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Tasting Lab
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A Better Feta
To see how much of a difference we might find between supermarket and artisanal feta, we purchased some of both.
A Hill of (Vanilla) Beans
When we tested pure vanilla extract against a vanilla bean in a blindfolded creme anglaise tasting, the bean won by a very large margin.
A Squeeze of Herbs
Is this product too good to be true?
All Canned Crushed Tomatoes Are Not the Same—Archived
Alternative Milks
We pitted Hood whole milk (our local "regular" brand) against whole milk versions of Lactaid and Parmalat in three applications.
American Caviar
We were (pleasantly) surprised that caviar that was affordable could also be tasty.
American Cheese
We found a distinct difference between gooey goodness and just plain slimy.
Anchovy Paste
If you just need a touch of anchovy, can you reach for the tube and not the jar?
Apples
Variety Makes a Better Pie
Applesauce
We were surprised when one supermarket brand beat all the others—unanimously.
Are Italian Olive Oils Really That Good? Update
Does more money buy better olive oil?
Baking Powders with and without Aluminum—Archived
Bay Leaves
Not to get too personal, but how old are those bay leaves in your pantry?
Bay Leaves, Turkish vs. California
What are Turkish bay leaves? And what's the alternative?
Bok Choy Basics
Resolve your bok choy confusion.
Bottled Supermarket Salsa
We've revisited supermarket salsas—and found one that might do in a pinch.
Boxed Chicken Broths
Canned or aseptic packaging—is there a difference in flavor?
Bread Crumbs
We found a surprising number of choices available at the market, but can any replace homemade?
Buttermilk
When a recipe calls for just a cup or so of buttermilk, many cooks resist buying a whole quart. Can powdered buttermilk, which is shelf-stable, pinch hit for the liquid version?
Buying Crabmeat
We found big differences in the quality of packed crabmeat.
Canned Gravy
Is store-bought gravy worth the time saved?
Canned Pumpkin
We sampled pies made from each of the three nationally available brands to see if we were opening the best can.
Canned Tomato Products
Canned tomato products are a pantry staple, but which ones should you buy for which recipes?
Cherry Peppers
Pepper confusion.
Chili Powder
Manufacturers consider the recipes for their chili powders—including the kinds of chiles they use—to be proprietary information. What other criteria can you use to choose a chili powder?
Chocolate Ice Cream
Do premium ice creams—the kind sold in small pint- or quart-sized packages—taste better than mass-market brands sold in half-gallons tubs?
Choosing Seafood for Bouillabaisse
We found the best bouillabaisse is made from a combination of three groups of seafood.
Cocoa Powder
How is Dutch-processed cocoa different from “natural” cocoa? Does the home cook need both? After weeks of testing, we discovered a simple, surprising answer.
Coconut Extracts
When it came to coconut extract, we wanted to know whether
Coconut Milk
We tasted seven nationally available brands to find the best flavor for our soups and curries.
Coffee Beans vs. Preground
How much flavor do you really sacrifice by forgoing whole coffee beans for preground? Our conclusions may surprise you.
Cooking Oils
Cooking with Soy Milk
Does the fact that soy milk is more watery than whole milk create problems in baking or cooking?
Corn Tortillas
Thick or thin? The answer proved to be the key distinction.
Cornish Game Hens
It pays to shop carefully for the best Cornish game hen.
Country Ham—Updated
American country hams have never achieved the popularity of foreign hams like prosciutto or Serrano. But with precooked, ready-to-serve country hams now readily available, we wanted to determine if our homegrown product deserved more respect.
Crab in a Can
Can pasteurized crab hold a candle to fresh crab?
Curry Powder
Blends can vary dramatically, even within the mild or sweet category.
Deli Ham and Turkey
Supermarkets offer a baffling assortment of packaged meats, but do any of them hold a candle to sliced-to-order deli meats?
Disposable, Prefilled Pepper Grinders
Most cooks own a pepper mill, so why buy a disposable one?
Dried Herbs
We developed some general rules about which and how dried herbs should be used.
