Category: Q&A

Jason Duffy

Jason Duffy is the executive chef of Bistro 603 (345 Amherst St., Nashua, 722-6362, bistro603nashua.com), which opened last August. Born in Brighton, Mass., and raised on Cape Cod, Duffy got his start in the industry at the age of 14 as a dishwasher at the Chart Room restaurant before moving up the ranks there over the course of a decade. He and owner Jeff Abellard are also part of a close-knit restaurant team that has run Bistro 781 on Moody Street in downtown Waltham, Mass., since 2015. Like its predecessor, Bistro 603 features an eclectic menu of items out of a scratch kitchen, ranging from small shareable plates to larger meals with optional wine pairings.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

Tongs, a side towel and a knife. You can get most things done as long as you have that stuff on hand. … The tongs are like extensions of my hand. I do a million things with them.

What would you have for your last meal?

Probably a big crab boil, with corn on the cob and whatever shellfish I can get.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

In N Out Burritos [in Nashua] has great aguachile. It’s basically heavily marinated citrus-spiced shrimp. We also recently went out to Michael Timothy’s [Local Kitchen & Wine Bar] for my birthday, which is a really cool place.

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

I am a book nerd at heart. I would love to have Stephen King in here.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

Our braised short ribs. It has tender fall-apart beef, our house made gnocchi, truffled mushroom cream sauce and roasted Brussels sprouts. It’s one of our biggest sellers. Every part of it just always comes out great and consistent.

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

Scratch-made comfort food with a twist. … We can spend all day coming up with all sorts of intricate stuff, [but] I try not to use all sorts of terms on the menu that people wouldn’t recognize. We’ve noticed that the recognizable stuff sells tremendously at the outset, but as you build a client base and people know who you are then they start to trust you more.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I love all kinds of soups. I’ll spend a couple of days making a really nice chicken stock.

Smoked tomato chimichurri
From the kitchen of Chef Jason Duffy of Bistro 603 in Nashua

1 cup smoked tomatoes (halved and smoked at 200 degrees for two hours)
1 tablespoon raw garlic
1 tablespoon raw shallot
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ tablespoon dry oregano
½ tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything but the oil in a blender and puree. While running the blender, trickle in the oil to emulsify it all together. According to Duffy, the chimichurri is great as a sauce or a marinade for meats.

Featured photo: Jason Duffy

Pandemic puzzles

Mother and son create interactive kids book about Covid-19

Deer orienteer Stephen Stagg is on a new kind of hunt in The COVID Paper Chase, a special edition title of Windham children’s author E.A. Giese’s Stephen Stagg Series that Giese wrote and illustrated with her adult son B.G. Sullivan during the pandemic.

The books in the series feature interactive puzzles for young readers to do as they follow Stephen Stagg on his orienteering adventures. In The COVID Paper Chase, Stephen is looking around his neighborhood for an item of great importance that is in short supply due to the pandemic. It includes hidden images and pandemic-related vocabulary words to find, mysteries to solve and a special activity.

“It’s meant to be more like a workbook,” Giese said. “Educational for children as well as entertaining.”

Giese and Sullivan said they have talked casually about collaborating on a book together for years but could never seem to find the time, so when Sullivan was laid off from his full-time job last March due to the pandemic, they decided to finally give it a go.

“Being laid off had significantly freed up my time at that point,” Sullivan said, “and I really wanted to do something productive with that time … and do something that would be able to help other people.”

Sullivan said he has “always been an artistic person,” having an interest in illustration since he was a child, and going on to attend and receive his certificate from a graphic design school.

“I homeschooled my two sons through middle school and high school, and we were very creative during that time,” Giese said. “We’ve been lifelong creatives, all of us.”

In Giese and Sullivan’s collaborative process, Giese came up with the story and developed the storyboards while Sullivan worked more on the script itself, which is written in rhyming verse. Giese did the hand drawn illustrations, outlined in pen and colored with colored pencils, and used a rubbing technique to give the illustrations texture. Then, Sullivan used his graphic design skills, he said, to add “the finer details, more realism, and really bring her illustrations to life.”

The idea for a children’s book about Covid-19, Giese and Sullivan said, came from seeing parents they knew struggle with explaining the pandemic to their young children. They wanted to create a book that could help parents “broach the subject” in an honest, but comforting way, Sullivan said.

“It’s psychologically soothing for children without being too heavy and grim,” he said.

