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Miss Vickie’s Nine Grain Simply Salted Chips

Bonnie: For my job as a food product reviewer (Supermarket Sampler), I taste and write about the new products you’ll find on your grocers’ shelves, most of which I would never think of putting in my grocery cart. As you may have gathered from reading this blog, I like to cook, preferring my food without all the added chemicals in most convenience foods.

That said, I need to share with you some news about how our food giants — usually steeped in chemical additives — are adding all-natural snack lines to their lineups. I like that. Take Frito-Lay’s...

Bryan: There is just something special about potato chips. Though we have reviewed different versions of this ubiquitous snack food on Bite of the Best, and we very well may do so again in the future, I must say that we continue to top ourselves with the newest and most interesting products. Our most recent addition to the site is no different; Miss Vickie’s is truly one of the best chips I’ve ever had!

I was recently met with a rainbowed array of snack bags as I opened the newest case of food to arrive...

Eric: I have to agree with my mother in that I was pleasantly surprised to see that a food conglomerate had added an all-natural chip to its product line. There are plenty of potato chips on the market, and regardless of whether they’re kettle-cooked, baked, roasted or simply fried, I imagine that the majority of consumers (myself included) are looking for the healthiest alternative. Recently, and quite successfully, I’ve been trying to curb my habit of snacking. This was until I was introduced to the line of Miss Vickie’s chips.

My mother...

By |2017-09-04T19:58:25-04:00August 13th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|14 Comments
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Hamilton Beach Toastation Toaster & Oven

Bonnie: No matter how large (or small) the kitchen, all cooks grumble about counter space. We all want more. And we try to make what we do have most efficient. That’s where double-duty appliances come in, freeing up counter space.

When the boys were growing up, my kitchen required both a toaster and a toaster oven. They used the latter more than any other appliance, relying on it to melt the cheese on their tuna melts. But they also needed a toaster for that open-face sandwich’s bagel. Both appliances remained on the counter top and in constant use.

One day, while researching new appliances for Parade magazine, I discovered...

Bryan: Some of the most pleasing and equally dumbfounding moments at Bite of the Best are when we receive products that are as amazing as they are simple. It’s always the quirky gadgets that make me feel this way; I end up falling in love with a device based on how it fundamentally changes my kitchen while simultaneously kicking myself for not thinking of it on my own. Toastation tops the “why didn’t I think of that” scale by skillfully combining the two most common methods of toasting: the stand-up toaster and the toaster oven.

The great toaster debate is one that had ceased to rage in my house long ago. As a self-titled...

Eric: While I was growing-up, the kitchen counter(s) in my mother’s house seemed more like the patent office for kitchen appliances; they were a testing ground for some of the best and the worst. For every food product that’s left you scratching your head in wonder about why a company would bother to produce it (or even think of it in the first place), there is an equally useless kitchen appliance.

I usually don’t depend on many appliances to aid me in cooking. If you’re an avid reader of BOTB then you already understand my disdain for the microwave. I slice, dice and chop with a knife, not a food processor, and I mix, fold....

By |2017-09-04T18:28:22-04:00July 30th, 2008|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, xyz misc|12 Comments
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Microthin’s Magic Slice Non Slip Flexible Cutting Board

Bonnie: Cutting boards are a kitchen essential. Before telling you about this flexible one, I must digress as Eric’s posting about moving into his apartment sparked memories of starting out in my newlywed’s kitchen.

It was a New York City galley kitchen with a window that looked out on a black fire escape. I made the small space workable with a couple of wedding-money-funded splurges: a pegboard I secured to the wall so I could hang my pots, pans and utensils, keeping them an arm-reach away; a portable dishwasher as I loved to entertain and hated...

Bryan: This is truly a “must have” product for anybody who spends time in the kitchen; if you have not already seen Magic Slice’s flexible cutting boards, you are in for a treat today.

Though I’m not sure exactly why, I actually love cutting boards. It might have something to do with my fascination with knives. (Is there anything more useful than a great knife?) Or it might be a reflection of how a simple, understated cutting slab can add such elegance to a common countertop. Either way, there are three main types of board that I always have in my kitchen: the big...

Eric: I recently moved to Providence, RI, but before my move I looked at more than 20 apartments, each with distinct characteristics: low ceilings, small closets, grimy showers and even bullet holes – but none of which had an impact on me more than the apartment kitchen.

