The Bundt pan is 50. In 1966, a recipe for Tunnel of Fudge cake baked in a Bundt pan won the Pillsbury Bake-off and caused a whirlwind of pan purchases. "That put the Bundt pan on the map," said David Dalquist, president of NordicWare, maker of the pan. "Everyone wanted to bake one, and it required a pan."

When the Bundt pan was first made in 1956, it was handmade with sand casting, an Old World art, Dalquist said. When demand increased, the company had to turn to high-speed production.

Now, with all the computer-assisted equipment, manufacturers can mass-produce pans to hand-made dimensions.

There are nearly 60 million of 'em in U.S. kitchens, the company says.

— Knight Ridder News Service

JOHNNIE WALKER CELEBRATES

IT'S THE RAREST SCOTCH ON DA ROCK

For those with the nose, the aroma of rare Scotch whisky can be as sublime as its taste.

At the Halekulani's La Mer restaurant, imbibers can treat themselves to a tot of history with a glass of Johnnie Walker Blue Label 1805 Anniversary Pack.

The blend unites nine extraordinary types of whiskies, mostly from distilleries that no longer exist, and each 45 to 70 years old, adding to the 1805 Anniversary Pack's distinctive allure ... and price. At $325 a jigger, Johnnie Walker Blue is a heady nightcap.

The whisky was created by Jim Beveridge, master of blending with Johnnie Walker's parent company Diageo, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Johnnie Walker. Only 200 bottles are available worldwide. Halekulani-La Mer: 923-2311.