Category: Food

When life gives you lemons, bake cookies

Salem’s Fabrizia Spirits launches line of limoncello-infused baked goods

Fabrizia Spirits Baking Co. Photos by Mark Feldman.

When Fabrizia Spirits co-owner Phil Mastroianni started to look ahead to what is normally a quiet winter season for the Salem limoncello producer, he turned to his younger brother Nick with an ambitious idea.
“We’ve been cooking and baking with our limoncello for years,” he said. “When we first started Fabrizia 11 years ago, we would do tastings at some of the liquor stores … and I would bake a limoncello cake and give out samples of it. So I said to Nick that we should start a baking company with our limoncello, and from there it didn’t take too much convincing for him.”
The Fabrizia Lemon Baking Co., which launched on Nov. 5, will feature a full selection of baked goods infused with Fabrizia limoncello that will be introduced over time. The company started with Italian limoncello cookies made from a family recipe, followed by limoncello whoopie pies. More lemon-flavored goodies like cakes and biscotti are expected to be added soon.
Utilizing space the company had recently acquired during a production expansion, Fabrizia added a commercial oven and received a food service license from the Town of Salem.
The cookies are baked fresh every day with all-natural ingredients, including real cane sugar, butter, eggs and lemon zest from freshly squeezed Sicilian lemons. The alcohol from the limoncello that’s used is baked off, making the cookies suitable for consumption of all ages, according to Mastroianni. They come in packages of six, each one weighing individually just over three ounces, and are available for online ordering and shipping.
“We wanted it to be kind of a luxury treat item and not just another run-of-the-mill cookie,” he said. “People really like the crispy exterior and the soft inside. … The lemon zest also makes it unique. When you’re able to use fresh lemon zest, it makes a great difference.”
Shortly after debuting the cookies, Fabrizia introduced lemon whoopie pies. Those feature a lemon cake with the limoncello worked right into the batter, while the cream filling is made from a combination of confectioner’s sugar, marshmallow and finely chopped lemon zest. Each ¼-pound whoopie pie is wrapped individually and can last frozen for up to a year.
By early December, Mastroianni said, the company expects to roll out limoncello biscotti integrated with almonds, a recipe inspired by the two brothers’ grandmother. The baked goods add to Fabrizia’s growing product line, which includes multiple types of limoncello flavors and ready-to-drink canned limoncello-infused cocktails.
From each order placed on Fabrizia’s new baking website, $1 will be donated to Feeding America, a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks across the country.

Fabrizia Lemon Baking Co.
Visit fabrizialemonbakingcompany.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram @fabrizialemonbakingco or call 458-1745 to purchase products, which include limoncello cookies, whoopie pies and other infused baked goods.

Featured photo: Fabrizia Spirits Baking Co. Photos by Mark Feldman.

The Weekly Dish 20/11/26

News from the local food scene

• Support local brews: Granite State craft breweries will once again observe Small Brewery Sunday on Sunday, Nov. 29. The day was created by the Brewers Association as a way to encourage beer lovers to celebrate and support locally owned breweries, brewpubs and taprooms, according to a press release. The Association is inviting breweries everywhere, including those in New Hampshire, to share Small Brewery Sunday on their social media channels using the hashtags #SmallBrewerySunday and #SeekTheSeal. In 2019 the craft brewing industry contributed $82.9 billion to the U.S. economy, but amid the pandemic sales have been down about 22 percent in the third quarter of 2020, according to the release. The New Hampshire Brewers Association is also continuing its NH Pint Days fundraiser through Wednesday, Dec. 2, featuring limited-edition collectible 16-ounce pint glasses available at more than 40 participating breweries in the state. Visit smallbrewerysunday.com.

