Dark beer season is here

Stouts, porters and brown ales are on the menu now

That first cool night in September triggers something in beer drinkers, something almost primal, instinctual, thirsting for deep, rich flavors.

OK, I’m just being dramatic.

What I’m trying to say is, when it gets cold out, beer drinkers shift from the lighter brews of summer to richer, more robust beers, like, for example, stouts, porters and brown ales. A big imperial stout that has been aged in bourbon barrels just doesn’t pair all that well with a 90-degree summer day. But it does pair remarkably well with a cool, even chilly, fall evening.

I do think now is the perfect time of year to explore darker beers, beers that might take you slightly out of your comfort zone if you’re used to lighter fare or if you’re usually more focused on IPAs.

Stouts and porters offer layers of complexity, robust flavors but oftentimes a very smooth, easy-drinking experience you might not expect from a jet black pour.

And there is so much brewers can do with the stout style. You can age it on bourbon barrels or rum barrels or maybe even wine barrels. You can add vanilla or spice or pumpkin or actual coffee to the brewing or aging process to impart even more complexity, flavor and character.

603 Brewery’s Session Stout would be a tremendous choice for someone looking to explore the stout style. This has low alcohol, features an extremely smooth and creamy texture thanks to the addition of oats, and boasts overtones of chocolate and rich malt. Really, what’s not to like?

On the other end of the spectrum is Kelsen Brewing Co.’s Vendel Imperial Stout, which is a luscious stout brewed with locally roasted coffee featuring big notes of coffee and bittersweet chocolate. At 9.4 percent ABV, this is a slow-sipper you can savor over the course of an evening by the fire. If you’re not sure, split this one with people you really, really like.

For a beer with closer to a medium body, try Henniker Brewing Co.’s Flap Jack Double Brown Ale, which is a hearty brown ale brewed with locally sourced maple syrup for just a touch of sweetness. This beer is the epitome of fall. Brown ales, in general, I tend to find just more approachable, maybe simply because visually they appear a little lighter. Nutty and roasty, brown ales are perfect for this time of year.

A little different but still quite appropriate for the time of year, Throwback Brewery in North Hampton recently released its own barleywine, which features big malt character and plenty of sweetness. Barleywines have lots of alcohol and this one comes in 10.5 percent ABV so be ready, but you’ll be rewarded with a brew featuring big notes of caramel, toffee, toasted bread and warming alcohol, says the brewery.

Honestly, I could go on and on — the list of quality darker beers in New Hampshire is a long one. With huge coffee flavor, look for The Roast from Henniker Brewing Co. later this winter. The Robust Vanilla Porter by Great North Aleworks is a perfect choice for someone trying to explore the style. Stoneface Brewing Co. in Newington features a Barleywine Roasted Almond with caramel, toffee and light chocolate notes — wow.

Be honest, your taste buds are ready to shake things up. Now is the time to grab something darker. You’ll be rewarded with a cascade of complexity and deliciousness. You’re welcome.

What’s in My Fridge
Cosmic Distortion Double IPA by Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co.
(Waltham, Mass.) This beer comes at you in a good way. This has aggressive hop character and it’s loaded with tropical fruit flavor and aroma. The pour is a beautiful, hazy, deep yellow (if that’s a thing) and I find that in spite of all the hops and the alcohol — 8-percent ABV — this finishes quite smooth with a pronounced sweetness on the finish. Like everything else I’ve ever had from Mighty Squirrel, this is tremendous. Cheers!

Featured photo: It’s the season for stouts. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Valerie Roulo

Valerie Roulo of Raymond is the owner of Love & Joy Vegan Sweets (loveandjoyvegansweets.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @lovejoyvegansweets), a homestead baking business she started in August that specializes in unique vegan desserts. Named after Roulo’s two dogs, Marley Love and Willow Joy, the business offers a menu of sweet treats available for ordering online, like multiple flavors of macarons and truffles, oat hemp seed bars, chewy chocolate chunk cookies, cashew-based raspberry lemon entremets, pecan shortbread bars, and vanilla custard Napoleons. An advance notice of 24 to 48 hours is requested for all orders, which are typically available for curbside pickup at a designated spot. You can also find Roulo’s macarons on the menu at Col’s Kitchen (55 S. Main St., Concord).

