Mya Blanchard – Page 3

An Italian Christmas

Bedford Village Inn hosts Feast of the Seven Fishes

The halls are decked at Bedford Village Inn with garlands, decor and an upside-down lighted Christmas tree suspended 30 feet high from the ceiling in the Great Hall, where the Inn will host the Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian-American celebration, on Thursday, Dec. 21.

“When you enter for the Feast of the Seven Fishes, which is traditionally held on Christmas Eve … [you’re] greeted by … beautiful holiday decor,” said Melissa Samaras, the sales and marketing director at the Bedford Village Inn. “There’s courses all including fish that go out into an extended over-indulgent evening of incredible wine and cuisine that is very heavily focused on fish.”

While the Feast of the Seven Fishes is not an official tradition or term, and its true origins are not known, eating fish on Christmas Eve could stem from the Roman Catholic tradition of abstaining from eating meat other than fish before communion, according to a post by Brian Trembath on the Denver Public Library website. Sydney Dominick, writing for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, says the tradition comes from Italian immigrants who came to America during the 20th century.

“As the guests are seated for dinner, each course is going to be accompanied with a wine pairing that will complement each item being served,” Samaras said. “We change the menu [but] it kind of follows the same prototype in a sense. [There are] certain things you always want to include.”

The evening starts with a cocktail hour with passed and stationary hors d’oeuvres such as shrimp cocktail with bloody mary cocktail sauce and lemon, oysters on the half shell with Champagne citrus mignonette, and smoked trout crostini with chives. As per tradition, hors d’oeuvres are followed by a salad, which will be a grilled calamari salad with pickled vegetables, radicchio and arugula. The second course is spaghetti with clam sauce and parsley, followed by the third course of cod puttanesca with herb-roasted Yukon potatoes and green beans with garlic and almonds. Dessert includes assorted cannolis, tiramisu cups, ricotta pie, chocolate mousse and Italian cookies.

“People can vary as to what they offer,” Samaras said. “You don’t have to stick to any course options; they just have to be fish-focused.”

Italian cuisine is special to Jack Carnevale, the owner of Bedford Village Inn.

“[It] goes back to [his] Italian roots. [He] just really [loves to celebrate] and bring that focus and those memories from his childhood…,” Samaras said. “This celebration … is near and dear to him and he wanted to create the event here to share with everyone else. … It’s really special for us to be able to extend those kinds of celebrations here….”

Feast of the Seven Fishes
When: Thursday, Dec. 21, 6 p.m.
Where: Great Hall at Bedford Village Inn, 2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford

Featured photo: Torre di Fruitti di Mare. Courtesy photo.

Art of all kinds

Art 3 Gallery in Manchester explores the power of art with current exhibit

Art 3 Gallery’s final exhibition of 2023, “The Power of Art,” on display through Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, showcases the art of 60 to 70 artists, from paintings and photographs to sculptures and mixed media.

“Twice a year we try to come up with an innovative idea for an art exhibit that is broad and representational enough to encompass all the artists that we carry,” said Sue Jones of Art 3 Gallery. “We don’t want to just focus on landscapes, or portraits or things that have people … or animals in them, so we try to pick themes that are very broad and would cover a lot of different artists’ artwork, so this particular one [is] called The Power of Art.”

About 200 artists, local, national and international, show their art at the gallery. Among them is Mary Graham, whose oil paintings “Vesper Light I” and “Vesper Light II” are featured in the show.

“My grandmother, when I was 8 years old, gave me a set of oils and I have been studying art ever since,” she said. “I have a bachelor’s in fine arts [and] I was a set designer and costume designer before going into fine art full-time, but I’ve been doing oil painting for the last 20 years or so exclusively. I’ve done some watercolor and drawing but primarily oil painting.”

When her grandparents retired and bought a farm in New Hampshire, she realized it was where she was meant to be. After living in various cities, being originally from Manhattan, and having her first daughter, she finally made the move, drawing artistic inspiration from the mountains.

“I like to paint from high up rather than looking up at them,” Graham said. “I like to hike and look down from them. I love the space, the air, the contemplative feeling that I get looking out over the summits and being in places that are unlike any other place on Earth.”

Pre-pandemic, Art 3 Gallery would have live openings on Thursday nights. Now they post video walkthroughs of the gallery on their website and social media pages. You can also stop by the gallery to see the exhibition on weekdays from 1 to 4:30 p.m. or by appointment.

Other artists featured in the exhibition are Sunil Howlader, an artist from Bangladesh whose works, made from various media like oil and acrylic paints and pastels, are on display in Asia, North America, Europe and Australia; modern impressionist Stan Moeller; and Patti Davis Ganek, a painter influenced by abstract expressionism.

“I paint primarily out of my love for this part of the world,” Graham said. “Northeast New Hampshire’s mountains is, I think, one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, and that’s why I live here and that’s why I paint, sketch, and draw and work with these mountain landscapes.”

