My wife and I gather monthly for “wine dinners” with friends. As one would expect, the recurring event has a history that evolved over time. It began well before the pandemic hit when Tek Nique held monthly dinners, pairing selected wines with a five-course dinner. It was a great opportunity to learn about a line of wines and how the chef interpreted the wines, pairing them with exquisite American gourmet cuisine. The restaurant closed and the pandemic turned the world on end, but the camaraderie of the group remained strong. During the pandemic, there were any number of Zoom sessions with wine distributors selecting wines the group tasted and then critiqued over the joint Zoom meeting. During the months with fair weather, we gathered for “patio parties” with themes selected by the hosts. This month, we will host the group. We will serve La Paella.
Paella is one of the first things that comes to mind in Spanish cuisine. Its origins lie along the Mediterranean coast in Valencia and Catalonia. Paella is all about the rice — it must be a short-grain rice, high in starch. The best rice to use is bomba if you can find it; I use arborio, a close second. Next in importance is the pan. Paella must be cooked over high heat, uncovered, in a shallow pan. The ingredients in a paella can be a multitude, but the key ingredient is the sofrito, a sauté of vegetables, including onion, garlic, sometimes peppers, but always tomatoes. Olive oil, pimentón, and that element that defines paella, saffron! Beyond that, paella can be vegetarian, Valenciana (seafood and beans instead of rice), or my favorite, a mixed poultry and seafood paella.
What kind of wine do you pair with such rich and varied flavors, with the minerality that saffron imparts? First, I am a strong believer in cooking with wine, and it need not necessarily be added to the food! There are many wonderful cavas produced in northern Spain.
Segura Viudas Cava Brut (available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets for $14.99, reduced to $12.99) has a wonderful light, almost transparent color of straw. The vineyard has made history for 800 years and is one of the most awarded brands in wine and cava tasting, nationally and internationally. Made from 50 percent macabeo, 30 percent xarel-lo and 20 percent parellacia grapes, the wine has an elegant and persistent nose of tiny bubbles, delivering an aroma of dried white peaches, citrus, a bit of honey, and floral notes. It has a long, dry finish, luring you on to sip more and more while you prepare your sofrito.
For those who want something “light and bright” I suggest two whites. The Duquesa de Valladoid Rueda (available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets for $16.99, reduced to $14.99) has a pale straw color, with slight green hues. On the nose there are herbal aromas with hints of citrus flowers and minerality. Fresh and crisp on the palate, it features the acidity characteristic of the verdejo grape. It is akin to sauvignon blanc, but better. The other comes in a very colorful bottle: The Bodegas Langa Pi (available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets for $21.99) comes from Aragón. This wine is made from garnacha blanc grapes, a new varietal to me! It has notes of citrus, pear and honey. It is exceedingly dry with intense flavor and a long finish.
Rounding out our wine pairings are two reds. Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha (available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets for $19.99, reduced to $17.99) is made from 100 percent garnacha grapes. It has an intense red color, with a slight purple rim. To the nose the fruit is ripe, with slight floral notes. To the tongue blackberry and plum predominate. Marques de Murrieta Reserva 2015 Rioja (available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets for $31.99, reduced to $28.99) is a blend of 80 percent tempranillo, 12 percent graciano, 6 percent mazuello and 2 percent garnacha. This is a truly elegant wine, aged for 18 months in oak, obtaining high marks from Wine Spectator and Robert Parker. These reds are light and will not overpower the seafood and poultry in the paella but will work well with the minerality of the saffron.
Experiment! Expand your boundaries. Don’t be intimidated! Prepare a paella and try some wonderful Spanish wines. You will be glad you did!
Let’s say, hypothetically, that you are a teacher. You’ve finally broken down your classroom, covered all your bookcases with paper and answered the last of the emails from angry parents. Or, hypothetically, you’ve just pulled your last shift for the week at the convenience store, waiting on increasingly angry customers, who have never learned to say “Please” or “Good morning” and want to know why you, personally, have raised the price of gas.
