Category: Q&A

In the kitchen with Megan Sampson

Megan Sampson of Hudson and her aunt, Vicki Abbott, are The Soup Ladies (thesoupladies.com, find them on Facebook), offering a product lineup of nine all-natural soups and one no-cook pasta salad, all of which come as dry mixes with either air-dried or freeze-dried ingredients — for most of them, just add water. Options include everything from a split pea soup and a corn chowder to a quinoa medley, a sweet potato chili and a turkey stew and pot pie filling. Originally known as Homemade Specialty, the business started 11 years ago when Abbott, its owner and founder, would make split pea soup as a teacher’s gift. Eventually she started introducing more soups that she would sell at local craft fairs, and that soon led to taking on some wholesale accounts. She and Sampson now run the company — rebranded as The Soup Ladies earlier this year — together. Today, their products are available in more than two dozen farm stands, country stores, butcher shops and other establishments across New Hampshire, Massachusetts and a few other states, and can also be ordered online to ship.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

Our newest tool that we have … is our automatic sealer. We used to have to do everything by hand, but now we have a heat sealer that will seal and trim the bag for us, and we can do five bags at a time versus us doing them individually. So it saves us quite a bit of time. It’s honestly the best purchase that I think we’ve made as a company.

What would you have for your last meal?

Lobster, pretty much any way I can get it. … I generally like them just steamed, or if I’m ever in the Portland, Maine, area, we always go to The Highroller, which has the best lobster rolls.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Luk’s Bar and Grill [in Hudson]. … It’s always consistent and the food is always great. My favorite thing to get there is their cauliflower wings. I have to get them every single time.

What celebrity would you like to see trying one of your soups?

Gordon Ramsay. … I feel our products are great, but I would like to see what his opinion is.

What is your favorite product that you offer?

There are two. We have our sweet potato chili that we developed and it’s our most popular soup. I really enjoy that one; however, I’ve had it many times, so you’re obviously not always looking for more of a heavier soup or a chili. … So my second favorite is our quinoa medley. It’s more of a lighter, feel-good kind of soup, and it has a ton of vegetables in it, which is right up my alley.

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

I feel like plant-based foods are kind of trending right now. I myself … am pretty much 90 percent plant-based — I consume meat on occasion, but I don’t have it that often. But I am noticing it more and more at restaurants, and even at the grocery store, that they are tending to have more plant-based items.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I like to make stuffed portobello mushrooms. … I’m actually the only one in my household that likes mushrooms, so whenever I can make them for myself, I try to.

Sweet potato chili dip
From the kitchen of Megan Sampson of The Soup Ladies, thesoupladies.com

1 package The Soup Ladies sweet potato chili
1 14.5-ounce can no-salt diced tomatoes
1 pound North Country Smokehouse chorizo brandy sausage, sliced
8 ounces Cabot shredded cheese
16 ounces Cabot sour cream
Shredded lettuce
Fresh diced tomatoes
Diced jalapenos and chopped scallions (optional)

Cook the sweet potato chili mix as directed. Brown the sausage and add into the chili mix the last 20 minutes of cooking time. Set the cooked chili aside until cooled. Top the chili with sour cream and sprinkle on the shredded cheese, shredded lettuce and fresh diced tomatoes. For a little added spice, try adding diced jalapenos and chopped scallions. Refrigerate for one hour to set the dip. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy.

Featured photo: Megan Sampson of The Soup Ladies, based in Hudson. Courtesy photo.

On The Job – Ernie Dascoli

Window treatment specialist

Ernie Dascoli is the owner of Made In The Shade, a custom window treatment business in Windham.

Explain your job and what it entails.

I’m the owner of a custom window treatment company. My job entails overseeing the day-to-day operations, which entails mostly marketing, sales and install coordination. I help people transition their homes by using blinds, shades, shutter and draperies products that dress up their windows and change the entire feel of rooms in their home.

How long have you had this job?

I started the business this year and have enjoyed a lot of early success, considering you hear most companies struggle at the beginning.

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

I’ve always been in corporate sales for packaging manufacturers, so the interaction with the client came naturally. I was looking to transition out of the corporate grind and build a company of my own. I was burnt out from traveling all over the country and spending 100-plus nights on the road and weekly conferences and Zoom calls that seemed to accomplish nothing except give the group a reason to jump on another call. It left me with a very unfulfilling feeling inside, and I felt destined to do something better for myself.

What kind of education or training did you need?

