New Hampshire Magazine February 2017

N E W H A M P S H I R E M AG A Z I N E FEB RUARY 2 01 7

Art of Stone Walls Crafty Prison Escapes Page 46

Page 66

magazine

PETS ARE US T H E N E W O L D -T I M E R S

ARE PEOPLE TOO Pg. 56 A Guide to • P amperin g • Fanc y Food • Fashion

CRAFTING A FUTURE GROWING WINTER GREENS

February 2017 $4.99

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Dessert for Adults Pg.86 Sweet Suggestions for Valentines Day Pg.12

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Propose a toast while enjoying our year-round, outdoor hot tub or take a dip in our year-round, outdoor, heated, saltwater pool.

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NHMAGAZINE.COM President/Publisher Sharron R. McCarthy x5117 smccarthy@mcleancommunications.com Editor Rick Broussard x5119

editor@nhmagazine.com Art Director Chip Allen x5128 callen@nhmagazine.com

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Contributing Editor Barbara Coles barbaracoles@comcast.net

Cuisine Editor Susan Laughlin sllaughlin@gmail.com

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Š 2017 McLean Communications, Inc. New Hampshire MagazineŽ is published by McLean Communications, Inc., 150 Dow St., Manchester, NH 03101, (603) 624-1442. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any mistakes in advertisements or editorial. Statements/opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect or represent those of this publication or its officers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, McLean Communications, Inc.: New Hampshire Magazine disclaims all responsibility for omissions and errors. New Hampshire Magazine is published monthly.

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nhmagazine.com | February 2017

Contents 46 First Things 4 Editor’s Note 6 Contributors Page 8 Feedback

Features

56 603 Informer

603 Living

10 THE COG RAILWAY

26 LEF FARMS

76 Home

12 February Picks

30 Outsider

LOCAL LIGHTING

by Amy Mitchell

DOGSLEDDING

80 Health

BIATHLON

by Karen A. Jamrog

photo by Jerry Monkman

from left: photos by kathie fife, jared charney and john benford

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

by Ralph Morang

84 Law COMMON-LAW MARRIAGE

34 Out and About

46 The New Old-Timers

YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE

by Jeff Woodburn

36 Politics

86 Local Dish

STATE OF THE NH GOP

VALENTINE’S DAY

by Sarah Cahalan

Fido is a part of your family — it’s time to treat him like it. Find gourmet food, first-class accommodations, fashion and more for your four-legged (or winged) friend.

by Adi Rule photos by Jared Charney

14 Our Town

66 Crafting a Future

FOOD NEWS

The Hobbycraft program at the NH State Prison for Men in Concord is a path to success for former inmates.

by Barbara Coles photos by John Benford

by Erica Thoits, photos by Jenn Bakos

by Kristen Battles

Meet Concord’s WOW Fried Chicken & Subs owner Maher Abbas. photo by David Mendelsohn

56 Pets Are Us

66

603 Navigator

44 In Their Own Words

Stone walls have evolved from practical boundary markers to popular design elements. Meet some of today’s best builders.

by Kevin Gardner photos by Kathie Fife

February 2017

INTERVALE

by Barbara Radcliffe Rogers

18 Food & Drink CABONNAY

by Susan Laughlin

22 Small Bites

by Susan Laughlin

24 Retail INDEPENDENT PET STORES

by Barbara Coles

GRAND MARNIER MOUSSE

by James Pindell

by Susan Laughlin

37 Artisan

88 Calendar of NH Events

GIGI LABERGE

by Susan Laughlin

38 Doing Good EQUINE THERAPY

by Lynne Snierson

40 Review “NEVER CAUGHT”

WHAT TO DO THIS MONTH

by Rick Broussard

edited by Sarah Cahalan

41 Preview

92 Dine Out

BLIND AMBITION

GOOD EATS

by Rick Broussard

edited by Susan Laughlin

42 First Person

96 Last Laugh

MOUNTAIN ENVY

by Jeff Rapsis

ON THE COVER Portrait of Fiona the French bulldog puppy by Kimberly Sarah Sancranti of Kimberly Sarah Photography. See the feature story “Pets Are Us” starting on page 56.

ROMANCING THE STORE

by Rebecca Rule

Volume 31, Number 2 ISSN 1560-4949 nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Telltale Tails With films like “The Secret Life of Pets” and “A Dog’s Purpose,” it’s easy to imagine that family pets have their own stories to tell. But it wasn’t always so.

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nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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here was once a time when the average house cat was viewed less as a member of the family and more like an appliance — though not always a practical one. Cats and dogs served purposes and were largely replaceable.

My dad was of this old-school state of mind about animals. He found them amusing and could harbor sentimental feelings, but would never elevate them to the mythic levels that encourage 21st-century pet owners to write critters into their wills and family histories. He chalked up the infatuations of true animal lovers (like my mother) to what psychologists call “projection,” where one’s thoughts and emotions are made more real and vivid by attributing them to other beings.

In short, he thought true animal lovers (like, as I mentioned, my mom) were a little bit crazy. He may have had a point.

Back in the second half of the 20th century, my mom acquired one cat too many. It was the third one to be taken in out of pity or sheer happenstance, but it was one more than my practical dad could endure. The unneutered male cat was named Hamlet. He had a broken tail that would flick jauntily as he sprayed to mark territory. There was also the persistent feline diarrhea that Hamlet refused to confine to the litter box, but my mom became his protector and that was that.

At least until one night.

My dad was teaching classes at a nearby military base for some extra cash and would disappear for a few evenings every week. On one of those nights, as the family Mazda rolled out and down the driveway, my mom caught a glimpse of something through the rear window: a jaunty broken tail bobbing over the back seat of the car. She put my older

brother in charge of the younger siblings and packed me into the station wagon to follow.

It was a 15-minute drive from our suburban home to the barracks where the classes were taught, but we drove in silence, keeping our distance. Once we arrived, we found a spot in the safety of a nearby parking lot and observed as Dad got out of the car with Hamlet under his arm. There were military residences nearby and he walked to their general vicinity, placed Hamlet on the ground and then went inside to begin his class.

As soon as he was out of earshot we called out to Hamlet, who scampered up and was stowed into the station wagon for the trip home. I was sworn to silence and, as far as I know, Dad never even realized that Hamlet was back until the next morning when there was another acrid puddle of cat poop on one of the doormats (his favorite spot).

The prodigal cat’s swift return must have been a mystery to him, but he never said anything about it. But then again, how could he?

True pet stories come in all shades of profundity and irony. This one stuck with me, mostly because I’ve retold it so many times over the years, but I’ve got a dozen or two.

If you are an animal person (or are married to one), I bet you’ve got a few of your own. If reading through this special pet-oriented issue of New Hampshire Magazine reminds you of one, jot it down and send it to me. We’ll post the best ones we receive along with the online version of our “Pets Are Us” feature (see page 56).

After all, since pets can’t really tell their own stories, that task falls to us.

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Contributors Adi Rule, who wrote this month’s cover story, “Pets Are Us,” is the author of two young adult novels, “Strange Sweet Song” and “The Hidden Twin.” “Strange Sweet Song” recently won the 2016 NH Writers’ Project/NH Center for the Book award for Outstanding Young Adult Book. She contributed to the NH Pulp Fiction anthology “Live Free or Die! Die! Die!” and has led workshops throughout New England, including for the NH Writers’ Project. When she’s not writing, she sings in the chorus of the Boston Symphony Orchestra/Boston Pops.

for February 2017

Photographer Jared Charney shot the portraits of pets and their humans for the story “Pets Are Us.” See more at jaredcharney.com.

Kevin Gardner, who wrote the feature “The New Old-Timers,” has built or repaired hundreds of stone walls and has written extensively on the topic.

Kathie Fife, who took the photos for “The New Old-Timers,” is a freelance photographer with a specialty in environmental conservation.

Former longtime New Hampshire Magazine managing editor (and current contributing editor) Barbara Coles wrote “Crafting a Future.”

Photographer John Benford, who took the photos for “Crafting a Future,” specializes in on-location photography of places and people.

Fine art dog photographer Kimberly Sarah Sancranti shot this month’s cover photo.

See more of her work at kimberlysarahphotography.com.

NH Mag at the Top

Mount Washington Observatory President Sharon Schilling and board member Kenneth Jones pose with a framed copy of a story that Jones wrote for New Hampshire Magazine. Jones wrote it to make the definitive case for the observatory’s claim of being “The Home of the World’s Worst Weather.”

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nhmagazine.com | February 2017

More than a year ago, a reader wrote to us challenging an assertion that appeared in our pages (and that’s often made here in NH) — that Mt. Washington is home to the world’s worst weather. Fortunately for us, longtime Mount Washington Observatory board member (and former chairman) Kenneth Jones had already done a great deal of research on just this point and volunteered to make the definitive case for the claim. We published his findings in our November 2016 issue.

(Spoiler: He concluded that it’s true.)

To fend off any future doubters, Mount Washington Observatory President Sharon Schilling proposed that a framed copy of our story be posted at the observatory.

Jones agreed to represent the magazine at the installation and, on the December 21 shift change (a regular Wednesday practice, weather permitting), he rode up on a snow tractor driven by veteran driver “Slim” Bryant. Turns out it was Bryant’s last day on the job, but no fear. Replacement driver Elissa Gramling is a heavy equipment operator with 10 years of experience in Antarctica.

At the top, there was a brief presentation ceremony and a “joint shift meeting exchange” where they discussed the past and future weeks’ weather highlights.

Then Jones bumped and plowed back down the 8-mile road to the base with a down-going crew that was eager for a chance to bask in the common sort of bad weather we all know so well.

photo by ryan knapp

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nhmagazine.com, facebook.com/NHMagazine & @nhmagazine

there, so it’s nice to keep a litmus-check on things, including through your magazine.

Thank you for your fine work, and I trust that both you and Anders will keep your fires and inspirations going.

Jeff Fair Palmer, Alaska

Don’t Forget Snowmobiling

Old Man of the Mountain?

When I first saw the cover of your January issue, I thought it carried a dated photo of the Old Man of the Mountain. After speaking with Hooligan himself — a friend and backwoods contrarian confrère since 1975 — I realized that I was only half wrong. But I’m not writing primarily about the cover.

I read author Anders Morley’s story about John Harrigan (“Hooligan” to me, or simply “Hool,” pronounced like an owl with an overbite) [“The King of the North,” January 2017] with great interest and respect.

Morley absolutely captured his essence. He understood this character — which may be considered rare enough — and, beyond that, he was able to sketch him into words as few could, with even his writer’s voice complementing if not paralleling Hooligan’s.

Excellent rendition. Please tell him I said so.

Morley hit the basic honed tastes and history of this character, and presented a few tidbits I’d either never heard or had forgotten. But that’s Hooligan’s story for you — always some new piece of history.

And those pieces are best brought out by a kindred spirit, which Morley apparently is.

Anyway, Morley’s was a great bio.

I also enjoyed your column about Bucky and knowing Hool [“Editor’s Note,” January 2017], and I especially appreciate the level to which you’ve brought NH Magazine in your time as editor. Congrats, Rick; it’s looking great.

I moved back to NH at least three times from various parts of the lower 48 before settling here in Alaska, but I still have family, friends, and sometimes some work back 8

nhmagazine.com | February 2017

I look forward to your fine magazine each month, and I was especially interested in the January 2017 edition for two reasons: First, I’ve been a longtime fan of John Harrigan’s columns about [life] north of the notches [“The King of the North,” January 2017], and second, the cover headline a “Guide to Winter Sports” [“Get Out There,” January 2017]. As one who has enjoyed New Hampshire in the winter for many years, I’ve skied (downhill mostly), skated and snowmobiled since I acquired my first “snow machine” in 1968. However, in reading the article, there was not even a mention of snowmobiling!

It appears that the writer of the article has not been exposed to the sport, but here are a few facts: There are about 110 snowmobile clubs in New Hampshire that create and maintain around 7,000 miles of trails, nearly all through volunteer labor.

There is a partnership between the clubs and the NH Bureau of Trails that manages a grant-in-aid program, funded by registration fees, to aid in the purchase of grooming equipment and trail construction.

Most of the trails are on private land, which is made possible by the broad landowner protection laws and the $2 million liability insurance program granted to permissive landowners.

The thousands of snowmobilers who live and come to New Hampshire generate substantial amounts of revenue for the service and tourism industry. As an aside, many groomed snowmobile trails are used by cross-country skiers, snowshoers and pedestrians who find these trails a safer alternative to walking on narrow, plowed roadways.

I could go on, but I hope in future issues about winter sports snowmobiling won’t be overlooked. For more information, one can look up the NH Snowmobile Association.

Bob Lundgren Whitefield

Editor’s Note: We’ll add to the list of facts that the snowmobile was invented in New Hampshire (after a fashion). In 1917, Virgil D. White, a Ford dealer in West Ossipee, received a patent for an attachment designed to convert a Model T into a “snowmobile,” a term he also coined and patented. Perhaps next year’s winter sports guide will be about New Hampshire firsts — we’re also home to the first ski school.

Different Realities I hardly consider New Hampshire Magazine a source of cutting-edge journalism, but I was surprised by some of the negative comments from your readers about the Pam Smart article [“Innocent?” November 2016]. What kind of alternate universe do these people live in? Instead of dealing with today’s Orwellian realities, they prefer to dwell in a Rockwellian past inhabited by characters from the Saturday Evening Post. No wonder young people are fleeing the state in droves.

Bill Stelling Manchester

Short and Sweet Keep up the [newt] challenge, a monthly treat.

The New Hampshire Magazine is really neat.

Bill Tighe New London Editor’s Note: We received the following letter in error (it seems intended for Eastern Airlines).

We’re not in the habit of publishing letters meant for other magazines, but the idea of an apple pie with crushed gingersnaps sounds delicious. In the interest of trying this ourselves, if anyone has such a recipe, then please send it to us. We’ll also share it with Joyce.

Pie Dreams Years ago we were receiving your magazine (Eastern Airlines in Charlotte, North Carolina — probably in the 1980s), and there was a recipe for an apple pie that had crushed gingersnaps in the pie mix. I still remember that pie and the recipe a little, but I have misplaced it. I have looked everywhere I know to look for it. If you or any of your staff have the recipe, I would appreciate getting it from you. Thank you.

Joyce Rick Winton Products Company Inc.

january cover photo by bruce luetters

Send letters to Editor Rick Broussard, New Hampshire Magazine, 150 Dow St. Manchester, NH 03101 or email him at editor@nhmagazine.com.

emails, snail mail, facebook, tweets

THE PARIS BRACELET BRINGS COLOR AND SPARKLE TO ALL FACETS OF YOUR LIFE.

Spot four newts like the one above (but much smaller) hidden on ads in this issue, tell us where you found them and you might win a great gift from a local artisan or company. To enter our drawing for Spot the Newt, send answers plus your name and mailing address to:

Jewely. Clothing. Accessories

Spot the Newt c/o New Hampshire Magazine 150 Dow St., Manchester, NH 03101 Email them to newt@nhmagazine.com or fax them to (603) 624-1310.

Last month’s “Spot the Newt” winner is Jo Ann Anderson of Litchfield.

January issue newts were on pages 19, 22, 71 and 84.

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nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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603 Navigator “Great things are done when men and mountains meet.” — William Blake

Modern Marvel (Again)

A 148-year-old railway keeps making history The historic Mount Washington Cog Railway — which chugs up all 6,288 feet of the Northeast’s tallest peak — was the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway. At its debut in 1869, it was considered a modern marvel, with the Boston Transcript calling it “one of the greatest wonders of all time.” Today, in keeping with the Cog’s tradition of innovating rail travel, the fleet now includes efficient and environmentally friendly biodiesel locomotives, which were designed and built right at the Cog’s facilities. Pictured here is the inaugural run of the first biodiesel engine back in 2008. You can ride the Cog from late April through late November. Visit thecog.com for more information.

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nhmagazine.com | February 2017

Photo by Jerry Monkman

Events 12 Our Town 14 Food and Drink 18 Small Bites 22 Retail 24

nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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603 NAVIGATOR

EVENTS

February | Picks Celebrate Valentine’s Day with sweets for your sweetie

photos by b. sisson

courtesy of the artist

Some of the treats from last year’s Chocolate Festival in North Conway

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nhmagazine.com | February 2017

603 NAVIGATOR

EVENTS

Sure, you could buy your Valentine a regular heart-shaped box of chocolates, but we recommend taking your sweetie out for a whole day of sweets. These chocolate-themed events are perfect for lovers — or for singletons looking to celebrate their love of truffles and tarts and fondue. Oh, my.

Chocolate: The Secret Indulgence February 1, Auburn

Blind ‘em with science at this free lecture. Mike Cross comes to the Griffin Free Public Library from his post as a chemistry professor at Massachusetts’ Northern Essex Community College to explain the science of chocolate. Learn how the food gets your synapses firing to produce an emotional response, and find out how to tell the good stuff from the bad by taste alone. griffinfree.com

The Art of Wine and Chocolate February 2, Manchester

Once you’ve learned about the science of chocolate, head to this Currier After Hours event to learn about the sweet stuff’s artistic side.

Richard Tango-Lowy of Dancing Lion Chocolate will lead a discussion, while the museum café will coordinate a full menu and wine tastings, and docents will lead tours of the Currier’s food-centric artworks.

With wine, chocolate, art and a live jazz trio on hand, this may be your most romantic Valentine’s date yet. currier.org

Downtown Nashua Chocolate Stroll February 10-11, Nashua

Spend your pre-V-Day weekend eating your way through one of New Hampshire’s finest downtowns. Participating shops and boutiques will be handing out free chocolates to visitors for a few hours each day, so sample and shop to your heart’s content.

(Last year’s stroll stops included Cava de Vino, WineNot Boutique and the League of NH Craftsmen’s gallery.) Once you’ve filled up on desserts, you’re perfectly located for a romantic dinner at Surf or Stella Blu — where, if you order dessert again, your secret’s safe with us. downtownnashua.org

28th Annual Chocolate Festival February 26, North Conway

This venerable tour de chocolate is the best fest of the year for lovers of chocolate and the White Mountains. North Conway inns and eateries will open their doors and offer up chocolate goodies from martinis to Vintage Baking Company pastries for visitors arriving by all kinds of transportation. You’re welcome to drive or take advantage of the complimentary festival shuttle, but the real fun comes from making your own transportation. The fest is a fundraiser for the Mt. Washington Valley Ski Touring & Snowshoe Foundation, so tour stops are conveniently located along 45 km of cross-country paths. Strap on your snowshoes or skis and enjoy what locals call the Sweetest Day on the Trails. mwvskitouring.org

1 Chocolate: The Secret Indulgence, Auburn

4

2 The Art of Wine and Chocolate, Manchester 3 Downtown Nashua Chocolate Stroll, Nashua 4 28th Annual Chocolate Festival, North Conway

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nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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OUR TOWN

Finding Intervale

photo by stillman rogers

603 NAVIGATOR

Riverside Inn Bed & Breakfast

An inn-to-inn chocolate tour beckons

BY BARBARA RADCLIFFE ROGERS

I

knew exactly where I was, but I still had some trouble locating the boundaries of Intervale on a map. Depending on whose map I consulted, Intervale was either divided between Bartlett and Conway, or it was a bit of territory not part of either one. It has a post office of its own, and to confuse things further, the Bartlett Town Hall’s address is in Intervale.

For those not conversant in New England language, an interval is a relatively flat lowland that borders a river, which perfectly describes the scene from the Intervale Overlook on Route 16/302, where views from the modern visitor center reach Mt. Washington’s snow-capped summit. The vista was a favorite of 19th-century artist Benjamin Champney, originator of the White Mountain School of landscape painters.

It was that view, and the Boston & Maine Railroad, that gave Intervale its start. I

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nhmagazine.com | February 2017

learned this as I burrowed deeper into the cushy leather sofa in the expansive parlor of the Riverside Inn and continued reading a little book published by the Bartlett Public Library. Its author, Aileen Carroll, includes Intervale in “The Latchstring Was Always Out: A History of Lodging, Hospitality and Tourism in Bartlett, New Hampshire,” where I learned that Intervale began as an important stop for the Boston & Maine’s Flying Yankee train from Boston.

A two-minute walk from the train station stood Intervale House, then one of the White Mountains’ largest hotels, with 400 feet of covered veranda and incomparable views over the wide interval to Mt. Washington and the Presidential Range.

By the end of the 1800s, Intervale had grown to a cluster of hotels and inns, some with guest capacities as high as 300. A footbridge across the river, accessing a trail

to the waterfall at Diana’s Baths, was built by the Intervale Improvement Association, a group of local innkeepers and cottage owners, for the amusement of their guests.

Another trail led to Pitman’s Arch, a natural cave in the hillside that was large enough to hold 200 to 300 people. Intervale House is long gone, and we put off searching for Pitman’s Arch until a better season for hiking.

The motivation that set us out the next day to explore this storied nontown was not historical — it was something sweet (or, in this case, many sweet somethings).

Our route was roughly parallel to Route 16/302, through the backyards of several inns that are connected by a 45-kilometer network of scenic trails maintained by the Mt. Washington Valley

T reat them like family

Chocolate martini at Stonehurst Manor

Ski Touring & Snowshoe Foundation, headquartered in Intervale. Each of the inns where we stopped was part of the Annual Chocolate Festival, and at all of them we were treated to something chocolate — usually very chocolate. As we visited the 1785 Inn, Adventure Suites, Eastern Inns, The Local Grocer, Stonehurst Manor and Old Field House, we were offered candies, brownie sundaes, steaming cups of hot cocoa, chocolate-dipped fruit and marshmallows, chocolate cookies and cakes, each one enough to fuel us onward to the next stop. This year’s Chocolate Festival takes place on February 26.

We took the festival’s shuttle bus back to Riverside Inn, where they had put out a tray of chocolate “leftovers” to tide guests over to dinnertime. The inn partners with The Valley Originals, a group of local independent restaurant owners whose high standards include using local ingredients to prepare food fresh daily on-premises.

Member restaurants reach from Jackson and Hart’s Location in the north to as far south as Eaton Center and Madison. We

Riverside Inn Bed & Breakfast 372 Route 16A, Intervale (603) 356-0044 riverside-inn-bed-breakfast.com Mt. Washington Valley Ski Touring & Snowshoe Foundation Annual Chocolate Festival (603) 356-9920 mwvskitouring.org The Valley Originals thevalleyoriginals.com Red Parka Steakhouse & Pub 3 Station St., Glen (603) 383-4344 redparkapub.com

When Pets Talk, We Listen www.OneStopCountryPet.com

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Caption

View of Intervale Valley and Mt. Washington from the 1785 Inn

Guest living room at Riverside Inn Bed & Breakfast

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nhmagazine.com | February 2017

OUR TOWN

The motivation that set us out the next day to explore this storied nontown was not historical — it was something sweet. had plenty to choose from but chose the closest, Red Parka Steakhouse & Pub, just up the road in Glen. It’s been a favorite for skiers for as long as we’ve been skiing in the White Mountains, and our hand-cut steaks were served exactly as we’d ordered.

Intervale is a good winter base for downhill skiers. Within a very short drive, we could ski at Cranmore Mountain, Black Mountain or Attitash. And we were less than 45 minutes from King Pine Ski Area or Bretton Woods. Years ago, Intervale had its own downhill ski area: Intervale Ski Slope and Tow, one of New Hampshire’s “lost ski areas,” which was just across the river behind the New England Inn. Later in the evening, as I was browsing the Riverside Inn’s well-stocked shelves of current fiction and nonfiction, I got to talking about Intervale’s past with innkeeper Ken Lydecker. He reminded me that for many years it had been a summer encampment for descendants of the area’s original residents. A group of Abenakis spent summers here in the late 19th century, making and selling baskets to resort guests. The site of their encampment, the Abenaki Native American Historic Site on Intervale Cross Road, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and marked today by an interpretive sign.

Intervale has a rich history for a place with such an ambivalent geography. NH

photo by stillman rogers

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FOOD & DRINK

From left: David Thompson, Cornelis de Jong, Chef de Cuisine Chris Viaud and Pastry Chef Aurelien Blick

Cabonnay’s Chef de Cuisine Chris Viaud sprinkles ground pistachios onto a fresh scallop dish.

A Culinary Promise A new dining experience is almost here STORY AND PHOTOS BY SUSAN LAUGHLIN

I

f you build it, will they come? That’s the burning question when you spend millions to offer the public a unique dining experience.

Cabonnay at 55 Bridge St. in Manchester is slated to open soon — and its design is something special. Construction was still underway as of this issue’s press deadline, so use a little imagination to picture what promises to be an elegant experience: You enter the building through a three-story

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glass atrium. Once inside, you can either head upstairs to the bar and dining room or, if you have reservations for the chef ’s table, visit the kitchen downstairs. The space is enveloped in works of art and the atmosphere is enhanced by the sound system, creating a sense that you’re not in Manchvegas anymore.

Cornelis de Jong and partner David Thompson have joined forces to bring a spectacular vision of dining to Manchester.

