Category: Q&A

In the kitchen with Steve Burke

Steve Burke of Salem is the owner of B’s Grumman Grub ([email protected], and on Facebook @bsgrummangrub), a food truck offering comfort items like chili, burgers, wraps, subs, breakfast sandwiches, chicken finger dinners and more. An auto mechanic and garage manager by trade, Burke first got into the local food scene when he owned Steve’s Dirty Dawgs, a hot dog cart known for its loaded chili dogs. He found the truck that would become B’s Grumman Grub through a family friend, naming it after the Grumman vehicle manufacturer, and built it out over the course of a few years. The truck regularly appears at the Derry-Salem Elks Club (39 Shadow Lake Road, Salem) on Thursday evenings, and is available to book for private events of all sizes. Burke will also be attending the final date of the Pelham Farmers Market, on Saturday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the First Congregational Church of Pelham (3 Main St.).

What is your must-have kitchen item?

It’s got to be a spatula, because we’re always on the grill flipping burgers, steak and cheeses and things like that.

What would you have for your last meal?

A hot Italian sausage sub with onions, peppers and Tabasco sauce.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

The only restaurant we ever really eat at is [New] Chief Wok, right here in Salem. … I’ve got to have the egg rolls, and I really like the lo mein as well.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

I love my chili, since that’s kind of what started it all. … I also really like the chicken fajita wrap, which was something that my wife came up with.

What celebrity would you like to see ordering from your food truck?

I’m going to say Adam Sandler. I just feel like he would be a food truck type of guy.

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

It’s obvious to me that food trucks are the thing right now. They are everywhere. … Even before Covid, they were just blowing up and you see them more and more. Now people want them at their weddings, their graduation parties, their birthday parties, you name it.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I really like a good tomato grilled cheese sandwich with extra sharp cheddar, beefsteak tomato, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

Homemade chili
From the kitchen of Steve Burke of B’s Grumman Grub in Salem

1 24-ounce can Hunt’s four-cheese sauce
1 24-ounce can red kidney beans (do not rinse)
1 12-ounce can baked beans
1 pound ground beef (cook and add with the fat; do not drain)
2 hot Italian sausages, cooked and sliced into half moons
2 medium white onions, cut into thin strips
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 chili pepper, sliced thin and diced
2 Tablespoons chili powder

Cook in a slow cooker on high to get it to temperature, then reduce to low and cook for six hours. Stir often and season to your liking. Add a pinch of garlic powder or Frank’s Red Hot to taste (optional). Add water if you like a thinner chili.

Featured photo: Steve Burke. Courtesy photo.

On The Job – Diane Valladares

Andrea Grelle

Volunteer recruiter

Diane Valladares is the Director of Recruitment at Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of New Hampshire, a nonprofit that recruits and trains volunteer advocates for abused or neglected children throughout the state.

Explain your job and what it entails.

I’m typically a future advocate’s first contact within the organization. I review their application, get them interviewed, run their background checks and transition them to the training team and, eventually, to their program manager, who they’ll work closely with on their case.

How long have you had this job?

2022 will be my 20th year.

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

I just fell into it. As a former elementary educator with an interest in the law, I learned about CASA through a neighbor who was an advocate. It intrigued me, and I became an advocate myself. A year later this position opened up, and my program manager suggested I look into it.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I came into the position with a bachelor of science in education, but … I could see someone with a degree in human resources in this position. A lot of what I do feels like human resource management.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Business casual. I don’t attend court hearings like so many of my co-workers; they definitely dress more formally than I do. If it were up to me, it’d be jeans and flannels every day. Maybe I should’ve been a lumberjack.

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

Almost the entire organization transitioned to working from home over that fateful weekend in March. We recruited and trained virtually, and we still do, because it provided us with benefits we hadn’t experienced before. The first few weeks were weird, but once I established a routine, I loved the work-life balance that being at home provided. Our jobs at CASA are really stressful, so being able to take a midday walk in the woods over my lunch hour and come back feeling calm, refreshed and ready to go made work feel more manageable.

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

Before joining this organization, I had no idea the types and depths of trauma that little children experience at the hands of those who are supposed to love and protect them. It’s mind-blowing.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

The level of stress involved. When we’re not able to take a case due to a lack of advocates, that’s hard, but it’s harder still on our program managers, who are reading those court documents and learning about what these children have endured firsthand. In comparison, my job is fun — I get to meet new people … and learn about their lives — but CASA work is … not for everyone.

