Thrill of the grill

Amy Oliver of Bangor, the pastry chef at Guinness & Porcelli’s, won third-place honors in Jack Daniel’s nationwide “The Secret is in the Sauce” recipe competition. To make her Caramelized Onion Jack Barbecue Sauce at home, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil together in a very large pan over medium heat. Toss in 4 sweet yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced, (she used Maui onions). Saute until the onions start to turn translucent. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup white sugar, 1 teaspoon dried thyme flakes and 1 teaspoon salt. Turn up heat to medium-high and fry until the onions at the edge of the pan turn a dark brown. Stir well to distribute the dark bits, continue stirring and frying (add more oil if they stick) until all the onions are brown and almost melted. Pour in 1/2 cup Jack Daniel’s and cook down for 3 or 4 minutes, or for more drama, light with a long match. Stir and remove from heat. Pour onions into a blender or food processor and puree, adding 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 cups ketchup, 1/4 cup molasses and 5 or 6 drops hot sauce. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Tasteful traditions

Progresso Foods has joined forces with the National Italian American Foundation to call on Italian-Americans to preserve their culinary heritage. The initiative aims to archive authentic Italian recipes and personal reminiscences about food at the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Italian-Americans are urged to write down the recipes of their mothers and grandmothers so they can be passed on to future generations. Recipes and anecdotes should be sent to: Italian American Heritage Recipes, c/o Erica Saviano, Ketchum, 711 3rd Ave., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017. For more information, visit www.progressofoods.com.

Sweet memories

Remember heading to the penny candy store as a child, filling a paper bag with goodies and eating them on the way home? The folks at the Vermont Country Store do, too. That’s why they carry a full line of old-fashioned candy favorites, from the common jelly fruit slices, to the long-forgotten Walnetto. Visit www.vermontcountrystore.com. and click on the “Candy Counter” link.

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.