Products

L’Appartement 4F, West Village, NYC

"Just curious, how many of these bakeries have you visited?" my cousin emailed. "Not enough, I said after reading "The 21 Best Croissants in New York City, Times article he sent, noticing a new one a couple of blocks from me and decided to investigate. Sadly, there's no seating at L’Appartement 4F. It is a walk-up window on 10th Street selling coffee and fabulous treats from the counter. I ordered their buttery, slightly salty regular croissant ($5) and a decadent almond one (croissant aux amandes, $6), topped with sliced almonds and filled with a generous amount of almond paste filling. So yummy that I had to freeze some for a treat [...]

By |2025-10-05T08:47:23-04:00September 30th, 2025|Food & Drinks, Products|0 Comments
Read More

French Bloom Alcohol-free Wines

Looking for something special to serve to your friends who don't drink? Consider serving one of the surprisingly delicious French Bloom collection of alcohol-free sparkling wines crafted from organic pinot noir and chardonnay wines from this women-led brand ($39-$59). There's a Le Blanc, with a mineral Chardonnay freshness with hints of spice and citrus zest,  the Le Rosé combining minerality and depth, with a well-balanced acidity and delicate hints of white peach and L’Extra Brut with subtle hints of white flowers with a touch of grilled nuts. Truly delicious.  

By |2025-08-11T08:01:42-04:00August 19th, 2025|Food & Drinks, Products, Recommended|0 Comments
Read More

Prosciutto di Carpegna PDO

Earlier this summer, I stopped by a press party for Prosciutto di Carpegna PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) outside of Eataly that was part of the "The EU Gem Ham: Prosciutto di Carpegna PDO campaign co-funded by the European Union." It's prosciutto, aged 20 months, produced exclusively in Italy’s Le Marche region. As with Prosciutto di Parma, this prosciutto is made according to a centuries-old method dating back to the Middle Ages. Its deep, rich flavors make it delicious on its own and a wonderful component in a wide range of dishes. At the party, J Sean, the bartender, introduced me to a Bergamot spritz with that eponymous liquor instead of Aperol, Prosecco [...]

By |2025-07-31T12:32:26-04:00July 30th, 2025|Food & Drinks, Recommended|1 Comment
Read More

All-Clad Lifetime Warranty!

When my All-Clad stainless-steel tea kettle started leaking more water from the base than from the spout, I decided to check the warranty online. "They did say lifetime," I recalled, thinking back I had gotten the kettle. 1993.  Yup, 32 years ago!  I reread their warranty statement: "When we say our products last a lifetime, we mean it," and then I called them. If you need to contact All-Clad about a warranty issue, call 1-800-255-2523. If you are calling from Canada, use 1-800-418-3325. The representative sent me a prepaid label so I could return my leaking kettle. I found an appropriate box, sent it off, and was delighted when my [...]

By |2025-06-06T08:50:19-04:00June 28th, 2025|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, Products, Recommended|0 Comments
Read More

Pumpernickel Everything Bagels at Tompkins Square Bagels, Union Square, NYC

I'm in love. Although I do tend to hyperbole, when I discovered Tompkins Square pumpernickel everything bagels it truly was love at first bite. Haven't visited another bagel shop since I discovered them. That good.  I try to make most grains I eat, whole. And as a registered dietitian, that's what I recommend for other. Pumpernickel bagels are a tad healthier because they are generally made with rye flour, which is higher in fiber and has a lower glycemic index, meaning it causes a slower rise in blood sugar levels.  This fiber isn't just for keeping things moving; it also plays a role in cardiovascular health, diabetes prevention, and more. [...]

By |2025-04-13T10:19:35-04:00April 23rd, 2025|Big Apple Life, Food & Drinks, Products, Recommended|0 Comments
Read More

Mush Foods’ 50CUT: Mushroom and Mushroom Root Blends

An editor friend invited me to sample meatballs at Fieldtrip, a fast-casual restaurant in Rock Center serving rice bowls with veggies and ethically sourced proteins. Those jerk meatballs were my introduction to Mush Foods 50CUT, a line of mushroom and mushroom root blends. They contain no artificial preservatives or additives. Afterward, their publicist offered samples to work with at home. I started cooking with Mush Food 50CUT  products made from various mushrooms. These blended solutions reduce—rather than eliminate—meat. If you replace half the ground meat in dishes, you instantly reduce environmental impact. These products are made with mushrooms such as oyster, trumpet, shiitake, and lion’s mane grown in upstate New [...]

By |2024-11-15T08:41:01-05:00December 8th, 2024|Food & Drinks, Of Interest, Products|0 Comments
Read More

Two Countertop Beverage Appliances Brita Electric Water + Hamilton Beach® FlexBrew®

At a recent product showing, I found two appliances from Hamilton Beach that warm the heart of a New Yorker with a small kitchen and little countertop space for devices. I had started researching Brita water filters after finding that my crisp New York water wasn't tasting as good as it used to. I wasn't sure I wanted to give up space in my 24-inch refrigerator for the pitcher. When I saw the compact size — less than 5 inches wide! — of the new Brita Hub™ Compact ($119.99) with a 9-cup (72 oz) water reservoir detaches from the hub for an easy fill-up at the faucet with a 2-year [...]

