Virtual wines and spirits

Liquor Commission presents 90 Days Around the World tasting series

In lieu of its annual Wine Week and Distiller’s Week, both of which bring hundreds of the world’s esteemed winemakers and spirit purveyors to the Granite State for several nights of tastings and seminars, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission is now bringing them to you from the comfort of your own home. The inaugural 90 Days Around the World program, which began on Nov. 2 and will continue through Jan. 30, features a three-month series of free virtual tastings, Q&A sessions and other interactive events with winemakers and distillers near and far.

Laphroaig. Courtesy photo.

“We knew it would be impossible to host the same events that we have in the past … but we still wanted to support that engagement with our customers, who continue to want to learn about our product offerings,” said Lorrie Piper, director of sales, marketing, merchandising and distribution for the New Hampshire Liquor Commission.

Each day during the program, participants can visit 90daysaroundtheworld.com and click on the “events” tab, where they’ll find a link to a virtual tasting or Q&A session that will be livestreamed on the Commission’s Facebook page and via Zoom. Most of them also include information about the purveyor and which wines and spirits will be discussed and tasted.

Those tuning in live can engage in the conversation by posting comments or questions to the video, but even if you miss one you wanted to watch, Piper said, all of the videos are archived.

“We’ll be monitoring the videos after they get posted, so we encourage people to still reach out, ask questions and make comments,” she said.

Several industry professionals who have travelled to New Hampshire for Distiller’s Week or Wine Week in the past have returned for this new virtual series. Among them is Jane Bowie, director of innovation at Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, who was a featured panelist at the Women of Whiskey & Spirits seminar during last year’s Distiller’s Week.

On Nov. 5, Bowie, along with Maker’s Mark master distiller Denny Potter, led an interactive virtual discussion and tasting of four of the company’s spirits.

“It’s not as personal, but you do get to talk to and reach a lot more people in this format,” Bowie said in a phone interview. “I almost think you can get more engagement in this scenario, because people are tasting from their homes. They’re in their natural environment and may not be as nervous about asking questions as they might be from a more orchestrated tasting.”

Some tastings planned for later on in the series will also feature live cooking demonstrations, meant to showcase food pairing suggestions with wines and spirits. In mid-January, winemaker Lisa Evich of Simi Winery in Sonoma County, California, will host a joint virtual cooking demonstration and tasting with executive chef Kolin Vazzoler.

Evich is a two-time past attendee of the Winter Wine Spectacular and has also participated in several dinners at local restaurants that have featured Simi’s products during Wine Week.

“Sonoma County is just such an incredibly diverse region to grow grapes in with nice lush flavors,” Evich said in a phone interview. “Kolin does an outstanding job of creating dishes that really complement and showcase what our wines are all about.”

Throughout the 90-day series, participants have the opportunity to earn points that would accumulate toward their chance to win multiple prizes and giveaways. You can start earning points by downloading the free Scavify app, which Piper said acts as a virtual “passport” for each event you tune into. Once you create an account through the app, you’ll earn points by getting a “stamp” in your passport.

Points can be accumulated by attending as many events as possible or by completing tasks, such as posting pictures of your favorite spirits or wines or correctly answering trivia questions. Some of the larger prizes, Piper said, include a $2,500 New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet gift card and a guide to build your own home bar, including tools and accessories.

90 Days Around the World virtual tasting series
When: Various dates and times, now through Jan. 30 (series began Nov. 2 and all tastings can be viewed on Facebook @nhliquorandwine)|
How to participate: Visit 90daysaroundtheworld.com or download the Scavify app to start accumulating points

Featured photo: A table of booze from a past Distillers Showcase. Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 20/11/12

News from the local food scene

• Italian feast: Make your reservations now for a family-style Italian feast at The Hills Restaurant at Hampshire Hills Athletic Club (50 Emerson Road, Milford)on Wednesday, Nov. 25, from 4 to 8 p.m. The dinner will feature Italian options like chicken Parmesan, meatballs and Italian sausage, cavatappi pasta and cheese tortellini, as well as mixed greens, cheesy garlic bread and garlic Parmesan broccoli, and desserts like tiramisu, cannolis and fresh baked cookies. The cost is $22 for adults, $15 for teens ages 13 to 17, $12 for children ages 5 to 12 and free for children under 5. Visit hampshirehills.com or call 673-7123 to make a reservation.

