Tag: 220310

Sweet strawberry biscotti

It’s the third and final week in my biscotti series. This week’s recipe is meant to remind you of summer. By March we are all hoping winter is nearing its end but know that summer is far away. These strawberry-filled biscotti are the perfect escape from the cold, at least for a few bites.

Like all biscotti recipes, these sweet treats require two rounds of baking: first as loaves, then as individual slices. This does mean that the recipe takes over an hour from beginning to end, but the majority of that time is spent waiting for the biscotti to bake. It really is a simple-to-make dessert.

As for ingredients, the freeze-dried strawberries are key. Just like with last week’s recipe, you don’t want to use fresh, as they have too much moisture. Another important reason to use freeze-dried is the strong pop of flavor they have. For the white chocolate, chips are what I use, but you also could buy a bar of white chocolate and chop it into little pieces. Either will work just fine.

As we muddle through March with its possibly snowy, rainy, chilly weather, why not make some biscotti to make everything season so much more pleasant?

Sweet strawberry biscotti
Makes 28

1/3 cup butter softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups freeze-dried strawberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer; mix on speed 2 for 2 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.
Add vanilla extract, mixing until blended.
Add baking powder, salt, and flour, mixing until combined.
Chop strawberries into a medium dice.
Add strawberries (and any dust that accumulates on the cutting board) and white chocolate chips, stirring until evenly distributed.
Divide the dough in half.
Shape each half into a 10″ x 3″ rectangle, using floured hands.
Set each loaf 4″ apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the dough is set.
Leaving the oven on, remove the biscotti loaves and cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheet.
Using a butcher knife, cut the loaves into slices, 3/4″ thick.
Place slices on the prepared baking sheet with the cut sides down; bake for 8 to 9 minutes.
Turn slices over, and bake for 8 to 9 minutes more.
Remove biscotti from the oven, and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Can be stored in a sealed container for several weeks.

Featured Photo: Sweet strawberry biscotti. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

In the kitchen with Bradley Labarre

Bradley Labarre of Manchester is the new executive chef and program manager of the Recipe for Success culinary job training program at the New Hampshire Food Bank (700 E. Industrial Park Drive, Manchester, 669-9725, nhfoodbank.org), having assumed the role in early January. The free eight-week program helps people suffering financial hardships gain work in the food service industry in the state — students learn various skills such as nutrition, proper use of kitchen instruments and equipment, safe food handling and meal presentation. Labarre’s role with the Food Bank also involves coordinating food donations and managing its regular inventory of products, and he’s currently working on getting the Recipe for Success program accredited through the American Culinary Federation. A Queen City native, he’s been involved with the Food Bank as a volunteer for more than eight years, including as a participant in its annual Steel Chef Challenge.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A very sharp knife.

What would you have for your last meal?

A perfect bowl of mushroom risotto, topped with an unctuous slab of nicely seared foie gras. … Of course, it would have to be followed by something sweet, so perhaps a nice slice of wild blueberry cheesecake or Blake’s brand Moose Tracks ice cream.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

At the top of my list right now is Greenleaf in Milford, with chef Chris Viaud. They are totally killing it over there. Every time we go there, our heads are exploding. … We love that place, and we love Chris too. He’s a super, super nice guy.

What celebrity would you like to cook for?

[Chefs] Alice Waters, Peter Hoffman or Dan Barber. I’ve been inspired by their farm-to-fork approach with food for years. … Cooking for any one of them would not only be an honor, but it would teach me so much about my deep-seated approach to cooking.

What is your favorite thing that you’ve ever cooked for the NH Food Bank?

One that really sticks out to me was the first meal we ever made for the Steel Chef challenge back in 2016, which was a beef tenderloin. Although it wasn’t the most difficult thing I ever made, it was one of the most memorable. Not only did I get to do this with my then future wife and a few friends, but this plate of food made such a difference in so many people’s lives.

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

Plant-based cooking. I’m noticing that more and more chefs are focusing more of their energy on plant-based foods made with care.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Anything in my outdoor wood-fired oven. Specifically, though, I love a crisp, airy pizza topped with a few slices of fresh mozzarella, some spicy arugula and thinly sliced prosciutto. You can’t beat it. … [The oven] is handmade in Portugal and it weighs 1,300 pounds. I actually had to have a crane put it in my yard.

