Houseware And Food For The New Millennium

TOP-OF-THE-LINE TAILGATING

* All season long, the best football teams, pro and college, have been battling to make it to, respectively, the playoffs or a bowl game. At the same time, tailgaters have been perfecting their act, warming up for their Super Bowl of parking lot extravaganzas. While these wizards of the grill all jealously guard their culinary secrets of success, the maxim of top chefs remains constant. Top-flight preparation requires top-flight equipment. The Coleman Co., Wichita, Kan., long-time manufacturers of high-quality camping ware, provides just that with the ultimate tailgating weapon--the Coleman Camp Kitchen.

This ingenious device comes folded in a zippered nylon storage case that is carried like a suitcase. Once uncovered and unfolded, it offers six feet of countertop for food preparation; a removable plastic sink (with a stopper and drain) for rinsing ingredients, as well as cleaning up dishes, storage containers, etc.; shelves to hold the necessary ingredients until you're ready for them; and a swing-up lid with an abundance of built-in hooks (for cups and utensils), shelves (for spices and condiments), and a paper-towel holder.

The Camp Kitchen can be found at sporting goods stores at a suggested $219.99. For an additional $109.99, the Powermax Grill Stove makes the perfect complement. Butane-powered, it features a grilling unit for steaks, burgers, hot dogs, sausages, or what have you and a burner for sauteing, frying, or heating up items like baked beans or chili. A griddle can be substituted for the grill for eggs, bacon, sausages, or pancakes. A removable grease drip tray under the grill permits easy cleanup. The Grill Stove fits perfectly on a swing-out shelf of the Camp Kitchen.

These two rugged items, when combined with a master touch with ingredients, could make you the undisputed king (or queen) of the pre-game tailgate set.

SAVORY SAUSAGES AND SALAMIS

Your tailgate party's ready to go. The grill is fired up, but what to throw on it that'll satisfy ravenous pregame appetites? We vote for sausages over more mundane burgers and hot dogs, primarily for the wide variety of flavors to suit any taste.

The ingeniously descriptive name of Chicken That Looks Like Sausage says it all when talking about the delectable dozen from HRH/Casual Gourmet Foods, Clearwater, Fla. Opting for healthier chicken over traditional pork does nothing to take away from the flavor. If anything, the range is all-encompassing: Roman (red peppers and basil), Venetian (broccoli and mozzarella), Sicilian (parsley, wine, and Romano), Neapolitan (green peppers and onions), Mild Italian (fennel and Italian spices), Cordon Bleu (smoked ham and Swiss cheese), French Bistro (mushrooms and sherry), Southwestern Fiesta (spicy salsa and cheddar), and Country Brunch (apple, raisin, and cinnamon) are outstanding, but we were utterly captivated by a novel trio--the sweet Caribbean (island fruit and mild spices) and a pair of redhot, palate-challenging beauties, Cajun (cayenne, garlic, and onion) and Jamaican Jerk (fiery island peppers and spices). Just make sure the cooler is well-stocked with drinks before venturing forth to meet this culinary challenge!

More chicken sausages come from Gerhard's Napa Valley Sausage, Napa, Calif. Made without artificial fillers, MSG, or nitrates, they are plump and delicious, with a wide international range that includes Thai chicken with ginger, East Indian curry chicken, chicken Provencal with fresh leek, and, for lovers of Mexican food, chicken with habanero chiles and tequila, guaranteed to have steam shooting out of your nostrils. Home-grown flavors crop up in the chicken with wild mushroom and sun-dried tomatoes and our particular favorite, chicken-apple with its sweet, fresh taste.

To get thoroughly into the mood for tailgating, turn to the unique salamis from Held Meat Service, Kaukauna, Wis. Unlike the normal torpedo-shaped salamis hanging in delicatessens across the country or nestled in supermarket cold cut sections, Heid's are designed for special occasions. In this case, the choice is obvious--the football- and beer bottle-shaped salamis are the crowning touch for your pregame repast.

TERRIFIC TOOLS

* The statement that a workman is only as good as his tools applies equally well to the kitchen. Professional chefs are well aware of this, but the average household kitchen often winds up with a drawer full of miscellaneous and mismatched implements collected over the years, leading many homebound cooks to use whatever is at hand, rather than the right utensil for its task.

Why put up with this situation any longer? The All-Professional Tools set from All-Clad Metalcrafters, Canonsburg, Pa., consists of five well-crafted, long-handled, stainless steel kitchen utensils nestled in a matching cylindrical caddy that looks great on the counter or table. Two spoons (one solid, the other perforated for draining vegetables and other foods as they are removed from a pot), a spatula, a two-pronged fork, and a ladle are sufficient to suit most cooking purposes. While they may not make you a better cook, they will make kitchen work more organized, and they are an attractive alternative to the above-mentioned hodgepodge. The set runs a suggested $99.99 at kitchen supply outlets.

