Author: Matt Ingersoll

Matt Ingersoll writes about all things food and drink, covering new restaurants and following the most delicious foodie trends in the state. Reach him at [email protected].

In the kitchen with Megan Sampson

Megan Sampson of Hudson and her aunt, Vicki Abbott, are The Soup Ladies (thesoupladies.com, find them on Facebook), offering a product lineup of nine all-natural soups and one no-cook pasta salad, all of which come as dry mixes with either air-dried or freeze-dried ingredients — for most of them, just add water. Options include everything from a split pea soup and a corn chowder to a quinoa medley, a sweet potato chili and a turkey stew and pot pie filling. Originally known as Homemade Specialty, the business started 11 years ago when Abbott, its owner and founder, would make split pea soup as a teacher’s gift. Eventually she started introducing more soups that she would sell at local craft fairs, and that soon led to taking on some wholesale accounts. She and Sampson now run the company — rebranded as The Soup Ladies earlier this year — together. Today, their products are available in more than two dozen farm stands, country stores, butcher shops and other establishments across New Hampshire, Massachusetts and a few other states, and can also be ordered online to ship.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

Our newest tool that we have … is our automatic sealer. We used to have to do everything by hand, but now we have a heat sealer that will seal and trim the bag for us, and we can do five bags at a time versus us doing them individually. So it saves us quite a bit of time. It’s honestly the best purchase that I think we’ve made as a company.

What would you have for your last meal?

Lobster, pretty much any way I can get it. … I generally like them just steamed, or if I’m ever in the Portland, Maine, area, we always go to The Highroller, which has the best lobster rolls.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Luk’s Bar and Grill [in Hudson]. … It’s always consistent and the food is always great. My favorite thing to get there is their cauliflower wings. I have to get them every single time.

What celebrity would you like to see trying one of your soups?

Gordon Ramsay. … I feel our products are great, but I would like to see what his opinion is.

What is your favorite product that you offer?

There are two. We have our sweet potato chili that we developed and it’s our most popular soup. I really enjoy that one; however, I’ve had it many times, so you’re obviously not always looking for more of a heavier soup or a chili. … So my second favorite is our quinoa medley. It’s more of a lighter, feel-good kind of soup, and it has a ton of vegetables in it, which is right up my alley.

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

I feel like plant-based foods are kind of trending right now. I myself … am pretty much 90 percent plant-based — I consume meat on occasion, but I don’t have it that often. But I am noticing it more and more at restaurants, and even at the grocery store, that they are tending to have more plant-based items.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I like to make stuffed portobello mushrooms. … I’m actually the only one in my household that likes mushrooms, so whenever I can make them for myself, I try to.

Sweet potato chili dip
From the kitchen of Megan Sampson of The Soup Ladies, thesoupladies.com

1 package The Soup Ladies sweet potato chili
1 14.5-ounce can no-salt diced tomatoes
1 pound North Country Smokehouse chorizo brandy sausage, sliced
8 ounces Cabot shredded cheese
16 ounces Cabot sour cream
Shredded lettuce
Fresh diced tomatoes
Diced jalapenos and chopped scallions (optional)

Cook the sweet potato chili mix as directed. Brown the sausage and add into the chili mix the last 20 minutes of cooking time. Set the cooked chili aside until cooled. Top the chili with sour cream and sprinkle on the shredded cheese, shredded lettuce and fresh diced tomatoes. For a little added spice, try adding diced jalapenos and chopped scallions. Refrigerate for one hour to set the dip. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy.

Featured photo: Megan Sampson of The Soup Ladies, based in Hudson. Courtesy photo.

New Year’s eats

Get ready to welcome 2023 at a local restaurant or bar

Ring in 2023 with a special multi-course meal or a midnight Champagne toast at one of these New Hampshire restaurants, bars and function centers. Reservations are filling up fast for many — be sure to contact each establishment directly for the most up-to-date details on availability.

• 815 Cocktails & Provisions (815 Elm St., Manchester, 782-8086, 815nh.com) will hold a special ’80s prom-themed New Year’s Eve party on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 8 p.m., with dancing, contests, hors d’oeuvres, unlimited photo booth use and a featured open bar menu. Tickets are $120 per person and can be purchased in advance online.

• Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, 244-3165, averillhousevineyard.com) will hold a special Brazilian New Year’s Eve dinner and wine pairing on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 6:30 p.m. In addition to a pre-set five-course meal with wine pairings, the evening will include a dessert wine to ring in the new year, and a 9 p.m. countdown (midnight Brazilian time). Tickets are $89 per person and reservations are being accepted online now.

• Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will hold a special four-course prix fixe New Year’s Eve dinner on Saturday, Dec. 31, with seatings from 5 to 9:30 p.m. The meal will include your choice of an appetizer (Dunk’s mushroom toast, Wagyu beef carpaccio, New Hampshire cheese board, broiled Cape Cod oysters, kabocha squash and ricotta agnolotti or lobster bisque); a salad (baby red oak or mache and watercress salad); an entree (grilled filet mignon, smoked New Bedford sea scallops, herb-marinated Australian grass-fed lamb rack, pan-roasted Arctic char, cornbread-crusted Icelandic cod loin, Long Island duck breast or maple-roasted delicata squash); and a dessert (bananas Foster bread pudding, peach bellini sorbet, pistachio cake, chocolate turtle torte or hot chocolate baked Alaska). The cost is $95 per person, and the Inn’s igloos can also be reserved on New Year’s Eve with a $150 rental fee, a $400 food and beverage minimum and a bottle of Champagne included. Additionally, the Inn’s Trattoria Fondi will be open for breakfast from 8:30 to 11 a.m. and for dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. on New Year’s Eve. On Sunday, Jan. 1, the Inn’s dining room will be open for brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., while Trattoria Fondi will be open for breakfast from 8 to 10:30 a.m., and for lunch and dinner from 4 to 9 p.m.

• Bistro 603 (345 Amherst St., Nashua, 722-6362, bistro603nashua.com) will open for brunch at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31, with dinner service starting at 3 p.m. that will include a special features menu and — later on — a DJ and a complimentary Champagne toast at midnight.

• Buckley’s Great Steaks (438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com) will be open on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 9 p.m., serving its regular dinner menu in addition to some seasonal specials, like seared scallops, line-caught Atlantic halibut and 24-ounce grilled porterhouse steak. Reservations are being accepted online now.

• Cask & Vine (1 E. Broadway, Derry, 965-3454, cask.life) will hold its 10th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 5 p.m., which will have an “apocalypse” theme. Guests are invited to dress as either a “survivor” or a “zombie,” and the evening will include a Champagne toast at midnight to ring in the new year. A $50 deposit is required per attendee, which will then be applied to your check at the end of the night.

• Castleton Banquet and Conference Center (58 Enterprise Road, Windham, 898-6300, castletonbcc.com) is hosting a special New Year’s Eve party on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 7 p.m., which is being organized by East Coast Entertainment. In addition to a cash bar, attendees will be treated to a three-course meal featuring a mixed garden salad with dinner rolls, petite filet mignon duet with lemon caper chicken and dessert. Also included will be a DJ and a 50/50 raffle. Tickets are $225 per person (event is 21+ only).

• CJ’s Great West Grill (782 S. Willow St., Manchester, 627-8600, cjsgreatwestgrill.com) will be open until 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve (Saturday, Dec. 31).

• Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, 428-3281, colbyhillinn.com) will hold a special six-course sparkling wine dinner for New Year’s Eve, happening on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 7 to 10:30 p.m. The meal will include nut and wild mushroom foie gras, New Hampshire oysters two ways, cassoulet with flageolet beans, duck confit, mushrooms and andouille sausage, your choice of an entree (petite tournedos with lobster tail, Moroccan spiced rack of lamb or pan-seared cod), a “white winter festival” dessert featuring a coconut cup with white chocolate gelato, crisp meringue, lavender snow and a gold leaf, and a plate of mignardises as the last course, served with coffee, tea or espresso. The cost is $150 per person, and overnight guests also have the option to attend a Champagne brunch the following morning.