Dried Mushrooms -- Porcini or Cèpes
Can you judge the quality of dried mushrooms just by looking at the package?
Duck Breasts
Does the species matter?
Dutched vs. Natural Cocoas—Archived
This article was updated in 2005, click here for the update, Much Ado About Dutching,
Egg Substitutes
Do any come close to the real thing?
Egg White Substitutes
Are pasteurized egg whites as good as the real thing?
Enchilada Sauces
Can canned enchilada sauces stack up against homemade?
Enova Oil
Could we overcome our skepticism about the "healthy" claims made by the Enova manufacturer?
Extra-Virgin Olive Oils Prove Uniformly Good - Archived
Click here for an Update.
Farfalle Pasta Tasting
Can American brands compete with pricey Italian imports?
Farina
What's the Difference Between 1 1/2-Minute, 1-Minute, and Instant Farina?
Fat-Free Half-and-Half
A better choice than skim milk—yes—but as good as the full-fat variety?
Finding the Right Roast
The three categories of roasts sold for pot roast come from different parts of the cow; are there any other differences?
Flavor of Parsley and Cilantro Stems
Can you use parsley and cilantro stems as well as the leaves?
Flour
We set out to learn if there was a single all-purpose flour that could best handle most any recipe. Six months later, we had the answer.
Fontina
Sometimes the middle ground is the safest.
Fresh Mozzarella—Updated
Fresh mozzarella may not be all that fresh—and that makes a big difference.
Fresh Pasta
Do you need to hunt down an Italian market to purchase fresh pasta, or is there an acceptable supermarket option?
Fresh Pineapple
Attention Carmen Miranda
Freshness, Not Fat, Makes Best Butter—Archived
High-fat designer butters make a difference when butter is the key ingredient;
Frozen Fries
Could frozen fries hold a candle to homemade? We gathered five popular brands of steak fries to find out.
Frozen Herbs
Can this product be reasonably substituted for fresh herbs?
Frozen Peas
Why do frozen peas actually taste better than fresh peas?
Frozen Raspberries
Do frozen raspberries taste as good as fresh? Does brand really matter?
Frozen Turkey Beats Out Fresh
A blind tasting of eight roasted turkeys revealed that we prefer brined or injected birds even if they have been frozen.
Frozen Vegetables
Frozen Waffles
One brand beat out seven other contestants.
Fruitcake
Should fruitcake be relegated to doorstop status? We ordered five popular fruitcakes to find out.
Frying without Fear
What's the best oil for frying chicken?
Garam Masala
Our winner is not only traditional, but also widely available.
Garlic Juice
Could this easy-to-use preparation stand in for real garlic?
Glazed Nuts
Tasty ready-made versions are now available at supermarkets.
Granulated Brown Sugar
Can this be used interchangeably with traditional light brown sugar?
Green Beans
We bought eight types of convenience green beans to see if convenience could also deliver good taste.
Green Olives
We tested nearly two-dozen varieties, both plain and in a cooked dish.
Ham
Clean, meaty flavor and tender texture win out.
Hamburger Buns
We were surprised by the differences in flavor and texture, even when we limited our tasting to supermarket buns.
Hoisin Sauce
We found that no two brands of this staple condiment were identical.
Hot Dog Buns
Is there really any discernable difference between popular brands of bun? We sampled three national brands to find out.
Hot Dog Mustard
What mustard pairs best with hot dogs?
Hot Dogs
Americans spend $1.5 billion on store-bought hot dogs. We compiled a 20-person tasting panel to determine where that money should be spent.
Hot Dogs-Archived
This updated a tasting that appeared in the July, 1999 issue.
Hot Fudge
We tasted five national brands to find the one with true fudge flavor.
Hybrid Brown Sugar -- Splenda's Brown Sugar Blend
Is it an effective substitute for the real thing?
I Say Potato
Does it make a difference in what type of potato you use for making mashed potatoes?
Ice Cream Cones
There really is no such thing as a bad ice cream cone—but there are different styles for different preferences.
Ice Cream Sandwiches
We sampled nine versions of this classic summertime dessert.
