Author: John Fladd

25 reasons to get excited about January 2025

Just because the holiday season is over doesn’t mean the fun is done. There are plenty of reasons to get excited about 2025 — in particular, this first, frequently cold month. Here are 25 (-ish).

1 . If holiday symphony performances have you wanting more, check out the Bach’s Lunch events, which are free and open to the public, at the Concord Community Music School (23 Wall St., Concord, ccmusicschool.org). On Thursday, Jan. 2, the lunch features a lecture with musical examples called “A Baroque Beatles Renaissance.” On Thursday, Jan. 9, the lunch is a concert of the same name. Both events start at 12:10 p.m.

Other events at the school in January include the Purple Finches 2025 Winter Concert (a youth chorus) on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m. followed by a Teen Chorus concert at 7:30 p.m. and a NE Roots and Branches program called “Contradance Music: The New England Contradance Repertoire” on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 6 to 9 p.m.

At the Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St., Manchester, mcmusicschool.org) the Faculty Performance Series schedule includes Appassionato Piano Trio with Erin Tellier (piano), Nicholas So (violin) and Kurt Villiard (cello) on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. The event is free with preregistration.

2. Get your college basketball live at local college home games. Next games on the schedule are Southern New Hampshire University Penmen on Thursday, Jan. 2, with the women’s team at 5:30 p.m. and the men’s team at 7:30 p.m., both versus Bentley University. Saint Anselm College Hawks also hit the court on Thursday, Jan. 2, with the women’s team playing at 5:30 p.m. and the men’s team playing at 7:30 p.m., both versus Assumption. All SNHU home games are at Stan Spirou Field House (2500 N. River Road, Manchester) and admission is free for regular season games (see snhupenmen.com). All Saint Anselm home games are played at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium on campus and admission costs $10 (see saintanselmhawks.com).

    At Rivier College, Raiders home games are played at the Muldoon Center (440 S. Main St., Nashua) and admission is free. Both men and women will next play at home on Tuesday, Jan. 7, against Elms — women at 4 p.m., men at 6 p.m. Visit rivieratheletics.com.

    At New England College, Pilgrims home games are played at Bridges Gym (14 Grove St., Henniker). Admission is $5. Both men and women will next play Tuesday, Jan. 7, against University of Saint Joseph — women at 5 p.m., men at 7 p.m. See athletics.nec.edu.

    At NHTI, all Lynx home games are at the Dr. Goldie Crocker Wellness Center on campus in Concord and admission is free. The men’s team will play its next home game on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 1 p.m. against Massbay Community College. The women will next play at home on Friday, Jan. 17, at 6 p.m. versus Washington County. See nhtiathletics.com.

    And then of course there is the University of New Hampshire at Lundholm Gymnasium (145 Main St., Durham). For the Wildcats, men’s game tickets start at $17 in advance for adults and $19 on the day (courtside tickets for all ages cost $27 in advance and $29 on the day). Tickets for youth, 65+, military and grad students cost $12 in advance, $14 on the day. For women’s games, tickets cost $15 for adults on the website, $12 for youth, 65+ and military. Visit unhwildcats.com. The women’s next home game is Thursday, Jan. 2, at 6 p.m. vs. Bryant. The men’s next home game is Saturday, Jan. 4, at 1 p.m. vs. University of Vermont.

    3. See competition on ice. The Saint Anselm College Hawks men’s ice hockey team will play their next home game at the Sullivan Arena (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester) on Friday, Jan. 3, at 6 p.m. versus Colby. See saintanselmhawks.com. See two hometown teams face off when the Hawks take on Southern New Hampshire University at Sullivan Arena, on both Friday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 11, at 4 p.m. Saint Anselm’s women’s ice hockey team will play its next home game on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. versus Dartmouth.

    Rivier University Raiders ice hockey games take place at the Conway Arena (5 Stadium Drive, Nashua). The men’s team’s next home game is Friday, Jan. 3, at 5:40 p.m. versus Franklin Pierce. The women’s team’s next home game is Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 8:40 p.m. versus Keene State.

