Pete Parenti of Milford is the owner and founder of Troubadour Spice Blends ( troubadourspiceblends.co, and on Instagram @troubadour.spice.blends), offering a lineup of two dozen handcrafted spice blends, from beef, chicken and rib rubs to an espresso steak blend, a Jamaican jerk blend, a hickory maple blend and several others. An Air Force veteran and musician, Parenti initially got into crafting his own spice blends as a side hustle, passing them out mostly to friends, family members and co-workers. When the pandemic hit, he decided to jump into it full-time, choosing the name “Troubadour” in reference to the song by country music legend George Strait. Each one of Parenti’s spice blends is inspired by his travels around the world, both personally and while in the military — in addition to ordering them online, you can find many of his selected flavors at Grasshoppers Garden Center (728 River Road, New Boston), Artisans Boutique by Recycled Creations (25 Main St., Wilton) and Sweet Beet Market (11 W. Main St., Bradford). Sweet Beet Market’s in-house cafe also offers the Troubadour Tempeh on its breakfast menu, seasoned with Parenti’s Jamaican jerk blend.
What is your must-have kitchen item?
It would be my stainless steel mixing bowl … because without that, I’m back to making one jar at a time. That big mixing bowl gives me the ability to make large batches.
What would you have for your last meal?
A bacon double cheeseburger, seasoned fries and an ice cold beer, preferably an IPA from maybe Smuttynose or Great North Aleworks. It’s got to be a New Hampshire IPA.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
Taco Time in Milford. … Great atmosphere over there, and great food.
What celebrity would you like to see trying one of your spice blends?
The Zac Brown Band. … I remember seeing that they do this thing called an Eat and Greet with their fans before a concert, and supposedly the food is fantastic.
What is your favorite spice blend that you offer? What is your favorite thing to use it in?
I like them all … but I think the one I find myself grabbing the most is my Lone Star chili and fajitas blend. It basically just reminds me of all the time I spent in Texas while I was in the Air Force and eating the food down there. … My favorite thing to put it in is something I call my Mexican casserole, and it’s kind of like a lasagna. I’ll layer flour tortillas, beef, refried beans, taco sauce, cilantro and then plenty of that seasoning.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
This might have been going on for a long time, but I just kind of became aware of it. … It seems to me that in New Hampshire, people are really on the lookout for high-quality all-natural ingredients. Either they’re cooking with them or they’re going to find them at a restaurant. … That kind of relates to what I’m doing too, because I definitely look for that when I make my spice blends. There’s no fillers, no MSGs [and] no anti-caking agents like silicon dioxide.
What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
Definitely pasta. It’s simple, easy, it makes a lot of servings and it’s delicious.
Homemade pasta carbonara
From the kitchen of Pete Parenti of Troubadour Spice Blends
1 pounds angel hair pasta, cooked al dente
2 sticks butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 shaker Parmesan cheese
8 eggs
1 to 2 packages bacon, cooked and chopped
Parsley, chopped
Troubadour Spice Blends Pig Dust seasoning
Black pepper
Boil the pasta until it is cooked al dente, then drain and place the pasta back into the pot (save a ladleful of pasta water for later). While the pasta is cooking, cook and chop the bacon, then set aside. Chop the parsley and set aside. In a large bowl, place the eggs, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese and the saved ladleful of pasta water. Whisk together and set aside. Finish the pasta by first adding in the sticks of butter. Slowly pour in the egg-cream-Parmesan mixture and stir everything together until the pasta absorbs all of the liquids. Add lots of Pig Dust seasoning, chopped bacon and parsley and a bit more Parmesan cheese. If desired, sprinkle on some cracked black pepper. Serve and enjoy.