Wine and dine

March is a tough month for Mainers – will it snow? Will the weather finally warm up? That’s anybody’s guess, but one surefire way to beat the blues is the monthly wine dinner at Pairings in Winterport. At 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 8, chef Robert Waldron will prepare an amuse-bouche of Brie in Croute with a Blackberry Compote; Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup; a Salad of Baby Spinach, Gorgonzola, Black Pepper Bacon and Grapes with a Walnut Oil Vinaigrette; Braised Pork Osso Buco served with Cheddar Horseradish Potatoes and Roasted Root Vegetables; and Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee. Each course will be paired with a selection from the neighboring Winterport Winery. Dinner costs $64 per person, and reservations are required by Tuesday, March 4. For information, call 223-0990 or visit www.PairingsInMaine.com.

Nouveau cuisine

In case you haven’t already heard, chef Chris Converse has returned to Cafe Nouveau (located at 84 Hammond St. in Bangor) with a new menu – and we’re hearing great things. The hours have expanded, too: Caf? Nouveau is now open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and from 5 to 9 p.m. for dinner Tuesday through Sunday. For information, call 942-3336.

Lunch bunch

It’s not impossible to get a table at Massimo’s Cucina Italiana in Bangor on a Saturday night, but it might be easier to find the square root of pi. Or, you could just go there for lunch. Massimo’s (located at 96 Hammond St.) now serves a menu of panini, pasta and salads from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For information, visit www.massimoscucinaitaliana or call 945-5600.

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.