Author: Matt Ingersoll

News from the local food scene

• In good spirits: New Hampshire distilleries that produce fewer than 10,000 bottles a year can now offer samples at local farmers markets, thanks to a bill recently signed into law by Gov. Chris Sununu. Under the new law, liquor samples are limited to a ½-ounce serving per label per person, and products may be sold at the farmers market in their original containers. Distillers had previously only been allowed to provide samples at tasting rooms with reduced hours, usually on weekends. “Since most of our distilleries are in rural or industrial areas with limited foot traffic, these restrictions made it more difficult to attract visitors,” state Sen. Regina Birdsell, the bill’s prime sponsor, said in an Aug. 3 statement. “Now, [they] can take advantage of ‘spirits tourism’ … especially during weekdays.”

• Barbecue, bands and more: There’s still time to get your ticket to the inaugural Barbecue Benefit Bash, happening on Saturday, Aug. 21, from 5 to 11 p.m. at Alpine Grove Banquet Facility (19 S. Depot Road, Hollis). A fundraiser for the Nashua Children’s Home, the event will feature a catered barbecue buffet with craft beer options, along with raffle prizes and live performances from local musicians, including Nashua-area veteran rockers Aces & Eights and Hollis musician Joe Birch. Among the food items will be half chickens cooked over a bed of charcoal, in addition to tender steak tips, tossed garden and pasta salads, local corn on the cob, cranberry sauce, biscuits and butter, and ice cream. Tickets are on sale now through Sunday, Aug. 15, and are $50 per person, with a portion of all proceeds benefiting the Nashua Children’s Home. Visit louduhamel.simpletix.com or contact event organizer Lou Duhamel at 305-2841 to buy tickets. For more details, you can also check out our coverage on the event by visiting hippopress.com and scrolling down to the Aug. 5 issue’s e-edition — the story is on page 22.

• Food and fun at the Faire: Join the Deering Community Church (763 Deering Center Road) for its annual Deering Community Faire on Saturday, Aug. 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature dozens of local vendors selling items like home-baked goods, homemade jams and other artisan foods, as well as live music, children’s games, craft vendors, raffle prizes and pony rides. There will also be a lunch of burgers, hot dogs, sausages and chips served behind the church, followed by a free ice cream social at 2 p.m. Raffle tickets are $5 apiece, or $20 per six, with drawings to take place at 2:30 p.m. The event’s rain date is Aug. 21. Visit deeringcommunitychurch.org/2021-summer-faire.

• Concorso Italiano returns: Food tents, live music, family entertainment and all types of exotic cars around the world will be featured during the annual Concorso Italiano, happening on Sunday, Aug. 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Tuscan Village’s new location (9 Via Toscana, Salem). According to a press release, 100 percent of the ticket proceeds will be donated to the Lazarus House, a nonprofit based in Lawrence, Mass., that offers transitional housing and educational and work services. Visit tuscanvillagesalem.com/car-show.

• Recipes for success: NH Eats Local Month continues with a free virtual workshop with Cooking Matters, a program of the NH Food Bank, set for Wednesday, Aug. 18, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Staff members will be demonstrating various dishes live that will highlight local maple syrup during the presentation. Recipes and other resources will be sent to participants afterward, so you can try them out at home. Admission is free, but registration is required. Participants will receive a link via email to the Zoom meeting. Visit nhfoodbank.org/programs/recipe-for-success.cooking-matters.

News from the local food scene

• Fighting fire with (barbecue) fire: Join Georgia’s Northside of Concord for its first annual community day barbecue event at Lithermans Limited Brewery (126B Hall St., Concord) on Wednesday, Aug. 11, from 4 to 8 p.m. A fundraiser for the Concord Fire Department Relief Fund, this rain or shine event will feature craft beer, free selections from Georgia’s Northside and a raffle with the chance to win a grand prize of a $1,000 private chef party with chef and owner Alan Natkiel. The Concord Fire Department Relief Fund is a charity that helps people whose lives have been adversely affected by fire. Visit georgiasnorthside.com or see the event on Facebook @georgiasnorthside.

• For the dogs: Long Blue Cat Brewing Co. (298 Rockingham Road, Londonderry) will host Barking for Brews, a fundraiser for Second Chance Ranch Rescue, on Sunday, Aug. 8. The event will feature live music, local vendors, food, craft beer and more, with $1 from every pint sold being donated to Second Chance Ranch, a shelter for dogs based in New Boston. Visit longbluecat.com. A similar fundraiser will be held the same day at Pipe Dream Brewing (49 Harvey Road, Londonderry), with $1 from each pint sold between 1 and 5 p.m. to benefit Granite State Dog Recovery. Visit pipedreambrewingnh.com.

• Seaside tea: The Cozy Tea Cart will hold a Tea by the Sea afternoon tea tasting event on Sunday, Aug. 8, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Gatherings at The Colonel Shepard House (29 Mont Vernon St., Milford). Attendees will enjoy a menu of summer tea fare in a room decorated with a seaside theme. Food options will include lemon blueberry tea bread, high tea lemon cookies, shrimp and dill tea sandwiches, fruit skewers with ginger dip, chicken salad puffs, coconut dream pound cake, and raspberry and white chocolate cream scones, all alongside a selection of fine quality teas. Admission is $39.95 per person and reservations are required. Visit thecozyteacart.com or call 249-9111.

• Maine-ly delicious: Cookbook author Kate Shaffer and food photographer Derek Bissonnette will hold a joint appearance outside The Music Hall (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth) on Thursday, Aug. 12, at 6 p.m., presenting their new book, The Maine Farm Table Cookbook. The event will include a reserved table and signed books, an author discussion moderated by Music Hall executive director Tina Sawtelle, and an audience Q&A. Ticket packages include $60 for a small table with two books, $120 for a medium table with four books or $180 for a large table with six books. Purchase them online at themusichall.org or over the phone by calling 436-2400.

• State Liquor Commission recognized: The New Hampshire Liquor Commission was recently named one of the Top 10 retailers in the country by Beverage Dynamics magazine, according to a press release, all the while continuing to surpass its own sales records. The NHLC generated an all-time high in total gross sales of more than $801 million collectively during fiscal year 2021, an increase of $35 million over the previous year. According to the release, the store at Willow Spring Plaza in Nashua had the most sales of all 69 Liquor & Wine Outlet locations in the state, with nearly $40 million.