If you ask de Jong, “Why Manchester?” he replies simply, “Why not?” Indeed, the largest city in New Hampshire has undergone a tremendous growth spurt in the past 10 years. The mill buildings are renovated, new hospitals and tech companies provide employment, and apartments and hotels are springing up, which all help the dining scene flourish.

The Foundry on Commercial Street (located in a gorgeously renovated mill) and a new Giorgio’s Ristorante & Bar location right at Exit 5 are both million-dollar-plus projects that have become downtown jewels. Why shouldn’t the Queen City have another such destination that’s even grander in concept, and that will really put Manchester on the culinary map? Adventurous diners will be spared the trip to Boston. That’s the promise.

My latest look at Cabonnay in September was a walk through the bare bones of the structure with de Jong and the Cabonnay team. De Jong is an imposing 6-foot-9 and a dapper dresser. His accent is slight, but a trained ear would detect his Dutch heritage and South African homeland. The former commercial building was undergoing a major transformation, and we stepped gingerly between detritus and dirt piles as de Jong pointed to the future bar space. As we looked up from the bottom level (soon to be the kitchen), he tells me that, once complete, as you enter the building you’ll be able to see who’s at the bar (called Bliss) through the glass walls of the atrium.

That glass vertical space will create a play of light and color that’s visible from most of

FOOD & DRINK

the dining areas. In addition to the dining room upstairs, there will also be high-tops and tables for two on the second floor in the 34-seat Fantasy dining space. De Jong wants to separate larger dining parties, who tend to be a bit more boisterous, into their own space on the third level in the Conservatory Room. The third floor will also house the Oasis dining room for parties of eight or more, a retail shop selling wine and related party goods, plus the entrance to a rooftop deck with garden walls, which is scheduled to open in late May. Even though the building is 11,000 square feet, says de Jong, there is only seating for 150, and each space will have its own projection system with atmospheric visuals and a unique sound experience. “I want this

Adventurous diners will be spared the trip to Boston. That’s the promise. to be like Symphony Hall, but with food,” he says. The vision is to bring regional art to the walls and to intersperse the spacious dining area with greenery, all created with a sense of performance. He wants guests to leave feeling like they have been treated to something special, and thinking, “That was beautiful.”

But this is just the shell that will hold “the essence of wine country.” What’s really at play here is the wholehearted effort to bring a sense of real pleasure to dining. De Jong and Thompson moved to New Hampshire several years ago, simply looking for a nice house in a nice community in which to put down roots. Their most recent address was in Chicago, and the search for a new home was countrywide. Maybe it was the tax rates or the proximity to Boston that drew them to the Granite State, but it was the love of fine dining and good wine that created the impetus to build a new restaurant near their new home. They have enjoyed fine dining around the world, but it seldom all came together for them as a great experience — stellar food and wine, nhmagazine.com | February 2017

19

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pleasing surroundings and a sense that you are enjoying more than a meal. They enjoy trips to Napa Valley and the gracious hospitality of vineyard tasting rooms. It’s that sensual experience and beautiful environment they are bringing to Manchester.

The name they created, Cabonnay, is a combination of chardonnay and cabernet wines, and it’s a reflection of the original inspiration for this dining venture. Cabonnay will offer a world-class selection of wines at a reasonable price, most discovered by de Jong on his travels.

Knowing that great food is key, de Jong and the team embarked on a nationwide Fruit granita with dried carrots

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FOOD & DRINK

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search for a talented chef. They found young chef Chris Viaud (he’s 25), who is willing to work with them to solidify the vision.

Viaud trained at Johnson & Wales and has a sophisticated palate and an innate artistic sense for plating dishes. He’s calm; he’s cool. His dishes are a culinary journey of unexpected combinations and will focus on local sourcing.

For their pastry chef, the team found an amazing talent in Aurelien Blick, who was born and trained in France. The French apprenticeship system begins very young and he, also just 25, brings 10 years of experience in classic French pastries and innovative des-

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FOOD & DRINK

serts from Le Chateaubriand in Paris, Saturne (also in Paris) and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon.

At the time Blick was at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in 2012, the famous restaurant had two Michelin stars and was rated as the world’s 12th best restaurant. De Jong considers finding Blick a lucky break, as the chef only recently relocated to Manchester. Blick is equally pleased to find someone that will give him the luxury of space and freedom to create memorable desserts.

Rest assured, Blick and Viaud are as passionate about the project as de Jong and Thompson. They want to be able to say at the end of the day, “We really did something.”

The architectural renderings de Jong has been poring over for the past six months are coming to life. As first-time restaurateurs, things could go awry. There is a broad continuum of service from attentive to too attentive — it’s not easy to be on point. The same goes for the perceived value of the experience. Yes, it will be expensive, but will you walk away with a great memory?

The food needs to be served on time, hot, beautiful and delicious. The décor needs to be pleasing and sound levels pitch-perfect.

Who wants to hear the adjoining table’s

problems or the overwhelming thrum of 40 simultaneous conversations? The delicate balancing act of running a first-rate restaurant is akin to learning to conduct a symphony of all the senses. There may be a few stray notes, but orchestration will come.

The curtain is about to rise. Get ready to enjoy the performance. NH

Details Cabonnay

55 Bridge St., Manchester cabonnay.com 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Tuesday though Sunday Expected opening in early March. Then, coming in the late spring, look for lunchtime hours, afternoon high tea and the Sunday Mornings in Paris brunch.

An architectural rendering of Cabonnay, which will be located at 55 Bridge St., right at the corner of Kosciuszko Street.

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Legendary acts in an intimate theater Concerts. Comics. Cinema. And Celebrated Authors. Plus: Historic Tours “A Great indoor date spot” – CNN Travel + Leisure

nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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FOOD & DRINK

Small Bites Food news from around the state by Susan Laughlin

Respect Your Elders Traditional Liqueur

Luxardo Maraschino Originale Having created the recipe in Italy in 1821 and endured through several wars, the Luxardo family is now in its sixth generation of producing this versatile maraschino cherry liqueur. The vintage spirit is offered in the original packaging of a tall, slim, green bottle wrapped with straw. The liquid is clear and blends well with whiskey, bourbon or gin for a variety of cocktails throughout the seasons. The liqueur can also be used as a flavoring agent for no-bake desserts. See the cocktail recipe below for inspiration.

Alberello 20 ml Luxardo Maraschino Originale 40 ml whiskey 15 ml Martini Rosso 2 dashes Fernet-Branca 2 dashes bitters Chill a coupette glass and prepare orange zest garnish.

Add ingredients into a mixing glass and stir until optimum dilution is achieved. Remove ice from coupette and strain drink into glass. Garnish with fanned orange zest and serve.

Find more recipes at luxardococktails.com.

Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, 750 ml, $29.99 Fratelli Fernet-Branca Italian Liqueur, 750 ml, $27.99 Flag Hill Straight Bourbon, 750 ml, $39.99 M & R Sweet Vermouth, 375 ml, $5.29 Found at New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets around the state.

French Delight

February 23, 6-8 p.m.

Learn how to make croissants from scratch at Dancing Lion Chocolate in Manchester.

Master Chocolatier Richard Tango-Lowy worked for a year to capture the essence of this Parisian delicacy. Take away the knowledge (and croissants) in two hours with this hands-on class. $65; dancinglion.us

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nhmagazine.com | February 2017

Event of the Month Wine Lovers’ Paradise

Big Tasting with Pine State Trading and Southern Wine & Spirits of New England, February 17, 6-8:30 p.m.

Part of the Winter Wine Festival at the Wentworth by the Sea, A Marriott Hotel & Spa in New Castle, this tasting is nothing less than a playground for food and wine lovers.

Guests will be able to choose from a vast array of wines and chef stations featuring the Mediterranean-influenced cuisine of SALT Kitchen & Bar. Enjoy live jazz by recording artist Chris Klaxton. $49.95; winterwinefestival.com. See more festival events on the next page.

photos by susan laughlin

Lesson in Deliciousness

2017 Winter Wine Festival Through February 26, 2017 This monthlong event is hosted by Wentworth by the Sea, A Marriott Hotel & Spa. Speak with wine luminaries, attend vintner’s dinners, enjoy the Big Tasting and discover jazz brunches, flight nights and Shell Shocked, an oyster and wine celebration. It’s all hosted at the grand hotel in New Castle.

Flight Nights Mon-Thurs, 5-7 p.m. in the SALT lounge. Enjoy featured flights of three wines, discounted antipasti and small plate offerings from the chef’s bar.

February 6-9, February 13-16 and February 20-23 Bubbles and Jazz Brunch 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom, $44.95 plus service charge and tax.

February 5, Mionetto Prosecco, Italy

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February 12, Gruet Sparkling, New Mexico February 19, Sofia Sparkling, California February 26, Gramona Cava, Spain Grand Vintner’s Dinners Four-course dinners begin at 7 p.m.

February 4, John Anthony Vineyards of Napa with winemaker Geoff Whitman and Executive Sous Chef Lee Michael, $104.95 plus tax and gratuity February 10, Billecart-Salmon champagne with winery ambassador Clement Calleja and Executive Chef Ken Lingle, $175.95 plus tax and gratuity February 11, Masterwines with owner Mel Master and Chef de Cuisine Bill Barcikowski, $104.95 plus tax and gratuity

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February 18, Kendall-Jackson Vineyard Estates with master winemaker Randy Ullom and Executive Chef Ken LIngle, $104.95 plus tax and gratuity February 25, Domain Chandon and Newton Vineyard of Napa with winery ambassador Rich Buchanan and Executive Chef Ken Lingle, $104.95 plus tax and gratuity Shell Shocked: An Oyster and Wine Celebration February 3, February 24, Hosted in SALT’s lounge, 5-10 p.m. Savor oysters that have richer flavors due to being harvested in the winter months. Add crisp Italian varietals, sauvignon blanc, sparkling wines and even pinot noir to enhance the minerality and brininess of this delicacy. Mix and match. No reservations necessary.

More information at winterwinefestival.com.

as he hosts the best chefs in the state in the ultimate cooking showdown – all to benefit New Hampshire Food Bank!

MARCH 6, 2017

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he New Hampshire Food Bank will transform the armory into a grand dining room where you will enjoy a fabulous dinner created by Chef Robert Irvine as you watch the competition heat up in front of your eyes! VIP tickets include a meet-and-greet with the chefs!

Boston

For more information visit nhfoodbank.org

Please use this one if using the logo smaller than 3 inches

nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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Pet Pampering

Finding the best for your four-legged pal

BY BARBARA COLES

W

e’ve come a long way from the days when dogs were relegated to the backyard. Now dogs — yes, cats and other furry friends too, but especially pups — are treated like members of the family. For many, they are as precious as a child.

What the pet industry calls the “humanization” of pets in recent years has transformed the way we relate to them. They ride in car seats, eat whole-grain and grass-fed food, and have blueberry facials. As a result of all the care, pets are healthier, and no doubt happier.

So is the pet industry — according to the American Pet Products Association, spending on pets has increased 270 percent since 1994. Much of that increase has come from growing consumer interest in higher-quality, eco-friendly pet food.

“They want wholesome food that contains all human-grade ingredients. They want meat that’s truly meat with real fruits and vegetables. They don’t want processed food,

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synthetic food, chemicals or byproducts,” says John Phillips, co-owner with his wife Sandy of The Wholistic Pet in Bedford. Both have advanced degrees in chemistry, biochemistry and medical technology.

The store, in business for 20 years selling an array of green pet products (for horses too), has an onsite facility that makes many of the animal health and wellness products it sells, including nutritional supplements such as probiotics, essential fatty acids and concentrated joint support that meet the stringent quality standards of the National Animal Supplement Council. The store, which ships its products all over the world, will start making and selling its own food line next year.

The demand for locally sourced, locally made pet food comes in part from the numerous recalls that have happened in recent years; the worst, the 2007 recall of melamine-contaminated food from China.

Another reason for the demand — statis-

courtesy photo

Nope, this isn’t a bakery. This case at Four Your Paws Only is strictly for the dogs.

tics that showed a significant increase in pet cancers. “Research has attributed the increase to the use of commercial pet foods that began in the 1950s,” says Tammi Martin, owner of Pet Pantry Provisions in Exeter. “Dogs aren’t built to digest the grains in that dog food.

There is a movement to put them back on a natural, unprocessed diet of protein, fats and carbs that they can digest.”

At Pet Pantry Provisions, along with the store’s other offerings, there are many options for that kind of diet. Three of them are specialties: Better Than Bones, a dog treat that is grain-free and meat-free; Better Bellies yogurt with organic live cultures; and Butchers Feast, a dehydrated blend of locally sourced fruits and vegetables, including all the required vitamins and minerals, along with fresh, grass-fed, locally raised meats and free-range poultry. The blend can be used as a basis for people who want to cook for their pets. Suggestions are provided for adding additional meats and vegetables based on the individual dog’s requirements. “This makes it convenient and healthier,” Martin says.

It’s not just pet food that’s eco-friendly.

Stores are carrying a wide range of all-natural, eco-friendly products, including kitty litter. Pam Rohdenburg, general manager of One Stop Country Pet Supply in Keene, says the old clay kitty litter is out; litter made from

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corn, wheat, walnut shells, even green tea, is in. She also points to Lupine, the North Conway-based company that makes leashes from recycled soda bottles. “People want products that are recycled (or can be), biodegradable, and safe for their animals,” she says.

Those animals can include more than dogs and cats — One Stop Country Pet Supply also sells bearded dragons, milk snakes, tree frogs, hermit crabs and other nontraditional critters. And yes, she says, people can get just as attached to them as their dogs and cats.

“They’re much more responsive than you

might think,” Rohdenburg says.

Another part of holistic health for pets is to feed their spirit with socializing, and Four Your Paws Only in North Conway has it in spades, so much so they have an events calendar on their website. Now in its 23rd year of operation, the business — which has a wide selection of pet products, sold in the store and online — has pioneered dog happenings like their play groups, yappy hours and birthday parties (they have an onsite pet bakery with all-natural cakes and cookies for the occasion).

“We have events in as many as nine of the 12 months,” says Kathy Ahearn, co-owner with husband Brian. “In February, we’re having a Puppy Bowl to coincide with the Super Bowl, which is big up here.” Dogs (there’s a weight limit) wearing team bandanas will chase footballs up and down a floor that’s marked like a football field. The March event, the year’s biggest, is a puppy party with clowns, balloons and all the trimmings.

Ahearn says her business, which is a five-time New Hampshire Magazine Best of NH winner, is all about community involvement.

For sure, the tender care pets are getting these days will cost a smidge more, but pet store owners say, consider what you’re likely to save on vet bills. NH

Get There

courtesy photo

The Wholistic Pet 341 Route 101 Bedford thewholisticpet.com (603) 472-2273

Pet Pantry Provisions in Exeter offers food that’s designed for a dog’s digestive system.

Pet Pantry Provisions 78 Lincoln St. Exeter petpantryprovisions.com (603) 583-4853

April 1 & 2,

One Stop Country Pet Supply 26 Ash Brook Rd. Keene onestopcountrypet.com (603) 352-9200 Four Your Paws Only 1821 White Mountain Hwy. North Conway fouryourpawsonly.com (800) 327-5957

2017

Whittemore Center Arena, UNH, Durham, NH

NewEnglandExpos.com nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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“You cannot help but learn more as you take the world into your hands. Take it up reverently, for it is an old piece of clay, with millions of thumbprints in it.” — John Updike

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Photos by Jennifer Bakos

Outsider 30 Out and About 34 Politics 36 Artisan 37 Doing Good 38 Review 40 Preview 41 First Person 42

Winter Fresh

It’s time for some green in your life

BY ERICA THOITS

By February, green seems like the dream of a forgotten time. And no, pine trees don’t count. We’re entering the middle stretch of gray, brown and white, which, while exciting for those who love snow sports, is a bit of a bummer for anyone who craves veggies plucked fresh from the ground. Sure, you can head to your local grocery store to find virtually every vegetable that grows under the sun at practically any time of year, but really, we all know it’s not the same. Not even

nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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close. Henry Huntington, president and CEO of the recently opened lēf Farms, feels your pain, veggie-cravers. Recently, you may have noticed a newcomer to the bagged salad and lettuce cooler. While most of its neighbors (we’re talking 95-98 percent) come from the West Coast or Mexico, these tasty salad greens are from Loudon. As in, right here in New Hampshire.

Increasingly, says Huntington, “consumers want to know where their food is coming from. They want to make sure it’s safe and that it’s good — we thought, ‘we can do that.’”

“Buy local” is not a new idea for New Hampshire. The movement to support local farms is something that comes naturally to Granite Staters. After all, agricultural tradition runs deep here.

Lēf Farms, however, isn’t exactly your traditional farm. In fact, it isn’t even built on farmland. It’s a massive, 75,000-square-foot hydroponic greenhouse facility that’s located on an old gravel pit. The 14 acres of land, says Huntington, were not farmable in the usual sense. Now, he adds, they can grow up to 60 times the amount of greens on 28

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INFORMER PLUS

Top: The lēf Farms facility in Loudon Above, from left: Bob LaDue, Henry Huntington and Jeff Huntington

that space than you could with fields of the same size. Not to mention the fact that you can now get fresh, flavorful, locally grown greens all year round.

Greenhouses, though, require energy to run. Huntington and the lēf team hunted around the world for a system that would not only allow them to grow healthy plants,

but would also be both sustainable and environmentally friendly.

In Finland — a country that knows a thing or two about dealing with long, cold, dark seasons — they found their solution.

This northern country, which is bordered on one side by ocean and by Russia on the other, also deals with workforce-scarcity issues. This problem, combined with their weather challenges, led them to develop the system that was eventually modified for lēf.

The result is a sophisticated, highly automated process that won’t overly impact the environment (though neighbors in rural Loudon have voiced concerns about light pollution from the glowing greenhouses).

There’s no inefficient use of resources, fertilizers or chemicals. The hydroponic growing system uses almost 90 percent less water than traditional farming. By capturing and recycling water and nutrients, they can keep plants healthy while minimizing waste and runoff.

They eschew both pesticides and GMO-seeds, and only use growing media (a replacement for the usual soil) that can be composted instead of getting dumped into a landfill. With no chemicals being used, there’s no need to

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“Consumers want to know where their food is coming from.

They want to make sure it’s safe and that it’s good.”

— Henry Huntington

The automated system is designed to efficiently grow healthy plants in a way that’s both sustainable and environmentally friendly.

pre-wash greens (and there’s no chlorine rinse, either) — in fact, all of the harvests are completely hands-free, so the only hands touching your tasty greens are yours.

The carbon footprint is reduced substantially by collecting the emissions from the heating system. The CO2 produced is actually reused to help feed the plants, converting bad gas into good. On top of that, the utilization of the collected CO2means that they need to use less energy for heat and light to keep the plants growing.

Additionally, the packaging uses 90 percent less plastic than clamshells (those big, boxy containers you see on the shelves).

Plus, if your salad doesn’t have to travel 3,000 miles on a truck to get to you, then there’s a healthy amount of savings right from the get-go.

To sum it all up, “It’s a really cool system,” says Huntington.

Speaking of cool, Sales and Marketing Manager DJ Grandmaison, who holds a degree in environmental horticulture from UNH, explains that your delicate salad greens are staying nice and cold all the way from the harvest to the shelf.

“We’re the only ones that we know of that are harvesting in a cooler,” he says. Usually, given that fields are, well, outside, vegetables are harvested at whatever temperature it happens to be that day. Not a big deal if

you’re eating it right away, but add to that the time West Coast or Mexican produce sits in warehouses and on trucks, then suddenly it’s not so great.

Once harvested in a cooler, the greens are kept cold, and are eventually put into packages and crates that promote airflow to keep things nice and fresh. It all means that when you open your bag of lēf Farms greens, you won’t find any sad, limp lettuce.

Behind all of this is a partnership with some serious greenery know-how.

Huntington has been in the greenhouse business for over 40 years. In that time, along with his father and brother, he established Pleasant View Gardens, one of the most successful horticulture businesses in the Northeast.

Joining him on this new, technologically advanced undertaking is Bob LaDue, vice president and COO. LaDue, says Huntington, “is one of the best experts, if not the number one expert, in growing greens.”

With a degree in agricultural and environmental systems technology from Cornell University, LaDue has 20 years of experience with controlled greenhouse environments like lēf Farms. He’s also the one that’s been working hard to develop the perfect greens for the three types of mixes they currently offer. Like how a chef constantly tweaks and

tastes a recipe before it’s put on the menu, LaDue has been tinkering with varieties of greens and how they all work together to form a particular flavor profile.

If you were picturing boring old romaine, think again. lēf Farms produces delicate greens, including mizuna, arugula, baby red Russian kale, Toscano kale, cressida, both red and green pak choi, mustard and green loose leaf. These are bagged into three mixes: Smooth, a more mild combination of leaf lettuce, pak choi, mizuna and oakleaf; Spice, a robust blend of arugula, mustard, cressida, mizuna and leaf lettuce; and Balance, a delicate and healthy blend of red and green kale.

Next time you’re in the store craving something green and leafy, do yourself a favor and put down that sad head of shrink-wrapped iceberg. Your summer-veggie-starved body will thank you. NH

There’s no boring romaine or iceberg to be found at lēf Farms. nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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OUTSIDER

Get Your Mush On Go along for the ride

BY KRISTEN BATTLES

I

still bear a shiny white scar on my forearm from my one-and-only dogsledding experience more than 14 years ago.

It wasn’t a spectacular injury — I merely scraped my arm along some ice-shellacked snow as I was taking off in the sled, leaving behind the faintest reminder of that day. But, if given an opportunity, I love to point it out and say, ever so casually, “Yeah, got this one here from an intense day of dogsledding.”

Sounds much cooler than the adjacent mark I got from a curling iron when I was 13.

The best part of that day was the rush of air on my face as a team of powerful, extraordinarily friendly dogs pulled me along in a sled. When we were first gearing them up, they really wanted to go — it was all I could do to hold them back. My preconceived notions that the dogs may be unhappy doing this were quickly blown away. They really seemed to live for it, and it

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was about their day out — I was just along for the ride.

A Brief History No one really knows when the first person attached a dog to a sled as means of transport, but some archaeological evidence points to Canadian Thule sites as early as somewhere between 1000 AD and 1600 AD. There are historical records of use of sled dogs in the Siberian subarctic from the 10th century, and in the writings of Marco Polo from the 16th. Dogsleds were in regular use in Alaska until the advent of the snowmobile, but events such as the long-distance Iditarod race were put in place to preserve the dogsledding culture. The event was first created to commemorate the freight route to Nome, highlighting the important role sled dogs had in the settlement of Alaska.

“When folks come on their first dogsled

Christine Richardson and her team at last January’s Mahoosuc 100-mile race in Milan

ride, they are usually so amazed at how friendly the dogs are,” says Christine Richardson of Seal Cove Journeys in Canaan.

Richardson, who runs the professional racing kennel, has 21 years of experience racing and guiding tours. “Mushing has changed so much in the last 50 years, and we focus very much on every dog enjoying their job as a sled dog,” she adds. At Seal Cove, they raise the dogs from pups, and if any dog demonstrates that he or she doesn’t take to being a sled dog, then Richardson doesn’t force it.

Unsurprisingly, they get very close to their canine staff members.

“We also know all their names, and I can even tell them by their barks and howls,” Richardson says. “During a tour, we encourage people to introduce themselves to the dogs based on their comfort level. They can also help us to harness and hook the dogs into the team, then we bundle them into the sled for the first part of the ride. The dogs take off fast, so having guests sit in the sled until the dogs settle into a pace is the best strategy. Then we will have them join us on the runners to see what it feels like to be the

photo courtesy of christine richardson

603 INFORMER

musher and give the commands.”

After the tour is over, both guests and dogs get treats — beef soup for the dogs and hot cocoa and cookies for the humans.

“We take time to laugh and share about the ride, and each tour usually ends with hugs and happy goodbyes,” says Richardson. NH

Adopt a Sled Dog

Working sled dogs do not always fare well if they find themselves in a traditional shelter environment. Often, they develop behavioral problems and end up either deemed unadoptable (and ultimately euthanized), bouncing from home to home or living out their days in a shelter or kennel.

In 2013, the nonprofit NH Sled Dog Rescue, History and Education Center (NHSDRHEC) was formed to further support rescue sled dogs in need, provide education about northern breed dogs to the public and help the adoptable sled dogs in their program find new homes. Together with Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel and Raft NH, the NHSDRHEC is responsible for the daily care of about 100 dogs, a number that requires upward of $100,000 for basic care annually. The touring facility at Muddy Paw, which is a traditional working kennel, is a familiar environment for the dogs. Unlike a shelter, it allows them to continue to thrive and “work” until they’re ready to give house life a try and/or can be paired up with the perfect adopters.

If you’re interested in adopting one of the dogs, visit nhsdrhec.com for more detailed information on the process. Do know that some of these former working dogs may have a few specific needs, including an active household that can provide multiple walks a day and engaging toys in the home. They will need to be acclimated to a house environment (including house training — it’s much like welcoming a puppy).

