Q&A – Page 25

On The Job – Heather Hamel

Public information officer

Heather Hamel is the public information officer for the Manchester Police Department.

Explain your job and what it entails.

I handle all inquiries from the media, write press releases, conduct interviews and organize press conferences. I also manage the police department’s social media pages both with print and video content that I gather. I highlight all of the positive things police officers do every day that the general public may not even realize.

How long have you had this job?

Four-and-a-half years.

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

I was a television news reporter for close to two decades. I understand what the media is looking for and feel comfortable speaking with reporters. Working at the local television station, I was already well-acquainted with the Manchester Police Department, having visited the station on numerous occasions to do interviews with officers. It was a natural fit.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I have a bachelor of science degree in mass communications. I also completed several internships during my college career and went on to work in both radio and television news.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

I don’t have a uniform, but I am expected to dress nicely: dress pants and a nice top or a dress.

What is the most challenging thing about your work, and how do you deal with it?

At a police department you never know when something may happen. I am responsible for getting pertinent information out to the media, who then disseminate it to the public. This can happen at any time of day or night. I have my phone with me at all times and respond as quickly as possible whether I am on or off the clock.

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

You are always learning and growing. There are constant changes in the industry, and you need to be adaptable. Don’t stagnate.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

What a great group of people work here. The people who work at this police department genuinely care about the community and it is an honor to showcase their hard work and talents.

What was the first job you ever had?

Grocery store cashier.

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

Keep it clear and concise. Talk in sound bites.

Five favorites
Favorite book: Anything by Harlan Coben or Linwood Barclay. I love mysteries.
Favorite movie: Grease
Favorite music: Pop/rock or most anything from the ’80s
Favorite food: Pizza, sushi, lobster
Favorite thing about NH: The Lakes Region

Featured photo: Lacey Brown. Courtesy photo.

In the market?

A real estate attorney discusses homebuying

Matthew W. Neuman, Esq., real estate attorney of Bedford-based Absolute Title, discusses crucial home buying steps, the impact of fluctuating interest rates and his innovative approach to the closing process.

What are the crucial steps a New Hampshire homebuyer should follow before diving into the market?

It’s vital any buyer thinking of … using mortgage financing first reach out to a mortgage lender to verify their mortgage eligibility. With rates higher than the historic lows from a couple of years ago, it’s vital they identify their budget and focus on a realistic purchase price point. … Once you establish that price, they need to seek out a Realtor who will help guide them to only properties in their price range.

How are fluctuating interest rates impacting the average New Hampshire homebuyer?

Interest rates have fluctuated from all-time lows a couple years ago to where they are currently, hovering around 8 percent. These current rates are being characterized as very high when in reality they’re almost exactly equal to the historic average rate since 1971 of 7.75 percent, but as rates increase the consumer’s buying power decreases and prices them out of houses they may have been able to afford two years ago. Unfortunately most consumers are holding onto the memory of the historic rates. … It will be another 12 to 24 months before we see much relief in the area of interest rates, so people need to reset their expectations.

What are some common corners buyers are cutting in the current market, and what potential pitfalls should they be wary of?

If a buyer waives their right to perform a home inspection prior to closing, they run the risk of missing significant structural and mechanical defects in the property that could be addressed and negotiated with the seller. Buying “as is” is just that, and any issues go right along with it and more than likely will have no recourse against the seller. Buyers who waive their rights of due diligence for easements, restriction, covenants, etc., will miss the opportunity to verify there are no restrictions on the property that could potentially impair their intended use of the property, such as ‘no livestock’ for people looking to have chickens.

You’ve been credited with creating proprietary software to aid in the closing process. Can you explain how this technology helps the average buyer?

Historically, buyers were limited to one of two ways to bring their funds to closing: either a wire transfer sent from their bank, or bringing a bank certified check to closing. Both of those options are inconvenient, often costly and highly susceptible to fraud. In 2018 we released AbsolutePay, our proprietary and patented payment platform that allows buyers, sellers, Realtors and lenders to transfer the funds required for a closing from their account to ours easily, safely, securely and for free. They can initiate it in a few minutes from their desktop, laptop, tablet or phone.

How does fraud intersect with real estate, and what are some simple steps buyers can take to protect themselves?

Fraud has become quite rampant in the real estate world. The reliance on email as the preferred form of communication has opened the door for fraudsters to interject themselves into a conversation between the parties of a transaction and then steer the parties to make a fatal mistake, such as providing fraudulent wire instructions, which can then result in the loss of these funds. Wire instructions should never be provided through ‘unsecure’ email and should always be verified over the phone. Picking up the phone and having conversations will help to minimize the risk of fraud. Another fraud situation that has recently grown in popularity is the sale of ‘vacant’ land by someone purporting to be the owner but in reality is a fraudster. They will reach out to a Realtor, usually through email, explaining they live out of state or are on vacation and would like to list their property for sale but they don’t want their neighbors to know they’re selling so they instruct the Realtor to not place a ‘for sale’ sign at the property. Once the property goes under agreement, all correspondence with the seller occurs through email, and if not caught in time, the transaction is completed, resulting in funds being wired to the fraudsters. These situations can be avoided by choosing to work with experienced Realtors and title professionals.

