Category: Q&A

In the kitchen with Emma Stetson

Emma Stetson followed a winding path to wine. “Actually I started out as a high school English teacher,” she said. “I took a Wine 101 course in college as an elective and really fell in love with it, but I was an English major, so my plan was always to stay in that field, and I got my start career-wise as a high school English teacher. But on the side I got kind of a fun freelance job writing about wine for a local food and wine publication in Connecticut. Also in college, while I was an English major, I double majored in Near Eastern Studies, like Arabic and Middle Eastern culture. A Boston-based chef was opening a restaurant in Kuwait and we got to talking and he asked for my help, like my language skills and my help to go out there and join their opening team and help them open the restaurant. So I left my teaching position because I thought that was such a cool opportunity, and went and did that with them. And then when I finished there and came back, I realized I didn’t want to go back into teaching.”

Stetson moved from writing about wine to working in a wine shop, then eventually to working for a series of wine distributors. “Wine on Main did exist in Concord for a little bit, but [the owners] quietly let me know that they were looking to sell the store, and wondered if I would know somebody [to buy it]. I told my husband and told my parents that I was trying to think of people who might be interested. And they all kind of looked at me and were like, ‘What about you? Like maybe this is a great opportunity for you and a chance to have your own store.’ So I am now the owner of Wine on Main in Concord.”

What is the most essential piece of equipment for a wine enthusiast?

Definitely a corkscrew; I prefer a waiter corkscrew. [Also known as a ‘wine key,’ this is the type of opener that is hinged to apply leverage to remove a cork.] It’s portable. I have probably about five on me at any given time. There’s like one in my purse, one in my pocket, one in the car, tons at the store.

What would you have for your last glass of wine?

A Meursault from Burgundy. It is arguably the best chardonnay in the world. Nobody does chardonnay like they do in Burgundy and Meursault is my favorite wine region.

What celebrity would you like to drink a glass of wine with?

I would say Gail Simmons. She was a judge on Top Chef. She’s more food-centric, but she got her start working for Food & Wine magazine. I read her memoir probably once every two years. In a strange way, I strive to make my wine career the way she developed her food career. Her whole philosophy was kind of starting at the bottom and tackling the industry from every side, even the unglamorous ones.

What would be an interesting wine that you would recommend to someone who was enthusiastic but not really knowledgeable?

I would say anything French, because French wines are so complex and interesting. I feel like people who don’t know a lot about wine get intimidated by French wines, but I would say, like, no, try them. I would maybe suggest starting with a Gamay, just because they’re so delicious, but they’re fruit-forward and lighter-bodied and approachable.

What do you keep in your refrigerator or your wine rack at home to drink?

I really do love a good chardonnay, so I have various chardonnays on hand, French ones and buttery, oaky California ones. I love the oakiness and the butteriness and the high acid. And you can have it on its own, but since it has the weight, it goes so well with food.

What is your best piece of advice for a wine lover?

I would just say — especially if you’re someone who’s starting your wine collection — make sure that you store your wine properly. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from customers that they’ve been so excited to go get a bottle only to find that it hadn’t been stored properly and had gone bad. So maybe it’s worth investing in a small wine fridge. Find a part of your house that’s cellar temperature and at a consistent temperature, especially here in New England, that doesn’t have intense temperature fluctuations. Don’t keep the wine by your wood stove.

Building a Village

The co-founder of Wellness Village NH on takes on the new year

Nancy Doherty is the co-founder of Wellness Village NH (660 Mast Road, Manchester, wellnessvillagenh.com, 935-9556) along with her two daughters, Allison Morgan and Morgan Doherty. Nancy is also a Reiki Master and is the founder of Be Self-Centered, which is her reiki practice. Wellness Village offers a myriad of services such as therapeutic massage, reiki, chiropractic care, doula services, education, countless workshops, support groups and a variety of therapies.

Why do you think people start to think about their health and wellness in January?

Well, we’re trained to by this point, right? It’s the new year, new leaf; there’s all this terminology around it. It’s a time to think, we have some space to think, honestly, some space to maybe create.

What sorts of services do you all offer?

We have a full gamut of services. We have classes and workshops and we have Reiki, massage, we have biomagnetism, we have doula services, we have classes that include nutrition. A doula is a person who is there to support the birthing person, so the doula services include a birth doula, postpartum doula, who will be there after the baby comes and helping the family make the transition with the new little one. Other services are the education aspect, so newborn care, lactation classes, birth classes, that kind of support.

How important is nutrition to someone’s health and wellness?

It’s right up there but what we consume in our bodies is the core of it all, so nutrition, what we’re consuming as far as hydration, sleep … those are all foundational. Our bodies can’t operate without correct fuel but there’s a lot of ways to approach that. There’s not one way to support health in that way.

