The Weekly Dish 24/01/25

News from the local food scene

• Wine season: If you’re used to pairing January with a wine tasting, Wentworth by the Sea (588 Wentworth Road in New Castle; opalcollection.com/wentworth) is holding its annual Winter Wine Festival with events scheduled into mid-February. Grand vintners’ dinners are scheduled with Far Niente Family of Wineries and Vineyards (Saturday, Jan. 27, at 6 p.m.), Jackson Family Wines (Saturday, Feb. 3, at 6 p.m.) and Raymond Vineyards (Saturday, Feb. 10, at 6 p.m.). Flight nights run Mondays through Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m. in the lounge and offer the opportunity to taste and compare three different wines, the website said. The Bubbles & Jazz Brunch runs Sundays through Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a different prosecco as the focus each Sunday. And on Friday, Feb. 9, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. the Wentworth will feature the second of two big tastings, with tickets costing $91.07 for an evening with food, a wide selection of wines to try in a walk-around event and live jazz, according to the website, where you can find pricing and details for all events.

• Big reds for cold nights: WineNot Boutique (25 Main St. in Nashua; winenotboutique.com, 204-5569) has a few red wine tasting events on the schedule. As of earlier this week, tickets were still available for the blind tasting of malbec wines on Thursday, Jan. 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets cost $40. Try seven malbecs, paired with cheeses, salumi and chocolate, according to the website. On Thursday, Feb. 22, from 4 to 7 p.m., the focus will be “Tasting of Big and Bold Winter Wines.” Sample 15 wines paired with cheeses and a light appetizer; tickets cost $20, the website said.

• Italian wines: Colby Hill Inn’s The Grazing Room (33 The Oaks in Henniker; colbyhillinn.com) will hold a five-course dinner paired with Italian wines from Regal Imports on Friday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m. The cost is $100 per person, according to the website.

• Market Saturday: The Milford NH Indoor Farmers Market will hold the 4th of its seven planned winter markets this Saturday, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Milford Town Hall Auditorium (1 Union Sq. on the Oval). The duo Speed the Plough is slated to perform; see milfordnhfarmersmarket.com for a listing of vendors and guest vendors.

• Dinner, dancing, animals: OK, animals won’t be at the event but proceeds from the Snowball Gala 2024 go to equipment and animal needs at the Educational Farm at Joppa Hill in Bedford (theeducationalfarm.org). The event will be held Saturday, Feb. 17, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way in Bedford) and will include dinner, dancing, and a silent and live auction, according to the EventBrite page. Tickets cost $125; a $175 VIP ticket includes a drink, 10 raffle tickets and a swag bag. See the farm’s website for a link to purchase tickets.

In the kitchen with Ryan Lewis

It was always special for Ryan Lewis, general manager at Napoletana Pizzeria & Bar, when his family would go out to eat at restaurants when he was a child. At home he loved to make food for and with his family and experiment with ingredients, even if the result wasn’t always successful. Despite his love for cooking and restaurants, he didn’t consider a career in food service until he got a job at his favorite local spot while in college where he developed skills and enjoyed the work.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

I’ve never really been into gadgets. A clean, organized workspace is really the only thing a chef needs. I train my cooks to fold their kitchen towels when their prep is done. The cook with the largest, neatest stack of towels is unfailingly the best prepared for service on any particular shift

What would you have for your last meal?

The term last meal reminds me of someone on death row — when else would I know I was eating my last meal? That being the case, I would want to make as big a mess as possible when they give me the juice, like a spicy burrito and a couple beers.

What is your favorite local eatery?

Napoletana is my favorite restaurant. It continues to get closer to my vision over time. Of the other 300+ restaurants in the Portsmouth area, I enjoy Green Elephant, Lexi’s Joint, Barrio and Ore Nell’s most.

Name a celebrity you would like to see eating in your restaurant?

