At the Sofaplex 21/07/15

Fear Street Part 1: 1994 & Fear Street Part 2: 1978 (R)

Kiana Madeira, Benjamin Flores Jr.

Also Olivia Scott Welch, Julia Rehwald, Fred Hechinger, Ashley Zukerman and, primarily in the second movie, Gillian Jacobs.

In 1994, the town of Shadyside is once again dealing with the sudden and gruesome deaths of a group of people — in this case, several people at the local mall — at the hands of someone who never showed any particular kill-y tendencies before. It’s the Shadyside curse, say residents; the town has seen serial killers before, one every couple of decades it seems. For Deena (Madeira), it’s just further proof that she lives in a cruddy town and has a go-nowhere future, especially since her girlfriend Sam (Welch) moved to neighboring Sunnyvale, a town full of big homes and rich kids and seemingly zero serial killers. Even though the mall killer is shot and killed after his initial spree, a sense of danger still pervades the town, especially after Sunnyvale kids start to torment the Shadysiders with a skeleton mask similar to the one found on the killer. When the skeleton mask figure continues to appear, Deena and her friends start to wonder if it’s really a prank or if, in the words of a note slipped by Sheriff Nick Goode (Zukerman) into the mail slot of the reclusive C. Berman (Jacobs), “it’s happening again” and all the killings are a part of the legend of Sarah Fier, a woman hanged as a witch in the area centuries earlier.

Certainly, that’s what some of the kids thought in 1978. As Deena, Sam, Deena’s brother Josh (Flores) and others fight the skeleton masked killer, they find a mention of C. Berman, the person who survived the last round of serial killings in Shadyside. They reach out to try to get some advice for how to fight whatever it is they’re fighting.

In 1978, several kids were murdered at Camp Nightwing (I mean, of course they were, with a name like that). Sisters Cindy (Emily Rudd) and Ziggy (Sadie Sink) Berman were at the camp, Cindy as a counselor and Ziggy as a much-bullied camper. As the camp prepares for the “uhm, huh”-ily named camp game Color War (a kind of Capture the Flag that pits Sunnyvalers against Shadysiders), camp nurse Mary Lane (Jordana Spiro) seems to have some kind of mental break and tries to kill camp counselor and Cindy’s boyfriend Tommy Slater (McCabe Slye), saying that one way or another he’s going to die that night anyway. Ziggy is sad to see this happen to Mary, one of the few people in camp who has been nice to her, and is drawn to a notebook on Mary’s desk that has notes and maps related to Sarah Fier. Mary’s daughter Ruby Lane (Jordyn DiNatale) was the serial killer during a spate of killings in the 1950s and Mary seems to have been investigating the town’s murderous history and the curse that Sarah Fier supposedly put on what was then the town of Union before it separated into Sunnyvale and Shadyside. As the sisters, Tommy and fellow counselors start to look into Mary’s findings, murder once again takes hold of someone.

These classic slashers are not typically my kind of movie and this is very much a classic slasher, with some real gory, red corn syrupy deaths. But there is a pluckiness to these movies, sort of like the Scream movies without the self-conscious meta commentary. The leads — Deen, Josh, Sam and their buddies in the first movie, the Berman sisters and some other camp counselors in the second — are appealing and are able to balance the tension and jokiness that give these movies their energy. I was also impressed by how the first two movies fit together and tease the third, Fear Street Part 3: 1666, which will be released Friday, July 16, on Netflix. So far, these movies are two solid entries in a potential triple feature. B+ Available on Netflix.

Black Widow

Black Widow (PG-13)

The Avengers’ Black Widow finally gets her stand-alone, sorta-origin movie with Black Widow, the first movie to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home.

You don’t have to be a total MCU completist to enjoy this movie but it does help when it comes to orienting this movie in the MCU timeline. If you’ve seen Avengers: Endgame and are wondering how Black Widow is having any kind of adventure, stand-alone or otherwise, this movie’s “present” quickly sets up that we are immediately post-Captain America: Civil War and a while pre Avengers: Infinity War. There are actually five movies (Dr. Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor Ragnarok and Black Panther) that come between those two Avengers-heavy films and you could easily imagine a world in which Black Widow was also sandwiched in there. It could have given more oomph to her Infinity War and Endgame character arc and helped make Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow feel like a more fully rounded member of the Avengers and not just an “and also.”

