In the kitchen with Rachel Manelas

Rachel Manelas is the owner of Riverwalk Cafe & Music Bar (35 Railroad Square, Nashua, 578-0200, riverwalknashua.com), which she purchased from longtime owners Steve and Jane Ruddock in April. A Pelham native, Manelas studied baking and pastry arts at Johnson & Wales University before going on to attend Italy’s Florence University of the Arts. Around April 2020, while working as a line cook at Windham Junction, she started an online bakery through Instagram called Life’s What U Bake Of It — that business has since evolved into a website (lifeswhatubakeofit.com) with its own online ordering system for specialty cakes, freshly baked cookies, themed French macarons and more, all available for pickup at Riverwalk. Manelas’s plans as the storefront’s new owner include an expanded focus on scratch-made pastries, as well as an evening menu, all while continuing to offer fresh breakfast and lunch options and house-roasted coffees. A space adjoining the cafe that recently became available will soon be home to a larger kitchen.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

Definitely a spatula, a whisk and a scale. [For] all my recipes, I scale. It makes everything a lot more accurate.

What would you have for your last meal?

Chocolate chip cookies. I could live off of them — they are my weakness!

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I am a huge Italian lover. Tuscan [Kitchen in Salem] usually has a good menu. … Surf [in Nashua] is also really good, and then Pressed [Cafe] is another place in my realm. Watching them start in Nashua and grow has been really cool. … I really like Fody’s [Tavern] a lot too. I work late a lot and they’re right next door, so I’ll go and pick up some food there.

What celebrity would you like to see eating at Riverwalk Bakery & Cafe?

Massimo Bottura. He’s a three-Michelin-star Italian chef, and he just seems like the sweetest, most gentle soul. And his food is really delicious. … I ate at his restaurant, Osteria Francescana in Italy, for my birthday in 2020 and it was amazing.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

I would say for lunch, the Southwest chicken salad wrap … and then for breakfast, it’s The Feta [sandwich] or the granola with fruit and yogurt, because we make the granola ourselves and it’s really yummy.

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

I would say avocado toasts and bowls have both been really popular. … I’ve added avocado toast here, and I definitely want to be able to do more things like that.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I love to do homemade pastas. Gnocchi is probably my favorite thing to make, especially with potatoes.

Sweet potato gnocchi with butter and sage sauce
From the kitchen of Rachel Manelas of Riverwalk Bakery & Cafe in Nashua

For the gnocchi:
1 kilogram sweet potatoes
250 grams flour (preferably double zero pasta flour)
1 egg yolk

Bake or boil the potatoes until fully cooked (with a fork pierced through). If baking, 400 degrees for just under an hour, depending on the potatoes’ size, is recommended. Immediately peel the potatoes and mash them while hot. Let the potatoes cool. Once cold, add the yolk and then incorporate the flour. Working in pieces, roll the dough into logs about a half-inch long. Cut into rectangular pieces — ¾ inch to 1 inch — and roll each gnocchi until round. Once round, use a fork or gnocchi board to add texture. To cook the gnocchi, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook until the gnocchi floats to the top, which should take around a minute or two.

For the butter and sage sauce:
125 grams butter
5 sage leaves
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Garlic
Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add in the sage and slightly fry. Add the gnocchi to the pan with a little bit of pasta water. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic to taste. Remove from the pan and serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Featured photo: Rachel Manelas, owner of Riverwalk Bakery & Cafe in Nashua. Courtesy photo.

On The Job – Dena Cillo

Special education consultant

Dena Cillo is a special education consultant and the founder and owner of Mosaic Learning in Concord.

Explain your job and what it entails.

We work with students who, for many different reasons, have unique learning differences and a wide range of disabilities. These needs may include, but aren’t limited to, emotional, physical or cognitive disabilities. We support these students by … teaching basic math and literacy and life skills … and providing specially designed instruction based on the student’s needs.

How long have you had this job?

Just about two years.

What led you to this career field and your current job?

