Skip the cooking – not the meal

If the idea of holding another Thanksgiving feast at your house has you wanting to mash something other than potatoes (something that resembles your brother’s neck), step away from the stove and give Opus a call. The Bangor restaurant will hold its first-ever Thanksgiving feast from noon to 5 p.m. Chef Roger Gelis will prepare a spread that includes Maine Lobster Bisque; Simple Greens with Champagne Vinaigrette; a traditional turkey served family-style with Sausage Cornbread Dressing, Rosemary, Focaccia and Granny Smith Apple Dressing, Cranberry Orange Relish, Chive Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Sweet Potato Au Gratin with Walnuts, a M?lange of Fall Vegetables and Haricots Verts with Crispy Onions; and a dessert buffet featuring Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, Apple Crisp, Black Forest Torte, Chocolate Mousse, Assorted Fruit Tarts and more. The meal costs $27 per person, $13 for children under 12 and free for kids under 6, plus tax and gratuity. For reservations, call 945-5100.

Punchy pomegranate

Toast the holidays in the trendiest way with these cocktail recipes from Pearl vodka. Pomegranate is all the rage in cooking this year, and Pearl’s pomegranate vodka adds a flavorful touch to your standard martini lineup. To make a Pearl-tini, combine 2 ounces Pearl pomegranate vodka, 1 ounce triple sec, 1 ounce pomegranate or cranberry juice and a squeeze of fresh lime in a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lime twist. Feeling flirty? Try the Pearl Flirtini – pour 1 1/2 ounces Pearl pomegranate vodka into a champagne flute. Add champagne to fill, and top with a splash of grenadine for color.

You are what you eat

It’s easy to overindulge during the holidays, but a health Web site from General Mills, Rodale and Luminari may help you keep things under control. With fitness tips, recipes and clear explanations of nutritional information, www.EatBetter

America.com aims to make it easy – and fun – to eat well.

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@bangor

dailynews.net.