Category: Food

You can still PYO

May freeze affected this year’s apple crops

Now is prime time for apple picking, but sadly this year’s crop is not the best ever. Due to the drop in temperature in May, many orchards suffered damage to their crops, with some being wiped out entirely. Fortunately some farms were able to make it through.

“We were very lucky our whole pick-your-own was not affected,” said Tim Bassett of Gould Hill Farm in Contoocook. “We have a pretty decent crop … so it does look like hopefully we will continue as a normal fall depending on what … Mother Nature does next.”

While the pick-your-own supply may be OK, the heirloom supply in the retail store won’t be as plentiful as it usually is, as these trees are at a lower elevation and consequently exposed to colder conditions than the pick-your-own varieties.

Circumstances were similar at Kimball Fruit Farm in Hollis.
“The apples that are there are looking pretty good, at least at our farm because we’re kind of on a hill,” said David Wadleigh, owner of the farm.

“The stuff that was a little more uphill wasn’t quite as affected as the stuff more downhill [because] the temperatures are usually a bit warmer at the top of the hill and cooler at the bottom.”

Photo courtesy of Gould Hill Farm.

At the time of the frost, Wadleigh said, apple trees on the farm were beginning to blossom, many having flowers and some already sprouting small cherry-sized apples. Some of these froze and rotted, while others were fortunate to skate by with only some russeting (rough brown spots on the outside). While there are measures to try to prevent such damage, they aren’t as feasible as for crops like berries and tomatoes, which can be covered with a protective barrier, according to Wadleigh.

“Strawberries are low on the ground, so we can just set up a couple of sprinklers in the field and it will cover the entire strawberry field … [and] we were putting a cover over [early tomatoes] to protect them,” he said. “I’m sure that would work for the apples too, but with the size of the trees it’s just not practical to do something like that.”

Fortunately for apples, they tend to be heartier than their berry counterparts, according to Wadleigh.

Aside from the frost, the weather since — including all the rain — has not been disadvantageous to the apples.

“[Rain] does help them grow a little larger in size on some varieties, so it hasn’t been detrimental,” Bassett said. “Our biggest problem so far has just been having customers come out because the weather hasn’t cooperated and given the nice-weather days that people enjoy being out there on the farm, so we’re hopeful that that will turn around and we’ll have some nice, sunny weather.”

Pick your own

Information comes from the orchards’ websites and social media. Most hours and events are weather permitting. Call in advance to make sure the orchard is open that day and to find out what varieties are currently available for pick-your-own.

Applecrest Farm Orchards (133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls; applecrest.com) Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. On weekends through the end of October look for harvest festivals, which run Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting. There’s also a corn maze.

Appleview Orchard (1266 Upper City Road, Pittsfield; applevieworchard.com, 435-3553) PYO apples Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. Hours at the country gift shop are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Brookdale Fruit Farm (41 Broad St., Hollis; brookdalefruitfarm.com, 465-2240) PYO apples Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Farm stand is open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The farm also features an ice cream stand and a corn maze.

Carter Hill Orchard (73 Carter Hill Road, Concord; carterhillapples.com, 225-2625) September hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The country store is open during these hours with cider, baked goods, pumpkins and more.

Currier Orchards (9 Peaslee Road, Merrimack; currierorchards.com, 881-8864) Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The farm stand sells baked goods, farm-made jelly and other items.

DeMeritt Hill Farm (20 Orchard Way, Lee; demeritthillfarm.com, 868-2111) The farm stand is open weekdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call to find out the pick-your-own status on any given day. The farm has weekend fests through the first weekend of October and then Haunted Overload and Enchanted Storybook Hayrides.

Gould Hill Farm (656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook; gouldhillfarm.com) PYO apple hours are Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The farm store is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., featuring apples, ice cream and more. The Contoocook Cider Co., offering hard ciders, is open Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hackleboro Orchards (61 Orchard Road, Canterbury; hackleboroorchard.com, 783-4248) Daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Look for hay rides, apple cider, apple cider doughnuts and more.

Hazelton Orchards (280 Derry Road, Chester; find them on Facebook, 235-3027) PYO is open, weather permitting, most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, usually 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call or find them on Facebook to check the current status.

NH Kimball Fruit Farm (Route 122, on the Hollis and Pepperell, Mass., state line; kimball.farm, 978-433-9751) PYO is open Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Check out the Tuesday children’s programs.

