Year: 2024

Time of the Child, by Niall Williams

Time of the Child, by Niall Williams (Bloomsbury, 287 pages)

Irish noveliest Niall Williams’ latest book is Time of the Child, which revisits the fictional town of Faha, where much lauded 2019 book This is Happiness and another Williams novel, History of the Rain, are set.

It is a holiday novel in that the events take place during the season of Advent and involve lots of holly and a child born under mysterious circumstances. But nothing is lost by reading it in January, and in fact, that timing is possibly better since Time of the Child is a slow-cooker of a book, best read at a leisurely pace. Nothing moves very quickly in Faha, where one of the residents is a dog named Harry whose favorite place to sleep is the middle of the road, requiring drivers to wait for the mutt to move, “in dog-time and untellable weariness,” before they can proceed.

It is that sort of delightful detail that makes Williams such a pleasure to read.

The central characters in this story are a widowed doctor, Jack Troy, and his adult daughter Ronnie (for Veronica), who live at a pace that moves not much faster than the town dog. Troy is 59 and is pretty much going through the motions of life, having lost both his wife and another woman he had fallen in love with after his wife’s passing. As Faha’s only doctor, Troy has little time for despair, though; he is constantly beset with people bringing him their physical complaints, and those of others, everywhere he goes.

Ronnie is his faithful companion and professional assistant, the budding loves of her past unrealized and her two sisters having left town. (“Why would anyone want to live here? … It’s just rain and muck and beasts?” one sister had said.) Father and daughter dwell mostly in companionable silence as they go to Mass at the local Catholic church — where the pastor is slowly slipping into dementia in front of his congregation — and they make house calls throughout the region, visits for which Troy may or may not be compensated.

Enter the child — an abandoned infant, seemingly lifeless, brought to Troy by a 12-year-old boy who found her by a church gate. Dr. Troy is able to resuscitate the baby, and he and Ronnie quickly become attached to her — observing his daughter care for the infant, the doctor realizes, “It was not second nature to her, it was first.”

The presence of an infant changes everything in the household — Ronnie takes on a glow foreign to her father, and in a particularly poignant scene, she watches her usually emotionless father dance to Sinatra holding the baby. “What had come over him was as old as life on earth — a pulsed response to another, outside of and even before the existence of reason, a prime and primal engagement that took its continuance from the expression in the baby’s features. She liked it! And that was everything.”

They are reluctant to relinquish her to the state, which has a poor track record of taking care of children and the elderly (which is the same reason that Troy is so protective of the clearly failing priest), but they also know they cannot keep the child hidden — in Faha, “the lid never stayed on a story.”

And so, casting about desperately for a solution, Troy concocts a scheme to keep the child — the logistics of which also involve the doctor correcting a sin of his past — sending away a young man whom Ronnie had loved years ago. This man, named Noel Crowe, is now living in America, complicating things. (Readers of This is Happiness will recall Noel from that earlier book.)

Like Harry, the weary canine king of Faha blocking traffic in the street, Williams is in no hurry to get where he’s going; the first half of Time of the Child is character development that can frustrate readers who want things to happen. It’s not unusual for dialogue between characters to be interrupted by one or two pages of incidental information before Williams brings us back to the conversation, which a reader might have reasonably thought had ended.

It’s not until the baby arrives more than a hundred pages in that the pace picks up, and then the narrative moves almost too quickly. But Williams knows what he’s doing, and the richness of detail, which might seem unnecessary at times, bestows an intimacy with the characters that pays off — not only the father and daughter and priest, but other residents of the town, including the boy who finds the baby on the day of the town’s Christmas fair, Jude Quinlan, and the adult twins that the townspeople had given up on identifying correctly, so they just combined their names and call both of them Tim-Tom.

It requires commitment to read Time of the Child — not only because you’ll want to read slowly to savor the writing, but because for all practical purposes, you’ll be a citizen of Faha when you’re done, emotionally anyway. Which means you’ll be reading This is Happiness and History of the Rain next — not a bad way to while away the gloom of winter. A —Jennifer Graham

Books of the future

Here are some scheduled 2025 releases book-lovers can get excited about.

• Simply Jamie: Fast & Simple Food by Jamie Oliver (Jan. 7) Jamie Oliver generally permits such cheats as jarred sauces and “cook everything in one pan no really just the one pan.” This book promises recipes such as Gochujang Chicken Noodle Bake and Jarred Pepper Pasta.

• Old School by Gordon Korman (Jan. 14) Middle grade author Korman returns with this novel about a 12-year-old who has lived half his life at his grandmother’s retirement village where he has been home-schooled and schooled in music and culture by the other retirees and now has to attend a kid-filled middle school, according to the book’s description.

• Hope: The Autobiography by Pope Francis (Jan. 14) It’s the first autobiography ever published by a pope!

• Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (Jan. 21) This third novel in the Empyrean series (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame) set in a military college for dragon riders has the author on a big-city book tour and readers signing up for midnight release parties at bookstores.

