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 mingersoll@hippopress.com.

New Italian option

The Chef opens in New Boston

For more than two decades, Angel Santiago has built his culinary resume at restaurants all over New Hampshire and Massachusetts, including local Italian spots Mangia Sano in Milford and Pasquale’s Ristorante in Londonderry. His first restaurant as owner — aptly named The Chef, which opened in New Boston last month — features a variety of traditional Italian and Italian-American dishes, from pizzas and paninis to fresh seafood and pastas, plus a full bar with domestic and imported wines, local craft beers and cocktails.
Santiago, who lives in New Boston with his wife, Christine, said the couple had looked at several potential spaces for a restaurant over the last few years before finding the one that fit the bill in August. The building on River Road near the Goffstown and New Boston town line most recently housed Sliders, an eatery that closed in the spring.
Since its opening, the chicken Parmigiana has been among the top sellers, as have the seafood entrees, which include seafood risotto and alfredo, cioppino (a fish stew), baked or fried haddock and stuffed lobster ravioli.
“We do a lot of seafood,” Angel Santiago said. “I buy a full case every week and I go through the whole thing. By Sunday I have probably one-third of a pan left over.”
Lunch is normally available from 11:30 a.m. to about 3 p.m., with options like fresh paninis and sandwiches, pastas, and seafood plates like fish and chips.
In addition to soups and salads, there are various house appetizers available on the dinner menu, like sauteed mussels, Buffalo chicken tenders, breaded and fried four-cheese ravioli, and arancini balls with peas, mozzarella and marinara.
The pizzas can be ordered with a gluten-free crust, and house specialty pastas include chicken or veal saltimbocca, piccata and marsala.
“One of the big things we’ve been doing is a family to-go meal,” Christine Santiago said. “It feeds a family of five and you get a half tray of chicken Parm or chicken broccoli alfredo, then a Caesar salad or a garden salad, garlic bread and five sodas, all for $50. We sell a lot of those.”
For dessert Angel Santiago makes cannolis and a tiramisu from scratch. A few other locally sourced treats, like a death by chocolate cake, are also available.

The Chef
Where: 737 River Road, New Boston
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, until 8 p.m.
More info: Visit thechef603.com, find them on Facebook @thechefofnewboston or call 384-2574

Featured photo: Haddock puttanesca. Courtesy photo.

Tastes of Thailand

Thai Food Connection opens in Manchester

Chicken krapow. Courtesy photo.

Not long after Republic Cafe moved all its operations down the street into its sister restaurant Campo Enoteca in August, Thailand native Annie Nault was walking down Elm Street in Manchester and saw a “for rent” sign in the window. She had worked in several Thai restaurants in southern New Hampshire and had been searching for a space that could be her own.

Khao soi. Courtesy photo.

“I knew it was a great opportunity, because I walk around here often and it’s always busy,” said Nault, who comes from Phetchabun, Thailand, and whose mother worked as a high school culinary instructor. “I’ve wanted to open a restaurant my whole life.”
Thai Food Connection, which opened Dec. 1, features a menu of authentic Thai dishes like soups, curries, appetizers, entrees and street foods — all of which showcase the diversity of flavors and options available from within the country, Nault said.

“I knew it was a great opportunity, because I walk around here often and it’s always busy.”

Annie Nault


“In Thailand, when you go to any one place, they don’t have a variety [of options],” she said. “If you want chicken and rice, you have to go to this place, or if you want khao soi [curry with egg noodles], you have to go to another place, and they don’t sell anything else.”
Nault purchased a three-station wok for the restaurant and, during the months of renovation leading up to her opening, added all new furniture, curtains and kitchen equipment. A Thai mural and photos of her homeland taken by her friends adorn the walls, while an open kitchen is featured near the back of the restaurant.
Due to its location downtown, Nault said she expects Thai Food Connection to be a popular spot for takeout during the lunch hour. A full page of the menu is dedicated to lunch specials, like chicken, beef or tofu and vegetable noodle soup; pad Thai with chicken, tofu or shrimp; rice dishes, like stir-fried steamed jasmine rice with a hot basil sauce; and curries, like a mild coconut massaman curry and a coconut green curry with sliced chicken and roasted eggplant.
Other items include street foods like krapow, or stir-fried ground chicken with garlic, fresh chili, onion, pepper and basil; and various house specialties, like roasted duck curry, casseroled shrimp or lemongrass chicken with coconut milk, turmeric and Thai spices.
A chili pepper-shaped icon on the menu indicates that dish’s normal level of spice, but you can request anything to be as mild or as spicy as you want, Nault said.
“When you combine everything and all the ingredients with the chili, it reduces the kick of the spice,” she said, “so it’s not burning your mouth.”
There is also a small selection of desserts, like deep-fried breaded ice cream, a deep-fried banana roll topped with honey, and roti, or fried pan bread, with caramel sauce and chocolate syrup.
Online ordering and deliveries within a five-mile radius of the restaurant are also available, and Thai Food Connection is currently in the process of acquiring a liquor license, Nault said.

Thai Food Connection
Where: 1069 Elm St., Manchester
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, until 10 p.m.
More info: Visit thaifoodconnection.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram or call 935-7257

Featured photo: Chicken satay. Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 20/12/10

News from the local food scene

• LaBelle Winery expanding to Derry: LaBelle Winery will be expanding its business into Derry next year, according to a press release. Owners Amy LaBelle and her husband, Cesar Arboleda, recently announced the purchase of Brookstone Events & Golf on Route 111. The property, according to the release, will undergo significant renovations beginning this month, with the intention of creating a Champagne house, a restaurant and a wedding and event center. Plans also include an “artisan village” with several outdoor and indoor gathering areas, including a nine-hole par-3 golf course and a miniature golf course. The Champagne house will include a tasting room and a space where a new line of sparkling wines will be produced, while the restaurant will feature farm-to-table American cuisine and wood-fired pizzas served in an upscale casual environment. The golf courses and event center are scheduled to reopen in April 2021, with the restaurant and retail marketplace opening in June, followed by the winery tasting room in July. Visit labellewinerynh.com.

• Farm-fresh feasts: The Farmer’s Dinner, a New Hampshire-based farm-to-table dinner series, recently announced the schedule for its ninth season in 2021, according to a press release, and it will start with a dinner at Live Bee or Die Farm in New Boston on May 23. The series will continue with dinners at Dunk’s Mushrooms in Brentwood on June 12, a colonial dinner on July 18 in Derry, a dinner at Kimball Fruit Farm in Pepperell, Mass., on Aug. 14, and a dinner at Vernon Family Farm in Newfields on Aug. 29. Since 2012, The Farmer’s Dinner has hosted nearly 90 farm-to-table events across New England, feeding more than 17,000 people and raising more than $125,000 for local farms. Tickets are available now at thefarmersdinner.com.

