February 2021 – Page 9

Paul Lynn

Paul Lynn of Raymond and his partner, Carolyn D’Amico, launched Java Joe’s (59 Route 27, Raymond, find them on Facebook @javajoesraymondnh), a drive-thru shop offering specialty coffees, teas and various breakfast items, in 2015. Lynn built the 300-square-foot drive-thru himself and roasts his own coffee beans in house, which include Colombian, Sumatran and several other varietals. Java Joe’s also features a full line of espresso drinks, including macchiatos and chai lattes, and egg and cheese sandwiches available on English muffins, bagels or croissants. (Pictured are Paul Lynn and his partner, Carolyn D’Amico. Courtesy photo).

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A perforated spatula.

What would you have for your last meal?

I’m quite a big fan of king crab legs. They’re my favorite thing to eat.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I’d have to say CR’s in Hampton. I don’t get to go there as often as I’d like, but I’ve never been disappointed. Everything is always flavorful and memorable.

What celebrity would you like to see ordering from Java Joe’s?

I’d like to get the opinion of Elon Musk. He’s innovative and brilliant, and I think I would value his opinion.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

The house roast [coffee], hot and black, with sugar, and a bacon, egg and cheese croissant.

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

Takeout is trending, but also just trying to figure out [how to get] takeout with locally sourced, farm-to-table [items].

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I really like cooking Mexican food, like tamales and tacos.

Homemade Béarnaise sauce
From the at-home kitchen of Paul Lynn of Java Joe’s in Raymond

¼ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup dry white wine
3 sprigs tarragon
3 sprigs chervil
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 egg yolks
Kosher salt
1½ sticks unsalted butter

Combine vinegar, wine, herbs, shallots and peppercorn and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Strain the liquid using a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl. Combine vinegar reduction, egg yolks and a pinch of salt in the bottom of a cup. Melt butter over high heat and transfer to a measuring cup. Using an immersion blender, place the head into the bottom of the cup and turn it on. Pour hot butter into the cup. Continue pouring until all butter is added (the sauce should be thick and creamy). Whisk until sauce is thickened. Whisk in chopped tarragon and chervil and serve.

Featured photo: Paul Lynn. Photo by Matt Ingersoll.

The bomb

A deep dive into the steak bomb and its many variations

What is a steak bomb? Visit nearly every pizza or sub shop across New Hampshire and you’ll find this as an option on the menu. Most shop owners leave little debate as to what makes up this sub’s core ingredients: grilled steak, usually shaved, tossed together with onions, green or red peppers, and mushrooms.

“It’s really just a steak and cheese [sub] … [but] with extra toppings,” said Mikhail “Mikey” Bashagurov, owner of Mikey’s Roast Beef & Pizza in Hooksett.

Then there are variations, including the type of cheese used and the type of bread. The bomb gets really fancy when you start adding toppings, like Genoa salami or pepperoni, or hotter ingredients, like jalapenos, banana peppers or hot pepper relish.

Salami? Jalapenos?

The steak bomb sub is the flagship menu item of Danelly’s Subs and Pizza in Nashua, which has been in business since 1960. Danelly’s manager Christopher Smith said the sub, known simply as the “Bomb” on its menu, continues to be among the shop’s top-selling options.

“A lot of places that serve them with salami will shred it so that it gets mixed in with everything else,” Smith said, “but here, our Genoa salami is left as whole slices that we put on the top of the sub. What that does is it prevents the cheese from sticking to the paper when you unwrap it.”

The steak bombs available at Danelly’s come in eight-inch, 10-inch or jumbo 30-inch-sized sub rolls, delivered fresh at the shop six days a week from the Boston-area Piantedosi Baking Co. In lieu of mushrooms, the subs also feature tomatoes added to the grill.

“Once everything is shredded and all of the veggies are mixed in, then we kind of line everything up in a straight line on the roll, put some provolone cheese on top and then a layer of salami on top of that,” Smith said. “The cheese melts and the steam from the meat warms up the salami.”

Other shops don’t include salami or other less traditional toppings, but if you want them, just ask. Mikey’s Roast Beef & Pizza’s basic steak bomb is either shaved steak or steak tips, along with peppers, mushrooms, onions and American cheese, but they’ll add whatever you’d like.

“Personally, my favorite way is with cut up bacon to match the texture, and with barbecue sauce,” Bashagurov said.

Still, he said, the core ingredients are what matter most.

“It’s a very simple sandwich, so the best way to make it great is to pay attention to great ingredients,” Bashagurov said. “We use fresh veggies and fresh shaved steak. I shave mine from a New York strip loin, which is a really good cut of meat.”

Steak bombs are also one of the more popular sandwich options at each of The Common Man Roadside locations, which include two on either side of Interstate 93 in Hooksett, as well as in Plymouth and Manchester. The sub features shaved sirloin steak, American cheese, green peppers, sauteed onions and bacon bits, according to Bill Boynton, director of public relations and community engagement for Granite State Hospitality, which owns each store.

