Cover Stories – Page 29

Dogs Versus Cats

Animal caregivers weigh in on the best pet for you

By Angie Sykeny and Matt Ingersoll

Cats or dogs — which is the better pet for you? We asked local animal shelters, doggy day care and pet store owners to weigh in on the unique benefits to having either feline or canine companions, and the variety of different qualities present in each. Here’s a look at what they said.

Team Cats

Fascinating

Cats can be fun and entertaining to watch as they all have distinct personalities and their behavior is often unpredictable and full of surprises.

“Contrary to popular belief by non-cat people, cats are not all alike,” Hilscher said. “They are fascinating and very smart. … A cat can get you to do almost anything for them.”

Photo courtesy of The Cat’s Cradle in Deerfield.

Cathy Bailey, CFO and co-founder of Hearts and Tails Animal Alliance in Weare, said cats have a certain mystique that has “appealed to humans on a profound level for millennia.”

“Cats are … incredibly intelligent … and savvy — apparently the sole navigator of their own destiny,” Bailey said. “Possessing an innate beauty, … a cat is a treasure to behold … and to this day, we love to share our hearts and homes with them.”

Selective

Cats can be hard to please and picky about whom they choose to interact with, which makes winning their approval all the more rewarding.

“They are the ones that pick the time they want with their human,” said Jinelle Hobson, Salem Animal Rescue League executive director. “It’s on their terms.”

“I tend to favor cats because I feel like I have to earn their trust and love more so than with dogs,” Salem Animal Rescue League feline coordinator Tiffany Martin added.

Low maintenance

Caring for a cat is significantly less involved than caring for a dog, making them a good fit for people who work outside the home or travel frequently.

“When my husband and I bought our first home, we decided on a pet cat because we would both be away from home working all day,” said Kristen Westhoven, owner and operator of The Cat’s Cradle,a cat boarding business she runs out of her home in Deerfield. “We knew a dog would need more attention than a cat, so when a friend had a kitten up for adoption, we took him.”

In general, a cat can be alone at home for much longer periods of time than a dog could be, Hobson said, since they already have their food, water and litter box readily available to them.

“You can buy timed feeders and provide them with a cat water fountain so they have food and water,” SARL canine manager Katie Corso said. “They even have litter boxes that clean themselves.”

“If I’m running late I don’t have to worry about them as much, since they have food, water and a potty always available for them,” Martin added.

Seacoast Cat Club
A New Hampshire-based affiliate of the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA), a worldwide organization that registers more than 40 breeds of cats with individual pedigrees, the Seacoast Cat Club is open to all cat lovers. Most of their work revolves around their annual show in early May — this year’s show is set for Saturday, May 7, and Sunday, May 8, at the Douglas N. Everett Arena in Concord. “The primary reason for having a show is to have CFA judges handle the cats and judge them according to the CFA standards that are written up for each breed,” Seacoast Cat Club secretary Marilyn Conde said in an email. “The cat who fits the standard best is chosen as [the] best. However, there are also secondary placements. … It’s a hobby and a wonderful way to meet others who share a love of cats.” To become a member, annual dues are $15 per person. Find them on Facebook @seacoastcatclub for more details.

Affectionate

Because dogs tend to be more open with how they show their affection, they are often thought of as the more affectionate of the two pets, but cats can be equally affectionate; they’re just a bit more discerning in how and when they show that affection.

“To some, cats may seem aloof and indifferent, but in my experience, they’re gentle and affectionate … [and] oh so cuddly … when they want to be,” Bailey said.

“Contrary to popular belief, cats are loyal beings, albeit on their terms,” added April Guilmet, board of directors and events coordinator at Happy Tails Pet Rescue in Hudson.

Cats’ displays of affection are typically more subtle than those of dogs, but they’re there if you know what you’re looking for.

“When they give you the slow blink to let you know everything is OK, or when they squish up against you … all is right with the world,” said Adi Rule, vice president of Pet Tails Rescue in Northwood, “and their purrs are just magical.”

Testimonials

April Guilmet, board of directors and events coordinator at Happy Tails Pet Rescue

Cat fosterer (and dog owner)

“I currently have four cats living with me, or rather, they let me live with them. As an avid volunteer, I’ve been known to take my work home with me, and that means all my cats arrived as fosters and decided to stay. Each kitty has a very distinct personality. My rescued coonhound mix, Cannoli, is pretty much attached to me at the hip most days, whereas my cats Squeegie, Mikey, Aspen and Albert opt to seek attention at their convenience, which tends to be when I’m taking a shower or in a WebEx meeting.”

Tiffany Martin, feline coordinator at Salem Animal Rescue League

Cat owner

“My cat Bastet was surrendered to our shelter in July 2014 as a 5-year-old black semi-feral cat named Chaos. … At the shelter Chaos was very scared, and no one could pet her or get very close to her; she would run and hide up high. I knew that she was going to be overlooked at the shelter … so I told her she could come live at my house with my then-8-year-old son and me. If she decided she ever wanted pets, she could have them. We would love her for her. … It took just over a month of sitting or laying on the floor, just talking to her, letting her have her time to feel safe … before she started slowly coming out for pets. Now, she’s turning 13 this July, and she is a belly-rubbing love bug. Nothing compares to earning an animal’s trust and love.”

The money factor
Whether you choose to become the parent of a dog or a cat, it’s important to consider the expenses associated with each. According to the ASPCA, the estimated annual costs of owning a cat are around $634, or roughly $53 per month. For dogs, these numbers vary a bit more and are largely dependent on the size of your pooch — the ASPCA estimates the range to be from about $512 per year ($42.66 per month) for smaller breeds like Boston Terriers and Pugs, about $669 per year ($55.75 per month) for medium breeds like German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers, and about $1,040.31 per year ($86.69 per month) for large dogs like Great Danes and Bullmastiffs. For both dogs and cats, all of the required expenses are taken into account, including food and regular medical care, but optional purchases or unexpected medical costs may also apply. The ASPCA also notes several ways that pet owners can save money, like making their own toys or treats. See aspcapetinsurance.com for more of a breakdown on costs.

Team Dogs

Man’s best friend

Cats are known to be elusive and difficult to read at times, whereas dogs tend to be more expressive and transparent. They’re good at developing special ways of communicating with their humans, and that rapport often grows stronger over time.

“I love the fact that we can learn a language that dogs want to learn,” said Amber McCune, manager and co-owner of American K9 Country, an animal care and event facility specializing in dog boarding and doggy daycare, obedience and agility classes, grooming, canine rehab and other services for dog-owners.

Many cats need their “me” time and can get irritated if their human doesn’t allow them to get some space when they need it, but that is not so much the case with dogs. You don’t have to worry about smothering them; if you have attention to give them, they will never turn it down.

“Dogs let you love on them for days,” said Laurie Gouley, social media director at Sato Heart Rescue in Milford. “Cats let you love on them when they allow it.”

If you want a pet that will always be by your side and accompany you as you go about your daily activities, a dog fits the bill. With a dog, you’ll never have to be alone if you don’t want to be.

“A dog makes a good companion,” Corso said. “I think dogs are well-suited to owners who might work from home or have more time to devote to their pet.”

Active

Photo courtesy of American K-9 Country in Amherst.

If you live an active lifestyle and spend a lot of time outdoors — or if you don’t but would like to start — a dog might be your perfect companion.

