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One-man band

Talking Wallflowers with Jakob Dylan

Beginning in 1996 with Bringing Down the Horse, The Wallflowers became a band in name only, with a singular vision. “There’s really no one lineup that ever made two records,” Jakob Dylan said by phone from Los Angeles in mid-May. “One person is actually putting the ideas together, and that’s always been me.”

That tradition continued with last year’s Exit Wounds and a lineup including producer Butch Walker, session ace Val McCallum (who played on 2002’s Red Letter Days) and singer Shelby Lynne. Led by standout tracks like the raucous “Dive Bar In My Heart,” the tender ballad “Darlin’ Hold On” and “Who’s That Man Walking ‘Round My Garden?” — an homage to Dylan’s guiding light Tom Petty — the new record is a solid addition to a stalwart catalog.

Here’s an edited transcript of Dylan’s interview with The Hippo.

How did the songs on Exit Wounds come together?

Refining songs is the dirty work, but you can’t start with nothing. You have to have a bunch of ideas sketched out, and then when you’re going to be recording, you gather all those ideas up. So, I would not say I wrote this record all in one sitting. I had collected song ideas a couple of years before that. It takes the motivation, the excitement of getting in a studio to really go to work on them and make them what you hope they’ll be.

Butch Walker produced — what was that like?

Butch is one of the rare people who can do a little bit of everything, and he does those things better than most people in the room [and] he’s a songwriter…. One of the more important assets that I need in the studio is somebody who understands and has the range to make these songs as strong as they could be. Because … a songwriter always thinks their new songs are their best songs, which is rarely true. I always work better with somebody around who does the same work that I do to bounce ideas off of.

Shelby Lynne was another fantastic element; you mesh so well together. Do you go back?

No, we don’t … we run in similar circles [and] she was always on my wish list. Val McCallum, who plays guitar on this record, worked with her a lot. He mentioned her one day. Butch and I lit up thinking we should call, and we should ask. It’s very organic to do it that way, rather than calling through agents or something.

You worked during a fairly tumultuous time in the country. What were you thinking about when you put it together?

You can find a way to translate those things into an individual perspective without having to use a lot of words that I don’t think really sound good in a song … there are other ways to write about how they affect you as a person, how you see things, rather than hit the nail on the head.

Yes — “Move the River” is a good metaphor, and it’ll endure.

Well, yeah, I appreciate that, thank you. Because that is how I prefer to do those things, rather than put buzz words in songs — thoughts and prayers, and all that. Like, it’s too timely. Songs should be timeless. So, that is a song where, yes, I did try to find a way to write about current times, [but] if you haven’t been paying attention, and you live under a rock, I hope you can still like the song without really caring what it’s about.

What are your memories of Tom Petty?

He was a huge impact on my life, my career. When I was a teenager, I got to watch him from side stage. I visualized forming my band in that same mold [as] the Heartbreakers. I thought that band could do anything, they’re one of the best American rock bands that we’ve had, so I thought that was a good starting place…. I found that with younger artists, he was only complimentary and encouraging, which is not always the case [with] some people from the generation before me. Maybe perhaps they feel threatened by the next generation. Which is ridiculous; if you’ve made your mark, you shouldn’t be worried about those things. I always found that Tom wanted the younger crowd to come in and be great, he wasn’t threatened … and he was encouraging, he understood that, in kind of a patriarchal parental tone, with a lot of artists. He wasn’t there to be competitive with you. He was encouraged, and he wanted to transfer that music, and he was so moved by younger people, he wanted them to be great. There’s a different spirit with everybody, and his was just very powerful and very strong. It was very positive.

Over 30 years of performing, what’s changed for you, and what’s stayed the same?

Well, that’s a broad question. A lot has changed. I don’t know that I’ve changed too much. The record business has really changed; I don’t know if there is one anymore. But that’s OK, things change. They have to, and you find other ways to do your thing, and hopefully make a living. People think that’s a dirty word, but everybody has to work. That’s what I chose to do a long time ago, and it’s treated me very well. There’s a lot of stuff I don’t remember, you know? It’s been a long time. I see pictures, it doesn’t look familiar, but I was there. It’s a long time for anybody to be doing any one thing, and sometimes I don’t believe that my first record was 30 years ago. That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. But, you know, the calendar doesn’t lie.

Given your background, it seems inevitable that you’d become a musician…. However, early on you quit to study art in New York. You lasted a semester, then came back. What prompted you to go, and what made you come back?

Well, I generally was interested in the arts, all of it, [and] at that age — 18 or so — it was a good time. You don’t have to be sure. You don’t really have to make any real big decisions. I’d already been in bands, and I wanted to try art school. Part of me does regret that I didn’t stick it out longer, because there is room [and] time for everything. I may have stayed longer and still been in a band, I don’t know. But there’s also part of me that probably was hoping that I would go and find a real calling that might release me from the reality of myself being in a band and what that might involve, and that’s stupid. But ultimately the desire to play music won out.