Here, we see not the beginnings of Natasha, who we’ve learned previously was an assassin trained by some kind of quasi-governmental (like S.H.I.E.L.D.?) Russian spy entity, but the origin story of her sense of the importance of family. In 1995 Ohio, a tween/young-teen Natasha (Ever Anderson) is living a boring suburban life with her 6-year-old “sister” Yelena (Violet McGraw) and their “mom” Melina (Rachel Weisz) and “dad” Alexei (David Harbour). But, as we realize when the family suddenly has to flee, their boring suburban life was actually a boring suburban cover and all of these unrelated people are secret agents.

Years go by and Natasha becomes the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent turned Avenger turned anti-Sokovia-Accord fugitive we know from MCU movies past. Yelena (Florence Pugh) meanwhile has grown up to become what Natasha once was, a Widow who still works for the shadowy Russian organization mostly as an expert assassin. We see her chase a target who has been marked for assassination and who has a case Yelena is meant to retrieve. But as she’s getting the case, the target, who is herself a former Widow, sprays Yelena with a red mist. Yelena and all the Widows are acting under the influence of some kind of mind control and the spray has released Yelena from it.

The two women reunite and decide to work together to bring down Dreykov (Ray Winstone), the man who runs the Red Room, the organization that turns vulnerable girls, like Natasha and Yelena, into super soldiers (the ones who survive training) and continues to control not only all their life choices but their minds.

Helping women regain their agency — someone smarter than me can write a thesis about how this mission fits in the MCU worldview and what it says about the MCU’s attempt to course-correct from putting its Strong Female Characters on the sidelines until, like, 2019 and Captain Marvel. But I enjoyed it. Enjoyed it a lot, actually. I feel like this is a really solid examination of this character we didn’t get to know as well in previous movies. It makes sense with what we know about Natasha, it helps us understand her motivations (all the desire to atone and importance of family that was part of her arc in previous movies) and it actually gives more depth to how her story plays out in Endgame.

Johansson of course does a good job with what she’s given here. I say of course because she’s been playing this character since 2010’s Iron Man 2. But she’s also able to bring more to Natasha, more than that goofy “lot of red on my ledger” speech from The Avengers and her sorta romance with Hulk. I wish we could see more of this Black Widow (I mean, I guess we could, conceivably, with a post-this-pre-that sequel, Fast & Furious style).

I also hope there’s a way to see Pugh’s Yelena again. Pugh matches Johansson’s energy and creates an intriguing character of her own. The women have solid sisterly and buddies-on-a-mission energy.

And there is a post-credits scene (of course there is) that suggests how this slice of the MCU can continue (also, if you haven’t caught up on all the Disney+ Marvel TV shows, the post-credits scene might be the incentive you need).

Black Widow is one of the better examples of Marvel’s ability to balance sentiment, humor and action; fill in a narrative hole, and create something that is an overall good time. B+

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence/action, some language and thematic material, according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Directed by Cate Shortland with a screenplay by Eric Pearson, Black Widow is two hours and 13 minutes long and distributed by Walt Disney Studios in theaters and on Disney+ for $29.99. It will be available on Disney+ without the extra fee on Oct 6.

Featured photo: Black Widow

FILM

Venues

Bank of NH Stage in Concord
16 S. Main St., Concord
225-1111, banknhstage.com

Capitol Center for the Arts
44 S. Main St., Concord
225-1111, ccanh.com

Chunky’s Cinema Pub
707 Huse Road, Manchester;
151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua;
150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com

O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square
24 Calef Highway, Epping
679-3529, oneilcinemas.com

Red River Theatres
11 S. Main St., Concord
224-4600, redrivertheatres.org

Wilton Town Hall Theatre
40 Main St., Wilton
wiltontownhalltheatre.com, 654-3456

Shows

• Midsummer Silent Film Comedy with Sherlock Jr. (1924) and Our Hospitality (1923), both silent films starring Buster Keaton, on Thursday, July 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Rex in Manchester, featuring live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis. Admission costs $10.

• Disney Villains 21+ trivia night at Chunky’s in Manchester on Thursday, July 15, at 7:30 p.m. Admission costs $5, which is a food voucher.

