Food – Page 29

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.

Soup-er flavors

Epsom soup/chili/chowder cook-off returns

Dozens of local soup, chili and chowder makers will be vying for your palate during Epsom Central School’s annual cook-off, which is set to return for its 10th year on Monday, Feb. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. inside the school’s gymnasium.

Originally conceived as a much smaller fundraiser mostly among the school’s teachers and staff, the cook-off has grown considerably over the last few years. The event did have to take a hiatus in 2021 due to the pandemic, but was able to return in full force last year to a resounding success, school business secretary and cook-off coordinator Stephanie Colvin said.

More than 45 entrants are expected at this year’s cook-off, ranging from community members and teachers at the school to even a local girl scout group that will be participating. They’ll compete across a total of three judging categories: soups, chilis and chowders.

“We’re also doing a junior competition right alongside it during the day, where we’ll have our sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders all making something within their class,” Colvin said, noting that each class is producing two slow cookers’ worth — one will be available at 2 p.m., and the second one during the cook-off in the evening.

For tasters, tickets to the cook-off will be sold at the door and will include access to up to 10 four-ounce sampling cups per attendee for adults and five sampling cups for kids ages 10 and under, along with sides of corn bread. Part of the fun is that you never know which different flavors of soups, chilis and chowders you may encounter at the cook-off in any given year. Many entrants, Colvin added, like to give their offerings unique names.

“There’s a chili entry called Real Firehouse chili … and one called Chicka Chicka chickpea veggie chowder, which is kind of a mouthful,” she said. “Then we’ve got a creamy Parmesan Italian sausage soup, one called an Ultimate white chicken chili, and one called Lavender Haze, so there will be all kinds of different, kind of funky ones.”

A panel of judges gives entrants a score based on a 10-point scaling system and adds them all up at the end of the night. Winners from each of the three categories receive a “Souper Bowl” trophy, and the top vote getter also wins a $50 gift card. Two People’s Choice recipients from each category are awarded ribbons.

Proceeds from the cook-off, Colvin said, help fund various student activities at Epsom Central School, including field trips and clothing needs.

10th annual Epsom Central School soup/chili/chowder cook-off
When: Monday, Feb. 13, 5 to 7 p.m.
Where: Epsom Central School, 282 Black Hall Road, Epsom
Cost: $8 for adults and $6 for kids ages 10 and under (includes access to up to 10 four-ounce samples for adults and up to five samples for kids, plus cornbread). Tickets are sold at the door while supplies last.
More info: See “10th Annual ECS Soup/Chili/Chowder Cook-off” on Facebook, or email cook-off coordinator Stephanie Colvin at scolvin@sau53.org.

Featured photo: Donna Lancaster (left) won first place in last year’s cook-off for her bacon shrimp corn chowder. Courtesy photo.

Organic knowledge

NOFA-NH’s annual winter conference returns — in person!

For the first time in three years, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire will hold its annual winter conference in person. The one-day event is set to return on Saturday, Feb. 11, with a keynote speaking address, a panel discussion, an exhibitor fair and more than two dozen interactive workshops covering a variety of topics related to organic agricultural practices.

The theme of this year’s conference is “The Art of Food & Farming: Skill Sharing for a Brighter Future.” Anyone from farmers, gardeners and home growers to foodies or those interested in learning about organic practices is welcome to attend, conference coordinator Kyle Jacoby said.

One notable change to this year’s conference is its new venue: Southern New Hampshire University’s Manchester campus. The opening panel discussion and the exhibitor fair will take place at the university’s dining hall, while the workshops will be held inside the classrooms of the adjacent Robert Frost Hall. Workshops will run the gamut from growing edible native plants and distilling flowers to fermentation essentials, honey production in New Hampshire and more.

“We definitely try to reach a wide audience,” Jacoby said of the workshops. “I think that’s probably one of the more unique things about NOFA in general, is that deep down, one of the larger goals … is to just really build a food system that sustainable as a whole, and there’s a lot of pieces involved with that, from farmers and home growers [to] just interested community members that are advocates for sustainable agriculture and improved food systems.”

The pandemic hit just after the last in-person conference was held in February 2020. Since then, the event has transitioned into a series of virtual workshops, which took place in both 2021 and 2022. While all of this year’s workshops are in person, a select few of them, Jacoby said, will also be live streamed in real time for a virtual audience.

The day will begin with an hour-long panel discussion devoted to New England farms and climate change. From there, each workshop is broken up into three hour-long session blocks — from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Notable speakers will include Sarah Cox of Tuckaway Farm in Lee and Dina Wilford of the Dover-based Vida Tortilla, who will lead a joint workshop and discussion on nixtamalization, a traditional Mexican cooking method used to create masa for tortillas, chips and tamales.

“[Cox and Wilford] developed a connection because Tuckaway Farm produces corn that Vida Tortilla utilizes to make their local goods,” Jacoby said, “so it’s going to be a great collaborative workshop on how to make masa and utilizing a local indigenous variety.”

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

Troy Hall of Hall Apiaries in Plainfield is also on the schedule to talk about honey production, while naturalist, forager and author Russ Cohen will explore the dozens of native edible plant species. The New Hampshire Food Hub Network, a program of the New Hampshire Food Alliance, will hold an interactive forum of its own on the importance of food hubs.

Additional conference activities will include an ongoing Green Market Fair, featuring informational booths and products for sale from dozens of local vendors and exhibitors. The day will conclude with a 90-minute keynote address from 4 to 5:30 p.m. featuring Kristin and Mark Kimball of Essex Farm in upstate New York.

“They’ve been involved in NOFA-related things before and have definitely been to our conference in the past,” Jacoby said. “One of the things that we really gravitated toward with them was how much they train and have trained and supported new farmers.”

