Wines and warmth

Roger Gelis, chef at Opus Restaurant in Bangor, has designed a culinary tour of the American Southwest and Mexico for his February wine dinner. The sunny five-course menu starts with “Sun-Burnt” Rare Tuna with Mole Amarillo, followed by Spicy Eggplant and Sweet Pepper Tostadas with Aged Goat Cheese and Lemon Oil; Blue Corn Crusted Atlantic Salmon with Roasted Poblano Grits and Jicama Slaw; Mesquite Grilled Venison with Mole and Seared Foie Gras; and Mexican Chocolate Silk Pie. Each course will be paired with California wines presented by Daniel Bridgers of Maine Distributors. With advance notice, vegetarian options are available. Dinner costs $65 per person. For information or reservations, call 945-5100.

Music for your mouth

So you don’t know your Haydn from your Hershey’s? No sweat. The Bangor Symphony Orchestra will present an evening tailored to music lovers – and chocolate lovers – at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 11, at the Maine Center for the Arts in Orono. And if you’re not a classical music aficionado, so much the better. A special rehearsal concert will be followed by a question-and-answer session and a decadent chocolate and champagne reception. Tickets cost $22, $16 and $8 and can be reserved online at bangorsymphony.com or by calling the Bangor Symphony Orchestra box office at 942-5555 or (800) 639-3221. For more information, visit bangorsymphony.com.

Career cheers

If the idea of mixing drinks for a living leaves you shaken – and stirred – Smirnoff has a job for you. The vodka giant recently kicked off its search for an enthusiastic drinks guru: the Smirnoff Cocktail Consultant. The CC will spend his or her time researching cocktail culture nationwide and providing twice-yearly trend reports. The successful candidate will be 25 or older, and receive a salary and expense budget of $100,000 for a one-year term. Applications will be accepted through April 1, 2006, and applicants will be judged by a panel of industry experts. No purchase is required to participate. Official rules apply. For more information, or to obtain an application call 1-888-217-4454.

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.