“This is the room that I spend most time in, this is where I need to feel comfortable,” I told myself. I analyzed the angles, the cupboards, the stove and most importantly, the counter space. The counter is king in a chef’s kitchen, and space is a necessity ...

By |2017-09-04T18:25:00-04:00July 23rd, 2008|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, xyz misc|14 Comments
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Amy’s Samosa Wrap

Bonnie: I found this week’s FeaturedBite in my freezer, as it was sent to me for my weekly syndicated column, Supermarket Sampler, the one that reviews what’s new on the grocer’s shelves. Problem was, Amy’s Samosa Wrap wasn’t really new. I learned it was first introduced as part of one of Amy’s frozen Indian Meals. Now it’s sold separately.

I was hungry, just looking for a nibble in the freezer, and the wraps were there. So I microwaved the samosa, expecting to toss it out after a bite or two as I do with most products I need to taste...

Bryan: Amy’s has really been making a name for themselves as one of the ‘go to’ brands for prepared organic food products. You can find their line (consisting of a wide array of flavors and ethnic cuisine varieties) at Whole Foods and other high-end markets. What is more astounding about Amy’s is that you can find their line in your normal grocer’s freezer as well! I am excited at the implication of this food trend; it’s great to see such a wholesome product achieve significant market ...

Eric: In a world gone mad (with food “crazes”) this product shimmers as a beacon of hope that nutrition doesn’t have to be so bland. I was first introduced to this traditional Indian food while I was working in Zanzibar, and although the chef at the resort had strayed away from traditional samosas, incorporating a variety of different meats into the filling, they were still an amazing taste. The samosas ranged from small appetizers (chicken and beef fillings) to a dessert (fresh fruit filling and...

By |2017-09-04T20:04:58-04:00July 16th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|5 Comments
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Snake River Farms Kurobuta Pork

Bonnie: Millennials — like my culinary offspring — only know pork as “the other white meat,” that is the incredibly lean meat with a fat content similar to chicken. Seems that when chicken moved into the number one spot as America’s favorite in the ‘80s, the pork producers began producing lower-fat hogs to get into the competition.

That is all fine and good — if you know how to cook lean pork. Most home cooks don’t, resulting in something more like shoe leather than moist meat. Lean pork should be cooked until medium, so the internal temperature is no more than 150 degrees F.

But better yet, when you want to and can splurge, consider Snake River Farms (SRF) Kurobuta pork, tasting like the juicy tender marbled pork of...

Nutrition Note — There is no current documented nutrition data on Kurobuta pork, at least that I could find after calling the Pork Board (the organization that represents the industry) and Snake River Farms (SRF). The current...

SRF Recipes — My advice is not to use SRF recipes as they were designed for chefs and not always clear. My suggestion to SRF, now...

Bryan: It actually became a bit of a problem; the Snake River Farms pork roast had been sitting in our freezer for months. Making ice cream is a bit of a hobby in my house, but with so much pork filling up the place, there was no longer enough freezer space to store the machine’s cylinder overnight (an essential part of the process). It wasn’t that I didn’t want to eat the pork, it was just such an enormous portion that I couldn’t justify using it without a substantial gathering. Thankfully, my excuse came when a good friend who had moved to Palo Alto, Calif., came back to Atlanta for a week; we just had to have a dinner party. There was brief consideration amongst our group to gather at a nearby restaurant, ...

Eric: I guess once you’ve worked with, prepared and have eaten high-quality meats, you take for granted the fact that other people haven’t experienced the taste of such products. From a young age, I’ve always known the effect a dried piece of meat can have on self-indulgence, and fortunately throughout my cooking experiences, I’ve dried out my fair share of steak, chicken and pork to the point where I now know what a well-cooked piece of meat should taste like.

I feel like I could be a screenplay writer for a porn movie when...

By |2017-09-04T20:01:41-04:00June 25th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|3 Comments
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Melissa’s Mangosteen

Bonnie: I hadn’t a clue what it was or how to eat the dark purple, almost brown, hard-shelled tropical fruit when I saw it among other fruit in a welcome basket at my hotel in Kuala Lumpur in the early ‘90s. Thank goodness the hotel included a pamphlet not only describing the exotic fruit, but how to eat each as well.