• Copper Door Restaurant (15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677; 41 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033; copperdoor.com) will serve a special prix fixe dinner menu for New Year’s Eve on Saturday, Dec. 31, beginning at 4 p.m. at both locations. Dinners feature your choice of two-course, three-course or four-course meals, with options like truffled risotto, crispy Tuscan meatballs, shrimp bisque, butternut-apple salad, grilled filet oscar, sesame-crusted tuna, crispy duck confit, truffled mushroom ravioli, caramel apple pie, sugar cookie cupcake and chocolate hazelnut cheesecake. The cost is $74 per person for a two-course meal, $84 for a three-course meal and $94 for a four-course meal. Reservations are highly recommended.

• Cotton (75 Arms St., Manchester, 622-5488, cottonfood.com) will serve dinner on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 8:30 p.m., featuring its regular menu with some specials. Reservations are encouraged.

• CR’s The Restaurant (287 Exeter Road, Hampton, 929-7972, crstherestaurant.com) will be open for dinner on New Year’s Eve (Saturday, Dec. 31) from 5 to 9:30 p.m., featuring an a la carte with holiday specials and its most popular regular items. Live music will also be featured from 5 to 10 p.m. Reservations are required.

• The Derryfield Restaurant (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880, thederryfield.com) will hold a New Year’s Eve party on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 9 p.m., featuring live music by the Chad LaMarsh band. Tickets are $25.

• Firefly American Bistro & Bar (22 Concord St., Manchester, 935-9740, fireflynh.com) will be open for brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and for dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31. On Sunday, Jan. 1, Firefly will be open for brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and for dinner from 4 to 8 p.m.

• Flannel Tavern (345 Suncook Valley Road, Chichester, 406-1196, flanneltavern.com) will host a special Rocking New Year’s Eve celebration all day long on Saturday, Dec. 31, from noon to 9 p.m., featuring food and drink specials and a full schedule of live local music acts.

• The Foundry Restaurant (50 Commercial St., Manchester, 836-1925, foundrynh.com) will be open on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 10 p.m., serving its regular dinner menu with some specials. On Sunday, Jan. 1, The Foundry will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for brunch only.

• Gauchos Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse (62 Lowell St., Manchester, 669-9460, gauchosbraziliansteakhouse.com) will serve dinner on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended.

• Giorgio’s Ristorante & Bar (270 Granite St., Manchester, 232-3323; 707 Milford Road, Merrimack, 883-7333; 524 Nashua St., Milford, 673-3939; giorgios.com) is open regular hours on Saturday, Dec. 31, at all three locations.

• Granite Restaurant & Bar (The Centennial Hotel, 96 Pleasant St., Concord, 227-9005, graniterestaurant.com) will be open regular hours on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 5 to 9 p.m. (and until 10 p.m. at the bar), serving their regular dinner menu with some specials.

• Greenleaf (54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com) will serve a special multi-course dinner for New Year’s Eve on Saturday, Dec. 31, with four seatings, at 5, 6, 7 and 8 p.m. Courses will include vichyssoise, scallop crudo, lobster and truffle ravioli, grilled rib-eye and hazelnut cake. The cost is $125 per person and optional wine pairings are also available for an additional $25 fee. Each dinner also includes a celebratory glass of bubbles. Reservations with a non-refundable $50 deposit are required.

• Hanover Street Chophouse (149 Hanover St., Manchester, 644-2467, hanoverstreetchophouse.com) will be open on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 5 to 9 p.m., serving a special prix fixe five-course dinner menu. The cost is $105 per person and reservations are required.

• LaBelle Winery (14 Route 111, Derry, 672-9898, labellewinery.com) will hold a special Swinging Big Band New Year’s Eve dinner on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 6 to 10:30 p.m. The event will include a three-course plated dinner and a performance by the Freese Brothers Big Band in LaBelle’s vineyard ballroom. Enjoy a winter kale salad, your choice of an entree (New York strip steak or roasted vegetable cannelloni) and a trio of profiterole for dessert. Tickets are $100 per person and include the dinner, a wine pouring, the band performance and admission to LaBelle Lights after the show.

