Category: Food

Rolling over hunger

Hampstead Eats food truck festival returns

Hampstead Congregational Church is gearing up for its third annual food truck festival fundraiser. Known as “Hampstead Eats,” the event is due to return on the church’s grounds on Saturday, April 29, and will feature tasty options from area food trucks and vendors, in addition to live music and a food drive to support the New Hampshire Food Bank.

“It’s been a great turnout both years,” event coordinator Roxanne McGaffigan said. “A huge part of this event is community. Community for people to come out to eat together, and then community to just be bringing awareness to food insecurity.”

McGaffigan said she launched the festival in 2021 in part as a fundraiser for the renovation and upkeep of the town’s Congregational Church. A small portion of the proceeds received from admission ticket sales is also donated to the Food Bank.

Attendees ages 5 and up pay an admission fee to gain access to the trucks, and all food selections are priced per item. The trucks will all be parked along the church driveway.

“There’s limited parking behind the church … and then there’s parking at the Hampstead Middle School at the end of the street on School Street, which is just two buildings over,” McGaffigan said.

Nearly all of the featured vendors that have participated in Hampstead Eats the last two years are making a return this time around. Chef Koz’s Crescent City Kitchen offers scratch-made Creole and Cajun-inspired dishes, while The Whoop(ie) Wagon is known for serving up all kinds of creative takes on whoopie pie flavors.

The Traveling Foodie is also back. Co-owner Jamie Mandra said they expect to offer several of their signature menu items, including “Love in a Cup,” a layered barbecue dish you eat with a fork, as well as their Southern fried chicken sandwich, birria biscuit bombs and Mexican street corn bowl.

A newcomer to this year’s festival is One Happy Clam Seafood & More — it’s operated by Rick Metts, longtime former owner of Clam Haven in Derry. Kona Ice, which offers several flavors of tropical-themed shaved ice, will be providing free cup upgrades for those who bring a nonperishable item to donate to the Food Bank, McGaffigan said.

Festival-goers are welcome to bring blankets or chairs out on the nearby church lawn to enjoy live performances, which will include Sons of the Solstice, followed by the Space Heaters.

Third annual Hampstead Eats food truck festival
When: Saturday, April 29, noon to 5 p.m.
Where: Hampstead Congregational Church, 61 Main St., Hampstead
Cost: $5 admission fee for attendees ages 5 and up (cash or checks are accepted, as well as PayPal, accessible through the QR code on the event flier); foods are priced per item
More info: Search “Hampstead Eats” on Facebook, or call the church office at 329-6985
Event is rain or shine, and well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome.

Participating vendors

• Armstrong’s Gourmet Popcorn (mindblowingpopcorn.com)
• B’s Tacos (nhtacotruck.com)
• Boogalow’s Island BBQ (boogalowsbbq.com)
• Chef Koz’s Crescent City Kitchen (find them on Facebook @crescentcitykitchennh)
• Chubb’s Fries & Dough (find them on Facebook @eddiemencis)
• Kona Ice (kona-ice.com)
• One Happy Clam Seafood & More (find them on Facebook @onehappyclam)
• Pat’s Cider Donuts (patsciderdonuts.com)
• Presto Craft Kitchen (prestocraftkitchen.com)
• The Traveling Foodie (jrmcateringllc.com)
• The Whoo(pie) Wagon (thewhoopiewagon.com)

Featured photo: Photos courtesy of Alas de Frida Mexican Restaurant & Bar in Manchester.

But first, tacos

Taco Tour returns to downtown Manchester

After a successful revival year in 2022, Taco Tour returns on Thursday, May 4, and will feature its largest roster of participating vendors yet, along with two stages of live local music acts throughout the evening.

The Greater Manchester Chamber took the reins of Taco Tour last year, the first to take place since 2019.

“The crowd size was huge,” event director Cole Riel said of last year’s Taco Tour. “To have such a crowd in downtown Manchester, something we just didn’t see happening a lot since Covid, was a big win for the city and it has brought a lot of momentum for us into this year.”