“The Power of Art” at Art 3 Gallery
When: On display through Monday, Jan. 15. Gallery hours are 1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by appointment.
Where: 44 W Brook St., Manchester

In the kitchen with Katie Pope

While Boscawen resident Katie Pope has always liked to bake and experiment in the kitchen, she didn’t originally plan on starting her own bakery. The idea was planted in her mind after she made a unicorn cake for her daughter’s birthday party and one of the moms asked her how much she charged. The idea was put into practice about five years later with the creation of Confections by Kate during the pandemic, after she experienced burnout in the health care field, as a way to support her family. She also makes cupcakes, macarons, cake pops, truffles and cookies and holds cookie decorating classes. Her goal is to open her own brick and mortar location in Boscawen with live music, local art and plants.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A dishwasher! I spent way too many years being the dishwasher [and] I don’t think I could live without it now.

What would you have for your last meal?

Hands down the macaroni and cheese from Arms by Abbey in Worcester, Massachusetts. If you know, you know.

What is your favorite local eatery?

SourJoes. Their pizza is amazing! I’m really loving the vodka pizza.

Name a celebrity you would like to see eating in your restaurant?

Matt Rife or Payton Pritchard.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

Sugar cookies. There are endless ways to decorate them, but I really like decorating the ones that challenge my creative abilities. You can turn a sugar cookie into just about anything, and I’m always up for a good challenge.

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

Definitely the food truck. My goal is to have my own within the next two years. I mean, who doesn’t like mobile sweets?

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

My favorite thing to cook at home is pineapple beef teriyaki boats. [They] consist of pineapple halves [with] the insides scraped out. The pineapple gets filled with the beef and homemade teriyaki sauce and topped with pineapple scrapings.

Brown Sugar Maple Cookies
From the kitchen of Katie Pope

2⅓ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup salted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 egg
⅓ cup pure New Hampshire maple syrup (we use Ice Mountain Maple’s syrup)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Maple icing:
1 Tablespoon salted butter
⅓ cup pure New Hampshire maple syrup
1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
pinch of salt, to taste

Over medium heat, brown butter in a small saucepan until there is a nutty aroma.
Remove from heat, let cool to room temperature.
Whisk flour and baking soda together in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add egg and beat on high until well-combined, about 30 seconds.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl; add maple syrup and vanilla extract. Beat on high until well-combined.
Mix dry ingredients to the wet ingredients; mix on low until combined.
Cover dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a cookie scoop, scoop out and roll cookies. Place on baking sheet at least 1 inch apart. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes until lightly browned on the sides.
Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely.

Make the icing: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter and maple syrup
together, whisking occasionally. Once butter is melted and well-combined, remove from heat and whisk in sifted powdered sugar. Add a pinch of salt and whisk well. Drizzle icing over cooled cookies. Icing sets in about an hour.
Note: Browned butter gives a nutty taste greatly enhancing the maple flavor. Cookies can be made without browning the butter, but I promise they aren’t nearly as delicious.

Featured photo: Katie Pope of Confections by Kate. Courtesy photo.

Whoopie pies & ham

Where to get all the holiday must-haves

Why make the pie when you can order it? Here are some of the restaurants, bakeries and other places making eats for your holiday celebrations. Know of a pie purveyor not mentioned here? Let us know at adiaz@hippopress.com for inclusion in an upcoming Weekly Dish.

• Let All Real Meal (87 Elm St., Manchester, 782-3014, allrealmeal.com) cater this Christmas with appetizers like Buffalo chicken dip ($25) and BBQ bourbon meatballs ($38), full moon empanadas, enchiladas, quiches, salads, lasagna, gluten-free ravioli, chicken Parmesan and maple apple pork loin, and desserts such as lemon bars, cheesecake and blueberry coffee cake.

• In addition to gift baskets and daily specials, Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop ( 815 Chestnut St. in Manchester; angelaspastaandcheese.com, 625-9544) offers items for order including antipasto and cheese platters, salads, heat and serve dinners and desserts. Call to order and check with the website for holiday updates.

• The Bakeshop on Kelley Street (171 Kelley St.) has cupcakes, pies — apple, lemon meringue, pumpkin pecan crumble and more — pastry trays with mini eclairs, cream puffs, cannolis and chocolate-covered strawberries and specialty desserts available for carry out and curbside pickup. Visit their website, thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com, or call 624-3500.

• Bearded Baking Co’s (819 Union St., Manchester, 647-7150; 580 Lafayette Road, Hampton, 601-6878, beardedbakingco.com) December cupcakes are chocolate peppermint bark, Christmas tree snack cake, gingerbread man, eggnog, rumchata cinnamon toast crunch, and milk and cookies. Visit their website to place your order.

• Bread & Chocolate (29 S. Main St., Concord, 228-3330) has a variety of offerings such as honey poppyseed bread, chocolate caramel bars, molasses cookies and more. Visit their Facebook page @Bread&Chocolate.

• Brookdale Fruit Farm (41 Broad St., Hollis, brookdalefruitfarm.com, 465-2240) has plenty of pies for dessert, usually offering apple, pecan, pumpkin and more.

• Buckley’s Bakery & Cafe (436 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, buckleysbakerycafe.com, 262-5929) is taking orders through Monday, Dec. 18, for cakes, like vanilla eggnog cake for $46 and chocolate peppermint cheesecake for $36; Yule logs, hot cocoa for $45 and gluten-free raspberry white chocolate for $48; pies, like apple for $22 and chocolate peanut butter for $32; pastries and more, like cinnamon pull-apart bread and breakfast pastry tray.

