Bite of the Best

Samuel Adams Hallertau Imperial Pilsner – Goodbye Joe Six Pack - November 5, 2008

Joe the Plumber has been the latest buzzkill term of the never-ending presidential election. Well Samuel Adams thinks both the plumber and Joe Six Pack need a break and an upgrade. Say hello to ‘Joe 4-pack’; introducing to the world, …

Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals for Two: Update - October 30, 2008

This summer I told you about Birds Eye’s new Steamfresh Meals for Two — entrees that steam in about 10 minutes in the microwave. These dinners are now available in your grocer’s freezer. They’re also available in Whole Foods supermarkets, …

Easier to Open Food Storage Bags - October 7, 2008

I’ve often pulled in frustration at zipped storage bags trying to open them. No longer.  This new zippered bag from Glad solved that problem by making one of the top edges of the bag taller than the other and adding …

Buy Local – Cedar Springs Farm - October 6, 2008

Buying local is a bit of a new catch phrase for foodies, which is hilarious because only two generations ago most of the world didn’t know anything but local food. Along the ‘buying local’ theme, I recently had my two …

Fox River Rice – Porcini Arborio - September 25, 2008

Most of the rice I’ve tasted of late has been of the instant variety. In our madness to try and get an entire meal together and on the table in 20-minutes, we’ve created faster and faster ways to ‘skin a …

“Happy 90th” Customized M&Ms - July 2, 2008

At any Tandy family gathering there always seems to be a large bowlful of M&Ms for nibbling. This gathering in Deer Valley last week was no different — although instead of using a dish filled to the rim with colorful …

Switchflops: Custom Shoes in an Instant - June 17, 2008

“They’re flying out of here faster than I can keep the display filled,” explained Alicia Dallai, owner of The French Door — my favorite gift shop in Hamden (CT) — when she told me about Switchflops.

“Wish I had thought …

Starbucks Limited Reserve: A Mixed Bag - March 31, 2008

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 …

Gluten-Free Kettle Cuisine Tasty Enough For Anyone - March 26, 2008

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 …

Pyranna: Zip Through Plastic Clamshells in Seconds - December 11, 2007

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 — …

Pretzels for Those Who Can’t Have Flour - November 23, 2007

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 …

“Best American Fresh Goat Cheese”: Fresh Crottin - October 28, 2007

Vermont Butter & Cheese’s new yummy Fresh Crottin won first place at the 2007 American Cheese Society and Best of Class at the U.S. Championship Cheese contest. It’s a younger and lighter version of their Bijou that we reviewed earlier …

Roasted Thick-Cut Sirloin with an Herbed Salt Crust - October 18, 2007

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 …

Carvel’s Ice Cream Cupcake Cakes - October 16, 2007

Everybody’s rediscovering cupcakes — from fancy New York bakeries to wedding cake bakers. And now Carvel has gotten in on the trend with its ice cream cupcake cakes. Cake-and-ice cream cupcakes ($1.99) can be topped with their hard-shell chocolate coating, …

Knudsen’s Sparkling Juices Bubbly Holiday Drink - October 12, 2007

Need a non-alcoholic drink everyone at your party can enjoy? R.W. Knudsen Family® offers sparkling fruit juices in festive, champagne-style bottles. The no-added-sugar sparklers come in blueberry, cranberry, strawberry, cherry, kosher grape, organic apple and pear, and crisp apple …

John & Kira’s Drew Elementary Garden Mint Chocolates - October 11, 2007

When I opened the wooden box and took a bite of one of John & Kira’s Garden Mint Chocolates, I literally stopped what I was doing, as the chocolate melted on my tongue and the flavor of fresh mint engulfed …

Wash Away the Sodium in Beans - October 2, 2007

Now it’s been proven. A study from Bush Brothers indicates that draining and rinsing canned beans literally washes away about 40 percent of the sodium. So before adding these nutrition powerhouses to your foods, just wash away the excess sodium …

Tastefully Simple - October 1, 2007

At BiteoftheBest.com, we taste-test everything, so of course we were intrigued by a firm that bills itself as a home taste-testing company. Tastefully Simple operates on the old Tupperware model, with sales made through in-home parties or through reps you …

M&M’s Razzberry Chocolate Candies - September 27, 2007

I do like M&M’s, so I was curious about their first fruit-flavored variety, Razzberry Chocolate Candies. They’re bigger than the original M&M’s, the chocolate inside the bright pink candy coating is not quite as creamy as the original, and they …