• Source Code: My Beginnings by Bill Gates (Feb. 4) One of the world’s richest men writes about his early years, before he co-founded Microsoft. “I’m planning to write two more memoirs, one about my work with Microsoft and one about philanthropy,” he says at gatesnotes.com. “But Source Code is my origin story, and I’m looking forward to sharing it.”

• Three Days in June by Anne Tyler(Feb. 11) It’s a new Anne Tyler novel, her 25th. In this one, “a socially awkward mother of the bridge navigates the days before and after her daughter’s wedding,” the publisher says.

• The Art of the SNL Portrait Photography by Mary Ellen Matthews (March 4) The 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live marches on with this book of images from the show’s bumper photos featuring hosts and musical guests, according to the book’s description.

• I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919 (the Graphic Novel) by Lauren Tarshis, illustrated by Karen De la Vega (March 4) If this graphic novel series is how you introduce your kids to historical events, check out this one set in Boston.

• Sunrise on the Reaping: A Hunger Games Novel by Suzanne Collins (March 18) This second prequel is set after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes but before the original trilogy and focuses on the Hunger Games of Haymitch Abernathy.

• When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi (March 25) He won a Hugo award for Redshirts, he was creative consultant for the Stargate TV series, and now he’s back with a novel about the moon actually being made of cheese.

• The Choi of Cooking: Flavor-Packed, Rule-Breaking Recipes for a Delicious Life by Roy Choi with Tien Nguyen and Natasha Phan (April 15) Sample pages feature Kimchi Steak Tacos and Lo Mein Spaghetti — which paints a picture of the approach of this chef who is serious about food but not fussy about rules. In the meantime, check out Choi’s MasterClass, which has a commendable amount of swears.

• Great Big Beautiful Life Emily Henry(April 22) The #1 NYT Bestselling author of Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation and other contemporary romances gives us a fresh competitors-to-lovers tale.

• Matriarch: A Memoir by Tina Knowles (April 22) She’s a fashion designer, a businesswoman, and mom to Beyonce and Solange. Is it any wonder her new memoir comes in at 448 pages, longer than the Pope’s and Bill Gates’?

• Mark Twain by Ron Chernow (May 13) The Pulitzer-winning biographer (Washington: A Life) comes out with 1,200 pages on the life of the 19th-century humorist, steamboat pilot and writer.

• My Friends by Fredrik Backman (May 20) Teenagers and art and a cross-country journey from the author of A Man Called Ove and so many other novels, whose Instagram you should check out for more self-deprecating humor and German shepherd antics.

Album Reviews 24/12/26

Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band, Prophets of the Apocalypse (self-released)

When last we left Cape Cod-based bandleader Montgomery I was on the verge of anointing him the Tom Petty of New England, but that feels a little inadequate; local achievement is generally regarded by the public as almost meaningless in comparison to national success no matter the level of enthusiasm from hometown wags. I mean, he’s been nominated for some pretty notable awards, including a (nationally renowned) Josie and a Boston Music Award in 2021, which somehow led to his having beef with the committee owing to his disgust for their lack of recognition for blue-collar artists. He’s a rebel, this guy, and has a ton of working-class cred. In this EP he blends Petty with Florida Georgia Line in the timely blue-collar protest song “American Fire” and country-fies early Kings Of Leon in “Leaving Texas.” He’s a legitimate badass, folks; I literally had to troll him into letting me hear this record in advance, a very rare thing with hungry local bands. Please support this man. A+ —Eric W. Saeger

Adam Birnbaum, Preludes (self-released)

This one’s a year old now, but the fellow who’s helping to promote this world-class pianist is trying to break into the upper echelons of the music business, and he’s a nice guy, so here goes. This album spotlights a piano, upright bass and percussion trio taking on a formidable set of Johann Sebastian Bach’s compositions, along the way adding elements of jazz, Latin, swing and straight eighth-note, taking liberties with feel and improvisation. There are YouTube videos of these cool customers going at it, and it’s quite a sight; Matt Clohesy playing his bass after a showy, Jaco Pastorius fashion; percussionist Keita Ogawa looking quite comfortable and Birnbaum appearing as if he’d literally invented the piano he’s playing. “Prelude in Db Major” bops right along most ambitiously, all but stripped of its classical nature; “Prelude in C Major” retains much of the latter but does eventually settle into a light, piano-bar groove. Terrific stuff. A+

