Category: Food

Rhubarb margarita

When you were in school, did you ever have one of those teachers who always went off-topic?

You know the type: He was supposed to be lecturing on the Dewey Decimal System or something, and he would tell the class a story about a haberdasher he used to know in Cleveland, who had nine fingers and a dog named Sylvia.

And yet — somehow — he would end up circling around and making an important and pertinent point about the actual subject. Anyway, this is one of those stories:

My teenager and I had just finished our Taekwondo class and were driving home. The Teen asked if we could stop at our favorite convenience store, because if she didn’t eat some chocolate-covered pretzels immediately, she would die, messily in the passenger seat.

I grabbed a diet orange soda and was waiting at the front counter, while The Teen gave the variety of pretzels the intense scrutiny they required.

Two clerks were on duty. I know one of them pretty well — I’m a regular customer — but the other was clearly new. I nodded at each of them.

We had just come from martial arts class, and it was a sparring week, so not only was I in uniform and unpleasantly sweaty, but I had also just taken a beating.

“Rough week?” my regular clerk asked.

“Man!” I replied. “I dropped some bad powdered unicorn horn over the weekend. The guy said it was pure, but I think it was cut with some of that South Korean stuff….”

“I hear you,” my friend said.

I continued. “I’ve got a cousin who managed to score me some pixie dust on Monday, and that helped a little, but I kept floating a foot off the couch, and I couldn’t play XBox properly.”

“We’ve all been there,” Clerk No. 1 said, comfortingly.

At this point, Clerk No. 2 was extremely confused.

“I mean,” I said with real frustration in my voice, “I’m just trying to stop the tentacles. You know what I mean?”

Clerk No. 1 nodded understandingly and patted my shoulder. Clerk No. 2 started to say something, then thought better of it. The Teen found her snack. I paid, and we left.

As we walked out the door, I heard Clerk Number Two ask, “Is he always like that?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” said his colleague.

This is my point: It’s been a rough week and you could use a pretty pink drink.

Rhubarb Margarita

  • 2 ounces blanco tequila — I like Hornitos.
  • 1 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice
  • ¾ ounce rhubarb syrup (see below)

Add all ingredients and 4 or 5 ice cubes to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously.

Pour unstrained into a rocks glass.

Regardless of how you start this drink, it will have an effect on you. I am a grumpy, walrus-like man in late middle age. By the time I finished shaking this, I found myself wearing a tutu and sparkle-shoes.

This is a tart, refreshing take on a traditional margarita. The lime juice and tequila are the dominant tastes, but there is a tart fruitiness in the background that you would not be able to identify if you were drinking this blindfolded — which, for what it’s worth, sounds like a really great way to spend a weekend, making new friends. That’s the rhubarb. It’s delicious but prefers to stay in the background, steering this cocktail in delicate and happy directions.

“Yeah, that’s really pretty and all, but I’m not the world’s biggest fan of tequila.”

Fair. Replace the tequila with white rum, and you’ll have something we might call a Blushing Daiquiri.

“What if I’m 9 years old?”

You’re not supposed to be reading cocktail columns. Have Dad replace the alcohol with club soda. It will be the Very Prettiest Soda.

Rhubarb Syrup

Combine equal amounts of frozen diced rhubarb and white sugar in a saucepan. You will be afraid you have made a major miscalculation — it will look like a lumpy pile of sugar. Be stout of heart.

Cook over medium heat. As the rhubarb thaws and cooks, the sugar will draw out a surprising amount of liquid. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it cook for 30 seconds or so.

Remove from the heat, and let it steep for half an hour or so. Strain off the syrup into a bottle for use. Do not discard the rhubarb; it is the base of a superb compote. Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice into it and you will have a fantastic topping for toast or ice cream.

Featured photo. Rhubarb Margarita. Photo by John Fladd.

Caramel apple biscotti

We are at the midpoint of a biscotti binge. Last week’s recipe for strawberry biscotti got me thinking about other flavor combinations that could work. This week I am focusing on a sweeter biscotti, and next week I will round out the series with a spicier biscotti.

Caramel apple biscotti are the perfect treat for when you are craving a candy-like dessert. The coating of caramel gives a nice boost of sweetness. Even better, these are a neater way to eat than a regular caramel apple. All of the flavor, a lot less mess!

Just like last week’s recipe, you need to use dried fruit when making these. I have made these with regular apples, and the results are mediocre. With fresh apples, you need to bake the biscotti for almost 8 minutes longer, which results in a cookie that is on the verge of being burnt.
Make a batch as a belated Mother’s Day gift, or keep them for yourself. They’ll be enjoyed either way!

