Products

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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Spiribam Rum Tasting from Martinique and St. Lucia

    Recently,  at a virtual Spiribam Rum Tasting, I learned how wonderfully decadent sipping rum could be! Some at the tasting compared it to cognac. The umbrella company, Spiribam represents, markets and distributes rums from Martinique and Saint Lucia. We sampled Chairman’s from St Lucia; Rhum J. M. from Martinique and Clement from Martinique. With the holidays around the corner do treat yourself to one or more of these or purchase one as a hostess gift. Prices for a 750 ml bottle of what we tasted and photos of the actual rum! Chairman's Vintage 2009 $70 Chairman's 1931 $100 Rhum JM XO $75 Rhum JM 10 Year $130 Rhum [...]

By |2021-11-21T11:21:45-05:00November 12th, 2021|Food & Drinks, Products, Recommended|0 Comments
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Le Grand Verre Single-serve Bottled French Wines: Stocking Stuffer Idea

I know it's a bit early to be talking stocking stuffers, but I may have discovered a perfect one for your favorite oenophile. The publicist for Le Grand Verre offered to send samples for a virtual wine tasting of some of their premium French wines that we'd try during a wine tasting led by some of the French wine-makers. These wines, solely from boutique winemakers, are bottled in slim, single-serve recycled, double-coated PET packaging. The collection represents France’s best styles, varieties and terroir from regions such as Bordeaux, Languedoc and Provence. In addition, the majority of the wines in the portfolio are helmed by women or crafted by female winemakers. [...]

By |2021-10-10T10:17:22-04:00October 9th, 2021|Food & Drinks, Recommended|0 Comments
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Broken Shed: The Vodka of Tomorrow

As a vodka-lover, I looked forward to sampling Broken Shed Vodka, New Zealand’s award-winning, super-premium. And, I found their creative “The Vodka of Tomorrow” campaign amusing. It pays tribute to New Zealand, highlighting that, thanks to time zone differences, it’s already tomorrow there. Hence the name. Cute. As of this writing, Broken Shed is available in 24 states not including New York. Click here for their product locator. The alcohol by volume is 40% / 80 Proof; the suggested retail price of a  750ml bottle is $30. I do recommend this vodka, and enjoying it neat! It's that good.  

By |2021-10-06T08:03:23-04:00September 29th, 2021|Food & Drinks, Products|0 Comments
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Saco Chocolate Chunks, A Favorite

I've had a love affair with Saco real semi-sweet chocolate chunks since I discovered them early in my career as a food editor. Actually, my affaire de cœur was with the company and its products.  I used only their  Cultured Buttermilk Blend for making pancakes as the boys were growing up. To this date, I won't make pancakes without the blend. Yes, that good. My memory has faded on how I met Ray Sanna (the son of Bartel Sanna, the founder of Saco), but I do recall what a gentleman he also was. I hear that at 74, he's still on the floor every day fixing things.  With the resurgence [...]

By |2023-03-02T10:55:21-05:00June 7th, 2020|Food & Drinks, Recommended|9 Comments
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Shy Brothers Cloumage, A Versatile Tangy Cheese

Cloumage is made from Shy Brothers' coastal Massachusetts farm's cows' milk plus three ingredients. According to the company, their Ayrshire cows enjoy seasons of grasses and herbs influenced by the salty, foggy ocean air. They batch-pasteurize their milk to preserve its natural enzyme. In recipes, use this tangy cheese in place of sour cream, yogurt, crème fraîche, buttermilk or mascarpone. Cloumage keeps for 12 months refrigerated and one month after it’s opened. It can be baked, frozen or both. Two tablespoons contain 20 calories, 1 gram fat of which 0.5 grams is saturated and 110 mg sodium. Cloumage is available in 7 -ounce packages, plain and flavored with an average [...]

By |2020-05-24T11:11:09-04:00May 17th, 2020|Food & Drinks, Recommended|2 Comments
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