    The New England College Pilgrims (athletics.nec.edu) play their hockey games at Lee Clement Arena (38 Grove St., Henniker). The women’s team next plays Friday, Jan. 3, at 6 p.m. versus Anna Maria College. The men’s team next plays at home on Saturday, Jan. 4, at 4 p.m. versus the Rivier Raiders.

    The SNHU Penmen will play their next home game at the Ice Den Arena (600 Quality Drive, Hooksett) on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 3 p.m. versus Cortland. See snhupenmen.com.

    And the University of New Hampshire Wildcats hockey home games take place at the Whittemore Center Arena (128 Main St., Durham). The women’s team plays its next home game on Friday, Jan. 3, at 6 p.m. versus Maine. The next men’s home game is Friday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. versus UConn. See unhwildcats.com.

    4. Shop very local at winter farmers markets, keeping the direct-from-producer-to-consumer link alive during the cold months. On Saturdays head to the Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to noon at 7 Eagle Square in Concord. See downtownconcordwinterfarmersmarket.com.

    The Milford NH Indoor Farmers Market is open every other Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Milford Town Hall Auditorium at Union Square. The first market of 2025 is Jan. 11. See milfordnhfarmersmarket.com.

    The Salem NH Farmers Market operates in the winter on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the LaBelle Winery in Derry (14 Route 111). See salemnhfarmersmarket.org.

    5. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester, currier.org) has a slate of art classes for adults, teens and kids, including one-day workshops, multi-week series and online classes, kicking off with Tantalizing Textures with Rachel Montroy, a one-day workshop for adults on Saturday, Jan. 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. See the full lineup on the website.

    Upcoming classes and workshops at Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford, creativeventuresfineart.com) include “Technical Drawing with Alex Haas” on Tuesdays, starting Jan. 7, at 5 p.m. and “Fundamentals of Drawing Class for Teens with Tami Sciola” on Thursdays, starting Jan. 9, at 6:30 p.m.

    A winter session of classes at Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester, 550arts.com) will start Monday, Jan. 13. Find a rundown of offerings on the website.

    The first winter session of classes at Kimball Jenkins (266 N. Main St., Concord, kimballjenkins.com) starts Monday, Jan. 6, for adults, kids and teens. Adult offerings include “Intro to Drawing with Matt Garofalo,” “Beginner Watercolor Painting with Sophia Eastley” and “Fundamentals of Printmaking with Mary Mead” — see the website for the full slate.

    And you can check out the art of others at one of several gallery shows.

    At the Currier, current exhibitions include “Olga de Amaral: Everything is Construction and Color” (through Feb. 16); “Dan Dailey: Impressions of the Human Spirit” (Feb. 2); “Jean-Michel Basquiat and Ouattara Watts: A Distant Conversation” (Feb. 23), and “The Legend of the Poinsettia: Paintings from Tomie DePaola’s Holiday Classic.”

    At Art 3 Gallery (44 W. Brook St., Manchester, art3gallery.com), the winter exhibit is “What/How Do We See?”.

    Glimpse Gallery’s (Patriot Building, 4 Park St., Concord, theglimpsegallery.com, 892-8307) current exhibit runs through Jan. 9, featuring works from artists Pat Arzillo, Byron Carr, Julie Daniels, Mark Ferland, David Wiggins, Barbara Morse and Michael McCormack, as well as a selection from curator Christina Landry-Boullion.

    Outer Space (35 Pleasant St., Concord, outerspacearts.xyz) has the works of Emma cc Cook and Em Kettner on display in the exhibit “Caterpillar” through Saturday, Jan. 18.

    Two Villages Art Society (846 Main St., Contoocook, twovillagesart.org) will open its next exhibit on Saturday, Jan. 11 (with a reception from noon to 2 p.m.); the show is called “Stitched Together: Friendship, Feminism and Craft / Laura Morrison and Maureen Redmond-Scura.”

