GOOD TASTES.

COOK-OFF COMPETITION: Woodland Hills resident Michaela Rosenthal has been selected as one of the 30 semi-finalists in the first Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off with her Whitefish and Potato Knish recipe. It features a jar of Manischewitz whitefish in combination with instant mashed potatoes and seasonings all wrapped up in frozen puff pastry sheets, then baked and topped with creamy horseradish sauce with lemon.

Rosenthal will be one of 10 semi-finalists cooking her creation and competing in the California regional competition (the last of three regional events) on Thursday for a chance to be one of six finalists to compete for the $20,000 General Electric Kitchen and cash prizes in New York in February. Her recipe was chosen from more than 1,000 submitted.

The public is invited to attend the cook-off (two finalists will be selected to go to New York), from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa Hotel, 3050 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. A free kosher lunch will be provided.

Recipes will be judged by a panel of food experts on taste, ease of preparation, appearance and originality.

-- Natalie Haughton

ICE-STYLE WINE: Fresno State's (the university campus has a commercial winery) newest student-produced vintage, Solare, an ice-style wine (cyroextraction), debuted last week in a 375-milliter bottle at $16.95. It's a dessert wine designed to pair with fruit and cheese.

Produced from fully ripened viognier grapes grown in Madera County and harvested in the fall, the fruit was frozen and held for six weeks, when it was pressed, the juice clarified and fermented in French barrels for 10 months. Then the alcohol content was increased using Muscat brandy produced from grapes grown on the campus vineyard. The blend was aged another year before bottling.

Students also produce numerous other wine varieties (Barbera is a signature wine) ranging from $6 to $20. The wines can be purchased online at www.fresnostatewinery.com. Proceeds from sales benefit the College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.

-- N.H.

OLIVE BRANCH WREATH: Lindsay Olives is offering a handmade wreath of olive branches to benefit America's Second Harvest -- a hunger relief organization. The 20-inch round wreath (with a gold metal hangar), woven together with fresh, green olive branches cut from California groves, can be ordered through Dec. 15 for $50 plus shipping by calling [phone] or online at www.lindsayolives.com. Use the wreath (which dries to a silvery green color) to festively decorate a holiday table or the front door.

-- N.H.

HOLIDAY CRACKERS: Nabisco has introduced Ritz Entertaining Selections crackers -- in Buttercrisp and Harvest Wheat flavors -- for a limited time during the holidays. Tasters preferred the Buttercrisp with their savory flavor and texture reminiscent of Ritz crackers. The Hearty Wheat seemed dry and was not as flavorful. The larger cracker size makes them good for dips, spreads or cheese slices. Available at supermarkets and Target in 7- or 8-ounce boxes, $2.89 each.

Nabisco also offers limited-edition Honey Maid Gingerbread Graham Crackers in 14.4-ounce boxes for the holidays. Some tasters liked them, others found the ginger flavor a tad off-putting and thought the crackers had an odd aftertaste. We'll stick with the regular flavor. Retail is $3.49 per box.

-- N.H.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) no caption (Michaela Rosenthal)

(2 -- color) no caption (wreath of olive branches)

(3 -- 4 -- color) no caption (Nabisco's Ritz Entertaining Selections crackers)