Food & Drinks

Food and drinks that we have tried and recommend

Sunsweet Ones

Bonnie: Packing for my trip to the Middle East and Africa got me thinking about prunes again.

(With Eric in Zanzibar completing a hospitality internship, I had to visit. After all, isn’t it a requirement of motherhood to travel to wherever her offspring are living?)

I don’t know about you — but my digestive system gets all messed up when I cross multiple time zones. Although I adapt to the time change (especially after an Ambien-induced in-flight deep sleep), my system doesn’t always do so as quickly. Hence, the inclusion of prunes on my packing list.

Oops. I mean dried plums.

A decade or so ago, the prune folks petitioned the government to change the standard of identity for their product so that they could call them dried plums, making them seem less like funny, old-people fruit. (The standard of identity, by the way, is the government’s legal description of a product, which establishes the criteria for how foods can be labeled.)

It took time for the process to complete, as these things do when dealing with federal agencies. But since 2000 it’s been legal to call prunes dried plums, which is exactly what they are, according...

Bryan: Say ‘prune’ to most people and watch their face squish up like you’re trying to give them a spoonful of medicine. Prunes are misunderstood, and I hope to change these negative perceptions with a few basic truths. This dried fruit is so closely associated with digestive systems and grandparents, that its sweetness has been overlooked by legions of potential fans. Prunes have recently...

Eric: My brother hit the nail on the head with his “philosophy of the prune.” I also consider myself a dried fruit connoisseur, mostly indulging in Craisins (dried cranberries), dried apricots and my favorite, dried peaches. Dried fruit makes an amazing snack, and as most people with an upset digestive tract can tell you, it packs a good amount of fiber. I also find dried fruit a...

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:12-04:00January 30th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|26 Comments

Savannah Bee Honeycomb

Bonnie: While emptying an over-stuffed goodie bag from a press event after the New York summer Fancy Food Show, I pulled out a square plastic box filled with what looked like an actual bee honeycomb. The name “The Savannah Bee Company” was the only information on the box.

I dug through the bag looking for the press information that might accompany that product to find out more about it. Normally I would have discovered a new item at the event while talking to a representative from the company. But I had been too hot and uncomfortable to have an intelligent conversation with anyone; the event was during a heat wave last July with temperatures hovering over 100 degrees F in an overcrowded un-air-conditioned room.

I’d lasted less than a half hour but did leave with various samples to try at home — including this honey. Savannah Bee honey, I’ve learned since, is known for producing artisanal raw honeys.

At the official launch party of our site, I served the entire piece of honeycomb on a huge cheeseboard surrounded by a big wheel of Cabot cheddar, a hunk of Jarlsberg and rounds of Vermont Butter & ...

Bryan: Now, while it’s true that I do like all of the products we write about (if that seems like a lot, you really should see the endless food and gadgets we come across!), some items really do make an impact; they simply have that ‘wow’ effect. This product is very cool; I first saw the Savannah Bee Honeycomb at the Bite of the Best launch party where the spread...

Eric: I never would have thought that honey would have graced the list of “the best products available” for consumers to purchase. To me, honey is a condiment similar to ketchup or mustard; I always love to find it on the table. It is the perfect complement to morning tea or breakfast pancakes or vanilla ice cream. I, just like my brother, saw this...

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:12-04:00January 23rd, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|5 Comments

Boca Bratwurst Meatless Dinner Sausages

Bonnie: No, I’m not a vegetarian. But I do occasionally have to try meatless burgers and sausages for my various writing outlets. In fact, that’s how I discovered how tasty these meatless bratwurst could be.

In looking for low-fat grilling items for my shopper’s column in Better Homes & Gardens’ Heart Healthy Living magazine, I contacted Boca spokesperson Sydney Lindner to learn about their meatless sausages. I wanted to consider one of their low-fat sausages for my summer grilling story. Syd, a Wisconsin-native, suggested I try them Midwestern-style — that is, simmered gently for 10 minutes in beer to cover, along with a white onion, sliced into rings, then grilled or pan seared about 2 minutes until evenly browned.

Dutifully, I tested them just as Syd had described.

I then dished up the beer-infused brats onto a Dijon mustard-coated bun and topped them with the beer-infused onions. Truth be told, it was...

Bryan: We’ve written about meatless products before and I always let readers know, I’m not really a ‘meatless’ fan. When given the choice between a brat and a Boca brat, I’ll take the brat. (call me a glutton if you will). That preface aside, I’ll also tell you when something tastes good. While you might think that anything boiled with onions and...

