Forget fudge. For a homemade food gift that sings, opt for a Mediterranean spice blend. By Martha Rose Shulman

Government support and higher demand spur true farmers markets, not outposts for peddlers. By Deborah Madison

'Honest Stores' sell tea -- and test a city's ethics. Who do you trust? L.A., New York, D.C., Boston? By Louisa Kasdon