Food – Page 31

Familiar but elevated

Riverside Grille coming to New Boston

Goffstown couple Shawn and Kristen Roy both have several years of experience working in New Hampshire restaurants — she most recently an assistant general manager of The Homestead in Merrimack, and he a former chef at O’Brien’s Sports Bar in Nashua and The Coach Stop in Londonderry, among others. Now, the Roys are getting ready to launch their own concept in the nearby town of New Boston, featuring an eclectic modern-American menu alongside a full bar in a family-friendly casual setting.

Known as the Riverside Grille, the eatery will also be offering a variety of gluten-free options. It’s housed in the River Road building near the Goffstown and New Boston town line that most recently was home to The Chef, which closed back in August.

“It’s familiar food that, if we go out to eat, is what we would want,” Shawn Roy said of the eatery’s concept. “Being in New Boston, in the woods, it’s not Manchester where you’re going to have a huge diverse crowd, so you’re going to want to give them the burgers and the steaks.”

Since their initial announcement on social media, Roy said, there has been a tremendous amount of interest and anticipation among those in town who have frequented the space over the years. The week before Christmas they sold $4,000 worth of gift cards in the span of just five days, despite not yet being open. Several former waitstaff and bartenders of The Chef have also come back to join the Riverside Grille’s team.

plate contained 3 egg triangular egg rolls filled with beef, one cut in half to see inside, small dish of dipping sauce — Reuben egg rolls with a side of Thousand Island dressing for dipping. Photo by Matt Ingersoll.

To oversee kitchen operations, the Roys have hired Jonathan Paradise as their executive chef.

Paradise most recently worked at The Thirsty Moose Taphouse in Merrimack but also has culinary stints with Michael Timothy’s Dining Group and The Common Man Roadside Market.

Riverside Grille’s menu is made up of plated entrees like steak tips, baby back ribs and barbecue grilled salmon, in addition to a lineup of burgers, wraps, sandwiches and flatbread pizzas. More unique offerings include zucchini fritters with Parmesan cheese and marinara sauce, and a Mediterranean sampler served with fresh hummus, tzatziki, salsa and a toasted flatbread.

“I have this cucumber salsa recipe for the Mediterranean sampler that, I mean, is just really good. You can’t really explain it. You just have to have it,” Shawn Roy said. “So it’s mostly stuff like that that, again, is familiar but just a little bit different.”

Kristen Roy added that the couple’s plan is to roll out some seasonal menus, likely starting with one in the spring. There’s also a full bar with craft beers, wine and cocktails, and a menu of sweets and desserts in which they hope to incorporate some local bakeries. Even the children’s menu will include some options that Shawn Roy said you don’t see all the time, such as the ability to swap items in order to build your own meal.

“We’re really very focused on the food,” Kristen Roy said. “That’s really where we want to do a good job, because if we deliver on what we’re promising, they are going to come back.”

Riverside Grille
An opening date is expected soon. Visit their website or follow them on social media for updates.
Where: 737 River Road, New Boston
Anticipated hours: Tuesday through Friday, 4 to 9 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
More info: Visit riversidegrillenh.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram or call 384-2149

Featured photo: Buffalo chicken wrap. Photo by Matt Ingersoll.

The Weekly Dish 23/01/19

News from the local food scene

• Dinner and a show: Join the Bank of New Hampshire Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) for a special South Asian Showcase on Wednesday, Jan. 25, at 6 p.m. The evening will feature an authentic Nepalese dinner, along with traditional Nepalese and Hindi dances and classical music of Nepal, Bhutan and India. Performances are by both local students and the Himalaya Heritage Music Group, which also performs every year at the Concord Multicultural Festival, according to event coordinator Jessica Livingston. Tickets are on sale now for $58.75 per person — seatings are general admission tables, with four seats per table. See ccanh.com. Livingston, who organizes the annual multicultural festival in the city every September, is also now working to introduce multicultural programming and initiatives at both the Capitol Center for the Arts and the Bank of New Hampshire Stage. One of those, set to launch this month, is a new Culinary Artist in Residence program. “The goal … is to provide use of our commercial kitchen to a culinary entrepreneur to build their food business in a low-risk setting,” Livingston told the Hippo in an email, adding that Batulo Mahamed — a familiar face of the multicultural festival for her Somali meat and veggie pies — will be the new program’s first participant. Batulo’s Kitchen, Livingston said, is set to be up and running within the next few weeks and will be offering lunch pickup, delivery and catering services. Visit batuloskitchen.com for more details.