Where the sub came from, as well as how and when the term was coined, is unclear. John Constant of Constantly Pizza in Concord said that the steak bomb, even though it’s closely associated with New England, could have been an offshoot of the Philly cheesesteak sandwich.

“We do them with a seasoning blend that we make here, on a sub roll, a wrap or what’s called a homemade pocket, which is a pita bread that we make in house,” Constant said.

Your steak bomb, your way

If you prefer your subs with an extra kick, some shops, like Ciao’s Pizza in Nashua, offer “atomic” steak bombs, featuring hot pepper relish, banana and jalapeno peppers and hot sauce with the steak and cheese. Danelly’s, according to Smith, also has an option specific to its bombs known as “the works,” with mayonnaise, pickles and “hots,” or hot pepper relish.

But even if you come across a sub shop that doesn’t explicitly mention the term “steak bomb” on its menu, chances are you can still order one. That’s the beauty of being able to customize your sub, said Jeremy Nadeau, proprietor of Nadeau’s Subs, which opened in sixth location on Jan. 20 inside McLaughlin’s Country Market in Concord. Nadeau’s also has a shop in Exeter and four in Manchester, the oldest of which has been in operation since 1969.

“If you were to ask 10 people what a steak bomb is, you may very well get 10 different variations,” Nadeau said, “so instead, we just say ‘steak and cheese’ and we let you build your bomb. … We have people come in and get a steak bomb and it’s different for every person.”

Since every sub at Nadeau’s is custom made to order, there’s no official set standard for steak bombs — you can choose from shaved steak or steak tips, a sub roll, pita pocket or wrap, American, Swiss or provolone cheese, and a variety of condiments, veggies and other add-ons.

In Amherst, Bentley’s Roast Beef is another shop that doesn’t advertise any of its sub options as “steak bombs,” although you will find an option there that is similar and unique.

“We sell a lot of steak and cheese [subs], probably more than 50 a day,” Bentley’s owner Ali Ewiess said. “We actually take our fresh roast beef, shred it and cook it on the grill with green peppers, sauteed onions, melted American cheese, mayonnaise and our homemade barbecue sauce. … We don’t buy frozen steak.”

Where to get a steak bomb

While this is not a complete list of restaurants in the Granite State offering steak bomb subs, here’s a snapshot of some of the places that offer their own unique takes on the classic New England staple, from hotter options like “atomic” steak bombs, to steak bomb pizzas, calzones, omelets and more.

• 7 Star Pizza & Restaurant (235 Main St., Nashua, 889-8810, sevenstarpizzaandrestaurant.com) offers steak bomb subs in two sizes, with mushrooms, onions, peppers, ham, salami and pepperoni. There’s also the “cherry bomb” sub, featuring barbecue sauce and hot cherry pepper relish, and large or small steak bomb pizzas.

• Atkinson House of Pizza and Roast Beef (51 Island Pond Road, No. 2172, Atkinson, 489-1879, atkinsonhouseofpizza.com) offers a steak bomb sub with grilled mushrooms, peppers, onions, cooked salami and melted American cheese. Other steak sandwich options include a steak and egg sub.

• Beefside Restaurant (106 Manchester St., Concord, 228-0208, beefsidenh.com) offers a steak bomb sub on its menu, featuring four ounces of beef with onions, peppers, mushrooms, cheddar cheese and hand-cut salami. Other options include a barbecue beef brisket bomb, served with beer battered fries.

• Bentley’s Roast Beef (134 Route 101A, Amherst, 883-2020, bentleysroastbeef.com) has various steak sub options, including one with char-grilled marinated steak tips.

• Bill Cahill’s Super Subs (8 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, 882-7710, find them on Facebook @billcahills) is a local shop known for its large-portioned sub options, including the steak bomb but also the Italian bomb, which has salami, hot ham, mortadella and provolone cheese, cooked on the grill with peppers and onions.

• Blue House Roast Beef & Pizza (21 Birch St., Derry, 818-4363, bluehousederry.com) offers various subs on its menu, including a steak bomb but also a larger super steak bomb and an egg bomb.

• Bobola’s Restaurant (9 Simon St., Nashua, 577-1086, bobolasrestaurants.com) offers a steak bomb omelet, featuring shaved steak with peppers, onions, mushrooms and your choice of cheese.

• The Bridge Cafe on Elm (1117 Elm St., Manchester, 647-9991, thebridgecafe.net) offers a steak bomb quesadilla, featuring onions, peppers, mushrooms, marinated grilled steak, salsa, sour cream, black beans and cheese.

• Brookside Pizza (563 Route 106 N, Loudon, 783-4550; 151 Manchester St., Concord, 224-6905; brooksidepizza.com) offers a traditional steak bomb, as well as the Brookside bomb, with sausage, pastrami, steak, onions, peppers, mushrooms, condiments and American cheese.

• Ciao’s Pizza & Subs (495 Amherst St., Nashua, 889-3111, ciaospizza.com) has various “bomb” options under its sub menu, like a traditional steak bomb, and an “atomic” steak bomb with hot relish, jalapeno, banana peppers and hot sauce.