What was the first job you ever had?

When I was 15, I worked in the kitchen of the company where my father worked for the summer, preparing salads and serving lunch to the employees. I was a lunch lady.

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

“Do your best, leave the rest; angels do no more.” I work in an organization where we could work 24/7 and still have more to do. Each day you have to make a conscious decision to shut off work mode and get back into your own life.

Five favorites

Favorite book: anything by Barbara Kingsolver
Favorite movie: Practical Magic
Favorite music: folk
Favorite food: Mexican
Favorite thing about NH: The birds, the trees and all the woodland creatures, large and small

Featured photo: Diane Valladares. Courtesy photo.

Leading the way

New Hampshire celebrates school principals during October

As part of National School Leaders Month, Gov. Sununu has proclaimed October 2021 as School Principals Month in New Hampshire. Bridey Bellemare, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Association of School Principals, is currently touring schools throughout the state to recognize school principals for their service and to discuss how schools can be improved.

What is the New Hampshire Association of School Principals, and what is your role as executive director?

We are a nonprofit organization that focuses on fostering the development of school leaders in the state of New Hampshire. … A lot of times we focus on educators and teachers — rightfully so, because they’re critical to the profession — but my role is to represent the voices of … and elevate the [focus on] school leaders.

What is School Principals Month?

The National Association of Elementary School Leaders and the National Association of Secondary School Leaders recognize October as National School Leaders Month. … This year I worked with Gov. Sununu to develop a proclamation specifically for New Hampshire to recognize October 2021 as School Principals Month in the state of New Hampshire. … It’s been several years since school leaders have been in the center of a conversation. … Certainly, post-pandemic, school leaders are still dealing with difficulties in reopening schools and looking at how education has been and how it needs to continue to evolve, so it seemed rather timely to ask the governor to encourage citizens and local communities to recognize school leaders for what they are doing in service of their communities.

What is your school tour about?

I [extended] the invitation to [New Hampshire school leaders] and said, ‘Hey, if you want me to come to your school to see what’s going on and talk about what’s working and what’s not and how we can continue to network across the state to support each other, I’m happy to come visit.’ … Since most [school leaders] are pretty busy right now with reopening schools, assessing what kids need and meeting with parents, I thought I’d get maybe 10 schools or so that said, ‘Yeah, sure, come on by,’ but I received over 70 invitations. Obviously I can’t visit 70 schools during the month of October, but I’ve made a commitment to get to as many schools as possible before the end of the year. I’ve visited 16 schools in the past two weeks, and I have about 20 schools that I hope to get to next week. … I am posting each visit on social media to try to get the story out there about the great things that are happening in our schools and that our school leaders are doing, and as a way to help school leaders get to know other school leaders so that we can strengthen the school leadership pipeline in the state of New Hampshire.

Is there anything you’ve learned during the tour so far that surprised you?

A lot of [school leaders] north of Concord said they feel forgotten. Hearing those words really mattered to me, so I made it a priority to start in the North Country, and I’m going to continue the tour to the Lakes Region, southeast, southwest and south-central parts of the state.

What are some of the biggest challenges school leaders are facing post-pandemic?

The pandemic has upended almost every aspect of schooling. The focus has had to shift to management and operations in a whole different capacity, looking at things like ventilation systems and safety issues around masking and testing to ensure that staff, students and everyone in the school setting is safe. That has taken a lot of time away from focusing on school climate, culture, instruction, curriculum and attendance. … Learning loss continues to be a huge concern; [there are] students who are maybe one-and-a-half years behind what they would have been if school had been in full session for the past two years. … Going remote in some areas, whether they were urban or rural areas, created some [education] accessibility issues for students and families. … Some students were not coming to their classes, whether remotely or in person, because they were taking up part-time jobs to help their families who were out of work. … [Academic] achievement gaps aren’t the sole story here; students … also experienced anxiety and depression and different levels of [difficulty] as a result of the pandemic, some [of which] were even traumatic experiences.

What can families and community members do to support school leaders?

Please, afford your school leaders and educators grace during these times, when they’re making difficult decisions for all families and students. … Let’s assume best intentions and engage with one another in a healing-centered way so that we can work collectively to make a difference in students’ lives, both educationally speaking and otherwise.