• Mocktail madness: The third annual New Hampshire Mocktail Month continues through the end of January. According to a press release, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission has partnered with Brown-Forman and nearly 40 Granite State restaurants and bars to promote alcohol-free libations known as mocktails on their menus. As part of the initiative, the NHLC has also launched an online recipe guide for those who would like to learn how to craft their own mocktails from home. The guide, which features recipes from each participating restaurant, is complete with all of the ingredients, garnishes and tips needed to make your own drinks, and — if you wish to do so — has optional alcoholic ingredients to turn them into cocktails. Additionally, the NHLC is inviting those who visit each participating establishment to share their experiences by posting photos of their mocktails on social media, tagging @nhliquorwine and adding the hashtag #NHMocktailMonth to their caption. To view and download the recipe guide, visit liquorandwineoutlets.com/responsibility.

• Sustainable wines: Derry’s Appolo Vineyards has been recognized as the first winery to be included in the New Hampshire Sustainable Craft Beverage Recognition Program. That’s according to a press release from the state Department of Environmental Services, which goes on to say that the free, voluntary program is offered to those in the industry who “go above and beyond to produce high-quality eco-friendly craft beverages.” Established in 2006, Appolo Vineyards focuses on sustainability from the ground up, producing its wines in 100 percent recyclable containers. All grape materials such as skins, seeds, stems and leaves are composted or given to local farmers for animal feed, and owner Mike Appolo also has plans to become LEED Green Building certified and install solar power. Visit appolovineyards.com or find the winery on Facebook @appolovineyards to learn more about their sustainability initiatives.

Port — a winter favorite

Warm up with the flavors of Portugal

Planning on doing a little cross-country skiing — that is, once we really have a little snow? Or how about a little pond skating once it gets cold enough to freeze the water? Staying indoors? Why not curl up with a good book? These are all great wintertime activities, whether you’re huddled around a fire in the backyard pit after skiing or skating, or curled up under a comforter, when enjoyed with a glass of port.

What is port? It is a fortified wine that originated in Portugal and emerged into a worldwide market with an ever-growing complexity of wine varietals, growing regions and environments, all contributing to a vast array of color, noses and tastes.

According to publications by Taylor Fladgate, a respected port wine house, Portuguese port is made from grapes grown along the Douro River, where they have been cultivated since the Roman conquest of the third century B.C. These grapes produced enough wine for an export market. The Portuguese discovered that adding a small amount of grape spirit, or brandy, after fermentation not only increased its strength but kept it from spoiling. This technique evolved into the addition of the brandy during fermentation, keeping the wine’s sweetness and adding to its robust qualities.

In the early 18th century, the business of trading wines emerged, and with a long history of trading alliances between Portugal and England, the British merchants dominated the market. During this time the shape of the wine bottle changed from the short bulbous form to a long, uniform cylindrical shape, allowing the wine to age in the bottle to become even more complex in nose and taste. Port pioneered aging vintage productions.

The six most widely used grapes for red port wine are touriga franca, tinta roriz, tinta barroca, touriga nacional, tinto cão and tinta amarela. Port is a blended wine and therefore the blend is subject to change with each vintage. These grapes are principally Portuguese, unique to the Iberian Peninsula.

Our first port is Taylor Fladgate 2016 Late Bottled Vintage Port (available at the New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlets at $22.99, reduced to $18.99). Produced from wines from a single harvest, it has a complex rich fruity character. The color is a deep and opaque ruby red, befitting its moniker, “ruby port.” There is an elegant light floral nose along with dark cherries and cassis. On the palate the fruit continues, joined by notes of dark chocolate along with a touch of leather, with reserved tannins.

