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].
Shepard Bassett of New Boston is the owner of Shepard’s Pie Baking Co. ([email protected], and on Facebook and Instagram @shepardspiebakingco), a homestead bakery specializing in cinnamon rolls, cookies, cupcakes, waffles and other items available to special order for any occasion. Originally from Hampton Falls, Bassett attended culinary school at the former McIntosh College in Dover before going on to work in a few Seacoast-area restaurants over a period of several years. She moved to New Boston with her family in 2016, also leaving the restaurant industry around then to pursue a career in finance. When the pandemic hit, Bassett had been on maternity leave — she turned to baking at first as a stress-reliever before eventually starting what became Shepard’s Pie Baking Co. in late 2020. Orders can be placed via email or social media for local pickup with at least a week’s advance notice.
What is your must-have kitchen item?
My go-to appliance is definitely my KitchenAid mixer. My husband just bought me a new one for Christmas. … Other than that, I always have a good pair of tongs.
What would you have for your last meal?
I think it would have to be tacos. I’d have a whole buffet of options for them.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
I love The Riverhouse Cafe in Milford. They have great breakfast.
What celebrity would you like to bake something for?
Mary Berry [formerly of The Great British Bake Off]. I think about her constantly when I bake and I’d love someday to be able to present her with something. Even if she didn’t like it, I know she’d have something nice to say.
What is your favorite thing that you’ve made for a client?
I did a Twin Peaks cake and it was probably the most fun thing that I’ve ever done. I ended up doing a whole forest of pine trees out of rosemary stalks.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
The farm-to-table movement. It’s something that has been around for a while but I feel like it’s only going to get more and more important. Using local suppliers is probably the most positive trend I’ve seen in cooking.
What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
I love making curry, because it is so versatile. I really like making some kind of delicious combination of a protein and veggies that you can put on rice or noodles.
Baba’s cherry pie From the kitchen of Shepard Bassett of Shepard’s Pie Baking Co.
2 frozen pie crusts, thawed 4 cups pitted cherries (frozen is fine) 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 Tablespoons cornstarch 1 egg, lightly beaten for egg wash
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roughly chop half of the cherries, leaving the other half whole. In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries and sugar. Cook over medium heat and stir occasionally, allowing the cherries to release their liquids. Add vinegar and extracts and continue cooking until liquid thickens slightly. Dust cherries with cornstarch and stir thoroughly. Remove cherries from heat. Press one pie crust into a pie pan and add cherry mixture. Top pie with second pie crust and cut vents into the crust so that steam can be released. Crimp edges with your fingers or with a fork, then use a pastry brush to apply egg wash. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then drop the oven temperature to 350 degrees without opening the oven door. Bake for another 20 minutes. Remove pie when crust is golden brown and shiny. Allow to cool to room temperature before slicing.
• Lighting the way: Join LaBelle Winery for a special Fire and Ice Weekend at its Derry location (14 Route 111) on Friday, Jan. 14, and Saturday, Jan. 15. Part of the inaugural LaBelle Lights outdoor light display on the winery’s golf course, the weekend will include live performances of fire dancing and ice stilt walking, in addition to bonfires, themed food at LaBelle Market, cocktail specials at Americus Restaurant, a fireworks display and more. Tickets are $15 to LaBelle Lights, which continues from 4:30 to 9 p.m. on select days now through Feb. 26 (no extra charge required to attend Fire and Ice Weekend festivities). Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras celebrations are also planned before LaBelle Lights closes for the season. Visit labellewinery.com/lights to view the full calendar schedule.
• Winter brews: Twin Barns Brewing Co. (194 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) is planning a Winterfest on Saturday, Jan. 15, beginning at noon out on its beer garden. Half pours and full pours of winter-style beer selections from several local breweries are expected to be available, including Post & Beam Brewing of Peterborough, Henniker Brewing Co., Kelsen Brewing Co. of Derry, Liars Bench Beer Co. of Portsmouth, Northwoods Brewing Co. and Vulgar Brewing Co. of Franklin. The Seacoast Pretzel Co. will also be there with fresh Bavarian-style soft pretzels. No reservations or tickets are required to attend. Visit twinbarnsbrewing.com.