• Emergency order violations: Three New Hampshire eateries were each fined $500 for not complying with coronavirus emergency orders, according to violation letters issued this week by the state Attorney General’s office. Checkmate Pizza in Concord, Simply Delicious Baking Co. in Bedford and What a Bagel in Nashua all received notices of civil penalties for alleged violations of Emergency Order No. 52, including not requiring customer service staff to wear masks or face-coverings when directly interacting with customers, according to a press release. Each establishment, which received multiple warnings to follow the order, has until Nov. 30 to pay the fine.

• Turkey Drive fundraiser: The Bedford Knights of Columbus, along with members of St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in Bedford, joined forces to raise $10,808 during their annual Turkey Drive to benefit the New Hampshire Food Bank, a program of Catholic Charities New Hampshire, according to a press release. Since donating a few turkeys more than 10 years ago, the Bedford Knights of Columbus’s initiative to support the food bank has grown immensely, raising more than $123,000 over the last decade to help meet holiday food needs in the state. “Partnerships like this are critical in helping us feed our neighbors experiencing hunger,” New Hampshire Food Bank executive director Eileen Groll Liponis said in a statement. As a result of increased demand, the Food Bank expects to continue increasing its food distribution statewide, according to the release.

In the kitchen with Matt Casey

Matt Casey is the owner-operator of Casey Magee’s Irish Pub & Music Hall (8 Temple St., Nashua, 484-7400, caseymagees.com), which opened in June. Casey Magee’s offers a menu of American comfort items with an Irish flair, featuring burgers, sandwiches and wraps, appetizers, flatbreads and entrees, with specialty cocktails, beers and wines available out of its full bar and a brunch menu on Sundays. Since opening, the pub has become especially popular with the late-night crowd on the weekends, Casey said, with upstairs pool tables and a jukebox you can use from your phone. Casey is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island and a three-time marcher in the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade as a costumed leprechaun. Casey Magee’s is the culmination of his decades-long dream to open his own Irish pub.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

The grill is huge. You can throw anything on it and get creative with it.

What would you have for your last meal?

It would be steak, cooked medium, with a loaded baked potato and an IPA.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Tostao’s Tapas-Bar. They are right around the corner from me on Main Street in Nashua. I’ve been in there a few times and they are really nice people with incredible food. The Buffalo dip and the empanadas are great.

What celebrity would you like to see eating in your restaurant?

Adam Sandler. I would love to have him come in during an open mic night!

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

The Irish nachos are awesome, and also the Guinness-battered fish and chips. I also love our traditional Irish boxty. That’s a different type of item that you can’t really find around here.

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

Street tacos, and just experimenting with different sauces and flavors. I think we will be jumping on that wagon. We’re looking into adding them on our menu.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

English muffin pizzas. I eat them like M&Ms. I like to do a chunky mushroom sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Traditional Irish boxty (potato pancakes)
Courtesy of Matt Casey of Casey Magee’s Irish Pub & Music Hall in Nashua
2 pounds mashed potatoes (no skin)
¼ cup diced red onion
¼ cup diced green peppers
¼ cup diced bacon
¼ cup shredded cheese of choice
¼ cup diced scallions
¼ cup milk
1 egg
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons coarse black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Place onto a skillet, forming into patties and cooking on both sides, like pancakes. Layer and top them with scallions and a citrus sour cream drizzle.

Featured Photo: Matt Casey. Photo by Matt Ingersoll.

Give thanks and relax

Ideas for getting big Thanksgiving flavors in smaller, easier dishes

If you’re used to cooking a large Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings, chances are this year may look a bit different — but that doesn’t mean your meal can’t be just as delicious.

“I do think that we have to make it a little more accessible and casual and less grandiose to fit the world we’re living in right now,” said Dawn Hunt, owner of the Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery in Salem. “For me, what actually stands out in my memory are the smaller intimate gatherings, and if Covid has taught us anything it’s how important it is to slow down a little bit and reconnect with our families, and maybe just give ourselves a break.”