The education never stops. I spent a week at the corporate franchise office learning the basics of running the business. I then took it on my own to work with some local window treatment installers to learn the products and how they are installed. I also spent a lot of time meeting with my window treatment manufacturers to learn about all the products and trends in the window treatment industry.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Depends on what hat I’m wearing. For in-home consultations, I dress more professionally — dress pants and a golf or button-down dress shirt. If I am doing an install, I’ll be wearing work pants or jeans and a golf shirt of some sort. No matter what, it is always important to look respectful at a customer’s home.

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

Being a relatively new business, things are changing constantly. From the beginning of the year until now, I feel like I’ve lived through two dramatic swings that most businesses don’t experience for years. In the beginning of 2022, business was booming, but these past few months business has slowed due to inflation pressures and a downturn in the economy on the brink of a recession. You need to roll with the punches and keep adjusting. It’s important to stay ahead of the business environment and keep on learning.

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

When you work for a large company, no matter how much you like the company or the people you work with, you’re still an employee, and everyone is replaceable. There’s not a lot of loyalty. I should have started my own business earlier.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

I’m always looking out for my customer’s best interest. When I have happy customers, that is the most rewarding part of the job.

What was the first job you ever had?

I was a caddy at a country club in town.

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

No matter how bad you think a situation is, it’s usually not as bad as you think it is, and most of the time it works itself out.

Five favorites

Favorite book: The Lizard King
Favorite movie: True Romance
Favorite music: ’80s, grunge, rock and metal
Favorite food: Pizza
Favorite thing about NH: The Lakes

Featured photo: Ernie Dascoli. Courtesy photo.

The big red suit

Prepping the beard & putting on bells for the season

Santa Mark (Marc Nozell in the off season) gives us a look at what it’s like to wear the big red suit.

How did you first get into being Santa?

I used to be Santa for our six kids back around the turn of the century with a suit my wife picked up at a yard sale. But I didn’t get back into it until about five years ago. My sons in their 20s were doing a No Shave November and had pretty sad beards, so I wanted to show them how it was done. Turns out it came in thick and all white. My wife and I were at the Nashua Winter Holiday Stroll and I wore a Santa cap. We noticed little kids pointing and asking their parents about if I was Santa. We ran into a local booker of Santas who pointed me to the New England Santa Society and their Santa Camp. From then on, I was hooked.

How do you get into character?

Pretty straightforward: I make sure all the tools of the trade are in my bag — copies of the classic books ‘Twas the Night before Christmas and the newer Are You Grumpy, Santa? by Gregg Spiridellis; mini candy canes; Santa wooden nickels; a special Santa Spray for the beard that some people may mistake for diluted peppermint essential oil; an extra pair of white gloves; and jingle bells for making a grand entrance. Then, suit up — pants, jacket, faux-fur lined boots and the wide leather belt complete with three magical keys and yet more bells. After brushing out the beard to make it fuller, I then apply some beard cream to curl up the mustache to look a bit like a smile. I’ve been blessed with naturally full and chubby cheeks and only need a pinch or two to make them a little bit more rosy.

Is there a Mrs. Claus? Does she ever join you?

There is the person I’m married to, but portraying Mrs. Claus isn’t her cup of tea. There is a performer in my town who sometimes comes along as Mrs. Ginger Claus. The New England Santa Society is encouraging including a Mrs. C. when people are looking for a Santa.

Is the beard real?

Yup! You can’t be a member of the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas if you don’t. I’m not kidding; when you join you need to provide a headshot showing a beard. I keep a beard year-round, and Dec. 25 I traditionally trim back down only to grow it out again in August.

What is the funniest thing a kid has ever said to you?

This year, there was a request for a real unicorn, but I had to explain that Santa can’t deliver live animals anymore because the elves don’t want to deal with the poop that gets in the sleigh. Another little one wanted just handcuffs. His parents were quick to explain he already had the rest of the cops-and-robbers toys.

What is the most asked-for Christmas present?

Legos are always popular, and there are lots of requests for L.O.L. dolls.

How do your virtual visits work?

In 2020, I started to do virtual visits with children. Through my website, parents sign up for a 15-minute visit with Santa and provide some background information including if they have an Elf on the Shelf and any particular family traditions. After having remote learning for school, the kids were pretty comfortable meeting virtually over the computer. We talk about the usual stuff you do in person. Sometimes Santa, with some assistance from the parents, will hide an early little gift somewhere in their house.

What do you love most about being Santa?

There are some children who know in their heart they are talking to the real Santa. They look in my eyes and are very sincere as we talk. I call them the true believers, and they make me love to keep this season as magical as possible for them for as long as possible.