• Blueberry farm retires: Durocher Farm in Litchfield, known as a destination for its early and late season varieties of pick-your-own blueberries for more than four decades, will not be returning in 2021. “The Durocher family has decided that the time is right to retire,” read a recent post from the farm’s Facebook page from Bob Marr, who has leased and operated the blueberry farm with his wife, Jennifer, for the past three years. “Both Jen and I have done our best to keep the farm open to the public but as in life, all good things must come to an end.” The farm, which was established in 1943 by the Durochers, according to its website, featured more than 2,500 blueberry bushes for picking that were originally planted in 1975.

• NHLC launches new website: The New Hampshire Liquor Commission has unveiled a new e-commerce website for its products, according to a press release. Online ordering with 90-minute same-day in-store pickup is now available at 10 Liquor & Wine Outlet stores across the state, including both stores on Interstate 93 in Hooksett and on Interstate 95 in Hampton, as well as the stores in Manchester, Londonderry, Salem, Pembroke, Rochester and West Lebanon. The new site also now has an educational platform with access to virtual and in-person experiences with celebrities, winemakers and master distillers. Users can create personal profiles on the site to search for and save their favorite brands. According to the release, the Commission recently surpassed $1 million in sales from its curbside delivery and in-store pickup program, launched earlier this year. Visit liquorandwineoutlets.com.

Have a festive feast

Where to order your holiday meals and desserts

From specialty entrees to fresh baked sweet treats, check out this list of local restaurants, bakeries and caterers to place your order with this holiday season.

• All Real Meal (87 Elm St., Manchester, 782-3014, allrealmeal.com) is taking orders now for full Christmas dinners that feed either three to four or six to seven people. Dinners include slow-cooked turkey breast with gravy, cranberry almond green beans, creamy mashed potatoes, homestyle cornbread, pecan pie cheesecake and bacon herb hash brown quiche. Place orders as soon as possible. Curbside pickups and contact-free deliveries will be on Wednesday, Dec. 23.

• Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop (815 Chestnut St., Manchester, 625-9544, angelaspastaandcheese.com) is taking orders for a variety of items for the holidays, including dinner side dishes prepared fresh, like caramelized Brussels sprouts, potatoes Lyonnaise with roasted garlic, and glazed carrots with ginger butter and green onions; assorted breads and dinner rolls from Iggy’s Bakery; and savory items like pork pie. Order by Dec. 19 at 4 p.m. (pre-pay only). Pickups are on Wednesday, Dec. 23, or Thursday, Dec. 24.

• The Bakeshop on Kelley Street (171 Kelley St., Manchester, 624-3500, thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com) is taking orders for several items for the holidays, including pies (apple, pumpkin, chocolate cream, coconut cream, banana cream, Key lime, Dutch apple, pecan, lemon meringue, German chocolate pecan, cherry and more); as well as assorted pastry trays, cookie trays, yule logs, cinnamon rolls, coffee cakes and holiday cream tarts.

• Bite Me Kupcakez (4 Mound Court, Merrimack, 674-4459, bitemekupcakez.com) is taking orders for several cakes, pies, and platters for the holiday season. Cake flavors include chocolate flourless torte, strawberry shortcake, chocolate whipped cream cake, six-inch cheesecakes and dairy-free double-layer red velvet, chocolate and vanilla cakes. Pie flavors include apple, triple berry and pumpkin. Platters include a brunch option with coffee cake, muffins and doughnuts, and a dessert option with cupcakes, brownies and cookies. Order by Dec. 16. Pickups are on Wednesday, Dec. 23, and Thursday, Dec. 24.

• The Black Forest Cafe & Bakery (212 Route 101, Amherst, 672-0500, theblackforestcafe.com) is taking orders for several items for the holidays, including sweet pies (apple, Dutch apple, cranberry apple, pecan and chocolate cream); cakes (coconut, carrot, chocolate mousse and Black Forest gateaux); assorted holiday cookies, quiches and tarts; cookie baskets; scratch-made dips and spreads (spinach chipotle dip, herbed goat cheese spread and Southern pimiento cheese); and entrees (chicken and creamy mushroom thyme sauce, slow-braised beef brisket, Italian sausage, vegetarian or butternut squash lasagna, and chicken and sun-dried tomato penne). Order by Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. Pickups are available through 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 24.

• Blue Loon Bakery (12 Lovering Lane, New London, 526-2892, blueloonbakery.com) is taking orders for various flavors of pies (apple, apple crumble, pecan, maple pumpkin and apple cranberry galette); breads (baguettes, sourdough, multigrain or brioche rolls); savory quiches (ham and Gruyere or spinach and feta); and other assorted pastries and desserts, like take-and-bake sticky buns, caramels, cinnamon rolls, cookie platters and gingerbread tree kits. Order by Dec. 21. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 8 a.m. to noon.

• Buckley’s Bakery & Cafe (436 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 262-5929; 9 Market Place, Hollis, 465-5522; buckleysbakerycafe.com) is taking orders for a variety of holiday-themed cakes, like gingerbread spice cake and dark chocolate peppermint cheesecake, as well as traditional or peanut butter Yule logs, eight-inch pies (apple, Key lime or chocolate cream), and assorted loaves, rolls and party trays. Order by Dec. 20.

• Cafe El Camino (134 Newton Road, Plaistow, 974-1652, cafeelcamino.com) is taking orders for a variety of specialty “crowd pleaser platters” for the holidays, including empanada platters, rice platters, chicken or pork platters and more. Orders must be picked up by Thursday, Dec. 24, at 3 p.m.

• Caroline’s Fine Food (132 Bedford Center Road, Bedford, 637-1615, carolinesfood.com) is taking orders for a variety of specialty items to go, including appetizers, like artisan cheeses with fruit and cured meats, poached shrimp with a traditional cocktail sauce, and smoked salmon terrine; entrees, like turkey ballotine stuffed with savory sausage herb stuffing, and roasted beef tenderloin with horseradish cream sauce; and sides, like garlic mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts with Parmesan and thyme, roasted butternut squash and sauteed haricot verts with slivered almonds. Order by Dec. 18 at 6 p.m. Pickups are on Wednesday, Dec. 23.

• Cherry Bomb Cookie Co. (Exeter, find them on Facebook @cherrybombcookieco) is taking orders for a variety of specialty Christmas cookies and do-it-yourself cookie kits and houses. The shipping deadline for orders is Dec. 18.

• The Common Man (25 Water St., Concord, 228-3463; 304 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-3463; 88 Range Road, Windham, 898-0088; Lakehouse Grille, 281 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-5221; 10 Pollard Road, Lincoln, 745-3463; 21 Water St., Claremont, 542-6171; Foster’s Boiler Room, 231 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2764; 60 Main St., Ashland, 968-7030; Lago, 1 Route 25, Meredith, 279-2253; Italian Farmhouse, 337 Daniel Webster Hwy., 536-4536; Airport Diner, 2280 Brown Ave., Manchester, 623-5040; Tilt’n Diner, 61 Laconia Road, Tilton, 286-2204; 104 Diner, 752 Route 104, New Hampton, 744-0120; thecman.com) is taking orders for holiday meals for one or for four. Choose from either glazed ham or herb-roasted prime rib; both dinners come with mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, pesto green beans, maple-roasted Brussels sprouts, Parmesan-crusted dinner rolls, sweet bread, apple crisp and cinnamon whipped cream. Other a la carte options available to add to your order include spinach-artichoke dip and crackers, peel-and-eat shrimp cocktail, cheese lasagna, macaroni and cheese and pecan pie. Order by Dec. 18. Pickups are on Wednesday, Dec. 23.