More Info valleysnowdogz.com Family-owned dogsled rides and tours at Benton’s Sugar Shack, Waterville Valley and Squam Lake dogslednh.com Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel and Raft NH is a yearround dogsledding outfitter located in the White Mountains region. sealcovejourneys.com They are taking the season off from group programs, but this professional racing kennel is a great source of information for dogsled enthusiasts and those interested in animal communication.

FIND YOUR STATION AT NHPR.ORGLISTEN

FALL IN LOVE WITH

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Brooch by Lauren Pollaro nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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OUTSIDER

An expert trains at the Jackson Biathlon Range.

Beginner Biathlon It’s not just for winter Olympians

BY RALPH MORANG

O

n a bright February day in Jackson, my wife Susan and I carried guns in public and skied in circles.

The object was to get a serious workout with a mountain view, and then try to hold a target in our rifle sights while breathless.

All this fun can be had by taking the level 1 course at the Jackson Biathlon Range.

Biathlon, which most people tend to think about only when the winter Olympic games roll around, combines cross-country (Nordic) skiing with rifle marksmanship. Ski, shoot, ski, shoot.

We learned something new about skiing, gained an insight into an exciting sport, and had fun in the winter sun.

We usually plan a February ski weekend, and we’re familiar with the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation’s network of trails, so

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when we heard about the Jackson Biathlon Range, I told Susan, “I want to do that.”

Susan had never handled a gun before and wasn’t sure biathlon was something she wanted to try. But, she told me, when she heard that I wanted to do it, she was interested in giving it a go.

We drove from Jackson Village up Black Mountain Road (and then some more up Black Mountain Road) and followed a small sign to our destination, Windy Hill Bed & Breakfast.

The Windy Hill Trail of the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation crosses Windy Hill Field, where the biathlon training range is set up. Fortunately, the day we were there, the weather did not live up to the trail’s name. I imagine wind makes target practice much more challenging.

Once we made it to the range, Jackson Biathlon Range founder and instructor Wayne Peterson greeted us.

There were four students crowded into the small warming hut. After we signed the liability forms, Peterson questioned us to assess our skiing abilities and shooting experience. He recommended skate skis (we had classic skis), and he learned a couple of us had never fired a gun (including Susan).

Wayne took his time with us, going over safety procedures and demonstrating the use of the German Anschütz and Russian Izhmash rifles, which are specially made for biathlon. They’re both bolt-action single-shot rifles, lightweight and adjustable.

Peterson uses the International Biathlon Union safety protocols and range procedures. “My job as range officer is to present the material in a way people can improve their skills,” he says. The .22-caliber rifles take a five-shot magazine, and a sling is attached to carry the rifle backpack style. But as trainees, we would not be skiing with the guns — they stay at the shooting points. Just as well. I’d hate to fall on a $4,000 rifle.

Peterson said biathlon is the most-televised winter sport in Germany, Austria and Russia. He began skiing as an Alpine racer and took up Nordic skiing eight or 10 years ago. Soon after that, he began training in the biathlon at the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation in Montana.

While an Olympic biathlon course can have three to five loops, each up to 2.5 kilometers long, the introduction course in Jackson is a single loop that offers distances from .5 kilometer to 1 kilometer.

Opposite the warming hut there are shooting points for four trainees, and the targets are 50 meters away. Peterson instructed us to ski a loop, take our firing point to shoot and then ski a final loop.

Here’s where accurate shooting counts — for every target missed, you must ski a penalty loop, meaning come race time, poor accuracy can really hurt you. But for us novices, it’s just practice.

First, we sight in the rifles — that is, we try to hit targets. All Level 1 shooting is in a prone position, lying down with the rifle on a rest. Olympic biathletes shoot offhand (standing up) and prone. With rifle actions open, Peterson sets up paper targets for us.

Susan put all her shots in the black.

Either it was beginner’s luck (she says she was surprised she even hit the target) or Peterson is an excellent teacher. His

photo by ralph morang

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photos by wayne peterson, ralph morang

OUTSIDER

instructions on how to sight (keeping both eyes open is key) and the breathing steps (take a breath, hold it, fire, then let it out) were all extremely helpful.

I’m a lefty, and had to use a right-handed rifle left-eyed at first. We each had 10 shots.

I held my breath, placed the sights directly over the center of the target, and clustered my 10 at 1 and 2 o’clock — three bullets actually made one big hole! My high school rifle teamwork paid off. Fortunately, a left-handed rifle was available for the rest of the day.

Now to actual biathloning.

The trails are groomed to perfection by the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation. If we had skate skis, like Peterson recommended, then we could have dug the edges in and skied uphill. Mostly we used our skis like snowshoes, somewhat inelegantly clopping uphill instead.

To shoot with skis on the shooting mat, I had to point them in the right direction, drop to my knees, and then lie prone while aiming with my body. I also had to plan how I was going to get up. This is one reason why new students don’t carry rifles — I could have ended up a tangle of skis, poles and rifle. Not a great idea.

The biathlon targets are black metal disks, five across in a frame. With a hit, a white disk flips up in front of the black targets.

With five hits, great, off I go on the loop for the next round. However, with each miss, remember that penalty loop. Fortunately, my marksmanship was adequate enough for a modest result.

Susan was not intimidated by the shoot-

Ralph Morang at the Jackson Biathlon Range

ing, but the combination of skiing and shooting was a challenge. “I’m not used to skiing and then suddenly having to be still to fire a weapon,” she says. “When you are breathing hard, it’s hard to be still. It takes a lot of discipline to do this.”

Peterson agrees and says the sport is not easy. The blood does pound in your ears as you aim and try to control your breathing.

We did watch some better skiers/shooters.

As skiers, they disappear quickly down the trail and reappear almost flying up the hill.

As shooters — ping, ping, ping, ping, ping — all the targets go down.

Sean Doherty of Center Conway, the youngest member of the 2014 US Olympic biathlon team, has trained at Jackson. In 2013, Doherty won a gold and two silver medals in the IBU Junior World Championships, the first US Biathlon athlete to win three medals at any world championship event.

Although there was no race during our course, and we could take our time, an unspoken competition existed among the students as we cycled through shooting and skiing (and penalty loops).

After three hours, the course was over much too fast. Peterson gave us our sighting-in targets.

“I feel like I really accomplished something,” Susan tells me. “I felt good about it.

I’m glad I tried it.”

We headed off for a hearty lunch at the J-Town Deli & Country Store. The next day, we returned to Windy Hill, and with new appreciation watched some of the experts. NH

Susan Morse at the Jackson Biathlon Range

Try It Yourself The nonprofit Jackson Biathlon Range offers three levels of instruction. Level 1 covers the basics, and Level 2 prepares an athlete to compete in the expert class, shooting prone and standing. Level 2 participants may be considering purchasing their own rifle. In Level 3, participants learn more about the standing position and race techniques.

Jackson Biathlon offers junior (ages 13-18) and youth (ages 9-12) teams beginning at the Christmas school break and practicing through March, and they will attend a couple of races. They also offer open practices for experienced athletes.

Until March, there are two race series on Wednesdays and every other Sunday. There are entrance fees.

In partnership with AbilityPLUS in Bartlett and the US Paralympic programs, Jackson Biathlon is in the process of developing an adaptive program to serve the needs of athletes of all abilities.

Other biathlon venues: Pemigewasset Valley Fish & Game in Holderness; Ethan Allen Biathlon Club in Jericho, Vt.; Craftsbury Outdoor Center, Craftsbury, Vt.; Strafford Nordic Center, Strafford, Vt.; Pineland Farms, New Gloucester, Maine; and the Outdoor Sport Institute, Fort Kent and Presque Isle, Maine.

Jackson Biathlon Range jacksonbiathlon.org nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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SCENE

Out and About Snapshots from some recent events of note

1

12/21

2

Longest Night

2

12/3-12/4

Symphony NH Holiday House Tour

1

The public was invited to tour a number of Nashua-area homes that were professionally decorated for the holidays. Proceeds benefited Symphony NH. New to this year’s tour was the historic Anderson House, which is owned by the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts.

1 Thomas More College of Liberal Arts students provided live music in the historic Anderson House’s music room.

12/15

Paul Harris Fellow Child and Family Services of NH Community Relations Manager Cindy Gaffney was bestowed the Paul Harris Fellowship by the Rotary Club of Manchester.

A Manchester native, Gaff1 ney was honored for her many contributions to the 1 From left: Andrew York of the Rotary Club of club and the community, Manchester, Cindy Gaffney and Borja Alvarez de Toledo, president/CEO of Child and Family Services from civic to charitable.

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3

12/31

Red River Theatres NYE Red River Theatres in Concord hosted its annual Classic New Year’s celebration. Featured that evening was the 1944 film “Cover Girl” starring Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly.

1 Sue and Art Moore of Concord pose with the framed poster for “Cover Girl.” 2 Guests also enjoyed sweets and champagne.

3 Elizabeth Whiting and Linda Rogers pose for a selfie.

holiday house tour photo by susan laughlin;, red river photos by jemi broussard, others courtesy photos

On a cold December night, approximately 30 community members, from high school students to senior citizens, spent the night outside in tents and on cardboard boxes in Franconia. The event was a fundraiser for The Bancroft House, and it also served as a way to raise awareness of homelessness in the Granite State.

says THANK YOU to the following sponsors who made our January 21 awards night gala such a spectacular success.

Capitol Center for the Arts APS Lighting-Sound-AV New Hampshire Magazine Wax Idiotical Films Arnold Imaging, LLC The Common Man Family of Restaurants Grinley Creative DJ Jodi Entertainment P.T. Sullivan Photography Did you miss it? Check out our Facebook page for scenes from the awards. Drop us a line at info@nhtheatreawards.org to subscribe to our e-newsletter and receive updates on NHTA and other theatre-related events and opportunities.

POLITICS

illustration by peter noonan

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Power Surge After 15 years of bruises, a recharged GOP arises

BY JAMES PINDELL

I

n late January, New Hampshire Republicans elected a new state party chair. The new Republican governor, Chris Sununu, picked the person he wanted to run his state party back in the fall, so the election wasn’t big news. But, in the long view, it’s huge news.

For 15 years, the state Republican Party has essentially been a broke, losing party beset with internal fighting, a trend that began with another Sununu in 2002.

In that midterm election, John E. Sununu, Chris’ older brother, defeated then-sitting governor Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, for a seat in the United States Senate. Weeks later it was revealed that state Republican Party aides had illegally jammed phone lines for a group aiding Democrats. This was a federal crime.

The NHGOP’s executive director at the time went to prison. In addition, the state Republican Party had to pay a lot of money annually to the state Democratic Party in fines.

As a result of this tarnishing, many Republican politicians and activists didn’t want to touch the state party, and many traditional Republican donors decided to stay away. And who could blame them? Any money they

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gave would go to a chaotic organization and possibly end up with the state Democrats.

Democrats elected John Lynch as governor in 2004, and he was to be re-elected twice at levels that set state records and made him the most popular New Hampshire governor in modern political history.

Meanwhile, it was hard for Republicans to find a leader to get their organization back on track. The position is unpaid and comes with endless criticism and no real money to do anything beyond the bare bones.

In the 15-year period since, state Republicans have had 10 different state chairs, while Democrats only had two.

It wasn’t all GOP gloom: The two-year period after the 2008 elections saw the rise of the Tea Party movement, which galvanized the conservative grassroots and brought the steady hand of the Sununu patriarch, former Governor John H. Sununu, to take over as party chair and rebuild the party’s establishment and donor base.

The celebration was short-lived. After Republican success in the 2010 elections, John H. Sununu didn’t run again. Next, his hand-

picked successor lost to the biggest Tea Party leader in the state, Jack Kimball. Party donors went back into hiding and soon the establishment waged a successful coup on Kimball, just seven months into his term.

All of the establishment was in on the coup — Republican members of the House, new US Senator Kelly Ayotte and new state House Speaker Bill O’Brien — so Republicans were in power but wielded this power to eat their own.

Now Republicans are back in power in Concord following the 2016 elections, but the mood feels different than six years ago. Those criticizing the party back then have either given up or found new hobbies. The few still grumbling — that their party is led by a prochoice governor, for example — don’t see a lot of people grumbling with them.

So Republicans can focus on defeating Democrats again. Democrats who might be electing their own state chair this spring now find their party is the one reeling after tough losses and upset with their own establishment.

New Hampshire Republicans, a party that ran the state for a century, is back — but who knows for how long? NH

603 INFORMER

ARTISAN

courtesy photos

Prices range from $95 to $395 for landscapes and $25 to $65 for wall-hung vases.

Earrings in all colors range from $40 to $65.

Necklace with pearls, shown here, is $40.

Fire and Glass Gigi Laberge creates landscapes and jewelry

BY SUSAN LAUGHLIN

G

lass artist Gigi Laberge of Henniker started out as a watercolor landscape painter. But she wasn’t happy with her paintings, and she often cut them up to use for jewelry. That all changed after she took a fused glass workshop. “Since then, the tail has been wagging the dog,” she explains.

Now working with fused glass as a canvas, she remains influenced by her environment.

Palm trees appear when she visits her mother in Florida, fiddlehead ferns are a focus in spring, and even her trip to the Southwest

imbued her work with turquoise stones and spare landscapes. With her eye as a painter, she conjures an underwater scene with jellyfish or an iris blooming in spring or the rolling hills of New Hampshire in subtle shades of green and blue. Using glass enamel with the consistency of thick ink, she draws on glass with a touch that reveals her rendering skill. Even under the high temperature of 1,100 degrees for fusing glass, the lines, like a work in pen and ink, remain light and lyrical.

In addition to two-dimensional images for

display, she designs jewelry pieces in a combination of glass and natural materials. Her heart necklace, shown here, uses cultured pearls that contrast and reflect the red of the glass. Sometimes the pearls are mounted with a post fused directly into the glass. Her earrings are also a showcase for her love of dichroic glass — glass with a mineral coating that gives it sparkle and contrasts nicely with the luster of pearls.

Laberge continues to create and experiment. Her latest work, named Silver Pools, sandwiches a layer of silver between a sheet of glass with a top of crushed glass. When heated until molten, a molecular reaction creates unexpected results. Another project, her annual glass ornament, is released at holiday time.

Find her work at all of the League of NH Craftsmen retail shops across the state, the Paradise City show in Northhampton, Massachusetts, in May and the League’s Sunapee fair each August. Laberge also originated and still runs Crafts at the Capitol in November at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord.

Check her website for a multitude of other craft show appearances. NH

Find It

Gigi Laberge Fused and Flameworked Glass Henniker gigilaberge.com info@gigilaberge.com nhcrafts.org nhmagazine.com | February 2017

37

DOING GOOD

Jazzy the horse with a client at The Carriage Barn Therapeutic Riding Center

Horses as Healers Equine therapy offers a range of benefits

BY LYNNE SNIERSON

T

he wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse’s ears, says an Arabian proverb, and at The Carriage Barn Therapeutic Riding Center in Kensington, the steeds are equine angels incarnate.

The kindhearted and intelligent Merlin, a 17-year-old Haflinger mare, is but one of the specially trained horses and ponies that help create magical results by partnering with human volunteers and certified therapists.

“Horses are healers,” says Dr. Ann Miles,

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the nonprofit organization’s founder and executive director. Miles, who is also a consummate horsewoman, adds that horses and people make excellent companions: “The two species really do relate to each other.”

The program’s intent is to maximize the abilities of each challenged individual rather than dwell on his or her disabilities. Miles defines the goals for each participant, and then, using a team approach, the staff and horses work together to provide assistive programs for children, teens, adults and

veterans dealing with a myriad of physical, emotional, mental and cognitive disabilities and challenges.

“I’ve been doing this for 20 years and right now, what I have coming in the door, which is putting me to my knees, is young teens who are suicidal. I have been overwhelmed in the last 12 months. I can’t believe what we are seeing,” says Miles, who is recognized by the industry’s gold standard, the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH), as an innovative expert in her field.

Since the time of the ancient Greeks, horses have been utilized as therapists for people with incurable illnesses. Evidence of the practice is found in the writings of the great Hippocrates (460-370 BC), but these days equine therapy is not designed to replace more commonly employed methods.

Rather, it enhances them as a complementary or adjunct treatment.

Equine therapy often involves riding horses, which can be of any breed, as long as they are calm, even-tempered, gentle, physically sound, and well-trained under saddle and on the ground. But even grooming, feeding or simply petting them can work wonders.

Nomo, a 20-year-old Haflinger gelding (castrated male), is a willing hard worker who understands his job. He does it well.

“The clients Nomo had when he was a very young horse are now coming back as young adults. He knows every single one of them. He puts his head in their lap if they are in a wheelchair. Nomo just stands there and allows them to pet him so these clients can reunite with him,” says Miles. “The intensity of what happens is astounding.”

Among the recognized physical benefits of equine therapy are muscle stimulation, strength and conditioning, flexibility, balance, coordination, postural alignment and range of motion. The emotional plusses include self-confidence, self-esteem, selfworth, better communication, relaxation, recreation, socialization, improved cognitive abilities and empowerment.

“You can’t do this kind of therapy on a wooden horse, or in a gym, because it’s so multilayered,” Miles says.

At The Carriage Barn, as the name implies, Miles also incorporates carriage driving, which involves controlling a horse while holding reins and driving from a carriage seat. At the Trundle Bed Farm location (also in Kensington), clients can drive from a

photo courtesy of the carriage barn therapeutic riding center

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DOING GOOD

More Equine Therapy Resources Back in the Saddle Equine Therapy Center 334 College Hill Rd., Hopkinton (603) 746-5681, bitsetc.org High Knoll Equestrian Center 100 Ten Rod Rd., Rochester (603) 335-4343, myhreequine.com Miracles in Motion 118 Wyman Rd., Keene (603) 357-7282, mimnh.org UNH Therapeutic Riding Program 278 Mast Rd. Extension, Durham (603) 862-0131 colsa.unh.edu/dbs/equine This Haflinger horse received a makeover from several children at The Carriage Barn.

photo courtesy of the carriage barn therapeutic riding center

wheelchair in a specially modified carriage.

“A woman who is a quadriplegic absolutely felt she had nothing left after her accident, but now she comes here every Wednesday and does carriage driving because that makes her whole again,” says Miles. “It’s

exquisitely beautiful to watch. The inter-species connection is very profound. It’s beyond any kind of simple definition. What are we here? We are a sanctuary.” NH The Carriage Barn, Kensington (603) 378-0140; carriage-barn.org

UpReach Therapeutic Equestrian Center 153 Paige Hill Rd., Goffstown (603) 497-2343, upreachtrc.org Wings and Hooves Therapeutic Riding 8 Freeman St., East Kingston (603) 642-3722 wingsandhooves.weebly.com

12 Marketplace 12 Marketplace Shops Shops 5 Restaurants 5 Restaurants 4 Inns 4 Inns Cascade Spa Cascade Spa One Unique on One Unique Village Village on Lake Winnipesaukee Lake Winnipesaukee in Meredith, NH in Meredith, NH

25 . Meredith, NH . 622-6455 (800) 622-6455 . millfalls.com millfallsmarketplace.com RoutesRoutes 3 & 25 3. &Meredith, NH . (800) . millfallsmarketplace.com nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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Review

Presidential Run An unsung historical heroine finally has her day

BY RICK BROUSSARD

I

t was difficult enough to escape the bonds of slavery in Colonial America, but imagine how tough it would be for a young African woman when your “owners” are the first president and first lady of the United States.

That was the situation of Ona Judge, a favored house slave of George and Martha Washington, who not only escaped, but evaded their tenacious pursuit of her that lasted until the ends of their lives. Her escape was so successful that she almost disappeared from the record of history, but for a few advertisements seeking her capture and return and some interviews in abolitionist publications of the day.

New Hampshire, with its curious independence on display even in those early years of our nation, proved to be a helpful collaborator for Judge, who remained at large here until her death in 1848 (nearly a half century after both George and Martha passed away).

But for her final escape, this time from the anonymity of the past, she had a true ally in meticulous researcher and renowned scholar Erica Armstrong Dunbar, professor of black American studies and history at the University of Delaware.

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Dunbar was studying the lives of black women in the North for her first book, “Fragile Freedom,” when she came across an 18th-century newspaper notice offering a $10 reward for the return of a slave from the president’s house and that included the name “Oney Judge.”

“I thought, ‘here I am studying the lives of black women in the North and I don’t know this story.’ I could not walk away,” says Dunbar.

And so began an eight-year journey of piecing together the life of Ona Judge. She assimilated the written records and probed into the Washingtons’ slave holdings, including the fact that the First Couple had managed to evade then-capital city Philadelphia’s anti-slavery laws by rotating slaves to and from their Mount Vernon home every six months.

When Judge’s trail led to the Granite State, Dunbar followed, initially meeting with Portsmouth guru of African-American history Valerie Cunningham and finally arriving at a spot on the border of the Seacoast towns of Greenland and Stratham where Judge spent her final years in the home of a free black family. It’s also the place where Judge is most likely buried, says Dunbar.

It’s private land in a residential district now, so the trip was a kind of spirit-journey for her. She was aided by a local real estate agent who shares the fascination with the story, but was surprised to learn that a half-mile walk through poison ivy-infested underbrush was required.

“I’m a city slicker,” she says, “wearing flip flops and a skirt,” but she added a pair of socks she had in her purse and gamely followed.

“When you do historical biography and spend so much time tracking lives, you have to know where they ended up,” says Dunbar. “For so many enslaved people, you simply don’t know.” When she arrived at the densely wooded site, she describes what she felt as “a release.” It was a conclusion to her years of research, true, but also a personal quest. “To finally know where she is, to experience that kind of quiet she knew and experience what she saw and smelled every day in the latter years of her life — it was emotional and propelled me to finish the manuscript.”

The manuscript is now available in book form, highly readable and full of insights into the sketchy details of America’s past. It also provides a unique viewpoint on the developing cultural character of New Hampshire, where slavery was legal until 1857, and where the restless spirits of Bondage and Freedom lived side by side, often in the same household.

Dunbar will return to New Hampshire on March 5 to participate in a series of events beginning at 12:30 p.m. with a tour of the Governor John Langdon House. Following will be a live history performance with actress Gwendolyn Quezaire-Presutti portraying Judge, and the day will culminate with a talk and book signing by the author.

The event is free and open to the public, but you must reserve your space by calling (603) 436-8433. Other events are planned for Concord and Peterborough.

“Never Caught,” published Feb. 7, 37Ink/Atria Books, $25, is available wherever good books are sold. NH Ona Judge’s runaway advertisement in Claypoole’s American Daily Advertiser, May 25, 1796

courtesy photos

(Stuff worthy of your time and treasure or we wouldn’t bother with it)

photo by ron st. jean

PREVIEW

603 INFORMER

Blind Ambition

Three colleges commission their troupes to stage an epic trilogy

BY RICK BROUSSARD

W

hat could be more challenging to stage in modern times than classical Greek tragedy? How about staging the most famous of Greek trilogies, Sophocles’ “The Oedipus Cycle,” with the plays produced by three different college theatre departments, each blind to the others’ approach, and with only a stage set and lighting plot to unite them?

“It has been artistically energizing,” says David Kaye, chair of theatre and dance at the University of New Hampshire where performances of “Oedipus at Colonus,” the second play of the trilogy, will be staged on Feb. 22, 23 and 26. The story cycle actually begins with “Oedipus Rex,” performed by Plymouth State University on Feb. 24, while “Antigone” will be performed by the thespians of Keene State College on Feb. 25. All shows take place at UNH. “I think audiences may be surprised by how many ways you can interpret Greek theatre and choruses,” says Kaye. “I can almost guarantee you these three will look nothing alike.” He recalls a similar effort 10 years before when the productions varied in styles ranging from a battle scene from

1960s Vietnam to a Marilyn Manson concert.

Kaye says the staging three different visions on the same set will be a “logistical nightmare,” but he’s quite optimistic about the results. Still, as the Greeks knew, the twists of Fate are not ours to control, but to bravely endure. And if somehow tragedy should befall the effort, he can always quote the playwright: “And if you find I’ve lied, from this day on call the prophet blind.”

— Sophocles, “Oedipus Rex” NH For tickets and showtimes, visit cola.unh.edu/ theatre-dance/current-season.

Set design and light plot will be the same for all three productions, but there the similarity ends.

Classical costume designs for the UNH production of “Oedipus at Colonus” (from top) Antigone, Oedipus and Creon. By Szu-Feng Chen nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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Mountain Envy

With respect to Mount Washington, it’s no Kilimanjaro

M

y training for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro began with childhood trips to Clark’s Trading Post and Story Land.

But it wasn’t physical training. It was psychological.

Like many Granite State families, at least once each summer we’d head north to the White Mountains, where we’d stay in motels (some with COLOR TV!) and visit all the attractions.

And we’d do it while being awed by the biggest mountains we’d ever seen. We’d motor through Franconia Notch and crane our necks out the windows of the Ford station wagon at the craggy cliffs of Mount Lafayette and Cannon Mountain.

Wow! This was nothing like Pack Monadnock or the Uncanoonucs, mundane hum-

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mocks that marked the modest horizon of our humdrum southern New Hampshire lives.

These were real mountains — the kind you’d see in movies, and that books were written about.