Five favorites
Favorite Christmas song: Either “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” or John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).”
Favorite cookie: Whatever cookies are left out for me, but you can never go wrong with sugar cookies.
Favorite Christmas movie: I’m tempted to say Die Hard, but my favorite is the 1991 animated Father Christmas by the makers of “The Snowman,” written by Raymond Briggs.
Favorite winter activity: Spreading joy and happiness. Starting right after Thanksgiving, my weekends are packed with parades, family and company holiday parties, photo shoots, visiting daycares and country clubs — no rest until after Christmas Eve.
Favorite holiday aroma: Cinnamon — in cookies, pies and mulled cider.

Featured photo: Santa Mark. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Melissa Dolpies

Melissa Dolpies of Northfield is the owner of Twelve 31 Events (twelve31.events, and on Facebook and Instagram), a catering business she runs with her husband, Michael. In addition to operating out of a commercial kitchen in Tilton, Twelve 31 Events recently opened a full-service cafe in downtown Concord (100 N. Main St., Suite 101), where scratch-made sandwiches, soups, chowders and other items are available. A native of East Boston, Dolpies got her start in the industry in fine dining before transitioning into banquets and event catering for some of Boston’s most well-known hotels. She moved to New Hampshire in 2016 and launched Twelve 31 Events the following year.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

The obvious one is my knife, but for me, it’s also a wooden spoon. … I have probably a dozen stainless steel spoons and I always grab the wooden one.

What would you have for your last meal?

Really briny oysters. That’s definitely one of the things that I miss a lot from leaving the city.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

My go-to is Revival [Kitchen & Bar in Concord]. We go there often, we sit at the bar, and I just love the open kitchen. [Chef and owner] Corey [Fletcher] is always back there working hands-on with his staff, and I just love that. He always changes his menu and does a really great job.

What celebrity would you like to see eating at your cafe?

This is a funny one for me. Honestly, there isn’t anyone that I could say is on my wishlist. I have spent so much time in Boston and worked at such great places … and served and cooked for countless celebrities and athletes.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

I’d have to say the clam chowder. … I have been making it for over 20 years, and it’s a recipe that I took a long time to perfect.

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

I kind of equate this question to what we do … and I think the biggest trends have all lately been due to social media. I think TikTok and Instagram and all of these influencers are really driving what I see clients looking for as our trends.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I’m Italian … [and] my favorite thing to cook is what we call Sunday gravy. … We’ll change up what pasta we’re going to have, but it will always have lots of meat in it, maybe homemade meatballs or Italian sausage or braciole. We always have a good piece of crusty bread with some freshly grated Romano cheese and a salad. That’s just the perfect day for me.

Snowball cookies (Italian butter cookies rolled in powdered sugar)
From the kitchen of Melissa Dolpies of Twelve 31 Catering

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar, plus 1 cup for rolling
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
2¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
¾ cup pecans, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high until creamy. Add the powdered sugar in the bowl with butter. Start the mixer gently, then increase the speed to medium. Beat the butter and sugar for two to three minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and salt.
Mix to combine. Add half of the flour, mix to combine, then add the rest of the flour. Add the pecans and mix again. Roll the cookie dough into quarter-sized balls, then place them an inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom. While the cookies are baking, place the remaining cup of powdered sugar into a medium-sized bowl. Remove the cookies from the oven. While they are still warm, roll each cookie in the powdered sugar. When they have cooled, roll them in the powdered sugar a second time.

Featured photo: Melissa Dolpies. Courtesy photo.

On The Job – Joey Bolduc

DJ

Joey Bolduc is a DJ with his own business, Joey Bolduc Entertainment, based in Manchester.

Explain your job and what it entails.

People hire me for weddings, corporate events or private parties, basically looking to have somebody to play music or just create some fun or some ambiance for their party. I have a questionnaire that I use to get a basic idea of the types of music or entertainment they want for their event.

How long have you had this job?

I’ve been DJing for around 15 years now, but I’ve been playing in my band for even longer than that, since I was 13, so essentially I have over 25 years of entertainment experience.

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

I started off with the band when I was in my early teens, playing in bars and clubs in the New England region. The DJing business was just a natural step from being in a band because I had the equipment and I had the experience entertaining people.

What kind of education or training did you need?

You don’t need any special education. Being a good DJ, in my opinion, is about being a good communicator and being a good reader of people. If you can read a room, you can kind of predict what things the crowd might like and what things would get them pumped up. Knowing how to create energy inside of a room is another important factor. You can’t be afraid to put yourself out there and be the person to take charge, be a focal point and get things moving.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

For weddings, it’s more traditional, like slacks and a tie and all that stuff. Birthday parties and things like that are a little more casual. For those, I’m in jeans and a nice shirt and maybe some sneakers so I can dance around, do some backflips, do some handstands and just really put on a show for the people.

