Category: Drink

Bottle of red, bottle of white

Other wines to try at that Italian restaurant

“A bottle of red, a bottle of white; It all depends on your appetite; I’ll meet you anytime you want; In our Italian restaurant.” — Billy Joel, “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”

Beginning as a melancholy tune, this song quickly accelerates into an exchange between friends or classmates on the short relationship of Brenda and Eddie. It then decelerates to a quiet end, with one of the two remarking, “I’ll meet you anytime you want / In our Italian restaurant.” It is a long song reflecting a comfortable conversation between those friends.

Italian culture is not only rich in history, food and wine; it is a culture of familiarity. We all look fondly back to our individual introductions to Italian culture with robust, red-sauced pasta. Italian food has become an American comfort food, enjoyed with friends and families over long conversations, perhaps about Brenda and Eddie. Therefore, isn’t it odd that when we think of Italian cuisine, only a few wines immediately come to mind: Chianti, pinot grigio, prosecco? There is a lot more to savor! In this column we will explore wines of two regions: Abruzzo and Molise. Lying east of Rome, beyond the Apennines, and along the coast of the Adriatic Sea, these two regions offer up wines of a special nature.

Our first wine, Umani Ronchi Vellodoro Terre di Chieti Pecorino IGT (available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets at $11.99), is a white wine from Abruzzo. This wine is made from 100 percent pecorino grapes, also known as “grape of the sheep,” deriving from its strong connection to sheep farming of the area. In the past, because of its high aroma concentration, good alcoholic content and acidic quality, it was used in blending to improve the quality of wines made from other varieties. This wine is a product of a project originating in 2005 and represents the winery’s work to discover and exploit Adriatic native varieties. The grapes are hand-picked and, after a light pressing, cooled in stainless steel tanks for two weeks. The wine does not undergo malolactic fermentation but rests in the stainless steel tanks for about four months in contact with its own yeasts before bottling.

The wine has a bright straw color with a floral nose of fresh lime blossoms, along with a bit of minerality. The nose persists to the tongue with an intense and pleasant freshness. This is a wine to be enjoyed with fish dishes, fresh cheeses, pasta, and legume soups of lentils, peas, bacon and onion. Served chilled it is a great counterpoint to the broad spectrum of these dishes, both delicate and robust.

Our second wine, Di Majo Norante Sangiovese San Giorgio (originally pricedat $14.99, reduced to $12.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets), is, as its name implies, a 100 percent sangiovese from Molise. Until 1963 this region was joined to Abruzzo under the name of Abruzzi e Molise. Like Abruzzo, most of the country is mountainous, with its province of Campobasso running along its southern tier traversing from mountains to hills and on to the Adriatic Sea. The winery, Di Majo Norante, located in the coastal commune of Campomarino, has been making wine from grapes since 1800. The vineyard, of over 200 acres, produces wine from several varietals, including aglianico montepulciano, sangiovese, tintilia, falanghina, greco and moscato.

This sangiovese is harvested in October, aged in stainless steel and large oak barrels for six months, then spends three months in bottles to achieve a smoothness and softness while preserving the fruit-forward characteristic of sangiovese. The wine has a bright red color and a nose of cherry, Mediterranean herbs and leather. To the palate it is dry and mellow with smooth tannins. This is a wine to pair with antipasti, Bolognese sauces, game and ripe cheeses.

These wines are to be enjoyed with family and friends, over long conversations of reminiscences of shared experiences.

Mother’s Day Cocktails

In my experience, it is unwise to make broad generalizations about any group of women, but that said, it’s probably a good bet that this year, perhaps more than any other year, the moms of America could use a drink.

Let’s look at two hypothetical mothers, Jasmine and Kimberly:

Jasmine is a divorced mom of two young children, ages 5 and 3. She works full-time but has been “lucky” enough to be able to work from home for the past year or so. She gets up at 5 each morning to try to get some work done before Bruno, the 5-year-old, wakes up and wants breakfast prepared to very exact specifications. Failure to meet these specifications will result in angry denunciations, which will wake Pearl, the 3-year-old.

Jasmine needs a drink.

She needs something refreshing that will give her a brief moment of calm and grace.

A brief moment of calm

Ingredients:

1½ ounces very cold vodka

1 ounce rhubarb syrup (see below)

1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

5 drops rose water

4 ounces aggressively bubbly seltzer, like Topo Chico Mineral Water

Shake all ingredients except the seltzer over ice until very cold.

