Category: Food

In the kitchen with Lauren Collins-Cline

Lauren Collins-Cline of Bedford is the owner of Slightly Crooked Pies (slightlycrookedpies.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @slightlycrookedpies), offering home-baked pies in a variety of rotating seasonal flavors. The business gets its name from the “crooked kitchen” of Collins-Cline’s 18th-century home, where the oven sits on a sloped floor. Around the holiday season of 2020 and into early 2021 was when Collins-Cline, always an avid pie baker, decided to turn her passion into a business venture. In September she won first place at the New Hampshire Farm Museum’s Great New Hampshire Pie Festival for her Sweater Weather pie, an apple-pear pie with cardamom, cinnamon and vanilla. You can find her regular-sized, miniature and hand-held pies at several local spots, like Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop (815 Chestnut St., Manchester), the farm stand at the Educational Farm at Joppa Hill (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford) and the artisans’ market at the Cider Mill Gallery (24 Francestown Road, New Boston). Slightly Crooked Pies is also accepting Thanksgiving pre-orders through Sunday, Nov. 20, on its website.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

It’s got to be my silicone pastry mat, because nothing sticks to it, it’s easy to clean up and it goes anywhere.

What would you have for your last meal?

The maple bourbon steak tips from Wicked Good Butchah [in Bedford], with corn on the cob and then I’m always torn about whether I would have macaroni salad or potato salad with it. … Then for dessert, strawberry shortcake.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I have favorites for different things, but the restaurant that is the most special to me is The Corner House in Sandwich. My husband and I went there on our first date. … It’s a really charming place. They’ve got a formal dining room and a tavern area and it’s in a 19th-century house.

What celebrity would you like to see trying one of your pies?

A woman named Dori Sanders. She owns a peach farm in South Carolina, and she’s written a few novels … and the most beautiful cookbook I’ve ever read. I use her pie pastry recipe for my crust, and so I would love for her to let me know if I have done her justice.

What is your favorite pie flavor that you offer?

It’s a toss-up between the maple blueberry pie and the Christmas pie [featuring a combination of apples, pecans, cranberries and seasonal spices]. … The Christmas pie is just instant happiness, comfort and joy when I bite into it, and then the maple blueberry tastes like blueberry pancakes, but in pie form. It’s just such a great balance of the senses.

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

Gourmet-level tacos. Wherever you go, I feel like you can find them on a menu. … We love food trucks, so wherever there’s a collection of food trucks, we’re drawn to them and tacos are always the perfect things to get.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I love the challenge of taking a bunch of random assorted items and making a good dinner out of them. … So either creative leftovers, or a Thanksgiving dinner.

Sweater Weather pie
From the kitchen of Lauren Collins-Cline of Slightly Crooked Pies

2 firm pears (D’Anjou or Bartlett varieties are preferred) and a mix of 3 or 4 other baking apples of a similar firmness
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Scant ¼ teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 9-inch pie crusts
1 egg yolk
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cream

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel, core and slice the fruit. Toss in a bowl with sugar and spices and let stand while rolling out the top and bottom crusts. Line a pie pan with one crust and fill with the fruit mixture. Add the top crust, crimping or fluting the top and bottom crusts together along the edge of the pan. Mix the yolk and cream and brush over the pie top. Place in the oven. After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 35 to 40 minutes. The pie will begin to bubble juice and the top should be a golden brown. To keep the filling and edges of the pie from shrinking in the cooling process, turn the oven off when done baking and let the pie sit in the oven for another 10 minutes. Crack the door and let it stand for 10 minutes more before removing to a cooling rack. The pie stores well, covered, at room temperature and is best eaten within four to five days.

Featured photo: Lauren Collins-Cline, owner of Slightly Crooked Pies, based in Bedford. Courtesy photo.

Mangia!

Meet the cooking, singing and dancing Calamari Sisters

Celebrities of Brooklyn, New York’s public access circuit, the duo performing as the Calamari Sisters offer an all-singing, all-dancing, all-cooking live show that mixes culinary tips, demonstrations and tastings with traditional musical numbers and comedy shticks.

Delphine and Carmela Calamari brought their nationwide traveling show to New Hampshire for the first time in May with a performance at Manchester’s Rex Theatre. The audience response and word-of-mouth were so positive that the Sisters are back — they’ll take the stage once again at the Rex on Saturday, Nov. 19, with a matinee at 2 p.m. and an evening show at 7:30 p.m.

