Tag: 211223

Album Reviews 21/12/23

Alice Phoebe Lou, Child’s Play (self-released)

I don’t like getting all class-war on an innocent album that never did anything to me personally, but sometimes weak albums released by highly privileged postmodern artists really get on my nerves, I have to tell ya. I do try to telegraph my moves in that regard, and I’d think by now you know I don’t trust most indie bands these days, given that the Pitchfork Media crowd has become the “essential art” dictators of the potty-trained “professional management class” that’s being bashed to smithereens in leftist intellectual circles. A big-time PR firm is handling this piece of junk, the latest album from this South African-raised white woman whose parents are documentary filmmakers; Lou’s voice was purported to “sound like Judy Garland, Kate Bush, or Angel Olsen” but “mostly her own.” They got the last bit right anyway; she’s a pretty unremarkable fashion-victim waif, and her woozy awkwardness (not to mention absolutely dreadful Lawrence Welk keyboard sound) had me reaching for the Off button every 10 seconds. She strikes me as a third-rate Kate Bush with a decent-enough ear for samples, but, as always, your mileage may vary. D

ABBA, Voyage (OK Good Records)

What a treat it was to witness the Pitchfork Media writer squeezing his brain for the requisite 1,500-word essay on this album! It’s the first one in 40 years from the Swedish pop group that basically owned the 1970s, and so Pitchfork Guy’s obscure shibboleths included nonsense like “glam boogie” and “scandi-disco bounce.” It was so rich and delicious to watch him squirm, when all that’s really to report is that the two dude songwriters still have it, and the singers all sound older. That’s it. There have been a couple of hilariously bad musicals based on the band’s million-year-old tunes, of course, all of which resurged in popularity after the 1990s ABBA Gold album, so it’s not that these people have ever disappeared. Anyhow, the first two songs threaten to go Celtic Woman, especially “When You Danced With Me,” which has an Irish jig feel to it, but most of the balance forward is the usual formula of all-hook tuneage fit for children’s dentist overhead speakers. Same as it ever was, really. A

PLAYLIST

• It’s the least wonderful time of the year for people like me, music columnists who have to spin column-gold out of literally nothing, because there are basically no important new records coming out on Friday, which is Christmas Eve. And why? Well, because it’s time to forget about important things like redundant, overhyped music albums and instead — yuck — feel jolly and bright or whatever, and be sociable — with people! Gross! — and visit. It stinks, man, I just want some albums to write about, so I can fill this column with humor and fascinating news about whatever stupid pop diva or tedious Coldplay-clone-band band, because it’s my job, to fill this space with information and advice that you won’t follow anyway, but at least I try. But here we are again, with the never-ending culture war in happy détente, and me with no albums to write about, because only certified loons (and metal bands) (same thing) would put out an album on Christmas Eve. Fact is, guys, I’ve been through this for nearly 20 years now, scrambling for stuff to write about this holiday week. You see folks, here’s the thing: I must stop Christmas from coming. But how?

• No, seriously, it’s that time of year when I actually want to hear bad new albums from non-musically trained indie bands banging their ting-tinglers and disposable hit singles from whichever lollipop-brained Ariana Grande-of-the-month is honking her gong-zookas. But do I dare even bother webbing into the Album Of The Year site to look for an album to talk about here, or should I talk about my feelings? I don’t know, but here, fine, I’ll look. OMG, guys, I totally found one, it’s Tales From The Pink Forest, by some band or whatever called ID KY! I feel like Yukon Cornelius on that Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer show, like I was chipping and chipping at the barren Google wasteland and finally there it was! Silverrrr! Silver and gold! OK! Now, ahem, let’s just calm down and try to find out what an “ID KY” is; it’s probably something dumb, like some YouTuber playing Panic! At The Disco cover songs on a kazoo (I’m not expecting anything more artistic than that, honestly). OK, great, there’s literally nothing on Google or YouTube about this, so now I feel like Geraldo Rivera after he opened Al Capone’s secret vault and came out with a sales receipt from Walmart or whatever it was. Just great. OK, let’s pretend it was just really dumb polka played on a Charlie Brown toy piano. Aaaand we’re moving, people, let’s go.

• Hmm, it’s some other band-or-whatever-who-cares with a random four-letter name, this time MDMJ! I can’t wait to hear — oh, never mind, the album is called “Album” probably because it doesn’t have a title yet. I’m about to bag it, folks. Look at all you Whos down in Whoville, just laughing at the sad music critic clown making a fool out of himself, so that you can laugh and point. I can’t wait to stuff your Christmas tree up the chimney and have my dog drag it to the top of Mount Crumpit. OK, one last pass and I’m getting a drink, I deserve it.

