The Weekly Dish 23/01/26

News from the local food scene

• Celebrate Mardi Gras: Get your tickets now to the Franco-American Centre’s annual Mardi Gras celebration, happening on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m. at the Alpine Club (175 Putnam St., Manchester). The event will feature a variety of Cajun and comfort items served buffet style, along with king cake and a cash bar. Activities will include karaoke, dancing, a costume contest, 50/50 raffles, door prizes and more. The cost is $25 for non-FAC members, $20 for members and $15 for 2022 volunteers. Pre-register online by Feb. 1 at facnh.com — non-members will receive one free raffle ticket and members will receive three tickets for a chance to win the door prizes, and additional tickets will also be available for purchase for more chances to win.

• From Venice to Bedford: Join the Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford) for its own take on the Carnevale di Venezia, a three-day ice festival happening Thursday, Feb. 2, through Saturday, Feb. 4, from 6 to 10 p.m. each evening. Attendees will be fully immersed in Venetian culture, enjoying the sites of ice sculptures and ice bars designed to pay homage to one of Italy’s most famous annual celebrations. Activities will include live music, martini bars with specialty cocktails, a whiskey bar, a beer and wine bar and lots of ice. The Inn’s Great Hall will be offering snacks and desserts available for purchase with tokens, which will be sold at the door. Food items each evening will include Italian sausage subs, Carnevale lasagna soup, Sicilian-style pizza, vegetable minestrone soup, Cape Cod oysters, Jumbo cocktail shrimp, traditional or double chocolate cannolis and tiramisu cheesecake. Ice bar tokens are to be used to purchase all food and beverages at the ice bar — cash and credit cards will not be accepted. Tokens will be sold on site in bundles of five, 10 and 20 via credit card only — they are not cash refundable but can be used at any of the Inn’s dining outlets from Feb. 2 through March 31 for the face value of $3.50 apiece. Tickets are $40 per person (event is 21+ only). Visit bedfordvillageinn.com.

• QC Cupcakes completes move: Manchester’s Queen City Cupcakes has completed the move of its operations a few doors down, joining forces with its sister gift shop, Pop of Color, according to a recent announcement from its email newsletter. You can find the adjoining businesses, now known as Queen City Cupcakes & Gift Shop, between Market Square Jewelers and Granite State Candy Shoppe at 816 Elm St. Queen City Cupcakes has been open since 2011, offering freshly baked small-batch cupcakes daily in a rotating menu of flavors. Visit qccupcakes.com to see their most up-to-date cupcake menus.

• A bittersweet farewell: On Saturday, Jan. 21, Blake’s Creamery closed its 353 S. Main St. restaurant. “We have had the pleasure of serving this Manchester neighborhood with great pride for nearly 60 years,” reads a recent announcement posted to Blake’s website. “We are deeply appreciative to our loyal customers, employees and vendors who have supported us throughout the years. We will miss all of them.” The announcement goes on to say that Blake’s wholesale ice cream business will continue production and distribution to its many wholesale customers across New England. Visit blakesicecream.com to read the full statement.

On The Job – Shelly A. Mead

Justice of the Peace

Shelly A. Mead is a justice of the peace who officiates weddings throughout southern New Hampshire.

Explain your job and what it entails.

My job is to write and officiate wedding ceremonies for any mutually consenting couple in New Hampshire. I am able to perform quick legal ceremonies, but I specialize in creating love story ceremonies for couples. This involves really getting to know a couple and having them open up about what makes their relationship work, what they love about each other and their favorite memories together. I translate those details into a ceremony that I perform on their wedding day. My ultimate goals are to make the ceremony planning process feel simple and straightforward for couples, and to create a relationship that allows them to feel as calm and confident as humanly possible when standing up in front of their family and friends on their wedding day.

How long have you had this job?

Six years.

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

I officiated for the first time in 2017 for my brother-in-law with the intention of never officiating again. As it turned out, creating and officiating ceremonies is extremely joyful and rewarding work. Since then, I have officiated over 350 ceremonies, and 2023 will be my sixth wedding season.