Or, hypothetically, you’ve wrapped up another week at the DMV where—
You know what? Let’s just stipulate that you are feeling worn out and a little bit battered, emotionally, and now you’ve got a few precious hours to yourself to sit on the deck, or wallow around in an inflatable pool, and get your Cool back.
Because you are cool. You have distinct memories of being cool, sometime in the distant past. “You’re so cool!” somebody told you once. Or you think they did. Or was that a movie? It might be Samuel L. Jackson or Helen Mirren you are thinking of.
Anyway, you know that there is some cool floating around somewhere and you’re pretty sure you can absorb it, if you can just unclench your shoulders and let it soak into you.
Here’s an unsolicited suggestion of how to do that.
Step 1 – Music
Put on “Take 5” by Dave Brubeck or “A Taste of Honey” by Herb Alpert.
I know — this isn’t your usual music; it’s something you imagine some old, not-cool person would listen to. Trust me on this. You can listen to your regular country or heavy metal or Mongolian opera later. For now you need this very specific type of jazz. Remember that shoulder-unclenching we talked about before? This will help you do it.
Step 2 – Take Your Shoes Off
Do it. Even if you’ve been wearing sandals all day, sitting in bare feet will send a message to your clenching parts.
Step 3 – Drink This (It’s a Process)
Take Five
Ingredients
2 ounces mango-infused rum (see below)
1 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
¾ ounce rhubarb syrup (see below)
1 bottle or can of your favorite seltzer — I like Topo Chico
Combine the rum, lemon juice and syrup in a cocktail shaker, and shake over ice.
Pour into a tall Collins glass. Top with seltzer.
This will be sweet and tart and definitely like something somebody cool would drink, except—
Maybe? Maybe, it’s a little too sweet and boozy?
Take another sip to be sure.
Yup, just a little too concentrated. But, hey! Look at that! There’s an inch or so of room at the top of the glass now, for more seltzer. Top it off again.
Now, it’s perfect. **Sip, sip**
Oh — and look! There’s a little more room in the glass; better top it off again.
Still perfect. Slightly different, but absolutely delightful. **Sip, sip**
And again.
Eventually, you’ll run out of seltzer, which would be a really good excuse to make a second drink.
This time, try listening to Louis Armstrong sing, “Just One of Those Things.” Trust me.
Mango-Infused Rum
Combine 4 cups of white rum with 5 ounces or so of dried mango in your blender. Blend it to a rough-smoothie consistency.
Let the mixture steep for an hour or so, then strain it through a fine-meshed strainer and bottle. The mango will hold onto a fair amount of the rum, but you will be left with a beautiful, apricot-colored alcohol that will look really good in your liquor cabinet and taste like reggae music.
Rhubarb Syrup
Combine an equal amount, by weight, of frozen diced rhubarb and white sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb gives up its juice and the syrup mixture comes to a boil.
Remove from the heat, cover, and allow it to steep for one hour.
Strain through a fine-meshed strainer, pressing on the rhubarb to encourage any additional liquid to drain out.
Bottle the syrup, and keep it in your refrigerator. Add the juice of one lemon to the rhubarb, and eat it on ice cream.
Summer is here, and with that comes a variety of local produce. Although it is probably a month until local corn is ready, you definitely could use non-local corn to make this recipe. With the corn being sautéed, the need for just freshly picked this morning is less necessary.
Mexican corn is one of my favorite summer dishes because it is so versatile. Need a side dish to accompany whatever protein you’re grilling? Want a different topping for your taco dinner? Looking for an appetizer to start your menu? This recipe can do all of those things!
The ingredients are pretty cut and dried. The only ingredient that can’t be changed is the lime. You need an actual lime in order to have zest, and the lime zest is key in adding a sharp bite to the dish. Everything else has some wiggle room. While red onion is preferred, you could use a white or yellow onion. I have never tried frozen corn, but I think it would work, if you thawed it before sautéing. The plain Greek yogurt can be swapped for sour cream, if you have some on hand. Finally, since cotija may be more difficult to find, you can use feta instead.
Now with your ingredients in hand, it’s time to start cooking. Speaking of which, this recipe is super easy to make. From start to finish it’s about 10 minutes. Delicious and easy to make — two things to make you smile!
