Category: Food

Local pours

Mardi Gras wine festival returns to Derry

Early in the fall of 2021, the Rev. Chris Gaffrey of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Derry attended a wine tasting at LaBelle Winery — and he left feeling inspired.

“The next day I was talking to some parishioners about it and one of them said, ‘Oh, we should do a wine tasting here,’” Gaffrey said. “I said, ‘Even better: why don’t we get a whole bunch of wineries [to] come together and do a wine tasting here? We can turn it into a fundraiser.’”

The idea sparked so much interest among the church community that they would end up celebrating Mardi Gras the following February with an inaugural wine festival. The event was a resounding success. Two of the five participating wineries, Gaffrey said, would sell out of product before the night was even over.

“Every one of the vendors said to us afterward, ‘Are you doing this next year? Please invite us,’” he said. “We had food, music, prizes [and] games. … Everybody seemed to have a good time.”

Indeed, the festival, set to return for a second year on Saturday, Feb. 18, will feature all five of the wineries from the first event, in addition to a few new faces. It’s happening inside the church’s Aquinas Center and will include a night of wine sampling along with a variety of home-cooked food options, raffle and door prizes, games, live music and more.

“It’s just a great wholesome cultural event … that also highlights our blossoming New Hampshire wine industry,” Gaffrey said. “I’m really excited that it’s basically a pretty good cross-section of New Hampshire winemaking. … We’ve got two from the Lakes Region that are coming down and then one that’s coming from the White Mountains.”

Tickets are available both in advance online and at the door. If you buy them online you also have various add-on options, from Mardi Gras beads and masks to up to four wine glasses. If you like what you try during the evening, there will also be the option to buy bottles of it on site.

“The attractive thing about this for the wineries … is that unlike [at] some other fundraisers or church events, we’re actually able to offer them the capacity to sell,” Gaffrey said. “So if somebody makes a purchase in the wine festival area, either one of the wineries will have a runner or we’ll have somebody helping out to take the purchased bottle to a table … for pickups at the end of the evening or when people leave.”

As for food, Gaffrey said several church members are contributing everything from assorted meats and cheeses to Italian wedding soup and some Cajun dishes like jambalaya — he himself is planning to cook a shrimp gumbo. Frank Howard of the church’s Lazarus Ministry of Praise will provide live music, and attendees will have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win special baskets that the participating wineries are putting together.

Proceeds from the festival, Gaffrey said, benefit some ongoing church renovation projects, in addition to some outreach programs and initiatives, like its food pantry.

Second annual Mardi Gras wine festival
When: Saturday, Feb. 18, 6 to 9 p.m.
Where: The Aquinas Center at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 26 Crystal Ave., Derry
Cost: $40 per person, or $70 per couple; tickets are available at the door or in advance online
More info: Visit stthomasderry.org or see “A Mardi Gras Wine Festival” on Facebook
Event is 21+ only. Smart casual or business casual attire are recommended. Mardi Gras masks are optional.

Featured photo: Last year’s Mardi Gras wine festival at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Derry. Courtesy photo.

From the heart, for the heart

Crafts, Drafts & Barrels tasting benefit returns to Concord

February is American Heart Month, a time to raise awareness of cardiovascular health nationwide. In New Hampshire it also marks the return of a special tasting benefit for the cause.

The fifth annual Crafts, Drafts & Barrels, happening on Friday, Feb. 17, at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, will bring together local restaurants, drink purveyors and other organizations together for a night of bites, pours, live music, raffles and a silent auction, all to raise funds for Concord Hospital’s Cardiovascular Institute.

The event had previously taken place in March, according to Concord Hospital Trust philanthropy officer Moriah Billups, but the decision was made to move it up by a month this year to take advantage of the Valentine’s Day holiday the same week.

“It’s a great opportunity for attendees to taste beer, spirits or wine, but there are also a lot of other things to do,” Billups said. “I think, with it having a lot of opportunities for so many attendees, we thought it would be a good way to pair it with Valentine’s Day. … You can go out with friends or family. It doesn’t have to be a spouse or a loved one. It can be anyone.”

Organizers are taking over the entire space of the Discovery Center for the duration of the event, giving attendees full access to all its exhibits with the exception of the planetarium. Billups added that, weather permitting, the center’s observatory will also be open for viewing.

Admission also grants attendees access to all of the food and beverage samples provided by the vendors. Those who purchased VIP tickets can get into the event an hour earlier than general admission ticket holders — at 6 p.m.

