Author: John Fladd

In the kitchen with Nikki miller

Nikki Miller is Head Bartender at Barley House Restaurant and Tavern (132 N. Main St., Concord, 228-6363, thebarleyhouse.com). A New Hampshire native, she has “always pretty much worked in restaurants,” she said. “I have bounced around a tiny bit, but definitely have landed here at the Barley House. I’ve been here for six and a half years now. I started as a server, and made my way up to a bartender. I am a manager, now. I run the events here, I throw parties, I do a lot. Sometimes I even wash dishes. I really like bartending. I think that you kind of command your space when you’re behind the bar. And there are a lot of people who don’t care about talking to you, but I work every Sunday during the day, and I have people that make it a point to come and see me. It’s part of their routine, so to speak. I took the weekend off last weekend, and I guess some people were asking, ‘Where is the Queen, herself?’”

What is your must-have bar tool?

Definitely a shaker, I would say. So it’s just a two-piece metal Boston shaker. We build all of our drinks in pint glasses here. Also ice. We just have small, little cube ice here, but crushed ice is amazing for a cocktail.

What would you have for your last meal?

Maybe a burger. I’m really into burgers right now, and I think you could make it just a classic, or you could build it up, and throw an egg on there. We have a burger here at the Barley House that has gravy and blue cheese. That would be a good one.

What is your favorite local eatery?

I am a big fan of Mexican food, so I go around to all of our local Mexican places. There’s so much you can do — tacos, nachos, burritos. I definitely love any variation of that.

Have you ever served a drink to a celebrity?

I have served some presidential candidates. They usually just order a beer. And it’s so funny — it’s a business, you know, a meet-and-greet thing. So they’ll come in, they’ll order a beer and then they don’t even drink it.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

So we do have a Moscow Mule with some apple cider that is really tasty. It’s just a well-balanced drink. It’s got some juice, a little bit of bubbles, and then we have a bourbon one right now. It’s so good! There’s the bourbon, lime juice, ginger beer, and then some apple cider. There’s just something about it.

What is the biggest cocktail trend you see in New Hampshire right now?

I think that we all eat with the seasons. So right now, you know, we obviously are kind of an Irish-themed bar, so it’s a lot of beef stew, chicken pot pie, you know, those like warming things. And then of course in the summertime, people are eating salads, they’re eating a little bit lighter. And one of my favorite parts about bartending is sort of making cocktails with the seasons, you know, whether it’s fresh blueberries or right now apple cider is obviously one. Pretty soon we’ll be doing boozy hot chocolates with whipped cream and that will be a big hit.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home? Why?

It would have to be some sort of pasta. I have a couple of little boys. I make a butternut squash mac and cheese or American chop suey and those are always big hits.

Drunken Pumpkin
From Nikki Miller, head bartender at the Barley House

Combine 2 ounces of vanilla vodka with 3 ounces of pumpkin cider in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, then strain into a glass with a cinnamon-sugar rim.

The wines you don’t know

Wine on Main explains ‘Misunderstood Wines’

One of Emma Stetson’s favorite parts of owning a wine shop — Wine on Main in Concord — is teaching classes.

“We do monthly wine classes,” Stetson said. “Each one has a different theme. For example, last month we [discussed wines from] Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. It could have a more overarching theme, whether it’s about climate, or full-bodied red wines — things like that.”

This month the theme is “Misunderstood Wines.”

“I’ve noticed there are some wines that people are confused about,” Stetson said, “that have misconceptions around them. So I thought it would be fun to correct some of those for people. So that’s one component of the class. And then the other component is that we have Thanksgiving coming up. So the full title of the class is ‘Misunderstood Wines that are Also Perfect for Thanksgiving.’ It’s a way to clear up some misconceptions but also find unique wines for your holiday table.”

Stetson said some misconceptions about particular wines come from their names.

“An example,” she said, “is in the Loire Valley in France. There is a region called Muscadet. It’s a great wine for pairing, especially for Thanksgiving. It has bright acidity and bright fresh fruit flavors.” She finds that many customers are resistant to trying it. “They’ll tell me, ‘No, I hate sweet wines.’ My reaction is, ‘What are you talking about? Muscadet is a dry white wine from France’s Loire Valley!’ and they’re like ‘No, I hate Muscato and Muscatel’; they think in their heads because the words are so similar….”