Strain into a delicate 8-ounce glass.

Top with seltzer.

Admire, maybe take a picture, stir, then drink.

This is a light, not-too-boozy cocktail that tastes pretty much how it looks — pink. The rhubarb syrup gives the drink a decisively pink color that blends with the seltzer to give it an ombre coloring. The rhubarb is delicately sour. The lime juice is citrusy but not too sweet. The rose water remains in the background, hinting at exotic secrets.

Rhubarb syrup

Ingredients:

Equal amounts (by weight) of frozen, chopped rhubarb and sugar

Pinch of salt

(Note on the rhubarb: When you make syrup from any fruit — or rhubarb, in this case — frozen fruit works better than fresh. The freezing process creates ice crystals, which pierce the cell walls, making the fruit more apt to weep. That would be a drawback in an application where you wanted pristine, lovely fruit, but it is an asset in situations like this one.)

Combine rhubarb, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, until the rhubarb starts to give up its juice.

Mash the mixture with a potato masher.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Let it boil for 10 to 15 seconds, to ensure that the sugar has dissolved completely.

Remove from heat, cool, strain, bottle and label. Store in your refrigerator indefinitely.

Now, let’s consider Kimberly:

Kimberly is married and the mother of a sulky teenager. All things considered, she and her husband Albert get along pretty well, but after a year of being locked in a house with him seven days a week, she is getting ready to smother him in his sleep. Elizabeth, 14, insists on being called Wynter Storm. She has recently graduated from telling Kimberly how stupid she is in general to making very specific observations of her shortcomings. She is also, apparently, a recent convert to veganism, although she still eats bacon and ice cream.

Kimberly needs a drink.

A classic boilermaker

Ingredients:

1 bottle of beer

1½ to 2 ounces bourbon

Fill a glass — pretty much any glass — 3/4 of the way with beer. You might want to tilt the glass to minimize the head of foam on top, but maybe making a long, sudsy pour will feel a little like poking your finger in the eye of — well, somebody. You do you.

Fill a shot glass with bourbon.

Give the two glasses a steely-eyed stare.

Drop the shot glass full of bourbon into the beer

At this point I’d normally describe the subtle flavor notes of this cocktail to you, but if you’re drinking a boilermaker you probably know what you’re letting yourself in for. If you don’t, consider this a well-deserved adventure.

Featured photo: A brief moment of calm. Photo by John Fladd.

Brews and beyond

New craft beer shop opens in Hudson

Cousins Jay Parajuli and Bik Basnet love trying new kinds of craft beers and had often talked about how to turn that hobby into a business. Then one weekend last fall, Parajuli said, he was en route to another cousin’s home in Hudson when he noticed construction of the town’s new Flagstone Crossing retail plaza.

“We saw the ‘for lease’ sign … and literally jumped into it right there,” he said. “I was working at a family business, a convenience store down in Massachusetts, and with Covid and everything it was tough to stay afloat. The overheads were high to maintain employees. … So we got out of that business and just kind of said this was the right time to get into something we like doing.”

Hudson Brews, which opened on April 16, is New Hampshire’s newest spot to get local and regional craft beers, ciders and hard seltzers, with a constantly rotating selection, Parajuli said, based on both seasonal supply and customer demand.

The shop’s interior is custom-built, featuring two sets of coolers near the front that are dedicated just to single-serve cans and bottles. Beer lovers who want to try single selections of more than one type of craft brew can also create their own custom four-pack carrier at a discount.

“I’m a buyer myself, and I will go to a store and try a four-pack if they don’t have singles … [but] I don’t want to end up spending $20 on something that I didn’t like,” Parajuli said. “So that was the concept. We put out singles of every possible thing that we have … so that people can try it, and if they like it, then they’ll go for the four-pack.”

Past the single selections are dozens of additional offerings in an aisle running near the back of the shop. Most of the coolers are labeled by their state of origin — beers from New Hampshire and Massachusetts make up several of them, including ones from popular local breweries like Concord Craft Brewing, Henniker Brewing Co. and 603 Brewery in Londonderry, as well as harder-to-find selections like from Coos Brewing Co. in Colebrook. Beers from other New England states are available, and there are coolers designated for regional and international options, and craft ciders and seltzers. In addition to its many beers, Hudson Brews sells a limited selection of glassware, canned cocktails and energy drinks, as well as cigars and CBD products.