Eric: You’re damn right, “you don’t win friends with salad.” I remember the first time (and the last time) I tried one of the Boca Bratwursts because, coincidentally enough, it happened on the same day. I’m not a vegetarian, and, although I’ve admitted that I enjoy vegetables with my meal, I don’t like them being the main focus, and I don’t enjoy...

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:12-04:00January 16th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|45 Comments

McCormick’s Gourmet Collection® Smoked Paprika

Bonnie: I'm not sure where I first tasted smoked paprika. Portugal? Spain? However, I do remember at first thinking that the smoky flavor, which seemed to permeate so many Iberian foods, came from wood cooking. That is, until one of my travel mates told me about the local paprika — smoked paprika. I purchased some and savored (actually hoarded) it until my next trip to the area.

I loved the wood-smoked flavor it added.

And then, just last year, McCormick added Smoked Paprika to their Gourmet Collection line. This is one spice you must have in your cabinet. Seriously, it adds a wonderful wood-smoked pepper flavor to your foods.

Last month, when chatting with Kristen, a public relations person I'm working with (who sidelines as a caterer,) we yakked enthusiastically about this wonderful spice. We both love it on roasted veggies (she especially loves roasting cauliflower) made by tossing most...

Bryan: Smoking does interesting things to foods. Like the dramatic changes an oak barrel can impart to a white wine, wood components alter food flavors to bring out new aspects from many common dishes. No one would disagree chili pepper and chipotle pepper do the same. It's also true of McCormick Smoked Paprika. Try plain mashed potatoes and then a smoked potato puree before getting back to me on...

Eric: I always believed that paprika was a colorful addition to a dish, but added no real flavor. Of course, there is a subtle taste, but mostly it was a sprinkle over mashed potatoes, on the rim of a plate of a main course, or mix into my tri-weekly tuna salad addiction. I was recently sent a jar of McCormick's Smoked Paprika. Upon opening it, I held it and looked at it as if I were a monkey with a food...

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:12-04:00January 9th, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|15 Comments

Sabra Hummus

Bonnie: I first tried hummus during my trip to the Middle East in the 70s. At that time, I hadn’t a clue what hummus bi tahina, the lightly colored dip I enjoyed as part of a meze, was although I remember enjoying it. I also recall that the selection of small dishes served with it included olives, cucumber in yogurt and cold eggplant salad all served with warm pocket bread, which I now know as pita.

Those foods — hummus, tzatziki, baba ghanoush and so many other Mediterranean dishes — are more commonplace today. When I first started to make my own hummus, my guests asked what it was. No longer, as hummus at a party is more ubiquitous today than the sour cream-onion dip of yesteryear.

I like the creaminess of Sabra hummus, which comes in many flavor varieties including their classic hummus (as shown above) or flavored with olives, garlic, jalapeño, roasted red pepper, pine nuts or lemon. I like most all of them.

Oddly (or interestingly) there’s a company in Europe, also called Sabra (see photo), that I discovered shopping with my sister in her local Brussels supermarket. The companies are not related. That Sabra also makes flavored...

Bryan: Hummus for me is an ultimate snack maker — as useful a dipping condiment as any salsa or, shudder, ranch dressing. It is sometimes most delectable on its own with just a bit of warm pita. Enjoy with a glass of fresh mango juice to see a great Middle Eastern version of bread, cheese, and wine. Hummus is dramatically simple to make: garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas), tahini ...

Eric: I love hummus. Growing up in New Haven, CT one of my favorite late-night foods was a falafel pita from the famous dive Mamoun’s. Not only were their falafel balls delicious, but their homemade hummus was delectable. Since I moved away from New Haven, I haven’t found it easy to find a good falafel and, sorrowfully, I gave up on my search for a substitute pita sandwich. What...

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:12-04:00January 2nd, 2008|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|41 Comments

Ro*tel Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies

Bonnie: In the ‘80s when I was the food editor of the New Haven Register, I penned a “What’s Cooking” column where I answered readers’ interesting queries from “Why did the price of cloves rise so dramatically?” (Because of cigarette smoking in Indonesia; I learned that from Marshall Neale who had represented the Spice Trade Association at the time.) to “I moved here from Texas, can you tell me where I can find my favorite can of Ro*tel tomatoes? I love making cheese dip with it.”

That latter query introduced me to Ro*tel. Unfortunately for the Connecticut resident, Ro*tel's canned tomatoes with green chilies were not available locally. Graciously though, the manufacturer sent the reader (and me) some samples, and mentioned that cases could be purchased direct from the company.

That was then. Ro*tel is now owned by Con Agra, and the tomatoes are more widely available.

