It’s a week before Thanksgiving, and you may be up to your eyeballs with menu planning, grocery shopping and kitchen scheduling. Thus, you may wonder why on Earth you need a biscotti recipe this week. The answer is easy: They’re delicious and versatile.
If you have time to bake these before Thanksgiving they can serve many roles: a part of the dessert table, a breakfast offering for houseguests, a gift for the host. If you don’t have time to bake them now, save the recipe to use either as (1) a treat for yourself or (2) a homemade holiday gift that ships and stores well.
There are a couple notes for this recipe. First, it obviously contains alcohol. Some of the bourbon is used in the glaze, which means the alcohol doesn’t bake off. This might be considered an adults-only treat. Second, you want to use a bourbon that you would drink straight up or on the rocks. As it’s used in the biscotti and the glaze, its flavor will be prominent.
Michele Pesula Kuegler has been thinking about food her entire life. Since 2007, the New Hampshire native has been sharing these food thoughts and recipes at her blog, Think Tasty. Visit thinktasty.com to find more of her recipes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on speed 2. Add eggs one at a time, beating until fully combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons bourbon, mixing for 1 minute. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and blend. Stir pecans into dough. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 10″ x 3″ rectangle, using floured hands. Set loaves 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until the dough is set. Leaving the oven on, remove the biscotti loaves and cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheet. Then, using a chef’s knife, cut the loaves into diagonal slices, 1/2 inch thick. Place the slices on the baking sheet with the cut sides down; brush with 1 tablespoon bourbon. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes. Turn slices over and bake for 8 to 9 minutes more. Remove biscotti from the oven and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. Combine powdered sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon; stir well. Add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Using a spoon, coat the top side of each biscotti with glaze. Allow glaze to harden; then eat or store in a sealed container.
Photo: Pecan biscotti with a bourbon kick. Photo courtesy of Michele Pesula Kuegler.
The Peacock Players wrap up two weekends of presenting The Wedding Singer with a show tonight at 7 p.m. (as well as Saturday, Nov. 20, at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m.). The show runs at Court Street Theatre (14 Court St. in Nashua). Tickets cost $14 to $19 and are available at peacockplayers.org.
Saturday, Nov. 20
The 21st annual Fez-tival of Trees starts today at the Bektash Shrine Center (189 Pembroke Road in Concord; nhshriners.org) and is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. most days through Sunday, Nov. 28. See multiple fully decorated trees, which will be raffled off. Admission costs $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and kids 12 and under get in free.
Saturday, Nov. 20
It’s another weekend to get in some craft fair shopping.
Today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the First Parish Church (47 E. Derry Road in Derry; 434-0628) will hold its 77th annual Sugar Plum Fair. In addition to crafters, find raffle baskets, a cookie walk and the Hungry Caterpillar food truck, according to fpc-ucc.org.
The YMCA Allard Center of Goffstown (116 Goffstown Back Road; graniteymca.org) will hold its craft fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring more than 40 vendors, homemade baked goods, door prizes, membership discounts and more, according to the center’s Facebook page.
The Deerfield Community Church (15 Church St.; 463-7734, deerchurch.org) will hold its fair today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the website.
Londonderry High School (295 Mammoth Road; lhs.londonderry.org, 432-6941) will hold its craft fair today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to the website.
Thorton’s Ferry School (134 Camp Sargent Road in Merrimack; 889-1577) will hold its annual holiday craft fair with more than 80 crafters and vendors from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a raffle room and silent auction, concession cafe, bake sale, book fair and a free Elf Clinic, according to pttf-events.com. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the website said.
Trinity Episcopal Church (200 High St. in Hampton; trinityhampton.org, 926-5688) will hold its Holly Berry Fair today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sister church Christ Episcopal Church (1035 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth; christepiscopalchurch.us) will hold its Holly Berry Fair at the same time, featuring a cookie walk, baked goods, a silent auction, crafters and vendors and more, according to the website.
Thrive Outdoors (190 Elm St. in Manchester; 625-6600, thriveoutdoorsnh.com) will hold a Crafts Holiday Fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Today and tomorrow, Nov. 21, check out the Bow PTO craft fair (Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) at Bow High School (55 Falcon Way in Bow). Admission costs $2 and the fair will feature more than 150 artists, according to bowpto.digitalpto.com.
