Bite of the Best » Kitchen Counter, Drawer & More

Keurig Platinum Brewing System

Bonnie from BiteoftheBest.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:59:01 +0000

Bonnie: Tassimo was the first single-cup coffee machine I sampled and liked, but only to brew Starbucks Africa Kitamu. I found most other T-discs too weak for my palate, as I like a strong cup of coffee.

When I heard the news last year that Kraft (the corporation behind Tassimo) and Starbucks were parting ways, I started stocking up on my favorite Africa Kitamu T-discs — until I heard that Starbucks and Green Mountain Coffee Roaster, makers ...

Bryan: I don't know if I am in the minority or not, but right up until the time I got my Keurig in the mail, I still hadn't been won over to the K-Cup revolution. Thank you Keurig; you have certainly changed my mind. In all honesty, I was still not fully sold on pod-based coffee production when we considered writing about Keurig. And it's not the machine that's the actual problem. There is no arguing with the simplicity of a system that utilizes a single-use coffee pod (also known as a K-Cup) coupled with a foolproof method for measurement of water and heat... it's just that lack of freedom you end up with that I always found...

Eric: This product boils down to a simple equation: Morning addiction + instantaneous gratification + quality coffee (of your choosing) = the Keurig Brewing System. What's not to love about having your morning coffee at the press of an incredibly elegant, sleek-looking button? And what differentiates the Keurig coffeemaker from other brands such as the Tassimo, DeLonghi and Cusinart? Not much, aside from an affordable price tag and the option of using your own coffee in refillable coffee pods.

What's unique about the Keurig (aside from ...

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Bagel Guillotine

Bonnie from BiteoftheBest.com — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 03:59:32 +0000

Bonnie I think all New Yorkers will agree: If you've never had a New York bagel, you've never had a bagel. New York bagels are dense and chewy on the inside and have a crisp outside crust. No fruit, cheese, chocolate or nuts are added to real bagels. Instead there's poppy, sesame, pumpernickel, garlic, onion and, of course, everything (a mixture of additions including salt). And they're gigunda...

Bryan: I have been working in kitchens ever since I can remember. With so much time spent using an array of sharp cutting tools and hot surfaces, there were inevitably a number of minor first aid emergencies throughout the years. To me, small cuts and burns are just part of cooking, but sadly, I've experienced more than my fair share of kitchastrophes.

Cooking at home is one thing, but being "on...

Eric: I pride myself a decent cook with above-par knife skills, but serrated knives, specifically bread knives, haunt my dreams. I have a collection of pride-shattering scars, holes and missing pieces on my left hand that are a daily reminder of my knife mishaps. Thus it was almost a defeat the first time I used the Bagel Guillotine. It seemed like a cheat move; an infomercial product that, although effective, would take up space and gather…

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Nordic Ware Backsplash Griddle

Bonnie from BiteoftheBest.com — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 03:59:54 +0000

Bonnie: Walking the aisles of another holiday gift show in Manhattan, I noticed this backsplash griddle at the Nordic Ware booth. Holiday gift shows are abundant at this time of year as long-lead magazines are working on their holiday stories.

In a flash, I visualized my dad flipping...

Bryan:I absolutely love my apartment, but I am just dying to redo my kitchen. It gets me by, but there are more than a few things I dislike about the room: limited counter space, only one drawer, very little storage and an awkward layout, to name a few. But the most frustrating element is that it has only electric appliances. No natural gas… no real burners to cook with. You may or may not have strong opinions about electric cooktops, but I am not ...

Eric: I’ve worked a decent number of jobs in the realm of food and beverage, and got my start at 14 working the deep fryer at a beach club in Connecticut during the summer. As I progressed, so did my responsibilities, and my next job was running the operations of a small snack shop at an indoor soccer center in that state. The added bonus was that I didn’t have to just...

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Norpro Avocado Slicer

Bonnie from BiteoftheBest.com — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:59:39 +0000

Bonnie: I often think I never need another gadget to fill my already overstuffed tool drawers. But some wise person once told me never to say never. He was right.

I found this handy avocado slicer in my welcome bag on a recent trip to the San...

Bryan: Butchering meat is certainly an art. If you've ever attempted to fillet a trout or take a whole chicken down to it's delicious parts without training, you probably know what I'm talking about. A few mis-strokes of your knife and your desired fish fillet ends up a mushy pile of flesh and ...

Eric: What the egg slicer did for the world of hard-boiled eggs, the avocado slicer has done for our sandwich-dominated society. I have seen avocado on menus everywhere -- it's even the focus of the newest Subway nationwide marketing campaign -- and for good reason: The avocado is just ...

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Trudeau Pot Clip

Bonnie from BiteoftheBest.com — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 04:59:55 +0000

Bonnie: Last month, my family gathered for the dedication of the atrium of Sun Life Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins, in honor of my father who died suddenly and unexpectedly at 92. He had been overseeing the stadium's renovation until literally the day he died.

While in Miami, one of my sisters, a niece and I went on a quick shopping trip – yakking more...

Bryan: I haven't had the time or money yet to redo my kitchen. Why do I mention this, you ask? Well, the previous owner of my condo designed what is now my kitchen with a certain proclivity for the color white. Countertops, floor tiles, cabinet doors, and worst of all... stovetop.

I like to cook, so it stands to reason...