21st annual NOFA-NH Winter Conference
When: Saturday, Feb. 11; event will begin with a kickoff panel discussion from 9 to 10 a.m.; followed by three workshop sessions from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., and a keynote speaking event from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Where: Southern New Hampshire University, 2500 N. River Road, Manchester (a few of the workshops throughout the day will also take place virtually — see website for details)
Cost: $90 for NOFA-NH members and $110 for non-members (includes access to all workshops throughout the day, in addition to the Green Market Fair). Online workshops are $60 for members and $75 for non-members. Access to the keynote event only is $30 for members and $40 non-members. Optional add-on lunches for children are $25. Donations are also welcome.
Visit: nofanh.org/nofawinterconference

Schedule of events

Kickoff panel: 9 to 10 a.m.
• Adapting New England farms to climate change

Workshop Session I: 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.
• Getting involved in New Hampshire politics (also available virtually)
• How to engage children in gardening (also available virtually)
• Biochar and how it can improve soil health
• Religious diversity on the farm
• Keeping a family dairy cow
• Weed management: white thread weeds
• Timber framing intensive session I: mortise and tenons
• Building skills to manage stress and mental health on the farm

Workshop Session II: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• The real organic movement (also available virtually)
• Making no-till work in organic systems (also available virtually)
• Your farm story and how and why to tell it
• Making masa and building a local grain shed
• Small space gardening: thinking outside the box
• New Hampshire Food Hub forum
• Edible native plants you can grow or forage
• Timber framing intensive session II: mortise and tenons

Workshop Session III: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
• Farmer to farmer gathering with vital communities
• Increasing winter production: How to grow microgreens in a modified cold storage room (also available virtually)
• Resilience farming: Farming with permaculture ethics and ecological patterns in mind
• The essentials of fermentation
• Propagating, grafting and layering hardwood trees and shrubs
• Honey production in New Hampshire
• The art and alchemy of distilling flowers and herbs
• Livestock want browse: Doable methods for use of wild woody perennials

Keynote address: 4 to 5:30 p.m.
• Community focused practices that helped us grow (featuring Mark and Kristin Kimball of Essex Farm in New York; also available virtually)

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

The Weekly Dish 23/02/09

News from the local food scene

• Food is love: Still haven’t made plans yet for Valentine’s Day? There may still be time, depending on where you go. Check out our listings that ran in the Feb. 2 issue; they begin on page 22. You’ll find dozens of special menus and dinners at local eateries, as well as sweet gift-giving ideas at chocolate and candy shops and bakeries with their own special offerings. Since Feb. 14 falls on a Tuesday this year, several local eateries are electing to celebrate Valentine’s Day the Saturday or Sunday before. Others are choosing to offer special menus on other days throughout the preceding week and weekend, or are opening their doors on weekdays they’re usually closed. Go to issuu.com/hippopress and click on the Feb. 2 issue to read the e-edition for free — and be sure to contact each establishment directly for the most up-to-date availability on reservations and takeout items.

• A chocolate lover’s paradise: Join Great American Downtown for its sixth annual chocolate stroll, happening across participating area businesses in downtown Nashua on Saturday, Feb. 11. Restaurants, breweries, boutique shops and other storefronts on Main Street and some neighboring side streets will be offering a variety of complimentary chocolate-y treats to visitors between noon and 5 p.m. that day (exact business hours vary depending on the business). According to the event page on Great American Downtown’s website, the stroll is made possible by community sponsorships. Visit downtownnashua.org/chocolatestroll to view the full list of participating businesses, which has been regularly updated in the days leading up to the stroll.

• Flavors of the islands: Grab a lei and your favorite Hawaiian shirt and head down to the North Side Grille (323 Derry Road, Hudson) for its 9th annual Luau Week, happening Tuesday, Feb. 14, through Saturday, Feb. 18. All week long the restaurant will serve tropical and Hawaiian-inspired food specials, including breakfast options, appetizers, entrees and desserts, along with all kinds of unique cocktails. For several years the event has been held over a couple of days in mid-to-late February, and it has now been extended to a full week. Visitors are encouraged to dress in island-themed garb like Hawaiian shirts, leis and hula skirts, and the restaurant is usually decked out with artificial palm trees, fake hanging birds, table skirts and other tropical aesthetics. Visit hudsonnorthsidegrille.com.

• May the best chilis win: The Wilton Winter Festival, a free family-friendly event sponsored by the Wilton Main Street Association on Saturday, Feb. 11, will feature a variety of activities throughout the day — including, from 5 to 7 p.m., a chili cook-off. Happening inside the Wilton Collaborative Space (21 Gregg St.), the chili cook-off and pot luck will feature a variety of local entrants, with first-, second- and third-place prizes to be awarded in both meat and vegetarian chili categories. Bread, beverages and desserts will also be provided. See visitwilton.com or find more details on the Main Street Association’s Facebook page @wiltonmainstreetnh about the festival, which will also include outdoor ice carving demonstrations, an arts market inside the Wilton Town Hall, drop-in crafts at the Wilton Public & Gregg Free Library and more.

Zelda and the bison grass

I know that I don’t need to remind you of it, but Feb. 2 is National Tater Tot Day. I’m sure you’ve already put up the decorations and picked out your outfit, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to weasel out on you.

I was going to develop a Tater Tot-themed cocktail, made, of course, with potato vodka. I thought about infusing it with actual Tater Tots or french fries. I was working on some solid puns for names. I was even — and I admit this was a personal low point — considering using ketchup as the sweet element.

But ultimately I had to ask myself whether I wanted to subject you, myself, or even a good-quality vodka to this kind of gimmicky cocktail indignity.

So let’s take a big swing in the other direction and make an attempt at class and sophistication. I don’t know about you, but sophistication has proved somewhat elusive for me over the past couple of years. I’d like to explore a Zelda Cocktail.

You know, Zelda.

Zelda Fitzgerald.

The novelist, playwright and artist? She was married to F. Scott Fitzgerald?

No. Not the Legend of Zelda princess.

OK, when she’s remembered at all today, Zelda Fitzgerald is known largely for her struggles with mental health, alcoholism and a really dysfunctional marriage, but for a brief shining moment in the 1920s she was widely known as one of the most beautiful, brilliant and sophisticated women alive. And a cocktail dedicated to her is a little-known classic.

Like Zelda herself, this drink is delightful, with an unexpected challenge. In this case the challenge is bison grass vodka.

You might hear rumors about Żubrówka vodka being illegal — and it was, apparently, for several years — but it is available in liquor stores, if you look for it hard enough. If you aren’t up for a multi-state vodka quest, I’m going to make a substitution suggestion. If you muddle a sprig of thyme when you are muddling the mint for this drink, it will add a subtle herbal back-note that will make a guest stop and wonder what is going on.

Apparently the Zelda Fitzgerald experience was a lot like that — people would be overcome with delight in her presence, only to wonder, just a little, what they had gotten themselves into.

