The Weekly Dish 21/07/08

News from the local food scene

• New spot for Granite State Naturals: After temporarily closing over the holiday weekend, longtime health store Granite State Naturals opened a new location on July 6, in the adjacent property on the corner of Granite Avenue and North State Street in Concord. Executive Chef Rob Cone has worked with owner Matt Jeannotte to expand the business into more of a superette — new items include grab-and-go sandwiches made with meats from North Country Smokehouse, as well as a variety of house side dishes, grain salads, house marinated meats, and dairy products sourced from both Brookford Farm in Canterbury and Huckins Farm in New Hampton. There is also now a selection of about 40 beers, ciders, seltzers, ready-to-drink cocktails and hard kombuchas, plus various wines from organic and biodynamic vineyards. The new location is open Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit granitestatenaturals.com.

• Canning and pickling: Join the Rodgers Memorial Library (194 Derry Road, Hudson) for Preserving the Harvest, a virtual program in pickling, canning, freezing and drying your own food that’s scheduled for Monday, July 12, from 7 to 8 p.m. Mark Gostkiewicz of Tri Gable Lea Farm in eastern Connecticut will discuss the pros and cons of each of these methods, as well as what details to pay attention to in order to avoid spoilage or food poisoning. Simple at-home projects using basic kitchen equipment will also be introduced during this live Zoom presentation. Participants can register at events.rodgerslibrary.org. If you can’t make the live class but still want to learn the information, a recording will be emailed to you, in addition to handouts and references that will be covered during the talk.

• Wine and barbecue: Get your tickets now for the next monthly wine dinners at the Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker), set for Friday, July 16, and Saturday, July 17, in The Grazing Room. The event will feature a three-course dinner with wine on Friday evening, followed by an a la carte barbecue lunch beginning at noon on Saturday, then a three-course dinner that evening at 6 p.m. with pairings of McPrice Myers wines. The Colby Hill is also continuing its Sunday night out events with seatings on Sunday, July 11, from 4 to 7 p.m., where you can enjoy local seafood, barbecue items, and flight trios of wine, beer and sake. Visit colbyhillinn.com.

• Eating local: Half of Granite Staters report buying food from local farms at least twice a month, according to a University of New Hampshire news release. The research, which was conducted by UNH’s Carsey School of Public Policy, found that the frequency of local farm food purchases varies across the state, with the highest rates along the Vermont border. Between one-third and one-half of adults buy local at least occasionally across Hillsborough, Rockingham and Strafford counties. The study also noted that 88 percent of Granite Staters reported that in-person sales models like farm stands and farmers markets were easily accessible, while, despite a rise in online shopping during the pandemic, only 23 percent of people said the same about online market platforms for local food.

Cucumber gimlet

My grandparents were civilized people. One of my favorite memories of them is their rigorous observance of Cocktail Hour.

Every evening, when Opa got home from work, he would change clothes, then he and my Oma would sit down for a cocktail. This was not precisely a formal ritual, but it was one thoroughly saturated with respect. For an hour or so, they would sit together without distractions and focus on each other. Opa would slip in some form of compliment for my grandmother — her name was Grace, but he called her “Dolly” — and at some point, he would usually lean back, sigh with contentment and wonder out loud, “what the poor people” were up to that night.

For me, the classiest part of the whole ceremony — because, really, that’s what this was — was that they always had a small bowl of Pepperidge Farm Goldfish with their cocktails.

I remember once asking my grandmother if I could have a sip of her cocktail. Amused, she let me have one. It was the worst thing I had ever tasted up to that point in my life (I was about 8).

“What IS that?!” I asked, overcome with feelings of betrayal and disgust.

“It’s a gimlet,” she told me serenely, and it was seared into my memory. She let me have a handful of goldfish to clear my palate, and those are there, too.

I wish I had a profound lesson to tie this story to — other than the fact that Oma and Opa have both been gone for about 40 years, and I still miss them achingly.

Anyway, here is a recipe for a take on a classic summer gimlet, with cucumber.

Cucumber Gimlet

45 grams (3 thick slices) cucumber

1/2 ounce cucumber syrup (see below)

2 ounces gin (I’m using Wiggly Bridge this week, given to me by a friend who distributes it in New Hampshire.)

