Mangia!

Meet the cooking, singing and dancing Calamari Sisters

Celebrities of Brooklyn, New York’s public access circuit, the duo performing as the Calamari Sisters offer an all-singing, all-dancing, all-cooking live show that mixes culinary tips, demonstrations and tastings with traditional musical numbers and comedy shticks.

Delphine and Carmela Calamari brought their nationwide traveling show to New Hampshire for the first time in May with a performance at Manchester’s Rex Theatre. The audience response and word-of-mouth were so positive that the Sisters are back — they’ll take the stage once again at the Rex on Saturday, Nov. 19, with a matinee at 2 p.m. and an evening show at 7:30 p.m.

The Sisters, who have been performing since 2009, are stars of the Brooklyn public access cable production Mangia Italiano and also regularly post short videos to social media. Each 90-minute show at the Rex — billed as a “musical cooking lesson” — will be packed with family stories, Italian folk dancing and plenty of audience participation with the dishes to be cooked on stage.

Pausing between rehearsals for their Christmas-themed shows in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts next month, Delphine and Carmela recently connected with the Hippo via phone for an interview about their upcoming return to the Queen City.

This past May was your first time coming to New Hampshire. What was the story behind your coming to the Granite State?

Delphine: We’ve always been friends with the great people at the Palace. … The artistic director had seen our show when we were in P-Town [Provincetown, Mass.], where we were, of course, in 2015, ’16 and ’17, during the summer. … So we came [to Manchester] this past time in May and it was such a great experience, because they have that smaller space. Our show is a little bit more intimate than some of the other shows that they do, because it’s just the two of us. … So when they opened the Rex Theatre, it was just perfect for our little show.

Carmela: We’ve been all over the country. I’m not kidding you. We’ve been as far as California, [and] we’ve been to Phoenix, and Wisconsin.

Delphine: I tried to leave her in all of those places, but she always found her way home.

Carmela: But yet, when we came to Manchester, New Hampshire, no one had heard of us.

Delphine: Yeah, and so the word-of-mouth was great. … Everyone was like, ‘You’ve got to come back because I want to bring my friends,’ and so that’s why we came back, just because we wanted to give more people the chance to see us. Because it’s hard to describe the show. It’s not like anything else.

Will audiences recognize the songs and dances?

Delphine: Yes, so some of them are more from the classic songbook of Italian America, so we do “Volare,” we do “Food, Glorious Food,” and we do “Be Our Guest.”

Carmela: We also do a tarantella, which you’ll recognize even if you didn’t know it was called the tarantella. We shake the rafters!

How much audience participation is there during your shows?

Delphine: Oh, quite a bit. So we’re always talking and connecting with the audience, and we do bring them up sometimes.

Carmela: Sometimes we try the food. Sometimes they help us make a dish, if we need an extra pair of hands.

Delphine: It depends on the person and it depends on the dish. … Sometimes they taste, sometimes they help, [or] sometimes we just play games. So it’s very interactive.

What types of dishes do you prepare on stage?

Delphine: We have different ones that we do for different shows, but in this musical show, we do a traditional Italian antipasto and we do a cannoli.

Carmela: We’ve done fried dough on stage, sausage and peppers, [and] we do chicken a la Calamari, which is a secret recipe, and you’re not getting it no matter how much you want it.

Delphine: This one is designed to be more of a pop-up, if you will. … And so, because we are teaching a lesson, we have a chalkboard, some prep tables, aprons, and a good old tambourine, because if you’re going to do a tarantella, you need a tambourine.

Carmela: My favorite is when we do a clambake. Biggest, juiciest clams you’ve ever seen. Oh, so good.

Delphine: Yes, we know New England takes claim on the whole clambake thing. We beg to differ.

What’s your favorite thing about performing these shows?

Delphine: Especially in today’s world, I think we all need more laughter, we need more silliness, and we all need to be able to laugh at ourselves. … And, just being able to be that escape and that outlet to people is my favorite part, because it also just reminds you that things aren’t so bad.