Wild mushroom risotto
From the kitchen of Executive Chef Bradley Labarre of the New Hampshire Food Bank

1 pound wild mushrooms
8 Tablespoons butter
2 small shallots, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 fresh thyme sprigs
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¾ cup dry white wine
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1½ cups arborio rice
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, minced (optional)

Warm broth over low heat in a small saucepan. In a heavy skillet, melt half of the butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallots and saute until tender, about eight minutes. Add garlic, thyme sprigs, salt and pepper and stir for an additional minute. Remove mushroom mixture from pan and set aside. Add remaining butter to pan over medium heat. Once melted, add rice and stir until rice begins to look translucent. Add dry white wine and lemon juice and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed. Add mushroom stock or one cup of vegetable broth and stir until almost all of the broth is absorbed. Continue adding the broth one cup at a time and stir until the liquid is almost absorbed. Add mushroom mixture into the rice and stir to combine. Gently stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and cook for an additional five minutes on low heat. Transfer risotto to a serving bowl and top with freshly ground pepper, shaved Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired.

Featured photo: Bradley Labarre. Photo by Bruce Luetters of 3Sixty Photography.

Chili chowdown

Amherst chili cook-off and ice cream social returns

Local restaurants and home cooks will once again be vying for your palate with a warm bowl of chili during the sixth annual Amherst Fire & Ice. After its initial postponement last month, the friendly chili cook-off and tasting — which will also feature make-your-own ice cream sundaes to help you turn down the heat — returns to Amherst Middle School on Friday, March 11.

The cook-off is being organized by the Amherst Lions Club, and while the deadline to register as a chili entrant has passed, it’s open to the public for tasting. This will be the first in-person Amherst Fire & Ice in two years, following a pre-recorded “virtual” cook-off in 2021 when viewers had the opportunity to purchase chili recipes online from each of the entrants.

Chili makers will compete in three categories — individuals, restaurants and Lions Club members — as voted by tasters and a panel of judges, Amherst Lion Joan Ferguson said. (Editor’s note: This year’s judging panel includes Hippo writer Matt Ingersoll.) They’ll rate each entry on a scale of 1 to 10 on various criteria such as taste, smell, heat, presentation and creativity. David Mielke of Smokehaus Barbecue, a 2019 Amherst Fire & Ice champion, is a judge this year, and so is Dan DeCourcey, pitmaster of the Up in Your Grill barbecue food truck.

This year’s contenders will include Moulton’s Kitchen & Market of Amherst and Union Street Grill of Milford, as well as members of several local Lions Clubs like Amherst, Bedford and Merrimack. As in past years, there will be a diverse showing of traditional and non-traditional options to be served, Ferguson said, and you never know what types you may encounter. One of last year’s virtual cook-off winners, for instance, was a lamb chili with garbanzo beans and havarti cheese, while others have previously featured game meats like venison. Ferguson said at least one meatless option will be among the lineup of chilis to taste at this year’s cook-off.

“Attendees may eat as much as they want,” she said. “In addition … there will be cornbread, drinks and hot dogs [for those] who might not care for chili.”

Tasters will also get to vote on their favorite chilis. The chili entrant with the most votes in each category receives bragging rights for a year and their name engraved on a silver bowl.

After sampling chilis, attendees can enjoy their own made-to-order ice cream sundaes, featuring their choice of vanilla, chocolate or cookies and cream ice cream flavors, and additional toppings like strawberries, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, cherries or chocolate or rainbow sprinkles.

Members of Amherst Middle School’s music department will perform live. There will also be animal balloon demonstrations from Amherst’s Krickey the Clown, free eye screenings offered by the Amherst Lions Club, and — new to this year’s event — a kids’ coloring contest with prizes awarded to winners in three separate brackets: ages 11 to 15, 6 to 10 and 5 and under. The contest drawings can be downloaded from the Amherst Lions Club’s website or Facebook page.

“Copies of the images and crayons will be available … and may be completed before the winners are announced toward the end of the event,” Ferguson said.

6th annual Amherst Fire & Ice
When: Friday, March 11, 5 to 7 p.m.
Where: Amherst Middle School, 14 Cross Road, Amherst
Cost: $8 per person or $25 per family of four. Children under 5 receive free admission. Tickets can be purchased online, or cash is accepted at the door.
Visit: e-clubhouse.org/sites/amherstnh

Featured photo: Scenes from the 2019 Amherst Fire & Ice chili cook-off and ice cream social. Courtesy photo.