The Sisters, who have been performing since 2009, are stars of the Brooklyn public access cable production Mangia Italiano and also regularly post short videos to social media. Each 90-minute show at the Rex — billed as a “musical cooking lesson” — will be packed with family stories, Italian folk dancing and plenty of audience participation with the dishes to be cooked on stage.

Pausing between rehearsals for their Christmas-themed shows in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts next month, Delphine and Carmela recently connected with the Hippo via phone for an interview about their upcoming return to the Queen City.

This past May was your first time coming to New Hampshire. What was the story behind your coming to the Granite State?

Delphine: We’ve always been friends with the great people at the Palace. … The artistic director had seen our show when we were in P-Town [Provincetown, Mass.], where we were, of course, in 2015, ’16 and ’17, during the summer. … So we came [to Manchester] this past time in May and it was such a great experience, because they have that smaller space. Our show is a little bit more intimate than some of the other shows that they do, because it’s just the two of us. … So when they opened the Rex Theatre, it was just perfect for our little show.

Carmela: We’ve been all over the country. I’m not kidding you. We’ve been as far as California, [and] we’ve been to Phoenix, and Wisconsin.

Delphine: I tried to leave her in all of those places, but she always found her way home.

Carmela: But yet, when we came to Manchester, New Hampshire, no one had heard of us.

Delphine: Yeah, and so the word-of-mouth was great. … Everyone was like, ‘You’ve got to come back because I want to bring my friends,’ and so that’s why we came back, just because we wanted to give more people the chance to see us. Because it’s hard to describe the show. It’s not like anything else.

Will audiences recognize the songs and dances?

Delphine: Yes, so some of them are more from the classic songbook of Italian America, so we do “Volare,” we do “Food, Glorious Food,” and we do “Be Our Guest.”

Carmela: We also do a tarantella, which you’ll recognize even if you didn’t know it was called the tarantella. We shake the rafters!

How much audience participation is there during your shows?

Delphine: Oh, quite a bit. So we’re always talking and connecting with the audience, and we do bring them up sometimes.

Carmela: Sometimes we try the food. Sometimes they help us make a dish, if we need an extra pair of hands.

Delphine: It depends on the person and it depends on the dish. … Sometimes they taste, sometimes they help, [or] sometimes we just play games. So it’s very interactive.

What types of dishes do you prepare on stage?

Delphine: We have different ones that we do for different shows, but in this musical show, we do a traditional Italian antipasto and we do a cannoli.

Carmela: We’ve done fried dough on stage, sausage and peppers, [and] we do chicken a la Calamari, which is a secret recipe, and you’re not getting it no matter how much you want it.

Delphine: This one is designed to be more of a pop-up, if you will. … And so, because we are teaching a lesson, we have a chalkboard, some prep tables, aprons, and a good old tambourine, because if you’re going to do a tarantella, you need a tambourine.

Carmela: My favorite is when we do a clambake. Biggest, juiciest clams you’ve ever seen. Oh, so good.

Delphine: Yes, we know New England takes claim on the whole clambake thing. We beg to differ.

What’s your favorite thing about performing these shows?

Delphine: Especially in today’s world, I think we all need more laughter, we need more silliness, and we all need to be able to laugh at ourselves. … And, just being able to be that escape and that outlet to people is my favorite part, because it also just reminds you that things aren’t so bad.

A Musical Cooking Lesson with the Calamari Sisters
When: Saturday, Nov. 19, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Where: The Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester
Cost: Tickets range from $29 to $39, plus fees
Visit: thecalamarisisters.com

Featured photo: Delphine (left) and Carmela Calamari. Courtesy photo.

A feast from your garden

Television chef Mary Ann Esposito presents new cookbook

Chef and University of New Hampshire graduate Mary Ann Esposito isn’t just the host of the longest-running television cooking show in America — she’s also the author of more than a dozen cookbooks, each meant to tie into her series in some way. Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook!, her latest book, scheduled for a Nov. 15 release, continues that theme by focusing on the home vegetable garden, with easy-to-follow planting advice and more than 100 recipes.