What is your must-have kitchen item?

It would be my KitchenAid mixer.

What would you have for your last meal?

Vegan nachos, with salsa, jalapenos, black beans and vegan sour cream.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I have two. Col’s Kitchen in Concord is one, and then the other would be The Hungry Caterpillar food truck. I like the “plantarella” sticks, which are basically kind of like mozzarella sticks.

What celebrity would you like to bake something for?

[Celebrity chef] Paul Hollywood, from The Great British Bake Off.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

Probably the macarons, because they are a lot of fun to make and they took me months to master. The shell is an almond-based cookie and then the flavor is whatever you put inside of it, usually any kind of buttercream flavor.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

People [are] becoming more interested in plant-based meals. I also think the grocery stores are starting to offer a lot more plant-based foods.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I like to make a nice hearty vegetable soup and a crusty bread.

Chocolate chickpea brownies
From the kitchen of Valerie Roulo of Love & Joy Vegan Sweets in Raymond

1 can chickpeas
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
⅓ cup flour
3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
3 tablespoons nut butter of choice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup sugar
½ cup vegan chocolate chips
Nuts (optional)

Drain and rinse beans. Preheat oven to 340 degrees. Grease or line an 8-inch pan. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. Spread into pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips (and nuts, if using) on top. Bake on the center rack for 14 minutes, then chill the still underbaked brownies until firm.

Featured Photo: Valerie roulo, Courtesy photo

Home-cooked comfort

Second Brook Bar & Grill now open in Hooksett

For Jeanne Foote and her husband, Tom, who grew up in the North End of Manchester, opening their newest restaurant just over the town line in Hooksett is a homecoming of sorts. In fact, Second Brook Bar & Grill, a casual comfort and homestyle eatery that opened last month, is named after the nearby brook by the railroad tracks that they frequented as high school students.
“Second Brook, for me, was about making lifelong friends and good memories, and that’s what we’re trying to do here,” Foote said. “New friends are coming in, old friends are coming in. … It’s like a class reunion here every other day of the week. It’s so much fun.”
Foote spent more than a decade working at The Puritan Backroom and at Billy’s Sports Bar before going to Durham to open Bella’s Casual Dining in 2012. On Christmas Day last year, just months after Bella’s closed its doors, she said, she was en route picking up Chinese food to her son’s house when she noticed the vacant building space that would become Second Brook Bar & Grill, which was most recently occupied by DC’s Tavern.
“We had a concept in mind,” she said, “but then Covid hit, so we had time to think about what we really wanted, what our name was going to be, and who we were going after.”
Jackson Poulson, who worked at The Country Tavern in Nashua before its permanent closure in May, was brought on as head chef to help construct the eatery’s menu. Many of Second Brook’s tables and booths also come from The Country Tavern, Foote said.
“[Poulson] had some really good recipes, and I had some really good recipes from Bella’s, so we just kind of collaborated,” she said.
The boneless chicken tenders, for instance, are hand-tossed and deep fried, and available as plain, barbecue, Buffalo or garlic Parmesan flavors. The appetizer menu also contains popular staples like shepherd rolls with an au jus demi-glaze, pan seared scallops with a bacon lemon butter sauce, eggplant Napoleon with pesto alfredo and deep fried Buffalo chicken balls.
All soups and chowders are made in house, like the Cajun shrimp chowder and the French onion soup. The menu also features fresh pasta dishes and plated entrees, like Bella’s chicken pot pie with carrots, peas and corn; the baked stuffed Jumbo shrimp with homemade stuffing; and the pulled pork casserole with onion straws, mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese.
The corned beef Reuben is one of the leading sellers on the menu’s sandwich section, according to Foote, but other options include a crispy coconut chicken wrap with house honey mustard Craisins, almonds and goat cheese; a barbecue pulled pork burger with cheddar cheese, coleslaw and pickle chips; a beer battered fish fillet served on a grilled brioche roll with lettuce; and a vegetarian wrap with roasted zucchini, squash, mushrooms and eggplant.
Second Brook’s bar menu has more than a dozen domestic and local craft beers, as well as some white and red wines and all types of specialty cocktails.
Between two and three lunch and dinner specials are also usually available per day, Foote said. Featured desserts are a brownie sundae and a New York-style cheesecake with strawberries, although you might see some specials there too.