• The Common Man Roadside Market & Deli (1805 S. Willow St., Manchester, 210-2801; 530 W. River Road, Hooksett; 25 Springer Road, Hooksett, 210-5305; 484 Tenney Mountain Highway, Plymouth, 210-5815; thecmanroadside.com) offers a steak bomb with shaved sirloin, American cheese, green peppers, sauteed onions and bacon bits on a sub roll. There’s also a “chicken bomb,” featuring the same ingredients, but with grilled chicken instead of steak.

• Constantly Pizza (39 S. Main St., Concord, 224-9366; 108 Fisherville Road, No. 3, Penacook, 227-1117; constantlypizza.net) offers various “bomb” options on its sub menu, like a traditional steak bomb, a “chicken bomb” and a “pastrami bomb,” which has grilled onions, peppers, mushrooms, Swiss cheese and mustard. The eatery also does a steak bomb pizza with a savory cheese sauce.

• Courthouse Pizza (147 W. Pearl St., Nashua, 882-7200, courthousepizzanashua.com) has a foot-long steak bomb sub, featuring onions, green peppers, bacon, salami, tomatoes and mushrooms.

• Danelly’s Subs and Pizza (87 Allds St., Nashua, 882-6820, danellys.com) offers various types of “bomb” options on its sub menu, including a steak bomb, as well as a ham bomb, which replaces the salami slices with ham.

• Famous Village Pizza (116 Main St., Pembroke, 485-8940, famousvillagepizza.com) offers a traditional steak bomb, as well as a sausage bomb, both of which come in two sizes.

• Giovanni’s Roast Beef & Pizza (14 Broad St., Nashua, 882-5757; 379 S. Willow St., Manchester, 644-5757; 141 Main St., Salem, 894-6003; 207 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 434-9021; 209 W. River Road, Hooksett, 935-9820; giovannis.biz) has various sub options on its menu, including a steak bomb that comes in two sizes.

• Great American Subs (44 Nashua Road, No. 3, Londonderry, 434-9900, greatamericansubsnh.com) offers various steak subs on its menu, including a 21-inch steak bomb, an Italian steak sub with marinara sauce and provolone cheese, and a Greek steak sub with olives, Greek dressing and feta cheese.

• Hollis House of Pizza (22 Ash St., Hollis, 465-7200, hollispizza.com) offers steak bomb subs with either steak tips or shaved steak, and American, Swiss, cheddar or provolone cheese.

• Hot Stone Pizzeria (174 Eddy Road, Manchester, 518-5020, hotstonepizzeria.com) offers a traditional steak bomb sub, as well as a steak bomb pizza with peppers, onions, mushrooms and cheese.

• Jitto’s Super Steak (3131 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, 436-9755, jittosrestaurant.com) has various “bomb” options, like steak bombs, “super steak specials,” with extra steak and extra cheese, and chicken bombs. Steak bomb pizzas are also available.

• Joey’s Diner (1 Craftsmen Lane, Amherst, 577-8955, joeysdiner.com) offers a steak tip bomb sub with peppers, onions, mushrooms and American cheese.

• Mikey’s Roast Beef & Pizza (21 Londonderry Turnpike, Hooksett, 623-0005, mikeysroastbeefandpizza.com) offers steak bombs with mushrooms, peppers, onions and American cheese, and your choice of either shaved steak or steak tips. You can make it a chicken bomb by substituting grilled chicken for the steak.

• Nadeau’s Subs (776 Mast Road, Manchester, 623-9315; 100 Cahill Ave., Manchester, 669-7827; 673 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 644-8888; 1095 Hanover St., Manchester, 606-4411; 48 Portsmouth Ave., Exeter, 580-4445; 11 Eastman St., Concord, 715-1474; nadeaussubs.com), while not explicitly stating it has “steak bombs” on its menu, makes all of its subs customizable to order with your choice of veggies, condiments and other add-ons.

• Naji’s Pizza (109 Route 101A, Amherst, 886-5543, najispizza.com) offers various “bomb” options on its sub menu, like a traditional steak bomb, an “atomic” steak bomb with hot relish, jalapenos, banana peppers and hot sauce, and pastrami or roast beef bombs.

• Nashua House of Pizza (40 E. Hollis St., Nashua, 883-6177, nashuahouseofpizza.com) offers a “Texas-style” barbecue steak bomb on its sub menu.

• Pizza 911 (108 Webster St., Manchester, 625-2201; 401 S. Willow St., Manchester, 782-5443; 742 Mast Road, Goffstown, 232-7767; pizza911nh.com) has various steak sub options; the “Bomb Squad” for example, features shaved steak, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, Genoa salami and American cheese, while “The Boyz in Blue” has shaved steak, Buffalo chicken tenders, provolone cheese and blue cheese dressing.

