Bite of the Best

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

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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.

These contain ingredients that I might toss into my own soup or chili pot. There are no preservatives, no artificial flavors, no artificial colors and no flavor enhancers (such as MSG). I like that. And, they're made using all-natural chicken and beef raised without antibiotics or growth hormones. I like that, too.

I'd recommend four of the five varieties to anyone, not only those avoiding gluten: Chicken Chili with White Beans, Angus Beef Steak Chili with Beans, New England Clam Chowder and, my favorite, Grilled Chicken & Corn Chowder. (I'd skip the just lackluster Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles.)

Available at $3.99 a 10-ounce serving at some Whole Foods or at www.glutenfreemall.com.

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Is it me, or do more and more items now come in those plastic clamshells so difficult to open?

As you know, it was a Herculean effort to open those packages. But now forget the scissors, knives or razors — as Pyranna will slice through those frustrating packages with its protected stainless steel cutting edge. Clamp it to the edge, pull and slice through the plastic! This is a stocking stuffer everyone will love.

Available at for $9.95 at www.pyranna.com.

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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.

Luckily, companies are now producing delicious alternatives to the products the rest of us can purchase easily. For a price, of course. Glutino, maker of many gluten-free products, offer pretzels that are not only wheat free, but milk, casein and egg free too. They also contain no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. And they taste good!

Offered as Twists or Sticks (14.1 oz bag for $5.99), or Snack Packs (2.6 oz snack pack for $1.99). Available at www.glutino.com and in specialty stores.

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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.

When Mary Bartz (director, food communications, for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association) and Brenda McDowell (her publicist) met with me, they shared a thick-cut sirloin, a not-often requested cut of beef, explaining that the 2 1/2 pound roast would serve 10 - 12.

A nonbeliever, when I used the one they gave me for a dinner party shortly afterward, I also cooked some pork tenderloin in addition to the beef to feed my 10 guests. But Mary and Brenda were so right; my family enjoyed steak sandwiches made from the leftovers. This roast does serve 10 easily!

To make this Roasted Thick-Cut Sirloin with an Herbed Salt Crust, first ask your butcher for a top sirloin cut 2 inches thick.

Heat oven to 425°F. Combine 2 T each fresh chopped basil and oregano, 1 T fresh chopped parsley, 1 T coarse sea salt, 1 T olive oil and 1 t pepper in small bowl; press evenly onto both sides of the beef steak.

Place steak on rack in shallow roasting pan and insert an ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is centered in thickest part of beef, not resting in fat. Do not add water or cover. Roast about 40 to 45 minutes for medium rare. Remove the steak when the meat thermometer registers 140°F for medium rare; 155°F for medium. Transfer to a carving board; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 5°F to reach 145°F for medium rare; 160°F for medium.) Carve steak into slices. Serves 10 to 12.

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