We’ll buy the least expensive brands of commodity products, such as ammonia, bleach and white vinegar—products that are essentially chemical compounds with no performance enhancers. But we never skimp on paper towels (or facial and bathroom tissue, either). We find big performance differences.

If you’ve bought both inexpensive and premium paper towels, you know that the bargains are often no bargain. You can use twice as much, if not more, of most bargain paper towels to do the same job as Bounty. We spill a lot, so it‘s no surprise that we’re a Bounty loyalist.

Our experience is confirmed by a study in the January 2012 issue of Consumer Reports. It put 23 different paper towels through their paces, testing for absorption, scrubbing and wet strength.

Plain Bounty took top honors with a score of 90 (cost: $2.38 per 100 square feet). Bounty Extra Soft took second place, with a score of 84 ($2.82 per 100 square feet). It didn’t fare as well on wet strength, which measures the force required to pull apart a wet paper towel. Their sibling Bounty Basic, performed far less well, with just 66 points ($1.90 per 100 square feet).

But the third place winner proved that you don’t have to pay big bucks for good paper towels: Target’s Up & Up, Eastern version: 81 points and $2.15 per 100 square feet. The Western version, made by a different supplier, did not perform as well, scoring 69 points.

Just off the podium was Brawny at 80 points; but it’s one of the costlier brands, at $3.20 per 100 square feet.

Prices for paper towels range widely, notes the report, which is available to Consumer Reports subscribers. You can pay as little as $1.46 or as much as $5.12 per 100 square feet.

For example, Walmart’s Great Value paper towels cost $1.82 per 100 square feet and were very good at 75 points. Also with 75 points, Costco’s Kirkland Signature paper towels performed well and were the cheapest brand reviewed, at $1.47 per 100 square feet. (Here again, the eastern version outranked the Signature West, which scored 71 points.)

Higher Price Doesn’t Mean Higher Performance

Proving that higher price doesn’t equate to higher performance. Earth Friendly Products, made from 100% recycled paper and the lowest rated, with a score of 26, was the second the costliest, at $4.75 per 100 square feet. The costliest: Kleenex Viva, with a 76 rating and a price of $5.12 per 100 square feet.

A final note from the report: There are currently few or no governmental regulations for many of the “green” claims on paper towels. But “recycled” claims do have some merit, so if you prefer a green product, look for a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content. Just remember: If it takes twice as many towels to mop up, it’s not helping the environment.

To see the full report, subscribe to Consumer Reports.
  

A gift basket with enough ham for a party! Photo courtesy TommyMoloneys.com.

A Hickory Valley Farms ham gift basket from Tommy Moloney’s might be just what they’d like to dig a fork into.

We received one as a gift. The generously sized boneless ham, between 12 and 15 pounds, was especially appreciated by THE NIBBLE staff because the salt content is noticeably less than with many other hams—we often find that other hams are significantly over-salted.

Tommy Moloney’s processes the ham with a sherry and maple cure and applewood smoke. It even has a charming skin pattern, a “quilted” look that is made by the netting in which the ham is smoked. Fully trimmed, there’s no fat to score. It’s 100% meat for eating.

The ham arrived in a nice, reusable basket (which we immediately repurposed to hold mail and magazines). It’s ready to heat and eat (or enjoy cold), and is packaged with all the necessary garnishes: a jar of Colman’s English Mustard; bottles of cloves, cinnamon and sea salt (not needed!); a packet of honey ham glaze; and, for those who want gravy, a box of Bisto gravy granules.

How Much Ham Per Person?

General guidelines cite 1/4 pound (4 ounces) to 1/3 pound (5.3 ounces) per serving. Splitting the difference, you’ll get at least 38 portions of ham—which we can aver, as we’ve been enjoying the ham for the past week. (See our tips for using leftover ham.)

And now the good news: The ham gift basket is on sale through the end of the holiday season for $98.00, a 30% discount off the regular price of $140.00.

Hungering for ham? Head to TommyMoloneys.com.

Find more of our favorite hams, recipes, and the different types of hams in our Pork Section.

Whatever your holiday cocktail or soft drink, a garnish of bright yellow starfruit is an easy way to make it festive.

Larger starfruit slices can be notched and set on the rim of the glass (see photo). Smaller slices can be threaded onto a cocktail pick—alone, or with a red raspberry and green mint leaf.

There are two types of starfruit—one sweet and one tart. You can’t tell them apart by looking, so ask the produce manager. Sweet starfruit makes for better eating—and is a far tastier garnish for dinner plates, platters, salad plates and desserts. Stand a slice upright on a cupcake!

How To Eat A Starfruit
Just wash, dry and slice. The peel and seeds are meant to be eaten. As with an apple, you can take a big bite from the whole fruit, but eating star-shaped fruit slices is a much niftier experience.

Here are more tips on starfruit, also known as carambola.

Find more of our favorite fruits in our Gourmet Fruits Section.

Banana bread—and 5 other flavors—in a
colorful keepsake box (the design is the
Texas flag). Photo by Katharine Pollak |
THE NIBBLE.

The bakery’s namesake, Saint Lucia, is said to have traveled from house to house delivering sweet breads to usher in the Christmas season. She wore a flowing white robe and a wreath of candles to light her path. You’re more likely to see a UPS employee in brown logowear.

Whoever delivers a tin of this delectable fruit bread, what a delight when they arrive! Choose from:

If it isn’t devoured in a day or two, you can freeze the bread and cut slices as needed. In a mere 15 seconds in the microwave, it emerges warm like fresh-baked.

For $26.99 to $36.99, these gifts will be much appreciated by family, friends and clients. Check out the luscious loaves from St. Lucia.

Our favorite juice company, R.W. Knudsen Family, makes it easy to serve special sparkling juices to guests of all ages. We especially love their sparkling cranberry juice for holiday entertaining.

R.W. Knudsen non-alcoholic “celebratory beverages” are packaged in 750 ml Champagne-style bottles (25.4 fl. oz.), perfect for special occasions. They make the drink even more special when poured from the bottle.

Unlike soda pop, an eight-ounce serving of Sparkling Cranberry contains enough real fruit juice to be the USDA equivalent of one serving of fruit. Squeeze in some fresh lime juice for a delightful accent—as well as a red-and-green theme.

In addition to Sparkling Cranberry, the celebratory juices, available year-round, include Sparkling Blueberry, Sparkling Cherry, Sparkling Crisp Apple Cider, Sparkling Kosher Grape, Sparkling Organic Apple, Sparkling Organic Pear and Sparkling Strawberry.

We found Sparkling Cranberry at a nearby Shop-Rite supermarket for $3.49 a bottle, and scooped up a case to bring to parties over the next few weeks.

You can add gin, tequila or vodka to a glass of sparkling juice. It still counts as a serving of fruit—but don’t try to count the vodka as a serving of whole grain!

Sparkling cranberry juice sparkles at holiday parties. Photo courtesy R.W. Knudsen Family.

Use the store locator at RWKnudsenFamily.com to find a retailer near you.

Find more of our favorite juices in our Juices & Ades Section.