Happy New Year! My name is Stephanie Zonis, and welcome to the January, 2000 edition of "For Chocolate Lovers Only". Each month, you'll find great recipes, tips, and recommendations on where to find chocolate specialties.

Chocolate Recommendation of the Month: January's Chocolate Recommendation, Chukar Cherries of Prosser, Washington, is an orchard-based, family-owned, small company named after a game bird that inhabits that state. As the name implies, much of their business is devoted to cherries (and other berries): fresh cherries (in season), dried cherries, dried berry medleys, fruit-based barbecue sauces and dessert toppings, jams, teas, baking and trail mixes. Luckily for the readers of this column, however, Chukar Cherries has also taken an interest in chocolate. This means that you'll find treats such as dried sweet Bing cherries covered in milk chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, not to mention a personal favorite of mine, their Truffled Chocolate Cherries. White chocolate is featured here, too: covering tart cherries in a berry cream; deliciously smothering dried blueberries; and coating berry truffles. The company has even branched out into nuts and coffee beans, including Milk Chocolate Toffee Pistachios and Mocha Latte Espresso Beans.

I have been eating these dried and chocolate-covered fruits for a number of years now; they're perfect for casual snacking or a gift that's a bit different (Valentine's Day is approaching, you know). All Chukar brands are free of sulfites, preservatives, artificial flavors, and hydrogenated fats. The catalog/website features very appealing descriptions and some photographs of their many products, gifts (including corporate gifts), recipes, and more. You can call Chukar Cherries at (800) 624-9544, fax them at (509) 786-2591, or check them out online at www.chukar.com.

Recipe Website of the Month: Do you like cookies? Who doesn't? Making cookies is intensely satisfying and downright fun (eating them is pretty cool, too). With this in mind, allow me to tell you about www.cookierecipe.com, the website that bills itself as "all cookies, all the time". I like this site very much. It's nicely laid out, you can get to any particular recipe or recipe group quickly, and the designers seem to have thought of everything. There's a Cookie of the Day and a recipe exchange. Searches can be done alphabetically or by cookie type (bar, refrigerator, drop, etc.), and there's a quick search as well. You'll find conversion tables for metric use (it is called "the worldwide web", remember?), and you can even print the recipes in full-page format or to fit index cards. And if you're one of millions of people who have dietary restrictions, there are sections on eggless, gluten-free, and sugar-free cookies. In addition, there's enough variety here for anyone (I don't have 45 different brownie recipes!) Many of the recipes are uncomplicated and suitable for novice cooks or young helpers. Whether you're searching for an old favorite cookie or something entirely new, www.cookierecipe.com is an ideal place to look.

Do you have a coment, question or suggestion? I'd like your input into this column. You can reach me at: sdziadwm@nac.net; please specify that you're writing regarding "For Chocolate Lovers Only".