• Pizza Express (245 Maple St., No. 2, Manchester, 647-7885, pizzaexpressmanchester.com) and Pizza Express II (865 Second St., Manchester, 222-1212, pizzaexpress2.com) offer various steak subs with Syrian bread on its menu, including a steak bomb with mushrooms, peppers, onions, cheese, bacon and salami.

• Presto Craft Kitchen (168 Amory St., Manchester, 606-1252, prestocraftkitchen.com) has a steak bomb option on its “stick” sandwich menu, featuring sauteed onions, peppers, mushrooms, salami, American cheese and mayonnaise.

• Professor’s Pizza and Sports Pub (290 Derry Road, Hudson, 883-0100, professorspizza.com) offers steak sandwiches with shaved steak or steak tips. The steak bomb includes American cheese, peppers, onions, mushrooms, salami and pepperoni.

• The Red Arrow Diner (61 Lowell St., Manchester, 626-1118; 137 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 552-3091; 112 Loudon Road, Concord, 415-0444; 149 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua, 204-5088; redarrowdiner.com) offers a steak bomb with shaved steak, or you can make it a chicken bomb by substituting grilled chicken tenders for the steak.

• Rocco’s Pizza Bar and Grill (297 Derry Road, Hudson, 577-9866, roccospizzanh.com) offers steak bombs and chicken bombs featuring teriyaki chicken.

• Romano’s Pizza (27 Colby Road, Litchfield, 424-0500, romanosnh.com) offers various steak sandwiches on its menu, with either shaved steak or marinated steak tips.

• Simon’s Pizza & Roast Beef (2626 Brown Ave., Manchester, 623-2900, simonspizzaandroastbeef.com) offers a traditional steak bomb, as well as a teriyaki steak and cheese sub.

• Sub Station (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 625-1800, substationhooksett.com) offers its signature sub known as the “Torpedo,” which features custom blended shaved steak, grilled with peppers, onions, mushrooms, cooked salami and melted American or provolone cheese.

• Suppa’s Pizza (5 Lawrence Road, Salem, 328-5460, suppaspizzasalem.com) has various steak sub options, including the eatery’s signature steak bomb, and a “cherry bomb” sub with provolone cheese, barbecue sauce, hot peppers and tomato sauce. Steak bomb pizzas are also available.

• Tessi’s Pizzeria (15 Ermer Road, Salem, 893-2818, tessispizzeria.com) offers a steak bomb calzone with sauteed onions, peppers, mushrooms and salami, in addition to various steak sub options, and even a chicken kabob bomb with lettuce, tomatoes, feta cheese and house dressing.

• TJ’s Deli & Catering (2 Pittsburgh Ave., Nashua, 883-7770, tjsdeliandcatering.com) offers various sub options, including steak bombs, egg bombs and grilled chicken bombs.

• USA Subs (66 Crystal Ave., Derry, 437-1550, usasubs.com) offers various sub options available in three sizes, like a steak bomb with peppers, onions, mushrooms, cooked salami and American or provolone cheese. You can also substitute the meat for mesquite barbecue or teriyaki steak.

• Val’s Pizza and Subs (75 Route 13, Brookline, 672-9600, valspizzaandsubs.com) offers various “bomb” options on its sub menu, like steak bombs, chicken bombs or sausage link bombs.

• Vintage Pizza (241 Candia Road, Manchester, 518-7800, vintagepizzanh.com) offers a traditional steak bomb with grilled onions, peppers, mushrooms and American cheese, or you can make it a chicken bomb by substituting the steak for grilled chicken.

• Wilton House of Pizza (28 Forest Road, Wilton, 654-2020, wiltonhouseofpizza.com) has steak bombs and chicken bombs, both of which are available in two sizes and come with sauteed onions, peppers, mushrooms and cheese.

• Yianni’s Pizza (410 S. River Road, Unit 9, Bedford, 624-5700, yiannispizzanh.com) has various steak sub options, like a steak bomb with grilled onions, mushrooms and peppers, served on an Italian roll.

“Bombs” beyond the steak sub
The term “steak bomb” doesn’t always have to be in reference to subs. Constantly Pizza, for instance, offers a steak bomb pizza that uses American cheese as the base and is topped with shaved steak, onions, peppers, mushrooms and mozzarella. You can also get it as a calzone.
In downtown Manchester, The Bridge Cafe on Elm Street features a steak bomb quesadilla on its lunch menu, which features marinated grilled steak in addition to peppers, onions, mushrooms, salsa, sour cream, cheese and black beans. Steak bomb omelets are even a menu item, at Bobola’s Restaurant in Nashua and Dracut, Mass.
If you love the combination of peppers, onions and mushrooms but want something other than steak, several eateries serve “chicken bombs,” which most often will swap it out for grilled chicken. Constantly Pizza also offers a “pastrami bomb” as a sub, pizza or calzone, which adds Swiss cheese and mustard to the mix of veggies, while Danelly’s has a “ham bomb” sub.
“The ham bomb is one that’s a bit counter-intuitive, because it replaces the salami, not the steak, but it’s an option that a lot of people like,” Smith said. “We’ve gotten orders for Italian bombs, and we do also have one customer who regularly comes in and orders a roast beef bomb.”

