• Last call for your Jewish feast: This is the final full week to order online for Temple B’Nai Israel’s 25th annual New Hampshire Jewish Food Festival — now through June 30 you can visit tbinh.org and order from the temple’s menu of traditional Jewish-style foods, most of which feature recipes that have been handed down multiple generations. Offerings include sandwiches with corned beef, pastrami and tongue from Evan’s New York Style Deli in Marblehead, Mass., served on seeded and unseeded rye bread from Laconia Village Bakery. They’re available for individual orders as well as in custom deli sandwich “picnic packs” with coleslaw, pickles, deli mustard and rugelach, a sweet crescent-shaped cookie. New this year are two Middle Eastern items — halva, a sweet treat available in vanilla, marble or pistachio flavors, and a homemade Israeli salad with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a lemon dressing. Other featured options are matzah ball soups, crispy potato latkes, homemade strudel, New York-style knishes and hamantaschen (triangular-shaped filled cookies), which are available in three flavors. All online orders will be available for pickup by appointment at Temple B’Nai Israel (210 Court St., Laconia) between Friday, July 22, and Sunday, July 24. Visit tbinh.org.
• Edible landscapes: Join Chef Liz Barbour of The Creative Feast in Hollis for her next open garden tour, to be held rain or shine on Sunday, June 26, from noon to 4 p.m. on her property at 5 Broad St. in Hollis. Visitors are welcome for a self-guided tour of Barbour’s edible gardens to learn about how she incorporates various herbs, vegetables, fruits and edible flowers into her own home-cooked meals. Barbour, who is known for her various cooking classes and demonstrations, oftentimes using her own freshly grown ingredients, is also the author of the 2017 book Beautifully Delicious: Cooking with Herbs & Edible Flowers. Some of her other upcoming events include virtual appearances on behalf of the Baker Free Library in Bow on Monday, June 27, at 6:30 p.m., and the Amherst Town Library on Wednesday, June 29, at 7 p.m. — during each Feasting from the New England Seaside program, Barbour will share tips about buying, storing and preparing seafood at home and will demonstrate two recipes. Visit each library’s website to register and receive a Zoom link.
• Brews for a cause: Get your tickets now for the third annual Kingston Brewfest, happening on Saturday, June 25, from 2 to 6 p.m. on the Kingston town plains (148 Main St., Kingston). The event will feature a variety of craft beers and ciders being poured throughout the afternoon from nearly 40 area breweries, along with live music, games, and food options from more than a half-dozen local food trucks. Tickets are $40 per person, which grants you access to unlimited five-ounce pours. Designated drivers receive $7 admission (21+ admission only for all attendees, including designated drivers). Donations are also welcome to the Kingston Volunteer Fire Association, a beneficiary of the festival. Visit kingstonbrew.com.
Load up on strawberries for sweets, savory dishes and a fresh taste of summer
By Matt Ingersoll and Jack Walsh
food@hippopress.com
It was a warm 70-degree morning on June 15 when Apple Hill Farm in Concord opened for its first day of pick-your-own strawberries. It also marked the return of visitors to the property for the first time since last November — the strawberry patch is just down the street from the main farm stand, which is due to fully open for the season in the coming weeks.
For many area farms, strawberry picking kicks off a fruit harvest season that will continue through the summer months with cherries, blueberries and raspberries, before apples and pumpkins take over. At Apple Hill Farm there are a total of 12 strawberry varieties that ripen over a three-week period from mid-June through about July 4.
Strawberries from Apple Hill Farm in Concord. Courtesy photo.
“This is perfect for us, because we usually start between about the 15th and the 20th [of June], and we usually go until July 4, or about the 6th or so,” co-owner Diane Souther said. “Right now what we have out there for berries is beautiful.”
It’s a similar story at Sunnycrest Farm in Londonderry, which opened for pick-your-own on June 11. Sunnycrest-grown strawberries include two varieties that are not only available for pick-your-own but are used as ingredients in several items at the farm stand’s bakery.
“Every season is different for strawberries. It usually depends on how much rain you get and it can depend on how much sunlight you get,” said Danny Hicks IV, the farm’s fourth-generation owner. “I would say this year we’re pretty much right on the money for that.”
Down in Milford, Trombly Gardens began its strawberry picking season on June 10. This is the farm stand’s first year having a pick-your-own strawberry field, according to business manager Alicia Richardson. Because every day is different during an already short picking window, Richardson said exact times the field is open always vary and are posted to social media.
As you head out to your local farm to pick some strawberries, here’s a look at some different varieties and what they’re best used for, as well as what the ideal conditions are for a strawberry crop to thrive. Read on even more for some ideas on incorporating freshly picked strawberries into your cooking or baking.
Farmers market summer strawberry salad with spring veggies Courtesy of Diane Souther of Apple Hill Farm in Concord
1 quart fresh strawberries, washed and sliced 2 Tablespoons fresh basil, thinly cut up 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon sweetener, sugar, honey or maple syrup/sugar 2 baby cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin with the skin on 8 cherry-sized tomatoes 4 red radishes, sliced thin juice of ½ lemon, freshly squeezed ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Combine basil, strawberries, balsamic vinegar and sweetener. Toss in a bowl, cover and chill for an hour. Slice the small baby cucumbers and juice from the ½ squeezed lemon and chill in the refrigerator. Quarter the cherry tomatoes just before serving and slice the radishes. Mix the chilled cucumbers with the strawberries and basil mixture, then add radishes and cherry tomatoes. Toss with fresh ground pepper. Serve immediately. Optional ingredients can include broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale, Swiss chard or any other veggies you can find at the farmers market.
Strawberry varieties
Apple Hill Farm began its strawberry picking season with three varieties — Wendy, which is a typical early season strawberry, according to Souther, as well as Valley Sunset and Cavendish.
