Tag: 220721

Maple bacon scones

These scones are the most indulgent ones I make. Filled and topped with bacon and coated with a maple glaze, they are definitely not a healthy food. However, every single bite is amazing. From the crispy, salty bacon to the tender dough to the nicely sweet glaze, these scones are an edible delight.

This scone recipe takes a little longer than a typical recipe because you need to add time for cooking and cooling the bacon. Of course, it’s bacon, so it’s worth the extra effort.

When making these scones, there are a few important ingredient notes. I would not use thick cut bacon in this recipe. You want a thinner cut to make it easier to bite into. Also, these are maple scones, so real maple syrup is required. Don’t use pancake syrup. They won’t be the same. Finally, if you don’t usually buy buttermilk, you can skip it. Add a little less than a tablespoon of white vinegar to the milk, and let it set for 5 minutes: instant buttermilk.

With ingredient notes in hand, it’s time to shop and make these extra special breakfast treats.

Maple bacon scones
Makes 12

2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
5 Tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, diced
10 strips cooked bacon, divided
⅓ cup maple syrup
½ cup buttermilk
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon maple extract
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 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.
Dice 5 strips of bacon. (Set aside remaining 5 strips for topping)
Whisk 1/3 cup maple syrup, buttermilk, egg yolk and maple extract in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl.
Add liquids to dry ingredients; mix until dough forms a ball.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and press into a 10-inch square.
Cut into 12 rectangles.
Transfer wedges to a parchment paper-lined baking 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.
Transfer scones to a baking rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
Combine powdered sugar and 1/4 cup maple syrup in a small bowl.
Spoon maple glaze over scones.
Cut remaining bacon into 1- to 2-inch sections, and place atop glazed scones.

Featured Photo: Maple bacon scones. Photo courtesy of Michele Pesula Kuegler.

In the kitchen with Matt Berry and Dante Marino

Matt Berry and Dante Marino, along with Dante’s brother Vinny, are co-owners of Deadproof Pizza Co. (deadproofpizza.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @deadproofpizzaco), a mobile pizza pop-up company launched earlier this year that now regularly appears at local breweries, events and private catering gigs. The group made their debut at Taco Tour Manchester on May 5 — since then, they’ve appeared at several events, including 603 Brewery’s 10th anniversary celebration in Londonderry in June, and the annual Keep NH Brewing Festival in Concord earlier this month. Deadproof Pizza Co. features a core menu of eight pies, all served in 10-inch sizes, from a classic cheese to a meat lover’s pizza, a Hawaiian pizza and a prosciutto and fig pizza, along with rotating specials. With his wife, Lauren, Berry also co-owns Dahlia Restaurant, a series of New England-inspired farm-to-table pop-up dinners oftentimes organized in collaboration with area businesses. Marino, meanwhile, is the owner of Ethos & Able Creative, a local marketing and branding business. You can find Deadproof Pizza Co. next at Lithermans Limited Brewery (126B Hall St., Concord), where Berry and Marino will be slinging pizzas on Saturday, July 23, from noon to 8 p.m.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

Matt: We use spoons constantly. … We also stumbled across this mini 12-inch pizza turner when we were testing different peels we wanted to use. It’s the best thing we’ve ever bought.

Dante: When I cook at home, I underestimate how much I use a spatula. I feel like I’m always doing something with it.

What would you have for your last meal?

Dante: My grandmother’s fried eggplant and chicken cutlets.

Matt: A bacon double cheeseburger with French fries and a strawberry milkshake.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Matt: Earth’s Harvest in Dover. [Chef] George [Bezanson] makes the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. … He’s such a good dude, one of the sweetest, genuine people in my life, and his sandwiches are unreal.

Dante: If I had to go with someone more recently, we met The Traveling Foodie at the Keep NH Brewing Festival, and their stuff was nuts. They do some absolutely amazing food.

What celebrity would you like to see ordering from Deadproof Pizza Co.?

Matt: Pauly Shore. I’ve always wanted to see him. It’s low-key on my bucket list.

Dante: Ryan Reynolds. I just think he fits our vibe. He’s deadpan funny, and also he’s Deadpool, and we’re Deadproof.

What is your favorite pizza on your menu?

Dante: For me, it would definitely be the Trust Fund. It’s a pie with whipped Boursin cheese, truffle hot sauce and prosciutto.

Matt: Our classic OG. It’s such a good pie. I’ll eat it cold and it’s still delicious.

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

Matt: Cliche enough, I’m going to say right now that it’s pop-ups. Some people have been starting their own pop-up businesses like myself, just after quarantine. … They’re definitely becoming more and more relevant in New Hampshire, and luckily ours have been very well received.