If someone is looking to become healthier, what are some simple tips that they can follow to start on that path?

I think from my perspective, it’s about following their own intuition. If they’re feeling pulled to move their body, then they’re going to want to start their exploration there. If they’re feeling pulled to clean up the way their stomach is feeling, how their gut is feeling, that would be the place to start. Try to find ways to sample those opportunities. If you want to get into nutrition, find a workshop. That is a low-risk way to explore what those people are talking about and see if it resonates.

How important is sleep to overall health and wellness?

It’s really important. It’s super important. I’m not sure that we can even overstate how important it is. But you know, that all being said, I think we all know that and it’s just really hard to get that right. There’s a lot of reasons for it.

Are there any workshops coming up in January that you’d like to talk about?

In January, for instance, we have a reiki share at the end of the month, which is a super opportunity to experience reiki if you haven’t had a chance to do that… .

Do you want to talk about the different support groups?

Getting together with people going through the same things that you’re going through at the same time is really important. Right now we’re running prenatal support groups. Prenatal and postpartum support groups. Those are people coming together at a really specific time in life and they’re there to support each other. It’s amazing. We have hopes and plans for other supporters coming down the line. … We do have some nutrition coming up and other workshops. …

Are there any other services here that you’d like to mention or talk about that I haven’t asked you?

We are also a milk depot. So we accept breast milk donations here once a donor has been screened through Mother’s Milk Bank Northeast. We’re really proud of that. It literally saves the lives of newborns, premature newborns. It’s a really important, beautiful gift that these women are giving.

Holistic Prep for Birth (one-day class)
When: Saturday, Jan. 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Wellness Village NH, 660 Mast Road, Manchester
More: wellnessvillagenh.com, 935-9556

—Zachary Lewis

Featured image: Left to right: Morgan Doherty, Allison Morgan, and Nancy Doherty.

In the kitchen with Lin Theth

Chef at Street (76 N. Main St., Concord, 333-2125, streetfood360.com)

“I started in the industry as a student. I went to high school in Dover, and I took their culinary program,” Theth said. “I did that program for two years and then proceeded to go to Johnson & Wales for school. I completed my degree there in culinary arts, and I began working at first in Portsmouth, to finish my degree. I had to do an internship, so I did it at Vida Cantina in Portsmouth. I was there for about five or so years. I started as an intern, worked up to line cook, and then I was the chef there for the last couple of years. I began working at Street at our flagship restaurant in Portsmouth. From there, I helped open their secondary location in Exeter, and then I’m currently working at their third location in Concord.”

What’s your must-have kitchen item?

Definitely a knife. Having a good chef’s knife is everything. If you pick the right one, something that’s comfortable, something that’s really tuned to your hand as an individual, you know, you can almost use it for anything.

What would your last meal be?

Anything that my mother would make me, I would gladly have. I grew up eating a lot of pho and that’s something that I could never say no to, so I’d probably say that.

What’s your favorite place to eat out at?

I’ll be honest, I don’t go out much. I typically, you know, as the industry goes, I work a lot of hours, and aside from that, I just prefer to be at home. There’s a restaurant in Lynn, Mass., called Nightshade Noodle Bar and in the summertime they do like a seafood shack situation where they do Vietnamese Cajun cuisine. And I’ve never had it, but I’ve always wanted to try. Fun stuff like that is always very interesting to see.

What’s your favorite thing on your menu?

When I first started here at Street, I used to take the Singapore salad and what I would do is I would have that with a side of Korean tenders, but I would take it and wrap it up in a falafel pita and eat it like a pita.

What’s the biggest food trend you see in New Hampshire right now?

Anything that you see on social media is huge right now. I feel like the fusion is something that people have been really gravitating toward recently. Just like the mix and match of different cultures and a single dish and that kind of thing. I’ve seen a lot of dishes like birria ramen and stuff like that, which is very interesting.

What do you cook at home?

Breakfast is huge for me. I love waking up in the morning, having my cup of tea or cup of coffee and just making breakfast. That’s always one of the staples for me. Just, you know, scrambled eggs, good scrambled eggs, some seasoned potatoes, things like that.

Dipping Sauce
From the kitchen of Lin Theth

This is something that I like to do as just a dipping sauce for proteins — chicken or whatever:

It’s a couple of tablespoons of simple syrup. You can just make it on the stove; just cook [equal amounts of] sugar and water and boil that until the sugar is dissolved. Add a little bit of garlic and chili, just to bring in some heat, just a little zestiness from the garlic. Once that’s cooled, add a couple tablespoons of fish sauce to it and a fat squeeze of lime juice.

It’s pretty simple and easy to make, but it’s one of those things where you have a little bit of everything. It’s sweet, it’s spicy, it’s salty from the fish sauce. It’s great.