“It was funny,” she said. “We did a wine tasting back in October with a Muscadet that was delicious, but it was a major hurdle that we had to overcome first.”

Sometimes people assume wines from a particular region are the same. “Riesling kind of goes hand in hand with that too,” Stetson said. Rieslings are white wines that originated in the Rhine River region of Germany, with a reputation for being sweet. Some of them are, Stetson said, but “riesling” covers many different wines. “I have so many people tell me, ‘I don’t like riesling,’ and for the same reason; they say because it’s too sweet. Riesling can be made in a huge array of styles, especially ones made in the Finger Lakes [of New York State]. They are so close to us, are frequently done in a dry style and so aromatic and beautiful.”

November is a good time of the year to clear up some of these misunderstandings, Stetson said. “Riesling is such a classic wine for Thanksgiving, so I wanted to present people with a dry riesling. The aromatics in the wine and even the grape itself will give hints of blossom and honeysuckle. That pairs really well with root vegetables and Thanksgiving seasonal fare. And white wine is kind of a classic pairing with turkey. You could do reds too, but you would choose a lighter red. White goes well with turkey because it won’t overwhelm the poultry.”

Small classes provide a relaxed, focused atmosphere for wine drinkers to wrap their heads around wines, Stetson said.

“Class goers get the opportunity to have a more in-depth understanding of each wine,” she said, “and ask their questions as opposed to at a wine tasting where it’s quick and they’re contending with other people who might be here. I think it’s a great environment for them to have a more personalized experience.”

“I want them to start to figure out what their palate is like,” Stetson said, “what kinds of wines they enjoy and what they gravitate to. For this particular class, I hope people find really fun wines for the holidays that they can share with their family and friends and talk knowledgeably about. Hopefully, clearing up some of these misconceptions in a Misunderstood Wines class will encourage people to try wines that they might have steered clear of because they thought they wouldn’t like them or just didn’t know about them.”

Misunderstood Wines Class
When: Tuesday, Nov. 12, or Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Where: Wine on Main, 9 N. Main St., Concord, 897-5828
More: wineonmainnh.com
Each class is limited to 20 people and includes six wines and light snacks. The cost is $35 per person.

Featured Photo: Emma Stetson leading a class. Courtesy photo.

Sleazy Vegan parks the truck

Popular purveyor serves food at Pembroke City Limits

For Kelly Sue Leblanc, a turning point in the direction her life was headed came in the form of a vegan cooking class.

Leblanc, who goes by KSL, was curious about plant-based foods, but was frustrated by how limited her dinner choices seemed to be. “I was definitely a carnivore,” she said. “I’d been eating that way my whole life. I honestly was like, ‘OK, I made a stir-fry and a salad and some pasta and now I’ve run out of vegetable things to cook for myself. Am I just going to be stuck eating pasta and salad and stir-fry for the rest of my life?’ I didn’t know how to cook without butter or dairy.”

A cooking class led KSL to a deeper understanding of how food is constructed — why certain ingredients go together, and what the elements were that made some dishes work, and some crash and burn. Learning about food became fascinating to her, which, in short order, led to buying a food truck.

“We bought the truck in June of ’22,” KSL said, “and that first season we kind of stuck around Manchester because of the crazy amount of different health licenses that are in the 16 self-governed towns of New Hampshire. Being a mobile food truck in New Hampshire is a very strange kind of gig because of the way that we [New Hampshire towns] manage our health licenses.” Limited by the cooking space in a food truck, she did the lion’s share of cooking in a commercial kitchen in Manchester and then finished each order on site.

She named the truck The Sleazy Vegan.

“The Sleazy Vegan got its name in a couple of different ways,” KSL said. ”I plan on living on a sailboat at some point, and I was playing with business names that began with S-V, and that came into my mind, and worked for me in that way, but it also worked because of the philosophy of food.” She remembered that when she first switched to a plant-based diet she felt like she was being judged. “I went to a couple of different places that were vegan restaurants, and I was made to feel very, very uncomfortable because I was wearing leather shoes or had a leather handbag. And the penny hadn’t dropped on me about what the word ‘vegan’ really meant and how fully loaded it could be. And Sleazy Vegan is sort of my acceptance of being an imperfect vegan and wanting to just make sure that everybody knows that about the food and about what we’re doing before they get there. The name Sleazy Vegan kind of ties together our whole concept of being a vegan food provider.”