Will you do another solo record?

I don’t know; that usually depends on the songs … my mood, where I’m living, how I feel. … My solo records have a very different context than The Wallflowers [but] there are just no rules. The only rule is you should do whatever you want.

The Wallflowers w/ Ari Hest
When: Friday, May 27, 8 p.m.
Where: Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St., Laconia
Tickets: $39 to $89 at coloniallaconia.org

Featured photo: Jakob Dylan. Photo by Yasmin Than.

The Music Roundup 22/05/26

Local music news & events

• Like butter: Soulful Boston singer Ali McGuirk released her debut album, Slow Burn, in 2017 to accolades from her hometown and beyond, making several Top 10 lists. “Raw talent is hard to explain, but you often know it when you hear it,” critic Steve Morse gushed. Last year’s cover of Bobby Womack “That’s The Way I Feel About You” further cemented her reputation. Signature Sounds will release her second long-player this summer. Thursday, May 26, 7:30 p.m., Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $25 at ccanh.com.

• Acid blues: Making a rare trip to the Granite State, Bees Deluxe perform in the Lakes Region. The Boston band calls its music “acid blues for the 21st century”; founder and guitarist Conrad Warre often feels like he’s from a musical Island of Misfit Toys. Informed by everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Tom Petty and Herbie Hancock, they offer a heady mélange of sounds that can confound fellow performers, but it’s all good. Friday, May 27, 8 p.m., Tower Hill Tavern, 264 Lakeside Ave., Laconia, facebook.com/beesdeluxe.

• Piano double: Enjoy an evening of Elton John music from Captain Fantastic, the stage name of pianist and Berklee professor Michael Troy. Wearing the oversized glasses favored in Elton’s days of head-to-toe glitter and Dodger Stadium sellouts, Troy’s selections range across the catalog. He’s joined by special guest Lisa Guyer; they’re connected via Troy’s Beloved Few bandmate David Stefanelli, who played with Guyer in Mama Kicks. Saturday, May 28, 8 p.m., Angel City Music Hall, 179 Elm St., Manchester, $15 at eventbrite.com.

• Sunday dub: For close to four decades Jah Spirit has been delivering upbeat reggae music to New England audiences, with a style band leader Ras Michael Wolfe calls Rapso Music. Their motto is, “Together we aspire, together we achieve.” They can also deliver joyful remakes, like the Motown gem “My Girl,” which appeared on their Ceasefire CD a few years back. The group is a regular favorite at this southern New Hampshire watering hole. Sunday, May. 29, 3 p.m., Old School Bar & Grill, 49 Range Road, Windham. See jahspirit.com.

• Shed rock: The official kickoff of the summer concert season has festival favorites The Lumineers joined by CAAMP for an evening of plugged-in folk rock. The Boulder, Colorado, band became ubiquitous in 2012 with its infectious song “Ho Hey.” Their fourth album, Brightside, released last fall, spawned three singles: the title song, “Big Shot” and “A.M. Radio.” The supporting act’s latest, By and By, came out in 2019. Wednesday, June 1, 7:30 p.m., 72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, $60 and up livenation.com.

Downton Abbey: A New Era

Downton Abbey: A New Era (PG)

The Crawley family (hanging on to their country house and British nobility trappings in interwar Yorkshire) deal, as ever, with the encroachment of modernity, family secrets with inheritance-related implications, potential health crises and some rather meekly drawn romantic entanglements in Downton Abbey: A New Era, a theatrically released sequel that has the feel of a double episode of the TV series.

Can you just show up at Downton Abbey having never before visited with Lord Grantham, a.k.a. Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), and his American wife, Cora (Elizabeth McGovern), and their politely sniping daughters, Mary (Michelle Dockery) and Edith (Laura Carmichael)? Maybe. There isn’t so much context needed here that you won’t get the “this moment is sad” or “this moment is shocking” melodrama that drives the story. But I think you might be a bit lost in all the below-stairs characters and random children and spouses, both seen and unseen.