Following an exclusive book launch event at The Music Hall Lounge in Portsmouth on release day, Esposito will hold signings and Q&A sessions at Water Street Bookstore in Exeter on Thursday, Nov. 17, and at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord on Friday, Nov. 18. She’s also scheduled to hold a signing at Tuscan Market in Salem on Saturday, Dec. 10 — there, she’ll be accompanied by Tuscan Brands wine director Joseph Comforti for a special wine tasting.

Esposito is the host of the PBS series Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito, which debuted in 1989. Its 30th season — the first to be filmed in front of a live audience, at Tuscan Village’s Scuola Culinaria — recently wrapped up production and is currently airing.

Her 13th book overall, Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook! took Esposito about two years to write, dating back to the early months of the pandemic when Ciao Italia had to suspend production.

“I wanted it to be a dual-purpose book,” she said. “It’s not only a cookbook with all of these wonderful vegetables, but it’s also a simple primer gardening book for anybody who wants to start a garden. But you absolutely do not have to have a garden in order to use this book.”

Esposito divides the book into two sections. The first focuses on cool-weather crops of an early spring garden, such as lettuce, peas, radishes and spinach; that’s followed by a section devoted to summer garden vegetables, from tomatoes and eggplant to peppers, zucchini and others that need heat. Recipes incorporating vegetables in all kinds of traditional Italian dishes are also featured.

“The tomato is the king of the garden, so obviously I have lots of tomato recipes … including, of course, eggplant Parmesan with fresh tomatoes,” Esposito said. “There’s a wonderful recipe for my mother’s upside-down stuffed peppers … and then there’s my Nonna Galasso’s simple tomato sauce. … One of the other recipes I really like is the giardiniera, which translates to pickled vegetables. Any vegetable like carrots, green beans and broccoli will work for pickling.” Recipes, she said, cover every category from antipasti, soups and salads to garden vegetables and herbs added as ingredients in meats, fish, pastas, casseroles and even some desserts.

“I have a raspberry thyme tart using fresh thyme from the garden that’s really good,” she said. “There’s also a cake that is made with the leaves of the rose geranium plant, minced and put into the batter. There are whole leaves that line the pan first before you put the batter in, so that when you turn the cake out you’ve got this beautiful-looking cake embedded with those leaves.”

Esposito said she likes to treat each book signing and Q&A session as though she is having a conversation at someone’s kitchen table. During the Nov. 18 event at Gibson’s Bookstore, she said, her husband Guy — who is also Ciao Italia’s head gardener — will join her.

“Everything I know about vegetable gardening, I learned from him, so he’ll be coming along to probably answer some questions that I might not be able to answer,” she said.

Meet Mary Ann Esposito
Mary Ann Esposito presents Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook! Visit ciaoitalia.com.

• Thurs., Nov. 17, 7 p.m.: Water Street Bookstore, 125 Water St., Exeter (visit waterstreetbooks.com or call 778-9731)
• Fri., Nov. 18, 6:30 p.m.: Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 S. Main St., Concord (visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562)
• Sat., Dec. 10, 11 a.m.: Tuscan Market at Tuscan Village, 9 Via Toscana, Salem (event will also include a wine tasting with Tuscan Market wine director Joe Comforti; visit tuscanbrands.com or call 912-5467)

Three-squash soup with orzo
Courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito; taken from her book Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook! (makes 1 ½ quarts)

bowl of squash soup surrounded by varieties of whole squash
Photo by John W. Hession.

1 2-pound spaghetti squash, cut in half, seeded and cut in half again
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large leeks (white part only), cut in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch to ½-inch moons (about 2 cups)
2 cups large-diced zucchini
2 cups large-diced butternut squash
4 cups tomato juice
1 cup hot water
3½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
¾ cup orzo, ditalini or other small soup pasta
6 to 8 fresh basil leaves, minced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the spaghetti squash quarters cut-side down in a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour in about ¼ inch of water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the squash is very soft (about 30 minutes). When it’s cool enough to handle, scoop the pulp from the shells and transfer it to a food processor or blender. Puree the squash (in batches if necessary) until smooth — there should be about 1½ cups of puree. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use (it can be prepared a day or two ahead if needed). While the squash is baking, melt the butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the leeks, cover and cook for three minutes, stirring a few times. Add the zucchini and butternut squash and stir to evenly mix the vegetables. Cover the pot and cook until the vegetables are cooked through but still retain their shape (about 12 minutes). Stir in the tomato juice, hot water, pureed squash and two teaspoons of the salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, stir in the remaining 1½ teaspoons of salt and the orzo, and cook until the orzo is al dente (about 10 minutes). Drain well, then stir the orzo into the soup. Stir in the basil and serve. (Note: spaghetti squash can be cooked in a microwave oven on high power for five to six minutes per pound. Be sure to pierce the rind before microwaving).