Buckley’s Market & Cafe (9 Market Place, Hollis, 465-5522, buckleysbakerycafe) has appetizers such as raspberry baked brie ($20) and New England lobster dip ($30), main meals such as boneless prime rib ($29 per pound) and beef tenderloin roast ($36 per pound). Orders must be placed by Sunday, Dec. 17.

• Items on The Cake Fairy’s (114 Londonderry Turnpike, Hooksett, cakefairynh.com) December menu — cookie trays, pies, cheesecake, whoopie pie towers and more — will be available for preorder and walk-ins throughout December. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 23, special first come, first served items will be available including DIY cookie decorating kits.

• Chez Vachon’s(136 Kelley St., Manchester, chezvachon.com, 625-9660) holiday menu includes fruit and cream pies — pumpkin mousse, Key lime, apple, lemon chiffon and others — meat pies, and cakes like pistachio, apple spice and cookies and cream.

• On the menu at The Common Man (Lago, 1 Route 25, Meredith, 279-2253; Camp, 298 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-3003; Lakehouse, 281 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-5221; 60 Main St., Ashland, 968-7030; 10 Pollard Road, Lincoln, 745-3463; 88 Range Road, Windham, 898-0088; 1 Gulf St., Concord, 228-3463; 304 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-3463; 21 Water St., Claremont, 542-6171; 231 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2764; 752 Route 104, New Hampton, 744-0120; 61 Laconia Road, Tilton, 286-2204; 2280 Brown Ave., Manchester, 623-5040; thecman.com) is a glazed ham dinner with mashed potatoes, pesto green beans, Parmesan-crusted dinner rolls and cheesecake with mixed berry compote; herb-roasted prime rib dinner with sweet potato casserole, sweet bread and more with cheesecake with mixed berry compote also for dessert. Enhancements include pecan pie for $19.95, peel-and-eat shrimp cocktail for $28.95 and more. Orders must be placed by Tuesday, Dec. 19, and can be picked up on Saturday, Dec. 23, or Sunday, Dec. 24, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

• Caroline’s Fine Foods (132 Bedford Center Road, Bedford, carolinesfood.com, 637-1615) is taking orders until 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15. Appetizers include pizzetti with port-poached figs, Gorgonzola and balsamic glaze ($30) and brie en croute with raspberry and thyme ($55). Entrees (each serve eight to 10 people) are pork ballotine stuffed with sausage herb and apple stuffing ($155), roasted beef tenderloin with horseradish cream sauce ($215). Sides are roasted butternut squash ($65), carrot confit ($70) and more. Orders can be picked up on Saturday, Dec. 23, between noon and 3 p.m.

• Call Concord Food Co-op (24 South Main St., Concord, concordfoodcoop.coop, 225-6840) to place your catering order. The catering menu includes hors d’oeuvres like stuffed mushrooms and edamame dumplings, salads like pasta salad, strawberry spinach and Caesar, luncheon platters, breakfast platters and dessert platters and entrees such as baked salmon, tofu stir-fry and homemade lasagna.

• Copper Kettle To Go (39 Main St., Wilton, copperkettletogo.com) is taking orders until Sunday, Dec. 17, for breakfast and dinner and dessert options such as cinnamon rolls, French toast casserole, ham dinner, short ribs, cannolis and Yule logs. Orders must be picked up on Sunday, Dec. 24, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Crosby Bakery (51 E. Pearl St., Nashua, crosbybakerynh.com, 882-1851) is offering rolls and breads, pies from apple to blueberry to pecan and pumpkin, meat pies, sandwich, salad roll and breakfast, pastry and cookie platters, Yule logs and cakes.

• The Crust and Crumb Baking Co. (126 N. Main St., Concord, thecrustandcrumb.com)has breads and breakfast items, such as cinnamon buns, dark gingerbread tea cake and old-fashioned sour cream coffee cake; pies, like Key lime, pumpkin and maple bourbon pecan; quiches, such as bacon cheddar and spinach, tomato and feta; and cakes such as cheesecake, citrus spice mousse cake, chocolate raspberry layer cake and more available for order through Friday, Dec. 15. Orders can be picked up at various times on Friday, Dec. 22, through Sunday, Dec. 24.

• The Fresh Chef Press’s (775 Canal St., Manchester, freshchefmp.com) holiday catering menu consists of honey baked ham, mac and cheese, sides such as prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, red bliss mashed potatoes with onion, garlic and parsley, dips like spinach artichoke dip, salsa and guacamole, and a charcuterie board, cookie platter and mini flans.

• Fabrizia Lemon Baking Co. (2 Industrial Way, Salem, fabrizialemonbakingcompany.com, 458-1745) has a variety of limoncello desserts such as cookies, whoopie pies, truffles, cake jars and more.

