Claws for celebration

Charles Butler of the Waterfront Restaurant in Camden (pictured with Gov. Angus King) was named the Maine Lobster Chef of the Year after winning the gold medal in the 2002 Great Taste of Maine Lobster Governor’s Tasting and Culinary Competition last Thursday at the Blaine House in Augusta. The theme was “Simply Sensational Lobster Salads,” and judges included cookbook author and New York Times contributor Nancy Harmon-Jenkins, food historian Sandy Oliver; culinary instructor and former chef Joseph Pirkola; and Christopher Russell, the chef-owner of Christopher’s Boathouse, who won the first lobster cookoff in 1995. Butler, who also won in 2000, was awarded $1,000 for his recipe for Fresh Maine Lobster Salad with Yellow Pear Tomato, Seared Pearl Onion, Butterhead Lettuce, Fines Herbes Emulsion and Toasted Sunflower Seed. Keiko Takahashi of Oh! Bento in Portland was awarded the silver medal and won $500 for his Someny Lobster Thrills recipe, while Thomas J. McBreen Jr. of Sebasco Harbor Resort in Sebasco Estates won $250 and the bronze medal for his Char-Grilled Lobster and Portobello Salad with Goat Cheese Croutons. Chef Robert McGowan of Heritage House in Skowhegan won the People’s Choice Award for his Mediterranean-Marinated Grilled Lobster and Plum Tomatoes. For recipes or information, visit www.mainelobsterpromo.com.

“Jr.” league

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines – and be sure to visit www.nabiscoworld.com before they wave the checkered flag – for the chance to win a Nilla Wafers-Nutter Butter racing uniform autographed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Anyone 13 years of age or older can enter, and the deadline is Nov. 30. For information or to enter, visit www.nabiscoworld.com.

Flex your mussels

Got a great original recipe for fresh mussels? Enter it in the Great Eastern Mussel Farms contest and you can win a three-day Maine windjammer cruise for two, including travel expenses. All entrants will receive a coupon for a free bag of mussels. Chef Peter Egan will judge the recipe contest, and winners will be featured on www.eatmussels.com and in the company’s second cookbook. The deadline for entries is Oct. 15. To enter, visit www.eatmussels.com, e-mail your recipe to gem@midcoast.com or send it by mail to Great Eastern Mussel Farms, P.O. Box 141, Tenants Harbor, ME 04860.

Tidbits is hungry for news about local food products and events. Send your Tidbits by mail to: Bangor Daily News, attn: Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor ME 04402-1329; by fax to 941-9476; or by e-mail to kandresen@bangordailynews.net.