And yes, I remember reading “My Side of the Mountain,” the classic young adult adventure story, and of course I imagined it taking place out in the woods somewhere beyond Six Gun City. The White Mountains were my frame of reference for everything mountainous.

But the thing is, New Hampshire’s mountains aren’t really that big.

Even Mount Washington — biggest of all at 6,288 feet, and home to admittedly worldclass terrible weather — isn’t truly large in size or height.

Also, New Hampshire’s mountains are old. Ground down by glaciers, their round-

ed summits lack the dramatic pointy peaks of newer ranges, geologically speaking, such as the Alps or the Andes or the Himalayas.

Yes, they have their own unique charm.

But the White Mountains just aren’t as visually dramatic as many other ranges around the world. This sounds like sacrilege coming from a New Hampshire native, but it’s the truth.

I first appreciated this for real when I visited the state of Washington and got up close to Mount Rainier and its sister peaks in the Cascades. Returning home, Mount Monadnock looked to me like something on a model railroad layout.

Other evidence? Take my wife (please!), who first came to Keene some years ago for a job after attending college in Boulder, Colorado, in full view of the Front Range of the Rockies.

courtesy photos

BY JEFF RAPSIS

FIRST PERSON

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courtesy photos

That sense of “Wow!” never waned. It was present throughout our nine-day trek to the summit.

Soon after arriving, she and a friend from Missoula, Montana, drove north to see our famous White Mountains. Up they went on I-93, getting excited as they reached the foothills.

They actually got all the way through Franconia Notch before realizing: Those were the mountains!

So OK, I grew up among puny peaks. But eventually, I discovered that growing up in innocent awe of the Whites had its long-term advantages. Specifically, it was perfect training to preserve a sense of childlike wonder about the many dramatic peaks and mountains all over the globe. No matter where I went, if mountains were part of the scenery, they were always flat-out astonishing!

And that includes Mount Kilimanjaro.

Decades after my last visit to Six Gun City (alas, now closed), seeing Mount Kilimanjaro for the first time in January 2015 prompted the same reaction I had when sticking my head out the car window in Franconia Notch during the Nixon administration.

Wow! And I meant it. There it was — the still-snow-capped peak (despite recent glacier loss) shimmering in the distance, an otherworldly site in equatorial Africa. It seemed unbelievable to look at, never mind climb.

And that sense of “Wow!” never waned.

It was present throughout our nine-day trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro, an immense behemoth of a mountain that rises from the landscape like a wave that tops out at 19,341 feet. It measures about 60 miles across just by itself, covering more area than all the White Mountains and some of the Green Mountains over in Vermont.

It was present every day on our trek, which took us through verdant African landscapes and then up to the rocky barren upper slopes, passing through several

Above: The author checks for his name in the “Tourist Rescue Book” at Mweka Gate at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Right: Jeff Rapsis and his team reached the 19,341-foot summit at sunrise following an overnight hike that began at 11 p.m. Most Kilimanjaro trekkers make the final push in the dark to take advantage of stable early morning summit weather conditions.

distinct climate zones. It was present when we camped each night, higher and higher, to acclimatize ourselves to the lack of oxygen at such altitudes.

And the sense of wonder was still there when we reached the summit, the highest point on the entire African continent. The view from the top, with the sun rising over the clouds far below, was like what you see from the window of an airplane, only without the airplane.

I’m sure I would have been thrilled no matter what my background was. But I think my infatuation with the White Mountains at a young age has conditioned me to forever be just a little bit more amazed at the world than if I’d somehow, say, spent my school vacations skiing in the Swiss Alps.

The downside to this frame of reference, however, is that if you’re not careful, it can artificially limit your ability to experience the world around you.

I once traveled around Thailand with a guy who grew up in Bayonne, New Jersey. No matter where we went or what we did, it only existed to him in reference to his hometown.

The beach at Koh Samui? Just like on the Hackensack River. That amazing tropical sun-

set? Just like Bayonne in mid-summer, with the oil refineries across the bay going full blast.

And there I was, high on Kilimanjaro, thinking how much the terrain looked like the barren summit of Mount Washington, only on a colossal scale, and without the Cog Railway.

I made this comparison out loud just once, to a couple also from New Hampshire, knowing they’d understand. But I otherwise kept such thoughts to myself, not wanting to be the guy from Bayonne.

And besides, nothing on Mount Kilimanjaro reminded me of Six Gun City. NH Adventurer Jeff Rapsis is also a composer who specializes in new music for movies from the silent film era. His “Kilimanjaro Suite,” a four-movement work for orchestra, will receive its world premiere at a concert of The New Hampshire Philharmonic on Sunday, January 22, at 2 p.m. at the Stockbridge Theatre in Derry. For more info and for tickets, visit nhphil.org. For more about the music, visit jeffrapsis.com. nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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603 INFORMER

Maher Abbas and a feathery friend at WOW Fried Chicken

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IN THEIR OWN WORDS

603 INFORMER

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Super Chicken Photos and transcription by David Mendelsohn

Maher Abbas came from Iraq and chose Concord as his home. He’s proud of his family, proud of his adopted country and proud of his new restaurant.

At Abbas’ WOW Fried Chicken & Subs, the chicken is both crispy and tender, and there are many other taste sensations to sample. He also owns Chi Cha, a popular hookah bar around the corner. Fortunately, WOW stays open late (and delivers) to ensure that no one goes home hungry.

In Baghdad, I was a businessman. I had a restaurant and a huge warehouse.

I came to America because of what was happening to my country. I was there for Saddam Hussein. I was there for his sons, Uday and Qusay, too. Everyone was very afraid of their actions.

I was there for both wars. I haven’t been back. I want to see my family, but it is not safe there.

When I was in Iraq, I always thought that America was a country of freedom. Everyone here still has freedom.

I love the American culture because it’s a mix of everything, and the people are kind and successful, especially the people of New England.

I met my partner Ahmed Ibraheem in the US. He too lived in Baghdad. He was a doctor and also had many businesses. We work together very well.

It was a good feeling to start WOW Chicken. I have a dream and a hope to expand and franchise someday.

A year after entering the US, I tried Maine lobster. I thought it would not be so good, but it turned out to be amazing!

I came up with the name, WOW, because it was unique and different.

Fried chicken is not a popular thing in Iraq.

It is very American.

Colonel Sanders was smart, but he’s dead now. I used to love his chicken, but now mine is much better.

I have no secret ingredients. It’s all public.

Besides our delicious chicken, we have Middle Eastern dishes, so people who come can try something new like hummus, stuffed grape leaves and shawarma. We also have lots of subs and burgers.

Everyone is happy at WOW Chicken.

I think the chicken came first. No, the egg. Maybe the same time. Let me think about it.

Takeout or outtake? Fortunately for the chicken, it’s the latter. Along with a variety of costumes and props needed for this photograph, a real live chicken was on hand, but she didn’t make the final cut.

Pictured here with Abbas is “Hen Solo,” a member of a small brood of Concord neighborhood chickens who apparently happen to be big Star Wars fans. Others from the same coop sported names like Princess Layer, Queen Omeletdala and Chewbawk-ba-kah.

CREDITS: Thanks to Mary Selvoski of Mary’s Closet in Manchester for her kindness, the chicken suit and for most of Abbas’ wardrobe; Ahmed Ibraheem for his ability to shop for red pants at the last minute; and Nermina “Norman” Kovacevic for her untroubled loss of dignity while street dancing in a chicken suit.

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The New Old-Timers Stone walls are iconic markers of New Hampshire’s past, but the art of stacking stone is far from lost.

By Kevin Gardner, photos by Kathie Fife

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A

ncient walls connect our agrarian past to the present. Now, a new generation of artisans (including the author of this article) is petitioning the future with messages drawn from the soil and written in stone.

The stretch of Routes 202 and 9 between Hopkinton Village and St. Paul’s School in Concord is just under 6 miles long. I live in Hopkinton, so it’s a road I travel several times a week. Earlier this fall, as I passed the turnoff onto Long Pond Road on my way to town, I saw a couple of younger men setting up a job at the house on the corner. They were building a stone wall.

“Another one,” I thought.

There’s plenty of stonework along this stretch, as there is on countless roads all across New Hampshire. The striking thing about the walls on this particular route is how many of them are new. Leaving aside the surviving sections of antique roadside walls that still rise from their crumbling lines here and there, and the stout retainers at Concord’s Dimond Hill Farm, there are at least 19 separate wall projects fronting homes on this road. All but four of them were built during my lifetime.

Hopkinton Road, as the section is known, is hardly a modern thoroughfare — It’s been the main route between my town and Concord since the middle of the 18th century. As such, the proliferation of recent stonework adorning it cannot be attributed to new-construction landscaping; indeed, several of the homes boasting freshly built walls are older than the country itself.

Hopkinton Road’s stone walls are as good a demonstration as you’ll find of the renaissance in dry-laid (meaning no mortar is used) wall building that has taken place over the last 40 years or so.

Thanks to that resurgence, I’ve been able to make a large portion of my living as a stone wall builder for all that time and a little bit more.

I began learning the trade in 1974, working for my uncle Derek, a farmer who picked it up from older Yankees years before.

There weren’t many people doing dry-laid work back then, so we quickly found a niche as traditional stone wallers and developed a small family business. Four of the walls on 48

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Hopkinton Road are ours, plus a fifth that has since been dismantled. “Old” and “new” are relative terms in stonework. Walls age in what might be described as reverse dog years, stretching time out instead of compressing it.

A 60-year-old wall (if it’s well-built) is barely approaching its maturity, while a 20-year-old one isn’t much past infancy.

To me, no stone wall constructed after the beginning of the 20th century has a legitimate claim on oldness, but I realize civilians feel differently about this. Most of our work here was done in the ’80s, but it still predates a majority of the other “new” walls along this road, and it has an antiquity about it that the others lack.

Does that make me an old-timer, I wonder?

When starting out back then, we didn’t realize that the demand for new stone walls in

Whether today’s stoneworkers are all-purpose masons, are employed by landscape companies, work as independent dry-laid specialists, or are simply inspired amateurs, it’s likely that many more people are currently learning and practicing the craft than at any time in at least the last century.

The guys at the corner of Long Pond and Hopkinton roads did a nice job. The 60-foot, L-shaped wall (to fit the corner lot) is a typical decorative garden type, about 20 inches tall with a width of about a foot and a half. It’s an orderly and apparently well-fitted piece, using many of the rounded, worn stones that have given New England stonework a reputation for difficulty. Short walls like this one often don’t endure as well as the heavier, rougher work of yore, so time will tell whether these builders were as careful with their

“To me, no stone wall constructed after the beginning of the 20th century has a legitimate claim on oldness.”

– Kevin Gardner

New Hampshire was on the verge of a major surge in popularity. In 1971, the publication of Curtis Fields’ “The Forgotten Art of Building a Stone Wall” anticipated this rebirth of traditional approaches to stonework, and the 1976 appearance of John Vivian’s “Building Stone Walls,” which is still among the leading instruction manuals of the craft, signaled its beginning. Other books, including my own, have come along since then, and the library of historical and instructional literature about stone walls is now considerably more extensive. But the driving force behind New England’s stone wall renaissance wasn’t books — it was the boom in residential housing construction and its accompanying demand for landscape services. As houses were built, there was a renewed interest in the preservation and restoration of older stone walls and other structures.

interior construction as they tried to be on the outside. Longevity in dry stonework has little to do with appearance and everything to do with how its individual stones are locked together throughout the structure.

Seeing these younger builders at work made me curious about the perspectives of those who, like me, have been at the craft for a while now. The stone wall renaissance has been going on long enough at this point to be multigenerational, and veteran practitioners — call them the New Old-timers if you will — have a diverse set of approaches and experiences to inform their often-strong opinions of the state of the stonemason’s art, as well as trenchant advice for beginners.

The Artist

At 47, Wolfeboro’s Kevin French is still a little young for the mantle of old-timerhood,

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photo by ashley rand of through the pines photography

photos by ashley rand of through the pines photography

but he started in the trade so early on that he might as well be 10 years older than he is.

He began at 14 as a mason tender, a reasonably brutal job mostly confined to mixing mortar and lugging heavy things from one place to another (including up scaffolding). Eventually, he gravitated to dry-laid stonework, and at 23 he constructed one of New Hampshire’s most arresting contemporary walls — a 500-foot masterpiece in New Durham known as the Twisting Wall (shown here), which rolls right over in a 360-degree flip halfway along its length.

“That wall was my college,” he says.

French considers himself something of a rule breaker. He doesn’t pay much attention to the well-worn “one-over two, two-overone” commandment, which insists that all joints between individual stones be “broken,” or covered over, by stones above and below in order to spread and integrate weight and pressure across the structure. Instead, he focuses on locking wall stones together by nesting their shapes against one another closely enough to prevent shifting or displacement over time. His twisting wall appears to defy gravity when it begins to bend over, but it stands because its component stones are held in place by side-to-side pressure that prevents them from slipping, even as the wall itself slopes more and more radically into its twist. “There’s an arch in there,” he says. “It’s invisible, but it’s built right in.”

French’s work includes plenty of commercial-type masonry, but his heart is in the one-of-a-kind projects he’s become known for. His 30-foot-tall outdoor fireplace, its chimney modeled in the likeness of an Abenaki Indian, is even more spectacular

Above: Kevin French Left and below: Kevin French’s 500-foot Twisting Wall in New Durham

than the twisting wall. A bit of inspiration — provided by the discovery of an old toy airplane he once attempted to build — led him to begin embedding selected stones in the façades of his fireplaces to form pictures, and his interest in cutting and carving stone for these and other jobs has increased over time. He’s fascinated by shapes, as many builders are. “Every shape, every size,” he says. “You can do a lot of things.”

French’s approach to traditional wall work is, in many ways, intuitive. “I never use a string,” he says, trusting his eyes alone when laying out a new wall’s footprint on the ground. “A weird thing happens to me — things fall into place without planning.” He’s the only builder I’ve spoken

with who’s familiar with the obscure but brilliant book “The Old Way of Seeing” by Jonathan Hale, a now-out-of-print work that explains how instinctive appreciation of pattern and proportion gives life to old buildings that new ones cannot match, an insight that applies equally to New England’s vernacular stonework.

French’s advice to beginning builders boils down to three words: read, observe and practice. Books like Vivian’s, Patrick McAfee’s “Irish Stone Walls” and others can show you the basics in a very short time.

Watching experienced builders work, “not even asking questions, just watching,” says French, also helped him learn — sometimes what not to do as much as what works.

And of course, practice, practice, practice, because “your own error is the best teacher.”

The Historian

Bob Morel lives in Acworth. He’s a little past 60 now, and out of commission as the result of a stroke last spring, but he began building at age 15, almost as early as Kevin French.

After a 10-year spell assisting an older mason, he struck out on his own. His company name, Oldways Building, makes his interest clear, and his fascination with antique construction and building techniques is not confined to stonework. He’s also a skilled restoration carpenter who recently renovated the interior of an 18th-century church in his hometown. When he builds a wall, he says, he’s seeking to “make it look like it’s been there since 1700.”

Morel has mastered the art of making stones appear comfortable. There’s nothing forced or contrived about his individual placements, nothing that jumps out at the eye or interrupts the flow of the whole.

Well-built walls can actually tighten up as they age and settle, their separate stones nesting together more and more familiarly — it’s almost as if they’ve placed themselves, turning and testing until they located the perfect spot, like a dog lying down for a nap. Older walls often develop this quality on their own as time passes — it’s one of the things that betrays their age. Morel can build it in from the start.

As a young mason, he did a lot of facing and veneer work. This helps account for his sensitivity to pattern and proportion in the faces of his dry-laid walls, but he’s also a stickler for structural integrity: wide bases, lots of mass and plenty of through-stones — long ones that run far into the wall’s nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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Kevin Fife considers stonework a form of art. “It’s aesthetic, functional, historical and natural,” he says. interior, or even all the way to the other side to help hold the structure together. Most of his work is built on a batter, meaning its outside faces lean slightly inward rather than rising straight up. Battering is more of a British habit than a New England one, but Morel’s use of it somehow makes his walls look even older. Many of them bear more

than a passing resemblance to the famous walls of Little Compton, Rhode Island, some of which were built as early as the 1640s. The large oval planter he completed for an Acworth customer, built entirely of chunks of weathered quartz shot through with moss-filled cracks and fissures, would be right at home down there.

Morel likes to teach others what he knows. He speaks proudly of his most recent helper, who has reached a stage of competency that allows him to work on projects of his own. “I’m happy to see it,” he says of the younger builders coming into the trade. Still, he thinks that too many of them concentrate on appearance at the expense of sound fundamental building. “A lot of them don’t know what they’re doing,” he warns.

“They build too narrow at the base — don’t look all the way through.”

Not surprisingly, Morel’s advice for beginning builders emphasizes the basics: Stagger your courses (the old one-over-two rule again) and step each new course in about 5 percent of the wall’s width (this creates the batter). When laying out a new section, avoid building over large tree roots — their steady expansion will eventually heave the wall upwards. Finally, in a wry bow to the inevitable in stonework, he offers this: “Keep plenty of Band-Aids on hand.”

The Workhorse

Growing up in Canterbury, Kevin Fife wasn’t sure what he wanted to do, but he

Bob Morel

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knew he wanted it to be outdoors. He hunted and hiked with his father, who would point out old stone walls in the woods. He always liked both stone and art. A summer job on the grounds crew at St. Paul’s gave him some early experience with an older mason. He then attended UNH, where he earned a degree in environmental conservation. Eventually he moved to Northfield and went to work for a landscaping company, building what he calls “homeowner walls” — smaller, mostly garden walls. By the mid’90s, he was out on his own.

Over the last 20 years or so, Fife has established himself as one of New Hampshire’s most prominent (and busiest) stonemasons. He takes on big jobs now — major restoration projects, foundation work under old barns and new walls too.

He has taught numerous workshops for organizations that include Canterbury Shaker Village and the NH Preservation Alliance. He’s traveled to Majorca, Spain, for a special international symposium and to Virginia for wall-building competitions.

In 1999, he was one of two New Hampshire wall builders selected to represent the state at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC. These days, at 53, he’s in his working prime.

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Fife considers stonework a form of art.

“It’s aesthetic, functional, historical and natural,” he says. It’s hard to imagine a person more temperamentally suited for walling; the rhythms of his speech, and the way he moves around on a job, reflect the same

Above: Kevin Fife at work during the restoration of Rockledge Farm. While working on the extensive renovation of this historic property, Fife only used hand tools to shape the stones for the barn’s foundation.

Below: A wall at Rockledge Farm. Learn more about the farm’s rejuvenation in Kathie Fife’s book “Rockledge Farm: c1870 Barn Restoration Project.”

thoughtful deliberation that shows in his work. His walls look rugged in a practical way, not much concerned with showy, self-conscious finesse in their patterns, yet balanced and settled. Many contemporary builders restrict their selection of visible stones to a relatively narrow range, sticking to pieces more or less alike in size and type.

Not Fife. He’ll mix supplies of blocky or rectangular rough-cut stones with broken shards, rounded mini-boulders, or anything else he has at hand. This gives his walls a much more traditional appearance than many others, since it’s the same approach taken by the farmer-builders of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Still, Fife’s work is far from improvisational. “I have a mental picture of what it’s going to look like before I even start,” he says. He spreads out his stone supply on the job site, so that he can see everything he has at all times. This not only allows him to distribute his variety of shapes and sizes more or less evenly across the project, but also shows him the full range of available choices for every spot he has to fill along the way.

As one of the early contributors to the stone wall renaissance, Fife is well aware of the trade’s growth during the time he’s been at it. He knows younger builders who

“go slow and place every stone,” as he does, but he’s also seen builders, usually non-specialists, “who just bang it out.

These landscapers do walls, but not the traditional way.” One of the little ironies of wall building is that it’s only difficult if you want to do it well. Even New Hampshire’s original population of wall-making farmers, for whom stonework was a continual occupation, had their share of careless or indifferent builders.

For beginners, Fife counsels patience. “It’s not a job you rush — pace yourself,” he says.

“Stand back and look — don’t be discouraged if something doesn’t fit.” He emphasizes spatial awareness, the visual ability to match the shapes of individual stones to openings or spaces in the project as it develops, so that you have a destination in mind for each stone before you pick it up.

New Hampshire’s stone wall renaissance may have begun as a response to the growing demand for landscaping during a housing boom, but it sustains itself, at least in part, on a kind of wonder shared by practitioners and observers alike. “People are fascinated by rocks in general,” says French.

We’re all accustomed to visitors at our job sites who want to ask questions, tell us about a favorite wall of theirs, or simply watch us work for a while. There’s something compelling about simple rearrangement of the natural world, something purely human and authentic that, like a magic trick, creates a new thing out of old ones that were present all along. Nothing is added or subtracted, yet the landscape is transformed. “It’s that fascination with the earth,” French adds.

The long tradition of using our endless supply of stone for all kinds of practical and decorative purposes is visible everywhere you look in New Hampshire, and this creates a sense of continuity keenly felt by today’s wall builders. “It’s a piece of history,” Fife points out. Seeing an old wall tucked away in the woods, it’s almost impossible not to wonder who put it there, when and why they did so, and what the surrounding landscape looked like in their time. Fife, Morel, French and several dozen other New Old-timers know that, by carrying on this ancient craft, they and their work become part of the land itself and of its history. If the young builders in Hopkinton share their passion, creativity and dedication, they will too. NH

Experienced mason Kevin Gardner (pictured), who wrote this story, knows a thing or two about stone walls. Over the last four decades, he’s built or repaired hundreds of walls as well as town pounds (yes, pounds — back in our agrarian past, towns often had large livestock pens), walkways, ramps, bridges, wells and foundations. He has also written extensively on the topics of dry masonry and stone walls, and has been featured in numerous books and other magazine stories. If you’re at all interested in building your own stone wall, he recommends two books: “Building Stone Walls”

by John Vivian and “The Forgotten Art of Building a Stone Wall” by Curtis Fields. He might not tell you, but his books are pretty handy as well. Gardner is the author of both “The Granite Kiss: Traditions and Techniques of Building New England Stone Walls” and “Stone Building: How to Make New England Style Walls and Other Structures the Old Way.”

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Saad Hindal and Hantosh (who turned out to be a bit camera-shy) in Hindal’s Concord studio, Art From Memory.

See their write-up on page 62 →

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pets are us Maybe pets aren’t actually people, but they can become beloved members of the family — and sometimes the partnership is the stuff of legend.

By Adi Rule Photos by Jared Charney

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Not everyone wants a pet enough to welcome all the habits, quirks and debris they bring along.

But, as the following story reveals, if you should allow a furry, feathery or even scaly creature into your heart, before you know it they’ll be joining you on the couch to binge-watch “Animal Planet.”

Lisa Lovett Pip and Dot Holderness

Pets Are People Too |

Our pets rule, but they’re not people, right? We scoff at a celebrity carting around a designer pup in a designer handbag. We roll our eyes when the neighbors complain that the color of our new fluorescent mailbox bothers their ferrets. And we excuse ourselves when Aunt Mona suggests her Pekingese would play a lovely violin if only he had opposable thumbs. But let’s be real. Who among us hasn’t asked the dog if he’s a good boy (as though he’d admit otherwise)? Who hasn’t sprung for the “cool” cat collar at the store? Sometimes we treat our pets even better than some of the homo sapiens in our lives. Who’s to say where lies the line between loving and over-the-top?

“Our clientele are very particular people,” says Cindi Ingalls, owner of Lakes Region Pet Resort. “These are not pets. These are four-legged family members.”

How do we provide not only the good life, but the excellent life, for our quadrupedal relations here in the Granite State?

Food |

Kibble. Wet food. Pellets. Staring, frozen mice. Our pets may get their daily vitamins, but how many of them are true gourmets? How often do we treat our little best friends to treats that don’t come vacuum-sealed from the dollar store?

At T-BONES Great American Eatery in Bedford, your canine companion is welcome to dine on dog cuisine out on the terrace. Dishes are named after staff pooches, whose Continued on page 62 →

Looking for more tasty (and healthy) treats for your canine friend? See “Retail” on page 24 for additional local pet supply shops, such as Four Your Paws Only, which is pictured here.

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“They’re just so cute!”

Lisa Lovett grins when discussing her two Nigerian dwarf goats. Pip and Dot win hearts every day, whether via a trip to Lovett’s dad’s house up the road (“they stand on his stone wall”), a classroom visit at Holderness Central School or a day on the campaign trail for their favorite candidate. You can recognize Lovett’s 11-year-old carturned-farm-vehicle by the hay bale in the back seat.

Lovett brought the goats home to eat poison ivy, which they do — along with hostas and forsythia. She stripped the bathroom of everything chewable and put no-slip tape on the back of the toilet where Pip and Dot like to stand. The goats jump, play and vocalize — everything from “AAAH!” to “eh.” (Lovett does a great impression.)

She calls them with her own distinct, “Boop! Boop!”

Pip and Dot will soon have private digs outside, designed not to “look like Gilligan’s Island.” Even when they move out, they will still be Lovett’s kids.