“They’re a lot like apples. They ripen at different times, and then sometimes they overlap a little bit,” Souther said. “This year, it seems like the early and the mid-season are coming in together.”
Differences in varieties can include everything from the fruit’s size and color to its water content, making some strawberries better-suited for eating and others for making jams or shortcakes. Amy Ladds-Davis, who is working her 11th season at Apple Hill Farm, said Wendys are typically smaller but sweeter strawberries, while the Cavendish variety is characterized by its larger size and deeper red color. As the weeks go on, mid- and late season varieties include Darselect, Dickens, Honeoye and Malwina — the latter of these is among the largest and is not unheard of to continue growing as the calendar flips to July, Souther said.
Scenes from the Hollis Strawberry Festival. Courtesy photos.
“Sometimes if the strawberries are really big, they are a bit too watery for making jam and stuff with, so people like the more mid-sized ones,” she said. “Some are also good for freezing. … A lot of times with the bigger ones, we’ll just pop the caps off and freeze them whole … and then you can toss them into the blender like an ice cube. They cut right up.”
Sunnycrest Farm grows Cavendish and Cabot varieties, both of which are usually available for picking around the same time, Hicks said. Compared to one another, he said Cavendish strawberries tend to be slightly smaller and sweeter than Cabots — and while he can tell the difference, strawberries are strawberries to most pickers regardless of the variety.
“It’s funny, actually, I don’t ever have anybody asking if we have this variety or that variety of strawberry,” Hicks said. “That’s all [during] apple season. … The two varieties we have are relatively easy to grow and maintain, especially the Cavendish, which are one of my favorites.”
Kimball Fruit Farm, which has property on the state line between Hollis and Pepperell, Mass., features six strawberry varieties throughout its peak growing season. The farm originally used to only grow apples, but it’s now known for corn, peaches, kale and of course strawberries. It’s the first strawberry picking season for new owners David Wadleigh and his wife, Amanda — Brunswick, Darselect, Wendy and Allstar are a few of the popular varieties grown on the farm, and they are planted at separate times for them to be consistently ready for picking.
Strawberry festivals Check out these events happening across the state this weekend for a chance to enjoy some locally grown strawberries and strawberry-flavored desserts and treats.
• Litchfield Community Church (259 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield) will host a drive-thru version of its annual strawberry festival on Saturday, June 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is expected to feature fresh handmade strawberry shortcakes and strawberry rhubarb pies, as well as sausage grinders, all prepared by church congregants. All items are cash only. Local vendors, courtesy of the Litchfield Historical Society, will also be set up on the other side of the church parking lot on the day of the festival. Visit lccpnh.org. • Join Beans and Greens Farm (245 Intervale Road, Gilford) for a strawberry festival to be held all day long on both Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26 — the celebration will include a selection of various homemade strawberry treats, along with games, face painting, a craft fair and live music under the farm’s pavilion. Admission is free. Visit beansandgreensfarm.com. • A local tradition for more than seven decades, the Hollis Strawberry Festival will return for the first time since 2019 on Sunday, June 26, from 2 to 4 p.m. on the town common (2 Monument Square, Hollis). The festival is co-sponsored by the Hollis Woman’s Club and the Hollis Town Band — fresh, local strawberry shortcakes, with or without hand-whipped cream and homemade ice cream, will be available for sale. Local artisan and craft vendors, children’s games, strawberry-themed storytimes at the Hollis Social Library, and a live performance by the Hollis Town Band are also included. In the event of rain, the festival will take place inside Hollis-Brookline Middle School (25 Main St.). Visit holliswomansclub.org.
A short harvest season
Timing is everything when it comes to weather patterns that directly affect strawberry ripening.
“Last year, it was too dry in the beginning and then too wet at the end, so the plants struggled,” Souther said. “We like to have a little bit of rain at night, every couple of days or three days or so, and then bright sunshine. Strawberries really like the sun.”
Ladds-Davis said warm summer days of 70 to 80 degrees are usually the most ideal.
“You don’t want it to be up to 90 or 95 degrees because they will literally cook in the field,” she said, “but then you don’t want it to be cold either, because the sun really helps them ripen.”
Occasional rain is always welcome, but too much is also harmful to a strawberry crop.
Strawberries from Trombly Gardens in Milford. Courtesy photo.
“Rain will plump the berries up, but you also don’t want too much rain,” Wadleigh said. “All berries, including strawberries, are prone to mold and mildew, and anything that reproduces with spores likes heat and moisture to propagate itself.”
Strawberries are perennial plants, or single crops that carry over multiple seasons, depending on the variety. Some strawberry beds can last two or three seasons, while others will continue to produce fruit even longer if the farmer is lucky. Hicks said they’re typically planted between April and May a whole year before being ready for picking by that June.
“You still have to take care of them the whole year, even though you’re not going to get a crop,” he said. “You’ve got to make sure they are properly irrigated and that they are winterized.”
To prepare for the winter, the beds are covered in layers of straw (hence the berry’s name).
“In late November or early December, we take a tractor with a mulcher and we drive over each row of strawberries and cover every single one of them in straw,” Hicks said. “It goes on thick, and then once it’s on there, especially when a nice snowfall comes, they’ll be nice and preserved.”
After the snow melts, Hicks said, the straw is removed in the spring, typically around early May. Another month or so of maintenance, which includes frost protection, is then required for the strawberries to fully ripen in time for peak picking season.
“The best time to start strawberry picking season is obviously when you see a reddish hue, but also when you see a little bit of white on them,” Hicks said. “They can still ripen when you bring them home, so if you pick them when they’re, say, 80 percent red, and you bring them home and they sit on your counter or in the fridge for a couple of days, they’ll actually darken up and still taste good. … If you pick the ones that are dark, dark red, you’ve got to eat them right away.”