Mexican corn off the cob Serves 4
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 1/4 cup diced red onion 3 ears corn zest of 1/2 lime 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1 Tablespoon lime juice 2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt 1/4 cup cotija, crumbled & divided
Remove kernels from each cob of corn; set aside Heat a large frying pan over medium heat; add 1 tablespoon oil. Sauté red onion until tender; transfer it to a small bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to frying pan, then add corn. Sauté corn for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Return onions to pan, still stirring, for 30 seconds. Transfer corn mixture to a medium-sized bowl, and add lime zest, chili powder, lime juice, yogurt and 2 tablespoons cotija. When serving, top each dish with remaining cotija cheese.
Featured Photo: Broccoli, apple and bacon salad. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.
Jeremy Guyotte is the head chef of Rambling House Food & Gathering (57 Factory St., Nashua, 318-3220, ramblingtale.com), which opened in early March just a few weeks after its adjoining sister establishment, TaleSpinner Brewery. Both are owned and operated by the Gleeson family, who also run 2nd Nature Academy (formerly known as The Nature of Things) in Nashua. With an overall focus on sustainability, the eatery’s dinner and bar menus feature a diverse offering of scratch-cooked meat, seafood and vegetarian options that rotate with the seasons, with ingredients sourced from purveyors all over New England in addition to the Gleesons’ own farm. A native of Gloucester, Mass., Guyotte has extensive experience working with seafood, most notably during culinary stints he spent at Captain Carlo’s Oceanfront and at Passports Restaurant in Cape Ann.
What is your must-have kitchen item?
Radio. Music is an inspiration throughout the day. Oftentimes, music will spawn ideas in the kitchen and those ideas turn into delicious creations.
What would you have for your last meal?
To me, food is about the people, places, stories and traditions. That may mean crossing camel kabsa off my bucket list, but it has to be in Saudi Arabia on the sands with a Bedouin family. Or, it may be that I am with my family on the Sicilian coast during a beautiful Mediterranean sunset.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
I unfortunately haven’t explored the local scene as much as I would have liked to yet, since half my time in New Hampshire thus far has been during Covid. That said, I love our downtown neighbors in Nashua. Stella Blu and CodeX have been highlights for my family.
What celebrity would you like to see eating at Rambling House?
Tom Brady. We both married women named Giselle and we’re the same age. Clearly, we’d be best friends.
What is your favorite thing on your menu?
As of today, monkfish puttanesca, or the house-smoked salmon. We also serve some of the best ice cream I have ever tried in my life and I’m not alone in that opinion. God bless [Rambling House president and co-founder] Erin Gleeson, who makes it from scratch.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
There is an increase in an understanding and appreciation for local producers. … At Rambling House, we are in a unique scenario, because we are building and expanding, and we are trying to source as much locally and from our own farm as we can. There is a lot of growth yet to come, but getting involved in the local community is showing us how much of a passion and demand there is out there from our guests, and the like-minded mission from our fellow restaurateurs and farmers.
What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
Burgers [and] barbecue. … My children really love “mayonnaise chicken.” … It’s mayonnaise, Parmesan [and] spices, spread on chicken [with] bread crumbs and more cheese, baked. Unreal and not my personal favorite, but they love it.
Fresh fish papillote According to Rambling House head chef Jeremy Guyotte, papillote is a classic French technique of sealing seafood with aromatics and baking or grilling it, trapping all the flavors and natural essences inside its own little “oven” of paper or foil.
1 whole fish or fish filet (any fresh fish will do) 2 Tablespoons compound butter
Compound butter (combine following ingredients): Butter Shallots Capers Basil Parsley Lemon juice Salt Pepper White wine Olive oil
Combine compound butter ingredients, mixing well, then set aside. Place your fish on a piece of foil large enough to fold up over it. Smother with two tablespoons of compound butter. Starting at one corner of the foil, fold it into a triangle and seal it up by pinching the sides. Throw it in the oven on 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or on the grill for 8 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then open and enjoy with your favorite summer sides.
