Mini pumpkin whoopie pies

The season of eating has begun! Or at least in my eyes it has. Halloween kicks off a series of holidays and parties that are food-centric. Why not add a fall-themed recipe to the list of treats you can make to share at these gatherings?

These whoopie pies are really quite simple to make — not much more effort is required than in making a batch of cookies. However, a tray of these mini whoopie pies garners much more attention than a plate of cookies. Trust me.

When making these whoopie pies there are a couple items of note. First, make sure you buy canned pumpkin puree. You don’t want pie filling, which will be too sweet, and you don’t want to use fresh pumpkin. Fresh pumpkin sounds nice, but it takes a lot more time to cook it, and it probably won’t be as smooth as the canned version. Second, when baking the cakes, if you don’t trust your judgment when testing their springiness, you also can use a cake tester or toothpick. If it comes out clean, the cakes are done. Don’t overbake the cakes; you want them to be moist.

Michele Pesula Kuegler has been thinking about food her entire life. Since 2007, the New Hampshire native has been sharing these food thoughts and recipes at her blog, Think Tasty. Visit thinktasty.com to find more of her recipes.

Mini pumpkin whoopie pies
Makes 15

Cakes
½ cup unsalted butter, melted & cooled
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1½ cups canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1⅔ cups all-purpose flour

Filling
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
1¾ cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place ½ cup butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, and beat with paddle attachment on speed 2 until smooth.
Add egg, mixing until fully incorporated on speed 2.
Add pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ground cloves, baking powder, baking soda and salt, mixing well on speed 2.
Use a spatula to scrape down the sides, and mix again.
Add flour, mixing on low; scrape sides with spatula and mix until fully blended.
Scoop approximately 1½ tablespoons batter, spaced evenly, onto baking sheet.
Bake for 18 minutes or until cakes spring back when touched.
Allow to cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet.
Transfer to baking rack to cool completely.

To assemble
In a stand mixer cream together the cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter on speed 2 for about 4 minutes.
Add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix on low speed until combined.
Spread the flat side of 15 cooled cakes with the cream cheese frosting.
Top each with another cake.

Photo: Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

In the kitchen with Trina Bird

Trina Bird of Goffstown is the owner of the Bird Food Baking Co. (birdfoodbaking.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @birdfoodbakingco), a homestead business she launched earlier this year specializing in multiple unique flavors of artisan doughnuts, as well as cookies, cinnamon rolls, cupcakes and other pastries. A former baker at The Black Forest Cafe in Amherst, Bird now accepts custom orders and works with multiple local businesses to sell her baked goods, including the Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester), Apotheca Flowers (24 Main St., Goffstown) and Revelstoke Coffee (100 N. Main St., Concord). Custom orders can be placed with a preferred two-week notice.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

My offset spatula.

What would you have for your last meal?

Pizza. If I had to pick one … it would be a white pizza.

What celebrity would you like to see trying something that you’ve baked?

Jason Momoa, because I love him and he brings me so much joy.

What is your favorite thing that you bake?

Definitely my doughnuts. After pizza, doughnuts are my favorite food. … I do flavors like maple bacon, Nutella, creme brulee, pumpkin, apple, glazed … [and] I just did a chicken and waffle one last week that was a pretty big hit.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Right now, I’d say my favorite is Surfside Burger Bar, over in Meredith. They are amazing. Every single thing on their menu is so good, and the vibe is so cool.

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

Taking something that’s average and doing something extra. … One of my favorite places that does that is Industry East Bar [in Manchester], with their hot dogs. They did a crab rangoon one and I lost my mind. That was my favorite.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I make a really killer chicken noodle soup.

“Any cereal” Krispie treats
From the kitchen of Trina Bird of the Bird Food Baking Co. in Goffstown

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
8 cups marshmallows
2 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups cereal (Rice Krispies, Fruity Pebbles, Lucky Charms, or any cereal of choice)
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Line an 8×8- or 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper and nonstick spray. In a large pot over medium heat, brown the butter and stir in the eight cups of marshmallows until just melted. Remove from the heat, add the cereal and salt and stir until just coated. Fold in the remaining two cups of mini marshmallows. Press the mix into your pan and let it set. Cut into squares to share and serve.