• Coffee on wheels: The Weare Real Food Market (65 N. Stark Hwy., Weare) is getting a food truck that will be stationed in its parking lot, offering coffee, tea, assorted pastries and more. Weare’s My Coffee is expected to launch on Saturday, Jan. 15, at 8 a.m., and will likely have a regular schedule soon after. Matt Rivero of the Weare Real Food Market said the truck will operate as a “drive-thru” business for convenience, as the closest coffee drive-up is more than five miles away. The plan, he said, is to eventually add breakfast sandwiches and other items in the future. Since its opening last March, the Weare Real Food Market has offered local products like fresh veggies, breads, baked goods, honeys, gifts and other non-perishables and handcrafted items. Visit realfoodmarkets.com or follow them on Facebook @wearerealfoodfarmersmarket.
• Restaurant farewell: After a 20-year run, the Contoocook Covered Bridge Restaurant has closed its doors as its lease has come to an end, according to announcements on its website and Facebook page. The eatery was open for its final day of full service on Jan. 2, followed by a few days of limited menu items between Jan. 4 and Jan. 7 to sell out its remaining liquor, wine and beer. A new eatery called Reed’s Tavern is expected to take over the 16 Cedar St. space in Contoocook Village by this summer — it’s named after the original iteration of the building, which was known as Reed’s Drug Store at the turn of the 20th century. Visit reedsnh.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @reedstavernnh for updates.
After this week’s cover went to press, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission canceled 2022’s Wine Week events. Looks like we’ll have to wait another full year for “return of the big pour.” In the meantime, the cover story features interviews from wine makers (whose bottles you can find in the state) and information about Mocktail Month.
Explore new wines and meet the makers at NH’s Wine Week & raise a glass to mocktail month.
From the vineyards of Napa Valley to multiple growing regions across Europe, dozens of internationally known winemakers brave the Granite State’s cold January weather for a celebratory week of tastings, seminars and special dinners at local restaurants. New Hampshire Wine Week is back — and after the pandemic forced its transition to a series of virtual tastings in 2021, anticipation is high for in-person events to return for the first time in two years.
Taking place from Monday, Jan. 24, through Friday, Jan. 28, New Hampshire Wine Week has always revolved around the Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular. The expo-style wine tasting features thousands of wines to taste from around the world — usually poured and handed out by the winemakers themselves — in addition to locally prepared food options for pairing.
“Our broker community, our winemakers and our customers are really excited that we were able to bring it back,” said Lorrie Piper, director of sales, marketing, merchandising and distribution for the New Hampshire Liquor Commission. “I do feel like winemakers really understand the importance of New Hampshire as a market and they know their customers. … One thing I’ve learned is that our customers are hungry for information. They want to know where the products are coming from and to educate themselves about the different brands.”
The New Hampshire Liquor Commission experienced a robust holiday sales period and, despite ongoing supply chain issues that have impacted retailers nationwide, Piper said current inventory levels across the state’s nearly 70 Liquor & Wine Outlet stores remain strong.
“Fortunately, New Hampshire is in a better position than most other states, thanks to our ordering practices, inventory requirements and capacity in our million-plus-case warehouse,” she said.
A spectacle of wines
New Hampshire Wine Week’s main highlight, the Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular, returns for its 18th year to the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown on Thursday, Jan. 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. Since its inception, the Spectacular has become known as one of the largest wine tasting events in the country, with around 1,700 products from regions all over the world.
Attendees are given a program upon entry, which includes a floor map of each food and beverage purveyor to navigate through the tasting. It offers a unique opportunity to meet with winemakers face to face, and to learn more or ask questions about each of their products.
“Every year, we try to be on top of the trends [and] of what customers are looking for,” Piper said of the Spectacular’s planning and logistics. “We find that the millennial consumer, especially, [is] willing to spend a bit more on higher quality and high-end wines. Those typically come from Italy and France and are also made domestically. … We’re also seeing that people are looking for wines that fall into the ‘better for you’ category, so lower sugar and lower-calorie products. We tend to see the majority of those coming from the United States.”
Visitors to this year’s Spectacular hail from all over the West Coast, including several in California’s Napa and Sonoma counties, as well European nations like France, Italy, Spain and Austria. New Hampshire winemakers also join in on the fun with offerings of their own.