• We’ll evacuate these dreary premises by closing with — OK, there are no other records supposedly being released on Christmas Eve. None. So let’s just get drunk and listen to the only thing that’s literally coming out on Christmas Day itself! Of course it’s a metal record, Sonic Wolves’s It’s All A Game To Me EP! Ha ha, these three people look like sleepy Hells Angels, and the EP is a two-song “tribute to Lemmy and Cliff Burton!” Figures, there’s no music for me to trash, um, I mean critique, so let’s do a last Jell-O shot and forget this column ever even happened. Happy holidays and whatever!

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).

Pretty sweet

Sweet wines for holiday giving and drinking

The holiday season provides us with the opportunity to exchange gifts with those who mean so much to us. Therefore, this time of year with feasting on savory and sweets alike, why not select that bottle to pair with fruit, or cheese, or with a sweet dessert? Past the bottles of chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, past the bottles of pinot grigio there lie countless options available to us. Pick out a bright sparkling sweet wine, or a “fizzy” red wine. Try a wine normally reserved for cooking or try a truly luxurious sauternes from Bordeaux. Whatever your choice, you will be rewarded with a wonderfully new experience.

Our first wine is a classic. Martini & Rossi Asti Sparkling Wine (originally priced at $14.99, and reduced to $9.95 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets) is a label familiar to many. A couple of decades ago we were pummeled with TV ads for Asti Spumante. In late 1993 Asti Spumante was promoted to the top-level DOCG classification, at which point the “spumante” was officially dropped, resulting in the same great and inexpensive wine with a much shorter name. This wine comes from the Piedmont region of Italy and is made from the moscato bianco grape. It is produced by cold fermentation under pressure and is created to be enjoyed immediately. This is a slightly sweet, bubbly wine with notes of peach with some herbs that transform on the palate to pear and tropical pineapple notes. As a very approachable wine that is low in alcohol, it appeals to those who are just being introduced to wine.

Our second wine is another classic. Roscato Provincia Di Pavia Rosso Dolce (originally priced at $12.99, and reduced to $8.95 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets) is a delicately sweet and gently fizzy red wine from the northern Italian region of Lombardy. Made from three grape varieties — croatine, teroldego and lagrein — this is a slightly sweet wine that can also be paired to entrees such as classic tomato-based Italian dishes. However, this chameleon of a wine can also be paired to cheeses or just sipped when slightly chilled. It has notes of raspberries and cherries.

Our third wine is frequently thought of as reserved for cooking. Colombo Sweet Marsala Wine ($10.99, and available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets) is a hidden wonder. Marsala is a Sicilian wine, fortified, with a spectrum of sweetness, conditioned on the preferences of the region and winemaker. Marsala grew in popularity at the time when the British were becoming invested monetarily and in taste in fortified wines such as sherry and port. While its popularity has waned over the last century, it can be savored in front of the fireplace with its dark amber color, and hints of dates and apricots. It is full, warm and satisfying to the palate, a wonderful wine to be sipped after dinner.

Our fourth and fifth wines are luxurious sauternes. The 2016 Michel Lynch Prestige Sauternes ($19.99 for a 375 ml bottle, and available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets) is liquid silk in a small bottle. Also available in New Hampshire is another sweet sauternes – Château Guiraud Sauternes 1er Cru Classé (originally priced at $27.99, and reduced to $24.99 for a 375 ml bottle at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets). Why are two sauternes noted in this column? The answer is simple: The state stores do not inventory a wide selection of these cherished rare wines. These aromatic wines are produced from semillon grapes that are botrytized. When conditions are just right, nature can hold a usually nasty fungus in such check that something special happens. Instead of destroying a crop, the fungus creates grapes with incredibly concentrated flavor that can make some of the world’s sweetest, most precious wines. Botrytis cinerea is more affectionately known as “noble rot.” It’s the same kind of rot that spoils strawberries and soft fruit with greyish fuzz. So what makes this mold noble? A fine balance of moisture, sunlight and temperature. Ripe, healthy grapes must still be on the vine as fall begins, when misty mornings provide the moisture that the fungus needs to thrive. The fungus pierces the grape’s skin to feast on its juice, but after a few hours, sunshine and otherwise dry conditions follow to evaporate the moisture and stop the fungus in its tracks.