Featured photo: Trina Bird. Courtesy photo.

Celebrations to remember

Bedford’s Boho Pop-Up Picnic offers luxury picnic setups

A new business based in Bedford is aiming to take away the stress of planning a special event while turning celebrations into uniquely customizable experiences.

Boho Pop-Up Picnic — short for “bohemian,” which is the style of the company’s locally built picnic tables — is owned and operated by Tanya Tobin and her husband, Matt. Since their launch earlier this year, the couple has provided elevated picnic setups for events large and small with all kinds of themes and add-ons to fit the occasion. They’ll also often partner with local businesses for small food enhancements like cakes, cupcakes and charcuterie boards.

Tobin, who has always had a passion for the holidays and for hosting events, said she became inspired after following other similar luxury picnic setup concepts out on the West Coast.

“I hadn’t seen anything like this on the East Coast and in New Hampshire, so I wanted to bring it to this area,” she said. “It has had a bigger and quicker response than I anticipated. … I’ve found that a lot of people either didn’t know about it or they came across it during a search of trying to find ways to celebrate an anniversary or a birthday or a bridal or baby shower.”

Whether it’s a romantic indoor or outdoor picnic for two or a more involved gathering in a public park, Tobin has handled it all. Inquiries can be filled out on Boho Pop-Up Picnic’s website.

A standard picnic setup would include low sitting tables and all plates, utensils, placemats and napkins, plus any wine glasses, baskets, and small chalkboards with a custom written message. Umbrellas, fresh flowers, bar carts, cornhole sets and ice buckets can be added too.

“They tell me what the theme is, and I try to incorporate their idea the best that I can to match what’s being celebrated,” Tobin said. “I do the setup about an hour before the event, and then they have the event for two hours. Then I pick up and clean up everything after.”

Tobin has also formed relationships with local bakeries like Frederick’s Pastries, Queen City Cupcakes and the Bearded Baking Co., as well as 603 Charcuterie and The Grazing State, which offer customizable charcuterie boards and boxes to go. Personal snack-sized charcuterie boxes, boxed waters or seltzers are provided to each member of the party.

While many of the more specialized picnics take place at clients’ homes, Tobin has done setups in public places. A recent picnic she organized overlooked Lake Massabesic in Manchester, and she’s also travelled to the Seacoast to put together picnics by the beach.

You don’t even need to wait for someone’s birthday or baby shower to come up either, as Tobin offers a few of her own preset picnic themes. The “Game Day” pop-up, for instance, is football-themed with a faux green grass football field table runner and a mini chalkboard scoreboard, while the “Popcorn & Movie Night” pop-up, available for up to four hours, features a popcorn machine, a movie projector and a 10-foot screen all provided by Tobin herself. She has also done sleepover pop-up parties for kids that will often have themes of their own.

Indoor and outdoor events can still be booked both now and during peak dates early next year.

Boho Pop-Up Picnic

Visit bohopopuppicnic.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @bohopopuppicnicnh to submit an event inquiry.

Featured photo: Photos courtesy of Tanya Tobin.

Clams on wheels

Former Clam Haven owner returns with new seafood truck

Lobster Roll

For more than three decades Derry native Rick Metts owned and operated Clam Haven, a seasonal takeout eatery that has served generations of fried seafood lovers since 1954. Now, after passing the Clam Haven torch on to Lisa DeSisto of Rig A Tony’s in early 2020, Metts has returned to the local food scene with his newest business venture.

It’s called the One Happy Clam food truck, and more than a catchy play on words, its name perfectly suits Metts, who views the experience as a new chapter of a career doing what he loves. The truck officially hit the road last month and has made appearances at several spots across Derry and Londonderry since then, its menu items featuring the culinary prowess of Metts, with his children, grandchildren and wife of 45 years all helping out.

