Author: Matt Ingersoll

The Patio at the Mile Away now open in Milford

A Milford institution for more than 50 years, the Mile Away Restaurant is best-known as a frequently visited spot for special occasions of all kinds, from birthday and anniversary parties to weddings. A new outdoor space directly adjacent to the eatery’s main dining area is inviting guests to enjoy lighter fare in a more casual setting, featuring its own separate kitchen and menus, along with a seated bar with TVs and additional seating at patio tables with umbrellas.

The Patio at the Mile Away, which recently opened for the season, operates during the same hours as its main restaurant and event center, weather permitting. It’s open to walk-in guests and, unlike the Mile Away’s plated four-course European-style dinners, offers a menu of shareable tapas, entree-sized salads and soups, and burgers and sandwiches with choice of a side. The outdoor bar even has its own draft lines and specialty cocktail offerings.

“It’s essentially a completely separate concept, and it’s like having a completely different restaurant that just happens to also be on the premises,” Mile Away general manager Kyle Altman said. “[We wanted to] have a more casual option for people to come out and just have a drink after work, which the four-course European-style fine dining thing doesn’t necessarily appeal to that particular occasion. But now, we can appeal to both.”

Although the patio space was constructed during the summer of 2019 before making its debut that fall, this is the first season in which the new outdoor kitchen is up and running. It’s full of unique amenities that longtime Mile Away owner Joshua Murphy built himself, from a corrugated steel roof over the bar seats to a pulley-like mechanism on its wooden fence, the latter designed to give wedding guests privacy during concurrent ceremonies.

Mile Away executive chef Mark Worcester, an industry veteran, has worked several stints at the restaurant on and off over the years, dating back to 1978. He said the patio’s menu was created with simplicity in mind, as well as various best-sellers on previous menus. Only a few items, like the Mile Away’s famous Swedish meatballs, cross over with the restaurant’s main dinner menu.

“We’ve been here for over 50 years, but the thing is that … people will get used to just coming here for special occasions, and we wanted to kind of shake it up a little bit,” Worcester said.

But despite its more casual approach, Altman said the menu will still feel familiar to guests who expect that traditional tried and true cuisine the Mile Away has long been known for.

“You don’t have to be constantly doing the newest things with the newest ingredients, if you do the classic recipes perfectly,” Altman said. “That’s some of the appeal. … Sometimes you don’t want to try a new thing every time you go out. You want this thing that you get every year on your anniversary, because we do it perfectly and no one else can do it.”

According to Altman, the Mile Away building was originally a farm built way back in 1746, and was one of the earliest settlements of the town of Monson, New Hampshire (now parts of Hollis, Brookline and Amherst). The farm is one mile away from Monson rock, hence the eatery’s name.

The plan is for the patio to operate from around late April through mid-October, or around when the Mile Away hosts in annual Oktoberfest celebration, although they do have propane heaters they can install on colder nights. Altman added that it can also be available to wedding clients.

“If people want to have a bachelor party, or if they want to just rent this out as part of their program with our wedding packages, this is an option … just the same as they can rent out the private room inside the restaurant,” he said.

The Patio at the Mile Away
Where: Mile Away Restaurant, 52 Federal Hill Road, Milford
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 5 to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 6 p.m. (hours are weather permitting). Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
More info: mileawayrestaurantnh.com/the-patio
Walk-ins are welcome for outdoor patio service; no reservations required.

Featured photo: Patio photo by Matt Ingersoll.

New Hampshire Brewers Association’s annual beer festival returns

Featuring one of the state’s largest collection of craft breweries at a single gathering, the Keep NH Brewing Festival is back — the event returns to Kiwanis Waterfront Park in Concord for an eighth year on Saturday, July 8, and will include more than 120 locally produced beers available for sampling, along with food trucks, local vendors, live music and more.

The signature fundraising event for the New Hampshire Brewers Association, the festival returned in person last year for the first time post-pandemic, according to executive director CJ Haines. Participating breweries encompass a variety of geographical locations across New Hampshire. Some even tend to bring certain beers that you may not be able to get outside of their onsite tasting rooms, or they may serve special collaborative options with other brewers.

