The ground rules are simple: Use this...

The ground rules are simple: Use this tool

It might be small, but the Sumeet grinder is strong enough to grind seeds, spices, cereals and whole grains for bread baking. It will also grind coffee and crush ice. Talk about multi-tasking. It’s convenient to store and comes apart for easy cleanup.

Sumeet multi grind, $99.95, from Sur La Tables stores.

Syrup: It’s not just for pancakes anymore

Besides drizzling Moosewood Hollow’s infused syrups over your pancakes, you’ll also want to try them in your cooking. The ginger syrup can be an accent for stir-fries, grilled fish or roasted vegetables. Try the sweet heat syrup infused with habanero chiles in fruit salsa, chili or barbecue sauce. Have fun and experiment with some of the other flavors. Vermont maple syrup is used for all the infusions.

Moosewood Hollow infused maple syrup (7-ounce bottle), $11, in sweet autumn, sweet ginger, sweet chai, sweet heat and sweet savory flavors by mail-order (with free shipping) from Moosewood Hollow, (866) 463-8733.

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Place mats you won’t want to cover up

Toile seems to be the popular thing these days, and with these place mats, you can choose from many colors and styles to fit your decor. The mats come in a French cotton fabric or a laminated version of the same design. The laminated mats are a natural if you have kids, or use them under serving dishes or floral arrangements to protect your table.

Toile laminated or cotton place mats, $12 each, and 18-inch-square napkins, $5.50 each, by mail-order or appointment from Lavender Blue, (323) 965-0565.