Consuming Passions

Photos by Davies + Starr.

For the
Obsessive Chocoholic

(1) Scharffen Berger el carmen: This small-batch bar, made with beans from a single Venezuelan source, wrings a complex, fruity flavor from its 75 percent cacao content ($6 at Scharffen Berger, 473 Amsterdam Ave., nr. 83rd St.; 212-362-9734).

Vial of edible-gilt Decores.

(2/3) Chocolat Michel Cluizel: The esteemed chocolatier’s New York satellite, recently opened at ABC Carpet & Home, is a holiday-gift haven. We especially love the vial of edible-gilt Decores ($8) and the glazed oranges dipped in chocolate ($65 per pound) (888 Broadway, at 19th St.; 212-477-7335).

(4) Café Sabarsky’s Schokolade versu: Pastry chef Pierre Reboul has miniaturized two of the kaffeehaus’s favorite desserts—the Sabarsky torte and the Sachertorte—and packaged them with his elegant version of coconut macaroons ($8 at Café Sabarsky, 1048 Fifth Ave., at 86th St.; 212-288-0665).

(5) Sullivan Street Bakery biscotti di cioccolato: Jim Lahey’s version of a dark-chocolate butter cookie is thin, ever-so-slightly bitter, and melt-in-your-mouth crumbly ($5.50 at Sullivan Street Bakery, 73 Sullivan St., nr. Broome St.; 212-334-9435).

(6) Vosges exotic caramels: Intriguingly spiced and artfully made, these oversized confections come in ingenious flavor combinations like blood orange and Campari, flecked with hibiscus powder, and rose-water-pink-peppercorn ($25 at Vosges Haut-Chocolat, 132 Spring St., nr. Greene St.; 212-625-2929).

Where to Find Hanukkah Fun	Holiday Movies on the Big Screen
Shop for a Cause	Q&A With a Christmas Cottage Clerk
Traditional, International Sweets	Seasonal Concerts and Shows
Department Stores' Holiday Windows	Tree and Lights Displays
Makeshift Shopping Villages	A Nutcracker for Every Taste
The 2008 Gift Finder	Find Decorations on Shop-A-Matic
Best Bets: Holiday-Party Ideas	Events for Kids