Parajuli said he’s already had conversations with customers about what types of beers they want to see at the shop.

“We want to talk to people, [and] we want to get involved in the community,” he said. “It’s fantastic when you see people are happy that you have a product they are looking for.”

Hudson Brews
Where: 6 Flagstone Drive, Unit C, Hudson
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
More info: Find them on Facebook and Instagram @hudsonbrews, or call 417-5528

Featured photo: Photo by Matt Ingersoll.

Meals with mom

Brunches, special menus and more for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is fast approaching — check out this list of brunches, dinners and special menus at local restaurants and function centers. Most dine-in events are planned for Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 9) unless otherwise specified, while a few local businesses are planning takeout specials. Do you know of an eatery offering Mother’s Day specials that’s not on this list? Let us know at [email protected].

• 110 Grill (875 Elm St., Manchester, 836-1150; 27 Trafalgar Square, 943-7443; 136 Marketplace Blvd., Rochester, 948-1270; 2 Portwalk Place, Portsmouth, 373-8312; 19 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham, 777-5110; 250 N. Plainfield Road, W. Lebanon, 790-8228; 110grill.com) is taking reservations for a Mother’s Day brunch at all of its locations, including those in New Hampshire. In addition to its full menu, several specials will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., like breakfast tacos, chicken and waffles, steak and egg Benedict, apple cider doughnut French toast, and brunch cocktails like bloody marys, double espresso martinis and adult mocha iced coffees.

• 603 Charcuterie (Derry, 603charcuterie.com) is taking orders for several Mother’s Day charcuterie board specials, including those with specialty meats and cheeses, but also some dessert options like macarons, chocolate-covered strawberries and more. Pickups will be at Creative Chef Kitchens (35 Manchester Road, Derry) on Friday, May 7, from 3 to 6 p.m.; Saturday, May 8, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, May 9, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., depending on which charcuterie option you choose.

• Alan’s of Boscawen (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631, alansofboscawen.com) will serve a Mother’s Day brunch buffet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring items like fresh fruit, assorted cheeses and crackers, pastries, scrambled eggs, homefries, bacon and sausage; plus lunch options like roast turkey with stuffing, crabmeat stuffed haddock, and a carving station with roast leg of lamb, prime rib and Virginia baked ham. Call for reservations.

• Atkinson Resort & Country Club (85 Country Club Drive, Atkinson, 362-8700, atkinsonresort.com) will serve a Mother’s Day brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring a waffle station and made-to-order omelet station; a carving station with items like prime rib, ham and apple-cured turkey; breakfast items, like pastries, bacon, sausage and homefries; lunch entrees, like sweet and spicy chicken, baked haddock, and smoked Gouda and white cheddar macaroni and cheese; and desserts, like chocolate mousse, tiramisu, cheesecake lollipops and assorted cookies and brownies. Reservations are required.

• Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, 244-3165, averillhousevineyard.com) will serve a high tea Mother’s Day brunch from 10 a.m. to noon, featuring a pre-set four-course brunch, a cup of tea, a tasting flight of four wines per guest (must be 21+) and a souvenir glass. 

• The Bakeshop on Kelley Street (171 Kelley St., Manchester, 624-3500, thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com) will be open on Mother’s Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Place any pickup orders by May 6.

• Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will serve a Mother’s Day brunch in its Great Hall featuring a grand buffet from 9:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., followed by a special three-course prix fixe dinner menu served in its dining room from 2 to 7 p.m. The brunch buffet will have chef-attended Belgian waffle and omelet stations, plus a charcuterie and cheese display, hand-carved meats to order like North Country Smokehouse ham and herb-crusted slow-roasted beef, and assorted soups, salads and breakfast options. The three-course dinner will include your choice of an appetizer (roasted poblano pepper and corn chowder, potato and leek bisque, Dowie Farm pea shoots or panzanella); an entree (grilled tournedos of beef, Scottish salmon filet, milk-fed veal loin medallions, smoked Kurobuta pork loin, garlic and herb tri-colored quinoa with vegetables, or grilled swordfish loin); and a dessert (carrot cake, chocolate beet cake, vanilla bean creme brulee, or passionfruit cream pavlova). Reservations are required for both.

