Nutts about cooking

Orono cookbook author Jo-Carol Alford recently published her latest tome, “Next Door to the Nutt House: Memories of Cooking in Mississippi.” Her recipes are interspersed with anecdotes – both happy and sad – about Alford’s dear friends the Nutts, her neighbors in Madison County. Their daughter, April Nutt, was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer at a young age, and has since recovered. To honor April’s strength and bravery, Alford will donate 100 percent of proceeds from the book to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. “Next Door to the Nutt House” costs $10 and is available at Borders in Bangor or by calling Alford at 866-7517 ($2 shipping charge applies).

Spice of life

Do you have a secret spice blend that makes your steaks sizzle? Enter your recipe in McCormick’s annual Blend to Win Challenge, and you can win $10,000 and the chance to see your mix on the grocery shelves. Last year’s winner, Rattlesnake Shake, combined black pepper, chipotle chili pepper, mustard, thyme, paprika, garlic, onion, salt and sugar for a sweet, smoky barbecue flavor. To enter, create an original spice blend using at least two McCormick spices or herbs (note exact proportions); provide a unique or unusual name for your blend; and provide a tip for using the spice blend. For official contest rules or an entry form, call (800) MEAL-TIP or visit www.mccormick.com.

Got cookies?

Say you were abducted by aliens or ill with the flu and happened to miss the Girl Scouts selling cookies at work or door-to-door. Or maybe you left your stash of Thin Mints on your desk one night, only to return the next morning to an empty box and a pile of crumbs. Don’t fret. You can catch local Scouts selling cookies at Sam’s Club in Bangor, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, or from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, March 14, 21, and 28 at Marden’s in Brewer. Or, you could purchase cookies at the Abnaki Council office at 156 North Main St. in Brewer. For information, call 989-7474 or (800) 464-3858.

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 04402-1329; by fax to 941-9476; or by e-mail to kandresen@bangordailynews.net.