    6. Enjoy the music of Billy Joel with the tribute band Captain Jack and The Strangers on Saturday, Jan. 4, at 8 p.m. at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com). The Tupelo will host a line-up of tribute bands (as well as an artist playing the music of a band he founded) in January including Eaglemania (Saturday, Jan. 11, at 8 p.m.); Blues Brothers The Next Generation (Friday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m.); The Dave Matthews Tribute Band (Saturday, Jan. 18, at 8 p.m.); Zeppelin Reimagined (Friday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m.); Beatlejuice (Saturday, Jan. 25, at 8 p.m) and Captain Fantastic (Friday, Jan. 31, at 8 p.m.). Ace Frehley, founding member of KISS, will play the music of KISS on Thursday, Jan. 30, at 8 p.m.

    Get more tribute goodness when 1964 The Tribute will perform on Sunday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m. at the Dana Center for the Humanities (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, tickets.anselm.edu). Tickets cost $35.

    Catch the next phase in the musical story the night before at British Invasion II — 1970s and Beyond presented by the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester, majestictheatre.net) on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $20.

    7. You can run outside! Maybe you feel the urge to get back into a road jogging routine but aren’t sure you’ll be able to encourage yourself to leave your warm house on a cold day. Join a group hitting the road with the 2025 Freeze Your Buns 5K Series, which takes place every other Sunday starting Jan. 5 starting at 9 a.m. on the road between Conway Arena and the Nashua YMCA in Nashua. The series continues into March and the cost is $25 (or $6 per race). See gatecity.org/freeze-buns-5k-series.

    Also on the winter running schedule is the Hopkinton Winter 5K Series on Sunday, Jan. 5, at 9 a.m. The cost is $30. See runsignup.com/Race/NH/Contoocook/HopkintonKRace. Subsequent races take place on Jan. 19 and Feb. 2.

    And the Delta Dental NH Snow or No We Go series starts Saturday, Jan. 18, at 10 a.m. at the Canterbury Shaker Village. The cost is $25. Find the race at findarace.com.

    Or just sign up for a single race. The HPM Insurance Snowflake Shuffle in Bedford, on a 3-mile course, takes place Sunday, Jan. 12, at 9:30 a.m. (millenniumrunning.com/snowflake). The Boston Prep from the Greater Derry Track Club is Sunday, Jan. 26, at 10 a.m. with 5-mile and 16-mile options (gdtc.org/bostonprep).

    8. Movie-geek it up with the Golden Globes, which air Sunday, Jan. 5, at 8 p.m. on CBS and on Paramount+. For those who follow the Oscars race like others follow football, the Golden Globes means that the award season kicks into high gear, often making it easier to find nominated and wannabee nominated films. Red River Theatres in Concord (11 S. Main St., Concord, redrivertheaters.org) has A Complete Unknown, the Bob Dylan biopic that has three Globe nominations, and The Brutalist (six nominations) on its coming soon schedule and is currently screening Globe nominees Wicked and Babygirl. O’neil Cinemas Brickyard Square (24 Calef Highway in Epping; oneilcinemas.com) is currently screening Globe nominees A Complete Unknown, Babygirl and Moana 2. Chunky’s (707 Huse Road in Manchester; chunkys.com) has Wickedand Moana 2, with Babygirl slated to open on Friday, Jan. 3. At the Apple Cinemas in Hooksett and Merrimack (applecinemas.com), you can find Globe nominees Wicked, Moana 2, Babygirl, A Complete Unknownand Gladiator II. Music Hall (23 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, themusichall.org) will offer several awards-buzzy movies in January including Conclave(Jan. 3 through Jan. 5), Nightbitch(Jan. 5 through Jan. 9),Anora(Jan. 10 and Jan. 11), Flow(Jan. 18 and Jan. 19) and Babygirl(Jan. 28 through Jan. 31).

    9. Prepare for your trip to France — or to a French-style bakery — with “Français Pour Visiteurs” Traveler’s French classes from the Franco-American Centre (facnh.com). Classes run Thursdays from 5 to 6:30 p.m., Jan. 9 through Feb. 6, or Saturdays 9:30 a.m. to noon, Jan. 11 through Feb. 8, over Zoom. The series costs $185. You can try out your skills at the Franco-American’s regular Pret-à-Parler — or PaPa Conversation — gatherings, which meet both virtually and at locations such as Murphy’s Taproom in Bedford (Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 5:30 p.m.) and El Rodeo in Concord (Monday, Jan. 13, at 5:30 p.m.).

