Year: 2024

Album Reviews 24/02/08

Ekkstacy, Ekkstacy (United Masters Records)

This Vancouver, British Columbia-based singer is a mildly odd bird, extracting inspiration from a wide range of dark 1980s bands and SoundCloud rappers like XXXTentacion. I figured this’d be an unapologetic gesture of obeisance to his more gothy influences after hearing the Jesus and Mary Chain-begging opener, “I Don’t Have One of Those,” which, as you’d guess, turns in a half-asleep, very ’80s shoegaze effort, its beat straight out of the Cure’s earliest days. But there’s a more quickened pulse to be found here: “Luv of My Life” reads like a kinder, gentler Buzzcocks, or, sure, Pink Flag-era Wire, meaning that any Gen-Xer who wasn’t one of the popular kids will be feeling comforted by all they’ve heard of the album thus far. The guitars are jangly and bright, and the from-the-mountaintop reverb setting is right where you’d want it to be, and then suddenly he’s innovating rather nicely, as found in things like the shoegaze-twee experiment “I Guess We Made It This Far.” Very listenable stuff overall. A —Eric W. Saeger

Wisp, “See You Soon” (Interscope Records)

The latest Residents-style mystery artist is this one, allegedly a 19-year-old woman about whom no one knows anything. There are big things planned for this person, obviously, being that Interscope is the record label pushing it, not to mention the fact that there’s a writeup in Nylon, meaning that the intended audience is older zoomers who go to hair stylists, which is pretty much the only kind of place you’ll ever see that magazine, aside from maybe Sam Goody’s. The angle that’s being pushed is that there exists somewhere an army of young artists who want to resurrect shoegaze, or at least get briefly famous on TikTok for throwing together a tune like this one-off single, which, like her previous ones, is being offered without any explanation, background or anything else. If you think the whole thing sounds a bit odd, it is, but the guitars on this song are, I’ll admit it, completely divine, sloshing over the listener like an island wave at dusk. That’s the clean guitar layer anyway; the rest of it could be Raveonettes for all most listeners would guess. But sure, carry on, mystery TikTok person. A- —Eric W. Saeger

Playlist

A seriously abridged compendium of recent and future CD releases

• Tally ho, there will be new albums released this Friday, Feb. 9, because that’s how it’s done around here! Winter is sure setting in, with random snowstorms and “frost heaves,” I wonder who made up that phrase, an abominable snowman after drinking a few too many Jagermeisters? Bop! I’ll be here all week, folks, no need to worry, but let’s get to some music stuff, starting with Part Time Believer, the new album from alleged alt-country band The Strumbellas, who are from Ontario, Canada! I listened to one of their older tracks, “Holster,” and it’s a decent curveball, nice and bouncy, sort of like what Guster would sound like if they had a pulse, but the lyrics are dumb, which is OK! As for this new album, it starts out with “Running Out of Time,” which is part ’80s-synthpop and part Jackson Browne ’70s-radio-mawkishness; it’s nice overall. The singer does sound a lot like Jackson Browne, which is why I mentioned him, but it gets better with “My Home is You,” which is obviously influenced by Kings of Leon — wait, here comes the chorus, yes, yes, definitely a Kings of Leon obsession here. There’s even a variation of the Millennial Whoop in there to remind you that the guys in the band are getting old; this’ll probably come out pretty cool when they play it live. See that, I don’t hate everything, now let’s move along and get back to normal, I’m sure I’ll get triggered as we proceed.

• Oi there, Bob’s your uncle, Declan McKenna is an English chap who won the Glastonbury Festival’s Emerging Talent Competition in 2015, that after he self-released a tune called “Brazil,” which was a protest song critical of FIFA’s deciding to hold the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, which made for bad optics. FIFA is of course the international soccer federation, but don’t call it soccer or they won’t know what you’re talking about, you must refer to it as “football,” please nobody tell them that football is actually about the Super Bowl and funny commercials, not soccer, because this ongoing national troll has been funny for decades now. McKenna’s new LP is titled What Happened To The Beach, and the leadoff single from this one is “Nothing Works.” The beat sounds like a cross between The Beatles and Devo, all tempered by Weeknd-ish dance-electro. It’s mildly catchy and definitely disposable.