3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed (see below)

1. Muddle the cucumber and cucumber syrup aggressively in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Be careful not to splash yourself.

2. Add the ice, gin and lime juice. If you have a choice, go with the lime that has been sitting around your kitchen for a week or so and is looking a little tired. If you think you can see his ribs showing, he’s the one you want. His juice will taste extra-limey.

3. Shake until the condensation on the side of the shaker starts to freeze.

4. Strain into a coupé glass.

5. Drink this while giving someone your undivided attention.

Gin and lime are a classic combination. The cucumber makes this drink more summery and refreshing. It provides a framework to hang the crispness of the gin and the fruitiness of the lime.

Is there a way to make this even more cucumbery?

Yes — I would shred half of an unpeeled cucumber with a box grater, and use it to infuse an equal amount of gin for a week or so. (I say I “would”; in point of fact, I am infusing a batch of it right now, but it’s hot out and I’m feeling nostalgic. I’d like a gimlet right now, please.)

Cucumber simple syrup

I tried and compared several different methods for making this syrup. I’ll spare you the details of my testing protocols, but here is the least fiddly method that gave me the sharpest cucumber flavor:

1. Wash an English cucumber, then roughly dice it, with the skin still on. Freeze it for an hour or two; ice crystals will help break down the cell walls and persuade the cucumber to give up its juice more generously.

2. Combine the frozen cucumber and an equal amount (by weight) of sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring regularly.

3. Remove from heat, then mash the cucumber pieces with a potato masher. Don’t be gentle.

4. Cover the pot and let the cucumber steep for half an hour.

5. Strain with a fine-meshed strainer, and use a funnel to bottle it.

Featured photo: Cucumber gimlet (with accompaniments). Photo by John Fladd.

Abbey Morrison

Abbey Morrison of Manchester is the owner and founder of The Fresh Chef Meal Prep (freshchefmp.com, and on Facebook @thefreshchefmealprepllc and Instagram @the_fresh_chef), a business she started last year specializing in lunch and dinner items with fresh ingredients delivered to your door. A graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, Morrison first got an associate’s degree in culinary science, followed by a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and product development. She also completed an internship with Great New Hampshire Restaurants, working at the Copper Door’s new location in Salem in 2018. Each of her meals features ingredients that are in season, always containing a protein like chicken or steak, as well as at least one vegetarian option for both lunch and dinner. Everything is cooked the same day it’s delivered. Recent popular items have included salmon burgers, Mediterranean pizzas and fresh guacamole, while during the wintertime she’ll cook beef stroganoff, stuffed sweet potatoes and other heartier dishes. New menus are dropped each Monday, with ordering open until Friday afternoon for the next week and delivery times from either 3 to 5 p.m. or 5 to 7 p.m.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

It would be a French knife, hands down. If that was all I had, then I’d still be able to get the job done. It’s like an extension of my arm.

What would you have for your last meal?

My favorite dish, which is a treat to myself, is fresh sea scallops in a cast iron skillet with homemade pesto and gnocchi from scratch.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Republic [Cafe in Manchester]. … Their curried cauliflower is my go-to every time.

What celebrity would you like to see ordering one of your meals?

I’m a die-hard basketball fan. It would be an absolute honor if I could cook for Skylar Diggins. She’s a WNBA star who currently plays for the Phoenix Mercury. I’ve followed her journey since she played at the University of Notre Dame. She’s a role model.

What is your personal favorite thing on any of your menus?

Since we’re in the summer, I would choose between either the salmon burger or the prosciutto pizza. The salmon burger is also a customer favorite.

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

Keto is a big one, and also fasting. I feel like those are the two biggest trends, not only in New Hampshire but all around the world.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I love grilled pizza in the summer. I’ll throw a pizza dough on the grill, let it char right up within five minutes on each side, then put mozzarella cheese on top, with vegetables and a balsamic glaze. It’s super quick, easy and healthy.