“There was kind of a fine balance between giving [the book] some lightheartedness to make it palatable to children while still paying respect to the weight and seriousness of the issue,” Giese added.

Giese and Sullivan said they plan to team up for more children’s books for both the Stephen Stagg Series and other series.

“We’re really starting to see a future in our collaborations together,” Sullivan said.

“We have a lot of fun doing this together,” Giese added, “and I think that really comes across in the book.”

The COVID Paper Chase
The book is available at the authors’ website, regalbeepub.com, and will be available on Amazon by the end of February.

Featured photo: E.A. Giese and B.G. Sullivan. Courtesy photo.

Paws for celebration

Animal shelter observes anniversary, plans expansion

The Manchester Animal Shelter has found homes for more than 25,000 animals since it opened 25 years ago. Executive Director Kendra Paul talked about how the shelter has evolved over that time and its plans to continue expanding its facility and programs.

How has the shelter grown since it started 25 years ago?

Well, it’s been 25 years since we’ve been at this location, but actually, before that, [the shelter] used to be located across the street and was primarily run by the Manchester Police Department as more of a pound setting. When we built the [current] building on this side of the street, we made it more homey for the animals in terms of giving them nice spaces. The dogs have indoor-outdoor runs now. The cat cages are a little bit bigger. We have a community room where cats can walk around freely so that they’re able to have that enrichment and socialization that they wouldn’t otherwise get, just being in a cage. We’ve also started a lot of new programs here, such as Fix a Pit, where we spay and neuter pit bulls in the Manchester area for free. We do low-cost spay-neuter clinics called our Quick Fix program. We also have a [pet] food pantry, and that has been really utilized, especially since Covid hit; with so many people losing their jobs and unable to [provide] food for their pets, we’ve really seen a big need in the community in that area.

In what ways do you plan to continue growing?

We’re looking to expand the shelter, because, in the 25 years we’ve been here, we haven’t really touched the building or made any significant additions other than putting the trailer in, but we’re really running out of space now. The city is growing and the programs are growing, we’re seeing more animals, and we just need more space to really accommodate everyone, not only the team working here but the animals as well. We’re looking to add more cage space, to have a better setup for staff to be able to work and get their stuff done, and redo the kennels so that they’re less like a pound and more homey and relaxing-feeling for the dogs. Going forward, we want to have more of a community outreach program and find any ways we can to get out into the community and help and increase our presence as much as possible so that we’re there when people need us.

What’s in the works right now?

We’re really trying to get that expansion off the ground so that we can help more animals. … We’ve met with an architect, and he’s going to put together some plans. Once we get those plans, we’re going to be trying to get people to help us in terms of fundraising, donations — any way that the community can come in and help and support us.

What kinds of challenges has Covid posed for the shelter?

I’d say the biggest challenge we’ve had is probably fundraising. Being a nonprofit, we are really counting on the community to help us with raising money for these programs, for feeding the animals and for medical costs. Not being able to have in-person events or fundraisers has really been an issue here for us as well as many other nonprofits. … Another challenge is that, with people losing their jobs or getting laid off, we’ve seen an increase in the number of owners surrendering their pets.

How have you been dealing with those challenges?

We’re trying to be really creative in thinking of ways to cut costs and save money. … We’ve reached out to the community and have really had to rely on the community to come together … [to help] when we are running low on the food pantry or need donations [to cover] peanut butter and food and toys and different things that we need for the animals. People have been absolutely amazing and very generous with that, and we’re so grateful.

What makes Manchester Animal Shelter unique?

I think one of the biggest things that make us unique is our volunteer base. We just have so many dedicated people, staff and volunteers. We’re always being told that we’re ‘the little shelter with the big heart,’ and it really does ring true for us. There’s so much passion and dedication with these animals and with our volunteers and team members that I think that alone kind of sets us apart. I also think that our community programs set us apart, because there aren’t many places that offer things like the Fix a Pit program or being able to do offsite time with the dogs where they can go for hikes and go out on the trails to get a break from the shelter. These are programs that not every shelter gets to have, and we’re very fortunate that we’re able to do those things.

How can people help the shelter?

Right now, people could help us the most by donating to this [expansion] project. We’re hoping to do some fundraising challenges or events that are safe in the midst of Covid, like virtual events or online raffles and things like that.

Featured photo: Kendra Paul. Courtesy photo.