• Road Runner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain (R, 2021) screening at Red River Theatres in Concord Friday, July 16, through Sunday, July 18, at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

• Pig (R, 2021) screening at Red River Theatres in Concord Friday, July 16, through Sunday, July 18, at 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

• Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)(PG-13, 2021) screening at Red River Theatres in Concord Friday, July 16, through Sunday, July 18, at 4 & 7 p.m.

• Dream Horse (PG, 2021) screening at Red River Theatres in Concord Friday, July 16, through Sunday, July 18, at 1 p.m.

• Space Jam: A New Legacy (PG, 2021) a sensory friendly flix screening, with sound lowered and lights up, on Saturday, July 17, 10 a.m. at O’neil Cinema in Epping.

• Theater Candy Bingo family-friendly game at Chunky’s in Manchester, Nashua and Pelham on Sunday, July 18, at 6:30 p.m. Admission costs $4.99 plus one theater candy.

• Elf (PG, 2003) at the O’neil Cinema in Epping on Monday, July 19, and Wednesday, July 21, at 10 a.m. as part of the summer kids series. Tickets to the screening cost $2 for kids ages 11 and under and $3 for ages 13 and up. A $5 popcorn and drink combo is also for sale.

• Hotel Transylvania (PG, 2012) a “Little Lunch Date” screening at Chunky’s in Manchester, Nashua & Pelham on Wednesday, July 21, at 11:30 a.m. Reserve tickets in advance with $5 food vouchers. The screening is kid-friendly, with lights dimmed slightly.

• Grease(PG, 1978) a senior showing on Thursday, July 22, at 11:30 a.m. at Chunky’s in Manchester, Nashua and Pelham. Free but reserve tickets in advance with $5 food vouchers.

• 21+ Scratch Ticket Bingo on Thursday, July 22, at 7 p.m. at Chunky’s in Manchester and Nashua. Admission costs $10.

• The Sandlot 21+ trivia night at Chunky’s in Manchester on Thursday, July 22, at 7:30 p.m. Admission is a $5 food voucher.

• 21+ “Life’s a DRAG” Show on Saturday, July 24, at 9 p.m. at Chunky’s in Manchester. Tickets cost $25.

• Branded a Bandit (1924) andThe Iron Rider (1926) silent film Westerns with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, on Sunday, July 25, 2 p.m., at Wilton Town Hall Theatres. Screenings are free but a $10 donation per person is suggested.

Album Reviews 21/07/15

Assorted Orchids, Assorted Orchids (Whale Watch Records)

Debut album from Boston-based folkie T. McWilliams, whose target audience is the weird-beard acoustic-guitar set that lumps together such debatably disparate acts as Mississippi John Hurt and Nick Drake. He’s lived in a lot of places, including Los Angeles, New York City, Shanghai and Scotland, which would explain the boho feel of these pieces, but it’s nevertheless not a fluffy record at all. There’s real precision in play when McWilliams is plucking his steel and nylon strings and applying his delicate croak to such vivid lyrics as “I entered the garden of scarlet chrysanthemums opening wide” (“The Mighty Kingdom”), and sure, we’ve heard that kind of thing before, but McWilliams’ layering is often divine: It’s not often that one hears incidental finger-picked arpeggios used so decisively that one gets the sense that they’re listening to high-end guitar-tronica, not just another contender for Nick Drake’s throne (not that you’d want to miss this if Drake’s your thing, certainly). Brilliant stuff. A- — Eric W. Saeger

Styx, Crash Of The Crown (UME Records)

If we’re gonna be real about this legendary Chicago arena-rock band, the default diss has always been that they’re a lite version of Yes. But you know what, they do try, and always have, and shut up anyway, because they didn’t have Bill Bruford or Chris Squire, and neither does your band, so chill. I was surprised to see so many other reviewers pointing out that original keyboardist Dennis DeYoung (the guy who sang “Mr. Roboto,” “Come Sail Away” and all the original hits) is gone, being that it’s been 21 years already, but they have their word quotas to fill, and besides, they’re still a fun band to see live. This is their 17th album, and actually quite the inspired effort. Once you get to the middle of the second tune (“The Monster”) you can’t help noticing that this thing is something of an homage to Yes’s Close To The Edge: woozy, busy keyboards; similar level of riffing; epic-gentle vocal harmonies, and hold it, the drummer is doing some very cool stuff. They’re still kickin’, folks. A+

