News

Taster's Choice: 2007, another year of tasting intrepidly

By Janet K. Keeler, Times Food and Travel Editor
Published January 2, 2008

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Let's give a thunderous round of applause for the 2007 Taster's Choice panelists. They ate a lot of stuff so we don't have to.

Think you could handle it? Imagine in one morning sampling roasted peanuts, green olives, feta cheese and fish sticks. How about garlic and herb marinade, shortbread cookies, potato chips, canned frosting and powdered milk? Remember, that's not just one version of each. Try 10 marinades and five frostings, among other injustices.

For Taster's Choice, we shop at Publix, Sweetbay, Albertsons, Wal-Mart and occasionally Gordon Food Service Marketplace Stores, a discount bulk food store with locations in Clearwater and St. Petersburg, Target and health food stores.

As you go through the list, remember that most major brands are available at multiple grocery stores. Store brands that do not have the same name as the store are noted.

We appreciate tips from readers for ways to improve the column and also suggestions about grocery store foods to try. If you have suggestions, please e-mail them to Kathy Saunders at subkat@aol.com". Put SUGGESTIONS in the subject line.

Suggestions also may be mailed to Taster's Choice, Newsfeatures, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.

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Coleslaw

1. Albertsons

2. tie Reser's (Albertsons), Wal-Mart

3. Winn-Dixie

 

Canned clam chowder

1. Campbell's Select

2. Publix

3. Campbell's

 

Supplement bars

1. South Beach Diet

2. Detour

3. Luna

 

Frozen fried cheese sticks (All from GFS)

1. Moore's

2. Gordon Food Service

3. Brew City

 

Cream-filled cookies

1. Hannaford (Sweetbay)

2. Newman's O

3. Country Choice

 

Capers

1. Fragata

2. Bella Capote

3. Alessi

 

Breaded Onion Rings

1. Alexia

2. Hannaford (Sweetbay)

3. Ore-Ida

 

Sweet, unsalted butter

1. Plugra

2. Breakstone's

3. Publix

 

Roasted, salted peanuts

1. Publix

2. Hampton Farms

3. Albertsons

 

Green olives

1. Lindsay

2. Publix

3. Albertsons, Bella (tie)

 

Fish sticks

1. Great Value (Wal-Mart)

2. Mrs. Paul's

3. Hannaford (Sweetbay)

 

Feta cheese

1. Publix

2. Kolios

3. Mt. Vikos

 

Malted milk candy

1. Whoppers

2. Brach's

3. Necco

 

Honey

1. Albertsons

2. Winnie the Pooh

3. Billy Bee, Sue Bee (tie)

 

Extra-virgin olive oil

1. Lucina

2. Colavita

3. Albertsons

 

Frozen mixed vegetables

1. Green Giant

2. Publix

3. Hannaford (Sweetbay)

 

Fast-food milkshakes

1. Chick-fil-A

2. Burger King

3. Evos

 

Iced coffee

1. Starbucks

2. Dunkin' Donuts

3. McDonald's

 

Egg-and-cheese breakfast sandwiches

1. Chick-fil-A

2. Burger King

3. McDonald's

 

Fruit and nut granola bar

1. Publix

2. Kellogg's

3. Albertsons

 

Hot dog buns

1. Pepperidge Farm

2. Arnold

3. Wonder

 

Grape jelly

1. Hannaford (Sweetbay)

2. Welch's

3. Smucker's

 

Wheat crackers

1. Kashi

2. Keebler

3. South Beach Diet

 

Yellow cake mixes

1. Great Value (Wal-Mart)

2. Pillsbury

3. Betty Crocker

 

Italian-style bread crumbs

1. Hannaford (Sweetbay)

2. Vigo

3. Great Value (Wal-Mart)

 

Corn bread mix

1. Betty Crocker

2. Great Value (Wal-Mart)

3. Jiffy

 

White bread

1. Monk's (purchased at Publix)

2. Arnold's

3. Pepperidge Farm

 

Grape juice

1. Woodstock Farms

2. Santa Cruz

3. Welch's

 

Garlic and herb marinade

1. KC Masterpiece

2. A1

3. Mrs. Dash, Lawry's (tie)

 

Shortbread cookies

1. Archer Farms (Target)

2. Walker's

3. Voortman's

 

Kettle-cooked potato chip

1. Kettle (Nature's Finest Foods)

2. Cape Cod

3. Utz (Sam's Club)

 

Canned frosting

1. Duncan Hines

2. Pillsbury

3. Great Value (Wal-Mart)

 

Powdered milk

1. Albertsons

2. Carnation, Sanalac, Great Value (Wal-Mart), Hannaford (Sweetbay) (tie)

 

Frozen restaurant meals

1. TGI Friday's Honey Barbecue Wings

2. TGI Friday's Buffalo Wings

3. White Castle Burgers

 

Instant chocolate pudding

1. Albertsons

2. Great Value (Wal-Mart)

3. Jell-O

 

Chocolate-covered graham crackers

1. Starbucks

2. Hannaford (Sweetbay), Keebler (tie)

3. Great Value (Wal-Mart)

 

Comfort food

1. Boston Market Chicken Pot Pie

2. Tony Roma's Baby Back Ribs

3. Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pie

 

Chocolate milk

1. Publix

2. T.G. Lee

3. Nestle's Nesquick

 

Nondairy coffee creamer

1. Publix Rich & Creamy

2. Borden Cremora

3. Great Value (Wal-Mart)

 

Chocolate-covered raisins

1. Publix

2. Georgia's Choice (Albertsons)

3. Nestle Raisinets

 

Balsamic vinegar

1. Acetum

2. Colavita

3. Lucini

 

Shredded Parmesan

1. GSF Primo Gusto

2. Kraft

3. Albertsons

 

Cookie mix

1. Betty Crocker

2. Duncan Hines

3. Ghirardelli

 

Marshmallow cookie

1. Mallomar

2. Great Value (Wal-Mart)

3. Little Debbie

 

Boxed scalloped potatoes

1. Great Value (Wal-Mart)

2. Betty Crocker

3. GFS Marketplace

 

Peppermint bark

1. Williams-Sonoma

2. Harry London (Crate & Barrel)

3. Ghirardelli

[Last modified December 31, 2007, 15:06:08]