Caramel apple biscotti
Makes 30

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups diced dried apples
1 cup caramel baking chips
1 teaspoon shortening

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on speed 2 for 3 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth.
Stir in vanilla extract.
Slowly add flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, mixing until combined.
Stir diced apples into dough.
Divide dough in half.
Shape each half into a 10″ x 4″ rectangle, using floured hands.
Set each loaf 3″ apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the dough is set.
Leaving the oven on, remove the baking sheet from the oven, and cool biscotti loaves for 15 minutes on the baking sheet.
Using a chef’s knife, cut the loaves into diagonal slices, 3/4″ thick.
Return the slices to the baking sheet with the cut sides down; bake for 9 minutes.
Turn slices over, and bake for 9 minutes more.
Remove biscotti from oven, and allow them to cool completely on a baking rack. (Do not discard the parchment paper.)
Combine caramel chips and shortening in a small bowl.
Microwave on high in 15-second increments, stirring after each, until fully melted.
Using a spoon, coat one side of biscotti with caramel.
Return biscotti to parchment paper to allow coating to harden.
To quicken the hardening of the coating, place the biscotti in the refrigerator.

Featured Photo: Caramel apple biscotti. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

In the kitchen with Joe Bernier

Joe Bernier of Weare is the owner and pitmaster of Angry Hog Barbecue Co. (angryhogbbq.com, and on Facebook and Instagram), a mobile food trailer specializing in various smoked meats like beef brisket, pulled pork and St. Louis-cut ribs, along with burgers, hot dogs and scratch-made sides, from coleslaw and baked beans to macaroni and cheese and jalapeno cornbread. Other unique options he’s dabbled in have included smoked bologna sandwiches, barbecue “sundaes” in a cup, and “hand grenades,” or bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapeno poppers. Bernier’s barbecue venture started out in 2011 when he was making and selling his own line of specialty sauces and rubs. In 2018, he operated a seasonal barbecue restaurant on Weirs Beach in Laconia before later transitioning into a food trailer after the pandemic hit. Find him at Laconia Harley-Davidson (239 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) on Saturday, May 14, and at TMS Diesel (83 Rockland Road, Weare) on Saturday, May 21, for its second annual Dyno Day. From Memorial Day through Columbus Day, Angry Hog Barbecue Co. will have a permanent location six days a week at Hermit Woods Winery (62 Main St., Meredith).

What is your must-have kitchen item?

My digital thermometer.

What would you have for your last meal?

A really good marinated steak tip, right off the grill.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

The Stark House [Tavern] in Weare. … It’s not a large space, but it’s a cool little vibe with really good food.

What celebrity would you like to see ordering from your food trailer?

Adam Sandler. … I can see him shouting out to somebody, ‘That food is wicked good!’

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

I have a burger called the Sasquatch burger. … It has pickled jalapeno, Swiss cheese, onion and my Hellfire barbecue sauce. It just catches all of the right notes that food should. You get both the savory [flavor] from the beef and the spice from the jalapenos.

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

I think it’s flights and sliders. … Just any small amount of something that’s served on one plate. You’re seeing a lot of that now — burger flights, taco flights, you name it.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

A nice huge lasagna. A big batch can feed the family for three days.

Angry Hog “hand grenades” (bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers)
Courtesy of Joe Bernier of Angry Hog Barbecue Co.

1 cup pulled pork
¼ cup habanero jelly
¼ cup pineapple chunks
jalapeno peppers
applewood bacon
cream cheese
barbecue sauce

In a bowl, combine pulled pork, pineapple chunks and habanero jelly. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill. Slice jalapenos the long way and remove the pith and seeds from inside the peppers. Fill the now hollow part of the pepper slices with cream cheese. Place three of these halves in your hand and spoon some of the pulled pork mixture into the middle, then encase the pulled pork with the cream cheese-filled peppers. Wrap with a slice of applewood bacon. Place the jalapenos in the freezer for around 15 minutes to allow them to stiffen up. In a smoker — or on a grill indirectly — cook until the pepper sweats (it should appear wrinkly). Place on direct heat, turning once or twice to crisp up the bacon. Place on a plate and drizzle with your favorite barbecue sauce.

Featured photo: Joe Bernier. Courtesy photo.

Everyone’s cup of tea

Teatotaller coming to downtown Concord

Somersworth native Emmett Soldati found success in his hometown with Teatotaller, a cafe featuring everything from scratch-made sandwiches and salads to coffees, espresso drinks, house tea blends and more. Originally launching the concept in 2011, Soldati relocated a few blocks down the road to his current space on High Street in 2016 — now, he’s getting ready to expand the Teatotaller brand in the form of a second location, coming soon to downtown Concord.