Our second port, Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (available at the New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlets at $27.99, reduced to $22.99), is a rich tawny port that is fully matured in seasoned oak casks for 10 years, with each cask holding 630 liters (about 150 gallons) of wine. Aging in barrels brings delicate wood notes to combine with mature fruit. It is bottled for immediate drinking. It has a deep brick color. Its nose is of ripe dried fruit with a slight nuttiness and chocolate secondary notes. It is smooth and silky with rich jammy flavors with a long finish.

These two distinctly different ports, made by the same family-owned company since 1692, are readily approachable and very affordable. One note: Once these bottles have been opened, they should be stored in a wine fridge or standard refrigerator. Ruby port can be stored for four to six weeks without any trouble; tawny port can last for up to three months. But by all means, enjoy them this winter!

Cinnamon marbled quick bread

What better way to spend a chilly weekend morning than making homemade bread? Since this is a quick bread recipe, you won’t have to wait through cycles of rising, punching down and more rising. Just mix, bake, and cool for a few minutes.

This bread recipe more than likely includes ingredients you already have on hand, if you bake, even on an infrequent basis. Even though the recipe specifies whole milk, which adds a little bit to the texture of the bread, you definitely could replace it with skim milk, oatmilk, almond milk or whatever you have on hand.

The hardest part of this recipe most likely is the waiting. You need to wait 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. Then you probably should give it another 10 to 15 minutes to cool before slicing. Sure, you could slice it right away, but the loaf won’t slice nicely. Let it cool just a bit more, then top those warm slices with some butter, and you have a delicious start to the day.

Cinnamon marbled quick bread
Makes 12 slices

1 cup whole milk
1 egg
¼ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1⅓ cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2½ teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease the bottom and sides of a 9”×5” loaf pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together milk, egg, oil and vanilla.
Add 1 cup sugar and stir to combine.
Add flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring just until moistened.
In a small bowl, combine remaining ⅓ cup sugar and cinnamon.
Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Sprinkle half of the sugar-cinnamon mixture on the batter.
Repeat layers with remaining batter and cinnamon-sugar.
Swirl a knife through the batter to marble.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.*
Cool for 10 minutes, and transfer to a cooling rack.
Cool slightly before slicing.
*If the edges are darkening but the middle is not cooked, cover with foil until baking is done.

Featured Photo: Cinnamon marbled quick bread. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

In the kitchen with Laura Spinney

Laura and Michaela Spinney of Hooksett are the mother-daughter team behind Michaela’s Sweets (857-444-8877, michaelassweets.com, and on Facebook and Instagram, a homestead bakery they launched last summer that specializes in a variety of custom gluten-free treats made to order, like cupcakes, brownie bites, whoopie pies and doughnuts. The duo’s journey began back in 2012, when they found out they both had Celiac disease and started experimenting with different allergen-friendly recipes. “Our goal has always been to create a product that nobody would be able to tell is missing anything,” Laura Spinney said. “It has taken off far more than I had anticipated it would from the get-go, and it’s been a wonderful experience so far.” 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.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

Our KitchenAid mixer, hands down. That is our lifeline.

What would you have for your last meal?

My answer would be sushi, any kind. I asked Michaela these questions too — hers is chicken tenders.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

[New England’s] Tap House Grille in Hooksett. I love that place. … My favorite are their pulled pork nachos with the white cheese sauce.

What celebrity would you like to see trying one of your baked treats?

I went with Michaela’s answer, because she instantly said Taylor Swift.

What is your favorite item that you offer?

For me, that would be the strawberry shortcake cupcakes. … Michaela’s favorite, and this was her idea that we just recently developed, is her Oreo cookies and cream brownie bites.

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

What I’ve noticed is a thing, just in the baking world, is whoopie pies. I have fun doing those. … You name it, we can pretty much do it. We do red velvet, apple cider, salted caramel, gingerbread. … Whatever sounded good to us, we’d put in our menu.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

For myself and my husband, our stuffed eggplant.

Gluten- and dairy-free fudgy chocolate chip brownies
From the kitchen of Laura and Michaela Spinney of Michaela’s Sweets in Hooksett

½ cup dairy-free butter
1 cup white sugar
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup 1:1 gluten-free flour of choice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
⅓ cup dairy-free chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan, or spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and cocoa powder. Stir until fully combined. Add in the eggs and vanilla and stir. Stir in the flour, salt and baking powder and mix until fully combined. Add the chocolate chips and mix. Spread into a greased pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes (or for 20 to 22 minutes if using a muffin tin). Do not overcook.

