Tag: 211007

Sweet & salty puppy chow

I have to confess that I have never been a big fan of the name “puppy chow.” However, if you say you have a bowl of puppy chow, most people know what you are talking about. Plus, kids think it’s a fun name, so why not make the little ones smile?

For those who have never experienced it, the original puppy chow is a snack mix made with Chex or some other rectangular cereal as the base and has a chocolate and peanut butter coating. I have been making that version since before I had children of my own. It’s a fine snack that leans toward the sweet side and disappears quite quickly when set out to share.

While that version is fine, I thought it might be interesting to add a little more texture, saltiness and peanut butter flavor. I was able to make those three changes with only two ingredients. This sweet and salty version is made with pretzel squares as the base. Make sure you buy the salted version, as that provides the saltiness and a bit more texture. Then, instead of finishing the mix with powdered sugar alone, I added some peanut butter powder to the sugar. Voila! You have more peanut butter flavor and a teeny pinch more saltiness.

This recipe may not be an award-winning treat, but it is a perfect snack to serve while you’re hanging out in front of the TV, whether you’re binging a series, cheering on your favorite team or watching the newest movie release. Let the puppy chow snacking begin!

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.

Sweet & salty puppy chow
Makes 3 cups

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 1/2 cups pretzel squares*
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons peanut butter powder, such as PB2

Combine chocolate chips and peanut butter in a small bowl.
Microwave for 20 seconds; stir.
Microwave in additional 20-second increments, stirring after each, until fully melted and combined.
Pour pretzels into a large mixing bowl; top with chocolate mixture.
Stir well.
Combine powdered sugar and peanut butter powder in a gallon-sized resealable bag.
Add chocolate-coated pretzels to gallon bag, seal, and shake to coat well.
Spread pretzel mixture on a baking sheet to cool.
You can refrigerate the tray to speed the setting process.

*I found square pretzels to be the best shape, as they can hold more of the coating. Feel free to use other pretzel shapes, if desired.

Photo: Sweet and salty puppy chaw. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

In the kitchen with Brad Pare

Brad Pare of Nashua is the general manager of Moulton’s Kitchen & Market (10 Main St., Amherst, 673-2404, moultonsmarket.com), a neighborhood deli and retail store located in the heart of Amherst Village. A native of Portland, Maine, Pare got his start in the food service industry as a teenager, establishing a background in front-of-the-house management before deciding to go to culinary school later in life. His day-to-day duties at Moulton’s include overseeing many of the meal preparations out of the kitchen, which include everything from grab-and-go meals to fried foods, subs, sandwiches and thin-crust pizzas, plus a seasonal soup bar with multiple daily flavors. The retail side of the business features a variety of grocery items, wines, beers, sweets and more.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A chef’s knife, definitely. We use a service that comes and sharpens our knives for us weekly, so they are always in good shape.

What would you have for your last meal?

I was born in Maine, so I’ve got to have lobster.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

My wife and I like to go to a lot of diners. We love Suzie’s [Diner] in Hudson. The eggs Benedict is always good, and they also make a homemade hash Benedict that is great.

What celebrity would you like to see eating at Moulton’s Kitchen & Market?

Sticking with food, I would say Alton Brown from Food Network. If you watch his show Good Eats religiously, he can teach you how to cook. He’s really good at getting into the science behind cooking.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

When soup season is in full swing, those are my go-to. I like the basic chowder or chicken noodle [soups]. … Another staple for me is No. 18, the Italian [sub].

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

I think it’s prepared meals. Especially since the virus started and people got sick of cooking so much, you’re seeing a lot of places go toward that kind of trend.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I’ve had a smoker for years and lately I’ve just been experimenting. I just tried a chuck roast, which kind of comes like brisket but takes a little less time to do. … I just enjoy being outside and cooking. It’s relaxing to me.

Basic barbecue rub
Courtesy of Brad Pare of Moulton’s Kitchen & Market in Amherst (great for ribs, pork or brisket; optional ingredients like rosemary, cumin or turmeric can give it an added regional or global flavor profile)

3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1½ Tablespoons kosher salt
½ Tablespoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon ground thyme
¼ teaspoon ground mustard
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Featured photo: Brad Pare. Courtesy photo.