• Copper Kettle To Go (39 Main St., Wilton, copperkettletogo.com) is taking orders for a several specialty treats and baked goods, like pecan pie, Nutella pie, cold brew coffee pie, gingerbread cream pie, pistachio cream pie, Andes candy brownies, red velvet trifles, coffee cakes, and assorted muffins (flavors include blueberry and chocolate chocolate chip). Order by Dec. 20. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Crémeux French Patisserie (707 Milford Road, Merrimack, cremeuxfrenchpatisserie.com) is taking orders for a variety of French breads and desserts, like chocolate sponge cake, dark chocolate crémeux, mousse chocolat praline, choux filled with vanilla creme patisserie, chocolate chip brioche, cranberry walnut brioche, organic sourdough boule and more. Order by Dec. 19.

• Crosby Bakery (51 E. Pearl St., Nashua, 882-1851, crosbybakerynh.com) is taking orders for several baked goods for the holiday season, including pies (apple, apple crumb, blueberry, pecan, pumpkin, mincemeat, cherry, banana cream, coconut cream, chocolate cream, lemon meringue and more); as well as assorted rolls, breads, cakes, cookies, and savory items, like gorton, meat pie and salmon pie. Order by Dec. 22.

• The Crust & Crumb Baking Co. (126 N. Main St., Concord, 219-0763, thecrustandcrumb.com) is taking orders for a variety of treats for the holidays, include cinnamon or pecan sticky buns, old-fashioned sour cream coffee cakes, butter or Shaker squash rolls, flourless chocolate torte, and several flavors of pies (apple streusel, blueberry crumb, forest berry crumb, maple bourbon pecan, chocolate cream and maple cream) and quiches (bacon cheddar and tomato and three-cheese). Order by Dec. 18.

• Culture (75 Mont Vernon St., Milford, 249-5011, culturebreadandsandwich.com) is taking orders for various breads, like sourdough loaves and dinner rolls, as well as pecan pies (whole or by the slice), holiday cheesecakes, cranberry galettes, holiday cookie trays, and cocoa bombs available in various flavors, from milk, white or dark chocolate to cookies and cream, gingerbread or peppermint. Order by Dec. 19. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Ding Dong Deliver (dingdongdeliver.com) is a ghost kitchen powered by Great New Hampshire Restaurants, which owns T-Bones Great American Eatery, CJ’s Great West Grill and the Copper Door restaurants. Featured items for the week of Christmas include prime rib, ham or roast tenderloin dinners, each with mashed potatoes, butternut squash, and bread and butter, as well as multiple flavors of pies, like apple, pumpkin, pecan and blueberry. Order by Dec. 18 at noon. Deliveries and pickups are on Wednesday, Dec. 23.

• The Foundry Restaurant (50 Commercial St., Manchester, 836-1925, foundrynh.com) is taking orders for Christmas dinners to go, featuring your choice of either roast ham with pineapple raisin relish, or baked haddock with Ritz crackers, lemon and white wine. Each entree comes with bread and butter, scalloped potatoes, honey-roasted carrots and parsnips, green bean almondine, walnut brioche stuffing, and a mixed green salad with red wine vinaigrette. Other a la carte items available to order include appetizers, like stuffed mushrooms, bacon-wrapped blue cheese-stuffed dates, shrimp cocktail, Swedish meatballs with ginger blueberry jam, bacon-wrapped scallops, and pork pie with homemade gravy; and desserts, like Mississippi mud pie, raspberry cheesecake and gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting. Order by Dec. 20. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon.

• Frederick’s Pastries (109 Route 101A, Amherst, 882-7725; 25 S. River Road, Bedford, 647-2253; pastry.net) is offering several specialty treats for the holidays, include wreath cakes, gingerbread cookie kits, Grinch cupcakes, cheesecake samplers, chocolate-covered Oreo and graham cracker trays, Christmas Yule logs and more.

• 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 taking orders for holiday variety boxes for Christmas, which feature your choice of smoked pork rack chop with apple chutney, garlic roasted prime rib with au jus and horseradish cream, or seafood lasagna, with sides like sweet and Yukon gold whipped potatoes, traditional stuffing and roasted Brussels sprouts. Also available are Christmas Eve seafood feast boxes, with items like crab cakes and lemon aioli, lobster bisque, and Ritz baked haddock with lobster sauce. Order by Dec. 21 at noon. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from noon to 8 p.m.

• Granite State Candy Shoppe (832 Elm St., Manchester, 218-3885; 13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591; granitestatecandyshoppe.com) has several holiday-themed candies available for purchase, like Christmas-colored malt balls, peppermint or wintergreen candy canes, candy cane caramels, salted caramel or peppermint cocoa bombs, sour gummy Santas and more.

• Grasshoppers Garden Center (728 River Road, New Boston, 497-5788, grasshoppersgardencenter.com) is taking orders for multiple flavors of pies, including apple, apple cherry, blueberry, chocolate maple pecan, mincemeat and eggnog. Order by Dec. 11.

• Greenleaf (54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com) is taking orders for Christmas dinners to go, featuring your choice of pink peppercorn and rosemary glazed ham, roasted chicken or prime rib. All dinners come with mashed potatoes, honey-glazed carrots, green bean almondine and mixed greens. Other a la carte options available to order include homemade sourdough loaves, homemade dinner rolls with butter, pecan pie (whole or by the slice), holiday cheesecake (whole or by the slice), pear and cranberry galette, chocolate cake slices with chocolate buttercream, assorted holiday cookies, cocoa bombs in a variety of flavors, and creative wine pairing cocktail kits. Order by Dec. 19. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from noon to 2 p.m.

• Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant (233 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-6212, hartsturkeyfarm.com) is taking orders for family meals to go, featuring your choice of turkey, ham or prime rib, plus a la carte options like gravy, stuffing, butternut squash, whipped potatoes, turkey pies, sliced turkey by the pound, soups and chili, rolls and cornbread. Pickups will be available through Thursday, Dec. 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Harvey’s Bakery and Coffee Shop (376 Central Ave., Dover, 742-6029, harveysbakery.com) is taking orders for multiple items for the holidays, including gingerbread cookies, deluxe cookie trays, fruit cakes, dessert cakes and more. Order by Dec. 19.