Along a similar vein, baking--especially cookies--is often a hassle on cheaply made bakeware with hot spots that can cause the bottoms of your Toll House chocolate morsels or oatmeal raisin drops to scorch. All-Clad's Bonded Bakeware, with its stick-resistant surface bonded to a layer of stainless steel, is guaranteed never to chip, flake, or interact with ingredients. The 10" x 14" petite cookie sheet ($50) we tried produced perfect chocolate chip cookies, then washed pristinely clean--all we could have asked for. Bonded Bakeware also comes in round, rectangular, and square cake pans; larger cookie sheets; and jelly roll and loaf pans, ranging from $70 to $110.

FOR SUCCULENT BIRDS

The turkey baster has been in kitchens for years, an invaluable tool for keeping the outside of birds moist while cooking. But what about the inside? Alas, interiors have been left to fend for themselves, getting drier and drier as the cooking goes on.

Now, though, there is new hope for the inner bird. The Turkey Baster Kit from Metro Marketing, Gardena, Calif., adds an injector needle that snaps onto the stainless steel baster and allows cooks to shoot juices inside the bird as well. All that is required is to pierce the skin and inject the pan drippings.

This device works equally as well with chicken, duck, squab, and other fowl. Moreover, it can be used with marinades and other flavoring ingredients in addition to juices and drippings. The kit ($12.99) comes with a bristly brush to clean the baster with a minimum of fuss. Look for this handy product wherever kitchen gadgets are sold.

ALL IT'S QUACKED UP TO BE

One of the last things we imagined ordering over the phone was duck. Thanks to modern wonders of overnight delivery and gel packs (which have replaced the more cumbersome and messy dry ice), however, it's possible to have this alternative fowl delivered right to your door almost before the quack has died out.

Duck is usually hard to find in supermarkets in other than frozen form, a solid, rock-like bird that leaves little choice but to roast it whole--unless you want to go through the difficult, and often messy, chore of thawing and cutting it up. Most people tend to skip the bother and get their duck fix in restaurants, rather than cooking it at home. That's a pity, because chicken and turkey pale by comparison as far as taste goes. Forget the oftcited idea that ducks are gamy. They don't fall into the category of goose, squab, and/or pheasant and, if stronger in taste than the usual bird on the table, it's a rewarding difference. Now, with the convenience of direct ordering, is the ideal time to take a chance.

Grimaud Farms of California, Stockton (1-800-466-9955), specializes in Muscovy ducks, barn-raised without steroids, antibiotics, or growth hormones. They can be purchased whole or just the parts you desire--breasts or legs, with the bone in or bone out. You can even choose between a hen (about four pounds) or the larger drake (around eight pounds). This gives the opportunity to broil, grill or sautee the duck instead of the traditional roasting.

Culver Duck Farms Inc., Middlebury, Ind. (1-800-825-9225), goes the whole or parts route as well, with a couple of refinements. It is possible to purchase breasts already prepared and packaged, ready for heating and serving. Honey orange or teriyaki breasts are a particular delight.

FISH STORY

Equally as unlikely a product to be ordered over the phone is salmon, but it is making the trip from stream to kitchen in record time. Not only that, a single order can bring an assortment of forms of this noble fish that bear no resemblance to each other save for their origin.

SeaBear, Anacortes, Wash. (1-800-454-0023), specializes in salmon fillets--sockeye, king, or North Pacific Keta--smoked over slow-burning alder wood. Delivered in wooden gift chests, they make impressive presents, if even just to yourself. The versatility of the fish and the range of SeaBear's imagination doesn't stop there, however. Wild king salmon steaks are shipped fresh in vacuum-sealed pouches (and come with a tub of smokehouse basting butter), while smoked salmon spread makes an ideal party hors d'oeuvre. The revolutionary ideas, though, are smokehouse salmon chili (combining chunks of wild Alaskan salmon with diced vegetables, garlic, and spices) and smokehouse salmon chowder (fish stock, potatoes, and cream), both shipped in foil packs, ready to be opened and popped into the pot. The only ingredient that must be added is milk for the chowder.

Salmon from Alaska's Copper River is the specialty of Copper River Fine Seafoods, Cordova, Alaska (1-888-622-1197), with the choice being among chinook, sockeye, Coho, king, and silver. Sockeye fillets are pink and luscious, shipped fresh or frozen. Kippered (smoked and dried) king, silver, and sockeye come canned, as does unsmoked sockeye. The novel taste is in the Copper River Smoked Salmon Under Glass--king, sockeye, and silver smoked over alder, applewood, and mesquite, shipped in their natural oils. A three-jar sampler gives all the flavors a chance and offers you the opportunity to decide on a favorite--if you can.