PLAYLIST

• July 16 is the next all-important date for album releases, only I’m not supposed to call them “albums” anymore, because otherwise I’m a boomer. What that means is that I’m simply going to have to keep calling them albums, because the level of senility in my current boomer state allows me, by law, to act in accordance with my own desires, whether it be calling mixtapes “albums” or throwing a fit at the 7-Eleven if someone’s ahead of me in line buying a million lottery tickets. In other words I can start howling at the ceiling and eating a copy of the newest issue of Teen Vogue magazine until the awkward 20-something clerk comes over and asks me if I’m OK, and nothing will happen other than that because I am a boomer who loves hitting pause on the DVR machine so I can read the hundred-billion warnings on every pharmaceutical ad, and I remember when albums were called albums, and music was awesome, like the mellow tunes of Pat Boone and Spanky & Our Gang! I remember Donny and Marie Osmond too, all you 4chan trolls, secretly making fun of my words! Well, let’s see you make fun of all the edgy and groovy words I’m going to use in my first review this week, as I discuss Hideaway, the new album from skinny San Diego hipster trio Wavves! This is their seventh mixtape — oh wait, they call their records “albums,” not mixtapes, silly me, does anyone have a box of prunes I could borrow, for my digestive health? Whatever, I’ve heard a few of their things, but if I recall, their songs are only slightly more compelling than Grizzly Bear, but I may be wrong, because I’m so totally old and crazy! The band’s last record, You’re Welcome, climbed to No. 95 on the Billboard charts, not that that’s much of an achievement, now that there are only 98 people left in the U.S. who still actually buy albums, but congratulations, guys! Wow, check that out, I wasn’t expecting the title track to be jagged and grungy, but it’s definitely cool, sort of like Nevermind-era Nirvana but without Kurt Cobain’s raw/edgy voice. Spoiler alert, what’ll happen here is a bunch of people will read some stupid review in Nylon or whatnot and start to believe Wavves is awesome, and then they’ll hear actual grunge songs from the ’90s and realize they were lied to, because all the writers at Nylon are corporate-paid hacks, and then we’ll see that long-overdue ’90s music revival, while I sit here eating bowls of pudding and pharmaceuticals and cackling like a witch at all of — what was I saying again?

• Canadian indie quartet The Zolas releases Come Back To Life on Friday! It’s taken them five years to put this album out, their first since 2016’s Swooner, so it’s probably awesome! Nope, it isn’t. The title single is like Grizzly Bear trying to sing through kazoos. My stomach is lurching, it really is.

• Oh great, a new Barenaked Ladies album! Boy, how did music ever survive this long without a new mixtape or cassette or whatever from the millionth band to repackage Peter, Paul and Mary and resell it to the ’90s-college-rock crowd? Right, the new LP is Detour de Force, whose single is “New Disaster,” an ornate tapestry of 1980s Police-ripoff stuff. Moving on.

• Finally, it’s John Mayer, with his latest LP, Sob Rock! Teaser single “Last Train Home” rips off everything to do with Blue Oyster Cult’s “Shooting Shark,” but Mayer will get away with it, because anyone who’s old enough to recognize “Shooting Shark” is either in a rest home or babbling erroneous nonsense about mixtapes in this newspaper.

Retro Playlist

Reminiscing back almost-exactly-whatever eight years ago to 2013, the first order of business was giving a quick exam to Gypsy-punkers Gogol Bordello’s then-spanking-new LP, Pura Vida Conspiracy, their seventh. The album’s single, “Lost Innocent World,” is “a rather subdued version of their usual ‘oi oi oi’ spazzings, not that lead singer Eugene Hütz doesn’t sound the same as always, specifically what Serj Tankian would sound like if he were sort of fun.”

That and a few other review-snippets aside, I was forced by job description to deal with an entire album from Kentucky band Seabird, called Troubled Days. I think I disposed of it rather fairly and adroitly, to wit: “More clean-teen mall-indie for the overhead speakers at TGI Fridays. The intentions of these two Kentuckians couldn’t be more obvious; maybe a ‘big time’ Budweiser commercial spot featuring one of their tunes and they’d call it a rock star career, whether it be one of their more Strokes-like tunes or maybe even one of the debatable curveballs, the tricks to which generally involve mildly interesting guitar sounds more than anything else.” In other words you’ve heard this kind of nonsense a billion times at restaurants, and we can start wrapping up here.

