Jason Blum’s Crêpe Pan, Loafers Worth Buying, and Other Recent Strategist Finds

“I’ve been using a crêpe pan for ten years, and I use it every morning. No matter how bad the burner is, the heat is evenly spread over the pan. I fit five pancakes on it. On a weekend, I’ll make a big crêpe batter, especially if my kids have friends over. I’ll turn out 30 crêpes.”

“These are unfortunately an indulgence I have. Who buys socks for $30? But I can’t wear any others. I’m the girl who wears Chanel jackets, Steve Madden, Uniqlo, and Comme Si socks — a little high, a little low. These just feel so good. I have white and gray and a light-pink pair, only because my granddaughter loves pink. So when I’m with her, I wear my pink socks.”

“I go to the farmers’ market four times a week with what I call the ‘limousine.’ I layer it up: On the bottom I put root vegetables and other things that can get crushed, then on the back side I put all of the delicate herbs, and flat items go on top. I’ve also moved the contents of my entire ­apartment two blocks over using one of these.”

I reach for this scoop several times a week to strain stuffed pasta or a single serving of udon or beans, to retrieve boiled eggs or potatoes or blanched vegetables from scalding water, to remove solids from stock, or to rinse berries or grapes under the tap. I have a colander (which is too big to keep on my counter) and a slew of spiders, slotted spoons, and strainers, but they don’t hold as much. My scoopolander is at least 14 years old now, and I anticipate holding on to it for many more years. —Winnie Yang

Designer Elise McMahon loves these hand-brazed stone-encrusted square pulls designed by artist Frank Traynor.

Mélanie Masarin, founder of the drink company Ghia, recommends these nylon drawer pulls from the German company Hewi. The brand makes them in over 16 colors and shapes, including a cylindrical finger grip.

I swapped out my plain Ikea kitchen-cabinet knobs for these clean yet organic-looking ceramic ones with an irregular speckled pattern that reminds me of vanilla-bean seeds.

Strategist senior editor Crystal Martin bought a set of these knobs in unlacquered brass for her kitchen a few years ago. They have since developed a nice patina.

My pink ergonomic mouse has helped with nagging hand and arm pain, and this month I bought a new hand-pain-management item to match: a compression sleeve with a cooling-gel pack inside. You can pop it in the freezer to make it extra cold, but it’s fairly cold as is. When my hands start hurting, this little sleeve helps reduce some of the achiness. I especially appreciate that it encompasses the thumb because that’s one of my key pain points. You can wear it on either hand. —Amelia Jerden

Made the same way since its introduction in 1936, this shoe hasa flatteringly low profile and a balanced almond-shaped toe — not too narrow, not too bulbous. It looks good on everyone.

This handmade-in-Italy shoe is incredibly well constructed and feels amazing right out of the box. It has a pliable leather outsole, waxed-buffalo upper with a cradling fit, and supersoft leather lining.

This prep-school penny loafer is the most well made workhorse loafer I’ve ever put on. It has a sturdy yet flexible fit that requires minimal break-in time.

“The Laguiole knife is stylish but works as well as a hard-core steakhouse knife. People steal them all the time, and we would be wise to stop using them but we just can’t! We’re too in love with them.” —Justine Gilcrease, owner of Justine’s in Austin

“This is the fourth knife we’ve used in my memory and the one with the longest tenure at Keens since I started in 1996. We use an all-stainless-steel version. We love the elegant design,
how it fits nicely in any hand,
and the sharp serrated blade.”
—Julia Lisowski, manager of Keens Steakhouse in midtown

“The weight and heft of the knife is just right, so it feels good in your hand. And the brass on the handle develops a lovely patina.” —Elizabeth DePalmer, managing partner and business director of the Progress in San Francisco

“The Opinel is a style of knife
that I frequently found in Paris.
We use the serrated knife because I think it lasts longer and cuts through meat and bread smoother than a non-serrated knife.” —Gabriel Stulman, owner of Sailor in Fort Greene

“Some steak knives look and feel bulky on the table and in your hand, but this one is the opposite: It’s sleek while still having a good weight to it. The knife keeps its edge, too.” —Nancy Silverton, co-owner of Chi Spacca in Los Angeles