• Last call for your Jewish feast: This is the final full week to order online for Temple B’Nai Israel’s 25th annual New Hampshire Jewish Food Festival — now through June 30 you can visit tbinh.org and order from the temple’s menu of traditional Jewish-style foods, most of which feature recipes that have been handed down multiple generations. Offerings include sandwiches with corned beef, pastrami and tongue from Evan’s New York Style Deli in Marblehead, Mass., served on seeded and unseeded rye bread from Laconia Village Bakery. They’re available for individual orders as well as in custom deli sandwich “picnic packs” with coleslaw, pickles, deli mustard and rugelach, a sweet crescent-shaped cookie. New this year are two Middle Eastern items — halva, a sweet treat available in vanilla, marble or pistachio flavors, and a homemade Israeli salad with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a lemon dressing. Other featured options are matzah ball soups, crispy potato latkes, homemade strudel, New York-style knishes and hamantaschen (triangular-shaped filled cookies), which are available in three flavors. All online orders will be available for pickup by appointment at Temple B’Nai Israel (210 Court St., Laconia) between Friday, July 22, and Sunday, July 24. Visit tbinh.org.
• Edible landscapes: Join Chef Liz Barbour of The Creative Feast in Hollis for her next open garden tour, to be held rain or shine on Sunday, June 26, from noon to 4 p.m. on her property at 5 Broad St. in Hollis. Visitors are welcome for a self-guided tour of Barbour’s edible gardens to learn about how she incorporates various herbs, vegetables, fruits and edible flowers into her own home-cooked meals. Barbour, who is known for her various cooking classes and demonstrations, oftentimes using her own freshly grown ingredients, is also the author of the 2017 book Beautifully Delicious: Cooking with Herbs & Edible Flowers. Some of her other upcoming events include virtual appearances on behalf of the Baker Free Library in Bow on Monday, June 27, at 6:30 p.m., and the Amherst Town Library on Wednesday, June 29, at 7 p.m. — during each Feasting from the New England Seaside program, Barbour will share tips about buying, storing and preparing seafood at home and will demonstrate two recipes. Visit each library’s website to register and receive a Zoom link.
• Brews for a cause: Get your tickets now for the third annual Kingston Brewfest, happening on Saturday, June 25, from 2 to 6 p.m. on the Kingston town plains (148 Main St., Kingston). The event will feature a variety of craft beers and ciders being poured throughout the afternoon from nearly 40 area breweries, along with live music, games, and food options from more than a half-dozen local food trucks. Tickets are $40 per person, which grants you access to unlimited five-ounce pours. Designated drivers receive $7 admission (21+ admission only for all attendees, including designated drivers). Donations are also welcome to the Kingston Volunteer Fire Association, a beneficiary of the festival. Visit kingstonbrew.com.
It was a warm 70-degree morning on June 15 when Apple Hill Farm in Concord opened for its first day of pick-your-own strawberries. It also marked the return of visitors to the property for the first time since last November — the strawberry patch is just down the street from the main farm stand, which is due to fully open for the season in the coming weeks.
For many area farms, strawberry picking kicks off a fruit harvest season that will continue through the summer months with cherries, blueberries and raspberries, before apples and pumpkins take over. At Apple Hill Farm there are a total of 12 strawberry varieties that ripen over a three-week period from mid-June through about July 4.
Strawberries from Apple Hill Farm in Concord. Courtesy photo.
“This is perfect for us, because we usually start between about the 15th and the 20th [of June], and we usually go until July 4, or about the 6th or so,” co-owner Diane Souther said. “Right now what we have out there for berries is beautiful.”
It’s a similar story at Sunnycrest Farm in Londonderry, which opened for pick-your-own on June 11. Sunnycrest-grown strawberries include two varieties that are not only available for pick-your-own but are used as ingredients in several items at the farm stand’s bakery.
“Every season is different for strawberries. It usually depends on how much rain you get and it can depend on how much sunlight you get,” said Danny Hicks IV, the farm’s fourth-generation owner. “I would say this year we’re pretty much right on the money for that.”