It’s hard to predict more than a day or two out when strawberries are ripe enough for picking. If the beds are picked out, for instance, the farm may need to temporarily close — but all it takes is a nice sunny day or two for new fruit to ripen. That’s why Hicks said it’s always a good idea to check the farm’s social media pages for continuous updates. Some farms, including Sunnycrest, also have a pre-recorded phone hotline message that’s regularly updated with details on pick-your-own.
Treat yourself
Trombly Gardens in Milford is currently offering specialty strawberry frappes. Courtesy photo.
From homemade shortcake to other strawberry-featuring baked goods and indulgences, local farm stands are offering all kinds of inspired treats to celebrate the season.
Trombly Gardens, for instance, is currently serving a specialty strawberry frappe out of its ice cream window — they’re also producing all kinds of sweets out of their bakery and kitchen, like strawberry shortcake sundaes, strawberry cake-flavored whoopie pies and, on Saturday and Sunday mornings, homemade strawberry doughnuts.
At Sunnycrest Farm, strawberries are the very first crops that Bonne Cavanagh, the farm stand’s in-house baker, receives. She uses them to bake fresh muffins — flavors include strawberry lemonade and strawberry rhubarb — as well as strawberry rhubarb crumb bars, and even a homemade strawberry cream cheese, all of which are currently available at the farm stand.
“The cream cheese is so good. It tastes like a cheesecake,” said Cavanagh, who’s been baking at Sunnycrest Farm for 10 years. “They go great with a jalapeno bagel because of the [contrast of] the hot and the sweet. The bagels are a huge hit. We get them in from New Jersey.”
Cavanagh also partners with Troy Ward Jr. of Troy’s Fresh Kitchen & Juice Bar in Londonderry. There, you’ll find her vegan gluten-free strawberry lemonade muffins, and she’s also baked strawberry rhubarb doughnuts. Once the season ends, Cavanaugh moves on to the next fruit.
Photo courtesy of Sunnycrest Farm in Londonderry.
“When I have no more strawberries, I’m done. I will not go buy strawberries or use frozen strawberries,” she said.
If you want to make a whole day of celebrating peak strawberry picking season, the Hollis Strawberry Festival is returning on Sunday, June 26, for the first time since 2019 — it’s co-sponsored by the Hollis Woman’s Club and the Hollis Town Band. A “hulling party” is scheduled to take place at the town’s Congregational Church on June 24, when Woman’s Club members, family and friends will be preparing the fruit to serve during the event.
According to festival chair Cathy Gast, the festival started out more than 70 years ago as a band concert before they soon began selling strawberry shortcake as a way to improve attendance. After two years off, the longtime tradition continues — as with previous festivals, attendees will have the option to order a strawberry shortcake with or without whipped cream, shortcake with or without Dr. Davis homemade vanilla ice cream, a bowl of ice cream with strawberries, or just a bowl of strawberries with or without sugar. Prices will vary depending on which item you choose, and the festival also features local artisan and craft vendors, children’s games, strawberry-themed storytimes in the town’s library, and a live performance by the Town Band.
Strawberry-rhubarb pudding Courtesy of Diane Souther of Apple Hill Farm in Concord
Sauce: 3 cups rhubarb (fresh or frozen), cut up into small pieces 2 cups sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen) 2 teaspoons butter ¾ cup maple syrup ¼ cup water
Cake batter: ½ cup granulated sugar 2 Tablespoons butter 1 cup whole milk 1 cup flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt
Streusel topping: ½ cup flour ½ cup rolled oats ½ cup brown sugar ½ stick of butter 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a quart saucepan on low heat, stew the sauce ingredients until tender (about seven minutes). To make the cake batter, cream together the sugar and butter in a small bowl, then add one cup of whole milk and stir until blended. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl, then blend with the creamed mixture of sugar, butter and milk. To make the streusel topping, cream together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon with a fork or with your fingers. Take the strawberry-rhubarb sauce and pour into an ungreased casserole dish, leaving ¾-inch to one inch of headspace around the top. Pour the cake batter over the top and sprinkle last with the streusel topping. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.
Where to get local strawberries
Here’s a list of local farms and farm stands offering fresh strawberries — where specified, it includes those that have them pre-picked as well as pick-your-own. For those that offer pick-your-own, be sure to contact each spot directly for the most up-to-date information on picking conditions and availability. Did we miss a southern New Hampshire-area farm stand offering strawberries that’s not on this list? Let us know at food@hippopress.com.
Apple Hill Farm 580 Mountain Road, Concord, 224-8862, applehillfarmnh.com Cost: $3.75 per pound for pick-your-own, or $8 per pre-picked quart Hours: Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to noon
Applecrest Farm Orchards 133 Exeter Road, North Hampton, 926-3721, applecrest.com Cost: $6.25 per pound for pick-your-own; $5.75 per pound if picking eight pounds or more Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Barrett Hill Farm 450 Fitchburg Road, Mason, 878-2848, barretthillfarm.com Cost: Starts at $4.50 per pound for pick-your-own; price gradually decreases the more pounds you pick Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Brookdale Fruit Farm 41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com Cost: $4.50 per pound for pick-your-own Hours: Most days, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; call or visit the website for the most up-to-date details on picking conditions and times
Butternut Farm 195 Meaderboro Road, Farmington, 335-4705, butternutfarm.net Cost: $4.29 per pound for pick-your-own; $3.99 per pound if picking 10 pounds or greater Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Devriendt Farm Products 47 Story Road, Goffstown, 497-2793, devriendtfarm.com Cost: $3.99 per pound for pick-your-own Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Fitch’s Corner Farm Stand 499 N. River Road, Milford, find them on Facebook Cost: $4.75 per pint, or $8.99 per quart (pre-picked only; cash or check only) Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Heron Pond Farm 299 Main Ave., South Hampton, 394-0129, heronpondfarm.com Cost: $4.75 per pint, or $9 per quart (pre-picked only; pick-your-own likely coming soon) Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
J&F Farms 124 Chester Road, Derry, 437-0535, jandffarmsnh.com Cost: $8 per quart or four quarts for $30 for pick-your-own; $10 per pre-picked quart Hours: Days and times vary for pick-your-own and are regularly posted to social media. The farm’s hours are Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to its website.