Featured photo: Bridey Bellemare. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Leo Short

Leo Short and his wife Shannon of Milford are the owners of Sammich NH (sammichnh.com, and on Facebook @sammichnh), a food truck specializing in made-to-order hot and cold sandwiches they launched late last month. Popular sandwiches include the house pastrami Reuben with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, spicy bread and butter pickles and Russian dressing on marble rye; the Speziato, featuring Italian cold cuts, mozzarella, pickled red onion and hot cherry peppers on focaccia; and the hickory smoked pulled pork sandwich, which has freshly sliced jalapenos, cilantro and a spicy barbecue aioli, served on a ciabatta roll. Soups, chili and other comfort foods will soon be added to the menu as well. Originally from Connecticut, Leo Short has decades of industry experience, most recently as the chef of St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua for nearly five years. Find Sammich NH at 589 Elm St. in Milford every Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to noon, for breakfast sandwiches and other items.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A good, sharp knife.

What would you have for your last meal?

It would be vanilla Swiss almond ice cream from Kimball [Farm] in Jaffrey.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Here in town, it would be Union Street Grill [in Milford]. Fantastic breakfast and fantastic people.

What celebrity would you like to see ordering from your food truck?

Danny DeVito.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

My personal favorite is our chicken cutlet, [which has] roasted peppers, provolone cheese, greens and prosciutto. It’s a twist on a sandwich I had at a deli down in my old stomping grounds in Connecticut, at a place called Gaetano’s.

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

I think it’s finding a niche or something that’s missing, not necessarily a specific type of food. There’s a lot of good stuff out there, and a lot of people who do something outside the box or reinvent the classics.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

We love to cook breakfast, be it hash and eggs, bacon and eggs, or baking scones. … My wife is the baker in the family, and she’s tremendous.

Bacon and cheddar scones
Courtesy of Leo and Shannon Short of Sammich NH, sammichnh.com

1 stick cold unsalted butter
2½ cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
½ cup milk
¼ cup chopped cooked bacon
¼ cup shredded white cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine butter and flour until the butter is the size of peas. Incorporate the baking powder, salt and sugar into the flour and butter mixture. Add milk, bacon and cheese to dry ingredients and mix gently until incorporated. If sticky, add another tablespoon of flour. Fold dough over twice and cut into approximately eight pieces. Bake on parchment paper or a lightly oiled cookie sheet for 12 to 15 minutes.

Featured photo: Leo Short. Courtesy photo.

On The Job – Andrea Grelle

Andrea Grelle

Body waxing specialist

Andrea Grelle is a licensed esthetician specializing in body waxing. She owns her own waxing studio, Windham Wax, which is temporarily located in Salem but will soon return to Windham.

Explain your job.

I do full body waxing and spray tans for men, women and youth, with parental consent. My day mainly [consists of] doing brows.

How long have you had this job?

I’ve been waxing for six years, and I opened Windham Wax about four years ago.

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

I went to Berklee [College of Music], then moved to Nashville to pursue music. … Then, I hit [age] 30 and thought, ‘I should probably get an actual career.’ I became a freelance makeup artist and did a lot of makeup for music videos, and I loved it. … Then, life started leading me toward hair removal. I started working as a receptionist at a wax salon, and I got some hands-on training there. I fell in love with helping people get the brows they wanted, or helping them get their brows back if they had a bad experience at [another salon].

What kind of education or training did you need?

I went to Tennessee College of Applied Technology, where I got 860 hours of [studying] theory and doing hands-on training, working with actual clients, and I got my esthetician’s license. … I’m always continuing my education by going to classes and conferences to keep up with new techniques, products, styles and trends.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Casual, but professional and fashion-forward. I wear a lot of funny T-shirts, since I work with high schoolers a lot.

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

I’ve always been pretty obsessive when it comes to sanitation and hygiene — I have, like, 15 different kinds of disinfectants, like one for cosmetics, one for metal implements, one for the counters — so my [sanitation] steps didn’t really change. I did add [air purifying] filters to my work space, and I started extending my time [between clients] so that I have enough time to diligently clean everything, and so that I only have one person in at a time.