• Sleigh-ing the competition: Pastry chef Jon Buatti of the Bearded Baking Co. in Manchester recently appeared as a contestant on the season premiere of Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship cooking competition series, according to a press release. The two-hour episode, which aired on Nov. 2, featured Buatti competing against several other bakers from across the country to create the best holiday-themed desserts for judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall. He and the other bakers made wreaths out of quick breads during the first challenge and later decorated cakes in the shape of Christmas hats. Shooting for the episode took place in Los Angeles over the summer. “I had never been on national TV before, so I was definitely nervous,” said Buatti, who was one of 12 bakers selected from a pool of thousands of candidates to appear on the show. “The competition was super stiff, and that’s definitely in your mind when you’re out there.” The season will continue every Monday night until one of the 12 contestants wins a grand prize of $25,000 during the finale, which will air on Food Networkon Dec. 21.

• Day of the Dead opens in Litchfield: A new eatery offering authentic Mexican options recently opened in Litchfield. Day of the Dead Mexican Taqueria, named after the multi-day Mexican holiday “Día de los Muertos,” or “Day of the Dead,” opened last month in the former space of Applewood BBQ & Pizza, near Mel’s Funway Park. Menu items are prepared fresh daily, including tacos with several filling options, like carnitas, grilled chicken, steak, adobada (diced pork), lengua (beef tongue), and chorizo (pork sausage), as well as quesadillas, burritos, chimichangas and flautas, or deep-fried tortillas with either shredded chicken or shredded beef, and sides of guacamole, rice and beans. A small dessert menu includes items like churros and chocolate flan. Find the eatery on Facebook @dayofthedeadtaqueria or call 377-7664 to place a takeout order.

Kiddie Pool 20/11/12

Family fun for whenever

Movie party

Meet Toy Story’s Woody and Jessie during a lunch or dinner viewing party at Chunky’s, with screenings on Saturday, Nov. 14, at noon at Chunky’s in Pelham (150 Bridge St.) and Sunday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m. at Chunky’s in Nashua (151 Coliseum Ave.). Woody and Jessie will be in the theaters an hour before screening times to lead the kids in games and socially distant dance parties. Tickets cost $6.99 and can be purchased at chunkys.com.

Make music

Kids in grades 6 through 12 can create music that will explore their feelings and help them express their emotions during a free online rap music class hosted by the Manchester Community Music School. The class is designed to allow students to work together to come up with original music that helps them navigate the effects of the pandemic. The class is free via Zoom and will run on Wednesdays for four weeks: Nov. 11, Nov. 18, Dec. 2 and Dec. 9. Students can register for one of two class times on those dates, either 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. or 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Call 644-4548 or visit mcmusicschool.org.

Family field trip

While it’s still not too chilly, take the kids to America’s Stonehenge (105 Haverhill Road, Salem, 893-8300, stonehengeusa.com), a 4,000-year-old stone construction that was built by ancient people as an astronomical calendar to determine solar and lunar events of the year. Take a tour (mostly outdoors) and learn about the site, which was also used as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Kids can dig for gemstones with tools used by real archaeologists, and interactive tools are now available, including a free audio tour that parents can download to their smartphones. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (last entrance at 3 p.m.). Admission rates are $13 for adults, $11 for seniors age 65 and up, $7.50 for kids ages 5 through 12, and free for kids age 4 and under.

Forcing spring bulbs

Tips for getting them to bloom indoors

At this point, the garden is put to bed — or if I’ve neglected to do something, it probably won’t happen until spring. But this is a good time to force bulbs for early spring blooming indoors.

To force bulbs means preparing them in such a way as to force them to bloom early indoors, before they would bloom outdoors. Daffodils or crocus, for example, can be made to bloom by mid-February indoors, and tulips in March.

On a raw day recently I planted 20 “Tete-a-Tete” daffodils in pots. Each of these will produce one or more brilliant yellow blossoms just when I’m sick of winter, and renew my faith that spring is on the way. Bulbs have everything they need in order to bloom. All we have to do is offer a suitable place to spend the winter. Here is what I did:

First, I selected nice deep pots for planting. In the soil outside, daffodils are planted with six inches of soil over their pointy little noses. But in a pot, three inches is fine. I selected pots that were five or six inches deep, and placed three inches of potting soil in each. It’s fine to place the bulbs close together, just a couple of inches apart.