PLAYLIST

A seriously abridged compendium of recent and future CD releases

• At this writing, Genius.com tells me there are only two new music albums scheduled for traditional Friday release this week, on Dec. 27, two days after the big pagan holiday, whatever it’s called. No, I’m kidding, I know it’s called “Christmas,” but according to a popular meme that made the rounds this holiday season, Christians once actually tried to get rid of Christmas at one time, wouldn’t that have been a bummer? No, seriously, according to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ website, “In 1659, the Massachusetts Bay Colony enacted a law called Penalty for Keeping Christmas. The notion was that such ‘festivals as were superstitiously kept in other countries’ were a ‘great dishonor of God and offence of others.’ Anyone found celebrating Christmas by failing to work, ‘feasting, or any other way … shall pay for every such offence five shillings [This would be about $48 today].’” The Commonwealth eventually came to realize what a dumb idea that was, and by 1681 all the witch-burning pilgrims could watch the Grinch again, but even today some musical artists couldn’t care less if it was Christmas or National Possum Day or whatever, they insist on putting out albums. For example, there’s Jorge Rivera-Herrans, a mildly popular playwright, composer, lyricist and actor from Dorado, Puerto Rico. His new record, Epic: The Ithaca Saga, is a po-faced concept album that was released on Christmas; it includes a song called “God Games” that’s racked up more than six million views on YouTube. It comprises opera-based techno-driven nonsense that’s actually kind of brilliant in a technical sense, and a lot of people like it, so I suppose there’s a chance he’ll someday become some sort of male version of Enya for Greek mythology wonks. I mean, I fully expect never to hear anything from him again unless I’m at a sci-fi convention or somesuch, but weird things happen all the time.

• Also on Christmas, K-pop band 2NE1 released a 15-track album titled Welcome Back, which commemorates their ongoing (four years and counting) tour of the same name. Their bouncy, brainless Lady Gaga-style stuff borrows from all sorts of international styles and features a lot of sexytime butt-dancing and all the other stuff that’s been portending the collapse of Western civilization since 2005 or so.

• In normal album-release news, this Friday sees the release of the second album from Harshmxjb (real name Harsh Mishra), a musician from New Delhi, India. This feller is a typical underground culture-jammer, a 19-year-old who’s been exploiting the open-door policy of Spotify, Apple Music and all the other music sites, uploading hip-hop tunes like “Alone,” in which he sings off-key, like a brain-damaged Usher, over a melancholy, non-awful piano-driven beat (that song actually got some love on TikTok and YouTube).

• We’ll wrap up the week with an album that’s neither silly, performatively epic nor K-pop, a new one from singer Robbie Williams, whom you know from British boyband Take That, which was originally triangulated by conniving record company lizard-people as the U.K.’s answer to New Kids on the Block. That was a long time ago, of course; Williams has been a solo art-fraud since 1995, not that American audiences have paid much attention to him, but regardless, the new LP is Better Man (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). Given that the movie is about Williams’ career, he was probably a good choice to soundtrack it; these things aren’t difficult to figure out.

Rum Cake

This recipe is adapted from one that was published in a Bacardi advertisement from 1976. It holds up.

  • 1 cup (133 g) finely chopped roasted, salted pecans
  • 1 box (375 g) yellow cake mix
  • 1 3.4-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup (225 g) milk
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter
  • ½ cup (225 g) dark or black rum

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a small saucepan, brown the butter: Over low heat, melt the butter, and stir or swirl almost constantly until it turns brownish gold, a tawny color, not unlike a lion. Remove it from the heat, and let it cool to room temperature. Strain it to remove the milk solids you’ve so cleverly rendered out.

Use a large spoonful of butter to grease the inside of a Bundt pan. If you have experienced the heartbreak of a Bundt cake not coming cleanly out of its pan, and ripping itself into pieces; if you are intimidated by Bundt pans; if you have young children you do not want to expose to intemperate language — there is a solution: absurd amounts of butter. Wash your hands, and really slather the butter on, hitting every corner and crevice. Make certain you give special attention to the central column. If you feel like you have buttered it enough, you need to add more. Obsessive over-indulgence is the order of the day here.

Sprinkle your finely chopped pecans across the bottom of the Bundt pan. This will be the top of your cake.

In a large bowl, combine all the other ingredients, including your browned butter. Stir the mixture until there are no dry bits or lumps, then pour it into your waiting Bundt pan. Use a silicone spatula to transfer all of it.

Thump the pan on your countertop with authority. Give the cake batter a good, hard stare to let it know that you aren’t fooling around, then give it a couple more solid thumps. This will make sure that all the batter has been seated into your carefully buttered crevices.

(The pan’s crevices, that is. Yours are your own business, and beyond the purview of a cake recipe.)

Bake the cake for about an hour, or until the center reaches 200°F. Remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 or 20 minutes.

Invert the cake onto a plate. I like to rise up on my toes, then jerk the pan and plate downward with some force. You should be rewarded with a soft thump.

Carefully remove the Bundt pan to make certain everything turned out well (literally, in this case), then replace the pan on the cake, and re-invert it, so that you are looking at the bottom of the cake.

With a wooden skewer, stab the cake 100 times, then set it aside while you make some rum syrup.

Rum Syrup

  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 cup (198 g) sugar
  • Another ½ cup (225 g) dark or black rum

In a small saucepan, probably the same one you used earlier, bring the butter, water and sugar to a boil. Boil it for another five minutes, then remove it from heat. Let it cool a few minutes, then stir in the rum.

