We don’t often head to McDonald’s to have a burger: Our neighborhood is dotted with gourmet burger emporia that command our attention.

But one of Mickey D’s new Quarter Pounders will have us stopping in more frequently.

Updating the Quarter Pounder menu—the QP was introduced more than 40 years ago—are three new varieties with different toppings:

 
THE WINNER

While each will have its fans, to us the Bacon Habañero Ranch Quarter Pounder Burger is tops. We’re more than happy that “hot and spicy” is now a menu option at the world‘s second largest restaurant chain*.

The spicy hot habanero ranch sauce is so enjoyable that we’ll be making a simple version at home: Mix mayonnaise, ranch dressing or Russian dressing sriracha† or other hot sauce.

The new burgers are available at participating locations for a recommended price of $3.99. We’re lovin’ it.
 
*Subway is the world’s largest restaurant chain.

†Sriracha is a hot chili sauce from Thailand. It is made from sun-ripened chile peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. It can be found in the Asian aisle of some supermarkets, in Asian grocery stores and online.

Now you can roll out of bed in the morning and…have a bar of chocolate?

Awake Chocolate, created by three friends in Toronto, contains the same caffeine kick as a 20-ounce cup of coffee or a 250ml energy drink.

Alas, compared to calorie-free or low-cal cup of coffee (that is, unless you start piling on the sugar), it has the same calories as a bar of chocolate. Let us hastily add that the company doesn’t propose a chocolate bar for breakfast. Rather, it’s intended as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

Depending on where you buy your coffee, it might be a cost-effective alternative: $2.49 per 44g bar.

The bar launched last summer in Canada, and is now entering the U.S. with two flavors: Milk Chocolate and Milk Chocolate Caramel—a thin layer of caramel in the center.

In milk chocolate and milk chocolate caramel. Photo courtesy Awake Chocolate.

FUNCTIONAL FOOD

Awake belongs to a category called functional food: products that contain an ingredient or ingredients that provide nutrition or other benefit(s) beyond what is provided by the traditional varieties of said food. Examples include orange juice with calcium, probiotic yogurt and vitamin-enhanced water.

Of course, when you’re in need of a jolt of caffeine, you might not care about the source.

Learn more on the company website, AwakeChocolate.com.

If you need a snazzy July 4th gift, these red, white and blue macarons are sure to impress.

From one of our favorite chocolatiers, Richart, they are made with the finest ingredients, including Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar.

A gift box of 12 macarons is $18.00; a large box of 25 macarons is $37.00. Buy them at Richart-Chocolates.com.
  
MACARONS VERSUS MACAROONS

What’s the difference?

The original macarons were made by Italian monks of ground almonds, egg whites and sugar.

Theose maccarone were the ancestors of today’s Amaretti cookies, which were created by Francesco Moriondo, pastry chef of the Court of Savoy, in the mid-17th century.

Because they contained no flour, macaroons were kosher for Passover. At some point, the Jews of Europe incorporated shredded coconut to make a more cakelike coconut macaroon.

During the French Revolution (1789-1799), two nuns seeking asylum in the town of Nancy paid for their housing by baking and selling the macaroon cookies—or macarons, pronounced mah-kah-RONE in French.

Today’s popular gourmet French cookie sandwich called macaron—two meringues sandwiched with ganache—was invented by Parisian pastry chef Pierre Desfontaines Ladurée at the beginning of the 20th century. Over the years, he developed many flavors of macarons—from cassis to violet. If you’re in Paris or New York City, stop into his stores to see the rainbow of airy delights.

Here’s the whole history of macarons.

HOW MANY COOKIE TYPES HAVE YOU TRIED?

Check out some of the world’s most popular cookies in our delicious Cookie Glossary.