A jolt of chocolate

A jolt of chocolate
Espresso dark chocolate is the newest flavor from Green & amp; Black, a British organic chocolate company. Chicago Tribune tasters thought it was dreamy, with a pure flavor of bittersweet chocolate that's spiked with a hit of coffee. A 3.5-ounce bar costs $3.40 at Whole Foods Markets. By mail, it's sold online for $4.75 (or five bars for $21.25) at chocosphere.com or (877) 992-4626.
Custom coffee
The rich aroma and concentrated flavor of Fonte Micro Roaster's signature AA Blend can fool you -- it's the decaffeinated version. The company's caffeinated coffees are just as impressive. Part of the secret to the Seattle firm's fresh-tasting beans: They're roasted to order and shipped within 24 hours. The decaf is $10.49 per pound; other varieties range from $9.50 to $14.50. It's sold by mail-order only: fontecoffee.com or (888) 783-6683.
'Star' turns
Think of "Star Palate" as a community cook-book gone Hollywood. Edited by Tami Agassi (tennis star Andre is her brother) and Kathy Casey, the glossy book is filled with recipes from famous names (or, if they don't cook, their relatives). It's for a good cause too: Proceeds fund research for breast and ovarian cancer. The recipes and celebs run the gamut: sweet potato pie from former NBA star Alonzo Mourning, pasta puttanesca from NBC news anchor Ann Curry, glazed turnips from singer Tori Amos, and bronzed steak with gingersnap gravy from chef Paul Prudhomme. The book is $29.95 at some Barnes & amp; Noble book-stores and online at amazon.com.
Dried and delicious
Eat Your Heart Out! freeze-dried fruits deliver satisfying, good-for-you snacks with bright flavor combinations. Both the apple-cinnamon wedges and the peach wedges with mango are likely to be a hit; each 0.74-ounce bag contains 80 calories and costs $3 at supermarkets.
Wowed by wasabi
Can you take the heat? Boyajian's wasabi oil brings a wonderful balance of searing heat tempered with canola oil. It will give a sensational lift to marinades and dressings, a dipping sauce for pot stickers -- or simply added (with a light touch, please!) to cooked vegetables, noodles or seafood. An 8-ounce bottle costs $5 at Cost Plus World Market stores; it's also sold by mail-order: Call (800) 965-0665 or visit online at boyajianinc.com.
Organic zip
CT tasters loved the zippy flavors of Nature's Path organic ginger spice cookies; lemon poppy seed and (a very mild) chocolate also are offered. They're easy on the calories too: 35 per cookie. A 9-ounce box costs $3.70-$4.80 at Whole Foods Markets and other specialty stores.