You likely won’t get to stop by every single table in the main Grand Tasting room — to get the most out of the event, Piper recommends planning your visit to include tables you know may be pouring your favorite wine styles, or your favorite grape varietals or growing regions.
In addition to the thousands of wines, the Spectacular features all kinds of silent auction items, a raffle, and dozens of food samples served by local chefs on site. The Common Man, LaBelle Winery, Rig A Tony’s, the Nashua Country Club, Red Beard’s Kitchen of Manchester, Tuscan Kitchen of Salem, the 110 Grill and Flat Iron Catering are all among this year’s participants.
“It’s really just small bites they’ll be serving. It kind of rounds out the event and gives people a chance to try pairing a wine with a food,” Piper said. “These are chefs that are obviously very skilled in creating different flavor profiles, and so it’s an opportunity to discover something that goes great with a cabernet, or goes great with a Bordeaux or a pinot grigio.”
More than $2.5 million from the Spectacular has gone to Easterseals New Hampshire. According to Easterseals senior director of events Christine Pederson, proceeds directly benefit its early intervention program, which provides physical therapy, speech and language pathology and other services to children ages 3 and under.
Wining and dining
Beyond the signature Spectacular, Piper estimates there will likely be more than 40 additional events across the Granite State during Wine Week. The multi-course wine dinners, also returning on a similar scale for the first time since January 2020, are often attended by the winemakers.
“It’s typically an intimate setting … where you get to meet them, and they’ll walk you through the specially prepared menu and serve one of their wines with each course,” Piper said. “They talk to you a little bit about the history, and the notes that you’ll detect in the wine and all that.”
Winemakers and brand ambassadors also hold bottle signings and wine tastings at various Liquor & Wine Outlet stores — most of them run for two hours and are free to walk-in visitors.
A continuously updated list of each bottle signing and wine dinner, complete with details on each wine that will be poured, can be found at nhwineweek.com under the “featured events” tab.
Meet the winemaker: Joseph Carr
Founder and winemaker, Joseph Carr Wines and Josh Cellars, joshcellars.com
Joseph Carr
The son of a lumberjack and a stock car racer from Vermont, Joseph Carr launched his first wine brand in 2002, a premium cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley. He started Josh Cellars a few years later as a tribute to his father, whose nickname was Josh — that brand originated from a collaboration with Sonoma winemaker Tom Larson. At the insistence of his wife, Deirdre, Carr added chardonnay to the Josh Cellars portfolio and over the years also added merlot, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, rosé and a collection of reserve wines. In 2021 Josh Cellars was named American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine.
What will you be pouring at the Winter Wine Spectacular?
We actually pour quite a few of our wines — I want to say six, maybe seven different varietals of the Josh Cellars brand. We’re also going to be doing a four-course wine dinner in Nashua [at Bistro 603].
What makes your wines unique?
When Josh Cellars was born, Tom [Larson] was encouraging me to make wine outside of Napa Valley, and he showed me vineyards in Sonoma and in the Red Hills. … I learned that while Napa Valley was where we actually produced everything, the grapes were coming from all these other small boutique growers. … We made cabernet sauvignon the first year, because that was all we could afford to make. Now, all in all, we have 11 varietals that are nationally distributed. We produced an Italian prosecco from the Veneto region with [winemaker] Daniel Posey and his son that was one of the first prosecco rosés ever produced in Italy. We’ve also raised money and done special labels for the National Volunteer Fire Council and for Operation Gratitude, which is a foundation created by a retired marine that writes letters and sends care packages to servicemen and women overseas.
What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?
The wine business is always evolving, particularly in America. … The great thing about America is that people, especially of the generations of today, have a very open mind … and when you come to events like this one, you’re going to have a chance to taste lots of different things from lots of different producers and styles. It also gives us an opportunity to show our innovation. So for example, a couple of years ago we started making wine in Pasa Robles, California, which we had never done before. The wines coming out of there used to be high in alcohol and I wasn’t really a big fan of them. But we realized we could pick the grapes a little earlier and still get the ripeness that we want to produce a very approachable cabernet sauvignon.
What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?
I look at New Hampshire as another part of my home. I lived in New England for over 20 years and I’ve spent a lot of time up there, so coming back is going to be a lot of fun. I know that I’m going to get the chance to reconnect with some people that believed in me along the way.