Featured photo: Mary Ann Esposito. Photo by John W. Hession..

The Weekly Dish 22/11/17

News from the local food scene

• Giving thanks: Depending on when you’re reading this, there may still be time to place your takeout order (or make a dine-in reservation) for Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 24. Check out our listings of restaurants and function halls across southern New Hampshire accepting reservations now for everything from special holiday dinners and specials to all-you-can-eat buffets, in addition to eateries, markets and bakeries taking orders for everything you need for your holiday feast. Some businesses are continuing to accept takeout orders for Thanksgiving as of Nov. 17, while other venues are planning special events — St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church (1160 Bridge St., Manchester), for instance, will hold its third annual bake sale and live auction on Saturday, Nov. 19, featuring several homemade Greek pastries available for sale. The dine-in and takeout listings for Thanksgiving respectively begin on pages 22 and 23 of the Hippo’s Nov. 10 issue — go to issuu.com/hippopress to read and download the e-edition for free.

• For the wine lover: Join the YMCA Allard Center of Goffstown (116 Goffstown Back Road) for its weekly Holiday Food & Arts Market, which kicks off on Saturday, Nov. 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and will continue every Saturday through Dec. 17. Each event in the series features a different menu of lunch items and baked goods, along with a unique selection of themed crafts, all to benefit the Y’s Center for Older Adults. This weekend’s market will feature all kinds of wine lovers’ decor and accessories, in addition to a variety of comfort foods. See the event page on Facebook @yallardcenter for more details.

• Say cheese, raise a glass: The bi-weekly Cheese & Corks tastings at Local Baskit (10 Ferry St., Suite 120A, Concord) continue on Wednesday, Nov. 30, and Wednesday, Dec. 14, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Featuring Kristy Ammann of Dole & Bailey — formerly the owner of Butter’s Fine Food & Wine in Concord — and Ambra Kash of Crush Wine & Spirits, the series includes “a series of wine and cheese chats to prepare you for holiday entertaining or cozy winter nights,” according to the event flier. The Nov. 30 tasting will cover New Hampshire-made cheeses to be paired with wines from around the world, while the Dec. 14 event will feature sparkling wines and creamy cheeses. Admission is free. Visit localbaskit.com.

• Get brewing: Tickets are available now for the fourth annual New Hampshire Craft Brew Conference & Tradeshow, to be held at the Executive Court Banquet Facility (1199 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester) on Monday, Jan. 23, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Presented by the New Hampshire Brewers Association, the event is jam-packed full of educational seminars, networking opportunities and an expansive tradeshow for all those who are passionate about joining the craft brewing industry. It’s also designed to be relevant to everyone working at breweries or in the hospitality industry, whether it’s in brewing, sales, front of the house operations, suppliers or marketing. A continental breakfast and luncheon, as well as light refreshments and a “Hoppy” Hour celebration with several local beers on tap, are available to all attendees. See nhbrewers.org to learn more.

Apple parfait

It is almost “eating season”, which is what I call the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. It seems that every weekend, as well as a good number of weekdays, is filled with food-centric events. While it’s fun to indulge, I also try to keep things healthy. All that being said, I still crave a sweet treat. That’s where these parfaits become the answer.

These apple parfaits are really healthy and incredibly easy to make. Even better, they can help use all the apples you have left from your orchard trip earlier this fall. Any apple will work; base your recipe on the variety you prefer or whatever you have on hand. I used brown sugar in this recipe to add a caramel note, but if you’re in a pinch, granulated sugar will work. Vanilla yogurt is key to this recipe, as it adds sweetness without overpowering the apples. Greek vanilla yogurt is my preferred option, as it makes for a richer parfait. You can substitute regular vanilla yogurt, if needed.

The most difficult decision for this recipe is what container you use. I served mine in brandy snifters, but there are so many options. Half-pint canning jars, martini glasses or wine glasses could be used. If at all possible, use a clear dish so you can see the layers.