I stuck a sharp knife through, and around, the hard shell of the mangosteen to access this odd looking clementine-size orb, as instructed. Twisting its hard cap-like stem, I then carefully removed the top part...

Bryan: I like to think I’m well versed about all things food, but, in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I had no idea that mangosteens even existed before receiving a shipment earlier this week. My education began when Melissa’s fresh mangosteens arrived; packs of four little plumlike fruits with a hard purple rind and a truly surprising, bizarre and delightful inside.

Getting into this fruit is job number one and it’s not an obvious task for your everyday apple eater; the...

Eric: I don’t know what more to say about the mangosteen. My mother has written about her first encounter with the fruit and her theory about the value of tasting it (and other fruit) in its natural habitat, and my brother has shared his insights on the particular taste and texture of the fruit, and on the documented health benefits of eating it. Now that it’s my turn to write about the mangosteen, the only thing...

By |2017-09-04T20:03:32-04:00June 18th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|14 Comments
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Dr. Kracker Klassic 3 Seed Flatbread

Bonnie: Unsolicited foods arrive so often at our home — my office — that I know almost all our delivery men by name and keep a basket of treats to reward them for carrying the heavy packages up my steps.

Unpacking, storing the contents and breaking down these boxes can often be daunting; it’s the least favorite part of my job. But inside I sometimes...

Bryan: I got my package of Dr. Kracker Klassic 3 Seed flatbreads and snackers (the bite size versions) only a few days ago and I’ve already found more uses for these than you might imagine. This is a very hearty and very crunchy snack. Not only are they tasty, but a single 3×5 whole wheat flatbread amazingly supplies 12 percent of your daily dietary fiber, a great excuse to break out the brie. Pile...

Eric: First thought that came to mind: “Damn good crackers.” These energy-packed bites are a combination of an amazing variety of flavors, something completely unexpected from the standard cracker. Growing up, I was always a Ritz cracker fan because of its simplicity — just as with most of the foods I enjoy. As...

By |2017-09-04T20:17:39-04:00June 11th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|4 Comments
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The Art of Chipotle: Sweet Heat Addiction

Bonnie: Last summer, in the midst of a July heat wave at an event where the air conditioning didn’t work, I was approached by Tom Pfleider, president and CEO of Pfleider Pfoods, the company that makes The Art of Chipotle products. He tried to tell me about his food products, but I was way too overheated to listen. I just wanted out of the muggy, over-packed room. But, impressed by his passion for his family business, I gave him my card, requesting that he send samples. Then quickly — very quickly — I exited that steamy room. I hoped his tenacity matched his eagerness. It did, as his samples arrived [...]

By |2017-09-04T20:23:49-04:00June 4th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|5 Comments
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Pyrex & Corningware Portables

Bonnie: These Pyrex and CorningWare Portables make the food scientist in me very happy.

You see, I’m a stickler for keeping foods at the proper temperature. In fact, some of my friends refer to me as “the food police.” But I’m sure if they knew what I’d learned in my food-borne bacteriology classes, they too would keep their hot foods hot and cold foods cold. And they wouldn’t leave any food at room temperature for more than two hours.

Seriously, though, people do get sick from food mishandling. That includes...

Bryan: As I look at the Pyrex and CorningWare Portables sitting on my kitchen table, I immediately think back to night ski trips in high school. This may sound like a strange aside when considering baking dishes, but I assure the court that I will come to the point. At that time in my life, skiing was a new sport and, with little money to invest, my gear collection was a motley assortment of reallocated sporting goods; I’d stuff my boots...

Eric: I am a pushover for picnics and relish the opportunity to move away from the kitchen table and venture into a park for the occasional brunch (or dinner). For me, the picnic represents relaxation; it’s a retreat from the monotony of everyday dining, and a change from the daily kitchen-table meals. I can close my eyes now and smell the smoke of the BBQ and the scent of the freshly cut grass.

Although one of my favorite ideas about a picnic is the food preparation (mise en...

By |2017-09-04T18:23:10-04:00May 28th, 2008|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, xyz misc|43 Comments
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Island Way Sorbets in Natural Fruit Shells

Bonnie: What a buzz! Last year at my annual trek to the Food Marketing Institute convention, where I learn what will be new on your grocer’s shelves, everyone was talking about Island Way’s delicious sorbets in fruit shells.