Of about 1,000 of last year’s attendees surveyed by the Chamber, Riel said 73 percent reported discovering a new restaurant that had opened in the area, and 83 percent said they planned to come back to downtown Manchester in the near future. Collected data and feedback from last year’s Taco Tour among restaurants and attendees, Riel said, has aided the Chamber in making several key improvements to the event this time around.

“Everyone has to sign up to do a minimum of 1,000 tacos to be involved, which was not a parameter for participation in the past,” he said. “For most folks that we talked to, it’s between 1,500 and 2,500 tacos, and then some will continue to sell a little bit after. … So everyone now has a better sense of the scale that they will need going forward, and having that in place is going to be huge for everyone to prep.”

He added that the Chamber will also take active steps to manage long lines that form.

“There were a number of lines that kind of zig-zagged all over, and so we’ll have volunteers,” he said, adding that “end of the line” markers will be in place. “Folks can go online to sign up to volunteer and help us keep the lines organized.”

Around 90 restaurants, food trucks and other businesses have signed up to serve tacos this year. They’ll be set up all along Elm Street, which will be closed to vehicular traffic between Bridge and Granite streets. As in previous years, no price of admission is required — taco lovers are invited to simply come down to Elm Street any time during the event’s four-hour period and eat as many tacos as they can for $3 apiece.

“Attendees should expect everyone to be cash only,” Riel said. “That’s the easiest way that we found for speed of processing, and then at the same time too, obviously, cellular issues with so many people in a tight area … can always cause some hang-ups.”

Tacos won’t just be served on Elm either — eateries and other businesses will be set up along many connecting side streets, some of which will have some closures of their own.

“I’m excited for our friends who will be over on Hanover Street,” Riel said. “We have Industry East, who I’ve been told is coming from the trophy this year. Then we also have City Hall Pub, which wasn’t open when we had the event this time last year, so we’re excited to welcome them. … We also have The Potato Concept coming, and they’ll be doing a ‘PoTaco.’”

Other participants this year include bluAqua Restrobar, serving an alligator and andouille taco with steak chimichurri; The Wild Rover Pub, which will have a shepherd’s pie taco; and the newly opened Alas de Frida Mexican Restaurant & Bar, offering chipotle chicken tacos with grilled onions. Several vegan and vegetarian options are also expected — The Sleazy Vegan food truck, for instance, will serve a jackfruit taco with a mango-jalapeño salsa, while The Green Beautiful Vegan Cafe plans to have a “meaty” mushroom taco with red cabbage slaw, pickled peppers and an avocado crema, alongside a side of vegan street corn.

A downloadable map is expected to be available online at TacoTourManchester.com soon. Free shuttle buses will be making regular stops at several key points around the city, including Murphy’s Taproom, the Restoration Cafe and the Currier Museum of Art.

“That’s kind of a different path that people can take that won’t be busy,” Riel said. “It’ll be sort of like a ‘Choose your own adventure’ Taco Tour, just to help people out with planning in advance and making the map easier to understand.”

New to this year’s Taco Tour is live entertainment, including a concert stage at Veterans Memorial Park that will feature Jeffrey Gaines, Frank Viele and local rock group Best Not Broken. On a bandstand by the intersection of Bridge and Elm streets, performers will include Colleen Green, Manchester power pop band Donaher, and reggae rock group Supernothing.

Similar to last year, attendees can go to the event website to cast their vote for the best taco. The winning vendor will receive $1,000 to give to a nonprofit of their choice, in addition to a “Golden Taco” trophy. The “Most Creative Taco” will also be awarded this year — that winner will get a glass taco trophy created by StudioVerne of Manchester.

“We’ll keep voting open through Friday [May 5], … and then we’ll alert the winner sometime that weekend,” Riel said.

Taco Tour Manchester
When: Thursday, May 4, 4 to 8 p.m.
Where: Participating businesses stationed on Elm Street and various connecting side streets in downtown Manchester
Cost: $3 per taco (cash only)
Visit: tacotourmanchester.com
Event is rain or shine and is dog-friendly. Elm Street will be shut down to vehicular traffic between Bridge and Granite streets for the duration of the event, as will a few side streets.

Featured photo: Downtown Manchester’s Taco Tour returns on Thursday, May 4. Photo by Ethos & Able Creative.