The other “attraction,” for lack of a secret code word with which I could handily signify my displeasure to you, was Eric & Magill’s Baggage and Clothes. “Nerd-indie of a sort that deepens the immersive feel of Animal Collective’s trip,” I yawned, spit spraying everywhere, “this accomplished by incorporating a different, more mellow notion of swirly layering and a few elements of Simon and Garfunkel’s mawkish solitude.” (If it’s any consolation to any E&M band members who might be reading, I wouldn’t have ever thought of you again if it hadn’t been for this little stroll down memory lane.)

If you’re in a local band, now’s a great time to let me know about your EP, your single, whatever’s on your mind. Let me know how you’re holding yourself together without being able to play shows or jam with your homies. Send a recipe for keema matar. Message me on Twitter (@esaeger) or Facebook (eric.saeger.9).

Vacation beers

I want to say that you deserve a vacation, but honestly, I don’t know that you do.

Don’t get me wrong, you might. Maybe you’ve been going crazy putting in extra time and making yourself available at all hours of the day. Then again, maybe you’ve mailed it in over the past year-and-a-half “working from home”? I just don’t know.

The reality is, whether or not I think you deserve a vacation, you’re probably going to take some time off this summer. And whether you deserve it or not, you’re going to need some beer.

I find I end up drinking really random stuff on vacation. I think part of it is this all-consuming pressure that all dads feel to eat and drink everything in the cooler during the vacation. That seems to leave me knocking down some brews I might otherwise stay away from. I’m looking at you, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy.

Vacations, whether you’re hitting the beach, the mountains, the lake or somewhere tropical, are all about taking it easy and your beer should mirror that feeling. I gravitate toward lighter styles, like Pilsners, for screaming hot days at the beach and I tend to follow that up with darker, but not too heavy, brews for cool, breezy vacation evenings.

Let’s be honest, you’re on vacation, so you’re probably going to be having several beers, and you don’t want your beer to bog you down. I tend to stay away from big double IPAs — they taste great but sometimes leave me ready for nap time a little too early in the day.

If you can find something local on your vacation that fits the bill, all the better. You don’t want to neglect your family, but I give you permission to explore — it seems like there are great breweries wherever you go now. I discovered Cigar City Brewing in Tampa on a family vacation to Florida years ago, and, while it’s easily accessible nationally now, I now consider that brewery a go-to for vacations and just normal life.

For years Sam Adams Summer Ale was my go-to summer beer: easy, flavorful and light. There was just something about the beer that solidified for me that I was, in fact, on vacation. Find your vacation beer.

Here are a few beers to enjoy wherever your vacation takes you.

Smuttynose Lager by Smuttynose Brewing Co. (Hampton)

It’s just a beer. You don’t need to think about it. This new offering by Smuttynose is light, crisp and refreshing, and — not that I’m recommending this — you could probably drink a million of these in a single weekend away.

Patina Pale by Austin Street Brewery (Portland, Maine)

I had this beer during a Portland brew bus tour several years ago and it blew everyone away. Right at the brewery, I think the freshness just hit us right in the face. This is delightfully hoppy with notes of pine and citrus in a light, easy-drinking package that is perfect for getting your hops fix on vacation.

Golden Hour Sour by Granite Roots Brewing (Troy)

Mango and passion fruit combine to produce a fruity, tropical-tasting sour that pairs perfectly with the beach. If you’re a little wary of sours, this is a great choice as the tartness isn’t overly pronounced.

Maduro Brown Ale by Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, Fla.)

I had to give Cigar City some love — this beer features light flavors of toffee, coffee and chocolate in a very, very smooth package. This is the one I want on a cool evening sitting by a fire on the beach.

What’s in My Fridge

Greylock Imperial New England IPA by Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co. (Worcester, Mass.)
This might be the most dangerous beer I’ve ever had. Named after Massachusetts’ highest peak, this brew comes in at 12 percent ABV but you’d never guess that drinking it. You’ve been warned. This brew is quadruple dry-hopped, producing a smooth finish bursting with huge citrus flavor. Cheers!

Featured photo: Patina Pale Ale by Austin Street Brewery.