“I had talked about possibly doing a food truck … [and] had done a lot of research and spent a lot of the time my last few years at Clam Haven planning it,” Metts said. “My wife and I took a trip down to Florida. … We went to a couple of food truck builders down there, looked at what it would cost and came back home with lots of ideas.”

He found what would become One Happy Clam, a truck with a nearly brand new kitchen built out in mid-2019, through a private seller on Facebook Marketplace.

Grilled Cheese with Lobster

In many ways Metts has simply picked up where he left off — he’s using the same seafood suppliers he has been in touch with since his first season at Clam Haven back in 1987. Each and every menu item is made to order, and while it’s a scaled back version of what Metts cooked at the restaurant, you’ll still find many of his tried and true staples here, from lobster rolls with mayonnaise or butter to whole belly clam rolls and fried haddock sandwiches.

“We tried a new item that’s called a clam cake down in Rhode Island, but basically everywhere else it’s called a fritter,” Metts said. “It’s just a fried dough ball and I put bacon in it.”

Other options have included fried pickles, chicken tenders, burgers and lobster grilled cheeses, and Metts is looking into adding a few more seafood dishes like shrimp rolls and fish and chips.

While he hasn’t yet found a regular spot to park the truck, Metts said his goal is to eventually get into a routine, cooking at four or five designated locations in and around Derry and Londonderry while also scheduling some private catering jobs.

“It’s been a good experience so far, not being tied to a brick and mortar,” he said. “If I can get four or five years out of this, I can walk away and go do something else.”

One Happy Clam food truck

Follow owner Rick Metts on Facebook @onehappyclam and on Instagram @1happyclam for updates, or email him at richardmmetts@gmail.com.

Featured photo: Rick Metts. All photos courtesy of One Happy Clam.

The Weekly Dish 21/11/04

News from the local food scene

Fire up your immunity: Learn to make fire cider during one of two upcoming workshops at the Beaver Brook Nature Center’s Brown Lane Barn (52 Brown Lane, Hollis) on either Sunday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to noon, or Thursday, Nov. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. Fire cider is a traditional New England remedy and preventive medicine made with apple cider, honey, garlic, onions, ginger and horseradish, an immune stimulant that’s also a great added flavor to salads, stir-fries and veggies. Participants in each class will learn about the history of vinegar and honey remedies, then taste and fire cider to take home. Ingredients are provided — you bring your own grater, cutting board, knife, vegetable peeler and measuring cup. Masks are required when indoors, regardless of vaccination status. The cost is $22 for Beaver Brook Association members and $25 for non-members. Visit beaverbrook.org.

Turning the page: The Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester) has partnered with Restoration Cafe owner Tom Puskarich to reimagine the store’s food and drink menu. According to a press release, Puskarich now operates the Bookery’s cafe as a satellite location for his brand, allowing the store to shift its business model and focus exclusively on sourcing books, gifts and cards, and hosting community events. “Tom was instrumental in the build-out of the kitchen and has come full circle as he now operates in the kitchen he envisioned,” Bookery owner Liz Hitchcock said in a statement. Menu options include a variety of grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, pastries and snacks, many of which are rotated out weekly, as well as coffees, teas and espresso drinks. Visit bookerymht.com/cafe-menu.

Farmers market news: The Deering Winter Market is set to return on Friday, Nov. 5, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Deering Fish & Game Club (Fish & Game and Long Woods roads, Deering), with both new and returning vendors selling items like baked goods, jellies, jams, eggs, milk, maple products and more. Markets in Milford, Contoocook and Concord, meanwhile, are all scheduled to resume their indoor seasons this week. The Milford Farmers Market begins inside the Milford Town Hall Auditorium (1 Union Square, Milford) on Saturday, Nov. 6, and will continue every other Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., through April 9 (except for Jan. 1). The Contoocook Farmers Market also moves indoors beginning Saturday, Nov. 6, to Maple Street Elementary School (194 Maple St., Contoocook) — that market will take place every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon through the winter. The Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market returns on Saturday, Nov. 6, as well, continuing at 7 Eagle Square in the Capital City every week from 9 a.m. to noon through April.

