Forget tortilla chips and all of those other artery-clogging varieties. Turn your attention toward banana chips by Samai, which are made from the highest quality, hand-picked fruits. As if you don’t already have enough decisions to make, you can select between flavors (we didn’t know such options existed): lightly Salted, jungle chili, naturally sweet and natural.

Technorati Tags: Charles & Marie, Epicurean delight, gourmet

Melted chocolate is one of life’s more pleasurable luxuries, but stirring a bar over a hot pot is just so darn time-consuming when you’ve got emails to answer and finger nails to file. Enter Lava Bar: the world’s first liquid chocolate bar. It’s packaged in a take-anywhere, no-mess squeezable pouch containing gourmet Lava Chocolate. We’re consuming it in mass quantities and toting it along on our end-of-summer picnics. Pour it over ice cream, fresh fruit, cookies or brownies.

Technorati Tags: Charles & Marie, chocolate, Epicurean delight, Sweets

We love citrus. Suffice it to say, Pure Orange Extract is the perfect complement to all of our other addictions: vanilla, chocolate, strawberries, creams and custards. This little secret is a great way to enhance rice, chicken and fish dishes.

Technorati Tags: Charles & Marie, Epicurean Delight

As we all know, variety is the spice of life. Well, check this out: Epicentre spices offer plenty of variety, plus beautifully packaged embossed tins. There’s a collection for your every whim: Asian, Indian, Mediterranean and Mexican. We suggest purchasing one of each and experimenting with the intoxicating contents.

Technorati Tags: Charles & Marie, cooking, Epicurean delight, ingredients

We’re fawning over these fabulous little creations. Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company boasts an award-winning Pemaquid Point Lobster Pot Pie that’s bursting with Maine lobster meat in a sherry-infused cream sauce. As a whimsical treat, they’ve adorned each one with a lobster-shaped puff pastry decoration. So darling!

Technorati Tags: Charles & Marie, cooking, Epicurean delight, food, gourmet

The newly renovated Ferry Building in San Francisco has plenty of surprises in store for visitors, but you mustn’t forget to pay homage to Fat Calf Charcuterie.  The offerings are quite impressive, from duck liver pate to homemade chorizo and meat sauces. Finnocchiaona, a tuscan fennel salami, tops our list of must-trys. Just be sure to eat light the day before (and the week after) to make up for all that sinful meaty goodness.

Technorati Tags: Charles & Marie, Epicurean delight, food, gourmet

When Brangelina went on tour, err, we mean had little Shiloh, we’re certain the couple must have brought back a few African spices (they’re simply to die for). Here in the states, we’ll happily settle for North African Spiced Couscous by Nirmala’s Kitchen. It’s infused with warm paprika and a slight hint of cumin to transport your palate to the northern part of Africa where couscous is used to soak up the juices from a savory, vegetable, meat, or seafood tagine.

Technorati Tags: Charles & Marie, Epicurean delight, food, gourmet, ingredients

We’re a bit early with this announcement, but we thought we should start preparing you for fall’s bounty. Cowgirl Creamery’s not-to-be-missed Pierce PT is produced only in the fall and winter. It’s semi-firm but still creamy and never overpowering, so it will stay fresh on your memory year-round. Made from organic whole milk from the Straus Family dairy, this cheese is washed in a muscato wine and rolled in dried herbs from the Tomales Bay coastal region (my, how we love our travels up the northern California coast!).

Technorati Tags: Charles & Marie, Epicurean delight, gourmet, cheese

Fellow foodies, if you haven’t tried Grand Traverse Pie Company’s Festival Cherry Rhubarb pie, you are missing out on one of life’s greatest pleasures. This is a clever combo of rhubarb and tart cherries, aptly named after Traverse City’s annual Cherry Festival.

Technorati Tags: cake, Charles & Marie, Epicurean delight, gourmet, Sweets

Walnut oil is said to be liquid gold for one’s palette and health (think omega 3s). It turns out that it’s somewhat of an outsider in the world of oil (olive oil is its stiffest competitor, of course). It’s also a cure for many ailments, including stomach and skin problems, tuberculosis, hair loss, diabetes and various other afflictions. And yes—it tastes super, too. La Tourangelle makes one that really is worth its weight in gold. Check this one out!

Technorati Tags: Charles & Marie, cooking, Epicurean delight, gourmet, ingredients, oil