Island Way is a small company — especially compared to the other exhibitors such as Kraft, Campbell, and Nestlé — offering low-fat frozen treats in actual fruit shells; you nibble...

Bryan: We all have our own focus groups. Since beginning to write Bite of the Best, I have taken the opportunity to share many of my ‘Bites’ with my work colleagues. I keep a list on the break room fridge of BOTB tester products. Almonds, Craisins, Boca brats and more; our office kitchen now has a great selection of fun foods to enjoy on a momentary timeout. All that I ask in return for the continued sumptuous banquet is honest ...

Eric: These little pieces of dessert heaven are far from the “island way;” in fact they represent what many islands should adopt as an offering to their natives – a delicious frozen treat made from fresh fruit and served organically.

The first time I was witness (and tester) to this dessert was at a dinner party at my mother’s house. She unveiled it as a potential bite to an unknowing crowd of students and pensioners. Needless...

By |2017-09-04T20:33:06-04:00May 21st, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|35 Comments
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Blue Diamond® Bold

Bonnie: I do love almonds.

For heart health, I try either to nibble an ounce a day or use almonds in place of bread crumbs as a coating for fish or chevre or to add crunch to my salads. For the most flavor, be sure to toast the nuts before adding them to salad. Just heat in a 350-degree oven or in a skillet over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes until fragrant and golden, watching carefully as once they begin to toast almonds can burn easily.

For nibbling, though, I like them a bit spicy, which is why...

Bryan: Whatever happened to lunch? I sit and ask myself this question from time to time as I remain shackled to my desk, not from fear of an overbearing boss, but from an e-mail inbox that just won’t cease. I believe the two-martini lunch has gone the way of the dodo as e-mail and other forms of instant communication continue to demand such rapid response times that deals may be won or lost over appetizers.

This dilemma never used to bother me, as my old office was on 47th...

Eric: I remember when I was growing up I would scoff at anything that contained nuts. The mere sight of a chopped walnut in a brownie or a single peanut’s presence in one of my chocolate chip cookies would be enough to enlist the “surgeons tools” — my pudgy little fingers — to dissect the baked good until it was simply nut-free. I fast forward my life 10 years and can’t imagine a world without nuts. I can understand that over time a person’s taste buds can change, but when I look back, I can no longer imagine how I ever felt disgusted by...

By |2017-09-04T20:34:53-04:00May 14th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|5 Comments
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Steamfresh Long Grain Rice

Bonnie: Birds Eye did it again. First with veggies (see FeaturedBite), providing frozen portions that steam in a few minutes in the microwave - and this time they’ve done so with rice.

I like Steamfresh because it’s quick, convenient and contains only rice (or rice and plain veggies). In a recent survey, Birds Eye discovered that people are not confident in their ...

Bryan: BiteoftheBest.com has become a fan of the “Steamfresh” line; we raved (rightly) about their veggies a while back. Birds Eye is a welcome change from their over-sauced, over-salted brethren in the frozen vegetable aisle. Though not what I would consider their “core competency,” Birds Eye has now ventured farther down the rabbit hole of the Steamfresh brand into brown rice; the result is a clear success, (of course, why else would my...

Eric: It’s funny when I read what my mother has written and realize that I, of the belief that I am a “foodie,” have neglected to learn what it means to properly prepare rice. “But you have to stir!” says my girlfriend as I sit here writing. Stirring is something we’ve gotten quite accustomed to doing while cooking Jasmine rice for one of our favorite meals (Chicken ...

By |2017-09-04T20:36:14-04:00April 30th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|15 Comments
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Brothers-All-Natural Fuji Apple Crisps

Bonnie: Many of my product discoveries are from research for other media outlets. And that’s how I found these dehydrated slices of fruit. I was looking for products for my supermarket shopper’s column in Better Homes & Gardens’ special Diet issue and reached out to food public relations professionals.

One suggested a new freeze-dried 100 percent natural peach crisp, just added to Brothers-All-Natural line of fruit crisps. I was a bit leery, as I had previously sampled some horrid stuff, but I said sure. And I suggested she also send what she thought was the best-tasting variety in their line.

I’m glad I tested the Fuji apple slices first, as they are a Bite of the Best. I might not have kept...