Earlier this year The Sleazy Vegan became the food provider at Pembroke City Limits (134 Main St., Suncook, 210-2409, pembrokecitylimits.com), a multi-use entertainment venue. KSL said cooking in the new space is not too different from working from her food truck.

“The space that we have at Pembroke City Limits is smaller than what’s on my truck,” she said. She and her head cook, Trafton Hanscom, who describes himself as a “Sleaze Wrangler,” still do all their preliminary cooking at her commercial kitchen, then finish each dish to order at the brick-and-mortar restaurant. “What we have been doing at Pembroke City Limits is introducing things that we’ve done in the food truck,” she said. “I am an unruly cook because I am constantly making new items. But that’s, I mean, that’s why I’m doing this, right? If I look at our current menu — between our snacks and apps, bigger bites, drinks and sweets — we are doing over 30 items from that tiny little kitchen.”

KSL sees her new restaurant as the next stage in an evolving story.

“Being that my history is in tech,” she said, “I view everything as a prototype. We’re prototyping this idea that we can put in something that would cost about the same as a food truck or less into a small establishment and be able to run Sleazy Vegan as a busy vegan kitchen, so that maybe we can grow this idea up and repeat it.”

The Sleazy Vegan
Where: 134 Main St., Pembroke
Hours: Open Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday and Friday, 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday, 2 to 10 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.
Info: 233-5078, thesleazyvegan.com
The menu is available online, as well as links to The Sleazy Vegan’s social media accounts. The Sleazy Vegan can cater occasions from weddings to corporate events.

Featured Photo: Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 24/10/31

News from the local food scene

• Brewery opening: A new brewery is set to open in Manchester during the first week of November. Republic Brewing Co. (72 Old Granite St. Manchester, 836-3188, republicbrewingcompany.com) will have a Founder’s Club soft opening from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, with a public opening soon after. It will serve six house-brewed beers and pub food, initially focusing on tacos and burgers.

• Market opening: World Market (79 S. River Road, Bedford, 688-8947, stores.worldmarket.com) is slated to have had its ribbon cutting on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 9:45 a.m. with a grand opening celebration Thursday, Oct. 31, through Saturday, Nov. 2, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 3, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to a press release which said the opening will include food and drink tastings.

• Find fish: The University of New Hampshire (unh.edu) has announced a new online tool to help consumers access information about locally sourced seafood products: NH Seafood Finder. According to UNH, the website will allow users to search for seafood by “seafood type (ex: lobsters, oysters, scallops), vendor, location type (ex: off-the-boat, storefront, farmer’s market), time of year, or [search by] map/town.” See bit.ly/NHSeafoodFinder.

• Farmers market opening: Saturday, Nov. 2, will be the opening day for the Concord Winter Farmers Market (7 Eagle Square, Concord, downtownconcordwinterfarmersmarket.com). The Market will be open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, November through April.

Apple Bars with Brown Butter Shortbread

Shortbread

  • 12 Tablespoons (1½ stick) salted (normal) butter
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
  • 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup (66 g) white sugar
  • 1/3 cup (66 g) brown sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder

Filling

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup (66 g) white sugar
  • 1/3 cup (66 g) brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne or other dried chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1¼ lbs. (567 g) sliced apples – weigh them after peeling, coring and slicing them

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Melt the butter in a small pan over medium-low heat. Keep cooking it, stirring it occasionally, until it stops spitting and turns a darker color. This is what bakers call “browning” the butter. Some of the butter is pure fat, but there are some milk solids in it as well. As those solids fry in the melted fat, they start to brown, giving the whole pan of butter a darker color. This is a baking trick that is very, very impressive but extremely straightforward. The only thing you have to be careful about is overcooking it. You want it to get to about the color of a graham cracker, but take it off the heat just before it gets to that point, because the milk solids will continue cooking in the hot fat for another 30 seconds or so.

Stir ¼ teaspoon of salt into the browned butter, and set it aside to cool.

Combine the ingredients for the shortbread, adding the butter/salt mixture last.

Set ¾ cup of the dough aside, and press the rest into an 8×8” baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes or until it just starts to turn golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and set it aside to cool. Turn the oven up to 375°F.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the rest of the filling ingredients together, one at a time.