Dante: People are realizing that starting their own pop-ups are more accessible now than ever, and it’s a nod to how closely knit businesses have become. … They may not even be in the same industry, but they work together.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Dante: I guess my favorite thing would be smash patties or fried chicken, because I like to find ways to be experimental with different flavors.

Matt: At the end of the day, it’s whatever’s quick and simple and what my daughter will eat. She just turned 2 and she has a palate that’s better than most adults I know. We definitely feed her some not very traditional things. She’s absolutely not picky.

“The perfect pie”
From the kitchen of Matt Berry and Dante Marino of Deadproof Pizza Co.

For the dough:
¼ cup warm water
¼ Tablespoon sugar
¼ Tablespoon active dry yeast
Heavy pinch of kosher salt
1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for forming
2 teaspoons garlic oil
Heavy pinch of fine cornmeal

Toppings:
2 ounces pizza sauce of choice
2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1 ounce grated pecorino cheese (grated Parmesan also works)
4 to 5 fresh basil leaves
Pinch of Maldon salt (flaky sea salt)
5 whole cloves garlic
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig each of thyme, rosemary and fresh oregano
1 Tablespoon kosher salt

Combine the olive oil with thyme, rosemary, oregano and whole cloves of garlic in a small saucepan over low heat. Let it cook for about 30 minutes, or until the garlic has turned golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add a tablespoon of kosher salt; stir to dissolve. Strain and let cool. Dissolve the sugar, yeast and salt into the lukewarm water. Add the strained oil. Add the flour — start with 5-and-a-half cups, adding as needed — and mix by hand or with a stand mixer until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let it sit for about one to two hours. If you have a pizza stone, place it in an oven set to 450 degrees at least 30 to 45 minutes before you intend to bake. Remove dough and form into a circle by hand on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out to roughly 10 inches, keeping it as circular as possible. Once rolled out, slide onto a peel (or a flat cookie sheet with no edges) that’s been lightly dusted with cornmeal. Add your sauce and cheese. Carefully slide the pie off the peel onto your preheated pizza stone and let it cook for roughly 10 to 15 minutes. Pull out of the oven and immediately dust with pecorino. Sprinkle evenly and let your pie cool for about two minutes. Roll up your basil leaves and slice thinly, throwing some on your pie to taste. Slice up, sprinkle your slices with Maldon salt and enjoy.

Featured photo: Left to right: Vinny Marino, Matt Berry and Dante Marino, co-owners of Deadproof Pizza Co. Courtesy photo.

Griddles and fiddles

Bluegrass BBQ returns to Concord

“A foot-tapping, lip-smacking good time” is promised at the annual Bluegrass BBQ, returning to White Park in Concord for its third year on Saturday, July 23. One of the chief fundraisers for the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness, the event will feature several barbecue options to choose from, along with a full lineup of local bluegrass artists performing throughout the day.

“We launched this event during Covid and it’s been very, very well received by the community,” said Greg Lessard, CCEH’s director of housing initiatives. “It’s been growing, too. We served 200 meals the first year and 550 the next year. … This year, we’re planning on 600.”

Scenes from the Bluegrass BBQ. Photos courtesy of Mulberry Creek Imagery.

The menu includes a total of five ordering packages for food. The “pitmaster special” is the most generous portion of barbecue and includes a meal of Texas-style brisket, pulled pork, smoked sausage, baked beans, coleslaw, pickled red onions and a pecan garlic barbecue sauce, along with a bun and a drink. There’s also a pulled pork sandwich meal with each of the same sides, or you can order the sandwich separately. A grilled hot dog meal with a bag of chips and a drink and a vegetarian meal featuring a hummus and tabouli wrap round out the food offerings.

Bill Wilcox of Wilcox & Barton, a local civil engineering company with a corporate office in Concord, is also a barbecuing enthusiast. He’ll be the chief pitmaster at the event, Lessard said.

“He’s a civil engineer, but he’s a chef as a hobby. … He has a custom-made smoker that was built down in Houston,” Lessard said. “He basically does all of the cooking, and then we’ve partnered with the Concord Food Co-op … [to do] all the prep work for the non-meat products.”

As during previous years, the event is tailgate-style — attendees are encouraged to place their barbecue orders online and then arrive at the park with chairs and picnic blankets to pick up their food and enjoy the music. A total of four bluegrass acts are each expected to play 90-minute sets. Paul Hubert will kick things off at 11 a.m., followed by Concord bluegrass and Americana group Bow Junction at 12:30 p.m., Whiskey Prison and 2 p.m. and soloist Hank Osborne at 3:30 p.m.

The Coalition has already raised more than $51,000 through 70 business sponsorships, and all food sale proceeds will go directly toward its programs. In the event of inclement weather, Lessard said, the barbecue will take place the following day, Sunday, July 24.