The Zelda

Several sprigs of fresh mint. (As I write this, I find myself writing the word “mink,” which I think would please Mrs. Fitzgerald.)

2 ounces Żubrówka Bison Grass Vodka or the best-quality vodka you have, plus a sprig of thyme
1 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice
¾ ounce orgeat (almond syrup)

Muddle the mint (and thyme, if you are including it) in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.

Add five or six ice cubes and the other ingredients to the shaker. Shake vigorously.

Strain into a coupé glass and drink while it is very cold.

Featured photo: The Zelda. Photo by John Fladd.

In the kitchen with Danny Pilsbury

Danny Pilsbury of Salisbury is the owner and executive chef of Alexandra’s Bistro (15 Village St., Penacook, 565-5066, find them on Facebook), which he opened in September, in the space long occupied by Donatello’s Pizza, with his business partner, John Brusseau. Pilsbury’s interest in cooking started while he was a junior at Merrimack Valley High School, where he enrolled in a two-year vocational program in culinary arts. From there he would go on to study at NHTI in Concord, and soon got his start as a prep cook and dishwasher at the Lake Sunapee Country Club in New London. He worked his way up the ranks in the industry, eventually becoming executive sous chef at The New London Inn and Coach House, just a few miles up the road. Named in honor of Pilsbury’s late wife, who died of cancer in December 2021, Alexandra’s Bistro is known for offering a lineup of locally sourced, scratch-cooked items like starters, sandwiches, pastas and other plated entrees, with seasonally inspired menu changes throughout the year. “People are definitely associating us, I think, with an anniversary [or] date night kind of place, which is great. That was definitely kind of my goal,” he said. “I’ve heard from a lot of customers too that, considering how small it is, we have a decent variety.”

What is your must-have kitchen item?

I cannot go without a marker. I have one in my pocket all the time. … I label things so much all day. We make so many things from scratch here in the kitchen, and so I don’t have things coming in with expiration dates on them. I’m making all of the labels myself.

What would you have for your last meal?

This one was a no-brainer for me. I’d get a nice, big juicy steak. Steak and potatoes, either mashed or baked, [with] some green beans and a nice big piece of garlic butter.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

The Millstone Restaurant. It’s right up on Main Street in New London. It’s owned by a previous manager of mine, Richard Stockwell, and he’s just got an unbelievable staff over there. … They have a really good burger there. I get it almost every time.

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

[I’ve] always been a big fan of comedies for sure, and I just think it would be really cool to have Adam Sandler in here.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

On the rotation right now, we have a duck pot pie that is just out of this world. … I had never made it before — I had done some other pot pies, but one day I was like, ‘Oh, we should try it with duck,’ and oh my God, it’s amazing. We make the duck stock right there in house, and it’s just super rich and thick and dark, and it’s loaded with veggies and nice big puff pastries on top. … I think it might be one of the best dishes I’ve ever created.

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

I think the whole farm-to-table concept is making a comeback, finally. I think chain restaurants have been dominating for a long time now, I mean, they’ve popped up all over the place, and there’s just something boring and plain about those places that has formed over the years. … I think people like to hear where [their food is] coming from, and that it’s antibiotic free and hormone free. … Just that natural kind of fresh, local, healthy food.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I like a good grilled cheese, almost always with some tomato soup, or I’ll just put the fresh tomatoes right in the grilled cheese. … For me, there’s just a lot of nostalgia behind it. It was one of my mom’s go-to lunches for us as kids. … It’s fast, it’s easy and it’s relatively affordable. You can’t go wrong.

Lemon basil pesto aioli
From the kitchen of Danny Pilsbury of Alexandra’s Bistro in Penacook

⅛ cup lemon juice
¼ cup basil pesto (store bought or made from scratch)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white pepper

Whisk all of the ingredients together. According to Pilsbury, the aioli can go well on everything from sandwiches and flatbreads to pasta salads, french fries or even fried calamari

Featured photo: Danny Pilsbury, owner and executive chef of Alexandra’s Bistro in Penacook. Courtesy photo.

Flavors of Puerto Rico

Salem’s Rice & Beans 603 gets new owner, menus

Last year was eventful for longtime Manchester-area food trucker Tony Elias. He became an official mobile food vendor for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats as owner of the Superstar Tacos trailer, while his other truck, The Spot To Go, was hired to cook on the set of Madame Web, an upcoming Marvel film shot just outside Boston.

As 2022 came to an end Elias announced his newest venture: his first brick-and-mortar restaurant. He’s the new owner of Rice & Beans 603, which reopened Jan. 14 on Route 28 in Salem with his menu of scratch-cooked Puerto Rican street foods.

Elias said he met the eatery’s former owners last year while he was a vendor at Tuscan Village.

“They had a growing family, and I mean, in the restaurant business, it just requires you all the time, 24/7,” he said. “So in their eyes, it became kind of selfish to their girls. But they called me up one day and said, ‘We’re thinking about selling, would you be interested,’ and I mean, I just couldn’t let this opportunity go.”

A native of Philadelphia, Elias got his start in the food truck world when he launched the Made With Love 603 trailer in Manchester in 2014. He’s known for items like beef and chicken empanadas, as well as combo plates with pork, rice and beans, and Puerto Rican jibaritos, or fried plantain sliders with pork, cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo ketchup. Elias’s Puerto Rican tacos and canoas (roasted yellow sweet plantains sliced down the middle — like a canoe — and stuffed with beef, melted cheese, cilantro and an aioli) are also huge hits.

These are among the many items Elias is now also offering at Rice & Beans 603, although he did decide to keep some staples the former owners had, like rice bowls and fried and stewed chicken.

“I’m keeping a good amount of the stuff they previously had, [but] just doing my flavors and interpretation of it,” he said. “The menu has a lot of stuff from the food truck that I’ve integrated, so I’ve kind of combined both of them. … The rice bowls, though, ended up becoming their biggest hits, so I mean I figured I’d be stupid to take those off.”

Elias said he intends to continue slinging tacos at Fisher Cats home games once the 2023 season begins in mid-April. As for his larger, drivable food truck, the plan is for him to reserve that one for larger events and bookings — he usually gets hired by Recycled Percussion, for instance, during the band’s annual round of shows.

A professional wrestler in his former life — a member of a two-man tag team called The Big Islanders — Elias said his experience with the Fisher Cats has even unexpectedly brought him out of retirement.