The potting soil I used was already damp, but after the bulbs were covered and ready for their winter sleep, I watered lightly. I will check them from time to time throughout the winter to make sure the soil does not dry out. The bulbs need moisture to develop roots and prepare to bloom. But be moderate: A soggy soil mix can rot roots.

I have a cold basement that I keep lightly heated to avoid freezing temperatures — my old house is set on a hill, and the basement is above ground in the back of the house where I keep my bulbs. The ideal temperature for forcing bulbs is around 40 degrees for good root development. You can begin the process by leaving your pots outdoors until real cold weather is upon us. Cover the pots with leaves to minimize temperature fluctuations.

If you have a warm basement, you can try placing pots in an unheated garage or mudroom, or perhaps in the bulkhead if you have one. Everything I have read says to keep the pots in a dark place, though I think that only matters once the bulbs have started to send up leaves or buds. The bulbs can’t know about light while covered with soil. So put the pots in a cardboard box if you have them in a garage with windows.

How long do bulbs need to stay dormant? The little bulbs — crocus, snowdrops and such — only need eight to 10 weeks, daffodils need 12 weeks, and tulips need 16 weeks. I always place a plant tag in the pot with the date I started the process. And tulips will not bloom if you bring them into the warmth of the house before March.

Beware of mice and squirrels! Most old houses harbor at least a few mice. Once the mice got into my pots and ate all the tulip bulbs! Daffodils are mildly poisonous, so rodents will not bother them, and I’ve never had trouble with mice eating any alliums, which are good for forcing, too. I’ve had mice dig up bulbs, only to find they were daffodils and leave them on top of the pots, those rascals.

One way to know if your bulbs are ready is to look for roots poking out through the drainage holes of the pots. If you have daffodils that you planted 12 weeks ago but have not sent out any roots, they may be ready, but it would be safer to wait another week or two. Once you bring your bulbs up into the house it will take two to four weeks more for them to bloom. Place the pot on a south or east windowsill and check daily. Water if the soil surface feels dry.

Will the bulbs bloom again next year? Tulips probably will not ever bloom again for you, even if you plant them outdoors in the spring. Daffodils can bloom again, but might take a couple of years to rebuild their energy enough to bloom.

Paperwhites are bulbs that can be forced without soil and an extended dormant cold period. These beauties are in the daffodil family and are sold for forcing in a bowl of gravel and water on a sunny windowsill. Most have a very strong fragrance, though not everyone likes it.

Select a deep bowl without a drainage hole. Place a one- to two-inch layer of gravel or small stones in the bottom, then place your paperwhites on it, shoulder to shoulder. Add water to the bowl until it just kisses the bottom of the bulbs. You don’t want water so deep the bulbs are wet; it is just for the roots that will grow.

Next add more stones or gravel up around the bulbs. This will help to keep your flower stems from tipping over. Another way you can do is to keep stems short by giving them some gin! Start them in water, and after a week drain the water, and add a mixture of five parts water to one part gin. That will stunt the growth. Paperwhites started by the third week of November should bloom by Christmas. They will never bloom again, so put them in the compost after blooming.

Featured Photo: Paperwhites are easy to force in pebbles and water. Courtesy photo..

The Art Roundup 20/11/12

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities

• Decades of art: The New Hampshire Art Association is celebrating its 80th year with a virtual silent art auction fundraiser and anniversary celebration on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 6 to 7 p.m. The event will include a short presentation highlighting the history of NHAA and some of its most prominent members over the years. Nearly 100 pieces of art from NHAA’s archives and current members will be up for auction, with bidding open through Friday, Dec. 11, at 6 p.m. The artwork will be viewable online and in person at the NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth) during gallery hours. “[The event] is more than a fundraiser,” NHAA gallery manager MaryAnn DePolo said in a press release. “It is an extensive showcase of artwork … within an organization dedicated to the idea of supporting the visual arts.” NHAA was founded in 1940 to provide opportunities for New England artists to exhibit and sell their artwork locally throughout the year. The oldest statewide artist association in the state, it has grown from 50 members in its first year to 275 members today, representing a variety of media, including painting, photography, printmaking, sculpting and more. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• The Nutcracker is here: It’s officially Nutcracker season as Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater presents the holiday classic at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) with showtimes on Thursday, Nov. 19, and Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 21, at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 22, at noon and 4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $39 to $46 for adults and $25 for children. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.