Ready for St. Patrick’s Day?

Where to get corned beef and cabbage, Irish-inspired treats and other specials

St. Patrick’s Day is just a week away, so if you’re looking to enjoy that ceremonial boiled corned beef and cabbage dinner, or you want to indulge in some Irish-inspired sweets, here’s a list of local restaurants, Irish pubs, bakeries and other businesses ready to help you mark the occasion.

• Alan’s of Boscawen (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631, alansofboscawen.com) will have corned beef and cabbage available on Saturday, March 12, and from Thursday, March 17, through Saturday, March 19. Live entertainment will be provided by Those Guys on Saturday, March 12, and DJ Stretch on Friday, March 18.

• All Real Meal (87 Elm St., Manchester, 782-3014, allrealmeal.com) is taking orders for St. Patrick’s Day dinners for two, featuring slow-cooked corned beef, cabbage and vegetables, Guinness beef pot pie, loaded mashed potatoes, and Irish cream cheesecake and chocolate mint brownies for dessert. The cost is $75. Order as soon as possible (quantities are limited) for delivery on Wednesday, March 16.

• Amigos Mexican Cantina (20 South St., Milford, 673-1500, amigosmilford.com) will be open from noon to 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 17, serving multiple specials for St. Patrick’s Day, like slow-roasted corned beef dinners with carrots, potatoes and cabbage, “Emerald Isle Nachos,” which are topped with corned beef, sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing, and Irish Car Bomb whoopies, featuring a Guinness chocolate cake and a Jameson whiskey and Bailey’s Irish cream buttercream filling.

• Auburn Pitts (167 Rockingham Road, Auburn, 622-6564, auburnpitts.com) will serve specials on corned beef dinners and Reuben sandwiches starting Wednesday, March 16, and going right through the weekend. They’ll also have live music and open mic jams all afternoon and evening starting at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 17, hosted by Crazy Steve Butler and Stoned Wasp.

• Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, 244-3165, averillhousevineyard.com) will serve its annual St. Patrick’s Day mystery dinner, a four-course food and wine pairing event, on Thursday, March 17, at 5:30 p.m. The dinner includes four themed mystery dishes, along with wine selections from the vineyard. Tickets start at $69 per person.

• The Bakeshop on Kelley Street (171 Kelley St., Manchester, 624-3500, thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com) will be offering corned beef sandwiches featuring its own house dressing, sauteed cabbage on toasted garlic herb bread. They’re also offering special St. Patrick’s Day-themed decorative cookies, doughnuts and cupcakes.

• Belmont Hall & Restaurant (718 Grove St., Manchester, 625-8540, belmonthall.net) will be open until 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 17, serving special corned beef and cabbage plates with all the fixings.

• Bistro 603 (345 Amherst St., Nashua, 722-6362, bistro603nashua.com) will open at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 17, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a special features menu in addition to its regular menus. Live music will begin at 8 p.m. that night and March Madness basketball games will also be on TV.

• Boston Bakes (Goffstown, find them on Facebook @bostonbakesnh) is taking orders for several St. Patrick’s Day-themed sweet treats, like macarons (flavors include Shamrock Shake, Lucky Charms and Bailey’s Irish coffee); cakes and cupcakes (flavors include mint chip, vanilla, chocolate and Funfetti); and vanilla sugar cookies decorated with green clovers and sprinkles.

• Buckley’s Market & Cafe (9 Market Place, Hollis, 465-5522, buckleysbakerycafe.com) is taking orders for St. Patrick’s Day dinner boxes for two, featuring slow braised corned beef with potatoes, cabbage, turnip and carrots; whole-grain mustard and horseradish sauces; Irish soda bread; and chocolate Guinness cupcakes with Bailey’s frosting. The cost is $60 and pickups will be on Thursday, March 17 (note: dinner boxes are being offered at the Hollis location only).

• Candy Kingdom (235 Harvard St., Manchester, 641-8470, candykingdom.shop) has a variety of St. Patrick’s Day-themed treats available at the shop, like chocolate coins, shamrock-shaped cookies with green sugar crystals and more.