Bryan: Dried plums made an appearance a while back on Bite of the Best and that’s when my affinity for dried fruit was established. Banana chips, dried apricots, Craisins and more; fruit provides a truly healthy snack in a world of sugar, salt and fat.

Apples were a particularly popular staple growing up in New England. We had an annual apple-picking tradition at a friend’s ...

Eric: I recently received a package of these dehydrated apples and was eager to rip-open a bag and try what my mother had been raving about. I had really never tasted an apple in such a form, perfectly dehydrated and still crispy, and my first instinct was to savor the bag as I would savor each bite of an orchard-fresh apple. The taste is powerful and the...

By |2017-09-04T20:40:15-04:00April 16th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|83 Comments
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Bruce’s Sweet Potato Pancake Mix

Bonnie: Eric’s friend Mike Rakiec reminded us of these sweet potato pancakes when he recommended them on the site as a Bite of the Best.

”I would like to suggest a brand of sweet potato pancakes that I have tasted at the Leblang residence. They were the tastiest pancakes I have ever tried. I don’t recall the company who makes them, however. Maybe Bonnie can help me with this one.”

Mike — like many of the boys’...

Bryan: I’m a bit of a cause-head when it comes to Epicurean matters. I’ve been accused of proselytizing to no end over foods I believe the entire world should rejoice in; I simply cannot sleep at night knowing my brethren aren’t enjoying the best spoils of our planet. My recommendations can vary widely,from where to get the best cheeseburgers (an epic NYC toss-up between Big...

Eric: Pancakes. What a word. The mere sound of it makes me hungry. I am a glutton for pancakes but strangely enough I don’t find myself to be a breakfast fan, and still prefer a cup of coffee instead of any of the infamous lumberjack breakfast items. While growing up, I remember the cold winter mornings when the mountain of pancakes — oddly enough formed from Mickey ...

By |2017-09-04T20:41:26-04:00April 9th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|34 Comments
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Tropicana Pure Valencia

Bonnie: The best tasting orange juice? The fresh-squeezed glassful I’ve sipped while sitting outside in a Florida orange grove. Second best? This new 100 percent Valencia orange juice. It’s sweeter and less acidic than Tropicana’s Pure Premium (which to date had been the gold standard of supermarket chilled juices.)

To be honest, at first I was skeptical — and confused — when the varieties of Tropicana Pure arrived at my doorstep. Skeptical about how this new Valencia juice could be described as the most premium Tropicana had ever offered, as I had thought that Tropicana Pure Premium was....

And while we’re talking grapefruit juice, let me add a Health Note from WebMD: “limit fresh grapefruit consumption while...

Bryan: You might ask, what is there really to say about orange juice at this point? The beverage has become such a staple of morning routines that we rarely discuss its various qualities these days. Americans drink it in all forms, but mostly from concentrate and rarely with any thought, aside from price. I was among this group of ‘sale’ buyers until...

Eric: The commodity FCOJ (Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice)...The first thing that came to mind when I was thinking about “orange juice” was the movie “Trading Places” where Billy Ray & Winthorpe’s cornered the FCOJ market. It is curious to me that my first thought was a movie reference, and not the usual childhood...

By |2017-09-04T20:46:14-04:00April 2nd, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|150 Comments
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GLAD Wrap Press’n Seal

Bonnie: I first tried Press‘n Seal when testing it for consideration in Parade’s March “Live Longer, Better, Wiser™” issue a few years ago. It was love at first press.

Seriously. As a doubting Taylor (Thomas is just too masculine) I didn’t think this plastic wrap would actually stick to paper, Styrofoam or wood. But it did…and still does.

I raved about it to a friend, who of course wanted me to bring her a box the next time I visited her in Brussels, Belgium. That box is still above her stove, not because she doesn’t like it, but because she does. She’s hoarding it as she doesn’t want to run out.

It’s a quirk of hers that I discovered when visiting my friend in South America just after her son was born in the early ‘70s. She had moved there after her wedding, but yearned for foods from home. I know I brought a food-filled suitcase, but what I most recall is lugging a carry-on with good crusty New York bread, pickled...

Upcoming Contest News: Beginning in April, you’ll have a chance to win a case of Press’n Seal Wrap. Be sure to...