A TOAST TO TOAST

* For a simple device, the toaster can cause an awful lot of aggravation. Common complaints include burning what is being toasted; burning one's hands when trying to get the toast out or by accidentally touching the hot outer surface; inability to get thick bread, English muffins, bagels, etc. to go down; and risking electrocution trying to pry thick toast out of the machine. To the rescue rides Krups North America, Inc., Closter, N.J., with its Sensotoast Deluxe, which provides solutions to all of these problems.

Its electronic toasting sensor is designed to tell the difference between light and dark (and four intervening shades of doneness). Combined with a quartz heating element, the sensor delivers even toasting to exactly the setting desired. Should you change your mind in mid operation, hit the cancel button, and up the toast pops. The exterior surfaces remain cool, even after repeated toasting, making the machine safe to handle. The extrawide and -long slots allow toasting up to four slices at once and easily accommodate bagels, waffles, and thickly sliced bread. (An interior guide automatically centers whatever is being toasted, ensuring even browning on both sides.) Meanwhile, a special defrost setting permits popping frozen baked goods in without thawing.

As for retrieving your toast, the wide slots prevent jamming, and the extra-high lifting mechanism raises the finished product an extra three-quarters of an inch, making removal as safe as it is easy. In short, the Sensotoast Deluxe does everything but butter your toast for you. Throw in the removable crumb tray that makes cleaning up a snap and the sleek black styling, and it is apparent that Krup means it when it labels the toaster "deluxe." Look for it wherever kitchen appliances are sold, for a suggested $49.99.

One problem not mentioned above is the danger of slicing your hand as you attempt to bisect a bagel, especially a frozen one, for toasting. That worry can be eliminated with the Bagel Wizard Safety Bagel Slicer from Bagel Wizard Inc., Miami, Fla. This horizontal lucite device clamps the bagel in place for the built-in knife to slice through without the blade ever coming into contact with your hands. The slicer runs about $29.99 in kitchen stores. Consider the price an insurance premium against what The New York Times warns about: More people visit hospital emergency rooms with knife cuts from slicing bagels than from any other single accident--usually on Sunday mornings and often still in their pajamas!

FROTHY CUPS OF COCOA

* For those who look forward to a steaming cup of hot chocolate after coming inside on a cold winter day or before bedtime, but hate the hassle of having to heat carefully to avoid scorching the milk, yet getting it hot enough to melt the cocoa, help has arrived. (If you are the type who simply uses boiling water, stop right here. The following information is for purists seeking the real stuff.) Sunbeam Corp., Boca Raton, Fla., has introduced the Mr. Coffee Cocomotion Automatic Hot Chocolate Maker that produces steaming-hot, frothy cups of cocoa at the push of a button.

Preparation is simplicity itself. Just pour milk into the pitcher, then add the indicated amount of your favorite cocoa powder or syrup, snap on the lid, and push the aforementioned button. Within 10 minutes, the chocolate is blended in; the cocoa is heated to the recommended 175 [degrees] F; the mixing disk at the base of the pitcher aerates the mixture to a creamy frothiness; and the machine automatically turns off. The rest is up to you--pour, sip, and sigh.

An accompanying recipe book offers suggestions to create exotic variations for those who can't leave well enough alone. Add cinnamon and vanilla to get Mexican cocoa; nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon for Spice Island cocoa; instant coffee and vanilla to produce mocha cocoa; or a quarter-cup of smooth peanut butter to create nutty hot chocolate--what the manufacturer describes as a warm peanut butter cup in a cup, which we feel is pushing things too far, thank you.

Traditionalist or experimenter, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better way to make cocoa than this. Cocomotion can be found in most stores that feature electronic kitchen appliances at a suggested retail price of $39.99.

WHIP UP A TREAT

* Some people may add miniature marshmallows to their cocoa, while others prefer whipped cream. We fall solidly into the latter camp, but have always been caught on the horns of a dilemma. Making whipped cream from scratch is a timeconsuming task that requires a large degree of premeditation; the aerated version in a can is a pale imitation at best; and artificial creme substitutes are an abomination. Until recently, we took all these factors into account, then settled for taking our cocoa straight.

We are pleased to announce that those days are behind us. The Half-Pint Cream Whipper from iSi North America, Pine Brook, N.J., produces real whipped cream in a matter of moments. All that is required is to add the necessary ingredients, screw in the pressurized charger, tilt, and squirt. Voila! Your cocoa is properly adorned.

This versatile little machine can also turn out flavored toppings for desserts, low-calorie mousses, and even a cream cheese salad dressing. It all depends on adding the proper ingredients and a little imagination.

The HalfPint, which runs about $34.95 at kitchen supply and catalogue outlets, makes (surprise!) a half pint of whipped cream at a time, with each charger generating two pints worth of aeration.

SOME LIKE IT HOT ...