A Musical Cooking Lesson with the Calamari Sisters
When: Saturday, Nov. 19, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Where: The Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester
Cost: Tickets range from $29 to $39, plus fees
Visit: thecalamarisisters.com

Featured photo: Delphine (left) and Carmela Calamari. Courtesy photo.

A feast from your garden

Television chef Mary Ann Esposito presents new cookbook

Chef and University of New Hampshire graduate Mary Ann Esposito isn’t just the host of the longest-running television cooking show in America — she’s also the author of more than a dozen cookbooks, each meant to tie into her series in some way. Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook!, her latest book, scheduled for a Nov. 15 release, continues that theme by focusing on the home vegetable garden, with easy-to-follow planting advice and more than 100 recipes.

Following an exclusive book launch event at The Music Hall Lounge in Portsmouth on release day, Esposito will hold signings and Q&A sessions at Water Street Bookstore in Exeter on Thursday, Nov. 17, and at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord on Friday, Nov. 18. She’s also scheduled to hold a signing at Tuscan Market in Salem on Saturday, Dec. 10 — there, she’ll be accompanied by Tuscan Brands wine director Joseph Comforti for a special wine tasting.

Esposito is the host of the PBS series Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito, which debuted in 1989. Its 30th season — the first to be filmed in front of a live audience, at Tuscan Village’s Scuola Culinaria — recently wrapped up production and is currently airing.

Her 13th book overall, Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook! took Esposito about two years to write, dating back to the early months of the pandemic when Ciao Italia had to suspend production.

“I wanted it to be a dual-purpose book,” she said. “It’s not only a cookbook with all of these wonderful vegetables, but it’s also a simple primer gardening book for anybody who wants to start a garden. But you absolutely do not have to have a garden in order to use this book.”

Esposito divides the book into two sections. The first focuses on cool-weather crops of an early spring garden, such as lettuce, peas, radishes and spinach; that’s followed by a section devoted to summer garden vegetables, from tomatoes and eggplant to peppers, zucchini and others that need heat. Recipes incorporating vegetables in all kinds of traditional Italian dishes are also featured.

“The tomato is the king of the garden, so obviously I have lots of tomato recipes … including, of course, eggplant Parmesan with fresh tomatoes,” Esposito said. “There’s a wonderful recipe for my mother’s upside-down stuffed peppers … and then there’s my Nonna Galasso’s simple tomato sauce. … One of the other recipes I really like is the giardiniera, which translates to pickled vegetables. Any vegetable like carrots, green beans and broccoli will work for pickling.” Recipes, she said, cover every category from antipasti, soups and salads to garden vegetables and herbs added as ingredients in meats, fish, pastas, casseroles and even some desserts.

“I have a raspberry thyme tart using fresh thyme from the garden that’s really good,” she said. “There’s also a cake that is made with the leaves of the rose geranium plant, minced and put into the batter. There are whole leaves that line the pan first before you put the batter in, so that when you turn the cake out you’ve got this beautiful-looking cake embedded with those leaves.”

Esposito said she likes to treat each book signing and Q&A session as though she is having a conversation at someone’s kitchen table. During the Nov. 18 event at Gibson’s Bookstore, she said, her husband Guy — who is also Ciao Italia’s head gardener — will join her.

“Everything I know about vegetable gardening, I learned from him, so he’ll be coming along to probably answer some questions that I might not be able to answer,” she said.

Meet Mary Ann Esposito
Mary Ann Esposito presents Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook! Visit ciaoitalia.com.

• Thurs., Nov. 17, 7 p.m.: Water Street Bookstore, 125 Water St., Exeter (visit waterstreetbooks.com or call 778-9731)
• Fri., Nov. 18, 6:30 p.m.: Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 S. Main St., Concord (visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562)
• Sat., Dec. 10, 11 a.m.: Tuscan Market at Tuscan Village, 9 Via Toscana, Salem (event will also include a wine tasting with Tuscan Market wine director Joe Comforti; visit tuscanbrands.com or call 912-5467)

Three-squash soup with orzo
Courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito; taken from her book Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook! (makes 1 ½ quarts)

bowl of squash soup surrounded by varieties of whole squash
Photo by John W. Hession.