NHLC recognized: The New Hampshire Liquor Commission has been nominated for Retailer of the Year in Wine Enthusiast magazine’s 22nd annual Wine Star Awards, according to a press release. Each year the publication honors individuals and retailers from around the world for their contributions to the wine and alcohol beverage industry. Winners will be announced in the magazine’s Best of Year issue and celebrated at an annual event in February 2022. The NHLC, according to the release, also received two national awards from StateWaysmagazine in the 2021 Control State Best Practices Awards and was recently named one of the Top 10 retailers in the country by Beverage Dynamics for the second time.

The Trick or Treat Margarita

There’s a guy who lives about a block over who goes all out for Halloween — the one who puts cobwebs all over his front porch and hides speakers, so he can play moans, or the sound of clanking chains, or Alice in Chains, or something similarly unnerving. There will be fake gravestones all over his front yard, and maybe a mottled, fiberglass hand forcing itself out from the ground. This was the guy who rigged a 15-foot tube from his second-floor window last year to slide candy to trick-or-treaters.

That seems like it would be exhausting.

And there’s the family down the street who dress up in themed costumes every year. Dad might be Chef Boyardee, Mom is a sexy can opener or something, the toddler is covered in tangled yarn and is spaghetti, and the baby is a meatball.

Seriously, there’s not enough therapy in the world to make that worthwhile.

There are the kids in their 20s at work who have been spending the last few weeks putting together extremely niche costumes to wear to excessively hip parties:

“No, you wouldn’t have heard of her — she’s a really obscure secondary character from Hello Kitty, but the joke is, I’m telling everyone that I’m wearing Korean underwear, but I’m not actually wearing ANY underwear!”

Presumably there will be a lot of drinking and associated lifelong regrets involved. That sort of thing is behind you; you promised yourself, “never again” after the Battlestar Galactica debacle of 2010.

So, what’s your role in Halloween this year?

Judging a reality competition show.

What you will need:

• 2 lawn chairs

• a best friend

• candy

• raspberry margaritas (See below.)

The object of the game is to pretend each trick-or-treater is a contestant on a costume competition show. You are the judges and neither of you entirely understands the rules. You can greet each kid with a slightly bewildering compliment:

“Batman! The little-black-dress of the costume world! You pull it off effortlessly, darling!”

“Charizard! Pokémon is so last season, but you make it work. I choose you, Little Man!”

To a parent: “Are you her manager? Make sure she gets this outfit trademarked.”

To the teenager with a pillowcase and no costume: “I’m sorry, we’re going to have to send you home this week. The others just wanted it more.”

Will the children be amused?

Not even remotely.

Will you and your friend?

More with each successive margarita.

Raspberry Margarita

2 ounces blanco tequila – I like Hornito’s for this.

1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

1 ounce raspberry syrup (See below.)

Combine all ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker.

Shake enthusiastically.

Serve in whatever glass you feel like, from a standard martini glass, to a rocks glass, to a vintage Flinstones jelly jar.

The beauty of this drink is that while it is blood-red and seasonally spooky-looking, it is a straightforward margarita. There are only three ingredients, and it takes about 30 seconds to make. The bracing, smoky, slightly musky taste of tequila is balanced by the sweetness of the raspberry syrup. The raspberry flavor gives this drink a fruity roundness, without ever making it candy-like. If you want candy, you’ve got a giant, plastic bowl of it next to you.

Raspberry Syrup

Frozen raspberries

White sugar

Combine a bag of grocery store frozen raspberries with an equal amount (by weight) of sugar in a small saucepan.

Cook over medium heat. As the berries thaw, the sugar will pull out a surprising amount of juice.

Bring to a boil. Boil for 15 to 20 seconds to make sure all the sugar has dissolved.