On track to open later this month, Teatotaller’s newest spot is in the former Edible Arrangements storefront in the city’s Capital Plaza. The project, Soldati said, has actually been in the works since before the pandemic — from 2018 and into 2019, he had been looking for potential spots in various cities and towns when he was introduced to Concord property manager Steve Duprey.

egg, bacon, and greens sandwich on english muffin
Courtesy photo.

“I got to know Concord very well over that period of time, scoping out spots, and I definitely had an affinity for it,” Soldati said. “I like that it still has a small-town feel … but it’s certainly more bustling and vibrant than Somersworth, and I thought that the business would do really well.”

Soldati’s plan had been to open on Warren Street in early 2020, but Covid had other plans. The Edible Arrangements store closing in the interim gave him an opening to get onto Main Street.

Last month, Teatotaller’s distinguished pink paint went up outside, attracting significant attention and solidifying Soldati’s intentions to open the doors soon. The eatery’s menu will be similar to that of its predecessor — everything will be made in-house with fresh and local ingredients.

“There are aspects of it that will be distinct and unique because of the space … but our goal is to take the success of what is in Somersworth and bring it to Concord,” Soldati said. “I’m very proud of the menu. … I think just having more made-from-scratch things in Concord is exciting. We also sort of describe ourselves as a full-spectrum bakery and kitchen, which means we have a lot of vegan options, both vegan baked goods and savory items, and gluten-free options as well. We’ve had a lot of success accommodating different dietary palates and lifestyles.”

Teatotaller’s breakfast sandwiches, for instance, can be made on gluten-free breads or on the eatery’s own sourdough English muffins. There’s a build-your-own sandwich option in which you can choose everything from a baked egg or tofu frittata to bacon from North Country Smokehouse of Claremont, veggies and house aiolis with flavors like Dijon, chipotle and pesto.

Coffees are sourced from New Hampshire Coffee Co. out of Dover, which makes a custom Latin-American blend just for Teatotaller. There will be a variety of hot and iced drip coffees and espresso drinks, along with around a dozen of the cafe’s own flavored syrups. As for the teas, Soldati has his own brand called Chai Curious, featuring 10 house blends. In addition to being available in various hot and iced drinks, bagged teas will be sold at the shop and are sold online.

Teatotaller also has a few flavors of bubble tea, or homemade milk tea with tapioca pearls. During the pandemic, Soldati launched a bubble tea delivery company called Doorstep Boba, which is now available in multiple cities and towns, including those in and around Concord.

Eventually, Soldati said he hopes to begin holding regular events like drag shows, similar to those at the Somersworth cafe. He also has two mural artists designing the walls of the new space.

“This has been a long time coming and I’m kind of in a state of disbelief that it’s really happening,” he said. “I’m excited. … The thing I always like to remind people is that it’s meant to be a space for everyone. The public is going to come in and use the space in ways that I couldn’t have even thought of or planned … and so, Teatotaller in that sense is like an evolving brand. We’re sort of an open book of what’s going to happen next.”

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Food for the soul

Riley’s Place now open in Milford

When Kimberley King took over the tavern space adjoining Milford’s historic Colonel Shepard House, her vision was simple — to serve a menu of home-cooked comfort foods with some Southern nods, all to complement a weekly schedule of live blues, rock and country acts.

Riley’s Place, named after King’s 5-month-old granddaughter, is the culmination of that vision. The combination eatery and music hall opened April 22, its menu featuring everything from scratch-cooked jambalaya, macaroni and cheese, Cajun rice and beans and cornbread to locally sourced New York-style bagel sandwiches, acai bowls, ice cream and more.

Pulled pork and coleslaw sandwich on a salted bagel. Photo courtesy of Riley’s Place in Milford.

The space most recently housed Zinger’s, a club known for its blues and comedy shows, but its days as a restaurant and tavern go back to the late 1980s. King, a longtime Milford resident, had previously worked there as a manager before she would go on to serve as a food and beverage director for Amherst Country Club. But she always wanted to one day have her own spot — so when she came across the “for lease” sign outside the building, she saw a unique opportunity.

“I just started getting all of these ideas,” King said. “I wanted to bring together all of the things that people love, and make it a comfort food type of place. Nothing fancy, just good food that fills them up, tastes great and makes them happy. [Food] that is good for their soul.”

King recruited Erica Ceravolo to help design the menu and manage the kitchen. Ceravolo grew up working in her grandmother’s bakery in Bloomfield, New Jersey, just outside of Newark.

“I want people to come in, taste the food and feel like they are sitting at their grandmother’s table, not at a bar or a restaurant,” Ceravolo said. “Just that comforting feeling of home.”

Her baked macaroni and cheese, for instance, uses her own grandmother’s recipe, featuring a unique blend of cheeses and the option to add pulled pork, Buffalo chicken or barbecue chicken.

