GOOD TASTES.

BIG SUGAR BAKESHOP: A charming neighborhood store, Big Sugar Bakeshop, featuring delicious baked goods with a homey touch and an assortment of attractive gifts (we spotted a cute bright purple apron with cupcake designs on it) and unusual cards just opened at 12182 Ventura Blvd. (a block west of Laurel Canyon), in Studio City.

All of the goodies -- muffins, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, cakes, pies, tarts and more -- are baked fresh daily. We tried several selections -- among our favorite items were the yummy doughnut muffins ($2 each), the delicious coconut cupcakes (a daily special, $2.25 each), decadent dark Oreo brownies ($2 each), sinfully rich pecan pie bars (a small piece for 95 cents; we'd like them bigger!), giant, chewy oatmeal cookies ($1 each) and deep chocolate cookies with bittersweet and white chocolate chunks ($1 each). We also loved the buckeye candies (an Ohio tradition with peanut butter and chocolate), and the vanilla soda fountain fudge was especially smooth -- both are 95 cents apiece.

It's easy to taste that Studio City residents, longtime friends and owners, Mary Odson (the manager) and Lisa Ritter (the baker and pastry guru) use excellent-quality ingredients.

The cakes seemed a little pricey (a three-layer 6- or 9-inch, $35 and $55, respectively), but we didn't sample any of them -- German Chocolate, Lemon Curd, Dalmatian Cake With Cocoa Cream or Big Sugar Birthday Cake.

Stop in, pick up a cup of coffee, and nibble on something sweet. The shop is open daily except Monday. Special orders are encouraged. Information: [phone]; www.bigsugarbakeshop.com.

-- Natalie Haughton

CONTEST ALERTS

It's time to enter original, innovative recipes in the 27th National Beef Cook-Off, themed Seize Life! Grand prize is $50,000. Twenty-five finalists, including five parent/child teams, will be selected to compete in Chicago in September for nine cash prizes totaling $110,000.

Categories in this year's contest are Nuevo Latino Beef Recipes; Kids in the Kitchen; Small Plates, Big Taste Grilled for Everyday Entertaining; and New Dynamic Beef Dishes. Recipes must use one of the beef cuts and cooking methods listed in the contest rules that can be found at www.beefcookoff.org. Judging criteria will be based on taste, appearance, convenient preparation and cooking, and healthfulness and nutritional balance.

If mailed, recipes must be postmarked on or before March 31; online recipes must be received by March 31. Mail recipe entries to National Beef Cook-Off Entries, ANCW, P.O. 3881, Englewood, CO 80155 or use the online entry form at www.beefcookoff.org.

Youngsters 8 to 18 who cook might consider entering ``Teens for Greens: Amazing Search for Fresh Salad Recipe Challenge'' sponsored by DoSomething.org and Fresh Express. Simply submit a favorite salad recipe using one of the Fresh Express salad mixture bases in one of three categories -- signature salad, silver platter salad or salad surprise -- to www.dosomething.org/causes/healthy_eating_contest before Jan. 20. Recipes will be judged on creativity/originality, taste, appearance and ease of preparation. The grand-prize winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship to the college or culinary school of choice and a salad bar makeover for his or her school lunchroom provided by Fresh Express. Winners will be announced Feb. 20.

The 2007 Cornbread Cook-Off sponsored by Martha White and Lodge Cast Iron is looking for original main-dish recipes prepared with at least one cup of Martha White Corn Meal or one package of Martha White Cornbread Mix using Lodge Cast Iron cookware. Ten finalists will be selected to cook up their creations during the National Cornbread Festival, April 28, in South Pittsburg, Tenn. One winner will be chosen to receive $4,000 and a 30-inch stainless-steel gas range (a $2,500 value).

Entries must include contestant's name, address, daytime phone number and date of birth. E-mail to [e-mail] by March 2. Or mail entries, postmarked by March 2 (and received by March 9) on an 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper to: National Cornbread Cook-Off 2007, 209 Seventh Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37219. For previous winning and other cornbread recipes, along with contest rules, visit www.marthawhite.com or www.lodgemfg.com.

-- N.H.

SARA LEE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD: Many consumers are aware they should eat whole grains, but they avoid them due to flavor, heavy texture and more. Seven out of 10 consumers mistakenly believe the wheat bread they are eating is 100 percent whole wheat when often it contains less than 20 percent whole-wheat flour and lacks whole-grain nutrition.

Sara Lee has introduced Soft & Smooth 100 percent Whole Wheat Bread. Unlike many heavy, brown-colored whole-wheat products, it's very airy, light, soft-textured with a pale brown color and mild flavor. It has 70 calories, 1 gram fat (no trans fat), 3 grams protein, 12 grams carbohydrate and 14 grams whole grain per slice. Unfortunately, high-fructose corn syrup is the fourth ingredient listed, behind whole-wheat flour, water and wheat gluten. No doubt it will appeal to children. For those looking to increase whole-grain consumption, this bread will help. Although we didn't dislike the bread, it reminded us of Wonder Bread -- and thoughts of selling air.

-- N.H.

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