By |2024-11-20T12:25:45-05:00November 18th, 2024|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, Products, Recommended|0 Comments
Read More

Fiesta Dinnerware Pitcher

Fiesta Dinnerware has always been known for its fun mix-and-match bright colors. The colors were born from a desire during the Great Depression to cheer up the country with red, blue, green, yellow and ivory Fiestaware. This pottery, made in West Virginia, has been lead-safe since 1986. It can be used in the microwave, dishwasher and oven. I love that it has a 5-year chip replacement warranty and that you can buy one piece or place setting at a time. This large pitcher caught my eye ($59.99). It's about 8 x 5 x 7 and holds 67 ounces of liquid. It adds a pop of color to my table and [...]

By |2024-10-13T09:20:59-04:00October 14th, 2024|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, Of Interest, Products|0 Comments
Read More

Cypress Grove Meyer Lemon & Honey Cheese

I've been a Cypress Grove fan since I first tasted their Humboldt Fog goat cheese in the 80s. I really like their newest flavor, the Meyer Lemon & Honey Cheese. The 3-ounce disk ($8) of goat cheese has a slightly sweetened Meyer lemon and delicate alfalfa honey flavor.  One ounce has 70 calories and 4.5 grams of fat, 3 of which is saturated. Like all cheese, it's best to remove it from the refrigerator at least one hour before serving for the best flavor. Cypress Grove suggests serving the goat cheese in a tart, crumbled on a salad or stuffed in Medjool dates with chopped pistachios. I also like it [...]

By |2024-08-19T17:07:15-04:00August 31st, 2024|Food & Drinks, Products, Recommended|0 Comments
Read More

Dreamfarm Fluicer and Supoon

Every year, I attend a mini-housewares show in Manhattan to preview the latest products that will be shown at The International Housewares Association's (IHA) Home + Housewares Market at Chicago's McCormick Place in March. This time, two items from Dreamfarm stood out as products I wanted to share with you for your kitchen. The first is the Fluicer, available in three sizes for different fruits. I like the yellow, medium-sized one ($16.95) designed for lemons. It was featured in "The O List" and is a Reddot Award Winner for 2023. This juicer folds completely flat for space-saving storage and requires less force than traditional juicers to squeeze the fruit.   [...]

By |2024-08-19T17:21:11-04:00August 17th, 2024|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, Products, Recommended|0 Comments
Read More

Jesse Cushman’s Papa Bubble Candies

I had forgotten that I had received an email from Jesse Cushman—my son Eric's friend from Hamden—about his new business venture. He had written that he tried the corporate life, but it wasn't for him. "I bugged my friends to invest and then franchised with a custom candy company out of Barcelona called Papabubble." Then, one day, I received a candy delivery, the blue and yellow candies with the letters BOTB. It took me a second before I realized they were the initials of Bite of the Best. PapaBubble customizes flavors, colors and candy packaging—minimum 10 pounds—for corporate events, birthdays, gifts and holidays. Pricing starts at $36/lb and decreases with [...]

By |2024-04-07T16:38:17-04:00March 28th, 2024|Of Interest, Products|0 Comments
Read More

Serendipity3 Original Frrrozen Hot Chocolate Mix

With my grandnieces visiting for the holidays, I took out my sample of Serendipity3 Frrrozen Hot Chocolate Mix I received from the company after a recent Fancy Food show. I wanted them to try this product made from a secret blend of 14 exotic cocoas. But before doing so, we headed to the legendary eponymous New York City restaurant, founded in 1954, to sample it where it started, learning that the restaurant had just served the 30 millionth one to Cher during her appearance at The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. At the restaurant, the three of us finished every last drop of the tasty dessert served in a goblet, [...]

By |2023-12-31T20:56:39-05:00December 31st, 2023|Food & Drinks, Products, Recommended|3 Comments
Read More

The Greek Periyali, Gramercy-Flatiron, NYC + ChefWise by Shari Bayer

We met our friend, Shari Bayer, the publicist for Periyali, at the restaurant to discuss her new book, ChefWise, and sample their fare. Our host greeted me upon arrival and welcomed me to Greece, jesting, "No passport needed." Mak, our waiter, also welcomed us, sharing that he had been with Periyali since they opened on December 21, 1987. He recalled the exact date because it is his birthday. I sampled their El Grego ($22), a blend of bourbon, Amaro Nonino liqueur, spiced honey and bitters. With my cocktail, we started nibbling their five mezze offerings, which are always yummy. These included their taramosalata (a fish roe spread with olive oil and [...]