I actually think I was led into education because I myself struggled tremendously with school academics. At an early age I was diagnosed with ADHD and later on in school as a student with a specific learning disability. I became a special education teacher because working and supporting students with unique learning needs makes my heart happy. I began my teaching career in an integrated special education preschool program when my son, who is now 18, was 2 years old. From there, [positions] I’ve taught in were mostly in the private sector of educational environments, such as ABA therapist, behavior specialist, emotional behavioral teacher, and trauma-informed classroom. I decided four years ago I wanted to make the move from private to public school. For various reasons, I’ve realized that environment isn’t for me. So, two years ago when the pandemic first hit, I decided I wanted to open up my own business. This past June, I decided I wasn’t going to renew my district contract, and to venture out solely on my own. My goal was to have an actual space by January 2023. However, the Concord Community Arts Center location fell in my lap, and I jumped on the opportunity.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I received both my B.A. in Child & Adolescent Psychology and Child Development and my M.Ed. in Child Development Leadership and Special Education from Southern New Hampshire University. Learning doesn’t stop here; education is changing and evolving, so I must constantly be learning new things in order to be the best I can be for my students.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Business casual.

How has your job changed over the course of the pandemic?

The pandemic really brought to light how set in our ways we are as a society and how we believe the education of our children should be done. As an educator, I found myself having to experiment in new ways of teaching and expecting my students to learn [that way]. With the negatives came a whole bunch of positive changes for teaching. Educators are able to be a bit more creative, and tools to support students are evolving.

What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?

With every experience that made my heart happy, there would also be moments that would tear my heart apart.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

My job is never-ending. I may technically be off the clock, but my job and students are constantly on my mind as I’m looking for new ways [of teaching] that are engaging and of interest in order to be the best teacher I can be.

What was the first job you ever had?

My first job was as a ski instructor at the age of 15 at McIntyre Ski Area.

What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?

You are enough.

Five favorites

Favorite book:
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Favorite movie: Newsies and Swing Kids
Favorite music: Jam bands
Favorite food: Strawberries
Favorite thing about NH: We have four seasons.

Featured photo: Dena Cillo. Courtesy photo.

Musical message

Nashua musician wins songwriting competition

Bill Fee of Nashua, also known by his artist name Fee the Evolutionist, won first prize in the R&B/Hip Hop category at this year’s New England Songwriting Competition with his song “Ain’t No Love.” Visit newenglandsongwritingcompetition.com/winners to listen to it and the other winning songs.

What is the New England Songwriting Competition, and what made you decide to enter it this year?

It’s been around for more than 15 years. They have different judges every year, and they’re always accomplished musicians. Some of them are involved with really big names [in music] and have worked out at Nashville studios and have Grammy awards and accomplishments. It’s a different array of musicians from all different genres, which is great. This year, I think they had over 500 submissions. I submitted my song “Ain’t No Love” for the Best R&B/Hip Hop Song category. I wasn’t even [planning] to actually enter because I thought it was a shot in the dark, but at the last minute I said, ‘Let me just enter and see.’ I remember when I got the email; it came through a few weeks later and I thought, ‘Oh, man, well, I wonder what this is,’ and I had ended up winning in that category. I was super happy about that. It comes with a cash prize, which I used to put toward studio time, and I had already had studio time booked, so it was great that I was able to put that [prize] back into my music.

What is your background in music?

I’ve been involved in music forever. My whole family is involved in music; my brothers and sisters and grandparents all play instruments, so I’ve always been writing songs for as long as I could speak. I was scatting to the jazz music that my parents would play. My grandfather was in a big band where he played trumpet, and my brother Mark played piano and my brother Mike played drums. I love all different types of music. I was really passionate about poetry and hip-hop just [because of] the way that you could express yourself. I started getting involved in that and put a few records out in my teens and met up with a guy who produced Jay-Z. I was just getting involved right when he was able to get going, and I was able to see that whole thing take off. It was great being a part of that. That let me know that, hey, you can make a living doing this. If you work hard, you can be successful. I think that was the turning point for me and when I really got serious about it. Since then, I’ve just been writing songs. I have some songs licensed out to HBO, Amazon Prime, the NBA. It’s been fun.