Featured photo: Steak bomb sub from The Common Man Roadside Deli & Market. Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 21/02/04

News from the local food scene

• Meals for sweethearts: Still haven’t made your Valentine’s Day plans yet? Visit hippopress.com for our annual Valentine’s Day dine-in and takeout listings at local restaurants, candy shops, bakeries and more. This year features perhaps a more diverse array of options, whether you’re looking for a romantic evening out or would prefer to order a special meal kit for two to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home. For the most up-to-date availability, check participating eateries’ websites or call them directly.

• Tastes of the Southwest: A new Southwest-inspired eatery offering tacos, burritos, bowls, appetizers and a variety of signature cocktails has arrived in Salem. Trio’s Cafe & Cantina, which opened Jan. 18 in the Breckenridge Plaza at 264 N. Broadway, gets its name from a “trio” of generations of owners, according to general manager and Salem native Julie Manzer, which includes her parents and two daughters. Manzer, who previously owned the Purple Finch Cafe in Bedford, said Trio’s showcases her love of Southern California and Tex-Mex flavors, featuring items like a chicken fajita salad bowl, tacos with stewed beef, cheese and adobo sauce, and enchilada skillets with chicken, beef or pulled pork. The drink menu includes various Southwest-themed house cocktails, as well as fresh red and white sangrias, bottled beers, wines and seltzers. Visit trioscc.com or call 458-6164.

• State Liquor Commission opens Epsom outlet: The New Hampshire Liquor Commissionopened its newest Liquor & Wine Outlet store in Epsom on Jan. 21, according to a press release. The 12,000-square-foot store, located at the Epsom traffic circle, features a number of modern amenities, like temperature- and humidity-controlled wine vaults, an expanded spirits selection and oversized aisles for socially distanced shopping. According to the release, the NHLC is next set to open new stores in Littleton and New London by the spring, with another store at 850 Gold St. in Manchester by the end of the year. Visit liquorandwineoutlets.com.

• Wine and dine: Join the Lakehouse Grille (281 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) for a multi-course Kendall-Jackson wine dinner in its Winnipesaukee Ballroom on Thursday, Feb. 11, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Beginning with a livestreamed overview of the evening’s featured wines with Kendall-Jackson winemaster Randy Ullom, the dinner will feature seven courses, each with wine pairings, including baby pickled beets, smoked trout, carrot tartlet, seared rabbit rillettes, a lemon, lime, vodka and gelatin refresher, braised venison short ribs, and chocolate candy egg souffle. The cost is $125 per person and registrations are required. Visit thecman.com or call 279-5221.

Treasure Hunt 21/02/04tr

Dear Donna,
I recently acquired this “Emma Doll.” It was said to be a fine reproduction of an antique doll, purchased at an Amish shop in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 13 years ago. Do you have any info you could share?
Paula

Dear Paula,
Your doll is sweet and life size. Values for reproduction items are not always strong in the antiques market. But if it was done by a specific artist and signed, this would help with a value. It goes with the same rules as if it were an antique. Who did it, when, the quality and detailing, rarity (depending on how many the maker made) and availability of it are all factors in today’s market and in the future. So I think your next step would be to find collectors for these kinds of dolls. They will give you a fair value for it.

Starting from seed

What to get, when to plant and how to make them last

I hate to be the one to give you bad news, but some seed companies are already running out of seeds. Don’t panic: There are, in fact, plenty of seeds out there. And if one company doesn’t have your favorite tomato or zinnia variety, chances are that some other company will.

Before panicking, you might want to go to your local feed-and-grain store, garden center or food coop for seeds, too. Most of those have racks of seeds, some with just one brand, others with several.

Most seeds are good for three years. Of the seeds I use, onions and parsnips are good for just one year. Peppers, parsley, corn and leeks are good for two years. Most of the cabbage family (kale, broccoli, etc.) and squash family (cukes and zukes) are good for four years. Basil and some flowers are good for five years.

You can prolong the viability and vigor of your seeds by storing them properly: They do best in a dark, dry place cooler than 40 degrees. Freezing is fine, too, but put them in an airtight container. In fact, that’s always a good idea.

Despite what I wrote above, I have germinated seeds much older than the suggested limits when I have not been able to find the varieties I wanted. There are downsides to using old seeds. They generally germinate at much lower rates. You can test this by wrapping 10 older seeds in a paper towel and keeping it moist on a sponge. If fewer than half germinate in a week or two, buy new seeds. You can do that now, before you place your seed order.

Older seeds also have less vigor. That is the main reason I avoid them, even if they will germinate at 60 percent. Not all seeds are created equal, and I want those that are ready to explode with pent up energy, ready to grow.

