create meringues, royal icing, pavlovas, frostings.
See more details and examples:
❖ Favorite Gluten-Free Mixes for Cooking and Baking
❖ Magic Ingredients that let you do cool molecular tricks like spheres, foams and gels
❖ Specialty Vinegars Worth Stocking: From Sherry to Aged Balsamic
❖ Exotic Spices and Salts That Will Change How Your Food Tastes
❖ Gluten-Free pasta that tastes and feels like the real deal
❖ Flavored salts & oils that change everything