The winter months practically cry out for a hot mug of coffee or cocoa upon coming in from the frigid outdoors. The latter is equally as comforting at bedtime, just before crawling under the blankets. Nowadays, though, it is not merely a simple choice--coffee or cocoa? Instead, the decision-making process in choosing among various blends or flavors can be mind-boggling.

Shrewdly combining caffeine craving with nostalgic collectibles, Starbase-1 Coffee Co., Ltd., Henderson, Nev., has blasted off with Star Trek Gourmet Coffees. A quartet of blends for each of the Star Trek TV series plus another for aliens come in foil packets decorated with four-color photographs of various crew members, starships, and insignia. The Original Series features Starship Enterprise Standard Issue (a mocha java blend); The Next Generation, Risa Tropical Roast (macadamia nut); Deep Space Nine, Sisko's Espresso Roast; Voyager, Nebula Supreme (French roast); and Alien Blends, Fereginar Supreme (Kahlua). Many Trekkies buy the packets as collectibles, rather than to drink, a fact the manufacturers don't hesitate to brag about. The collectors are missing out on a good thing, because the 20 different blends are as tasty as they are clever. (For those who prefer cocoa, Starbase-1 also produces Counselor Troi's Obsession Hot Chocolate and Specialty of the Fifth House White Hot Chocolate, which are equally flavorsome.)

Land O'Lakes, Arden Hills, Minn., is a familiar brand to shoppers, but most people connect it with the tubs and bars of butter they are used to seeing in supermarkets. New to the name are Cocoa Classics, four blends of rich and creamy instant premium hot cocoa mix: Chocolate Supreme, Chocolate & Caramel, Chocolate & French Vanilla, and Chocolate & Black Cherry,.

Mont Blanc Gourmet Cocoa, Denver, Colo., lives up to its name with an assortment of creamy flavors: three dark chocolates (classique, raspberry, and hazelnut) in tins adorned with a muffler-clad moose huddled over a campfire; three white blends (chocolate, raspberry, and mocha) in cans decorated with playful penguins; and a trio of dark chocolate mixes (creamy dark, amaretto, and raspberry) with an ice-skating polar bear. Those seeking a more intense hot chocolate should try Mont Blanc's mocha mixes (dark, white, and creamy dark). For coffee-lovers, French vanilla, Hazelnut, and Irish Cream cappuccino are rich enough to compete with machine-brewed types.

... SOME LIKE IT COLD

Mid winter may not be the ideal time to be thinking about iced drinks, except for Sun Belters, but cheer up, summer's bound to come again. When it does, keep in mind the following, with more choices available than one might expect. It's not just iced tea or iced coffee out there anymore.

At the top of the list is Frrrozen Hot Chocolate Mix. Savvy New Yorkers have long made Manhattan's Serendipity soda parlor the place for sweets lovers, an utter delight for kids of all ages, especially as a birthday party locale. The signature item on the menu has always been the legendary Frrrozen Hot Chocolate--a secret blend of cocoas combined with milk and chilled to the consistency of a frozen drink. Now available in an instant mix for home preparation--just empty the packet into a blender, add milk and lots of ice, and whirr until frozen--from Serendipity 3, Inc., New York, it provides all the sinfully delicious taste, though, alas, not the ambience. After all, they haven't quite figured out how to flash freeze the Hollywood luminaries (like Cher, Tom Cruise, Candice Bergen, and Meg Ryan) who flock to the soda parlor whenever they're in town.

Big Train Ltd., Santa Margarita, Calif., pulls into the station with a wide assortment of iced coffee and tea. The former comes in seven delicious blends: mocha, vanilla latte, Kona mocha, Heath mocha, white chocolate latte, vanilla mocha, and the unimaginatively named coffee. Those who prefer to cut down on the caffeine will enjoy decaf mocha, coffee, and vanilla, and there is even a no sugar added mocha for dieters and/or diabetics. Big Train Chai, on the other hand, are blends of honey, vanilla, tea, and exotic spices, with the emphasis on the exotic. They come in four flavors--vanilla, green tea, raspberry, and spiced--plus decaf.

Land O'Lakes doesn't restrict itself to hot cocoa. Switching gears smoothly to meet the warm weather demand, it produces Downtown Cafe--iced cappuccino made with 100% Colombian coffee for full intensity. A quartet of flavors--French vanilla, hazelnut, mocha, and Vienna roast--match up to the finest brews from Little Italy.

POLLY, PUT THE KETTLE ON

* It's hard to conceive of the need for a high-tech device to replace the simple tea kettle. Then again, you probably haven't encountered the wizardry of AquaControl from Krups North America, Inc., Closter, N.J. Try it once, and you'll be hooked on space-age tea forever.

The key is the stainless-steel heating element that not only boils water quickly, it resists limescale buildup within the electric kettle. In combination with the anti-scale filter, this ensures better-tasting tea because the water remains pure, without a mineral taint. Safety features--such as the Auto Safe System that prevents boiling water from splashing out and the automatic shut-off that is activated either when the water reaches a boil or the water level is too low to cover the heating element--add to the appeal.