“You can train them, take them hiking, camping, swimming, to the dog park and go out to dog-friendly establishments in your community,” Corso said.

“I love being able to take them everywhere,” added Alyssa Mudgett, kennel technician at Darbster Doggy in Chichester.

Having a dog by your side can also be a great way to help you break the ice with new people and make friends.

“Dogs in particular can improve your social life,” Hobson said. “People stop all the time to give attention to dogs.”

Local dog parks

Derry Dog Park
Fordway and Transfer Lane, Derry
Hours: Sunrise to sunset, year-round
Visit: derrynh.org
Friend-Lee Pets Dog Park
40 Concord Road, Lee (directly behind the Friendly Pets store)
Hours: Same as the Friendly Pets store in Lee (Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
Visit: friendlypets.com
Hooksett Dog Park
101 Merrimack St., Hooksett
Hours: 6 a.m. to dusk, year-round
Visit: hooksett.org
Hudson Dog Park
Benson Park, 19 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson
Hours: 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Feb. 28; 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. from March 1 through April 30; 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. from May 1 through Aug. 31; and 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31
Visit: hudsonnh.gov
Longhill Dog Park
Longhill Memorial Park, 42 Longhill Road, Dover
Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through March 31; 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. from April 1 through Sept. 30
Visit: dovernh.gov
Manchester Dog Park
Bass Island Park, Second Street, Manchester
Hours: Dawn to dusk, year-round
Visit: manchesternh.gov
Merrimack Dog Park
Wasserman Park, 116 Naticook Road, Merrimack
Hours: Sunrise to sunset, year-round
Visit: merrimackparksandrec.org
Terrill Park Dog Park
Terrill Park, Old Turnpike Road, Concord
Hours: Sunrise to sunset, year-round
Visit: concordnh.gov
Yudicky Farm Dog Park
1 Groton Road (Route 111A), Nashua
Visit: nashuadog.org

Unconditional love

Dogs live for their human companions, Bailey said, and love nothing more than to make them happy.

“They put their heart and soul into figuring out ways to please people, expecting nothing more in return than some words of love and encouragement,” she said, “and maybe some treats — can’t forget the treats.”

Rule said every reunion with her dog feels like a celebration, even if she’s only been away for a few minutes.

“[I love] their soulful eyes, tappy paws and heart-healing smiles,” she said.

Testimonials

Charles Stanton, executive director at New Hampshire Humane Society

Dog owner

“In my family, we have two rescue dogs: a bassett/American bull terrier mix and a shih tzu mix. They are bonded companions for one another and provide lots of daily entertainment for each other and our household. They are both moderately active and enjoy multiple walks per day. Polly, the basset mix, tends to be more of a snuggler and wants to be beside you on the couch, while Sophie is a bit more independent. All of our daily activities are arranged with them in mind.”

Gail Fisher, owner and founder of All Dogs Gym & Inn

Dog owner

“I have had at least one dog (and as many as eight) in my home since I got my first apartment. … Currently I have an 8-and-a-half-year old Chinook (New Hampshire’s state dog) named Larry and an 18-month-old Basset Fauve de Bretagne (French hound) named Brio. Both dogs love the sport of scent work — searching for and finding specific odors. Larry enjoys playing with his younger brother, but Brio has far more energy … and definitely benefits from going to doggy day care. Truth be told, it is Larry and I [who] benefit from Brio expending his energy in day care and coming home tired and relaxed. I can’t imagine life without the love of a dog.”

Alyssa Mudgett, kennel technician at Darbster Doggy

Dog owner

“My rescue pup, April, fits my family perfectly. She matches my younger dog’s energy, and they are wonderful together. She’s also going to be my hiking buddy this summer. I’m truly grateful to have brought her into my life. She’s been nothing but great, and you can tell that she’s grateful as well.”

Jill Crane of Paws on Pine

Dog owner

“Beyond the kennel dogs, which feel like our own, we have two dogs. First is Wilson, a 15-year-old chihuahua, who is a foster failure as they call it. He came to us in very bad shape and I couldn’t bear it for him to ever leave and start over. His personality is huge and captivates everyone he meets. Our second dog is Ivy, a mixed breed larger dog that we adopted three years ago. She’s an amazing [combination] of [a] lively player and the calmest, sweetest hugger you’ll ever meet. These two are best friends, a huge part of our kennel life and the best traveling companions ever.”

Everyone Wins

While choosing one over the other ultimately comes down to your own individual lifestyle, there’s no denying that both cats and dogs can make great pets.

“Any furbaby provides unconditional love to its human,” Hobson said. “Whether it’s a cat or a dog, pets in general improve our moods, reduce stress, provide us comfort and sense of relief and, of course, humor.”

Thinking about your own daily activities is the best way to make a decision for you, said Charles Stanton, executive director of the New Hampshire Humane Society.

“The question of pet ownership is more about what is best for the family and for the home,” he said.

Cathy Hilscher, owner of Cats Kingdom in Manchester, agrees.

“I do feel dogs are better fits for family households and small children for sure, overall … but if you are a cat person, you love your cat just as much as a dog person loves their dog,” she said.

Local animal shelters

• Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire (545 Route 101, Bedford, 472-3647, rescueleague.org)

• Animal Rescue Network of New England (PO Box 1053, Pelham, 233-4801, arnne.org)

• Darbster Doggy (109 Dover Road, Chichester, 635-4495, darbsterfoundation.org)

• Darbster Kitty (332 Kelley St., Manchester, 856-9233, darbsterfoundation.org)

• Franklin Animal Shelter (19 Rescue Road, Franklin, 934-4132, franklinanimalshelter.com)

• Greater Derry Humane Society (PO Box 142, East Derry, 434-1512, derryhumanesociety.com)

• Happy Tails Pet Rescue (14 Pine Road, Hudson, 595-7387, happytailspetrescue.org)

• Hearts and Tails Animal Alliance (PO Box 593, Goffstown, heartsandtails.org)

• Humane Society for Greater Nashua (24 Ferry Road, Nashua, 889-2275, hsfn.org)

• Manchester Animal Shelter (490 Dunbarton Road, Manchester, 628-3544, manchesteranimalshelter.org)

• Mary’s Dogs Rescue and Adoption (984 1st New Hampshire Turnpike, Northwood, 608-3374, marysdogs.com)

• New Hampshire Humane Society (1305 Meredith Center Road, Laconia, 524-3252, nhhumane.org)

• New Hampshire SPCA (104 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham, 772-2921, nhspca.org)

• Peace and Paws Dog Rescue (PO Box 1155, Hillsborough, peaceandpaws.org)

• Pet Tails Rescue (PO Box 86, Northwood, 942-8905, pettailsrescue.org)

• Pope Memorial Humane Society of Cocheco Valley (221 County Farm Road, Dover, 749-5322, popememorialcvhs.org)

• Pope Memorial SPCA (94 Silk Farm Road, Concord, 856-8756, popememorialspca.org)

• Salem Animal Rescue League (4 SARL Drive, Salem, 893-3210, sarlnh.org)

• Sato Heart Rescue (PO Box 686, Wilton, satoheartrescue.org)

• Second Chance Ranch Rescue (449 Joe English Road, New Boston, secondchanceranchrescue.com)

Featured photo: Courtesy photos.