The Weekly Dish 23/04/27

News from the local food scene

• Spectaular!: Tickets are on sale now for the New England Wine Spectacular, happening on Thursday, June 15, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St.). The large seminar-style showcase is the premier event of New Hampshire Wine Week, which, for the first time in its nearly 20-year history, is set to take place in June this year as opposed to January. The Spectacular will feature more than 1,700 different wines to try, paired with all kinds of New Hampshire-sourced foods. General admission tickets to the Spectacular are $65 per person (21+ only), with proceeds benefiting the New Hampshire Food Bank. See nhwineweek.com.

• Last call — for a few months: Downtown Manchester’s 815 Cocktails & Provisions will temporarily close for renovations after service on Saturday, May 6, according to a recent announcement posted on its social media pages. “We are gutting the entire space and reopening with a brand spanking new restaurant,” reads the post, which said renovations will likely last “into July.” Visit 815nh.com.

• Mike’s Italian Kitchen coming to Nashua: Nashua eatery MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar is planning on “bringing Italian homestyle cuisine back to Main Street” as it shifts focus to a new concept. Soon to be called Mike’s Italian Kitchen, the restaurant will hold its last day of service on Mother’s Day and then close for about two weeks for renovations. Part of Michael Timothy’s Dining Group, the first iteration of the eatery opened in August 1995 as Michael Timothy’s Urban Bistro. Visit mtslocal.com/mike-s-italian-kitchen.

Cornmeal cookies

Cornmeal may not be an ingredient you consider when making cookies. However, after trying a cornmeal cookie on a trip to Kentucky, I was hooked and knew I needed to create my own version. Think of these cookies as short, sweet corn muffins that have a nicely crisp edge. Enjoyed with a cup of coffee or glass of milk, they are a delicious treat.

The majority of the ingredients in this recipe are straightforward with only two notes. If you are a regular reader, you will notice that I specified the type of salt. Although it’s a small amount, the taste of the cookie can be altered by the salt. If you use kosher salt, you will need a pinch more. However, kosher salt is a bigger crystal, which may mean that there will be tiny pockets of saltiness in the cookies. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it is worth nothing. With smaller crystals, table salt guarantees even distribution of salt.

The other ingredient of note is the cornmeal. I recommend using medium grind, as I think it adds a nice amount of crunch to the cookie. You can use coarse grind, but that may make the texture almost pebble-like. Fine grind is an acceptable substitute, but that does mean you will lose some of the crunchiness.

Make a batch for your next gathering. I am pretty sure you will be the only person who brings cornmeal cookies. You may even get requests for the recipe!

Cornmeal cookies
Makes 4 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups medium-grind cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine butter and both sugars in a bowl.
Beat on a medium-low speed, using either the paddle on a stand mixer or a hand mixer, for 4 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, beat after each addition, scraping sides to combine.
Add vanilla to dough, and mix until combined.
Add flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt, stirring until combined.
Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper, then scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared tray.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
Allow to cool for 4 minutes, then transfer to a baking rack to cool completely.

Featured photo: Cornmeal cookies. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

In the kitchen with Gaby Maroun

Gaby Maroun is the head chef of Sevmar Mediterranean Bistro (401 Main St., Unit 108, Salem, 870-0018, sevmarbistronh.com), which opened inside the town’s 97 Shops Plaza in January. Co-owned by Maroun’s daughter, Jocelyn, Sevmar gets its name by combining the family’s last name with that of Kelvin Severino, owner of the national demolition company ADEP Group and Jocelyn Maroun’s business partner. The restaurant features 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. Maroun immigrated to the United States from Lebanon in the 1980s and has been involved in cooking authentic Lebanese cuisine ever since. In addition to Sevmar, his recipes have set the tone for other successful eateries in town, like Jocelyn’s Mediterranean Restaurant & Martini Lounge on Route 28, as well as Salem Kabob and Cedar’s Mediterranean Food.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

An infrared grill. I even put one in my house.

What would you have for your last meal?

I like a good lasagna.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Trattoria Amalfi [in Salem].

What celebrity would you like to see eating at Sevmar Mediterranean Bistro?