“We try to make sure that every group brings something a little different, so that there aren’t three tables with the same thing,” Billups said of the benefit’s participating vendors. “I’m very excited about Live Juice — they’re going to be bringing some vegan and heart-healthy options. They’ll have a curried chicken salad, some cheese and cracker samples and then a vegan dessert option. … They’ll be located in an area of the Discovery Center that will be focused on hydroponic growing … so we’re doing that to just kind of bring awareness to eating your vegetables and making sure that you’re doing what you can to keep your heart healthy.”

Other eateries will include The Common Man, which will have their house-made chips and French onion dip; O Steaks & Seafood, serving their own macaroni and cheese; and Bone Daddy’s, a Bedford-based barbecue competition and catering team that will serve pork sliders. As has been the case during previous years, Billups added, all attendees will receive a $15 gift card to T-Bones Great American Eatery and a chocolate chip cookie.

Wine and spirits will be provided by Martignetti Companies of Northern New England, with craft beer coming from New Hampshire Distributors — both will offer a diverse range of selections, Billups said. New this year will be mocktails offered by Wood Stove Kitchen, a producer of small-batch all-natural drink mixers in a variety of flavors.

Libation Education ticket holders will attend a special 45-minute class beginning at 5:30 p.m. that will be taught by representatives of Martignetti Companies and Concord Craft Brewing Co. The theme is “He Said Beer, She Said Wine,” and the class will focus on different food pairings for beer and wine. Billups said those who participate can then join VIP attendees around 6:15 p.m.

Live music will be provided by The Lone Wolf Project during the tasting, while a silent auction will be available to all attendees. Billups said most of the prizes are experiential — there will be chances to win everything from four tickets to an upcoming New Hampshire Motor Speedway race in 2023 to a four-course chef’s tasting with Corey Fletcher of Revival Kitchen & Bar. Bidding begins at 6 p.m. and continues until about 8:20 p.m., in order to give general admission ticket holders enough time to see all the available items.

“We have a sparkling raffle which is called ‘Date Night for a Year,’ and so it includes essentially 12 different date night ideas … or they could be during the day too,” Billups said. “Some of those include a one-night stay at the Hotel Concord and some ski passes to Pats Peak.”

Crafts, Drafts & Barrels raised nearly $85,000 last year. Billups said the goal is to at least exceed that amount this year. All proceeds benefit the hospital’s Cardiovascular Institute, a one-door access service combining cardiac and vascular care that’s also available at Concord Hospital’s locations in Laconia and Franklin.

“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, and so we aim to bring awareness to the cause as well as raise funds,” Billups said. “Last year we raised funds for a new operating room … dedicated to the cardiovascular suite. … So it [supports] different resources and equipment for our doctors … and also just programs that help our patients live a better life.”

Fifth annual Crafts, Drafts & Barrels
When: Friday, Feb. 17; general admittance is from 7 to 9 p.m., and VIP admittance begins at 6 p.m.
Where: McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, 2 Institute Drive, Concord
Cost: $75 per person general admission; $125 VIP admission and $175 Libation Education admission, which includes access to an exclusive 45-minute beer and wine food pairing class with Concord Craft Brewing Co. and Martignetti Companies of Northern New England, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available both in advance online and at the door the night of.
More info: Visit ch-trust.org, find the event page on Facebook @craftsdraftsbarrels or call 227-7162
Event is 21+ only. Each attendee also receives a $15 gift card to T-Bones Great American Eatery and a chocolate chip cookie. All attendees will receive access to exhibits at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. Depending on weather conditions, the center’s observatory may also be open for viewing.

Participating food and beverage purveyors

• Bone Daddy’s Competition BBQ (@bdbbq)
• Coca-Cola (cokenortheast.com)
• The Common Man (thecman.com)
• Concord Craft Brewing Co. (concordcraftbrewing.com)
• Concord Food Co-op (concordfoodcoop.coop)
• Concord Hospital Catering Services (concordhospital.org)
• Gibson’s Cafe (gibsonsbookstore.com/cafe)
• Granite Restaurant & Bar (graniterestaurant.com)
• Live Juice (livejuicenh.com)
• Martignetti Companies of Northern New England (nhwines.com)
• New Hampshire Distributors (nhdist.com)
• New Hampshire Doughnut Co. (nhdoughnutco.com)
• O Steaks & Seafood (osteaksconcord.com)
• T-Bones Great American Eatery (t-bones.com)
• Wood Stove Kitchen (woodstovekitchen.com)

Featured photo: Scenes from NOFA-NH’s annual winter conference. Courtesy photos.