• I’m sure you were wondering who actually cleared a path for the emergence of Poppy, and here she is, Sacramento, California-based singer-songwriter Chelsea Wolfe! She blends a lot of harder-edged genres into her tunes, stuff like goth-rock, doom metal and noise, which makes her officially relevant. Her new album, Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She, features a couple songs of note, starting with “Dusk,” a slow-burn noise-athon in which Wolfe tenders a yodelly Alanis Morissette vocal over the sonic equivalent of a goth lava flow. As well, there’s “Whispers In The Echo Chamber,” which combines scratchy Trent Reznor S&M-goth and Lana Del Rey whisper-pop. I really have no problem with this stuff at all.

• Lastly, it’s Zara Larsson, a Beyoncé-influenced dance-pop singer who got her start in 2008, after winning the second season of Talang, the Swedish version of all that America’s Got Talent stuff; she’s famous for tweeting such tweets as “Man hating and feminism are two different things. I support both,” because she is a little rascal. Venus is her forthcoming new LP; famous music producer and overrated fraud David Guetta had a hand in the single “On My Love,” so it’s probably dumb, but I’ll go check it out if you insist. Yup, it sounds like Rihanna singing over a house beat from 2008. I remember those days and why the whole thing flopped. —Eric W. Saeger

Mardi Gras takes the cake

Special dessert sweetens pre-Lent festivities

They don’t call it Fat Tuesday for nothing.

Celebrated around the globe with exuberant parades, exotic masks and the throwing of colorful beads and trinkets, Mardi (the French word for “Tuesday”) Gras (which means “fat”) is renowned for gastronomic indulgence, and Mardi Gras King Cake is the ultimate tasty extravagance.

Just ask Denise Nickerson, owner of The Bakeshop on Kelley Street, who knows a thing or two about delicious treats. A graduate of a Le Cordon Bleu-affiliated school, Nickerson has training in French cooking and baking that made her aware of the significance of using real butter, vanilla and heavy cream and not scrimping in any way.

“You can taste the difference,” she said. “And our customers can taste the difference.”

Mardi Gras King Cakes, which harken back to the story of the three kings who paid homage to the newly born Jesus, are a staple of Carnival and have been sold at The Bakeshop since the year it opened. “I opened The Bakeshop in 2010 with the intent of sharing some of my favorite sandwiches and desserts — I love dessert! — and have been successfully selling them for the past almost 15 years,” Nickerson said. “I am always excited to make Mardi Gras King Cakes as they are whimsical, delicious, and, of course, have a baby inside!”

According to Mardi Gras tradition, the lucky individual who finds the tiny figurine hidden in the bread is considered king or queen for the day and is encouraged to provide a cake for the following year’s festivities, host a party, or otherwise perpetuate the revelry.

“Mardi Gras King Cakes are sweet and fun to make,” Nickerson said about the treats, which are said to have originated in France and made their way to New Orleans in the late 19th century. “They are made with our sweet bread recipe, spread with our cinnamon butter, rolled and then formed into a circle or ring. As we roll them, we place the plastic baby in the bread. Next comes a coating of glaze and then the fun part — alternate colors of purple, yellow and green sprinkles, which represent Mardi Gras season.” (According to historians, the colors used to decorate these Carnival confections signify justice, power and faith.) “The cakes are then boxed or placed on pastry trays, and we like to add a couple of Mardi Gras bead necklaces to help in the celebration.”

Mardi Gras is always the day before Ash Wednesday, offering believers one last chance to binge on rich foods before the beginning of the austere season of Lent, a 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday that emphasizes abstinence, fasting and repentance.