Second Brook Bar & Grill
Where
: 1100 Hooksett Road, Unit 111, Hooksett
Hours: Monday, and Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays.
More info: Visit secondbrook.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram @secondbrookbarandgrill or call 935-7456

Featured photo: Seafood sampler with shrimp, haddock and scallops baked in white wine and butter. Courtesy photo.

Mobile eats on the field

NH Fisher Cats present food truck and fireworks festival

Fisher Cats food truck and fireworks festival. Courtesy photo.

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats haven’t played a single game this year, but their front office has made good use of Northeast Delta Dental Stadium throughout the summer, holding socially distanced high school and college graduation ceremonies, live rock concerts, cornhole tournaments and a fashion show. On Saturday, Oct. 10, they’ll add a food truck festival to the mix, featuring eats from several local and regional trucks, followed by an Atlas Fireworks show in the evening.

“It’s from 1 to 6 p.m., and then the fireworks are at 6:30 p.m., [but] you don’t have to stay the whole time,” Stephanie Fournier, director of hospitality and special events for the Fisher Cats, said. “We’re actually going to give people wristbands when they come in, so if you want to come for lunch, leave and then come back for the fireworks, you can.”

The festival will feature a combination of returning trucks from previous years, like Empanada Dada, a Lowell, Mass.-based Cuban food truck serving fresh beef and chicken empanadas, and a few newcomers to the food truck scene. The Gyro Spot on Elm Street in Manchester, for example, announced the launch of a food truck offering its fresh gyros back in July. They’ll be there, as will Ben & Jerry’s, which also recently introduced a truck.

Other participating vendors include Dudley’s Concessions, offering chicken tenders, fries, burgers and similar comfort options, and the Jackson Effie Coffee Cabin, a Massachusetts-based purveyor of small-batch coffees and espresso drinks.

Usually a two-day event, the team’s third annual festival had originally been scheduled for August. Fournier said seating will be available in some of the stadium seats, as well as at designated socially distanced sitting areas in the outfield using chalked 10×10 squares. People are encouraged to bring blankets and pillows, but no outside chairs are allowed. Masks and face-coverings are also required at the entry gate.

Third annual Fisher Cats Food Truck and Fireworks festival
When
: Saturday, Oct. 10; food trucks will be serving on the field from 1 to 6 p.m.; fireworks show begins at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, 1 Line Drive, Manchester
Cost: $10 general admission (free for children ages 3 and under); food and drinks are priced per item
Visit: nhfishercats.com

Participating food trucks
Ben & Jerry’s
(benjerry.com)
Dudley’s Concessions (find them on Facebook)
Dudley’s Fried Dough (find them on Facebook)
Empanada Dada (empanadadada.com)
The Gyro Spot (thegyrospot.com)
Jackson Effie Coffee Cabin (coffeecabinma.com)

Featured photo: Fisher Cats food truck and fireworks festival. Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 20/10/08

News from the local food scene

Virtual sweetness: The Toadstool Bookshops of Nashua, Peterborough and Keene will hold a virtual author event via Zoom on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 11 a.m. featuring Erin Renouf Mylroie, who will present her new cookbook 101 Greatest Cookies on the Planet. She’ll also conduct a baking demonstration using one of the recipes from her book, which features ideas for all types of cookies for every season. The recipe she’ll go over will be on how to make maple shortbread cookies. Visit toadbooks.com/event/101greatestcookies or visit one of the three shops to purchase the book.