Blackened salmon with mango salsa
From the kitchen of Abbey Morrison of The Fresh Chef Meal Prep in Manchester

1 8-ounce fillet fresh Atlantic salmon
3 tablespoons blackened seasoning
¼ cup mango salsa
1 cup cauliflower rice
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
2 lime wedges

Remove skin from the salmon with a knife, then use tweezers to pull the fin bones out. Wash the salmon and pat it down dry. Place the salmon in a bowl and add the blackened seasoning, making sure all corners of the fillet are covered. On a medium-sized flat top over medium to high heat, add salmon with one tablespoon of oil. Cook for five minutes on each side, or until the desired temperature is reached. Measure cauliflower rice and place in a small saute pan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes or until translucent. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder and set aside. Cut lime wedge, then take cauliflower rice and place at the bottom of a disposable meal prep container. Place cooked blackened salmon on top of the rice and finish with mango salsa and a lime wedge.

Featured photo: Abbey Morrison

Highway eatery

Sherman’s Pit Stop opens in Wilton

Inspired by the idea of what you might encounter across famous highways like Route 66, a new restaurant is serving up everything from specialty burgers, sandwiches and hot dogs to fried seafood, barbecue and ice cream.

Sherman’s Pit Stop is the latest venture of owners Steve and Diane Yurish, who formerly ran Moulton’s Market in Amherst for 16 years. The eatery arrived on Route 101 in Wilton last month, its menus and walls adorned with pictures of the family’s beloved pitbull, Sherman.

taco wraps and french fries on a black and white checkered napkin
Courtesy of Sherman’s Pit Stop in Wilton.

“To us, this is kind of like a highway pit stop, or any mom-and-pop place that you’d find on the side of the road anywhere,” Steve Yurish said. “So we thought the name kind of worked out in that regard, and then you have the reference of a barbecue pit in there too.”

While there isn’t any one particular style of barbecue that Sherman’s Pit Stop specializes in, Yurish said the eatery has begun serving all kinds of Southern-inspired options. The Louisiana Lightning, for example, features Cajun blackened chicken breast with pepper Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapeno and chipotle mayonnaise, while the Raleigh, a reference to North Carolina, has pulled pork that’s topped with coleslaw on an onion roll.

Each of the hot dogs — also known on the menu as “barkers” — is available a la carte using the Sabrett natural casing brand. Some are baseball-themed, like the Sweet Caroline, a Fenway Park-style dog with mustard, ketchup, relish and onion; and the Bronx Bomber, which has sauerkraut, mustard and red onion and is a reference to Yurish’s stomping grounds in New York.

“The Sabrett hot dogs are what you’ll find on all the hot dog pushcarts in New York City,” Yurish said. “I actually have to drive down to New York to get them. … Anyone who’s a transplant from New York, Connecticut or New Jersey will definitely recognize them.”

The fried oysters and the whole belly clams have been among some of most raved about seafood options, according to Yurish, while others include shrimp, scallops, lobster rolls, and fried haddock tacos with chipotle cream, lettuce, tomato and fresh mango pineapple salsa.

For drinks, you’ll find cold brew coffee from A&E Coffee & Tea of Amherst, as well as six beers on tap and a line of cocktails. Out of an adjoining takeout window, there are around a dozen ice cream flavors sourced from The Ice Cream Machine of Cumberland, Rhode Island, for cones, sundaes, frappes, freezes and floats.

The back of Sherman’s Pit Stop has spacious outdoor dining overlooking Blood Brook, a connecting stream to the Souhegan River. Several live local music acts are planned for the space.

While the eatery is starting out with options reflective of a seasonal summer menu, Yurish said the goal is for Sherman’s Pit Stop to operate year-round. For decades, the building housed the original Gary’s Harvest Restaurant and was a popular spot among local diners for breakfast.

“People still pull up in the morning looking for breakfast,” he said. “We’d like to try to start with Saturday and Sunday breakfast, or even just breakfast on Sundays.”

Sherman’s Pit Stop

Where: 944 Gibbons Hwy., Wilton
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (hours may be subject to change)
More info: Visit shermanspitstop.com, follow them on Facebook and Instagram @shermanspitstop or call 654-2600

Featured photo: Courtesy of Sherman’s Pit Stop in Wilton.