“The [front] office people at the Fisher Cats are actually fanatics of wrestling,” he said. “So when they found out I was a wrestler, that was kind of the cherry on top for them. They ended up doing Wrestling Nights at the stadium. … What gets me is that I caught the itch for it again, so now I’m actually doing a seven-city tour that I got to fit into my crazy daily schedule.”

Rice & Beans 603
Where: 288 N. Broadway, Unit D, Salem
Hours: Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
More info: Find them on Facebook and Instagram @riceandbeans603 or call 890-1626

Featured photo: Photo courtesy of Tony Elias of Rice & Beans 603 in Salem.

Love bites

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a special dinner or sweet treat

Valentine’s Day is almost here, so if you’re looking for a local spot to dine out with your special someone (or get your meal to go), or you want to give the gift of gourmet chocolates or sweet treats like chocolate-dipped strawberries, check out this list of New Hampshire businesses working hard to help you mark the occasion.

Since Feb. 14 falls on a Tuesday this year, several local eateries are electing to celebrate Valentine’s Day the Saturday or Sunday before. Others are choosing to offer special menus on other days throughout the preceding week and weekend, or are opening their doors on weekdays they’re usually closed. Where applicable, we’ve indicated the exact dates for each. Chocolatiers, candy shops and bakers with special offerings of their own have also been included — just be sure to contact the establishment directly for the most up-to-date availability. For Seacoast-area venues, see the end of the online version of this round up at hippopress.com.

Did we miss any local restaurants offering special Valentine’s Day dinners that you know about? Tell us about it at food@hippopress.com and we can include a mention in the next issue.

• 603 Charcuterie (603charcuterie.com) is taking orders for a variety of specials for Valentine’s Day, including three-tiered charcuterie boards of New Hampshire-made cheeses and other products; four-, nine- or 18-sized packs of chocolate-covered strawberries; personalized heart-shaped wooden charcuterie boards, and do-it-yourself Valentine’s cookie kits. Pre-order online for pickup at The Factory on Willow (252 Willow St., Manchester) on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 12, from noon to 3 p.m., or Monday, Feb. 13, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

• All Real Meal (87 Elm St., Manchester, 782-3014, allrealmeal.com) is taking orders for romantic five-course dinners for two, complete with reheating instructions, to be delivered to your door on Tuesday, Feb. 14. Included items are fresh baked rolls with lavender honey butter, butternut squash and bourbon bisque, winter salad with organic greens, spinach and berries, tender slow-cooked roast beef, Marry Me chicken, cheddar mashed potatoes, roasted veggies and red velvet cake and creme brulee cheesecake for dessert. The cost is $95 and orders are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Alpine Grove Banquet Facility (19 S. Depot Road, Hollis, 882-9051, alpinegrove.com) will host a special Valentine’s Day candlelight dinner and dance on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 6 to 10:30 p.m. The five-course dinner will include assorted hors d’oeuvres, a seasonal house salad and strawberry lemon sorbet, followed by your choice of an entree (Champagne airline breast of chicken, duet of filet mignon and lobster tail crown cabernet sauvignon demi glace, scallops and shrimp in a savory white wine cream sauce, cedar plank-glazed Norwegian salmon or butternut squash ravioli with a Frangelico cream sauce) and dessert (petit fours or chocolate-covered strawberries). Along with the dinner, there will be a cash bar, and music and dancing beginning at 8 p.m. The cost is $160 per person before Feb. 5 and $180 after Feb. 5. Reservations are required.

• Atkinson Resort & Country Club (85 Country Club Drive, Atkinson, 362-8700, atkinsonresort.com) will hold a special Valentine’s Day Masquerade Ball on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. featuring a prime rib dinner buffet and live music by the Brandy Band. Tickets are $70 per person general admission and $175 VIP admission, which includes a complimentary bottle of Champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries. You can also order a Valentine’s package for $350, which includes a private table for two, an overnight stay at the resort and a complimentary breakfast for two at Merrill’s Tavern the next morning. Valentine’s Day specials at the restaurant will also include scallops and bacon, arancini, confit duck leg, veal osso buco, filet and lobster, profiteroles and raspberry and blood orange sorbet garnished with fresh mint.

• Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, 244-3165, averillhousevineyard.com) will host a special Valentine’s celebration featuring a five-course chocolate-infused dinner with wine pairings. Two nights are available — Saturday, Feb. 11, or Tuesday, Feb. 14, at 6:30 p.m. — with party sizes of up to three indoors or four to eight out on the vineyard’s gazebo or inside one of the igloos. Courses will include smoked salmon tartar, beet and fried goat cheese salad, lobster-stuffed ravioli, coffee and chocolate-crusted grilled petite sirloin and strawberry shortcake mousse for dessert. Tickets are $89 per person (event is 21+ only) and reservations are required.

• The Bakeshop on Kelley Street (171 Kelley St., Manchester, 624-3500, thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com) is taking orders for milk, white or semisweet chocolate-dipped strawberries, cherry chocolate cheesecake, chocolate molten lava cake, crispy cream puffs with fresh fruit, chocolate mousse gâteau, shortbread hearts, cupcakes (Champagne, chocolate raspberry, red velvet, chocolate truffle and merlot) and more. They’re also offering Valentine’s samplers, featuring truffles, cannoli and dip, chocolate-dipped strawberries, heart-shaped shortbread cookies, mini chocolate cupcakes with whipped cream dip and roses. The shop is normally closed on Tuesdays but will be open on Tuesday, Feb. 14, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Bearded Baking Co. (819 Union St., Manchester, 647-7150; 580 Lafayette Road, Hampton, 601-6878; beardedbaking.com) is taking orders for 4-inch bento box mini heart cakes for Valentine’s Day (serving two — flavor options include chocolate, vanilla or red velvet) in addition to chocolate-covered strawberries in quantities of six or 12. Order by Feb. 7. Pickups will be on Saturday, Feb. 11. Both locations will also have a variety of seasonal grab-and-go items in store starting Feb. 11, like cupcakes, red velvet whoopie pies and red velvet cheesecake brownies.

• Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will serve a special four-course prix fixe menu for Valentine’s Day on Tuesday, Feb. 14, with seating times from 5 to 9:30 p.m. The meal will include your choice of an appetizer (New Hampshire oysters, pancetta and pea arancini, steak tuna tartare miso butter poached hake or cauliflower bisque); a salad (Lola Rosa or Boston bibb); an entree (savory lobster risotto, grilled filet mignon, Dunk’s mushroom and spinach lasagna, New England seafood “Thai hot pot,” Vernon Family Farm chicken statler or herb-crusted lamb rack); and a dessert (red velvet cake, coffee creme brulee, lemon semifreddo, galette frangipane, chocolate financier, a sweet and salty dessert board for two, or the Inn’s famous sweetheart chocolate bag to share). The cost is $125 per person and reservations are required.

• Birch Wood Vineyards (199 Rockingham Road, Derry, 965-4359, birchwoodvineyards.com) will hold a special Valentine’s Day four-course dinner with wine pairings and a cocktail reception on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 5 to 9 p.m. Courses will include tomato basil soup, baby field greens with Craisins, candied walnuts, goat cheese and a raspberry honey vinaigrette, your choice of an entree (a duet of beef Wellington with baked stuffed shrimp soubise potatoes and lemon Parmesan asparagus, or eggplant Napoleon with quinoa salad, marinara, balsamic reduction and basil pesto), and dessert du jour. The cost is $90 per person ($115 per person with the wine pairings) and a cash bar will also be available. Reservations are required — tickets will remain on sale through Feb. 5.

• Bistro 603 (345 Amherst St., Nashua, 722-6362, bistro603nashua.com) will serve a special features menu for Valentine’s Day from Friday, Feb. 10, through Tuesday, Feb. 14, during which the eatery’s regular menus will also be available. Reservations can be made online or via phone.

• Bite Me Kupcakez (4 Mound Court, Merrimack, 674-4459, bitemekupcakez.com) is taking orders for a variety of specialty items for Valentine’s Day, like dairy-free breakfast in bed platters, featuring two Belgian waffles, two cinnamon buns, two doughnuts and fresh fruit available for waffle toppings. Also available to order are six-pack Valentine’s Day cupcakes, chocolate-covered strawberries or heart-shaped whoopie pies, cookie boxes, mini heart-shaped cakes, and an “ultimate Valentine’s Day” box, featuring two chocolate-covered strawberries, two cookies, two heart-shaped whoopie pies and two Valentine’s Day-themed cupcakes. Order by Feb. 3.

• Blue Bear Inn (534 Mountain Road, Francestown, 808-0174, bluebearinn.com) will serve a special five-course dinner with wine pairings for Valentine’s Day on Tuesday, Feb. 14 — courses will include marrow toast, oysters on the half shell, pasta nero di seppia (pasta with squid ink), braised beef short ribs and creme brulee. The cost is $135 per person and reservations are required.

• Buckley’s Market & Cafe (9 Market Place, Hollis, 465-5522, find them on Facebook @buckleysmarketcafehollis) is taking orders for heat-and-eat Valentine’s Day takeout dinner boxes for two, featuring a shrimp cocktail, a surf and turf entree with pan-seared filet mignon and crab cake, roasted potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, Madeira demi-glace and remoulade, chocolate and raspberry mousse cups garnished with fresh berries, and a bottle of Prima prosecco. The cost is $140 per box, or $125 without the bottle of wine. Order by Feb. 8. Pickups will be on Monday, Feb. 13, or Tuesday, Feb. 14, after 10 a.m.

• Caroline’s Fine Food (132 Bedford Center Road, Bedford, 637-1615, carolinesfood.com) is taking orders for romantic dinners for two, featuring your choice of an entree (beef tenderloin with a port demi glace, roasted duck breast with a cherry gastrique or horseradish-encrusted salmon), along with your choice of pot de creme or baby lemon cake for dessert. Sweet and savory dessert boards are also available to order a la carte. Order by Feb. 10.

• Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com) is teaming up with chef Keith Sarasin and his team at The Farmer’s Dinner for a five-course kitchen takeover dinner and screening of the 1998 Adam Sandler film The Wedding Singer, happening on Tuesday, Feb. 14. As of Jan. 24, tickets were still available — VIP ticket holders arrive at 5:30 p.m. for a “secret chef appetizer” and complimentary craft beer or wine. Non-VIP purchasers arrive at 6 p.m., with the movie starting at 7 p.m. Before the movie begins, Sarasin will speak about the locally sourced menu. The cost is $75 per person and includes both the dinner and the movie. Vegetarian and wine pairing options are also available.

• Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, 428-3281, colbyhillinn.com) will serve a special three-course prix fixe menu for Valentine’s Day on Sunday, Feb. 12, with seatings from 4 to 8 p.m. The meal will include your choice of a first course (coconut curried squash soup, New England seafood chowder, heirloom beet salad, organic frisee salad or potato, roast garlic and goat cheese pierogi or Dutch meatballs); an entree (roasted hen in citrus and bay leaves, Burgundy-braised lamb shank, seared tenderloin, heirloom squash and goat cheese maultaschen or pan-roasted Faroe Island salmon); and a dessert (chocolate fondue for two, chocolate trio, passion fruit panna cotta, caramelized pineapple brown butter cake or sorbet duo). The cost is $85 per person.

• Copper Kettle To Go (39 Main St., Wilton, 654-2631, copperkettletogo.com) will serve a special four-course meal for Valentine’s Day on Tuesday, Feb. 14, from 6 to 9 p.m. Courses will include minestrone soup, arugula winter salad, your choice of an entree (braised short ribs with mashed red potatoes and carrots, or homemade ricotta gnocchi with scallops in a lemon butter white wine sauce with capers); and two options to choose from for a dessert. The cost ranges from $64.95 to $68.95 per person (depending on which entree you choose), and specialty drinks can also be purchased at the time of seating.

• Cotton (75 Arms St., Manchester, 622-5488, cottonfood.com) will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with some seasonal specials on Tuesday, Feb. 14, and Wednesday, Feb. 15, from 5 to 8:30 p.m., in addition to its regular menu on both of those nights.

• The Cozy Tea Cart (249-9111, thecozyteacart.com) will hold a Valentine’s Day afternoon tea tasting on Sunday, Feb. 5, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Gatherings at The Colonel Shepard House (29 Mont Vernon St., Milford). In addition to a selection of fine quality teas, there will be assorted tea breads, sandwiches and pastries, as well as chocolate-covered strawberries. The cost is $39.95 per person and reservations are required.

