A Sweet Chip

Diners in California restaurants have long been regaled with exotic (and nutritious--lots of vitamins A and C) potato chips made from sweet potatoes. Now they can find Tastee Sweet Chips in supermarkets, $1.09-$1.49 per four-ounce package. How Tastee got into this business--it specializes in cider and other apple products--we have no idea, but the chips are, well, tasty.

A Weird Chip

On the other hand, Sonoma Brand Dried Kiwifruit, available at health food stores and supermarkets, seems strictly for people who want Vitamin C, potassium and fiber. The extremely chewy slices smell a little like dried apricots dropped in a goldfish bowl that could use a change of water.

Do You Like Pink Meat?

Ever wonder why turkey baked in a gas oven sometimes develops a pink area below the surface? It’s usually a reaction of carbon monoxide with nitric oxides from the gas (they can also come from bacon or root vegetables cooked in the same oven). The result is a slight nitrite cure, like the one that makes ham pink.

Please Serve Chilled

A new Geyserville, Calif., winery has taken the name Chauffe-Eau, which its press release explains as “the classic French definition of geyser.” Not according to our dictionary, which says chauffe-eau means “water heater” (well, in England they do call water heaters “geysers”). Anyway, the wine is said to be pretty good.

Two Cheers for Stearic

A University of Texas study has found that stearic acid is not a big cholesterol culprit; beef tallow (22% stearic) and cocoa butter (35%) didn’t raise levels as much as butterfat. Stearic acid “won’t lower blood cholesterol,” cautions researcher Scott Grundy, “it just won’t raise it very much.”

Shaky Pizza

A Greenville, Miss., restaurant named Hello I’m Jell-O features not only gelatin salads and desserts but, for instance, a “Jell-O pizza.” The Wall Street Journal reports that owner Charles Shamoon is thinking of expanding it to a chain, possibly with the name changed (in response to Kraft Corp. complaints) to Hello I’m Made With Jell-O Brand Products.

More Dunkers From Down Under

Orowheat has added two new varieties of Australian Toaster Biscuits: corn bread (a little sweet) and cinnamon raisin (sweeter), at most supermarkets, $1.79 and $1.89. They swear they got the idea for these biscuits, which can be heated in a toaster, from a place in Australia named Dunk Island Resort.