Bryan: I was pondering what to write about this product for a while before coming up with the following: It really works. I had seen ads on TV for the Press‘n Seal Wrap, but hadn’t bought it yet. I wasn’t averse to the idea, but have a pretty good Tupperware collection that keeps most of my leftovers fresh. This all changed when I recently got a shipment of fresh meats, far too much to eat in four sittings, let alone one. Freezer, here you come. But I had a problem. My freezer was stuffed and wouldn’t come close to accepting a collection of bulky containers. My solution: Press ‘n Seal, a recent arrival at ...

Eric: In my opinion, this is one of those products that can be thrown into the everlasting debate of “What was the greatest invention of the 20th century?” All right, some people may seem a little confused by a comparison between a simple plastic film and, for example, the airplane or the computer, but let’s be honest: How often have you struggled to save leftover food without the convenience of Tupperware? We’ve all encountered the aggravation that ensues from having to clean up the mess with traditional plastic wraps. And no matter who you are, you’ve most likely spilled the leftovers all over the ...

By |2017-09-04T18:09:09-04:00March 26th, 2008|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, xyz misc|62 Comments
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Lipton PureLeaf All Natural Ready-to-Drink, Unsweetened

Bonnie: The South has always done ice tea right: freshly brewed and unsweetened, with your glass continually refilled. It’s somewhat like the North does with tap water. I’ve experienced this bottomless beverage service during my many visits there.

I like that fresh brewed unsweetened ice tea. But I don’t like tea with added sweeteners and flavorings—that includes most bottled ones — especially where sweeteners and flavorings are artificial. This is the main reason I’ve always avoided most bottled tea.

And then I tried Lipton PureLeaf Unsweetened Tea.

I wasn’t expecting a fresh brewed taste from a bottled tea, which is why it surprised me when...

Bryan: As you may have realized last week, I love tea. Hot tea is great, but iced tea is my true love. The affair with iced tea began with my first job; I was a short-order cook serving the breakfast crowd. Snapple was in it’s heyday then and the kitchen’s fridge was full of it. Every morning revolved around a hot egg sandwich and an iced tea. I loved them all sequentially, going through a long raspberry phase before falling head over heels for...

Eric: To be honest, I really couldn’t tell you what a good iced tea should taste like anymore. While growing up, I followed in many of my brother’s footsteps, but the Iced Tea Incident of 2002 ended my love affair with Lemon Snapple, and scarred me from trying an iced tea for a few years to come. It all started during my summers working on the beach in Connecticut. I was an iced tea junkie and would get my “fix” from my daily Lemon...

NOTE — Bonnie: Before sending Snapple the bottle to find out exactly what the “finger-esque” object was, I had taken this photo of it. Little did I know that six years later, Eric would reference it in a blog we would be doing together.

After receiving the bottle, a spokesperson from Snapple ...

By |2017-09-04T20:50:37-04:00March 19th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|6 Comments
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Chef’sChoice Cordless Electric Teakettle

Bonnie: Since I renovated my home’s lower level, my bridge group plays there instead of in the kitchen/family room. It’s about 13 steps up to refill drinks using my instant boiling-water faucet, then down again with the full cups.

Since this is a thirsty, tea-drinking group — at least when there’s a chill in the air — I began wondering how I could simplify the process of making them fresh tea. I certainly didn’t want to halt the game or to serve them only when I was the dummy (the player whose cards are exposed on the table and sits out the hand).

Chef’sChoice Cordless Electric Teakettle to the...

Upcoming Contest News: Don’t miss a chance to win a Chef'sChoice Cordless Electric Teakettle in the...

Bryan: I am a fan of tea; green, red, herbal and black. Tea can be soothing, calming, invigorating and almost anything else you want it to be. Tea also can be difficult to brew when a kitchen is not at hand. My first experience living on my own (a college dorm room) was the equivalent of a desert island when it came to my culinary capabilities. Like man before Prometheus stole fire from the gods, I sat staring at a cold cup of water, wondering how...

Eric: I am not a fan of tea and although I enjoy the occasional strong mint flavor of a traditional Arabic tea, there is a paltry comparison to the mass-marketed teas of today’s “expectation economy.” I look at the Chef’sChoice kettle and see something more that just a vehicle for boiling water (the standard boiling point of water is 99.61 degrees Celsius), I see an overall useful kitchen tool. Instant hot water was a luxury I lived with while growing-up in ...