Fat Tuesday, which this year falls on Feb. 13, is not surprisingly The Bakeshop on Kelley Street’s biggest day of Mardi Gras King Cake sales, “but we are willing and able to make them anytime for any celebration,” said Nickerson, adding, “Pre-ordering is recommended as we tend to run out quickly!” The Bakeshop will also open its doors on Tuesday, when it is normally closed, to keep up with the seasonal demand.

In addition to Mardi Gras King Cakes and other cakes of all kinds, the Manchester bake shop and cafe is well-known for its array of doughnuts, pies and pastries, as well as a savory menu featuring quiche, soups, chili, and sandwiches served on their own freshly baked bread.

“A lot of my recipes were passed down from my grandmothers, mother, sister and aunts,” said Nickerson. “I’ve found that many people relate to them, as they are simple reminders of flavors and tastes from childhood and beyond. Also, most importantly, using ingredients that are high-quality and often come from local growers and producers makes having a dessert worth it. I always say, if you are going to have dessert, make sure it’s something made well and worth it!”

Nickerson readily admitted that “not everyone might know about the King Cakes.” However, she added, “the ones that do [know] or that try them [for the first time] always come back. It’s a celebration of sweetness and a way to … be a part of the Mardi Gras season.”

Mardi Gras King Cake
The Bakeshop on Kelley Street
171 Kelley St., Manchester
624-3500
thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com

Featured photo:King Cake. Courtesy Photo.

Feeling chili?

Try Amherst’s best at the Lions Club cookoff

Warm up on a chilly Friday night at Fire & Ice, the Amherst Lions Club’s 8th annual chili cookoff and ice cream social. The event takes place Friday, Feb. 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Amherst Middle School.

Entrants will be serving 2 gallons of chili each in people’s choice, restaurant, and Lions Club categories. The chili is all you can eat until the slow cookers are empty.

“You go through the line and you can select as many different kinds of chilis as you want,” explained Amherst Lion Joan Ferguson. Each contestant has a number that is written on their bowls, so you can keep track of your favorites and go back for seconds if you wish.

A panel of judges will be grading the chilis on taste, smell, heat, creativity and presentation. The judges will select the winner for the restaurant and Lions Club categories, and give feedback on the people’s choice entries as well. However, attendees vote for the people’s choice winner. While people’s choice could theoretically be awarded to any category, in the history of the event an individual has always won people’s choice, said Ferguson.

This year’s judges will be Dan DeCourcey, Up in Your Grill owner and pitmaster; Amherst Police Chief Anthony Ciampoli, and local chili connoisseur Chad Camirand, described by Ferguson as having a “discriminating palate.”

Expect a wide variety of chilis, including some you may never have encountered before. There are usually traditional recipes, green chili, veggie, chicken and more, said Ferguson. One year, Cincinnati Chili, traditionally served over spaghetti, was a big hit. In 2020 two middle school students worked with their aunt to make a chili with great ingredients and spices and won people’s choice.

On the divisive debate of beans or no beans, Feguson said, “It’s about evenly divided — it really and truly is.”

The restaurant category this year will include an entry from previous winner Moulton’s Kitchen and Market. The Amherst Lions will be going head to head with the Bedford Lions for the best Lions Club chili, which no club has ever won consecutively.

Each winner will get a silver bowl trophy to keep until next year’s event, engraved with their name. They’ll also get a long-handled wooden spoon engraved with ‘Chili Master.’ And of course, they get to brag about having the best chili in town for a whole year.

The event will also include a make-your-own ice cream sundae bar, hot dogs, face painting, and a visit from Officer Berry — a yellow lab puppy who is Amherst Police Department’s new therapy dog. Weather permitting, there will also be ice skating and a bonfire at the school’s outdoor rink.

The Lions Club will also be providing free eye screenings, one of their philanthropic causes, and they’ll be raffling off a Napoleon Rogue propane grill.

“Winter is getting a little long in the tooth by February,” Ferguson said, so several years ago a member of the club came up with this event so the town could gather over a meal. “The community is able to get together on a cold winter’s night — there’s eating, there’s entertainment, there’s a lot of talking. It’s good to get everyone out of the house.”