What is your winning song about, and why did you choose to submit that one?

Because of everything happening in the world today and the polarization that you’re seeing with people financially, politically, spiritually, I really wanted to say something. I wanted to put it out there how I was feeling. It’s a song about social justice and inflation affecting the most vulnerable people in the community. … I wasn’t sure at first if I should enter that song, because it is kind of edgy and a little political, but it was an outlet to what I was seeing, and I want to be vocal and find ways to support my community.

What would you like people to take away from your song?

Even though it’s an edgy song, it’s got that meaning of hope in there, as well. I just want people to be conscious of how they’re treating each other and have some empathy and some compassion.

What’s next for you?

I have a bunch of shows coming up, and I have some projects that I’m recording. … I’m working with a live band. I’m working with a label out of Nashua called Hellhound Publishing, and we’re going to be releasing some projects.

What advice do you have for other songwriters?

Someone once gave me good advice. I didn’t take it until I got older because it’s hard to do, but it’s just a little piece of advice that’s easy to digest: write every day. Write a verse, even if it’s a small, little verse. Write every day, and you’ll get better, and if you love it and you’re passionate about it, you’ll get better.

Featured photo: Fee the Evolutionist. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Lauren D’Agostino

Lauren D’Agostino of Manchester is a plant-based chef, cooking coach and the owner of Chef Lauren’s Table (cheflaurenstable.com), which specializes in a variety of initiatives promoting a plant-based lifestyle. Programs include the Kitchen Mindset Lab (cheflauren.teachable.com), a virtual nine-week series of plant-based cooking lessons that can be accessed either live via Zoom or on demand for a total of 12 weeks following registration, along with downloadable recipes and meal guides. A full schedule of sessions running now through next spring is available to view online. D’Agostino is also available for hire as a private plant-based chef for small events and intimate gatherings, and has a few upcoming public appearances where she’ll offer some plant-based menu samples — find her at The Green Beautiful (168 Wilson St., Manchester) on Thursday, Sept. 1, and at The Social HQ (103 Nashua Road, Londonderry) on Thursday, Sept. 15. A native of Westford, Mass., D’Agostino graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst before going on to study pastry arts at Le Cordon Bleu College in Cambridge. Her interest shifted from pastries to plant-based foods both through her own personal lifestyle and following her completion of the holistic health coach program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. In early 2020, D’Agostino released her first cookbook, which focuses on plant-based and gluten-free recipes using essential oils. A second plant-based cookbook is forthcoming.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A whisk. It’s so simple, but [it’s a] game-changer.

What would you have for your last meal?

I would have a really pull-out-all-the-stops panini. I love a panini with a crusty bread, some melted plant-based cheese and just tons of flavorful filling ingredients. And then I would have a cannoli.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I always have a really enjoyable dining experience when I go to Campo Enoteca [and] Republic. … I think they do a really nice job.

What celebrity would you like to host a dinner for?

Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart, because I just think that would be hilarious. They’d be great dinner guests.

What has been your favorite experience cooking for a client?

A couple of summers ago, I did a 30th birthday party for a woman who had no idea that I was coming. It was her wife who hired me as a surprise … and we went back and forth planning the menu all hush-hush. The menu really meant something to her, that her wife would go to such lengths to make sure she and her friends would enjoy the experience.

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

I would say plant-based as a whole. … What I’m excited to be seeing more of is healthy, fresh [and] local food options that are both fun to eat and flavorful, but are also functional and nutritious for the human body.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Plant-based pizza is totally my favorite. … I love pizza because it’s so easy and versatile, and you can do anything with it. It’s different every single time I make it, but it also always feels familiar to eat it.