From smaller entrees and appetizers to soups, salads, sandwiches and light brunch options, local chefs and cooking instructors give some suggestions that will work for a smaller gathering this Thanksgiving while still allowing those familiar holiday flavors to come through.

Tips for your bird

As an alternative to a full-sized turkey, which can often be up to 15 to 20 pounds, bone-in or boneless turkey breasts, or even roast chicken breasts or small Cornish game hens, can all be good options to serve tables of smaller groups.

“A whole turkey is a huge meal if you’re only talking about a small gathering, so you’re not going to go through all of those extremes of deep-frying it or smoking it. You can keep it simple,” said chef and cooking instructor Liz Barbour of The Creative Feast in Hollis.

Bone-in turkey breasts, as well as “hotel-style” turkey breasts, which come with the bird’s wings and usually its neck and back, are usually much smaller in size — around 6 to 7 pounds.

After letting the bird stand at room temperature for an hour to an hour and a half, Barbour said, she likes to add a mixture of butter, salt, pepper and chopped parsley and thyme to be placed under its skin. You can do this by carefully separating the skin from the meat over the breast without tearing it. A turkey or chicken’s pan drippings can also make a flavorful base for gravy.

Merrimack chef Oonagh Williams, also a cooking instructor and the owner of Gluten-Free Cooking with Oonagh, said she has prepared turkey thighs in a slow cooker, to be used in smaller items like crepes, curries or soups. She also likes to stuff tenderloins from boneless turkey breasts, with a mixture of herbs, Craisins, bacon, onions and finely chopped apples, served cold with a salad or reheated with gravy the day after you cook them.

Perhaps an even easier option could be to transform your Thanksgiving feast into a grilled cheese. Hunt said a freshly cooked sandwich with sliced turkey, stuffing, bacon, crispy fried onions, baby spinach, Swiss cheese, her rosemary olive oil and a homemade cranberry Dijon sauce offers a delicious balance of flavor. The cranberry Dijon sauce, served on the side, features a simple mixture of Dijon or brown mustard, cranberry sauce, honey and mayonnaise.

Sides, soups and salads

Roasted winter squash with herb yogurt sauce. Courtesy of Liz Barbour of The Creative Feast in Hollis.

Over the last several weeks, through her online recipe blog and virtual classes via Zoom and Facebook Live, Barbour has shared several easy ways you can prepare your favorite Thanksgiving sides. One recipe features smashed fingerling potatoes, simply cooked in the oven for about 25 minutes and plated with garlic, bacon, rosemary and chopped parsley. As a low-carb replacement for potatoes, you can also make mashed cauliflower.

She’s also done a roasted winter squash, cut into small slices or cubes, with a Greek yogurt herb sauce made up of ground coriander and cumin, chopped mint leaves, parsley, lemon juice and honey. Butternut squash works great, or you can use delicata to save time on peeling.

Soups and salads with fall flavors can also be simple options to pivot your Thanksgiving meal this year if you’re serving a smaller group. Michelle Thornton, director of marketing and business development at LaBelle Winery in Amherst, recommends a butternut squash soup with diced apples and ground nutmeg and cinnamon, cooked in either a vegetable or chicken broth and LaBelle’s dry apple wine, and garnished with sour cream and caramelized apple slices.

To go with her grilled cheese and cranberry Dijon sauce, Hunt said she’ll be making a spicy pumpkin chowder using an unsweetened pumpkin puree prepared with bacon, veggies and ground chipotle pepper to give it a kick. She’s also done an autumn salad with apples, candied pecans, greens, radishes, goat cheese and a rosemary maple vinaigrette dressing made from New Hampshire maple syrup.

Easy sweet treats

Beyond baking a full pie, there are all kinds of simple ways to recreate some of your favorite sweets and treats. An apple and Craisin bread pudding, for example, served with a maple bourbon butter sauce, is an option Williams said can be great for a Thanksgiving Day brunch. Naturally sweet apple varieties, like Gala, Fuji or Braeburn, work best when peeled and sliced into very small pieces, like shredded cheese. Plain bagels or a challah bread are best for cooking, as a softer white bread would make it too mushy, she said.