Featured photo: Laura Spinney (right) with her daughter, Michaela. Courtesy photo.

Falafel-y delicious

Sevmar Mediterranean Bistro coming to Salem

Boldness, intimacy, virtue and excellence — these are the four core values Jocelyn Maroun said she is taking to heart as she gets ready to launch her newest restaurant venture.

Sevmar Mediterranean Bistro, on track to open soon inside Salem’s 97 Shops Plaza, gets its name by combining Maroun’s last name with that of Kelvin Severino, owner of the national demolition company ADEP Group and Maroun’s business partner. The eatery promises traditional Mediterranean appetizers, entrees, salads and other items with a modernized twist, along with a full bar, a Sunday brunch menu, catering options and more.

It’s a new concept for the space, although Maroun said it doesn’t really feel that way. That’s because the very same storefront was once home to Salem Kabob — owned first by her father, and later by her cousins — dating back to 2001. For more than a decade, Maroun herself also ran Jocelyn’s Mediterranean Restaurant & Martini Lounge on Route 28 with her partner.

“The community knows Jocelyn’s and Salem Kabob and it feels good that it has that good reputation,” Maroun said, “and so I want people to know that it’s going to be the same quality, if not better. It’s delicious, and it’s going to be friendly and inviting. I plan on being here every open hour to greet every customer that walks in, and I just want it to be a happy place.”

Returning to the site of Maroun’s father’s former restaurant, she and Severino have been hard at work the last few months gutting out the space, adding everything from a marble top bar to new slate floors and light fixtures to give it a uniquely hip bistro-like vibe. They’ve even added an old British telephone booth they bought that had to be delivered by a crane.

Much of Sevmar’s menu contains some of the same family recipes going back more than two decades to Maroun’s father’s tenure as owner of Salem Kabob. Additionally, Maroun and Severino have recruited longtime chef Sayde Elkhoury, who has more than 25 years of restaurant experience and who, like both of Maroun’s own parents, was born and raised in Lebanon.

But unlike Salem Kabob, which was takeout only, Sevmar offers dine-in service with about 42 seats, although Maroun said that online reservations through OpenTable will be recommended.

You’ll find many of the traditional items here that Maroun’s family has been known for over the years, from the hummus and the taboule to the falafel, stuffed grape leaves, spanakopita and baked kibbe, plus additional options like fried cauliflower served with a tahini sauce, and halloumi, or a mild cheese that’s grilled and served with olives, mint, tomatoes and pita bread.

Larger, entree-sized items include beef and chicken shawarma, and custom-grilled haddock and salmon. You’ll also find something on the menu called Gaby’s grilled chicken (named after Maroun’s father) — that’s marinated in olive oil, vinegar, lemon and fresh garlic.

“When we were kids, my father would make that chicken that was to die for … and we used to joke about one day selling it,” she said. “It’s the same recipe that we have now at Sevmar.”

Other options include various wraps — which come with french fries and with the option to add feta cheese or a garlic spread — and bowls that are served over rice pilaf. Choose a specialty option like a beef or chicken shawarma bowl or a vegan bowl with taboule and hummus, or build your own by picking a protein (chicken, beef, lamb, salmon or falafel), a sauce (tzatziki, tahini or house dressing) and other toppings (lettuce, cucumber, tomato or pickled onion).

“It’s food with delicious and healthy, organic, from-scratch ingredients,” Maroun said.

Brunch will soon be available on Sundays, she added, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“When I say ‘brunch’ it’s not just, like, eggs and grits. It’s a brunch party, Miami-style,” she said. “I started doing brunch at Jocelyn’s before I left there, and there was tropical music, people would dress up, [and] they drank Champagne. It was a vibe.”

As for the space directly next door to the restaurant, Maroun said plans are in the works to soon make it home to a cocktail lounge and event room, which they are calling Identity by Sevmar.

“The concepts are going to overlap in the sense that … Sevmar will be a place where you might come early with your kids to have dinner, or on a date and it’s very intimate, and then Identity will be a little bit more upscale,” she said.