Chickpea salad four ways
From the kitchen of Lauren D’Agostino of Chef Lauren’s Table

Basic recipe: “chicken” salad
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ cup diced celery
¼ cup diced red onion
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
2 Tablespoons plant-based mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch black pepper

Enhanced recipe: Buffalo “chicken” salad
2 Tablespoons hot sauce
Enhanced recipe: “tuna” salad
½ a lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon dried dill
2 teaspoons kelp granules

Enhanced recipe: “egg” salad
½ teaspoon black salt
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder

Mash the chickpeas, either using a food processor (pulsing until coarse and leaving a few larger pieces) or using your fist in a medium-sized bowl (a potato masher also works well). Add all the other ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine.

Featured photo: Lauren D’Agostino, private plant-based chef and owner of Chef Lauren’s Table. Courtesy photo.

On The Job – Timothy Willey

Tree stump removal specialist

Timothy Willey is the owner and operator of Ground Zero Stumps, a tree stump grinding service for commercial and residential properties based in Weare.

Explain your job and what it entails.

I own and operate a stump grinding service for commercial and residential property owners. My business is focused on the tree stump removal process by grinding them in place. I utilize less intrusive grinding equipment that’s smaller. This is a better option in tight spaces or around already finished buildings and landscapes.

How long have you had this job?

I’m a new business venture, started in 2021.

What led you to this career field and your current job?

I served in the U.S. Coast Guard at Station Boston Harbor shortly after high school. I was assigned at the time to the SAR team — “Search And Rescue,” they called it back then. I was the boat engineer trained as a diesel mechanic. That led me [to] an early career path working on heavy equipment. As opportunities became available, I started working as an equipment operator for road construction and house lot clearing and digging for foundations. It then branched into all aspects of home construction. … I settled into a lineman’s position, working with a 40-foot bucket truck for many years. I had that feeling back, using the hydraulic hand controls, inching my way into position on the lines just as if I was operating other equipment. After accepting an early retirement package at the beginning of the pandemic, I knew working for myself again was at the top of my list of options, [and that] I still wanted to be working outside [because] that’s what gives me enjoyment.

What kind of education or training did you need?

You learn as you go and develop a feel for how the equipment responds … [and a] sense of hand-eye coordination with years of practice. The [best] training is any safety training that’s pertinent to the industry you’re in. Accidents can happen quickly if you aren’t observant and cautious. Things that would help are skills in landscaping and equipment repair and knowledge of underground utilities and home construction practices.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

[A] safety helmet, safety glasses, face shield and ear protection, hand protection, steel-toe boots, jean-style long pants, company shirt and a sweatshirt or jacket.

How has your job changed over the course of the pandemic?

I started my business mid-pandemic. With all the recommendations on being safe, I just had to be as cautious as possible for myself and the clients I’d meet. If it meant wearing a mask if proximity was an issue, then I did. Being outside, it usually wasn’t a problem keeping a safe distance from others.

What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?

Networking plays a bigger role than I expected. Although I do well, it’s a constant focus. Take every engagement as an opportunity to make a meaningful contact.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

Talking about your overall landscape plan will help the operator get the right results you’re expecting.

What was the first job you ever had?

I worked at the Hillsborough County Nursing Home as an attendant. I’d help escort residents to do crafts or to go for a walk outside.

What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?

Show up and do what you say you’ll do. Trust is hard enough to earn — even harder if you don’t show up.

Five favorites

Favorite book:
Does Hot Rod magazine count?
Favorite movie: Braveheart
Favorite music: Classic rock
Favorite food: New England lobster
Favorite thing about NH: New Hampshire is just part of me. It’s where I was born and raised. It’s home.

Featured photo: Timothy Willey. Courtesy photo.

Supporting students

New program facilitates healthy connections

Through a new contracted partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Education, One Trusted Adult, a program that works to ensure that children have an accessible, trusted adult to provide support outside of the home, will be implemented at 125 New Hampshire schools serving students in grades 5 through 12 over the next two years. Brooklyn Raney, One Trusted Adult founder and author of the book One Trusted Adult: How to Build Strong Connections & Healthy Boundaries with Young People, discussed the program.

