Updated 9.10.26: After a recent server burp, I've lost many of the changes over the past year. I'll recover those shortly... thanks for your patience! 9/2026 - Updated Whole Foods, Updated John's Tonic Syrup (previously our #1 choice), Updated "& Tonic", Updated Q Tonic, & Fever Tree. More to come! We've all seen expensive tonic waters in the grocery store, but are … [Read more...] about Best Tonic Water – Are the Gourmet Brands Worth the Price?
Product and Portland Metro Business Review Archives
Now and then I do a review of a store or commercial product. You'll find the archive of those stories here.
What are the Best Coconut Waters – We Rate 46 Brands
Best Coconut Waters Updated 10/8/2026 - Retested Wild Harvest and Zola. Wild Harvest moved up the rankings; Zola down. Retested 365 Whole Foods canned version. Added Once Upon a Coconut to the listings. Added Vita - Extra Coconut. What are the best coconut waters? Judging from the amount of shelf space devoted to them in grocery stores, coconut water is a popular item. I had … [Read more...] about What are the Best Coconut Waters – We Rate 46 Brands
Interview: Steven Smith Teamaker
"Portland is a beverage town," Steve Smith says simply. And his beverage of choice is -- and always has been-- tea. Note: sad to report that Steve Smith died in 2015. However, Steven Smith Teamaker is still in businessBack in the early 1970s, Smith started Stash Tea, which sold teas and herbal infusions to natural food stores. The company grew to the point where it was … [Read more...] about Interview: Steven Smith Teamaker
The Meadow: Singing the Praises of Salt
"Everyone's Lives Would Be So Much Better If They Just Used The Right Salt." Mark Bitterman, Local SelmelierA wonderful thing about Portland is our growing community of small specialty food purveyors. Many of these are based on single obsessions: the perfect latte with foam so pretty and detailed that pictures of it could be framed and hung in a gallery, tiny … [Read more...] about The Meadow: Singing the Praises of Salt
Q Tonic vs. Fever-Tree Tonic
NOTE: This review has been replaced with a new, larger roundup, which you can read here. I have already rewritten and updated the recipe for making tonic water from scratch, which you will find here. In January, I reviewed Q Tonic. Now, Fever-Tree Tonic, another gourmet version, has hit local store shelves. I thought it was time to go back and update this post with a … [Read more...] about Q Tonic vs. Fever-Tree Tonic