• Los Reyes Street Tacos and More (127 Rockingham Road, Derry, 845-8327, losreyesstreettacos.com) will be open on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Martingale Wharf Restaurant & Bar (99 Bow St., Suite W, Portsmouth, 431-0901, martingalewharf.com) will hold a special First Night event on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 9 p.m., featuring food and cocktails, ice bars and ice sculptures by Jeff Day, a DJ and more.

• Mile Away Restaurant (52 Federal Hill Road, Milford, 673-3904, mileawayrestaurantnh.com) will serve a multi-course meal for New Year’s Eve on Saturday, Dec. 31, featuring your choice of an appetizer (seafood chowder, Swedish meatballs or fruit with sorbet, or you can substitute shrimp cocktail or escargots); a salad (Caesar salad or garden salad with blue cheese, house ranch, raspberry vinaigrette or balsamic dressing); an entree (sliced roast tenderloin of beef, grilled duck breast, chicken Wellington, scallops and lobster ravioli, roasted stuffed acorn squash, baked stuffed jumbo shrimp or baked stuffed scrod — all entrees come with your choice of garlic mashed potatoes, Swiss potato or rice, and your choice of butternut squash, pickled beets or applesauce); and a dessert (chocolate mousse cake, flourless chocolate cake, bourbon bread pudding, cheesecake or lemon mascarpone cake). The cost is $55 per person and entree orders are required with all reservations.

• MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar (212 Main St., Nashua, 595-9334, mtslocal.com) will be open on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 9 p.m., serving its regular dinner menu in addition to some seasonal specials, like oyster Rockefeller, lamb shank and grilled rib-eye. Reservations are being accepted online now.

• New England’s Tap House Grille (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 782-5137, taphousenh.com) will be open from Saturday, Dec. 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sunday, Jan. 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• New Hampshire Pizza Co. (76 N. Main St., Concord, 333-2125, newhampshirepizzaco.com) will be open on Saturday, Dec. 31, from noon to 10 p.m. and on Sunday, Jan. 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., for brunch.

• The Peddler’s Daughter (48 Main St., Nashua, 821-7535, thepeddlersdaughter.com) will offer various appetizer and entree specials on New Year’s Eve, like shrimp and corn bisque, baked stuffed shrimp, ginger pork gyozas, prime rib with potatoes and green beans, chicken roulade stuffed with spinach and goat cheese over whipped potatoes with pan sauce, and spicy orange glazed salmon over sauteed vegetables. There will also be live music from the band Take 4 and a Champagne toast at midnight.

• Piccola Italia Ristorante (815 Elm St., Manchester, 606-5100, piccolaitalianh.com) will serve dinner on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 9 p.m.

• Portsmouth Gas Light Co. (64 Market St., Portsmouth, 430-8582, portsmouthgaslight.com) will hold a special “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” New Year’s Eve celebration on Saturday, Dec. 31, starting at 8 p.m., featuring passed hors d’oeuvres, a brick oven craft pizza buffet and a Champagne toast at midnight. Tickets start at $75 general admission.

• Raleigh Wine Bar + Eatery (67 State St., Portsmouth, 427-8459, raleighwinebar.com) will serve a special four-course New Year’s Eve dinner on Saturday, Dec. 31, with optional wine pairings. Two seatings are available, at 6 or 9 p.m. Featured items to choose from will include roasted cabbage, oysters with caviar and Champagne, coal-roasted venison, roasted sirloin, chocolate torte and chestnut brown butter cake. The cost is $120 per person with a Champagne toast (additional $50 if wine pairings are included). Reservations require a $25 deposit per person.

• The Republic of Campo (969 Elm St., Manchester, 666-3723, republiccafe.com and campoenoteca.com) is scheduled to hold its final day of service on Saturday, Dec. 31, from noon to 9:30 p.m., before owners Edward Aloise and Claudia Rippee prepare to put the restaurants up for sale.

• Saddle Up Saloon (92 Route 125, Kingston, 347-1313, saddleupsaloonnh.com) will host a special New Year’s Eve party on Saturday, Dec. 31. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m., featuring your choice of prime rib, half-roasted chicken or baked haddock (each entree also comes with mashed potatoes and veggies). Local party cover band Casual Gravity will then perform from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The cost is $60 per person and also includes a Champagne toast at midnight, followed by a pizza buffet.