Nicki Leavitt, owner and executive chef of the Purple Finch Cafe in Bedford, said pumpkin puree parfaits are also fun and easy to prepare, as either a snack or a quick breakfast.

“You can use a blend of organic pumpkin puree and some Yoplait yogurt … and then add cinnamon, nutmeg or maybe some fresh fruit at the base,” she said. “We bake our own pumpkin bread in house and dice that up and put it in the glass. … If you have a sweet tooth you can add whipped cream or caramel sauce.”

Hunt said you can easily make your own honey butter from brown sugar, cinnamon and unfiltered honey, which serves as a great complement for several types of fall-inspired baked goods, like pumpkin bread. She’s also baked apple muffins to go with it.

Barbour has baked apple Dutch baby pancakes in a cast iron skillet, featuring apples cooked in brown sugar and butter and a crepe batter poured on top.

“It’s basically like a big pancake you cook in the oven that rises like a souffle,” she said.

Mulled apple wine. Photo courtesy of LaBelle Winery in Amherst.

Decadent drinks

If you need to take the edge off this Thanksgiving from what has been a tough year — let’s face it, most of us do — you can incorporate some fall flavors into your cocktails.

Barbour, for instance, has a whiskey cranberry sour recipe that uses her own “cran-raspberry sauce,” or a homemade sweet sauce made from fresh cranberries or frozen raspberries. The recipe works just as well with regular raspberry sauce or your favorite brand of fruit jam.

LaBelle Winery, according to Thornton, is holding its annual “Cranberry Wine Week” now through Nov. 25, during which its cranberry wine and several other cranberry-flavored items are available for sale. The wine works great in several types of cocktails, including a cranberry cosmopolitan, which features triple sec liqueur, fresh lime juice, sugar and a lime wedge garnish. The mulled apple wine, with the winery’s dry apple wine, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and an orange garnish, is another seasonal favorite.

Spicy pumpkin chowder
From the kitchen of Dawn Hunt of Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery in Salem (cucinaaurora.com)
6 slices bacon
2 tablespoons Cucina Aurora Savory Sage olive oil
½ yellow onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
3 fresh sage leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried sage)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
8 ounces frozen corn
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree, unsweetened
½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper (or sweet paprika for less heat)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup half-and-half .

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Chop three

slices of bacon into small pieces and cook in the pot until crispy. Add olive oil, onions, celery, carrots and garlic, cooking until onions are tender (about five minutes). Add sage, potatoes, broth and corn. Stir with a wooden spoon to remove any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to simmer until potatoes have become tender but not mushy (about 30 to 40 minutes). Meanwhile, cook remaining strips of bacon until crispy and set aside. In a small saucepan, mix pumpkin, chipotle pepper, salt and pepper until heated through. Add pumpkin mixture to the soup and heat through for about a minute, stirring while simmering. Add half-and-half and stir until well-incorporated and heated through. Serve immediately, topped with crispy bacon and sour cream if desired.

Smashed potatoes with garlic and bacon
From the kitchen of Liz Barbour of The Creative Feast in Hollis (thecreativefeast.com)
2 pounds fingerling potatoes (or other small potatoes)
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
¼ pound thick-cut bacon, diced (or diced pancetta)
½ cup parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle a rimmed baking sheet with two tablespoons of olive oil. Place the potatoes onto the baking sheet and shake the pan to coat the potatoes on both sides with oil. Season with the salt and pepper. Place the pan into the oven and cook for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and the bacon. Cook until the bacon begins to brown. Add the sliced garlic and cook for one minute. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. When the potatoes are fork tender, remove the pan from the oven. Gently press down on each potato to “smash” it and flatten a bit. Be careful not to flatten too much, or else the potatoes will break apart and lose their shape. Warm the bacon and garlic on the stove. Add the potatoes in a single layer. Turn the potatoes over to coat both sides with the garlic and bacon. Place the potatoes onto a warmed platter. Continue with the remaining potatoes and place onto the platter. Drizzle any remaining garlic and bacon onto the potatoes and sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot.