Featured photo: Matthew W. Neuman. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Justin Bernatchez

Nashua native Justin Bernatchez is the executive chef at LaBelle Winery. Growing up with his father in the industry, he was exposed at a young age to the kitchen environment, one that he found thrilling, and he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. He started cooking in local restaurants when he was 15 and later attended Atlantic Culinary Academy’s Le Cordon Bleu program, where he graduated at the top of his class.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A must-have in the kitchen for me would be passionate cooks who are willing to work really hard, listen and learn. … Becoming a chef takes time … It takes years, and having cooks that are passionate and devoted to the craft really helps build a strong team and makes things really fun.

What would you have for your last meal?

I’m a sucker for comfort food and … greasy fatty, cheesy and gooey … I would start with fried mozzarella sticks and some buffalo wings with tons of blue cheese dressing, then probably a really nice burger and finish it off with something chocolatey for dessert.

What is your favorite local eatery?

I live in Manchester and love exploring the ever-changing food scene. From Mexican to Thai to the dives and sandwich shops — they all have such great and interesting things to try, so to pick one would be impossible, but my favorite thing is that you can pretty much [try] food from any culture you are craving…

Name a celebrity you would like to see eating in your restaurant?

The late, great Anthony Bourdain. He was just so influential in my career, and his books and shows really inspired me to branch out and explore what the world had to offer through food…

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

My favorite thing on the menu right now at The Bistro in Amherst would be the salted caramel chicken wings …. [It’s] crispy chicken coated in a white wine caramel with fresh Granny Smith apples and smoked sea salt. … I would say that the classic steak frites would be my favorite at Americus.

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

I would say that the biggest food trend … would be the fusion of ingredients from other countries and other parts of the world into American-style foods to make them more approachable.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

[P]robably be anything that I can grill. I love to use my flat-top grill to make meals for my wife and kids that they are going to love.

LaBelle Winery Guinness Braised Short Ribs

½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
4 pounds beef short ribs
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion rough-chopped
1 large carrot rough-chopped
2 stalks celery rough-chopped
6 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
15 ounces (or more) Guinness
15 ounces (or more) beef stock

In a shallow plate whisk together the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the short ribs in the flour mixture, making sure all sides are covered in flour. In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the pan is heated up, add the ribs, only half of them at a time (do not overcrowd), and sear them on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned. Repeat with remaining ribs. Once they are all seared, set them aside. Preheat your oven at 350 degrees in the meantime. In the same pot over medium-high heat, add the onions, carrot, celery, garlic and sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion has softened and the garlic is aromatic. Next, stir in the tomato paste and pour in the Guinness and beef broth (amount needed is dependent on your pan size — the short ribs need to be covered with the liquid). Then, add the rosemary and thyme and bring the pot to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Add the short ribs back to the pan and cover with a lid. Transfer the pan to the oven and braise for 2½ to 3 hours, or until they are tender enough to fall apart with a fork. Remove the rosemary and thyme from the pot, then garnish with parsley and serve.

Featured photo: Justin Bernatchez. Courtesy photo.

On The Job – Lacey Brown

Bookstore owner

Lacey Brown is the owner of Henniker Book Farm & Gifts.

Explain your job and what it entails.

I get to be around and sell books all day long — what could be better than that? … What I love best is that every day is different and that is because I get to interact with people who come from all over with all different interests. With a used book store you get to put your hands on unique books that you won’t find regularly at new book stores and our inventory is constantly rotating with different books…

How long have you had this job?

About three years ago I started selling books online as a side hustle… [I]n 2022 my husband and I bought Henniker Book Farm & Gifts. At first we were going to just open online, but the public convinced us that we needed to open the doors … In August 2022 we reopened the oldest used book store in New Hampshire, originally founded in 1964.

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

I grew up reading non-stop … I also spent 22 years in the high-tech industry, where I learned so much about business and people. So to combine my love for books, business and people it made for an exciting new opportunity that I could not only enjoy but share the experience with my kiddos.

What kind of education or training did you need?

Running a business isn’t easy, so any business education you can get, whether it’s schooling or hands-on. That said, hands-on experience gives you the opportunity to come in contact with real-life scenarios that just can’t be taught in a classroom.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Depends on my mood. Some days I wear funky book T-shirts, sometimes I dress up, and sometimes I wear warm comfy clothes, especially in those brutally cold months.

What is the most challenging thing about your work, and how do you deal with it?

I have limited space for storing new books before I put them on the shelves. This of course will always ebb and flow as books come in and go out, but at the end of the day no one can have too many books.