Sweets made with love

Experts explain how to wow with cookies, candy and cupcakes for your Valentine — or yourself

Make your Valentine’s Day a little sweeter with homemade goodies as local bakers share their secrets for jazzing up sugar cookies, getting creative with cupcakes and going fancy with chocolates.

For the chocoholics

Ideas beyond the traditional heart-shaped box

By Matt Ingersoll

[email protected]

From chocolate-dipped strawberries to homemade truffles and breakable chocolate hearts, here are some sweet ideas for chocolate-y treats you can try out at home this Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate-dipped strawberries

One of the most common treats associated with Valentine’s Day, the chocolate-dipped strawberry is easy to create at home — the key is which type of chocolate to use, said Emilee Viaud, pastry chef and owner of Sweet Treats by Emilee, a home baker based in Milford.

“Baker’s chocolate is what you want to use. You can find it in the baking aisle at the grocery store,” Viaud said. “The top two brands are Baker’s and Ghirardelli, and those can come in a bag or as a bar. … There are options, [like] unsweetened, semi-sweet and bittersweet, and they are based off of the amount of cacao that’s in them. I recommend using semi-sweet for the strawberries, because it kind of gives it a little bit of sweetness and it’s not super bitter.”

Viaud recommends about five ounces of chocolate per pound of strawberries. The fruit itself should be bought fresh, washed, dried and kept at room temperature, never frozen.

“Dryness is super important, because water and chocolate do not mix,” she said.

Inserting a toothpick into the top of the fruit can make it a useful tool for dipping, or you can twist the leaves a bit to turn them into a sturdy handle and prevent them from breaking.

To melt the baker’s chocolate, the easiest way is to just pop it into the microwave. Viaud recommends starting with the smallest size possible, cutting it up or breaking it with your fingers, placing it in a bowl and heating for 30-second increments, stirring after each.

After it’s melted, dipping the strawberries into the chocolate works best when you use the smallest bowl you can, so that you have a deeper level to work with.

“You don’t want a big wide bowl. You want to be able to have at least two to three inches of chocolate so that you can dip the strawberry in,” Viaud said. “You can choose to dip them halfway or all the way up to the leaves, and then you basically just shake the strawberry five or six times to let off all that excess chocolate. … Then you want to place it on parchment paper on a plate or something. Tin foil will not work because it will stick.”

Placing the fruit into the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes after it’s dipped will cause the chocolate to harden. For extra flavor, you can roll them in anything from peanuts or hazelnuts to toasted coconut pieces, chocolate sprinkles or a white chocolate drizzle.

Ashley Reisdorf of Ashley’s Eats & Sweets, based in Raymond, said she has worked with alcohol-infused chocolate-dipped strawberries — a batch she made a few years ago, for instance, featured strawberries infused with Grey Goose vodka using pipettes.

“You poke a hole in the top of the strawberries by the stems with a toothpick, and then stick a pipette of the alcohol in the hole and squeeze it in right before you eat it,” she said.

Homemade truffles

Truffles are also very easy to make because they only require two ingredients — chocolate and heavy cream. Butter is also an optional ingredient to give them an added creaminess, or you can incorporate an extract like vanilla, raspberry, orange, peppermint or coconut for more flavor.

Like with the strawberries, Viaud said she recommends using baker’s chocolate for truffles. About eight ounces of chocolate and two-thirds of a cup of heavy cream would yield 20 tablespoon-sized truffle balls. If you’re using butter and extract, she said, one tablespoon of butter at room temperature and half a teaspoon of extract would be enough for that same amount.

Truffles require creating a ganache, achieved by heating the heavy cream in a pot on the stove until it simmers, or just until you see bubbles. The chocolate should be finely chopped.

“You don’t want to boil it. You just want to make it simmer,” Viaud said. “You’re going to have that chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. You want to add the butter to that bowl of chocolate and then, once the heavy cream comes to a simmer, you’re going to pour that hot cream over the chocolate. … Then, the most important thing is to let it sit and not touch it.”

Allowing the pot to sit for about five minutes will allow the heavy cream to incorporate and melt the chocolate. If you’re using an extract, this is when you’ll add that in next, Viaud said.

“You can mix it in using a whisk, which will help incorporate the liquid into the melted chocolate,” she said. “Then it will come together and basically look like a chocolate hot sauce.”

Once you have your chocolate hot sauce, placing it in the refrigerator for one to two hours will cause it to harden. Viaud recommends covering it with plastic wrap, pushing the plastic wrap down so that it touches the top of the chocolate in the bowl and prevents moisture.

After that time in the refrigerator has passed, the chocolate should become moldable, allowing you to scoop it out and roll into balls using your hands. If the ganache is too sticky, you can use gloves or lightly coat your hands in cocoa powder to help produce smooth truffle balls.

If your truffles have other ingredients like coconut pieces, peanuts or hazelnuts, they should be rolled a second time at room temperature to help them stick. Placing them back into the refrigerator afterward for an additional 30 minutes will then allow them to be fully incorporated.

Cocoa bombs and breakable chocolate hearts

While a bit more involved than truffles or chocolate-dipped strawberries, cocoa bombs are great to enjoy on a cold winter night. Pouring hot milk or water over these hollow balls of chocolate, which are usually filled with flavored cocoa mixes, miniature marshmallows or any other ingredient you want to put in them, causes them to “explode” with flavor inside your mug.

Breakable chocolate hearts. Photo courtesy of Emilee Viaud.

Viaud, who began making her own cocoa bombs in late 2020, now offers all kinds of flavors from traditional milk, dark or white to peanut butter, salted caramel and more.

The traditional round appearance of cocoa bombs is achieved using half sphere-shaped silicone molds, which are available in most big box or craft stores in all shapes and sizes. Unlike for the strawberries or truffles, Viaud recommends using coating chocolate.

“You can really use any type you want, but for cocoa bombs, because you’re molding them and keeping a sphere shape, you really want to use a chocolate that is durable,” she said. “[Coating chocolate] is made with ingredients that help keep it stable and give it that nice shine. … Ghrirardelli has coating chocolate at the grocery store, or melting wafers, is what they call it.”

Melting the chocolate can similarly be done by placing it in the microwave and stirring at 30-second increments. Viaud recommends pouring just about a teaspoon into each individual mold and using a spoon to coat its entire inside. Placing it in the refrigerator for about five minutes and repeating that process a second time will cause your molds to harden well.

“I think that’s the step that a lot of people don’t do, and then their chocolate breaks,” Viaud said. “So it’s important that you repeat that process to get a really thick shell.”

Once it’s completely hardened, you can remove the shells from the mold — the best way to do that is to gently push them out from the bottom with your finger or thumb, as the edges would break most easily, Viaud said. Two half sphere molds equal one cocoa bomb, and heating a saute pan over the stove on low heat will ensure smoother spheres. This is also when any flavorings such as cocoa mixes or marshmallows get added into your bombs.

“You take the edges and quickly put them on the hot pan to melt the chocolate and make it smooth, so that they come together easily,” she said. “You have to have the right pressure, because if you push down too hard, you’ve melted half of it. … So it’s really about having the right touch to know exactly how much of that sphere to melt.”

The chocolate then eventually cools at room temperature, the half sphere molds “glued” together.