Healthy ramen slaw

Coleslaw is a regular item on summer cookout menus. Typically it’s mainly a combination of cabbage and some sort of mayonnaise-based dressing. I went to introduce you to a fun yet simple spin on regular slaw.

This slaw starts with a base of coleslaw mix. Sure, you could buy a head of cabbage and slice it yourself, but the mix will save some prep time. Plus, you’ll most likely get a mix of red and green cabbage, as well as some shredded carrots, for zero effort. That’s a double win.

Then that cole slaw is combined with a sweet and tangy vinegar-based dressing. For additional flavor and texture, dried cranberries, slivered almonds and crushed up ramen noodles are added.

You may wonder about the ramen noodles. Trust me. They add a fun component to this dish.

Because the ramen noodles are thin, just a few minutes in the dressing transforms them into a tender yet crunchy state. In fact, I’d highly recommend adding the ramen just before serving. The texture of the ramen is a key part of the salad.

Michele Pesula Kuegler has been thinking about food her entire life. Since 2007, the New Hampshire native has been sharing these food thoughts and recipes at her blog, Think Tasty. Visit thinktasty.com to find more of her recipes.

Healthy ramen slaw
Serves 4

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 14-ounce package coleslaw mix
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 3-ounce package ramen, vegetarian or chicken flavor recommended

Combine water and sugar in a small microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup.
Microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir well. Repeat in additional 10-second increments until sugar is fully dissolved.
Allow sweetened water to cool slightly.
Add vinegar, olive oil and ramen flavoring packet to sweetened water.
Mix dressing ingredients well, then refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow sauce to cool.
Combine cole slaw mix, almonds and cranberries in a large bowl.
Pour sauce over salad mixture, toss well.
Break ramen into smaller pieces, and add to the coleslaw mixture; mix well.
Serve salad.

Notes
Leftover salad can be refrigerated in a sealed container. However, the ramen noodles will become softer, and the salad will lose a bit of its toothsome texture.

Photo: Healthy ramen slaw. Courtesy photo.

Lisa Kingsbury

Lisa Kingsbury of Derry is the owner of Lush Confections (find her on Facebook @lushbakedgoods), a homestead business offering fresh cookies baked in small batches. Her signature flavor is a triple chocolate chunk, made with white, dark and milk chocolate, and other versions include walnuts and Heath candy bar pieces. She also bakes lemon yogurt cookies with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, as well as a dark chocolate brownie with a dark chocolate gaze, and chocolate raspberry rugelach with walnuts. Find her cookies at the Derry Homegrown Farm & Artisan Market (1 W. Broadway) on Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to whenever she sells out. The triple chocolate chunk cookies are also regularly available at the East Derry General Store (50 E. Derry Road).

What is your must-have kitchen item?

I would say that a kitchen scale is the most important thing in my kitchen. … There’s also always a bench scraper nearby, without a doubt.

What would you have for your last meal?

Whatever my husband decides to make. He is fabulous in the kitchen.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

My personal favorite is Janie’s Uncommon Cafe in Londonderry. They are really nice people, and everything is delicious. I love their avocado toast.

What celebrity would you like to see ordering from you?

I’m really not too driven by the whole celebrity culture. … Right now, I think my biggest compliment is when somebody compares my cookie to that of someone’s that they love. That, to me, is such a huge compliment when there’s that nostalgia applied to it.

What is your favorite cookie flavor that you offer?

The chocolate raspberry rugelach, because it’s a cookie that you really don’t find anywhere. It’s a perfect balance of sweet and savory.

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

I think restaurateurs in New Hampshire have done such an amazing job pivoting their operations over the last year and a half, regardless of what their business model is. … I think they are more open to different possibilities than they would have otherwise been.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I am definitely a seasonal shopper. So for example, when clamming season is open, I just want to eat fresh clams. Now that it’s warmer, I love to garden.

Olive and Cooper’s homemade soft dog cookies
From the kitchen of Lisa Kingsbury of Lush Confections in Derry

1 cup creamy peanut butter
¾ cup milk
1 egg
1 large carrot, shredded
2½ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, milk, egg and carrot. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into ¼-inch thickness. Using a pizza cutter, cut into two-inch squares. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven, flip the treats and bake on the other side for 10 more minutes. Allow to cool completely before serving. This recipe yields about 40 treats, which can then be frozen and taken out as needed.

Featured photo: Lisa Kingsbury

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