“You seriously start thinking about clothes for them,” she says. “I bought them these little necklaces with sparkles and whatnot on them. We’ll use that for their Christmas pictures.”

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Photo by Rachel L Bratter

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Myles Bratter and Rainbow, Dover Sixty miles per hour. 70. It’s August 8, 2016, at the Sturgis Dragway in South Dakota.

Rainbow the macaw hangs onto Myles Bratter’s shoulder, untethered, a blur of blazing red feathers above the nitrous-powered Ninja motorcycle. When the back wheel catches, sending Bratter skidding across the pavement and Rainbow soaring to safety (as she is trained to do), they’re doing almost 80 — a new world record. Bratter awakens to the words, “That bird’s not getting in my ambulance.” Despite his

bloodied face, road burns and broken bones, Bratter says, “Then I’m not either.”

When Rainbow hatched on August 14, 1995, Bratter was the first thing she saw. “It was meant to be,” he says. Bratter has been a bird man since his cockatoo-and-balloon magic act in the ’70s. Though some thought his bird-on-a-bike dream impossible, he and Rainbow learned to ride through early bonding, trust and lots of love. Yes, Bratter eventually got into that ambulance (he’s now Continued on page 63

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Continued from opening spread, page 56

Saad Hindal and Hantosh Concord

Most of Hindal’s work at his studio in Concord is for sale, but not this portrait of Hantosh.

Artist Saad Hindal and his family had a cat in Iraq, but were forced to leave it behind because of the war. Now, in Concord, they have another cat, Hantosh — long, white and curious. “He loves my dad’s work, always, always staring at the colors,” Hindal’s daughter Ashtar says. “He sits next to my dad when he’s painting a picture.” Hantosh approves of Hindal’s subjects as well as his vibrant colors. After moving to Concord in 2009, Hindal began painting its cats. He often walks around town, noticing cats in people’s windows. “I think of cats as innocent,” he says. “They’re beautiful.” He’s struck by the warmth his neighbors show their felines: “We got a cat because we want to feel what they feel about the cat.”

“The cat always means peace,” he says. He and his family have found peace in New Hampshire. “I can feel safe here. My family, I see them growing up here. I love the people and the people love me; the people are nice here. I have hope.” Hindal’s goal is to include every house in town in his pictures, Ashtar says, “to say how much he loves Concord and the cats.”

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→ Continued from page 58 pictures grace the back of the special dog menu. The Moe Bowl, which includes ground beef and whole-grain rotini, is named for a smiling, pink-tongued bulldog. “Moe eats anything,” the description reads. “Maybe your dog does too?” Pickier eaters might enjoy Eddy’s Assorted Cheeses or Boo’s Bacon Wrap Bites. You could also pay tribute to Bonzy, whose photo shows an inquisitive, shaggy fellow, and whose Bonzy Burger is grilled without seasonings that might upset sensitive tummies. Splurge on dessert or Dasani to make the evening complete.

Or maybe your finicky fur-pal is looking for hand-trimmed, hormone-free, grassfed, locally sourced meat. (Who are we kidding? Of course they are.) Chasing Our Tails, out of Hudson, produces handmade pet treats at their own butchery and bakery. They have moose antler chews for bold, outdoorsy canines and gluten-free baked goods for the society set. And, of course, organic cat nip. Meow!

Health | Every pet needs a good vet. It’s important to vaccinate against rabies and distemper. That yearly dental exam is vital to keeping Mr. Meow’s chompers healthy and formidable. And nobody wants worms. But just as some people seek out that extra holistic touch to get themselves in alignment, some pets are now choosing additional, alternative roads to wellness too.

The healing and life-balancing tools employed by Nikoe Natural Therapies, based in Milton, include nutrition, telepathy, essential oils, energy and gemstones. Founder Michele Lowry is a Reiki Master, Animal Communicator and Shaman Practitioner.

Whether your horse has something important about her emotions to communicate to you or your St. Bernard could use some energy healing, Michele can help them out. You can even meditate with your dog. “An incredibly deep love and understanding awaits us all,” the website says. “You can tap into your animal’s energetic vibration, become partners and listen to their profound guidance.” And for pooches who could use both Reiki and a bath, find Michele at Club Canine Dog Wash & Day Spa in Portsmouth.

If you’re in southern New Hampshire, your dog, cat or horse might be interested in Dr. Daphne Haley’s mobile holistic veterinary service, Positive Chi. Dr. Haley is a licensed veterinarian as well as a certified veterinary acupuncturist. If your four-legged pal isn’t into acupuncture, Dr. Haley offers herbal and food therapy services as well.

For those pets with blocked qi who live in the Concord area, check out the Holisitc Veterinary Center on West Street.

Style | Putting clothing on our pets is no longer rebellious or even unusual. Many of us slip a woolly sweater on our dachshund when the cold weather sets in. Tropical birds enjoy a stylish fall jacket. Some brave souls even zip festive hoodies onto their kitties (and have the scars to prove it). But some pets take it to the next level.

A satin dress worthy of Cinderella. A bejeweled lace tiara. Gold glitter and fun florals. Is it the Oscars? No. These red-carpet outfits are the work of Darcey Klein of DRC Canine Couture, who has been dressing New Hampshire’s pups in fantastic finery since 2006. Her awards include “Best Evening Gown” and “Prom Queen.” This year, Klein won Best Gown Designer at the Fabulous Fur-Baby Cotillion Brag Walk of Fame for a multipart ensemble that included a dress vest and long skirt, worn flawlessly by a little dog named Peanut. Klein, who works with G Girl Productions, the New York City Pet Fashion Show, Celebrity Catwalk and others, designs

and donates elaborate fashions for dog shows around the country to raise funds for animal rescue groups. Her dresses and capes sparkle and gleam, while her clients — human and fur-baby — pose for pictures guaranteed to make the harshest fashion police smile.

Style isn’t all about accessorizing, however. We also show off our personal brand by how we live — and how we party. If your dog is a social butterfly, do it up for his next birthday at Four Your Paws Only in North Conway. Private playroom? Done. Party games like Find the Biscuit and Musical Sit? Done. Pizza, cake, ice cream and singalong? Done. Fancy pet bakery onsite? Yum!

Recreation |

It’s tough to leave our non-human pals when we go on vacation. What if we miss them? What if they miss us? What if they throw a rockin’ blowout without our permission and break our favorite vase?

Luckily, there’s Lakes Region Pet Resort in Center Harbor, which is not your average kennel. Pets relax in large, luxury suites with raised therapeutic beds and doors that look like doors, not cages. Cats do their classy business in high-end crystal litter. The only smell in the air is lavender, which soothes both pets and people. And what’s that sound?

Why, it’s the scientifically created dog music of “Through a Dog’s Ear” (from the makers of “Through a Cat’s Ear”). Trainer Kelly Arbogast from Doggonit Training steered owners Cindi and Mike Ingalls toward the music and the fragrance, both of which help relax the pups between their excursions to the play yard. To add to the deluxe atmosphere, everything is hand-cleaned by the dedicated staff. “There’s not a hose on the premises except for the flowers,” Cindi says.

If you’d rather your pet came along on your trip, check out the charming Chesterfield Inn in West Chesterfield. You and Fido (or Whiskers or Feathers or Slithers? Maybe.) can relax in one of their pet-friendly rooms and enjoy the whole Pet Package — local treats and new bowls and toys. Some folks visit with a newly adopted furry companion, and some have come to spend their beloved dog’s final days in a beautiful place.

Although its Pet Package is geared toward dogs and cats who actually enjoy travel (yes, they exist), the inn has welcomed a sugar glider, a capuchin monkey and even a duck.

Because who wants to hike Mount Monadnock without their duck?

→

Continued from page 61

Myles Bratter and Rainbow, Dover doing fine), but only after he knew Rainbow was safe.

At her first Laconia Motorcycle Week, Rainbow got startled into a tree. Bratter waited, stomach knotted, for hours. Rainbow finally flew, dropping into a nearby swamp.

Bratter jumped on his bike, ignoring blue lights behind him. He slogged into the swamp on foot. The cop shouted, “Stop!” “I gotta get my bird!”

Bratter yelled. “I was 50-something,

photo by rachel l bratter

Above and Beyond

If some pets enjoy as much luxury as people, some must surely enjoy even more. I’m speaking, of course, of animal waste removal, that glorious practice by which our pets’ least adorable by-products are magically whisked away as though by the Poop Fairy. Turd Herders, started four years ago by Melanie and Eric Craig, provides scooper services to all comers. “If they can poop, we can scoop,” Melanie says. Their clients have included dogs, cats, bunnies, chickens, cows, horses and even snakes (pretty much like other kinds of poop, in case you were wondering). Even bitter New Hampshire winters can’t stop Eric and his four-wheel-drive and, sometimes, his snowshoes.

And if anything seems off about the content or texture of your pet’s payload, the Herders might send you a Turd Report — er, “Visit Report.” “On more than one occasion, Eric let me know that Petey was having issues,” says client Dana van der Bijl of Deerfield. “He had contracted worms from some potting soil. I never would have known.” The Craigs have now also branched into first aid for cats and dogs, and just opened a storefront in Derry where you can purchase pet supplies, gifts and, of course, Turd Herders merch.

Finally, we come to the last gesture of reverence you can make to your pet: honoring his death. “Death” isn’t a fun conversation starter, but it happens to us all, and some of us prefer a few fancy bells and whistles over a shoebox behind the garage. If you need Continued on page 64 →

overweight, I’m running through the swamp. This young cop is chasing me. He tackles me. ‘Did you steal that motorcycle?’” Then Rainbow let out an ear-splitting macaw scream. The cop froze. “I said, ‘That’s her! See her little red head sticking out?’ We had a good laugh about it afterward.”

Bratter and Rainbow make guest appearances at bike rallies, weddings and children’s parties; all photo-op donations go to charities such as the Veteran Resort Chapel’s Tiny Homes for American Heroes. Bratter lights up when he describes bringing a new oxygen system to a veteran in need.

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Gabriel Durkee and Dee Dee

→ Continued from page 63 a little help getting through the grieving process, reach out to Pet Passages by Purdy Funeral Service in Lee. Pet Passages is part of an actual human funeral home, with the same licensed professionals on staff. They even have a chapel and other facilities for memorial services or funerals. Director Stephen Purdy explains that the staff abides by the same code of conduct for their non-human clients as their human ones, a practice that isn’t guaranteed elsewhere. At many veterinarians, for instance, the cremation provider comes by once a week (and the ashes you get back might not be entirely Rover’s), whereas Pet Passages is available 24/7 for immediate pick-up, just like with people. They have come for cats, dogs, rats, gerbils, guinea pigs, birds and even mini-donkeys. Just be sure to make other arrangements for your ailing walrus, because the crematory can only accommodate up to 500 lbs.

While simple cremation is always an option, you can also purchase gravestones and mementos of your pet. Many prefer modest symbols of remembrance, such as engraved jewelry or pawprint trinkets. But for some, only the most extravagant demonstrations of love will do. If this is you, then consider having a portion of your pet’s ashes made into a diamond. Yes, Pet Passages will arrange for a company to extract the carbon from Flopsy’s ashes and cultivate an actual diamond. You can even specify the size, cut and color, and each diamond is gem-quality and comes with a certificate. It takes about nine months and one carat will set you back $10,000$15,000. But really, when it comes to our furry, scaly, feathered loved ones, nothing is too above or beyond. NH

On the Cover This month’s cover photo was taken by Kimberly Sarah Sancranti of Kimberly Sarah Photography.

This adorable portrait of French bulldog puppy Fiona was a commission for a client.

“Often the outtakes are truly adorable,” says Sancranti, “and this outtake is no exception.

Frenchies are known for being lively, and Fiona was a joy to work with.”

How does she get that amazing expression? “I have the largest collection of bells and squeakers and other noisemakers you could imagine. Those, plus an app on my phone and a great measure of patience, make all the difference.”

Experience also plays a role. Sancranti has been a fine art dog photographer, creating im-

Roxbury, Mass.

ages of dogs and their owners, for more than 10 years. “I believe that a professional image of your pet hung on your wall says a lot about the love we have for our animals and the life we share with them,” she says.

And when she’s not creating high quality wall art for her customers, she’s working with local animal shelters.

“Luckily, when you own your business, you can give back to the community in very measurable ways. I work with groups such as Canine Commitment and Pope Memorial SPCA to create images of their hard-to-place shelter dogs. The key is to have the dogs connect with the camera so the viewer can connect with the pet. In the end, we want to help them find their long term home,” she says.

Sancranti also teaches other pet photographers in a fine art program run jointly with the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire. Held at SOPHA, a photography co-op in Manchester, her program, titled “Sit. Stay. Smile. The Art of Dog Photography,” uses shelter dogs as “models” for the program.

photo courtesy kimberly sarah

You can see more of Sancranti’s work at kimberlysarahphotography.com.

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Originally from Concord, guitarist/ vocalist Gabriel Durkee is now part of the Boston black metal scene, keeping busy with two active bands, side projects and tours. The past year saw big changes in his life: rehab, recovery and Dee Dee. Gabriel met Dee Dee, a pitbull/Catahoula mix, in northern California, where she was wandering a mountain road wearing a gnawed-off rope. When efforts to find Dee Dee’s family proved fruitless, Gabriel found himself a first-time dog owner. “I made the mistake of naming her,” he jokes.

He and sweet-tempered Dee Dee were a perfect match. “It was serendipitous,” he says. “Dee Dee is really beautiful. She loves everyone.” When he realized his addiction was affecting his ability to care for her, he got help.

“She’s been a really huge part of rebuilding my whole routine,” he says. “I kind of just poured myself into her.”

Gabriel and Dee Dee enjoy exploring their neighborhood park, playing fetch and snuggling on the couch watching movies. Dee Dee seems indifferent to music but likes chasing squirrels. “She just kind of fell into my lap,” Gabriel says. “Now I’m so happy I have her.”

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Crafting One way to escape from prison is to dig a tunnel through rock and soil with a purloined kitchen spoon, but what if all that energy and imagination went instead into creating lasting works of beauty?

By Barbara Coles Photos by John Benford

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hen the prison gate closed behind Don Briere eight years ago, he stepped outside to a shattered life with “nothing, really.” After 17 years behind the NH State Prison walls in Concord, he had no job and no home, except for a bed at his uncle’s house.

Like most former inmates, his return to society would be littered with obstacles and — sadly — likely to fail. The recidivism rate for men released from the NH State Prison is 42 percent; nearly half will be behind bars again.

It’s a good bet, though, that Briere won’t be among them. He had an advantage that most don’t, an advantage that would help him overcome the obstacles. When his uncle picked him up at the prison, Briere had money in the bank. He would use it — and a donated lathe — to start a business now so successful that he recently expanded it.

He made the money in the prison woodworking shop, in a program called Hobbycraft. It’s only for a select, well-behaved few, about 120 inmates; if you get in trouble, you’re out. Briere was determined to stay in because he loved the work and he could earn decent money by selling what he made.

“A friend taught me how to use a lathe, and I made a candy dish with it,” he says. “I sent it to my mother and she loved it.” He

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made another one and put it in the prison’s retail store. It sold right away. He made salad bowls, key chains, bird houses and other wooden items. They sold too.

His obvious talent would soon be noticed by someone who would help Briere reach heights he couldn’t have imagined.

Terry Moore, an award-winning furniture maker and one of the founders of the NH Furniture Masters Association, began mentoring inmates in the prison’s woodworking shop 15 years ago as part of the group’s volunteer prison outreach program, a program inspired by then-Superior Court Justice Kathleen McGuire.

At the prison, Moore connected with Briere and began to introduce him to the craft’s finer aspects: veneering, carving, dovetailing and more. Briere eventually gravitated to woodturning and his work became much more complex — like the chess pieces and a 19th-century chess table so remarkable they attracted the attention of local media.

Fast-forward to today. Moore says Briere’s work “goes up against mine and other furniture masters.” In fact, Briere beat out all of the state’s furniture masters to win Best in Wood Accessory and Best in Show (twice) at League of NH Craftsmen’s Sunapee fairs.

Now a juried member of the League, Briere is pulling in thousands of dollars

for his work, much of it made of segmented pieces and sometimes semi-precious stones. He has a studio in Brentwood called New England Custom Woodturning and a recently opened gallery next to it. He’s still using the lathe that he started the business with, which was donated by the Furniture Masters Association.

Moore says what Briere has done in a very competitive field is “no small feat” and that he is “proud as punch.” Something else he’s proud of — “Of all the people who have taken our woodworking program, no one has gone back to prison,” Moore says. “No one.”

And it’s not just Briere who is “a wild success story,” as Moore puts it. Moore and other Furniture Masters members have also mentored others who have been juried by the League and are also producing highend works.

What accounts for the wild success? “I think the work teaches some fundamental lessons in life that they missed,” says Moore.

“With woodworking, you end up knee-deep in mistakes, and you can either give up or try again. You learn problem-solving, patience and self-discipline. It’s working them as much as they’re working it. It’s kind of a Zen thing, and it transforms their vision of who they are as a person.”

They also learn that they must give back.

The Furniture Masters Association features inmates’ work at its annual auction and exhibition. If a piece sells, the inmates must donate some of the proceeds to a charity of their choice.

Briere was more than willing to give back because he had received so much: “They genuinely want to see people return to society with something under their belt other than anger.”

The Furniture Masters’ volunteer Hobbycraft program at the men’s prison is a showpiece in the panoply of programs designed to ease transition to the outside world. It is said to be a model for what could be, given enough resources, especially since it has reduced the recidivism rate for participants to zero.

Aside from the Hobbycraft program, which also offers instruction in leather work, art, basket-making and other crafts, others in the population of 2,300 inmates — about 250 of them — can get work experience in what’s called Correctional Industries, trade jobs that can provide transferable skills — sign-making and engraving, printing, furniture refinishing, upholstery and chair-caning, woodworking services and, of course, license plate-making. Work orders are taken from state agencies — supplying firewood to state parks is one — municipali-

ties, and private companies and individuals; the inmates earn up to $4 an hour for their labor on a three- or four-hour shift.

In the final stage of incarceration, the Community Corrections program provides additional support for transition into the community. There are three halfway houses, now called transitional housing units, which

Above: An intricate bowl made by current inmate Jason Carroll Far Left: Table and chess set made by Don Briere, which are on display in his gallery in Brentwood. In the background is the vase that won Best in Show at the League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair.

Below: Briere at his chess board

allow inmates to look for and hold a job in the community. A transitional work center on prison grounds allows inmates to participate in off-site, supervised work crews.

“Everyone has a reentry plan with a case manager,” says Kimberly MacKay, the

program’s director. A family connection center helps inmates reunite with their families. An ID card, key to life on the outside, is obtained.

The more tools former inmates have, the better, because they have the additional burden of operating in a world that has passed them by while they were behind bars. Many have never sent an email, never made a call on a cell phone. “Some don’t even know how to turn on the [touchless] water faucet in a bathroom in a store or restaurant,” says MacKay. “It can be overwhelming.”

The first time Michelle Vanagel got out of the NH Women’s Correctional Facility in Goffstown, she moved in with her sister because, like Don Briere, she had no money and no job. “With felonies on my record, I couldn’t pass a background check,” she says.

“No company would even look at me.”

It wasn’t long until she heard the call of her old life. She moved into a rooming house in Nashua — a “crack shack,” she calls it. She started using and selling drugs again, and soon got caught.

After Vanagel left prison the second time, she rented an apartment that she couldn’t afford, hoping to have safer housing away from her old friends. “I was overwhelmed,” she says. “I was working two jobs. The rent

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“It’s working them as much as they’re working it. It’s kind of a Zen thing, and it transforms their vision of who they are as a person.”

– NH Furniture Master Terry Moore

was taking every dime I had.” She again turned to drugs.

The third time she was in prison, she took part in an intensive drug treatment program. It helped. What also helped was an inexpensive and safe place to go when she was released.

She moved into Rise Above recovery housing, a privately funded sober living center in Nashua, paying just $150 a week.

“I did things differently this time,” she says.

Differently enough, Vanagel was hired full-time at the “sober house” as the lead behavioral health technician. “Now I’m able to support myself,” she says. She can pay her rent plus all the other bills she has because of her incarceration — a parole fee, a fee for her public defender and child support.

Vanagel’s success is no thanks to a vocational program at the women’s prison.

Unlike the men’s prison, where Briere and many others learned a trade, the women’s prison has a dearth of vocational programs that teach marketable skills, because there is no space for it. Crocheting, sewing, painting bird houses, and some business and computer classes is about it.

“When the men get out, they have a trade,” says Vanagel. “They can earn $15 or $16 an hour. Women end up waitressing or something like that for $8 an hour.”

Another former female inmate, who we’ll call Jennifer, agrees it’s a problem. She is at the start of her transition to the community, having been released in early November.

She’s putting together her resumé, listing one of the few credentials she has — the ServSafe certification for food handling she got in prison.

That could help her get a restaurant job, but that type of work is often problematic for former inmates with drug problems, like Jennifer, who had a heroin addiction. After her first prison term, she got a job at a diner and soon got in trouble. “You’re working around people who are using,” she says. “I lost the job.”

Even so, she says, she hadn’t been making enough money to support herself: “I couldn’t deal and I couldn’t feel. I started doing stupid things. I started stealing.”

She’s hopeful this time will be different, as it was for Michelle Vanagel. Instead of the rooming house she went to the last time (“I was living with a bunch of Top right: Terry Moore in the Hobbycraft woodworking shop at the prison Bottom right: The Hobbycraft shop is a fully equipped workspace with tools for just about any woodworking project.

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addicts”), she went to the safe, structured, drug-free environment at the Dismas Home in Manchester.

The privately funded facility — a remodeled house on a quiet street — accommodates seven former inmates. Jack McCarthy, the co-director with his wife Julie, says, “Our project is meant to break the cycle of recidivism by creating a family atmosphere, something many never had, or if they had, it was one of turmoil and conflict. Here, they can begin to build trust.” Support also comes from volunteers like the students from St. Anselm College who are helping Jennifer with her resumé and computer skills.

On average, residents stay at Dismas Home, paying nominal rent, for five to

enough money, they are going to fall back into old patterns. There is a definite need to have women more prepared.”

The League did a study back in 2009 that compared the men’s prison to the women’s in relation to preparation for release. Some of the highlights: Men had eight vocational programs; women had three. Men had a large space to work in, while the space for women was small to nonexistent. Men had classrooms where they can get a GED [now replaced with HiSET], a high school diploma and college-level courses, with general and law libraries as resources; for women, there was limited classroom space, with GEDs getting the emphasis. Only two women had earned a high school diploma at the prison in the previous 20 years.

“We have a lot of people trying very hard to prepare women for release, but recidivism is still too high.”

– Liz Tentarelli, president of the League of Women Voters of NH seven months. Time enough, Jennifer says, to “hopefully” get a job that can support her.

One thing she is sure of: “I finally have a good steppingstone.”

“We have a lot of people trying very hard to prepare women for release, but recidivism is still too high,” says Liz Tentarelli, president of the League of Women Voters of New Hampshire, an organization that has focused on issues concerning female incarceration.

The latest statistics, she says, show 34 percent of women are back in prison within three years of being released. She notes that the rate has dropped for five years straight, as it has for the men, and she credits the “committed people” who are trying the best they can to help. “There are good things happening at the prison,” she says.

But not good enough. “If someone can’t earn a living because they’re working at low-wage jobs, probably part-time, they are more likely to recidivate,” Tentarelli says. “It’s understandable. If they don’t have 72

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To advocates for female prisoners, the solution was obvious — a new prison that offers the same programs that male prisoners have.

The push for parity began back in the late 1980s. At that time, there was no prison at all for women; they were shipped out of state to serve their sentences, as far away as Colorado and Maryland. “It was appalling, both morally and legally,” says Elliott Berry, managing attorney at NH Legal Assistance in Manchester. “So many had children and family here. How do you keep families together, have a family to come back to, with that kind of distance?”

In 1987, Berry represented a female inmate who filed suit against the state claiming that it had violated the equal protection rights of female prisoners. A federal court found in her favor and ordered New Hampshire to provide parity with a prison for women in the state. The NH Women’s Correctional Facility in Goffstown opened two years later.

The facility was said to be inadequate from the start, not equal to what the men had. “Goffstown is such an inappropriate physical environment to provide anything close to equal conditions for vocational training opportunities,” Berry says.

There was talk of the need a new prison for years, but it never happened. Berry says, “You just have to shake your head. No one was saying it wasn’t necessary, but because there’s a dog fight for resources in the Legislature every two years, incarcerated felons can be pretty low on the political radar.”

In 2011, Berry represented four female inmates — Michelle Vanagel was one of them — in a class-action lawsuit to require the state to provide equal protection in

several aspects of prison life, including educational and vocational programs. That prompted action to get construction going on the new prison. Groundbreaking happened in August 2014. It’s slated to open this fall, with still-to-be-determined programs that prison officials say will provide the skills most transferable to the community.

But there’s yet another obstacle, one that may delay the opening — hiring staff. According to Jeff Lyons at the NH Department Right: Construction on the new women’s prison — with much-needed space for educational and vocational programs — began in 2014. It’s slated to open this fall.