She also bakes her own cheddar biscuits and jalapeno cornbread, while other favorites out of the gate have included jambalaya with andouille sausage and chicken thighs; Cajun beans and rice; and wings, served “dressed” or “undressed” with a blue cheese dressing or Cajun dipping sauce.

Bagels for the sandwiches are sourced fresh weekly from Bagel Alley in Nashua. There’s plain, everything, cheddar, sesame, pumpernickel and salt, and you can get anything from ham, turkey, roast beef or pulled pork on your bagel to tuna salad or cranberry and walnut chicken salad.

As for cold items, Riley’s Place offers nearly a dozen flavors of Gifford’s Ice Cream out of Maine, along with acai bowls featuring granola, sliced bananas and strawberries and a honey drizzle. As the seasons change, King said she would like to explore the possibility of serving a selection of house soups and chowders in bread bowls during the fall and winter months.

In addition to bar seating with a full offering of beers and cocktails, Riley’s Place has a dining area by the stage and additional seating outdoors. Open-mic nights are featured on Tuesdays, with karaoke nights on Fridays and a live local blues, rock or country act on Saturday nights.

A grab-and-go case of sandwiches, salads and prepared foods is also in the works.

Riley’s Place
Where: 29 Mont Vernon St., Milford
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to about midnight. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
More info: Visit rileysplacellc.com or find them on Facebook @rileysplacellc
Live music includes open-mic nights on Tuesdays from 6 to 9 p.m., karaoke nights on Fridays, and a local blues, rock or country act on Saturdays, usually from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. or from 9 p.m. to midnight. Veterans, active military service members and police, fire and rescue personnel receive a 10 percent discount on their food orders.

Featured photo: Cheddar biscuits. Photo courtesy of Riley’s Place in Milford.

The Weekly Dish 22/05/12

News from the local food scene

• Farmers markets return: The Warner Area Farmers Market returns to the Town Hall lawn (5 E. Main St., Warner) on Saturday, May 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and will feature a selection of local vendors selling produce, honeys, maple syrups and more. The market is set to continue every Saturday through the end of October. The Concord Farmers Market and the Contoocook Farmers Market, meanwhile, both moved outdoors for the first time this season this past Saturday. Concord’s will continue every week from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Capitol Street, adjacent to the Statehouse lawn, while in Contoocook the market is being held behind the town’s Train Depot (896 Main St.) on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. More outdoor markets are expected to return in the Granite State in the coming weeks, including in Henniker on May 26, Derry on June 1, Pelham on June 4, and Bedford and New Boston, both on June 11.

• Herbal harvests: Join the Concord Food Co-op for Easy Growing Herbs, a virtual presentation on Thursday, May 19, at 6 p.m. featuring Maria Noel Groves, clinical herbalist and owner of Wintergreen Botanicals in Allenstown. She’ll share information with viewers on how to grow and harvest multiple herbs, like lemon balm, tulsi, Korean licorice mint, bee balm and marshmallow, and will discuss their culinary and medicinal benefits. Groves, who is the author of the book Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies, will be participating in the New Hampshire Herbal Network’s annual Herb & Garden Day, set for Saturday, June 4, at the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner. She’ll also host a home herbalist series every Thursday from June 9 through Aug. 25. Visit concordfoodcoop.coop to register.

• Dinner at the vineyard: Save the date for a Chef’s Table dinner at Flag Hill Distillery & Winery (297 N. River Road, Lee) on Saturday, May 21, from 7 to 9 p.m., the next installment of an ongoing series of four-course meals with wine, spirit and cocktail pairings under a tent by the vineyard. The dinner will include seared polenta crostini and a local greens salad, along with your choice of an entree (elk osso bucco Milanese, stuffed quail gumbo or grilled cauliflower steak), and torta caprese for dessert. Tickets are $75 per person. Visit flaghill.com.

• On the rise: Woodman’s Artisan Bakery, featuring 100 percent scratch-baked breads from country ryes and sourdoughs to multiple flavored options, held its grand opening April 30 in North Nashua. It’s in the former spot of Great Harvest Bread Co. on the corner of Amherst and Sunapee streets. Owner and founder Bill Woodman told the Hippo last month that his product line also includes traditional French butter croissants and pain au chocolat pastries, as well as soft blueberry scones and lightly salted German-style pretzels, and he recently began baking baguettes and ciabatta breads. In addition to featuring a display case of grab-and-go pastries and drip coffee sourced from A&E out of his bakery, Woodman can be found selling his breads at the Concord Farmers Market on Saturdays and the Salem Farmers Market on Sundays. Visit woodmansartisanbakery.com.

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