Down in Milford, Trombly Gardens began its strawberry picking season on June 10. This is the farm stand’s first year having a pick-your-own strawberry field, according to business manager Alicia Richardson. Because every day is different during an already short picking window, Richardson said exact times the field is open always vary and are posted to social media.
As you head out to your local farm to pick some strawberries, here’s a look at some different varieties and what they’re best used for, as well as what the ideal conditions are for a strawberry crop to thrive. Read on even more for some ideas on incorporating freshly picked strawberries into your cooking or baking.
Farmers market summer strawberry salad with spring veggies Courtesy of Diane Souther of Apple Hill Farm in Concord
1 quart fresh strawberries, washed and sliced 2 Tablespoons fresh basil, thinly cut up 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon sweetener, sugar, honey or maple syrup/sugar 2 baby cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin with the skin on 8 cherry-sized tomatoes 4 red radishes, sliced thin juice of ½ lemon, freshly squeezed ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Combine basil, strawberries, balsamic vinegar and sweetener. Toss in a bowl, cover and chill for an hour. Slice the small baby cucumbers and juice from the ½ squeezed lemon and chill in the refrigerator. Quarter the cherry tomatoes just before serving and slice the radishes. Mix the chilled cucumbers with the strawberries and basil mixture, then add radishes and cherry tomatoes. Toss with fresh ground pepper. Serve immediately. Optional ingredients can include broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale, Swiss chard or any other veggies you can find at the farmers market.
Strawberry varieties
Apple Hill Farm began its strawberry picking season with three varieties — Wendy, which is a typical early season strawberry, according to Souther, as well as Valley Sunset and Cavendish.
“They’re a lot like apples. They ripen at different times, and then sometimes they overlap a little bit,” Souther said. “This year, it seems like the early and the mid-season are coming in together.”
Differences in varieties can include everything from the fruit’s size and color to its water content, making some strawberries better-suited for eating and others for making jams or shortcakes. Amy Ladds-Davis, who is working her 11th season at Apple Hill Farm, said Wendys are typically smaller but sweeter strawberries, while the Cavendish variety is characterized by its larger size and deeper red color. As the weeks go on, mid- and late season varieties include Darselect, Dickens, Honeoye and Malwina — the latter of these is among the largest and is not unheard of to continue growing as the calendar flips to July, Souther said.
Scenes from the Hollis Strawberry Festival. Courtesy photos.
“Sometimes if the strawberries are really big, they are a bit too watery for making jam and stuff with, so people like the more mid-sized ones,” she said. “Some are also good for freezing. … A lot of times with the bigger ones, we’ll just pop the caps off and freeze them whole … and then you can toss them into the blender like an ice cube. They cut right up.”
Sunnycrest Farm grows Cavendish and Cabot varieties, both of which are usually available for picking around the same time, Hicks said. Compared to one another, he said Cavendish strawberries tend to be slightly smaller and sweeter than Cabots — and while he can tell the difference, strawberries are strawberries to most pickers regardless of the variety.
“It’s funny, actually, I don’t ever have anybody asking if we have this variety or that variety of strawberry,” Hicks said. “That’s all [during] apple season. … The two varieties we have are relatively easy to grow and maintain, especially the Cavendish, which are one of my favorites.”
Kimball Fruit Farm, which has property on the state line between Hollis and Pepperell, Mass., features six strawberry varieties throughout its peak growing season. The farm originally used to only grow apples, but it’s now known for corn, peaches, kale and of course strawberries. It’s the first strawberry picking season for new owners David Wadleigh and his wife, Amanda — Brunswick, Darselect, Wendy and Allstar are a few of the popular varieties grown on the farm, and they are planted at separate times for them to be consistently ready for picking.
Strawberry festivals Check out these events happening across the state this weekend for a chance to enjoy some locally grown strawberries and strawberry-flavored desserts and treats.