Lavoie’s Farm (172 Nartoff Road, Hollis; lavoiesfarm.com, 882-0072) Daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The farm’s stand sells fruits, veggies, baked goods and apple cider and you can also pick your own pumpkins. A corn maze is open daily. On the weekends find hay rides and a corn boil from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lull Farm (65 Broad St., Hollis; livefreeandfarm.com, 465-7079) 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and 7 a.m. to 6 pm. Monday through Friday. The Daily Haul fish market is on site on Saturdays (pre-order at thedailyhaul.com) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Mack’s Apples (230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry; macksapples.com,432-3456) PYO open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Station 3 on Pillsbury Road, next to the Londonderry United Methodist Church, according to the website. The corn maze is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Station 2 on Adams Road. Pears are also available for picking. The farm market is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

McLeod Bros. Orchards (735 N. River Road, Milford; mcleodorchards.com, 432-3456) PYO hours are Monday through Friday, 1 to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The farm stand features apples, pumpkins, jams, jellies, maple syrup and more.

Smith Orchard (184 Leavitt Road, Belmont; smithorchard.com, 387-8052) Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Stone Mountain Farm (522 Laconia Road, Belmont; stonemtnfarm.com) Daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunnycrest Farm (59 High Range Road, Londonderry; sunnycrestfarmnh.com, 432-7753) Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The farm also offers pick-your-own raspberries and flowers and the farm stand offers produce, baked goods and more.

Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard (66 Mason Road, Greenville; washburnswindyhillorchard.com, 878-2101) Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Featured photo: courtesy of Gould Hill Farm.

The Weekly Dish 23/09/21

News from the local food scene

Manchester Brewfest: Don’t miss the ninth annual Manchester Brewfest on Saturday, Sept. 23, at Arms Park on Commercial Street in Manchester. The event will include vendors like The Rugged Axe, Draughtpick, Darbster Rescue, Rage Cage NH, New England Steel Fighters and Granite State Freeze Dried Candy and music by the Shawna Jackson Band. Money raised will benefit Waypoint, a human service and advocacy group. General admission hours are 1 to 4 p.m. and VIP admission is from noon to 4 p.m. VIP tickets are $50, general tickets are $40 and designated driver tickets are $15.

Make chocolate rose sculptures: Tour Van Otis’ Chocolate Factory (341 Elm St., Manchester), try handmade chocolate and learn from a chocolatier how to manipulate and sculpt edible roses on Thursday, Sept. 28, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased via eventbrite.

Try Croatian wine on the Seacoast: Learn about and taste wines of Croatia with Anne Arnold and Mirena Bagur at the AC Hotel by Marriott (299 Vaughan St., Portsmouth) on Thursday, Sept. 28, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $55 via eventbrite.

Try Croatian wine on the Seacoast: Learn about and taste wines of Croatia with Anne Arnold and Mirena Bagur at the AC Hotel by Marriott (299 Vaughan St., Portsmouth) on Thursday, Sept. 28, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $55 via eventbrite.

Harvest weekend: From Saturday, Sept. 30, to Sunday, Oct. 1, is Harvest Weekend at Black Bear Vineyard (289 New Road, Salisbury). This outdoor event includes live music, wine sold by the glass or bottle, the opportunity to learn about the wine-making process and 603 Food Truck. Tickets are $18, free for those under 21 years old. Purchase tickets at eventbrite.com.

Cornbread-Tres Leches Ice Cream

A tale:
I work my way through the party, smiling, waving, shaking hands. I check with the bartender, who assures me that she has everything she needs.
I field a couple of compliments on my new jacket. I wanted to wear my velvet smoking jacket, but it’s still a bit too warm, so I went with a double-breasted silver lamé one that I have nicknamed “Charlie,” and he’s striking just the tone I wanted.

I pause briefly as the background music reaches the greatest improvised lyrics of all time:

“She loves that free, fine, wild, knocked-out, koo-koo … groovy wind in her hair,” Frank Sinatra assures me, and I close my eyes and stab the air with my finger as he gets to “groovy.” Man, he was good!

In an easy chair by the window, I see a pretty, sad-eyed woman sitting and staring at the peacocks on the lawn. She is a friend of a friend, who has recently moved here from Jalisco, and rumor has it that she is a bit homesick.

“Hi,” I say, and she nods politely.
“Are you Flora?” I ask, and she nods again, and she smiles, but her eyes are still sad.