It’s important to know which seeds need to be started indoors and which can do well planted directly in the ground. All your root crops are best started outdoors in the ground, though beets can be started indoors. Beans and peas are direct seeded outside, too. Corn can be started in the ground or indoors in flats. Crows love freshly germinated corn seeds with a little green leaf, so planting four-inch plants started indoors is good if you have just a small plot.

Although you can start the vine crops directly in the soil, I have troubles with striped cucumber beetles killing the young plants when they first germinate by stripping them of their first leaves. So I start squash-family vines in small pots indoors a month or so before outdoor planting day, and the plants are big enough to survive some leaf damage by those insect pests.

Tomatoes, eggplants, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and lettuce I start indoors in April or buy in six-packs. Peppers and some flowers need to be started indoors very early: March 1 is good where I am.

What are my favorite companies? This year I ordered most of my seeds from Fedco Seeds, a co-op based in Maine. I like that it’s a cooperative and does everything in a low-key, sustainable way: Their catalog has no color pictures designed to make me drool. They offer small seed packs for as little as $2. And instead of saying that every tomato variety is “The Best Tasting” they tell the flaws as well as the positive attributes of each variety.

I always get some things from Johnny’s Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company in Maine that is favored by commercial growers. They provide excellent growing information. This year they provide excellent comparison photos in each section, like all their tomatoes, side by side, for example.

Last year I tried John Scheepers’ Kitchen Garden Seeds and liked them a lot. If you are interested in unusual vegetables like shiso, Karikachi edamame, tatsoi and mizuna, they have plenty to choose from. They even have peanuts for northern gardeners! Like Fedco, no color photos in the catalog.

Like Italian food? Seeds from Italy carries the Franchi brand Italian seeds and more. They also have kitchen items, garden tools and more. All high quality.

Hudson Valley Seeds started as a seed library in New York state and became an excellent seed company with seeds others do not carry, like their Siberian watermelon.

Fruition Seeds in upstate New York is another favorite of mine. They grow much of their seed on their 24-acre farm, specializing in heirloom seeds for short seasons like those we have in New England. They have some nice varieties not found elsewhere. The owners are young and full of energy, and grow only organic seeds.

Renee’s Garden Seeds has great seeds but no print catalog. Still, I order from them most years. I love their mixes of different color veggies in one pack — three colors of beans, or two colors of carrots.

And lastly, don’t forget Burpee Seeds, one of the oldest and biggest seed companies for the home gardener. They sell lots of varieties that they have developed, especially disease-resistant hybrids.

So get busy, and buy your seeds now before all get sold!

Featured Photo: Seed catalogs. Photo by Henry Homeyer.

Kiddie Pool 21/02/04

Family fun for the weekend

Celebrate Apollo 14

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 14 with the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord, starhop.com)! According to its website, the center is offering several free virtual activities, including a live online community rocket launch on Saturday, Feb. 6, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Bring a straw rocket, baking soda and vinegar rocket, Alka-Seltzer rocket or any other kind of rocket, then count down together and launch them into the sky. Coming up Thursday, Feb. 4, at 7 p.m. is the Special Star Show – The Apollo 14 Sky workshop via Zoom (free, but registration at starhop.com is required). On Friday, Feb. 5, take the family on the Alan Shepard Driving Tour (the route is available online) and check in via social media. Pinkerton Academy hosts Mr. Aaron’s Space Sing-Along for younger kids on Sunday, Feb. 7, at 9:30 a.m.

Catch the planes

The Festival of Planes at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org) has been extended to Sunday, Feb. 7. According to a press release, the walk-through exhibit, which includes aviation-themed toys, models and puzzles, plus vintage aircraft piloted by celebrities like Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse, has been so popular that it will close two weeks later than planned. The toys span the 20th century, from custom-made cast iron planes to today’s mass-produced Hello Kitty airplane toys. In addition, hundreds of collectible model aircrafts are displayed on a new Wall of Planes in the museum’s learning center. This weekend the museum will be open Friday, Feb. 5, and Saturday, Feb. 6, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 7, from 1 to 7 p.m. The exhibit is included with museum admission of $10 per person; $5 for seniors 65+, veterans/active military and students under 13. Members and children under age 5 get in free.

Football foot race

Second-annual 4-Miler online and in person

With the Patriots done for the season weeks ago, New Hampshire football fans may not be all that excited for Sunday’s Super Bowl, but they can still celebrate the sport during the Super Sunday 4 Miler, an in-person or virtual run that features T-shirt jerseys as swag and beer at the post-race tailgate party.
The race distance is also a nod to the theme: “There’s four downs [in football],” said Barry Lewandowski, the marketing director at Millennium Running, which is hosting the race.
The in-person event takes place Sunday, Feb. 7, at 9:30 a.m. and starts and ends at the 1750 Taphouse in Bedford.
The first Super Sunday 4 Miler took place in February 2020, and Lewandowski said it was a great success.
“It went really well,” he said. “I think we had over 1,500 finishers.”
A lot has changed since this time last year; there was no virtual option, for one thing, and social distancing wasn’t an everyday term. Now race organizers are implementing a time trial start, which they’ve done for every in-person run they’ve had since the pandemic began.
“Two runners will start every 10 seconds to space them out on the course and to allow for social distancing,” Lewandowski said.
While runners won’t have to wear masks while on the course, they are required before they start and after they finish, he said.
Those who opt to participate virtually will run their four miles solo on Feb. 7.
“We have a link for them to give us their result time,” Lewandowski said. “They’ll enter that time and then we calculate all the results on Monday.”
Lewandowski sees the Super Sunday 4 Miler as an opportunity for individuals to get out of the house, do something “culturally relevant” and have fun with the theme.
At the same time, participants will be supporting two good causes. This year Millennium Running has adopted the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester as their official charity partner. The company has also teamed up with Bedford High School Athletic Boosters, who will receive some of the event’s proceeds.