If you want to try all the chilis, especially the crowd favorites, make sure you come early.

“Their Crockpots tend to empty out well before the two hours are up,” Ferguson said.

Fire & Ice Chili Cookoff and Ice Cream Social
When: Friday, Feb. 9, 5 to 7 p.m.
Where: Amherst Middle School, 14 Cross Road, Amherst
Tickets: $10 for adults, $6 for children 7 to 12, free for ages 6 and under. Families of four or more can buy a family ticket for $30. Purchase tickets at e-clubhouse.org/sites/amherstnh or at the door.

Featured photo: Last year’s chili cooks Irene Pyle (left) and granddaughter Charley Pyle will return to the Fire & Ice competition Feb. 9th at the Amherst Middle School.

Local farmers get together

NOFA winter conference fosters community

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire (NOFA-NH) will host its 22nd annual Winter Conference on Saturday, Feb. 10, at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester. The event will include panel discussions, workshop sessions, awards and a keynote address by off-grid homesteader Philip Ackerman-Leist.

“As one of the founding chapters of the Northeast Organic Farming Association dating back to the early 1970s, NOFA-NH began with the hope of bringing together the organic community and building traction for the important work of sustainable agriculture in our state and region,” said event coordinator Kyle Jacoby. “The conference has taken on many shapes and sizes over the years, but some things remain the same. Every conference is filled with impactful workshops, local organizations and businesses, delicious food, a keynote address, and community bonding.”

According to Jacoby, the Winter Conference helps to foster the Granite State’s organic farming and gardening community, allowing participants to share knowledge, get energized, and support local, sustainable, healthy food.

“Every event is a place to continue learning and understanding organic practices, have discussions about our local food networks, connect with others in the community to discuss how to work together, recognize members of the community who are doing valuable work, and build enthusiasm for the work ahead,” Jacoby said.

NOFA-NH’s Winter Conference typically welcomes 200 to 300 people from throughout New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts, Jacoby said. “This includes farmers, gardeners, nonprofit management, food distributors, politicians, students, educators and more. Members of this entire community convene at the Winter Conference because of the workshops that are offered, networking opportunities, and the chance to engage in important dialogue about the future of food in our state.”

Workshop topics will include growing techniques, business strategies, food systems, crop management, best practices for high tunnel construction, making tea from your garden, creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable food system in New Hampshire, policy and regulatory tools for small food producers, perfecting greenhouse tomatoes, and more. Sessions are geared toward farmers, gardeners, nonprofit professionals, educators, and community members interested in local food, sustainable agriculture, and cultivating community.

“The conference is also a perfect opportunity to learn new skills, develop important connections with local organizations and businesses, and recognize members of our community and the work they are doing,” Jacoby said.

This year’s keynote speaker is Philip Ackerman-Leist, author of A Precautionary Tale: How One Small Town Banned Pesticides, Preserved its Food Heritage, and Inspired a Movement and Rebuilding the Foodshed: How to Create Local, Sustainable, and Secure Food Systems.

“Philip has an incredible history of the past four decades exploring what it means to have a sustainable and equitable food system,” Jacoby said. “We are excited to hear the stories from his experiences with policy efforts for pesticide-free communities, ‘aha!’ moments in educational systems, innovative shifts in local supply chains, lessons in agritourism, and increased financial support for ecological stewardship.” Ackerman-Leist’s address will highlight some of his experiences collecting stories of food systems across the U.S. and abroad.

Involved with NOFA-NH for two years, Jacoby acknowledges the dedicated team, passionate volunteers, members, and supporters who work together toward a more local, just and sustainable food system.

“It is a joy to work with these people and celebrate the successes of our work,” Jacoby said. “You can see how gratifying that is at the Winter Conference when we present awards to members of our community to recognize the amazing work they are doing and have done. We certainly have challenges ahead but also so much to be proud of and grateful for.”