“Robin,” I call to one of the caterers circulating through the party with a tray.

“Yes, Boss?” she asks, coming over.
“Did Susan make that thing we talked about?”

“I’ll bring it out.”
I thank her and make small talk with Flora until Robin returns with a dish of ice cream on her tray. She presents it to Flora with a small bow.

Looking confused, Flora takes it, then tentatively takes a very small spoonful of it.

Her smile only reaches the Mona Lisa stage, but her eyes sparkle.

Cornbread-Tres Leches Ice Cream

Small box corn muffin mix
12-ounce can evaporated milk
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup half and half
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Make an 8×8” pan of cornbread, according to the instructions on the box.
Let it cool, then stab it all over with a fork. If you are feeling dramatic, use a pair of forks.

Mix the dairy ingredients and cinnamon together, then pour onto your pre-stabbed cornbread.

Chill for at least three hours.

Transfer the sopping wet cornbread and any unabsorbed dairy to a blender, and blend thoroughly for about a minute.

Churn in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (If you do not have access to an ice cream maker, freeze the pan of cornbread solid, then blend. You will get similar results.)

Transfer the soft-serve-consistency ice cream to serving containers and freeze.

If you’ve ever had proper tres leches cake, you are aware that it is the king of cake, moister than moist, and silky smooth. Eating it is like getting a kiss from a cake. This ice cream is inspired by that, but with a chewy texture and the background flavor of yellow corn. The hint of cinnamon makes it taste a bit like Biscoff cookies. This is easy enough to make and delicious enough that it will quickly become a regular part of your dessert rotation.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo by John Fladd.

In the kitchen with Clifford Passero

Photos courtesy of Fresh Chef Press.zxFor Clifford Passero, head chef and kitchen manager at Patty B’s, an Italian American restaurant in Dover (34 Dover Point Road), cooking food is like building a house. “I take the knowledge I have learned, I use the tools I have, I start at the foundations and put things together until I have a finished product,” he said. Growing up in Portsmouth, he was influenced in the art of cooking by his mother and grandmother. His time in the food industry started with serving ice cream and busing tables and for the past nine years he has been at Patty B’s, where he says he has learned a lot and continues to be inspired.

What is your must-have kitchen item?
All my staff and a good sauce pot.

What would you have for your last meal?
Homemade buttermilk biscuits and gravy with a poached egg (medium) and delicious home fries with ketchup.

What is your favorite local eatery?
Sara Thai in Dover.

Name a celebrity you would like to see eating in your restaurant?
Giada De Laurentiis. I love her.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?
Eggplant Parm and Patty’s Bolognese.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
Asian fusion. Hot pots and noodle bars.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
It’s really tough to say what my favorite is, but I love grabbing stuff from my garden and getting creative.

Creamy Marsala with mushrooms
From the kitchen of Clifford Passero.

7 cloves of chopped garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
6 medium sliced shallots
Cremini mushrooms
1 cup of Marsala wine
4 Tablespoons of butter
1 quart of light cream
½ quart of heavy cream
mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon of Essence seasoning
½ pound of cream cheese
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
¼ cup of locally foraged mushrooms
Grated pecorino Romano
Pasta (penne or cavatappi is recommended)

In a large sauce pot take 5 cloves of chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 6 medium sliced shallots, cook until shallots get soft. Add in sliced Cremini mushrooms, cook until browned. Add 1 cup of Marsala wine, cook to reduce, remove from heat.
In another pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter and sweat 2 cloves of chopped garlic. Add 1 quart of light cream and half a quart of heavy cream. Whisk until cream rises.

Add half pound mascarpone cheese and 1 teaspoon of Essence to the cream mixture. Add half pound cream cheese to cream mixture, melt and stir until smooth (do not boil).
Combine all into one large-size pot and reduce over medium-low heat for 30 to 45 minutes.

To serve: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan and add a quarter cup of locally foraged mushrooms. Cook until browned. Add cream mixture; cook until thickened. Mix in your favorite cooked pasta (penne or cavatappi is recommended). Finish with grated pecorino Romano.

Featured photo: Clifford Passero, head chef at Patty B’s. Courtesy photo.

