Ah, fall flavors are simply the best. Pumpkin (duh), cinnamon, butternut squash... these are the flavors that remind me of autumn! Over on my Pinterest page, I've been pinning away at butternut squash recipes. It's such a healthy, delicious flavor that I am loving cooking these days. And, lucky me, I have a few new kitchen goodies to help me do so!

Ten June (me!): What is your favorite item in your home decor shop and why?

Sebastian Kaufmann (SK): I love the German glass tea kettle and I love the woods leather camp stool, since it’s a small mobile chair I can move around in our apartment.  I also love the Japanese Water Purifying charcoal since it makes NYC faucet water taste so much better. I use it every day! I love the leather house shoes since they make my feet warm and comfortable without feeling sweaty.

Me: You have a good mix of sources in your store; do you prefer to develop your own products or source from third parties? 

SK: We enjoy the experience of both. We search the world for the best product for any given task, and when we can’t find one to meet our standards we make our own. We’re lucky in that we’ve been able to learn from some of the greatest manufacturers in the world. Their processes, experience and expertise ignite our curiosity and inspire us to continue our pursuit of quality.

Me: What is KM's most popular product? Why do you think that is? 

SK: Kaufmann Mercantile’s most popular product is the German Glass Water Kettle. This tea kettle is made of heat-resistant glass that can be placed directly on the stove top, as long as the burner is the same size or slightly larger than the kettle base. You still need to be careful of the handle when picking up the kettle after water has boiled. The glass body is machine blown in order to achieve exact measurements and sizes, while the spouts and handles are manually attached. I think this product is at such high demand because of its simplicity and everyday use. It was originally designed for industrial use, but I think people enjoy its qualities for the home kitchen. The decades-old German company that created this tea kettle continues to innovate upon that initial design for the domestic market, and has won several product design awards.

Me: If you could list five quality products every homeowner should own, what would they be? 

SK: A iron cast pan, a wooden cutting board, an Estwing hammer, household scissors and a Champagne saber.

Me: As a momma of two, I have to ask... do you plan on releasing any quality children's products anytime soon? 

SK: There are a few children’s products and toys already offered that are personally some of my favorites. For example, our paper models of a train, plane, and motorcycle are unique items to place in a child’s bedroom. For toys, the Hardwood Triangle Stacker and Knitted Wool Vegetable Set are great toys for small children. They’re not only safe to play with, but also meant to be building blocks for a child's healthy mental development.

Me: Describe your decor style or what inspires you. 

SK: I live in NYC in a small apartment. But I think all the pictures on our Instagram really inspire me. I try to spend as much weekends outside the city, and being in nature and in a home that’s close to nature is really inspiring to me. As for the interior of my home — most of it are vintage pieces I’ve purchased over time. I’m not one to fill up my apartment fast. Now that we’ve launched our private label, I’m happy that I have finally found a kitchen block that I like!

I'll tell you what, Kaufmann Mercantile and the company's folks definitely seem like my kind of people. I love Sebastian's down-to-earth nature and focus on bringing consumers quality products that are truly investments and important pieces in their life. The products I've got pictured here are the white hand-pressed glass bowls, the live edge black walnut cutting board, and a carbon steel chef's knife. I also have these Italian olive wood steak knives. No lie, these are the best knives I have ever used in my life. David loves them, too. The other day, I made homemade beef jerky and cut through the flank steak with the steak knives like it was butter! I also can't wait to use the beautiful cutting board and glass bowls to display food over the holidays. Seriously, these products are good, people. I could spend hours on their website... seriously, I'm pretty sure I could pick up something for everyone on my Christmas list on the KM website!


For more information on Kaufmann Mercantile, check out their About Us page and be sure to hunt around their website and check out their amazing products!

While we're on the topic, here are six of my favorite butternut squash recipes that I've been utilizing lately:

roasted butternut squash and bacon soup

butternut squash chipotle chili with avocado

vegan butternut squash linguine and sage

quinoa salad with butternut squash and cranberries

butternut squash "mac and cheese"

roasted butternut squash and rosemary


Thanks to Kaufmann Mercantile for partnering up with me on this post!