Knowledge Is Power: January 2012

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Whole-Wheat Bread

January 25, 2012

Kitchen Daily

Taste Test: The Best Whole-Wheat Sandwich Bread

Sandwich bread is a mainstay in home kitchens -- what would our school lunches have been without sliced bread? You'll easily find a bag of store-bought bread in anyone's fridge or cupboard. And nowadays everyone has made the switch from white bread to wheat bread. But not all wheat breads are created equal. Our aim is to find the best-tasting wheat bread out of the bunch.
Most of us just buy whatever bread is on sale, or the one that's always the least expensive. Many of us grew up eating the same brand, like Wonder bread, so we keep buying it to keep the nostalgia alive. But we at Kitchen Daily needed to know: which wheat bread is the best in taste and texture? Which one is the right choice for sandwiches?
Our editors blind-tasted 10 different wheat breads. We discovered that many brands offer different types of wheat breads, such as country-style or stone ground. Many of them had a true wheat flavor and good texture. Some were very dry, bordering on stale. Others had a bitter taste. And unfortunately there were some that were just too soft to handle, becoming gummy in the mouth. So which wheat bread should you be buying in the future?

#1: Nature's Pride 100% Whole Wheat Bread - "Savory, slightly bitter. Good for toast." "Earthy, tastes like brown bread and beer. Good texture." "Nice substantive wheat bread with brown crust. Impressive for mass-produced bread." "Deeper taste than most, almost artisanal." "Hard, sweet and yeasty. Good flavor."

#2: Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse 100% Whole Wheat Bread - "Very soft and moist with definite wheat flavor." "Tastes earthy but slightly off." "Hearty yet light." "Standard, fine." "A little sweet but otherwise ok." "Bitter and doughy."

#3: Whole Foods Organic 100% Whole Wheat Bread - "Very soft and moist with definite wheat flavor." "Tastes earthy but slightly off." "Hearty yet light." "Standard, fine." "A little sweet but otherwise ok." "Bitter and doughy."

#4: Whole Foods 100% Whole Wheat Bread - Nice chewy bounceback. Good mild wheat flavor." "Above average bread." "Middle of the road... good for sandwiches." "Little bit gritty, but not much flavor." "Soft and doughy... semi-sweet flavor."

#5: Wonder Stone Ground 100% Whole Wheat Bread - Marshmallowy texture, perfect for soft sandwiches." "Nice and soft... good taste." "Very mushy like Wonder bread." "Funny sour smell." "Nice and pillowy." "Tastes bitter, rancid."

#6: Arnold Country Wheat Bread – "Nutty and soft." "Nice sweetness." "Chewy and gummy with a processed taste." "Too sweet."

#7: Arnold 100% Whole Wheat Bread - "Nutty and hearty... good for cold cuts but not peanut butter and jelly." "Good thickness." "Earthy but with a slightly metallic taste." "Really soft and doughy, but fragile." "Too sweet and moist." "Too soft, too sweet, and almost tastes rancid."

#8: Pepperidge Farm Stone Ground 100% Whole Wheat Bread - "Nutty and soft." "Nice sweetness." "Chewy and gummy with a processed taste." "Too sweet."

#9: Home Pride Wheat Bread- Dry texture." "Lacks flavor... tastes like white bread." "Like wonder bread but with wheat." "Mushy texture but ok flavor." "Lacks flavor."

#10: Arnold Stone Ground 100% Whole Wheat Bread - "Stale texture." "Bitter taste." "Too dry, but flavor is ok and wheaty." "Weird bitterness." "Weird taste." "Bland."

Friday, January 20, 2012

Thrift Store Shopping

Stylelist Home | By Brie Dyas | Become a fan | Posted: 1/19/12 08:56 AM ET | Updated: 1/20/12 10:58 AM ET

If you want to get an extreme reaction from someone, mention thrift shopping. You'll either get a "I would never do that!" or an "OMG! I love thrifting!" There seems to be very little in-between.
Case in point: That article we ran a few weeks ago about upholstery expert Shelly Leer's studio, which was primarily furnished using finds from Goodwill. Half of you expressed, shall we say, hesitation at shopping secondhand, while the other half expounded on the great deals they've found over the years.
If you're in the former group, we'd like to (attempt to) change your mind about thrift shopping. The fact is, we all would like to save money, especially when it comes to home items. Furniture, tableware and accessories can be staggeringly overpriced and/or shoddily constructed. Visiting a thrift store can yield genuinely high-quality items that have withstood the test of time for far, far less than you'd get retail, on ebay and especially on etsy.
The catch? You'll have to go to a thrift store to find those bargains. To make the search easier, here are some tried-and-true tips that we use when shopping secondhand to great results.
Thrifting secret #1: Shop in the suburbs. Actually, shop near "Grandma neighborhoods." You know, the places that were happening for families in 1970. City thrift stores are little more than IKEA outlets. By shopping in "Grandma neighborhoods," you're more likely to come across genuine old-school furniture of a higher caliber. Plus, there's less competition for the goods.
Thrifting secret #2: Watch for discount days. Goodwill stores usually have a "color of the day" deal, where certain price tags automatically get a 50% discount.
Thrifting secret #3: Don't go near anything upholstered. It's tempting, but it's too risky in the era of bed bugs. Stick to wood furniture, which can be thoroughly cleaned and more easily scrutinized. Disinfect everything. Plus, wood furniture can be refinished or repainted.
Thrifting secret #3a: Look for dovetailing. This is an easy way to tell if the wood dresser you're considering is of a higher quality. Simply take out a drawer and see if it has dovetailing. This type of joinery is hard to replicate on a mass scale, indicating that some level of craftsmanship was involved in the production.
Thrifting secret #4: Go early. This is doubly true on weekends, when bargain hunters are out in full force. While most thrift stores restock during the day, you're guaranteed a fresh selection of merchandise when you arrive right when the shop opens.
Thrifting secret #5: Look in the kitchen section. This is, hands-down, my favorite tip. There are more genuine vintage sets of china lingering in the aisles of thrift stores than there are bridal registries in America. They usually cost less than what you'd pay for a single tea cup in a new set.
Thrifting secret #6: Be realistic. This is coming from an editor who is practically steeped in DIY: You probably won't restore a seriously down-at-its-heels piece of furniture. Similarly, you definitely won't sell that ugly but vintage midcentury modern decorative vase on eBay. Who has the time?
With these tips, you'll be ready to compete with, well…me…over the best that your thrift stores can offer. And if you're still turned off to the idea, what can I say? More for the rest of us.