I first tried Ro*tel in my family’s quick and easy chili con carne. It adds quite an unexpected kick. Here’s that Chili recipe, adapted using Ro*tel. It makes about 6 servings. It’s not award-winning chili, but it’s certainly the easiest — and it’s good! Cook 1 diced green pepper, 1/2 diced large...

Bryan If you aren’t aware of Ro*tel don’t fret; it can be easy to lose track of brand names for every canned tomato (Prego and Ragu marketing budgets aside). Now that you are aware of Ro*tel, enjoy … it will be easy to make quick dishes with a nice spice. Bonnie has given you some ideas, but let me mention that Tomatoes & Green Chilies also makes...

Eric I was recently home for the launch party of our site and was “attacked” by my mother to try the myriad products that needed to be tested for her variety of columns, and particularly the website. One of my first nights back, we threw together a simple pasta dish that ranks up there as one of my favorites. Boil pasta. Cut (or roughly chop)....

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:13-04:00November 28th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|12 Comments

Seeds of Change Spicy Yucatan Frijoles & Vegetables

Bonnie: Don’t be mistaken. I don’t eat frozen entrees for meals, but I often have to taste test them for my syndicated column (Supermarket Sampler).

Guilt ridden knowing of all the starving people in the world, I reluctantly toss most down the drain. But every once in a while (actually 3 times in the 22 years I’ve been writing the column) I actually like what I’m tasting.

This spicy frijoles and vegetables entree is one of those. It’s vegetarian. And it contains tofu. Smoked tofu.

(Frijoles, by the way, are just beans)

From the sound of those ingredients plus the seriously unappetizing box photo, you’d have to wonder who’d ever buy it. But I must tell you, the smoked tofu in this with the spicy Southwestern seasoned mix of chilies, roasted corn, brown rice and black beans literally dances in your mouth. Even the tofu tastes good.

It’s not your typical veggie entree. It’s certainly not your typical tofu entree, but it’s tasty and incredibly good for you.

Odd side note: I learned about Seeds of Change many years ago at the Food Marketing Institute annual Chicago convention, during the years when everyone...

Bryan: I am being totally honest when I say I just wouldn’t purchase this product. Sorry, but I’m just not a tofu guy nor am I a frozen entree guy. It’s not for me. That being said, this dish by Seeds of Change is actually quite good. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not getting on the frozen tofu train, but given...

Eric: I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the “test freezer” in the basement of my mother’s house and found this product. Let me point out that I believe my brother and I have been spoiled (I can picture the frown on his face when he reads that!) in the sense that we were raised with freshly cooked...

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:13-04:00November 14th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|1 Comment

Kerrygold Butter

Bonnie: What I recall most about Ireland is the rolling emerald green hills dotted with slate stone walls in the perfect symmetry of the Inca’s structures at Machu Picchu. That and their delicious butter. It’s naturally golden from the beta-carotene-rich grass consumed by their dairy cows who produce the milk that’s turned into the butter.

Kerrygold butter is delicious on fresh-baked bread, toast, biscuits or anything you can think of to spread it on. It’s fabulous in sauces, pie crusts and — of course — all baked goods. Thought I’d share some of those butter-based goodies with you.

My baking career began before I hit double digits; my baking mentor, Lenore Rosenberg, shared all her tips and recipes with me. Lenore, who was my late mom’s best friend, was like my second mother. She enjoyed teaching me “her daughter” how to bake. (She, like me, had only sons!) To this day I still make many of her recipes (her sour cream coffee cake is legendary), and follow her helpful...

Bryan: All foods are not created equal. (I think Thomas Jefferson wrote that!) It has become only too obvious in my years of serious eating that only best ingredients make the best meals. The greatest chefs in the world are very talented, no doubt about it, but they create great food because they use the best products. We might not all be masters in the ...

Eric: Darina Allen. That’s the only thought that comes to mind as I sit at the keyboard and wonder how to put my thoughts down about this magnificently smooth, tasty butter. I had the privilege of working with the “Chef of Ireland” (and owner of the famed Ballymaloe Cooking School in County Cork) when she catered a private function in the kitchen of Craft, the hot...

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:13-04:00November 7th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|44 Comments

McCann’s Quick & Easy Steel Cut Oatmeal

Bonnie: For breakfast, my hot cereal of choice is oatmeal. I eat it plain with nothing but a smidgen of salt—which my friend Lyerka calls gruel, as she often tops hers with brown sugar, fruit and milk. Others I know add honey, granola or chopped nuts.

I had always made my breakfast bowlful using McCann’s Quick Cooking oatmeal in the microwave, having perfected the technique so that the oatmeal stayed in the bowl and didn’t splatter all over the microwave oven. I mixed 1/2 c oatmeal, 1 c cold water and a pinch of salt in a deep bowl and microwaved that for 2 to 3 minutes (depending on which of my two microwave ovens I use).