• Casey Magee’s Irish Pub & Music Hall (8 Temple St., Nashua, 484-7400, caseymagees.com) will open its doors at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 17, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day all day long with food and drink specials like corned beef and cabbage dinners, fish and chips, Reuben club sandwiches and green beer. A full schedule of live entertainment is planned throughout the day from noon to 11 p.m., featuring various solo musicians playing Irish music. Steve DeLuca will perform from noon to 3 p.m., followed by Kieran McNally from 4 to 7 p.m., and Quincy Lord from 8 to 11 p.m. Casey Magee’s owner and founder Matt Casey is also due to participate as the “official leprechaun” in the 25th annual Manchester St. Patrick’s Day parade, set to return on Sunday, March 27, for the first time since 2019. Visit saintpatsnh.com.

• Cruzin Cakes Shop (150 Broad St., Nashua, 882-1666, cruzincakesshop.com) is taking orders for St. Patrick’s Day-themed platters, featuring mini green velvet cupcakes, brownies, sugar cookies and chocolates. Order by March 12.

• The Derryfield Restaurant (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880, thederryfield.com) will be serving corned beef and cabbage dinners and corned beef sandwiches all day on St. Patrick’s Day. Live music will be featured by the local group D-Comp from 6 to 9:30 p.m.

• Dutch Epicure Bakery (141 Route 101A, Amherst, 879-9400, dutchepicurebakery.com) is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with freshly baked Irish soda bread available every day through Saturday, March 19. Year-round, it’s also available every Friday and Saturday.

• Firefly American Bistro & Bar (22 Concord St., Manchester, 935-9740, fireflynh.com) will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 17, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day all day long with a full menu of Irish-inspired specialties in addition to its regular menu, like corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash, a traditional Irish cod bake, a dark chocolate Guinness cheesecake and more. A special cocktail menu with handcrafted Irish-inspired options will also be available, and Guinness will be pouring all day.

• The Flight Center Taphouse & Eatery (1071 S. Willow St., Manchester, 952-4252, flightcenterbc.com) will serve a variety of Irish-inspired specialties on St. Patrick’s Day, like traditional corned beef and cabbage dinners and Reuben sandwiches, as well as Irish red ale and whiskey flights.

• Fody’s Great American Tavern (9 Clinton St., Nashua, 577-9015; 187½ Rockingham Road, Derry, 404-6946; fodystavern.com) will open at noon at its Derry location and at 3 p.m. at its Nashua location on St. Patrick’s Day. Food specials will include corned beef and cabbage, Reuben sandwiches and loaded Reuben hand-cut fries.

• Frederick’s Pastries (109 Route 101A, Amherst, 882-7725; 25 S. River Road, Bedford, 647-2253; pastry.net) is offering a variety of themed sweets and treats for St. Patrick’s Day, like shamrock cookies, “Pot of Gold” cakes, Bailey’s Irish cream tortes, and cupcakes with flavors like Guinness, confetti shamrock and mint chocolate chip.

• Georgia’s Northside (394 N. State St., Concord, 715-3189, georgiasnorthside.com) is taking pre-orders for a special St. Patrick’s Day pop-up menu, featuring items like traditional plates of corned beef and cabbage with mashed potatoes and Irish country bread, Guinness stew with tender braised steak, brown gravy and veggies, and homemade chocolate pudding topped with whipped Bailey’s Irish cream.

• The Goat Bar and Grill (50 Old Granite St., Manchester, 222-1677, goatnh.com) is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with brunch all weekend, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day from Thursday, March 17, through Saturday, March 19. Live music and March Madness games on TV will also be featured each day.

• Granite State Candy Shoppe (13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591; 832 Elm St., Manchester, 218-3885; granitestatecandyshoppe.com) has several St. Patrick’s Day-themed sweets and treats, like chocolate coins, chocolate foiled green hearts and shamrock cream gift boxes.

• Granite State Whoopie Pies (Goffstown, granitestatewhoopiepies.com) is taking orders for chocolate mocha Irish cream or chocolate and mint grasshopper whoopie pies for St. Patrick’s Day, available by the dozen as regular or miniature sizes. Orders are due by March 11, for pickup the following Wednesday through Saturday, between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. at White Birch Eatery (571 Mast Road, Goffstown). Single-serve pies are also available for purchase there, as well as at Little Red Hen Farm & Homestead (85 Norris Road, Pittsfield). Find owner and founder Heather Pfeifer with her St. Patrick’s Day-inspired whoopie pies at Mountain Base Brewery (553 Mast Road, Goffstown) on Thursday, March 17, from 4 to 8 p.m.