• It’s All Good in the Kitchen (184 N. Broadway, Salem, 458-7434, itsallgoodgf.com) is taking orders for a variety of sweet treats and desserts for the holidays, like tiramisu, strawberry or plain cheesecakes, chocolate peppermint rolls, cinnamon rolls, assorted cookie trays, whoopie pies, apple cider doughnuts and cupcakes. Savory items are also available to order, like lasagna, baked macaroni and cheese and chicken pot pie. Order by Dec. 19.

• jajabelles (143 Main St., Nashua, 769-1873, jajabelles.com) is taking orders for a variety of Greek pastries for the holidays, like lamb- and beef-filled grape leaves, spanakopita, finikia, kourambiethes and baklava, as well as a variety of sweet treats and desserts. Order by Dec. 18. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Just Like Mom’s Pastries (353 Riverdale Road, Weare, 529-6667, justlikemomspastries.com) is taking orders for several sweet treats for the holidays, like red velvet, chocolate mousse or cranberry orange white chocolate cakes, traditional Yule logs, dessert bowls, cheesecakes (gluten-sensitive white chocolate raspberry with cinnamon walnut crust, or Oreo cookies and cream cheesecake), pies (cran-raspberry apple crumb or Kahlua black bottom), platters with mini whoopie pies, finger pastries or holiday cookies, coffee cakes, dinner rolls, quiches, and breakfast pastries, like cinnamon buns, turnovers, muffins and croissants. Order by Dec. 19.

• LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898, labellewineryevents.com/catering) is taking orders for several items for Christmas, available in servings of six to eight people or 12 to 14 people, like assorted artisan cheeses, shrimp cocktails, mashed potatoes, maple sweet potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, honey-glazed carrots and cinnamon maple bread pudding for dessert.

• McNulty & Foley Caterers (124 E. Hollis St., Nashua, 882-1921, mcnultycatering.com) is taking orders for various individual or family-sized dinners, including those with slow-roasted sirloin of beef or sweet and spicy glazed ham, along with Delmonico potatoes, green beans, glazed carrots and rolls. Other a la carte options include baked lasagna with meat sauce or vegetable lasagna, whipped bliss potatoes, green bean casserole and pork pie. There are also desserts, like grapenut custard pudding, chocolate cream pie, lemon meringue pie and an assorted cookie platter. Order by Dec. 18. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Mr. Mac’s Macaroni & Cheese (497 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 606-1760; 2600 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, 380-7916; 440 Middlesex Road, Tyngsboro, Mass., 978-939-6227; 175 Littleton Road, Westford, Mass., 978-392-9495; mr-macs.com) is taking orders for both hot-and-ready and take-and-bake trays of macaroni and cheese, as well as macaroni salads, assorted green salads, desserts and more. Placing orders at least 24 hours in advance is appreciated. Order by Dec. 22 and get a 10 percent discount on all holiday trays.

• New England’s Tap House Grille (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 782-5137, taphousenh.com) is taking orders now for French-Canadian holiday meat pies, made with pork, beef, potatoes, celery, onions and garlic in a house-made crust. Pickups are available at various times on Wednesday, Dec. 23, and Thursday, Dec. 24, for Christmas, and on Wednesday, Dec. 30, for New Year’s.

• Popovers on the Square (11 Brickyard Square, No. 23, Epping, 734-4724; 8 Congress St., Portsmouth, 431-1119; popoversonthesquare.com) is taking orders for a variety of items for the holidays, including its signature pies (apple, apple crumb, pecan, pumpkin, chocolate cream, coconut cream and Key lime), as well as Christmas cookies, fruit or mint Oreo cheesecakes, fruit tarts and holiday-decorated vanilla or chocolate cupcakes. Order by Dec. 20.

• The Post Restaurant (125 Fisherville Road, Concord, 228-0522; 58 N. Main St., Concord, 227-6686; postrestaurantnh.com) is offering heat-and-serve Christmas meals to go, featuring your choice of carved turkey and gravy or spiral cut ham. Each meal comes with homemade stuffing, herbed mashed potatoes, green beans, butternut squash, cranberry sauce, a dinner roll and your choice of a dessert (Yule log slice, glazed butter rum cake slice, cheesecake slice or apple pie slice). Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Presto Craft Kitchen (168 Amory St., Manchester, 606-1252, prestocraftkitchen.com) is offering its entire menu cold for pickup on either Tuesday, Dec. 22, or Wednesday, Dec. 23, in addition to several specialty desserts, like Oreo truffles, freshly filled cannolis, cookie trays, and pies (flavors include banana cream, coconut cream, cannoli cream, cookies and cream and chocolate cream). Order by Dec. 20.

• Queen City Cupcakes (790 Elm St., Manchester, 624-4999, qccupcakes.com) is taking orders for a variety of festive flavors of homemade cupcakes, including eggnog, chocolate-covered cherry, coconut snowball, gingerbread whoopie, white peppermint and Cadbury Christmas creme. Order by Dec. 21. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• The Red Arrow Diner (112 Loudon Road, Concord, 415-0444; 137 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 552-3091; 61 Lowell St., Manchester, 626-1118; 149 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua, 204-5088; redarrowdiner.com) takes orders for its homemade cakes and pies at all of its locations. Flavors include apple, blueberry, pumpkin, chocolate cream, brownie cream and more. Online orders must be placed at least 24 hours in advance of pickups.

• The Red Blazer Restaurant & Pub (72 Manchester St., Concord, 224-4101, theredblazer.com) is taking orders for a variety of take-and-bake items for the holidays, including with turkey, stuffed chicken breast, ham, chicken cordon bleu and seafood newburg, as well as homemade desserts, like tiramisu, carrot cheesecake, Almond Joy cake, caramel gingerbread cake, peanut butter mousse cake, chocolate mousse trifle, pistachio eclairs, whoopie pies and more. Order by Dec. 21. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24.

• Revival Kitchen & Bar (11 Depot St., Concord, 715-5723, revivalkitchennh.com) is taking orders for holiday take-and-bake meals for two, with options that include seafood newburg, beef tenderloin roast or chicken cordon bleu. All entrees come with bacon potato casserole, Dijon- and thyme-glazed root vegetables, house salad, bread and butter and a cookie tin. Order by Dec. 19. Pickups are on Wednesday, Dec. 23, or Thursday, Dec. 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Tailgate Tavern (28 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham, 580-2294, tailgatetavernnh.com) is taking orders for heat-and-serve meals for four to six people, featuring items like various appetizers, soups and salads to choose from, as well as entrees, like baked brown sugar and pineapple ham, slow-roasted turkey with dark meat and gravy, or marinated and roasted pork tenderloin; and desserts, like house-made apple crisp or white chocolate bread pudding. Order by Dec. 20 at 2 p.m.

• Trombly Gardens (150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.net) is taking orders for a variety of flavors of fresh pies from the Saxy Chef of Antrim, like apple, blueberry, chocolate maple pecan, mincemeat and more. Holiday meals are also available for ordering, like turkey roulade with sausage cranberry stuffing, or family-sized lasagnas, as well as add-on sides, like sauteed apples or green bean almondine. Order your pies by Dec. 13 and your meals by Dec. 14.

