Tidbits

Wine and dine

Oenophiles now have a new destination in Bangor: The Bangor Wine and Cheese Co. and CafT Nouveau, located in the former Bangor Furniture Co. building at 84-88 Hammond St. The wine shop, operated by Shane McCarthy, sells wines from around the world, cheeses, pates and smoked seafood, along with coffee and pastries. It is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The cafe, operated by Leslie Thistle, has a wine bar with about 100 wines available by the glass, and a tapas-style menu with smaller, lower-priced portions meant for sampling and sharing. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday

Flour power

The paper sack that flour comes in isn’t the most convenient package around. That’s why most people pour the flour into a jar or canister, covering themselves, the counter and the cat in the process.

Gold Medal Flour has come up with a solution: a resealable plastic bag. The package stands up so flour doesn’t get everywhere, its wide mouth allows for easy scooping, and the Zip-Pak closure keeps the flour fresh and pest-free. The package is available now for bleached, all-purpose flour only.

Gravy train

Gravy. It’s scrumptious. It’s fattening. It’s so hard to make. If you want homemade flavor without the homemade hassle, try Boston Market’s new line of gravies, including Roasted Turkey Gravy just in time for Thanksgiving. The press release says it “tastes like homemade” and it lists broth and meat as the first two ingredients, so maybe it does. It probably won’t fool grandma, but your guests will be none the wiser.

It’s in the bag

Tired of dry turkey? Wrap it up in a Reynolds Oven Bag to seal in the juices while roasting, or make a bag out of aluminum foil for a 5-to-7-pound turkey. Either way, the turkey will baste itself and cleanup is a snap – just throw the bag away. For a sample and recipes, call (800) 745-4000.

Talking turkey

Thanksgiving is looming, and turkey time is near. Maybe you’ve never cooked a turkey before and your grandmother won’t tell you her secret. Maybe you have and you needed a chainsaw to cut it. Maybe your girlfriend/wife told you it’s YOUR turn to cook the bird this year. Face it: You need help. Lucky for you, Shady Brook Farms or Butterball know what to do.

Butterball has 20 years of experience with its Turkey Talk-Line. The turkey experts will be available by calling (800) 323-4848 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays through Nov. 22, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. the weekend before Thanksgiving, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Or log on to www.butterball.com for personalized e-mail advice or turkey tips. In addition to dishing out advice, they’ll give you a free thermometer and video. If that’s still not enough, you can enroll in Butterball University through the Web site.

Shady Brook Farms has enlisted the help of some of the country’s leading chefs and the vintners at Cakebread Cellars. Their Dial-A-Chef experts are available 24 hours a day by calling (888) SBF-HINT or online at www.dialachef.com. The chefs will share their recipes and give advice about turkey and side dishes. The folks at Cakebread Cellars will give wine pairing tips.

A bird in the hand

Remember when you were in kindergarten and your teacher had you make “hand turkeys”? Butterball has revived the concept with a twist. From Nov. 9 to 20 Butterball will auction off hand turkeys decorated by celebrities such as Lucy Liu, Dick Clark and Gov. Jesse Ventura at www.butterball.com. Proceeds from the auction will benefit Feeding Children Better, a partnership between ConAgra and America’s Second Harvest.

Gobble gobble

To heck with dinner! This Thanksgiving, go straight to dessert with Godiva’s fall gift boxes or the cute, foil-wrapped Tom Turkey. The little gobblers double as placecard holders at the holiday table or a decorative centerpiece (they taste better than gourds, too). A set of four turkeys costs $20, For information or store locations, visit www.godiva.com.