• Holy Grail Food & Spirits (64 Main St., Epping, 679-9559, holygrailrestaurantandpub.com) will be serving food specials all day long for St. Patrick’s Day, like corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, bangers and colcannon (Irish mashed potatoes), Guinness beer and more. A full schedule of live local music throughout the day starts with Max Sullivan at 11:30 a.m., followed by Portsmouth Celtic band Penhallow in the afternoon and Karen Grenier at 7 p.m.

• Jamison’s Restaurant (472 Route 111, Hampstead, 489-1565, jamisonsrestaurant.com) is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with several food specials on Thursday, March 17, such as boiled corned brisket dinners, Irish nachos and Reuben egg rolls. Reservations are being accepted for lunch. The New Hampshire Police Association Pipes & Drums will perform at 2 p.m. that day.

• LaBelle Winery Derry (14 Route 111, Derry, 672-9898, labellewinery.com) will hold a special St. Patrick’s Day beer and wine pairing dinner in its vineyard ballroom on Saturday, March 12, at 6:30 p.m., featuring selections from Concord Craft Brewing Co., including the brewery’s new Cerevino, a red ale that was soured and fermented on grape pressings from LaBelle. Food courses will include amuse bouche (bangers and mashed pasties with onion gravy, potato leek soup with herb oil, your choice of one of two entrees (maple brown ale braised pork loin with colcannon Irish mashed potatoes and whiskey pickled mustard seeds, or pan seared cod with Cerevino-braised purple cabbage, Irish boxty potato and chive beurre blanc), and sticky toffee pudding for dessert. The cost is $75 per person plus tax (dinner is 21+ only). Then on Wednesday, March 16, LaBelle will hold the next installment of its Winemaker’s Kitchen cooking class series, which will dabble in Irish favorites. That class is set for 6 p.m. that evening, also at the winery’s Derry location — recipes to be discussed will include Irish lamb stew, bangers and mash and chocolate Irish cream truffles. The cost is $35 per person plus tax.

• McGarvey’s Saloon (1097 Elm St., Manchester, 627-2721, mcgarveysnh.com) will open its doors at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 17, serving traditional Irish meals and Guinness beer all day long. Live entertainment will be provided by DJs Bernie and Erin Del Llano of Perfect Entertainment.

• Murphy’s Taproom (494 Elm St., Manchester, 644-3535, murphystaproom.com) will open at 6 a.m. on Thursday, March 17, for a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast. A full schedule of live music will be featured all day long, starting at 9 a.m. and going all the way through until 1 a.m. Corned beef and cabbage specials will be available all weekend.

• Nelson’s Candy & Music (65 Main St., Wilton, 654-5030, nelsonscandymusic.com) has multiple St. Patrick’s Day-themed sweets, like milk chocolate mold leprechaun pops, chocolate mold shamrock pops and more.

• New England’s Tap House Grille (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 782-5137, taphousenh.com) will serve a St. Patrick’s Day-themed specials menu from Thursday, March 17, through Saturday, March 19, featuring items like Reuben balls, corned beef and cabbage, Guinness stew, fish and chips, Guinness cake and Bailey’s Irish cream cheesecake.

• North Side Grille (323 Derry Road, Hudson, 886-3663, hudsonnorthsidegrille.com) will be offering traditional corned beef and cabbage plates with carrots and potatoes all week long, beginning on Tuesday, March 15, until they sell out. Other featured specialties available during St. Patrick’s Day week will include Irish poutine, Guinness lamb stew, soda bread, bangers and mash, beer-battered fish and chips, “pot of gold” macaroni and cheese, and Irish cream cheesecake, plus Guinness on draft, Smithwick’s Irish ale by the bottle and a lineup of Irish-inspired cocktails.

• Old School Bar & Grill (49 Range Road, Windham, 458-6051, oldschoolbarandgrill.com) will offer a variety of St. Patrick’s Day-inspired specials beginning Monday, March 14, like Guinness beef stew, Irish egg rolls featuring corned beef, cabbage, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing, boiled dinners of corned beef and cabbage with turnip, parsnip, carrots and potatoes, Irish nachos with corned beef, sauerkraut and beer cheese, corned beef Reubens with homemade potato chips, and Bailey’s Irish cream cheesecake for dessert.