• The Crown Tavern (99 Hanover St., Manchester, 218-3132, thecrownonhanover.com) is taking a limited number of reservations for Valentine’s Day on Tuesday, Feb. 14, when it will serve its regular menus. The restaurant is also adding an additional day that week, and will be open regular hours on Monday, Feb. 13.

• Cupcakes 101 (132 Bedford Center Road, Bedford, 488-5962, cupcakes101.net) is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a variety of seasonally inspired items available for order or for pickup, like cake pop bouquets, chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolate-dipped Oreos, chocolate-covered pretzels, hot cocoa bombs and more. Call or email to place an order.

• Dancing Lion Chocolate (917 Elm St., Manchester, 625-4043, dancinglion.us) will hold a special Valentine’s edition of its “down and dirty” chocolate class for couples on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 5 p.m. As of Jan. 25, signups were still available. Participants will get to taste chocolate during this hands-on class, learning tips and tricks about making chocolate ganache for truffles and taking home what they make. The cost is $350 per couple.

• Frederick’s Pastries (109 Route 101A, Amherst, 882-7725; 25 S. River Road, Bedford, 647-2253; pastry.net) is celebrating Valentine’s Day with all kinds of seasonally inspired sweets and treats, like Champagne tortes topped with chocolate-covered strawberries, as well as cookie kits, assorted heart-shaped cookies, Champagne cake truffles, chocolate lover’s cheesecake cups and more.

• Granite Restaurant & Bar (The Centennial Hotel, 96 Pleasant St., Concord, 227-9005, graniterestaurant.com) is accepting reservations for Valentine’s Day on Tuesday, Feb. 14, from 5 to 8:30 p.m., during which it will be serving its regular menu with some “romance-inspired” specials. Reserve online through OpenTable.

• Granite State Candy Shoppe (13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591; 832 Elm St., Manchester, 218-3885; granitestatecandyshoppe.com) is celebrating Valentine’s Day with all kinds of seasonal sweets and treats, like assorted chocolate heart boxes, freshly dipped strawberries in white, dark or milk chocolate, rose- or heart-shaped chocolate pop molds and more. Strawberries are available to order for in-store pickup only — they’ll be available for pickup on Monday, Feb. 13, or Tuesday, Feb. 14, after noon and should be consumed within two days.

• Greenleaf (54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com) is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a special five-course prix fixe tasting menu from chefs Chris Viaud and Justin O’Malley, which will be available on Friday, Feb. 10, Saturday, Feb. 11, Monday, Feb. 13, and Tuesday, Feb. 14. Menu courses will include spiced hamachi with cranberry ponzu and sesame puffed rice; beet gnocchi with duck confit, mushrooms, spinach and a whipped lemon ricotta; chicken milanese with arugula pistou, mache, pickled fennel and spiced pistachios; grilled New York strip with potato croquette, Gruyere cheese, carrot, parsnip, romaine and a beet foam sauce; and red velvet cake with pink peppercorn meringue, passion fruit, semifreddo spiced chocolate and cocoa lace tuile. The cost is $125 per person, or $155 with optional wine pairings. Greenleaf’s regular a la carte menu will also be available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, although on Tuesday, Feb. 14, only the prix fixe Valentine’s Day menu will be served. Reserve online through Tock.

• Hanover Street Chophouse (149 Hanover St., Manchester, 644-2467, hanoverstreetchophouse.com) may be fully booked on Tuesday, Feb. 14, for Valentine’s Day, but they have added an additional day — Monday, Feb. 13 — when a limited amount of reservations are being accepted. Reserve online through OpenTable to see the most up-to-date available times.

• The Hills Restaurant (Hampshire Hills Athletic Club, 50 Emerson Road, Milford, 673-7123, hampshirehills.com/the-hills-restaurant) will host a special Valentine’s Day dinner and dance event on Saturday, Feb. 11 — a three-course meal will be served from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by dancing and lessons from 7 to 10 p.m with the Royal Palace Dance Studio. Dinner courses will include smoked sugar beet and heart of palm with scallion, arugula and a charred citrus vinaigrette; your choice of an entree (red wine-braised pork osso buco, or roasted root vegetable tart); and vanilla bean cheesecake with red berry coulis and blush chantilly cream for dessert. Tango and bachata performances and lessons will follow, in addition to some time for open dancing. The cost is $80 per person ($75 for Hampshire Hills members). Reserve online through Resy.

• LaBelle Winery Derry (14 Route 111, 672-9898, labellewinery.com) will host a special Valentine’s soiree dinner and dance party on Saturday Feb. 11, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The evening will include a three-course dinner featuring a green salad with roasted root vegetables and a molasses red wine vinaigrette; your choice of an entree (chicken cordon bleu with mustard and Gruyere cheese, herbed duchess potatoes, braised kale and lemon veloute, or za’atar dusted cauliflower steak) and chocolate pot de creme with whipped cream and a chocolate-covered strawberry. Jazz cover group the KTO Band will perform live, and the dance floor will be open during the evening. A full bar will be featured, with wine, cocktails, beer and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Tickets are $80 per person (event is 21+ only) and reservations are required.

• Luna Bistro (254 N. Broadway, Salem, 458-2162, luna-bistro.com) will serve a special Valentine’s Day four-course dinner with wine pairings, live music, comedy and dancing — it’s all happening on Tuesday, Feb. 14, from 6 to 9 p.m. Courses will include grilled hearts of romaine with chilled crab meat, Parmesan wafer and passion fruit vinaigrette; pappardelle with guanciale, shallots, roasted garlic cognac cream sauce and grated Parmesan; Tuscan pork skewers with zucchini, squash, bell pepper, red onion and tomato and mushroom polenta; and chocolate lava cake with fresh whipped cream and chocolate-covered strawberries for dessert. All courses will be accompanied by Banfi wines. The evening will include live music by Joey Canzano, singing love songs from Elvis, Neil Diamond and others, along with comedy from Jason Merrill and magic by Phil Volonino. The cost is $125 per person.

