Using their noodles

Students from Monmouth Academy will have spaghetti at the ready for the third annual Spaghetti Bridge Breaking Competition this morning at the University of Maine in Orono. Thirty freshmen, sophomores and juniors are working in pairs to design and build bridges from perciatelli (a thick, hollow pasta) and Elmer’s glue. They must be at least 3 inches high and span at least 5 inches, and can weigh no more than 1 pound. But don’t let their diminutive size fool you. “Last year’s winning bridge held 6 tons before breaking, and the four runners-up held more than 3 tons,” said Monmouth Academy math teacher Jeff Gosselin. “These bridges were exceptional in that most bridges do not get to this level. I hope this year’s constructions live up to their hype. I suspect a few definitely will.”

Italian flavors

Savor Sicily and Sardinia at Cleonice Mediterranean Bistro’s final wine dinner of the season. Chef Rich Hanson has teamed up with Randy McLain and Justin Wardwell of Wicked Wines for a six-course meal that celebrates the Italian islands. Among the highlights are Merende, or small bites, of ricotta salata, fennel with anchovy butter and sun-dried tomato “sandwiches” paired with a 2003 Villa Cornaro Prosecco di Veneto; a fish course of grilled scallops with saffroned almond sauce; and a meat course of Sicilian veal rolls. The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. Sunday, June 5, and costs $65 per person. For information or reservations, call 664-7554.

A local legend

The University of Maine will honor the memory of Anne Johnson, a champion of small farms and alternative food production, with the release of the booklet “Maine: A Place to Grow.” The publication includes five articles about Maine agricultural products that Johnson wrote for the Bangor Daily News’ Newspapers in Education program, as well as five lesson plans compiled by Mary Bird of the UM College of Education and Human Development. Johnson, who died in December, was a co-founder of the Orono Farmers Market and the Maine School Garden Network, which gives children experience with food production. The public is invited to a reception to celebrate the release of the booklet from 4 to 6 p.m. today at the Page Farm and Home Museum on the UM campus, where a limited number of the booklets will be available for $5 each.

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