Timely nuggets of information and ideas we want to share with you.

Several well-traveled friends have recommended Wildsam Field Guides. These guides get to the heart of destinations, be they cities, national parks, or road trips. They focus on an area’s culture, history, and hidden gems rather than the common attractions. They include interviews with local experts, sections on the local cuisine and traditions, historical insights, and many travel tips. They include maps and illustrations. They are meant to be read, not just referenced for the best restaurant. The guides are small and pocket-sized. They are around $20.00 each.

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Burlap & Barrel offers single origin spices sourced directly from small farms. Their Royal Cinnamon is a best seller and is harvested from the mountains around the ancient Vietnamese capital city of Huê. This is an heirloom variety that is not widely exported. It is sweet and spicy. It is delicious on top of sugar cookies and other baked goods, sprinkled onto meat dishes and tomato-based dishes.

Burlap & Barrell’s Royal Cinnamon $9.99 for a 1.8 oz. glass jar.

Another delicious product from Vietnam: Red Boat Fish Sauce is a first-press fermented sauce made from wild black anchovies that are caught in the waters off Vietnam. It is fermented in large wooden barrels and has a natural umami flavor. The sauce has only two ingredients – fish and salt. This is a traditional Vietnamese fermented condiment. The company is family owned.