Millennium Running’s Super Sunday 4 Miler
When: Sunday, Feb. 7, 9:30 a.m.
Where: 1750 Taphouse, Bedford, or virtual
Tickets: $30 for virtual participants, $30 for in-person participants under 21, $35 for in-person participants over 21
More Info: Visit millenniumrunning.com/supersunday4miler

Featured Photo: The inaugural Super Sunday 4 Miler in 2020. Photo courtesy of Millennium Running.

The Art Roundup 21/02/04

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities

Watercolor by Barbara London, featured in “Let Me Show You What I Love” exhibit. Courtesy photo.

• Quick bits of fiction: The Monadnock Writers’ Group is having a virtual Three Minute Fiction Slam on Saturday, Feb. 6, at 10 a.m. on Zoom. According to a press release, the Slam is a fast-paced competition in which writers read an original work of fiction in three minutes or less for an audience and panel of judges. Prizes will be awarded to the top three writers, and the winner will have the opportunity to compete in the statewide finals competition hosted by the New Hampshire Writers’ Project (date TBA). The event is free to access, and all are welcome to participate or just watch. Email monadnockwriters@gmail.com to receive the Zoom link. Visit monadnockwriters.org.

• Call for artist members: The New Hampshire Art Association’s spring jurying for new members will take place on Monday, March 22. 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 must submit 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. For a prospectus and application form, visit nhartassociation.org and click on “Become a Member.” Applications and application fee payment are due by Thursday, March 18, and can be submitted online or in person at the NHAA headquarters (136 State St., Portsmouth). Instructions for dropping off and picking up artwork will be emailed after an application and payment are received. Call 431-4230.

• Virtual look at The System: Nashua Public Library, in partnership with Newton Free Library, presents a virtual author event with Robert B. Reich on Thursday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m. Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor, will discuss his latest book, The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It, which is described as a look at how wealth and power have contributed to the rise of an elite oligarchy, devastated the middle class and threatened democracy in the U.S. Christopher Lydon, host of the original podcast Open Source broadcast by WBUR in Boston, will moderate the discussion. Space is limited, and registration is required at tinyurl.com/npllectures by 5 p.m. the day of the event. Information on how to access the event will be sent to registered participants the day of the event. Visit nashualibrary.org or call 589-4610.

• For the love of art: The Seacoast Artist Association has a new art exhibit on view now through the end of February in the windows at the gallery (130 Water St., Exeter) and inside by appointment and open to the public on Saturday, Feb. 13, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Valentine’s Day gift-buying. The Valentine’s Day themed exhibit, titled “Let Me Show You What I Love,” features a variety of art by gallery members depicting “what they love — what seizes their hearts, minds and souls,” according to a press release from the Association. Visit seacoastartist.org or call 778-8856.

No quiet for the choir

Nashua Choral Society sings together from a distance

The Nashua Choral Society is inviting new singers to join its 2021 spring season, which is just getting underway. The non-auditioned community choir has found some creative ways to rehearse while maintaining social distance, including weekly virtual rehearsals over Zoom and monthly “driveway rehearsals” where members can gather in person and sing together from their cars.

When Covid hit last spring, the choir was just polishing up an upcoming performance with Symphony NH, featuring a full program of Haydn music, and a performance with the Nashua Chamber Orchestra, which was to include the premiere of a new song written for the choir.

Those performances were postponed, but instead of losing momentum the choir has gotten stronger — active members have stayed, less-active members have become more involved and new singers have joined, artistic director Dan Roihl said.

“Obviously, performance is a big part of [being in a choir], but I think there is some intrinsic reward in the communal aspect of just singing together, hearing your voice with other voices and creating works of beauty,” Roihl said. “That’s been enough for people right now.”

Still, moving from in-person rehearsals to virtual rehearsals was a bit more complicated than expected, Roihl said.

“As most choirs quickly figured out, singing together live over Zoom just isn’t practical because of the lag time,” he said. “It’s just not possible to synchronize.”

To get around this, Roihl has been encouraging members to record themselves singing the pieces on their own and send him the recordings, which he mixes together and plays at the rehearsals so that members can hear how their voices sound in unison. He also plays the instrumental musical tracks and has members sing along with their microphones muted.

