GOOD TASTES.

ILLUMINATE THE MENU: Are you having a difficult time reading menus in dimly lit restaurants or other print items in low-light situations (like concert halls, theaters or cars)? Then you'd probably benefit from a new device known as Menu-Mate. It's a compact illuminating magnifier (powered by lithium batteries that will last about two years) that conveniently fits in a purse (it measures 7 inches in length and 2 1/4 inches wide). We tried it - and it really works! No more struggling to read by candlelight or in the dark.

The inspiration for the product came from its company president, Juli Waggoner, due to her own frustration at restaurants. Opticians note that as folks age, they need more light to read, and by age 60, a person requires two to three times as much light to read as a 20-year-old.

Priced at $19.95 (plus shipping), Menu-Mate can be purchased online at www.menu-mate.com or by calling [phone]. Keep it in mind for holiday gifts.

-Natalie Haughton

CHUNKY CHILI CHOICES: Recently making their debut from Campbell's are four varieties of chunky chili - Tantalizin' Turkey (Turkey Chili With Beans), Sizzlin' Steak (Grilled Steak Chili With Beans), Roadhouse (Beef & Bean Chili) and Firehouse (Hot & Spicy Beef & Bean Chili). Just heat, stirring occasionally, either stove-top or in a microwave oven.

Although most canned chilis can't compete with homemade, these weren't bad. Tasters thought the Roadhouse and Firehouse had good flavor and both looked appealing. Keep them handy in the pantry to use in a pinch - and jazz up with a little shredded Cheddar or Jack cheese and sour cream. Look for 19-ounce pull-tab cans (each serves 2), each with a suggested retail price of $2.69 on supermarket shelves.

- N.H.

CONTESTS

ALOHA, HONEY: With football season in full swing, the National Honey Board is making a sweet offer to tailgaters.

Submit your favorite honey barbecue recipe for a chance at a grand prize trip for two to football's all-star game, the Pro Bowl, in Hawaii next February. Thirty-two semifinalists will win $250 each.

Recipes can be for anything from a sauce or marinade to a dressing or glaze, but must include at least 1/3 cup of honey. Entries are due Nov. 4. For more information and to enter, go to www.honey.com.

PANERA BREAD: By entering the Via Panera Meal Makeover contest, office workers have a chance to win a year of free Panera Bread bakery-fresh lunches. Go to www.panerabread.com/contest and make a case for why your group deserves fresh lunches from Panera. The second-place winner receives a free lunch once a month for a year. Entries will be judged on creativity and humor. Entries must be submitted online by Oct. 15.

- Staff and Wire Services

WINE AND SPIRITS FOCUS EVENT: You'll have an opportunity to sample creations from more than 40 Los Angeles chefs and restaurants and taste samples from 100 wineries and spirits producers at this year's Bon Appetit Wine and Spirits Focus, 2 to 5 p.m. Nov. 14 at Paramount Pictures in Hollywood. Proceeds will benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

With some of the city's best restaurants participating (Spago, Jar, A.O.C., Ammo, Bastide, Drago, Grace, Josie's, Katana, L'Orangerie, Mako, Max), this event (like last year's) is destined to be a winner - and among the top food events in the area. You get a lot of bang for your buck. Tickets are $85 on or before Oct. 29 and $95 thereafter or at the door. To order, call [phone]. For more information, visit www.bonappetitfocus.com.

- N.H.

HIDDEN KITCHEN ON NPR: You don't have to be a foodie to savor NPR's new weekly series ``The Hidden Kitchens Project: Stories of Land, Kitchen and Community.'' The show, airing Fridays through Dec. 24 on ``Morning Edition,'' draws on listeners' anecdotes about favorite meals, ritualistic food preparation and unique cooking spots. Upcoming topics include the Chili Queens of San Antonio, part of the city's rich history and yet another reason to remember the Alamo; and NASCAR kitchens, where meals for drivers, crew and sponsors are whipped up as cars whip around the track. Tune into KCRW (89.9 FM) on Fridays around 6:20 a.m. or 8:20 a.m. to check it out.

-Valerie Kuklenski

CAPTION(S):

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(1 -- color) no caption (Menu-Mate)

(2 -- color) no caption (Chunky Chili)

(3 -- color) no caption (HONEY OF A BBQ TAILGATING CONTEST)