• Birch Wood Vineyards (199 Rockingham Road, Derry, 965-4359, birchwoodvineyards.com) will serve a Mother’s Day brunch with two available seatings, at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Several plated meals are available to choose from, including a biscuit and gravy plate, a French toast plate, a broccoli and cheddar frittata plate, a chicken picatta plate, a haddock plate, a short rib plate and an eggplant Napoleon plate. All breakfast entrees are served with fruit salad and lunch entrees with mixed green salad and raspberry vinaigrette — all plates also come with a variety of fresh baked breads, either milk, juice or coffee, and a trio of desserts. Reservations are required.

• Buckley’s Great Steaks (438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com) is taking reservations for Mother’s Day, from 1 to 6 p.m., serving its regular menu with specials. Call during business hours or make your reservation online.

• Clam Haven (94 Rockingham Road, Derry, 434-4679, clamhaven.com) has customizable options from its new catering menu, featuring items like shrimp or lobster tail cocktail, platters of seafood sliders, chicken fingers, hot dogs, burgers and fish tacos, and party-sized options of steam lobster or classic New England clambakes with several sides.

• The Coach Stop Restaurant & Tavern (176 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 437-2022, coachstopnh.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day menu, with dine-in reservations accepted for 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. or 5:30 p.m., as well as pre-order takeout and free delivery. Selections include appetizers like crab cakes, spinach and artichoke dip, bacon-wrapped scallops and French onion soup, and entrees like baked haddock, roasted prime rib of beef, chicken Marsala, chicken and broccoli alfredo and seafood linguine alfredo.

• Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, 428-3281, colbyhillinn.com) will serve a special three-course prix fixe menu for Mother’s Day, with seatings at noon, 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Choose your own first course (English pea, spring leek and ham soup, creamy scallop and tomato bisque, market greens salad, organic spinach salad or spring tempura); main entree (Cornish hen au vin, San Francisco cioppino, house-made saffron tagliatelle pasta, petite leg of lamb, bison short rib Wellington, wiener schnitzel or pan-roasted monkfish and lobster); and a dessert (coconut lime tart, mimosa brulee, chocolate cake with mocha buttercream, profiterole trio or mignardises). Other a la carte extras include oysters on the half-shell, smoked salmon pierogi and farmer’s cheese and charcuterie boards.

• The Common Man (25 Water St., Concord, 228-3463; 304 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-3463; 88 Range Road, Windham, 898-0088; 10 Pollard Road, Lincoln, 745-3463; 21 Water St., Claremont, 542-6171; Foster’s Boiler Room, 231 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2764; 60 Main St., Ashland, 968-7030; Lago, 1 Route 25, Meredith, 279-2253; Italian Farmhouse, 337 Daniel Webster Hwy., Plymouth, 536-4536; Lakehouse Grille, 281 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-5221; Camp, 300 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-3003; Airport Diner, 2280 Brown Ave., Manchester, 623-5040; Tilt’n Diner, 61 Laconia Road, Tilton, 286-2204; Route 104 Diner, 752 Route 104, New Hampton, 744-0120; thecman.com) will be serving its dinner menus, with Mother’s Day specials. Hours vary depending on the location, and reservations are recommended. Each location is also offering a Mother’s Day meal for four to go, which includes an appetizer of spinach artichoke dip and crackers, braised beef short ribs with mashed potatoes and pesto green beans, house-baked rolls and blueberry breakfast bread, and strawberry shortcake. An optional a la carte side offering of the Common Man’s signature macaroni and cheese is also available. Order by May 3. Pickups will be on Saturday, May 8.

• Copper Door Restaurant (15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677; 41 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033; copperdoor.com) will serve a special prix fixe menu for Mother’s Day, beginning at 4 p.m., with two-course, three-course and four-course menu options. Items to choose from include sirloin spring rolls, roasted poblano and corn chowder, slow-roasted prime rib, twin filet mignon, shrimp gnocchi, ginger haddock, limoncello cupcakes and strawberry cheesecake. Call to make a reservation.

• Cotton (75 Arms St., Manchester, 622-5488, cottonfood.com) will be open from noon to 5 p.m. on Mother’s Day. Reservations are accepted online through OpenTable.

• CR’s The Restaurant (287 Exeter Road, Hampton, 929-7972, crstherestaurant.com) will be open from noon to 5 p.m. on Mother’s Day, serving specials along with some of its popular dinner entrees. Call to make a reservation.