The afternoon will begin with a special tasting hour available to VIP ticket holders from noon to 1 p.m., followed by the general admission portion from 1 to 4 p.m. All attendees receive free parking and a souvenir tasting glass upon entry through the gate.

Festival newcomers include Omnium Brewing Co., which opened its doors in Somersworth late last year, as well as Sole Track Brewing, hailing from Rumney. Several local food trucks and mobile food vendors will also be there, offering everything from pizzas, gyros and sandwiches to scratch-made vegan items and specialty desserts.

“We’ve expanded more kind of on the education aspect of brewing … because one of the things that we’re focused on is creating more occasions for people to drink beer, not just kind of circumstantial, ‘Hey, there’s a festival,’” Haines said. “We will … have two local hop farms there, and then there’s a local barley and malt vendor. … They’ll have some samples and stuff, so people can actually see the ingredients that go in behind the process.”

She added that attendees will also have access to plenty of drinkable alternatives to beer. Discoe Beverages of Lee, for instance, will be there to pour selections from Circle Back, its signature brand of ready-to-drink non-alcoholic cocktails.

“We want to make it so that people can be safe, and if a designated driver wants to come, there’s still plenty for them to participate in,” Haines said.

Other vendors expected to attend include DraughtPick, a locally created website and mobile app providing users with the most up-to-date details on craft breweries and beers; the Granite Outdoor Alliance, a membership-based advocacy nonprofit promoting the state’s outdoors industry; and the New Hampshire Music Collective, which is also partnering with the Brewers Association to present two live acts — Matty and the Penders, a 1990s alternative rock cover band, at 12:30 p.m.; and acoustic guitarist Mikey G at 2:30 p.m.

As in previous years, festival proceeds benefit the Brewers Association’s ongoing efforts to promote and advocate for the craft beer industry in the Granite State. Haines said the Association works on a number of legislative efforts at the state level each session.

“One of the things we’ve done … is we’ve worked with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services to create the Sustainable Craft Beverage program, which highlights all of the breweries that are practicing sustainable initiatives,” Haines said. “It started last year, and so more and more breweries have started to sign up for it.”

8th annual Keep NH Brewing Festival
When: Saturday, July 8, 1 to 4 p.m. (VIP admittance begins at noon)
Where: Kiwanis Waterfront Park, 15 Loudon Road, Concord (behind the Douglas N. Everett Arena)
Cost: General admission is $50 in advance and $55 on the day of the festival; VIP admission is $65; Designated driver admission is $20
Visit: nhbrewers.org
Event is rain or shine. No children or pets are allowed. All attendees, including designated drivers, must be 21 years of age or older.