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

I experienced a little dip during the first year when it was all happening, but after that, people wanted to party, so that first summer back was actually crazy for me. I experienced a heightened sense of appreciation for being able to come together again and celebrate.

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

I wish I had known how easy it was to start my own business doing this, and I wish I had started earlier. I also wish I had started trusting my instincts sooner instead of being so worried about playing cool music and focused more on reading the room than trying to think so much about what will work.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

I’m an introvert deep down inside. Everybody thinks I’m this crazy, charismatic, outgoing person because I have to be. I’ve learned how to turn it on. But when it really comes down to it, I’m just a homebody and actually kind of a shy person.

What was the first job you ever had?

Dunkin’ Donuts.

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

Follow your gut. Trust your intuition. Do what makes you happy. And don’t do things just because of social pressure. Just be the individual snowflake that you’re meant to be.

Five favorites

Favorite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
Favorite movie: Tommy Boy
Favorite music: Hip-hop, rock and R&B
Favorite food: Chicken Parm
Favorite thing about NH: The diversity within the seasons and within the landscape

Featured photo: Joey Bolduc. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Carlos Dorado

Carlos Dorado of Hollis is the chef and owner of Effin Sauces Co. (effinsauces.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @effinsauces), a producer of an organic apple cider-based vinegar hot sauce made with bell and habañero peppers known as Sweet Lava. Originally from Spain, Dorado graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a culinary degree and would later go on to run a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Miami, Florida, called The Lunchbox — it was there, he said, that he started offering bottles of his sauce on each of the tables. After living in Florida for about a decade, Dorado relocated to the Granite State, where his wife Kaleigh was born and raised and where the family has resided since 2018. Bottles of Sweet Lava are produced in a local licensed commercial kitchen and sold at nearly two dozen farm stands, country stores and other businesses across southern New Hampshire. The Dorados are also working toward opening their own commercial facility, where they plan to expand the Effin Sauces product line.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

I have one knife that I only use for making the sauce. It’s a 10-inch Shun that I sharpen with a whetstone every time I’m going to start a batch. … I feel like a chef is as good as the sharpness of his knife.

What would you have for your last meal?

A few years ago I ate at this restaurant in Sicily, and [I had] a homemade pasta where they emulsified sea urchin with egg yolks. … That has been the best meal of my life, and so if I can ever have it again, it will be a dream come true.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I have a few. … The first one is Yoshimama on Amherst Street [in Nashua]. … Any time you go there, you will eat well. The fish is always fresh and they are very polite and very nice. The second one is Greenleaf in Milford, because I really admire what [owner and chef] Chris Viaud is doing. He’s doing a great job and getting the recognition that he deserves. … Then the third one is the Michael Timothy [Dining] Group, because I really feel that that guy is the Midas around here. Everything that he touches turns into gold.

What celebrity would you like to see trying your Sweet Lava sauce?

Adam Sandler. I grew up watching his movies … and now I live in his home state, which I’ve always thought was so cool. I’ve always dreamed of him trying the sauce.

What is your favorite thing to make with your Sweet Lava sauce?

I love to make a very rich stir-fry … with anything that I can find, a fried egg on top and then the Effin Sauce on it. Delicious.

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

One thing that I really love about New Hampshire, which is really hard to find in the rest of the United States, is the culture of enjoying things that are locally produced.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Every once in a while, I get a little nostalgic about Spain. I like to do what I call Spanish nights at home. … I’ll buy some shosito peppers, rub some tomato on toasted bread, [or] make a Spanish tortilla with potatoes. … Sometimes I manage to get lucky and find some octopus. We boil it and then serve it with olive oil, paprika and sea salt. Very simple, but delicious.

Shrimp taquitos
From the kitchen of Carlos Dorado of Effin Sauces Co.

3 small flour tortillas
8 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp
1 avocado
1 mango
Lime juice
White vinegar
Salt and pepper
Effin Sauces Sweet Lava hot sauce

Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add one tablespoon of white vinegar. Add the shrimp and turn down to simmer. Cook for around six minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp pieces. Transfer the shrimp to an ice bath to cool them down, then roughly chop them. Cut the mango and avocado into small-diced pieces. Combine the shrimp, avocado and mango in a bowl, then toss them with the lime juice, salt, pepper and Sweet Lava. Distribute the mix evenly on the tortillas and enjoy.

Featured photo: Carlos Dorado. Courtesy photo.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!