Category: Food

The Weekly Dish 21/01/14

News from the local food scene

• Tastes of yore: Join the Goffstown Public Library virtually for a medieval cooking demonstration on Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 6:30 p.m. featuring local author M. Allyson Szabo. She’ll talk about the history of food from the Middle Ages and feature a recipe from her recently released book, The Reenactor’s Cookbook: Historical and Modern Recipes for Cooking Over an Open Fire. In addition to its many recipes, the book is full of historical references, as well as practical tips on everything from creating a cooking fire to what type of cooking vessels to use and how to make the featured foods on a home electric stove. Recipes also include many vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options available. Registration is required at goffstownlibrary.com/calendar. Email Michelle Sprague at [email protected] for more details.

• Restaurant Week at the Inn: Now through Jan. 23, the Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford) is hosting Restaurant Week in its dining room, featuring a three-course prix fixe menu of popular French- and Italian-inspired dishes. The menu will include your choice of a first course (lobster bisque, gnocchi or Giannone chicken thigh); an entree (smoked sea scallops, cider-braised pork shank or prime sirloin); and a dessert (chocolate fondant, profiteroles or lemon sorbet). The cost is $49 per person and reservations are encouraged. Visit bedfordvillageinn.com.

• Tucker’s coming to Bedford: Local diner chain Tucker’s will open a new location in Bedford this summer, according to a Jan. 4 announcement on its website and social media channels, in the former Outback Steakhouse at 95 S. River Road, which closed last year. This will be the sixth Tucker’s restaurant and also its largest — the other five locations are in Hooksett, Dover, New London, Concord and Merrimack. Tucker’s features a menu of breakfast items like omelets and scramblers, and lunch items like sandwiches and bowls, plus a rotating selection of specials. Meghann Clifford, executive vice president of business development and marketing for Tucker’s, told the Hippo that the new location is expected to be open by early July and will introduce new menu concepts like fresh juices, smoothie bowls and brunch-baked cocktails. Visit tuckersnh.com.

• New liquor store to open in Manchester: Construction will soon begin on a new state Liquor & Wine Outlet store at 850 Gold St. in southern Manchester, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Liquor Commission. The 13,000-square-foot store is due to open by the end of 2021. According to the release, the NHLC has opened new or renovated existing Liquor & Wine Outlet stores in more than 30 communities statewide over the last decade. Visit liquorandwineoutlets.com.

Meredith Touma

Meredith Touma of Derry is the owner of Sal Terrae Seasonings (salterraeseasonings.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @salterraeseasonings), a company offering four hand-crafted spice blends using various herbs, salts, peppers and other ingredients. Named after the Latin translation of “salt of the Earth,” Sal Terrae started last April as a grassroots project when Touma, a stay-at-home mom for 14 years, began sharing her spice blends with neighbors, friends and community members. Over the summer she brought her spices to farmers markets in Nashua, Bedford and Exeter. Sal Terrae’s spice blends, each of which is prepared at Creative Chef Kitchens in Derry, are the Classic, with local lavender and fennel; the Italian, with herbs like rosemary, sage, thyme, basil and oregano; the Inferno, a hot, earthy blend with Trinidad scorpion and ghost peppers; and the Beach, which has cinnamon, oregano, clove, ginger, mace and smoked paprika. Four-ounce bottles of each of Touma’s blends are available at The Grind in Derry, Mr. Steer Meats in Londonderry, the East Derry General Store and Donahue’s Fish Market in Plaistow. Online ordering is also available.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

I love to cook, and anyone who’s always in the kitchen knows the importance of a good, sharp knife.

What would you have for your last meal?

Just a regular simple broth fondue. We like to season that with the Inferno blend.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I have a soft spot for the East Derry Tavern. The food is spectacular. I have known [owners] Sam and Lina Patel for years … and they’ve done a magnificent job turning it into a gorgeous town gem.

What celebrity would you like to see trying one of your spice blends?

Definitely Gordon Ramsay. I know it’s very cliche, but he’s actually been a culinary inspiration of mine for 20 years. I’ve been following him even before he had all of his TV shows. We’ve eaten at The London in New York City, which is a stunning restaurant. … It would be an honor to be able to thank him for his inspiration.