• Sea Dog Brewing Co. (9 Water St., Exeter, 793-5116, seadogbrewing.com) is celebrating New Year’s Eve on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 9:30 p.m. to midnight, with various hors d’oeuvres and a complimentary Champagne toast at midnight.

• The Shaskeen Irish Pub and Restaurant (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, shaskeenirishpub.com) will host a special New Year’s Eve party on Saturday, Dec. 31, featuring a food buffet from 8 to 10 p.m., a midnight Champagne toast, and music by Chris Bennett, a.k.a. DJ Myth. The cost is $60 per person.

• The Side Bar (845 Lafayette Road, Hampton, 601-6311, thesidebarnh.com) will hold a special New Year’s Eve party on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 9 p.m., featuring a complimentary pizza and appetizer buffet, drink specials and live entertainment from DJ CHN all night long, and a Champagne toast at midnight. Tickets are $25 in advance via Eventbrite and $30 at the door.

• Surf Restaurant (207 Main St., Nashua, 595-9293; 99 Bow St., Portsmouth, 334-9855; surfseafood.com) will be open on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 9 p.m. at its Nashua location and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at its Portsmouth location, serving its regular dinner menus in addition to some seasonal specials, like smokey tomato bisque, crispy calamari and Alaskan king crab futomaki, grilled rib-eye and scallop surf and turf, and pan-seared halibut. Reservations are being accepted online now for any size party.

• 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; 311 S. Broadway, Salem, 893-3444; t-bones.com) will be open on Saturday, Dec. 31, until 10 p.m., at all of its locations.

• The Village Trestle (25 Main St., Goffstown, 497-8230, villagetrestle.com) will host a special “New Year’s Bash” on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 7 p.m., featuring food and drink specials, party favors, live music by the Bob Pratte Band and a Champagne toast at midnight. No cover charge is required for admission.

• The Wild Rose Restaurant (Stonehurst Manor, 3351 White Mountains Hwy., North Conway, 356-3113, thewildroserestaurant.com) will hold a special four-course New Year’s Eve dinner on Saturday, Dec. 31, with two seatings at 6 or 9 p.m. The dinner includes your choice of an appetizer (scallops wrapped in bacon, shrimp cocktail, Jonah crab cakes, pumpkin ravioli or crab and lobster bisque); a Caesar salad; an entree (pit smoked and aged prime rib of beef, lobster ravioli, filet of cod with a lobster cream sauce, grilled New York strip steak, half-roasted duck, shrimp, scallops, lobster and Jonah crab meat in a garlic basil Parmesan cream sauce, or grilled rack of lamb); and a dessert (blueberry cheesecake, flourless double dark chocolate torte, chef-made caramel pecan ice cream or vanilla creme brulee). The cost is $88 per person and also includes coffee and tea.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 22/12/22

News from the local food scene

• Celebrate with wine: Winemaker Amy LaBelle of LaBelle Winery in Amherst and Derry is also now a published author. Her debut book, Wine Weddings: The Ultimate Guide to Creating the Wine-Themed Wedding of Your Dreams, was released Dec. 16, according to a press release. The book covers how to create a wine-inspired wedding theme and aesthetic, focusing on topics like creating mood boards, vineyard ceremonies, invitation designs, signature drinks, menu selection and wine choices. It also includes a section about working with vendors. “Couples can think of Wine Weddings as a road map for navigating the wedding-planning process, resulting in a memorable experience for everyone involved,” LaBelle said in a statement. A 10-year veteran of the wine industry, LaBelle and her team have hosted hundreds of weddings at both of their vineyard locations — the book is even filled with photographs taken at actual weddings hosted at the winery, according to the release. LaBelle also shares the details of planning her own wedding and offers professional guidance for planning and hosting weddings of every size and type. Wine Weddings is available now for purchase on LaBelle’s website at amylabelle.com, as well as through Amazon or the winery’s website at labellewinery.com. According to the release, the electronic version of the book will be released on Jan. 4.