Food trucks at Canobie: Canobie Lake Park (85 N. Policy St., Salem) will host its final food truck festival weekend of the season on Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11, when several local food trucks will be set up inside the park from noon to 3 p.m. each day. Both days will feature Massachusetts-based food trucks Trolley Dogs, North East of the Border and The Chubby Chickpea. On Saturday, Prime Time Grilled Cheese, a Manchester food truck specializing in artisan grilled cheeses, will be there, while the Walking Gourmet food truck, based in Windham, will be at the park on Sunday. Park admission with advance registration is required ($39 for adults, $29 for seniors and attendees under 48 inches tall, and free for kids ages 3 and under). Visit canobie.com.

Lamb shanks to go: There’s still time to order your lamb shank dinner to go at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral (650 Hanover St., Manchester). Dinners of lamb shanks, rice and green beans will be available for pickup at the church on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 4 to 7 p.m. The cost is $20 per person and orders must be placed by Oct. 11 by calling the church office. The church had canceled its annual Glendi food festival earlier this year, usually held in mid-September, but has been holding smaller drive-thru events featuring Greek eats to promote social distancing. Visit stgeorgeglendi.com or call 622-9113.

Halloween at the market: Costumes are encouraged during the Bedford Farmers Market’s final day of the season, a Halloween themed market, on Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 3 to 6 p.m. in the parking lot of the former Harvest Market (209 Route 101, Bedford). The market will feature a variety of specialty treat tables throughout the afternoon. Visit bedfordfarmersmarketnh.org.

Houseplants and herbs

How to prepare them to move indoors

Most of us bring our houseplants outside for the summer. Now is the time to bring them in, or get them ready to make the move. It’s also the time to put herbs that you’ve had in the ground all summer into pots and get them ready for winter use in the kitchen.

Generally, plants outdoors don’t suffer much from aphids: The pests are kept in check by good insects that munch on them. But move plants indoors and they often get covered with those tiny aphids and their honeydew, which makes a sticky mess of your leaves.

The solution is an easy one. Before bringing a potted plant indoors, wash the leaves. I do this by placing the potted plant on its side and washing it with a stream of water from the hose. I wash not only the tops of the leaves but the underside, too. Roll the pot twice to wash all the leaves well.

In addition to the leaves, I wash off the surface of the potting soil to get any eggs or aphids hiding there. I then add half an inch of fresh potting soil to replace any I washed off. Then I stand the pot up and let it dry in the sun. For smaller plants, you can wash them in the kitchen sink.

Although spring is generally recommended for re-potting houseplants, it may be needed now if a houseplant has been in the same pot for a long time. If roots are poking out of the holes in the bottom of the pot, or if the plant leaves are smaller than previously, it’s time to re-pot. You can remove a plant from its pot to see if roots are matted and tangled at the bottom of the root ball, and pressed up against the side of the pot.

Getting a plant out of a pot is not always easy. If the pot is small enough, hold it upside down, give a tug on the plant and it will slide out into your waiting hand. For bigger pots I use a long bread knife or cake spatula and slide it between the root ball and the pot, poking and pushing all the way around the outer edge to loosen the soil. Then I turn it upside down again and try to remove it.

For big pots, get someone to help you. Hold the plant, and ask your helper to tug and rotate the pot, pulling until the plant comes out. Plastic and fiberglass pots are generally more willing to give up their grip on plants than old-fashioned baked clay pots.

Once the plant is out of the pot, try to loosen up the roots. If they are a tightly tangled mess, you can use a serrated steak knife to cut off an inch or so of roots at the bottom of the pot. Roots on the sides can be “tickled” loose with your fingers, a kitchen fork, or a hand tool such as the CobraHead weeder. Let soil fall off the roots, as it is depleted and will be replaced.