What is your favorite spice blend that you make?

The Beach. I use it on everything from salmon to brisket and pork ribs.

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

Home cooking. People are forced to … be creative in the kitchen and to make things at home they would normally eat while out. There are so many Zoom classes out there now that you can sign up for.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Coq au vin is probably my No. 1 go-to meal, especially in the winter season. I love cooking with chicken thighs. I give them a really hard sear and make them with tomatoes, carrots and tons of mushrooms.

Sal Terrae roasted corn and shrimp chowder
From the kitchen of Meredith Touma of Sal Terrae Seasonings in Derry

1-pound bag frozen corn
1 can unsalted creamed corn
3 to 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
2 pounds medium peeled and deveined shrimp (marinated in 1 tablespoon Sal Terrae Beach seasoning at room temperature for about 10 minutes)
1 package chicken sausage (Buffalo or sweet apple), sliced into coins
1 large onion, diced
2 to 3 stalks celery, chopped
1 large carrot, grated
1 red pepper, julienned
3 to 4 cloves garlic, smashed
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream

Place frozen corn on a lined baking pan, toss with chopped bacon and roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until bacon is cooked entirely. Set aside. In a wide stock pan, sauté onion in olive oil for five minutes, until translucent. Add garlic, celery, carrots, sausage and red pepper. Sauté on medium-high until the sausages brown slightly. Add one tablespoon of Sal Terrae Inferno seasoning and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, stir in cream and add potatoes. Let simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If you prefer a creamier chowder, use an immersion blender to break up the potatoes. Return to a rolling boil and add shrimp, creamed corn and roasted bacon and corn mixture. Cook until shrimp are cooked evenly (about 3 to 5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Featured photo: Meredith Touma

Southwest inspired

Trio’s Cafe & Cantina to open in Salem

A new eatery coming to Salem later this month will offer family-sized meal kits, as well as other lunch and dinner items, with fresh ingredients and a unique Southwestern flair.

Trio’s Cafe & Cantina, due to open in the Breckenridge Plaza on North Broadway in the coming weeks, gets its name from the owners — a “trio” of generations of the same family that includes general manager and Salem native Julie Manzer, her mother, Janet, and father, Paul, and her two daughters, Tanna and Keira Marshall.

Manzer, who previously owned the Purple Finch Cafe in Bedford, said she learned about the vacant restaurant space last August from her best friend in high school.

“My friend had wanted me to own something around here where I grew up, and so I ran it by my family and we decided to look into it,” she said. “Originally I was going to do breakfast and lunch, because that was kind of the world I was used to … but with Covid it seemed to make more sense to focus on takeout and family meal deals.”

It’s that concept, combined with Manzer’s love of Southern California and Tex-Mex flavors, that sets the menu at Trio’s apart. Meal kit options will include tacos, enchiladas or fajitas, with either chicken or steak and flour or corn tortillas; various soups and chilis by the quart; and tray-sized or take-and-bake bowls, like a chili and macaroni and cheese bowl with sour cream and tortilla strips, a plant-based protein bowl with sweet potato, black beans and avocado, and a citrus chicken bowl with bacon, tomato, greens, cheddar cheese and onion.

There are several sandwich, burger and side options that you’ll be able to order via either takeout or dine-in. The Southern “Steuben,” for instance, will feature barbecue pulled pork, coleslaw, melted cheddar cheese and ranch on grilled country white bread, while the Philly torta has steak, onion, bell peppers, queso, jalapeno, avocado and chipotle mayonnaise on a tolera roll. A “comfort kitchen” section of the menu has plated options like beer-braised steak or half-roasted chicken with veggies, pulled pork chipotle barbecue macaroni and cheese, and tempura-battered fish and chips with a lime cabbage carrot slaw.

Trio’s is also rolling out a menu of Southwestern-themed house cocktails, in addition to some bottled beers, wines and seltzers, and white citrus or seasonal red sangrias with fresh fruit.