Celebrity is relative. I have fed many ‘famous’ people over the years. Were it possible, I would love to see Tony Bourdain and hear his thoughts and suggestions. Even just to be in his presence would be something. Jose Andres and Eric Ripert are other heroes, using their success in their craft to make life better for others.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

It’s kind of an evil question like asking who my favorite employee or family member is. There are things that are unique and those that are pretty pedestrian but well-loved by our guests. Today I ate our hanger steak and it made me pretty happy. It is a unique cut of meat that takes care to butcher properly, and our risotto rosso is a somewhat unusual but fitting accompaniment to it.

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

I have no idea. We, as an industry and community, are still coming back to life after the struggles of the past several years. It is encouraging to see green shoots sprouting here and there. Young entrepreneurs opening new concepts and getting traction; those are the people to watch.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Jambalaya. It’s almost as versatile as pizza as far as the number of stylistic twists and permutations. That said, I make it 95 percent the same way every time. I like to load my bowl with hot sauce until my eyes sweat.

—Mya Blanchard

On The Job – Michael J. White

Party Rental Operator

Michael J. White owns Studios2go, a unique mobile party rental company based in Rochester.

Explain your job and what it entails.

Studios2go is a party rental company. We provide fun and unique activities for birthdays, festivals, school events, church events, team building events, summer camps and more. … We offer a variety of activities for all ages, including a video game truck, nerf and gellyball package, foam parties and inflatable carnival game package.

How long have you had this job?

I am going on my 7th year with Studios2go.

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

About seven years ago I was working full-time as a firefighter/paramedic in Maine. Like most firefighters I was looking for a side gig… One of the guys in my department told me he saw these ‘video game trailers’ down south and said it may be something I would like because I am a big gamer. I immediately loved this idea and my coworker was able to build the game truck for me. Seven years later here we are.

What kind of education or training did you need?

Besides having to learn how to back up and drive a trailer, I didn’t need any specific type of education. I have spent many hours … [learning] how to run a business properly, the legal aspects of owning a business, how to set up a website and how to market a business.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Normal business uniform is just a polo shirt and shorts or pants.

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

The toughest part of the job is the work-life balance. Parties and events are mostly on the weekends, making it hard to make plans with family and friends who work a standard Monday-through-Friday job. … I have established a family day each week that I will never book an event on and is strictly for time with friends and family.

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

That it is OK to delegate. … It’s hard to give up control because your business is your baby and no one will care about it as much as you. I learned this way of thinking is only sustainable for so long.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

That it is as fun as it seems.

What was the first job you ever had?

The first job I ever had was as a dishwasher at a pizza restaurant when I was 15.

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

The best piece of advice I ever received was from another party rental operator who said, ‘Don’t apologize for your prices, ever. Know what your time is worth and what your company is worth. Focus on providing a quality product and experience. You won’t always get everyone’s business and that’s OK.’ — Angie Sykeny

Five favorites
Favorite book: The Stormlight Archive series or really anything but Brandon Sanderson
Favorite movie: The Lord of the Rings
Favorite music: Imagine Dragons
Favorite food: Pizza (Sometimes I wonder if I’m only in this job for all the free pizza.)
Favorite thing about NH: No income tax.

Featured photo: Michael J. White. Courtesy photo.

Treasure Hunt 24/01/25

Dear Donna,

I have three of these toys, all metal and marked Tootsietoy on the bottom. This one is in the best used condition. It’s about 5 inches long. Can you share a value with me?

Thank you, Donna.

Bob

Dear Bob,

The Tootsietoy company was located in Chicago, Illinois. It’s been around since the 1920s. They produced diecast toys (metal poured into molds, then other parts added).

Not only did they make toy cars, tractors, etc.; they made a great line of doll house furniture in metal as well. It has an interesting history to read up on.

The value of your 1930s trailer truck should be in the $50 range to collectors in that condition. Don’t disregard the other two either, Bob. Parts of one can be used on another, so collectors will buy used, broken toys as well.

I hope this helps, Bob, and thanks for sharing.

Donna Welch has spent more than 35 years in the antiques and collectibles field, appraising and instructing. Her new location is an Antique Art Studio located in Dunbarton, NH where she is still buying and selling. If you have questions about an antique or collectible send a clear photo and information to Donna at [email protected], or call her at 391-6550.