What kind of education or training did you need?

To become a justice of the peace in New Hampshire, one must take an oath and then be certified by the governor. Much of my training was through extensive online research, and then on the job. I love learning from other officiants and have great local mentors. I get really excited when a couple brings up a new idea or tradition to research that can be incorporated into their ceremony.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

I typically wear a black or navy dress or suit, depending on the couple’s wedding colors.

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

This past wedding season was incredibly busy as so many couples had to put off their big wedding from 2020 to 2022. I often officiate for couples who want to have a quick legal ceremony and then plan to celebrate with a formal wedding when there are fewer Covid restrictions or more open wedding dates. I think for a justice of the peace it is not that common to have repeat customers. With couples having a private elopement and then a big ceremony later, I sometimes get the honor of sharing their happiness twice.

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

It is so important to set boundaries with clients. Having a detailed contract to establish ground rules is key.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

Something that not many people realize is that planning a beautiful and meaningful ceremony takes time — a lot of time. If you go to a wedding and the ceremony is executed flawlessly, with the couple and their guests sharing laughter, joy and maybe even some happy tears, know that years of experience and hours of time went into making that 15 to 30 minutes so completely perfect.

What was the first job you ever had?

I worked as a page at the Manchester Public Library in Manchester, Connecticut.

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

Always take a deep breath and smile at the beginning of a ceremony. It helps the couple to relax.

Five favorites

Favorite book: Beartown series by Fredrik Backman
Favorite movie: Stranger Than Fiction
Favorite music: I always sing in the car to get warmed up for a ceremony. Currently, Lizzo and Adele are my top choices.
Favorite food: Cherries
Favorite thing about NH: I love that we can be in a city, the beach or the mountains all in just an hour. New Hampshire has it all.

Featured photo: Shelly A. Mead. Courtesy photo.

Treasure Hunt 23/01/26

Dear Donna,

Picked this up a few months ago. I thought it was interesting. It looks all handmade and has weight to it. It’s 4 inches by 6 inches. I think it could be an old chalkboard eraser. The bottom has about 1/4 inch of felt. Interesting, as I said. What do you think?

Luke in Berlin, N.H.

Dear Luke,

You got my interest!

First, you are right, it appears to be handmade. It looks old, but it’s tough to be exact with the age of handmade items.

My question would be why would it need to be heavy if it’s an eraser. My thought is that it’s more of a commemorative to a dog. Possibly a paperweight? You could be right, or maybe it’s even for something we won’t ever know.

To give it a value: It’s a homemade piece with good detail, construction and subject. I would say your little treasure is in the $40 range!

Thanks for sharing, Luke.

Donna

Kiddie Pool 23/01/26

Family fun for the weekend

Museum fun

• On Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) will be hosting Lighter Than Air, an educational program and lecture about the people who pioneered flight through hot air balloons. The event will have photographs of the early pioneers of air travel, many of whom were in the Manchester region. Tickets to the event cost $10 for nonmembers and are free to members. Visit nhahs.org for more information.

• Join the Children’s Museum (6 Washington St., Dover) for a Robotics Petting Zoo presented by Sages Entertainment on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 11 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m. Kids will learn about what makes robots special, how people use them in everyday life, and the code that brings robots to life. There will also be a robot scavenger hunt and robot-themed craft in the Muse Art Studio at the museum. Join the event by purchasing morning or afternoon play tickets at childrens-museum.org. Tickets cost $12.50 for children and adults, $10.50 for seniors older than 65. Children younger than 1 year old are free.

• Build a plane with the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) at their student and family plane-build open house on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. The open house is to promote a program with the Manchester School of Technology, where students will work with volunteers to build a plane from scratch during the school year. The program is free for students who meet the age requirement, and students from other schools or districts or who are homeschooled are able to participate as well. To learn more about the program, visit nhahs.org.

Showtime

• All three Chunky’s (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham) will have a little lunch date showing the movie Shrek (PG, 2001) on Friday, Jan. 27, at 3:45 p.m. The family-friendly showing will have dimmed lights. Admission is free, but reserve a seat with a $5 food voucher at chunkys.com.