• Giorgio’s Ristorante & Bar (707 Milford Road, Merrimack, 883-7333; 524 Nashua St., Milford, 673-3939; 270 Granite St., Manchester, 232-3323, giorgios.com) has a catering menu that includes Caesar, strawberry goat cheese and other salads, appetizers like hummus, mussels and crispy cheese ravioli, subs and tacos and entrees like lasagna, mushroom ravioli carbonara, baked haddock, butcher shop classics such as grilled salmon, grilled shrimp, steak and chicken and mini desserts like cannolis and tiramisu. Place your order for the Milford or Manchester locations online. To order from the Merrimack location, call the restaurant.

• Granite State Candy Shoppe (13 Warren Road, Concord, granitestatecandyshoppe.com) has a variety of Christmas candy and chocolate including white peppermint bark, chocolate snowmen and Santas, candy canes, spice drops, ribbon candy, gum drops, malt balls and more.

• Greenleaf in Milford (greenleafmilford.com) is taking pre-orders for Christmas with meals such as peppercorn- and rosemary-glazed ham, chicken breasts with chimichurri, and beef tenderloin, and desserts like apple galette with salted caramel, holiday Yule cake and cranberry swirl cheesecake slices. Orders must be placed by Wednesday, Dec. 20, and picked up on Saturday, Dec. 23, between 4 and 8 p.m. at their prep kitchen in Milford (75 Mount Vernon St.)

• Gusto Italiano Market (254 Wallace Road, Bedford, gustoitalianomarket.net, 488-1055) has olive oils, homemade gelato and pasta from the south of Italy, panettone, torrone, Italian cold cuts and more to add to your Christmas feast.

• Contact LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst; 14 Route111, Derry; 672-9898 ) online to cater your Christmas meal.

• Mr. Mac’s Macaroni & Cheese (497 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 606-1760, mr-macs.com) is offering 10 percent off all party trays — with flavors like Philly cheese steak, taco, shrimp scampi and broccoli alfredo mac — throughout December.

• New England’s Tap House Grille (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, taphousenh.com, 782-5137) has French-Canadian meat pie, almond joy cheesecake, cookie and brownie tray, carrot cake and rolls by the dozen available for order by Friday, Dec. 15, and pickup on Saturday, Dec. 23, and Sunday, Dec. 24, by 5 p.m.

• Queen City Cupcakes (816 Elm St., Manchester, qccupcakes.com, 624-4999) has a variety of holiday cupcake flavors including peppermint hot cocoa, red velvet, sugar cookie, eggnog, gingerbread whoopie, cranberry lemon and more available for pickup on Saturday, Dec. 23, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call ahead to reserve yours.

• On the menu at 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) are cakes and pies, like almond raspberry cake and apple, pumpkin and banana cream pie, and a turkey dinner Christmas special with stuffing, mashed potatoes, carrots and squash. Call or go online to order.

• The Red Blazer’s(72 Manchester St., Concord, 224-4101, theredblazer.com) Christmas catering menu consists of beef tips, spaghetti, sweet Italian sausage with marinara, broiled haddock and more. Dessert options include a Yule log, pumpkin cheesecake and hot chocolate cake. There is a three-day lead time for all orders. Orders can be picked up on Sunday, Dec. 24.

• Smoke Shack Cafe (226 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, smokeshackcafe.com, 404-2178) has holiday season offerings that can be incorporated into existing packages or you can create a custom package. Smoked ham, smoked prime rib and bacon-wrapped turkey breast are available a la carte, and sides include butternut squash, brown sugar glazed carrots, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes and more. Two meal packages are offered. Package 1 feeds six to eight people and includes smoked ham, two large sides, six pieces of cornbread and a half tray of salad for $157.99. Package 2 feeds eight to 12 and comes with smoked ham, six large sides, 12 pieces of cornbread and a full salad try. Nine-inch apple, cranberry, pumpkin and chocolate cream pies are also available. Orders must be placed by Wednesday, Dec. 20, and can be picked up on Saturday, Dec. 23, between 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 24, between 9 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.

• Sweet Caroline (28 Homestead Place, Alton, sweetcarolinebakerynh.com) is taking orders through Sunday, Dec. 10, for items on their holiday dessert menu like a Yule log that serves about 12 people for $41.95, an 8-inch or 10-inch red velvet cake, carrot cake, raspberry mocha cake and others. Pastry trays and cookie platters are also available as well as pies such as apple blueberry, ricotta, lemon meringue and more.

• Van Otis Chocolates (vanotis.com, 341 Elm St., Manchester, 627-1611; 15 S. Main St., Wolfeboro, 515-1045) has countless treats for your holiday feast, like white chocolate kettle corn, cherry cordials, cream wafers, peppermint bark, caramel hot chocolate and more.

Gift ideas

• Send 10 portions of meals from All Real Meal (allrealmeal.com, 782-3014) packaged in their “You Are Loved” cooler bag to family and friends this holiday season. Meals include grass-fed beef, wild-caught seafood, their bestselling desserts, high-protein sides and a snack including organic popcorn, chocolates and/or protein bites. You can include a personalized message to be sent with your order.

• Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery (9 Delaware Drive, Suite 1, in Salem cucinaaurora.com, 458-6159) has limited-edition seasonal offerings available, like an infused olive oil gift set consisting of two 12-ounce bottles of their bestselling infused olive oils, roasted garlic and rosemary oregano. Each box comes with a booklet of holiday recipes; a 12-ounce glass bottle of savory sage infused olive oil; and a 12-ounce resealable packed of Witch’s Brew Coffee Holiday Brew, dark roast coffee grounds with peppermint leaves, cocoa nibs and pink peppercorn.

• Emilee Viaud of Sweet Treats by Emilee will be attending the Milford Farmers Market (300 Elm St., Milford) on Saturdays, Dec. 2 and Dec. 16, selling popular items such as chocolate gingerbread smash houses, snowmen hot cocoa bombs, new hot cocoa cups and tea bombs. “Tea bombs are a sugar shell filled with flavored tea bags and edible glitter,” Viaud said. “You pour hot water over the bomb and the sugar melts to create a cup of sweet glittery tea. Popular flavors are passion tea, orange, chai and green tea.” Her products can also be found at the Manchester Craft Market in the Mall of New Hampshire (1500 S. Willow St., Manchester) and at Junction 71 in Pennichuck Shopping Square in Merrimack (707 Milford Road). You can find her on Facebook @SweetTreatsbyEmilee.

• Fabrizia Lemon Baking Co. (2 Industrial Way, Salem, fabrizialemonbakingcompany.com, 458-1745) is offering five Christmas gift boxes this holiday season: The Kris Kringle Box, the Holiday Cheer Box, Cookie Sharing Box, Holiday Grande Cheer Box and the Holiday Deluxe box, each filled with an assortment of with limoncello treats such as cookies, biscotti, candy, truffles limoncello cranberry pistachio bark, 16-ounce loaves and more, ranging from $49.99 to $99.99. Each box has the option of coming with a personalized holiday themed note. Orders are available for pickup or delivery.

• Granite State Candy Shoppe (13 Warren Road, Concord, granitestatecandyshoppe.com), also has gift boxes available with milk and dark chocolate, truffles, peanut butter cups, dark peppermint patties and more.

• Gusto Italiano Market (254 Wallace Road, Bedford, gustoitalianomarket.net, 488-1055) has olive oils, homemade gelato and pasta from the south of Italy and more gifts for the holiday season that can be bought at their location in Bedford.

• Lindsey Bangs of I Whisked It (iwhiskedit.com) will be offering hot chocolate bombs, homemade marshmallows, brownie mix gift sets, chocolate-covered pretzels, and German stollen for online ordering. Cakes and cupcakes will also be available for pickup at the Laurel Hill Jams and Jellies and Loon Chocolate showroom in Manchester (195 McGregor St., Suite 121) on Saturday, Dec. 23. Pre-orders will close on Monday, Dec. 11, or when sold out. She will also be selling her products at the Very Merry Holiday Gift Festival at the DoubleTree by Hilton (700 Elm St., Manchester) on Saturday, Dec. 9, and Sunday, Dec. 10.

• Joppa Hill Educational Farm (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford, theeducationalfarm.org, 472-4724) has holiday gift boxes for $50 and $100 with an assortment of local and artisan products, like apple cider doughnut mix, maple almonds, maple syrup and infused olive oil. You can fill your own box or pick one of the prefilled options. Each box has a prep time of five days and orders can be picked up at the store.

• The Manchester Craft Market in the Mall of New Hampshire (1500 S Willow St., Manchester) has an array of food-related gifts, such sauces and dips, coffee, tea, freeze-dried candy, maple candy, maple syrup, olive oils, james, jellies, granola, risottos, fudge, peanut brittle, and accessories like chef knives, charcuterie boards, travel mugs, oven mitts, cookbooks and more.

• More sweets are available from Twelve 31 Events (twelve31.events) for delivery or pickup at their Concord location (100 N. Main St., Suite 101, Concord) or their Tilton location (261 Main St., Tilton). Each box of a dozen Italian Christmas cookies is filled with an assortment of kinds, including anisette, ginger, snowballs, pistachio macaroons, honey walnut and chocolate espresso.They will be available for pickup or delivery until Sunday, Dec. 24.

• Van Otis Chocolates (vanotis.com) has a variety of gift baskets to choose from, including the Christmas Gift Basket Box that consists of assorted chocolates, salted cashews, Swiss fuge, caramels and a five-pack of chocolate-covered pretzel rods, and the Holiday Tiered Tower. Call to place your order (341 Elm St., Manchester, 627-1611; 15 S Main St., Wolfeboro, 515-1045).

Expo is now Very Merry

Holiday gift festival features New England-made items

On Saturday, Dec. 9, and Sunday, Dec. 10, the group that brings us the Made in New Hampshire Expo debuts the Very Merry Holiday Gift Festival at the DoubleTree by Hilton, a rebranding of The Made in New England Expo. As before, the event will feature nearly 100 vendors from around New England showcasing and selling local and handmade products such as jewelry, dog treats, candles and cookies, this time with a festive flair.

“We wanted to bring in a bit more of the holiday element [and] have more interactive things going on in addition to our vendors,” said Christine Carignan, one of the owners of Granite Media Group, which puts on the event. “We’ve done a big rebrand with it, hoping that will get people in the holiday spirit and get them coming to the show.”