Johnson Golden Harvest 412 W. River Road, Hooksett, 210-2031, johnsongoldenharvest.com Cost: $5.99 per pint, or $9.99 per quart (pre-picked only) Hours: Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Kimball Fruit Farm Route 122, on the Hollis and Pepperell, Mass., border, 978-433-9751 Cost: $3 per pound for pick-your-own Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Lavoie’s Farm 172 Nartoff Road, Hollis, 882-0072, lavoiesfarm.com Cost: $3.99 per pound for pick-your-own, or $8.49 per pre-picked quart Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Lull Farm 65 Broad St., Hollis, 465-7079; 615 Route 13, Milford, 673-3119; livefreeandfarm.com Cost: $9 per quart (pre-picked only) Hours: Daily, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Hollis, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Milford
McKenzie’s Farm 71 Northeast Pond Road, Milton, 652-9400, mckenziesfarm.com Cost: $4.29 per pound for pick-your-own; $3.99 per pound if picking 10 pounds or greater Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
McQuesten Farm 330 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield, 424-9268, find them on Facebook @mcquesten.farm Cost: $3.99 per pound for pick-your-own, or $7.50 per pre-picked pint Hours: Daily, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., for pick-your-own; the farm stand remains open until 5 p.m.
Paradise Farm 468 Center Road, Lyndeborough, 345-0860, paradisefarmnh.com Cost: $8.49 per quart (pre-picked only) Hours: Available at the Milford Farmers Market (milfordnhfarmersmarket.com) on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 300 Elm St. in Milford (across from the New Hampshire Antique Co-op)
Rossview Farm 85 District 5 Road, Concord, 228-4872, rossviewfarm.com Cost: $3.50 per pound for pick-your-own, or $8 per pre-picked quart Hours: Sunday and Monday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday, 7 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 6 p.m., and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Smith Farm Stand 131 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, 882-4032, smithfarmhudson.com Cost: $8.50 per quart (pre-picked only) Hours: Most weekdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Spring Ledge Farm 37 Main St., New London, 526-6253, springledgefarm.com Cost: $7 per quart (cash or check only) Hours: Daily, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. for pick-your-own. The farm stand is openMonday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunnycrest Farm 59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com Cost: $4.50 per pound for pick-your-own, or $8.99 per pre-picked quart Hours: Most days, 7 a.m. to noon, for pick-your-own; call or visit the website for the most up-to-date details on picking conditions and times. The farm stand is open daily, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Trombly Gardens 150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.net Cost: $3.99 per pound for pick-your-own, or $8.50 per pre-picked quart Hours: Days and times vary for pick-your-own and are regularly posted to social media. The farm stand’s summer hours are Sunday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Featured photo: Photo courtesy of Trombly Gardens in Milford.
Sure, I go through spells, often even prolonged spells, where I’m focused more on Pilsners or stouts, or brown ales or just trying new things.
Then I take my first sip of an IPA in a while, and it’s like that moment in a murder mystery when the detective puts all the pieces together — sort of an explosive epiphany. A classic “a-ha” moment.
It’s hard to describe that first sip but I think all IPA enthusiasts appreciate that moment after taking a break from the style. And I think we all have to take a break from time to time.
After a recent hiatus, I took a sip of an IPA called Lucidity by Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co. in Worcester, a brewery that is well-worth seeking out if you’re a fan of big IPAs, and it blew me away. The beer is super juicy up front but fades away into a clean, crisp and almost dry finish — it’s the kind of beer that refreshes any beer-drinkers’ love for IPAs.
IPAs greet your taste buds with bright, exciting flavors that seem to jump around in your mouth, providing almost like a cascade of flavor. The style can feature a wide range of flavors, including tropical fruits, citrus, pine, floral notes and so on, along with a bitterness that can run from mild to full-on bracing.
It’s also a style that perhaps stands to benefit the most from being enjoyed fresh, preferably right at the brewery or poured from a growler filled right at the tap. You can taste the freshness.
Yes, IPAs are a dime a dozen right now, and sometimes that’s frustrating when you’re looking for literally anything else at your local beer store, but there’s a reason why that’s the case.
Here are four New Hampshire IPAs to refresh your devotion to the style:
Safe Space by Concord Craft Brewing (Concord)
This is your classic New England IPA: juicy, hazy and smooth. With big notes of tropical fruit and citrus, this is a crowd-pleaser for sure. One of the things I like about the New England-style IPA is that it tends to come in at a bit lower ABV, just making it more approachable. This one sits at 6 percent ABV, which seems to be a very nice sweet spot for this style of IPAs.
Dwayne’s World by Stoneface Brewing Co. (Newington)
This is another New England IPA but this hits a different end of the spectrum, featuring big, bold flavors of mango, grapefruit and orange, in a package that comes in at 9 percent ABV. Go easy on this exciting brew, because it absolutely does not drink like it’s 9 percent ABV.
Long Brothers American IPA by Flying Goose Brew Pub (New London)
It’s difficult to describe styles within the IPA realm — seems to me there’s a good bit of overlap — but this is an American IPA, which I think tend to be a bit more intense on the palate. You’re still going to get big flavor notes from the hops but it’s a little more bracing and a little less what you might call juicy. This is extremely well-balanced and features some nice complexity.