“I have a fresh-squeezed orange juice machine, so we’ll have a house margarita that has a little bit of that in it,” Manzer said. “We’ll also have bloody marys and marias, and mimosa flights.”

Trio’s Cafe & Cantina
An opening date is expected in the coming weeks. Visit their website or follow them on social media for updates.
Where: 264 N. Broadway, Unit 105, Salem
Anticipated hours: Daily, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
More info: Visit trioscc.com or find them on Facebook and Instagram

Featured photo: Left to right, are: general manager Julie Manzer, her father Paul Manzer, older daughter Tanna Marshall, mother Janet Manzer and younger daughter Keira Marshall. Photo by Matt Ingersoll.

Lone Star eats

Texas-style BBQ food truck opens restaurant space in Milford

Regina and Jeremy Davison gained a devoted following after the launch of their Texas-style barbecue food truck on Elm Street in Milford in late July. Now, after moving a few miles down the road, the couple is continuing that success at a brick-and-mortar location.

R & J Texas-style BBQ On Wheels, according to Regina Davison, will still be open outdoors as a mostly takeout operation. The new space, which opened last week in the former Pizza Top restaurant directly adjacent to the food truck, introduces indoor seating and expands the menu to include a wide variety of items not previously available, from breakfast options and weekly specialty burgers to mixed cocktails, spiked milkshakes and more.

Whether you order pulled pork or beef brisket on a sandwich or as a combo plate — the meats are smoked overnight for 12 hours and 16 hours, respectively — you’ll get a ton of it.

“Texas-style means a lot of fat, a lot of grease and a lot of food,” said Regina Davison, a native of Dallas who came to New Hampshire about eight years ago. “What you would get at a normal restaurant, you get three times that much here. So you have enough for lunch, dinner and probably for lunch the next day.”

An entree plate of brisket with either chicken, sausage, pulled pork or pork chops will come with three sides and a serving of cornbread. Davison makes all of her own sides from scratch, like baked beans that are prepared for six hours with pulled pork, bacon and brown sugar. Other sides include fresh collard greens, Gouda macaroni and cheese, chili cheese fries, grilled green beans with fried bacon, coleslaw, and potato salad with white or brown gravy.

Recently Davison has added items like catfish, steaks and fried chicken; smothered chicken or pork chops with gravy, bell peppers and onions; and macaroni and cheese bowls topped with chili, brisket or pulled pork.

Breakfast is now available all day from the new location too.

“I’m creating my own hash that’s going to be with brisket or pulled pork, and then I have what I call a Momma’s breakfast burrito,” she said. “We have pancakes and waffles as well.”

Beginning this week Davison has introduced a “Wednesday Burger Madness” menu featuring a selection of specialty burgers only available on Wednesdays. They include options like the Davison Burger Extraordinaire, cooked medium and topped with bacon, two fried eggs, Gouda cheese, arugula, onions and a house sauce; and the Williams Beast Burger, which has pulled pork and pieces of ribs on top of a double meat patty, also with bacon, onions and a bourbon barbecue glazed sauce.

A drinks menu is also new for the indoor space, with a small selection of bottled beers, vanilla, chocolate or strawberry shakes (with the option to add a liqueur like Kahlua or amaretto), and mixed cocktails, like margaritas, mimosas, hurricanes and Texas rum punch.

In addition to keeping the truck open for takeout orders, Davison said it will remain available for event catering.

R & J Texas-style BBQ On Wheels
Where: 183 Elm St., Unit 3, Milford
Anticipated hours: Wednesday and Thursday, noon to 9 p.m., and Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (breakfast is available all day)
More info: Visit rjtexasbbqonwheels.com, find them on Facebook or call 518-0186

Featured photo: Breakfast brisket burritos. Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 21/01/07

News from the local food scene

• Salem market moves indoors: The Salem Farmers Market will move indoors for the remainder of the winter beginning Sunday, Jan. 10, at a new location at 369 S. Broadway in Salem (the former location of Rockler Woodworking), according to a recent post on its Facebook page. The year-round market, which normally operates indoors from November through about April or May, has been outdoors at Salem Marketplace since this past March. According to Bonnie Wright of the market’s board, limited hours of 10 a.m. to noon each Sunday will continue in the new location. Visit salemnhfarmersmarket.org.