Elvis!

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

The marinated grilled chicken.

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

People like to eat fresh food and real ingredients. Every restaurant has hummus now.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I like to cook any food from my garden, [like] green beans, cucumber tomato salads, eggplant and grape leaves.

Taboule
From the kitchen of Gaby Maroun of Sevmar Mediterranean Bistro in Salem

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup extra fine bulgur wheat
2 bunches parsley (about 2 cups, chopped)
2 firm chopped tomatoes
1 chopped red onion
2 ounces freshly chopped mint (or ½ teaspoon dry mint)
Pinch of salt, pepper and allspice

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.


Featured photo: Gaby Maroun, head chef of Sevmar Mediterranean Bistro in Salem. Courtesy photo.

Mexican eats downtown

Alas de Frida now open in Manchester

Since 2015, Maricela Cortes and her husband, Isaac Sacramento, have been serving up authentic Mexican cuisine atEl RincónZacatecano Taquería in Manchester. A new restaurant now open just a few blocks north on Elm Street is serving as the couple’s sister establishment, introducing an eclectic menu of items not available atEl Rincón, in addition to a larger bar space.

It’s called Alas de Frida Mexican Restaurant & Bar, and it’s the newest dining spot to debut downtown. The eatery and bar has taken over the old space of The Birch on Elm, as that restaurant continues renovations in its new home in the former Noodz storefront across the street.

Alas de Frida gets its name from the famous late Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Artwork and quotes from Kahlo are displayed throughout the restaurant and bar’s interior.

“I read a lot about her and [she’s] my inspiration,” Cortes said.

The menu features options that are all fresh and authentic, but it’s nearly completely different from what you’ll find at El Rincón. Perhaps one of the more notable changes is the addition of birria, an item Cortes said she is frequently asked about by customers.

“Over there [at El Rincón], a lot of people are always asking, ‘Do you have birria,’ and I say ‘No,’ and so I wanted to have birria because it’s very popular,” she said.

In fact, the menu includes almost an entire page dedicated to birria dishes. Although traditionally served in Mexico as a goat meat-based stew, Alas de Frida’s birria features slow-simmered barbacoa beef, with onion, cilantro and a cup of consommé, or the stewed broth, for dipping. You can get them as tacos, or try birria-inspired dishes like birria plates with rice and beans, loaded birria nachos or even noodle bowls of birria.

Cortes, who comes from the east-central Mexican state of Puebla, has also added several native dishes to the menu. The mole poblano, for instance, features grilled chicken covered in a mole sauce and roasted sesame seeds and served with a side of rice and corn tortillas. There’s also an appetizer called the Mexican wings, which are tossed in a spicy house sauce made with charcoal-grilled serrano peppers, tomatoes and garlic.

Alas de Frida is open six days a week for lunch and dinner — its lunch specials run the gamut from huevos rancheros and scrambled egg burritos to flautas (filled flour tortillas), quesadillas, enchiladas and fajitas.

Tacos, meanwhile, are served with blue corn tortillas, another new feature Cortes said is exclusive to Alas de Frida. Ground beef, shredded beef or chicken tacos are available a la carte, while other options served three per order include al pastor (marinated pork and grilled pineapple pieces), carnitas (slow-cooked seasoned pork) and vegetarian, with grilled mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, zucchini and squash. Cortes is also working toward soon adding trompo tacos al pastor, featuring meat that’s shaved off a rotating vertical spit.

Alas de Frida’s bar is much larger than its sister restaurant, enabling Cortes to offer an expanded menu of specialty cocktails. There’s a selection of more than a dozen house margaritas, in addition to domestic and imported beers, and pages’ worth of tequilas to choose from. Scratch-made horchatas are also available, as well as a few creative takes on mocktails.

Alas de Frida Mexican Restaurant & Bar
Where: 931 Elm St., Manchester
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, noon to 11 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 9 p.m. Closed on Mondays.
More info: See “Alas de Frida Mexican Restaurant & Bar” on Facebook, find them on Instagram @alasdefrida_nh or call 518-7172

Featured photo: Photos courtesy of Alas de Frida Mexican Restaurant & Bar in Manchester.

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