On The Job – Barry Poitras

Martial Arts Instructor

Sensei Barry Poitras teaches at Granite State Kendo Club (52 E. Derry Road, East Derry). Kendo and Iaido are two traditional Japanese martial arts that focus on swordsmanship. Poitras has achieved the rank of Godan (fifth degree black belt) in Kendo and Rokudan (sixth degree black belt) in Iaido, which are advanced levels requiring years of practice. Practices take place on Sundays at the Club: The first and third Sunday of the month has kendo kata from 1 to 2 p.m. and kendo practice from 2 to 4 p.m.; the second and third Sunday of the month has Iaido practice led by Sensei Barry Poitras and then kendo practice from 2 to 4 p.m. Call 235-6229 or visit granitestatekendoclub.com for more information.

Explain your job and what it entails.

Sensei basically is the title. I teach kendo and iaido, which is basically a Japanese martial art, Japanese swordsmanship. Kendo is fencing with armor. You use a two-handed sword, bamboo, and you wear armor, and you score points. Iaido is a little different. It’s drawing the sword with imaginary opponents, so you do all these sword draws, cuts, re-sheathing kind of movements, but imagining opponents. They’re kind of like sister arts, they work together… .

How long have you had this job?

I’ve been studying and teaching for over 37 years, somewhere around there…

What kind of education or training did you need?

It’s an interesting kind of pursuit. You have to find an instructor, which obviously back then was extremely difficult. It was such a rare sport in, not only the United States, but even just New England. I started basically with the Boston Kendo Group right down in Somerville, Massachusetts, in 1992-ish range. Then I slowly got my training through the folks down in New York who were mostly Japanese sensei. … I started my school, pretty much, in 1994 in Acton, Massachusetts. And when I moved to New Hampshire, I started up here, and now I’m helping out the Granite State Kendo with their program.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

We wear traditional Japanese hakama and keikogi. Basically, kendo players wear a blue, indigo blue hakama, which looks like a long skirt. Basically, it’s pleated pants. a heavy kote,indigo dyed blue top, and then the armor basically is headgear, breastplate around the lower abdomen, hand and wrist protection, and then a sort of a tare; it wraps around the hips and groin. …

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

I think the most challenging thing is even today, kendo in the United States is probably played with under probably 4,000 people nationally. … If you get to a higher level, you’re going to need to travel. I need to go to New York. Nationally I go to national seminars in basically all the country as well as Canada. …

—Zachary Lewis

Five favorites
Favorite book: Autumn Lightning by Dave Lowery
Favorite movie: The Billy Jack movie — that was it. I was hooked. I said that’s what I want to do, and I walked into a karate dojo, and never changed, never turned, never walked out.
Favorite music: I’m actually a guitar player. Right now I’m actually doing a lot of blues music, so I’d say anything blues.
Favorite food: Sushi
Favorite thing about NH: I love the mountains, being able to access the mountains because I’m an avid hiker. I love the accessibility to the seashore. And I think the life in New Hampshire, the music scene, is one of the favorite things I love.

Fisher at Fisher Cats

Meet the new GM of the city’s team

Taylor Fisher is the new General Manager of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Dou­ble-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, and he is the fifth General Manager since the club’s inception in 2004, according to a press release. Fisher is originally from Mer­rimac, Mass., and returns to New England with 12 years of baseball experience, the release said. The Fisher Cats’ first home game of the upcoming season is scheduled for Friday, April 4, at 6:35 p.m. against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Visit milb. com/new-hampshire.

What led you to becoming the gen­eral manager of the Fisher Cats?

I just finished up my 12th year of working in baseball … the last eight of which have been with the Nashville Sounds. They’re the AAA affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The last three years I’ve been the vice president of ticket sales and service … I’m actually from this area, born and raised in Merrimac, Massachusetts. I came to Fisher Cats games growing up, went to a ton of Portland Sea Dogs games because my aunt and uncle were season ticket holders, and our ownership group here with the Fisher Cats reached out to me and asked if I was interested in having a conversation. They had no clue that I was from New England … and then fast-for­ward to today and now we’re three weeks in.

What does a general manager do?

Great question. A very common mis­conception of what a general manager of a minor-league team does, as opposed to MLB, NBA, NHL or NFL: general manag­er of those leagues, they’re overseeing the actual team operations, so they’re trading players, signing players — it’s very spe­cific to that sport. A minor-league baseball general manager, we are strictly on the busi­ness operations side. All of our players and coaches are employees of the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Toronto Blue Jays oversee every aspect of the baseball side of things, so my role is to oversee every aspect of the Fisher Cats as the organization. So ticket sales, sponsorship, marketing, stadium oper­ations, groundskeeping and everything in between … really just overseeing all aspects of the business operations.