• The Crown Tavern (99 Hanover St., Manchester, 218-3132, thecrownonhanover.com) is accepting Mother’s Day reservations for both indoor and outdoor dining, from noon to 3:30 p.m.

• The Crust & Crumb Baking Co. (126 N. Main St., Concord, 219-0763, thecrustandcrumb.com) will be open on Mother’s Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Place any pickup orders as soon as possible.

• Dahlia Restaurant (dahlianomadic.com) has a limited number of tickets left for a Mother’s Day brunch from noon to 3 p.m., in collaboration with Enna Chocolate (152 Front St., Exeter). Reservations are required and can be made online.

• The Derryfield Restaurant (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880, thederryfield.com) will serve a Mother’s Day brunch buffet, with seatings every half hour from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be an omelet station, a carving station with slow-roasted prime rib and oven-baked ham, assorted salads, baked goods and pastries, and a dessert station with a variety of mini pastries. The main buffet line will have breakfast options like bacon, sausage, corned beef hash, French toast, scrambled eggs and home fries. Call to make a reservation.

• Fratello’s Italian Grille (155 Dow St., Manchester, 624-2022, fratellos.com) will serve a variety of Mother’s Day specials at its Manchester location, like baked stuffed haddock, seafood fra diavolo, roasted vegetable salmon, chicken capri, chicken Parmesan, pan-seared duck breast, beef tenderloin, baked stuffed shells and more. Call to make a reservation.

• Georgia’s Northside (394 N. State St., Concord, 715-9189, georgiasnorthside.com) is taking orders for a surf and turf special for Mother’s Day, featuring chargrilled 8-ounce New York strip steak, a lobster roll, creamy macaroni and cheese and Brussels sprouts. Order online for pickup on Sunday, May 9, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Giorgio’s Ristorante & Bar (270 Granite St., Manchester, 232-3323; 524 Nashua St., Milford, 673-3939; 707 Milford Road, Merrimack; giorgios.com) will be serving brunch specials on Mother’s Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in addition to its regular menus, at its Manchester and Milford locations.

• Greenleaf (54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com) is serving a special Mother’s Day brunch menu that will be available for both dine-in and takeout. Brunch plates will include eggs with bacon or sausage, home fries and English muffin toast; Culture’s honey wheat French toast with local maple syrup and whipped molasses honey butter; and buttermilk waffles with rhubarb compote, chantilly cream and local maple syrup. There will also be assorted appetizers, like local cheese boards, smoked pea and mint soup, and house made burrata. Dine-ins will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with reservations accepted online through OpenTable. If ordering takeout, orders must be placed by May 6.

• Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant (233 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-6212, hartsturkeyfarm.com) is taking orders for family-sized meals for Mother’s Day, with options like whole roasted turkey, slow roasted prime rib or baked ham. Each comes with whipped potatoes, butternut squash, green beans and dinner rolls. Dessert choices also include apple pie, blueberry pie and chocolate cream pie.

• The Homestead Restaurant & Tavern (641 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-2022, homesteadnh.com) will serve a variety of specials for Mother’s Day, with seatings from noon to 6 p.m. Items will include roast prime rib of beef, broiled haddock, grilled swordfish, chicken cordon bleu, New York sirloin, chicken marsala and more. Call to make a reservation.

• LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898; 14 Route 111, Derry; labellewinerynh.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch buffet at both locations, with reservations accepted through OpenTable. Options will include assorted pastries and fruit displays, chef-attended omelet stations and build-your-own berry shortcake stations, breakfast items like baked stuffed banana brioche French toast, applewood smoked bacon and pork sausage, and lunch items like herb-roasted filet of cod, garlic and rosemary chicken breast and orzo salad with red wine balsamic vinaigrette. LaBelle Winery’s Amherst location is also taking orders for heat-and-serve take-home meal packages, with options like whole wheat rolls with red wine honey butter, petite greens salad, brown sugar glazed ham with golden raisin chutney, roasted potatoes and lemon asparagus, and strawberry shortcake with chantilly cream for dessert.

