TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Carpe Diem Botanic Water

This gentle line of “botanic waters,” a.k.a. lightly-carbonated soft drinks flavored with botanicals (fruits and herbs), is the antithesis of the energy drink made famous by Carpe Diem’s parent company, Red Bull International. Made from Alpine spring water with homeopathic plant extracts, the soft, natural sweetness comes from pear juice—there’s no added sugar. The net…
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TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Bumble Bars

What could be better than a healthy sweet treat that tastes great? That’s why we were buzzing when we recently discovered the Bumble Bar, handcrafted in microbatches in Spokane, Washington (just 154 bars are made per batch). While not made with honey, they evoke a gourmet version of those sesame-honey candies—but they’re soft and pose…
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TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Rustic Bakery

More than 18 months ago, we were invited to a party in San Francisco to celebrate the anniversary of one of our favorite cheese makers, Cowgirl Creamery. Many great American cheese makers brought their best cheeses to the celebration. But what we remembered most following that assembly of fine fromage were the enchanting, irresistible flatbreads…
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PRODUCT REVIEW: Bake ‘mmm Bagels

All natural, organic- and kosher-certified bagels with no sugar added are a real find. We protest the unnecessary sugar thrown into most bagel recipes. From your freezer to table in 12 minutes, these 200-calorie bagels are the right size and the right stuff. If your idea of happiness is a breakfast or brunch of piping-hot…
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PRODUCT REVIEW: Spava Fortified Coffee

It’s no news to most of us that coffee—that growth-stunting, tooth-staining, for-grown-ups-only beverage—has undergone a substantial image makeover of late. In recent years, studies have begun to emerge indicating a positive correlation between coffee consumption and good health. Some studies show that coffee is, on the whole, far more salutary than it is harmful; one…
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