• Blind wines: Join WineNot Boutique (221 Main St., Nashua) for a blind tasting of cabernet sauvignon wines on Thursday, Jan. 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. Participants will taste nine wines, each of which will be hidden in brown bags, paired with varieties of cheese, chocolates and appetizers. After tasting each wine, you’ll be asked to vote on your favorite. Separate tables and chairs will be set up for each attendee with its own individually prepared plate. The cost is $40 per person and face masks are required when entering the store. Visit winenotboutique.com.

• Get in the spirit: LaBelle Winery recently unveiled a new line of spirit infusion kits under “The Winemaker’s Kitchen” collection of handcrafted culinary products, according to a press release. Six natural flavors — juniper berry citrus, cinnamon vanilla, spicy bloody mary, triple citrus twist, vanilla bean old-fashioned and cranberry vodka — are included in the line, all of which are used to incorporate into a pre-existing alcoholic spirit of your choice. Simply add your favorite liquor to the infusion jar and let it rest for approximately a week. According to the release, kits are available to purchase online or by visiting LaBelle’s Amherst location. Each kit includes one Ball jar with instructions and assorted herbs, spices and fruits for infusion. They can also be shipped or delivered locally. Visit labellewinery.com.

• Makris restaurant takes a break: Concord’s Makris Lobster & Steak House has temporarily closed its doors as of Jan. 1, according to a recent post on the restaurant’s website attributed to the Makris family. “We have come to a last-minute hard decision, after some deep thought, that it is in our best interest to shut down for a couple months due to Covid restrictions and lack of staff,” the post reads. “Our plan is to renovate and reopen stronger than before.” The post goes on to say that a reopening date for the restaurant is “to be determined” sometime in the future.

Jared DeBernardo

Jared DeBernardo’s family has been in the restaurant business for more than three decades, dating back to the mid-1980s, when his grandfather Harry owned a small chain of Italian eateries in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. DeBernardo’s Restaurant (175 Main St., Epping, 734-4520, debernardos.com), which has been at its current location since December 2016, offers a scratch-made menu of Italian items, from fresh pizzas using its own homemade dough to classic dishes like lasagna, chicken piccata and more, all made to order using recipes from his father, Nick. The eatery is currently closed to dine-in customers, but takeout and curbside pickup are available, in addition to delivery to Epping and more than a half dozen other surrounding towns, like Raymond, Fremont, Stratham, Exeter, Brentwood, Kingston and Newmarket. DeBernardo’s also has an extensive offering of family-sized meal pans of items like bruschetta, stuffed shells, chicken, veal or eggplant Parmigiana, baked ziti and pan-fried ravioli.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

I always have a pen in my hand, because I have 9,000 things going on during the day, and if I don’t write it down I won’t remember to do it.

What would you have for your last meal?

I am a sucker for a really good chicken Parm, so that would definitely be something I would go for. That and a super Tuscan wine.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Goody Cole’s [Smokehouse and Catering Co. in Brentwood]. I am a huge fan of them. All of the sandwiches are amazing. The pulled pork is probably one of my favorites.

What celebrity would you like to see ordering from your restaurant?

I think it would be cool to have another … perspective from someone who’s in the business, like Jon Taffer from Bar Rescue. Same thing with Gordon Ramsay and Hell’s Kitchen.

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

I would say that takeout, and specifically online ordering, has definitely become more of a trend. … Our industry as a whole has to be able to adapt no matter what.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I like to do a lot of pastas with my own sauces I make in my house.

Homemade “date night” bruschetta
Courtesy of Jared DeBernardo of DeBernardo’s Restaurant in Epping (quantities dependent on preference)

01 sub roll
Butter
Freshly chopped garlic
Freshly diced tomatoes
Freshly chopped basil
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Romano cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Open and lightly butter the sub roll, then add the chopped garlic and diced tomatoes. Sprinkle on the shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake in the oven until the sub roll is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Sprinkle freshly chopped basil on top. Garnish with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle Romano cheese to desired level.

Featured photo: Jared DeBernardo

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