Christmas additions include visits from Santa from 1 to 3 p.m. and holiday crafts all weekend with Mrs. Claus as a visitor from 1 to 3 p.m. Gingerbread Amy will be giving gingerbread house demonstrations, and there will be a caricature artist each day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., live performances by The Funky Divas of Gospel and Northern Voices A Capella, and puppies from Live and Let Live Farm.

“We have a special kids-only shopping area and we’re calling it Candy Cane Corner,” Carignan said. “We have small [$2] items just for kids to go shopping for things for mom and dad or friends or their siblings, and our plan is to donate the proceeds to a local children’s charity from that shopping area.”

Vendors will be juried under stricter criteria this year to ensure the products and vendors align with the purpose of the event, as they will be for the Made in New Hampshire expo in the spring.

“It’s somewhat similar to what we’ve done in the past but we’ve gotten a bit more strict about it,” Carignan said. “We really wanted to curate a show where it’s really handmade or locally made products … [and] we really wanted to make the focus of this about the gifts and about locally made items that people can come and buy for everybody on their holiday list. We’ve really focused [in on] that. … We try to keep an eye on the different categories of vendors [so] that we never have too many of one particular kind … that way there’s a big variety available.”

Vendors include Lindsey Bangs of I Whisked it — who will bring sweet treats like homemade marshmallows, hot chocolate bombs, chocolate-covered pretzels, oreos and German stollen and will be offering cake preorders — Stark Brewing Co., Barkin’ Biscuit from Bedford with handmade dog treats made with human grade ingredients as well as organic fruits and vegetables, FireFlight Photo with high end nature and wildlife photography and so much more.

“The goal of our festival is aligned with the mission of our company, which is always to celebrate and elevate businesses,” Carignan said. “We want to be able to highlight the unique items that are available in our little corner of the country. … We want people to have fun and find unique gifts for everyone that [they] need to shop for and for themselves too.”

Very Merry Holiday Gift Festival
When: Saturday, Dec. 9, and Sunday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton, 700 Elm St., Manchester
Cost: Tickets are $7 for adults, $6 for seniors age 65+ and free for children under 14. Purchase online or at the door.
Visit: verymerryfestival.com

Featured image: Previous Made in New England Expo. Courtesy photo.

German-inspired Christmas

Amherst market riffs on the European market tradition

Last year Lindsay Buchanan, with the help of a committee of volunteers, put together a German-inspired Christmas market at the Amherst Village Green. This year the Amherst German Christmas Market will be on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“The point was to create a Christmas event for my community that would appeal to all ages,” said Buchanan, who was raised in Amherst. “Amherst puts on a really great Fourth of July and Halloween, and I just felt that we could use something for Christmastime.”

With a love for traveling and experiencing other cultures, she landed on the German Christmas market theme. The original German Christmas markets, she said, started during the Middle Ages when people in Germany would go out to buy supplies for the winter. Buchanan stayed true to the outdoor setting and incorporated other European aspects with German goods sold by vendors.

“Our committee works very hard donating their time and we still have a long way to go before we reach our vision,” Buchanan said. “Every year we learn more and make adjustments. … We plan to add more authenticity as the event evolves.”

While shopping is the focus of this event (Buchanan stresses it is not specifically a food event), those looking for some German eats find offerings including German classics such as brats and sauerkraut, potato latkes, currywurst (fried sausage with a sauce with curry powder on top), glüwein (a spiced German wine), lebkuchen (a German gingerbread), and much more.

There will also be a biergarten, live music including German tunes, popular music and Christmas classics, and an appearance from Santa Claus.

Find other food vendors listed on the event’s website, amherstchristmasmarket.org.

Other market items include New England-made crafts and German decor and imports such as star lanterns and nutcrackers. Some of the most popular items include candle bridges, ornaments and smokers.

“Last year we received 8,000 to 10,000 attendees and we designed the event with the expectation we would receive about a third of that, so it was shocking and bewildering to see these really big crowds,” Buchanan said. “A lot of people [reported] they drove in from out of state, so it was much bigger than we could have ever anticipated. … We’re trying to make adjustments with the anticipation of a big crowd again.”

While the word “German” is attached to the title of the event, Buchanan highlights that this event is an American-European hybrid event that is not a recreation of major city markets in Germany, but is simply German-inspired, and that the Amherst German Christmas Market is an entirely volunteer-run nonprofit.

“It’s just so great that so many people want to see this event succeed and are helping to make it happen,” Buchanan said. “To go from just an idea to this huge thing, it’s hard for me to even comprehend. … We appreciate people’s patience and support. … The whole point is to have a good time.”

Amherst German Christmas Market
Where: Amherst Village Green, 2 Main St., Amherst
When: Saturday, Dec. 9, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Featured photo: Amherst German Christmas Market walkway. Photo by Lindsay Buchanan.

What Thanksgiving is all about

Theatre Kapow presents The Thanksgiving Play

By Mya Blanchard

mblanchard@hippopress.com

We all know Thanksgiving for the turkey and pie and giving thanks, but what is at the real root of the holiday and how does that tie in with Native American heritage month and culture? This is the question four individuals face when trying to write an accurate and politically correct Thanksgiving play for elementary school children in The Thanksgiving Play by Larissa FastHorse. Theatre Kapow’s production of the play will be at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage in Concord from Friday, Dec. 1, through Sunday, Dec. 3.

