GOOD TASTES.

COOKBOOK: Just in time for holiday dining, along comes ``Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook,'' by Leo Pearlstein and Lisa Messinger (Square One Publishers; $14.95), both Los Angeles residents. It showcases more than 100 recipes using the popular Mrs. Cubbison's brand stuffing mixes in more ways than just side-dish stuffings (although many flavor and ethnic variations on the theme are included).

The name behind the mix is Sophie Cubbison, who was born in 1890, the daughter of a German father and Mexican mother. She started a bakery in Los Angeles with her husband and in 1948 introduced stuffing mix as part of her product line. Her original recipe is still being produced.

Although Cubbison is deceased, her products (seasoned stuffing mix and corn-bread stuffing mix) and recipes (along with several new ones) live on.

If you want to add pizazz to your traditional stuffing at some point, this book might lend you a handful of interesting ideas.

- Natalie Haughton

NEW TWIST & POP CLOSURE: Andre Champagne Cellars has just introduced Twist & Pop, an easy-to-open, resealable closure on bottles in its line of sparking wines that makes it feasible to keep the bubbles for days after opening. So now you can enjoy a glass of sparkling wine whenever the mood strikes without wasting the rest of the bottle.

After removing the foil covering (there is no wire cage to remove), you tilt the bottle 45 degrees and simply twist the closure slowly until it pops. Voila!

To reseal, simply push down firmly on the top until it clicks twice, then twist it close and refrigerate. The wine will keep its bubbles for up to seven days, we're told.

The closure can be found on Andre's seven flavors, including Extra Dry, Brut, Spumante, Blush, Cold Duck, Strawberry and Peach Passion. The last flavor, Peach Passion, was just introduced, and it has a pleasing peach flavor. Look for Andre's sparkling wines, with a suggested retail price of $4 a bottle, at grocery and liquor stores.

-N.H.

HOLIDAY COOKIE LEAFLET: If you're planning on hosting or attending a holiday cookie exchange (and even if you're not), you might get a few ideas from an attractive color brochure, Holiday Recipes: Gold Medal Cookie Exchange. Among the delicious-sounding recipes are Turtle Shortbread Cookies, Double Chocolate and Caramel Bars, Espresso Thumbprint Cookies, Linzer Torte Bars and Peanut Butter Blossoms. For a free copy, send a stamped (two 37-cent stamps) self-addressed business-size envelope to Cookie Exchange Leaflet, Suzie Smith, 1101 W. River Parkway, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55415. Allow two to three weeks for delivery. Or go to www.goldmedalflour.com and click on cookie exchange to get the recipes.

- N.H.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

(1) no caption (Cookbook: ``Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook'')

(2) no caption (Andre Champagne)

(3) no caption (Leaflet: ``Holiday Recipes: Gold Medal Cookie Excahnge'')