Amusingly, the sleek design bears a distinct resemblance to a penguin, especially in the glossy black model. (It also comes in sparkling white.) The 10-cup capacity should prove especially important when word gets out how good your tea tastes and you wind up hosting the weekly tea party on a regular basis!

Look for AquaControl wherever electrical appliances are sold. This high-tech kettle goes for a suggested $49.99.

JAMBON SESSION

Visitors to Paris often wind up sitting outside a bistro on the lie de la Cite consuming fromage et jambon en baguette. Americans long have been familiar with French cheese (fromage), and baguettes joined with croissants to duel bagels as the "in" accompaniment to the morning's coffee takeout in U.S. cities throughout the 1990s. Jambon--French ham--has been slow in crossing the Atlantic, though. That oversight has been corrected, thanks to Madrange North America Inc., Warren, N.J.

Whether your current preference in ham is honey baked, Virginia, or just plain boiled, be prepared to switch allegiance once you have tasted the Gallic versions, either smoked over French fruit'woods or treated with herbs from Provence. The French hams are lower in sodium, have no water added, and, most important, are delicious, having been oven-roasted in their natural juices.

Whether bought full-sized (about 10-12 pounds), in the 5.7-pound buffet gift box, or by the slice in supermarkets for sandwiches, you're in for a treat. After all, why settle for ham and cheese when you can don a beret and have une dejeuner (lunch) of fromage et jambon?

NOT YOUR MOTHER'S TUPPERWARE

* Mention Tupperware to most people and you'll probably trigger recollections of home demonstrations with groups of housewives mesmerized by an assortment of opaque plastic kitchen storage containers, listening enthralled as the company's representative cautioned them to be sure to "burp" the item before popping it into the refrigerator for resurrection at some future time. Those days are gone forever, as Tupperware, perhaps taking a leaf from Walt Disney World, its Orlando, Fla.-based neighbor, has gone flash and color, expanding into what once would have been terra incognita.

While storage containers are still its bread and butter, look and function are aimed at the new millennium. A wide palette of colors combines with new shapes and sizes that make fitting leftovers into the refrigerator a snap. Once there, they don't merely sit passively waiting to be retrieved. Take the FridgeSmart Set ($38.50), a trio of bright-blue rectangular containers ranging from a 4.5-cup capacity to 19.75. Each comes with two ACE (atmosphere controlled environment) vents that permit air to circulate through the fruits and vegetables these modular units are designed to contain. Open both vents to keep broccoli, peas, spinach, and corn fresh; one vent for beans, cabbage, and green onions; or keep both closed for asparagus, carrots, squash, and most ripe fruits. A week later, the contents remain unshriveled and unspoiled. As an added feature, the units' ridged bottoms allow them to stack without slipping.

Specialized functions have replaced one container does it all. For example, the flat Deli Keeper ($6.50) retains freshness for coldcuts and cheese; the Bacon Keeper ($8.50) does the same for up to two pounds of the breakfast meat or 20 frankfurters; the domed Super Crisp-It Container ($10.50) holds a head of lettuce above the bottom surface, ensuring that it doesn't go soggy; and the Produce Manager Container ($20.50) has an interior grid rack that suspends fresh fruits and vegetables to allow condensation to collect at the bottom, maintaining crispness, then lifts with a handle for easy access. A clever combination piece is the Mix-N-Store Plus Pitcher ($14), which has a lift-off inset on the lid that grants access for a hand blender, allowing measuring, mixing, pouring, and storage, all with a single unit.

Kids are not neglected nowadays, with an assortment of Disney-related products. Our particular favorite is the Pooh Meal Set ($20), with a luncheon plate sculpted into the shape of the beloved bear's head; a fork and spoon festooned with the heads, respectively, of Tigger and Pooh; a tumbler with a sipper seal; and a snack cup and cereal bowl, both with snap-on, leakproof tops. The latter trio are decorated with colorful Eeyore, Piglet, Tigger, and Pooh illustrations. All are microwavable.

We could go on and on, but why deprive the army of Tupperware hostesses (and hosts) of the opportunity to display the full line of wares? For information on how to contact them, call 1-800-858-7221.

THAW, HEAT, SERVE

Frozen foods have come a long way from the original TV dinners, becoming more adventuresome, appetizing, and attractive. Three manufacturers typify the progress that has led to creating meals that are quick and easy to prepare, yet nutritious and tasty.

