If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what famous people add to their carts. Not the JAR brooch and Louis XV chair but the hair spray and the electric toothbrush. We asked artist Andrew Kuo, co-host of the podcast Cookies Hoops and co-author of The Joy of Basketball, about the induction burner that replaced his gas stove, the insoles that keep his feet fresh, and the stationary bike he credits with saving his life.
There was a time when I was drinking three tea bags a day in various forms, whether that be a jug of iced tea or three hot cups of tea. I cannot get enough, but I had to wean myself off of it. The highlight of my day is one of these tea bags. I’ve tried all the fancy stuff. I’ve gone to the good teahouses, and I always come back to this basic PG Tips tea. It is the best-tasting English breakfast tea.
I had a friend who was totally obsessed with British art, British music. She wanted to be British, so we’d go to London ,and she was like, “They drink PG Tips here,” and I was like, What is this crazy triangular tea bag? It’s round, it’s flavorful. It’s just the right amount of bitter and it’s rich. I love it. I don’t know what coffee drinkers are doing.
These dishcloths are aesthetically really beautiful. I have them in green, blue, and red, but I like the classic look of the red. I like to have a stack of them in a drawer and thrown about the kitchen when I’m cooking. My wife thinks I’m a little crazy for sure, because she’ll wipe up her coffee and I’m like, “You’re going to stain them!” and she says, “Isn’t this what they’re for?” Which is correct, but they’re my little babies. They get softer and softer as you wash them.
This stationary bike might’ve saved my life. I’m not a runner, but my knees got shredded after running for years on concrete in New York. During the pandemic, I splurged on this expensive bike. Now I ride it pretty religiously, and I watch TV on there. I listen to podcasts, and it has made my brain and my body different. I think this thing is the best $700 someone can spend.
My personal style is 90-year-old Tai Chi Chinese guy in the park at 6 a.m. So, basically my grandfather. I think it’s a good look. I know Old Core is one thing, but Asian Old Core is another thing, and the Monarchs check that box. I’m on my third pair.
I was a Hoka fan for years, but I decided the style was no longer for me. I missed the comfort of those super-padded shoes, so I just started splurging on insoles, which are crazy expensive. I cannot believe some of these are 50 bucks — eyeglasses and insoles should not be this expensive. There’s not much going on here, and you don’t even see them! But as soon as I started investing in them, my back pain went away. I’m on my feet all day in the studio, so I’m up and down on ladders and little footstools, and the padding is just luxurious. I layer two or three in my shoe, DeSantis style, just to maximize it. And I’m a short guy, so it’s funny, but if the shoe space can handle it, I like to put the original sole in a thinner one and then an expensive little buddy.
I can’t eat these things like I used to, as I’m no longer a college student or a 20- or 30-year-old shaking hangovers. But these are the best ones. They are the most flavorful, if you like a strong seafood flavor. The chewiness is fantastic. You can make them with or without the soup, like a dry style or in a broth. It’s restaurant-quality stuff.
I’m trying to not use gas that much because I have a small child. Aside from my health anxiety, the induction technology is so much better. It’s so much easier to hit precise cooking on one of these. I know a couple of artists who have them in their studio for late-night meals. I sauté fish, vegetables … It does everything.
I like to use it with my carbon-steel wok. I know the flames don’t creep up the sides, but this burner is so good and so affordable that I think everyone should have one for an emergency. I also take it outside and cook outside on my porch with it. It’s powerful, super-easy to use, and small.
This carbon-steel wok is light. The maintenance is kind of tricky, but it became a new obsession. And if you’re into cooking, cleaning and seasoning your wok can be a real peaceful experience and process. If you’re not into it, it’s annoying. It’ll rust, but all you have to do is scrub the rust off. It conducts heat so well. I fry eggs on it. I make American dishes. But you cannot cook Italian dishes on it, because tomato sauce will wear away the seasoning.
I wish we would elevate MSG to an actual flavor. It’s like, This is MSG string beans, or instead of saying “spicy,” we could say MSG. This is MSG tofu. Because the platform for a lot of dishes is MSG, and it has a distinct taste. It is not just a flavor enhancer. It’s its own flavor. As soon as you think you’ve put too much in, that’s the right amount. I use it on a lot of stuff. It’s a really handy foundation for a delicious dish. The roundness really helps with sautéed greens, like watery Asian greens with garlic, and noodles too. Tofu takes that pairing really well, like dried, spiced tofu, stir-fry, even soft málà tofu.
I hate Apple earbuds. I think they look stupid and everyone loses them. So instead, I use this dongle with my iPhone. I do a lot of listening to music and podcasts, and I have $10 headphones that break every month, and I just buy another pair. I almost use this dongle with pride because I hate the Apple AirPod design so much. They kind of look like jewelry a little bit, and it gets me really confused, and there’s just so much unnecessary technology with the AirPods that the simplicity of just having analog headphones in my ears feels like a good auditory life.
This is the best money you’ll spend. I love movies, I love television, but that world is kind of shifting its shape a little bit. So in the meantime, I’m devouring so much YouTube content. I have a crew of friends on YouTube that don’t even know me. I consider them my family because I just follow them. It’s like yard sales, food chefs, home chefs. I do a lot of sports-card breaking. I love watching these guys open packs and talking. I watch people scratching lotto tickets a lot — I really enjoy that. Someone will buy a case of scratchers and just go through them. It’s not ASMR; it’s kind of like this weird storytelling that’s really addictive.
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