New cafe on canal

Fresh Chef Press brings organic local food

On April 25, 2022, Abbey Morrison transitioned her meal prep business from Fresh Chef Meal Prep to Fresh Chef Press, a cafe on Canal Street in Manchester, with her friend and business partner Shauri Gilot-Oquendo. The cafe serves smoothies, salads, bowls, coffee, toast and sandwiches all made with local organic ingredients.

“We were doing [meal prep] … before we got presented with an opportunity to open a cafe on Canal Street,” Morrison said. “We didn’t really have this [plan] that we were going to open a location in this amount of years. It kind of just fell into our lap [from] hard work [and] after a while people see that you’re committed to the cause.”

Photos courtesy of Fresh Chef Press.

Morrison’s interest in food and nutrition can be traced back to when she was diagnosed with high cholesterol at age 7. She began seeing a nutritionist to change her diet and learned about what food can do for your body in the process, an avenue she continued down at Johnson & Wales University.

“I wanted to do the same thing for other people, so I went down the route of culinary nutrition and worked with different chefs around the world to see how they do it,” she said. “I got to experience everything and bring it back to my home city and help people here.”

After running Fresh Chef Meal Prep for 3 years, Morrison got presented with the opportunity to fill the space that formerly housed Green Bike Smoothie Bar. She decided to go in along with Gilot-Oquendo to open Fresh Chef Press with the aim to serve food that is both nutritious and delicious while also helping local businesses and the environment through the use of reusable and biodegradable materials.

“We try to locally source as much as possible to help our local farms and support small businesses,” Morrison said.
Such businesses include McQuesten Farm and Charmingfare Farm, where they get their produce, Amherst Garden, where they get honey, and Hometown Coffee.

Their commitment to offering local and healthy food extends beyond the doors of their cafe with their POS fridge where customers can buy peanut butter, honey and oat power ball energy bites, a variety of hummuses, dressings and pesto, the same that are used in the cafe and all made in-house.

“It kind of plays off our meal prep,” Morrison said. “We try to make it as easy as possible for you to be healthy at home too.”

Photos courtesy of Fresh Chef Press.

In addition to providing nutritious food for people, they feed their furry friends with pup-sicles and excite bites.

“A lot of the same things that are really good for people, like blueberries, they have a lot of antioxidants and cancer-fighting stuff in them, are really good for dogs,” Gilot-Oquendo said. “All clean and organic stuff for our pups as well.”


“Since we’re in downtown Manchester, a lot of people are walking with their dog,” Morrison adds. “The fact that they can come down and grab something for them and their pup I think is what separates us.”

Featured photo: courtesy of Fresh Chef Press

Celebrate diversity

Multicultural Festival will return to Concord

Celebrate the cultures that make New Hampshire special through food, music, dancing and art at the Concord Multicultural Festival on Sunday, Sept. 24, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Keach Park.

The free festival began in the mid 2000s when many refugees were coming to the capital, as Concord was a refugee resettlement city, according to festival director Jessica Livingston.

“It was created as a way to introduce the community to the new community members who were being settled here from other countries,” she said. “A group of community leaders … decided to create a festival that would help connect people.”

Courtesy photo.

The festival has expanded over the years. In the international flag parade that was added to the festival around six or seven years ago, 40 countries were represented at first; the number is now over 70

More than 70 vendors will be at the festival selling crafts like African baskets, jewelry, wood carvings, instruments, clothing and shoes, and running activities like face painting, coloring and painting kindness rocks.
The overall favorite, according to Livingston, is the food, with community members making Mexican staples like tamales and horchata, dishes from Afghanistan like pashto samosa, and restaurants like Maddy’s Food Hub, with African, Caribbean and Italian food and Batulo’s Kitchen.

“[Batulo’s] specialty is sambusa … but this year since she has her own restaurant she’s now going to branch out and do a little more,” Livingston said. “She’s [making] rice plates with veggies or chicken …, home-baked bread, yellow split pea soup … fried potatoes [and] mandazi, which is an African fried dough.”

After the flag parade and opening ceremony, there will be live performances throughout the whole festival, with Japanese drumming, Hawaiian hula dancing, Nepali and Hindi folk and classical music, Irish dancing performed by In the Field Irish Dancers, and a Brazilian carnival performance by SambaViva.

“Our mission is about creating a welcoming community for everybody who is here regardless of where you’re from or how long you’ve lived here,” Livingston said. “It’s about bringing people together over shared love for food, music and art and connecting as a community [to] get to know each other in a fun way.”

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!