“That way, they can at least have the simulated experience of singing together in real time,” he said.

In addition to the weekly Zoom rehearsals, the choir meets once a month in person for a “driveway rehearsal” in the parking lot of the church where they used to have their regular rehearsals. While remaining in their cars, members sing together using wireless microphones. The sound is run through a mixing board and played back through an FM radio station that members can tune into and hear each other. The choir had its first driveway rehearsal on World Choral Day on Dec. 13 with around 30 members in attendance.

“It was almost magical, because at that point we hadn’t been able to actually hear what we sound like together in real time for about nine months,” Roihl said. “It’s just really amazing to experience singing together again, even if it is just through our car windows.”

The driveway rehearsals are not only more personal than the Zoom rehearsals, Roihl said, but also more productive.

“It’s a lot more like a real rehearsal because [singers] can respond to my gesture, and I can get feedback on how they are responding to my gesture in real time, which is something that had been sorely lacking in the Zoom context,” he said. “It allows us to really assess how we are doing so I can still do some music teaching and we can work on our techniques.”

While the Nashua Choral Society has performed primarily classical music, Roihl is working on developing a more versatile repertoire to include pop song arrangements, familiar hymns and “everyday-use songs” that he believes will appeal to a wider audience and expand the choir’s performance opportunities.

“We always hope to keep one foot firmly planted in our classical wheelhouse, but I think having some easier songs that we can do a cappella or on short notice or if we don’t have the full [choir] there … will give us more flexibility,” he said.

While the choir has no public performances scheduled at the moment, Roihl said they’ve been “kicking around the idea” of doing some community-based drive-in performances in the parking lots of hospitals, nursing homes and such, using the same mechanics as their driveway rehearsals.

“We know it’s not quite the same as a [normal] live performance, but at least [audiences] could see me out there waving my arms and hear us singing in real time,” he said. “It’s more about letting people know that we’re thinking of them and that we’re looking to share the joy of the art we bring.”

Nashua Choral Society
Singers of all abilities are welcome to join. No auditions necessary. Spring season runs now through mid-May, with virtual rehearsals via Zoom every Monday from 7 to 9 p.m., and monthly “driveway rehearsals” in Nashua. Visit nashuachoralsociety.org or facebook.com/nashuachoralsociety or email info@nashuachoralsociety.org.

Featured photo: Artistic director Dan Roihl leads a Nashua Choral Society “driveway rehearsal.” Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 21/02/04

Lots of student loans

A recent study that looked at student loan debt nationwide ranked New Hampshire ninth for the most people with student loans. The study was done by AdvisorSmith, a small business research website, which analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Education to find the states with the highest student loan balances and states with the most student loans outstanding. According to the study, in New Hampshire 14 percent of the population has an outstanding federal student loan.

Score: -1

Comment: On the bright side, the average loan balance in New Hampshire is $33,459 — which is slightly lower than the national average. At the end of 2020 the average student loan debt held in the federal student loan portfolio was $36,510 per borrower, according to the study.

Granite State for the golden years

Retirees are faring better than students in the Granite State, it seems; New Hampshire ranked 10th in a recent study that looked at the best states for retirees in 2021. Last week, the personal finance website WalletHub released the report, which looked at factors like affordability, health and overall quality of life. While the state didn’t exactly score high marks for affordability — ranking 30th — it came in at No. 1 for quality of life and ninth for health care.

Score: +1

Comment: Quality of life is key (that’s why we weigh in on it on this very page every week!), but bringing that affordability ranking down a bit would make the state’s QOL even better, no?

Tough loss for gift store owners

Countryberries, a gift store in Deerfield, was destroyed by a fire on the morning of Jan. 29, according to a report from WMUR. The shop is a total loss, and there is no word yet on the cause. The owners, Bruce and Kathy Graham, who live in the house adjacent to the shop, were asleep when the fire started but awoke in time to get out safely, according to a message that the couple’s daughter, Kelly, posted on the store’s Facebook page. “We built the shop in 1997 with the help of family and friends, but as so many of you know, Countryberries was more than just a building on the Graham property (or a room in their house many many years ago),” the post reads. “It has been a dream, a passion, and part of the Graham family since May 1991.”

Score: -2

Comment: The post on Facebook said that although the family is devastated, they are grateful that no one was hurt and that the Graham’s family home of 36 years was not destroyed in the fire.

The Plunge is on

The Special Olympics of New Hampshire’s Penguin Plunge will go on this year, giving brave plungers a chance to raise funds for the program, which is still supporting its athletes by offering fun activities even while they’re at home. There’s still time to sign up and meet fundraising minimums before taking the plunge, which can be done anytime in any non-frozen body of water (the event normally takes place at Hampton Beach) between now and Feb. 7. According to a press release, signing up at sonh.com will get you a link to the fundraising platform, which can be used on any social media.

Score: +1

Comment: If you run into the ocean in the middle of winter and no one is around to see it, did you really run into the ocean?

QOL score: 56

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 55

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

Month: February 2021