• Mile Away Restaurant (52 Federal Hill Road, Milford, 673-3904, mileawayrestaurantnh.com) will serve special dinners for Mother’s Day that include your choice of an appetizer, salad, entree or dessert, available for dine-in or takeout. Appetizers include ham minestrone, Swedish meatballs and fresh fruit plates with sorbet, with the option to substitute those for shrimp cocktail, escargots or onion soup. Salads include Caesar or garden options, with blue cheese, house ranch, raspberry vinaigrette or balsamic dressing. Available entrees include sliced roast sirloin, pork Madagascar, chicken Florentine, piccata Milanese, baked stuffed jumbo shrimp, maple salmon, baked scrod, vegetarian baked eggplant Parmesan and wienerschnitzel. All entrees come with your choice of a baked potato, Swiss potato or rice pilaf, and your choice of green bean Provencal, maple-glazed carrots, pickled beets or applesauce. Available desserts include Snickers pie, tiramisu cake, sorbet, bread pudding, cheesecake, chocolate ganache cake, lemon mascarpone cake and chocolate mousse cake.

• MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar (212 Main St., Nashua, 595-9334, mtslocal.com) is taking reservations for Mother’s Day, from 1 to 6 p.m., serving its regular menu with specials. Call during business hours or make your reservation online. Outdoor dining will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• New England’s Tap House Grille (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 782-5137, taphousenh.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• The Old Salt Restaurant at Lamie’s Inn (490 Lafayette Road, No. 9, Hampton, 926-8322, oldsaltnh.com) will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mother’s Day, serving specialty items like roast prime rib dinners, artichoke and mascarpone agnolotti, baked stuffed haddock, boiled lobster dinners, and grilled salmon with lemon dill butter sauce, plus desserts like raspberry white chocolate cheesecake, Boston cream pie, carrot cake and strawberry shortcake.

• Presto Craft Kitchen (168 Amory St., Manchester, 606-1252, prestocraftkitchen.com) is taking orders for a variety of specialty sweets for Mother’s Day, including jumbo chocolate-covered strawberries, hand-filled cannolis (a dozen per order), cheesecake-filled chocolate hearts, and Oreo cheesecake cake-sicles (a half dozen per order). Order by May 2. Pickups will be on Friday, May 7, and Saturday, May 8.

• The Red Blazer Restaurant & Pub (72 Manchester St., Concord, 224-4101, theredblazer.com) will be open its normal Sunday hours on Mother’s Day, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., serving its regular menu with a few specials like prime rib. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis and takeout will be available via online ordering only (no phone orders).

• The Republic of Campo (969 Elm St., Manchester, 666-3723, republiccafe.com; campoenoteca.com) is accepting Mother’s Day reservations beginning at 4 p.m., with full menus available from both restaurants in addition to locally sourced specials.

• Roundabout Diner & Lounge (580 U.S. Highway 1 Bypass, Portsmouth, 431-1440, roundaboutdiner.com) will serve an all-you-can-eat Mother’s Day brunch buffet, accepting reservations from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featured items are built-your-own omelettes, Belgian waffles, bacon, sausage, cinnamon bun French toast, a seasoned prime rib carving station, baked haddock and more. Other house Mother’s Day specials available on the menu will include brie grilled cheese, pork belly Benedict, Italian sausage scramble and chocolate-covered cherry pancakes.

• SALT Kitchen & Bar (Wentworth by the Sea, 588 Wentworth Road, New Castle, 373-6566, saltkitchenandbar.com) will serve a special multi-course menu for Mother’s Day, featuring your choice of a first course (scallop escabeche, lobster bisque or spring lettuce); an entree (sous vide Atlantic salmon, sliced New York strip, chicken Marsala or English pea ravioli); and a dessert (chocolate tiramisu, lemon meringue cheesecake or strawberry rhubarb crostata. Call to make a reservation.

• Simply Delicious Baking Co. (176 Route 101, Bedford, 488-1988, simplydeliciousbakingco.com) is taking orders for hand-dipped chocolate-covered organic strawberries for Mother’s Day. Order by May 5. Pickups will be on Saturday, May 8, from 8 a.m. to noon.

• Surf Restaurant (207 Main St., Nashua, 595-9293; 99 Bow St., Suite 200W, Portsmouth, 334-9855; surfseafood.com) is taking reservations for Mother’s Day from 1 to 6 p.m., serving its regular menu with specials. Call during business hours or make your reservation online. The bar and outdoor dining will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• The Village Trestle (25 Main St., Goffstown, 497-8230, villagetrestle.com) will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Mother’s Day, serving its full menu along with a special featuring a lobster roll, fries and coleslaw. Live acoustic music with Bob Pratte and Lisa Marie will be from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.

