Christiana Lehman of Brookline is the owner of From Gracie’s Table (fromgraciestable.com), a line of dry rubs, homemade marinades, sweet dry mixes, candied pecans, baked goods and other items, many of which use family recipes she inherited from her late mother. Originally from Groton, Mass., Lehman moved to New Hampshire in the spring of 2020. Earlier this year, with the help of her father, Stephen, she opened Brookline’s Finest (181 Route 13, Brookline, 721-5089, find them on Facebook @brooklinesfinest), an artisan shop featuring a variety of products from vendors in and around town. It has all of her own items under the From Gracie’s Table line, as well as bagged coffees from Milford’s Union Coffee Co., breads from the Teacup Baking Co. of New Ipswich, hydroponic greens from Oasis Springs Farm of Nashua, and cheeses from Abbot Hill Creamery of Wilton. Other non-food items include candles, crafts, photography and more. Lehman also accepts special orders for her baked goods and is looking into adding premade meals to the shop in the future.
What is your must-have kitchen item?
My most used [item] is an apple peeler. It makes my job so much easier, faster and more efficient. I can do an apple pie in 10 minutes.
What would you have for your last meal?
My favorite meal on the planet is hamburgers, mashed potatoes, peas and brown gravy. It’s like Salisbury steak, but without the mushrooms. That, or beef stew. If either of those two is my last meal, I’d be happy.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
The Alamo [Texas BBQ & Tequila Bar in Brookline]. We go there all the time. My kids [ages 6 and 2 1/2] call it Elmo’s, which is really cute.
What celebrity would you like to see visiting your shop?
I have three. They would be Sam Heughan from Outlander, because I am a huge Outlander freak … and then [WWE wrestlers] John Cena and Triple H [Paul Michael Levesque]. … I would die if they walked in.
What is your favorite thing that you offer?
My apple pie is my favorite dessert, by far. I’ve never been able to eat an apple pie from a store in my life. … That’s my No. 1. My No. 2 is the Sweet and Smokin’ rub that I make.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
Farm-to-table, for sure. Especially with Covid, everybody wants to shop local.
What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
Chicken Parm. My chicken Parm recipe is straight from my mom and it has a lot of cheese.
“Oh my!” apple pie
From the kitchen of Christiana Lehman of From Gracie’s Table and Brookline’s Finest
2 pie crusts
8 apples
1 10-ounce container From Gracie’s Table “dry” apple pie mix (includes brown sugar, cane sugar, cornstarch, white flour, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt)
2 Tablespoons butter
Lay out the crust into the bottom of a pan. Peel and chop apples. Mix dry ingredients with apples and butter. Pour seasoned apples into the pie crust. Cover with the other pie crust and pinch the edges together. Make three small slits on the top to vent. Cook at 425 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.
Featured photo: Christiana Lehman. Courtesy photo.