Miles and Miles by Henniker Brewing Co. (Henniker)
This is a perfect session IPA, giving you just enough IPA character to satisfy your taste buds, in a lighter, lower ABV package. It’s drinkable, it’s tasty and you can have more than one.
What’s in My Fridge Bourbon Barrel-Aged Framinghammer by Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers (Framingham, Mass.) This Baltic porter is luscious, rich, decadent — pick your descriptor. This is a beer worth savoring. It’s also super boozy (12 percent ABV) and filled with deep notes of bourbon, chocolate, oak and maybe some vanilla. The brew is quite complex, boasting layers upon layers of flavor. The brewery puts out a number of versions of its barrel-aged Framinghammer, including salted caramel, French toast, coffee and tiramisu versions; every version I’ve tried has been delicious. Cheers.
Featured photo. Lucidity by Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co. Courtesy photo.
This week’s dish is truly one for a celebration. Not only does it incorporate lobster, but this recipe also utilizes wine, Parmesan cheese and heavy cream. While these are indulgent stuffed mushrooms, it is a memorable dish, well worth the splurge when grocery shopping.
This is a luxurious dish, but it is quite simple to make. In 30 minutes you will have transformed all the ingredients into a lavish dish. I noted that this recipe serves four, which works when offering it as an appetizer. However, it also would work well as an entrée for two.
This recipe’s ingredients do require a bit of a breakdown. I used lobster tails to make this dish, as it is a faster way to get to the meat. If you want to use a whole lobster, you probably need one that is about two pounds. Next is the wine. While I use the general term “white wine,” I’d suggest using one that is not aromatic, such as an unoaked chardonnay or a pinot grigio. Finally, the recipe calls for two tablespoons of heavy cream. You may think that you can use whatever milk you have on hand. I would recommend buying the heavy cream. It lends to the unctuous nature of the dish.
This is not an everyday sort of dish. Set this recipe aside for a special occasion. It definitely will make the day more memorable.
Portobellos with wine poached lobster Serves 4
4 portobello mushrooms ¾ cup white wine 2 cups uncooked lobster meat* ⅓ cup panko ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons shredded Parmesan 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove stems from portobellos; chop and set aside. Remove the gills from the portobellos, using a spoon; discard. In a small saucepan, bring wine to a boil. Chop lobster into bite-sized pieces. Add lobster meat to wine, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in panko, ¼ cup Parmesan and chopped mushroom stems until fully combined. Add heavy cream and mix well. Spoon stuffing into the mushroom caps and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan. Place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
*I used 2 lobster tails, which equaled that amount.
Featured Photo: Broccoli, apple and bacon salad. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.
Dan Lloyd of Hillsborough is the owner and founder of the Big Dog Sauce Co. (bigdogsauce.com, and on Facebook and TikTok), a producer of all-natural barbecue sauces that launched earlier this spring. Originally from the Denver area, Lloyd moved east about five years ago. The company, which currently offers three bottled products and has a fourth on the way, stemmed from Lloyd’s longtime interest in barbecuing and making his own sauces at home. Big Dog Sauce Co.’s lineup includes a maple barbecue sauce, a mango habanero barbecue sauce, and a green chile barbecue sauce made with Anaheim chile peppers — the latter, Lloyd said, was inspired by his desire to bring an authentic taste of the Southwest to New England. A blackberry ginger barbecue sauce is also in the works, likely to be bottled and available in the coming weeks. Find 12-ounce bottles of Big Dog Sauce in multiple stores and farm stands across the state, including at the Osborne’s Agway locations in Hooksett (16 Cinemagic Way) and Concord (258 Sheep Davis Road), as well as at Lull Farm in Milford (615 Route 13), Goffstown Ace Hardware (5 Depot Road, Goffstown) and several others.
What is your must-have kitchen item?
I have to have an emulsion blender. It’s absolutely crucial for me to make sure that my sauces are blended properly.
What would you have for your last meal?
I would have to go with a really good Coney Island hot dog, with chili, onions and mustard.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
Locally, I think it would be Taco Beyondo [in Hillsborough], hands down. I think [owner and chef] Adam [Mosher] does a great job over there. … I love the stuffed chimichanga, extra crispy, with a queso sauce that they put over the top of it.
What celebrity would you like to see trying one of your sauces?
Guy Fieri [is] the person I would really like to have try my sauces. … He would be very down to earth and humble, and I think my sauce would be well-received.
What is your favorite sauce that you offer?
I like our mango habanero. It’s hands down our No. 1 seller. You have the sweetness of the mango, then all of a sudden you get a little bit of the heat and you get the flavor of the habanero. It’s not spicy, but it’s just enough to give you that zing that you need, and then as soon as it comes it goes away and you get more sweetness on the back of your palate. … I love to marinate it in some chicken and then cook it on the grill.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
Popping up all over is ghost kitchens. They are a great way for people to introduce their product without having the overhead. … The other thing is it allows businesses that they rent from to be able to generate revenue.
What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
I love a good rack of ribs.
Pork belly burnt ends From the kitchen of Dan Lloyd of Big Dog Sauce Co.
1 whole pork belly (about 8 to 10 pounds) 1 stick cold butter 2 cups of your favorite seasoning 1 bottle Big Dog Sauce Co. mango habanero sauce
Preheat your smoker to 275 degrees. Slice the pork belly into 1½-inch cubes and place into a large gallon zip-lock bag. Pour your seasoning into the bag and coat the pork belly liberally. Take pork belly and place on a wire rack about a half-inch apart, then place inside the smoker for three hours. Remove from the smoker and place all of the pork belly pieces in a deep aluminum pan. Take one stick of cold butter and cut into slices. Place inside the pork belly and then take the bottle of mango habanero sauce and a sprinkle of brown sugar over the top, and mix it together in the pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook for an additional hour and a half.