• Wolfe’s Tavern (Wolfeboro Inn, 90 N. Main St., Wolfeboro, 569-3016, wolfestavern.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day menu from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring items like croissant French toast, pan-bronzed chicken breast, grilled herb-marinated pork tenderloin, and caramelized onion and goat cheese deep dish quiche. Call or book your reservation online.

• Woodstock Inn Brewery (135 N. Main St., North Woodstock, 745-3951, woodstockinnbrewery.com) is offering a “Mother of all Brunches” package for Mother’s Day, including a weekend room special and a buffet from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. that will feature an omelet bar, a waffle bar, a carving station with ham and prime rib, and other items like eggs Benedict, salmon, vegetable lasagna and assorted desserts. Brunch reservations are accepted but not required.

• XO on Elm (827 Elm St., Manchester, 560-7998, xoonelm.com) will be open from 2 to 7 p.m. on Mother’s Day. Call or make your reservation online through OpenTable.

• Zachary’s Chop House (4 Cobbetts Pond Road, Windham, 890-5555, zacharyschophouse.com) will serve a Mother’s Day breakfast buffet from 8 to 11 a.m., followed by other Mother’s Day specials beginning 11 a.m. Call to make a reservation.

• Zorvino Vineyards (226 Main St., Sandown, 887-8463, zorvino.com) will serve a Mother’s Day brunch buffet with seatings at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. There will be assorted breakfast items, soups, salads, carving stations, desserts and more. Call or book your reservation online. 

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

The West Coast IPA

It’s not fair to call the IPA style ubiquitous. I mean, it totally is, but at the same time, that descriptor just takes away from how much innovation and how much variation takes place within this style.

For a quick second, think about what your choices were for IPAs 10 years ago at your local beer store. (Did you have a local beer store 10 years ago?) Times have changed.

Today, in terms of quantity, IPAs are a dime a dozen — or like in reality closer to about $60 per dozen — but within the style, you’re looking at double IPAs, New England-style IPAs, American IPAs, even triple IPAs, dry-hopped IPAs, session IPAs, and so on and so forth.

While the New England-style IPA, with its combination of juiciness, haze and drinkability, tends to get the most attention these days, let us not forget about the West Coast IPA.

This isn’t a new style, of course; you could make a pretty sound and probably accurate argument that this is the style that really kicked off the current IPA craze, and maybe the craft beer revolution altogether. Think Dogfish Head 90-minute IPA or a Sculpin IPA by Ballast Point.

The West Coast IPA features prominent flavors of citrus and pine and a lot of bitterness. So you still get citrus flavors as you probably would with a New England-style IPA, but you would not consider calling these beers juicy. These beers bite and the presence of pine notes sets this style apart even more.

You’ll see West Coast IPAs described with words like “dank” and “resin.” Now, look, clearly no one placed a call to a marketing agency when they came up with those words, but it’s too late now. I don’t know that there is an explicit definition of the term “dank,” but I take it to mean the brew is sort of funky — in a good way.

For a lot of IPA drinkers, it’s that hop bitterness from the West Coast or American-style IPA that drew them into this style in the first place. It’s also what turns off others from truly giving the style a chance.

Looking at the pour, the West Coast style tends to lack the thick, golden haze of a New England-style IPA. West Coast IPAs can range from nearly clear to a rich amber color.

Now, brewers are constantly experimenting and the guidelines for specific styles are getting broader and broader by the minute, so keep that in mind.

But, to me, the West Coast IPA is just an exciting brew that smacks you around with a ton of bold flavors. Sometimes you do need to get smacked around a little bit.

OK, that’s enough, let’s get to the beer.

New England Gangsta by Earth Eagle Brewings (Portsmouth)

Yes, you can make West Coast IPA on the East Coast. This has a nice floral bouquet on the nose with prominent hop character — fresh, bright and not overly bitter.

Union Jack by Firestone Walker Brewing Co. (Paso Robles, Calif.)

“Big and loud,” as the brewery describes it, is right on. This is super hoppy and flavorful. The hops hit you right in the face from a variety of angles — so be ready.

Stone IPA by Stone Brewing (Escondido, Calif.)

Another iconic West Coast IPA, this hits you with a ton of tropical flavor and pine.