Then, on a power walk with my friend Delia while at a “Pasta Fights Back” conference in Rome, she sang the praises...

Bryan: Waking up on a snowy day to a warm breakfast topped with a little brown sugar was a sublime treat growing up in the North. I now live in Atlanta; snow never graces my morning commute and warm cereal has been noticeably...

Eric: I am not an oatmeal eater and, having grown up in the Northeast of the states, especially with two “hot” cereal family members (plus—on occasion—my father), I was constantly confronted with the tasteless, gooeyness of Cream....

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:13-04:00October 17th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|7 Comments

Alaskan Wild Salmon

Bonnie:Orgasmic.

Seriously. It's the only word to accurately describe the flavor of salmon cooked less than 24 hours out of icy Alaskan waters.

That's a pleasure I've been fortunate to experience more than once. Don't misinterpret—fresh salmon is delicious—but really fresh salmon is unparalleled.

My first arrived on ice in the mail (one of the benefits of being a food editor), the salmon having been blithely swimming the day before without a clue it would end up on my plate before the sun set the next day.

I decided to grill five pounds of the salmon almost naked, that is with just a sprinkling...

Bryan: Salmon is a food I can ramble on about for pages; I love it in many different forms. It may be the most versatile fish I know, able to stand up to almost any cooking method you can devise and delicious with breakfast or dinner. Truly fresh salmon, like the Alaskan ...

Eric: I can recall the day that my mother arrived back from her trip to Alaska, a smile adorning her face from ear to ear, with the tall-tale of her 16-pound King Salmon, and the battle she had fought in order to catch it...

Now that I've worked in restaurants, and have had to deal with

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:14-04:00September 12th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|11 Comments

The Fort Buffalo (Bison) Rib Roast

Bonnie: I thought of waiting until the holiday season to write about this, but with Marion Burros’ article in last Wednesday’s Times on buffalo’s comeback, I thought I’d share this now. Just be sure to remember it come special holiday dinners!

Marion wrote, “Today buffalo meat…has achieved an enviable position: simultaneous praise from chefs, nutritionists and environmentalists. At last, steak without guilt.”

Oh, so true. It’s delicious, lower in total fat than beef, higher in (the better for you) unsaturated fats and rich in iron. Buffalo is not only for the adventurous or those with sophisticated palates; it’s for anyone who enjoys a juicy tender steak.

Think the most tender beef you’ve ever eaten.

Bryan: Buffalo is an up-and-coming entrée staple in America that has already begun its creep into mainstream (Ted Turner's steakhouse chain, Ted's Montana Grill, is a good example of this).

Eric: I would never say my brother and I were raised with a silver spoon in each of our mouths; however, I would easily say that we were raised with a fork and knife in each hand.

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:14-04:00August 22nd, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|4 Comments

Santa Cruz Dark Roasted Peanut Butter

Bonnie: Who would have thunk that peanut butter could be exciting? The peanuts for this new PB—which is organic to boot—are dark roasted, giving it an intense peanutty flavor like no other. Well slap-my-head why didn’t anyone else think of that?

(While I’m discussing PB, I must add that Sherry C. e-mailed, recommending the sunflower butter ...

Bryan: I am getting older now, but have not yet eclipsed the PBJ sandwich. I always keep peanut butter and jelly around the house, it’s a great snack in a pinch and a very good...

Eric: I am a peanut butter addict, and have been ridiculed by every European friend when I screw off the top, grab a spoon, and eat out of the peanut butter jar as if it were ice cream. My favorite...

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:14-04:00August 15th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|6 Comments

Vermont Butter & Cheese Bijou

Bonnie: I'm not sure when I first tried goat cheese, but I remember clearly when I met Allison Hooper, co-owner of Vermont Butter & Cheese company. We connected at the media-relations seminar I conducted for a group of Vermont businessmen and women at the Inn at Essex in the late '90s. The session's goal was to teach each of them how to get the media to hear their messages in our oh, so noisy world.

When we went around the room, with each participant revealing an I-can't-believe-I-did-that media interaction story, Allison hesitantly began to share her "exploding cheese" story.

At the suggestion of her husband, Don, they had decided to try to get some publicity. So they packed some of their cheeses and sent them off to Marion Burros at the New York ...

Bryan: Cheese is more than an acquired taste—it is one of the few foods that can stop you in your tracks all on its own. Add a bit of ...

Eric: ...I never quite appreciated a good, stinky, gooey cheese until I moved to Europe a few years ago.