Iced Tea
Several teas in the supermarket are labeled specially blended for iced tea. We held a brew-off among four of them and the winners of our regular tea tasting to determine if these specialty teas really made a better pitcher of iced tea.
Instant Potatoes
Which are best, flakes or buds?
Irish Beer
We tasted seven beers which claim an Irish pedigree to determine if Guinness, the most famous, is also the best. The answer was both yes and no.
Is 'Prime' Prime Rib Worth a Premium?
Is Dutch-Processed Cocoa Really Better?—Archived
Is Imitation Vanilla Still a Winner?
Contrary to all expectations, a previous tasting of vanilla extracts proved that bakers couldn't tell the difference between imitation and the real thing. Would the real vanilla stand up in our latest taste test?
Just Spray It -- Cooking Sprays—Archived
Lamb
A leg of lamb is a leg of lamb, right? Not so fast.
Lemon Curd
We tasted four jarred varieties to see if we could find an acceptable substitute for home-made.
Lemon, Powdered
Can powdered lemon juice stand up to the real thing?
Lemon-and-Herb Marinades
We tasted four bottled varieties to see if we could find an acceptable substitute for homemade.
Lemonade
Great lemon flavor alone doesn't define a winner.
Light Butter
Can a reduced-fat butter offer the same flavor and baking properties as regular butter?
Liquid Smoke
Liquid smoke can be just fine—as long as you know what to avoid when selecting a brand.
Liquid Smoke—Archived
Just what is it, and do brands make a difference?
Low-Fat Cheddar Cheese
We were surprised when we found low-fat cheddar cheeses worth eating.
Low-Fat Cream Cheese
We found three slimmer versions of cream cheese—two good choices and one terrible spread.
Low-Sodium Salt
Is Morton's Lite Salt Mixture worth a try?
Mail-Order Cheesecakes
We sampled nine plain cheesecakes from renowned producers and found several that should please.
Mail-Order Fruit Baskets
Tasty Gift or Rotten Deal?
Mail-Order Holiday Cookies: Are They Worth It?
We evaluated both cookie quality and assortment presentation.
Mail-Order Lobster Bake
Can you bring a taste of the Maine seashore into your kitchen?
Mail-Order Lobster Bakes
Could we bring a taste of the Maine seashore to our kitchen? We tasted five lobster bakes to find out.
Mail-Order Spiral Hams
Mail-order hams are conveniently delivered to your doorstep. But which purveyors deliver the best flavor, value, and customer service?
Mail-Order Truffles
If you pay a premium price, you should expect a premium product.
Maple Syrup
Does maple syrup need to be refrigerated?
Meet the 'Pear'ents
Although there are dozens of pear varieties, the most common choices in the supermarket are Bosc, Anjou, and Barlett. We decided to find out which varieties were best for roasting, poaching, and eating out of hand.
Milk
We've all seen those recipes (including our own) that specify what kind of milk to use: whole, low fat, nonfat. But, in the end, does it really matter?
Milk
Got milk? Yes, but does it matter what kind?
Milk Chocolate
Flavor and creaminess defined our favorites among 10 brands.
Milk-Fed vs. Naturally Raised Veal
Could we tell the difference?
Mussel Primer
There's a surprising amount of difference among mussel species.
New Tasting
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No Shortcuts to Good Fresh Pasta—Archived
When you want fresh egg pasta, do you have to make it yourself? Or have supermarkets come up with decent alternatives?
Nonstick Cooking Sprays
Is PAM still the king?
Oatmeal
With so many available styles, which should you reach for?
Onions
Sweetness governs.
Orange Juice—Archived
Does more money buy a better orange juice?
Orange Liqueurs Explained
The different flavor profiles of Triple Sec, Cointreau, and Grand Marnier can best be explained by the way they are produced.
Orange Marmalade
We found three brands to recommend—choose the one that matches your preference for sourness.
Oregano
We were surprised by the differences among the brands we tested in an infusion of hot water. But what about in real food?
Organic Beans Run Out of Gas
Supermarket brands take top honors as panelists value creaminess and saltiness over firmness.
