Starbucks Limited Reserve: A Mixed Bag
I smiled when I received the recent Starbucks mailing with samples of their three new, limited-edition estate coffees—Sumatra Lintong, Mexico el Retiro and Tanzania Estate. I smiled, as I had just returned from Tanzania, where oddly I had been served instant, not fresh brewed local coffee. So I especially looked forward to sampling the Tanzanian one — as well as the
other two brews.
Unfortunately these limited reserves are only available ground. Unfortunately I say, as pre-ground coffee is never as fresh as fresh ground (obviously). And, sometimes it's just stale. My Sumatra Lintong — the extra bold variety — from Indonesia was just that. Luckily the opposite was true with the Tanzanian coffee with its intoxicating aroma indicating just that when I opened the bag.
If you're a coffee aficionado, do try one of these estate coffees as the fresh ones produced delicious brews. But if you end up with a stale bag — evident by a non-inviting aroma as you unseal it — do return it to the store. Maybe if enough people complain and return their stale pre-ground coffee, Starbucks will consider offering the next limited edition ones as whole bean coffees.
Each 10-ounce bag sells for $9.99





I have some friends with celiac disease — meaning their bodies can’t process gluten. (Gluten is the protein component of some grains, including wheat, rye, oats and barley.) So I’m always on the lookout for delicious products for them, which is how I discovered these Kettle Cuisine frozen soups and chilies.
Is it me, or do more and more items now come in those plastic clamshells so difficult to open?
Loving pretzels, I can't imagine a world without them. But those with celiac disease must do without not only pretzels, but bread, pizza, pasta and all other products made with wheat. Celiac disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that predominately affects the small bowel, resulting in an intolerance to ingested gluten, the storage protein of wheat.
Meeting with representatives from commodity groups is part of the job of a food editor. A fun part. Those meetings are often over dinner, which makes for good food, interesting conversation and unusual uses for their products.