Grateful grilled cheese sandwiches with cranberry Dijon sauce
From the kitchen of Dawn Hunt of Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery in Salem (cucinaaurora.com)
Sliced turkey (leftover from Thanksgiving or cooked fresh)
1 cup crispy fried onions
6 to 8 strips crisp bacon
6 to 8 slices Swiss cheese
1 to cups stuffing (cooked to package instructions or leftover)
1 cup fresh baby spinach
4 to 6 slices sourdough bread (or gluten-free bread)
2 tablespoons Cucina Aurora rosemary olive oil

For the cranberry Dijon sauce:
2 tablespoons Dijon or brown mustard
2 tablespoons cranberry sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon mayonnaise

Make the cranberry Dijon sauce by placing the Dijon mustard, cranberry sauce, honey and mayonnaise in a small bowl and stirring until combined. Set aside. Warm a

Grateful grilled cheese sandwich. Photo courtesy of Dawn Hunt of Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery in Salem.

large skillet or griddle pan on medium-heat for about two minutes. Brush four slices of bread with rosemary olive oil on just one side of the slice. Place bread oil side down on the hot pan. On each slice of bread, lay ½ slices of cheese. On two slices of bread, layer bacon, then spinach, then turkey. On the other two slices, layer a bit of the stuffing and the fried onions. When the bread starts to toast and the cheese starts to melt, build the sandwiches by carefully flipping one slice of bread onto the other. Grill on each side of the sandwich until both sides are light brown and the sandwich is warmed through. Repeat with remaining bread and ingredients to make as many sandwiches as desired. Serve warm with cranberry Dijon on the side.

Autumn mini quiche
From the kitchen of Dawn Hunt of Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery in Salem (cucinaaurora.com)

8 to 16 slices deli ham
6 to 8 eggs (use 2 less than your muffin tin has cups)
¼ cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 large tart apple, grated

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

Line each muffin cup with one to two slices of ham. Set aside. In a large bowl, gently beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Gently fold in grated apple and cheese. Ladle the egg mixture into muffin cups and fill each only halfway. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the egg has set in the middle and the tops have browned slightly. Serve warm or cold, or freeze in an airtight container for up to two months. To reheat, place on a microwave safe dish and heat for 30 seconds.

Cranberry-orange vienna French toast
From the kitchen of Nicki Leavitt of the Purple Finch Cafe in Bedford (purplefinchcafe.com)

1 loaf cranberry-orange tea bread (available at the Purple Finch Cafe’s takeout area)
2 eggs
⅔ cup milk
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ zested orange
Salt to taste

Make a French toast batter by beating together egg, milk,

salt, spices, orange zest and vanilla. Set aside. Cut the cranberry-orange tea bread into 1-inch thick slices, yielding approximately eight slices (10, including bread ends). Collect your favorite ingredients to top your French toast with (suggested toppings include whipped cream, caramel sauce, Craisins and powdered sugar). Heat a lightly oiled griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Dunk each slice of bread in egg mixture, soaking both sides. Place in the pan and cook on both sides until golden. Add your collected toppings and serve.