Let the mixture cool, then strain it through a fine-meshed strainer. It will keep in the refrigerator for a month or so.

Featured photo: The Trick or Treat Margarita. Photo by John Fladd.

Ribs and wine

Add a fire pit and you have a party

The color of fall is all about us. The sun is bright and the sky is blue. This weather welcomes fall sports and backyard gatherings and tailgating. Yes, it is cool, and sometimes a bit blustery, but we still welcome the opportunity to relax for an afternoon or evening with friends and great barbecue fare paired to robust wines.

This last week we hosted a very small group of friends in our backyard to relax and exchange stories of happenings since our last get-together a month ago. We told them all to dress warmly as we will gather around the table, lit by an old Coleman propane camping light, adjacent to the fire pit. It was great.

So what is an appropriate menu for a fall backyard party? Something hearty like barbecued ribs with cornbread, along with sides of vegetable salads and pasta. Our recipe for ribs is a variation on the classic. In addition to the ketchup, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce, we add ginger and lemon for a clean, tart flavor that is softened with the addition of orange juice. Our cornbread comes from a recipe of Blanchard’s Caribbean Cornbread a close friend found online. It is incredibly rich with butter, corn and cheese. This fare goes well beyond a summer barbecue menu. It is hearty and needs wines that will stand up to it: zinfandels and syrahs.

Our first wine is the 7 Deadly Zins, a 2017 old-vine vintage from Lodi, available at the New Hampshire Wine & Liquor Stores (originally priced at $18.99, reduced to $13.99). This wine is blended from seven Old Vine zinfandels. According to their website, the wine “was born from a Catholic school upbringing and the winemaker’s lust for a hedonistically seductive wine.” Seven specific vineyards were chosen for this wine, all located in the Lodi AVA (American Viticultural Area). The zinfandel grapes are blended with a touch of petite syrah, then aged in American oak for 11 months. The color is dark red to purple, with lots of rich, red berry fruit to the nose. The oak imparts a touch of leather or tannins to the tongue with layers of plum, currants and toffee, all ending in a long slightly spicy finish.

Lodi is in the northern reaches of the San Joaquin Valley, east of San Francisco. The AVA, of more than 500,000 acres, of which more than 100,000 acres are planted, is best known for its old vine zinfandel. However, with its warm “Mediterranean-like” climate of hot days and cool nights, Lodi also produces large quantities of merlot, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc.

Our second wine comes from “across the pond” in the Rhône River Valley of France. Jean-Luc Colombo 2016 Terres Brulées Cornas Syrah (available at the New Hampshire Wine & Liquor Stores, originally priced at $57.99, reduced to $29.99) has been given a rating of 95 points by Wine Enthusiast and 92 points by Wine Spectator. This is a wine that all but asks to be picked up now and cellared, because it will continue to improve for another five or more years. The color is a thick ruby black with purple hints. To the nose there is plenty of fruit that continues to the tongue with ripe cassis, or black currant, and black cherry notes. Just as with the nose, to the tongue the fruit is intense, a bit of vanilla, along with moderate tannins. This wine will age well into the future.

The winemaker team of Jean-Luc and Anne Colombo have a background in pharmaceutical science and a passion for the syrah grape. The wine is made from vines that are over 30 years old from 20 different vineyards. Aged for 21 months in oak barrels, the wine is fined with egg whites and bottled unfiltered.

So don’t put the yard furniture away just yet. We still have sunny days and plenty of opportunity to get together with family and friends to enjoy the cooler weather with hearty fare paired to rich, hearty wines. Grab a blanket and light that fire pit to enjoy the moment into the evening.

Featured photo: Photo by Fred Matuszewski.

Creamy carrot soup

Not only does this time of year mark the start of baking season; it also marks the start of soup season. While there are times that I want a soup that is quick to make, there are other days where I want a soup that simmers all afternoon. Nothing helps a day feel less chilly than something simmering on the stove, right?