Meet the winemaker: Brian Ferguson
Owner and head distiller, Flag Hill Distillery & Winery, flaghill.com
Brian Ferguson
Totaling 14 acres in the town of Lee, Flag Hill is one the largest vineyards in the Granite State. Originally on the site of a dairy farm, Flag Hill began as a winery with its first harvest in 1990, growing over the last couple of decades into a family-operated vineyard, distillery and popular wedding and event venue. Owner and distiller Brian Ferguson and his wife, Maddie, use the land to produce grapes for the winery, grain for the distillery and vegetables for its events. Ferguson is a graduate of Penn State University; he took over as head distiller in 2013 and acquired the business two years later.
What will you be pouring at the Winter Wine Spectacular?
We’ll be pouring our sparkling Cayuga and our Cayuga white wines. Those use grapes that we grow here on the farm. We get really excited about showing off the wines that we do really well, and those two definitely fall into that category.
What makes your wines unique?
Our sparkling Cayuga and our Cayuga white … make what I believe is a perfect example of what can be done really well here in New England. We have the absolute perfect climate for growing white grapes to make intensely aromatic white wines. Everything about where we are here is perfectly attuned to it, [from] the climate, to the temperatures at harvest being colder and the amount of growing degree days that we get so that we don’t have super overly ripe fruit. We have perfectly ripe fruit for making aromatic whites and slightly underripe fruit for when we want to make sparkling wines. … We have another grape called La Crescent, which is probably my favorite one that we grow here on the farm. It’s really beautiful and aromatic but has a lot of acidity. We do everything we can to manage the acidity during the winemaking process, and we blend it with a little bit of the Cayuga white grape, which has a little bit lower acid, and it makes this incredibly beautiful aromatic white wine.
What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?
There is a shift in general to healthy living, and I think the pandemic has brought this out even more. People are asking themselves, ‘How do I live healthier?,’ and so they’re starting to ask more questions about whether there is a lot of sugar in this wine, or what additives may be in the wine. Sulfites have always been a question, but we’re starting to see more of those questions. … People want to know more about the agricultural practices in winemaking. There’s definitely been an uptick in that.
What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?
The Wine Spectacular itself is just an incredible event, because there are so many people that have the same affinity for the things that we love. … It’s great for our staff who go, because we actually get a lot out of the event. For me, personally, I run into winemakers from other parts of the country who I otherwise don’t get a chance to talk to, and I’m able to bounce thoughts and ideas off them. … So it’s a great way to not only see a lot of great wines but also talk to a bunch of people who you normally wouldn’t have access to. If you’re a wine lover, it really is an incredible opportunity.
Meet the winemaker: David Phillips
Co-owner and president, Michael David Winery, michaeldavidwinery.com
David Phillips
David Phillips and his older brother Michael are fifth-generation wine grape growers and natives of Lodi, a city about 40 miles south of Sacramento in California’s Central Valley. After graduating from the University of California at Davis in 1987, Phillips embarked on a worldwide tour of wine across multiple regions of Europe, South Australia and New Zealand. He then went on to work for an international cork company in San Francisco before returning to Lodi to help his brother run the family business in 1989. Michael David Winery’s lineup of products includes selections of zinfandels, cabernets and petite sirah wines under multiple labels, like Freakshow, Earthquake, Inkblot, Rapture and many more.
What will you be pouring at the Winter Wine Spectacular?
I know for sure that I want to do our Inkblot petite sirah. That’s a dynamite wine for a cold winter night, because it’s so dark and deep. We’ll be featuring our Freakshow labels too — we have three different varieties that we do under the Freakshow label, which are a cabernet, a zinfandel and a red blend. We also have a new listing called Lodi Red, and that’s a heritage blend of old grapes that go back to the days of Prohibition, when our great-grandparents were shipping grapes from all over the country. … Those vines are still thriving today, because our soils here are so deep and sandy.
What makes your wines unique?
We’re in a special location here in Lodi because of the San Francisco Bay influence. We have a micro-climate that’s very different from the rest of the Central Valley. We’ll get these warm or hot days in the summer, but then at night the sea breeze comes in and cools us off. The grapes, and the vineyards in general, just love that. Lodi has more than 100,000 acres of grapes planted here. It is by far the largest wine growing region in North America. … We’re most famous for zinfandel, because we have more old vines here than any other place in the world. [We have] vines that are anywhere from 80 to 135 years old that we’re still picking grapes from.