Spread the apple filling over the baked shortbread, then scatter the reserved shortbread dough over the top.

Bake for 65 minutes, then remove it from the oven and let it cool for an hour or so, then turn out of the pan and cut into nine to 12 portions.

Eat one of these bars, feeling a growing sense of joy and wonder build inside of you.

You will taste the apple filling first, which will be familiar and comforting.

Then, as you chew, you will start to get a little kick from the cayenne pepper, and your eyes will go wide. But then, just before you can get all judgmental, the flavor of the brown butter shortbread will kick in, soothe your outraged taste buds, and leave you with a pervasive feeling of well-being.

“HONEY!” you’ll shout — which will be awkward if you live alone or with roommates — “Come here; you have to taste this!”

At this point your partner, if you have one, will tell you, no thank you, they’re fine.

“Seriously, come taste this!”

“Not right now; I’m busy!” they’ll reply.

The next 10 minutes, as you chase your partner around the house, trying to force an apple bar into their mouth, won’t be pretty, but will be a testament to how shockingly good these apple bars are.

Featured Photo: Photo by John Fladd.

In the kitchen with Caroline Arend

Caroline Arend is the Chef and owner of Caroline’s Fine Food (132 Bedford Center Road, Bedford, 637-1615, carolinesfood.com) and The Pot Pie Bar (132 Bedford Center Road, Bedford, 432-1927, thepotpiebar.com).

She is a graduate of Boston University and The Culinary Institute of America. She has worked as an executive chef and catering chef in high-end restaurants and catering companies throughout New England. After moving to New Hampshire, she took a break from cooking professionally, but found that she missed it. Her catering and prepared food business, Caroline’s Fine Foods, designs seasonally curated menus and prepared and bespoke dishes for customers. The Pot Pie Bar offers 14 different pies, from classic chicken or vegetable pot pies to more innovative choices such as a bratwurst, beer and cheddar pie, or a lobster pie made with whole lobster claws.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

I love my mandoline! It is a surprisingly versatile tool which produces consistent product with great ease.

What would you have for your last meal?

Italian Wedding Soup. It was my grandmother’s family recipe that originated in Naples near Isernia, Italy. It brings back fond childhood memories of wonderful and soulful meals spent together.

What is your favorite local eatery?

Smokehaus Barbecue in Amherst, a great small business serving delicious barbecue staples. I’m a big fan of the Hog Wings!

Name a celebrity you would like to see eating in your restaurant.

Johnny Depp. My family and I have always loved his movies and unique sense of humor!

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

Seared sea scallops with lemon caper aioli and snipped chive. These are always a crowd-pleaser at any occasion.

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

Pickled and fermented foods. We’re seeing a big uptick and newfound appreciation for all things pickled and fermented.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Chinese takeout! Why take work home?

Just kidding. My family loves freshly steamed mussels in a white wine sauce with chorizo, tomatoes, topped with remoulade and fire roasted bread for dipping. We serve it in one giant mixing bowl and everyone dives in! It is a wonderful way to come together and connect over an interactive family dinner.

Coconut Curry Mussels with Crusty Bread

1 bag of mussels
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Spanish onion, small dice
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons red curry paste (you can find this at your local Asian market; my favorite brands are Maesri and Mae Ploy)
1 can of coconut milk, full fat
2 Tablespoons cilantro
1 Tablespoon scallions, thinly sliced
salt & pepper, to taste
1 baguette, thinly sliced

Clean and debeard mussels in cold water and set aside.
In a stock pot, over medium/low heat, add olive oil, onion and garlic and sauté lightly until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes.
Once onions are translucent, add red curry paste and sauté for approximately 30 seconds.
Add coconut milk and season lightly with salt and pepper, and mix well. Bring mixture to a simmer.
Add cleaned mussels and cover over medium/low heat.
Cook until all mussels are fully opened, approximately 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While mussels are cooking, cut your baguette thinly on a bias. Each slice should be about 1/2” thick.
Toast your bread — I prefer to brush mine with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper and throw on the grill for some extra char!
Once all mussels are cooked and open, transfer to your serving bowl and garnish with cilantro and scallions.
Serve with toasted bread and enjoy!

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