Participating breweries

• 603 Brewery (Londonderry, 603brewery.com)
• Backyard Brewery & Kitchen (Manchester, backyardbrewerynh.com)
• Blasty Bough Brewing Co. (Epsom, blastybough.com)
• Branch and Blade Brewing (Keene, babbrewing.com)
• Burnt Timber Brewing Co. (Wolfeboro, burnttimbertavern.com)
• Canterbury Aleworks (Canterbury, canterburyaleworks.com)
• Chapel + Main (Dover, chapelandmain.com)
• Concord Craft Brewing Co. (Concord, concordcraftbrewing.com)
• Dam Brewhouse (Campton, dambrewhouse.com)
• Daydreaming Brewing Co. (Derry, daydreaming.beer)
• Deciduous Brewing Co. (Newmarket, deciduousbrewing.square.site)
• Elm City Brewing Co. (Keene, elmcitybrewing.com)
• Feathered Friend Brewing Co. (Concord, featheredfriendbrewing.com)
• Garrison City Beerworks (Dover, garrisoncitybeerworks.com)
• Great North Aleworks (Manchester, greatnorthaleworks.com)
• Great Rhythm Brewing Co. (Portsmouth, greatrhythmbrewing.com)
• Henniker Brewing Co. (Henniker, hennikerbrewing.com)
• Hobbs Tavern & Brewing Co. (West Ossipee, hobbsbeer.com)
• Kettlehead Brewing Co. (Tilton, kettleheadbrewing.com)
• The Last Chair Brewing Co. (Plymouth, thelastchairnh.com)
• Lithermans Limited Brewery (Concord, lithermans.beer)
• Loaded Question Brewing Co. (Portsmouth, loadedquestionbrewing.com)
• Long Blue Cat Brewing Co. (Londonderry, longbluecat.com)
• Martha’s Exchange Restaurant & Brewing Co. (Nashua, marthas-exchange.com)
• Moat Mountain Smokehouse & Brewing Co. (North Conway, moatmountain.com)
• Mountain Base Brewery (Goffstown, mountainbasebrewery.com)
• Muddy Road Brewery (New Durham, find them on Facebook @muddyroadbrewery)
• Northwoods Brewing Co. (Northwood, northwoodsbrewingcompany.com)
• Oddball Brewing Co. (Suncook, oddballbrewingnh.com)
• Omnium Brewing Co. (Somersworth, omniumbrewing.com)
• One Love Brewery (Lincoln, onelovebrewery.com)
• Out.Haus Ales (Northwood, outhausales.com)
• Portsmouth Brewery (Portsmouth, portsmouthbrewery.com)
• Post & Beam Brewing Co. (Peterborough, postandbeambrewery.com)
• Rek-Lis Brewing Co. (Bethlehem, reklisbrewing.com)
• Rockingham Brewing Co. (Derry, rockinghambrewing.com)
• Sawbelly Brewing (Exeter, sawbellybrewing.com)
• Schilling Beer Co. (Littleton, schillingbeer.com)
• Smuttynose Brewing Co. (Hampton, smuttynose.com)
• Sole Track Brewing (Rumney, soletrackbrewing.com)
• Stoneface Brewing Co. (Newington, stonefacebrewing.com)
• Stripe Nine Brewing Co. (Somersworth, stripeninebrewing.com)
• TaleSpinner Brewery (Nashua, ramblingtale.com)
• Throwback Brewery (North Hampton, throwbackbrewery.com)
• To Share Brewing Co. (Manchester, tosharebrewing.com)
• Tuckerman Brewing Co. (Conway, tuckermanbrewing.com)
• Twin Barns Brewing Co. (Meredith, twinbarnsbrewing.com)
• Vulgar Brewing Co. (Franklin, vbc.beer)
• West LA Beer Co. (Swanzey, westlabeercompany.com)
• Whym Craft Pub & Brewery (Hampton, whym.beer)
• Wildbloom Beer (Littleton, wildbloombeer.com)
• Woodstock Inn Brewery (North Woodstock, woodstockinnbrewery.com)

Featured photo: Previous New Hampshire Brewers Association beer festival. Photo courtesy of Cheshire Media Co.

Hollis Strawberry Festival returns for 76th year

By Maya Puma

listings@hippopress.com

A celebration of strawberry crops and farming in New Hampshire more than 75 years strong, the Hollis Strawberry Festival is back, taking place on Sunday, June 25, on the Hollis Town Common. Traditionally held on the last Sunday in June, the festival attracts hundreds of people who will come together to enjoy homemade strawberry shortcakes featuring local strawberries, with added choices of local ice cream and hand-whipped cream. The event had a successful comeback year in 2022, the first festival to be held since the pandemic hit.

“It is hugely popular and people come from Mass. and southern New Hampshire. Strawberry lovers from all around come,” said Cathy Gast, publicity chairwoman of the Hollis Woman’s Club.

According to Gast, the festival began in 1946 as a fundraiser for the Town Band, which would perform its spring concert. The Woman’s Club, she said, joined in on the festivities in the ’60s to sell strawberries and strawberry desserts. Today the festival is a joint fundraiser for both the band and the Woman’s Club, which gives out three scholarships per year, two of which — each for $1,000 — are awarded to graduating seniors of Hollis-Brookline High School.

“Last year we grossed over $12,000, so that’s a lot of strawberry shortcakes,” Gast said.