Slowly pour about half the rum syrup over the cake. Give it a minute or two to absorb into the cake through all those holes you poked, then pour the rest of the syrup over it.

Set the cake aside for an hour or two to completely integrate the rum syrup, then re-re-invert it onto a serving plate.

Rum cake goes exceptionally well with not-very-sweet coffee or tea. The sweetness and moisture of the cake makes a clean contrast with a hot beverage. The rumminess makes a good contrast to the hard work and disappointment in your life.

Champagne send-off

Where to enjoy your final meal of 2024

Has spending the holidays with your family inspired a deep appreciation of restaurant dining? Here are some area restaurants that will be open on New Year’s Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 31 (and a few also offering New Year’s Day events):

• 815 Cocktails & Provisions (815 Elm St., Manchester, 782-8086, 815nh.com) celebrate the new year with a Rodeo Ball from 8 p.m. to midnight. Put on your cowboy boots, fringe and bedazzled attire for a night filled with music, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, burlesque by Siren of the Circle, magic by Benjamin, an unlimited photobooth and more. Tickets are $140 through eventbrite.com.

• Alan’s of Boscawen (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631, alansofboscawen.toast.site) is open from 11 a.m to 10 p.m. The Freddy Partridge Band performs beginning at 8:30 p.m. Tickets for the band are $20.

• Artisan Hotel at Tuscan Village (17 Via Toscana, Salem, 912-8450, marriott.com) will host a four-course Dueling Piano Dinner Show from 7 p.m. to midnight in the hotel ballroom. The Flying Ivories will perform throughout the evening. Enjoy light bites at 10 p.m., and after the event head outside to catch a fireworks display at midnight. Tickets are $300 at tuscanbrands.com. There will also be a NYE Party and Fireworks Show at the Verandaat the Artisan from 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Enjoy an evening filled with music from the DJ, exclusive views of the midnight fireworks show, and special featured entertainment; enjoy a variety of food stations, including a raw bar, truffle gnocchi, scallops wrapped in bacon and more. Tickets are $240 each at tuscanbrands.com.

• Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, 244-3165, averillhousevineyard.com) will celebrate from 6:30 to 9 p.m. with three events. You can enjoy Dinner in an Exclusive Private Vineyard-themed Igloo for Four or in Averill House’s Private Gazebo. Dinner includes a wine pairing and five preset Brazilian courses. At 9 p.m. (midnight in Brazil) there will be a toast to the new year. Tickets (for four people) are $399. There will be a more conventional Inside New Year’s Eve Dinner in the dining room, which will also feature a five-course Brazilian dinner with wine pairings. Tickets are $89 each. Purchase tickets through the Vineyard’s website.

• The Barley House (132 N. Main St., Concord, 228-6363, thebarleyhouse.com) will offer specials such as prime rib, lobster tail and sticky toffee pudding from 5 to 9 p.m.

• The Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will serve a four-course prix fixe dinner. The cost is $110 per person, and seating times are from 5 to 9:30 p.m. There will also be a New Year’s Day brunch served Wednesday, Jan. 1, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the dining room, the BVI’s original restaurant. Visit the Inn’s website.

• The Birch on Elm (968 Elm St., Manchester, 836-1958, birchonelm.com) invites you to a New Year’s Eve night of elegant indulgence beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $200 through eventbrite.com and include unlimited passed appetizers, a raw bar, two drinks, and a Champagne pour when midnight nears.

• Buckley’s Great Steaks (438 DW Highway, Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com) will be open for dinner from 4 to 9 p.m. Dinner specials will be posted at facebook.com/BuckleysGreatSteaks. Reservations are recommended.

• Cask & Vine (1 E. Broadway, Derry, 965-3454, cask.life/cask-and-vine) will celebrate its 12th anniversary, which is coincidentally New Year’s Eve, with an I’d Hit That Fiesta. There will be a collection of curated beers along with a tequila toast, pinatas and more. Reserve your spot with a $25 deposit through the Cask & Vine website.

• The Grazing Room at the Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, 428-3281, colbyhillinn.com) will present a New Year’s Eve Sparkling Dinner from 7 to 10:30 p.m. (Overnight guests can continue to celebrate until midnight.) It will be a five-course dinner with sparkling and still wines. The cost is $190 per person. The following day there will be a Back to the ’80s Brunch. Dress as you were in the ’80s. The cost is $45 per person, which includes a round of your choice of mimosa, bloody mary, signature mocktail or honey-grapefruit martini; starter buffet and hot (by order) entree choices feature shrimp & avocado shakshuka, steak & eggs, chocolate-stuffed French toast or house-cured lox eggs Benedict.

• Copper Door (15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677, or 41 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033, copperdoor.com) is accepting dinner reservations on until 9 p.m. and will close at 11 p.m. New Year’s Day will be regular business hours.

