[Times photo: Patty Yablonski]
	Stilton walnut and honey pinwheel hors d'oeuvres.

Whirl into the new year with flavorful pinwheel hors d'oeuvres
We've got one more chance to dance with indulgence and we'll do it on New Year's Eve with scrumptious appetizers and tickle-the-nose bubbly.

Party libations with a plus: festive colors
To go well with everything at your New Year's party and help cut through the sugar rush, cocktails should be mildly sweet and acidic. Cranberry juice-based drinks are a nice choice and have the benefit of being festively colored.

Putting groceries to the test
Looking back over a year's worth of Taster's Choice columns, I have nothing but admiration - and pity - for chief taster Kathy Saunders and her merry band of guinea pigs.

The 2005 rankings
MICROWAVE SAUSAGE: Jones; Jimmy Dean; Tennessee Pride.

Truffles are worth the trouble
But one can't really fathom a truffle until one touches, smells, tastes and eats what some chefs refer to as "the black diamond."

Make your Champagne really sparkle

Wine briefs
Bubbly strategies

Food file
Wine and beer tastings/classes

Pasta is quick, colorful
Recipes for a trio of colorful, quickly made pasta dishes could be a boon for the cook to grab during the holiday season, as options for holiday or party buffets, or even to use up some day-after ingredients, such as cooked turkey.


Recipes
Stilton Pinwheels With Walnuts and Honey
1/3 cup Stilton or other blue cheese, at room temperature
Holiday drinks
1 cube sugar
Roasted Rack of Lamb With Rosemary-Mustard Glaze
Nutrition information per serving (based on 10): 165 calories, 17g protein, 2g carbohydrates, 10g fat, 52mg cholesterol, 3g saturated fat, 316mg sodium, 0g dietary fiber.

Sipping scene
Fewer vines, but greater wines
When Koerner Rombauer opened his vineyard in Napa Valley in 1982, he never intended to make huge amounts of high-profit wine. As though taking a lesson from his great-aunt Irma Rombauer, author of The Joy of Cooking, he focused on making everything delicious through craftsmanship and devotion to detail.

You Asked For It
Pecan pie gets almond touch
Robert Faber wanted a recipe for amaretto pecan pie. Deborah Griswold shares her family's favorite, which has been in her recipe box for some time and is easy to make. Deborah serves it with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.