The movie starts with the marriage of Tom Branson (Allen Leech) to Lucy (Tuppence Middleton), secret daughter of Maud (Imelda Staunton), who was some kind of fancy Crawley cousin we met in the last movie. (If there was a title card to tell us when we are, I missed it but Wikipedia says the year is 1928.) Tom, widower of a third Crawley daughter, learns shortly after the wedding that Sybbie (Fifi Hart), his daughter from that first marriage, has been designated as the inheritor of a villa in the south of France. Violet (Maggie Smith), Robert’s mother and the matriarch whose cutting world view has run the family until recently, has herself recently inherited the villa from a man she knew years ago (exactly when she knew him and what “knew” means becomes a bit of intrigue). Violet’s intention is to give young Sybbie a future inheritance similar to the rest of her generation of titled and monied cousins but the existence of the villa and this mysterious French man has the family in a tizzy. The man’s son, Montmirail (Jonathan Zaccai), invites Robert and Tom to France to check out the property and solidify Sybbie’s inheritance position. Ultimately, Robert brings a whole posse: Cora, Tom, Lucy, Maud, for no particular reason Edith and her husband Bertie (Harry Hadden-Paton), lady’s maid Miss Baxter (Raquel Cassidy), valet Mr. Bates (Brendan Coyle) and, mostly to get him out of the hair of the Downton people, butler emeritus Mr. Carson (Jim Carter).

Their absence from Downton corresponds with the arrival of a movie crew that has offered a roof-fixing amount of money to shoot on location. Mary accepted the offer and stayed to oversee the situation. She strikes up a friendship with director Jack Barber (Hugh Dancy), who is making a silent film with stars Myrna Dalgleish (Laura Haddock) and Guy Dexter (Dominic West) just at the moment when talkies are starting to crush the silent films at the box office. This is particularly worrisome for Myrna, who has the look of glamor and refinement but the voice of her more humble background. Goings on with this group include Downton staff Daisy (Sophie McShera) and Anna (Joanne Froggatt) being star-struck (and then disenchanted with the real-life star), Jack and Mary’s friendship (with “maybe more” flickerings as Mary deals with the disappointment of an absent husband — I guess Matthew Goode could not fit even a last-minute appearance in his schedule for this go-around), Guy Dexter’s wooing of current Downton butler Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier), and Mr. Molesley’s (Kevin Doyle) unexpected prowess as a screenwriter.

Looking back at this description, I can see how I’ve just listed a lot of “who cares” if you’ve never watched the TV show. Thinking “ha, good for you Molesley” or “is Thomas going to find happiness?” is probably the principal source of enjoyment for this movie. Yes, fitting in all of these little bits of story for supporting characters does at times feel scattershot, and many stories don’t seem to get the development they’d deserve. (In particular, the Thomas Barrow/Guy Dexter maybe-romance feels a little underbaked, perhaps the result of not wanting to entirely write Thomas out of any future stories?) But to some extent what we’re watching is a season run at triple speed, not necessarily a stand-alone story.

The movie does manage to craft a few quiet moments between two characters with emotional history. We get nice conversations between Violet and Isobel (Penelope Wilton), between Mary and Mr. Carson, between Robert and Cora. These moments are only meaningful if you have the context of the series to draw from, but for fans they offer a nice little treat.

This latest Downton has a lot in common with your standard Marvel movie, with its bits of fan service and Easter eggs of past plot lines. And like a middle-of-the-road Marvel entry, it does what it needs to do without necessarily doing anything new or different or exciting. Want to cheer for some favorite characters and triumphs big and small? Downton Abbey: A New Era fills the bill just fine. B

Rated PG for suggestive references, language and thematic elements (though this movie is way tamer than even the series ever was), according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Directed by Simon Curtis with a screenplay by Julian Fellows, Downton Abbey: A New Era is two hours and four minutes long and distributed by Focus Features

Featured photo: Downton Abbey: A New Era.

Kingdom of Bones, by James Rollins

Kingdom of Bones, by James Rollins (William Morrow, 435 pages)

Jim Czajkowski — you might know him by his pen name, James Rollins — writes about viruses with such authority you might think he has a secret medical degree. That’s almost right.

He was a veterinarian in California before his side gig as a novelist became so successful that he couldn’t do both anymore. He told a veterinary trade publication that at one point he was working 15 hours a day at his veterinary practice while writing a novel a year in between appointments.

Now he’s written 23 novels by himself and co-authored five others. His latest is Kingdom of Bones, the 16th in what is known as his “Sigma Force” series, named for the covert team of highly trained specialists — Rollins has called them “scientists with guns” — called in to save the world from various perils. (Think the Avengers, without the otherworldliness, and with a military war dog.)

The story involves a mysterious malady that emerges in Africa and threatens the human race, which Rollins is somewhat apologetic about, given the ongoing pandemic. He writes in an author’s note that he pitched the book before Covid-19 and had reservations about going forward with the project, saying “it felt insensitive to tackle such a subject at this moment, to seek to entertain with ‘plague fiction’ when the world was suffering.”

He worried needlessly; the book never once feels exploitative, and in fact is at its most interesting when Rollins expounds on topics with relevance to Covid, such as the fact that “Each hour, some thirty-three million viral particles cascade onto every square meter of this planet.” And the fact that some scientists believe that “ancient viral invasions” may comprise up to 80 percent of the human genome. (I could have done without this knowledge; it is far better to think we are made of stardust than viral mutations.)