NOFA-NH annual Winter Conference
When: Saturday, Feb. 10
Where: Southern New Hampshire University, 2500 N. River Road, Manchester; check-in at dining center, workshops at Robert Frost Hall
Tickets: available on a sliding scale ranging from $20 (keynote only) to $125.
More: www.nofanh.org

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 24/02/08

News from the local food scene

Valentine’s Day is Wednesday, Feb. 14, and if you haven’t made those dinner reservations yet, now is definitely the time. A few of the dinner and take out offerings announced on area restaurants’ websites and social media pages include:

• Averill House Vineyard in Brookline (averillhousevineyard.com) has multiple Valentine’s Day themed events on its schedule including a Galentine’s Felting Workshop & Wine Tasting on Friday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m.; Valentine’s Bottle Your Own Experience at various times Sundays, Feb. 11, and Feb. 18; Valentine’s Igloo Experience Dinner & Wine Pairing on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m., and a five-course dinner and wine pairing, also on Valentine’s Day at 7 p.m.

• The Bakeshop on Kelley Street in Manchester (thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com) has chocolate covered strawberries, among other sweet treats.

• Bedford Village Inn in Bedford (bedfordvillageinn.com) is offering a four-course meal for $125 per person with seating times between 5 to 9:30 p.m. See the website for the menu (which includes options for either desserts for sharing or a dessert of your own) and to reserve a table.

• Birch Wood Vineyards in Derry (birchwoodvineyards.com) has a four-course dinner planned (doors open at 6 p.m. for a cocktail hour before dinner) with a vegetarian option — $95 or $120 with wine pairing. Call to reserve by Sunday, Feb. 11.

• Bistro 603 in Nashua (bistro603nashua.com) will offer its Valentine’s Day specials Feb. 14 through Thursday, Feb. 22, ccording to a Facebook post.

Order chocolate-covered strawberries from Buckley’s in Merrimack or Hollis by Monday, Feb. 12, for a Valentine’s Day pickup. A half-pound is $18, a full pound is $36.

• The Farm Bar & Grille in Manchester (farmbargrille.com) will have a Valentine Trivia Night at 8 p.m. with food and drink specials to go with Heathers rom-com related trivia.

• Check out the menu of specials at Firefly in Manchester (fireflynh.com), which includes a red velvet cheesecake and the strawberry chocolate old-fashioned. The specials will be offered along with the regular menu.

• Frederick’s Bakery in both Amherst and Bedford (pastry.net) has offerings including single-serving desserts like cookies and cupcakes, full-size cakes, chocolates and chocolate-covered strawberries and a Valentine’s cookie decorating kit.

• Giorgio’s (giorgios.com) has a special on its website for Sunday, Feb. 11 (game day) — reasonable people can argue over which is the bigger holiday. On Feb. 14, Manchester and Milford Giorgio’s are open from 4 to 9 p.m. and Merrimack is open from noon to 8 p.m., according to the website, where you can make reservations.

• Granite State Candy Shoppe in Manchester and Concord (granitestatecandyshoppe.com) has a variety of Valentine’s offerings including chocolate-dipped strawberries; red foil wrapped heart-shaped and lip-shaped chocolates; heart boxes with chocolates, and more.

• The Grazing Room at Colby Hill Inn in Henniker (colbyhillinn.com) will have seatings 4 to 8 p.m.; see the evening’s menu on the website.

• The Hills Restaurant at Hampshire Hills Athletic Club in Milford (hampshirehills.com) will have its Valentine Specials menu available Tuesday, Feb. 13, through Saturday, Feb. 17.

• LaBelle Winery (labellewinery.com) has multiple Valentine’s- and chocolate-themed events at its Derry and Amherst locations. Events that, as of Feb. 5, had openings include a Valentine’s Day dinner with ballroom dancing in Derry on Saturday, Feb. 10; a Sinatra in Love dinner with performer Rich DiMare and the Iron Poster Trio in Amherst on Wednesday, Feb. 14, and Cooking with Wine & Chocolate classes in Amherst (Feb. 15) and Derry (Feb. 21).