    10. The SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, snhuarena.com) puts on a show with events this January: Disney on Ice Presents Mickey’s Search Party with seven shows Thursday, Jan. 9, through Sunday, Jan. 12. Tickets start at $15 plus fees. Then on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 7:30 p.m. it’s Dancing with the Stars Live 2025 with professional dancers; tickets start at $54.50.

    Asian women sitting behind large drums, arms raised to play, on stage during performance
    Yamato the Drummers of Japan will be at the Capitol Center for the Arts.

    11. Get the Led Out celebrates the music of Led Zeppelinon Friday, Jan. 10, at 8 p.m. at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com). Also appearing at the Cap Center proper in January are Now and Forever — A Celebration of Carole King on Thursday, Jan. 23, at 7:30 p.m.; Dirty Deeds the AC/DC experience on Friday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m.; The Fab Four: USA Meets The Beatles on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 7:30 p.m. and Yamato the Drummers of Japan on Sunday, Jan. 26, at 4 p.m.

    At the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord), catch Modern Fools with Slim Volume & Rachel Berlin on Friday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m.; Swing Dance Night with the New Hampshire Jazz Orchestra on Sunday, Jan. 19, at 3:30 p.m.; Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish featuring Delanie Pickering on Friday, Jan. 24, at 7:30 p.m.; Dueling Pianos on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 8 p.m., and GoldenOak on Friday, Jan. 31, at 8 p.m. Catch Mikey G in the Cantin Room at BNH Stage on Sunday, Jan. 5, at 6 p.m.

    12. The libraries are making January fun. The Nashua Public Library (2 Court St., Nashua, nashualibrary.org) is holding a Passport to China event on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 2 p.m. featuring Chinese music, dance, craft activities and food samples in the Chandler Wing, according to a Facebook post from the library. The Nashua library is also in the middle of a Winter Reading Club for adults (win a mug; see the website for details). And it doesn’t get more fun at the Nashua library’s Oreo Taste Test on Wednesday, Jan. 15, from 6 to 7 p.m. (open to ages 14+).

    The Griffin Free Public Library (22 Hooksett Road, Auburn, griffinfree.org) will help with your holiday cleanup at the White Elephant Gift Exchange on Saturday, Jan. 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    Earn a mug by reading as part of the Bedford Public Library’s (3 Meetinghouse Road, Bedford, bedfordnhlibrary.org) Adult and Teen Winter Reading Challenge which kicks off with a party on Sunday, Jan. 5, from 2 to 4 p.m.

    If your New Year’s resolution involves writing more, check out the creative writing workshop at the Leach Library (276 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, londonderrynh.gov/leach-library) on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 5 p.m.

    Doing dry January? Concord Public Library (45 Green St., Concord, concordnh.gov/1983/Library) will have a Mocktail Mixology event on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 6 p.m. in the Blanchard Room. On Friday, Jan. 24, at 6 p.m., contralto Melissa Elsman and pianist Mike Ring will present a lecture and musical performance called “La Femme Vaillante: Reviving the Remarkable Musical Legacy of Augusta Holmes” at the Penacook Library and Activity Center (76 Community Drive in Penacook).

    The Manchester City Library (405 Pine St., Manchester, manchester.lib.nh.us) will hold a Flower Arranging Demonstration and Raffle with a representative from Chalifour’s Flowers on Thursday, Jan. 9, at 2 p.m. Pay $10 for a grocery bag full of books on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Winter Book Sale. And for kids (grades 1 to 6), there is a Slime-of-the-Month Club, which will meet on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 3:30 p.m.

    The Derry Public Library (64 E. Broadway, Derry, derrypl.org) will offer Loom Demonstration on Saturday, Jan. 11, from 2 to 3 p.m., and help with a financial makeover at Budgeting 101 on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 6:30 p.m.

    Goffstown Public Library (2 High St., Goffstown, goffstownlibrary.com) will host “Taste of the Old Country in the New: Franco-Americans of Manchester” with Robert Perreault on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 6:30 p.m.

