While there’s been plenty of bad news related to our nation’s economic woes, there also have been some positive changes that I suspect will play a major role in how Americans shop for specialty food and housewares in the coming years. One of the most promising trends I’ve seen is that consumers are investing in quality again. As in the good old days, when you bought the best so it would last, we’re moving away from a disposable mentality and setting our sights on products that represent a solid value, but also quality and craftsmanship — products like the ones featured here.


A Better Blend
I didn’t realize how much pleasure could be derived from blending until I tried the Oster® Blender with Touch Screen Technology. Now I’m looking for excuses to pulse, blend and crush ice — smoothies anyone? It’s so easy to use, while its sleek design is easy on the eyes — and the best part is that it works like a pro. Replacing traditional buttons, the smooth face of this appliance illuminates when touched and turns to black when not in use. When illuminated, the interfaces quickly reveal appliance control settings and timers for easy operation. The Oster® Blender features 450 watts of power, 5 Speeds + Pulse, 30-second Timed Frozen Drink Setting with Auto Shut Off, stainless steel ice crusher blade for smooth frozen drinks and shakes, and an All-Metal Drive™ system for durability and performance. Attractive packaging, which reads: “Legendary Performance Built to Last,” seals the deal. For more information, visit www.jardencs.com.


Zest for Life
What can I say? The Microplane three-in-one Ultimate Citrus Tool rocks my world. I’m a huge fan of lemon, orange and lime zest, so I’m always adding it to salads, pasta and fish dishes. The Microplane Citrus Tool produces perfectly grated zest in seconds. It’s also comfortable in your hand. It’s got an elliptically shaped, soft-touch handle that comes in three colors: Zesty Yellow, Lime Green and Citrus Orange. The tool also features a patented surgical-grade stainless steel Fine Microplane® blade, which is incidentally the company’s best-selling blade style, and two decorative garnishing blades in a large (0.297-inch diameter) and small (0.188-inch diameter) size. These blades let you make very cool cocktail garnishes. A handy, protective cover is included. The MSRP is $12.95. For more information, visit http://us.microplane.com.


A Divine of the Times
Everybody needs a little decadence in their lives, especially when it’s an affordable indulgence like the ones provided by Simply Divine Brownies. The delicious creation of Trina and Meggen Beaulier — a mother-daughter team out of Freeport, Maine — Simply Divine Brownies are baked from scratch using the finest confections. The result of their efforts is incredibly delicious and beautiful to boot. Simply Divine offers more than 35 brownie flavors and toppings, from a traditional chocolate brownie to Gluten-Free Brownies to a Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie (one of my faves) and a Chakra Cherry Brownie (my No. 1 fave). Their Silhouettes brownies — which are hand-cut and hand-decorated — are designed for every occasion, including birthdays. The Birthday Cupcake, featured here, comes complete with a candle and retails for $6.75. For more information, call 888-327-6964 toll-free or visit www.simplydivinebrownies.com.


Smith’s for Sharp Knives and Scissors
Sometimes you feel like electric; sometimes you don’t. At least that’s how I feel about knife sharpening. Thanks to the new Diamond Edge Gourmet Electric/Manual Knife & Scissors Sharpener from Smith’s®, you can have the best of both worlds in one handy appliance. The product features interlocking diamond abrasive wheels for fast, precise and equal sharpening of both sides of a knife blade at the same time. It also includes a ceramic sharpening slot for polishing a freshly ground edge and sharpening serrated blades. The patented scissors sharpener with a “Pull 2 Lock” storage system makes scissor sharpening fast and easy. For more information, visit www.smithabrasives.com.


Probiotic Perfection
I had just written something on how probiotics can help compete with harmful bacteria and strengthen our immune system — and specifically about a new study in the March issue of Postgraduate Medicine, which suggests that a strain of probiotic bacteria, GanedenBC30, increases the body’s immune response to colds and the flu — when I picked up a quart of Yovation™ from Pierre’s Ice Cream Company. Then it all made delicious sense. Yovation™ is a new premium, probiotic frozen yogurt that starts with traditional, live and active yogurt cultures, and then adds a probiotic culture, GanedenBC30. Yovation has launched with six yummy flavors, all of which satisfy as a rich and creamy dessert: Cookie Fudge Crunch, Double Fudge Brownie, Toasted Almond, Vanilla Bean, Vanilla Honey Granola, and Vanilla with ¡Hola Fruta!® Pomegranate & Blueberry Sherbet. A quart of Yovation™ has an MSRP of $4.79-$4.99 and is certified Kosher (OU-D) by the Orthodox Union. For more information, visit www.MyYovation.com.


Organic Fair Trade, Fairly Gorgeous Spices
The new spice collection from the Santa Barbara-based Spicy Gourmet Organics Inc. is a real stunner. The presentation — a striking black box with celadon green writing — is the perfect way to bring home the enticing aromas and sensual flavors of India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The Spicy Gourmet Spice Blending Collection has everything home cooks need to expand their repertoire and easily master classic spice blends and authentic regional dishes in one attractive, all-inclusive package. What’s more, all of the spices in the collection are USDA Certified Organic and Fair Trade — sourced from small organic family farms, not plantations. The Spicy Gourmet is a complete package that includes the following: 12 tins and four sachets of organic Fair Trade spices; an attractive package that makes a perfect gift and is made from 100-percent recyclable materials; a powerful proprietary electric spice mill for releasing the flavor of whole spices; and a 24-page color booklet featuring easy recipes for authentic spice blends and classic dishes, plus tips for storing, milling, mixing, roasting and cooking with spices. For more information, visit www.thespicygourmet.com.