• Get your claws and whiskers ready for a family-friendly production of Cats: the Young Actors Versionby the Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts at the Derry Opera House (29 West Broadway). Opening night is Friday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m. and following shows are on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 2 and 7 p.m. and on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $13 for seniors ages 65 and older, $10 for youth 17 and younger. Purchase tickets at majestictheatre.net.

• Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St., Concord) is screening Frozen (PG, 2013) on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 10 a.m. as part of the Concord Winter Festival. Tickets cost $10 per person; visit redrivertheatre.com to purchase tickets.

Save the date

• Get prehistoric with the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover) with a dinosaur-themed Valentine’s Day party on Sunday, Feb. 12, from 1 to 3 p.m. The party will have a dinosaur-themed craft, stories, and a meet and greet with a friendly dinosaur. This event is a special ticketed event. Tickets cost $10 for members, $16 for nonmembers, free for children under a year. Ticket sales start on Wednesday, Jan. 25, for members and open to the public on Monday, Jan. 30. To purchase tickets, visit childrens-museum.org.

• Winter vacation is just around the corner, and Park Arts (19 Main St., Jaffrey) is holding a winter vacation camp for all the little performers starting on Monday, Feb. 27. The camp will run the whole week and include a performance on March 4. The play for elementary students will be The Elves and the Shoemaker and the play for middle school students is Mystery Anyone? Each camp costs $90 for admission, with an optional $12 for a commemorative T-shirt. Registration is open and can be done at theparktheatre.org.

Spring flower shows are back!

Get your tickets now

The spring flower shows are always a contrast to the cold, icy days of winter. Bright flowers, garden paraphernalia and numerous workshops make these events fun, for both beginner and expert. Here are this year’s offerings.

The first show of the season is a specialty show: orchids. The New Hampshire Orchid Society is holding its annual get-together Friday, Feb. 10, to Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Courtyard Marriott in Nashua. This is the show for orchid lovers. There will be vendors of orchids from Ecuador, Taiwan and the U.S. Members of the Society will bring their orchids to compete and to strut their stuff. Admission is just $10, or $8 for seniors.

Next up is the Connecticut Flower and Garden Show Feb. 23 to Feb. 26. This is a mammoth show with more than 3 acres of displays. As always, it is being held at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, Connecticut. Tickets are $20 at the door, or $17 in advance. Kids 5 to 12 are $5.

One of the greatest things about this show is the educational seminars. Here are a few workshops that interest me: “Good Bug, Bad Bug, Benign Bug.” This is great for anyone who tends to squish any bug in the garden even though most are not a problem. I assume there will be slides of insects we should recognize but probably don’t. Then there is one on organic lawn care, and another called “Shady Characters.” I know garden writer Ellen Ecker Ogden of Vermont will do a nice slide presentation and talk about kitchen garden design and how to make your veggies look artful. She always does.

One of my favorite shows is always the Vermont Flower Show. It will take place this year March 3 to March 5 at the Champlain Valley Expo Center in Essex Junction, Vermont. The theme this year is “Out of Hibernation! Spring Comes to the 100-Acre Wood,”a tribute to Winnie-the-Pooh.

The main garden display is always a collaborative effort by members of the Vermont Nursery and Landscape Association. For three and a half days members of VNLA will work together to create a 15,000-square-foot display using their own and donated materials. Other shows tend to have displays by professionals that are competing with each other, but not in Vermont — they work together.

There will be more than 100 vendors and 35 workshops to attend over the three days of the event. In the past I have purchased seeds, seed potatoes, bulbs, books and garden tools. Tickets are $25, or $20 for seniors. Kids are $7.

The Vermont show is a child-friendly event with a craft room open all day. Go online to see the schedule of events for kids — there will be a magician, marionettes and music. Be sure to attend this year — it only occurs every other year.