• The cat’s meow: If you’ve visited the Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester) recently, then the cat’s likely out of the bag on this one. Cat Alley Cafe, as the shop’s in-house cafe is now known, is a sister location of Restoration Cafe on Hanover Street. Its new branding is inspired by local artist Brooke Van Gurp, according to its Instagram page, who recently finished a special Cat Alley Cafe mural of “Bob the Cat” on its walls. Cat Alley Cafe is open seven days a week, featuring a menu of soups, sandwiches and salads — with varying weekly selections — along with fresh baked goods and locally roasted coffees. In late 2021, the Bookery had announced a partnership with Restoration Cafe owner Tom Puskarich to reimagine the store’s food and drink menu. Follow them on Instagram @catalleycafe.

• North Nashua Mexican eatery returns: California Burritos Mexican Grill officially reopened its location at 2 Cellu Drive in North Nashua on Dec. 15, owner and founder Raul Cabrera recently announced. The storefront, which had previously closed for renovations back in the spring, is now open again with expanded seating and production space, as well as a margarita bar. Cabrera, a native of El Salvador, has a total of four California Burritos locations in New Hampshire. His family opened the first one on Factory Street in Nashua in late 2014, before expanding to Hudson in 2017, the Cellu Drive location in 2018 and Manchester in February 2020. Each eatery serves authentic Mexican options like tacos, burritos, bowls and quesadillas in a fast casual, counter-service setting, along with traditional Salvadoran dishes like pupusas, or handmade corn tortillas filled with cheese, refried beans and chicharrón (pork). Visit californiaburritosnh.com or find them on Facebook.

In the kitchen with Melissa Dolpies

Melissa Dolpies of Northfield is the owner of Twelve 31 Events (twelve31.events, and on Facebook and Instagram), a catering business she runs with her husband, Michael. In addition to operating out of a commercial kitchen in Tilton, Twelve 31 Events recently opened a full-service cafe in downtown Concord (100 N. Main St., Suite 101), where scratch-made sandwiches, soups, chowders and other items are available. A native of East Boston, Dolpies got her start in the industry in fine dining before transitioning into banquets and event catering for some of Boston’s most well-known hotels. She moved to New Hampshire in 2016 and launched Twelve 31 Events the following year.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

The obvious one is my knife, but for me, it’s also a wooden spoon. … I have probably a dozen stainless steel spoons and I always grab the wooden one.

What would you have for your last meal?

Really briny oysters. That’s definitely one of the things that I miss a lot from leaving the city.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

My go-to is Revival [Kitchen & Bar in Concord]. We go there often, we sit at the bar, and I just love the open kitchen. [Chef and owner] Corey [Fletcher] is always back there working hands-on with his staff, and I just love that. He always changes his menu and does a really great job.

What celebrity would you like to see eating at your cafe?

This is a funny one for me. Honestly, there isn’t anyone that I could say is on my wishlist. I have spent so much time in Boston and worked at such great places … and served and cooked for countless celebrities and athletes.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

I’d have to say the clam chowder. … I have been making it for over 20 years, and it’s a recipe that I took a long time to perfect.

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

I kind of equate this question to what we do … and I think the biggest trends have all lately been due to social media. I think TikTok and Instagram and all of these influencers are really driving what I see clients looking for as our trends.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I’m Italian … [and] my favorite thing to cook is what we call Sunday gravy. … We’ll change up what pasta we’re going to have, but it will always have lots of meat in it, maybe homemade meatballs or Italian sausage or braciole. We always have a good piece of crusty bread with some freshly grated Romano cheese and a salad. That’s just the perfect day for me.

Snowball cookies (Italian butter cookies rolled in powdered sugar)
From the kitchen of Melissa Dolpies of Twelve 31 Catering

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar, plus 1 cup for rolling
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
2¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
¾ cup pecans, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high until creamy. Add the powdered sugar in the bowl with butter. Start the mixer gently, then increase the speed to medium. Beat the butter and sugar for two to three minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and salt.
Mix to combine. Add half of the flour, mix to combine, then add the rest of the flour. Add the pecans and mix again. Roll the cookie dough into quarter-sized balls, then place them an inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom. While the cookies are baking, place the remaining cup of powdered sugar into a medium-sized bowl. Remove the cookies from the oven. While they are still warm, roll each cookie in the powdered sugar. When they have cooled, roll them in the powdered sugar a second time.