Crafty cravings

The Kitchen opens in Warner

Chefs Mike Prete and Matt Greco found success in 2011 with The Kitchen, a casual eatery in Portsmouth focusing on elevated sandwiches and burgers. A full-service catering company would follow three years later, further expanding on the pair’s scratch-made comfort offerings.

On Sept. 17 The Kitchen found a new home in downtown Warner — Prete now runs this expanded concept, while Greco continues to operate the eatery’s original spot in Portsmouth.

Shortly after he and his family moved to the small New Hampshire town of Salisbury, Prete had brought The Kitchen’s concept to nearby Andover in late 2018. Then last summer he learned about the closure and sale of The Foothills restaurant in Warner.

“We kind of just outgrew our space,” Prete said. “We only had an 1,100- to 1,200-square-foot space in Andover and we were trying to do catering and the restaurant out of one little space and it just wasn’t working. The Foothills … [is] an over 5,000-square-foot space.”

After several weeks of renovations that included upgrades on almost every piece of its equipment, The Kitchen opened with limited dinner hours to start. The eatery offers its own takes on traditional sandwiches that are elevated but remain approachable — the turkey club, for instance, features hand-sliced turkey with fried tomatoes, pork belly in place of bacon, and a house-roasted shallot mayonnaise. There is also a smash burger that is pressed in an iron skillet before being served on Texas toast with cheddar and American cheeses and sauteed onions; and a short rib grilled cheese, which has pepper relish and roasted marinated tomatoes.

Beyond the sandwiches and burgers there are a number of plated appetizers and dinner items, with many more options Prete said will be introduced over time. Unique appetizers include crispy wonton nachos with pulled duck, onions, scallions and a sweet chili sauce; a homemade sausage board with two types of sausages, pickled fennel and a mustard seed and bacon jam; and an option called “which came first,” featuring two deviled eggs and two chicken drummettes, one of each with blue cheese-ranch dressing and Buffalo sauce.

“We have a steak of the week, and then a catch of the week that rotates,” Prete said. “We also have a full line of liquor, beer and wine [options], with a lot of local beers on draft.”

Short-term plans, Prete said, include online ordering and expanding The Kitchen’s hours to include lunch service starting at 11 a.m. A deli case with take-and-bake dinners, soups, salads and quiches is also expected, as well as additional seating out on the front porch and back deck.

Eventually, Prete said he would also like to begin serving a variety of breakfast and brunch items, from eggs Benedicts to brioche French toasts and Belgian waffles.

The Kitchen

Where: 15 E. Main St., Warner
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 4 to 8 p.m.; expanded lunch hours are likely coming soon
More info: Visit feedmeatthekitchen.com, find them on Facebook @thekitchenwarner or call 977-0128

Featured photo: Photos courtesy of The Kitchen.

The Weekly Dish 21/10/07

News from the local food scene

• Greek eats to go: The next boxed Greek dinner to go, a drive-thru takeout event at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (68 N. State St., Concord), is happening on Sunday, Oct. 17, from noon to 1 p.m. Now through Wednesday, Oct. 13, orders are being accepted for boxed meals featuring dinners of half lemon roasted chicken, rice pilaf, Greek salad and a roll for $15 per person. The event is drive-thru and takeout only — email [email protected] or call 953-3051 to place your order. A similar takeout and pickup meal featuring Greek stuffed peppers is also scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 14. Visit holytrinitynh.org.

• More Oktoberfests: Join Henniker Brewing Co. (129 Centervale Road, Henniker) for its annual Fall Fest, which will be held over two weekends this year, from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 9; Sunday, Oct. 10; Saturday, Oct. 16; and Sunday, Oct. 17. Throughout each weekend, the brewery will be pouring its Wurst Bier release, a seasonal lager inspired by the modern festbier that is served at the original two-week Oktoberfest celebration in Munich, Germany. There will also be food options from The Salted Knot and The Russian Dumpling Co. food truck, plus stein hoisting competitions and live music. Also happening this weekend is an Oktoberfest being organized by the Bektash Shriners of New Hampshire on Sunday, Oct. 9, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Bektash Shrine Center (189 Pembroke Road, Concord), where there will be bratwurst, chicken, potato salad, pretzels and more. Call 225-5372 to make a reservation. For a full list of upcoming Oktoberfest events in southern New Hampshire, be sure to read our cover story in the Hippo’s Sept. 23 issue, which starts on page 18.