If you have heart-shaped molds, you can make breakable chocolate hearts, a process very similar to the cocoa bombs. The difference, Viaud said, is you can fill them with any small candy you want, from M&Ms or Hershey’s kisses to jelly beans or conversation hearts.

“You can use the back of a spoon to kind of crack it open,” she said.

If you’d rather let the experts handle everything this Valentine’s Day, check out this list of local candy and chocolate shops, home bakers and other businesses offering special chocolate treats.

• Candy Kingdom (235 Harvard St., Manchester, 641-8470, candykingdom.shop) takes special orders for chocolate-dipped strawberries, and also offers treats like chocolate red-foiled hearts and assorted heart-shaped boxes of chocolates.
• Dancing Lion Chocolate (917 Elm St., Manchester, 625-4043, dancinglion.us) has various bars, boxes, drinking chocolate sets and other items that can make great Valentine’s Day gifts.
• Granite State Candy Shoppe (13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591; 832 Elm St., Manchester, 218-3885; granitestatecandyshoppe.com) is offering a variety of specialty chocolates and candies for Valentine’s Day, like milk, white or dark chocolate heart boxes, Valentine malt balls, chocolate-dipped strawberries and more.
• Loon Chocolate (252 Willow St., Manchester, loonchocolate.com) just opened a new retail shop inside The Factory on Willow on Feb. 5, in partnership with 603 Charcuterie. The purveyor of small batch chocolates features 12 flavored bars in addition to a product line that includes cacao nibs, dark chocolate cocoa bombs and a do-it-yourself chocolate elixir kit.
• Nelson’s Candy & Music (65 Main St., Wilton, 654-5030, nelsonscandymusic.com) is offering a variety of specialty sweets and treats for Valentine’s Day, from traditional assorted heart-shaped boxes of chocolate to solid chocolate dinosaurs holding tiny hearts.
• Pearls Candy & Nuts (356 S. Broadway, Salem, 893-9100, pearlscandynh.com) has assorted milk chocolate heart lollipops, gold foil solid milk chocolate hearts and more.
• Sweet Treats by Emilee (Milford, [email protected], find her on Facebook) offers milk chocolate-dipped Twinkies, breakable chocolate hearts filled with assorted candies, and cocoa bombs in several flavors, from milk, white or dark chocolate to salted caramel, peanut butter and cookies and cream. Find her products at the Manchester Craft Market (inside the Mall of New Hampshire, 1500 S. Willow St., Manchester), Locally Handmade (at the Merrimack Premium Outlets, 80 Premium Outlets Blvd., Merrimack), and Junction 71 (71 Route 101A, Amherst). You can also find them at the Milford Farmers Market on Saturday, Feb. 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., inside the Milford Town Hall Auditorium (1 Union Square, Milford).
• Van Otis Chocolates (341 Elm St., Manchester, 627-1611, vanotis.com) has assorted chocolate gift boxes, custom chocolate-dipped Champagne bottles and milk chocolate foiled hearts. They’re also taking special orders for chocolate-dipped strawberries.

Sugary sweet

Decorate your cookies like a pro

By Meghan Siegler

[email protected]

Elevate a standard sugar cookie to a bake-shop-worthy treat by stepping up your baking game, whipping up a perfect royal icing and decorating with finesse.

Jessica Radloff from Granite State Cakes in Wilton teaches classes and posts tutorials on her Facebook page to help novice bakers make sugar cookies that look professionally decorated. And the best part is, you can focus on the icing instead of the dough.

“While you can make your own cookie dough, there’s absolutely no rule that says you can’t use ready-made dough from the refrigerated section of your local supermarket,” Radloff said.

Here are her tips for making ordinary sugar cookies extraordinary.

Roll and bake

Regardless of whether you make or buy your dough, Radloff advises that you roll your cookie dough out between two layers of parchment paper and place it in the freezer for about 5 minutes to help retain the shapes you cut out and make it easier to transfer to your baking sheet. Once it’s chilled, you can use cookie cutters or get creative; Radloff said you can print a template on a piece of paper and cut cookies with a sharp knife. Then it’s time to bake.

“I’ll preach parchment until the end of my days,” Radloff said. “Line your baking sheet with it. If you have a silicone mat feel free to use it instead. Give your cookies about 2 inches of space in case they spread a little.”

Bake ¼-inch-thick cookies at 350 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes, then let them cool completely before you start icing.

Nice icing

“Royal icing can seem intimidating but it is all about the consistency — too thin and it will never stay where you want it and it will take an eternity to dry. Too thick and it will be impossible to get [a] smooth, satisfying finish,” Radloff said.

Valentine’s Day cookies. Photo by Jessica Radloff.

Once your icing base is made [see recipe in box], add your desired amount of royal icing base to a mixing bowl and add food color until you get the shade you want. Radloff said that color continues to develop over time so mix them in a couple days ahead of time for darker colors. In a pinch, you can microwave your royal icing on the 50-percent power setting for 15 seconds at a time (no more than twice) to help speed up the process.

There are two popular methods of icing cookies, Radloff said. The first is using two different consistencies of icing — one that’s thicker to create a sturdy border and one that’s looser to fill in the spaces you’ve outlined. The second is using one medium-consistency icing that can hold its shape enough to outline but also be smoothed out nicely to fill in the outlines.
“I personally prefer the second option — I would prefer not to have to mix double the icing for my cookies when it’s not absolutely necessary,” Radloff said. “[But] some designs and details require different consistencies to achieve different looks.”

When thinning your icing, add water by the drop; consistency can change greatly with even a teaspoon. Medium consistency royal icing looks a bit like ranch dressing, Radloff said. You can test your icing by drawing a line through your icing with a knife and then counting the number of seconds it takes for the line to disappear into the rest of the icing. Medium icing will smooth out within about 15 seconds.

“The best advice I can give a new cookie decorator is to count your icing and then test it out on a piece of parchment paper to make sure it’s where you want it before piping it onto a cookie,” Radloff said. “If it’s too thick and doesn’t smooth out properly, add another mist of water and try again. … If it is too thin you can add half a teaspoon of confectioner’s sugar at a time to thicken it and then test again.”

Decoration perfection

“I would suggest using tipless icing bags so you do not have to go through the hassle of finding, buying and cleaning a ton of piping tips,” Radloff said. “Start small when you first cut your piping bags — you can always cut off more but you cannot add it back.”

Once you outline your cookies, let them set for a few minutes.

“Trust me, it’s worth the few minutes to preserve your mental health,” Radloff said. “The last thing you want after going through all the work to get to this point is for your icing to start dripping off of your cookies because you were too impatient to wait for your outline to set a bit.”

Once your outline has set — it will look a little less glossy and more matte — you can start to fill them in. Start from just inside your outline and work toward the center of each space you are “filling in.”

“You can choose solid-colored cookies for your first time decorating, or you can let your imagination run wild and add polka dots or stripes, choose a different outline and food color — the possibilities are endless,” Radloff said.

Once decorated, cookies should dry for 12 to 24 hours before packaging to prevent moisture in the cookie from seeping out and causing the colors to run or the ice cracking due to not being allowed to fully harden.

Royal icing
Jessica Radloff shares her recipe, minus a couple of “secret” ingredients that are key to her icing’s flavor but don’t affect consistency.