Pitch A Tent by Hobbs Brewing Co. (Ossipee)

This double IPA is well-balanced, featuring tropical notes and plenty of citrus and just enough bite. The pour is nearly crystal clear. At 8 percent ABV, be careful.

What’s in My Fridge
Juice Lord by Lord Hobo Brewing Co. (Woburn, Mass.)
This is super-juicy and full of big fruit flavor as you’d expect, but it’s also bitter, maybe more bitter than I expected. It took me a second to get used to that, I think just because I really wasn’t expecting it, but after a few sizable sips, I was all in. Yet another Lord Hobo brew you should track down and enjoy. Cheers!

Featured photo: West Coast IPA. Photo by Jeff Mucciarone.

Meet crémant

Another French sparkling wine

When thinking of sparkling wines two immediately come to mind: Champagne and prosecco. Champagne is typically reserved for celebratory events and prosecco has generated a following because it is light and not complex, to be enjoyed in an afternoon or with dessert, without the guilt of spending a lot of money. But if you want complexity derived from a blending of a variety of grapes, along with the added boost of notes of fresh bread, and possibly a sweetener, you must turn to a Champagne, a cava or a crémant. In this column we will discuss crémant, as the other sparkling wine from France.

Crémant, made in the same method as Champagne, can be produced in eight different wine regions of France, including Alsace, Bordeaux, Loire, Bourgogne and Jura. Sparkling wine labeled as Champagne can only come from the Champagne region of France. Both Champagne and crémant are produced from grapes that are hand-harvested and both require a second fermentation in the bottle, with the lees (sediment of yeast), which helps to give the wines their natural fizz. Both have a second dosage of sugar or wine before they are corked and both are aged for a minimum of 12 months before they can be sold. The regulations for Champagne are very strict, while the guidelines for crémant may be a little more relaxed; however, crémants can still have the great quality of Champagnes and are growing in popularity.

Crémant d’Alsace means the “Sparkling Wine from Alsace.” This region makes up approximately 45 percent of all crémant production, producing approximately 40 million bottles annually, making this the largest contributor toward the crémant production of France. Our first wine, a Cave de Ribeauvillé Crémant d’Alsace Brut Le Comte (originally priced at $49.99, reduced to $17.99 at the NH Liquor & Wine Outlets) has a pale yellow color with a slight citric nose. The bubbles rise consistently and do not fade in the glass. The first taste is of green apples and is slightly citric, but vanilla and the yeast of brioche comes through in a full creamy mouth feel.

Alsace, located on the Rhine River plain and the border of Germany and Switzerland, has alternated between French and German control over the centuries. Wines produced here tend to be influenced not only by the cooler climate but also by German tastes. Varietals grown include riesling, gewurztraminer, muscat and pinot gris. It is logically expected that riesling is the predominant grape of this crémant produced by Cave de Ribeauville, the oldest wine co-operative in France, originating in 1895 and containing over 650 acres of vineyards.

Our second crémant is from the Loire Valley, home to kings and castles. The river flows through central France and the valley is referred to as “the Garden of France” due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards, and vegetable fields in its banks and hillsides. There are several wine regions producing muscadet on the Atlantic Coast, to Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, southeast of Orleans that run along the course of the river. Comte de Saint Aignan Crémant de Loire Brut Première Étoile (originally priced at $28.99, reduced to $14.99 at the NH Liquor & Wine Outlets) produced by Fournier Père & Fils, is a blend of 60 percent chenin blanc, 35 percent chardonnay and 5 percent cabernet franc. The grapes for this sparkling wine come from the Crémant-de-Loire appellation of the Valley, including Anjou, Saumur and Touraine, in the heartland of the Loire Valley.

The color is light gold (almost clear) with persistent but sparse bubbles. The nose is slightly nutty with notes of dark honey. To the mouth, there are bold citric notes, leading one to think that sauvignon blanc is included in the blend, as it is in crémant blends of Bordeaux — but it isn’t. The nose and taste of the chardonnay in this blend is more pronounced than in a typical Champagne, which may influence the taste buds of some more than those of others. The finish is long, perhaps in part owing to the presence of the chardonnay.

Each of these wines can be enjoyed as an aperitif or served with fish and seafood, and perhaps enjoyed with fruit and cheese. They are versatile.

Featured photo: Photo by Fred Matuszewski.

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