• Michaela’s Sweets Gluten Free Bakery (Hooksett, michaelassweets.com) is taking orders for several specialty items for Valentine’s Day, including cupcakes and whoopie pies (strawberry, red velvet, Valentine funfetti, chocolate-salted caramel and white chocolate raspberry); cake pops, available by the dozen or two dozen (chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, red velvet, Valentine funfetti and white chocolate); and brownie bites, available via half- or full-sized trays (chocolate fudge, Valentine funfetti, white chocolate chip and chocolate raspberry). All of their treats are produced in their celiac-friendly home kitchen — you can order by filling out a form online through the website or requesting items via phone. A 48-hour ordering notice is appreciated, and local pickups and deliveries are available.

• Mola Foods (9 Simon St., Nashua, 877-593-8157, molafoods.com) will hold a special Taste of Africa Valentine’s Day celebration on Tuesday, Feb. 14, at 6:30 p.m. — as of Jan. 25, tickets were still available. Guests will be treated to a culinary tour of Cameroon, Ethiopia and Morocco, and the dishes will be paired with wine from Brookline’s Averill House Vineyard. Live music will be provided by Rabihah Shabazz. The cost is $50 per person and the dress code is semi-formal.

• Pearls Candy & Nuts (58 Range Road, Windham, 893-9100, pearlscandynh.com) is celebrating Valentine’s Day with specialty sweets and treats like gourmet chocolate heart boxes, conversation hearts, red- or silver-foiled milk chocolate hearts and more.

• Presto Craft Kitchen (168 Amory St., Manchester, 606-1252, prestocraftkitchen.com) is taking orders for four-course Valentine’s Day dinners for two, featuring charcuterie boxes of domestic and imported cheeses, Italian meats, berries, crackers and other accompaniments, along with your choice of a salad (Caesar, field green with vinaigrette or caprese with balsamic Greek); an entree (sirloin Marsala over penne, chicken Parmesan over penne, heart ravioli with vodka sauce, shrimp scampi over linguine, roast filet with mushroom risotto and roasted Brussels sprouts, or cranberry cornbread-stuffed chicken and gravy with roast potato and carrots); and two desserts (triple chocolate cake, tiramisu, red velvet cake, Snickers cheesecake, chocolate-covered berries, lemon mascarpone cake, pistachio cake, macaroons and strawberry New York cheesecake). You can also order some a la carte desserts, like jumbo chocolate-covered strawberries, giant breakable chocolate hearts filled with desserts and candies, mini red velvet cake, Oreo cheesecake truffle pops and chocolate-covered Oreos. Order by Feb. 8. Pickups will be on Friday, Feb. 10, or Monday, Feb. 13.

• Rambling House Food & Gathering (57 Factory St., Suite A, Nashua, 318-3220, ramblingtale.com) is hosting the second installment of its Legends & Lore Storyteller Series, “Legends of Love,” on Wednesday, Feb. 15, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The evening will include your choice of selections from the eatery’s full winter dinner menu, followed by a special appearance from humorist and author Simon Brooks, beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40 per table for two and reservations are required.

• Ruby Cakes (Milford, ruby-cakes.com) is taking orders for specialty flavors of cakesicles, including red velvet cake with a cream cheese frosting and chocolate cake with a chocolate frosting, as well as “hot choc-sicles” (milk chocolate shells filled with hot cocoa mixes and mini marshmallows — simply stir into a cup of warm milk). Orders can be placed through Feb. 13 and are available for collection between Friday, Feb. 10, and Tuesday, Feb. 14 — select your pickup date and time during the checkout process. Alternative pickup dates and times can also be arranged via the contact page (the order confirmation provides the address for pickups).

• Sweet Treats by Emilee (Milford, find them on Facebook and Instagram) is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a variety of specialty sweets and treats available for preorder, like heart-shaped decorated and bagged sugar cookies, milk chocolate saltine toffee, brownie or chocolate chip cookie dough-flavored cakesicles, Oreo cookie chocolate-dipped lollipops, traditional or heart-shaped hot cocoa bombs, jumbo breakable hearts and more. Order by Feb. 7. Pickups will be available at the Manchester Craft Market (inside the Mall of New Hampshire, 1500 S. Willow St., Manchester) after Feb. 9. See manchestercraftmarket.square.site for a full list of offerings.

• Van Otis Chocolates (341 Elm St., Manchester, 627-1611, vanotis.com) is taking orders for milk, white or dark chocolate-dipped strawberries (available for in-store pickup only — ordering at least 48 hours in advance is required and consuming within 24 hours of pickup is recommended). The shop is also celebrating Valentine’s Day with items like assorted chocolate heart boxes, jumbo marshmallow hearts, “I Love You” chocolate-dipped Champagne bottles, black forest Swiss fudge, strawberry Swiss fudge and more. Order by Monday, Feb. 13, at 10 a.m. to ensure local delivery on Tuesday, Feb. 14. To arrive within New England, order by Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. To arrive outside of New England, order by Feb. 2 at 10 a.m.

• Vine 32 Wine + Graze Bar (25 S. River Road, Unit 107, Bedford, 935-8464, vinethirtytwo.com) is offering a special Date Night package for guests on Tuesday, Feb. 14, or Wednesday, Feb. 15 — reservations for 5:30 or 7:30 p.m. are available for those two dates. The package includes two $25 wine cards (to access the onsite self-serve wine bar), along with a five-item cheese and charcuterie board, and a chocolate fondue or chocolate chip cookie skillet. The regular menu will also be available for add-ons.

• Wolfe’s Tavern (The Wolfeboro Inn, 90 N. Main St., Wolfeboro, 569-3016, wolfestavern.com) is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a special three-course prix fixe menu on Tuesday, Feb. 14. Courses include your choice of Caesar salad or tomato boursin soup, along with an entree (filet mignon or pan-seared chicken) and dessert (chocolate lava cake or raspberry creme brulee). The cost is $55 per couple. Reserve online through OpenTable.

Seacoast Valentine’s Day Places

• CR’s The Restaurant (287 Exeter Road, Hampton, 929-7972, crstherestaurant.com) is taking reservations for Valentine’s Day on Tuesday, Feb. 14, serving their most popular menu items with some specials. Local musician Bob Tirelli will be playing in the lounge starting at 6 p.m.

• Epoch Gastropub (The Exeter Inn, 90 Front St., Exeter, 778-3762, epochrestaurant.com) is accepting reservations for Valentine’s Day on Tuesday, Feb. 14, from 5 to 8 p.m., during which it will be serving its regular menu with some specials. Reserve online through OpenTable.

