MarketBasket | A firecracker Fourth

Pop! goes the plate.

Earthenware appetizer or side plates with a patriotic holiday theme help set a party mood.

- Marilynn Marter

Firecracker plates, 5.5-inch, $4.95 each. At Crate and Barrel, King of Prussia, or www.crateandbarrel.com.

Fresher longer

The airtight, snap-and-lock silicone-gasket lids on OSO*Fresh storage units help preserve food flavors and nutrients.

But it's the FDA approved micro-silver-particle infused polypropylene containers themselves that block bacterial growth up to 99 percent to keep foods fresh three to four times longer. - M.M.

OSO*Fresh food storage set, 6 containers (10-ounce to 1.9-gallons), $34.99. At Bloomingdales, King of Prussia and Willow Grove.

Old style, new flavors

Hand-crafted and organic, the home-style chocolate fudge made by Philadelphian Liz Begosh is designed for today's tastes.

Flavor variations include salted peanut, balsamic, lava (with chipotle pepper, cinnamon, spices and a dusting of red sea salt), lavender mint, java (chocolate-coffee blend), and a goat's milk fudge accented with rosemary.- M.M.

Betty's Tasty Buttons fudge, 1 pound box, $20. At Mugshots, 110 Cotton St. in Manayunk and Reading Terminal Market (Fair Trade Farm Stand). See www.bettysfudge.com.