6 tablespoons meringue powder (You can use 9 tablespoons of egg whites but make sure they are pasteurized for food safety.)
10 Tablespoons water
2 pounds confectioner’s sugar
1 Tablespoon corn syrup (This is optional but it gives your fully dried icing a softer bite as opposed to the crunchy texture you sometimes find with decorated cookies.)
1 teaspoon almond extract (I use imitation to ensure I don’t have any issues with allergies.)

Add all of your ingredients to your mixing bowl, making sure to sift your dry ingredients to remove all lumps. Mix with a stand mixer or beater for a couple minutes or until the royal icing looks a bit like plaster — it will be thick. Store your finished royal icing in an airtight container with a piece of parchment or plastic wrap laid directly on the surface of your royal icing to prevent crusting on the surface of your icing.

Let them eat cupcakes

Put your own twist on the classic dessert

By Angie Sykeny

[email protected]

When it comes to Valentine’s Day treats, cupcakes are quintessential.

“They’re made with love, pretty to look at, and, let’s face it, they just make people happy,” said Tara Collins, baker and owner of Collins Cupcakes in Derry. “They’re everything we think about on Valentine’s Day.”

Cupcakes have a short, simple set of steps and ingredients that “most people have right in their cabinets and pantries,” Collins said, making them a great dessert option for beginner bakers.

“The great thing about baking cupcakes is that even if they don’t look perfect the first time, they will still taste great,” she said.

The versatility of cupcakes gives bakers plenty of room for creativity and experimentation.

“The customization options are endless,” Collins said, “and the fun thing is, cupcakes are individual [desserts], so each cupcake can be different … and customized to each person’s liking, and, more importantly, you don’t have to share.”

Consider filling your cupcakes with a fruit filling, like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or apples; or with pudding or sprinkles.

“Filling is a super easy way to elevate your cupcakes to a whole new flavor dimension,” said Brianna Lucciano, manager at Cake Fairy Bakery in Hooksett.

Play around with frostings by mixing extracts, liqueurs or candy or cookie pieces into a buttercream frosting base. Then, add a topping, like a single piece of candy — a heart-shaped candy is the perfect accent for a Valentine’s Day cupcake, Lucciano said — or sprinkles, fruit, edible glitter, or chocolate or caramel drizzle.

“If it sounds good to you, try it,” Lucciano said. “Do you think anyone thought a maple bacon cupcake would be good at first? Definitely not, but someone tried it, and look how beloved that flavor is now.”

One of the easiest ways to jazz up your cupcakes, Collins said, is with food coloring. For Valentine’s cupcakes, place streaks of pink food coloring inside the piping bag, fill it with white buttercream and swirl it on top of the cupcake once it’s cooled.

“Each one will look slightly different than the others, while at the same time complementing one another,” she said.

You can have fun with cupcakes this Valentine’s Day even if you aren’t up for baking them yourself.

“You can literally just go to your local box store and grab some unfrosted cupcakes,” Lucciano said, “and, if you can’t frost very well, grab an ice cream scoop and do a scoop of frosting on top of the cupcake, add some sprinkles or a chocolate drizzle, and you now have a gorgeous dessert that looks professionally crafted.”

Finally, Lucciano said, have fun and don’t take yourself too seriously; even if your cupcakes are a flop, “the thought is truly what counts.”

“So, they came out disastrous? It’s a fabulous story to tell your family and friends about how you tried and completely failed,” she said. “Laughter is the best medicine.”

Valentine’s Day buttercream frosting
Courtesy of Tara Collins, baker and owner of Collins Cupcakes in Derry

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
¾ cup strawberry jam
3 cups powdered sugar

Using a stand or hand mixer, whip butter until smooth. Add strawberry jam, then slowly add in powdered sugar. Mix until all sugar is well-incorporated and buttercream is smooth and creamy. Frost onto cooled chocolate cupcakes and top with fresh sliced strawberries.

Featured photo: Valentine cocoa bombs. Courtesy of Emilee Viaud.

Axes with friends

Ax throwing, escape rooms and other ideas for fun group outings

Learn from the ax-perts

Bury the hatchet with your friends

By Matt Ingersoll

[email protected]

Ax throwing is one of those sports that gets you hooked the first time you try it — at least that’s how it started for Tracey McCormick, owner and founder of RelAxe Throwing in Manchester.

“I actually went down to Texas on a family vacation, went ax throwing on a fluke and fell in love with it immediately,” she said. “I couldn’t believe how good it felt and how much fun it was at the same time. … I remember looking around the room at all the different types of people that were there. People were cheering each other on, even when they didn’t know each other.”

When McCormick returned to New Hampshire and realized there were no indoor ax throwing venues in the state at the time, she began working on a business plan to bring one here. Today, RelAxe Throwing holds four ax throwing leagues per year and has even had throwers represented at three world ax throwing championship competitions.

But you don’t have to be a professional thrower to give it a go. McCormick’s team of “ax-perts” is always on hand to teach you the basics if you’ve never tried it before.

“Ax throwing is not about strength or trying to throw hard. It’s about finesse and technique,” she said. “We work with people of all varying abilities … and so we can adapt some of the things that are needed for their safety in order for them to be successful as well.”

It’s a similar operation at The Rugged Axe, which opened on South Willow Street in the Queen City last June. Co-owner and longtime Goffstown resident Charles Keith dreamed about opening his own ax throwing business after trying it out while visiting his son in Pensacola, Florida.

“Anybody can throw an ax. We’ve had a 90-year-old man throw one and be able to get a bull’s-eye. The skillset is really just hand-eye coordination,” Keith said. “We teach everybody how to do both a two-handed throw and a one-handed throw. … The ax will typically rotate one and a quarter to one and a half times depending on how hard you throw it, and it’s top heavy, so the weight of the ax is actually what makes it rotate. You don’t have to use your wrists at all.”

There are lots of different ax throwing games you can play. In a typical standard game, you would get 10 throws and the player with the most points wins. Each ring on the target is worth a different number of points that increases the closer you get to the bull’s-eye. There are also other ways to score, Keith said, including smaller blue dots that are awarded a higher number of points if the player announces before throwing that they’re aiming for it.

Two of The Rugged Axe’s 18 lanes have a projector that superimposes a target onto the boards, allowing throwers to play other games like Tic-Tac-Toe or Duck Hunt. The venue is open weekly for private parties and for leagues you can sign up for, either individually or as a group.

“It’s such a wonderful activity that’s competitive and a great way to get your aggression out, especially in Covid times,” Keith said. “You can always tell when somebody hits the bull’s-eye, because there’s some yelling and screaming going on from that lane. It’s very satisfying.”

Where to go ax throwing
Closed-toe shoes are required and a safety waiver must be filled out. For groups, booking in advance online is recommended; reserve your own lanes by telling them how many people are coming and how long you’ll be throwing for.

Axe Play
142 Lowell Road, Unit 19, Hudson, 809-9081, axe-play.com
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 4 to 9 p.m.; Friday, 1 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 9 p.m.
Cost: $25 per hour per person
Axe Play, which opened in August 2020, features seven ax throwing lanes for a total of 14 targets. Ax throwers must be at least 18, with the exception of family hours on specific days and times, when the center is open to kids ages 10 and up.