• Litchfield Community Church (259 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield) will host a drive-thru version of its annual strawberry festival on Saturday, June 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is expected to feature fresh handmade strawberry shortcakes and strawberry rhubarb pies, as well as sausage grinders, all prepared by church congregants. All items are cash only. Local vendors, courtesy of the Litchfield Historical Society, will also be set up on the other side of the church parking lot on the day of the festival. Visit lccpnh.org. • Join Beans and Greens Farm (245 Intervale Road, Gilford) for a strawberry festival to be held all day long on both Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26 — the celebration will include a selection of various homemade strawberry treats, along with games, face painting, a craft fair and live music under the farm’s pavilion. Admission is free. Visit beansandgreensfarm.com. • A local tradition for more than seven decades, the Hollis Strawberry Festival will return for the first time since 2019 on Sunday, June 26, from 2 to 4 p.m. on the town common (2 Monument Square, Hollis). The festival is co-sponsored by the Hollis Woman’s Club and the Hollis Town Band — fresh, local strawberry shortcakes, with or without hand-whipped cream and homemade ice cream, will be available for sale. Local artisan and craft vendors, children’s games, strawberry-themed storytimes at the Hollis Social Library, and a live performance by the Hollis Town Band are also included. In the event of rain, the festival will take place inside Hollis-Brookline Middle School (25 Main St.). Visit holliswomansclub.org.
A short harvest season
Timing is everything when it comes to weather patterns that directly affect strawberry ripening.
“Last year, it was too dry in the beginning and then too wet at the end, so the plants struggled,” Souther said. “We like to have a little bit of rain at night, every couple of days or three days or so, and then bright sunshine. Strawberries really like the sun.”
Ladds-Davis said warm summer days of 70 to 80 degrees are usually the most ideal.
“You don’t want it to be up to 90 or 95 degrees because they will literally cook in the field,” she said, “but then you don’t want it to be cold either, because the sun really helps them ripen.”
Occasional rain is always welcome, but too much is also harmful to a strawberry crop.
Strawberries from Trombly Gardens in Milford. Courtesy photo.
“Rain will plump the berries up, but you also don’t want too much rain,” Wadleigh said. “All berries, including strawberries, are prone to mold and mildew, and anything that reproduces with spores likes heat and moisture to propagate itself.”
Strawberries are perennial plants, or single crops that carry over multiple seasons, depending on the variety. Some strawberry beds can last two or three seasons, while others will continue to produce fruit even longer if the farmer is lucky. Hicks said they’re typically planted between April and May a whole year before being ready for picking by that June.
“You still have to take care of them the whole year, even though you’re not going to get a crop,” he said. “You’ve got to make sure they are properly irrigated and that they are winterized.”
To prepare for the winter, the beds are covered in layers of straw (hence the berry’s name).
“In late November or early December, we take a tractor with a mulcher and we drive over each row of strawberries and cover every single one of them in straw,” Hicks said. “It goes on thick, and then once it’s on there, especially when a nice snowfall comes, they’ll be nice and preserved.”
After the snow melts, Hicks said, the straw is removed in the spring, typically around early May. Another month or so of maintenance, which includes frost protection, is then required for the strawberries to fully ripen in time for peak picking season.
“The best time to start strawberry picking season is obviously when you see a reddish hue, but also when you see a little bit of white on them,” Hicks said. “They can still ripen when you bring them home, so if you pick them when they’re, say, 80 percent red, and you bring them home and they sit on your counter or in the fridge for a couple of days, they’ll actually darken up and still taste good. … If you pick the ones that are dark, dark red, you’ve got to eat them right away.”
It’s hard to predict more than a day or two out when strawberries are ripe enough for picking. If the beds are picked out, for instance, the farm may need to temporarily close — but all it takes is a nice sunny day or two for new fruit to ripen. That’s why Hicks said it’s always a good idea to check the farm’s social media pages for continuous updates. Some farms, including Sunnycrest, also have a pre-recorded phone hotline message that’s regularly updated with details on pick-your-own.
Treat yourself
Trombly Gardens in Milford is currently offering specialty strawberry frappes. Courtesy photo.
From homemade shortcake to other strawberry-featuring baked goods and indulgences, local farm stands are offering all kinds of inspired treats to celebrate the season.
Trombly Gardens, for instance, is currently serving a specialty strawberry frappe out of its ice cream window — they’re also producing all kinds of sweets out of their bakery and kitchen, like strawberry shortcake sundaes, strawberry cake-flavored whoopie pies and, on Saturday and Sunday mornings, homemade strawberry doughnuts.