This soup was created for the simmer-all-afternoon category. However, if you want to serve it on a weeknight, you can break the recipe into two parts. Do the slow simmering phase on a weekend day when you have some free time. Then, on the night it is to be served, simply take that broth you created and finish the recipe in under an hour. The most important thing is not to skip the slow simmering phase and replace it with store-bought stock. The stock that you are creating for this recipe is so flavorful that it is worth the effort.

Once you have your cooking plan ready, you can consider how you will serve the soup. I created this recipe with the thought that it makes a fine side-dish soup. Pair it with a sandwich (grilled cheese, chicken salad, or whatever you prefer) for something more filling, or a salad if you are eating lighter. However, it could become a main dish soup with the addition of some protein. Add some diced, cooked chicken breast or crumbled chorizo, and you have a fairly hearty soup.

No matter how you make or serve this soup, it is bound to be a new fall favorite.

Michele Pesula Kuegler has been thinking about food her entire life. Since 2007, the New Hampshire native has been sharing these food thoughts and recipes at her blog, Think Tasty. Visit thinktasty.com to find more of her recipes.

New & improved creamy carrot soup
Serves 4

6 cups water
1 sweet onion, quartered
4 celery stalks, quartered
6 garlic cloves
4 large carrots, ends trimmed & quartered
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Ground black pepper
7 large carrots, peeled & cubed
½ cup whole milk

Combine water, onion, celery, garlic, 4 carrots, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large pot.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low.
Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
Strain broth with a fine mesh sieve, and return broth to pot.
Add 7 peeled and cubed carrots to broth, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cook for 10-12 minutes or until carrots are tender.
Allow broth to cool for 30 minutes.
Puree broth and carrots in small batches, or use immersion blender to puree.
Return puree to pot.
Simmer on low for 10 minutes.
Stir in milk.
Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Photo: New, improved creamy carrot soup. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

In the kitchen with Steve Burke

Steve Burke of Salem is the owner of B’s Grumman Grub (bsgrummangrub@gmail.com, and on Facebook @bsgrummangrub), a food truck offering comfort items like chili, burgers, wraps, subs, breakfast sandwiches, chicken finger dinners and more. An auto mechanic and garage manager by trade, Burke first got into the local food scene when he owned Steve’s Dirty Dawgs, a hot dog cart known for its loaded chili dogs. He found the truck that would become B’s Grumman Grub through a family friend, naming it after the Grumman vehicle manufacturer, and built it out over the course of a few years. The truck regularly appears at the Derry-Salem Elks Club (39 Shadow Lake Road, Salem) on Thursday evenings, and is available to book for private events of all sizes. Burke will also be attending the final date of the Pelham Farmers Market, on Saturday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the First Congregational Church of Pelham (3 Main St.).

What is your must-have kitchen item?

It’s got to be a spatula, because we’re always on the grill flipping burgers, steak and cheeses and things like that.

What would you have for your last meal?

A hot Italian sausage sub with onions, peppers and Tabasco sauce.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

The only restaurant we ever really eat at is [New] Chief Wok, right here in Salem. … I’ve got to have the egg rolls, and I really like the lo mein as well.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

I love my chili, since that’s kind of what started it all. … I also really like the chicken fajita wrap, which was something that my wife came up with.

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

I’m going to say Adam Sandler. I just feel like he would be a food truck type of guy.

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

It’s obvious to me that food trucks are the thing right now. They are everywhere. … Even before Covid, they were just blowing up and you see them more and more. Now people want them at their weddings, their graduation parties, their birthday parties, you name it.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I really like a good tomato grilled cheese sandwich with extra sharp cheddar, beefsteak tomato, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

Homemade chili
From the kitchen of Steve Burke of B’s Grumman Grub in Salem

1 24-ounce can Hunt’s four-cheese sauce
1 24-ounce can red kidney beans (do not rinse)
1 12-ounce can baked beans
1 pound ground beef (cook and add with the fat; do not drain)
2 hot Italian sausages, cooked and sliced into half moons
2 medium white onions, cut into thin strips
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 chili pepper, sliced thin and diced
2 Tablespoons chili powder

Cook in a slow cooker on high to get it to temperature, then reduce to low and cook for six hours. Stir often and season to your liking. Add a pinch of garlic powder or Frank’s Red Hot to taste (optional). Add water if you like a thinner chili.