What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?
I think people are learning to step up a little bit and go for those higher quality levels and try new things. … Crazy labels, actually, have also really caught on. You can only sell a wine for the label one time, but if you back it up with good juice in there, hopefully people will buy it over and over again. That’s kind of been the key to our success with these brands.
What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?
We enjoy coming out there and we just love New England in general. … One of the nice things about coming out and doing these shows is you make a connection with people and you feel like they’re part of the family when they support your product.
New Hampshire Wine Week 2022 Monday, Jan. 24, through Friday, Jan. 28. Visit nhwineweek.com for the most up-to-date information and upcoming events Be sure to contact each restaurant or liquor store outlet directly for the most up-to-date details on bottle signings and wine dinners.
18th annual Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular When: Thursday, Jan. 27, 6 to 9 p.m. Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, 700 Elm St., Manchester Cost: $65 for the Grand Tasting in the expo room (purchase them online; tickets to the Bellman’s Cellar Select VIP tasting room are sold out) Visit: easterseals.com/nh
New Hampshire Mocktail Month
Even if you’re not a wine drinker, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission is inviting you to participate in another promotional campaign — the second annual New Hampshire Mocktail Month, which is also observed in January. The NHLC has partnered with Old Forester Bourbon and The Mocktail Project, a grassroots movement launched in 2017 by Jesse Hawkins as an initiative to promote responsible consumption and a stigma-free drinking culture.
On Thursday, Jan. 13, at 5 p.m., Hawkins, along with Old Forester master taster Jackie Zykan, will lead a free virtual event via Zoom demonstrating unique mocktail and cocktail ideas. The discussion will also stream live on the NHLC’s Facebook page.
All throughout January, nearly 30 Granite State eateries have added specialty alcohol-free mocktails to their menus. The NHLC also recently launched an online recipe guide detailing ingredients, garnishes and tips for how to replicate each mocktail at home.
“The way the recipe book is laid out, each page has a recipe for a mocktail and it tells you where you can order it and where it was created,” NHLC director of sales, marketing, merchandising and distribution Lorrie Piper said. “If you were making it at home and you wanted to turn it into a cocktail by adding alcohol, it tells you how to do that too.”
The NHLC is inviting those who visit any of the participating restaurants to share their experiences on social media, by posting pictures with the hashtag #nhmocktailmonth.
Here are a couple of mocktail examples featured in the recipe guide. The full list can be viewed and downloaded at liquorandwineoutlets.com/responsibility.
Jingle juice
From behind the bar at Tandy’s Pub & Grille, 1 Eagle Square, Concord, 856-7614, tandyspub.com
2 ounces orange juice
2 ounces pineapple juice
Splash cranberry juice
Top with Sprite, serve on the rocks and garnish with an orange, cherry and a lime
Forester smorester mocktail
From behind the bar at Sky Meadow Country Club, 6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua, 888-3000, skymeadow.com
2 ounces guava juice
1½ ounces pear juice
1 ounce authentic homemade sour mix
½ ounce cherry juice
Pour over ice in a shaker. Serve straight up or on the rocks. Garnish with an orange and cherry.
Vanilla ginger sparkler
From behind the bar at The Common Man (locations in Concord, Merrimack, Windham, Claremont, Ashland and Lincoln)
½ ounce vanilla syrup
1 ounce cranberry juice
½ ounce lime juice
2 ounces house sour mix
2 ounces ginger ale
Bottle Signings & Wine Tastings
Winter Wine Spectacular. Photo by Timothy Courtemanche
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Tues., Jan. 25, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 55, 9 Leavy Drive, Bedford. Call 471-0998.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Tues., Jan. 25, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 69, 25 Coliseum Ave., Nashua. Call 882-4670.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Tues., Jan. 25, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• BODEGAS LAN Lorea Amatria, brand manager for Bodegas LAN, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 55, 9 Leavy Drive, Bedford. Call 471-0998.
• BAILEYANA WINERY John Niven, brand ambassador for Baileyana Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
• HARKEN WINES Adam Popp, winemaker for Harken Wines, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 49, 32 Plaistow Road, Plaistow. Call 382-8511.
