So, serve a “skinny” cheese course. If you present self-serve selections—large wedges or wheels on a tray—the temptation exists for people to help themselves to 500 calories or more of cheese (not to mention the bread or crackers).

Instead, pre-plate the cheeses for everyone, with a one-ounce slice of one great cheese and a bit of gourmet salad greens lightly tossed with vinaigrette. Put one large crouton (a slice of toasted baguette) or specialty cracker on each plate to avoid the temptation of a bread basket.

• Drizzle a chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano with aged fine balsamic vinegar and a small frisée salad.
• Serve a fine blue cheese or a goat cheese with a drizzle of quality honey, some red grapes and dressed field greens.
• How about a wedge of Brie or Camembert with a plump fig and a few walnut halves with a baby arugula salad; or your favorite Cheddar with a fan of apple slices and red-leaf lettuce?

Serve large wedges of cheese and people will
help themselves to large portions. Instead,
pre-cut and serve just one or two slices to
everyone. Photo courtesy Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

Have fun devising your own combinations and garnishes. Add a basket of fresh fruit to the table to finish your meal.

• Read our Cheese Condiments article for more ideas.

Now, lovers of the Hershey’s classics Almond Joy, Hershey’s Special Dark and York Peppermint Pattie can enjoy their favorites as hard-coated Pieces Candies. We love all the originals, so can’t wait to try the new versions.

For the next two weeks, you can mail in a full-size candy bar wrapper from Almond Joy, Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Bar, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup or York Peppermint Pattie. If you are one of the first 25,000, you’ll get back a coupon to exchange for a free bag of the corresponding Pieces. Now if that’s not a reason to go out to buy a candy bar, what is?

E.T., come back. There are three more kinds of Pieces waiting for you to try!

Find more of our favorite candies in our Candy Section.

Reese’s Pieces now has three crunchy, chocolaty siblings! Photo courtesy of Hershey’s.

Dazzle your Valentine with edible works
of art from Julie Hinton Chocolatier. Photo
by Evan Dempsey | THE NIBBLE.

Even in this cloudy economy, it seems that another fine chocolatier pops up each week. More than a few are leaving corporate America for second careers—and hopefully will be as successful as Joan Coukos of Chocolat Moderne, Mary Leonard of Chocolat Céleste and Kee Ling Tong of Kee’s Chocolates—other NIBBLE Top Picks.

In this edition, Part V of our search for America’s best artisan chocolate (find parts I-IV of the chocolate reviews), our travels take us to:

• Alegio Chocolate in Berkeley
• Julie Hinton Chocolatier in Greater Nashville
• Neo Cocoa in San Francisco
• Sucré in New Orleans

Click on the individual links above to go directly to a chocolatier, or start with the article overview.

Then, smack your lips, and consider buying something for any loved one who loves chocolate. Feel free to put yourself on that list.