Featured photo: Melissa Dolpies. Courtesy photo.

Coal in one

Virtual golf and coal-fired pizza at new Salem eatery

A new full-service restaurant and bar now open in Salem is inviting you to enjoy pizza and appetizers out of a custom-built coal-fired oven, along with craft cocktails and the option to partake in games of virtual indoor golf or ax throwing with projected targets, all under one roof.

Par28, named after the state highway where you’ll find it, is also home to Rae’s Coal Fired. The business opened just before Thanksgiving inside the former Coca-Cola Bottling Co. plant, said Jim Tomacchio, who owns and runs it with three of his four sons, Jimmy, Joe and Paul.

Tomacchio’s oldest son Jimmy said he originally became interested in pizza when he and his wife ordered pies at restaurants down in New York and New Haven, Connecticut.

“I tried the pizza down there and didn’t think it was anything like the pizza around here,” he said. “My wife’s name is Rachel, and Rae was her nickname in college, so that’s how I got the name.”

Jimmy’s younger brothers Paul and Anthony happen to be executive co-chefs of Stacks, an eatery just over the state line in Haverhill, Mass., known for its craft sandwiches. Paul, who attended New England Culinary Institute, is also part-owner of Par28 and helps oversee the restaurant’s menu, Jimmy Tomacchio said.

“He’s the one that kind of brought my pizza ideas to life,” he said.

Pizzas are cooked from scratch using gas and anthracite coal in an oven that came all the way from Washington state and can reach up to 900 degrees in heat. Jimmy Tomacchio said the oven is so large it’s capable of cooking as many as 14 pizzas at a time in just three to four minutes.

Top sellers out of the gate have included the prosciutto and fig and the meatball and ricotta pizzas, as well as the Queen Bee — that one features hot honey, crushed red pepper and “cup-and-char” pepperoni, or smaller pepperoni pieces that form into cup shapes when cooked to trap the pie’s natural juices.

All pies come in 14-inch serving sizes, and you can even build your own by choosing from nearly two dozen topping options. House appetizers like the chicken wings and the garlic knots are also cooked in the coal-fired oven, Jimmy Tomacchio said, while the bar boasts a variety of local and regional beers on tap in addition to a line of specialty craft cocktails.

The virtual golf side of Par28 came when the Tomacchios decided to combine Jimmy’s pizza concept with Joe and Jim’s love of the sport.

“I’m an avid golfer. It’s my life, and I’ve always wanted a golf simulator in the house,” Joe Tomacchio said. “I was looking into it and never pulled the trigger. But now I don’t need one, because my dream absolutely came true.”

There are a total of seven TrackMan-brand golf simulators inside Par28 that visitors can use on an hourly basis, with more than 200 courses from around the world to play on.

“There are a whole ton of tour venues where the PGA players play. You can play those same courses here,” Joe Tomacchio said. “When you’re hitting, there’s a radar that’s behind you … that reads exactly how the ball spins and how far that ball is going to go, and it projects that onto the screen.”

Settings include everything from a traditional round of 18 holes to practicing your swing on the driving range, and there’s even an opportunity to hold tournaments.

In addition to the golf simulators, Par28 has a lounge area with eight ax throwing lanes and digitized targets, enabling you to play fun games like tic-tac-toe, connect four, duck hunt and many more.

“The golf was part of the original plan, and then once we came and saw how much space we had back there, we tried to figure out what else we could do,” Joe Tomacchio said.

With a large bar area surrounded by enlarged murals on the wall of the world’s famous golf course holes, Par28 is fast becoming a popular spot for golfers and foodies alike.

“Some people think that we’re just a sports venue, so we’ll get calls all the time [when people will] ask, ‘Can we just eat there or can we just sit at the bar?’ And yes, absolutely you can,” Jim Tomacchio said. “Yes, we do offer golf and ax throwing, but we also have food and drinks so you can just come in here and enjoy yourself.”