This is the sort of information that Rollins scatters throughout the story, making Kingdom of Bones a thriller that is deeply intelligent.

It begins in the Congo, where a cadre of large, angry winged ants are floating in floodwater and making their way onto land, where they are attacking humans in a refugee camp with unusual ferocity. While some people who are bitten appear unaffected, others fall into a catatonic state. Before all of the people can be evacuated, the camp is also overrun by a band of aggressive baboons, creatures that had previously been shy around humans but suddenly seemed set on destroying them.

As if this isn’t chaos enough, a band of militants bursts onto the scene and abducts the handful of people that they don’t kill, including a mother and her now catatonic baby, who had been bitten by the ants. All this sets up the bat signal to flash for the Sigma Force and Commander Gray Pierce to step in and try to figure out why animals are suddenly becoming more bloodthirsty and cunning — even moths are turning deadly. As one young doctor says, “It’s as if all of Nature is about to turn against us.”

As the team tries to discover what is infecting the animals, they encounter killer bats, jackals, aardwolves (an animal that looks like a striped hyena and eats insects), and even hippopotamuses that seem to have been weaponized. This leads to snappy dialogue like “We’re about to play the worst game of Hungry Hungry Hippos,” but fortunately, that sort of banter is limited, as is the side story about a sinister mining executive who may or may not have a hand in what’s going on.

Rollins’ prose is generally sophisticated, certainly for the genre, although I confess there came a point where I started rolling my eyes every time a character’s eyes or face “shone.” But that’s more a problem of the editors, not the writer.

I should note that while many of the Sigma Force characters were featured in previous books, Kingdom of Bones works as a stand-alone novel; you don’t have to know the history of the force (I didn’t) although Rollins says the characters evolve throughout the series. I also suspect the book would be easier to digest knowing some backstories. Although the plot is easy enough to follow, the characters are many and complex.

Although the book is somewhat moralistic (ye climate deniers, stay away), and wanders slightly into The Overstory territory toward the end, it doesn’t feel preachy. It’s a solid summer read that raises interesting questions about whether the world at some point will rear back and retaliate for the damage we’ve done to it. (And here I’m not talking about climate but pesticides and exposed power lines.)

Also, it has an opening line that dares us not to read more: “The Reverend William Sheppard silently recited the Lord’s prayer as he waited for the cannibal to finish filing his teeth.” Five stars for that opener, four for the rest of the book. B

Book Notes

Endurance athlete Cameron Hanes is probably the opposite of what we think of when we hear the word “bookish.”

His passion is bowhunting in Alaska and to be prepared for it he runs ultramarathons (200-plus miles) in the mountains. According to his publisher, his goal is to become the “ultimate predator.” In the zombie apocalypse, you want to be on this guy’s team. Somehow, however, he found time to sit down and type things, resulting in a book, Endure: How to Work Hard, Outlast and Keep Hammering (St. Martin’s Press, 336 pages), that’s selling well this month.

If you like to be outside in ways that are a little less extreme, check out Outdoor Kids in an Inside World (Random House, 208 pages) by Steven Rinella.

That’s not to say that Rinella isn’t a man of extremes; he is also the author of 2020’s The MeatEater Guide to Wilderness Skills and Survival (Random House, 464 pages) and host of a Netflix show called MeatEater. But his new book encourages families to get “radically engaged with nature.” I’m not a big fan of hunting, but the opening pages, wherein he describes butchering a deer his 10-year-old had shot, and then feeding the fat to the birds, was rather riveting.

Also out this month to help us channel our inner woodsman, there’s The Rugged Life: The Modern Guide to Self-Reliance (Rodale, 272 pages) by Clint Emerson, a retired Navy SEAL who reminds us of another Emerson (Ralph Waldo) and his call for a “greater self-reliance.”

Got to confess, the title of The Rugged Life is not nearly as compelling as that of Emerson’s first book, 2015’s 100 Deadly Skills. But he promises to teach three essential skills: how to build, how to farm and how to hunt. Pretty good for 272 pages.

And if you’re not too tired after all that, check out The Workout Bucket List (Running Press, 400 pages), Greg Pesto’s compilation of more than 300 “life-changing races, epic challenges and incredible hikes, bikes, lifts and runs” to do before you die. And yes, some are in New Hampshire: he recommends various Pinkham Notch hikes and a climb up Mount Washington.

If you haven’t already figured this out yet, one of these titles might make an excellent Father’s Day gift. Not that women won’t enjoy them, too.