• Quilted stories: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) has extended its exhibition “Richard Haynes: Whispering Quilts,” which was originally scheduled to close this month, through Jan. 4. The exhibit features a series of drawings by Portsmouth artist Richard Haynes, inspired by traditional quilting patterns that tells the story of an enslaved family’s dangerous journey along the Underground Railroad from a southern plantation to freedom in Canada. “This enslaved family has traveled to many states and communities in the past seven years, seeking freedom and a place to call home,” Haynes said in a press release from the museum. “I am so pleased and proud that this family can call New Hampshire and the Currier Museum their official home. Free at last.” Haynes will be at the museum on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., to sign copies of a portfolio edition based on the exhibit (available for purchase in the museum gift shop). Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and free for children under age 13. Reserve in advance online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

•​ Mathematical drama: The Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) presents Proof Nov. 13 through Nov. 22, with showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning play by David Auburn follows 25-year-old Catherine, the daughter of a brilliant but mentally unstable mathematician and professor who has undoubtedly inherited her father’s mathematical genius but fears that she has also inherited his mental illness. In the wake of his death she must deal with the arrival of her estranged sister and one of her father’s former students, who discovers a groundbreaking mathematical proof in her father’s office. Catherine must prove the proof’s authenticity and authorship while battling her own personal demons. Tickets cost $24 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. Visit playersring.org or call 436-8123. — Angie Sykeny

Making a splash

Wimpy Kid author visits Concord and Exeter

Jeff Kinney, bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, is partnering with local bookstores to host two “Drive-Thru Pool Parties” in New Hampshire to celebrate the series’ 15th title, The Deep End, which was released Oct. 27. Additionally, he’ll be paying a special visit to one of his biggest fans, Cam, a sixth-grader at Rundlett Middle School in Concord. Kinney talked about the new book and tour.

What is the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series about?

Diary of a Wimpy Kid follows the trials and tribulations of a middle school weakling named Greg Heffley. The series is a little bit different from ordinary books because each book is a mix of text or handwritten text and cartoon drawings.

And the new book?

The new book, which is called The Deep End, starts off with the family in quarantine — not Covid-19-related quarantine, but quarantine nonetheless, because they’re having home renovations done at their house, and they’re living in the grandmother’s basement. Then, the family gets their hands on an RV and takes off for an epic camping trip.

Is Wimpy Kid autobiographical?

The books are semi-autobiographical. They often start off with real-life stories, and then those stories get really exaggerated and changed for comic effect. I would say that the DNA of my childhood is in these stories, even if the stories aren’t exactly true.

Did you ever think the series would be so popular?

No, I never thought that this would happen. I had hopes that the books would get published and hopes that they would take off, but I never had any expectations. Just a few minutes ago, I found out that the book is the No. 1 book in the country, so that’s really cool.

What’s going on at the pool parties?

They’re drive-through events geared for a Covid world. We feel that they’re really safe for kids. The kids and their families stay in cars with masks. I hand kids their books on a six-foot pool skimmer pole. There are some activities, like the kids are going to get to drive through a car wash-type tunnel that feels like you’re at the bottom of a swimming pool. At the end, I hit their car with a water balloon, and there’s music and a kind of happy atmosphere to it.

And your visit with your fan, Cam?

We’ve asked bookstores to identify fans of the series who might like to have some fun, and we’ve been visiting their homes, and we do a water balloon toss and some other activities. The grand finale is that we fire off a water balloon launcher that shoots water balloons like 100 yards. It’s just an unusual and fun and special experience. It’s been really fun for us. I’m traveling with a team of three, and these events tend to be our favorite part of the day.

What is it like for you, meeting young fans?

It’s really special when there’s a kid who seems especially excited to meet me, especially during this time when kids don’t have a lot to look forward to. You can see that that connection is really important. It’s energizing for the kids, and it’s energizing for me, as well. … I’m 15 books in, so when I started Diary of a Wimpy Kid in 1998, of course these kids weren’t born, and their parents probably hadn’t even met yet, so it’s been really cool to get waves of new fans and meet generations of new fans.

Did you always want to be a children’s author?