Featured photo: Dan Lloyd of the Big Dog Sauce Co. in Hillsborough. Courtesy photo.
LaBelle Winery unveils new sparkling wine barn in Derry
Last year was quite a busy one for LaBelle Winery — in 2021 alone, the company introduced a farm-to-table restaurant, a retail market, performance and event spaces and even a golf course, all on a 45-acre property on Route 111 in Derry acquired the previous December. The expansions have continued in the form of an on-site sparkling wine tasting barn and vineyard wedding ceremony space, brand new additions that recently began welcoming visitors. Following a June 8 ribbon cutting with the Greater Derry Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, a grand opening celebration is planned for Wednesday, June 22, and will include a cocktail reception, hors d’oeuvres, tours of the new property, an interactive sparkling wine display and more.
Construction on the 3,448-square-foot barn broke ground last October. A short walking path from the northeast end of the parking lot leads to the front doors of the tasting room.
Amy LaBelle, who founded LaBelle Winery in 2005, said building the barn was always part of the plan since she and her husband, Cesar Arboleda, took over the Derry property. Its chief purpose will be a production facility for new sparkling wine varieties created via Méthode Champenoise, a classic French technique only a few New England area wineries are known for.
“We have all these interesting businesses now under the LaBelle umbrella, but we can’t ever forget that the core of LaBelle is wine,” LaBelle said. “Real French-style Champagne is something that I’ve always wanted to make but just didn’t have enough production space for. … So we’ll be able to do that, and I’m really excited to use New England grapes for that process.”
The wines
Plans are currently underway to soon begin producing red, white and rosé sparkling wines out of the new barn. The building features a retail area and tasting room in the front and a production space in the back, plus a covered outdoor patio and an open-air terrace overlooking the vineyard.
Méthode Champenoise sparkling wines are characterized by a second fermentation inside the bottle during the production process. Bottles are intentionally filled with a lower percent ABV wine before yeast is added, as well as a dosage, or a new small amount of wine and sugar, for the yeast to eat. The bottle is then secured with a crown cap for the yeast to go to work.
“It starts breaking down the sugars, creating that extra one or two percent alcohol from what you’ve put in, and creating carbon dioxide as a byproduct,” LaBelle said. “So that’s how that wine gets bubbly. It’s created in the bottle that you’ll eventually drink from. … It also adds these beautiful bread-y notes, which is one reason why I love this method.”
The yeast eventually causes a residual substance called lees to form at the bottom of the bottle. After the second fermentation, LaBelle said, the next step of Méthode Champenoise involves removing the lees through a gradual process known as riddling.
“There are A-frame riddling racks and we place the neck of the bottle into them so that they’re at an angle … and then we turn those bottles every week, maybe just like an eighth of a turn, and that causes the lees to eventually make its way all into the neck,” she said. “That takes a long time, and I never had the space for all these racks before now. I could’ve put them out, but I would’ve had to move them too many times, and that would’ve disturbed the whole process.”
When the lees reaches the bottleneck, it’s flash frozen with nitrogen so it can be removed.
“When the plug goes out, [the bottle] gets a little low, so we fill it back up, pop in the cork and we’re off to the races,” LaBelle said.
LaBelle’s new sparkling wines created using this method will join its dozens of other wines and handcrafted artisan products available for sale out of the barn’s retail area, which include everything from jams, jellies and infused syrups to cooking oils, seasonings and more.
The vineyard
At about 3 acres, LaBelle’s newly planted vineyard in Derry is roughly the same size as its Amherst predecessor. It spans across a former golf course driving range adjacent to the wine barn, with a direct path from there to a central wedding ceremony space among the vines.
“In the middle of the vineyard, we’ve created an arbor built largely out of wine barrel materials,” LaBelle said. “So the idea is that if you want to get married in the vineyard, that space is available to you, and then you would recess up the path to the terrace, which fits 200 people for your cocktail hour. … Then you can go over to our ballroom for your dinner.”
Three grape varieties that have been planted in the vineyard — known as itasca, petit pear and cayuga — are all cold-hardy varieties suitable to withstand the cold winter climate. It will take about two years for the new vines to produce fruit that can be used for winemaking, LaBelle said, and until then the winery is expected to use grapes grown by local farmers.
“We’ll also be planting at the other side of the barn … so when you stand in the tasting room, you’ll literally be surrounded by vineyards, and you won’t be able to see the outside world,” she said. “We really wanted to give people that sense of being transported to wine country.”
The celebration
If you missed last week’s ribbon cutting ceremony for the wine barn, a ticketed grand opening celebration on June 22 will feature a uniquely intimate opportunity to experience the new space.
Attendees will get a chance to tour the property and learn more about the Méthode Champenoise process of making sparkling wine, as well as enjoy hors d’oeuvres and hear future plans for the barn. All ticket holders will also receive a complimentary signed copy of With a Twist, LaBelle’s own cocktail recipe book. The evening will even feature an interactive sparkling wine display.
“We have a performer coming who has a Champagne dress, so you’ll be served Champagne glasses from her dress, which is a whole thing,” LaBelle said. “It will be a lot of fun.”
LaBelle Winery Derry sparkling wine barn A grand opening celebration is happening on Wednesday, June 22, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 per person and can be purchased online.
Where: 14 Route 111, Derry Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. (the barn stays open an hour later on Thursdays, until 6 p.m., during LaBelle Winery’s concert nights) Cost: Tastings are six for $14 or 10 for $20 More info: Visit labellewinery.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram or call 672-9898
Featured photo: Sparkling wines are placed on riddling racks during the production process to remove excess yeast. Photo by Matt Ingersoll.