• Patrick’s Pub & Eatery (18 Weirs Road, Gilford, 293-0841, patrickspub.com) will open its doors at noon on Thursday, March 17, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day all day long with entree specials like a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner with turnip, red bliss potato, carrots and locally made Irish soda bread, as well as bangers and mash and Guinness beef stew. Dessert specials will include Bailey’s Irish cream cheesecake and sticky toffee pudding, a house made authentic Irish recipe featuring a moist sweet cake with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce and whipped topping. For drinks, green beer will be available upon request, or you can order specials like Patrick’s Pub’s own Slainte Irish red ale. Live music will be featured from noon to 7 p.m.

• The Peddler’s Daughter (48 Main St., Nashua, 821-7535, thepeddlersdaughter.com) will open its doors at 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 17, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day all day long with a Kegs and Eggs Irish breakfast until 3 p.m., corned beef dinners and other specials available from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and a full schedule of live entertainment, including a performance by the New Hampshire Police Association Pipes & Drums at 4 p.m.

• The Pint Publik House (1111 Elm St., Manchester, 206-5463, pintpublikhouse.com) will open earlier than normal, at 11 a.m. on St. Patrick’s Day, serving corned beef and cabbage specials.

• The Potato Concept (thepotatoconcept.com) is planning a special St. Patrick’s Day-themed food tour with several local breweries, where they will be featuring corned beef and cabbage loaded baked potatoes. Find them at Great North Aleworks (1050 Holt Ave., Manchester) on Sunday, March 13, from 12:30 to 5 p.m.; at Rockingham Brewing Co. (1 Corporate Park Drive, Derry) on Thursday, March 17, from 4 to 8 p.m.; and at Spyglass Brewing Co. (2 Townsend West, Nashua) on Saturday, March 19, from 2 to 6 p.m.

• Queen City Cupcakes (790 Elm St., Manchester, 624-4999, qccupcakes.com) is taking orders for several St. Patrick’s Day-inspired flavors of its gourmet cupcakes, like Lucky Charms, Shamrock Shake, green velvet and Guinness, as well as other regular favorites like vanilla bean, chocolate and peanut butter cup. Order by March 15 at noon. Pickups will be on Thursday, March 17, between 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

• Salt Hill Pub (58 Main St., Newport, 863-7774; 1407 New Hampshire Route 103, Newbury, 763-2670; 2 W. Park St., Lebanon, 448-4532; 5 Airport Road, West Lebanon, 298-5566; salthillpub.com) will open at 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 17, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a traditional Irish breakfast at each of its locations. There will also be themed food and drink specials throughout the day and night, as well as a full lineup of live music (performances vary depending on the location).

• The Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, shaskeenirishpub.com) will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with its first pints at 6 a.m. on Thursday, March 17. Breakfast will continue to be served until 11 a.m., then they’ll switch over to a limited dinner menu with items like Guinness stew and corned beef. The kitchen will be open until 9:30 p.m. and the bar will close at 1 a.m. Live music will be featured in the back bar area, beginning around noon that day.

• Smoke Shack Cafe (226 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 404-2178, smokeshackcafe.com) is taking pre-orders for a variety of specialty items for St. Patrick’s Day, including a la carte meats, like smoked corned beef, smoked sausage, pork belly and smoked chicken; sides, like colcannon (Irish mashed potatoes), brown sugar carrots, cabbage and pork belly saute, pea and onion saute, collard greens and macaroni and cheese; and meal packages, which include a choice of entree and sides. Pickups will be on Thursday, March 17 — schedule your desired pickup time when placing an order through the website.

• Soel Sistas Catering & Meal Prep (Nashua, 943-1469, soelsistas.com) is taking orders for braised corned beef and cabbage dinners for St. Patrick’s Day, with turnip, carrots and potatoes. Individual and family-style meals for a family of four are available, as well as chocolate Guinness cupcakes. Order by March 12.

• Strange Brew Tavern (88 Market St., Manchester, 666-4292, strangebrewtavern.com) will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day all day long on Thursday, March 17. A full schedule of live local music acts is planned, beginning at 9 a.m. and through the afternoon and evening, including a performance by the New Hampshire Police Association Pipes & Drums at 7 p.m. Corned beef and cabbage, Guinness stew and other food specials will be served from noon to 11 p.m.