    The kids can get out and create on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Wadleigh Memorial Library (49 Nashua St., Milford, wadleighlibrary.org) on Children’s Crafts Saturday.

    13. Enjoy the music of local band Mixtape Heroez at the 21+ annual Xmas Tree Burn on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at Auburn Pitts (167 Rockingham Road in Auburn), according to the restaurant’s Facebook page. Find more live music at area restaurants, breweries, pubs and other hang-out warm-up fun-winter locales in the Music This Week, which runs every week in the Nite section (this week the listing starts on page 27). Have an upcoming gig to add to the listing? Let us know at [email protected].

    14. Theatre Kapow (tkapow.com) kicks off 2025’s “Expanding the Canon — A Play Reading Circle” on Sunday, Jan. 12, at 2 p.m., which will focus “on the works of Latiné playwrights and their experience,”according to the website. “Playwrights featured in this circle include Nilo Cruz, Matthew López, Karen Zacarías, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes, and Vero Villalobos,” the website said. The event is free and takes place over Zoom; register online.

    15. Vote! No, don’t worry, this one will be fun. Voting starts early in our annual readers poll. Vote in the Hippo’s Best of 2025 starting Wednesday, Jan. 15. See hippopress.com.

    16. The 2025 concert series at The Flying Goose Brew Pub and Grille (40 Andover Road in New London; flyinggoose.com) kicks off Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 with New England Bluegrass Band. Tickets cost $25. The next show is Thursday, Jan. 30, at 7:30 p.m. with Dinty Child and Mark Erelli. Tickets to that show cost $30.

    17. Take the kids to see a show. Annie, presented by RB Professional, will be on stage at the Capitol Center for the Arts Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Friday, Jan. 17, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 18, at 1 and 7 p.m.

    The Cap Center will also present Doctor Kaboom: Under Pressure, an interactive science and comedy show, on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 10:30 a.m.

    The Palace Youth Theatre will present Grease, school edition, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, Jan. 22 through Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org).

    The Majestic Academy of Youth/Teens (majestictheatre.net) will present Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway, Derry) on Friday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 25, at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 26, at 2 p.m.

    Epping Middle School will present Arsenic and Old Lace on Friday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 25, and Sunday, Jan. 26, at 2 p.m. at Epping Community Theatre (38 Ladds Lane, Epping, eppingtheater.org).

    Gilbert H. Hood presents Beauty and the Beast on Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 1, at 4 p.m. at Stockbridge Theatre (Pinkerton Academy, 44 N. Main St., Derry, stockbridgetheatre.showare.com).

    And for the grown-ups looking for some fun theater: Cue Zero Theatre will present Dead Air, a murder mystery fundraiser for the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 6:30 p.m. at Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St.. Manchester, palacetheatre.org). “You’ll take part in a 50th anniversary live radio broadcast and celebration for WEZ-Y, hosted by Guy Godfry, set in 2004. You have been assigned the role of the live studio audience and are witness to something that goes terribly wrong,” according to the website. Tickets cost $50 and include hors d’oeuvres. See cztheatre.com.

    18. Get the music of Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Elton John, Freddie Mercury and more in the musical production Piano Men, which runs at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) Friday, Jan. 17, through Sunday, Feb. 9. with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. and Thursday, Feb. 6, at 7:30 p.m.

    Get more music at the Palace with the run of Recycled Percussion concerts, which continues weekends through Sunday Jan. 12.

    Over at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) the lineup of musical performances includes Tom DiMenna and friends with the Story Songs of the ’70s (Saturday, Jan. 4, at 7:30 p.m.); Candlelight concerts on Thursday, Jan. 9, with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (6 p.m.) and Coldplay and Imagine Dragons (8:30 p.m.); Prince/Bowie on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 7:30 p.m.; Good Looking “Hank” and His Cowboy Drifters (tribute to Hank Williams Sr.) on Sunday, Jan. 12, at 2 p.m.; Close Enemies featuring Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 7 p.m.; 603 Songwriters in the Round on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; Elias Kacavas & The Vanity on Friday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m.; Van Halen all eras tribute with Cathedral on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 7:30 p.m.; Steve Forbert on Thursday, Jan. 23, at 7:30 p.m., and the 15th annual New England Winter Blues Festival on Thursday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m.