Sevmar Mediterranean Bistro
An opening date is expected to be announced soon. Visit the website, call or follow them on social media for updates.
Where: 401 Main St., Unit 108, Salem
Anticipated hours: Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday brunch is also coming soon.
More info: Visit sevmarbistronh.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram @sevmarbistro or call 870-0018

Featured photo: Sevmar Mediterranean Bistro. Courtesy photo.

Coffee break

Cool Beans Cafe to open soon in Manchester

A new shop coming soon to Manchester is inviting coffee lovers to make it their new favorite spot, with a full lineup of espresso-based drinks using locally roasted beans, in addition to a food menu of breakfast and lunch wraps and sandwiches, soups, grab-and-go pastries and more.

It’s called Cool Beans Cafe, and it’s the brainchild of owner Kris Gabbard, whose 8-year-old daughter Madilyn picked the name. Last March, Gabbard took over the Queen City storefront — the former home of the Siberia Food Market, a stone’s throw away from the fork between Willow and Pine streets — and he’s been hard at work ever since getting it ready, painting the walls, building his own sitting tables and renovating the kitchen and bathroom. An avid traveler, he has decked out the space with his colorful license plate collection along the walls.

Originally from eastern Kentucky, Gabbard came to New Hampshire to be with family members. He and his brother Jeff managed the Black Bear Cafe of Ossipee for a short time.

“I had always wanted to open some kind of restaurant,” Gabbard said. “The cafe my brother and I had, that was already established. It was already up and running when we went in. … The guy that owned it was an investor, and he ended up selling the property when we left.”

Coffees served at Cool Beans Cafe are made with beans sourced through Mill City Roasting Co. of Londonderry, which is providing Gabbard with his own house blend. He’s also bringing in a variety of handcrafted loose-leaf teas and will have other drink options, like Italian sodas with the option to choose from several flavored premium syrups as add-ins. Bagged coffee beans by the pound or half-pound, both whole-bean and ground, will also be available.

For food items, Gabbard is focusing on breakfast and lunch sandwiches, with options like Italian grilled chicken, a cranberry walnut chicken salad wrap and a rustic grilled cheese, featuring cheddar cheese, bacon, tomato and honey mustard on a ciabatta roll. A refrigerated case at the counter will be where you’ll find some grab-and-go items — he’s thinking fruit and yogurt parfaits with granola, as well as some flavors of cakes and cake bars. Other pastries and baked goods like muffins, scones, cookies and cinnamon rolls round out the food menu.

“Right across the parking lot, I have an office over there that also has a full kitchen,” Gabbard said. “So I’ll do the baking over there, and I have storage over there as well. … The idea is that, where it’s a small space, I’ll have one of everything in that case that’s already dressed up, and then I have the fridge back there that I’ll pull from and serve.”

Down the line, Gabbard said he hopes to add to his menu with new items like smoothies, and he has plans to allow visitors of the cafe to utilize it as a community space.

“I want to be able to rent it out after hours or weekends, if someone wants to have a baby shower or a function or something like that,” he said. “Then, in the evenings, I want to do a paint night here once a month, and I’m just trying to fill some nights with some other activities and things that I can do.”

Cool Beans Cafe
An opening date is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Visit their website or follow them on social media for updates.
Where: 100 Willow St., Unit 1, Manchester
Anticipated hours: Wednesday through Monday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays (hours may be subject to change).
More info: Visit coolbeanscafe603.com, find them on Facebook or call 206-5924

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 23/01/12

News from the local food scene

• Soup’s on: For the first time in three years, the Brookline Public Library (16 Main St.) is bringing back its popular Soup Night — the annual winter program is set to return on Thursday, Jan. 12, at 5:30 p.m., and all are welcome to participate. The event usually yields more than a dozen soups brought in by amateur chefs for everyone to try and decide their favorite kinds. It started in 2014 as a friendly community gathering in the wintertime, but pandemic woes have shelved Soup Night since 2019. In the past, soup entries have included everything from traditional flavors like chicken noodle to some more inventive options that have often been different each year. There is no cost to enter your soup into the competition, nor requirement to be a town resident or library card holder — simply call or visit the library to sign up if you know which soup you’d like to make, to enter for a chance to win this year’s “Giant Soup Bowl of Honor” that is displayed inside the library all year long. Visit brooklinelibrarynh.org.