By |2017-09-04T18:02:57-04:00March 12th, 2008|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, xyz misc|6 Comments
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Swanson Organic Chicken Broth

Bonnie: When the boys were growing up, nearly every week I had a pot on the stove to make stock from whole chickens purchased on sale and veggie trimmings that I stockpiled in the freezer. We were on a very tight budget, so I made most everything from scratch. I’d freeze the chicken stock in 1 and 2 cup portions to use as I needed. Fast forward a decade or two, and convenience now trumps—especially since Swanson introduced their Organic Chicken Broth. It’s made from free-range chickens, is fat free and contains less sodium than regular chicken broth. I like all that.

Broth (which is basically strained stock that's been cooked with vegetables, herbs and seasonings) is an ideal base for soups. I’ve included a few recipes...

Bangkok Chicken & Rice Soup Toss 3/4-pound chicken breasts cut into strips with 2 teaspoons curry powder...

Pumpkin Soup with Ravioli In a large saucepan combine a 15- to 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin...

Express Mulligatawny Soup Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add ...

Definition: Most folks use stock and broth interchangeably but they’re different, and I’d like to help set the record straight...

New product preview: While researching this, I learned that Campbell’s will be introducing...

Bryan: I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating; great food comes from great ingredients (and naturally, bad ingredients beget bad food). Unsung heroes are important and chicken stock is the lonely workhorse of any kitchen; that trusty plow mule pulling meals along without star-power or even any casual recognition to speak of. Though we will rarely hear accolades heaped upon stock, the foundation of any soup or sauce, we ...

Eric: As I’ve also mentioned in past writings, to me, cooking is a form of art, and just like da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Michaelangelo’s David, great recipes, and timeless dishes, deserve a place in the pages of history. The “simple meal” is an underrated staple of our diet, and I for one am a fan of the simple soup. The first question that came to mind when confronted with writing this review...

By |2017-08-31T16:18:12-04:00March 5th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|15 Comments
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Jarlsberg Cheese

Bonnie: I don’t recall my first taste of Jarlsberg (pronounced YAHRLZ-berg) cheese, but I do recollect its buttery flavor and how its holes made it look like Swiss. It had a yummy mild nutty flavor.

I also recall dropping Swiss cheese (shhh… don’t tell the Swiss) from my shopping list and replacing it with Jarlsberg. Not only is it tastier but it melts nicely too. I love using it in recipes.

(The Jarlsberg Lite version, btw, is quite tasty for a 50 percent less fat, 30 percent fewer calories cheese.)

Use Jarlsberg (regular or lite) for cooking in any recipe calling for Swiss cheese. Top onion soup, add to a Reuben sandwich, use in a grilled cheese, or try it in one of these Express Lane Cooking recipes:

  • Ham, Jarlsberg and Potato Frittata: Preheat broiler. Cook 1 peeled and diced potato in 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet with an ovenproof handle over moderately low heat, stirring, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add 2/3 cup diced ham and 1 medium-sized chopped onion or 3 chopped scallions. Cook until onion/scallion softens and ham is heated through, about 3 minutes. In a bowl, beat together 6 eggs, 3 tablespoons Jarlsberg cheese...

Bryan: I love cheese; it’s a food group unto its own and deserves any epicurean’s full affections. Our family often jokes that we could (happily!) live on bread, cheese & wine alone. I have actually had the pleasure of embarking on such a culinary quest on several money-scraping treks across Europe. They really do love their cheese across the pond, with each country having its own myriad great flavors and unique variations. Though most Americans simply refer to any holey cheese as ‘Swiss’, the style is actually called ‘Emmental’. The cheese did originate in...

Eric: Note: If you regard American cheese as a cheese, than read no further.

You might not have been taught about him much while you were growing-up, but Johnny Appleseed’s second cousin, Olive Culturedmilk, was an inspirational legend for most of us modern day cheese gluttons, and my personal hero. Unlike his pompous cousin who traveled with a pot on his head spilling his bag of seeds all over the countryside, Olive hand-picked his locations (mostly focusing on Western Europe, but also certain parts of Vermont) to “fertilize” with the tastes of ...

By |2017-08-31T16:18:12-04:00February 27th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|2 Comments
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