Do you have a favorite memory of the Fisher Cats from your past?

It would have been probably 20 years ago … I just fell in love with minor-league baseball because of going to Fisher Cats and Sea Dogs games. Minor-league baseball as a whole had a very important impact on my life growing up, and that’s ultimately why I decided to pursue a career in minor-league baseball.

Are there any chang­es you’re looking to make, anything that you hope to see in the future or anything that you really want to hold on to?

The ballpark’s 20 years old, so there’s always new ballparks, new stadiums, new stuff happening around the nation, around town that’s popping up, so we need to always make sure we’re putting our best foot for­ward. We definitely have a lot of what I would consider cool or fun ideas of how we can show the community that we’re con­tinuing to innovate, continuing to work to improve on anything that’s been done over the first 20 years, and really have people take pride in the ballpark and being part of the community.

What are your thoughts on the upcom­ing season?

Definitely very excited. Every season is entirely different. There’s something real­ly magical about opening day. … I know I wake up on opening day so excited and it truly feels different. Game days feel differ­ent. That’s something I’m looking forward to, especially this being my first time as a general manager of a minor-league baseball team. There’s going to be something extra special about when the 2025 home opener happens on April 4.

Is there anything else you’d like to say about the Fisher Cats or on moving back to the area?

… [I]t is really special to be back home … My whole family’s in New England, my wife’s whole family is in New England, so just on a personal note … aside from being able to be the general manager of a minor-league team is on the personal side being home with family, being able to have our kids grow up around all their relatives and being able to come to the ballpark and being able to show so many people — family, friends, and just the community as a whole — what we’re working on here is really exciting. —Zachary Lewis

Featured image: Taylor Fisher. Courtesy photo.

The state of business

Bright spots and challenges

Michael Skelton is the president & CEO of the Business Industry Association, New Hampshire’s statewide Chamber of Commerce. He spoke with the Hippo about business in the Granite State. Visit biaofnh.com for more information.

What has been the biggest challenge for businesses in New Hampshire in 2024?

The workforce shortage continues to be the biggest challenge, and the insufficient supply of housing at all levels is one of the most significant causes. Virtually all industries are affected, but we are particularly concerned about the impact on vital economic sectors experiencing strong job growth such as manufacturing, life sciences and high-tech.

What do you see as the biggest challenges in 2025?

BIA’s priority for 2025 is supporting legislation and policies to spur new housing development, increase affordability and help build our future workforce. Over 27 percent of our workforce is age 55 or older, highest among the states, and New Hampshire faces the retirement of an estimated 200,000 workers in coming years. It’s essential to allow more higher-density housing of all types, but particularly starter homes, while streamlining municipal and state approval processes for new housing developments. Recruiting and retaining the next generation of workers depends on significant action this legislative session as it will take years for housing spurred by new policies to be built.

What are the brightest spots of the economy?

The Granite State has incredible opportunities with the burgeoning biofabrication and life sciences sector and growing advanced manufacturing sector. A strong manufacturing sector is critical to economic success. Manufacturing’s impact ripples throughout the economy from local jobs to research and development that drives innovation and increases productivity. The life sciences and manufacturing sectors will create additional opportunities in our high-tech industry and educational system and growth will spread throughout our economy, creating thousands of high-paying careers.

What are specific advantages in New Hampshire?

U.S. News & World Report named New Hampshire as the second-best state to live in for 2024, citing our safety, fiscal stability and economy. New Hampshire continues to see economic growth and has one of the lowest state unemployment rates in the nation. We also benefit from New Hampshire’s business and political leaders who are dedicated to working together to solve the challenges and make our state an even better place to live and do business.

Which businesses are on the rise or do you expect to do well in the state in 2025?

As the New Hampshire affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers, BIA is proud to promote a strong manufacturing sector. More than 1,100 businesses employ over 42,000 people, 5.6 percent of the state’s total employment, and the sector is growing, adding over 1,000 jobs from 2017 to 2022. These are well-paying careers. Average annual earnings for an advanced manufacturing worker in New Hampshire are $111,728, far exceeding the $82,673 average for all industries.

Is there anything else about New Hampshire’s economy you would like to speak on?

The state must continue efforts to lower the cost of electricity. New Hampshire’s industrial electricity rates last fall were 84 percent higher than the U.S. average, and commercial rates were nearly 50 percent higher. These uncompetitive prices raise the cost of doing business and increase the risk of losing companies to less expensive regions. — Zachary Lewis

The SEE Science Center
Where: 200 Bedford St., Manchester
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with last admission 3 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m with last admission at 4 p.m.
Tickets: $14 per person ages 3 and up
More info: see-sciencecenter.org or call 669-0400.

Featured image: Michael Skelton. Courtesy photo.

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