Book Events

Author events

• TAMMY SOLLENBERGER Author presents The One Inside: 30 Days to Your Authentic Self. Bookery, 844 Elm St., Manchester. Wed., June 1, 6 p.m. Visit bookerymht.com or call 836-6600.

• JAMIE RASKIN Author and congressman presents Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth and the Trials of American Democracy. Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 S. Main St., Concord. Fri., June 3, 11 a.m. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

• PAUL DOIRON Author presents Hatchet Island. Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 S. Main St., Concord. Wed., June 29, 6:30 p.m. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

• PAUL BROGAN Author presents A Sprinkling of Stardust Over the Outhouse. Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 S. Main St., Concord. Thurs., June 30, 6:30 p.m. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

• SARAH MCCRAW CROW Author presents The Wrong Kind of Woman. Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 S. Main St., Concord. Tues., July 19, 6:30 p.m. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

• CASEY SHERMAN Author presents Helltown. Bookery, 844 Elm St., Manchester. Sun., Aug. 14, 1:30 p.m. Visit bookerymht.com or call 836-6600.

Poetry

• DOWN CELLAR POETRY SALON Poetry event series presented by the Poetry Society of New Hampshire. Monthly. First Sunday. Visit poetrysocietynh.wordpress.com.

Writers groups

• MERRIMACK VALLEY WRITERS’ GROUP All published and unpublished local writers who are interested in sharing their work with other writers and giving and receiving constructive feedback are invited to join. The group meets regularly Email pembrokenhtownlibrary@gmail.com.

Writer submissions

• UNDER THE MADNESS Magazine designed and managed by an editorial board of New Hampshire teens under the mentorship of New Hampshire State Poet Laureate Alexandria Peary. features creative writing by teens ages 13 to 19 from all over the world, including poetry and short fiction and creative nonfiction. Published monthly. Submissions must be written in or translated into English and must be previously unpublished. Visit underthemadnessmagazine.com for full submission guidelines.

Book Clubs

• BOOKERY Monthly. Third Thursday, 6 p.m. 844 Elm St., Manchester. Visit bookerymht.com/online-book-club or call 836-6600.

• GIBSON’S BOOKSTORE Online, via Zoom. Monthly. First Monday, 5:30 p.m. Bookstore based in Concord. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com/gibsons-book-club-2020-2021 or call 224-0562.

• TO SHARE BREWING CO. 720 Union St., Manchester. Monthly. Second Thursday, 6 p.m. RSVP required. Visit tosharebrewing.com or call 836-6947.

• GOFFSTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY 2 High St., Goffstown. Monthly. Third Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. Call 497-2102, email elizabethw@goffstownlibrary.com or visit goffstownlibrary.com

• BELKNAP MILL Online. Monthly. Last Wednesday, 6 p.m. Based in Laconia. Email bookclub@belknapmill.org.

• NASHUA PUBLIC LIBRARY Online. Monthly. Second Friday, 3 p.m. Call 589-4611, email information@nashualibrary.org or visit nashualibrary.org.

Album Reviews 22/05/26

Ghostkeeper, Multidimensional Culture (Victory Pool Records)

I suppose I wasn’t prepared for how much a band said to combine “elements of ‘60s girl-group melodies, country music, ‘90s indie rock, African pop, and traditional Aboriginal pow wow music” would come off like the soundtrack band from a late 1970s no-budget hippie-horror film, but there it is. I mean, I like this record overall (which means nothing, really; it won’t be getting into my summer mix CD rotation, to be sure); it’s probably good for one’s soul to hear a dude singer pontificating over a retro soul beat that’s decorated in Mellotron keyboards right out of Donovan during his peak acid-trip era. This quartet is from Calgary, Canada, but it’s not like anything you might be imagining; in fact the scene there does seem to be heavy into psychedelica and such. To cut to the chase, this is like Woodstock vibe retrofitted for Generation iPhone. It’s not annoying at all, which is all that’s needed in this zeitgeist as far as I’m concerned. A

Devil Master, Ecstasies Of Never Ending Night (Relapse Records)

By now you know how much I enjoy bragging about the endless promo releases that land on this desk. It doesn’t take much to get my full attention (and while I’m at it, if you’re in a local band that has an official release and wants a review in this space, really, send a message to my Facebook, it’s the only reliable method), but, as you’ve seen, I do tend to go for albums that have some sort of horror angle, like this one. That said, normally I ignore albums that are just schlocky, but in this case the title and concept (real devil worship) just hit me with a Stupid Stick, and here we are. The title track opens up this one with ’60s surf guitar more or less, and then comes the Raging Speedhorn-style doom-thrashing and all the other stuff that’s made Relapse my by-far-favorite indie metal label. The balance forward is prototypical death metal with an early Mastodon edge, with un-ironic titles like “Golgotha’s Cruel Song.” Beelzebub music done right. A

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).