I didn’t know. I wanted to be a newspaper cartoonist, and I sort of fell into this. When I wrote [the first book] Diary of a Wimpy Kid, it took me eight years. … I had one big book which was 1,300 pages long … and the whole time, I was thinking I was writing for an audience of adult comic-lovers. I wasn’t thinking about kids at all. When my publisher got their hands on the book that I wrote, they said that they saw it as a children’s series, and that was a surprise to me. … It really took me a while to adjust to this idea that I was writing for kids and that there would be multiple books.

Do you have kids of your own?

I do. I have a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old, both boys.

Did they inspire any of your Wimpy Kid stories?

Every so often they’ll give me an idea. … I think mostly, having had kids has given me another crack at childhood. It’s given me a chance to see childhood again, and that’s been really fun to experience both as a parent and as a writer.

What are your future plans for the series?

I’d like to get to at least book No. 20. We’re also working on an animation now for Disney+. Hopefully these books will reach a whole new generation of readers in the next few years.

The Deep End Pool Parties with Jeff Kinney
• Thursday, Nov. 12, 5 to 7 p.m. at Lincoln Street Elementary School, 25 Lincoln St., Exeter. Hosted by Water Street Bookstore. Visit waterstreetbooks.com.
• Friday, Nov. 13, 5 to 7 p.m. at Rundlett Middle School, 144 South St., Concord. Hosted by Gibson’s Bookstore. Visit and gibsonsbookstore.com.
Tickets cost $14.99 and must be purchased in advance through Eventbrite.

Exhibits

• “MANCHESTER’S URBAN PONDS: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE: A CELEBRATION OF THE MANCHESTER URBAN PONDS RESTORATION PROGRAM’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY” Through its cleanup efforts, the Manchester Urban Ponds Restoration Program has helped restore the city’s ponds to their historic uses. The exhibit provides a look at the history of some of those ponds, including Crystal Lake, Dorrs Pond, Maxwell Pond, Nutts Pond, Pine Island Pond and Stevens Pond. State Theater Gallery at Millyard Museum, 200 Bedford St., Manchester. On view now through Nov. 28. Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $8 for adults, $6 for seniors age 62 and up and college students, $4 for youth ages 12 through 18 and is free for kids under age 12. Call 622-7531 or visit manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum.
• “MOMENTS IN NATURE” The New Hampshire Art Association presents oil paintings by BJ Eckardt. Concord Chamber of Commerce Gallery, 49 S. Main St., Concord. On display now through Dec. 17. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “UNSEEN LIGHT” The New Hampshire Art Association presents infrared photography by Mark Giuliucci. 2 Pillsbury St., Concord. On display now through Dec. 17. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “AN EXTRAPOLATION OF CLOSE OBSERVATION” The New Hampshire Art Association presents prints and paintings by Kate Higley. 2 Pillsbury St., Concord. On display now through Dec. 17. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “BIG GIFTS IN SMALL PACKAGES” Artwork priced under $100. Presented by the Seacoast Artist Association. On display now through Dec. 26. 130 Water St., Exeter. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment. Visit seacoastartist.org or call 778-8856.
• “SMALL WORKS – BIG IMPACT” Creative Ventures Gallery’s annual holiday exhibit featuring small works of art in various media, priced affordably for gift buying. Virtual. On display now through Dec. 31. Visit creativeventuresfineart.com or call 672-2500.
• “THREADS: A COMMUNITY QUILT FOR 2020” A Portsmouth Historical Society exhibit. Discover Portsmouth, 10 Middle St., Portsmouth. On view Nov. 20 through Dec. 22. Visit portsmouthhistory.org or call 436-8433.

Theater

Shows
• THE BRITISH ROCK EXPERIENCE The Palace Theatre presents. 80 Hanover St., Manchester. Through Nov. 14, with showtimes on Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $39 to $46 for adults, $30 for seniors age 60 and up and veterans and $25 for children. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.
• MARY AND ME Glass Dove Productions presents. Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Nov. 13 through Nov. 22, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults and $19 for seniors and students and should be reserved in advance. Visit hatboxnh.com or call 715-2315.

Classical

Events
• WILD SYMPHONY The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra will perform the debut classical work by The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown. The Music Hall Historic Theater, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth. Sun., Nov. 15, 2 p.m. Visit themusichall.org or call 436-2400.

Featured photo: Jeff Kinney. Photo by Filip Wollak.

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