    19. Free Fishing Day, the winter version, is Saturday, Jan. 18, in New Hampshire. Anyone can fish inland water or saltwater without a fishing license (though bag limits, season dates and other regulations still apply), according to New Hampshire Fish and Game. See nhfishgame.com for the regulations and for information on winter fishing opportunities as well as other outdoor information, the department’s podcast On the Nature Trail and a link to purchase the department’s New Hampshire Wildlife Calendar, which features dates for hunting and fishing seasons and other outdoor events.

    Find more outdoor happenings at Beaver Brook (117 Ridge Road, Hollis, beaverbrook.org), which offers winter fitness hikes and a Winter Survival class for homeschoolers ages 11 to 14 starting Jan. 15.

    And if/when we get some snowy days, head to the New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way, Auburn, nhaudubon.org) or Susan N. McLane Audubon Center (84 Silk Road, Concord), where you can rent snowshoes ($15 per pair) during the Center’s regular hours (Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.), according to the website.

    four men wearing suits and ties laughing, dark blue backdrop, studio photo
    Branford Marsalis Quartet will be at the Nashua Center for the Arts. Photo from branfordmarsalis.com.

    20. Branford Marsalis Quartet warms up the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $49. Also at the Nashua Center for the Arts in January are Boat House Row bringing the yacht rock experience on Friday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m.; Esperanza Spalding on Friday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m., and Michael Jackson History Show on Friday, Jan. 31, at 8 p.m.

    21. “It’s our time down here.” The Goonies celebrates its (sorry, Xers and elder millennials, take a deep breath and brace yourselves) 40th anniversary with “Fathom’s Big Screen Classics” screenings on Sunday, Jan. 19, and Monday, Jan. 20, at Apple Cinemas in Merrimack and Hooksett, Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem, O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square in Epping and Regal Fox Run in Newington. See fathomevents.com for times.

    Throw even further back for a screening of 1928’s silent film Wild Orchids on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org), presented with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis.

    22. Get excited about books! Bookstores are holding midnight release parties for the Jan. 21 release of Onyx Storm, the third book in Rebecca Yarros’ The Empyrean series (Fourth Wing and Iron Flame) about a military college for dragon-riders. Balin Books in Nashua (375 Amherst St., Somerset Plaza, 417-7981) will party from 10 p.m. Jan. 20 to 1 a.m. Jan. 21, with snacks, games and fun; book preorders are available at balinbooks.com. Barnes & Noble stores (1741 S. Willow St., Manchester, 668-5557; 235 DW Highway, Nashua, 888-0533; 125 S. Broadway, Salem, 898-1930; Seabrook Commons, 700 Lafayette Road, Seabrook, 730-6650; bn.com) plan to start celebrating at 10 p.m. Jan. 20, and the book goes on sale in store at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 21. Call your B&N store to sign up for the event and confirm a finalized event time, as time is subject to change; due to high demand, proof of purchase of the Deluxe Limited Edition of the book is required to attend the B&N events.

    In other January book news, Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; gibsonsbookstore.com) will hold author events with Sally Cragin for Llewellyn’s Moon Sign Book on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 6:30 p.m.; Peg Fitzpatrickfor The Art of Small Business Social Media on Thursday, Jan. 9, at 6:30 p.m.; David Preece and Jim Webber with their two Mr. Higgins picture books on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 11 a.m.; Amanda Grappone Osmer with Grappone Automotive: The Founding on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 6:30 p.m., and Jeffrey Boutwill with Boutwell: Radical Republican and Champion of Democracyon Thursday, Jan. 30, at 6:30 p.m.

    Author events at Bookery (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com) include David M. Miller launching True Christianity: An Exposition of John’s Letters on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 5 p.m.; Mary Eisenhauer with Reimagining Midlife: Making Bold Moves for Your Second Act on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 1 p.m., and Matt Larson with 4000s by 40: Tackling Middle Age in the Mountains of New Hampshire on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 4 p.m.