“It’s a group of four people who come together to write and produce a play in honor of Native American Heritage Month and they realize very quickly that it’s difficult for them to tell a story about Native American heritage without having any Native Americans among their company,” said director Matt Cahoon. “The whole play is them trying to struggle with the fact that they don’t know what to do. They get very paralyzed by their own ‘wokeness’ for lack of a better word, and they [are] trying to do the right thing, and the right thing ultimately ends them up in several not right places.”

The four-person cast features longtime Theatre Kapow member Rachael Longo as high school teacher Logan, her onstage partner Jaxton played by Peter Josephson, Molly Litt as Alicia, and Joel Iwaskiewicz making his Theatre Kapow debut as Caden.

“I think one of the biggest challenges that we have is being OK with saying and doing some of the really awful and inappropriate things that they do,” Longo said. “We perform these school pageants that have actually … been written and used by different public schools in our country, and so the playwright took the text from the actual pageants and put it in for the actors to perform.”

Native American playwright Larissa FastHorse wrote the comedy in 2015. It is the only one of her plays to go to Broadway, which Cahoon says is likely due to its relatability.

“I think people [will] very quickly recognize themselves in some of these characters,” he said. “This kind of innate need to do the right thing, to be politically correct, to take care of each other and sometimes the ways in which we can tie ourselves in knots in an effort to do good. There’s a lot of comedy that comes out of that idea, that difficult conversations are difficult for a reason, and I think we get to laugh at these characters as they try to navigate [that].”

Theatre Kapow presents The Thanksgiving Play
Where: Bank of New Hampshire Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord
When: Friday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 3, at 2 p.m.
Cost: General admission tickets are $28 and $23 for students and seniors not including fees.
More info: Visit tkapow.com

Jingle all the way

Tour of New Hampshire’s wineries

Tour wineries throughout New Hampshire this holiday season during the New Hampshire Jingle Bells Winery Tour running on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. through Sunday, Dec. 17.

“It’s a self-guided tour through … 12 different wineries in the state of New Hampshire … [ranging] all the way from the Seacoast area up to the North Country, all the way out to the western country in Westmoreland, so it basically encompasses the whole state,” said Lewis Eaton, former president of the New Hampshire Winery Association and owner of Sweet Baby Vineyard in Hampstead, one of the participating wineries. “You get a whole month to do it and each winery provides wine samples. You also get a food component to go with it and you get an individual ornament from each one of the wineries.”

Sweet Baby Vineyard will offer four one-ounce pours of any of the 20 wines on their tasting board with lots of fruity options such as blueberry, peach, apple, raspberry and strawberry, and freshly baked cookies and brownies made by a local baker. You will be able to pick from two ornaments, a logoed glass ball or a compostable seed packet shaped like a snowflake that you can toss in your garden in the spring to plant wildflowers.

Other participating wineries are Appolo Vineyard, Averill House Vineyard, Black Bear Vineyard, Cabana Falls Winery, Crazy Cat Winery, Flag Hill Distillery & Winery, Hermit Woods Winery, both LaBelle Winery locations in Amherst and Derry, Seven Birches Winery, Squamscott Vineyard & Winery and The Summit Winery.

“We encourage you to do it as your Christmas shopping, so if you’re going up to the North Country … to shop at the outlets or anything like that you can hit a couple of wineries up there, [or] when you’re on the Seacoast shopping,” Eaton said. “The weekend after Thanksgiving is generally the most busy time for the Jingle Bell Tour because people are out Christmas shopping and just burning time.”

At LaBelle Winery participants will be able to sample whatever wine they choose and enjoy a citrus, ginger and thyme crisp or a double chocolate crunch shortbread to have with their samples or take home. For those with food allergies or sensitivities, dark chocolate-covered cranberries will also be offered.

Each winery will be competing in the Holiday Spirit contest, so after you’ve gone to each one, make sure to go to the New Hampshire Jingle Bells Winery Tour and follow the guidelines to vote for which winery was best decked for the holidays for the chance to win a gift basket filled by the wineries.

“It’s such a nice program because it introduces the public and wine lovers to a good number of New Hampshire wineries,” said Michelle Thornton, the marketing and business development director at LaBelle Winery. “A lot of people may have not ever been to all of them and this gives them the opportunity to go.”