• Cotton Restaurant (75 Arms St., Manchester, 622-5488, cottonfood.com) will serve its regular menu from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

• Ring in the new year at the Derryfield Country Club (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 669-0235, derryfieldgolf.com) from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. with the Chad LaMarsh Band. There will be high-energy dance music, spanning tunes from the ’60s to current tunes in genres ranging from classic rock, rap, metal and pop dance. Tickets are $30 through eventbrite.com.

• Evolution Bistro and Bar (930 Elm St., Manchester, 836-3970, evolutionnh.com) will serve a special New Year’s Eve tasting menu from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m.

• Firefly Bistro and Bar (22 Concord St., Manchester, 935-9740, fireflynh.com) will serve its regular menu from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Dec. 31, and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Jan. 1

• The Flying Goose Brew Pub & Grille (40 Andover Road, New London, 526-6899, flyinggoose.com) will be open for its regular business hours, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Fratello’s Italian Grille (155 Dow St., Manchester, 624-2022, fratellos.com) will be open from 4 to 9:30 p.m. There is a link to the menu for the evening posted on the Fratello’s website.

• Gauchos Churrascaria Brazilian Steak House (62 Lowell St., Manchester, 669-9460, gauchosbraziliansteakhouse.com) will be open from 7 p.m. to midnight.

• There will be a New Year’s Eve Dinner at Greenleaf (54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com) with multiple seatings, starting at 5 p.m. It will be a multi-course prix fixe menu for dinner including a celebratory glass of bubbles, amuse bouche and special bread service. There will be wine pairings available for an additional fee. Menu accommodations for allergies or dietary restrictions are available upon request at time of reservation. Tickets are $125 each, also through Greenleaf’s website.

• LaBelle Winery Amherst (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898, labellewinery.com) will host a Masquerade New Year’s Eve Party from 7 to 10:30 p.m. This celebration is the ultimate full package with a three-course plated dinner, and dancing to a live performance by the Freese Brothers Big Band. Dress your best and get ready to dance the night away. Tickets are $99 each through the Winery website.

• All La Carreta Restaurants (North End Shops at 545 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 628-6899; 1875 S. Willow St., Manchester, 623-7705, 172 Hanover St., Portsmouth, 427-8319; 139 DW Highway, Nashua, 891-0055; Derry Meadows Shoppes, 35 Manchester Road, Derry, 421-0091; Londonderry Commons, 44 Nashua Road, Londonderry, 965-3477, lacarretamex.com) will be open for regular business hours. On Jan. 1, the Hooksett Road restaurant in Manchester will be closed for a private event, the restaurants in Portsmouth, Derry, and Londonderry will open at 2 p.m., and the Nashua location will be open during regular business hours.

• The Lucky Moose Casino & Tavern (16 Gusabel Ave., Nashua, 864-0175, luckymoosecasino.com) will offer a New Year’s Eve dinner special from 5 p.m. until the kitchen closes at midnight featuring three courses for $41.99

• Murphy’s Taproom & Carriage House (393 Route 101, Bedford, 488-5975; 494 Elm St., Manchester, 644-3535, murphystaproom.com) will be open on New Year’s Eve. There will be live entertainment in the Manchester location, and comedy at the Bedford restaurant. Both restaurants will offer a Champagne toast.

• New England Tap House Grille (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 782-5137, taphousenh.com) will be open for regular business hours, 4 to 10 p.m.

• O’s Steaks & Seafood (11 S. Main St., Concord, 856-7925, osteaksconcord.com) will open at 4 p.m. and take reservations until 10:30 p.m.

• PastAmore (103 Route 101A, Amherst, 578-9696, pastamorerestaurant.com) will serve a set menu from noon to 9 p.m. It will be closed on Jan. 1.

• Pembroke Pines Country Club (45 Whittemore Road, Pembroke, 210-1365, pembrokepinescc.com) will host its second annual New Year’s Eve Party from 7 p.m. until midnight. There will be live music, comedians, a dinner buffet, dancing, a midnight Champagne toast and more. Tickets are $125 each at pembrokepinescc.com/1759-events.

• There’s a NYE Bash in The Grotto at The Prime at Sky Meadow (Sky Meadow Country Club, 6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua, 888-9000, skymeadow.com) beginning at 8 p.m. There will be a complimentary Champagne toast and a la carte food. Tickets are $25 through the Sky Meadow website. There is a 48-hour cancellation policy.

• Second Brook Bar & Grill (1100 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 935-7456, secondbrook.com) will serve its regular menu from 11 a.m to 8 p.m. on Dec. 31, and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Jan. 1.

• Shaskeen Pub (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, shaskeenirishpub.com) will hold its annual New Year’s Eve Bash from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. There will be an open bar, a free buffet, a free Champagne toast, and music by Dj Myth. Tickets are $60 through Ticketleap.com.

• Surf Restaurant (207 Main St., Nashua, 595-9293, surfseafood.com) will be open from 4 to 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and closed on New Year’s Day.