• RABBLE WINE CO. Loren Miller, winemaker for Rabble Wine Co., will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 2 to 4 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 41, Southgate Plaza, 380 Lafayette Road, Seabrook. Call 474-3362.
• FERRARI-CARANO VINEYARDS & WINERY Sarah Quider, executive winemaker for Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 2 to 4 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• JUSTIN VINEYARDS & WINERY Justin Baldwin, founder of Justin Vineyards & Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
• BODEGAS LAN Lorea Amatria, brand manager for Bodegas LAN, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
• BAILEYANA WINERY John Niven, brand ambassador for Baileyana Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 55, 9 Leavy Drive, Bedford. Call 471-0998.
• RABBLE WINE CO. Loren Miller, winemaker for Rabble Wine Co., will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 79, 5 Brickyard Square, Epping. Call 679-1799.
• MONSIEUR TOUTON SELECTION Andrea Lucignani, Italian wholesale portfolio manager for Monsieur Touton Selection, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 49, 32 Plaistow Road, Plaistow. Call 382-8511.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 5 to 7 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• WINES FROM CALIFORNIA Winemaker Adam LaZarre of Wine Hooligans will be hosting this event, giving participants the opportunity to learn first hand about California wines. Products to be featured include selections from Adler Fels and Cycles Gladiator. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 to 7 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. $12; tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite. Call 888-0271.
• BAILEYANA WINERY John Niven, brand ambassador for Baileyana Winery, will be hosting this event. Thurs., Jan. 27, 1 to 3 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• FERRARI-CARANO VINEYARDS & WINERY Sarah Quider, executive winemaker for Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, will be hosting this event. Thurs., Jan. 27, 1 to 3 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 34, 92 Cluff Crossing Road, Salem. Call 898-5243.
• KLINKER BRICK WINERY Steve and Lori Felton, owners of Klinker Brick Winery, will be hosting this event. Thurs., Jan. 27, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
Wine Dinners
• SHARE A SPLASH WINE DINNER Yoav Gilat, founder and CEO of Share a Splash Wine Co., will be in attendance. Tues., Jan. 25, 6 to 8 p.m. Copper Door Restaurant, 41 S. Broadway, Salem. $95. Visit copperdoor.com or call 458-2033.
• BANFI WINE DINNER Dino Altomare of Banfi Vintners will be in attendance during this five-course wine dinner. Tues., Jan. 25, 6 p.m. Tuscan Kitchen, 67 Main St., Salem. $120. Visit tuscanbrands.com or call 952-4875.
• SERGE DORÉ SELECTIONS WINE DINNER Serge Doré, founder of Serge Doré Selections, will be in attendance during this multi-course dinner. Wed., Jan. 26, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sky Meadow Country Club, 6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua. $125. Visit skymeadow.com or call 888-9000.
• SPIRE COLLECTION WINE DINNER Tom Gannon, Northeast regional manager for the Spire Collection, will be in attendance. The dinner will include a five-course menu with wine pairings. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 to 9 p.m. CR’s The Restaurant, 87 Exeter Road, Hampton. $95. Visit crstherestaurant.com or call 929-7972.
• CECCHI FAMILY ESTATES WINE DINNER Andrea Cecchi, CEO of Cecchi Family Estates, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Tuscan Kitchen, 67 Main St., Salem. $95. Visit tuscanbrands.com or call 952-4875.
• FERRARI-CARANO WINE DINNER Sarah Quider, executive winemaker for Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Tinos Kitchen + Bar, 325 Lafayette Road, Hampton. $95. Visit tinosnh.com or call 926-5489.
• CASTELLO DI QUERCETO WINE DINNER Marco Fizaletti of Castello di Querceto will be in attendance during this five-course dinner. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Tuscan Market at Tuscan Village, 9 Via Toscana, Salem. Visit tuscanbrands.com or call 912-5467.
• SOKOL BLOSSER WINE DINNER Allison Sokol Blosser, co-president, CEO and second-generation winegrower at Sokol Blosser Winery, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 to 8 p.m. Copper Door Restaurant, 15 Leavy Drive, Bedford. $95. Visit copperdoor.com or call 488-2677.