The Spelled Out Psychic Fair and Full Moon Market will be held at the Hunt Memorial Building (6 Main St. in Nashua) today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free; the event includes psychic readers as well as crafters and more, according to a press release; see spelledoutshop.com.
The Seacoast Artisans 22nd annual holiday fine arts and craft show will run today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 35 Lafayette Road in Lafayette Crossing Plaza, Hampton. Admission costs $5 (kids 14 and under get in free). See seacoastartisansshows.com.
Sunday, Nov. 21
Catch the Freese Brothers Big Band today at 2 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; 668-5588, palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $29.
Save the Date! Friday, Dec. 10
Matt Nakoa will play the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Friday, Dec. 10, at 8 p.m. Tickets for the singer-songwriter’s show cost $22 (plus fees) in advance and an extra $2 at the door. See and hear Nakoa at mattnakoa.com.
New Hampshire’s outdoor recreation sector created $2.2 billion in economic activity in 2020, making it among the Top 10 states in the nation with the highest value added to the state’s gross domestic product (2.6 percent), according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs. Though non-traditional outdoor activities like amusement parks, water parks and festivals were negatively impacted by the pandemic, more conventional outdoor activities like camping, boating, fishing and RVing either increased or stayed the same: boating/fishing increased by 41 percent, bicycling by 14 percent, RVing by 9 percent and OHRVing by 5 percent.
Score: +1
Comment:New Hampshire’s outdoor recreation industry employed more than 26,500 people in 2020, according to the release.
A new challenge to staying connected
New Hampshire residents who rely on 3G service could find themselves disconnected come 2022, as cell carriers shut down the old network to make way for higher-speed, more reliable 5G service, according to a report from WMUR. By the end of 2022 all 3G service will be obsolete, so people with older cell phones and tablets should check with their carriers to find out when they plan to stop 3G service.
Score: -1
Comment:According to the WMUR report, there are some medical devices and in-vehicle data services that still depend on the 3G network, too, and services like OnStar are contacting customers about plans to update its software to keep people connected.
Community caring
Students of the Granite State Independent Living programs in Manchester, Nashua, Concord and Littleton are giving back to their communities all month long, according to a press release. Granite State Independent Living helps underserved students with disabilities transition from high school to the workforce or a post-secondary education. Now some of those students are reaching out to help others; locally, Manchester students are writing thank-you notes to health care workers, Nashua students will volunteer at the Nashua Soup Kitchen and make Christmas ornaments for a local nursing home, and Concord students will prepare Thanksgiving dinners for the homeless.
Score: +1
Comment:“Our students are remarkable and we are deeply touched to see their youthful enthusiasm for various community projects all around the state,” Deborah Ritcey, CEO of GSIL, said in the release. “It’s a great way to showcase the kindness and generosity of these young people.”
Even easier travel options at MHT
Prefer to fly nonstop, and from Manchester, not Boston? Manchester-Boston Regional Airport has launched two more nonstop routes on Spirit Airlines, to Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers and Tampa International Airport, joining its nonstop routes to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, according to a press release. This also adds more options for passengers who want to fly internationally, as they can connect in Florida to destinations like Colombia, Jamaica, Mexico and Costa Rica. Spirit started flying out of MHT this year, the first new airline at the airport in 17 years.
Score: +1
Comment:“Time and time again, our passengers are showing us that they prefer to fly out of MHT, even to connect internationally,” Airport Director Ted Kitchens said in the press release. “It’s exciting to see Spirit expanding to two more Florida destinations from MHT.”
QOL score: 75
Net change: +2
QOL this week: 77
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
Covid-19 news
During the state’s weekly public health update on Nov. 10, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan reported that New Hampshire averaged about 650 new cases of Covid-19 per day over the previous week. Test-positivity rates, hospitalizations and deaths due to the virus have all continued to climb in recent weeks. “We are … seeing an increasing number of deaths reported from long-term care facilities, although the majority of deaths continue to be in our community setting,” he said. Chan renewed the state’s recommendations for residents to get vaccinated if they have not already done so, adding the reminder that kids ages 5 to 11 are now eligible to receive their first shot. “We continue to work with our Public Health Networks to set up a combination of both school-based clinics [and] community-based pediatric vaccination clinics to support the vaccination efforts that are ongoing in our communities,” Chan said.