What led you to develop the One Trusted Adult program?

I’m a teacher, coach and school administrator. … There was one year when we had [multiple] prevention programs in one month — substance abuse prevention, suicide prevention, sexual assault prevention — and every program ended with [the presenter] saying … to our students, ‘If you have a worry or concern, reach out to a trusted adult.’ I sat there thinking, ‘What does that term mean, exactly?’ We throw it around a lot. Do the young people in this auditorium look to the adults in this room as those trusted adults? Are we thinking of ourselves as those trusted adults who can support these initiatives to keep kids safe? … I started looking for programs that could come talk to my staff about what it means to have healthy, boundaried relationships with students, and I couldn’t find anything, so I created one to use with my own staff, and other schools started inviting me to come talk to them. That’s when I really dug in and did two years’ worth of research to write a book.

How did the New Hampshire Department of Education end up partnering with One Trusted Adult, and how will the program be implemented throughout the state?

The research we were doing was showing that just under 50 percent of students in middle schools and high schools could name a trusted adult at school. That isn’t good enough. … The [New Hampshire] deputy commissioner [of education] Christine Brennan read the book and said, ‘There’s a great opportunity here to get this information to educators and youth-serving professionals across the state.’ … We ran a pilot program last year with five schools and received really amazing feedback on the positive outcomes. … It’s super simple and free for schools to get their hands on these resources. Schools simply have to … fill out a form on what they like from the offerings of One Trusted Adult and how they’ll implement it. We send off the materials, and the DOE takes care of funding it.

What are the main facets of the program?

The important conversations we need to have are about strengthening healthy connections while also setting boundaries to protect youth and adults, as well as what young people should be looking for in trusted adults, mentors and role models, as well as [how to] create more opportunities for connection. … We began developing our Accessible, Boundaried and Caring advisory program for middle school … and high school students … and we train the adults through an online course on how to use these materials to strengthen healthy connections. … We also have a program for parents … geared specifically toward showing up as a trusted adult for our own children.

What qualities should a trusted adult have?

In the research we’ve done … talking to adolescents about the trusted adults in their lives, we heard the same quotes over and over: ‘They were there for me when I needed them.’ “They encouraged me when I needed it.’ ‘They challenged me when I needed it.’ ‘They were fun and playful, but they also taught me something.’ … What emerged from the data was that trusted adults show up in three ways that I call the ‘ABCs:’ accessible, boundaried and caring. The overlap of those qualities is where trust is built.

How does having a trusted adult impact a child’s life?

The research shows that when a student can name a trusted adult at school, they’re less likely to abuse substances, less likely to be depressed or anxious, less likely to be suspended or drop out, and are more likely to be available for learning, to engage in after-school opportunities and to pursue their education.

Why is it important for children to have a trusted adult outside of the home?

The parent or guardian relationship at home is absolutely foundational and the most important relationship in a child’s life … but there’s an amazing psychologist, Lisa Damour, who says that [as kids get older,] parents go from being jelly beans to Brussels sprouts; they’re healthy, they’re good for you, but they’re not the thing you’re most excited about. … Young people who can name a trusted adult at home as well as at school are thriving in ways that [young people who can’t] aren’t. It’s even better when those trusted adults from home and school are partnering for the well-being of young people.

How are trusted adults chosen for each child?