    23. It’s something of a homecoming when comedian Sarah Silverman, born in Concord and a one-time resident of Bedford, plays the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 8 p.m.

    But those won’t be the only laughs.

    Juston McKinney will play the CAKE Theatre in Laconia on Saturday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. See thecaketheatre.com.

    The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) will hold Italian Comedy Night, featuring Frank Santorelli & Mark Ricccadona, on Friday, Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m.

    Jan 10 is also the Tupelo Night of Comedy for January featuring Paul Nardizzi, Kyle Crawford and Jolanda Logan at 8 p.m.

    Catch Jimmy Dunn at the Amato Center for Performing Arts in Milford on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $40. See jimmydunn.com.

    And find comedy every week at Headliners Comedy at the Doubletree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (headlinersnh.com) and Chunky’s in Manchester (chunkys.com), the Ruby Room Comedy Club at the Shaskeen in Manchester (find them on Facebook) and the Thursday Laugh Attic at Strange Brew Tavern in Manchester (strangebrewtavern.net).

    24. New Hampshire Wine Week returns with wine dinners, wine tasting and the week’s centerpiece, the New England Winter Wine Spectacular at the Doubletree by Hilton Manchester Downtown on Thursday, Jan. 23, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $75 to the grand tasting, $135 for a ticket that includes the Bellman’s Cellar Select room. Other events on the Wine Week schedule include Vive La France on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., a panel discussion of French wines ($65) at the Manchester Country Club in Bedford, and a wine dinner with Brian Pruett of Dry Creek Vineyards at Wentworth by the Sea in New Castle on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m. ($130.13). See nhwineweek.com.

    25. Check out a variety of excitement at the 2025 Concord NH Winter Fest, Ice Carving Competition & Food Truck Festival starting Friday, Jan. 24. Actually the fun starts Thursday, Jan. 23, with the opening of Art & Bloom (opening reception 5 to 7 p.m.; exhibit on display Thursday, Jan. 23, from 2 to 5 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), an exhibition at Kimball Jenkins in Concord featuring art from the Women’s Caucus for Art — New Hampshire Chapter, and accompanying flower arrangements by area floral designers. On Jan. 24, check out the ice carvings taking place on the Statehouse lawn from 3 to 9 p.m. with the competition starting Saturday, Jan. 25, at 11 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m. with awards handed out at 3:30 p.m. Find food trucks and other event sponsors on Capitol Street from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. See intownconcord.org.

    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.

    Holidays on tap

    Local breweries celebrate the season with holiday flavors

    Andy Day loves holiday beers. For a very short time.

    “It’s one of those things, for me,” Day said, “where you want to see a very limited release and then you want to see it disappear and then move on and move forward.” Day is the brewer and co-owner of Daydreaming Brewing Co. in Derry. He said there can be a tendency in the brewing industry to feature a seasonal beer too long.

    “Take the pumpkin thing for example,” he said. “You’ve started to see that creep into July releases. By the time you get to mid-October it’s kind of played out and people are not really interested anymore and there’s a whole bunch of beer that just sits there.”

    December is when many breweries roll out special releases of holiday beers, many of which are very dark — stouts and porters — with a high alcohol-by-volume percentage (ABV), sometimes as high as 10 or 12 percent, about the same as wine.

    “Generally speaking,” Day said, “for the winter months, you’re going to have your imperial stouts and things”

    This year Daydreaming Brewing Co. (1 1/2 E. Broadway, Derry, 965-3454, cask.life/daydreaming-brewing-co) is featuring a special holiday beer: The Noggy Elf.

    “Two years ago, a friend of ours came into the brewery and she asked — this was probably in August — ‘Can you make a beer that tastes like eggnog?’ We mostly focus on English-style ales and traditional recipes, but she put it to me to make an eggnog beer. So I did a five and a half percent [ABV] golden ale that was flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, some vanilla and sort of gave you the characteristics of eggnog without actually being a thick, creamy eggnog.”

    “So some fans of the original 5.5% Nog beer wanted to do an imperial (lager) barrel-aged version of it. So that’s what we did. We more or less doubled up on the recipe. We stuck it in ex-bourbon barrels, Heaven Hill’s bourbon barrels, for the better part of six months. Then we pulled it out and we treated it with cinnamon, nutmeg, etc., etc., and that’s where Noggy Elf came from,” Day said.