• Tuscan Market (63 Main St., Salem, 912-5467, tuscanbrands.com) is taking orders from its special holiday catering menu, which include full dinners of either turkey, ham or standing rib roast that serve to six to eight people. Each comes with its own selection of sides, depending on the main course option you choose. Other a la carte order options include sides, like Jumbo shrimp with cocktail sauce, roasted cauliflower, mascarpone whipped potatoes and porcini mushroom ciabatta stuffing; and desserts, like tiramisu, assorted Italian cookies and biscotti, flourless chocolate torte and individual cannolis or cheesecakes. Order by Dec. 22. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Van Otis Chocolates (341 Elm St., Manchester, 627-1611, vanotischocolates.com) has several seasonal treats available just in time for the holidays, like candy cane pretzel twists, candy cane Swiss fudge, and milk, dark or white chocolate mold candy canes and red-nosed reindeer pops.

• Yankee Farmer’s Market (360 Route 103 E., Warner, 456-2833, yankeefarmersmarket.com) is taking orders for specialty holiday roasts, like smoked ham, turkey, beef tenderloin, leg of lamb and Buffalo tenderloin. Pickups are from Thursday, Dec. 17, through Thursday, Dec. 24.

This story was possible with the generous financial support of Hippo readers. Hippo is very grateful to have the support of its readers. If you haven’t contributed yet, please consider a small contribution. Your contributions allow Hippo to write more stories and gets you access to additional stories and columns. 

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Out on holiday

Where to dine out this Christmas Eve or Christmas Day

If you want to take a break from cooking at home, check out this list of where to enjoy a holiday feast this Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24, or Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25. Some local eateries are also featuring their own specialty meals in the days leading up to the holiday.

Special meals

• A Feast of the Seven Fishes menu at Jamison’s (472 Route 111, Hampstead, 489-1565, jamisonsrestaurant.com) will be available from Wednesday, Dec. 16, through Saturday, Dec. 19. You can enjoy all seven dishes for $50 and wine pairings for $30, or purchase them a la carte.

• Feast of the Seven Fishes at Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will be on Thursday, Dec. 17, from 6 to 10 p.m. In addition to a chef-attended pasta station and an Italian dessert station, the dinner will feature several house fish dishes, like haddock puttanesca with roasted Yukon potatoes; oysters on the half shell with cocktail sauce, citrus mignonette, horseradish and lemon; grilled calamari salad with pickled vegetables, radicchio and arugula; and lobster- and crab-stuffed sole with shaved fennel salad and blood orange butter. Tickets are $85 per person and reservations are required (dinner is 21+ only and tables are limited to a maximum of six guests each).

• Enjoy a Polar Express family brunch at LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898, labellewinerynh.com) on either Sunday, Dec. 20, or Thursday, Dec. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon. Each meal will feature items like assorted muffins, scones and rolls, salads, fruit, specialty casseroles and more, plus a full cash bar, live readings of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, and a screening of the family holiday film The Polar Express. Ticket price breakdowns are $22.99 per person (tickets are sold by the table only, with a maximum of six guests per table).

• At The Grazing Room at the Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks Henniker, 428-3281, colbyhillinn.com) a Christmas Cheer menu is available for takeout, as well as limited in-house dining, now through Dec. 20 (except for Dec. 14 and Dec. 15), and then again on Dec. 21, Dec. 22 and Dec. 26. Seatings are between 4 and 8:30 p.m. The three-course prix fixe menu features your choice of a first course, an entree and a dessert, plus additional appetizers to share (see website for the full menu). The cost is $65 per person.

• Feast of the Seven Fishes at Tuscan Kitchen (67 Main St., Salem, 952-4875, tuscanbrands.com) is on Thursday, Dec. 24, featuring items like baccala soup, grilled octopus and calamari, lobster and shrimp tagliatelle and herb-crusted cod. The cost is $65 per person, or $85 with wine pairings.

• Christmas Eve Dinner at Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) is happening on Thursday, Dec. 24, with seatings from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the dining room. The three-course prix fixe menu will be followed by a dessert buffet and a cash bar in the Great Hall. Items will include lamb and potato gnocchi, black garlic French onion soup, rosemary and thyme marinated filet mignon, Jumbo shrimp and New Bedford sea scallops, savory mushroom Wellington and juniper and anise-cured Long Island duck breast. A separate children’s menu will also be served, featuring items like macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers and more. The cost is $89 for adults and $49 for kids ages 10 and under. Reservations are required.

• Christmas Eve Dinner at Copper Door Restaurant (15 Leavy Dr., Bedford, 488-2677; 41 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033; copperdoor.com) will feature a special prix fixe menu beginning at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 24. The cost varies ($59 for two courses, $69 for three courses and $79 for four courses). Items include coffee-crusted pork chop, garlic Parmesan salmon, truffled mushroom ravioli, barbecue pork flatbread, crispy lemon Brussels sprouts, caramel apple pie and chocolate raspberry cheesecake. Reservations will be accepted through 8 p.m.

• Christmas Dinner at Salt Kitchen & Bar (Wentworth by the Sea, 588 Wentworth Road, New Castle, 373-6566, saltkitchenandbar.com) is on Friday, Dec. 25, from 1 to 8 p.m. The four-course menu will feature mini deviled eggs, plus your choice of either winter root bisque or bitter greens salad; an entree (steak au poivre, maple-brined turkey, butternut squash ravioli or pan-seared sea scallops); and a dessert (eggnog cheesecake or gingerbread pudding). The cost is $64.95 per person ($25.95 for kids under 12).

• Christmas Dinner at The Wild Rose Restaurant (Stonehurst Manor, 3351 White Mountain Highway, North Conway, 356-3113, stonehurstmanor.com) is on Friday, Dec. 25, from 2 to 8 p.m., featuring your choice of an appetizer (grilled brie, duo of crab cakes, shrimp cocktail or bacon-wrapped scallops); a Caesar salad; an entree (maple-brined turkey, prime rib of beef, grilled rack of lamb, grilled vegetables, oven-roasted half duckling or pan-seared North Atlantic salmon); and a dessert (triple chocolate torte, bourbon pecan ice cream with caramel, or blueberry cheesecake). The cost is $68 per person.

Open on Christmas Day

• Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will be open for breakfast from 8 to 10:30 a.m. in its lobby bar, and from 1 to 9 p.m. for lunch and dinner, serving its full menu with some specials. The tavern and dining room will be closed.

• Lakehouse Grille (281 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-5221, thecman.com) will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Open on Christmas Eve

• 900 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria (50 Dow St., Manchester, 641-0900, 900degrees.com) will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Alan’s of Boscawen (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631, alansofboscawen.com) will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Belmont Hall & Restaurant (718 Grove St., Manchester, 625-8540, belmonthall.net) will be open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• The Black Forest Cafe & Bakery (212 Route 101, Amherst, 672-0500, theblackforestcafe.com) will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• The Coach Stop Restaurant & Tavern (176 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 437-2022, coachstopnh.com) will likely be open until 8 p.m.