It’s up to the young people to decide who those trusted adults are in their lives. We’re looking to build capacity in all adults — community members, neighbors, parents, teachers, coaches, you name it — to recognize how they can be accessible, remain boundaried, and show young people that they care and invest in their well-being and success

Featured photo: Brooklyn Raney. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Rick Carvalho

Rick Carvalho is the owner of OakCraft Pizza (2 Cellu Drive, Suite 111, Nashua, 521-8452, oakcraftpizza.com), a fast-casual eatery specializing in fresh wood-fired pizzas that opened in Nashua’s Amherst Street Village Center last September. A Hollis native, Carvalho said pizza-making started out as a passion project for him a few years ago. In the spring of 2019 he enrolled in an intensive course in Staten Island, New York, where he learned how to make and serve pizzas in a restaurant setting. OakCraft Pizza offers completely customizable options on an assembly line before your pie reaches the end. It’s then ready to be cooked in a wood-fired oven, which came overseas from Italy. There are multiple specialty pizza offerings, or you can choose to build your own — other menu items include cheesy garlic bread, salads, meatballs with red sauce, and hand-filled whoopie pies. Prior to opening OakCraft, Carvalho and his family formerly owned franchises for four Dunkin’ Donuts stores across Nashua.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

Definitely a dough scraper, or a baker’s third hand, as people will call it. … It’s just such a great utility tool that makes my life so much easier.

What would you have for your last meal?

Probably a really nice steak, cooked medium, with mashed potatoes … and then I’d finish it off with creme brulee.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

My wife and I got married at LaBelle Winery in Amherst six years ago. We love going there for brunch.

What celebrity would you like to see eating in your restaurant?

I’d probably go with either Matthew McConaughey, because he seems like a cool guy, or Justin Bieber, because I want him to be my target audience as a business. … If Justin Bieber comes into your restaurant and he throws one Instagram post up there about it, I mean, you’re going to retire.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

The Vodka Pie. It has a house-made vodka sauce and fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, mushrooms and just a splash of peas … and then we finish it off with grated imported Parmesan and fresh basil. It’s an ode to a traditional Italian penne alla vodka … so it just kind of brings in a little bit of culture, and it’s something you can’t get anywhere else around here that I know of.

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

Definitely vegan options … and then also just a higher-end experience. I think people are starting to finally get that around here, and I think it was a huge push in why we opened and with what we’re doing.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I used to cook a lot at home, actually. … The thing I’ve cooked the most at home would be chicken Parm with just like a simple pasta.

Homemade chicken Parm
From the kitchen of Rick Carvalho of OakCraft Pizza

3 large chicken breasts, halved
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup marinara sauce
1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, with the rack in the middle of the oven. Heat a pan to medium-high heat on the stove and coat with olive oil. Dip chicken breasts in egg, then coat in bread crumbs. Place chicken on the pan to brown each side. Remove chicken from the pan and place in an oven-safe baking dish. Layer chicken and marinara sauce throughout the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake the chicken at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and place fresh mozzarella slices on the chicken. FInish cooking until the internal chicken temperature reaches 165 degrees. Enjoy over your choice of pasta.

Featured photo: Rick Carvalho of OakCraft Pizza Courtesy photo.

On The Job – Jennifer Eby-McDonough

Twirling studio owner and coach

Jennifer Eby-McDonough is the owner of Elevation Twirling, a baton twirling studio in Nashua.

Explain your job and what it entails.

I’m in charge of making the schedule for classes, collecting tuition, maintaining the website and social media sites, creating the curriculum that our classes follow, as well as hiring and training staff members. I’m also in charge of all outreach to the community, as well as community events, picking out the music used for events and competitions, as well as costuming for each class.

How long have you had this job?

Elevation Twirling opened this summer …but I’ve been involved in twirling for over 30 years as a twirler, coach and judge. Before opening the studio, I’ve previously coached athletes at different studios in both team and individual events.

What led you to this career field and your current job?

During my twirling career I competed throughout the Northeast and at nationals held at Notre Dame University in Indiana. After retiring from competitive twirling, I quickly became a certified judge through the National Baton Twirling Association, and when an opportunity came up to coach at a local studio in the area, I quickly jumped on it.

What kind of education or training did you need?

There is no formal training to be a baton twirling coach, but you need to have a good background in twirling, and most coaches have made it to the advanced level within the competition world of twirling. You should also have knowledge in dance and or gymnastics.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

I get to wear very comfy clothes. In the summer, I often wear athletic shorts and a tank top. In the winter I’ll wear yoga pants and a T-shirt, as well as sneakers. Closed-toed shoes are key as you don’t want a baton to hit your exposed toes. It will hurt; trust me.