The strawberries themselves, she said, come from local farms in town. Two days before the festival, community volunteers will pick up the berries and hull, wash and prepare them by slicing and putting them into bowls to be sugared. In total, there are 250 quarts of strawberries to go through. The ice cream is homemade and is from Dr. Davis Ice Cream in Pepperell, Mass.

On the day of the festival, the Woman’s Club organizes an assembly line to build shortcakes. People have the opportunity to build their shortcake with a combination of any of the ingredients.

“Everything is homemade — the ice cream, the shortcake, the whipping cream — and they give a really generous portion.” Gast said. “We have a row of people whipping through this whole process and our shortcake is a special secret recipe.”

The family-friendly event will also feature local craft vendors, face-painting, a live performance by the Hollis Town Band, and children’s games, including a Midwestern tradition known as “pocket lady,” in which a lady will be wearing an apron of pockets filled with toys and trinkets. In exchange for 25 cents kids can pull a toy out of one of the pockets at random.

Hollis Strawberry Festival
When: Sunday, June 25, 2 to 4 p.m.
Where: Hollis Town Common, Monument Square, Hollis (in the event of rain, the festival will be held inside Hollis-Brookline Middle School, at 25 Main St. in Hollis)
Cost: Free admission and parking; all strawberry treats are priced per item
Visit: holliswomansclub.org

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

St. Nicholas Church celebrates 75 years of Greek eats

Hand-cut marinated lamb is the main draw of one of the Granite State’s longest-running Greek food festivals for many. Get lamb fresh off the skewer, in addition to other homemade items like Greek meatballs, pastitsio and spanakopita, during the annual Lamb Barbecue and Food Festival, returning to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Manchester for the 75th year on Saturday, June 17. The event will also feature a variety of Greek cookies and baked goods for sale, in addition to some raffles and a live DJ performing.

Mobile food ordering was implemented on the church’s website a few years ago, according to festival co-chair and parish president Barbara George. Although the date to pre-order has passed, walk-ins are welcome beginning at noon and until the church runs out of food.

As with previous barbecues, the lamb is prepared using a recipe from the late George Moulis, one of the co-founders of the church. Parishioners gather to prepare the lamb hours before the date of the big event, and work to cube and marinate it before it goes onto the skewers.

You get five pieces of lamb per order for the dinner, which also comes with rice and a Greek salad. George said other dinner options this year include marinated Greek-style chicken tenders, Greek-style meatballs (two per order) and pastitsio, better known as Greek lasagna and featuring layers of ground meat and pasta, topped with a homemade béchamel sauce.

“Something that’s new is we’ll do a Greek salad option with the grilled chicken on top,” George said. “This year we’ve also added paximathia, which is basically a Greek biscotti.”

Also on the menu during the festival will be dolmathes (meat- and rice-stuffed grape leaves, topped with an avgolemono, or Greek egg lemon sauce); and spanakopita (a spinach- and feta cheese-based dish with layers of phyllo dough). If you just can’t decide, you can order the “Papou” sampler dinner, featuring a little bit of everything — each order comes with two pieces of barbecued lamb, one meatball and two stuffed grape leaves, along with the rice and salad.

Several assorted homemade Greek pastries and desserts are available throughout the day as well, from traditional baklava to kourambiethes (powdered sugar cookies) and — returning for the first time since 2019, according to George — finikia (oval-shaped, date-filled cookies soaked in a honey syrup). Visitors are welcome to stay and enjoy their meals under one of the tents outside the church, or get their food to go.

George said a local DJ with Ultimate Music Entertainment will perform during the festival. Various items will also be raffled off, and tours of the church will be available at designated times of 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m.

75th annual Lamb Barbecue & Food Festival
When: Saturday, June 17, noon to when the food sells out
Where: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 1160 Bridge St., Manchester
Cost: Free admission and parking; foods are priced per item
Visit: stnicholas-man-nh.org

Featured photo: Scenes from the annual Lamb BBQ & Greek Food Festival. Courtesy photos.