• Greek for a day: Join St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church (1160 Bridge St., Manchester) for the return of its annual lamb barbecue and food festival on Saturday, June 18 — the deadline to pre-order online may have passed, but walk-ups will still be welcome beginning at noon and while supplies last. As with previous barbecues, the lamb is prepared using a recipe from the late George Moulis, one of the co-founders of the church. It will be available as a dinner with rice and a Greek salad, while other items will include marinated Greek chicken, Greek-style meatballs, pastitsio (Greek lasagna with a bechamel sauce), dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves) and spanakopita (spinach pie). For sweeter indulgences, there will be baklava, as well as koulourakia (butter cookies) and kourambiethes (powdered sugar cookies). Admission and parking is free and all foods are priced per item. Visit stnicholasgreekchurch.com.
• Strawberry fever: J&F Farms (124 Chester Road, Derry) will hold a strawberry festival on Saturday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring pick-your-own strawberries, free samples, a petting farm, food trucks, live music and more. Farm-fresh strawberries over vanilla ice cream will be available from noon to as long as they last. Parking is $10 per car. Visit jandffarmsnh.com. More local strawberry festivals are also being planned in the coming weeks, including the Hollis Strawberry Festival, returning on Sunday, June 26, from 2 to 4 p.m.
• Outdoor barbecueing: Farm-a-Q: A Juneteenth Celebration returns to Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Road, Lee) on Sunday, June 19, from noon to 5 p.m. The event is a collaboration celebration with the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail, Indonesian Community Connect, the Cowasuck Band of the Penacook Abenaki People and other local community groups, and features foraging walks, craft brews, barbecue options and more. The cost is $35 per person, $25 for students and seniors and free for kids under 5. Find Tuckaway Farm on Facebook @tuckawayfarmnh.
• Tapas and wines: A new eatery now open in Salem features a wide array of wines and locally sourced tapas, along with lounge seating, live music and comedy shows. Luna Bistro, which opened June 10 in the Breckenridge Plaza on North Broadway, is the brainchild of owner Kori Doherty, whose goal is to create a space with a relaxing vibe with good drinks and quality shareable plates. “It’s … more of a night-out type of experience as opposed to just somewhere you would go to eat and then leave,” Doherty told the Hippo earlier this year. “I really want it to be a place where you can have a good glass of wine or a beer and a bunch of really good appetizers, maybe watch a show or listen to a band, and just not feel rushed.” The food menu features everything from meat and seafood options to dips, spreads and flatbreads, and there is also an extensive wine list and craft beer selection. Visit luna-bistro.com.
In her Little House books Laura Ingalls Wilder made a big deal out of the changing of the seasons. Fall was an obvious one with all the emphasis on the harvest, etc., but springtime was also a really big deal for her.
In one of the books — I don’t specifically remember which one — she goes into a four- or five-page reverie about her mother making the first salad of the year. She describes the lettuce that she grew, and how her ma would make a dressing out of bacon drippings and vinegar.
“Oh, Ma!” the barefoot kids would cry, “Salad!”
“Hooray! Salad!”
“By gum, Caroline,” her Pa would say, “You beat everyone else all hollow for making salad!”
And Ma would blush, and admit that while it wasn’t perfect, it was, in fact, a pretty good salad.”
And I, as a child of the ’70s, would stop reading briefly, and shout at the book.
“Seriously, people! It’s a salad! Get over it!”
What I didn’t or couldn’t realize at the time was that this frontier family had just come off a winter of living on potatoes, salt pork and hardtack, and now even the potatoes were gone. They all had early-stage rickets and scurvy. Fresh, leafy greens must have hit their systems like a vitamin A speedball.
Now, while we haven’t spent the winter locked up in a one-room shanty on the prairie, we are coming off a long takeout and frozen dinner jag. Many of us have spent the past week or two standing in our gardens, hands on hips, staring down at the seedlings and going, “WELL?!”
The big stuff — the cucumbers, tomatoes, and corn — is still a long way off, but we are starting to get a few tiny things, vegetable flirtations, if you will, from our gardens.
Springtime Cocktail #1
Peas and mint are a classic combination. My question was a matter of ratios — how much mint to how many peas?
I looked through many, many recipes and found very little agreement. But Martha Stewart advised 10 ounces of peas to 1/3 cup of mint leaves, and if there is anyone I would put blind trust in on this matter, it would be Martha.
The great thing about this recipe is that aside from washing the peas and mint, you don’t have to pluck, chop or process them in any fussy way.
Preparing the gin:
1/3 cup (8 grams) fresh mint — Don’t worry about plucking the leaves. The stems will work well here, too.
10 ounces fresh sugar snap peas or snow peas in their pods
10 ounces (285 grams) medium-quality gin — I used Gordon’s
Measure all three ingredients into a blender — a kitchen scale is excellent for this.
Blend thoroughly for a minute or so.
Leave the mixture to steep for an hour.
Strain with a fine-meshed kitchen strainer.
Your yield will be about a cup (8 ounces) of Bright Green Gin — enough for four cocktails.
The cocktail itself:
2 ounces Bright Green Gin
1 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
¾ ounce amaretto
Combine all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker.
Shake.
Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
This is what I call a classic Utility Cocktail recipe — two parts alcohol, one part citrus juice, ¾ part syrup or liqueur.
Amaretto has a reputation of being a bully and taking over any drink it’s a part of. When used judiciously, it is an excellent team player. Peas go extremely well with mint – that’s a given. They also go with lemon and with almonds. All these ingredients play extremely well together.