Pasta Fresca from The Risers Corp., New Lexington, Ohio, is unlike any other pasta you may have experienced. Four Cheese Ravioli and Spinach & Feta Ravioli might not be that far off the beaten path, but they are just the beginning. A quartet of raviolis that come in a shell are startlingly different, imaginative combinations that are a treat to the palate: Jalapeno & Cheddar Ravioli in a Sweet Bell Pepper Shell; Portabella Ravioli in a Spinach Shell; Artichoke, Sun-Dried Tomato Ravioli in a Black Pepper Shell; and Black Bean & Salsa Ravioli with Corn in a Jalapeno Shell. New Age, southwestern, and Mexican fare meet Italian, and everybody--especially consumers --has come out a winner.

Asian Bowl entrees from King's Hawaiian, Torrance, Calif., bring single-serve chicken dishes out of the Chinese restaurant and into the freezer. Teriyaki, sweet and sour, and stir fry are sereviceable, each packaged with mixed vegetables and rice pilaf, while the chicken fried rice is accompanied by noodles and mixed vegetables. The two newest creations show more imagination, the Spicy Chicken Peanut Bowl adding crushed red chiles and crunchy peanuts to pep the dish up, while the Broccoli and Beef Bowl spices things up with ginger, garlic, sesame, and pineapple juice.

Even venerable Weight Watchers is treading on new ground with its Main Street Bistro selections. A dozen additions to the Smart Ones line include a mixed bag--some fairly boring, such as the two revolving around turkey breasts and the oven-roasted chicken; others timidly stretch, such as the golden baked garlic chicken and the chicken fettucini; and still others take some bold steps, making things interesting for bored dieters. This latter group includes Chicken Carbonara, which presents roasted chicken chunks in a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce with turkey bacon, basil, and garlic over a bed of linguini; Fajita Chicken Supreme, with white-meat strips overlaid on seared peppers, onions, and Santa Fe-style rice and beans; and Penne Pollo, with strips of white meat over tomatoes and broccoli in a basil garlic cream sauce with penne pasta. A few more like these can make dieting a lot less painful.

THAT'S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE SOUTH

No trip to New Orleans is complete without breakfast at Brennan's Restaurant, topped off with the world-renowned flaming Bananas Foster. Taking advantage of the restaurant's fame, Royal Resources, Inc., New Orleans, La., has come out with a line of Breakfast at Brennan's products for those who can't get down to Royal Street in the French Quarter.

Muffin mixes give you the choice of French breakfast puffs or Bananas Foster, to be served piping hot from the oven and covered with sweet savories--lemon curd, Grand Marnier strawberry, white Zinfandel, or Burgundy wine jellies. Wash them down with rich Colombian Supremo, French roast, or Rue Royale coffee, or, in sultry N'Orleans-type weather, mocha or cappuccino coffee on the rocks, or blend cafe au lait, mango, or Bananas Foster frozen drinks from preprepared packaged mixes.

Many Cajun and Creole dishes--crab cakes, croquettes, pork chops, fried chicken, etc.--live or die with their breading. A dull coating dooms a dish, no matter how hard you try to spice it up. If you hanker to be another Emile Lagasse or Paul Prudhomme (arguably New Orleans' most famous chefs), a good place to start is with a package of Plantation Breader from Pantego Plantation, Pantego, N.C. Corn flour blended with a variety of herbs and spices, the breader is a rare combination--spicy without being overwhelming; delicate without being wimpy--that complements, rather than dominates, everything from fish, meat, and vegetables to bread and biscuits. What's more, it's fat-, sugar-, and cholesterol-free. Just imagine--tasty and healthy!

CHEDDAR BECOMES CHALLENGING

Once upon a time, cheddar was just one of many different types of cheese. The bottom line was that cheddar simply was cheddar, a taste you could count on for being consistent. Those days are long gone, thanks to Cabot Creamery, Cabot, Vt.

Cheddar first began to expand its boundaries with varieties on the basic theme. The more daring could seek out sharp or extra sharp, while the timid could opt for mild. Now, the selection process is distinctly heady, with variations galore to stimulate any palate. Add-on ingredients run the gamut: sundried tomatoes, basil, black olives and red pimentos, roasted garlic, pesto, sage, peppercorns, garlic and herb, and onion and chive. You can get your Cabot cheddar smoked or light (fat reduced 50 or 75%) as The one constant is that mild Super Hot Habanero--the taste is terrific. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

HEY, GETCHA ICE-COLD SODA!

Coke and Pepsi may dominate the supermarket shelves, but there are a number of smaller bottlers turning out tasty, fun-filled sodas that are worth hunting for. For past and present residents of Brooklyn--which might be considered a borough of the U.S., rather than just of New York--there is the appeal of Olde Brooklyn Sodas from the Olde Brooklyn Beverage Co., Inc. Each of the six flavors we've tasted is named for a major Brooklyn neighborhood--Flatbush (orange soda), Greenpoint (grape), Coney Island (cream), Williamsburg (root beer), Brighton Beach (black cherry), and Bay Ridge (birch beer). All are reminiscent of sitting around the corner candy store, contemplating going to Ebbets Field to see Dem Bums, the original Dodgers, or just hanging around playing stoop ball or stickball. The flavors are robust, even the diet cream and diet root beer, and, best of all, come in 12-ounce bottles ideal for chugging, instead of a can that has to be poured into a glass, which would be hardly fitting for the Brooklyn image.