How has your job changed over the course of the pandemic?

Seeing as I just opened the studio I didn’t really have to deal with the pandemic and restrictions. Though, during the pandemic, I did judge a lot of online competitions. These were very different as they were either over Zoom on a certain day or we were given pre-recorded videos and would judge them within a certain time frame. These online competitions were great as they allowed … for twirlers all over the country to compete against each other while, before, they would probably not as contests are usually local and not all of them draw twirlers from different parts of the country. … The downside was not seeing the twirlers in person. This was something I really missed — the human interaction at contests, as well as the overall energy of being at a contest. You just can’t get that over Zoom.

What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?

Whether you win or lose, the most important thing is the lessons you learn from each other.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

Twirling is more than tossing around a metal stick. It takes a lot of practice, dedication, blood, sweat and tears. What some people make seem easy is actually very tough, but the reason it looks so easy is all the countless hours they’ve put in to learn the trick or routine.

What was the first job you ever had?

I worked at the local YMCA as an after-school teacher.

What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?

Win or lose, the lessons you teach your students will [stay] with them for the rest of their lives.

Five favorites

Favorite book:
I read a lot of young adult books as I’m also a high school English teacher and am always looking for new books for my students to read.
Favorite movie: The Harry Potter series.
Favorite music: I like a variety of music and will often just listen to what’s on the radio or what others are listening to.
Favorite food: Ice cream
Favorite thing about NH: Within an hour, you can get to either the beach or the mountains and lakes, and I love both.

Featured photo: Jennifer Eby-McDonough. Courtesy photo.

Serve’s the purpose

General counsel returns from public leadership program

Mary Ann Dempsey, general counsel for New Hampshire’s Judicial Branch, was named the 2022 recipient of the Caroline and Martin Gross Fellowship, awarded by the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. Dempsey talked about the experience in which she spent three weeks in July participating in the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

What is your background and current role in public service?

After law school, I started my legal career as a law clerk with the New Hampshire Judicial Branch, which is where I am now. I did a two-year clerkship. I went into private practice for 12 years. Then, Attorney General Mike Delaney, in 2011, asked if I’d join the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office to head the civil bureau. That was my return to the public sector and working in state government. The civil bureau team would represent all of the state government, including the state agency, in litigation, helping them with client counseling and things of that nature. I was at the AG’s office for approximately three and a half years when Gov. Hassan asked if I’d serve as her legal counsel for the second term of her gubernatorial administration, so I moved over to the governor’s office for two years. … When Gov. Hassan was elected a U.S. senator, that’s when I came back to the judicial branch, in 2016, to be in the role I’m in now, which is as the general counsel.

What is the history of the fellowship?

It’s a three-week intensive program for state and local government leaders throughout the country. … The group consists of elected officials, law enforcement, city and county folks and then some state people who work in state governments, such as myself. … Martin Gross and Caroline Gross were both very active in public service in New Hampshire, so they created this fellowship to provide the funding for one person from state or local government in New Hampshire to attend the Harvard Kennedy School executive education program.

What led you to apply for it?

Judge Tina Nadeau, who is the Chief Justice of the Superior Court, was selected by the Charitable Foundation approximately 10 years ago to participate in the Harvard Kennedy program. I work closely with her, and she has been such a proponent of the program and the skills that it helps to develop, so she had encouraged me for a few years to apply. It wasn’t until this year that it was a good year for me to do so, and I was lucky enough to be selected.

What exactly did you do during those three weeks?

The program [runs] Monday through Friday, all day, with lectures from Harvard Kennedy professors in specialized areas. Then, you work in groups, and you work on projects. The whole goal is to teach individuals new skills and how to address policies, how to move programs forward and how to engage in dialogue with folks who may have a different view of a policy or a program from you. It’s an executive leadership program that’s designed to help individuals engage in tough discussions to either have a more comprehensive program or to be able to have opposing viewpoints in a respectful and professional way.