Featured photo: Steve Burke. Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 21/10/28

News from the local food scene

More drive-thru Greek eats: If you missed the gyro and baklava pop-up at St. Philip Church in Nashua last week, Assumption Greek Orthodox Church (111 Island Pond, Manchester) will hold its next drive-thru food fest on Saturday, Oct. 30, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Orders are being accepted for dinners of either dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves) with avgolemono sauce, or baked penne Parmesan, as well as cheese or spinach petas, baklava and koulourakia. This event is online pre-order and pickup only (stay in your car; no walk-ins). Order by Oct. 28. Visit foodfest.assumptionnh.org or call 623-2941.

Fall, food and flannel: Throw on your favorite flannel shirt and head to The Barn at Bull Meadow (63 Bog Road) for the fourth annual Fall Festivus, a sampling event happening on Thursday, Nov. 4, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. One of the main fundraisers for the Junior Service League of Concord, Fall Festivus features a wide variety of craft beers, appetizers and desserts from area breweries and restaurants. Both sweet and savory items will be on the menu, from Buffalo chicken bites, brisket burnt ends and macaroni and cheese to mini cannolis, apple cider doughnuts and more. An evening of live music is also planned, in addition to a silent auction with a chance to win all kinds of prizes. Tickets are $35 per person at the door (event is 21+ only), with proceeds going to the Junior Service League of Concord, a volunteer organization supporting women and children in crisis. Visit jslconcord.org/events-cfvg, or, for more details on the event, check out our story on page 30 of the Hippo’s Oct. 21 issue.

Holiday feasts: Join LaBelle Winery for its next “cooking with wine” classes, which will specialize in Thanksgiving recipes. Classes are scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 3, at the winery’s Amherst location (345 Route 101), and Wednesday, Nov. 10, at its Derry location (14 Route 111), from 6 to 7 p.m. each evening. Participants will learn how to make a variety of seasonal items perfect for a holiday feast, including cranberry cocktails, spiced cranberry sauce, apricot sage stuffing and autumn dessert favorites, and will also learn how to wet and dry brine a turkey. Wines will be either paired or prepared with each food item. Admission is $32.70 per person, including taxes, and pre-registration is required. Visit labellewinery.com.

Greek eats and ABBA: Get your tickets now for a Mamma Mia! Greek dinner party, happening at Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Pelham (150 Bridge St.) on Sunday, Nov. 14. The doors will open at 6 p.m. with a five-course meal of authentic Greek options from Ya Mas Greek Taverna & Bar, whose chef will be taking over the kitchen for the evening. The eatery, which opened last year just down the street from the movie theater, imports about 40 percent of all of its foods directly from Greece, and also partners with local farms to offer its unique menu items. Following the meal will be a screening of Mamma Mia! The Movie at 7 p.m. Tickets are $75 and include the dinner and the movie. There will also be vegetarian and VIP wine pairing options. Visit chunkys.com/film/greek-dinner-party-mamma-mia.

Ancient Fire closing: After nearly four years in business, Manchester’s Ancient Fire Mead & Cider will be closing its doors by the end of the year. “The pandemic ultimately got us,” read a recent statement from owners Jason and Margot Phelps on Ancient Fire’s website and social media pages. “The pandemic has been tough on everyone financially and psychologically … but the timing and sustained challenges have created a much riskier future proposition for us and our fledgling business, more risky than we have the appetite for right now.” According to the statement, Ancient Fire’s tap room hours will stay as they are into November, with the goal to complete table service and retail sales before mid-December. Ancient Fire opened in March 2018, offering a rotating lineup of ciders and draft and dessert meads. Visit ancientfirewines.com to read the full closing announcement.

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