By |2023-12-17T10:35:54-05:00December 16th, 2023|City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Of Interest, Products|0 Comments
Read More

The Magical Renew Sponge

It was love at first use. I opened a package of GreenPan's Melamine sponge that I had received at a media Housewares Show, deciding to see how it worked. Their claim of wiping away cooked-on sticky food (aka carbonization that happens when fats burn onto your pan) with only water intrigued me.   I was flabbergasted when it worked! The cooked-on food just wiped away. I tried it a second time to be sure it wasn't a fluke. "Made of non-abrasive melamine, this scrubbing sponge is specially designed to clean your GreenPan ceramic cookware and other nonstick pots and pans," claimed the press materials. Instead of trying it on a nonstick pan, I [...]

By |2023-11-05T12:00:51-05:00December 1st, 2023|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, Products, Recommended|2 Comments
Read More

Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur

The press release about Mozart's four new Chocolate Liqueurs piqued my curiosity. These chocolate liqueurs hail from Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The company first macerated cocoa from West Africa with vanilla from Madagascar,  then combined three of their liqueurs with cream from the Netherlands. The dark chocolate has no cream. With an espresso martini having recently become my dessert of choice, I wondered what one would taste like if made with their newly introduced Dark Chocolate Liqueur. I had to find out. Sadly, the drink was disappointing. I then looked in their press materials to see what drink they recommended for using the dark chocolate liqueur. [...]

By |2023-11-03T10:38:20-04:00November 3rd, 2023|Food & Drinks, Of Interest, Products|0 Comments
Read More

New Kitchen Gadgets Shown at the Inspired Home Housewares Show

Once a year at Chicago's McCormick Place, the International Housewares Association's (IHA) Home + Housewares Market occurs in March. The organization often has a New York preview showcasing about 50 new products the companies introduced at the show. What follows are some of the new items that I'd like to share with you. As a New Yorker with a tiny kitchen, my eyes lit up when I saw the GreenPan Ovenware that would fit in my toaster oven, which I admit is where I do most of my baking. This ovenware is pricey yet durable with its ceramic nonstick coating, heavyweight gauge and one-piece design. The 8- X 8-inch square baker [...]

By |2023-04-07T09:36:50-04:00March 30th, 2023|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, Of Interest, Products|0 Comments
Read More

Stan Donuts

Stan's donuts publicist sent their special edition Olive Oil Le Stan in a press package with enough to share with neighbors. Most enjoyed the flaky croissant texture and the rich orange zabaglione (Italian custard) filling. One family disagreed, thinking they were too fatty and sweet. These donuts ($4.95 each) are so decadent that I could only eat a quarter. I froze the rest, and when I wanted a treat, I'd bake a quarter in a 450-degree toaster oven for about 3 to 4 minutes. The company had no nutritional information for these special ones. I  asked. If you're not familiar (I wasn't until they ended up on my doorstep!), Stan's [...]

By |2023-02-24T17:13:23-05:00February 16th, 2023|Food & Drinks, Products, Recommended|0 Comments
Read More

Frutero Ice Cream: Tropical Fruit Flavors from Around the World

I prefer the flavor of fruit in gelato, not ice cream. If you like fruit ice cream, you might be interested in these new tropical fruit flavors from Frutero where — according to the company — the fruit is picked at the peak of freshness and sourced from around the globe. Their mangoes are from Colombia, coconut from Thailand and pineapple from Hawai. The seven flavors include Passion Fruit, Guava, Guanabana, Coconut, Mango, Pineapple and Tangerine. To find a store near you, click here. SRP: $5.99 per pint

By |2022-10-09T09:44:42-04:00October 9th, 2022|Food & Drinks, Of Interest, Products|0 Comments
Read More

City Saucery Calabrian Chili Spread

I always made my own until I sampled City Saucery's Spicy Calabrian all-purpose tomato sauce, Same with other friends I gave jars to try. Yes, it's that good. If you're unfamiliar with the Brooklyn-based company, they source local fresh, overripe tomatoes and oddly shaped carrots that would go to waste and turn them into their sauces, one called Ugly Tomato Sauce. City Saucery makes the Spicy Calabrian sauce from tomatoes, onions, olives, carrots, scallions, EVOO, basil, sea salt and wild oregano with a kick from Calabrian chilies.  When I stopped by the booth to return an empty jar to receive $1 off my next one, I noticed their Calabrian chili [...]

By |2022-07-11T13:24:42-04:00July 15th, 2022|Food & Drinks, Just For Fun, Products, Recommended|0 Comments
Read More

Quri the Quinoa Peruvian Vodka

Just arriving on our shelves is Quri, an award-winning Peruvian vodka made from quinoa sourced from a single-family farm and ancient Andean glacier water filtered through volcanic stone. It's one of two vodkas in the world made from the locally originated grain, with Quri the only one produced in the Andes. If you're not familiar with this nutritious grain, quinoa seeds are richer in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins and dietary minerals than many grains. Quinoa has been farmed for over 5000 years by the Incas. And now, it's the base for this vodka, one with a mission to better the lives of the Andes people. The distinct slightly grain [...]

By |2022-05-24T06:47:49-04:00May 14th, 2022|Food & Drinks, Products|0 Comments
Read More
Copyright 2012 - 2021 BiteOfTheBest | All Rights Reserved
Toggle Sliding Bar Area
Go to Top