Claw-abiding

Our crustacean friends will be the guests of honor at the Blaine House in Augusta next week, when Gov. John Baldacci hosts the 2008 Maine Lobster Chef of the Year cook-off from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 22. Five chefs were selected from a record number of entries from Maine culinary professionals from all over the state. The finalists include Lawrence Klang of Natalie’s at the Camden Harbour Inn in Camden; Pete Murphy of the Russell House Restaurant and Tavern in Boothbay Harbor; Zeph Belanger of the Hartstone Inn in Camden; Margaret McLellan of Native Maine Produce and Shucks Lobster in Richmond; and Joshua Clark of Atlantica Restaurant in Camden. A panel of judges will make the decision as to which lobster dish is the best out of the five, judging them each on presentation, flavor, taste and texture. In other lobster news, a representative from Maine will be sent to the Great American Seafood Cook-Off, set for this August in New Orleans. One of the five finalists from next week’s competition will be selected to attend this national, televised event to showcase our beloved shelled delicacy. For information, call 287-5140.

Feeling saucy?

World Harbors Inc., the Auburn-based purveyors of gourmet sauces and marinades, is featured in the July issues of both Family Circle and Woman’s Day magazines, in a pair of articles about barbecue. Family Circle includes the Buccaneer Blends mesquite flavor in its top three choices, while Woman’s Day named the company’s apple maple flavor in its top five barbecue sauces, listing it as “most unusual.” World Harbors products are available nationwide, and produced over 5 million bottles of sauces of marinades in 2007 – right in its Auburn facility. For information, visit www.worldharbors.com.

Food safety first

The salmonella outbreak initially tied to fresh tomatoes has continued unabated since April, with more than 1,000 people nationwide sickened from the bacteria. The Food and Drug Administration has no more clear picture of what caused the outbreak than it did three months ago – first it was tomatoes, then it was jalapeno peppers, serrano peppers and cilantro. Basically, don’t eat salsa if you’re spooked by the idea of food poisoning. According to University of Maine food science and human nutrition professor Al Bushway, however, it’s not necessary to avoid those food items, so long as you know what to eat and how to prepare it. Bushway recommends avoiding fresh, refrigerated salsas, and going with jarred products instead. He also said that in some cases it’s appropriate to wash fresh vegetables in a diluted chlorine-water mix, or with another approved sanitizer – though that’s not always safe, he cautions. To make sense of food safety, and how to avoid potential gastrointestinal distress this summer, give Bushway a call at 581-1629 with your questions or concerns.