• Murphy’s in Manchester posted a drinks menu that includes items such as Chocolate Craze (vanilla vodka, chocolate liqueur and Baileys with a chocolate drizzle) and Cotton Candy Kiss (Champagne with a cotton candy base). Murphy’s Taproom & Carriage House in Bedford has a Valentine’s Day prix fixe menu for $60 per person as well as a romantic dining package for $40 per couple; see murphystaproom.com/holiday.

• Pearls Candy and Nuts in Windham (pearlscandynh.com) has a variety of themed offerings including red foil wrapped chocolate hearts.

• Van Otis Chocolates in Manchester and Wolfeboro (vanotis.com) has a variety of Valentine’s treats including chocolate-dipped bottles, special boxed chocolates, gift boxes, chocolate-dipped strawberries and more.

• Maybe you can’t go to Europe for Valentine’s Day but you can get candies and chocolates that come from Europe at Viking House in Concord (vikinghouse.com), which is open from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

• Vine Thirty Two in Bedford (vinethirtytwo.com) is offering a “Partners in Wine” special Wednesday, Feb. 14, through Friday, Feb. 16 — $100 includes two $25 wine cards, a five-item charcuterie board and a dessert to share.

On The Job – Alexiev Gavriluk

Beekeeper

Alexiev Gavriluk is a beekeeper and owner of Mad Russian Apothecary in Derry.

Explain your job and what it entails. 

I keep bees. I help the bees make honey, then I sell the honey. I also teach people about our best practices and how we co-exist … and how they can coexist with the bees.

How long have you had this job? 

My wife and I got the bees during the pandemic, so I’ve been keeping them for four years. I learn from the bees every day and every season, so I’m constantly growing as a beekeeper. 

What led you to this career field and your current job? 

I’m disabled, and I’ve always worked blue-collar jobs. … I needed to find something I could do comfortably on my own. We’d always loved the idea of keeping a few hives … as a hobby. As I grew more involved in the meditation aspect of it, matching the energy of the bees, I also grew more in tune with the hives, and beekeeping became more than just a hobby … Also, I’m just really good at it. I also love talking with our honey customers at fairs and markets about the benefits of pure local honey and how good bees are for the environment.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I attended an online bee school taught by a master beekeeper. Everything else was self-taught, hands-on learning.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire? 

I wear long jeans, work boots, a beekeeping jacket, leather elbow gloves and a special veil attached to a hat. … When I’m working with the honey, I wear whatever I don’t mind getting sticky. When we’re working at a market or fair, my wife and I wear matching yellow plaid shirts.

What is the most challenging thing about your work, and how do you deal with it?

I work with hundreds of thousands of stinging insects buzzing around me — most people would find that a little challenging. But since I learned to operate on the bees’ frequency … the hardest part now is dealing with my disability. I had to adapt beekeeping to fit what I could do with my hands. I attached special handles to the boxes, additional bars to lift the frames and other little techniques to make the job more accessible.

What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?

The bees know more than I do, and I’m better off assisting them than trying to control them.

What do you wish other people knew about your job? 

I’d want people to know the systemic harm … lawn pesticide or poison causes to our environment. The bees, the wildlife — everything suffers. … Also, I’d want people to know the value and importance of raw local honey, and why it’s often more expensive than … in supermarkets.

What was the first job you ever had?

Sweeping the parking lot and cleaning the dumpster area of a local convenience store when I was in fourth grade.

Five favorites
Favorite book: Necroscope by Brian Lumley
Favorite movie: Big Trouble in Little China
Favorite music: Punk rock and metal
Favorite food: I have two: shoo-fly pie, and obviously honey
Favorite thing about NH: We’re in the woods but still close to everything – city, mountains, ocean.

Featured photo: Alexiev Gavriluk. Courtesy photo.

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