Below: Michelle Vanagel at Rise Above sober living in Nashua

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of Corrections, the staff has to be “doubled, at least.” Not an easy task; applicants are hard to find for what can be a stressful job, often with lots of required overtime.

“Corrections is not necessarily one people think of as a career choice,” Lyons says.

“Plus, they have to meet rigorous standards, have a clean criminal record and be able to complete the corrections academy.” The starting salary: $35,000, including hazardous duty pay.

“What you do for men, you should do for women,” says Eric Grant, who just served a 26-year sentence at the state prison. “Men have opportunities in prison; they can come out with a decent trade. The women don’t have that.” He’s glad to see that a remedy is in sight with the new prison.

Grant, now in the woodworking business in Manchester, is another of the “wild success” stories that the Furniture Masters’ Terry Moore talks about. The two started their work together eight years into Grant’s sentence. He had already been spending time in the woodworking shop, but says, “once the furniture masters came in, I knew it would be good. I was making furniture, but nothing on that scale.” On such a scale, in fact, the family of former governor John Sununu bought many of his pieces. He used the money he made from those sales and others to help support his family and to pay for college.

Though he had been told in high school he wasn’t college material, he took college courses in prison, mostly from visiting New England College professors, and, 15 years later, he had two bachelor’s degrees and was halfway to a master’s. He had a GPA of 3.92.

“Did you know that the recidivism rate drops as the level of education goes up?” he asks. He cites statistics like those of PrisonEducation.com, a national advocacy group: Some high school courses drop the rate of return to prison from up to 85 percent nationally to around 55 percent; vocational training, to about 30 percent; an associate degree, 13.7; a bachelor’s, 5.6 percent; and a master’s, 0 percent.

For Grant, making the transition out of prison was “no problem.” He was moved into a work release program, living at the prison system’s transitional housing unit Manchester. While there, he was hired by Dick Anagnost, a Manchester real estate developer, to do light maintenance, but when Grant’s woodworking skills became evident, he was put to work doing that. He 74

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set up shop with his own tools in a space provided by Anagnost. One of his projects was a bank of closets at a country club owned by former governor Craig Benson.

No longer on work release, Grant now lives with his family.

Like Don Briere, Grant is a juried member of the League of NH Craftsmen, thanks in large measure to the Furniture Masters program. He too has won awards at the Sunapee fair — Best Traditional Design, People’s

Eric Grant in his woodworking studio in Manchester

Choice and Best Contemporary Design.

Grant says that, on the first day he spent in his shop on Manchester’s Willow Street, he opened the garage door to find that his shop — the shop that would take him into his new life — was right next to the Valley Street jail. He heard a voice on the loudspeaker there call out to the prisoners, “Clear the yard. Return to your rooms.”

It was familiar, haunting.

“Ironic, huh?” NH

Works for Sale

When you’re looking for furniture, baskets, artwork, jewelry and other crafts, think of the prison’s retail showroom, located in Concord. Inmate-made products, from both the Hobbycraft program and the nine Correctional Industries, are for sale there. If you don’t see what you want, you can place a special order for it. Inmates in the Correctional Industries are paid up to $4 an hour for their works. Inmates in the Hobbycraft program receive 65 percent of each item’s retail price, with another 25 percent going toward the showroom’s operating costs and 10 percent to the inmate recreation fund.

photos by rick broussard

Concord Retail Showroom It’s open every day but Wednesday and Sunday, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays.

312 North State St., Concord

How It Evolved

1934 New industries are put in place.

1938 The prison farm is purchased.

1969 The first full-time educational director is appointed.

1976 An auto repair shop is completed.

1978 A lawsuit, filed in 1970, results in the requirement that the state prison provide adequate programming opportunities for inmates.

1981 Inmate labor is used for prison construction projects.

courtesy photo

1982 Corrections Creations, a retail store for inmatemade work, opens 1989 The female facility opens in Goffstown.

1812 The State Prison is built, housing one inmate.

1819 Money is appropriated for a workshop for the inmates. It is the forerunner of the modern prison industries program.

1917 For the first time, inmates are paid a stipend — 10 cents a day — to work on contracted projects in prison industries.

1926 The State Department of Education is enlisted to assist the educational program at the prison.

1932 The Legislature appropriates $200,000 for the establishment of new industries thought to be promising fields — a license plate shop, sign shop, print shop and farm.

2001 Corrections Creations opens at a new location at the prison farm.

2007 The Department hires a female programs administrator in response to the growing population and an effort to develop more gender-specific programs.

2009 The Division of Community Corrections is formed to provide community-based support for offenders in the community.

2013 The Legislature allocates $38M to construct a new women’s prison in Concord.

2015 State Prison farm is sold Source: NH Department of Corrections nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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603 Living

“The secret of joy in work is contained in one word — excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it.” – Pearl S. Buck

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Health 80 Law 84 Local Dish 86 Events Listing 88 Dining Guide 92 Last Laugh 96

HOME

Brassy Fixtures

Locally made lanterns that last a lifetime

BY AMY MITCHELL

courtesy photos

T

o many in New Hampshire, February feels like the longest month of the year. The holidays are a distant memory, and the fresh green shoots of spring are at least six weeks away. Meanwhile, darkness still falls by 5 p.m.

Outdoor lighting, such as door sconces and post lanterns, is crucial to keeping a home looking cheerful and winter-weary spirits raised. Though some may balk at investing in a product that is likely to corrode under our harsh winter conditions within a few years, there is one outdoor lighting company that offers a solution, and it’s located right here in New Hampshire.

Exeter-based Northeast Lantern was founded in 1987 by Skip Heal. As a 15-yearold boy, he could often be found fooling around the fire station in Hampton Falls, where his father was the fire chief. Golden Eagle, a copper weathervane and lighting shop, was next door, and he began to work there during afternoons and summers. That continued after college until, at age 33, he

decided to set off on his own, focusing on brass fixtures instead of copper so as to not directly compete with his former employer.

Fast forward more than 25 years, and Northeast Lantern has grown into a completely made-to-order and custom lighting

Northeast Lantern co-owner Chris Heal at the shop in Exeter Left: From Northeast Lantern’s barn lantern collection nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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company with more than 50 individually trained craftspeople and 16,000 square feet (and growing) of shop space. It is now coowned by Skip’s son Chris.

The orderly work space, filled with patterns and tools, looks like the dream of anyone who loves fabricating with metal.

“We’re basically a high school machine shop on steroids,” says Chris.

All fixtures come with the customer’s choice of seven different hand-applied finishes — no lacquer, powder coat or paint is used. This ensures the fixtures will patina naturally if kept in the same environment with no flaking, peeling or rusting. Glass is mouth-blown.

Moreover, each of Northeast Lantern’s fixtures comes with a lifetime warranty against any defects in workmanship under normal use — including installation near the ocean. “You don’t need a receipt,” Skip says. “We know our lights. Just send it back if something breaks, and we’ll fix it.”

This sort of philosophy harks back to the days when a handshake was all you needed for a guarantee, which seems appropriate for such vintage designs. In fact, when asked who serves as Northeast Lantern’s principal

Chris Heal flips through a binder of handwritten custom-order notes.

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N I N A’ S T I P S F O R REMODELING YOUR KITCHEN

The onion lanterns — which come in a number of designs — are the company’s best-selling items.

designer, Skip quips, “Paul Revere!” He’s not far off. Most of the fixtures wouldn’t look out of place 200 years ago.

However, many fixtures are modern riffs on traditional designs, and 30 percent of Northeast Lantern’s sales are custom orders.

“If you can draw it on a napkin, I can probably make it for you,” Chris says.

The staff at Northeast Lantern is particularly proud of the onion lanterns, which also happen to be the company’s best-sellers. In particular, the optic glass option is gorgeous.

Every fixture is customizable, and most are already available in post, wall and hanging options. Although especially durable, brass fixtures are not only for the outdoors; wall and ceiling options (including flush mounts) look beautiful inside.

Lastly, Northeast Lantern has an array of solid brass chandeliers as well, so you can add a little handcrafted lighting to cheer up just about any spot inside or outside your home. NH Decorator and color consultant Amy Mitchell is the owner of Home Glow Design. Each week, she writes for Home Glow’s “Saturday Blog” (homeglowdesign.com/blog), focusing on fresh twists on classic style, American craftsmanship and value and quality for dollars spent. She lives in Hopkinton with her husband and two boys.

Tip 1 Maximizing your storage is essential to having a great kitchen. I have seen many kitchens that have no place to put the frying pans, no real pantry and no counter space on either side of the cook top. These are not functioning kitchens. I maintain that all cabinets less than 12 inches wide are useless. What can you store in them? Not much. If you are going to spend the money to remodel your kitchen, let a designer help you maximize the storage space so you really can use it. No more trips to the basement to get that pan or roll of paper towels. At Dream Kitchens, I guarantee we will give you at least 30 percent more storage.

Tip 2 Life has changed. The kitchen is the center of our lives. We cook, our children study, and we entertain in the kitchen. This makes the layout essential.

How many times have you asked your child to “stop standing there so I can get to the fridge?” We should be able to easily chat with guests, put chips and dip out on a buffet, and watch TV. We want guests welcome in the kitchen, but on the fringes where they add to the fun but don’t get in the way.

Tip 3 Get rid of the clutter. Most countertops are packed with the coffee maker, toaster, food processor, blender, knives, spices and pantry items. This makes it almost impossible to prepare food and makes the kitchen look messy. Have a place to store everything so you can see and use those beautiful countertops. At Dream Kitchens we will store everything away so you are ready for company at any time of day!

Nina Hackel, President | Dream Kitchens | 139 Daniel Webster Highway Nashua NH | www.adreamkitchen.com | 603-891-2916 nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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HEALTH

illustration by emma moreman

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Going Up

Atrial fibrillation is on the rise in the US

BY KAREN A. JAMROG

T

he average lifespan of US residents has followed a generally upward trend for decades, but heart disease remains a formidable health threat as we age. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in this country, accounting for about one in every four deaths.

Individuals with atrial fibrillation, a form of heart disease in which the heartbeat is irregular or abnormal, make up a significant portion of the number of people stricken with heart disease; an estimated 2.7-6.1 million Americans are living with atrial fibrillation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and their numbers appear to be on the rise. Some experts claim

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that the incidence and prevalence of atrial fibrillation have reached epidemic levels in the US and worldwide. Increased detection might partly account for the upswing, along with a graying population, since atrial fibrillation becomes more common as we grow older, says Ernest Podrasky, MD, a board-certified cardiologist at Core Physicians in Exeter.

While accumulating years alone can take a toll on the heart, a range of factors can cause or contribute to atrial fibrillation, from a heart defect to severe pneumonia.

People with certain chronic diseases, such as diabetes, face a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation, and, along with advanced

age, high blood pressure and poor lifestyle choices related to diet, exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption — particularly binge drinking — also increase vulnerability to the disorder, says Carl M. Fier, MD, FACC, chief of cardiovascular services at Elliot Hospital in Manchester. Some people will experience only brief and intermittent episodes of atrial fibrillation, with the heart converting back to a normal beat on its own, while in other cases atrial fibrillation persists throughout a person’s life.

Indeed, time — and timing — play an important role in the workings of the heart.

When a heart functions normally, a small batch of cells in the upper part of the heart act as a sort of bandleader or natural pacemaker, Podrasky explains, establishing the heartbeat and directing the various areas of the heart to beat in a timely fashion. But during atrial fibrillation, the two upper chambers of the heart initiate their own heartbeat. They quiver and work ineffectively, and become out of sync with the lower chambers.

Many who experience atrial fibrillation notice a fluttering or flip-flopping sensation in their chest, or the feeling of a skipped or rapid heartbeat, while others who have atrial fibrillation do not notice any troublesome sensations in their chest, but feel fatigued or short of breath. Some people who have the disorder don’t feel any symptoms at all.

Regardless of whether a person who has atrial fibrillation notices any symptoms, atrial fibrillation can have serious consequences. Because the heart is not pumping properly during atrial fibrillation, blood can pool in the heart and cause blood clots to form. If a blood clot travels through the bloodstream and reaches the brain, then it can result in a stroke. Left untreated, atrial fibrillation can also lead to weakening of the heart and heart failure, Fier says.

The fact that some people have atrial fibrillation but don’t feel anything out of the ordinary presents a “clinical conundrum,” Fier notes, because “the longer you’re in atrial fibrillation, the higher your risk of having a stroke.” It’s not uncommon for someone to arrive at a doctor’s office or emergency room feeling short of breath, fatigued or dizzy, he says, and discover after having an EKG taken or a pulse check that they are in atrial fibrillation. “And they’ll have no idea when it started,” Fier says. “It could have been days, weeks or months ago.” It typically takes about 48 hours for clots to form, he says.

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HEALTH

medications, or who have not been able to maintain a normal rhythm despite being on different anti-arrhythmic medications.

And for those patients who do need to take anticoagulant medication, or “blood thinners,” to reduce the risk of blood clots, good news: Today there are new and improved alternatives to the longtime goto anticoagulant medication, Coumadin (the brand name for warfarin). Coumadin can be an effective medicine, but it carries dangerous potential side effects and can interact with food and other medications.

It also typically requires inconvenient close monitoring that entails blood draws. The new anticoagulants, though not without drawbacks — including cost — are much more patient-friendly, Fier says. They do not necessitate monitoring with blood testing, and they do not tend to interact with common medications. “They are at least as effective,” he says, “and for the most part, much safer than Coumadin when you’re anticoagulating the patient.” NH

“Every day, every hour after that that you’re still on that [atrial fibrillation] rhythm, you’re incrementally increasing your risk of having a stroke.”

Management of atrial fibrillation can be very different from one person to the next, Podrasky says, and is typically influenced by the effect that the disease has on the heart, the person’s risk for stroke and his or her symptoms. Contrary to popular belief, pacemakers are not often used to treat atrial fibrillation, but medication is commonly prescribed to reduce the likelihood of clotting or to control the heart rate.

Other treatment options include restoring a normal rhythm via an electrical charge, with medicine or through radiofrequency ablation — a nonsurgical but invasive procedure that has developed over the past decade and, Podrasky says, “is getting better and better.” Seventy percent of the time, radiofrequency ablation can completely eliminate the problematic rhythm, he says.

Although the procedure is not 100 percent effective, it can be an attractive option for people who are highly symptomatic, have not been able to tolerate heart-slowing

Women and heart disease All women — and the people who love them — would be wise to remember that, despite the common misconception that heart trouble is a “man’s disease,” heart disease is in fact the number-one killer of women and men alike. While women’s symptoms can differ from men’s, the end result of heart disease does not discriminate.

Heart attack signs in women include the following, according to the American Heart Association: • Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.

• Pain or discomfort in the back, neck, jaw, stomach, or one or both arms.

• Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort.

For more information about atrial fibrillation, see the American Heart Association’s website at heart.org.

• Nausea, lightheadedness or breaking out in a cold sweat.

2 Boston Irish Comedy Tours

on St. Patrick's Day Weekend!

Friday, March 17, 2017 • 8pm

Lebanon Opera House, Lebanon, NH

Presented by Cuzin Richard Entertainment Associates and The Boston Comedy Festival

Three Boston Irish Comedians Headliners: Jim McCue, Joey Carroll, Jimmy PJ Walsh, and Guest Host Paddy O'Furniture!

Surprise Special Guests!

Saturday, March 18, 2017 • 8pm

The Music Hall, Portsmouth, NH Presented by Seacoast Asset Management, Inc. in conjunction with Cuzin Richard Entertainment Associates and The Boston Comedy Festival.

ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC.

Three Boston Irish Comedians Headliners: Jim McCue, Joey Carroll, Jimmy PJ Walsh, and Guest Host Paddy O'Furniture!

Two Step Dancing Groups: Murray Academy and New Hampshire Irish Dance!

TIX: $30-$35 www.lebanonoperahouse.org

TIX: $33-$38 www.themusichall.org

Benefiting: NH Milk Producers Emergency Relief Fund

Benefiting:

New Hampshire

Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food

New Hampshire Irish Dance

Connolly Celtic Dancers

Jim McCue

Joey Carroll

Jimmy PJ Walsh

Murray Academy

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Portsmouth Sponsors: Newcastle Technologies The Blue Mermaid Restaurant Sheraton Harborside Hotel The Dolphin Striker Restaurant The Sound Beara Irish Pub Southport Printing Coughlin, Rainboth, Murphy and Lown, P.A. Kent Creative

Cuzin Richard Entertainment Associates/CREA • www.cuzrichard.com • 866-430-1789 Toll Free 82

nhmagazine.com | February 2017

LAW

Uncommon Law

illustration by gloria diianni

603 LIVING

How about “until death do us unite”?

BY JEFF WOODBURN

O

nly in New Hampshire — the live free or die state — is death a legal pathway to marriage, converting a girlfriend to a widow in a final heartbeat. New Hampshire has a unique (if a bit morbid) postmortem matrimony law that allows those who evade marriage in life but live together for more than three years and hold themselves out as a couple to become formally joined at death.

New Hampshire is one of just eight states that still permit common-law marriage, a frontier tradition that joins unmarried

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couples based on a set period of cohabitation and behaving like husband and wife.

New Hampshire doesn’t officially recognize common-law marriage, but does offer a kind of marriage-death benefit for surviving partners, though only for the purposes of deciding an inheritance and settling probate issues.

It’s common law with a catch, says Concord attorney Chuck Douglas, a former Supreme Court justice. “The catch is that someone has to be dead — one-half of the marriage.”

Common-law marriage, also known as a “poor man’s marriage,” has deep historical

roots in rural places where governments were not well-organized, clerics were hard to come by and Puritan morals were prevalent. In 1563, the Roman Catholic Church required marriages to be “solemnized by a priest.”

England permitted marriage without the benefit of clergy in 1753. Any genealogist will confirm that, up until modern times, churches, not the state, were the best keepers of formal records.

“It was really a Western [frontier] phenomenon,” says Concord attorney Joshua Gordon, and a very practical social and legal solution.

In those days, living together in a romantic relationship was “such a no-no,” he adds, and common-law marriage gave it kind of an official sanction or “imprimatur of marriage.”

But more importantly, he says, “It solved the question of what to do after death.”

In those days (and occasionally today), when someone died “intestate” or without a will, it was the state and local government that hashed out the details. Even today, finding the “next of kin” can be an expensive, daunting and sometimes impossible task. “The name of the game in probate is the predictability of probate,” Gordon says. “You can’t have property without an owner.” That’s one of the reasons why each year the state runs advertisements offering up “unclaimed property.”

Common-law marriage also solved a practical problem of what to do with the “woman in the dead man’s house” and provide her with an alternative to becoming a ward of the state. Remember, it wasn’t until 1846 that New Hampshire allowed married women to own property.

Prior to that, females had few legal rights and few opportunities to live independently.

This very likely was “the driving force,” Gordon says, behind RSA 457:39, the state’s common-law marriage law.

It reads: “Persons cohabiting and acknowledging each other as husband and wife and generally reputed to be such for the period of three years and until the decease of one of them, shall thereafter be deemed to have been legally married.”

This law providing a simple remedy for some probate issues has remained mostly unchanged since 1842. But 175 years later, cohabitation is nearly as common and accepted as marriage. On a handful of occasions, the statute was tested to establish a spousal share of an estate or a divorce-like property settlement.

Tina Annis, a Concord lawyer, formerly chair of the NH Bar Association’s Trust and

Estate Section, says the incidents are very rare and that there are widespread misconceptions about the law, but ultimately, she says, “It’s about ownership rights.”

The most notable case occurred in 1991 when Charlene Miller challenged the estate of her deceased partner Clifton R. Buttrick Sr. The couple shared a home for 11 years but didn’t exchange rings, share a name or have both names on any official documents.

While meeting the three-year cohabitation requirement is relatively straightforward, the reputed-to-be-married aspect is tricky, and is based on what others believe to be true, more than on official documents.

In the Buttrick case, close friends and relatives knew they were not married, while the general community thought they were hitched, mostly because of casual comments made by the couple and written communication. The court, in a 3-2 decision, gave deference to the notion that Miller and Buttrick “held out” to the community that they were a married couple. Miller was rewarded one-half of Buttrick’s estate. In dissent, Justice Stephen Thayer sent a warning to “those unmarried persons living with someone in a ‘loving relationship’ but who do not want their companions to share in their estates.”

Fair warning. NH

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To Tie the Knot or Not 1. In New Hampshire, like the rest of the country, fewer and fewer people are tying the knot. The annual marriage rates are decreasing substantially — by about half of what it was in the 1960s. The state’s marriage rate is now 7.2 per 1,000 population, slightly below the national average, but with a divorce rate of 3.9 per 1,000 and a death rate of 7.6 per 1,000, singlehood and widowhood are growing.

2. New Hampshire has a relatively simple marriage license process. A male must be at least 14 years of age and female just 13, and the pair must pay a $50 fee to the local town/ city clerk and not be presently married. Incest laws prohibit marriage between blood relatives.

No official who performs a marriage can charge less than $5.

3. When it comes to common-law marriage, attorney Chuck Douglas says there are “not a lot of advantages to it” and no clarity. The bottom line is that income tax, Social Security and probate laws all benefit married couples. Prenuptials provide ample protection to divide up present or future property, and nothing replaces planning, says attorney Tina Annis. “If you have a checking account and family,” she says, “you need an estate plan.” nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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LOCAL DISH

Dessert for Adults A little spirit makes this mousse perfect for your next dinner party

photo by steven rothfeld

BY HILLARY DAVIS

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LOCAL DISH

Grand Marnier Mousse Adding Grand Marnier to almost anything makes it better.

It’s been made in France since 1880 with bitter oranges, sugar and cognac, and is an ingredient in many traditional French desserts.

Luxurious, thick, creamy and with a kick from the orange zest, this wonderfully indulgent mousse is perfect for ending a dinner party.

Serves 6 Special equipment: Six martini glasses and an electric hand mixer 1 (3-ounce) semisweet chocolate bar, finely chopped ⅓ cup heavy cream 1 ½ cups half-and-half 2 tablespoons cornstarch ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon unsalted butter ¼ cup plus 6 teaspoons Grand Marnier 1 tablespoon organic orange zest 1 cup heavy whipping cream Place the chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.

Add the cream and melt the chocolate, stirring toward the end, until it is very smooth.

Dip a pastry brush or flat paintbrush into the melted chocolate and decorate the serving glasses by painting a design on the inside of each glass. You can also dip a fork into the chocolate and wave it over the glasses for a random design. Put the glasses into the refrigerator for the chocolate to harden. Save any leftover chocolate.

Pour the half-and-half into a saucepan and whisk in the cornstarch until smooth.

Add the sugar and honey, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the mixture thickens, whisking continuously, about 3 minutes. Add the butter and whisk until it melts. Allow to cool to room temperature for 15 minutes. Whisk in ¼ cup Grand Marnier and the orange zest.

Using the mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled mixture until well-blended. Pour 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier into the bottom of each glass, then evenly divide the mousse into each glass. Chill for 3 hours before serving.

Hillary Davis is the author of several books on French cooking. Her latest, “French Desserts,” is now available. Learn more at hillary-davis.com.

nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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EVENTS

Calendar

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OUR FAVORITE EVENTS FOR FEBRUARY 2017

Babe’s Lounge. If you’d rather spend the day skiing and boarding than putting and driving, you’re in luck: The registration fee includes a full-day lift ticket. $105. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Loon Mountain, 60 Loon Mountain Rd., Lincoln. (603) 401-5954; casanh.org/snowfest

2/10

Fanfare ‘17 Arts patrons, this one’s for you. The annual fundraising gala for Symphony NH will feature cocktails, dinner, live and silent auctions and dancing to the live, jazzy tunes of New England Swing. Enjoy a swanky night on the town while supporting the concerts and educational programs of New Hampshire’s native symphony. $75. 5:30 p.m., Crowne Plaza Nashua, 2 Somerset Pkwy., Nashua. (603) 595-9156; symphonynh.org Comedy for a Cause Under the umbrella of Family Promise of Greater Nashua, Hudson’s Anne-Marie House has the unique mission of housing families (rather than individuals or moms and babies only) who are experiencing homelessness. Help them continue their noble work at this comedy night fundraiser. Four comedians, including alums of Foxwoods’ standup stages and the Comedy Channel, will keep the laughs coming all night. $30. 7 p.m., Valentino’s, 142 Lowell Rd., Hudson. Eventbrite.com

2/23-25

Mt. Washington Valley Ice Fest Ice: If you can’t beat it, join it. This annual weekend festival features three full days of demos and clinics, plus keynote talks from ice climbing legends Scott Bennett and Guy Robertson. Seasoned climbers can try advanced tours like the one-day Mount Washington ascent, while newbies can opt for classes like Ice Climbing 101. Prices, times and locations vary with event. North Conway.

(603) 356-7064; mwv-icefest.com

2/9-12

Dartmouth Winter Carnival Dating back to 1911, this annual fête celebrates Dartmouth’s impressive winter sports history and the beauty of the Upper Valley in the snow. Organizations around campus host events during the carnival, so make the rounds to enjoy an ice-sculpting contest, a concert from the Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble and quirky traditions like a human dogsled race on the green. Prices and times vary, Dartmouth College, Hanover.