At Sunnycrest Farm, strawberries are the very first crops that Bonne Cavanagh, the farm stand’s in-house baker, receives. She uses them to bake fresh muffins — flavors include strawberry lemonade and strawberry rhubarb — as well as strawberry rhubarb crumb bars, and even a homemade strawberry cream cheese, all of which are currently available at the farm stand.
“The cream cheese is so good. It tastes like a cheesecake,” said Cavanagh, who’s been baking at Sunnycrest Farm for 10 years. “They go great with a jalapeno bagel because of the [contrast of] the hot and the sweet. The bagels are a huge hit. We get them in from New Jersey.”
Cavanagh also partners with Troy Ward Jr. of Troy’s Fresh Kitchen & Juice Bar in Londonderry. There, you’ll find her vegan gluten-free strawberry lemonade muffins, and she’s also baked strawberry rhubarb doughnuts. Once the season ends, Cavanaugh moves on to the next fruit.
Photo courtesy of Sunnycrest Farm in Londonderry.
“When I have no more strawberries, I’m done. I will not go buy strawberries or use frozen strawberries,” she said.
If you want to make a whole day of celebrating peak strawberry picking season, the Hollis Strawberry Festival is returning on Sunday, June 26, for the first time since 2019 — it’s co-sponsored by the Hollis Woman’s Club and the Hollis Town Band. A “hulling party” is scheduled to take place at the town’s Congregational Church on June 24, when Woman’s Club members, family and friends will be preparing the fruit to serve during the event.
According to festival chair Cathy Gast, the festival started out more than 70 years ago as a band concert before they soon began selling strawberry shortcake as a way to improve attendance. After two years off, the longtime tradition continues — as with previous festivals, attendees will have the option to order a strawberry shortcake with or without whipped cream, shortcake with or without Dr. Davis homemade vanilla ice cream, a bowl of ice cream with strawberries, or just a bowl of strawberries with or without sugar. Prices will vary depending on which item you choose, and the festival also features local artisan and craft vendors, children’s games, strawberry-themed storytimes in the town’s library, and a live performance by the Town Band.
Strawberry-rhubarb pudding Courtesy of Diane Souther of Apple Hill Farm in Concord
Sauce: 3 cups rhubarb (fresh or frozen), cut up into small pieces 2 cups sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen) 2 teaspoons butter ¾ cup maple syrup ¼ cup water
Cake batter: ½ cup granulated sugar 2 Tablespoons butter 1 cup whole milk 1 cup flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt
Streusel topping: ½ cup flour ½ cup rolled oats ½ cup brown sugar ½ stick of butter 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a quart saucepan on low heat, stew the sauce ingredients until tender (about seven minutes). To make the cake batter, cream together the sugar and butter in a small bowl, then add one cup of whole milk and stir until blended. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl, then blend with the creamed mixture of sugar, butter and milk. To make the streusel topping, cream together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon with a fork or with your fingers. Take the strawberry-rhubarb sauce and pour into an ungreased casserole dish, leaving ¾-inch to one inch of headspace around the top. Pour the cake batter over the top and sprinkle last with the streusel topping. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.
Where to get local strawberries
Here’s a list of local farms and farm stands offering fresh strawberries — where specified, it includes those that have them pre-picked as well as pick-your-own. For those that offer pick-your-own, be sure to contact each spot directly for the most up-to-date information on picking conditions and availability. Did we miss a southern New Hampshire-area farm stand offering strawberries that’s not on this list? Let us know at [email protected].