• HESS COLLECTION WINE DINNER Dave Guffy, senior vice president of winemaking and viticulture for The Hess Collection, will be in attendance during this five-course dinner. Wed., Jan. 26; the event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by the dinner at 6:30 p.m. The Common Man, 88 Range Road, Windham. $95. Visit thecman.com or call 898-0088.
• FRESCOBALDI WINE DINNER Mike Miller of Marchesi De Frescobaldi will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Toscana Italian Chophouse & Wine Bar, 3 Pleasant St., Portsmouth. $125. Visit toscanachophouse.com or call 570-3600.
• JOSH CELLARS & JOSEPH CARR WINES DINNER This special four-course meal will feature wine pairings from Joseph Carr Wines and Josh Cellars. Wed., Jan. 26; the event will begin with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the dinner at 7 p.m. Bistro 603, 345 Amherst St., Nashua. $95. Visit bistro603nashua.com or 722-6362.
• KLINKER BRICK WINERY DINNER Julie Handel, Northeast regional manager for Klinker Brick Winery, will be in attendance. Following the reception, guests are invited to partake in a specially curated wine and food pairing menu by chef Corey Fletcher. A la carte options will also be available. Wed., Jan. 26, 5:30 p.m. Revival Kitchen & Bar, 11 Depot St., Concord. Price and menu info TBA. Visit revivalkitchennh.com or call 715-5723.
• J. LOHR VINEYARDS & WINES DINNER Cynthia Lohr, co-owner and chief brand officer for J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Greenleaf, 54 Nashua St., Milford. $125. Visit greenleafmilford.com or call 213-5447.
• MICHAEL DAVID WINERY DINNER David Phillips, co-owner and president of Michael David Winery, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. O Steaks & Seafood, 62 Doris Ray Court, Laconia. $75. Visit osteaksandseafood.com or call 856-7925.
Featured photo: Winter Wine Spectacular. Photo by John Hession
Liz Houle is the owner of Good to the Last Krumb (find her on Facebook @goodtothelastkrumbnh), a homestead business specializing in scratch-made quick breads, whoopie pies, cookies, muffins and other baked goods, including multiple seasonal items. A native of Hudson, Houle has also worked as a baker at Lull Farm in Hollis for the past three years. Her products can be found at Estey’s Country Store (9 Old Nashua Road, Londonderry) and Mack’s Apples (230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry) and are also available to order through Facebook, for local pickups with at least a three-day advance notice.
What is your must-have kitchen item?
Probably a good sturdy rubber spatula.
What would you have for your last meal?
Filet mignon with a baked potato and a nice cold salad.
What is your favorite thing that you bake?
It would probably be either my lemon blueberry bread, or my whoopie pies.
What celebrity would you like to see trying something you’ve baked?
[Food Network’s] Duff Goldman.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
I think it’s food trucks. Whenever there’s a food truck festival, all my friends and family are there.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
North Side Grille, right here in Hudson.
What is your favorite thing to make at home?
Any type of cookie, whether it’s chocolate chip or molasses. My family loves them.
Molasses sugar cookies From the kitchen of Liz Houle of Good to the Last Krumb in Hudson
¾ cup shortening ¼ cup molasses ½ teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 cup sugar 1 egg ½ teaspoon cloves 2 cups flour
Mix ingredients together well. Roll into balls in sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 6 to 7 minutes.
A new eatery in downtown Manchester is offering daily lunch specials of sushi or hibachi, along with teriyaki and tempura entrees, appetizers, desserts and a full line of sake rice wines, Asian imported beers and house cocktails.
Osaka Japanese Restaurant arrived on Elm Street just before Christmas. It’s named after one of the largest and busiest commercial centers in Japan, said manager Kunchok “Jenny” Choedon — a friend of her husband’s had run The Seafood King inside that storefront before moving into a larger space on South Willow Street.
Photo courtesy of Osaka Japanese Restaurant.
You can mix and match from more than two dozen types of sushi rolls, including both cooked and raw options, from spicy tuna, salmon and yellowtail to avocado, asparagus and cucumber, as well as a lobster tempura roll with fish eggs, and a spider roll with fried soft shell crab, avocado, cucumber, masago and eel sauce. Hibachi plates feature a choice of grilled protein like chicken, steak and shrimp, served with soup, salad and fried rice.