Corayma Correa

Corayma Correa’s family launched the Tropical Food Truck (tropical-food-truck.business.site, find them on Facebook) last October, its primary location at 80 Elm St. in Manchester. The truck’s menu combines authentic options native to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, where Correa’s mother and stepfather respectively are from. Among the most popular items are appetizers like beef and chicken empanadas; alcupurias, or fritters stuffed with beef or crabmeat and veggies; and the french fry supreme, featuring fries loaded with beef, cheese sauce, sour cream, light ketchup and bacon bits. After taking a month off in January, Correa said, the Tropical Food Truck will return to 80 Elm St. on Feb. 18, where you’ll find them most Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons and evenings. The truck is also available to hire for private events.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

I would say a nice solid spatula, just because I’m always turning things.

What would you have for your last meal?

A burger, cooked medium, with caramelized onions, barbecue sauce, an egg over easy, American cheese, lettuce and tomato.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Puerto Vallarta Mexican Grill on Second Street [in Manchester].

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

I’d be flattered to have Adam Sandler stop by, just because he’s from New Hampshire.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

Our chimis. It’s a Dominican dish that’s similar to a burger. We do them with your choice of beef, chicken, pork or all three, and then they are topped with cabbage and a special chimi sauce.

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

Birria tacos. It’s basically a taco with slow-cooked tender meat, melted cheese … and a sauce that you use as a dipping sauce. I’ve seen it in an empanada too.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

We are huge steak lovers at home. A nice warm and juicy steak is all we need.

Pernil (pork roast)
From the kitchen of Corayma Correa of the Manchester-based Tropical Food Truck

1 (8- to 10-pound) bone-in pork shoulder
1 head of garlic, peeled
4 tablespoons sofrito
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons adobo
2 packets sazón

Rinse pork shoulder with vinegar and water, then pat dry. With a knife, make ½-inch stabs all over the pork. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix together. Fill each slit in the pork with about a teaspoon of the paste. Sprinkle all sides of the roast with the adobo and sazón and rub pork with the spices. Place in a roasting pan that has sides at least two inches deep, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight for the best results. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Leave the roast covered with foil and bake for four to five hours (approximately 30 to 45 minutes per pound). Pork should read 180 degrees on an internal thermometer and shred easily with a fork. Uncover roast and bake for 15 to 20 minutes to crisp up the fat, or broil at 500 degrees for 10 minutes, watching carefully not to burn. Let cool and serve. The pork can also be refrigerated and used the next day on a panini.

Featured photo: Corayma Correa and her stepfather, Victor Rodriguez. Courtesy photo

The dream reimagined

Local musician creates new version of “America the Beautiful”

What started as a song for a children’s choir to sing at Hancock’s Martin Luther King Day celebration last year has become an ongoing collaboration of musicians and music groups across the country.

As a member of the planning committee for the event, Hancock singer-songwriter Steve Schuch had taken on the task of organizing a musical performance. At the time, he had been reading about the history of the patriotic anthem “America the Beautiful,” originally written as a poem by American author and poet Katherine Lee Bates in 1892, and studying the life and writings of American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.

“Then, I thought, what would happen if we took the opening lines of ‘America the Beautiful’ that everyone knows and added a chorus and new verses that reflected Martin Luther King’s wider dream for all of America?” Schuch said.

The reimagined version of “America the Beautiful,” titled “America the Dream,” received such a “strong response” at the celebration, Schuch said, that he decided to keep expanding on the project.

He teamed up with another local musician, Mike Bradley, to write more lyrics and reached out to Shelbie Rassler, a senior at Berklee College of Music at the time, who had produced a viral YouTube video of a virtual choir of students singing “What the World Needs Now,” to assist with the musical arrangement and assembling a virtual choir to perform the piece.

Rassler was “all in,” Schuch said, and has produced three virtual performance videos of the song so far, with more on the way, including a contemporary country version out of Nashville.

“I hope that with each passing year, different singing groups around the country will want to do it,” he said. “It would be neat if someday Keith Lockhart wants to do this with the Boston Pops for the Fourth of July, or, hey, in my wildest dreams, maybe Beyonce would sing it at the Super Bowl.”

Late last year, Schuch and his collaborators launched the “American Dream Project” website where people can find the performance videos as well as sheet music for six different arrangements of the song, sound samples of the different choral parts and a piano accompaniment track for singing groups to use for rehearsals or performances if they don’t have access to live musical accompaniment.