The first thing you notice, of course, is the color, a bright vibrant green that even the amaretto won’t dull. The pea flavor is distinct but not overly assertive. The acid of the lemon juice brightens everything up.
It is startlingly delicious.
And holds off scurvy. There’s no sense in taking chances.
(One observation: The Bright Green Gin has a short shelf life. It will start losing its vibrant color and flavor within a couple of hours, so it is best to drink it right away. This is a perfect before-dinner cocktail to share with friends, or for two of you to have two apiece.)
Featured photo. Springtime Cocktail. Photo by John Fladd.
I’m going to start with a fact about this recipe: It needs about two and a half hours to be prepared. However, and this is a big however, only about 20 of those minutes are active cooking time. The remaining two hours are for the salad to become nice and cold. In fact, you could start this salad in the morning, let it hang out in the refrigerator all day, and finish it shortly before you’re ready to serve it. You can think of this salad as a dish that has something for everyone. For your healthy eaters, it is filled with broccoli and has an incredibly healthy dressing. If you are cooking for people who like tartness, there are the Granny Smith apples. For a hot summer’s day, this salad is served ice cold. Plus, it’s topped with bacon, which tends to be a popular ingredient for many people.
Besides being a crowd-pleaser and quite easy to make, it also is a low-maintenance dish as far as ingredients go. There are no hard-to-find items. For the lemon juice, use bottled or fresh. If you can’t find a Granny Smith apple, feel free to pick a different variety. Just gather your ingredients, get the salad started and in the refrigerator, and you have a delicious side salad ready in a couple hours.
Broccoli, apple, and bacon salad Serves 4
4½ cups broccoli florets 2 stalks celery 1 Granny Smith apple ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons sugar 4 strips bacon
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli florets, and boil for 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander, rinsing with cold water to stop cooking; drain well. Chop celery into ½-inch pieces. Core apple, and chop into ½-inch cubes with skin on. Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Combine broccoli, celery and apple in a large bowl. In a small bowl whisk together yogurt, lemon juice and sugar. Pour dressing on salad, and toss well. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Cook bacon until crispy, using your preferred method. Drain bacon on paper towels, and chop into a small dice. Just before serving, top salad with diced bacon pieces.
Featured Photo: Broccoli, apple and bacon salad. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.
Two reds that show off the diversity of French grapes
France is the largest country in western Europe. In the continent overall, it is second only to Ukraine and Russia, located at the eastern edges of the continent. However, the country is slightly smaller in area to the combined square miles of Colorado and Wyoming. It is smaller than the state of Texas, yet it has some of the most diverse terrain and climate of any of the wine-producing European nations. The terrain ranges from the mountainous edges of the Alps and Pyrenees to the rolling hills and plains to the north of Paris. And climate is influenced by these extremes, from the warm Mediterranean sun on its southern shores to the cool, sometimes rainy northern shores. Given this diversity of terroir, we are blessed with a full array of wines to sip or enjoy with our friends at dinner.
Our first wine, a 2019 Pascal et Alain Lorieux Chinon Red Loire Wine (originally $54.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets, reduced to $24.99), is a creation of 100 percent cabernet franc grapes. These grapes are grown worldwide and are principally used for blending with other varietals, such as in Bordeaux-style wines, where they are blended with cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes can trace their beginnings to cabernet franc grapes. This wine comes from the Chinon appellation, along the Loire River Valley. This appellation has been vinifying cabernet franc wines since sometime in the 17th century. In general the cabernet franc grape is similar to the cabernet sauvignon but buds and ripens at least a week earlier, allowing it to thrive in cooler climates than cabernet sauvignon, such as in the Loire Valley.
This grape adapts to a wide variety of vineyard soils. We have said before that terroir affects the grape, the color and the notes of a wine, and this is certainly true of cabernet franc. The soils of the Chinon appellation are a chalky limestone and produce a heavier, more full-bodied wine. Cabernet franc coming from the Finger Lakes Region of New York, with its gravel-based soils, tends to be a bit “thinner” than this Loire Valley wine. However, it has nonetheless taken off in the region because it produces wines of better quality and because of its ability to ripen more reliably than other reds.
The wine has a beautiful deep garnet color, producing notes of red cherries and raspberries, along with some slight undertones of plum and blackberries. The tannins are slight, with notes of cedar. This is a rich, soft wine that we paired with hamburgers, grilled to be very rare and then loaded with blue cheese and mushrooms. This wine turned the simple meal into one of elegance.
Our next wine comes from the south of France, only about a seven-hour drive from Chinon, but a world away in climate and soils. The 2020 Réserve des Diacres Châteauneuf-d-Pape (originally $39.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets, reduced to $23.99) is a classic southern Rhône wine. The color is a slightly transparent purple; to the nose there are plums and blackberries. These notes follow through on the tongue, with a solid, dry presence, not “jammy” but still full of fruit and bold. There is alcohol at 14.4 percent, but it doesn’t burn your nose.
To look at the label, one would think this is a winter wine. While not a sipping wine, this is an excellent accompaniment to grilled lamb, or low-fire grilled rustic vegetables in olive oil. The wine is blended by Baptiste Grangeon, owner and winemaker at Domaine De Crista, a vineyard and winery situated on some of the best soils in the southern Rhône valley. To create an affordable wine, he sourced grapes from three different terroirs within the region, with a sand and limestone base, topped by the famous river-washed rock that holds the heat of the midday sun. The grapes are principally grenache, blended with syrah. The grenache is high in sugars, thus producing high alcoholic wines. The syrah introduces just enough “jammy” fruit to soften the grenache. This is a beautiful wine to enjoy with a backyard barbeque.
Two different wines from one country, offering widely different notes to the palate, provide one with an opportunity to enjoy a wide spectrum of experiences. Enjoy your barbecue!