Eric: One of my uncle's favorite sayings when it comes to business is "gelt ist in dreck" -- meaning, make your money from the simple ideas. I believe my cousin took this saying literally when he started his own recycling company. It's those simple ideas, those...

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Measure Up Bowl

Bonnie from BiteoftheBest.com — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 04:59:36 +0000

Bonnie: Almost as sure as death and taxes is making a New Year's resolution to lose weight (or at least to lose what you put on over the holidays). These new bowls make that so much easier, with pre-measured portions subtly etched into the interior of each white porcelain bowl. Measure Up Bowl provides a gentle reminder of how much food you're eating, and should teach you to eyeball portion sizes at other times. I find them a realistic weight-loss tool. I tripped over them at an exhibit in New York City last year, and thought...

Bryan: Oh the holidays! Tis the season to get fatter, tra-la-la-la-la la-la la la....

If weight-conscious people are aware of anything, it's about how the festive season can do some damage to their waistlines! Indulgence is one thing, over-indulgence something completely different.

It all begins at Thanksgiving, the fattiest of holidays! Thanksgiving is a day that is literally built around over-eating. It's one of the few times that you might be scorned for not ...

Eric: For years I have been crossing my fingers in hope that a combination of intelligent design and simplicity would one day help alleviate concern over portion control in the home kitchen. I'm guessing that for the majority of people, portion control seems as dated as the eight-track tape - especially considering that a large percentage of the American population depends on restaurants and to-go food as its main source of nutrition.

I would be curious about the response if I were to challenge...

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Culinary Parchment Baking Cups

Bonnie from BiteoftheBest.com — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 03:59:13 +0000

Bonnie: These culinary parchment cups and bags brought to mind a wine dinner for the media many years ago with a neophyte hostess. I sat next to her. We were enjoying baked sole en papillote when she leaned over to me and said, "This tastes like paper."

I responded, "That's...

Bryan: Though I've not been the loudest proponent of culinary parchment in my own kitchen, I do feel it is a more-than-worthy product for our attention at Bite of the Best. Parchment has long been a staple in professional kitchens around the world, but the paper has oddly maintained a less-than...

Eric: The Muffin Man can rest easy knowing that PaperChef culinary baking cups have made their way into the home baker's kitchen. Parchment has always been on par with the shallot - a secret weapon for many a restaurant kitchen - and now its versatility and ease have ...

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Trudeau Aerating Pourer

Bonnie from BiteoftheBest.com — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 03:59:21 +0000

Bonnie: This is one of those “slap-my-head-of-course” kind of items. Last summer, we featured the Vinturi wine aerator in this space. You hold that wine aerator over either individual glasses or a decanter and then pour the wine through it. In contrast, this Trudeau Aerating Pourer fits on the bottle and aerates as you pour. And — what's even better — it's much less expensive. Now that's...

Bryan: But I want it now! We've all got a little Veruca Salt in us, don't we? That epically selfish, demanding, impatient spoiled little girl that wanted an Oompa Loompa and a golden goose more than anything. And waiting was simply not an option! Well, for all you wine-loving Verucas out there, a faster way to have your wine has finally arrived.

Decanting is one of those things you know you should do, but never actually feel like doing. Letting your ...

Eric: With wine, there's an amazing array of subtleties that can affect the drinkers experience. Most people will point out the temperature of the bottle and the way in which it was stored. Others might focus on the amount of aging that went into the vintage, or the type of material used to mature it. Some aficionados even discuss the terroir and argue about the angle of the sun in relation to the vines. Now, there is no doubt that all of these factors are important to the production of wine, but for me, and for most people who...

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Wüsthof Classic Ikon Tomato Knife

Bonnie from BiteoftheBest.com — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:59:49 +0000

Bonnie: Long, long, long ago my friend and colleague Brian Maynard (director of brand marketing, Jenn-Air and KitchenAid brands) sent me a tomato knife to try. The knife was one that he had worked on developing and that KitchenAid was selling.

“A tomato knife?” I asked. “Why would anyone need a knife just for tomatoes?”

Brian said,...

Bryan: Ooohhh, aaahhh… this is a pretty knife. No, it’s not wrong to think a knife can be aesthetically pleasing. That does not make one a sociopath or homicidal maniac. It’s not a Dexter-like love affair with the destructive power of blades, but an appreciation of fine craftsmanship. It’s like a samurai honoring his sword as art before...

Eric: I always have a feeling that for most people who cook at home, the knives they use while preparing their meals are an afterthought. I say most, because I do know some people who pay homage to a knife as if it were the deity of their culinary world; for the other 98 percent, the term “all-purpose knife” comes to mind.

I remember that while growing up, I would use...

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NexTrend Fat Skimming Ladle

Bonnie from BiteoftheBest.com — Wed, 19 May 2010 03:59:58 +0000

Bonnie: The easy way to remove the fat from any homemade soup is first to refrigerate it, so that fat solidifies in a layer at the top. Just scrape off and discard. But that’s not always possible, when you’re making a soup to serve immediately. Another...

Bryan: Today’s company, NexTrend Products, is the outcome of one man’s passion to develop new kitchen tools that are both simple in design and amazingly functional. Beginning in 2002, NexTrend Products hit the market with its first (and most...

Eric: Some design team at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is certainly wondering how this idea from NexTrend got past them; it seems that the simplest changes to the most commonplace problems are often the most...

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The NexTrend Fat Skimming Ladle is available at the Bite of the Best shop