Block Party Social
51 Zapora Drive, Hooksett, 621-5150, blockpartysocial.com
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight
Cost: $30 per hour per person (includes a $5 arcade game card)
Formerly the Space Entertainment Center, Block Party Social features a newly renovated space that includes an eight-lane ax throwing lounge with multiple game formats to choose from using superimposed screens and a touch screen interface to keep track of players’ scores. Ax throwers must be at least 18.

RelAxe Throwing
157 Gay St., Manchester, 782-3061, relaxethrowing.com
Hours: Monday and Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m.; Friday, 4 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Cost: $25 per hour per person
Since opening in June 2019 as an indoor ax throwing venue, RelAxe has added seasonal outdoor throwing, including through an expansion at Candia Springs Adventure Park in Candia, and has had throwers represented at three world ax throwing championship competitions. The minimum age to throw is 10, and all throwers under the age of 16 must have a throwing adult with them.

The Rugged Axe
377 S. Willow St., Manchester, 232-7846, theruggedaxe.com
Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday, 4 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 11 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. (the center is reserved for leagues on Mondays and private events on Tuesdays)
Cost: $25 per hour per person
One of the newer spots to join the local ax throwing scene, The Rugged Axe opened in June 2021. It’s also the largest indoor ax throwing venue in the Granite State, with a total of 18 lanes. Ax throwers as young as 12 years old are welcome. A small menu of hot dogs, snacks, beer and wine is available at the center’s onsite “Lumberjack Shack.”

Party of you

Get your own mini restaurant with igloo dining

By Matt Ingersoll

[email protected]

Enjoying a meal inside a warm heated igloo keeps outdoor dining alive in the winter and gives you and your own party space. Here’s a list of local eateries offering outdoor igloos by reservation. Due to high demand, some may require you to book them out several days, weeks or more in advance. Be sure to contact each restaurant directly via phone or email for the most up-to-date availability.

• 603 Brewery (42 Main St., Londonderry, 404-6123, 603brewery.com) features heated igloos on its patio that accommodate seating for up to eight people. Igloos are available to rent for two-hour time slots for a $50 rental fee per party. Time slots are released online one month at a time.

Averill House Vineyard in Brookline. Courtesy photo.

• Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, 244-3165, averillhousevineyard.com) offers a “vine to wine” igloo and gazebo experience package, available for two to eight people per party. The cost is $100 for the first two people and $50 for each additional person and includes four wine tastings and a charcuterie board inside one of the vineyard’s heated igloos for a one-hour-and-45-minute visit.

• Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) offers luxury outdoor dining at its onsite igloo garden, accommodating up to six people per party and featuring heat and air filtration systems. Igloos can be reserved for up to two and a half hours, offering the BVI’s tavern and dining room menus, except on holidays, in addition to a special Simi wine and cocktail menu. The cost is $50 to reserve an igloo for lunch and $100 to reserve one for brunch or dinner (brunches are on Saturdays and Sundays only).

• Boston Billiard Club & Casino (55 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, 943-5630, bostonbilliardclubcasino.com) has a few heated igloos on its patio that are available by reservation only. Igloos have a two-hour limit and can be reserved for parties of up to five.

• Downtown Cheers Grille & Bar (17 Depot St., No. 1, Concord, 228-0180, cheersnh.com) has four heated igloos on its patio that can be reserved for parties of four to eight people. Reservations are two hours per party and require a $50 deposit that’s applied to your bill.

• Tuscan Market (Tuscan Village, 9 Via Toscana, Salem, 912-5467, tuscanbrands.com) offers “al fresco igloo dining experience” packages that can accommodate two to six guests per party. The cost is a $150 spend minimum on weekdays and a $250 spend minimum on weekends.

Take aim at your friends

Get messy with paint or hit ’em with lasers

By Alexandra Colella

[email protected]

Want a little healthy competition among your friend group? Paintball and laser tag give you the chance to fight in a fun way — or you can ramp up the mess factor with a private party in a paint splatter room.

Paintball

AG Paintball (158 Deering Center Road, Weare, 529-3524, agpaintball.com) opened in 1988 and today is one of the longest-running paintball parks in the Granite State. The park encompasses 30 acres with nine woodsball fields and one speedball field, and also offers an onsite pro shop with guns, masks and other accessories for sale. “[We have] many different themed paintball rooms that can pertain to any interests and likes,” said Rusty Glaze, Paintball Blogger at AG Paintball. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Their average paintball experience package when you come self-equipped is $30 per person. They also have rental packages starting at $40 per person. Private group parties can include 10 players or more to experience your own game of paintball with your group of friends.

OSG Paintball (1053 N. Barnstead Road, Center Barnstead, 1-800-707-7529, osgpaintball.com) is the largest paintball park in the state, with 44 acres and 12 playing fields. Every field is themed, including Star Wars, Pirate Cove, Empire Castle, Hamburger Hill and more, and games can also have themes of their own, like Westerns, Call of Duty, The Simpsons, Family Guy and The Goonies. The park is closed for the winter but is scheduled to reopen March 5. Private parties are available seven days a week with a reservation required. Packages include a private group of 10 or more people for a full day for $49.99 or a half day for $39.99, with full-impact and low-impact options available.

Paint splatter

Rage Cage NH (10 W. Hollis St., Nashua, 402-4197, ragecagenh.com) features a paint splatter room that’s open to all ages. Have a glow paint party with ultraviolet black lights, bubble and fog machines and whatever music you want for $30 per person for an hour, with up to eight people per party. A regular paint splatter party without the glow is $20 per person, with up to 20 people allowed (contact Rage Cage if you have more than 20 people). When you book a paint party online, you pay for just one person to reserve the room for the full hour. For a regular paint splatter party, every participant can pick out 10 colors of washable paint, a 12×12’’ canvas and safety goggles, and additional upgrades are available, like throwable paintballs ($5 to $20), more colors ($2 per color), larger canvases ($5 to $10) and stencils ($10) to make your art. Paint parties do not come with jumpsuits, but white hooded jumpsuits are available for $10 each. For glow parties, participants can pick out 14 colors of UV-reactive washable paint, a 12×12’’ canvas and safety goggles, along with any preferred upgrades. Rage Cage NH hours are noon to 9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Laser tag

Block Party Social (51 Zapora Drive, Hooksett, 621-5150, blockpartysocial.com) is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m to 10 p.m and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight. The price for the laser tag arena is $22 per person for a 30-minute experience (this includes a $5 arcade game card).

Hilltop Fun Center (165 Route 108, Somersworth, 742-8068, hilltopfuncenter.com) is open Wednesday and Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m., Friday from 3 to 9 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Laser tag prices are $14 for a 30-minute session and $22 for two 30-minute sessions; each session includes three six-minute games. On Friday and Saturday, laser mania is $25 per person, with unlimited laser tag from 5 to 9 p.m. You can also rent out the entire arena for your own group for $300 for the first hour and $100 for additional hours.

Break free with your buddies

Escape rooms offer a safe activity for groups

By Angie Sykeny

[email protected]

Since New Hampshire’s first escape room, Granite State Escape, opened in 2015, escape rooms have been popular destinations in the state for group outings and private events like birthday parties, bachelor and bachelorette parties, school trips and corporate team-builders. Now, in pandemic times, escape rooms offer something even more valuable:

“I think that people are wanting to once again enjoy the company of others while participating in a fun, safe and interactive experience together,” said Pamela Provencher, owner of Granite State Escape in Manchester. “[Because] escape rooms allow groups to stay in their bubble, escape rooms [are a way] for some folks to begin to safely venture out again while also being … a fun night out for the more adventurous.”