Live music schedule
• Paul Hubert: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Bow Junction: 12:30 to 2 p.m.
• Whiskey Prison: 2 to 3:30 p.m.
• Hank Osborne: 3:30 to 5 p.m.

3rd annual Bluegrass BBQ
When: Saturday, July 23, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (food service runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.); rain date is Sunday, July 24
Where: White Park, 1 White St., Concord
Cost: Options include a pitmaster special ($40), a pulled pork sandwich meal ($25), a hot dog meal ($10) and a vegetarian hummus and tabouli wrap meal ($25); place your order in advance online for pickup at the event
Visit: concordhomeless.org/bluegrass-bbq

Featured photo: Scenes from the Bluegrass BBQ. Photos courtesy of Mulberry Creek Imagery.

The Weekly Dish 22/07/21

News from the local food scene

• Fresh from the sea: Join the Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford) for a New England lobster bake on Thursday, July 28, at 6 p.m., outside on its Grand Terrace. The evening will kick off with a cocktail hour, followed by assorted hors d’oeuvres, a family-style dinner and a unique tabletop s’mores service for dessert. Dinners will be plated per guest, featuring Maine lobster and a variety of fixings, including Prince Edward Island mussels, New England steamers and little neck clams, as well as chile butter corn on the cob, Three Rivers Farm potatoes, poppy seed coleslaw, a Heron Pond Farm and Brookford Farm salad blend, and house made rolls with whipped Vermont butter. As for the s’mores, those will be served with assorted flavored house-made marshmallows. Tickets are $125 per person (event is 21+ only) and a cash bar will also be available all evening (additional cocktails, beer and wine are not included). In the event of inclement weather, the lobster bake will take place inside the restaurant’s Great Hall. The Bedford Village Inn’s regional summer dinner series, meanwhile, will continue with a four-course South Carolina dinner on Thursday, Aug. 4, from 6 to 10 p.m. Visit bedfordvillageinn.com or call 472-2001 to make reservations.

• Cocktails and sangria wines: The next installment in The Winemaker’s Kitchen Cooking with Wine class series at LaBelle Winery’s Amherst location (345 Route 101) is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 3, at 6 p.m. and will focus on cocktail party recipes. Owner and winemaker Amy LaBelle will lead this interactive demonstration, preparing a classic daiquiri and a French 75 cocktail, as well as an artisan cheese display and mini crab and corn cakes with mustard and white wine crema. Attendees will have a chance to sample each recipe, as well as wine pairings throughout the session. Take-home recipe cards for each item will also be provided. The cost is $35 per person plus taxes, and registration is required. LaBelle Winery is also set to hold a special sangria release party in Amherst on Wednesday, Aug. 10, at 6 p.m. — that event will feature tastings of its Sangria Blanca (white), Verano Sangria (red) and Sangria Rosé, along with a cheese display. Admission is $35 per person. Visit labellewinery.com.

• Pearls Candy to close in August: Longtime Salem candy shop Pearls Candy & Nuts will permanently close its doors by the end of August, citing “health and other reasons,” according to announcements posted on its website and Facebook page addressing its customers. “We truly appreciate you and your patronage,” the message reads in part. “We will continue to have fresh fudge into August, but we will not be ordering any new candy.” The shop is known for its thousands of varieties of nostalgic and hard-to-find novelty candies, as well as fresh hand-roasted cashews and peanuts. According to its website, the first iteration of Pearls opened in Salem in 1976, when Lenny Pearl followed in the footsteps of his father, the owner of Louis Pearl’s in Lawrence, Mass. Online ordering is still available at Pearls, in addition to in-store shopping — the July 8 Facebook post goes on to advise customers to “stock up now while inventory lasts.” The announcement comes just a few months after Manchester’s Candy Kingdom, another longtime family-owned candy shop, also permanently closed in April. Visit pearlscandynh.com.

On The Job – Crystal Murray

Campground manager

Crystal Murray is the manager at Suncook River Family Camp Resort in Suncook.

Explain your job and what it entails.

The first thing I do each day is make a drive-through to check on all the guests, say good morning and see how everyone’s doing. Then, I check the mail, voicemails, emails and get set up for my day and make my to-do list of things I need to do and people I need to get back to. Then, I meet with my co-worker — sometimes we’ll even go out on the kayaks for our morning meeting — and we go over any pressing issues we have, and we’ll schedule our [campground] events and what we’re doing on the weekends.

How long have you had this job?

We opened this campground last year, in 2021. Before that, I worked at another campground, and before that, I used to work at Camping World.