Potting mix is generally based on peat moss, which is light and fluffy but not very nutritious for your plants. I like to mix it with high-quality compost — my own, or purchased. I find Moo-Doo brand composted cow manure to be excellent and readily available. It is made in Vermont.

I like to have an inch or two of my freshly made potting mix in the bottom of the pot, and half an inch to an inch of it all around the perimeter. To make space around the outside requires removing old soil or using a slightly bigger pot

When adding soil mix around the outside of the pot, use your fingers to push the new mix down, but you may need a wooden spoon or paint stirrer to get it all the way to the bottom of the pot. Water after the job is done to be sure no air pockets are left in the pot.

Some perennial herbs can be moved inside for the winter. These include chives, rosemary, thyme and parsley. Parsley has many deep roots, so an eight-inch-deep pot is best. Chives are easy to pot up, and do well on a bright window sill. I will cut mine back in a week, as she looks a bit like Rapunzel now. Basil, no matter how hard we try, is not a good candidate to come inside. It attracts aphids and needs more light than a windowsill will normally provide. I’m going to try moving some dill inside this year, but have not previously tried it.

After you have potted up some herbs, leave them outside for a week or more. Why? It’s best to change just one variable at a time. There is always less light inside, so let the plants get used to being in a pot before moving them indoors. Be sure not to over-water your herbs: most are Mediterranean in origin and do best in relatively dry soil. That said, please know that a completely dry rosemary is a dead rosemary.

On another note, a few days after a hard frost you should dig up your dahlias, calla lilies, gladiolas and cannas. Store them in a cool, dark place. A brown paper bag with some slightly damp wood shavings used in gerbil cages or sphagnum moss will keep them from drying out too much.

The Art Roundup 20/10/08

Crafts online: The Craftworkers’ Guild’s first-ever Virtual Harvest Fair is going on now through Oct. 12. The Guild has suspended its in-person events in Bedford until further notice and is inviting people to shop online. The virtual fair features work by more than 30 artisans and craftspeople, including seasonal decor, photography, fine art and prints, cards, gourmet treats, woodworking, fiber and fabric, sewn and knitted specialties, stained and fused glass art, mixed media and jewelry. “As the oldest craft-related organization in New Hampshire, it has been a challenge to take our historic shop online for the first time,” Carol Davis, president of the Craftworkers’ Guild, said in a press release. “We are excited to be able to share our new virtual shop with our friends and fans.” Items purchased at the virtual shop will be available for curbside pickup in Bedford daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., for the duration of the event. Visit craftworkersguild.org.

Music in the gardens: Symphony New Hampshire will perform an outdoor concert featuring its String Quartets on Saturday, Oct. 10, at the Beaver Brook Association’s Maple Hill Gardens (117 Ridge Road, Hollis). The gardens will open at 4 p.m., and the music will begin at 5 p.m. Tickets cost $15 per person, $25 per couple and $5 for children age 12 and under. Seats are limited. Purchase tickets online in advance at beaverbrook.org.

Crafts for sale at the Craftworkers’ Guild Virtual Harvest Fair. Courtesy photo.

Call for artist members: The New Hampshire Art Association’s fall jurying for new members will take place on Sunday, Oct. 25, and Monday, Oct. 26. The oldest statewide artist association in the state, NHAA provides many opportunities for New England artists to exhibit and sell their artwork throughout the year. Prospective members will drop off four original works of art in the same medium that “reflect the artist’s voice and are representative of their body of work,” according to the NHAA website. A jury of established NHAA artist members with backgrounds in a variety of media will review and judge the work. The jury looks for “maturity of artistic concept, mastery of the medium, composition, consistency of artistic concept and presentation,” the website said. Fill out an application, available on the website, and mail it, along with $25 for the application fee, to New Hampshire Art Association, 136 State St., Portsmouth, NH 03801, by Thursday, Oct. 22. Instructions for the drop-off will be emailed to you. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