What were some educational highlights from the program?

One of the classes that was really impactful for me was a crisis management program which teaches skills to mitigate against a crisis, whatever that crisis might be — any unexpected issue that disrupts the flow of business — and how to essentially be prepared for the unknown. It’s a difficult concept for most of us to think about, but after Covid, every single business, public and private, has had to live through a situation like that, so it’s so relevant in terms of how to make sure your organization is able to continue operations, projects and necessary work. That was incredibly interesting to me. There was another class on how to engage in informed communication, both with constituents and with members of your team. … One program was about power dynamics in the sense of understanding the different groups that you may work with in your role in government and how to interact with each [in order to] make a successful team engaging in that type of work.

How are you planning to apply these new skills to your work in New Hampshire?

One example I can give is [that] the judicial branch is working on the centralization of our mental health docket, specifically our involuntary emergency admissions. It requires interaction with other members of the state government, with hospitals and with advocacy groups. That’s a perfect project to use these skills to help make sure that we’re all talking the same language, that we have common goals and that we can make productive steps throughout a complex process to bring it across the finish line.

Is there anything else you took away from this experience?

It was, without a doubt, the most diverse group of individuals that I’ve probably been in a classroom setting with since college. The conversations were so enlightening and enriched by having folks with different experiences, different backgrounds, diversity in jobs, diversity in race, diversity in geography.

Featured photo: Mary Ann Dempsey. Photo by Cheryl Senter.

In the kitchen with Ira Street

Ira Street of Manchester is the chef and owner of Squaloo’s BBQ (75 Webster St., Manchester, 232-7288, squaloosbbq.com), a mostly takeout barbecue eatery that opened inside Bunny’s Superette in December. An Army veteran and Chicago native, Street has been working in the food industry for more than 25 years. Squaloo’s, named after his childhood nickname, features a menu of fresh meats smoked daily — several items, like the rib tips and the hot links (spicy smoked sausages), are traditional barbecue staples of the Midwest. Other options include beer can barbecue chicken, fried catfish, jerk chicken, and brisket on weekends, as well as fried apple pie with a side of ice cream for dessert. Since opening its doors, Squaloo’s has joined forces with several other local businesses — they now offer a special catering menu in collaboration with The Potato Concept (thepotatoconcept.com), and also recently held their first barbecue pop-up event at Mountain Base Brewery (553 Mast Road, Goffstown).

What is your must-have kitchen item?

I need my carving knife and my French knife.

What would you have for your last meal?

My last meal wish would probably be brisket, with a side of ribs. I love spare ribs.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I would love to give a shout out to Backyard Brewery [& Kitchen] on Mammoth Road [in Manchester]. Besides my food, I think it’s the best food in town.

What celebrity would you like to see ordering from your restaurant?

It’s between Denzel Washington and Dennis Rodman. … Denzel is one of my favorite actors, and then Dennis Rodman, when he helped [the] Chicago [Bulls] win those last two championships, he became one of my favorite people.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

That would probably be the jerk chicken … because I put so much time into it, and the finished product is so good to me. There are so many herbs and spices that go into it.

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

Thai. I feel like there are a lot of Thai places popping up.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

My go-to at home, when I’m feeling it, is homemade pepper steak and rice.

Chef Ira’s homemade pepper steak
From the kitchen of Ira Street of Squaloo’s BBQ in Manchester

1 round steak, cubed
1 each red and green pepper, cubed
1 sweet onion, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cooking oil
⅓ cup water
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat one teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add peppers and onions and cook for three to four minutes. Place on a plate. Add steak to the pan and cook until brown. Add garlic, ginger, peppers and onion to the pan. Mix cornstarch with the water and add to the pan. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes and serve over rice.

Featured photo: Ira Street, chef and owner of Squaloo’s BBQ in Manchester. Courtesy photo.

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