CHECK OUT : NEWS AND TIPS.

CONTEST ALERT: Eagle Brand condensed milk now is available in chocolate. The product is easy to use as a topping straight from the can, an ingredient in candies or baked goods and much more. Each 14-ounce can of Eagle Brand Creamy Chocolate costs $2.60 to $2.85.

There are so many ways to use the new product that Eagle Brand is putting chocolate lovers' and dessert makers' creativity to the test and encouraging cooks to enter their recipes in the Eagle Brand Creamy Chocolate Chocolate Dream Competition. For an official entry form, including complete rules/judging criteria, send a self-addressed, stamped No. 10 envelope to Eagle Brand Creamy Chocolate Chocolate Dream Entry Requests, c/o Borden Foods Corp., Product Publicity, 32nd Floor, 180 E. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio 43215-3799. All entries must be received no later than Dec. 31.

PACKED SHELVES: Suffering from food-shopping overload? There's good reason. In 1960, there were 6,000 products in U.S. supermarkets; in 1990, there were 30,000, according to Consumer Reports figures cited in American Demographics magazine.

FREEBIE LEAFLETS: The California Milk Advsory Board is offering two free brochures - one listing California cheesemakers who provide cheeses by mail (a great help for holiday gift-giving) - and the other offering delicious ideas for entertaining. The Easy Entertainer leaflet contains color photos of yummy-sounding creations such as Apple and Walnut Brie, Southwest Pizza, Jack Quesadilla and more. For a free copy of each, send a self-addressed, stamped (32 cents postage) No. 10 envelope to: Mail Order/Easy Entertainers, California Milk Advisory Board, P.O. Box 4680, Modesto, Calif. 95352.

PASTEURIZED EGG WHITES: Substituting egg whites for whole eggs in some recipes is another way to cut down on saturated fat and cholesterol. Now, pasteurized liquid egg whites (the real thing, not a substitute) are available in stores and by mail. Eggology egg whites, which contain no additives and are kosher, can be used in omelettes, meringues and souffles. Because they are pasteurized, they are safe to use raw in shakes, smoothies and mousses. They come in a 64-ounce clear plastic bottle, which contains about 80 egg whites and lasts up to four months in the refrigerator and can be frozen up to a year.

Eggology egg whites are sold at Bristol Farms (Pasadena, Woodland Hills, Westlake Village) and Wild Oats Market (Pasadena, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood). Suggested retail price is $17.95 per container. If you can't find them at a store close to you, they can be ordered for $18.95, including shipping, by calling [phone].

CONSUMING WINE: You might not think of Consumer Reports magazine when it comes to information about wine. But in its October issue, the publication looks at chardonnays, white zinfandels, cabernet sauvignons and merlots, ranking wines by the vineyards. Beringer, Napa Ridge and Walnut Crest came out at the top. The magazine includes a short primer for the neophyte oenophile on such topics as pairing wine and food, storing the bottles and decoding a French wine label. And, agreeing with publications that focus on wine, it declares, ``Price isn't a perfect guide.''

BEER HERE: A USDA survey finds beer is still the most popular alcoholic drink, with 50 percent of Americans saying they drink it sometime during the year, compared with 45 percent for wine and 44 percent for distilled spirits.

IN HONOR OF JULIA CHILD: The International Association of Culinary Professionals has commissioned a plate to commemorate Julia Child's 85th birthday. The 12-inch black and ivory charger plate with a border of whisks is made by Lenox and has Child's autograph on the underside. It is an ideal size for serving a cake or pie. The plate is $85 and can be ordered from the IACP Foundation, 304 W. Liberty St., Suite 201, Louisville, Ky. 40202, or by calling [phone]. Checks and credit cards are accepted.

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

Photo: (1--Color) no caption (Eagle Brand Creamy Chocolate)

(2--Color) no caption (Easy Entertainers)

(3--Color) no caption (Liquid Egg Whites)

(4--Color) no caption (Consumer Reports - Wine)