1 2-pound spaghetti squash, cut in half, seeded and cut in half again
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large leeks (white part only), cut in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch to ½-inch moons (about 2 cups)
2 cups large-diced zucchini
2 cups large-diced butternut squash
4 cups tomato juice
1 cup hot water
3½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
¾ cup orzo, ditalini or other small soup pasta
6 to 8 fresh basil leaves, minced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the spaghetti squash quarters cut-side down in a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour in about ¼ inch of water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the squash is very soft (about 30 minutes). When it’s cool enough to handle, scoop the pulp from the shells and transfer it to a food processor or blender. Puree the squash (in batches if necessary) until smooth — there should be about 1½ cups of puree. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use (it can be prepared a day or two ahead if needed). While the squash is baking, melt the butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the leeks, cover and cook for three minutes, stirring a few times. Add the zucchini and butternut squash and stir to evenly mix the vegetables. Cover the pot and cook until the vegetables are cooked through but still retain their shape (about 12 minutes). Stir in the tomato juice, hot water, pureed squash and two teaspoons of the salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, stir in the remaining 1½ teaspoons of salt and the orzo, and cook until the orzo is al dente (about 10 minutes). Drain well, then stir the orzo into the soup. Stir in the basil and serve. (Note: spaghetti squash can be cooked in a microwave oven on high power for five to six minutes per pound. Be sure to pierce the rind before microwaving).

Featured photo: Mary Ann Esposito. Photo by John W. Hession..

The Weekly Dish 22/11/17

News from the local food scene

• Giving thanks: Depending on when you’re reading this, there may still be time to place your takeout order (or make a dine-in reservation) for Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 24. Check out our listings of restaurants and function halls across southern New Hampshire accepting reservations now for everything from special holiday dinners and specials to all-you-can-eat buffets, in addition to eateries, markets and bakeries taking orders for everything you need for your holiday feast. Some businesses are continuing to accept takeout orders for Thanksgiving as of Nov. 17, while other venues are planning special events — St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church (1160 Bridge St., Manchester), for instance, will hold its third annual bake sale and live auction on Saturday, Nov. 19, featuring several homemade Greek pastries available for sale. The dine-in and takeout listings for Thanksgiving respectively begin on pages 22 and 23 of the Hippo’s Nov. 10 issue — go to issuu.com/hippopress to read and download the e-edition for free.

• For the wine lover: Join the YMCA Allard Center of Goffstown (116 Goffstown Back Road) for its weekly Holiday Food & Arts Market, which kicks off on Saturday, Nov. 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and will continue every Saturday through Dec. 17. Each event in the series features a different menu of lunch items and baked goods, along with a unique selection of themed crafts, all to benefit the Y’s Center for Older Adults. This weekend’s market will feature all kinds of wine lovers’ decor and accessories, in addition to a variety of comfort foods. See the event page on Facebook @yallardcenter for more details.

• Say cheese, raise a glass: The bi-weekly Cheese & Corks tastings at Local Baskit (10 Ferry St., Suite 120A, Concord) continue on Wednesday, Nov. 30, and Wednesday, Dec. 14, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Featuring Kristy Ammann of Dole & Bailey — formerly the owner of Butter’s Fine Food & Wine in Concord — and Ambra Kash of Crush Wine & Spirits, the series includes “a series of wine and cheese chats to prepare you for holiday entertaining or cozy winter nights,” according to the event flier. The Nov. 30 tasting will cover New Hampshire-made cheeses to be paired with wines from around the world, while the Dec. 14 event will feature sparkling wines and creamy cheeses. Admission is free. Visit localbaskit.com.

• Get brewing: Tickets are available now for the fourth annual New Hampshire Craft Brew Conference & Tradeshow, to be held at the Executive Court Banquet Facility (1199 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester) on Monday, Jan. 23, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Presented by the New Hampshire Brewers Association, the event is jam-packed full of educational seminars, networking opportunities and an expansive tradeshow for all those who are passionate about joining the craft brewing industry. It’s also designed to be relevant to everyone working at breweries or in the hospitality industry, whether it’s in brewing, sales, front of the house operations, suppliers or marketing. A continental breakfast and luncheon, as well as light refreshments and a “Hoppy” Hour celebration with several local beers on tap, are available to all attendees. See nhbrewers.org to learn more.