Now you have a beautiful, healthy way to quench those dessert cravings!

Apple parfait
Makes 4

3 medium-sized apples peeled, cored and diced
1½ tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2⅔ cups vanilla Greek yogurt

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add apples, and sauté for 1 minute.
Add sugar and cinnamon, and sauté for an additional minute.
Transfer apples to a plate to cool, about 10 minutes.
Place ⅓ cup yogurt in the bottom of each individual serving container.
Place ⅛ of cooked apples in each glass.
Add ⅓ cup yogurt to each glass.
Top with remaining apples.

Featured Photo: Apple parfait. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

In the kitchen with Dylan Richardson

Dylan Richardson of Henniker is the owner of Let’s Get Cupcaked (letsgetcupcaked.com, and on Facebook and Instagram), a home business specializing in hand-crafted cupcakes in a variety of flavors, in addition to some special-order cakes and other desserts. Cupcake flavors have included everything from carrot cake and chocolate peanut butter to Oreo, German chocolate, maple bacon and more. Gluten-free and dairy-free cupcakes are also available upon request. Earlier this year Richardson began holding cupcake pop-ups at Henniker Brewing Co. (129 Centervale Road), where he’ll usually offer a rotating menu of homemade cupcake flavors. He also recently participated in a beer flight and cupcake pairing at Rockingham Brewing Co. in Derry. Future pop-ups and other appearances are regularly posted to the Let’s Get Cupcaked Facebook page.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

In-hand, it’s my rubber spatula. Those are the most versatile and useful things. … I always feel that a good music playlist is a must-have. I just feel like if you’re a happy baker, then you have happy cakes.

What would you have for your last meal?

A Buffalo chicken mac and cheese pizza. It hits every spot that you can think of. … If we’re talking dessert, it would be a slice of cherry pie and a cup of black coffee.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Every Friday my fiancee and I have date night and we always like to go to Strange Brew [Tavern] in Manchester. … Great food and live music, and it’s just a fun place to hang out and soak in the atmosphere.

What celebrity would you like to see trying one of your cupcakes?

That’s a no-brainer. Paul Hollywood, for sure. The Great British Bake Off is one of my favorite shows. It really kind of sparks my interest in trying new things, and just gets me out of my comfort zone with baking.

What is your favorite cupcake flavor that you offer?

Oddly enough, my carrot cake is really well-received. I don’t know why. … I actually wasn’t a big fan of carrot cake when I was younger, but I’ve really fallen in love with my carrot cake recipe, and everyone seems to really enjoy it too.

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

I mean, it’s definitely been around as a trend for a couple of years now, but I’d say that food trucks are still going strong. You see them at breweries, at craft fairs and local food marts and all that kind of stuff.

What is your favorite thing to make at home?

When I was a kid, my grandmother would always make cherry cheesecakes in these little muffin tins. Every time we would go over to her house, those were there. … And so, I’ve adapted that recipe, and it’s a nice easy little snack that lasts for a week in the fridge.

Chocolate peanut butter cupcakes
From the kitchen of Dylan Richardson of Let’s Get Cupcaked

¾ cup all purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large room-temperature eggs
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
⅓ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup room temperature buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating, mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients in separate bowls. Pour your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients and mix on a low to medium speed (do not over mix, or your cakes will be light and fluffy). Fill cupcake liners about two-thirds full with cupcake mixture and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until you can pull a toothpick out of the cake without residue on it. Cool, using a cooling rack for the best results, and so they don’t over bake in the warm tray. Frost only when cool.

For the peanut butter buttercream:
1 cup unsalted butter (soft)
3 ½ cups confectioners sugar
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅓ cup peanut butter

Place butter into a mixing bowl and mix until creamy (no lumps). Adding one cup at a time, place confectioners sugar into the bowl and mix thoroughly. Mix in the heavy cream, salt, vanilla extract and peanut butter, on high speed until fluffy. (Optional: add extra peanut butter or confectioners sugar to the mixture to achieve desired flavor and consistency). Top buttercream onto the cupcake. For extra flavor and aesthetic, finish with shavings of Baker’s chocolate bar.

Featured photo: Dylan Richardson of Let’s Get Cupcaked. Courtesy photo.

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