Apple Hill Farm 580 Mountain Road, Concord, 224-8862, applehillfarmnh.com Cost: $3.75 per pound for pick-your-own, or $8 per pre-picked quart Hours: Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to noon
Applecrest Farm Orchards 133 Exeter Road, North Hampton, 926-3721, applecrest.com Cost: $6.25 per pound for pick-your-own; $5.75 per pound if picking eight pounds or more Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Barrett Hill Farm 450 Fitchburg Road, Mason, 878-2848, barretthillfarm.com Cost: Starts at $4.50 per pound for pick-your-own; price gradually decreases the more pounds you pick Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Brookdale Fruit Farm 41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com Cost: $4.50 per pound for pick-your-own Hours: Most days, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; call or visit the website for the most up-to-date details on picking conditions and times
Butternut Farm 195 Meaderboro Road, Farmington, 335-4705, butternutfarm.net Cost: $4.29 per pound for pick-your-own; $3.99 per pound if picking 10 pounds or greater Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Devriendt Farm Products 47 Story Road, Goffstown, 497-2793, devriendtfarm.com Cost: $3.99 per pound for pick-your-own Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Fitch’s Corner Farm Stand 499 N. River Road, Milford, find them on Facebook Cost: $4.75 per pint, or $8.99 per quart (pre-picked only; cash or check only) Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Heron Pond Farm 299 Main Ave., South Hampton, 394-0129, heronpondfarm.com Cost: $4.75 per pint, or $9 per quart (pre-picked only; pick-your-own likely coming soon) Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
J&F Farms 124 Chester Road, Derry, 437-0535, jandffarmsnh.com Cost: $8 per quart or four quarts for $30 for pick-your-own; $10 per pre-picked quart Hours: Days and times vary for pick-your-own and are regularly posted to social media. The farm’s hours are Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to its website.
Johnson Golden Harvest 412 W. River Road, Hooksett, 210-2031, johnsongoldenharvest.com Cost: $5.99 per pint, or $9.99 per quart (pre-picked only) Hours: Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Kimball Fruit Farm Route 122, on the Hollis and Pepperell, Mass., border, 978-433-9751 Cost: $3 per pound for pick-your-own Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Lavoie’s Farm 172 Nartoff Road, Hollis, 882-0072, lavoiesfarm.com Cost: $3.99 per pound for pick-your-own, or $8.49 per pre-picked quart Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Lull Farm 65 Broad St., Hollis, 465-7079; 615 Route 13, Milford, 673-3119; livefreeandfarm.com Cost: $9 per quart (pre-picked only) Hours: Daily, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Hollis, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Milford
McKenzie’s Farm 71 Northeast Pond Road, Milton, 652-9400, mckenziesfarm.com Cost: $4.29 per pound for pick-your-own; $3.99 per pound if picking 10 pounds or greater Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
McQuesten Farm 330 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield, 424-9268, find them on Facebook @mcquesten.farm Cost: $3.99 per pound for pick-your-own, or $7.50 per pre-picked pint Hours: Daily, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., for pick-your-own; the farm stand remains open until 5 p.m.
Paradise Farm 468 Center Road, Lyndeborough, 345-0860, paradisefarmnh.com Cost: $8.49 per quart (pre-picked only) Hours: Available at the Milford Farmers Market (milfordnhfarmersmarket.com) on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 300 Elm St. in Milford (across from the New Hampshire Antique Co-op)
Rossview Farm 85 District 5 Road, Concord, 228-4872, rossviewfarm.com Cost: $3.50 per pound for pick-your-own, or $8 per pre-picked quart Hours: Sunday and Monday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday, 7 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 6 p.m., and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Smith Farm Stand 131 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, 882-4032, smithfarmhudson.com Cost: $8.50 per quart (pre-picked only) Hours: Most weekdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Spring Ledge Farm 37 Main St., New London, 526-6253, springledgefarm.com Cost: $7 per quart (cash or check only) Hours: Daily, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. for pick-your-own. The farm stand is openMonday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunnycrest Farm 59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com Cost: $4.50 per pound for pick-your-own, or $8.99 per pre-picked quart Hours: Most days, 7 a.m. to noon, for pick-your-own; call or visit the website for the most up-to-date details on picking conditions and times. The farm stand is open daily, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Trombly Gardens 150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.net Cost: $3.99 per pound for pick-your-own, or $8.50 per pre-picked quart Hours: Days and times vary for pick-your-own and are regularly posted to social media. The farm stand’s summer hours are Sunday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Featured photo: Photo courtesy of Trombly Gardens in Milford.