“[The arrangements] run from really simple ones that are appropriate for elementary schools or children’s choirs up through ones for accomplished high school and college choirs and adult community choirs,” Schuch said. “There is enough variety that any music director or conductor could find a version that’s right for their group and their setting.”

What makes “America the Dream” especially unique, Schuch said, is that it’s an open source piece; not only can people access the sheet music and sound samples for free, but they also have permission to create and perform their own versions of the song with different musical arrangements and different or additional lyrics for non-commercial use.

“We encourage people to keep adding to it and would love for them to submit their recordings to add to the website,” he said.

The website also includes a list of suggested reading material and resources for groups or individuals who want to use the “American Dream Project” as “a springboard for discussion,” Schuch said.

“It’s more than a song,” he said. “It’s a chance for all Americans to think about what we hold in common for the dream of our country and what our country can become.”

Featured photo: “America The Dream” virtual performance by Berklee College of Music students, Shelbie Rassler Orchestral Arrangement. Courtesy photo.

Game on

Esports alive and well at New England College

Whereas many college sports have been suspended, competitive video gaming, known as esports, gives students an opportunity to compete nationally and be part of a team in a safe way during the pandemic. Now in its second year at New England College in Henniker, esports includes leagues for a number of match games, including Madden, Call of Duty, NBA 2K, Fortnite, Overwatch, Valorant, Super Smash Brothers and League of Legends. NEC junior and Valorant team captain Noelle Julian talked about the game, the team and what esports looks like this year.

How did you get into esports?

I’ve always played video games — growing up and throughout high school and my early years of college — and I’ve always been a competitive person. Then, two years ago, I got an email from the director of [NEC] esports saying that they were holding tryouts, and I was like, ‘That sounds like something I’d be interested in,’ so I went and tried out.

How do practices work?

We practice for two hours five days a week, and we also have matches every week. … We have an arena on campus, which is basically a computer lab, but instead of your typical computers that you do homework on they’re very expensive PCs that are built specifically for gaming. Obviously, with Covid, it’s been a bit more difficult to get together. … During quarantine, we didn’t have access to the arena, but all the players on my team have their own PCs, so we can practice remotely from our dorm rooms. When we aren’t in quarantine, there is a 10-person limit in the arena, which basically means that only one team is able to practice at a time. Because we have so many teams and practices are a two-hour time block, [the practice schedule] can make for some very early days and very late nights. It’s not ideal, but we make it work.

Exactly what do you do during practice?

Each game has different [skills] you need to work on, but for Valorant specifically, aim is a huge one. It can make or break the game. A lot of us, during practice time as well as on our own personal time, will just hop into an aim trainer, [which is a program] where you specifically practice your aim and hand-eye coordination. We also just play normal matches and get a feel for [the game layout and mechanics].

What does being a team captain entail?

I’m kind of the spokesperson for our team. I register our team each season with whatever leagues we decide to play in, and I reach out to the other teams we compete with to schedule matches and that kind of thing. I schedule our practices, make sure everyone is putting in the time and pulling their own weight, and I just make sure everything is running smoothly.

Do you lead the team as far as strategy, too?

As far as strategy and stuff goes, we all work on it together. I do spend some time watching professional players in their matches to see how they play, and then I try to reflect that in our own practices, but I’m never going to be the most knowledgeable at games. I love hearing from my players, and if they have great ideas that’s great, because I don’t know everything.

How does esports affect you physically, and how do you take care of yourself?

Eye strain is probably the biggest thing when you’re sitting in front of a computer for hours. I wear blue light glasses when I play. The lumbar support [on the chairs] in the arena that we have is pretty nice, and when you’re sitting in a chair for at least two hours it’s definitely important to have good chairs with good back support.

So, can you play these games just for fun after you’ve played them competitively?

[Laughs] Unfortunately, no. That’s the toll that comes with it. After playing Overwatch [competitively] for a year and a half, when my friends from back home ask me, ‘Hey, do you want to play Overwatch?’ I’m like, ‘Absolutely not.’ I find myself still in that competitive mindset, thinking, ‘I have to do this, and I can’t mess up,’ and if I do mess up, I get so angry with myself, so, no, I just can’t.

What do you love most about esports?

The sense of community. … Immediately when you join [a team], you have new friends, because you know you all have that similar ground with each other; we all love gaming, and we all want to be the best we can be at it. We’re all in it together.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

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