• Market update: After a brief break due to the holidays, the Milford Farmers Market will be back on Saturday, Jan. 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. inside the Town Hall Auditorium on the Oval (1 Union Sq., Milford). The market is then scheduled to continue every other Saturday through the end of March before it prepares to move back outside for the summer months. More than a dozen local vendors are featured, always including a variety of items to shop for, from meats and cheeses to freshly baked goods, baking mixes, teas, spice blends and more. Visit milfordnhfarmersmarket.com to view the full vendor list.

• LaBelle Lights extended: Join LaBelle Winery Derry (14 Route 111) for a special WinterFest happening all weekend long on Saturday, Jan. 14, and Sunday, Jan. 15. Enjoy a wine and food pairing on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. inside the winery’s harvest room — featuring items like spinach and feta stuffed mushrooms, curried chicken salad phyllo cups, mini burgers and Belgium chocolate cups — or a WinterFest Family Bash on Sunday at 3 p.m., which will include a live performance from children’s musician Steve Blunt and winter animal activities with New Hampshire Audubon. LaBelle Lights, meanwhile, continues to be open Thursday through Sunday, from 4:30 to 9 p.m. (On Jan. 8, the winery announced via Facebook that the light show has been extended through Jan. 21.) Visit labellewinery.com to see the full WinterFest schedule.

• May the best bowls win: Calling all soup, chili and chowder makers: Epsom Central School (282 Black Hall Road) is accepting entrants now to participate in its 10th annual cook-off, which is due to return on Monday, Feb. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. inside the school’s gymnasium. There is no fee to register as an entrant — soup and chili makers can access the entry form through the event’s Facebook page, but must do so by Friday, Jan. 27, in order to participate. Each entrant also receives five free sampling tickets. For tasters, tickets 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 cornbread. Part of the fun is that you never know which different flavors of soup, chili and chowder you may encounter at the cook-off in any given year. Winners from each of the three categories receive a “Souper Bowl” trophy, and the top vote-getter also wins a $50 Visa gift card. See “10th Annual ECS Soup/Chili/Chowder Cook-off” on Facebook to access and fill out the entry form, or email cook-off coordinator Stephanie Colvin at scolvin@sau53.org.

Gin sour

“I’m an attractive person,” you might say. And you’d be right.

“And,” you might add, “I tip well. I don’t ask for anything complicated when we go out — a gin and tonic, or a sea breeze — something fast and easy to make. So why aren’t the drinks I get at the bar very good?

“I mean, they’re all right: gin, tonic, lime; or vodka and cranberry juice. There’s not much to mess up there. They just don’t taste as good as when I make them at home. Why is that?”

This is a good question.

It isn’t about the competence of your bartender. Trust me, she knows what she’s doing. And it isn’t that she doesn’t care; I’m sure she’s a conscientious professional who wants you to have a good drink.

The problem is that you’ve been ordering something utterly forgettable.

Don’t get me wrong. Classics are classics for a reason. There are very few things in life better than a properly made gin and tonic. The laughter of a small child is a petty and grating thing compared to the piney, slightly bitter dance of gin, quinine and lime.

But look at it from your bartender’s position.

There’s a good chance she didn’t expect to be working at all tonight, but Sheila called in sick, so she was stuck. She was able to get a babysitter at the last minute, but this is the first time she’s left her kid with this new sitter, and she’s not sure she trusts the large numbers of facial piercings the girl had.

Then, there’s Stanley, at the end of the bar. He tipped her an extra 50 cents once, a year ago, and ever since then he’s felt entitled to her attention, even during rushes.

Plus, it’s Thursday, which means that there aren’t as many customers as on the weekend, but somehow the bar moves just as much booze, which brings its own set of issues.

All of which is to say, your margarita, rocks-no-salt, probably didn’t benefit from her complete focus and attention.

You know how sometimes you pull into your driveway at the end of the day and have no memory of driving home? That’s how she just made your completely reasonable, utterly forgettable cocktail.

So, what’s the solution?