The Weekly Dish 23/02/16

News from the local food scene

• Diner days: Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord) welcomes longtime New Hampshire radio personality and author Mike Morin on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 6:30 p.m to present his newest book, If These Walls Could Talk: Celebrating 100 Years of the Red Arrow, America’s Most Beloved Diner. Released Nov. 1, the book chronicles the 100-year history of the Red Arrow Diner, originally founded by David Lamontagne as a tiny lunch cart in October 1922 on Lowell Street in Manchester, where it continues to operate today as a full-service diner. No admission to the event is required, and for those who can’t make it, signed copies of If These Walls Could Talk may be ordered at gibsonsbookstore.com.

• For the sweet tooth: Oddball Brewing Co. (6 Glass St., Suncook) is partnering with the Little Vintage Venue of Pembroke for its second dessert board and beer night in two weekends, happening on Saturday, Feb. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. Participants will be guided through the process of how to create their own dessert-themed charcuterie board while enjoying a craft beer pairing from Oddball Brewing Co. The cost is $100 for up to two guests per board and will include all the necessary materials and ingredients to put it together, along with two beers. Boards are courtesy of Red-Tailed Creations of Suncook, and wrap will be available for those who would like to take their ready-to-eat creations home. See littlevintagevenue.square.site for more details or to purchase tickets.

• Coffee break: A new shop due to open in Manchester this weekend will offer a full lineup of espresso-based drinks using locally roasted beans, in addition to a food menu of breakfast and lunch wraps and sandwiches, soups, grab-and-go pastries and more. Cool Beans Cafe — the brainchild of owner Kris Gabbard, whose daughter Madilyn picked the name — will hold a grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 18, according to a recent announcement on its Facebook page. The Queen City storefront is located in the former home of the Siberia Food Market at 100 Willow St., a stone’s throw away from the fork between Willow and Pine streets. Visit coolbeanscafe603.com or check out our story about the shop on page 22 in the Jan. 12 issue of the Hippo. Find the e-edition at issuu.com/hippopress.

• A bakery farewell: Dulces Bakery, a Manchester shop perhaps best known for its nearly two dozen flavors of tres leches cake cups, permanently closed its doors on Feb. 10 after nearly a decade in business. “It is with great sadness to have to post this,” read a recent Facebook post from the bakery owners announcing the closure. The post includes thanks to the families and customers of owners Jose and Angela Mojica for their support. Dulces Bakery was on Amory Street on the Queen City’s West Side from 2015 to 2017 before moving to the larger space on Chestnut Street. The shop took its name from the Spanis word meaning “sweets” and featured a mix of traditional baked goods from Angela’s native Colombia and Jose’s native Puerto Rico.

Make it a cava

A different way to sparkle on Valentine’s Day

It’s Valentine’s Day, and you want to create an amazing dinner for the one you love, but your food and wine skills need a little help. You want it to be special and not just a DoorDash or Grubhub delivery. You want to be themaster of the meal. After all, it is a special day that deserves that special meal, prepared, and not purchased by you!

For this special day, I chose to go to a venue to shop for that perfect dinner: Angela’s Pasta and Cheese Shop, on Chestnut Street in Manchester. I have patronized Angela’s since their very beginnings on Union Street in 1980, through their move to Chestnut Street in 1994, and I can’t begin to count the number of times I have been there. I have cultivated a taste for the different homemade fresh pasta, along with the variety of imported dried pasta.

If you can boil water, you can make pasta. Pick up a jar of sauce, or better, some Angela’s homemade sauce, fresh bread, and you are on your way! A salad or antipasto completes the meal, which can be finished with luxurious chocolates.

What kind of wine goes with pasta? A dry sparkling wine goes very well with a cream-based sauce like alfredo or if the pasta is simply dressed with extra-virgin olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan. A good cava from Catalonia is the perfect match for this dinner. The cava can be opened along with the antipasto course and will continue to pair well with the pasta. If there is a drop or two left in the bottle, it will work nicely with rich dark chocolate, as its minerality and high acidity will contrast nicely with the rich, creamy, smooth texture and intense flavor of the chocolate.

A 2019 Sumarroca Reserva Brut, available at Angela’s at $19.99, is the perfect accompaniment to this meal. This cava is made from 100 percent pinot noir grapes that grow in the Sant Sadurní d’Anoia region, just a few miles west of Barcelona, Spain.

According to the website for Bon Vivant Imports, a combination of several microclimates throughout the fields where Sumarroca wines come from, generated by warm climatic influences from the Mediterranean coupled with protection from the Montserrat mountains, and more than a dozen different soil types, makes for a wide range of still and sparkling wines from this region.