Whiskey cranberry sour cocktail
From the kitchen of Liz Barbour of The Creative Feast in Hollis (thecreativefeast.com); recipe makes one 5-ounce cocktail

¾ ounce maple syrup
¾ ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce leftover “cran-raspberry sauce”
3 ounces whiskey of choice (Jack Daniel’s works well)
2 dashes Angostura bitters (optional)
Ice cubes for mixing and serving
Optional additions:
¼ cup seltzer water
1 egg white

For the “cran-raspberry” sauce (makes about three cups)
1 12-ounce package fresh cranberries
½ cup sugar
1 cup water
1 12-ounce packages frozen raspberries

To make the cran-raspberry sauce, combine water, sugar and cranberries in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat. Cool the cranberries to room temperature. After the cranberries have cooled, gently stir in the raspberries.
In a cocktail shaker filled with five ice cubes, combine together the maple syrup, lemon juice, cran-raspberry sauce, whiskey and bitters (if using). Fill a seven-ounce glass with ice. Cover your shaker and shake your cocktail for 30 seconds. Pour into your glass of ice. Top with the seltzer, if using, and give it a stir. Serve immediately. (If using egg white, put in a shaker with all the ingredients and the ice. Leave the seltzer out).

Featured photo: Smashed potatoes with garlic and bacon. Photo courtesy of Liz Barbour of The Creative Feast in Hollis.

The Weekly Dish 20/11/19

News from the local food scene

• More drive-thru Greek eats: On the heels of the success of a similar event it held last month, Assumption Greek Orthodox Church (111 Island Pond Road, Manchester) will host another drive-thru food fest on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Now through noon on Nov. 20, orders are being accepted for a variety of fresh Greek eats, like meatballs in a tomato sauce with rice and garlic bread, homemade Greek rice pudding sprinkled with cinnamon, spinach or cheese petas layered with phyllo dough, baklava layered with walnuts and honey syrup, and assorted Greek cookies, like finikia (honey walnut cookies) and kourambiedes (Greek butter cookies with powdered sugar). Pre-paying online is required (there will be no walk-ins). To place your order, visit foodfest.assumptionnh.org.

• Grab a pint: The New Hampshire Brewers Association is promoting local breweries with the launch of a new fundraiser called NH Pint Days. From Wednesday, Nov. 25, through Wednesday, Dec. 2, limited-edition collectible 16-ounce pint glasses will be available at more than 40 participating New Hampshire breweries, with $1 from each glass benefitting the Association. Visit nhbrewers.org or find the association on Facebook @nhbrewers to view a list of breweries that will have the pint glasses, which is sorted by region of the state.

• Milford Farmers Market ends: The Milford Farmers Market will hold its final outdoor date of the season on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 300 Elm St. in Milford (across the street from the New Hampshire Antique Co-op). The market was originally scheduled to end Oct. 10, with the indoor market kicking off a few weeks later. Instead, it was extended outdoors and canceled indoors for the winter. According to market manager Adrienne Colsia, the outdoor market will likely return earlier than usual next year, possibly in early May. Visit milfordnhfarmersmarket.com for updates.

• New programs at Anheuser-Busch: Join Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tours (221 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack) for the final two dates of its “Day Fresh Drive-Up” and “Growlers to Go” programs, on Thursday, Nov. 19, and Tuesday, Nov. 24, from noon to 8 p.m. Purchases for the “Day Fresh Drive-Up” program can be made online by visiting budweisertours.com to pick a six-pack or growler type and preferred pickup time. The first six-pack you order includes a complementary warm Bavarian pretzel from the Biergarten. Prices start at $15, with each additional six-pack priced at $10. The “Growlers to Go” program lets you customize your own growler type and brew selection (64 to 128 ounces). Visit budweisertours.com.

Wholesome flavors

Specialty dine-in meals this Thanksgiving

Several Granite State restaurants and function halls are taking reservations now for socially distant meals this Thanksgiving. Check out this list of where to go and what to order — unless otherwise specified, all meals are to take place on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 26). Do you know of another restaurant we didn’t list that is open on Turkey Day? Let us know at [email protected].

• Alan’s of Boscawen (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631, alansofboscawen.com) is taking reservations now for a Thanksgiving Day dinner, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., featuring options like roast turkey, baked honey-glazed ham, prime rib and cracker crumb stuffed haddock. All entree options include pub cheese and crackers, corn fritters, rolls and butter, garden salad or turkey orzo soup and a dessert.

• Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will be serving a special four-course prix fixe menu for Thanksgiving, to be served from noon to 7 p.m. The menu includes your choice of an appetizer (hubbard squash bisque, stuffed savoy cabbage, caramelized New Bedford sea scallops, pork and shiitake dumplings, Little Bay oysters, or a Vermont cheese board); a salad (harvest or watercress and baby spinach); one main entree (Misty Knoll Farms free-range turkey, Icelandic cod loin, prosciutto-wrapped pork tenderloin, New England seafood bouillabaisse, grilled filet mignon or kabocha squash risotto); and one dessert (pumpkin cheesecake, chai spiced creme brulee, pear ginger sorbet, apple pecan crisp or a black forest tart). Reservations via phone or online are required.

• Belmont Hall & Restaurant (718 Grove St., Manchester, 625-8540, belmonthall.net) is taking reservations on Thanksgiving Day for all-you-can-eat turkey and ham meals with all the fixings. Restaurant seatings with plated meals are also available, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• The Coach Stop Restaurant & Tavern (176 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 437-2022, coachstopnh.com) will serve a Thanksgiving dinner with seatings available at 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Featured entrees to choose from are turkey, baked Virginia ham, slow-roasted prime rib, baked stuffed haddock, veal oscar or seafood linguine. All come with turkey soup, apple cider, mashed potatoes, homemade bread stuffing, yams, cranberry sauce, butternut squash, baby pearl onions and green peas, rolls, sweet bread, homemade pie and coffee.

• Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, 428-3281, colbyhillinn.com) will serve a three-course prix fixe menu on Wednesday, Nov. 25, from 4 to 7 p.m., and on Thursday, Nov. 26, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Choose your first course (apple cider and fall squash soup with maple cream, oyster and scallop chowder with cornbread croutons, market greens with house vinaigrette, fall greens and grilled pear salad, or sweet potato, roast apple and goat cheese pierogi); your second course (cider-brined turkey, herb-browned pork rib roast, pumpkin, kale and parsnip pot pie, sea salt-crusted salmon, or venison with rosemary-peppercorn reduction; all come with whipped potatoes and roasted garlic, roast sweet potatoes with fall vegetables and wild rice, cranberry and carrot pilaf); and your dessert (apple, pecan or pumpkin pie, brown butter cake with cherries and almonds, chocolate buttercream and a spread of Belgian chocolate, or pumpkin ganache with pear sorbet, pumpkin seed brittle and pomegranates). All meals are also available for takeout.

• The Common Man (25 Water St., Concord, 228-3463; 88 Range Road, Windham, 898-0088; 21 Water St., Claremont, 542-6171; thecman.com) will serve Thanksgiving meals at its Concord, Windham and Claremont locations, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The multi-course meals will include your choice of a starter (onion-apple soup, butternut squash arancini, wild mushroom flatbread, Caesar salad or harvest salad); an entree (turkey with gravy, stuffing, house mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce; glazed ham and house mashed potatoes; maple pumpkin salmon and cranberry wild rice pilaf; slow-roasted sirloin and house mashed potatoes, or butternut squash ravioli bake); and a dessert (pumpkin pie, pecan pie, warm apple tart, or chocolate ganache mini Bundt cake). Reservations are required.

• The Derryfield Restaurant (625 N. Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880, derryfieldrestaurant.com) will serve a family-style turkey dinner on Thanksgiving Day, with seatings at 11 a.m., noon, 1:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. The dinner will feature turkey, potatoes, stuffing, gravy, butternut squash, mixed seasonal vegetables, salad and dinner rolls. Reservations are strongly suggested.

