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MarketBasket: Beer bonbons

MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer

Posted: March 12, 2009

Beer bonbons

Beer and chocolate have long been classic companions. But they can now be savored in the same sweet gulp with this exquisite six-pack of brew-infused truffles from Christopher Curtin of West Chester's Éclat Chocolate. Crafted as a limited edition fundraiser for Philly Beer Week, Curtin tapped six outstanding local beers to flavor these confections. I especially liked the bright smack of Victory's Hop Wallop, the dark richness of Stoudt's Fat Dog imperial stout, and the fruity pucker of Iron Hill's Belgian-style cassis sour ale.

- Craig LaBan

Beer truffles, $15 a six-pack ($3 goes to the nonprofit that runs Philly Beer Week), from Éclat, 24 South High St., West Chester, 610-692-5206, www.eclatchocolate.com or

Fork: etc.,

306 Market St., 215-625-9425.

A pretty pilsner

Sip your beer in style with this hand-blown Pilsner-style glassware from Simon Pearce. And this week, to celebrate the company's Irish heritage for St. Patrick's Day - (The first shop opened in Kilkenny, Ireland, nearly 40 years ago) - the company will throw in a medium-sized Ventura glass bowl ($65) with the purchase of any 2 beer glasses. The offer is valid through March 17.

- Maureen Fitzgerald

Simon Pearce tall Hartland glass, holds 16 ounces, from the Polished Plate, 101 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield, 856-428-2696 www.thepolishedplate.com or www.simonpearce.com.

Feel-good treats

Invented by a father who wanted a better candy bar for his children, these new bars from Q.bel skip the high-fructose corn syrup, preservatives, artificial flavors, and colorings - and taste good, too. Dark chocolate (from Belgium) is the first ingredient listed in the Crunchy Crispy Wafer rolls, one of the favorites of our tasters, followed by good stuff like soy flour, molasses, and malted barley flour.

- M.F.

Q.bel chocolate candy bars, $1.39 to $1.69 at Whole Foods stores.