The bubbles rise in the glass, are persistent and tickle your nose. I agree with Bon Vivant’s description that the wine has aromas of wild strawberries, raspberries and slight floral notes of rose petals with flavors of cranberries and rhubarb. As advertised, this is a very crisp, dry and refreshing cava.

Featured photo: Photo by Fred Matuszewski.

Mocha latte cookies

It’s less than a week to Valentine’s Day! What better way to show someone you care than by delivering (or mailing) a batch of homemade cookies? Even better, these cookies are filled with chocolate, which so many people crave.

The ingredients in this cookie are pretty straightforward. There are just two key notes. First, you must use instant coffee for these cookies, unless you want a cookie that is bitter and hard to chew. Second, although the cookies are topped with only a sprinkle of coffee sugar, it’s definitely an important part of the recipe. It elevates the coffee flavor in every bite.

Head to the store and get all the ingredients you need. This may be the most delicious, and thoughtful, Valentine gift you could give.

Mocha latte cookies
Makes 20

Cookie dough
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ Tablespoons instant coffee granules
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Coffee sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon instant coffee granules

Make the coffee sugar
Combine ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon coffee in a food processor.
Pulse until the coffee granules are the size of grains of sand.
Set aside.
Make the cookie dough
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine butter and both sugars in a bowl.
Beat on a medium-low speed, using either the paddle on a stand mixer or a hand mixer for 4 minutes.
Add egg, and beat again, scraping sides to combine.
Dissolve 1½ tablespoons of coffee granules in vanilla extract in a small bowl.
Add to dough, and mix until combined
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stirring until combined.
Add chocolate chips, mixing until distributed.
Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper, then scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared tray.
Repeat, leaving a couple inches between cookies.
Flatten the cookies slightly using the back of a spoon or your fingertips.
Sprinkle a small amount of coffee sugar on each cookie.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow to cool for 4 minutes, then transfer to a baking rack to cool completely.

Featured Photo: Mocha latte cookies. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

In the kitchen with Mike Brieger

Mike Brieger of Northwood is the general manager and chef of Woods Grille (284 First New Hampshire Turnpike, Northwood, 942-9663, woodsgrille.com), which opened in the space formerly occupied by Umami Farm Fresh Cafe in August. A longtime friend of Woods Grille owners Heather and Pete Heigis, Brieger has more than three decades of experience in the restaurant industry, in both management and cooking. The eatery’s menu highlights include “gourmet grille-wiches,” or signature sandwiches featuring your choice of a protein, from a beef burger patty or grilled chicken to a veggie burger or portobello mushroom. Woods Grille is also unique for offering baked Tater Tots in lieu of french fries, complete with several signature dipping aiolis to choose from. Other items include house salads — with the option to turn each into a wrap — and tacos with fish or chicken.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

My cast iron skillet is a favorite for sure, and then I also love to cook with my chef’s knife, my Mac Mighty. It was a gift for my 50th birthday and I love it.

What would you have for your last meal?

I would go to The Beach Plum and get a giant lobster roll. … I usually only get it once a year, but if it was going to be my last meal, it would be that.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

If my wife and I are going out, we’re looking for something really awesome. We like to go down to Portsmouth, either to Cure or we would go to [Ristorante] Massimo and sit at the bar.

What celebrity would you like to see eating at Woods Grille?

This is controversial, but I’m a New Yorker at heart and so the answer right away is Derek Jeter.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

Definitely our fish tacos. … It’s mahi mahi that’s blackened on the grill, and it’s got a little shredded cheddar cheese, some fresh shredded cabbage, diced tomato and our homemade pickled onions. We top it with a little fresh avocado and our homemade chipotle aioli and people just love it.

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

A lot of people are going toward plant-based eating. Not only just vegetarians, but people who eat meat maybe once or twice a week are avoiding meat for a couple of days to try and improve their healthy eating habits.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

It’s simple, but just some good old-fashioned shrimp scampi.

Mike’s amazing short ribs
From the kitchen of Mike Brieger of Woods Grille in Northwood

1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1 28-ounce can tomato sauce
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 Spanish onion, sliced
3 pounds short ribs

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and brown in a cast iron skillet for a couple of minutes on each side — be sure to brown the ends as well. Set aside. In a large soup pot, combine all of the other ingredients and bring up to a steady simmer. Add the short ribs to the soup pot, cover and reduce the heat to a very low simmer for approximately three to three-and-a-half hours. Stir and skim the fat periodically. Serve over a bed of egg noodles and top with a pinch of shredded Parmesan cheese.


Featured photo: Mike Brieger, general manager and chef of Woods Grille in Northwood. Courtesy photo.

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