Try these alternatives to the all-too-familiar wines. The experience will be rewarding.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Chocolate & caramel oatmeal bars

It’s almost Christmas, so you probably are already surrounded by many treats. You may wonder why you need one more dessert recipe right now. The answer is simple: These bars are delicious and make a fabulous dessert that doesn’t require a lot of time.

During this holiday season, cookies usually take center stage, which is fine. The problem with cookies is that you need to make batches of them. Plus, you need to find a cute serving tray on which to serve them. That’s where this bar recipe can assist you. You can bake and serve in the same pan!

When you make these (not if but when), there are three important ingredient notes. (1) You need to use old-fashioned or rolled oats to provide the correct texture. (2) The soft caramels are the ones that come individually wrapped but don’t have that white/creamy center. (3) Although it’s only a few tablespoons, whole milk really is the best choice to keep the caramel sauce creamy.

Now you have a dessert that is bound to receive many oohs and ahhs. Make sure you save one for yourself!

Chocolate & caramel oatmeal bars
Makes 20

1½ cups flour
1½ cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup light brown sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
7 ounces soft caramels
4 Tablespoons whole milk
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix flour, oats, sugar, butter, baking soda and salt on medium speed until butter is the size of rice.
Line a 13×9 pan with parchment paper, and then grease the parchment paper with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
Place 3/4 of the cookie dough in the pan; spread evenly and pat firmly.
Bake the bottom crust for 12 minutes.
While the crust bakes, combine the caramels and milk in a microwave-safe bowl.
Heat the caramel mixture in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each.
Remove crust from oven; spread melted caramel over it.
Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of caramel.
Scoop remaining cookie dough into tablespoons, and distribute evenly over the chocolate chips.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

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.

Photo: Chocolate and caramel oatmeal bars. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Frank Barrese

Frank Barrese of Nashua is the executive chef of The 101 Grille (88 Shirking Road, Epping, 734-2273, the101grille.com), a new eatery that opened inside the Seacoast United sports complex last month. Currently open five days a week for dinner and on Saturdays for lunch, The 101 Grille features everything from snacks and appetizers to burgers, sandwiches and flatbreads, with a heavy emphasis on from-scratch cooking and locally sourced ingredients through the Three River Farmers Alliance. Barrese is originally from Port Chester, New York — he later moved to Fairfield County in southwestern Connecticut, eventually landing his first executive chef job at the former Picador restaurant in the town of New Canaan. Just prior to joining The 101 Grille, he worked as a chef on the campus of Emmanuel College in Boston for about two years.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

Tongs.

What would you have for your last meal?

Garlic noodles from this place in Charleston, South Carolina, called Pink Bellies, and probably a nice Kölsch.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Smokehaus in Amherst. They do great barbecue. … I get the pulled pork with their tangy and spicy sauce.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

It would be the nduja crostini. Nduja is a soft, very spicy Calabrian pork sausage, and Short Creek Farm [of Northwood] actually makes it in house. They source the peppers from Calabria, but everything else is local. … Nduja is something that you don’t see very often and the fact that I was able to find one that was made in New Hampshire was really exciting.

What celebrity would you like to see eating at The 101 Grille?

I’m going to say Bruce Willis. That would be pretty sweet.

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

Ghost kitchens are starting to become more and more prevalent, and I am a big fan of them.

What is your favorite thing to make at home?

Sourdough bread is probably my favorite. I’ve had the same sourdough starter for the last five years.

Grilled scallion chimichurri
From the kitchen of Frank Barrese of The 101 Grille in Epping (yields about two cups; great on grilled steak or vegetables, mixed with mayonnaise as a dipping sauce for fries, or on a sandwich or wrap)

1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Aleppo chile pepper, or crushed red pepper
4 cloves garlic
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
3 bunches of scallions, lightly brushed with oil, charred on the grill, then roughly chopped
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients except extra virgin olive oil into a food processor and process until finely chopped. While food processor is running, add the extra virgin olive oil until well-incorporated. Store in an air-tight container.

Featured photo: Frank Barrese. Courtesy photo.

Say cheese

Prime Time Grilled Cheese opening restaurant in Manchester

Alex and Marcie Pichardo found success in 2018 with Prime Time Grilled Cheese, a Manchester-based food truck offering unique takes on the traditional grilled cheese sandwich. After more than three years of participating in public and private events, the couple is getting ready to expand their business in the form of a new brick-and-mortar restaurant.

On track to open on the corner of Hanover and Chestnut streets in the coming weeks, Prime Time Grilled Cheese will be sharing space with Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream, the franchise’s first location in the Queen City.