Oysters, How to Buy and Open
All oysters are not created equal. In a taste test, we found a wide range of flavors and textures from briny and firm to soft with a hint of melon.
Packaged Salad Greens
The prep work is done, but how good are these packaged greens really?
Panko Bread Crumbs
In our taste tests, we couldn't distinguish among brands for flavor, but there was a difference in texture.
Pasta Sauces with Cheese
Are these sauces any good?
Peanut Butter
Are 'natural' brands better?
Petite Diced Tomatoes
Is petite better?
Pickled Banana Peppers
These add a nice kick to Cuban sandwiches.
Pickles
Is there a flavor difference between fresh pickles sold in the refrigerator case and processed, shelf-stable pickles?
Pie Crusts
Are all store-bought pie crusts awful?
Pork Chops
Shopping for Chops
Potato Chips
Which style packs the most potato punch?
Pre-Shredded Mexican Cheese
Choose Mexican, not taco, cheese for the best results.
Prefab Chicken
We tasted seven precooked chickens to see if they were worth picking up at the store on your way home after a long day at work.
Preservatives in Dried Apricots
We taste-tested prepackaged dried apricots preserved with sulfur dioxide side by side with some organic, unsulfured dried apricots we bought at a natural food store.
Presizzled Bacon
Precooked or shelf-stable bacon is quite expensive when priced by the strip—but did it help or hurt the value of our BLTs?
Quick Shine—Aerosol Spray For Bread
The Baker's Catalogue sells a product called Quick Shine that supposedly helps seeds stick to dough. Is it worth buying?
Ramps
Just what are ramps?
Rating Commercial Stuffing—Archived
We tasted leading brands of boxed stuffing mixes and here are our results.
Rating Country Hams—Archived
A full-flavored ham aged over one year wins top honors, while new-style, fast-aged hams deliver less salt and milder flavor.
Rating Mail-Order Easter Baskets
We tell you which baskets we'd most like to receive.
Ready-to-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies
To determine if we could cheat and buy ready-to-bake cookie dough, we baked up cookies from homemade dough, cookie dough sold in the traditional log shape, and the new dough bars.
Red Pepper Flakes
Do different brands of crushed red pepper flakes taste the same? How are they prepared?
Red Wines for Mulling
Is there a preferred type or brand for best results when mulling?
Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter
We tasted chunky versions of three of the most popular reduced-fat brands to find our favorite.
Refrigerator Biscuits
Pillsbury has cornered the market on refrigerator biscuits, but how do you choose among their several dozen varieties?
Regular vs. Lower-Sodium Soy Sauce
Does less sodium also mean less flavor?
Rice
With so many types of rice available in supermarkets, how do you know which one to buy and how to prepare it? After much cooking and tasting, here's what we've learned about rice in the test kitchen.
Rice, Boil in a Bag
Standard long-grain white rice won high ratings compared with instant or precooked varieties.The big surprise was Uncle Ben's strong showing with a boil-in-bag product.
Ricotta Cheese
Reading the label carefully was the key to choosing the best ricotta.
Roaster Chickens
Roasting chickens are those birds that tip the scales at 5 to 7 pounds. We tested whether it made sense to pay buy a premium bird, or would a mass-market type satisfy.
Saffron
Conventional wisdom warns against too many yellow threads as well as the use of powdered saffron. We disagreed, at least in part.
Seeking Real Maple Syrup
For an update of this review, click here.
Shorties but Goodies, Rice for Paella
When it comes down to it, a good paella is all about the rice.
Should You Buy Meat at a Warehouse Club?
Should you skip the supermarket and seek bargain prices?
Spaghetti Tasting
Inexpensive American brand again tops tasting.
Splenda
Splenda claims it can be used cup for cup to replace sugar. We tested this assertion on sugar cookies and blueberry cobbler.
Spring Roll Wrappers—Rice Paper Wrappers
We tested wrappers made from rice flour, wheat flour, and ground tapioca.
Squash: Pre-Peeled and Pre-Pared
Just say no.