On The Job – Diane Kolifrath

Bike tour coordinator

Diane Kolifrath is the owner of Great American Bike Tours, a bike touring company based in Raymond.

Explain your job and what it entails.

My company curates and runs incredible cycling vacations throughout the Eastern United States and Canada. I plan all of the routes and logistics for our super-fun bike tours, and with the assistance of my office manager, I arrange and coordinate all of the lodging [and] build in fun events like side trips, happy hours, dinner socials and more. During a tour, my team and I provide full rider support by cycling along with the group as tour guides. We also provide a SAG — support and gear — van, which offers fresh water and snacks to riders and holds a pretty well-stocked ‘bike shop.’

How long have you had this job?

Seven years.

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

I’d spent the first 20 years of my career working in IT, climbing the ladder to settle into a mid-level management role, and while I liked the work, I felt like the 24/7 demands of the industry were robbing me of a fuller, happier life. In July of 2015, I was enthralled in the delight of cycling the Petit Train du Nord bike trail in the Canadian Laurentides when I was truly struck by an aha moment; I’d had enough of the IT rat race, and I was going to create a job where I could cycle all summer and ski all winter. In September of 2015, I started my cycle touring business.

What kind of education or training did you need?

There really isn’t any formal education or training for my industry. I do rely heavily on my ability to plan and coordinate complex logistics.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Cycling clothing and team branded shirts during the day, casual duds in the evening, with branded shirts required at all group socials and events.

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

Since my cycle touring company falls into the ‘travel and tourism’ industry, we were hit pretty hard by the pandemic. Like so many other businesses, we came to a grinding halt during Covid, which nearly put us out of business. But during Covid, a cycling renaissance occurred. Suddenly everyone was discovering the joy of cycling, and bike shops could not even meet the demand for those looking to buy bikes.

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

Not to go into IT. The technology changes so quickly that trying to keep your skills current is nearly overwhelming.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

I wish folks knew how much unseen work goes into the development of our tours before they are added to our offerings. In addition to the logistical planning, which can take months, I go out to each destination with one or two team members, and we ride and evaluate every inch of the tour. We make copious notes of trail conditions and of cyclist facilities like restrooms, cafes and points of interest nearby that enhance the tours by serving up samples of the local color and history of the area.

What was the first job you ever had?

My first job was working as a customer service rep and junior commercial artist at Shawsheen Printing in Lawrence, Mass.

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

Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.

Five favorites

Favorite book: The Stand by Stephen King
Favorite movie: Not sure.
Favorite music: Indie and coffee shop stuff
Favorite food: Italian, particularly chicken saltimbocca
Favorite thing about NH: Our gorgeous outdoors. So much diversity — lakes, rivers, ocean, mountains, valleys. I’m here for good.

Featured photo: Diane Kolifrath. Courtesy photo.

Kiddie Pool 22/11/17

Family fun for the weekend

Pancakes, hamsters & more book fun

• Early childhood education author Nancy Lessard Downing will be at The Toadstool Bookshop (375 Amherst St. in Nashua; toadbooks.com, 673-1734 ) to discuss and read some of her books on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 10 a.m. Downing will discuss her book series Learning Fun, which teaches parents how to introduce shapes, colors, the alphabet and basic sign language, and read her book Whitey Comes Home For Christmas, based on a true story of a Grand Pyrenees dog from New England who went on an adventure across his community.

• Fans of Lady Pancake, Sir French Toast and their nemesis turned friend Baron Von Waffle will want to check out the Mega Storytime Event featuring children’s authors Josh Funk and Kari Allen on on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 11 a.m. atGibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; gibsonsbookstore.com, 224-0562). Funk will present his newest adventure of the refrigerator pals in The Great Caper Caper, which involves “a Las Veggies heist” according to the website. Allen will bring her latest book, Maddie and Mabel Take the Lead, the second book featuring the adventures of “best sisters” Maddie and Mabel.