• CJ’s Great West Grill (782 S. Willow St., Manchester, 627-8600, cjsgreatwestgrill.com) will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Hart’s Turkey Farm (233 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-6212, hartsturkeyfarm.com) will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• KC’s Rib Shack (837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net) will be open from noon to 6 p.m.

• LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898, labellewinerynh.com) will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Las Olas Taqueria (356 Lafayette Road, Hampton, 967-4880; 30 Portsmouth Ave., Exeter, 418-8901; lasolastaqueria.com) will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• The Red Blazer Restaurant and Pub (72 Manchester St., Concord, 224-4101, theredblazer.com) will be open until 8 p.m.

• Second Brook Bar and Grill (1100 Hooksett Road, Unit 111, Hooksett, 935-7456, secondbrook.com) will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the kitchen, and until 5 p.m. in the bar.

This story was possible with the generous financial support of Hippo readers. Hippo is very grateful to have the support of its readers. If you haven’t contributed yet, please consider a small contribution. Your contributions allow Hippo to write more stories and gets you access to additional stories and columns. 

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Theresa Zwart

Theresa Zwart of Derry is the owner of 603 Charcuterie (603charcuterie.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram), a new business specializing in customizable charcuterie to-go platters, featuring a variety of cheeses, meats, crackers, jams and other items. She currently operates on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays as well as most holidays, accepting orders via phone, email or social media messages. Charcuterie platters are available in several sizes. 603 Charcuterie is currently offering a special antipasto charcuterie wreath for the holidays.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

The only utensil I use — a knife!

What would you have for your last meal?

Fancy cheeses. Manchego is my favorite. It’s a very dry cheese, similar to Parmesan.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Gauchos Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse [in Manchester]. I love all of the yummy meat and fish choices brought around to you by the waiters. Probably why I love charcuterie boards so much.

What celebrity would you like to see ordering a charcuterie platter from you?

Jennifer Lawrence. I feel like she would aggressively and wholeheartedly love these cheeses and meats.

What is your personal favorite type of platter you’ve made for someone since starting this business?

My first one. I brought it in as a gift for my co-workers … and they all encouraged me to sell these. … It was basically similar to my extra-large order, so it had seven different cheeses, five different meats and a couple of different jams. It was a pretty big variety.

What’s the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

I’m going with breweries. They’re popping up all over the place and almost everyone I know of goes to them. I personally love them as well.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Anything on the grill! Steak tips, turkey tips, any vegetable, chicken, pizza, all of it.

Caramelized onion and fig jam baked brie

From the kitchen of Theresa Zwart of 603 Charcuterie (603charcuterie.com)

1 wheel of brie cheese (4 to 5 inches in diameter)
½ large sweet yellow onion
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
3 tablespoons fig jam
1 container/tube store-bought puff pastry
1 tablespoon flour
1 egg
Choice of dipping items (such as apple slices, crackers or baguettes)

Slice onion, then heat in a skillet on medium-high heat with olive oil. After five minutes, turn on low to medium heat, then add brown sugar, salt and pepper. Keep stirring occasionally for 15 to 20 minutes, until onions are nice and caramelized. Preheat the oven at 400 degrees. Roll pastry dough out with the flour, big enough to cover the whole wheel of brie. Place brie in the center of the dough. Top with fig jam and caramelized onions. Wrap the dough all the way on top of the brie, overlapping the edges of dough for full coverage. Paint an egg wash on the outside of the dough. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the dough is golden brown. Let it sit for 15 minutes and serve with dipping choices.

Featured Photo: Theresa Zwart

Island indulgences

Wild Orchid Bakery to open in Manchester

Cake by Shelly-Anne Storer. Courrtesy photo.

Trinidad and Tobago native Shelly-Anne Storer was a cake decorator at Triolo’s Bakery in Bedford up until its permanent closure in late May. In the months that followed, the self-taught baker and cake designer kept a blog on Instagram to stay busy and eventually began working toward starting her own business.
Wild Orchid Bakery, on track to open in the coming weeks in Manchester near the Bedford town line, can best be described as an Island-style bakery and tea boutique. That’s because, according to Storer, many of the sweet and savory offerings are inspired by flavors of her homeland. The bakery’s name, she said, even comes from a connection she made between Trinidad and New Hampshire — both feature an abundance of wildflowers.
“I wanted to open an Island-style bakery because I know that there is a cluster of Islanders here … but they’re lacking this entity in New Hampshire,” said Storer, who has lived in the United States since late 2013. “I have to go to Boston if I’m craving anything Trinidad-oriented, just to get those local products that I miss from home.”
Offerings you can expect at the bakery when it opens include Trinidadian coconut rolls; callaloo, or a boiled dish with spinach, garlic, coconut milk, pumpkin and okra; and saltfish buljol, or a salad dish of chopped fish, tomatoes and other veggies. Seasonal items, like Tobago curry crab and dumplings; and shark and bake, a popular Trinidadian street food, will follow suit.
In addition to cooking some of her favorite dishes she grew up with, Storer will have a regular menu of pastries and baked goods, like cupcakes, cookies, cheesecakes, brownies, scones, sticky buns, pies, tarts, eclairs and sweet breads. She also makes custom cakes and has her own line of gourmet doughnuts, from apple pie and lemon meringue to chocolate chip Oreo flavors.
Many of her doughnuts are regularly stocked at Hometown Coffee Roasters’ coffee bar on Old Granite Street in Manchester, and Storer will likewise partner with owner Mike Brown to feature his coffee at the bakery. Brown has even provided her with a custom espresso machine and will train her staff on how to use his coffee blends.
“It works out perfectly for us,” she said. “You can come here or you can go to Hometown [Coffee Roasters] and get my doughnuts and his coffee at both places. It’s like a synergy that we have going for Manchester, which I’m happy to support.”
On a table in the center of the bakery Storer plans to feature all types of locally made products for sale through partnerships with other area businesses. The bakery will likely close around 4 p.m. each day with the exception of Saturdays, when she hopes to close a few hours early and utilize the space for public events and functions. Within six months, she plans to acquire a liquor license, so mimosas, Island-style daiquiris, sangrias and other cocktails can be served.

Wild Orchid Bakery
An opening date is expected in the coming weeks. Visit their website, call or follow them on social media for updates.
Where: 484 S. Main St., Manchester
Anticipated hours: 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. most days (The bakery will be closed on Sundays and Mondays and will likely close a few hours early on Saturdays to accommodate private functions)
More info: Visit wildorchidbakery.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram @wildorchidbakery or call 935-7338

Featured photo: Shelly-Anne Storer. Courrtesy photo.

Gifts for foodies

Delicious gift ideas this holiday season

Looking for some gift-giving ideas for the foodie in your life? Local shops have all kinds of treats and tools that would make great gifts, while many local eateries are offering promotions on gift cards.

