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Winners

A White Mountain Vision

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Most people have not heard the names Guy Shorey or Herbert White. It is worth, however, paying attention to these men who were talented photographers, capturing scenes in northern New Hampshire many years ago.

The landscape and people looked quite different in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The photography of Shorey and White offer us a glimpse into that time in unique and different ways.

White lived in the Ossipee area and fell into portrait photography because he was in the right place at the right time. He was a resident of Moultonville, and members of his family-owned various businesses in the vicinity; his brother George was a postmaster and operated a general store. Two other brothers, Orlando, and Charles ran a larger establishment in Center Ossipee, which benefitted from its location near the train station. Herbert was an early partner in this store, called O. L. & C.A. White’s Strictly Cash. But, unlike his business-minded family, Herbert had an interest in photography. He set up a professional studio in the back of the store and many of his customers were local people or travelers on the railroad.

Ossipee was a bustling place of industry at the time (1800s). The train carried passengers to faraway places and brought other travelers to town for a brief or longer stay. If the passengers were changing trains in Ossipee or had a layover they would probably have exited the train to stretch their legs and

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get some fresh air. And at that time, they might have observed Herbert’s photography shop.

Herbert may have advertised that travelers could get their portrait photo taken at his studio and his marketing worked; soon, many people stopped by for a portrait photo. But Herbert’s photographs were not at all typical. He had true artistic style and an ability to capture his subjects clearly and with great style. It is his flair for capturing the time as well as the person that makes his work fascinating today.

Herbert’s photographs offer an upclose glimpse at how people dressed, posed, and looked over 100 years ago. Rather than being the stiffly posed photographs most images were at the time, White’s images verify that our ancestors were very human and approachable. Because some of his customers were just passing through the area, his photographs show all sorts of people, from young folks to the elderly, who stepped before White’s camera to have their images recorded before getting back on the train.

Some of the photographs unique for the time, as is the clothing. It adds to the mystery; for example, why was a middle-aged, attractive woman dressed for her portrait in a vivid Scottish Highland outfit, plaid from head to toe? And why did a man choose to have his portrait taken when he was dressed in a rather offbeat jacket and a silk scarf instead of a necktie? He looks like an artist or what one would imagine a contemporary of Thoreau would look like. Among the pictures is one of a

A photograph (circa 1890s) taken by Herbert White, Ossipee, NH.

middle-aged man, strikingly handsome and looking daringly and directly into • Yesteryear continued on page 4

the camera. He has pierced eyes and a roughly handsome face. His is dressed in a thick turtleneck sweater and an overcoat, looking like an appealing, roughened sea captain.

Other photos are still a mystery, such as a rather unusual portrait of a little girl wearing a tightly fit bonnet. She wears rimless glasses and has a frail look about her. She wears an ornate silk dress, and a collection of dolls has been placed over her skirt and up her arms. Who was she? Was she a child from a wealthy family who showered her with dolls and toys but could not find a cure for her illness?

The camera used by White was a large, wooden box-style version with an expensive lens. The dry colloidal process required a long exposure time compared to modern cameras, but was

a dramatic step forward compared to earlier processes, which might require people to hold a pose for one to two minutes.

The photographs are from 1880 to 1920. Some of White’s subjects gaze directly into the camera, but some are looking into the distance on their left or right sides. Some are dressed in high fashion, their hair perfect and their hats ornate. Some photographs are of country people and travelers with less style. These people are perhaps traveling to the White Mountains for a summer job as a waiter or maid at one of the area’s Grand Hotels, so popular at the time.

Here and there, among the portraits, are startlingly pictures that touch on the inevitability and nearness of death. At the time White was working, it was a common practice to have a photo taken of a loved one after death. While

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it seems rather morbid to us, those who lived in that time viewed death differently. They lived with sudden death due to accidents or illness on a much larger scale than we typically experience. They were accustomed to seeing loved ones and friends “laid out” in a coffin and wanted something to remember them by in the years ahead.

The photographs of Herbert E. White have a lot to teach today’s world about culture and custom, and they are true works of art. White may not have meant for the photos to be so attractive and artistic, but they truly are wonderful. One can only speculate who these people were, but also how White managed to capture each person in an intimate and unique manner.