For the sake of everything Good and Decent in the Universe, please don’t order something obnoxious with a cutesy name. Or anything with 17 ingredients. Or anything that will involve dusting off a bottle from the back of the bar.

What you want is a gin sour.

And what is a gin sour, you ask?

It’s a gimlet, but with lemon.

I sense that you are still staring at me, waiting for further explanation.

OK — a gin sour is one of those very basic cocktails that is a cinch to make, takes 45 seconds and is truly delicious. It has three ingredients: gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup. It uses the same proportions as about six other cocktails: two ounces of alcohol, an ounce of citrus, and three quarters of an ounce of something sweet — the same as a margarita or a daiquiri or a lemon drop.

The difference is, nobody else has ordered one this week.

So, just like stopping for your dry cleaning on the way home makes you pay more attention to your commute, making a gin sour will be just out of the ordinary enough to grab your bartender’s full attention. It’s not difficult, but she will have to keep her mind on what she’s doing.

And you get a very nice drink.

So nice that you will probably start making it for yourself at home.

Gin sour

2 ounces gin (see below)
1 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
¾ ounce simple syrup

Combine all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker.

Shake.

Strain.

Drink.

So, the question you are probably asking yourself right now is, what kind of gin?

Wanting to give you the best possible information, I made three gin sours last evening, identical except for the variety of gin. The floral gin was exceptional, truly delicious. But so was the version with gunpowder gin; the lemon really played a leading role. The dry gin was slightly more astringent, which gave it a delicious booziness on the back end. You would really have to make a deliberate effort to mess this drink up

And after three of them in quick succession you will be astonished at what sparkling conversationalists your houseplants are.

In the kitchen with Jake Norris

Jake Norris of Nashua runs the Wicked Tasty Food Truck (wickedtastytrucks.com, and on Facebook and Instagram) with his business partner, Oliver Beauchemin. Originally from Salem, Norris got his start in the industry working as a line cook for Murphy’s Taproom in Manchester about 15 years ago, eventually working his way up the ranks and cooking at other restaurants in different parts of the country. Wicked Tasty’s concept, he said, is centered around paying homage to New England classics with a modern twist — items include a smash burger with a house-made maple bacon onion jam, as well as a deep fried Fluffernutter that’s rolled in Corn Flakes and served with a strawberry and banana icing. The truck’s whereabouts are regularly updated on its website and social media pages. Locally, you can find Wicked Tasty next at Intown Concord’s annual Winter Festival on Saturday, Jan. 28.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

I’m going to have to say some nice metal tongs. My hand becomes like a heat-resistant tool when I have those.

What would you have for your last meal?

I like to keep it simple. I’m a steak and potatoes kind of guy, so a nice tender juicy medium-rare rib-eye with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus would do me just well. And a Mountain Dew.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I actually would like to give a shoutout to another food truck, Rico’s Burritos. … They have great burritos, and they do a couple of twists on things. They had a steak and cheese fajita egg roll over the summer that was really great.

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

I’m going to say Adam Sandler, because I think he would appreciate our concept the most, being another New Hampshire boy.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

That would have to be our 617 Hot Dog. It’s a quarter-pound all-beef hot dog with a cheddar jack cheese crisp that I do and then our maple onion bacon jam. It’s underrated and super good, much like New England.

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

Honestly, I think Mexican food is really making a stamp here. … It’s a cuisine that I’ve seen pop up pretty hard recently, and it’s really sticking, which I think is great.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

If not a nice steak with mashed potatoes, then it’s going to be a chicken pot pie. I do a nice sweet potato and sage pie crust … and then some nice roasted chicken and vegetables.

Roasted garlic aioli
From the kitchen of Jake Norris of the Wicked Tasty Food Truck

2 cups mayonnaise
1 sprig fresh thyme, off the stem
½ cup parsley
1 teaspoon chives
¼ cup roasted garlic
1 clove raw garlic
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Mince the parsley, chives and garlic until they’re super small. Avoid the knife work by placing all of the ingredients in a blender and pulsing until smooth and mixed well. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until mixed well. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Featured photo: Jake Norris, chef and owner of the Wicked Tasty Food Truck. Courtesy photo.

Category: Food