Kiddie Pool 24/01/25

Family fun for whenever

Kids watching kids on stage

• So fetch! The Palace Youth Theatre, featuring performers in grades 2 through 12, will present Mean Girls Jr. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Thursday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. and Thursday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 to $15.

• Concord Community Music School (23 Wall St. in Concord; ccmusicschool.org) will hold a student recital and puppetry performance on Friday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public but seating is limited, according to a newsletter.

• The Majestic Academy (majestictheatre.net) will present Footloose The Musical Youth Edition at the Derry Opera House (29 W Broadway in Derry) on Friday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 27, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 28, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $10 to $15.

Family gametime

• Play Theater Candy Bingo at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (chunkys.com) this weekend. On Friday, Jan. 26, at 6:30 p.m., the Manchester location (707 Huse Road) hosts a game. On Saturday, Jan. 27, at 6:30 p.m., Pelham (150 Bridge St.) hosts the game. For either game, reserve a seat for $10 per person, which gets you a $5 food voucher, a bingo card and a box of candy that goes into the pot, according to the website. The event lasts about an hour and a half with a goal of getting in about eight rounds, the website said.

Classic family film

• Singin’ in the Rain (1952) will screen at Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St., Concord, 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org) on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10. The event coincides with Concord’s Winterfest this weekend. For more family fun at this event, see the story on page 23.

• Celebrate 85 years of the yellow brick road, ruby slippers and flying monkeys at a screening of The Wizard of Oz(1939) presented by Fathom Events. Catch the movie Sunday, Jan. 28, at 1 p.m. at AMC Londonderry, Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem, O’neil Cinemas in Epping and Regal Fox Run in Newington and also at 7 p.m. at AMC Londonderry and Regal Fox Run; on Monday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. at all of those theaters and on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. at AMC Londonderry, Cinemark and Regal Fox Run.

Winter Fest in downtown Concord

Puppies prepared, pond hockey postponed

Not all the festival fun has to be reserved for summer. Ice sculptures, curling, telescope viewings, a beer garden, puppies and more will be at the Concord Winter Fest from Friday, Jan. 26, to Sunday, Jan. 28, presented by Intown Concord in partnership with The Hotel Concord.

“This is our sixth year,” said Jessica Martin, the director of Intown Concord. “It started [during] The Hotel Concord grand opening and we partnered with them and it’s just gained momentum.”

While the festival is usually scheduled to coincide with the Black Ice Pond Hockey tournament, weather has caused the tournament to be rescheduled the past few years, and this year is no exception, with the postponement dates being Friday, Feb. 9, through Sunday, Feb. 11.

Nonetheless, there will be plenty to do around the downtown area with a free shuttle sponsored by Concord Area Transit on Saturday. Festivities start with the Art & Bloom exhibition at Kimball Jenkins, presented by the Concord Garden Club. While the opening reception is on Thursday, Jan. 25, the dates coinciding with the festival are Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibition features works of art accompanied by floral designs created by the community, Concord Garden Club members and professional designers.

Other happenings over the course of the festival include free wine tastings at Wine on Main, Singin’ in the Rain at Red River Theatre, telescope viewing at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, a doggie meet and greet with Darbster Rescue, Snow-ga with blossom yoga, and an ice carving competition and viewing.

“We’re going to have a judging panel that will judge them but we will also post the photos of them on social media … for people to vote on their favorite and then we do … a people’s choice award,” Martin said.

There will also be vendors, a beer garden and food trucks on Capitol Street on Saturday and Sunday, including Wicked Tasty Food Truck and Bubble Bee Milk Tea. New this year is an outdoor curling rink sponsored by NH Scot on Saturday and a Winterfest Family Dance Party with Mr. Aaron at the Bank of NH Stage on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.

“The overall hope is to give people something fun to do during a time of year where people are sometimes lacking options for things to do. It’s a little bit of a slower time of year for our downtown on the heels of the holidays, so we want to create something that drives people to the downtown [and] helps get people out there. In addition to the festival we have a great downtown with lots of shops and restaurants for people to enjoy. … It’s winter, but there’s nothing saying that we can’t be outside.”

Concord NH Winter Fest
When: 3pm Friday, Jan 16th, to 4pm Sunday, Jan 28th

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