    Day said The Noggy Elf has gotten a good response. “People have said it tastes like you’re drinking Christmas. … There’s definitely a little bit of oak and vanilla from the bourbon. It is deceptive in nature in that it is 10.5% [ABV], but it drinks like a much lower-alcohol beer, so it’s kind of one of those you’ve got to pace yourself and pay attention.”

    More holiday brews

    Concord Craft Brewing (117 Storrs St., Concord, 856-7625, concordcraftbrewing.com) has two Bourbon Barrel Aged Stouts on tap, a 2024 and a 2021. Both are imperial stouts with an ABV of 9.3%. Concord Craft says, “We have aged our imperial stout in Knob Creek bourbon barrels. … the bourbon flavor blends seamlessly with the maltiness of the stout and also gives a subtle oaky finish.”

    Feathered Friend Brewing (231 S. Main St., Concord, 715-2347, featheredfriendbrewing.com) has several dark, deep, seasonal beers on tap, including BA Trouble Behind, a doppelbock, with an ABV of 9.8%. Brewed in house, it is aged in barrels from Steadfast Spirits Distilling Co. (134 Hall St., Suite. H, Concord, 333-2162, steadfastspiritsdistilling.square.site).

    Flying Goose Brew Pub and Grill (40 Andover Road, New London, 526-6899, flyinggoose.com) is serving its winter beer on tap – Kong, a Russian Imperial Stout with an authoritative ABV of 10.5%. There is also Directionless Perfectionist, a sour American kriek (cherry beer), with an ABV of 6.7%

    .From The Barrel Brewing Co. (1 Corporate Park Drive, Derry, 328-1896, ftb-838342.square.site) lists, on its website, three seasonal stouts on tap: Into the Void Coffee Vanilla Stout, Into the Void Peanut Butter Stout and Into the Void Coconut Stout.

    Liquid Therapy Brewery and Grill (14 Court St., Nashua, 402-9391, liquidtherapynh.com) is offering a Soul Shard Imperial Stout on draft. It weighs in at a hefty 11.7% ABV and is described on the Liquid Therapy website as “aged on cinnamon, marshmallow, vanilla, and rum-soaked oak.”

    Look for the Gingerbread Summit Porter at Mountain Base Brewery (553 Mast Road, No. 111, Goffstown, 935-7132, mountainbasebrewery.com). At 7.3% ABV, Mountain Base describes it on its website as a “Sweet milk stout with a seasonal gingerbread taste. Black in color with the milky feel of chocolate, caramel, and gingerbread.”

    According to its website, Oddball Brewing (6 Glass St., Suncook, 210-5654, oddballbrewingnh.com) has Yer A Hairy Wizard Spiced Stout on tap at 5.6% ABV, as well as 3 on the Tree New England IPA at 6.6%.

    Pipe Dream Brewing (49 Harvey Road, Unit 4, Londonderry, 404-0751, pipedreambrewingnh.com) is serving Pumpkin French Toast pumpkin ale on tap. It has an ABV of 6%, and Pipe Dream’s website describes it as “a slightly sweet, bready, pumpkin ale with a cinnamon maple twist.”

    The Rockingham Brewing Co. (1 Corporate Park Drive, Unit 1, Derry, 216-2324, rockinghambrewing.com) has two festive beers on tap, according to its website: Snowball, a 4.2% ABV Belgian Witbier, and Winter Wonderham, a 7.5% ABV Winter Warmer Ale.

    Spyglass Brewing Co. (306 Innovative Way, Nashua, 546-2965, spyglassbrewing.com) has two super-charged seasonal beers on tap: Escape Velocity 10% Triple IPA, described on the Spyglass website as “a New England style Triple IPA double dry hopped with Citra, Mosaic, Vic Secret and Azacca Hops,” and Continuum 10.5% Belgian Abbey Quad “a Belgian Abbey style quadrupel ale made with Belgian malts, Dark Candi syrup, and Styrian Golding hops.”

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