Italian traditions

Rig A Tony’s expands to Bedford; new Windham and reopened Derry spots on the way

Lisa DeSisto was gearing up for a 20th anniversary celebration of Rig A Tony’s Italian Takeout — and had just opened a second location in Windham — when the pandemic hit, followed by a fire in May 2020 that forced the closure of the downtown Derry Rig A Tony’s.

“I wasn’t going to close during Covid because I wasn’t going to let it defeat me,” said DeSisto, who is also in her second season as owner of Clam Haven in Derry. “Then when the fire happened, it made me say, ‘OK, I have an opportunity to rebuild my restaurant. What else can we rebuild and do differently?’ It made me start to think about what was next.”

A year later, DeSisto and her team are hard at work on reopening the original Rig A Tony’s on West Broadway in Derry, and the Windham location is moving into a larger space four doors down. Both are on track to open later this year. Meanwhile, a new Rig A Tony’s in Bedford opened last month, and while a third location hadn’t been part of DeSisto’s initial plans, she couldn’t pass up the chance to purchase the space that was previously home to Table 8 Pasta.

DeSisto has teamed up with longtime industry professionals Rich Vellante and Jason Berkman, who each now serve as business associates of the company. Vellante is the former executive chef and executive vice president of restaurants for Legal Sea Foods, a role he held for two decades. His and DeSisto’s families also happen to hail from the same region of Italy.

close up of hands holding sandwich
Uncle June’s Garden sandwich. Photo courtesy of Rig A Tony’s.

“With Jason and Rich, I was [introduced] to all these elevated products that I didn’t even know existed,” DeSisto said. “I feel like they’re here helping me carry on the family legacy.”

All three Rig A Tony’s locations have the same takeout and catering menus, which are filled with new options. Appetizers include wood-grilled Tuscan wings with lemon, rosemary and Calabrian pepper sauce; a whipped feta cheese dip with roasted pepper puree, garlic and parsley; and seared broccoli rabe with white beans, garlic, red chili flakes and white wine. Notable additions to the entrees menu are beer-braised boneless short ribs with a mustard glaze and stewed vegetables, and a spit-roasted porchetta with roasted carrots and apricot pesto.

“Porchetta is something you don’t see too often that we’ve introduced,” Vellante said. “It’s a highly seasoned pork that we do as a meal and on a sandwich as well. … We use fennel pollen, which gives it a more aromatic and floral flavor and smell to it.”

You’ll still find lots of Rig A Tony’s favorites on each of the menus too, from chicken or eggplant Parmesan to spaghetti and meatballs, Sicilian pan pizzas and other Italian staples. Even the pastas and the tomato sauces have received upgrades of their own.

“We chose to use the De Cecco brand pasta. They dry it in a very slow process, and also cut it with a bronze die, so what it does is it holds up a lot better and just complements the sauce,” Vellante said. “We tested a lot of different tomatoes, and what makes them taste so good is the soil. … These tomatoes that we have are actually grown at the base of Mount Vesuvius, and so it’s that volcanic soil that makes the difference.”

There are also new selections of savory salads, like pesto burrata and Sardinian couscous, and sweet treats from cannolis and Italian cookies to tiramisu and whoopie pies. Inspired by Vellante’s 2-year-old dog Barbuto, there is even a section of the takeout menu that is dedicated to man’s best friend, featuring homemade dog treats and hearty bowls, like chicken with sweet potato and peas, or beef with brown rice and carrots.

Rig A Tony’s Italian Takeout & Catering

Bedford: 254 Wallace Road (now open); current hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Derry: 38 W. Broadway (reopening; coming soon)
Windham: 13 Rockingham Road (coming soon)
Visit rigatonysitalian.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram @rigatonysitalian or call 488-2877

Featured photo: Chicken marbella. Photo courtesy of Rig A Tony’s.

Treasure Hunt 21/07/08

Dear Donna,
I am interested in finding out what this piece might be. Can you identify it?

RJ

Dear RJ,
What you have is a Victorian (middle to late 1800s) infant or invalid feeder. They were very common, used mostly to feed sick children or adults. There were ceramic ones, silver ones and many with a wooden handle and a silver-plated or sterling feeder like yours.

The value on one like yours would be in the range of $30 to $50. Finding a buyer might be tough, but I am sure there are collectors out there somewhere.

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