Pandemic poetry reading: Gibson’s Bookstore presents a virtual reading event for COVID Spring: Granite State Pandemic Poems on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. on Zoom, featuring 12 of the book’s poets. The poetry anthology, edited by New Hampshire Poet Laureate Alexandria Peary and published by Hobblebush Books, features original poems submitted by 54 New Hampshire writers. The poems “provide a thirty-day snapshot of what life was like in the Granite State in April of 2020” and explore topics like Covid-related “job loss, loneliness and love, masks, social distancing, surreal visitors, uncertainty, graduations deferred, grief, neighborly and less-than-neighborly acts, observing the beginning of the pandemic and making projections about the future, recalibrating or confirming what it means to be human, to be a resident of this region,” Peary said in the anthology’s introduction. Visit newhampshirepoetlaureate.blogspot.com to register and receive an email with the link to the Zoom event. The book can be purchased at Gibson’s and other local bookstores, Hobblebush Books (hobblebush.com), Small Press Distribution (spdbooks.org) and Amazon, and the publisher will donate $2 from every copy sold to the New Hampshire Food Bank to support New Hampshire residents impacted by the pandemic.

A sense of belongings

Artists reflect on their possessions in new exhibit

The newest exhibit at Twiggs Gallery in Boscawen, “Possessed,” explores just that: the things we possess, and the things that possess us.

Six artists tell stories of their own relationships with possessions — both physical and conceptual — through calligraphy, painting, photography, fiber art and mixed media.

“We all have possessions, and it’s interesting to look around and think about what’s important to us and what isn’t,” said gallery owner Adele Sanborn, who is also one of the featured artists. “It turned out to be a fun idea for a show.”

As a calligrapher, Sanborn said she is “possessed by words” and decided to make words the focus of her work in the exhibit. The calligraphy pieces feature single words, like “persistence” and “tomorrow,” that are meant to provoke a unique response from each viewer.

“The words I chose can be positive or negative, depending on who you are and how you’re looking at it,” she said. “I love that whole idea of ambiguity, of yin and yang.”

Graphic designer Donna Catanzaro of South Sutton gives meaning to her “collections of useless, dusty objects” through digital art and collage.

“Penguins, the Virgin Mary and religious statues, the lighthouses and other various knickknacks … provided a bit of joy at one point, but now they just remind me of how cluttered my life is,” Catanzaro said in her artist statement. “I decided to give them a purpose, a place, a landscape they can live in, shrines to pray to.”

Using stencils and acrylic spray paint, Elaine Caikauskas of Manchester made images representing sentimental items from her past, like one of her favorite childhood books, her niece’s bathtub toys and a cat toy that has been enjoyed by nine of her cats over the course of 30 years.

“I focused on discovering the connections between my past and present, revealed, sometimes unexpectedly, by the creative process,” Caikauskas said in her artist statement. “I wanted to blur the physical qualities of the objects to explore a deeper psychological truth.”

“That connection between past and present seems to be a thread that runs through many of the artists’ work for this exhibit,” Sanborn added.

Fiber artist Suzanne Pretty of Farmington created works inspired by possessions passed down to her by her grandmother, such as china, linens, tools, furniture, postcards and more, which furnished her first apartment and now fill her house.

“The more I looked at the items I found, I realized how attached I was to them.” Pretty said. “Some items are very special and hold special meanings, reminding us of the people who owned them.”

Artist Susan Huppi of Penacook said her work looks at items she owns that “tell stories of different time periods and personalities,” particularly of painting with her father when she was a child. One painting depicts a copper urn that holds her father’s paint brushes and a childhood bureau mirror that reflects one of his paintings.

“Objects can be a memory prompt to get us to recall family stories and hopefully pass some form of these stories on to the next generation,” Huppi said, adding that she is a third-generation artist in her family and “the legacy continues” as her niece is also an artist.