(603) 646-3399; dartmouth.edu/~sao

2/20-24

King Pine Winter Carnival One of the state’s most family-friendly ski areas gets in on the win-

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2/25

NH Beer, Wine and Cheese Festival You've seen beer festivals. You've seen wine festivals. You may even have seen wine and cheese festivals.

But a fest combining all three? Mind = blown.

Peruse and sample from a showroom full of New Hampshire brews, vinos and cheeses at this expo put on by Contoocook Creamery. $20. 1 to 5 p.m., Atkinson Resort & Country Club, 85 Country Club Rd., Atkinson. Eventbrite

BENEFITS 2/3

Snowfest Trade the putting green for the putting white with this mountainside snow golf tournament. The annual fundraiser for CASA of NH features nine holes along the Blue Ox trail for ski- and snowshoe-clad golfers, plus festivities far beyond the links, including lunch catered

by The Common Man and an après-ski party in

courtesy jjr productions

2/3-5

ter carnival fun with this week of snowy events.

Visitors can take advantage of sleigh rides, a snowshoe tour and ski races designed just for families and kids. Don’t miss the fireworks display on Thursday night as festivities draw to a close.

King Pine at Purity Spring Resort, 1251 Eaton Rd., Madison. (603) 367-8896; kingpine.com

Red Carpet Awards Watch this year's Academy Awards on the big screen at Red River Theatres.

This annual celebration and fundraiser starts at O Steaks & Seafood, where guests — encouraged to dress up — will walk the Red Carpet. Tickets include delicious appetizers, live music and dancing at O. Red River Theatres, 11 S. Main St., Concord. redrivertheatres.org. New Hampshire Magazine is a proud sponsor of this event. ce

FAIRS & FESTIVALS

2/26

Ch oi

Ahoy, mateys! In this fundraiser for the Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country, participants are invited to suit up in pirate and wench gear and hit the mountain to search for hidden treasure. Scallywags can also check out a silent auction, a Pirate Portrait Gallery photo booth and even a (temporary) tattoo parlor. Cannon Mountain Ski Area, 260 Tramway Dr., Franconia. (603) 823-5232; adaptivesportspartners.org

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2/4 Pirates of the High Skis

V-DAY Performances In conjunction with V-DAY, a global movement seeking to end violence against women and girls, universities worldwide will stage benefit performances of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues.” Productions will be held at four New Hampshire institutions: UNH, Keene State, Plymouth State and Dartmouth.

Prices, times and locations vary. vday.org

photo by kris dobbins

2/18

2/11 Alex Preston “American Idol” runner-up and New Hampshire native son Alex Preston comes home for this spotlight performance. Enjoy an evening of indie tunes such as “Break My Heart” from the multi-instrumentalist and Mont Vernon native’s debut album. $15. 8 p.m., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord. (603) 225-1111; ccanh.com

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2/18 Momix: "Opus Cactus"

2017 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Can’t make it to Alberta? Don’t worry; the province’s famous film festival is coming to you.

At the world’s most prestigious mountain film exposition, you can take in film screenings on topics from snow sports to the environment. $20-$25. 7 p.m., Lebanon Opera House, 51 N. Park St., Lebanon. (603) 448-0400; lebanonoperahouse.org

In December, we introduced you to Pilobolus, the dance troupe born of 1970s Dartmouth. Now, you can catch a performance by their spinoff group right here in New Hampshire. The athletic dancers of Momix present "Opus Cactus," their seminal work inspired by the landscapes and wildlife of the American Southwest, in this Historic Theater presentation. $35-$54. 8 p.m., The Music Hall, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth.

(603) 436-2400; themusichall.org

2/6

photo by charles azzopardi

Gibson’s Book Club: "The Tempest" O brave new world that has such book lovers in ‘t! In keeping with their annual February tradition, the resident book club of Gibson’s in Concord will read excerpts from a Shakespeare play — this year, “The Tempest.” No preparation is needed and all the boring parts will be skipped, so stop by for a snappy, communal reading of one of the Bard’s finest. Free. 7 p.m., Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 S. Main St., Concord. (603) 224-0562; gibsonsbookstore.com

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MISCELLANEOUS

2/10-12

NH Orchid Society 26th Annual Show & Sale Admire (or purchase) a ballroom full of exquisite orchids and learn a bit about their horticulture at this annual exhibition. In addition to a roundtable discussion for first-time orchid growers and a weekend full of sales and lectures, catch the featured talk by Tom Mirenda, an orchid collection specialist with the Smithsonian. $8-$15. Fri 1 to 7 p.m., Sat 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Courtyard Nashua, 2200 Southwood Dr., Nashua.

(603) 880-9100; nhorchids.org

2/17-18

NH Farm & Forest Expo With 34 years in business, this show rightly bills itself as “New Hampshire’s greatest winter fair.” Farmers and city slickers alike are welcome at the expo, which includes a vendor fair with dozens of farm-totable-style producers, two days of agricultural programming and a live farm animal zone run by New Hampshire 4-Hers. $7. Fri 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sat 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Radisson Hotel Manchester Downtown, 700 Elm St., Manchester. (603) 231-1396; nhfarmandforestexpo.org

2/18

Lake Winnipesaukee Curling Tournament You may have seen curling on TV during a slow day for ESPN, but you’ve probably never given the sport a try. This brand-new tournament encourages newcomers and experienced curlers to grab a broom and a stone and face off on the frozen surface of Lake Winnipesaukee. If you’d rather spectate than participate, the day will also feature standard festival fare, including food from Hart’s Turkey Farm and a cash bar featuring an array of local brews. $240 per team of four.

9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Akwa Marina Yacht Club, 95 Centenary Ave., Laconia. (603) 782-4242; akwamarina.com

2/22

A Short Course on Islam for Non-Muslims It’s one of the oldest religions in the world — and one of the most oft-mentioned topics in world news. If it’s been a few years since you covered the Muslim world in your high school history classes, head to this NH Humanities talk to brush up on your knowledge of Islam’s core tenets and to learn about the faith’s contemporary practice in the United States. 6:30 p.m., Weeks Public Library, 36 Post Rd., Greenland. (603) 436-8548; nhhumanities.org

PERFORMING ARTS

and 7 p.m., Sun 2 p.m., Peacock Players Theatre, 14 Court St., Nashua. (603) 886-7000; peacockplayers.org

"Inherit the Wind" No, this isn’t a play about becoming one with our winter gales. Rather, the drama by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee is a fictionalized account of the Scopes Monkey Trial, pitting a young teacher and his lessons on Darwinism against the powerful state government whose laws forbade teaching the subject.

The Winni Players community theatre group stages this production. $11-$20. Thu-Sat 7:30 p.m., Sun 2 p.m., The Winnipesaukee Playhouse, 50 Reservoir Rd., Meredith. (603) 279-0333; winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org

2/15-26

2/10

2/19

2/2-5

International Guitar Summit Spearheaded by Brian Gore and hosted by German guitar legend Lulo Reinhardt, this summit is a roving festival bringing the biggest names in acoustic guitar to performance centers around the world. Italian contemporary guitarist Luca Stricagnoli, Brazilian composer-performer Chrystian Dozza and Indian slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya will all perform their innovative work. $14.75-$33.75.

7:30 p.m., The Dana Center, 100 Anselm Dr., Manchester. (603) 641-7700; anselm.edu/dana

2/10-19

"Peter and the Starcatcher" This Tony Award-winning play, written by Rick Elice with music by Wayne Barker, reimagines the story of Peter Pan in a tale heavy on pirates, jungles and the power of friendship. The Peacock Players bring the piece to life with creative staging and a dose of imagination. $12-$17. Fri 7 p.m., Sat 2

"Steel Magnolias" The Peterborough Players close out their inaugural winter season with this beloved play. Watch as six fierce Southern women — who are as sweet as magnolias but as tough as steel — recount the struggles and the joys of their small-town lives. Lisa Bostnar and Kathy Manfre lead the cast. $39. Wed-Fri 7:30 p.m., Sat 2 and 7:30 p.m., Peterborough Players Theatre, 55 Hadley Rd., Peterborough. (603) 924-7585; peterboroughplayers.org Ariana Grande One of the biggest names in pop comes to Manchester for her “Dangerous Woman” tour. Get ready for a night of such octave-spanning Ariana hits as “Into You,” “Problem” and “Break Free” — and plenty of the starlet’s signature ponytail. $29.95-$199.95.

7:30 p.m., SNHU Arena, 555 Elm St., Manchester.

(603) 644-5000; snhuarena.com

2/25

"La Traviata" Opera NH won’t kick off their season in earnest until their Summerfest later this year, but you can catch a preview of their vocal talents with this one-night performance of Verdi’s classic work. Watch (and listen) as doomed Parisian courtesan Violetta is pursued by the idealistic young Alfredo in a romantic and tragic tale that provided the inspiration for the film “Moulin Rouge.” 7 p.m., Stockbridge Theatre, 5 Pinkerton St., Derry. (603) 647-6564; operanh.org nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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EVENTS (and some headlamps). Black Mountain, 373 Black Mountain Rd., Jackson. (603) 383-4490; blackmt.com

Love Lust and Desire This annual Valentine’s Day exhibition hinges on romantic and sensual art of all kinds. Bring your significant other to browse and examine the works on a date catered to creative spirits, or come alone to pick out a piece to bring home as a gift for your other half. Tue-Fri 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, McGowan Fine Art, 10 Hills Ave., Concord. (603) 225-2515; mcgowanfineart.com

2/14

1/31-2/14

2/10-12

Dinner and a Show: "A Dog's Life" Take in a night of stagecraft and good eats courtesy of the Majestic Theatre. A talented cast will present Sean Grennan's musical about a man's budding bond with his girlfriend's dog while kitchen staff serves you chicken marsala and chocolate seduction cake for dessert. $38-$42. Fri-Sat 7 p.m., Sun 1:30 p.m., Executive Court Banquet Facility, 1199 S. Mammoth Rd., Manchester. (603) 669-7469; majestictheatre.net

2/11

Magic Mike XXL Ladies Night Out Who says you need a boyfriend to have a sexy Valentine’s Day weekend? Round up your girls and head to the North Country for this raucous all-male revue inspired by the Channing Tatum film franchise.

The evening promises two full hours of choreographed performances, comedy and contests to keep you entertained all night — and for weeks to come in giggly recaps for any jealous friends who didn’t join the party. $19. 9 p.m., Jean’s Playhouse, 34 Papermill Dr., Lincoln. (603) 7452141; jeansplayhouse.com

2/11

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Chairlift Speed Dating & Last Tracks with Moat Mountain Delete your dating apps for the day and try out some real-life matchmaking this Valentine’s Day. An annual tradition at Black Mountain, Chairlift Speed Dating invites ski-loving singles to mingle beyond their usual circle of friends while they hit the slopes. At the end of the day, Moat Mountain will present a dinner and beer tasting for the budding new couples before sending the group skiing back down the mountain by the romantic light of the stars

"Casablanca" As part of the Hopkins Center Film winter movie series, “Casablanca” will hit the big screen at Dartmouth’s Loew Auditorium. Call the sitter, because this Bogart and Bergman masterpiece — paired with dinner at Pine, perhaps? — makes for a perfect couple’s night out. $5-$8. 7 p.m., Hopkins Center for the Arts, 4 E. Wheelock St., Dartmouth College, Hanover. (603) 646-2422; hop.dartmouth.edu

VISUAL ARTS & MUSEUMS 2/2-4/9

Closer Readings: New Hampshire Writers Respond to Art This interdisciplinary exhibition infuses a taste of the written word into the art museum experience. A team of noted writers from around New Hampshire were set loose on the permanent collection and asked to write reflections on some of the more moving pieces

by Granite State artists past and present. Be sure to look around at the museum as well as the art — this show marks its reopening after a nearly four-month renovation. Mon-Wed 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thu 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sat-Sun 1 to 5 p.m., The Museum of Art at the University of New Hampshire, Paul Creative Arts Center, 30 Academic Way, Durham. (603) 862-3712; cola.unh.edu/pcac

2/3-3/12

Within the Collection: Local Art Collections and Their Collectors This unique exhibition focuses not just on art but on the art lovers who own it. Monadnock Region and New Hampshire collectors are represented alongside prestigious national collections, creating a selection of works by local and international artists that are rarely seen outside the walls of their collectors’ private homes. Free. Wed-Sat 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sun 12 to 4 p.m., Sharon Arts Center, 30 Grove St., Peterborough. (603) 8362550; nhia.edu

2/17-3/10

AVA’s 9th Annual Best of the Upper Valley High School Competition Wondering what the future of art looks like? Look no further than this annual exhibition. Stop by this three-week show to get a preview of the next generation of great New Hampshire artists. Tue-Sat 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Thu until 7 p.m.), AVA Gallery, 11 Bank St., Lebanon. (603) 448-3117; avagallery.org

2/24-4/1

Andi & Lance Olsen: There’s No Place Like Time If you like your art a little bit trippy, this may be the show for you. Brother and sister duo Andi and Lance structured this exhibition as one part filmmaker retrospective and one part immersive novel, dedicated to the life and work of an artist who never existed. We promise — it’s cool. Free. Mon-Fri 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., NHIA Roger Williams Gallery, 77 Amherst St., Manchester. (603) 623-0313; nhia.edu

2/28-3/31

The Eye of the Beholder You may have seen the earlier iterations of this popular themed show in June 2015 or May 2016, but you won’t want to miss training your eyes on it as it comes back again by popular demand. Local photographers and painters worked together to create the works in this exhibition. One snaps or paints a scene in her medium, then passes it off to a partner to copy in his. The resulting work is hung side by side with the original that inspired it.

Tue-Sat 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun 12 to 4 p.m., Seacoast Artist Association, 130 Water St., Exeter.

(603) 778-8856; seacoastartist.org

Find additional events at nhmagazine. com/calendar and even more fun winter things to do at nhmagazine.com/winter.

Submit events eight weeks in advance to Sarah Cahalan at scahalan@nhmagazine. com or enter your own at nhmagazine.com/ calendar. Not all events are guaranteed to be published either online or in the print calendar. Event submissions will be reviewed and, if deemed appropriate, approved by a New Hampshire Magazine editor.

2/4 14th Annual Ice Harvest and Winter Carnival Find a new appreciation for your freezer’s icemaker by trying your hand at this old-fashioned ice harvest. Visitors can hit the pond to help haul in chunks of ice (oxen included) or stick to the tamer activities, such as visiting the bobhouse, listening to live music or admiring the festival’s fleet of antique snowmobiles. $3-$10. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm, 58 Cleveland Hill Rd., Tamworth. (603) 3237591; remickmuseum.org

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courtesy photo

VALENTINE'S DAY

603 LIVING

fred h.c. liang, stream, 2015, cut arjowiggin paper (gold), h-18.5 x d-106 x w-120 ft. courtesy of the artist.

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Starting 2/25 The Currier Goes Modern This spring is slated to be a great season for contemporary art at the Currier Museum. "Deep Cuts," an exhibition of works by contemporary artists who reimagine the ancient art of paper-cutting, runs through May 21. Across the museum, New Hampshire artist Soo Sunny Park will embark on “BioLath,” a new site-specific

installation that will transform the building’s Putnam Gallery into a kaleidoscope of forms and lines that change with every shift in the gallery’s abundant natural light. BioLath runs through August 6. Sun-Mon, Wed-Fri 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester.

(603) 669-6144; currier.org nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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DINE OUT

Good Eats OUR GUIDE TO FINE DINING

NH Made is New Hampshire’s leading promoter of great things made here. Visit www.nhmade.com to find everything from handmade stoneware pottery and cozy sweaters to specialty foods and home décor.

The Franklin Oyster House 148 Fleet St., Portsmouth (603) 373-8500 franklinoysterhouse.com Sun-Thurs from 4-9 p.m.

Fri-Sat from 4-10 p.m.

Take Pride in N.H. Visit www.nhmade.com for a list of the state’s finest specialty foods

courtesy photo

1 AM

Pastry Chef Tyler Elliott’s special chocolate chai marquise

Oysters and decadent dessert

TRY OUR NEWEST LOCATION 270 GRANITE STREET MANCHESTER www.giorgios.com

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Why not enjoy oysters for dinner on Valentine’s Day? At The Franklin Oyster House in Portsmouth you can have them on the half shell, fried “à la Paul Prudhomme,” in a po’boy slider, stewed New England-style, marinated with escabeche, grilled and served with snails and bone marrow, stuffed with herbed bread or broiled with spinach au gratin and trout roe. Geez, you’d think that Chef Matt Louis is trying to garner attention — and yes, he has, from national magazines to James Beard nominations. Local sourcing has been a prime directive for Louis. Most of the daily selections of oysters are from the nearby Great Bay, and other proteins are sourced from local farms. The creative dishes include house-made charcuterie, inventive vegetable dishes and small plates. The varied

menu also includes scallops with frites, buttermilk-fried chicken with biscuits and even a beef burger on brioche. But save room for dessert. Last summer, Tyler Elliott came on board as pastry chef for The Franklin Oyster House, Moxy and Jumpin’ Jays — all part of Jay McSharry’s dining empire. Elliott has been dreaming up creative desserts that are as tasty as they look. For Valentine’s Day, his chocolate chai marquise with a honey and pomegranate paint and a pine nut praline will be a worthy finale. The cream for the marquise is steeped in chai tea to give it a nice spice, and Elliott uses his favorite chocolate for this special-occasion treat. His desserts change almost daily, so any time is a good time for a pretty happy ending at Franklin Oyster House, Moxy or Jumpin’ Jays. NH

603 LIVING

DINE OUT Our restaurant listings include Best of NH winners and advertisers along with others compiled by the New Hampshire Magazine editorial department. Listings are subject to change from month to month based on space availability. Expanded and highlighted listings denote advertisers. For additional and more detailed listings, visit nhmagazine.com.

H Best of NH

$ Entrées cost less than $12 B Breakfast H Best of NH L Lunch 2016 Reader’s Poll D Dinner $$$$ Entrées cost b Brunch more than $25 $$$ Entrées cost between ( Reservations recom2016 Editor’s Picks

$18 and $25

mended

$$ Entrées cost between

New – Open for one year or less

$12 and $18

MERRIMACK VALLEY Bar One

GASTROPUB 40 Nashua St., Milford; (603) 249-5327; Facebook; $–$$ L D

Barley House Restaurant and Tavern H

Giorgio’s Ristorante

MEDITERRANEAN 707 Milford Rd., Merrimack; (603) 883-7333; 524 Nashua St., Milford; (603) 673-3939; 270 Granite St., Manchester; (603) 232-3323; giorgios.com — Ignite your passion for food with sumptuous décor and expansive menus that feature Mediterranean food with an American sensibility. Merrimack’s martini bar and gourmet pizza and Milford’s Meze bar have a menu that offers something for everyone. $$–$$$ L D (

Granite Restaurant

NEW AMERICAN 96 Pleasant St., Concord; (603) 227-9000; graniterestaurant.com; $$–$$$$ B L D b (

Grazing Room at the Colby Hill Inn

AMERICAN 33 The Oaks St., Henniker; (603) 428-3281; colbyhillinn.com; $$– $$$$ D ( Under new ownership

Hampton; (603) 964-5064; ronaldosrest.com; $-$$ D (

Shira Kiku

ASIAN 13 Broad St., Nashua; (603) 882-8644; kikunh.com; $–$$ L D (

Stella Blu

TAPAS 70 East Pearl St., Nashua; (603) 578-5557; stellablu-nh.com; $$–$$$ D

Surf Restaurant H

SEAFOOD 207 Main St., Nashua; (603) 595-9293; 99 Bow St., Portsmouth; (603) 334-9855; surfseafood.com; $$–$$$$ D b

Taj India

INDIAN 967 Elm St., Manchester; (603) 606-2677; 47 E. Pearl St., Nashua; (603) 864-8586; tajindia.co; $–$$ L D New location in Nashua

Tek-nique

Gyro Spot

GREEK 1037 Elm St., Manchester; (603) 218-3869; thegyrospot.com; $ L D

NEW AMERICAN 170 Rte. 101, Amherst; (603) 488-5629; restaurantteknique.com; $$-$$$ D b

Hanover St. Chophouse H

Tuscan Kitchen H

STEAKHOUSE 149 Hanover Street, Manchester; (603) 644-2467; hanoverstreetchophouse.com; $$$–$$$$ L D (

ITALIAN 67 Main St., Salem; (603) 952-4875; tuscan-kitchen.com; $$–$$$ L D b

Hooked

Villaggio Ristorante H

TAVERN/AMERICAN 132 North Main St., Concord; (603) 228-6363; 43 Lafayette Rd., N. Hampton; (603) 379-9161; thebarleyhouse.com; $–$$ L D New location in N. Hampton.

SEAFOOD 110 Hanover St., Manchester; (603) 606-1235; hookednh.com; $$–$$$ D

ITALIAN 677 Hooksett Rd., Manchester; (603) 627-2424; villaggionh.com; $–$$ L D (

Bedford Village Inn H

Lui Lui H

XO on Elm H

AMERICAN 2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford; (603) 472-2001; bedfordvillageinn.com; $$–$$$$ B L D

The Birch on Elm

NEW AMERICAN/TAPAS 931 Elm St., Manchester; (603) 782-5365; Facebook; $–$$ L D

ITALIAN 8 Glen Rd., West Lebanon; (603) 298-7070; 259 Daniel Webster Hwy, Nashua; (603) 888-2588; luilui.com; $–$$ L D (

Mangia

Buckley’s Great Steaks

ITALIAN 33 Elm St., Manchester; (603) 647-0788; gomangia.com; $–$$ D (

Café Momo

FUSION 1105 Elm St., Manchester; (603) 625-6468; mintbistronh.com; $$–$$$ L D (

STEAKHOUSE 438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack; (603) 424-0995; buckleysgreatsteaks.com; $–$$$$ D ( HIMALAYAN/NEPALESE 1065 Hanover St., Manchester; (603) 6233733; cafemomonh.us; $–$$ L D

Canoe

AMERICAN 216 South River Rd., Bedford; (603) 935-8070; 232 Whittier Hwy., Center Harbor; (603) 253-4762; magicfoodsrestaurantgroup.com — Great home-style cooking with an upscale flair from the same restaurant group as O Steaks & Seafood and Suna. $$–$$$ D (

Cotton H

AMERICAN 75 Arms St., Manchester; (603) 622-5488; cottonfood.com; $$–$$$$ L D (

Cucina Toscana

ITALIAN 427 Amherst St., Nashua; (603) 821-7356; cucinatoscananashua.com; $ L D (

The Foundry H

AMERICAN/FARM-TO-TABLE 50 Commercial St., Manchester; (603) 8361925; foundrynh.com; $$-$$$ D b

Fratello’s Italian Grille H

ITALIAN 155 Dow St., Manchester; (603) 624-2022; 194 Main St., Nashua; (603) 889-2022; 799 Union Ave., Laconia; (603) 528-2022; fratellos.com; $–$$ L D

Gale Motor Co. Eatery

SMALL PLATES 36 Lowell St., Manchester; (603) 232-7059; galemotoreatery.com; $–$$$ D (

Mint Bistro

MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar

AMERICAN 212 Main St., Nashua; (603) 595-9334; mtslocal.com; $–$$$ L D

My Sister’s Kitchen

RUSSIAN 286 Elm St., Milford; (603) 672-7202; Facebook; $ B L

O Steaks & Seafood

STEAKHOUSE/SEAFOOD 11 South Main St., Concord; (603) 856-7925; 62 Doris Ray Court, Lakeport; (603) 524-9373; magicfoodsrestaurantgroup.com — Steak and fresh seafood are specialties, but other dishes are available such as the longtime favorite, lobster macaroni and cheese.