Bombs away

Scott Watson of Loon Chocolate in Manchester had never made a “cocoa bomb” before the beginning of November — now he’s making about 1,000 of them per week and can barely keep them in stock for each of his wholesale accounts. A trend that went viral on TikTok back in October, cocoa bombs are small hollow balls of chocolate filled with marshmallows, flavored mixes or other ingredients that you place in any type of heat-safe mug or container. Pouring hot milk or water over the bomb will cause it to “explode” with flavor inside the mug.

“The heat penetrates through the hollow bomb … and as it slowly fills up, the bomb begins to melt from the inside out and you have one of the most decadent cups of hot chocolate you’ve ever tasted,” Watson said. “It’s basically some of the freshest chocolate melted in a cup that’s single-served. It’s both interactive and tastes amazing.”

Watson started making them to sell at the Manchester Craft Market in the Mall of New Hampshire and has since expanded to feature them at other local businesses, like Cafe la Reine on Elm Street in Manchester and The Country Store at the Tilton Outlets. Loon Chocolate’s cocoa bombs come in packages of four — each one is made with 70 percent dark chocolate, filled with eight vegan marshmallows and coated with the company’s house-made cocoa mix.

“We thought [four] was a nice gift size that would work for us, for a family to share them on a special evening during the holidays,” Watson said. “They’ve taken off very quickly. Our wholesale accounts have received an incredible demand from their customers for them and we’ve been running out of chocolate as fast as we can make it.”

In Milford, Emilee Viaud of Culture also started making cocoa bombs of her own less than two months ago. She now offers several flavors, including milk, white or dark chocolate, but also cookies and cream, peppermint bark, peanut butter, gingerbread and salted caramel.

“I actually didn’t even know what they were until my mother-in-law mentioned them to me,” Viaud said. “I started making a few, and all of a sudden I had about 100 orders for them within one day. So that made me say, ‘OK, this is definitely something that people want.’”

You can find cocoa bombs for sale at Culture or at the Manchester Craft Market in tin containers of four, as part of a mug set, or inside of a clear ornament you can put on your tree. Viaud is also offering shipping through her personal business, Emilee’s Sweet Treats (find her on Facebook @emileessweettreats).

Presto Craft Kitchen in Manchester also offers multiple flavors of cocoa bombs, from salted caramel and peanut butter cup to Almond Joy, peppermint and cookies and cream. They’ll be available through about March, owner and chef Joe Grella said.

More local eats

Even though most craft fairs, expos and winter farmers markets across New Hampshire have been cancelled or postponed or have turned virtual, there are still opportunities to support local businesses by purchasing products in-store or online.

Antrim’s Deer Meadow Homestead, for instance, features a line of wine, beer and coffee jellies, in addition to granolas and pancake, biscuit or beer bread mixes, according to owner Grace Rowehl. Around the holidays she’ll have specialty flavors like a hot pepper jelly and cranberry and strawberry jam with orange zest. You can find most of her products at the Manchester Craft Market as well as the Mont Vernon General Store and at Locally Handmade, a store that’s inside both the Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem and the Mall at Fox Run in Newington.

“People always come up with their own ideas to use my jellies,” Rowehl said. “The wine jellies go great on cheese boards. Some people use them for glazes when they’re cooking chicken or fish, or they put them in salads or sandwiches. … I myself like to spread some of the coffee jelly on a nice hearty piece of toasted pumpernickel sourdough bread.”

In Concord, Local Baskit has partnered with the Exeter-based Cherry Bomb Cookie Co. over the last couple of years to offer scratch-made Christmas cookie platters. This year, there are also paint-your-own cookie kits and custom charcuterie board kits available for ordering.

LaBelle Winery of Amherst is once again rolling out its holiday catering packages, which include home cocktail kits for options like white or red sangrias, mulled apple wine and more.

Salem’s Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery is offering its own “magical meals” gift set, which can be purchased online and delivered directly to your recipient. The set comes with two bottles of rosemary garlic and oregano olive oils, a bag of garlic and Italian herb risotto, a cookie cutter, an apron and a signed copy of owner Dawn Hunt’s recently released cookbook.

For the at-home cook

Local cooks say kitchen tools and utensils can make good gifts. Chef Keith Sarasin of The Farmer’s Dinner said Wusthof, Miyabi and Shun are all great options for a knife set. For those who already have their own set of knives that they love, a knife sharpener or a bamboo cutting board could also work.

Susan Nye of Around the Table, a New Hampshire-based recipe blog, said one of her favorite kitchen tools to give as a gift is a mini food processor from either Cuisinart or KitchenAid.

“I use it all the time for things like salad dressings, salsas, tapenades, that type of thing,” Nye said. “It also has an attachment for chopping, so I use that to chop things like garlic or nuts.”

Vitamix-brand blenders, Sarasin said, are great tools if you’re making bisques. He also has an Instant Pot multicooker he uses all the time, which can cook anything from rice to slow-cooked meats. They also have air frying attachments.

Silicone baking mats are a favorite of Casie Ulliani of Sweet 23 Confections & Treats, a homestead business based in Derry — she specializes in French macarons and prefers the silicone mats over parchment paper for its reusability and uniformity in baking. Silpat and Fat Daddio’s are her two favorite brands.

When it comes to saving and storing food, Sarasin said reusable meal prep containers have started becoming popular. There are also a variety of vacuum sealers on the market.

Gift cards

It’s been a tough year for local restaurateurs, and you can support them while getting some of your holiday shopping done at the same time. Purchasing a gift card helps ensure cash flow for restaurants in the short term, and several are offering special promotions.

For the first time this season, outdoor holiday sheds have been built and placed outside each of the Great New Hampshire Restaurants locations, which include each of the T-Bones, Cactus Jack’s and Copper Door eateries. On most busy Friday and Saturday evenings, staff members inside the heated sheds sell gift cards to anyone not comfortable going inside, marketing coordinator Raquel Gawron said. From Dec. 19 through Dec. 24 the sheds will be staffed daily, and each location is running a “buy $25, get $5 free” gift card promotion through the end of the year.

At each of the five Tucker’s restaurants, guests are receiving $5 in bonus credit for $25 in gift card purchases, now through Dec. 24, business development manager Meghann Clifford said.

You can also get a free $5 bonus card with every $25 gift card purchase at each of The Common Man’s locations throughout the state. New this year, according to communications and community relations director Erica Auciello Murphy, is an option that allows gift card purchasers to send electronically to their recipients via email.

The year 2021 will also mark the 50th anniversary since the first Common Man location opened in the Granite State. To commemorate the milestone, Murphy said the company’s annual “Do Good” coupon book has been updated with additional offers, like two entrees for $19.71. The books are $10 each, with a portion of the proceeds donated to the New Hampshire Food Bank.

Dark chocolate cocoa bombs from Loon Chocolate in Manchester. Courtesy photo.