2023 Jingle Bells Winery Tour
Where: at participating wineries
When: Saturday and Sunday through Sunday, Dec. 17, from noon to 4 p.m.
Cost: Tickets are $55 for single admission and $100 for couple admission. Purchase via eventbrite.
More info: Visit their Facebook page @NHJingleBellsWineryTour

Appolo Vineyards
49 Lawrence Road, Derry
Averill House Vineyard
21 Averill Road, Brookline
Black Bear Vineyard
289 New Road, Salisbury
Cabana Falls Winery
80 Peterborough St., Jaffrey
Crazy Cat Winery
365 Lake St., Bristol
Flag Hill Distillery & Winery
297 N. River Road, Lee
Hermit Woods Winery
72 Main St., Meredith
LaBelle Winery
345 Route 101, Amherst
14 Route 111, Derry
Seven Birches Winery
22 South Mountain Road, Lincoln
Squamscott Vineyard & Winery
70 Route 108, Newfields
Sweet Baby Vineyard
260 Stage Road, Hampstead
The Summit Winery
719 Highway 12, Westmoreland

Featured photo: LaBelle Winery. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Kyle Burnett

Kyle Burnett’s passion for cooking developed during his time at Lakes Region Technology Center, where he took culinary classes. Growing up, his mother wasn’t much of a cook, which inspired him to learn for himself. Since April of this year he has been working at Sonny’s Tavern in Dover, where is an executive chef for the first time in his career.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A comfy pair of shoes. When you’re on your feet for 10-plus hours a day, they are essential.

What would you have for your last meal?

A homemade Hawaiian pizza.

What is your favorite local eatery?

If I had to pick one it would definitely be Hong Asian Noodle Bar in Dover.

Name a celebrity you would like to see eating in your restaurant?

I would definitely enjoy seeing Matthew Lillard eating something I’ve made.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

My personal favorite is the short rib risotto. It definitely hits the spot on some of the colder nights.

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

The use of micro greens as garnish for food.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Chicken pot pie, mostly because it’s my wife’s favorite and I enjoy cooking for her.

Crab cakes
From the Kitchen of Kyle Burnett

1 pound of crab meat
½ cup of corn
1 red onion
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup cilantro
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
2 Tablespoons onion powder
2 Tablespoons paprika
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 eggs

Finely chop red onion and cilantro. Mix together mayonnaise, corn, red onion, cilantro, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and egg. Mix until well combined. Gently fold in crab meat. Form into 1½-ounce portions and press into a round coin shape.
Pan sear on medium heat with just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan until browned on one side, then flip over and cook the other side.

Featured photo: Kyle Burnett, executive chef at Sonny’s Tavern. Courtesy photo.

Out with the old, in with the new

815 Cocktails and Provisions in Manchester has reopened

815 Cocktails and Provisions in Manchester reopened its doors this September after closing to undergo renovations, now having officially retired its speakeasy style for a modern approach with a more functional open space and the same classic cocktails.

After a combined 30-plus years of bartending experience, Sarah Maillet and Ryan McCabe originally opened 815 back in 2015.

“We wanted it to be more of a relaxing place where people could come, enjoy and have classic cocktails,” Maillet said. “It has always been in our mind an ode to where bartending began and where it is today.”

The duo spent months researching the market and classic cocktails while trying all kinds of spirits they had never heard of, to create their own cocktail menu that now consists of drinks like Starr Gazer, with Bacardi rum, raspberry liqueur, lychee, lime, demerara and grapefruit bitters, and 815 Old Fashioned with Nebco bourbon, demerara, bitters, orange peel and luxardo cherry. Provisions include flatbreads, such as tomato burrata and pimento pork, salads, tacos, like mushroom carnitas and Brooklyn bodega, a charcuterie and cheese board and more.

“We decided to go back to the old speakeasy theme,” Maillet said. “The entrance was a little bit secretive, there was a phone booth in the hall and there were sliding fake brick walls so it didn’t look like there was an actual restaurant or bar behind it.” Patrons would enter the phone booth, press the button and be asked for that week’s password, which would be posted on 815’s social media pages. After about four years, the password system proved to be a hassle.

“There were always techy kinds of issues,” Maillet said. “I started to feel like, as far as locals go, it wasn’t appealing for them to wander into their local restaurant or bar if they had to jump through hoops to look up a password every week.”

They decided to do away with the password on weekdays, saving it exclusively for weekends. This worked for a while, the speakeasy aspect making 815 a weekend destination theme, but with the arrival of Covid things were complicated further.

“I told Ryan, if there’s ever a time when we can change something and not have to explain it to anybody, now’s the time,” Maillet said. “So at that point we decided to get rid of the password speakeasy aspect of 815, and not just [for] the fact that we were changing and evolving, but it would have been an absolute nightmare … if we had to go into the phone booth … and clean and sanitize it.”

When they first established 815, the pair made do with the layout of the bar and worked with what they had. After occupying the space for several years, they had a better idea of what would ideally work best for them. With the bar needing new subfloors, they decided to take this as an opportunity to renovate, revamp and rebrand 815 entirely, building a bigger kitchen and more comfortable bar, adorning the walls with pictures and murals, removing bulky furniture and doing away altogether with the speakeasy aspect.

Despite the changes, 815 is still the same at its core, continuing to serve cocktails that are both classic and creative.

“I’ve never really let go of that creativity,” Maillet said. “I have an idea of what I like the cocktail menu to look like and keeping it balanced … and I like to think that I have a decent amount of experience under my belt to make a balanced menu and things that people enjoy, that are fun, unique, … approachable, … adventurous, whatever the case may be.”

815 Cocktails and Provisions
Where: 815 Elm St., Manchester
When: Tuesday through Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to midnight.

Featured photo: Photos courtesy of 815 Cocktails & Provisions.

Author: Mya Blanchard