Lemon scones, two ways

This recipe has a choose-your-own-ending element to it. Some of you may want the sweeter lemon scones that are filled with white chocolate chips. Others may want a slightly tarter version with a lemon glaze. The nice part about this recipe is that it starts with the same base regardless of the ending you choose.

This recipe is simple, if you read it thoroughly before beginning. Each option has specific steps and ingredients that are required. Nothing crazy but just slight differences for shopping and cooking. The only key thing for both versions is that you purchase lemons. Bottled lemon juice doesn’t have enough acidity. Plus, you need the lemon zest for an extra bite of flavor.

Whatever option you choose, you are going to end up with a delicious treat!

Lemon scones, two ways
Makes 8

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
5 Tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, diced
3/4 cup buttermilk*
1 large egg yolk
2 Tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Option A
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
2 teaspoons sugar
Option B
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
Add butter.
Combine dry ingredients using a pastry blender (or two forks) until butter is reduced to the size of grains of rice.
Whisk buttermilk, egg yolk, lemon juice and extracts in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl.
Add liquids to dry ingredients; mix until dough forms a ball. (You may not need to add all of the liquid.)
OPTION A: Stir in white chocolate chips. OPTION B: Skip to next step.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and press into an 8-inch round. Cut into 8 wedges.
OPTION A: Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons sugar. OPTION B: Skip to next step.
Transfer wedges to rimmed cookie sheet.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the scones are crusty on top and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
OPTION A: Serve warm. OPTION B: Cool slightly on a wire rack.
Combine powdered sugar and remaining lemon juice.
Coat top of scones with glaze.

Featured Photo: Lemon scones, two ways. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

Wines for barbecuing

What to pair with cooking and eating outdoors

Memorial Day weekend! Seems like just yesterday we were still blowing snow, but now the heat is upon us. Temperatures and the pollen count are rising, but after our long, cold winters it is time to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. What better way to do that than to barbeque our favorites: beef, pork, chicken, fish, vegetables and, yes, fruit! Everything tastes better when cooked and eaten outdoors! And we welcome the opportunity to try out new marinades, toppings, recipes.

While your food is on the grill, you need something to “wet your whistle.” I suggest something light and summery. Our first wine fits that description perfectly. The 2020 Ruffino Lumina Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie,available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets, originally priced at $11.99 and reduced to $8.99, is a medium-bodied, lively and elegant Italian white wine. Made from grapes harvested in the vineyards of Delle Venezie, northeastern Italy, this wine offers delicious flavors of crisp golden apple, citrus and pear. Ruffino’s status was well-established when its Chianti won awards in the fourth quarter of the 19th century. This wine carries on that reputation by Ruffino’s sourcing premium grapes, combined with traditional wine-making processes of fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Chilled, this wine can be sipped alone or paired with light fare such as prosciutto, cheese, a bruschetta or a light salad.

Our next wine, the 2021 Joel Gott California Sauvignon Blanc, available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets, originally $13.99 and reduced to $10.99, is the perfect complement to grilled shrimp, scallops, swordfish, or marinated and grilled chicken and vegetables. The wine has a bright straw color. Citric notes greet the nose, along with other fruit — melons and peaches. On the palate, bright tropical notes appear with strong acidity, followed by a crisp finish of sweet red grapefruit. The 100 percent sauvignon blanc grapes come from Sonoma and Lake counties to Monterey and Santa Barbara. Why the diverse vineyard locations? According to the Joel Gott website, Sonoma vineyards offer flavor and complexity, Lake vineyard offer citric notes, and Monterey tropical notes. Santa Barbara grapes offer minerality, and this blending of grapes across hundreds of miles produces a balanced, food-friendly wine.

For those who are drawn to red wines rather than white, a bottle of Beaujolais, made from the gamay grape, is the wine to pair with grilled chicken, hamburgers, grilled pork, sausage, salmon or tuna.The 2018 Robert Debuissson Beaujolais-Villages, available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets, originally $16.99 and reduced to $8.99, is a wine that can work with a wide variety of entrees. In the glass the color is a deep cherry red with slight purple tints. To the nose the wine is fresh with strawberries and cherries. The fruit persists on the tongue with a lightness that allows it to pair well with rich, oily fish such as salmon and tuna or grilled chicken and still be bold enough to be paired to hamburgers. This is a fruity wine with light tannins and a soft texture that is somewhat lower in alcoholic content than more robust reds.