“The hibachi portions [are] very big,” Choedon said. “We have a lot of really good options for sushi … and if you have any specific fish you like, you can create your own rolls.”
Other menu items include teriyaki and tempura bento boxes, cooked to order with proteins like chicken, shrimp, steak or salmon or a vegetarian option; udon noodles with chicken, steak or vegetables; and appetizers like steamed pork dumplings, fried calamari, and edamame with garlic butter. Choedon said a few Chinese wok and grill platters were added as well, like General Tso’s chicken, sesame chicken and beef broccoli, served with white or fried rice.
Despite Osaka’s small space, the restaurant does have a full bar. There are more than a half dozen brands of sake, or Japanese rice wine, in several flavors, as well as other wines and beers.
“We have a lot of Japanese beer,” Choedon said. “The most popular one is Sapporo … and then we have Ichiban and Asahi, and Tsingtao, which is a Chinese beer.”
Desserts include fried vanilla or green tea ice cream, fried cheesecake, and mochi ice cream, or pounded sticky rice dough with a vanilla, green tea, mango or strawberry ice cream filling.
Sushi and hibachi lunches are available at discounted prices from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Osaka also offers online ordering and deliveries through third-party apps GrubHub and DoorDash.
Osaka Japanese Restaurant
Where: 1077 Elm St., Manchester Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 9 p.m. (lunch specials are served daily until 3:30 p.m., except on holidays) More info: Visit osakanh.com, find them on Facebook or call 232-0761
Featured photo: Photo courtesy of Osaka Japanese Restaurant.
• Souvlaki to go: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (68 N. State St., Concord) will hold its next boxed Greek dinner to go, a drive-thru takeout event, on Sunday, Jan. 16, from noon to 1 p.m. Now through Wednesday, Jan. 12, orders are being accepted for boxed meals featuring dinners of pork souvlaki, rice pilaf, Greek salad and a roll for $15 per person. The event is drive-thru and takeout only — email [email protected] or call 953-3051 to place your order. The church is also planning a similar takeout and pickup meal featuring Greek meatballs, scheduled for Feb. 20. Visit holytrinitynh.org.
• Healthy wines and foods: Join LaBelle Winery for a “Toast to Your Health” wine pairing class, to be held on Thursday, Jan. 13, from 6 to 7 p.m. at its Derry location (14 Route 111) and on Wednesday, Jan. 19, from 6 to 7 p.m. at its Amherst location (345 Route 101). Wine educator and sommelier Marie King will discuss the health benefits of white and red wines and pair them with different foods. Samples will include steamed broccoli florets with cannellini beans, roasted garlic and lemon; a salad of kaleidoscope carrots with farro,baby kale, almonds, dried cranberries and a lemon yogurt vinaigrette; raspberry soy glazed salmon with toasted pine nuts and frizzled leeks; and dark chocolate-dipped candied ginger. No previous knowledge or experience is required. The cost is $40 per person. Visit labellewinery.com.
• Ice ice baby: Tuscan Village (9 Via Toscana, Salem) held the grand opening of its new ice skating rink on Dec. 30, according to a recent announcement on the company’s website and social media channels. Skates can be rented at $5 per pair, and food and beverage options are also available on the premises. The rink’s hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from noon to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but those hours may differ during school vacations and holidays. The cost of admission is $10 for adults and $5 for kids — from noon to 4 p.m. every Monday through Thursday, and all day on Sunday, adults also receive $5 admission. Visit tuscanvillagesalem.com/skatingrink.
• Chili chowdown: The Amherst Lions Club has begun planning its sixth annual Fire & Ice chili cook-off and ice cream social, which is tentatively scheduled for Friday, Feb. 4, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Amherst Middle School (14 Cross Road). Amherst Lion Joan Ferguson told the Hippo that plans are currently in the works for the cook-off to return as an in-person event, which would be the first in two years following last year’s pre-recorded “virtual” cook-off. Local restaurateurs and community members compete for the title of the best chili in one of three categories. Winners are awarded an engraved trophy and bragging rights for a year. Admission is $8 for adults and free for kids under 5, or $25 per family of four, with proceeds benefiting local charities selected by the Lions Club. Visit e-clubhouse.org/sites/amherstnh or follow them on Facebook @amherstnhlionsclub for updates.