• All locations of T-Bones Great American Eatery (25 S. River Road Bedford, 641-6100; 404 S Main St., Concord, 715-1999; 39 Crystal Ave., Derry, 434-3200; 77 Lowell Road, Hudson, 882-6677; 1182 Union Ave, Laconia, 528-7800; and 311 S. Broadway, Salem, 893-3444, t-bones.com) will close at 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and will be open during regular business hours on New Year’s Day.

• The Tomahawk Butchery & Tavern (454 DW Highway, Merrimack, 365-4960, tomahawktavern.com) will serve its regular menu from 5 to 10 p.m. on Dec. 31; it will be closed on Jan. 1.

• Union Public House (194 Main St., Nashua, 699-8112, union-nh.com) will serve its regular menu from 4 to 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

• All Vallarta Restaurants (Puerto Vallarta Mexican Grill, 865 Second St., Manchester, 935-9182; Nuevo Vallarta Mexican Restaurant, 791 Second St., Manchester, 782-8762; Vallarta Tequila Bar, 827 Elm St., Manchester, 836-3106, vallartamexicannh.com) will be open during regular business hours on New Year’s Day. Nuevo Vallarta will be closed on Dec. 31. The other restaurants will close at 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.ntown Manchester each May to eat tacos prepared by local restaurants and businesses.

Chicken and smashburgers

The food crowd discusses the yummiest parts of 2024

I asked area food professionals to look back at 2024 (in terms of the best thing they ate all year) and look ahead at 2025.

• Emma Stetson, owner, Wine on Main, 9 N. Main St., Concord, 897-5828, wineonmainnh.com: “The best thing I drank was a bottle of Kistler Sonoma Coast ‘Les Noisetiers’ Chardonnay. … [T]hey only make about 300-400 barrels of it each year. It’s perfectly round and creamy with flavors of ripe green apple, citrus, and hints of baking spice. The best thing I ate was all of the fresh seafood in Northern Portugal! We visited for a week this summer.

“I’m most looking forward to getting new wines from Quinta Nova, an estate in Portugal that we visited this past August. …”

• Julie Lapham, CEO and co-founder of Popzup Popcorn (Canal Street Mill, 22 Canal St., Suite 358, Somersworth, 314-8314, popzup.com): “The best thing I ate last year was the Wild Mushroom Toast at the Carriage House Restaurant [in Rye]. In 2025, we are really looking forward to our new 70-calorie-size popcorn snack bag in Butter Me Up and Cheddar Head flavors.

• Angie Lane, Director of Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St., Concord, 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org): “I love the Crown Tavern and I love their fries. And they have really great pizza. But if I’m staying in Concord, I think the overall best thing I had this year was this really great fish dish at Revival Kitchen and Bar, but I think it was a special … The broth was so delicious”

“[In the next year] we’re changing up our concessions a lot, trying to especially carry something for younger kids … it’s really fun to discover what they love, like gummy worms. ”

• Tee Hoang, co-owner, Poké BonBon, 1000 Elm St., Manchester, inside across from Hop Knot, 232-2464, pokebonbon.com: “My favorite new chicken place is USA Chicken and Biscuit [in Manchester]. I go there and just get their chicken wings, just basic chicken wings. They are salty and beautiful. They’re crispy on the outside but so juicy on the inside. They’re the best chicken wing place.”

• Sean Hallinan, co-owner of The Burstin’ Kernel Kettle Corn, facebook.com/theburstinkernel: “I’d have to say the smashburger from the Gravy Train food truck.”

“We actually started a food truck this fall so that will be our next adventure this coming year; it’s called Chew ‘N’ Screw (facebook.com/chwnscw). We have licenses in Manchester and Nashua and we’re getting up and running so that’s kind of our thing.”

• Lin Theth, Chef, Street, 76 N. Main St., Concord, 333-2125, streetfood360.com: “I would say honestly the rice cake on our menu, just because it’s so simple, but the crispiness of the rice is just such a satisfying texture to eat. So you get crispy and chewy…”

plate with round patty of white rice covered in orange sauce with sliced avocado arranged to the side
Crispy Rice Cake at Street. Courtesy photo.

“In 2025, food-wise, I think for myself, I just want to have a little bit more fun with food. I think after Covid a lot of people kind of lost that. I don’t really see too many people in the industry getting as excited as they used to. I’m hoping to find that for myself as well.”

• Richard Tango-Lowy, Master Chocolatier, owner, Dancing Lion Chocolate, 917 Elm St., Manchester, 625-4043, dancinglion.us/cacao: “I would say the Tranquilidad Estate beans … are making insane chocolate. And I was fortunate to be with a gentleman who discovered those wild in the rainforest in Bolivia in 2009 or so. And he tasted it and he said it was the best … that he has ever tasted. It made our hearts warm.”

[“In 2025] I am looking forward to some amazing new cacao beans that we’ve got coming in. There’s a lot of it, really rare. We’re working with a small farm in Vietnam that’s growing heirloom cacao.”