Another hearty bunch comes from Boylan Bottling Co., Haledon, N.J. Headliners are Boylan's signature birch beer--original, creamy red, and "no sugar here" diet--all of which have the sharp bite that appeals to aficionados. Boylan's flavors are intense and clearly earmarked for adults, with the Bottleworks line covering the standards--black cherry, grape, ginger ale, orange, creme, and root beer (regular and diet)--as they should be. Consumers used to the overly sweetened beverages of today may find these take some getting used to, but once they do they'll have a hard time going back to "kids' sodas."

CAN I HAVE A COOKIE, PLEASE?

Few things say welcome like a cookie jar perched on a kitchen counter. Kids and adults find them irresistible, especially when filled with a favorite snack. If the cookie jar takes the shape of beloved Disney characters, all the better. The people at the Selandia Division of Zak Designs Inc., Spokane, Wash., evidently agree, because they've cornered the market on the classic figures.

One particular personal favorite is the Mickey Roadster ($60), with Mickey and Minnie Mouse at the wheel of an old-fashioned flivver. The famous mice form the lid, lifting off so that the body of the car can be filled with cookies. Meanwhile, the Winnie the Pooh characters have assumed a prominent role in the Disney empire of late, and they are well-represented with an adorable black, orange, and yellow Tigger ($39.99) peering up at a ladybug perched on his head. Look for these whimsical cookie jars, along with a full line of dishes, mugs, and salt-and-pepper shakers, at gift, specialty, and department stores, as well as Disney outlets.

What good is a cookie jar without cookies? Silly question. Everyone has personal favorites, whether store-bought or home-baked. If you're looking for a new treat, though, consider the delicious group from Selma's Cookies, Altamonte Springs, Fla. No dainty nibble, these, but hefty quarterpounders that are soft, moist, and loaded with add-on ingredients. Chocolate chip supreme and oatmeal raisin deluxe are familiar treats, but the surprises come in peanut butter chocolate, white chocolate chip, coconut macadamia, and raspberry white chocolate, all of which will have you clamoring for more.

SWEET STUFF

People without a sweet tooth don't know what they're missing. Food, after all, is not merely fuel to keep the body running. We've got nothing against eating healthy, but save some room for dessert.

Chocoholics are in for a treat with Boulder Brownies from the Boulder Brownie Co., Stamford, Conn., a half-dozen variations on the basic theme that are moist, crunchy (where applicable), and marvelously dense. The Original basic brownie and Classic Munchie, which adds pecans, are time-honored versions, but the other four are real eye-openers. The Boulder Express adds the flavor of espresso; Rocky Mountain Road is highlighted by chocolate chips, walnuts, and marshmallows; Mountain Munchie blends in Snickers bars; and Boulder Blondie makes the supreme sacrifice for those strange sorts who aren't hooked on chocolate, opting for vanilla instead.

For a European chocolate treat gone American, try the Chocolate Orange from Tobler, Rye Brook, N.Y. A hit in England since 1932, this solid chocolate sphere, in milk or dark, unwraps in an unusual way. Whack it firmly on a hard surface; peel back the foil; then unfold 20 perfect wedges of smooth chocolate with a tantalizing orange flavor. Vitamin C it isn't, but why quibble?

As you might have gathered, we're suckers for anything with chocolate, but the folks from Cape Cod Provisions, Barnstable, Mass., lent us pause when we found out they were coating cranberries with it. We're not too proud to admit that they were right and we were wrong. Cape Cod Cranberry Candy bars--milk or dark chocolate with cranberry filling, and dark chocolate with cranberry and almonds--were interesting combinations. Bog Frogs, though, perked us up considerably. Taking sweetened dried cranberries and roasted cashews, smothering them with caramel, and then coating the whole glob in milk chocolate produced a gooey, crunchy delight. These are just the kind of candies designed to serve on Thanksgiving and, come to think of it, year round.

For those who insist upon being virtuous, but still find cravings that haunt them, there is help from Vitalicious Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y. Its moist, plump Vita Muffins can take the guilt out of indulging oneself, providing 15 vitamins and minerals amidst the good taste. Besides a wide variety of traditional muffins, there are three low-fat versions (corn, wild blueberry, and choco-chip); one nofat kind (multi bran); and a pair of sugarfree sorts (banana nut and wild blueberry). For those who eat their breakfasts on the run, as well as those who sit down more sanely at the kitchen table to start their day with a well-balanced breakfast, Vita Muffins are a good beginning.