For steak-lovers there is no better match than a wine from Bordeaux. The 2016 Château La Gorre Cru Bourgeois from Medoc, originally priced at $49.99 and reduced to $23.99, is a superb blend of 60 percent merlot, 35 percent cabernet sauvignon and 5 percent petit verdot. The color is ruby red; there is rich, deep blackberry, plum and cherries on the nose with more fruit, leather, and spice on the tongue. The right amount of tannins from aging on oak makes this a balanced bottle of wine, but these tannins dictate the bottle should be decanted a couple of hours in advance to allow it to open. This is a great wine to be drunk now or cellared to be enjoyed with that steak in a couple of years.

Warming weather begs us to get out and barbecue. Plan your meal, pick your entrée, and pair some great wine to be quaffed while cooking, along with more wine to pair with what is being served. Enjoy

Featured photo. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Rylan Hill

Rylan Hill is the head chef of New Hampshire Pizza Co. (76 N. Main St., Concord, 333-2125, newhampshirepizzaco.com), which opened in downtown Concord in January. With the overall focus of highlightling locally produced ingredients, the full-service dine-in restaurant features brick-oven artisan pizzas as its centerpiece, along with house appetizers, salads, brunch items and desserts like homemade gelatos, ice creams and sorbets. It’s the latest venture of longtime Concord restaurateur Joel Harris of Dos Amigos Burritos — he opened that eatery’s first location in Portsmouth in 2003 before coming to the Capital City four years later. Hill, who grew up in Somersworth, worked stints at each of the Dos Amigos locations over the years prior to taking over the kitchen of New Hampshire Pizza Co., creating the entire menu and building relationships with local farms along the way.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A chef’s knife. I believe I have about 15 knives now, ranging from utility and paring all the way up to a cleaver.

What would you have for your last meal?

That’s the hardest question ever. … I guess I would chalk it up to a hot tin roof sundae. Just your standard couple of scoops of ice cream, with hot fudge, whipped cream, walnuts and a cherry.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Industry East in Manchester. I love that place. I’ve had a bunch of their flatbreads and whatever they’ve had on special a few times. Last time I went, I had a braised octopus tentacle and, man, that was good. … Lemon Thai, also in Manchester, is great. I think they have some of the best Thai food in New Hampshire.

What celebrity would you like to see eating at New Hampshire Pizza Co.?

I have three right off the top of my head. Anthony Bourdain, absolutely. Also I would say Jack Black, and then … I kind of consider these guys one unit, but the creators of South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker. … Those guys are geniuses.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

The pan-fried pork chop, which uses the pork from Brookford Farm [in Canterbury]. … I made that one night for dinner, and then the next day I ended up going back to get more pork chops and doing it again for a second night because it was so good. So as an appetizer, that was something that I really wanted to bring on every day. … I would say that, and then I’m also a sucker for the margherita pizza.

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

Mini things, like mini cupcakes, doughnuts and stuff like that. … If I were to be broad, I would say just doughnuts, flat out. I’ve been noticing a lot more of the small doughnut shops opening and they’re doing all these crazy doughnut flavors.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Anything breakfast, or ramen. Those are two things that you can do a thousand different ways.

Basil pesto
From the kitchen of Rylan Hill of New Hampshire Pizza Co. in Concord

¼ cup toasted pine nuts
2 bunches basil (approximately 4 cups), stems and all
½ cup grated Parmesan
1 cup grated pecorino
2 garlic cloves
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons sea salt
1¼ cups extra virgin olive oil

In a medium saucepan, toast your pine nuts on low heat, stirring occasionally until golden. In a food processor, pulse your pine nuts, garlic cloves, lemon juice and lemon zest to a paste. Add half the amount of basil and sea salt, and ¼ cup of olive oil, pulsing until smooth. Add the remaining basil and pulse until smooth. Add the Parmesan and pecorino and blend on high, while slowly adding the rest of your olive oil. Once smooth and creamy, you can enjoy it right away.

Featured photo: Rylan Hill. Courtesy photo.

Sips, sweets and savory eats

Taste of the Region returns to Derry

After a successful outdoor event in 2021, the Greater Derry Londonderry Chamber of Commerce’s signature Taste of the Region is moving back inside the Tupelo Music Hall for the first time in three years. The event returns on Thursday, June 2, and will feature a variety of sweet and savory items from area restaurants, plus drink samples from breweries and wineries.

Several businesses, mostly from Derry and a few surrounding towns, offer samples to vie for your vote in at least one of three categories — “savory,” “sips” or “sweets.” Each vendor can opt to participate in one, two or all three of them, said Chamber president Ashley Haseltine.

“The vendors … are really excited to participate,” she said. “I think this event gives us a great opportunity to highlight the diversity in the region that’s available, and also just to spread the word that these restaurants are open and looking forward to reengaging with the community.”