Players do puzzles, solve riddles and crack codes by physically engaging with items in the room in a race against the clock to complete the room’s overall objective. A “gamemaster” explains the backstory, objective and rules to the players and monitors the room remotely during the game, maintaining audio communications with the players to ensure their safety and to provide hints, should they get stuck.

“Escape the Library,” an escape room at Escape Room Concord. Courtesy photo.

Escape rooms are unique in that they appeal to a wide range of people, Escape Room Concord owner Gregory Slossar said, making them a great outing for mixed groups.

“There are few activities out there that offer multi-generational entertainment,” he said. “Escape rooms are great for friends who want to do something fun before or after dinner, or families who are looking to do something with their children that makes everyone put down their phones for an hour, or a place where co-workers can come together as a team and bond on a personal level.”

Christopher McCarthy, who is the co-owner, operations manager and resident gamemaster at The Escape Room Experience in Laconia, said escape rooms are an opportunity for people to let go of whatever is on their mind and be transported to another world where their only focus is to complete the objective of the room.

“It gives you an active goal, with minimal distractions,” he said. “It’s an environment catered to challenging your brain while in a physical space designed to grab your attention and keep it there.”

McCarthy said he is especially excited about The Escape Room Experience’s new room, “Serial Killer Cabin,” which pays homage to classic 1980s slasher films.

“As the designer, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished within the space,” he said. “I feel like, atmospherically, we knocked it out of the park.”

Policies for players vary per escape room. Some escape rooms accept walk-ins, but most require booking in advance. The number of players allowed typically ranges from couples to groups of up to 10 or 12 people, but certain rooms may have their own limit. Families and groups with children should check on the escape room’s age restrictions or recommendations before they go as some rooms may be frightening, atmospherically, or too challenging for young players.

Escape rooms have been taking various safety precautions to prevent the spread of Covid, such as allowing more time between groups to clean and sanitize the rooms and to ensure that the groups don’t run into each other in the lobby area; requiring their staff to be vaccinated; requiring or encouraging staff and players to wear masks; and installing air filter machines.

“We believe escape rooms truly are one of the safest things you can choose to participate in,” said Lara Barkley, creative director at Key to Escape in Nashua. “Not even the movie theater or bowling alley can keep you out of the same room with groups of people you don’t know.”

Play an escape room

• 102 Escape, 123 Nashua Road, Unit 34, Londonderry, 260-6198, 102escape.com
• Break Free 603, 141 Route 101A, Amherst, 424-1758, breakfree603.com
• Escape Room Concord, 240 Airport Road, Concord, 225-2271, escaperoomconcordnh.com
• The Escape Room Experience, 555 Main St., Suite A, Laconia, 366-6296, theescaperoomexperience.live
• Granite State Escape, 795 Elm St., Manchester, 935-7455, escapenh.com
• Key To Escape, 3 Bud Way, Unit 21, Nashua, 809-4018, keytoescape.com
• LOK’d! Room Escape, 1500 S Willow St., Manchester, 945-3113, lokdrocks.com
• Monkey Mind Escape Rooms, 10 Vaughan Mall, Portsmouth, 498-8997, monkeymindescape.com
• Portsmouth Escape Room, 95 Brewery Lane, No. 13, Portsmouth, 380-9160, portsmouthescaperoom.com

Featured photo: Photo courtesy of The Rugged Axe in Manchester.

Community rinks

Find a local pond for skating and hockey

Many communities have ponds or outdoor rinks for ice skating, stick practice and pond hockey. Town- and city-maintained ponds are free to use, making it a fun outdoor activity that doesn’t cost a thing if you already have skates – and a hockey stick, if you want to play, which longtime hockey player and Black Ice Pond Hockey Association Board President Daniel Luker says can totally change your on-ice experience.

“Get a buddy, show up, bring a stick and a couple pucks … and get out there and you’ll automatically start playing hockey,” Luker said. “Once you start skating and once you pick up a stick, it’s a whole different ball game. … Once you pick up a stick, you can’t help but play, and you’ll chase the puck forever.”

Whether you want to give pond hockey a try or would rather just free skate, here are a few local rinks to check out. The open/closed status of the rinks can change from day to day depending on temperatures. Call or check the city’s or town’s website or social media for the most recent information.

• Amherst Middle School Rink, 14 Cross Road, Amherst, 673-6248, amherstnh.myrec.com. When open, hours are daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Beaver Meadow Pond at Beaver Meadow Golf Course, 1 Beaver Meadow Drive, Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov. When open, hours are daily from dawn until dusk.

• Bow Town Pond, next to the Bow Community Center, 3 Bow Center Road, Bow, 223-3920, bow-nh.com.

• Brown Memorial Field, 740 Swanzey Road, Swanzey, 352-4614, find it on Facebook. When open, hours are daily from dawn until dusk.

• Davis Lane Rinks, Davis Lane, Amherst, 673-6248, amherstnh.myrec.com. When open, hours are daily from 10 a.m. to dusk.

• Dorrs Pond, adjacent to Livingston Park, 56 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 624-6444, manchesternh.gov. When open, hours are daily from dawn to dusk.

• Four Corners, behind Holman Stadium, Sargent Avenue, Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov. When open, hours are daily from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 6 to 10 p.m. for general skating, and before 11 a.m. and between 4:30 and 6 p.m. for hockey.

• Hood Park at 4 Rollins St., Derry, 432-6136, derrynh.org. When open, hours are daily from dawn until dusk.

• Ice Skating Rink at Watson Park, 441 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 882-1046, merrimackparksandrec.org/watson-park. When open, hours are daily from dawn to 9 p.m.

• Jeff Morin Fields at Roby Park, 126 Spit Brook Road, Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov. When open, hours are daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for general skating, and from 8 to 10 p.m. for hockey.

• Kimball Lake, 47 Kimball Lake Road, Hopkinton, 746-8263, hopkintonrec.com. When open, hours are daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Riverside Ice Rink 223 Route 103, Warner, 491-9019, facebook.com/riversideicerink. When open, hours are daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information and to find out whether it’s currently open for skating, visit the Facebook page.

• Rollins Park at 33 Bow St., Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov. When open, hours are daily from dawn until dusk.

• Shepard Park, 418 Nashua St., Milford, 249-0625, facebook.com/milfordrecdept. When open, hours are daily from dawn to 9:30 p.m.

• White Park, 1 White St., Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov. When open, skating hours are daily from dawn until dusk. The Merrimack Lodge offers skate rentals for $5. Lodge hours vary; find it on Facebook for the most up-to-date hours.

Puddle Duck Pond

Puddle Duck Pond

This outdoor rink at Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth is another option for those who want a better chance of getting on the ice even if weather conditions haven’t been great.

“Ice is maintained with a refrigeration system and Zamboni, which helps the rink remain open in warmer air temperatures,” Veronica Lester of Strawbery Banke Museum said via email. “Unless the ice is deemed unsafe for skating, Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond is open in rain, snow and sunshine. Opening and closing calls are made day-of by rink operations staff.”

The rink is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission costs $12 for skaters age 5 and up. Skate rentals are available for $6, and skate sharpening is available for $7.