• Fresh AF Bakeshop (34 Church St., Kingston, 642-8609, freshafbakeshop.com) is taking orders for a variety of specialty items for Valentine’s Day, including sweetheart cakes (strawberry crunch, red velvet berry or triple chocolate); 6-inch double-layer strawberry shortcakes; 6-inch deep-dish pies for two (chocolate pudding, banana pudding, classic cherry, half baked or caramel apple crumb); macarons, by the dozen or half-dozen (chocolate-covered strawberry, Boston cream, chocolate brownie, red velvet Oreo, raspberry cheesecake or chocolate-salted caramel); and other treats, like chocolate-covered strawberries (available by the dozen or half-dozen); cherry cordials, flourless chocolate tortes and strawberry shortcake-stuffed doughnuts. All Valentine’s Day items are available through Feb. 12, for pickup in store during normal business hours, or third-party delivery through DoorDash, UberEats or Postmates (subject to availability).

• Huckleberry’s Candies (293 Lafayette Road, Hampton, 926-5061, huckleberryscandies.com) is celebrating Valentine’s Day with seasonal sweets and treats, like milk chocolate foil hearts, jelly bean hearts, conversation hearts, specialty boxed truffles and more.

• La Cascade du Chocolat (109 Water St., Exeter; 214 State St., Portsmouth; 777-5177; lacascadeduchocolat.com) is celebrating Valentine’s Day with heart-shaped bonbons, available in eight-, 16- or 21-piece quantities and a variety of flavors (passionfruit and coconut, strawberry and dark chocolate, cinnamon hot chocolate and more); milk, dark or white chocolate “el-love-phants”; dark hot chocolate hearts for two; and limited-edition roses-and-strawberries dark or white chocolate bars.

• Street Exeter (8 Clifford St., Exeter, 580-4148, streetfood360.com) will serve a special five-course prix fixe dinner menu for Valentine’s Day on Tuesday, Feb. 14, in addition to its regular menu. Courses will include whipped feta with roasted beets, walnuts, olive oil and a warm pita; arugula salad with fennel, citrus, pine nuts and a blood orange vinaigrette; arancini mushroom risotto with provolone, mozzarella and a red sauce; house-made sun-dried tomato pesto pasta with Parmigiano Reggiano and Italian bread crumbs; and chocolate panna cotta with raspberries and whipped cream for dessert. The cost is $65 per couple and reservations can be made via phone.

Featured photo: Cakesicle from Ruby Cakes.

The Weekly Dish 23/02/02

News from the local food scene

• Greek eats and happenings: Join Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (68 N. State St., Concord) for its next boxed Greek dinner to go, a drive-thru takeout event on Sunday, Feb. 12, from noon to 1 p.m. Now through Wednesday, Feb. 8, orders are being accepted for boxed meals featuring dinners of beef stew with orzo, a Greek salad and a dinner roll for $20 per person. The event is drive-thru and takeout only — email ordermygreekfood@gmail.com or call 953-3051 to place your order. In preparation for the Big Game — on Sunday, Feb. 12 — the church will be hosting its second annual Souper Bowl Sunday of Caring competition on Sunday, Feb. 5, sponsored by the Mother Maria of Paris Outreach Ministries. Participants will get to taste soups made by local parishioners and vote on their favorite, with prizes awarded to the winner. Donations will be accepted to benefit local charities fighting hunger. Additionally, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is hoping to revive its annual Greek food festival,to take place on Saturday, Sept. 30 — the first meeting on preparations for the event is due to take place on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 6 p.m., according to the church newsletter. Visit holytrinitynh.org.

• Tastes for a cause: Get your tickets now to Crafts, Drafts & Barrels, an annual tasting benefit to support Concord Hospital’s Cardiovascular Institute. Sponsored by Martignetti Companies of Northern New England, the event is due to return to the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord) on Friday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m., and will feature beer, wine, spirit and mocktail samples from area breweries, vineyards and distilleries. Also included are a variety of small bites provided by local restaurants, as well as a silent auction and a chef’s tasting with Corey Fletcher, owner of Revival Kitchen & Bar. Tickets start at $75 general admission. Visit giveto.concordhospital.org.

• A new restaurant family member: The Kitchen on River Road (1362 River Road, Manchester) is now part of the Chopscotch Hospitality Group family, the restaurant group that owns the Hanover Street Chophouse and The Crown Tavern, administrative assistant Mairin MacDonald confirmed. The deli-style spot offers fresh baked goods, butcher meats and specialty pantry items, along with beer, wine and oven-ready meals to go. Online ordering is also now available for pickup within 25 minutes — the menu includes sandwiches and paninis made to order until 4 p.m. each day, along with soups, salads and more. The Kitchen on River Road is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit thekitchenrr.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram @thekitchenonriverroad or call 782-8325.

Vegetable vegetarian soup

I love aligning my cooking with the weather. When it’s January and the days are cold, I enjoy a hot meal at the end of the day. Even better than a hot meal is one that has been simmering all day long. After a day of work, it is nice to know that a warm dish awaits me.

Except for peeling the carrots and dicing the fresh veggies, this is pretty much a measure-and-combine recipe. Everything can be prepped and assembled in 15 minutes or less, which probably means it can be completed before your workday begins. Set your slow cooker on low, and you’ll return to a home that smells amazing!

The ingredients for this recipe are pretty simple, but I do have a few notes. I used unsalted broth and tomatoes, so before serving I tasted and added a tiny pinch of salt. If you use regular broth and tomatoes, the soup most likely won’t need salt. As for all of the veggies, you are welcome to add and delete based on your preferences. Broccoli, spinach and potato would make fine additions.

This recipe utilizes a slow cooker for the simmering. However, it can be cooked on the stove, and in much less than 4 hours. Once the fresh veggies have been added, bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Add the frozen veggies, cook for 5 minutes, and serve.

No matter how you cook it, this soup is a healthy way to warm and fuel up at the end of the day.

Vegetable vegetarian Soup
Serves 6

4 cups vegetable broth
1 16-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced green beans
1 Tablespoon dried basil
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
½ Tablespoon dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas

Combine broth and tomatoes in a 5-quart slow cooker.
Add carrots, celery, green beans and seasoning.
Stir well, and cover.
Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
Add frozen corn and peas.
Heat for 15 minutes, and serve.

Featured Photo: Vegetable vegetarian soup. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

Category: Food