• Foster’s Boiler Room (231 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2764, thecman.com) will serve a Thanksgiving Day feast from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring your choice of a starter (corn chowder, stuffed mushrooms or pumpkin flatbread); a salad (harvest or Caesar); an entree (turkey, gravy, stuffing, house mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, glazed ham and house mashed potatoes, maple pumpkin salmon and cranberry wild rice pilaf, slow-roasted sirloin and house mashed potatoes, or butternut squash ravioli bake); and a dessert (pumpkin pie, white chocolate raspberry brownie, warm apple crisp or chocolate ganache mini Bundt cake). Reservations are required.

• Fratello’s Italian Grille (155 Dow St., Manchester, 641-6776, fratellos.com) will be serving its annual Thanksgiving buffet, by reservation from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The buffet will be server-attended this year, with service staff at each station wearing masks and gloves. The menu will include a carving station with white turkey breast and sage pan gravy, and slow-roasted prime rib of beef with a rosemary demi-glace, plus sides like garlic mashed potatoes, butternut squash and sauteed string beans and shallots, assorted pies and desserts, and a coffee station.

• The Hilltop Restaurant (Steele Hill Resorts, 516 Steele Hill Road, Sanbornton, 524-0500, steelehillresorts.com/restaurant) will serve its annual Thanksgiving Day dinner, with seatings at noon, 12:45 p.m., 2 p.m., 2:45 p.m., 4 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. Reservations are required, with a $50 deposit that will be used toward your dinner. The menu will include a soup, a salad, turkey and gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, and desserts like apple, pumpkin or Boston cream pie, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

• The Homestead Restaurant (641 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-2022, homesteadnh.com) will serve a special Thanksgiving menu with items such as roast turkey, baked Virginia ham, roast prime rib of beef, baked stuffed haddock, veal Oscar, fresh broiled salmon, seafood fettuccine, and a vegetarian quinoa bowl. All entrees include turkey soup, apple cider, mixed nuts, a fruit basket, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, butternut squash, hot rolls, sweet bread and homemade pies.

• Jocelyn’s Mediterranean Restaurant & Martini Lounge (355 S. Broadway, Salem, 870-0045, jocelynsrestaurant.com) will be open from noon to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, by reservation only, serving its regular menu with specials.

• Lakehouse Tavern (157 Main St., Hopkinton, 746-1800, lakehousetavern.com) will be open from noon to 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, serving a traditional holiday meal and other specialty options.

• Mile Away Restaurant (52 Federal Hill Road, Milford, 673-3904, mileawayrestaurant.com) is accepting reservations now for its annual Thanksgiving dinners, which include your choice of an entree (herb-crusted roast sirloin, pork schnitzel, pork Normandy, chicken marsala, baked stuffed jumbo shrimp, maple salmon or vegetarian acorn squash); an appetizer (corn chowder, Swedish meatballs, or a fresh fruit plate with sorbet); a Caesar or garden salad; and a dessert (pumpkin pie, pecan pie, sorbet with berries, bread pudding, cheesecake, chocolate ganache cake, lemon mascarpone cake or chocolate mousse cake). Reservations must be made in advance via phone. Due to limited capacity, there is a 90-minute limit on dining times per party.

• Murphy’s Taproom & Carriage House (393 Route 101, Bedford, 488-5975, murphystaproom.com) is taking reservations now for four-course Thanksgiving feasts from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., which include your choice of soup (butternut bisque or clam chowder) and salad (Caesar or a harvest salad with roasted winter vegetables) plus main course options and sides, like herb-roasted turkey, maple fig baked pit ham, candied baby carrots, garlic whipped potatoes, burnt sage turkey gravy, apple sausage cornbread stuffing and chambord mint cranberry sauce; and desserts, like pumpkin pie or caramelized apple crisp with vanilla ice cream. The full regular dinner menu will also be available on Thanksgiving Day, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Zachary’s Chop House (4 Cobbetts Pond Road, Windham, 890-5555, zacharyschophouse.com) will be open from 8 to 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day for brunch only. Reservations are highly recommended.

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. 

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