• Tailgate Tavern (28 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham, 580-2294, tailgatetavernnh.com) will serve a special St. Patrick’s Day menu all day long on Thursday, March 17, featuring items like corned beef brisket boiled dinners with cabbage, potatoes, carrots and turnips, as well as Reuben sandwiches, Irish shepherd’s pie, Guinness barbecue ribs, Bailey’s Irish cream bread pudding, and shamrock chocolate cream pie. Orders are also being accepted for family-style meals to go, feeding four to six people. Order by noon on Tuesday, March 15 for pickup until 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 17.

• The Town Cabin Deli & Pub (285 Old Candia Road, Candia, 483-4888, towncabin.com) will serve a variety of traditional Irish-inspired specials for St. Patrick’s Day, like corned beef and cabbage dinners and Guinness stew with bread bowls, and Guinness and Jameson will be flowing throughout the evening. St. Patrick’s Day meals will also be available to order for takeout from the deli.

• Up In Your Grill (Merrimack, upinyourgrill.com, and on Facebook @upinyourgrill) is taking pre-orders for corned beef dinners for one, with cabbage, potatoes and carrots. Pickups will be on Thursday, March 17, at Vault Motor Storage (526 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack). Schedule your pickup time between 4 and 7 p.m. when placing an order online (the link can be accessed through the Facebook page).

• Van Otis Chocolates (341 Elm St., Manchester, 627-1611, vanotis.com) has several St. Patrick’s Day-themed sweets and treats, like milk, white or dark chocolate leprechaun or shamrock molds, milk chocolate green foiled hearts, and a four-piece “lucky box” of Swiss fudge and truffles.

• The Village Trestle (25 Main St., Goffstown, 497-8230, villagetrestle.com) will be serving multiple St. Patrick’s Day specials all day long in addition to its regular full menu, like corned beef and cabbage with potatoes and carrots, corned beef Reubens and Guinness beef stew. Drink specials will include Green Tea cocktails, featuring Jameson whiskey, peach schnapps, and sour mix, served straight up or on the rocks. Live music from Jennifer Mitchell will be featured from 6 to 9 p.m. that evening.

• The Wild Rover Pub (21 Kosciuszko St., Manchester, 669-7722, wildroverpub.com) will open its doors at 6 a.m. on Thursday, March 17. They’ll be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day all day long, starting with a breakfast buffet, followed by traditional corned beef and cabbage dinners, Guinness specials and more.

• Zorvino Vineyards (226 Main St., Sandown, 887-8463, zorvino.com) will serve a special Irish-inspired four-course dinner in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, scheduled for Friday, March 18, at 6:30 p.m. Following a small appetizer of Irish soda bread, meal courses will include grilled asparagus and artichoke salad, Jameson and cracked mustard crusted Atlantic salmon, a “deconstructed” Guinness stew featuring stout braised prime beef, root vegetable hash, caramelized pearl onion, English roasted potatoes and charred baby carrots, and Irish coffee bread pudding for dessert. The cost is $65 per person.

Featured photo: Corned beef and cabbage from The Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant in Manchester. Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 22/03/10

News from the local food scene

• Beer and chocolate: Join Millyard Brewery (25 E. Otterson St., Nashua) for a beer and chocolate pairing featuring selections from Loon Chocolate. The event was postponed from last month due to weather, but has now been rescheduled for Friday, March 18, at 6:30 p.m. Attendees will choose four beers to sample, and each will be paired with a piece of chocolate to complement and contrast their flavors. Staff from both Millyard Brewery and Loon Chocolate will be on hand to talk about the unique similarities between crafting beer and creating small-batch chocolate from bean to bar. Tickets are $12 per person — attendees will be entered into a drawing to win a special chocolate and beer gift basket. Loon Chocolate, founded by former craft brewer Scott Watson, opened its first retail storefront in Manchester in mid-February. Visit millyardbrewery.com or loonchocolate.com for more details on either company’s offerings.

• Spirits of community: Get your tickets now for Crafts, Drafts and Barrels, an annual tasting benefit featuring local foods, beers, wines and spirits that’s scheduled for Friday, March 18, at 6 p.m. at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord). The tasting is presented by Concord Hospital Trust in partnership with Martignetti Companies of New Hampshire, according to a press release — attendees can sample food from local restaurants paired with beer, wine, spirit or mocktail options from breweries, vineyards and distilleries both in the state and around the world. Participating eateries will include The Common Man, O Steaks & Seafood, Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop, Gibson’s Cafe and others. Tickets start at $75 per person general admission (event is 21+ only), with proceeds benefiting the Concord Hospital Cardiovascular Institute. Visit giveto.concordhospital.org.