Explosive flavors
Here are some more local bakers and chocolatiers offering their own cocoa bombs available to order this holiday season.
• Ashley’s Eats & Sweets (ashleys.eats.and.sweets@gmail.com, find them on Facebook) is a homestead baking business based in Raymond, currently offering multiple flavors of its own cocoa bombs, like milk or dark chocolate with marshmallow or peppermint.
• Bearded Baking Co. (819 Union St., Manchester, 647-7150, beardedbaking.com) has a limited supply of homemade hot chocolate bombs, with flavors that include S’mores, peppermint, Funfetti and cookies and cream.
• Benson’s Bakery & Cafe (203 Central St., Hudson, 718-8683, bensonsbakeryandcafe.com) offers multiple flavors of homemade cocoa bombs, like peppermint, Snickers, peanut butter and maple cinnamon. Custom orders are also available.
• Bite Me Kupcakez (4 Mound Court, Merrimack, 674-4459, bitemekupcakez.com) offers milk or white chocolate cocoa bombs that are dairy-free.
• Granite State Candy Shoppe (13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591; 832 Elm St., 218-3885; granitestatecandyshoppe.com) offers multiple flavors of homemade cocoa bombs, including salted coffee, candy cane, and cocoa trio, or a combination of milk, white and dark chocolates.
• Hannah’s Bakery and Cafe (401 Main St., Salem, 898-2233, hannahsbakery.com) offers multiple flavors of homemade cocoa bombs, including classic marshmallow, cinnamon, peppermint and mocha. Pre-ordering by phone is available.
• La Cascade du Chocolat (109 Water St., Exeter, 777-5177; 214 State St., Portsmouth; lacascadeduchocolat.com) offers a hot cocoa dreidel, or a family-sized hot cocoa bomb made from 68 percent single origin dark chocolate. One dreidel makes between four and six cups of hot cocoa when adding hot water or milk.
• Sugar and Slice NH (find them on Facebook @sugarandslicenh) is a homestead baking business based in Milford, currently offering milk chocolate or peppermint chocolate cocoa bombs.
• Sweet 23 Confections & Treats (find them on Facebook and Instagram @sweet23confections) is a homestead baking business based in Derry, currently offering milk or dark chocolate cocoa bombs, with or without peppermint.
• The Wicked Sweet Sugar Boutique (580 Lafayette Road, Suite 1, Hampton, 601-7204, thewssugarboutique.com) offers multiple flavors of hot chocolate bombs available to order, like milk, white or dark chocolate, cookies and cream and toasted coconut.

Featured photo: Cocoa bombs from Culture in Milford. Courtesy photo..

The Weekly Dish 20/12/10

News from the local food scene

• Easy as pie: Join chef and cooking instructor Liz Barbour of The Creative Feast in Hollis for Demystify the Pie, a hands-on virtual class she’ll be holding via Zoom on Monday, Dec. 14, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. During the class, Barbour will walk participants through how to prepare your own pie dough and apple pie filling. While that’s baking in the oven, Barbour will demonstrate how to prepare a fruit galette you can make on your own. The cost to pre-register is $25; after registering, participants will receive equipment and ingredient lists needed for the class. Visit thecreativefeast.com.

• Go fish: Get your tickets now for a Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner at the Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford) on Thursday, Dec. 17, from 6 to 10 p.m. In addition to a chef-attended pasta station and an Italian dessert station, the dinner will feature several house fish dishes, like haddock puttanesca with roasted Yukon potatoes; oysters on the half shell with cocktail sauce, citrus mignonette, horseradish and lemon; grilled calamari salad with pickled vegetables, radicchio and arugula; and lobster- and crab-stuffed sole with shaved fennel salad and blood orange butter. Tickets are $85 per person and reservations are required (dinner is 21+ only and tables are limited to a maximum of six guests each). Visit bedfordvillageinn.com.

• Tea and a show: LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst) will host a Nutcracker ballet family tea event on Sunday, Dec. 13, with two sessions available, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. and from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Each will feature hot tea and a menu of sandwiches and sweet treats, as well as choreographed reenactments from Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater performers. Tickets are sold by tables of six only, priced at $25 per person. Also available for purchase will be Nutcracker-inspired cocktails for adults and themed non-alcoholic beverages for kids. Visit labellewineryevents.com.

• Procrasti(baking): Now through Christmas, Barrington baker and author Erin Gardner is running the “Procrastibakers Super Snuggly Socially Isolated Holiday Baking Club,” a community gathered around her Instagram account @erin.bakes, according to a press release. Gardner is the author of Procrastibaking: 100 Recipes for Getting Nothing Done in the Most Delicious Way Possible, which was released in March and features creative low-stress ways to approach a variety of recipes. Every Wednesday, Gardner posts reduced-size recipes from her book and other pandemic isolation-friendly baking ideas. Users who post pictures of their baked goods with the hashtag #procrastibakersclub will be automatically entered to win weekly book giveaways and other prizes, according to the release. Visit erinbakes.com.

In the kitchen with Carrie Williams

Carrie Williams of Contoocook is the owner and chef of the Flannel Tavern (345 Suncook Valley Road, Chichester, 406-1196, flanneltavern.com), a casual eatery on Route 28 that opened in April and offers scratch-made comfort foods. The menu features everything from burgers and sandwiches to appetizers, fresh salads, and plated entrees, like fish and chips, baked haddock, chicken fingers, lasagna rolls and macaroni and cheese. Beer and wine selections include both domestic and local options, with craft cocktails also available. Williams, who worked as a caterer for more than a decade, said the restaurant’s concept is based on many different types of comfort foods she grew up eating.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

I would be lost withoaut aluminum foil, and then obviously a chef’s knife. I have one that I use all the time, with an orange handle.

What would you have for your last meal?

Prime rib and mashed potatoes.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I would have to say the Lakehouse Tavern in Hopkinton. They are really good. A lot of times, I’ll get The Bird Man, which is a huge sandwich.

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

Someone I’ve always wanted to meet is Van Morrison. We listen to him in the kitchen all the time.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

The chicken bacon ranch sandwich. It [has] chicken tenders with mozzarella sticks, bacon and our homemade buttermilk ranch on a kaiser roll. It’s our No. 1 sandwich.

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

What I’m seeing across the board, especially with so many restaurants that have been closing, is that people are more going back to home-cooked meals and things that are just really comforting during such a stressful time.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Thanksgiving dinner is one of my favorite things to put on. It’s always been a big deal in my family. We do turkey, boiled onions, sweet potatoes, my grandma’s cranberry relish and an apple sausage stuffing.

Carrie’s coconut cream pie
From the kitchen of Carrie Williams of the Flannel Tavern in Chichester
9-inch pie shell, baked and set aside
1 cup shredded coconut, toasted to golden brown (1 to 2 minutes at 450 degrees)
3 cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup flour
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
Add heavy whipping cream, flour, sugar and eggs to a saucepan, turning on to medium heat and stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and add ¾ cup of the toasted coconut and vanilla. Add mixture from cream, flour, sugar and eggs to the pie shell and cool for two hours. Top with whipped cream and the last ¼ cup of coconut.

Featured Photo: Carrie Williams

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