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

When I started working at Camping World, that’s what set off my interest in the outdoors and got me wanting to get into camping and canoeing and all that. Then, when I started working at actual campgrounds, that brought on a love for meeting people who are actually out camping, and I realized I definitely preferred being more involved and being part of the actual camping experience, as opposed to just being in sales.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I’ve learned a lot of skills along the way, [such as] people skills, interacting with people and understanding their needs and how to give them the best experience; and definitely time management skills and scheduling.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Most days, when it’s hot, and I’m in and out of the office, running around, checking on things, I’m wearing a T-shirt or tank top and shorts or a swim skirt.

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

Since Covid, camping and RVing have really taken off. When we first opened, we were focused on how to accommodate guests with all of the Covid guidelines. This year, we’ve been trying to balance having more people and more activities and things for them to do.

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

That it’s OK to set boundaries and have guidelines and structured rules. As friendly as I am, it definitely helps to have a backbone and to assert yourself to make sure everyone is safe and having a good time. All the rules we have in place are there for a reason, so it’s OK to make sure that everyone is following those rules and to not be a pushover.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

I hope people know that it’s more than just a day job for me; it’s something I’m very involved in and very passionate about. My whole heart is in it. I could write a book on every guest we have here; our guests are like family, and the kids here are like my kids, whether they’re just staying for a week or staying for the whole season. It’s a very family-oriented energy and atmosphere we have here.

What was the first job you ever had?

Bed Bath & Beyond, folding towels in the linens department.

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

You can’t be everybody’s best friend.

Five favorites

Favorite book: Anything by Dolores Cannon.
Favorite movie: Interstellar
Favorite music: I really like Stevie Nicks.
Favorite food: Mexican
Favorite thing about NH: The people and the seasons.

Featured photo: Crystal Murray. Courtesy photo.

Kiddie Pool 22/07/21

Family fun for the weekend

Movie Madness

• Take the teens and the Marvel-loving tweens to Merrimack’s 2022 Summer Movies in the Park which is featuring Spider-Man: No Way Home (PG-13) on Saturday, July 23, beginning at 8:15 p.m. at Wasserman Park (116 Naticook Road). The movie is free to residents and nonresidents. For more information and future movie listings, visit merrimackparksandrec.org/movies-in-the-park.

• All three of Chunky’s Cinema Pub’s locations (707 Huse Road in Manchester, 151 Coliseum Ave. in Nashua, 150 Bridge St. in Pelham; chunkys.com) are bringing back Little Lunch Date on Wednesday, July 27, at 11:30 a.m. The theater will be dimmed, not dark, and it will be a low-stress environment for kids, according to the website. The movie will be How to Train Your Dragon (PG), which follows Hiccup, the son of the chief of his Viking village, as he befriends a rare type of dragon, the night fury named Toothless. The movie is free, but reserve your seats by purchasing $5 food vouchers in advance. The doors open an hour before the start of the movie. For more information, visit chunkys.com.

• The featured movie for Manchester’s Summer Series Movies in the Parkat Veterans Park (723 Elm St.) at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27, is Encanto (PG). Encanto follows the life of the Madrigals, a magical family that lives in a small village in Colombia. When the family’s magic starts to disappear, it’s up to Mirabel, the only Madrigal born without magic, to save the day. And, of course, nobody talks about Bruno. The movie will also screen at 3 p.m. that day at the Manchester City Library (405 Pine St. in Manchester; manchester.lib.nh.us). Find more information about the outdoor series at manchesternh.gov/Government/City-Calendars/Upcoming-Events-in-Manchester.

Museum Fun

• The New Hampshire Children’s Museum (9 Washington St., Dover) is hosting author and tap dancer Aaron Tolson on Saturday, July 30, at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tolson will read his new children’s picture book, Tiny Tap Shoes, about Steve, a tiny fairy who loves to tap dance. After the reading Tolson will lead kids in a mini tap demonstration. The event is included in registration for the museum. Register online in advance for morning or afternoon playtime and learn more about this event at childrens-museum.org.

Out in Nature

• Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (Route 113, Holderness) is holding a Family Picnic Fundraiser on Saturday, July 23, from 5 to 8 p.m. Families will get to learn all about different insects, and there will also be live animal programs, live music from Green Heron, food, drink, games and even a chance to taste some insects. Ticket prices are $75 for ages 21 and older; $20 for ages 12 to 20; $10 for ages 6 to 11; free for ages 5 and under. For more information and to reserve tickets, visit nhnature.org/picnic.

• Laconia Public Library (695 N. Main St.) is hosting Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in the garden for the Wednesday Special on Wednesday, July 27, at 1 p.m. The focus of the event will be the wildlife that depends on the water in New Hampshire. This event is for children up to age 12 and advance registration is not required.

— Katelyn Sahagian

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