Tidbits

To a tea

Verna Cox of Verona Island has unveiled her latest design of handpainted tea cups and saucers: the potato blossom. Since 2003, Cox has designed tea sets for Maine’s first lady, Karen Baldacci, as part of a fundraising effort for the Blaine House. The cup and saucer sets cost $30 apiece. To purchase, write to Friends of the Blaine House, P.O. Box 68, Augusta ME 04332-0068.

Better safe than hungry

If you’re planning to cook for a crowd – at church, at home or as a fundraiser – plan to attend the University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s food safety workshop. The two-day session will take place 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 6 and 13 and cover such topics as planning and purchasing; storing food supplies; preparation, cooking, transporting, storing and serving cooked food; and dealing with leftovers. The workshop costs $10 per person or $20 per organization for up to four people. For information or to register, contact Louise Kirkland at 942-7396 or (800) 287-1485.

Maine dishes

If you’d like to eat your way up the coast, let “Chow Maine” be your guide. The book, written by the Maine Sunday Telegram’s food critic Nancy English, covers restaurants on Route 1 and beyond, from Kittery to Lubec. Published by Vermont-based Countryman Press, “Chow Maine” costs $16.95 and is widely available in bookstores. For information or to order, visit www.countrymanpress.com.

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.