But you don't have to go to Alaska for this delectable fish. Instead, just head for Copper River Fine Seafoods (www.copperriverseafood.com). The site offers a variety of fresh- and smoked-seafood products as well as recipes for preparing the fish. You should know, however, that there's a 10-pound minimum for most fish orders, so you'd better like what you choose.

Having trouble finding your favorite Costa Rican or Italian-roast coffee or Ceylon tea? Then check out the Baltimore Coffee & Tea Company (www.baltimorecoffee.com). The only thing missing from this site is the smell of the beans. This Maryland-based coffee roaster offers an amazing selection of coffees and teas from around the world, including more than 600 varieties of tea, from such well-known companies as Fortnum & Mason, Republic of Tea, and Good Earth Herbal Teas.

Nothing is more annoying than finding the perfect recipe and then spending days or weeks tracking down that one exotic herb or spice. Well then, be frustrated no more. Thanks to The Spice House (www.thespicehouse.com), virtually every herb, spice, and seasoning is only a mouse click away. Whether it's everyday favorites (basil, thyme) or the truly bizarre (epazote, pomegranate molasses), you'll be hard-pressed to find a more bountiful selection. Each spice comes with recipes and a description of its uses, and you can order the spice in small amounts or in bulk. The cost is frequently less than what you would pay in a store -- that is, if you could find it there in the first place!

If you're looking for exotic ingredients, you may also be interested in ethnic foods. EthnicGrocer.com (www.ethnicgrocer.com) is the one-stop shop for ingredients in foods from five regions of the world: Asia, the Mediterranean, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. Looking to explore some unfamiliar or exotic cuisine? Just choose a country, and the site will give you a brief introduction to the land, its people, and the local cuisine. There are even recipes for typical meals. If you find one you'd like to prepare, click on the "Buy Ingredients For This Recipe" button, and the ethnic items will automatically be added to your shopping cart. Now all you have to do is convince your kids to eat what you cook.

Gina Imperato (gimperato@fastcompany.com) is an associate editor at Fast Company. Her to-die-for lasagna recipe is available via email.

Action Item: Recipe for Success

Are you tired of spilling red sauce on Mom's beloved lasagna recipe? Kitchen Assistant from Brother is a recipe computer that's small enough to fit on your kitchen counter. You can enter your own recipes or purchase one of several digital cookbooks that are available. Need a shopping list to take to the grocery store? Just press a button to print one out. (-- Liz Zack)

Coordinates: $299. Brother Internat'l, 888-879-3232 (www.brother.com); Bloomingdale's nationwide (www.bloomingdales.com)

Sidebar: Vintage Sites

Buying wine over the Web is not exactly a killer app -- especially for typical wine consumers who often need to pick up a bottle as they are heading out to a dinner party. And legal restrictions make it hard to ship wine across state lines.

But there's more to wine than just buying it. And that's where the Web delivers. If you're looking for a recommendation, swing by Prime Wine (www.primewines.com) and try its decision-making tool. Select a taste preference (dry, fruity, semidry), color (red or white), and food (pasta, red meat, fish, and so forth), and the search engine will retrieve a description of a suitable wine, its cost, and a picture of its label.

For the connoisseur, Tastings. com (www.tastings.com) offers ratings for wine, beer, and liquor. You can search the site for a specific beverage or category (all Napa Valley cabernets scoring better than 80 points, for instance). You can also find an in-depth list of wineries, breweries, and distillers that includes addresses, phone numbers, and links to their Web sites.

There is certainly one reason to use the Web for wine -- to send it as a gift. If that's what you're looking for, look no further than Send.com (www.send.com). Each bottle will be dusted, wrapped in a white linen napkin, sealed with a copper- embossed band, and accompanied by a handwritten note. One word of caution: The service isn't cheap.