Small bites

News morsels from the world of food

By Times staff and wires
Published June 20, 2007

Bern's stars in 'Saveur'

Here's a list of "best steakhouses in America, " worth more than the slick paper it's printed on. Saveur magazine's June-July "Steak Issue" salutes seven great red meat palaces in the nation, one of which is Tampa landmark Bern's Steak House. Saveur applauded the endless choice of thickness, eight shades of doneness and the grand wine cellar.

Other than the relatively new Craftsteak in New York and Las Vegas, the magazine liked meat and potatoes joints of similar vintage to Bern's (1956). The other winners were the Five O'Clock Steakhouse in Milwaukee; Gene and Georgetti in Chicago; Gorat's in Omaha, Neb.; and the Pacific Dining Car in Los Angeles, all at least 40 years old. Brooklyn's Peter Luger Steakhouse is the granddad, at 130.

The glossy's foodies like their steaks dry-aged for two to three weeks, served with red wine and cooked medium rare. To get steak right at home, they advise:

- Don't be afraid to cut a steak slightly and peek at its color.

- To avoid overcooking, take it off the heat before you think it's done.

- With thick steaks, remember that lean cuts, like filet mignon, cook faster than fatty ribeyes.

A new take on the crouton

Fresh Gourmet is thinking outside the cube - the crouton, that is. Six varieties of Fresh Gourmet Crunchy Toppings for salads have no trans fats and come in resealable, zippered 3.5-ounce bags for about $2.49.

Crispy Onions (think Durkee's onion rings with attitude) come in two flavors: lightly salted and garlic pepper. Other varieties include lightly salted or Santa Fe-style tortilla strips and garlic ginger or wasabi ranch wonton strips. Each serving has 35 to 40 calories.

'Zipper' delivers kernels quickly

If you love fresh corn, Kuhn Rikon's Corn Zipper simplifies the removal of kernels from the cob. The traditional method involves standing the ear on the fat end and running a serrated knife down its length. But you may wind up with cob in your corn.

The Corn Zipper combines a sharp cutting surface with a guide that prevents it from digging too deep. To use, hold an ear of corn in the palm of one hand, then run the Corn Zipper down the length of it. Rotate the ear and repeat. The Zipper is $12 at www.kuhnrikon.com.

On the bookshelf

Gourmet Shops of New York by Susan Meisel and Nathalie Sann (Rizzoli, 2007, $39.95)

To outsiders, New York's food scene can seem an impenetrable thicket of restaurants, delis and ethnic shops specializing in cuisines from every far-flung corner.

Which makes Susan Meisel and Nathalie Sann's Gourmet Shops of New York a blessing. Organized by neighborhood and richly illustrated with lush photographs, the book introduces the reader to the best foodie shops and the people behind them.

[Last modified June 19, 2007, 17:42:27]