COOKIES WITH WINE?

Cookies with wine?
Oui.
Two types of buttery artisanal cookies from Le Petit Duc patisserie in Provence are made to accompany wine. They're pricey at $20 per tin but expertly crafted and great-tasting. Savory cookies (6.3-ounce box of 35) to accompany aperitifs contain thyme, fennel, olive or rosemary. Sweeter cookies (6.7-ounce box of 22) for dessert include cocoa-almond and shortbread with saffron. By mail-order only from Quel Objet (quelobjet.com), an online site that showcases artisanal products from France.
Avocado ally
This sturdy gadget pits and slices avocados in short order. The smaller end, made of heavy-duty plastic, removes the pit; the stainless-steel end creates tidy slices. The dual-use tool is awkward to handle at first, but it can be especially useful for recipes that use lots of avocados; it's dishwasher-safe too. It's $15 at Williams-Sonoma stores and by mail-order: (877) 812-6235 or visit williams-sonoma.com.
Breakfast boost
The fresh, kicky flavor of South Beach Diet Breakfast Wraps earned praise from Chicago Tribune tasters. The bonus is that each microwaveable wrap is 160 to 200 calories. Each starts with a wheat tortilla, egg whites and low-fat cheese and contains at least 14 grams of protein. Flavors are All American (mozzarella and Cheddar cheeses, tomatoes and bacon), Southwestern-Style, Vegetable Medley and Denver-Style. A box contains two wraps and costs about $3.50 in the freezer case at grocery stores.
Fudgy chocolate filling
The rich, fudgy tang one-ups any canned frosting or filling you'll find on grocery store shelves; 12-ounce can of "Schmear" Chocolate Filling, $4.95, comes with recipes. New from the Love 'n Bake (American Almond Products Co.) of Brooklyn, N.Y. To order, call (800) 827-6836.