Having Chocolate Your Own Way !

Does black licorice and bubble gum-flavored ice cream with candied ginger pieces sound tantalizing to you? A customer at eCreamery, an online build-your-own-flavor ice cream site, recently ordered that exact flavor combo, which prompted the company's customer service to call the client, confirming it wasn't a mistake.

It wasn't. "Taste is subjective," says Becky App, co-owner of the Omaha, Neb.-based frozen treats business, passing no judgment on her client's eclectic cravings.

Food, clothing, cars, just about anything we consume these days is customizable. We want it our own way. And we can have it, thanks to the Internet. Dozens of entrepreneurs have recently launched online startups that offer personalized products from men's dress shirts to laptop sleeves. Easy click applications make it simple for customers to design their own products, press "add to cart," and then — voila— their very own ____ (insert product) will be at their doorsteps in three to five business days.

We checked out the latest in customized food product sites and discovered two obvious perks: You have more control over what goes into your food and can have fun creating your own flavor concoction and even naming it! The downside, however, is that having it your way will — as might be expected – cost more.

WHAT: Chocri (createmychocolate.com), build-your-own chocolate bar.

HOW IT WORKS: Choose a chocolate bar base (white, milk, dark or combination) and up to five toppings. With more than 100 topping choices (gummy bears, gold flakes, bacon, and plum bits etc.), there are billions of possibilities. Create your own name for the bar. (Up to 50 characters).

WHY CUSTOMIZE: "It's a personalized and thoughtful gift. And you can make it taste exactly the way you want. People really enjoy creating their own bar, becoming their own little product manager. And it's made on demand, so there's freshness," says Carmen Magar, of Chocri USA.

INTERESTING COMBOS: Pesto (dark chocolate, pine nuts and basil); White Christmas (milk and white chocolate, gingerbread spice, mini Christmas cookies, mini snowflakes) Santa's Favorite (roasted almonds, cinnamon, real gold flakes, toffee).

HOW MUCH: about $8-$13 (depending on topping choices), 3.5 oz (two bars) plus shipping.

WHAT: Element Bars (elementbars.com), build your own energy bar.

HOW IT WORKS: Start with a core — chewy, crispy, oaty, datey — then add fruits, nuts, sweeteners (honey, agave syrup) and boosts (omega-3, fiber). As you pile on ingredients, a side nutrition panel displays the counts for the key nutrition facts. For most ingredients, you have the option to choose organic. An added feature warns you if certain ingredients won't work well together, like agave syrup and an oaty core.

WHY CUSTOMIZE: "I used to buy off-the-shelf energy bars, and crash midmorning from all the sugar," says Jonathan Miller, founder of Element Bars. "People can order bars that meet their taste and nutrient needs. Something an athlete needs is different from a mom on the go."

FUNNY-NAMED BARS: "I'm Awesome"; "Bad Pro Crispy Bar"; "Sorry I Wrecked Your Car."

HOW MUCH: $35.88 for 12 bars ($2.99 a bar) plus shipping.

WHAT: eCreamery (ecreamery.com), custom ice cream and gelato.

HOW IT WORKS: Begin with a non-dairy sorbetto, gelato or ice cream base and then choose up to two flavorings. Good luck trying to decide from the more than 50 choices (avocado, stout, sea salt caramel, to name a few). Then select up to two mix-ins (butter brickle anyone?) And finally, name your masterpiece. Since the ice cream is shipped in dry ice and a reusable cooler, there's no need to worry about it melting in transit. The ice cream arrives so frozen there's a warning not to chip your teeth, says co-owner Becky App.

WHY CUSTOMIZE: "Every single order is made from scratch with specialty ingredients," says App. "We see a lot of people have connections to ice cream over a lifetime. They make a flavor based on a memory or special occasion. One daughter gave a flavor to her father they had every summer vacation."

HOLIDAY FLAVORS: White chocolate peppermint bark, chocolate cocoa ice cream with marshmallow, eggnog and cinnamon.

HOW MUCH: $49.99 for a half gallon (four pint-size containers) plus $20 shipping.

WHAT: Custom Choice Cereal (customchoicecereal.com), gluten-free cereals.