Nirvana In A Jar

Today, my companion brought home the March issue of New York Spirit: Resources For Natural Living. Among the magazine's coverlines were "How to Beat the Winter Blues" and "The Fast Track to Enlightenment." I have my own recipe, however unwholesome, for beating the blues; it involves a spoon and a jar of Guido Gobino's Crema Gianduja. This creamy chocolate-hazelnut spread is about 50 times better than Nutella; it contains 34% IGP hazelnuts from Italy's Piedmont region and not a whit of vegetable fat filler. Fold it into a crepe, smear it on a piece of toast, refrigerate it till it turns fudgy, or just spoon it out of the jar right into your mouth. It might not steer you towards enlightenment, but you might reach nirvana!

Guido Gobino's Crema Gianduja, and the darker, more cocoa-y Crema Al Cacao spread can be found at Chelsea Market's Buon Italia (75 9th Avenue, (212) 633-9090). It is also sold, along with other scrumptious Gobino products, at Grom Gelato (233 Bleecker St.).