Stick to your Ribs
Hot Pepper Jelly
Sugar Types
What is the difference among the various sugars found in the baking aisle?
Supermarket Dinner Rolls
Is there a supermarket dinner roll worth serving (and eating)?
Supermarket Tea
Do upscale brands and higher price tags translate into a better cup of tea?
Supermarket Veggie Burgers
All the brands we tasted won high marks for convenience, but what about taste?
Sweet Pickle Relish
Our winner was drab—but only in color.
Swiss Cheese
Genuine Swiss Emmenthaler should easily best supermarket Swiss imposters, right? After weeks of testing, we discovered a few holes in that theory.
Tasting Commercial Lemonades—Archived
Click here for an Update.
Tasting Heritage Turkeys
Can any turkey be worth $125?
Tasting Update: Lemon Substitutes
We finally found an acceptable emergency substitution.
Tasting White Chocolates
While white chocolate isn't really chocolate at all, our tasters still knew what they wanted—rich, mellow, not too sweet, and free of artificial vanilla flavors.
Tenderizers
For ultra-thin cutlets, meat tenderizers actually work. In this case, does brand matter?
Texture Prevails Over Flavor in Tuna Tasting—Archived
Tasters turn up their noses at mushy chunk light despite its stronger tuna flavor.
The Other Vanillas: Powder and Paste
So, which is better, vanilla extract, powder or paste? We wanted to find out.
The Other White Vinegar—White Balsamic
White balsamic vinegar is a newcomer to the market—does it deserve a place on the pantry shelf?
The Skinny on Low-Fat Mayonnaise
Even our most finicky taster found something to like.
The Tao of Noodles
Confused about all the noodles you find in the Chinese grocery store?
The Ultimate Cooking Wine—Boxed Wine
Can boxed wine compete with bottle wine—at least in cooking?
Three Kinds of Pears
We found significant differences among pears available in the market.
Tomato Juice
We blind-tested seven leading brands.
Tomato Paste
Most canned tomato pastes are plagued by a tinny aftertaste. We think a great tomato paste should have a fresh, full tomato flavor.
Top 10 Mail-Order Food Gifts
Gourmet gifts (and where to buy them) for all the foodies on your list.
Traditional Lasagna Noodles: Ready to Use?
We cooked two lasagnas, one with no-boil noodles, the other with traditional, straight from the box noodles, and the results were clear.
Treacle
There are two types of treacle: light and black. We had an overwhelming preference.
True Key Limes vs.Supermarket (Persian) Limes—Archived
Tuna Packed in Olive Oil
Are all brands of tuna packed in olive oil created equal? We tested six to find out.
Turduckens
Could we buy a turducken to rival our perfected roast turkey?
Turkey Breast
We interpret the labels found on turkey breasts—regular, true cut, hotel, and country-style.
Upscale Chicken Broth
Could we get close to homemade chicken broth by spending a few more dollars?
Valentine's Day Chocolate
Are Web Chocolates Worth a Click?
What Are Flatbreads?
We define the better-known types.
What Are Those Babies? Baby Carrots
Baby carrots aren't necessarily young, just small. But are they still sweeter than their full-sized siblings?
Which Rack is Right? Ribs
Whipped Toppings
We didn't think prepared whipping toppings could beat real whipped cream—but could we find one good enough to keep on hand for emergencies?
White Chocolate Chips
A tasting of six brands was enough to convince us that careful chip shopping is a must.
White Whole Wheat Flour
To see how white whole wheat flour would perform in the kitchen versus white (all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour, we used all three flours to make sandwich bread, oatmeal cookies, and scones.
Whole Wheat Bread
Our tasters wanted wheat, not sweetness.
Whole Wheat Flour
How much does the brand of whole wheat flour matter?
Whole-Milk Yogurt
The fat makes all the difference.
Wild Rice
Is there a difference between true wild rice and cultivated wild rice?
Wondra Flour
Would the Real London Broil Please Stand Up?
The term London Broil is actually a generic term. Here's how it's usually translated at the meat counter.
Zero Trans Fat Vegetable Shortening
The producer promises exactly the same results as the original—does it deliver?
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