Gail Smuda of Concord, who does fiber art and sculptural art books, also focused on items with connections to the people and pets in her life: a sled that belonged to her mother, a dish from a children’s dish set that belonged to her great aunt, and her cat Abbey, whom she said “is a reminder of all the cats we have owned over many decades.”

“For me, objects always translate to people,” she said. “The stories behind the objects, whether it be the memory of an elderly relative or who I was with when the object was obtained, is very important to me.”

Sanborn said the exhibit is deeply personal for the artists and can be personal for the viewer too.

“I think when people wonder why the artists chose [the possessions] that they did for their art, they start to become curious about their own selves,” she said. “What does the word ‘possessed’ mean for them?”

“Possessed”
Where
: Twiggs Gallery, 254 King St., Boscawen
When: Now through Nov. 1. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m.
More info: 975-0015, twiggsgallery.wordpress.com
Visitors are asked to wear masks.

Featured photo: “Persistance” by Adele Sanborn. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 20/10/08

Spotted lanternfly spotted

Spotted lanternflies (SLF) have been detected at a New Hampshire nursery, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food. The department and nursery personnel found the invasive insect on Sept. 3 and subsequently killed several adult SLF. They also identified SLF eggs on red maple trees that had come from Pennsylvania. The SLF typically feeds on the tree of heaven, which is prohibited for sale in the state, but it will feed on more than 70 kinds of plants. The insect is considered a risk to a variety of agricultural, ornamental and hardwood crops, according to the release.

Score: -1

Comment: There is currently no evidence of an established SLF population in the state, the release said, and public awareness and the ability to identify the insect can help keep it that way. Visit nhbugs.org/spotted-lanternfly to learn more.

Ending chronic homelessness

Harbor Care, which provides housing, health care and support to community members who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, recently announced a new goal: to end chronic homelessness in Nashua by the end of 2020. According to a press release, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently provided Harbor Care with 26 new housing vouchers. As of Sept. 22 there were 21 chronically homeless people in Nashua, meaning that Harbor Care can now house every person who meets the definition of chronically homeless (people who have been homeless for more than one year or have experienced homelessness at least four times in three years).

Score: +1

Comment: Harbor Care has also launched a fundraiser called Dignity of Home to make sure that supports are available to people after they move into their new homes. So far the campaign has raised more than $125,000 of its $200,000 goal, according to the release, and the Ending Homelessness Committee, a group of concerned citizens, recently offered to match the next $5,000 in donations.

Check your smoke detectors

The state saw its second deadliest three-month period in the past 10 years for unintentional fatal fires from March to May, according to a press release. This year there have been eight fatalities in seven home fires — and in each fire, there were no working smoke alarms, the release said. This week (Oct. 4 through Oct. 10) is National Fire Prevention Week, and State Fire Marshal Paul J. Parisi said in the release that “smoke alarms are the biggest factor when it comes to giving people time to get out alive.”

Score: -1

Comment: In New Hampshire, it is the law to have smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. Contact your local fire department, as many in New Hampshire have free smoke alarm programs, according to the release.

Take a road trip

With foliage at its peak in southern New Hampshire, now is a great time to take a scenic drive. You can travel pretty much anywhere and find beautiful scenery, or you can set out on a more purposeful drive: the Robert Frost/Old Stagecoach Byway, which travels through Auburn, Chester, Derry, Hampstead and Atkinson. A group of people representing the five communities recently created a brochure and website for the route, which includes numerous points of interest.

Score: +1

Comment: Visit frost-stagecoach-byway.org to find a map as well as the history of the byway.

QOL score: 57

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 57

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Covid back on center stage

Not that it hasn’t been the biggest worldwide story for seven months, but the coronavirus reared its head in a big way again last week with the announcement that the president and first lady had tested positive, followed a day later by news that Patriots QB Cam Newton had become the biggest sports name infected with the virus, throwing a major curveball at the Patriots in the year after Brady.