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

I wish I had learned to take more time to enjoy life.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

People always think that I get to read books all day, but unfortunately that’s not true …

What was the first job you ever had?

At 14, I worked at McDonald’s.

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

Leverage people’s strengths. … This is true in life too.

Five favorites

Favorite book: Gone with the Wind. I’ve read it over and over again.
Favorite movie: Gone with the Wind. I know it’s redundant, but Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable are amazing!
Favorite music: Dave Matthews Band
Favorite food: Polish food
Favorite thing about NH: The outdoors, in all seasons, although my favorite is fall.

Featured photo: Lacey Brown. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Chris Ballou

Chris Ballou, a sous chef at Americus Restaurant at LaBelle Winery in Derry, discovered his culinary bent in a high school class. He went on to attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where he earned an associate’s degree, and gained experience in Arizona as well. Once back in New Hampshire, he started working at LaBelle Winery in Amherst before working at Americus Restaurant, where he has been for almost four years and enjoys the creative freedom to experiment with a diverse cuisine.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

The kitchen knife is definitely a must-have … but I would say a good stock pot because in culinary school you start everything from scratch and all food starts with good ingredients and my main go-to good ingredient is a good stock, so I think that is essential for me.

What would you have for your last meal?

It would have to be my mom’s pot roast. I played soccer when I was growing up and [on] rainy fall nights after a long soccer game you come home and the house just smells incredible, it’s a nice hearty meal [that] will fill you right up. Perfect for winter nights.

What is your favorite local eatery?

Green Leaf over in Milford. … He does a lot of creative things over there and it [is] amazing.

Name a celebrity you would like to see eating in your restaurant.

My chef out [in] Arizona grew up in France and he was living in the same neighborhood I think down the street of Dominique Crenn and ever since she did that episode on Chef’s Table on Netflix I’ve just been totally wowed, so that would be incredible to see her eating there.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

I have to say it’s the Mediterranean pizza that we have on the menu. … it’s just spectacular. It’s a 24-hour fermented pizza dough [made] in house … It’s amazing, such a good balance of spicy and sweet and there’s fresh oregano on top to bring it all together. It’s delicious.

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

I see a lot of oriental places popping up. … New Hampshire seems to be diversifying its food a lot more than it was, getting away from the New England cuisine of chowders and such like that.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Chicken piccata. It’s easy, it’s quick, it’s delicious. I’m a big fan of bold, sour flavors too but I like to add sun-dried tomatoes into it to kind of balance it out and give it some sweetness. It’s so easy to do after a long day at work.

Chicken piccata
From the kitchen of Chris Ballou

2 chicken cutlets
1 shallot sliced
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup chardonnay
1 cup chicken stock
¼ pound butter
2 Tablespoons capers
2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomato
1/2 lemon squeezed
salt and pepper to taste

On medium high heat, sear chicken for about one minute on both sides and remove from pan.
Add shallots and garlic and stir, picking up all the fond (leftover chicken bits on the bottom of pan). Cook until translucent.
Deglaze with wine.
Add in chicken stock, capers and tomatoes.
Add chicken back into the pan. Reduce by ¼.
Add butter and lemon juice, stirring constantly.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve over rice with your favorite seasonal vegetables.

Featured photo: Chris Ballou. Courtesy photo.

On The Job – Rebecca Cardamone

Mobile boutique owner

Rebecca Cardamone owns The Trendy Dog, a mobile boutique based in Pelham selling items for dog lovers.

Explain your job and what it entails.

I own a retail pop-up shop and e-commerce business. I travel all over New England with my mobile boutique to different fairs and festivals. I also sell my products online at thetrendydogllc.com. My products include apparel and home decor for people who love dogs. I’m an authorized “Dog is Good” retailer and carry many other brands as well.

How long have you had this job?

I just started my business in the spring of 2023.

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

My love for dogs.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I have a degree in biology and worked in biotech for almost 20 years before deciding to pursue my dream of opening a business that allows me to combine my love of dogs and merchandising.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Yoga pants and one of the T-shirts or sweatshirts that I sell.

What is the most challenging thing about your work, and how do you deal with it?

The most challenging aspect is maintaining a work-life balance while running my own business. Mastering that balance is a work in progress.

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

I wish I had enough confidence earlier in my life to pursue my dream of owning a retail shop or e-commerce business.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

I wish people knew how genuinely happy it makes me to hear all about their pups.

What was the first job you ever had?

My first job was at a small dry cleaning business in Nashua.

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

Find something you are truly passionate about and a way to turn it into your full-time career.

Five favorites

Favorite book: Any mystery or Stephen King book
Favorite movie: It’s a tie between Braveheart and Knives Out.
Favorite music: The Fray or Fleetwood Mac
Favorite food: Mexican and Italian
Favorite thing about NH: Fall foliage and the community in my small town

Featured photo: Rebecca Cardamone. Courtesy photo.