A line of artisan pestos created by a Bernard La Grand, a Canadian musican-turned-chef and his wife, who was then four months pregnant, is gaining cult status. La Grand even has recipes online for using sun-dried tomato, garden and nuts-and-cheese pestos at home.

La Maison Le Grand pestos, $6.99 each at Whole Foods stores or online at maisonlegrand.com/en/.

- Dianna Marder

Serve in style

These damask- patterned, vinyl-covered wipe-and-go trays prove elegance can be easy. Perfect for outdoor entertaining, right on through the holidays. Made in Turkey and available in red, green and black.

Vietri damask trays $32 each at The Polished Plate, 101 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield, N.J. 856-428-2696 or www.thepolishedplate.com/

- D. M.

An old favorite

I honestly hadn't noticed they were gone, but I am glad they are back. Archway cookies, which declared bankruptcy a year ago this month, was bought by Lance Inc. and has resumed production of the same old-fashioned, classic cookies I remember from my childhood: the coconut macaroons, the iced molasses, and the Dutch cocoa, just to name a few.

Archway cookies, about $3 per 9-ounce tray at major grocery stores.

- Maureen Fitzgerald