• Local chef up for national award: Milford chef Chris Viaud has been nominated as a semifinalist in the 2022 James Beard Foundation awards under the “Emerging Chef” category, alongside other esteemed chefs from across the country, according to a press release. The category is the new name for the Foundation’s former “Rising Star” award, one of several, including “Outstanding Restaurateur” and “Best New Restaurant.” Viaud competed on the Bravo series Top Chef last year — he’s the owner and executive chef of Greenleaf, a farm-to-table restaurant in Milford, where he also hosts an ongoing series of Haitian dinners with his family under the name Ansanm. “I am truly humbled by the recognition and nomination from the James Beard Foundation,” he said in a statement. “It has been a dream of mine to be represented among some of the best talents in the country.” Winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on June 13 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

• Red Arrow turning 100: The Red Arrow Diner is celebrating its 100th year of business in Manchester with special commemorative plans all throughout 2022, according to a press release. The 24-hour diner first opened in the Queen City back in October 1922. To celebrate the milestone, it’s offering monthly menu discounts all year long that correspond to popular foods of each decade over the past century. The month of March, for instance, features a macaroni and cheese bar with one free topping to honor the 1930s, while April’s special will be a 1940s-style meatloaf dinner and May’s special a 1950s-style tuna melt. Belgian waffles popularized throughout the 1960s will be available with one free topping throughout the month of June. According to the release, the specials will be honored at all four Red Arrow Diner locations, in Manchester, Concord, Londonderry and Nashua. The diner will also be conducting a Facebook campaign to honor a total of 100 other local businesses and is asking followers for nominations in any industry. Visit redarrowdiner.com/100 for more details.

On The Job – Bill Butts

Bill Butts

Client relations, commercial landscape and snow maintenance

Bill Butts is the vice president of client relations and sales at Outdoor Pride, a landscape and snow management company headquartered in Manchester that serves commercial clients throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Explain your job and what it entails.

My job is to work with our clients and connect with them to make sure they understand the appreciation we have for their partnership. … I also oversee new business development and sales for our company, and I help our business developers and account managers to procure new work and add work to existing contracts.

How long have you had this job?

This is my 35th year working in sales … and my whole career has been [sales in] commercial landscape and snow management. This is my fourth year working at Outdoor Pride.

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

Where I grew up, there was a golf course that was down the street from our property … and they gave me a chance to work there part-time. … That’s when I started to appreciate grounds and the maintenance of grounds, and I just kind of stayed with it.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I studied business management in college and really felt like my hands-on knowledge [from working at] the golf course and my business knowledge from college was a good combination to stay in the landscaping industry. … There’s a lot of hands-on training that goes with this industry … that you get not from school, but just from being around and in the outdoors.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

I try to match my clients’ dress, and, over the years, my clients have started to put away the sport coat and tie and go more casual, like khakis and a polo. … It also has to be something that’s comfortable and allows us to do our job, which a lot of times [involves] having to walk around the properties on hot summer days or be out in the winter during a snow event.

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

I’ve always been a face-to-face, handshake person, and the pandemic took that physical presentation piece away for a bit. It seems to be coming back now, but for a couple of years we were entirely remote. … That’s difficult in my business, because a lot of what I’m selling is trust and confidence, so not being able to … deliver my company pitch face-to-face may leave a little bit of a gap.

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

I wish I knew the [large] number of opportunities this industry has to offer. … I don’t think I really knew, when I started my career, that I could be what I am today. … That might have given me a little bit of a different perspective.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

A lot of people see me as someone who plays a lot of golf and has a lot of free time, but that piece of the business — the networking — is what I consider to be one of my strengths. It’s the ability to talk to somebody in a non-work setting and learn about their business and their needs and wants and how you can provide for them. … Also, I still have to get my [office] work done, so spending that casual time with clients during [the work day] means I have to work a lot of long hours

What was the first job you ever had?

Working at the golf course, raking sand traps. I would get a dollar a trap.

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

Treat your customers and your employees like family, and you’ll never really have any issues with growing your business or growing your team.

Five favorites

Favorite book: The Dynasty by Jeff Benedict
Favorite movie: Lone Survivor
Favorite music:  I lean toward country.
Favorite food: Marinated steak tips
Favorite thing about NH: The people are laid back.

Featured photo: Bill Butts. Courtesy photo.

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