• Mara Witt, owner, Honey Cup Cafe & Tearoom, 150 Bridge St., Manchester, 836-6008, honeycupnh.com: “Our chef Amanda made a waffle out of our day-old croissants. She made a waffle! It was amazing.”

“Next year, I want to try more teas … I’ve been going through my own tea list and I’m starting to really get into the different flavors.”

• Dave Hood, co-owner, Old Boy’s Butcher Shop, 707 Route 101, Merrimack, 699-8014: “The best food has always been Buckley’s Great Steaks [in Merrimack] to me. We always go there on our anniversary and it’s just so meaningful. I always get rib-eyes.”

“[During the next year] I’m hoping for prices to go down. Inflation has been through the roof. Buying wholesale beef is very, very expensive; we’ve got to get thrown a bone somewhere.”

• Stephanie Errett, owner of Dutch Epicure Bakery, 141 Route 101A, Amherst, 879-9400, dutchepicurebakery.com: “…I did have a lavender gin martini. I do not remember where it was from, but I have to say that that was a delicious drink that I really enjoyed and I’ve also tried to recreate numerous times and just haven’t been able to do it. “

“Next year, I’m interested in seeing more herb-infused items. … You have lavender scones now, rosemary things and things like that. I’m always excited to see how we cross over the savory and the sweet sides of everything.”

• Tom and Leah Bellemore, owners of Vine 32 Wine and Graze Bar, Bedford Square, 25 S. River Road, Bedford, 935-8464, vinethirtytwo.com: “What’s fresh now is In Sheep’s Clothing. … It’s a cab [cabernet sauvignon]. … It’s super-smooth; it’s got some like vanilla notes at the end. It’s a ’22 from the Columbia Valley.

“Next year, we’re really looking forward to doing more wine and food pairings.”

• Lauren Collins-Cline, owner of Slightly Crooked Pies, slightlycrookedpies.com: “We had decided to treat ourselves, and we went to Bricco in Boston. My husband and my sister both ordered braised wild boar with pasta. … I ended up picking off both their plates all night.”

“I’m trying to decrease my sugar intake in general, so this next year I want to … get to the point where I look forward to a salad as much as dessert.”

• Michael and Rachel Mack, owners of Loon Chocolate, 195 McGregor St., No. 121, Manchester, 932-8887, loonchocolate.com: “[The best thing I ate last year was] our Maple Crunch Bar. It’s craft chocolate that still reminds you of that homey feeling of the chocolate that you get as a kid, plus it was a collaboration with Ben’s Sugar Shack…”

“[For 2025] I really look forward to the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen and the Deerfield Fair. Those two events are always just super fun. In fact, it’s the whole fair season; it’s so quintessentially like New England.”

• Omar Abuzaid, owner, Al Basha Grill, 379 S. Willow St., Manchester, 391-5613, albashamedgrill.com: “Just last week a friend of ours invited us to Surf Restaurant [in Nashua]. It’s the second on the top of their menu. [Lobster Kristina] … It was really good!”

“[In 2025] I’m definitely looking forward to a Moroccan dish, pastilla — a seafood pastilla. My wife makes it but it’s very time-consuming.”

Food trends noted in the past year’s Chef Spotlights

Jillian Bernat, Bar Manager at Greenleaf (54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com): “I think gin and agave spirits are still holding strong…”

Emilee Viaud, Executive Pastry Chef of Greenleaf and Ansanm in Milford and Pavilion in Wolfeboro, owner of Sweet Treats by Emilee (facebook.com/EmileesSweetTreats): “Croissants stuffed with chocolate chip cookie dough. I haven’t had one yet but hope to get one soon; almost every bakery has jumped on making them.”

Corey Fletcher, Chef and owner of Revival Kitchen and Bar (11 Depot St., Concord, 715-5723, revivalkitchennh.com): “Supporting small/micro producers — from honey, baked goods, coffee roasters, restaurants, for example. Consumers continue to be selective about where their money is spent and they want to support people’s dreams and stories, rather than spending it at chains, etc.”

Andy Day, Chef and owner of Cask & Vine (1 E. Broadway, Derry, 965-3454, cask.life/cask-and-vine): “Scaling back. It’s been weird in the restaurant world for a while, and everyone seems to be trying to deliver the most bang for your dollar, or doubling down on fresh, local at a higher price. Two very different approaches.”

Erika Follansbee, food photographer at Parker Street Food and Travel (715-7027, parker-street.com): “There is an emphasis on authenticity in food photography, which can mean a less staged and not over-styled approach that doesn’t hide imperfections…. ”

Griffin Star, Bartender, 815 Cocktails & Provisions (815 Elm St., Manchester, 782-8086, 815nh.com): “There’s been an increase in people who have been hopping on the mocktail train, which has been cool to see. … I have definitely seen bartenders around the state upping the quality and care they put into their mocktails, because everyone deserves to have a good time out.”