Plans have been in the works for the restaurant since before the pandemic — the Pichardos took over the former storefronts of both Summer Pizza and Hien’s House of Tailoring, knocking down the wall separating the two units. The space will offer a fast casual atmosphere with both bar and table seating inside.

Cheddar, colby jack and Monterey Jack make up the base cheeses for each sandwich. Among the truck’s most popular options are grilled cheeses with Buffalo chicken, pulled pork, and jalapeno macaroni and cheese, and while you can expect those to be part of the menu at the restaurant, the larger space will give the Pichardos even more creative grilled cheese freedom.

“I think I counted about 20 different grilled cheeses,” Marcie Pichardo said. “We’re going to have a Philly cheese steak grilled cheese, a Mediterranean, a chicken Parm … and then we’re going to bring our old menu, so we’re going to have the tuna melt and the Super Sloppy Joe.”

Fueled by customer suggestions, there will also be special “grilled cheeses of the month.”

“Everyone has their own ideas where they would say, ‘That would be amazing in a grilled cheese,’ and so we want to interact with people and make it fun,” she said.

Other menu items will include flavored macaroni and cheese bowls, salads and a line of about four to five different soups, from chicken noodle to tomato or French onion. A few domestic and local craft beers will be on tap, and a small space for live local music is also planned.

Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream came along when the Pichardos met Rita and Mark McCabe, the owners of the Nashua shop, while attending the same events as vendors. Although they will operate as two separate businesses, they will share the same seating area inside the restaurant.

The McCabes are natives of Pelham who first brought the franchise to the Granite State in 2014 after seeing it on the ABC series Shark Tank. They’re now the area developers of the brand for New England, helping franchisees open other shops in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Prime Time Grilled Cheese

An opening date is expected in early 2022 — the restaurant will also feature a new locally owned Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream location under the same roof. Visit their website or follow them on social media for updates.

Where: 119 Hanover St., Manchester
Hours: TBA
More info: Visit primetimegrilledcheese.com, email [email protected] or find them on Facebook and Instagram @primetimegrilledcheese

Featured photo: Ham and Cheese grilled cheese. Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 21/12/23

News from the local food scene

• Here’s to 2022: Depending on when you’re reading this, there may still be time to make a reservation for New Year’s Eve (Friday, Dec. 31) — check out our listings that ran in the Dec. 16 issue; they begin on page 30. You’ll find all kinds of unique ways local eateries will be ringing in the new year, from special multi-course meals to late-night buffets, parties, midnight Champagne toasts and more. A few restaurants will also be open for brunch on either New Year’s Day, Saturday, Jan. 1, or the following morning, Sunday, Jan. 2. Go to issuu.com/hippopress and click on the Dec. 16 issue to read the e-edition for free.

• Charcuterie and chocolate: Derry-based business 603 Charcuterie is teaming up with Loon Chocolate to launch a new shared storefront, set to open in early 2022 at The Factory on Willow (252 Willow St., Manchester), owner Theresa Zwart recently announced. Loon Chocolate owner and founder Scott Watson had previously announced plans to open his first retail space, which will almost triple the size of his current production facility. Zwart, meanwhile, is now planning on having all of the New Hampshire-made cheeses, meats and other products she features on her charcuterie boards available for sale at the space, as well as merchandise and charcuterie boxes to go. Since launching 603 Charcuterie in late 2020 as a small takeout ordering business, Zwart has gone on to teach charcuterie board-building classes and has also expanded into catering larger boards and grazing tables for weddings. Visit 603charcuterie.com or follow her on Facebook or Instagram for updates.

• A wine wonderland: New Hampshire Wine Week is right around the corner — tickets are available now to the 18th annual Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular, happening on Thursday, Jan. 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St.). Acclaimed winemakers from all over the world travel to the Granite State to attend this expo-style event, which has grown over the years to have the largest gathering of wines in northern New England with more than 1,000 types available for sampling. In addition, the event features foods from more than a dozen local restaurants, as well as a silent auction and raffle and the opportunity to meet with and learn from more than 60 wine personalities. This will be the first in-person Winter Wine Spectacular since January 2020 — the pandemic forced its transition into a series of virtual tastings last year. Tickets are $65 for access to the grand tasting, or $135 for access to the Bellman Cellar VIP tasting room (limited availability), with proceeds benefiting Easterseals New Hampshire. For the most up-to-date details on New Hampshire Wine Week, which also includes bottle signings and wine tastings across the state, visit nhwineweek.com.

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