• Brews and beyond: The New Hampshire Brewfest returns to Cisco Brewers (35 Corporate Dr., Portsmouth) on Saturday, Oct. 9, with VIP admittance from noon to 1 p.m. and general admittance from 1 to 5 p.m. The event is a partnership between the Prescott Park Arts Festival and the New England District of the Master Brewers Association of Americas, and will feature pourings from dozens of craft breweries, along with food trucks, a DJ and more. Admission ranges from $50 to $65 and includes full access to tastings, with food options available at an additional cost. Designated drivers receive $25 admission. Visit nhbrewfest.com.

• Red Arrow Diner staff recognized: The Red Arrow Diner recently honored its employees at each of its four locations with a company-wide staff appreciation barbecue, according to a press release. Employees celebrating milestones with the company, including anniversaries from five to up to 20 or more years, were specially recognized. The barbecue featured a cornhole tournament, a dunk tank and raffles of $100 increments to present to staff members. Plans are already underway for next year’s employee appreciation event, which will coincide with The Red Arrow’s 100th anniversary in business. Visit redarrowdiner.com.

On The Job – Ty Snitko

Ty Snitko

Prop maker

Ty Snitko of Dublin builds props and sets for films being shot in New Hampshire and throughout New England.

Explain your job and what it entails.

It depends on the kind of story being told. Sometimes I’m building on sound stages. About half of what you see in film is not [shot] on location; it’s [shot] on sound stages built by us. Other times, I’m building something on location, out in the real world, that has to be able to withstand the elements. Sometimes [the filmmakers] want some really crazy stuff built, so you have to be able to adapt and be creative.

How long have you had this job?

About four years.

What led you to this career field?

I’m an artistic guy. I’ve always liked making stuff with my hands, and I’ve always been a movie nerd.

What kind of education or training did you need?

You need some knowledge of construction and [using] hand tools, which I have from my background in being a handyman and a painter. But in every job, you learn something new.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Usually just jeans and a T-shirt, and something waterproof if I’m working outside in the elements.

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

Everything was shut down for seven or eight months for me. Then, [jobs] started to trickle back in. Then, there was an influx; because everything was shut down for all of those months, there was an incredible need for content [after the shutdown ended]. Since then, [work] has been nonstop, and sometimes I have to work insane hours.

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

I’d rather be slow than sloppy. When you rush your work, it gets done poorly. That’s something I’ve always known, but it really hit home when I started [this work].

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

I’m a big fan of cinema, and I never appreciated how much work [is done] by the people behind the camera until I started doing [that work]. I think they all deserve more recognition.

What was the first job you ever had?

I was a dishwasher at Del Rossi’s in Dublin.

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

This is your job, not your life. It’s easy for this job to become all-consuming, but you have to remember to take time for yourself and your family.

Five favorites

Favorite book: Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates by Tim Robbins, and The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi
Favorite movie: Taxi Driver and El Topo
Favorite music: Avant-garde stuff, like Mr. Bungle, Django Reinhardt — stuff you have to go looking for.
Favorite food: I once had this ginger chicken made by Japanese master chef Hiroshi Hayashi, and that’s the most delicious thing I’ve ever had.
Favorite thing about NH: The woods, and the people. Some of the people who live out here are crazy, but everyone still gives each other their space, and I appreciate that.

Featured photo: Ty Snitko. Courtesy photo.

Treasure Hunt 21/10/07

Dear Donna,

I am trying to figure out this picture postcard. This one and several others similar were among postcards from my gram’s house. Nothing in any looks familiar to me, so my question is, is there a way to find out any information about them?

Anita from Merrimack

Dear Anita,

I can’t know where the postcard photo was taken, but I can try to help by giving you some information. Photo postcards have been around since the early 1900s. Many that are around today were either done professionally or just taken at home and printed on postcard stock. So you can imagine there are many still around today. The value on most is sentimental. Some, though, can be quite valuable depending on the subject.

Common family ones like the one here are of minimal value. I think the only way to find out where and who it was is to show it to as many family members as you can. Hopefully one can give you some information. I always say every old photo should be clear for the next generation as to who and where and when it was taken.

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