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-- About four years ago, Portland, Ore., resident Brett Stern was watching someone on television explain how potato chips could be flavored when he looked down at the beer in his hand and thought: There's a good flavor. Why not start a company? He quickly discovered that the ideal domain name was available, and so his Beer Chips were born.

The former industrial designer reduces bock-style beer to a powder that he sprinkles on kettle-cooked potato chips; he uses the same process to make his Margarita and Spicy Bloody Mary flavors as well. The chips are slightly sweet and fairly salty, in addition to the great taste of . . . . His chips are making their way toward East Coast retail stores; for now, order them (nine-ounce bag, $3.49, with other sizes available) online at http://www.beerchips.com.

-- They might be called gourmet crackers; we prefer to think of them as highly evolved snacks, or possibly a new jam delivery system at breakfast. A relatively new company called Urban Oven of Tempe, Ariz., makes all-natural crackers that are much more like a thin, savory shortbread in texture than a mere saltine. Their sturdiness makes them a good match with creamy cheeses and dips. We liked the asiago and rosemary-Parmesan flavors best; others are classic white, lemon-black pepper and olive oil. $6 for a 7.5-ounce package; available at Dean and Deluca, 3276 M St. NW, 202-342-2500, and several online gourmet food purveyors. For more information, go to http://www.urbanoven.com.