Excellent wine list. $$–$$$ L D

Pasquale’s Ristorante

ITALIAN 145 Raymond Rd., Candia; (603) 483-5005; 87 Nashua Rd., Londonderry; (603) 434-3093; pasqualeincandia.com; $–$$ L D New location in Londonderry

Pig Tale H

PIZZERIA 449 Amherst St., Nashua; (603) 864-8740; pigtalepizza.com; $–$$ L D

Republic H

MEDITERRANEAN 1069 Elm St., Manchester; (603) 666-3723; republiccafe.com; $–$$$ L D

Ronaldo’s

ITALIAN 69 Lafayette Rd. North

FUSION/SMALL PLATES 827 Elm St., Manchester; (603) 206-5721; xoonelm.com; $–$$$ L D (

SEACOAST

Cure

NEW AMERICAN 189 State St., Portsmouth; (603) 427-8258; curerestaurantportsmouth.com; $$-$$$ L D (

Dante’s Bistro

ITALIAN 567 Calef’s Hwy, Barrington; (603) 664-4000; dantespasta.com; $$ L D (

Domo

ASIAN 96 State St., Portsmouth; (603) 501-0132; domoportsmouth. com; $$ L D

Durbar Square Restaurant

NEPALESE/HIMALAYAN 10 Market St., Portsmouth; (603) 294-0107; durbarsquarerestaurant.com $-$$ L D(

Epoch

NEW AMERICAN 2 Pine St., Exeter; (603) 772-5901; theexeterinn.com; $$$–$$$$ B L D b (

Franklin Oyster House H

SEAFOOD 148 Fleet St., Portsmouth; (603) 373-8500; franklinoysterhouse. com; $-$$$ D

The Galley Hatch

AMERICAN 325 Lafayette Rd., Hampton; (603) 926-6152; galleyhatch. com; $-$$ B L D

Green Elephant H

VEGETARIAN 35 Portwalk Place, Portsmouth; (603) 427-8344; greenelephantnh.com; $–$$ L D

Hayseed at Smuttynose H

BREW PUB 105 Towle Farm Rd., Hampton; (603) 436-4026; smuttynose.com/restaurant; $–$$ L D

Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Café

5 Thai Bistro

THAI 40 Pleasant St., Portsmouth; (603) 373-8871; 5thaibistro.com; $–$$ L D

SEAFOOD 150 Congress St., Portsmouth; (603) 766-3474; jumpinjays. com; $$$–$$$$ D (

7th Settlement

The Library

BREW PUB 47 Washington St., Dover; (603) 373-1001; 7thsettlement. com; $–$$ L D

STEAKHOUSE 401 State St., Portsmouth; (603) 431-5202; libraryrestaurant.com; $$–$$$$ L D b (

Applecrest Farm Bistro H

Louie’s H

FARM-TO-TABLE 133 Exeter Rd.; Hampton Falls; (603) 926-3721; farmbistro.com; $–$$ B L

ITALIAN 86 Pleasant St., Portsmouth (603) 294-0989; louiesportsmouth. com; $$–$$$ D (

Black Trumpet Bistro

Martingale Wharf

INTERNATIONAL 29 Ceres St., Portsmouth; (603) 431-0887; blacktrumpetbistro.com; $$–$$$$ D (

NEW AMERICAN 99 Bow St. Portsmouth; (603) 431-0901; martingalewharf.com; $$$–$$$$ L D (

Brazo

Mombo

LATIN 75 Pleasant St., Portsmouth; (603) 431-0050; brazorestaurant. com; $$–$$$$ D (

INTERNATIONAL 66 Marcy St., Portsmouth; (603) 433-2340; momborestaurant.com; $$–$$$ L D (

BRGR BAR

Moxy H

AMERICAN 34 Portwalk Place, Portsmouth; (603) 294-0902; brgr-bar. com; $–$$ b

TAPAS 106 Penhallow St., Portsmouth; (603) 319-8178; moxyrestaurant.com; $$–$$$ D (

Bridge Street Bistrot

Oak House

INTERNATIONAL 64 Bridge St., Portsmouth; (603) 430-9301; bridgestreetbistrot.com; $$–$$$ L D b (

AMERICAN 110 Main St., Newmarket; (603) 292-5893; oakhousenewmarket.com; $–$$ L D

CAVA

The Oar House

TAPAS 10 Commercial Alley, Portsmouth; (603) 319-1575; cavatapasandwinebar.com; $–$$$ L D

SEAFOOD/AMERICAN 55 Ceres St., Portsmouth; (603) 436-4025; portsmouthoarhouse.com; $$–$$$$ L D b (

Carriage House

Revolution Taproom and Grill

AMERICAN 2263 Ocean Blvd., Rye; (603) 964-8251; carriagehouserye. com; $$-$$$ D (

GASTRO PUB 61 North Main St., Rochester; (603) 244-3022; revolutiontaproomandgrill.com; $-$$ L D

CR’s the Restaurant

Ristorante Massimo

AMERICAN 287 Exeter Rd., Hampton; (603) 929-7972; crstherestaurant. com; $$-$$$ L D (

ITALIAN 59 Penhallow St., Portsmouth; (603) 436-4000; ristorantemassimo.com; $$-$$$ D (

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SEAFOOD 5 Portwalk Place, Portsmouth; (603) 319-5011; row34nh. com; $-$$$ L D b (

Rudi’s

NEW AMERICAN 20 High St., Portsmouth; (603) 430-7834; rudisportsmouth.com $$$-$$$$ L D b (

Savory Square Bistro

EUROPEAN 32 Depot Square, Hampton; (603) 926-2202; savorysquarebistro.com $-$$$ L D (

Shio H

JAPANESE 2454 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth; (603) 319-1638; shiorestaurant.com; $-$$ L D

Station 19

NEW AMERICAN 37 Water St., Exeter; (603) 778-3923; Facebook; $–$$$ D

Surf Seafood H

SEAFOOD 99 Bow St., Portsmouth; (603) 334-9855; surfseafood.com; $$–$$$$ D

Tinos Greek Kitchen H

GREEK 325 Lafayette Rd., Hampton; (603) 926-6152; tinosgreek.com; $–$$ D b

The Wellington Room

NEW AMERICAN 67 Bow St., Portsmouth; (603) 431-2989; thewellingtonroom.com; $$$–$$$$ D (

LAKES

Bayside Grill and Tavern

AMERICAN 51 Mill St., Wolfeboro; (603) 894-4361; baysidegrillandtavern.com; $–$$ L D

Camp

AMERICAN 300 DW Hwy., Meredith; (603) 279-3003; thecman.com $–$$ D

Canoe

AMERICAN 216 South River Rd., Bedford; (603) 935-8070; 232 Whittier Hwy., Center Harbor; (603) 2534762; magicfoodsrestaurantgroup. com — Great home-style cooking with an upscale flair from the same restaurant group as O Steaks & Seafood and Suna. $$–$$$ D (

Corner House Inn Restaurant

AMERICAN 22 Main St., Center Sandwich; (603) 284-6219; cornerhouseinn.com $$ L D b (

Crystal Quail

AMERICAN 202 Pitman Rd., Center Barnstead; (603) 269-4151; crystalquail.com; $$$–$$$$ D (

Faro Italian Grille

ITALIAN 7 Endicott St. N., Laconia; (603) 527-8073; faroitaliangrille.com; $$ D (

Fratello’s Italian Grille H

DINE OUT

Hwy., West Ossipee; (603) 5392000; hobbstavern.com; $–$$ L D

Homestead Restaurant

AMERICAN 1567 Summer St., Bristol; (603) 744-2022; 641 DW Highway, Merrimack; (603) 429-2022; homesteadnh.com; $–$$ D

Kathleen’s Cottage

IRISH PUB 90 Lake St., Bristol; (603) 744-6336; kathleenscottagenh.com; $–$$ L D

Lavinia’s

AMERICAN 18 Main St., Center Harbor; (603) 253-8617; laviniasdining. com; $–$$$ D (

Lemongrass

ASIAN 64 Whittier Hwy., Moultonborough; (603) 253-8100; lemongrassnh.net; $–$$ L D

Local Eatery H

FARM-TO-TABLE 21 Veterans Sq., Laconia; (603) 527-8007; laconialocaleatery.com; $–$$ D (

Mise en Place

ITALIAN/AMERICAN 96 Lehner St., Wolfeboro; (603) 569-5788; miseenplacenh.com; $$-$$$$ L D (

The New Woodshed

AMERICAN 128 Lee Rd., Moultonborough; (603) 476-2700; newwoodshed.com; $–$$$ D

O Bistro at the Inn on Main

AMERICAN 200 North Main St., Wolfeboro; (603) 515-1003; innnewhampshire.com/our-bistro — Elegant yet comfortable inn setting with a menu that features dishes in the same upscale comfort food theme as O Steaks and Seafood. $$–$$$ D

O Steaks & Seafood

STEAKHOUSE/SEAFOOD 11 South Main St., Concord; (603) 856-7925; 62 Doris Ray Court, Lakeport; (603) 524-9373; magicfoodsrestaurantgroup.com — Steak and fresh seafood are specialties, but other dishes are available such as the longtime favorite, lobster macaroni and cheese. Excellent wine list. $$–$$$ L D

Tavern 27 H

TAPAS/PIZZA 2075 Parade Rd., Laconia; (603) 528-3057; tavern27. com; $–$$ L D (

Wolfe’s Tavern H

NEW ENGLAND TAVERN 90 N. Main St., Wolfeboro; (603) 569-3016; wolfestavern.com; $$–$$$ B L D b (

MONADNOCK Bantam Grill H

ITALIAN 1 Jaffrey Rd., Peterborough; (603) 924-6633; bantam-peterborough.com; $$–$$$ D (

Bellows Walpole Inn Pub

ITALIAN 155 Dow St., Manchester; (603) 624-2022; 194 Main St., Nashua; (603) 889-2022; 799 Union Ave., Laconia; (603) 528-2022; fratellos. com; $–$$ L D

INTERNATIONAL/AMERICAN 297 Main St., Walpole; (603) 756-3320; bellowswalpoleinn.com; $$ L D (

Garwood’s

ITALIAN Rte. 137, Dublin; (603) 5637195; delrossis.com $$–$$$ D (

AMERICAN 6 North Main St., Wolfeboro; (603) 569-7788; garwoodsrestaurant.com; $–$$ L D (

Hart’s Turkey Farm H

AMERICAN 233 DW Highway, Meredith; (603) 279-6212; hartsturkeyfarm.com; $–$$ L D (

Hobb’s Tavern & Brewing Co. BREW PUB 2415 White Mountain

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Del Rossi’s Trattoria Elm City Brewing

Fox Tavern at the Hancock Inn

TAVERN 33 Main St., Hancock; (603) 525-3318; hancockinn.com $-$$$ L D (

Fritz, The Place to Eat

AMERICAN 45 Main St., Keene; (603) 357-6393; fritztheplacetoeat.com; $ L D

The Grove

AMERICAN 247 Woodbound Rd., Rindge; (603) 532-4949; woodbound.com; $$–$$$ B L D b (

Harlow’s Pub

PUB 3 School St., Peterborough; (603) 924-6365; harlowspub.com; $–$$ L D

Lee & Mt. Fuji

ASIAN 50 Jaffrey Rd., Peterborough; (603) 626-7773; leeandmtfujiatboilerhouse.com; 314 Main St., Marlborough; (603) 876-3388; leeandmtfuji. com; $–$$ L D (

DARTMOUTH/ LAKE SUNAPEE Base Camp Café H

NEPALESE 3 Lebanon St., Hanover; (603) 643-2007; basecampcafenh. com; $-$$ L D

Bistro Nouveau

AMERICAN The Center at Eastman, 6 Clubhouse Lane, Grantham; (603) 863-8000; bistronouveau.com; $–$$$$ L D (

Candela Tapas Lounge

TAPAS 15 Lebanon St., Hanover; (603) 277-9094; candelatapas.com; $$-$$$ D (

Canoe Club Bistro

AMERICAN 27 South Main St., Hanover; (603) 643-9660; canoeclub. us; $–$$ L D (

Coach House

Luca’s Mediterranean Café

MEDITERRANEAN 10 Central Sq., Keene; (603) 358-3335; lucascafe. com; $$–$$$ L D (

AMERICAN 353 Main St., New London; (603) 526-2791; thenewlondoninn.com/the-coach-houserestaurant;$ $–$$$$ D (

Marzano’s Trattoria

Flying Goose Brew Pub H

ITALIAN 6 School St., Peterborough; (603) 924-3636; marzanostrattoria. com; $–$$ L D (

BREW PUB 40 Andover Rd., New London; (603) 526-6899; flyinggoose.com;. $–$$ L D

Nicola’s Trattoria

Inn at Pleasant Lake

ITALIAN 51 Railroad St., Keene; (603) 355-5242; Facebook; $$$–$$$$ D

The Old Courthouse

NEW AMERICAN 30 Main St., Newport; (603) 863-8360; eatatthecourthouse.com; $$–$$$ L D b (

Papagallos Restaurant

ITALIAN/MEDITERRANEAN 9 Monadnock Hwy., Keene; (603) 3529400; papagallos.com; $–$$ L D (

Pearl Restaurant & Oyster Bar

ASIAN 1 Jaffrey Rd., Peterbrough; (603) 924-5225; pearl-peterborough.com $$–$$$ D (

Pickity Place

LUNCH 248 Nutting Hill Rd., Mason; (603) 878-1151; pickityplace.com — A historic and lovely place to lunch.

Fresh, local ingredients are used.

Three seatings at 11:30 a.m., 12:40 p.m. and 2 p.m. $$ L (

Piedra Fina H

LATIN 288 Main St., Marlborough; (603) 876-5012; piedrafina.com; $–$$ L D (

Restaurant at Burdick’s H

FRENCH 47 Main Street, Walpole; (603) 756-9058; burdickchocolate. com; $–$$$ L D b (

The Spice Chambers

INDIAN 31 Winter St., Keene; (603) 3529007; spicechambers.com; $-$$ L D (

The Stage H

AMERICAN 30 Central Sq., Keene; (603) 357-8389; thestagerestaurant. com; $-$$ L D

Sunflowers Restaurant

NEW AMERICAN 21 Main St., Jaffrey; (603) 593-3303; sunflowerscatering. com;. $-$$$ B L D b

Thorndike’s Restaurant & Parson’s Pub

PRIX FIXE 853 Pleasant St., New London; (603) 526-6271; innatpleasantlake.com; $58 D (

Latham House Tavern

TAVERN 9 Main St., Lyme; (603) 795-9995; lathamhousetavern.com $–$$ L D

Lou’s Restaurant H

AMERICAN 30 South Main St., Hanover; (603) 643-3321; lousrestaurant.net; $-$$ B L D

Lui Lui H

ITALIAN 8 Glen Rd., West Lebanon; (603) 298-7070; 259 Daniel Webster Hwy, Nashua; (603) 888-2588; luilui.com; $–$$ L D (

Market Table

FARM-TO-TABLE 44 Main St., Hanover; (603) 676-7996; markettablenh.com; $–$$ B L D b

Millstone at 74 Main

AMERICAN 74 Newport Rd., New London; (603) 526-4201; 74mainrestaurant.com; $–$$ L D b

Molly’s Restaurant

AMERICAN 11 South Main St., Hanover; (603) 643-4075; mollysrestaurant.com; $$–$$$ L D b (

Murphy’s

AMERICAN 11 South Main St., Hanover; (603) 643-4075; murphysonthegreen.com; $$–$$$ L D b (

Peter Christian’s Tavern

TAVERN 195 Main St., New London; (603) 526-4042; peterchristianstavernllc.com; $–$$ L D b

Peyton Place

AMERICAN 454 Main St., Orford; (603) 353-9100; peytonplacerestaurant.com; $$ D (

PINE at the Hanover Inn

BREW PUB 222 West St., Keene; (603) 355-3335; elmcitybrewing. com; $–$$$ L D

AMERICAN/PUB The Monadnock Inn, 379 Main St., Jaffrey; (603) 532-7800; monadnockinn.com; $–$$$ D (

AMERICAN 2 South Main St., Hanover; (603) 643-4300; hanoverinn. com/dining.aspx; $$$–$$$$ B L D b (

Fireworks

Waterhouse

Poor Thom’s Tavern

ITALIAN/PIZZERIA 22 Main St., Keene; (603) 903-1410; fireworksrestaurant.net; $–$$ D (

AMERICAN 18 Water St., Peterborough; (603) 924-4001; waterhousenh.com; $-$$$ L D b (

TAVERN 19 Bean Rd., Meriden; (603) 469-3400; poorthomstavern.com; $–$$ D

603 LIVING

DINE OUT

Revolution Cantina

Jonathon’s Seafood

CUBAN AND MEXICAN 38 Opera House Square, Claremont; (603) 504-6310; Facebook; $-$$ L D b

SEAFOOD/AMERICAN 280 East Side Rd., North Conway; (603) 447-3838; jonathonsseafood.com; $–$$$ L D (

Salt Hill Pub

Libby’s Bistro & SAaLT Pub

PUB 7 Lebanon St., Hanover; (603) 676-7855; 58 Main St., Newport; (603) 863-7774; 2 W. Park St., Lebanon; (603) 448.-4532; 1407 Rte. 103, Newbury; (603) 763-2667; salthillpub.com; $-$$ L D

NEW AMERICAN 115 Main Street on Rte. 2, Gorham; (603) 466-5330; libbysbistro.org; $$–$$$ L D (

Stella’s Italian Kitchen

May Kelly’s Cottage

ITALIAN 5 Main St., Lyme; (603) 795-4302; stellaslyme.com; $–$$ L D

Suna

AMERICAN 6 Brook Rd., Sunapee; (603) 843-8998; magicfoodsrestaurantgroup.com — The latest restaurant by NH’s own Chef Scott Ouellette and Andy Juhasz. Expect the same level of elevated fare along the lines of Ouellette’s famous lobster macaroni and cheese, award-winning sweet and sour calamari and much more. $$–$$$ D (

Taverne on the Square

AMERICAN 2 Pleasant St., Claremont; (603) 287-4416; claremonttaverne. com/home.html; $–$$$ L D

Three Tomatoes Trattoria

ITALIAN 1 Court St., Lebanon; (603) 448-1711; threetomatoestrattoria. com; $–$$ L D

Tuk Tuk Thai Cuisine

THAI 5 S. Main St., Hanover; (603) 2779192; tuktukthaicuisine.com; $–$$ L D (

NORTH COUNTRY Bailiwicks

Margarita Grill

MEXICAN Rte. 302, Glen; (603) 3836556; margaritagrillnh.com; $–$$ L D IRISH PUB 3002 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 3567005; maykellys.com; $–$$ L D ( BREW PUB 3378 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 356-6381; moatmountain.com; $–$$ L D (

One Love Brewery H

BREW PUB 25 South Mountain Dr., Lincoln; (603) 745-7290; onelovebrewery.coml $–$$ L D

Rainbow Grille & Tavern H

AMERICAN/TAVERN 609 Beach Rd., Pittsburg; (603) 538-9556; rainbowgrille.com — Serving a variety of comfort food from seafood to ribs. The tavern serves appetizers, hearth-baked pizzas and sandwiches. $–$$ D (

Red Parka Steakhouse & Pub

STEAKHOUSE 3 Station St., Glen; (603) 383-4344; redparkapub.com; $–$$ L D

Rustic River

Shannon Door Pub

DELI/PUB 2 W. Main St., Littleton; (603) 444-2661; thebealhouseinn.com; $$-$$$ D Under new ownership

IRISH PUB Rte. 16 and 16A, Jackson; (603) 383-4211; shannondoor.com; $-$$ L D

Biederman’s Deli & Pub H

Shovel Handle Pub

Black Mountain Burger Co.

AMERICAN 264 Main St., Lincoln; (603) 745-3444; blackmtnburger. com $-$$ L D

Chef’s Bistro H

PUB 357 Black Mountain Rd., Jackson; (603) 383-8916; shovelhandlepub.com; $-$$ L D

Six Burner Bistro

AMERICAN 13 South Main St., Plymouth; (603) 536-9099; sixburnerbistro.com; $-$$ L D

The Snowvillage inn

NEW AMERICAN 136 Stewart Rd., Eaton Center; (603) 447-­2818; snowvillageinn.com; $$$–$$$$ D (

Tony’s Italian Grille & Pub

NEW AMERICAN 2724 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 3564747; chefsbistronh.com; $-$$ L D

ITALIAN 3674 Rte. 3, Thornton; (603) 745-3133; $$ L D (

Delaney’s Hole in the Wall

Tuckerman’s Restaurant

AMERICAN/ASIAN 2966 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 356-7776; delaneys.com; $–$$ L D

TAVERN 336 Rte 16A, Intervale; (603) 356-5541; tuckermanstavern. com; $–$$ D

Gypsy Café

The Wayside Inn

INTERNATIONAL 111 Main St., Lincoln; (603) 745-4395; gypsycaferestaurant.com; $–$$ L D

EUROPEAN 3738 Main St., Bethlehem; (603) 869-3364; thewaysideinn.com; $$–$$$ D (

Horse & Hound Inn

Woodstock Brewery H

AMERICAN/TAVERN 205 Wells Rd., Franconia; (603) 823-5501; horseandhoundnh.com; $$–$$$$ L D (

Dip: Danish Lemon Dill Soup: Grilled Vegetable Salad: Southwest with Salsa Verde

Open 10-5 pm everyday

Vinaigrette Bread: Rustic Ciabatta Entrée: Sesame Orange Pork over Jasmine Rice

Luncheon seatings 11:30, 12:45 and 2:00

— or—

Reservations Recommended

Entrée: Five Italian Cheese Pasta

603-878-1151 Pickityplace.com

Timbale over Wilted Greens

Side: Daily Best Dessert: White Chocolate and Raspberry

Bread Pudding

Schilling Beer Co.

The Beal House Inn

AMERICAN 1498 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway; (603) 3562225; blackcapgrille.com; $-$$ L D

k February Menu k

AMERICAN 5 Main St., North Woodstock; (603) 745-2110; rusticriverrestaurant.com; $-$$ L D BREW PUB 18 Mill St., Littleton; (603) 444-4800; (603) 444-4800; schillingbeer.com; $-$$ L D

Black Cap Grille

Travel over the river and through the wood with the one you love!

Moat Mountain Smokehouse H

AMERICAN 106 Main St., Littleton; (603) 444-7717; bailiwicksfinerestaurant.com; $-$$$ L D (

DELI/PUB 83 Main St., Plymouth; (603) 536-3354; biedermansdeli.com; $ L D

Have a Pickity Day!

MORE INFO & TICKETS: NHBEERCLUB.COM

NH

BEER

C LU B

Join the Club!

MONTHLY BEER TASTINGS FEATURING D LOCAL BREWERIES FROM AROUND THE STATE AND TASTY FOOD PAIRINGS. WHEN: Third Monday of every month 6:30-8 p.m.

WHERE: New England’s Tap House Grille 1292 Hooksett Rd., Hooksett TICKETS: $30; $10 goes to a local nonprofit WHAT’S ON TAP: Moat Mountain, North Conway – January 16 Rockingham Brewing Co., Derry – February 20 Great Rhythm Brewing Company Portsmouth – March 20 Stoneface Brewing Company, Newington – April 17 Litherman’s Limited Brewery, Concord – May 15

BREW PUB Rte. 3, North Woodstock; (603) 745-3951; woodstockinnnh. com; $–$$ L

Italian Farmhouse

ITALIAN 337 Daniel Webster Hwy., Plymouth; (603) 536-4536; thecman.com; $–$$ D

Visit nhmagazine.com/food for more listings around the state or to sign up for the Cuisine E-Buzz. nhmagazine.com | February 2017

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illustration by brad fitzpatrick

LAST LAUGH

Romancing the Store Keeping “ye olde” traditions alive

Y

e Olde Country Store was a fixture in small towns from the1800s to the mid-1900s, before people started driving to East Chemung and back (on the same day!) and before biggie box stores sprouted and sprawled like fungi. (Fun fact: The world’s largest living organism is a fungus in Oregon.) They weren’t called Ye Olde back then, just the Store (pronounced stoah). You walked to the Store — up-street, down-street or cross-street, depending on your location — for necessaries. The Store, packed floor to ceiling, had it all: from soap to nuts, chicken feed to monkey wrenches, apples to zippers. Motto: If we don’t have it, you don’t need it.

When I was a kid, Grammie in Danbury would send me down-street to Hod Hastings Store to buy a newspaper, Wonder Bread or, on a good day, a Fudgsicle. On Fudgsicle days, I’d sit with Grampa on an upturned wooden box near the counter. He and Uncle L.E. and a couple of other geezers

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BY REBECCA RULE in overalls set there most days. Geezers telling olde stories, you might be thinking — wry and dry, eat your heart out, Norman Rockwell.

Nope. They set, smoked, chewed, spit. As frugal with words as pennies.

Most true general stores are as long gone as my beloved geezers and my childhood.

But a few survive, reminding us of when clerks fetched goods from your list, when packages were wrapped with paper and tied with string, when customers ran tabs and paid what they could when they could.

Today’s country store, where credit cards replace handwritten tabs, doesn’t stock the variety it used to. It carries plastic moose that poop jellybeans and tiny leaf-shaped gift bottles of maple syrup alongside staples like doughnuts, cold cuts and beer.

At Calef ’s Country Store in Barrington, Joel Sherburne has been cutting the famous Snappy Old Cheese for going on 60 years.

Coming through the door is like going back

in time. “We’ll take you back to the sixties — the 1860s,” he says. “They can’t believe it.

They smile all over their faces.” Some make a beeline for the penny candy that mostly costs a nickel. Dried beans are another popular item. “Saturday night. We gotta have our beans.” As for pickles in a barrel, Joel says, “Dill is great, but sour gives you puckah powah.”

Spotting the jar on the counter, an innocent asks, “What is a pickled lime?”

“It’s a lime,” Joel says. “Pickled.”

“How sharp is that cheese?”

“Sharp enough to make you sit up and take notice.”

Sharp enough so if you’ve got a long drive on a hot day, you best wrap it tight and put it in the trunk or you might be overcome by the fumes. The secret aging process goes back 100 years to the heyday of Ye Olde Country Store. Joel knows the secret, but he won’t crack. “My lips are sealed,” he says, “just like Elmer’s glue.” NH

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