Gov. Chris Sununu also commented on the state Executive Council’s unanimous vote earlier that day to accept $22.4 million in federal Covid relief funds. “The vote … will definitely help speed up that distribution process, which is a good thing for all of our citizens, putting funding behind the efforts and help battle the pandemic,” Sununu said during the press conference.
As of Nov. 15 there were 6,295 active infections of Covid-19 in New Hampshire, up by more than 1,000 from just a week ago, with 260 current hospitalizations statewide. All 10 counties remain at substantial levels of community transmission.
Renting resolutions
The New Hampshire Judicial Branch has launched a new free mediation service to help landlords and tenants resolve conflicts before resorting to filing an eviction case in court. According to a press release, the “eviction diversion mediation program” is supported by federal funds through the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery and administered by the Office of Mediation and Arbitration and the New Hampshire Circuit Court. To use the service, a residential landlord or tenant can request a remote mediation session with a neutral third-party mediator, who will assist the parties in talking through issues, such as paying back rent or applying for rental assistance, and drafting a contract of agreement to prevent an eviction case from being filed. “When parties can resolve a dispute without filing an eviction, everyone wins,” Circuit Court Administrative Judge David King said in the release. “Landlords avoid the time, expense, and uncertainty of going to court, tenants avoid the black mark of an eviction case on their records, and the courts see fewer new cases.”
Anti-discrimination webpage
According to a press release, a new webpage launched by the New Hampshire Department of Education will help “ensure that students and educators are free from discrimination, and that they have the opportunity to learn and teach in a safe environment.” The release said the website supports the New Hampshire Commission on Human Rights by giving parents an online site to report concerns that their child may have been discriminated against. Parents, guardians and teachers can submit a public education intake questionnaire that will be reviewed by a Commission intake coordinator to determine if there are grounds to file a formal complaint.
Education Freedom accounts
More than 1,600 children in New Hampshire have been approved for Education Freedom Accounts, and the first round of funding from the Children’s Scholarship Fund NH is being made available to eligible families this month. According to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Education, the grants, which total $8,096,903, give families access to resources like customized learning, tutoring services, career schools, technical schools, home schooling, and non-public and private schools. Among the 1,635 participants, 88 are special education students, 81 are English Language Learners and 879 are eligible for free and reduced lunches. Manchester has the largest number of families enrolled throughout the state, with 166 students receiving Education Freedom Accounts, followed by Nashua with 64 students enrolled, Rochester with 52 students, Laconia with 52 and Concord with 46.
Funds for farmers
New Hampshire will receive more than $1.2 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support farmers in the state, according to a Nov. 2 press release from the office of U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. Of those funds, $749,856 will be awarded to Land for Good in Keene through USDA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, which helps beginner farmers develop the knowledge and skills to successfully acquire land for farming. Five hundred thousand dollars has been allocated through USDA’s Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network to facilitate mental health services for farmers in the state. “Granite State farmers face a myriad of unpredictable and uncontrollable challenges that can create or exacerbate stress, anxiety and trauma,” Shaheen said in the release. “Now more than ever, ensuring they have access to the resources they need to address these mental health challenges must be a top priority.”
Affordable housing
The New Hampshire Housing Board has approved funding for three new multi-family affordable housing developments to be built in Concord, Newport and Rochester, providing a total of 83 units to help meet the need for more affordable rental housing in the state. According to a press release, the Concord development, Penacook Landing II, is a second-phase expansion of a new development on a brownfield property that was previously owned by the city. Thirty-four general occupancy units were created in Phase I; Phase II will build 20 additional general occupancy units, with a small portion of the site to be used for a public park. Funding for the housing developments is allocated through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits About 95 percent of publicly funded workforce housing in New Hampshire is LIHTC-funded, according to the release, and the Housing Board expects to allocate more LIHTC funds for additional housing developments by the end of the year.