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

I wish I had gotten into it sooner. … In high school I felt like there was this stigma about going to a vocational school … so I went to college and was never exposed to the option of aesthetics as a career.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

I wish people knew that [getting waxed] isn’t as bad as it’s [portrayed to be] in the movies. … I try to make the whole experience as painless as possible. It’s never going to be completely pain-free, but it’s kind of like going to the dentist — you don’t want to do it, but afterward, you’re glad that you did. … There’s also this idea that waxing is a luxury thing; I think it used to be, but now it’s available to anyone. I think it’s just another [form] of self-care for people.

What was the first job you ever had?

I worked in the drive-thru at Wendy’s in Salem.

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

When I was just [starting out] and was really nervous about doing brows, my old boss at the salon … said, ‘Trust yourself. You know what you’re doing, and you know how to listen.’ That really helped me [realize] that I just have to have confidence in my ability and trust what I know.

Five favorites

Favorite book: Harry Potter series
Favorite movie: Arsenic and Old Lace
Favorite music: Chris Stapleton and Shinedown
Favorite food: Greek and Italian
Favorite thing about NH: The seasons

Featured photo: Andrea Grelle. Courtesy photo.

Staying active

Bailey Lett honored for social justice work

The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire has named Brenda Bailey Lett its 2021 Citizen of the Year. Since moving from Chicago to the Granite State in 1993, Lett has been involved in numerous local and national social justice efforts and co-authored a book, Race Between Us: Racism — A Human Experience, which explores how people from different backgrounds can break down barriers to have honest dialogue about racism. Lett will receive the award at the 15th annual Black New England Conference Awards Dinner at Saint Anselm College in Manchester on Saturday, Oct. 23. Visit blackheritagetrailnh.org/black-new-england-conference for information about the conference and how to attend, either in person or virtually.

What kinds of social justice work have you done in New Hampshire?

I participated with the Outreach for Black Unity in Nashua … and the Manchester NAACP … and in creating the Ujima Collective, starting with [organizing] a commemoration of the death of Martin Luther King … to talk about why he was assassinated. We [held] film festivals and workshops, and worked with other organizations. … I was involved with the Greater Manchester Black Scholarship Foundation … and with the We Are One Festival, which [was created] with the combined efforts of the African Caribbean Celebration and the Latino Festival. I would say that, overall, the work I’ve done has been really [focused on] creating community.

What have you done on a national level?

I’m pretty heavily involved in the reparations movement. … I started out as a member-at-large on the N’COBRA [National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America] board, then became a life member. I was elected as the national secretary and served three two-year terms. Now I’m serving as the treasurer … [until] next year. … For me, reparations isn’t just about getting a paycheck. It’s really about repair … because it’s 2021, and people of African descent are still being treated poorly.

What inspired your book, Race Between Us?

When I was working at the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, a co-worker of mine [Laurielee Woodlock Roy], a woman of European descent, and I … became friends. … She went and did racism training at the People’s Institute … and it was then that she finally understood what racism really is. Then, she told me, she started seeing it everywhere. We ended up writing that book together, which is a parallel of our lives. … We realized that we had very similar lives. … Even though the melanin in our skin was different, we had many of the same issues in terms of being human. The book [centers on] the human experience, and racism as a human experience.

What keeps you going?

What keeps me going is that I’m committed to giving back as much as I can, in love and support of people, and not just people who look like me, but people who are also committed to this concept of truth. … I’ve been very fortunate to have a family that has supported and loved and provided for me; they’ve kept me going, as well, especially my grandchildren … because they are the next generation, and my job now, as an elder, is to support them [in the way that] I was supported, and to instill in them the values that I have received.

What does New Hampshire need most right now in terms of social justice?

I think the biggest need is the truth … and the truth is that, many times, people of African descent are not treated in the same way as people of European descent. … Eliminating racism is very difficult to do when people are not even clear on what racism is … so dealing with the truth, as difficult as it can be sometimes, is the only path.

What can the next generation do to build on the work you’ve done?

My hope for the next generation is that, when you hear a microaggression or someone is saying things in an effort to demean or dehumanize you, whether it’s meant to be taken seriously or taken as a joke, stop it where it happens. Respond with the truth. Be prepared so that, in that moment, you’re able to let that person know in a respectful and positive way that they insulted you, and that you are not to be played with or toyed with, because you are just as valuable and important as they are.

Featured photo: Brenda Bailey Lett. Courtesy photo.

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