A bit farther afield there is the Philadelphia Flower Show. Last year they held it outdoors in May due to Covid concerns, but this year they are back inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philly March 4 to March 12. According to their publicity, “The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is both the nation’s largest and the world’s longest-running horticultural event, featuring stunning displays by premier floral and landscape designers from around the globe. Started in 1829 by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the Show introduces diverse and sustainable plant varieties and garden and design concepts. In addition to acres of garden displays, the Flower Show hosts esteemed competitions in horticulture and artistic floral arranging, gardening presentations and demonstrations, and special events.”

I’ve been to the Philly show a couple of times and I am always amazed by the sheer size and diversity of the displays, vendors and workshops. It is best to go mid-week when crowds are smaller, and take two days, if you can, to see it all. Tickets are $43.50 for adults and $20 for kids.

A show I have yet to attend is the Capital Region Flower and Garden Show in Troy, New York, which will be held again this year at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy from March 24 to March 26. According to their website, there will be 160 vendors and exhibitors and eight to 10 workshops each day.

Then in May there is the New Hampshire Farm, Garden and Forest Expo being held this year at the Deerfield Fairgrounds on May 5 and May 6. It is now in its 40th year and is the least commercial of all the shows. It is focused on sharing information.

Finally May 23 to May 27 there is the Chelsea Flower Show of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in London, England. I’ve been, and it was well worth the trip. It’s held outdoors and is truly wonderful.

If you plan to go to Chelsea, join the RHS to get better access times and pricing. Members get a discount of over $10 per day, but prices still range from $89 to $46 depending on the day of the week. British women tend to dress up for this show and wear big colorful hats. The first two days are for members only, so it should be a bit less crowded.

The spring flower shows are fun — and we deserve that after a long New England winter.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Frozen fun

The annual Winter Festival in Concord is back

Intown Concord is bringing some post-holiday fun to the city with the annual Winter Festival, with ice sculpting competitions, unique food options and more starting on Friday, Jan. 27, at 3 p.m.

Haylie Stoddard, a representative from Intown Concord, one of the organizations that has partnered to run the festival for the last five years, said that this year will have a few new additions to the festivities.

“New this year we’ll have the Capitol Street warming hut and beer garden, and we’re excited to have that,” said Stoddard, adding that there is a lounge area in the tent as well, and the garden will serve local canned beers and drinks.

There will also be a dozen vendors, from media corporations to artisans. Stoddard said this was the first time in a while that the group had brought on vendors to the partnership.

The main event of the festival is the ice carving competitions, Stoddard said. This year the competitions will take place in front of the Statehouse. On Friday the sculptors will honor the sponsors of the festival with something inspired by the company’s logo or industry. Stoddard said that it used to be sculptures of the logos, but that proved to be too time-consuming for the smaller sculpting.

On Saturday, the six sculptors will spend the whole day working on creating the semi-permanent masterpieces. Stoddard said that it was important to the festival committee to give the sculptors as much free range as they wanted when it came to the creation of the frozen artwork. She said there is something magical about the ice and the way sculptors work it into their own vision.

“It brings uniqueness … during a colder time of year,” Stoddard said about the sculptures. She said it also gives people a chance to enjoy the winter weather. “Not everybody has the opportunity to get out, especially if they have a family and if they don’t do skiing or snowboarding. [The festival] gives a free option for families to get out and do something during the day and get some fresh air.”

Red River Theatres is partnering with the event this year and is showing family favorite Frozen (PG, 2013) on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 10 a.m. The Concord Public Library will host a snowy storytime that might feature everyone’s favorite ice queen and her younger sister.

The Black Ice Pond Hockey tournament,originally slated to coincide with the Festival, has been postponed to March 17 through March 19. According to Intown’s website, the O Steak & Seafood ice bar also has been postponed.

The winter festival is all about bringing the community together and outside during a time of year when most like to stay indoors, Stoddard said.

“It’s fun and something to do in the wintertime,” said Stoddard. “Get some fresh air and check out beautiful pieces of art. Even though it’s temporary, it’s exciting and unique.”

Concord Winter Festival
Where: New Hampshire Statehouse, 107 N. Main St., Concord
When: Friday, Jan. 27, from 3 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 28, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Visit: intownconcord.com

Featured photo: Photo courtesy of Intown Concord.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!