Spring in Sydney means one thing at Daily Addict. We start actually using the kitchen again instead of just walking through it. There’s time to refresh on beauty and pup health too. Here’s what’s earned a permanent spot on my bench, in my fridge and in the dog’s treat drawer this season.
Think4Earth – Ultimate Bread Keepers Bundle. Bread Saw, Board and Bag
I make sourdough every few days. I love it. But I don’t like the hassle of carving bread, that is until now. Remember that iconic scene from Crocodile Dundee? “This isn’t a knife”, NO!, it’s a bread saw! Dominic Elliott started Think4Earth wanting to create sustainable products for bakers. I first met them at the Little Food Market in Eveleigh. It was love at first sight (the bread range!) and took home a beautiful serrated blade into a Tasmanian oak handle, and it moves through my crusty sourdough with a sawing motion instead of the sad crush-and-tear I get from a normal bread knife. No shattered crust, no squashed crumb. Their their bread board has a clever groove cut into on end so the blade runs all the way through without hitting the surface. Storing loaves can be tricky, but I am addicted to their reusable bread bag. It fixes dryness, keeping it fresher than any bag/tea towel, cloth options I have tried. They have solved bread storage! Read their blog here. The saw alone is $59, or you can get the full set as their Keeper’s Bundles with a range to choose from. An absolute must for a cook.
Kou Shui – The BEST Small Batch Crispy Chilli Oil, Crafted in Coogee
This was another find from the Little Food Markets. These chilli oils are made locally in Coogee. They have a range of heat variations and also offer avocado oil for those who dont like canola oil. I adore crispy chilli oils and this range has a deep, toasty crunch that the best chilli crisps lack and packed with crispy shallots, garlic, and fiery chilli peppers. The spices of Cinnamon, Star Anise, Cloves, Cardamon, Sichuan Pepper, Bay Leaves and perfectly balanced. It’s amazing on scrambled eggs, plain rice, and sad Tuesday sandwich). I can deal with a lot of heat, but their extra chili isn’t for the faint hearted! They offer avocado oil alternatives and we also tried the chilli honey which is amazing. Buy 4 and you get free shipping from $16 each and absolutely worth it.
Alluring Minerals Luminous Kiss Face Oil
We love supporting Australian-owned, founder-led businesses. Alluring Minerals is a female founded clean-beauty brand based on the Sunshine Coast, creating gentle mineral makeup and natural skincare specifically for sensitive, reactive and changing skin. Its mission is to deliver professional-grade, small-batch formulas that are vegan, cruelty-free and acne-safe. This is the first time we have tried any of their products and we love the Luminous Kiss Luxe Face Oil. Its a shimmering bottle. Give it a good shake and the lightweight blend of jojoba, macadamia, walnut oils with shea and natural vitamin E, merge with gold mica. It smells absolutely divine – think citrus. It gives my skin a pretty for a soft, glow rather than a glittery boost. It absorbs quickly without a greasy finish, and I like wearing it alone, but its also fun as a glow hack added to foundation powder works nicely too. At $59 AUD.
Cobram Estate Propellant-Free EVOO Spray
One of our favouite picks a few months ago was their insanely delicious first press. Now Cobram Estate have gone one further for home cooks, launching a propellant-free spray bottle filled with nothing but 100% pure Australian extra virgin olive oil, no gases, no mystery chemicals, just oil. The olives are grown in their Northern Victoria groves and cold-pressed within four to six hours of harvest, so it tastes like the good stuff because it is the good stuff. We at DA love our air fryers and a light mist over a basket, of freshly cut veggies a grind of salt and pepper and boom! Perfection. It is a small swap with a big difference, less waste, more flavour, and a healthier fat source doing the heavy lifting. RRP: $9.50 AUD in mMajor supermarkets nationwide and via the Cobram Estate website.
Devil’s Corner – Resolution Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Devil’s Corner sits on the East Coast at Apslawn, in a gloriously moody patch of the world where sunshine turns up eventually. This a Tassie cool-climate vineyard that slows ripening and gives the wines their acidity, fragrance and sense of composure. We try their Resolution Chardonnay it’s a bright, youthful number made from 100% Chardonnay sourced from the East Coast and Tamar Valley. Most of the juice ferments on solids in tank, keeping things clean and zesty, while 15% sees barrel fermentation for a little creaminess and texture. It tastes of melon, stone fruits and citrus. As we move into warmer days their Pinot Noir is the estate’s flagship and has classic cherry, raspberry, spice with enough fresh acidity to stop it becoming a big, jammy show-off. At around $22 to $25 a bottle and it’s stocked widely (Dan Murphy’s and BWS both carry it), so no excuse not to have both in the house before your first outdoor lunch of the season.
Sans Drinks – Party without a headache Wine, Beer and Spirits with Low Alcohol
Finding a zero-alcohol wine I want to pour again is an ongoing mission, so I was keen to put Sans Drinks through its paces which is a Aussie marketplace to find interesting drops from low to zero. I tried Two Hoots De-Alcoholised Sparkling Wine, which was definitely the best of the wines with enough freshness, fizz and wine-like character to taste like a celebratory pour, though with a Appletizer kinda vibe. The 1920 Wines Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Shiraz has blackberry, dark chocolate and subtle oak notes, though it does not have the depth of complexity to replace a sparkling shiraz. The Next Destination McLaren Vale Chardonnay was the least successful for me: drinkable, but the de-alcoholised white category still has a way to go before it delivers the texture and finish I want from Chardonnay.
The best experience are the Bach Brewing beers, which are excellent, dry slightly hoppy and a great change from Heaps Normal. The hazy IPA was my favourite. The Sans Bar Kings of Tartan Non-Alcoholic Whisky Substitute is handy for cocktails, bringing some of the oak, spice and malty notes I expect. Two Hoots sparkling is $24.95, the Next Destination McLaren Vale Chardonnay is $25.95, and the 1920 Wines Sparkling Shiraz is a 750ml bottle. Check out more on the Sans Drinks site.
Advocate Ultra Chew (for the dog)
It’s not glamorous, but spring in Australia means tick season is back, and this is the one chew that’s earned trust in my dog house. We have tried a few different brands such a Simparica Trio and Next Guard Spectra. This is a monthly all-in-one covering fleas, paralysis ticks, heartworm, mites and worms (including tapeworm), so I only need to remember one date a month instead of juggling a few products. These are a little smaller than some of the others I have tried (well my pups did) and noticeably easier to cut if your pup (like mine) won’t eat a large tablet and spits it out. It comes in weight-based packs so we tried the one for large dogs. It works out to roughly $13 to $19 a dose depending on your dog’s size. Get it from your vet or the usual pet retailers.
Belkin UltraCharge Pro 2-in-1 Convertible Magnetic Charger with Qi2 25W
This is a premium 2-in-1 wireless charger that converts between a flat charging pad and an upright stand. I found it really handy for travelling but also around the home. The Charcoal model includes a 45W USB-C power supply and lengthy 1.5m cable which is really handy for bed stands. It is ready to use out of the box, which by the way, is all cardboard. We love a sustainability focused brand. It charges from 0-50% in under half an hour (yes we timed it). It features ChillBoost™ providing a passive-cooling design to manage heat during fast charging. The biggest drawback is that due to it’s low profile of charging base, my large iphone 18 Pro Max can’t fit upright on the stand, I have to tilt it to lay almost flat as the base doesn’t have enough clearance. The other option is placing it on the charger lengthwise. That being said, it is a great bedside charger. At $169.95, it is an upgrade over a basic wireless pad, and works with compatible magnetic cases up to 5mm thick. A$169.95 Buy it from: Belkin Australia