The latter forced the NFL to push back the Patriots’ meeting with KC to a few hours after I’m writing this on Monday, after previously postponing Sunday’s game between Tennessee and Pittsburgh due to positive tests among several folks in the Titans organization. That gave the NFL its first dose of what MLB faced playing outside a bubble, when those playing inside one had virtually no issues — both the NBA and NHL playoffs progressed to a conclusion. So with all local teams from the last three leagues now done, let’s catch up on some of strange or otherwise occurrences the global plague has wrought on sports.

The Best And Silliest Dust-Up – L.A. vs. Houston: If I were Joe Kelly’s defense attorney in his suspension hearing for buzzing one over Alex Bregman’s head, I’d point out the control-challenged hurler once by missed the target he was aiming for against his house to throw a pitch through the window of his own bedroom. So how can anyone be sure he was trying to instigate something with the Astros? Especially when he was with Boston, not L.A., when they got cheated out of a World Series win. But if I were the DA, I’d say, being the knucklehead locals know old Joe to be, he likely misremembered he was a Dodger in 2017 and the pitch just got away when he was actually trying to drill Bregman in the ribs.

Biggest Knucklehead – Lou Williams: Said he was going home on emergency leave from the NBA bubble only to show up in a social media post at a well-known Atlanta strip club. Won in a tight race with Indians hurlers Zach Plesac and Mike Clevinger, who first lied about breaking protocol and then put the entire team at risk the next day in meetings before being caught in their lie. It got Clevinger bounced to San Diego, er, L.A., er no, it actually was SD and Plesac dropped off the roster as punishment.

Grinding On Award – tie, Marlins and Cards: While the expanded playoff format made it easier to get it, you’ve got to give the two teams that got hit by far with the most positive tests among players credit for grinding to make the postseason. The Cards at one point had played just five games when most others had played 20. That they survived 15 pitching-taxing doubleheaders is amazing.

Worst Loss – Orioles to Marlins: In Miami’s first game back after missing a week due to a slew of positive tests through the organization, the O’s still somehow managed to lose 4-0 despite the M’s having 17 new players after the same number went onto the DL/quarantine list.

Old Belief Reaffirmed – Home Court Helps: As good a job as the NBA did with the bubble plan, the loss of home court advantage was a series-altering factor in the playoffs. Most obvious was how the rhythm of a series changes from top seeds starting with two at home, then going on the road for two. That generally helps build drama as it goes along, which was missing with the game after game neutral site bubble-created format. Not a criticism, because it wasn’t anyone’s fault, but since it is one of the best things about the playoffs, it was definitely missed.

Biggest Unnoticed Historical Developments – Lakers Two Games Away: A major source of pride among Celtics fans has always been they’ve won more NBA titles than any other franchise. Well, the Lakers are likely to match their 17 titles, maybe by Friday. And by having 33 Finals appearances to Boston’s 20, it wrests the title of greatest NBA franchise away as well. It’s a product of winning just once since the end of the Bird era. Which for the mathematically challenged is, gulp, 34 years since his last title as L.A. won seven more times.

Newest Rule Likely to Stay – Extra Innings: Can’t believe I’m saying this, but I liked putting a guy to start each inning from the 10th on, and not just because it prevented endless games. It changed strategy by forcing managers to be aggressive rather than trying to outlast the other guy. So the real lesson for action-challenged baseball is to come up with more stuff like that.

Biggest Local Disappointment – Bruins: With the best record in the league at the shutdown they seemed poised to go to the Finals again and maybe win this time. But nope, they were out before the Celtics thanks in part to being deserted a couple of games in by their goaltender.

Least Disappointing Local Team – Red Sox: It was their worst team since 1963, but after Mookie Betts and David Price got traded, and Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez lost to Tommy John and a scary Covid-related heart issue, did anyone have any expectations for what they might do beyond how bad they were going to be? Beyond J.D. Martinez hitting .213 how can anyone say no?

Non-Corona Victim of Last Week – San Diego, er, L.A. Chargers: That would be for getting run over by the five TD passing day by you know who on Sunday in his first great game since 2018.

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