SOUP'S ON

Soup suddenly has become one of the "in" foods, a far stretch from the homely staple that probably has been around since the first time a cavewoman threw a triceratops bone into boiling water. The "Soup Nazi" episode on "Seinfeld" triggered a horde of imitators, each desperately trying to outdo the others with exotic flavors, many of them straining in the realm of outlandish. Shelves in the supermarkets are now groaning under an ever-proliferating invasion of new soup companies, and the old standbys have been forced to wade into relatively unknown waters to keep pace with the new kids on the block.

Many companies can lay claim to cold weather tables for their soups, but Chalet Suzanne Foods, Lake Wales, Fla., has the ultimate topper: Their romaine soup was served aboard Apollo 15 and 16's flights to the moon, as well as the Apollo-Soyuz linkup. There are no dopes at Chalet Suzanne, so the romaine is now packaged as Moon Soup.

The rest of the Chalet Suzanne line may lack the space panache, but they definitely deserve space on your pantry shelves and, especially, dining room table. There's something for every taste, whether you prefer hearty soups (Cajun-style gumbo, French onion, broccoli, "old country" asparagus-potato, and the aforementioned Moon Soup), light (vichyssoise, gazpacho, chive, watercress, and cucumber), or seafood (Newburg bisque, New England clam chowder, Florida chowder, and seafood mushroom).

RELATED ARTICLE: Spicy Stories

The hot trend (literally) in food during the last decade of the 20th century was inflammatory assaults on the taste buds. It seemed Americans couldn't get to the point where dishes were too spicy, and products flowed in from around the world to cater to this demand. Well, it doesn't took like the 21 st century is going to bring about any radical changes. Hot and spicy will continue to reign in restaurants, at home, and on supermarket shelves.

Colony South Corp., Charleston, S.C., has been a long-time favorite of ours with its Bubba brand of rubs and marinades, especially Peppa Ketchup and Y'alsa Salsa, Now, the good ol' boys have added the Holy City Heat line featuring Charleston hot peppers, and they aren't fooling around. Holy City Heat, sizzling with cayenne peppers, is a hot sauce that truly lives up to its name, and anyone who buys Beastly Hot Sauce surely better know what to expect. Hot for hot's sake isn't everything, though. Add sweet--as in Mango Peppa Sauce and Sweet Potato Mustard--and you can put a Caribbean spin on your dishes.

Look south of the border to Mexican dishes, and you can count on spicy being among the first adjectives that leap to mind. The people behind the El Torito restaurant chain have succeeded very nicely with this approach, and have taken the next step into supermarkets to make ingredients for their signature dishes available to the public. Fire-roasted green chile, red bell pepper, and tomatillo enchilada sauces, as well as a range of fajita seasonings, impart a sense of Old Mexico as they heat up a variety of dishes. A marvelous accompaniment is Cilantro Pepita Caesar. a salad dressing that does double duty as a dipping sauce for chicken wings, vegetables, or potato skins.

For its name alone. Bone Suckin' Sauce is well-nigh irresistible. The folks at Ford's Foods. Inc.. Raleigh, N.C., didn't just stop with the name, however, and this North Carolina-style (vinegar-based) sauce is just what's needed to spice up ribs. barbecue, chicken, and even meat loaf. Throw in Ford's Hiccuppin' Hot Sauce and Big Chunks Salsa, and you've got one hot meal. The caloric quotient is dialed down somewhat in its Blessing's Mustard, which is totally unlike any mustard you've ever tasted. Sugar and molasses make the difference, but the paprika and jalapenos added in will get your attention. All of which helps explain why Ford's corporate motto is 'nuff said.

Spicy doesn't necessarily have to be hot. Georgia's Vidalia onions have been soaring in popularity because of their mild, sweet taste. Vidalia Onion Bros., St. Simons, Ga., have taken full advantage of their sweetness to invigorate ranch, tomato basil, honey mustard, Caesar, and fat-free vinaigrette salad dressings and make a succulent BBQ sauce. Just to show that Georgians aren't wimps, their Vidalia Hot Salsa can stand up to the meanest.

RELATED ARTICLE: MUSEUM MEMO

What's new in museums around the country? Among the more interesting exhibitions on view are:

Berlin Metropolis: Jews and the New Culture, 1890-1918, The Jewish Museum, New York, through April 23.

Millennial Dreams: Vision and Prophecy in American Folk Art, Museum of American Folk Art, New York, through May 14.

Norman Rockwell: Pictures for the American People, The Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, Mass., through Jan. 30.

Glass! Glorious Glass!, National Museum of American Art, Washington, D.C., through Jan. 30.

Frank Stella at 2000: Changing the Rules, Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, Fla., through March 12.

The Way Home: Ending Homelessness in America, The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., through Jan. 31.

Forgotten Gateway: The Abandoned Buildings of Ellis Island, The Museum of the City of New York, through Feb. 13.

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