NewDEAL
Last week Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig was chosen as one of 20 leaders from across the country to join the NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders), a national network of state and local elected officials chosen from more than 1,650 nominations over its decade-long history. According to a press release, the nearly 200 members “work to enact pro-growth progressive solutions in a diverse array of communities” and are currently supporting each other in addressing the challenges created by the pandemic.
The national Choose Love wellness tour stopped at Gill Stadium in Manchester on Nov. 13, a free event promoting mental health for kids and adults and offering “Choose Love” lessons and strategies, plus activities, food, vendors and performances. According to a press release, the tour is a response to the increase in stress and anxiety that has resulted from the pandemic.
The Salem Police Department reported last week the community has seen an increase in reported car thefts and break-ins. According to a press release, several motor vehicles had been broken into and others were stolen over the course of a few nights last week. The investigations are ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to call the Salem police at 893-1911.
The Nashua Public Library is celebrating 50 years at its Court Street home, having moved from the Hunt Memorial Building at 6 Main St. in 1971. According to a press release, the library is celebrating its anniversary this month and next with a display of photos, posters, furniture, architectural drawings and other memorabilia, and it will have 50th-anniversary library cards for anyone who signs up for a new card or anyone who already has a library card and wants to replace it with a new one.
Races can bring in a lot of money and raise awareness for nonprofits, and they offer all kinds of fun to serious and not-so-serious runners too.
Also on the cover, Mamma Mia! wraps up its run at the Palace this weekend, p. 10. After a pandemic hiatus, Granite Restaurant reopens, p. 26. And make your night out a little more fun with trivia, p. 41.
I really enjoy poached pears. They are a versatile menu item. Want a less sweet dessert? The poached pear plays that role well. Want a fruit-centric appetizer? The poached pear can be that also. However, poached pears can be a little challenging to eat when served whole or even halved. Their rounded edges want to defy the fork and knife you’re wielding!
That is where this recipe for a deconstructed poached pear comes in handy. Thin slices of pear cooked until tender are eaten easily, no knife required. Plus, sliced pears poach more quickly and evenly than a whole or half pear.
The trickiest part of this recipe may be forming the quenelle of goat cheese. Don’t fret about that. A quenelle is simply an egg-shaped portion of food. Using two spoons you should be able to do that. If not, you can use a small spatula to help shape the goat cheese into a similar shape.
A few ingredient notes for this recipe: You can replace Bosc pears with Bartlett or Anjou. I would not suggest using a smaller pear, such as Seckel. For the wine, you want to add another flavor element to the dish without overpowering the other ingredients, which is why I suggest unoaked chardonnay. Another choice would be a pinot gris or pinot grigio.
Get your ingredients assembled; it’s time to make a new and delicious appetizer or dessert.
Michele Pesula Kuegler has been thinking about food her entire life. Since 2007, the New Hampshire native has been sharing these food thoughts and recipes at her blog, Think Tasty. Visit thinktasty.com to find more of her recipes.
Deconstructed poached pear Serves 4
2 Tablespoons sliced almonds 1 Tablespoon maple syrup 1 Bosc pear 1 cup dry white wine, such as an unoaked chardonnay 2 ounces goat cheese, room temperature 1 Tablespoon milk
Combine almonds and maple syrup in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30-second increments, stirring after each. When syrup clings to almonds and no liquid rests in the bottom of the bowl, remove from the microwave. Carefully transfer almonds to a cutting board or piece of waxed paper, using a spoon. Spread out the almonds to cool. Cut pear in half, and carefully remove stem and core. Cut each half into 10-12 thin slices. Pour wine into a small saucepan, and place on high heat. When wine begins to boil, reduce to a simmer and add pear slices. Allow slices to simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until just fork tender. While pear slices simmer, combine goat cheese and milk in a small bowl, stirring until fully combined. To assemble: Place 5 or 6 pear slices on a small plate. Form a quenelle of goat cheese, using two spoons, and place next to pears. Sprinkle maple-coated almonds over pear slices.
Photo: Deconstructed poached pear. Photo courtesy of Michele Pesula Kuegler.