• The Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester) is hosting a rodent-themed storytime and craft on Saturday, Nov. 19, starting at 11:30 a.m. featuring the book Hamsters Make Terrible Roommates, a book by Cheryl B. Klein about two hamsters with very different personalities crammed into one cage together. After the story, kids will learn to make their own paper hamsters. The event is free, but Bookery requests people sign up for the event via Eventbrite (see the website for a link).

Turkey season

• Join the Merrimack Parks and Recreation department on Saturday, Nov. 19, for the 6th annual turkey scavenger hunt atWasserman Park (116 Naticook Road) at 10 a.m. Turkey cutouts will be hidden throughout Merrimack and clues will be provided at the start of the hunt. The first three participants who find the most cutouts and unscramble the puzzle on them will win a 17-pound turkey. Registration is free and can be completed at merrimackparksandrec.org.

• The Manchester City Library (405 Pine St. in Manchester; manchester.lib.nh.us) is hosting a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Family Party on Tuesday, Nov. 22, from 4 to 7 p.m. The drop-in event will have a Peanuts-themed trivia game, as well as activities, snacks and crafts based around the animated film. The trivia game will be at 4:15 p.m. and again at 6:15 p.m. This event does not require registration.

Museum fun

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; aviationmuseumofnh.org, 669-4820) is hosting a limited time exhibit featuring the creations of model maker Dick Zoerb from Nashua. The exhibit, which runs through Sunday, Nov. 27, has several different aircrafts, world-famous monuments and more all made to scale by Zoerb. Admission cost $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 to 12, seniors, veterans and active military, and children under age 6 are free. The museum is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.

• Join the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org) on Wednesday, Nov. 23, for a special turkey tie-dye craft from 10:30 to 11 a.m. and 2:30 to 3 p.m. as part of the Wacky Art Wednesday events. The craft is included with admission to the museum. Admission costs $12.50 for adults and children older than one year old, $10.50 for adults ages 65 and older. Admission is free for children under a year old and for members. Visit childrens-museum.org to purchase tickets in advance.

Get outdoors!

• The New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; 668-2045, nhaudubon.org) will hold a birding walk Saturday, Nov. 19, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. The informal birding walk explores the trails with local birder Joe Mahoney, according to the website, and all ages and skill levels of birders are welcome. Registration (which is required in advance) costs $10.

• On Monday, Nov. 21, Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road in Hollis; beaverbrook.org, 465-7787) will hold a free Forest Tales hour of outside storytime with kids (and their adults, but not their pets) at 10 a.m. No registration is required for the event, which meets at Maple Hill Farm, according to the website. Lindsay Shaklee, a Beaver Brook educator and master storyteller, will spin the yarns.

If you can’t make it to Monday’s event but want to check out the trails and nature of Beaver Brook, check out the “Trail Maps and Guides” section of their website for a look at the different trails including accessible trails.

Treasure Hunt 22/11/17

Hi there, Donna.

My name is Jessica, and I happened to catch your section in the Hippo.

My father-in-law, who is in his mid 70s, gave me some of these treasures. From what I understand, some belonged to his mother, grandmother, along with his great-grandmother.

Some of the cases alone are fantastic.

I’m not sure if these things are of any monetary value, but they are treasures, no matter. I hope you enjoy looking at them and I would be interested in any input or feedback you may have on them.

Jess

Dear Jess,

Nice lot of Victorian jewelry. Your father-in-law passed you some nice family pieces.

Jess, most of the items in the photos you sent are not gold (the pins, earrings and watch fob). The two rings in the jeweler’s boxes I would say are either 10kt or 14kt. They would be marked inside the bands.

Even though the pins would be gold filled (gold over metal) they still have value for being from the Victorian era (mid to late 1800s). They also look to be in good condition and that helps for values.

The Puss in Boots watch fob (holder) is also gold filled.

Jess, as far as values go, I would think all the pins are in the $40+ range each. Earring set $25. Two gold rings would depend on stones and gold level. So you should bring them to a jeweler to get an accurate value.

The watch fob would be in the $70 range.

I hope this was helpful, Jess, and thanks for sharing your treasures.

Note: Even the Victorian jewelry store boxes have value to jewelry collectors as well.

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