Upon paying the entry fee, attendees will receive access to all of the food and drink samples that will be on display. This year’s participating vendors include a combination of returning and new faces to the local dining scene, in addition to some previous Taste of the Region champions. Destination India Bar & Restaurant, which opened its doors on East Broadway in early 2021, won last year’s “savory” category for its chicken tikka masala and mixed vegetable curry. They’ll be back this year, Haseltine said, along with Rig A Tony’s Italian Takeout, the winner of last year’s “sweets” category for its eclectic dessert spread of cookies, whoopie pies and more.

Other returning vendors will include Clam Haven, also owned by Rig A Tony’s founder Lisa DeSisto; Casa Java Cafe, which has in the past featured freshly baked cookies; and Rockingham Brewing Co. and Zorvino Vineyards, both of which have many of their own popular pours.

New participants include One Happy Clam, a food truck operated by former longtime Clam Haven owner and Derry native Rick Metts. He’ll be parked right outside the main entrance to the venue, Haseltine said. This will also be the first Taste of the Region for Messy Mike’s Barbecue, a food trailer and catering company known for its slow-smoked meats, fresh sides and house sauces.

During the tasting, attendees are invited to vote for their favorite item in each of the three categories. If you especially like what you try, most of the vendors will also be selling discounts on gift certificates and merchandise in addition to their provided samples.

Taste of the Region
When: Thursday, June 2, 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry
Cost: $35 admittance per person (includes full access to food and drink tastings; tickets are available both in advance online and at the door, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Kyle B. Ross Memorial Scholarship Fund)
Visit: gdlchamber.org
Masks are recommended but not required.

Participating food and beverage vendors
• Bellavance Beverage Co. (bellavancebev.com)
• Casa Java Cafe (casajavacafe.com)
• Clam Haven (clamhaven.com)
• Destination India Restaurant & Bar (destinationindianh.com)
• Messy Mike’s Barbecue & Catering (messymikesbbq.com)
• One Happy Clam Food Truck (find them on Facebook @onehappyclam)
• Rig A Tony’s Italian Takeout (rigatonysitalian.com)
• Rockingham Brewing Co. (rockinghambrewing.com)
• Windham Terrace Assisted Living (windhamterrace.com)
• Zorvino Vineyards (zorvino.com)
More vendors are expected to be confirmed soon.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 22/05/26

News from the local food scene

• Jewish feasts: Online ordering opens on Wednesday, June 1, for Temple B’Nai Israel’s 25th annual New Hampshire Jewish Food Festival, which is being held virtually once again this year. From June 1 to June 30, you can visit tbinh.org and order from the temple’s menu of traditional Jewish-style foods, most of which feature recipes that have been handed down multiple generations. Offerings will include sandwiches with corned beef, pastrami and tongue from Evan’s New York Style Deli in Marblehead, Mass., served on seeded and unseeded rye bread from Laconia Village Bakery. They’ll be available for individual orders as well as in custom deli sandwich “picnic packs” with coleslaw, pickles, deli mustard and rugelach. New this year are two Middle Eastern items — halva, a sweet treat available in vanilla, marble or pistachio flavors, and a homemade Israeli salad with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a lemon dressing. Other options have included matzo ball soups, crispy potato latkes, New York-style knishes and hamantaschen (triangular-shaped filled cookies), available in three flavors. All online orders will be available for pickup by appointment at Temple B’Nai Israel (210 Court St., Laconia) between Friday, July 22, and Sunday, July 24. Visit tbinh.org.

• May the best chowder win: Heading up north this Memorial Day weekend? You might want to check out Waterville Valley Resort’s 32nd annual Chowderfest, happening on Sunday, May 29, from noon to 2:30 p.m. at the Waterville Valley town square (33 Village Road, Waterville Valley). Several area restaurants will be vying for your palate to win the coveted title of best local chowder. A full schedule of live local music is also planned out on the town square’s gazebo. Chowderfest admission is $7.50 for adults and $5 for kids ages 12 and under — the fee covers samples of each participating chowder as well as a voting ballot. Visit waterville.com.

• Making a difference: The Common Man restaurant group of New Hampshire has launched the Common Man Ukraine Relief Fund to benefit Ukrainian refugees and assist with relief efforts in Poland and surrounding countries. According to a press release, the fund has committed to matching up to $1 million in donations. Earlier this month, Common Man owner and founder Alex Ray also traveled overseas to meet with Polish and Ukrainian Rotary representatives and other agencies working to provide relief to Ukrainian refugees who are fleeing the ongoing war in their home country. According to the release, in partnership with Granite United Way, the Common Man has been part of a New Hampshire-based effort to bring relief to Ukraine. Most recently, they’ve begun offering their restaurants as collection sites for donations of critical supplies. Donations to the relief fund can be made online at thecman.com, or by texting CMAN4UKRAINE to 41444. One hundred percent of the donations will be directed to relief efforts in Ukraine, the release said.

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