Par28 and Rae’s Coal Fired
Where: 23 S. Broadway, Salem
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., according to the website
More info: Visit par28.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram @par28nh or call 458-7078

Featured photo: Photo by John McCarthy, JRM Photography.

Shop, sip and eat local

Loon Chocolate, 603 Charcuterie present holiday market

Nearly a year after opening their first joint retail shop in Manchester, Loon Chocolate and 603 Charcuterie are bringing more than two dozen other local businesses together for a special two-day holiday market. Happening inside the event space of The Factory on Willow on Saturday, Dec. 17, and Sunday, Dec. 18, the market will feature holiday shopping opportunities from purveyors selling everything from artisan foods to candles, jewelry and personal mementos, along with live music, a cash bar, photos with Santa Claus and more.

About 75 percent of the vendors are based within 20 miles of Manchester, according to Loon Chocolate owner and founder Scott Watson, who is organizing the market. The event is also unique for offering free admission and parking, thanks to a grant awarded by the city. Attendees are welcome to bring a non-perishable item to be donated to the New Hampshire Food Bank.

“It’s just a great opportunity for us to bring some small businesses together … and get them in front of some great customers. That was our thought process on the whole event itself,” he said.

Watson said he took to Instagram to accept applications for interested businesses to participate.

“We kind of took it in two different directions,” he said. “One was that it was first come, first served, but at the same time, not wanting large duplicates of vendors competing.”

The result is a diverse lineup of vendors with their own booths throughout the event space. The shop, Watson added, will be open both days and will offer gift-giving items of its own.

For Lindsey Bangs of I Whisked It, a home bakery based in Raymond, the market is the latest opportunity for you to order her homemade cocoa bombs, which she will offer in traditional, caramel and peppermint candy cane flavors. She also plans to sell cupcakes and — if time allows her to produce it, she said — a traditional German Christmas fruit bread called stollen.

Granite State Spice Blends, a Salem-based company offering small-batch herb and spice seasoning blends in a variety of flavors, will also be there. Owner and founder Matt Pierce said he individually toasts, muddles and grinds each one of his blends before it is packaged — his signature product is an all-purpose blend called the “SPOG” (with salt, pepper, onion and garlic as its ingredients), but he also dabbles in everything from a curry powder to an adobo seasoning.

Brandon Rainer and Lauren Lefebvre of The Potato Concept will be there too — the pop-up business, launched last year, has been a hit at area breweries and other expo-style events. They specialize in creative loaded russet baked potatoes, and will often have flavored options that rotate with the seasons. Additionally, Watson said the team at 603 Charcuterie plans to make some grab-and-go charcuterie cups and mini boards. A cash bar, meanwhile, will be overseen by Derry’s Appolo Vineyards, which will also serve beers from Rockingham Brewing Co.

Both days, Bradley Copper Kettle and Friends will perform live, and on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Santa Claus will attend for photo opportunities with families. Then on Sunday, from noon to 2 p.m., Elsa from Frozen — portrayed by a local character actress — will visit. About every hour over each of the two days, Watson said, The Factory on Willow plans to hold tours.

Watson and 603 Charcuterie owner Theresa Zwart became the first commercial tenants of the building, a former shoe factory turned apartment and business complex, when they opened their retail store this past February. It serves as a one-stop shop for charcuterie boards utilizing local ingredients, and is now also home to Loon Chocolate’s bean-to-bar production facility.

“There’s a lot going on at The Factory … and this has been an opportunity to bring some people to the site so they can see what’s going on there, and maybe even find this little nook and cranny where there’s a chocolate factory and a charcuterie shop,” Watson said.

Holiday market, presented by Loon Chocolate and 603 Charcuterie
When: Saturday, Dec. 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 18, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: The Factory on Willow, 252 Willow St., Manchester
Cost: Free admission and parking (look for signs that direct you to the South Parking Lot); donations to the NH Food Bank are welcome
More info: Visit loonchocolate.com or 603charcuterie.com, or find them on Facebook and Instagram

Featured photo: Photo courtesy of 603 Charcuterie.

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