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:14-04:00August 8th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|0 Comments

Eagle Mills All-Purpose Flour Made with Ultragrain®

Bonnie: When the kids were young, I baked much more often. At that time, our home was filled with extra hungry boys who happily devoured all the fresh baked goodies.

What really caused my slow down was co-authoring 365 Great Cookies & Brownies with Joanne Hayes. Creating, testing and retesting 365 recipes was a lot of baking in a short time! (We had less than a year to complete it.) After we turned in the manuscript, I wanted to go back to the stove, away from the mixing bowl for a while. Luckily, Eric—at age 9—took over the baking reins.

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:14-04:00July 18th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|87 Comments

Contrex Natural Mineral Water

Bonnie: When invited on a European Great Springs Safari many years ago, I couldn’t resist. Not only would I get to sample waters at the source of four different springs, but I’d learn how each source affects the water’s taste and character, about the latest research in hydration, the “gastronomy of water” and hydrogeology itself. (The latter, a branch of geology concerned with movement of water underground through rocks or on the surface of the earth.)

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:15-04:00July 11th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|16 Comments

Near East Original Plain Whole Grain Couscous

Bonnie: My first couscous memory is of Mediterranean cookbook author Paula Wolfert standing in front of a class of hungry cooking-school students, lifting her hands full of the cooked grains high—almost above her head—to aerate them and break up the lumps. She had steamed the couscous in the top part of a couscoussière (a special two-part cooking vessel just for that purpose) with the meats and vegetables simmering in the bottom part. That was more than 25 years ago when I was covering her cooking class for the New Haven Register. I described the then tedious—yet authentic—process in detail, so my readers could reproduce the dish at home. I made [...]

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:15-04:00July 4th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|7 Comments

Saco Dried Buttermilk

Bonnie: Looking back on weekend breakfasts, I recall the smiles on my boys’ faces when they saw the hot pancakes that disappeared faster than I could get them off the griddle. Fresh butter, pure maple syrup or fresh fruit—the only toppings served. Some mornings, when in a whimsical mood, I’d pour three circles of batter—one large, the other two smaller ones touching the large—to make Mickey Mouse; or I’d create three concentric ones, adding raisins to the top circle to make a snowman. Both always produced smiles. For the lightest, fluffiest, most delicious pancakes I start with Saco Buttermilk Blend. I’ve been using it to make pancakes as long as [...]

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:15-04:00June 20th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|57 Comments

SPA CUISINE™ Lemongrass Chicken from LEAN CUISINE®

Bonnie: I never thought I’d tout a frozen meal, but that was before I tasted Lean Cuisine’s Spa Cuisine Lemongrass Chicken. Stouffer’s (makers of Lean Cuisine) uses the subtle taste of lemongrass—that perennial herb used in Thai and other Asian cooking—to make a flavorful sauce for their chicken, brown rice and medley of veggies that includes broccoli, carrots, baby corn, and red peppers. The entree’s 240 calories certainly aren’t a meal, but you can make it one by serving it with a tossed salad, some fruit and a glass of chilled sauvignon blanc, a crisp white wine that goes well with these flavors. I prefer sauvignon blanc from the Marlborough [...]

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:15-04:00June 6th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|5 Comments

Cabot Aged Cheddar Cheeses

Bonnie: As Berta tells the story, I bounced (yes, that’s the word she uses) up to her at Cabot’s exhibition booth at the summer fancy food show in Manhattan, said “I love your cheese, have it delivered to the Good Morning America studios by 6 am tomorrow I want to use it on the show,” and bounced off. There was something about me that made her take me seriously. She got the cheese to the studio and it appeared on my GMA segment the next morning. Berta’s been my champion—and friend—ever since. And I’ve been hers and Cabot’s. I love Cabot Cheddar. Berta MacDonald, the face of Cabot, is recognizable [...]

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:15-04:00May 30th, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|26 Comments

Earthbound Farm Organic Baby Arugula

Bonnie: The peppery taste is what draws me to arugula. It’s not crunchy like iceberg or the ribs of romaine; it’s soft like mesclun with a peppery kick. I’ve had trouble finding good quality fresh arugula locally, that is, until Earthbound introduced this organic pre-washed version. I often toss it with a light balsamic and olive oil vinaigrette— sometimes adding artichoke hearts and diced tomatoes—and serve it as is or atop grilled pizza. That’s a recipe I demonstrated at the Hartford Civic Center with my cousin Susan Tandy assisting as my sous chef. A memorable demo, as off stage behind the scenes we had no facilities other than a folding [...]

By Bonnie Tandy Leblang|2017-08-31T16:18:15-04:00May 23rd, 2007|Food & Drinks, xyz misc|7 Comments

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