Black Pepper

This full-bodied zinfandel with generous flavors of blackberry, plums, black pepper, chocolate and blueberry is one incredible value. For a humble red blend, rather than an expensive single-vineyard wine, this shows a great deal of complexity. Rosenblum Zinfandel, Vintner's Cuvee XXXI From: California Price: $12 Serve with: Pasta, pizza, hamburger

This old-fashioned California "field blend" is stuffed with flavor. It's a full-bodied, chewy melange of blackberry, black pepper, blueberry, earth, chocolate and coffee. It's concentrated a way you only find with wine from old vines. It's a masterpiece that you can drink young or sqirrel away for five years or so.

A light, simple meal is perfect for a summer evening. For these kabobs, the seafood is marinated for 15 minutes. Then it needs only 5 minutes to cook. The secret to cooking the kabobs is to start with a hot grill or broiler. The seafood will be crisp on the outside and moist and tender inside. Leave about 1/4 inch between each ingredient on the skewers. This allows the heat to reach all sides of the food. Zucchini and yellow squash add a colorful summer touch. The side dish can be made in minutes in a microwave oven.

The following quick and easy recipe was developed by CeCe Sullivan, home economist on the staff of the Seattle Times; approximate preparation time 15 minutes:Tomatoes with salsa dressing (6 servings)10 plum tomatoes1/2 cup salsa2 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar1 tablespoon chopped cilantro1 green onion, minced1/4 teaspoon saltFreshly ground black pepper to taste1. Core the tomatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Seed and cut each half into thirds.2. Combine the salsa, olive oil, vinegar, cilantro, green onion, salt and several grindings of black pepper.

In its original form this recipe calls for peeling and shredding the carrots. Make it fast by using grated carrots from the produce department. The recipe is from "Cuisine Economique" by Jacques Pepin (William Morrow and Co.).Carrot and sunflower seed saladMakes 6 servings10 to 12 ounces grated carrots (about 6 medium carrots)4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped1 teaspoon black pepper1/2 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons cider vinegar5 tablespoons corn oil1/2 cup sunflower seeds2 scallions, finely minced, plus extra for garnish6 lettuce leaves for garnishIf using whole carrots, trim at both ends; peel.

Q. I have a home remedy to share with your readers. If you have a cut that's bleeding, put ground cayenne pepper on it. The bleeding will stop quickly. You can get cayenne at the grocery store. A.When we first heard that ground black pepper could stop bleeding, we were skeptical. Now that we have had several opportunities to use this home remedy ourselves, we can attest to its value. Yours is not the first letter to suggest that cayenne pepper can be used in a similar manner. To our surprise, black pepper does not sting when sprinkled on a minor cut. We don't know whether cayenne would be irritating.

Rosenblum Zinfandel Vintners Cuvee XXV ($10). This nonvintage wine from one of California's premier zinfandel producers is a spectacular value. Rosenblum has packed more flavor into a $10 wine than one could ever expect. Lush blackberry fruit is seasoned by nuances of herbs and black pepper. The texture is smooth and the finish is long and satisfying. Serve it with pasta dishes, hearty stews or red meat.

1996 Parducci Petite Sirah, Mendocino County ($9).This medium-bodied red wine isn't as burly as many petite sirahs, but it delivers more than its share of value. There are hearty flavors of black pepper, blackberry, smoked meat and even a touch of blueberry. Unlike some wines from this underrated grape, it is fully ready to drink at a young age. It has good acidity and should meld well with grilled steak or lamb.

Just for Christmas, we'll step out of the moderate price category to recommend a special wine for a gift or Christmas dinner. This red Rhone wine is a classic of its kind -- an exceptionally intense wine with flavors of black pepper, blackberry, roast meats, herbs and those indefinably warm earthy flavors you only find in the Rhone. For all its robustness and aging potential, it's supple enough to enjoy young. Go on, splurge.