Chill fun

Winter Fest returns to downtown Concord

By Angie Sykeny

[email protected]

Coinciding with the Black Ice Pond Hockey Tournament is the fourth annual Concord NH Winter Festival on Saturday, Jan. 29. There will be indoor and outdoor festivities for all ages, including shopping, food, entertainment, tours and more.

“There are not a lot of family-friendly events this time of year, and that is what makes this event special,” said Jessica Martin, Executive Director of Intown Concord, which organizes the Winter Festival in partnership with The Hotel Concord.

Ice carvers will demonstrate their craft and compete in a live ice carving competition during the Winter Festival. Courtesy photo.

The highlight of the event is the live ice carving competition featuring “New England’s best ice carvers,” Martin said. It’s free and open to the public on the Statehouse lawn from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The ice carvers will also be there on Friday, Jan. 28, the day before the festival, doing live ice carving demonstrations from 3 to 9 p.m.

“This year we have seven carvers participating in the competition, which is the most we have had to-date,” Martin said, adding that the carvings will remain on display at the Statehouse for the week following the festival.

Main Street restaurants and retail shops will be open for a Winter Shopping Stroll; Red River Theatres will have a matinee screening of the animated family film Smallfoot (2018, PG) at 10 a.m. (tickets cost $5); and the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center will run games and interactive activities starting at 10:30 a.m.

Guided tours of the inside of the Statehouse will be offered, starting every 30 minutes from noon to 3:30 p.m. The tour lasts around 45 minutes and will include opportunities to see the Hall of Flags, which has more than 100 battle flags on display from the Civil War, World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War; the House of Representatives chamber and Senate chambers, which have national significance as the oldest continuously used legislative chambers in the U.S.; the Governor and Executive Council chambers and more.

“There are more than 200 portraits to view as you tour the building,” Martin said, “and it’s always fun to see the Visitor Center’s First in the Nation Primary display and Bicentennial dioramas.”

The Winter Festival Stage, which will be set up on South Main Street next to O Steaks and Seafood restaurant, will be a hotspot of activity, including an ice bar, complimentary hot cocoa, s’mores toasting and more. The stage will feature a variety of live entertainment, starting with a dance party with DJ Darren Roy at 11 a.m., followed by storyteller Ade Shields (11:30 to 11:45 a.m., and 1:35 to 1:50 p.m.), local singer-songwriter Jasmine Mann (11:50 a.m. to 12:05 p.m., and 1:15 to 1:30 p.m.), New England folk-rock band The Penniless Jacks (12:20 to 12:50 p.m., and 2:10 to 2:40 p.m.) and family-friendly drag performer ChiChi Marvel (1 to 1:10 p.m., and 1:55 to 2:05 p.m.)

A free shuttle service will be available, running between the Statehouse, the Hotel Concord, the Holiday Inn and the Black Ice Hockey Tournament at White Park throughout the day.

Martin said attendees should continue practicing Covid safety — masks are not required but are strongly encouraged for indoor activities — and should have no difficulty staying spread out.

“This outdoor festival will offer people the space they need to socially distance themselves,” she said.

Concord NH Winter Festival

Where: Main Street, Concord
When: Saturday, Jan. 29. Most activities will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ice carving demonstrations will take place on Friday, Jan. 28, from 3 to 9 p.m.
Cost: Admission is free. Certain activities may have a fee.
More info: Visit intownconcord.org or call 226-2150.

Featured photo: Photo courtesy of Black Ice Pond Hockey Association.

Games on

Black Ice Pond Hockey Tournament is (almost definitely) happening

The recent cold means the annual Black Ice Pond Hockey Tournament will likely take place as scheduled this weekend, with youth games kicking things off on Thursday, Jan. 27, and plenty of other games on the roster — along with concessions, family activities, public skating and fireworks — through Sunday, Jan. 30.

“In recent years we’ve been challenged by global warming,” said Dan Luker, Black Ice Pond Hockey Association Board president. “We hope for below-zero temps at night, and a perfect day for us is 20 degrees during the day.”

Photo Courtesy of Black Ice Pond Hockey Association

The weekend is a tribute to the capital city’s place in hockey history. Luker said the first organized hockey game in the U.S. took place at St. Paul’s School in Concord, and the games being played at the tournament harken back to that old-school style.

“It’s the way the game was played to begin with — no refs, no goalies, 4 on 4,” Luker said. “It’s all about just skating and moving the puck. It’s a different feel.”

The tournament started 11 years ago, when Capital City Hockey League retirees decided they wanted to keep the game alive, for themselves and for younger generations.

“We all grew up playing hockey in the rinks, in the open air,” Luker said. “It brings you back.”

As the years have gone on, the Black Ice Pond Hockey Association has tried to reinvigorate the board by encouraging younger people to join. And the tournament has gone from all adult games to having a full night of youth hockey.

“Part of the goal is to infect [younger players] with the outdoor enthusiasm,” he said. “We’re psyched to have the kids play … [and] the kids love to be a part of it.”

Luker said there will be about 80 adult teams with more than 500 players taking the ice, which includes women’s teams and rec league teams, competitive players and players whose good skating days are well behind them.

“There are people who shouldn’t be skating out there who are having a blast,” Luker said.

Along with the games, there will be open skating time, concessions, a warming tent and family games throughout the weekend, and Friday night will feature fireworks.

“It’s the middle of winter, and there’s not much else going on in Concord,” Luker said. “People drift down and come and watch. … [It’s] something to do on a Saturday afternoon.”

Black Ice Pond Hockey Tournament

Where: White Park, Concord
When: Thursday, Jan. 27, through Sunday, Jan. 20

Schedule of events

Thursday
Heated spectator tent with family games and concessions open from 5 to 8 p.m.
Youth pond hockey games with Concord Capitals, NE Wildcats, NH Avalanche, NH Junior Monarchs from 6 to 8 p.m.

Friday
Concessions open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Black Ice Pond Hockey games from 9 a.m. to 8:20 p.m.
Heated spectator tent with family games from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Public skate on White Park Pond Rinks & RBC Rinks 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ice sculpture at noon
Bonfires start at 5 p.m.
Concord Youth Hockey from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Dynomites & NH JR Monarchs practice on White Park Pond Rinks & RBC Rinks at 7:15 p.m.
Atlas Fireworks show

Saturday
Concessions open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Black Ice Pond Hockey games from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Heated Spectator Tent open with family interactive games from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Youth Hockey Shinny Tournament on White Park Pond Rinks & RBC Rinks 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Concord Area Transit Shuttle Bus Winterfest Shuttle runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Bonfires start at 3 p.m.

Sunday
Concessions open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Black Ice Pond Hockey games from 9 a.m. to noon

Featured photo: Photo courtesy of Black Ice Pond Hockey Association.

Chill fun

Winter Fest returns to downtown Concord

A free shuttle service will be available, running between the Statehouse, the Hotel Concord, the Holiday Inn and the Black Ice Hockey Tournament at White Park throughout the day.

Martin said attendees should continue practicing Covid safety — masks are not required but are strongly encouraged for indoor activities — and should have no difficulty staying spread out.

“This outdoor festival will offer people the space they need to socially distance themselves,” she said.

Featured photo: Photo courtesy of Black Ice Pond Hockey Association.

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