Addie Leader-Zavos, Pastry Chef and co-owner ofEden’s Table Farm (240 Stark Highway North, Dunbarton, 774-1811, edenstablefarm.square.site): “I’m really impressed with how New Hampshirites are coming together to improve opportunities for small farms and home-based food businesses right now. Last year HB 119 was passed, making it easier for small farms to have certain types of meat processed locally. … HB 1565 was passed, which makes it possible to sell pickles made in a home kitchen. …This trend of creating more opportunities for people who want to participate in the local food economy really benefits everyone who loves good food, so I hope we’ll see more of it”

Keith Sarasin, chef and cookbook author: “People are seeking out quality restaurants and food. From pizza to Indian, people are seeking to try new things and it is really encouraging. “

Joe Savitch, owner/operator of Creative Kones Food Truck (301-5182, creativekones.com): “Authenticity — and freshness. With so many restaurants cutting back staff in favor of digital tablets and ordering, I see many customers just looking for an authentic interaction and ordering experience. On top of that, they are looking for fresh ingredients. Most customers are interested in hearing where we get our various products — the ice cream, maple syrup, soda, etc.”

Eric Alexander, Chef de Cuisine, Unwined (1 Nashua St., Milford, 213-6703, unwinednh.com) “Hyper-local sourcing is a trend that I am seeing. A lot of restaurants are trying harder to support their local farmers.”

Evan Lang, co-owner/Baker, Dishon Bakery (915 Elm St., Manchester, 600-1773, dishonbakery.com): “There is a big push to use local ingredients here. I see local eggs, meat, dairy and beer in a lot of eateries. I think that’s really commendable”

Denise Nickerson, owner of The Bakeshop on Kelley Street (171 Kelley St., Manchester, 624-3500, thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com): “Doughnuts are one of the biggest food trends that’s been around in New Hampshire. People are getting very excited as we go into the fall flavors of pumpkin, spice and apple cider. “

2025 food events
Here are some food events slated for the new year:

New England Winter Wine Spectacular (nhwineweek.com) The culmination of New Hampshire Wine Week is the New England Winter Wine Spectacular, which features hundreds of wines for tasting. It will take place this year on Thursday Jan. 23.

Steel Chef Challenge (nhfoodbank.org/steelchef) Chef Marcus Samuelsson will return as host on Saturday, March 15, at 6 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Manchester. The event benefits the New Hampshire Food Bank. Tickets cost $150 general admission, $250 VIP.

Maple Weekend 2025 (nhmapleproducers.com) Visit sugarhouses throughout the state and taste the sweet harvest on Saturday, March 15, and Sunday, March 16.

Taco Tour (tacotourmanchester.com) This is Manchester’s biggest food event of the year. Tens of thousands of hungry taco fans descend on downtown Manchester each May to eat tacos prepared by local restaurants and businesses.

NH Poutine Fest (nhpoutinefest.com) This event takes place at the Anheuser-Busch Biergarten in Merrimack in October but sign up for their updates to find out when tickets go on sale in the summer as they sell out within hours.

The Weekly Dish 24/12/26

News from the local food scene

• More tequila for Manchester: Vallarta Tequila Bar (827 Elm St., Manchester, 836-3106, vallartamexicannh.com) has opened on Elm Street in Manchester, in the former location of XO Restaurant. This is the newest venture from the family that owns the Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta Mexican restaurants. In a Facebook post, the family said the new bar/restaurant will boast more than 100 tequilas.

• Two new Brazilian markets: Via Brazil Market Place (42 Bridge St., Manchester, and 419 Amherst St., Nashua) has just opened a new store in Manchester, and will open one in Nashua within the next week or so. The stores will carry Brazilian grocery items, chocolates, household and beauty products, and more.

• Meatballs: Rock ‘n Roll Meatballs (179 Elm St., Manchester) will have a pre-opening party Saturday, Dec. 28. It is the latest venture from Kevin Cornish, the operator and owner of KC’s Rib Shack (837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net). In a press release, Cornish wrote that “guests can expect a variety of flavors, from classic Italian to spicy and exotic, six different meatballs all served with a selection of delectable sauces and sides.” The restaurant will open formally in January.

• Farewell: What The Pho! (836 Elm St., Manchester), an Asian fusion restaurant and Tiki bar, has closed after just a few months of operation. During its short time on Elm Street, it gained a reputation for inventive cuisine and outstanding cocktails.

• A new location for Silk City: The historic Silk City Diner has a new home. As reported by WMUR in a Dec. 11 online article, the diner was transported by truck on Tuesday, Dec. 9, to its new location at 24 S. Main St., “next to the Concord Food Co-op and the Bank of New Hampshire Stage.” According to a Dec.16 online story in the Concord Monitor, it has an anticipated opening date of July 1.

• Library Mocktails: The Goffstown Public Library (2 High St., Goffstown, 497-2102, goffstownlibrary.com) will host a mocktail tasting, Saturday, Dec. 28, from 11 a.m. to noon. Participants will be able to sample a selection of handcrafted, batched non-alcoholic drinks. Each guest will take home recipe cards. Registration is required.

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