For further information, contact the Ossipee Historical Society at historicalsocietyofossipee.org/

Guy Shorey left high school in 1900. A resident of Gorham, New Hampshire, Shorey already knew he wanted to be a photographer, but it was a big dream for young man from a rural area. He lived in a remote town where most men married young and went to work in the logging industry or in a mill.

Like Herbert White, Shorey came from a family of hard workers who believed in community. His grandfather worked for the railroad and ran a store. He was a state legislator and his son (Guy’s father) also worked for the railroad and was an insurance agent and justice of the peace.

Shorey echoed his father and grandfather by being a hard worker and according to “Guy Shorey: Among

the White Hills”, a project of the Museum of the White Mountains and Peter Crane, he was an observer, an entrepreneur, and an artist. White spent his working life as a photographer and had a local business developing and selling film, making prints for customers as well as selling postcards. He was successful after starting his business from a small outbuilding on his father’s property. As his work became popular, he needed more room and eventually opened a studio on Gorham’s Main Street.

Shorey loved to tramp over the White Mountains, hiking among the hills and forests. The mountain landscapes were among his favorite things to photograph, as were scenes in his town showing local people and places.

As an entrepreneur, Shorey opened the Shorey Studio and Tea Room in Randolph. He ran it along with his Gorham studio/shop. Later, he bought a drug store in Gorham and operated the store as both a pharmacy and photography studio.

Perhaps the best of Shorey’s years of work were his landscape photographs. He loved the White Mountains, and it showed in his unusual and breathtaking photos of such scenes as the southern peaks of the Presidential Range and a huge rock outcropping on Mount Adams.

Shorey continued to walk among the White Mountains well into his older years, capturing scenes of his beloved northern New Hampshire. His work left us with a gift of this part of the state in all its remote and wild beauty.

Through March, Lakes Region Curling Assoc. Winter League, matches Sunday evenings from 5-7 pm, Pop Whalen Ice and Arts Center, Wolfeboro, info: www.lakesregioncurlingnh.org.

Through March, Mount Washington Snowcoach Tours, take a ride to the tree line on the Mt. Washington Auto Road, at approximately 4,200 feet, into a subarctic world tour narrated by expert guides, info/tickets: www.greatglentrails. com

Through March 19, The Secret Garden, 7:30 pm, M&D Playhouse, 2760 White Mt. Highway, N. Conway, 733-5275, www.mdplayhouse.com

March 17, American Red Cross Blood Drive, 8 am-3 pm, N. Conway Community Center, 78 Norcross Circle, N. Conway, 356-2095, www. northconwaycommunitycenter.org

March 17, Bearly Dead: The Ultimate Grateful Dead Tribute, 8 pm, Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 335-1992, www. rochesteroperahouse.com

March 17, Red Parka Challenge Cup Ski Race, proceeds benefit Eastern Slope Ski Club, Attitash 775 US Rt. 302, Bartlett, 383-4344, www.skireg.com.

March 17, St. Paddy’s Day Big Barn Musical Dinner, Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, ME, 207-935-7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

March 17, St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt, 10 am-3 pm, Settler’s Green, 2 Common Court, N. Conway, 888-667-9636, www.settlersgreen.com

March 18, Aoife O’Donovan Plays Nebraska, Cranmore Mountain Resort, 1 Skimobile Rd., N. Conway, 1-866-422-0585, www.cranmore.com.

March 18, Blood Pressure and Vital Sign Screenings, 9-11 am, Conway Public Library, 15 Greenwood Avenue, Conway, 447-5552, www.conwaypubliclibrary. org.

March 18, Comedian Juston McKinney, 7 pm, Theatre in the Wood, 41 Observatory Way, Intervale, tickets/info: 356-9980, www.believeinbooks.org.

March 18, First Season Benefit Dinner and Live Auction, 5-9 pm, benefit for Tin Mt Conservation Center, held at Old Saco Inn, N. Fryeburg, Maine, tickets/ info: 447-6991, www.tinmountain.org

March 18, Friends Book Sale, 9 am-noon, Madison Public Library, 1895 Village Rd., Madison, 367-8545.

March 18, Hollywood Nights - The Bob Seger Experience, 8 pm, Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 335-1992, www.rochesteroperahouse. com.

March 18, Pie & Baked Goods Sale, 8-11 am, Union Congregational Church, 80 Main St., Union Village, in town of Wakefield, sale held in Drew Chapel at rear of church, info: 473-2727.

March 18, Safe Sitter - Intro to Safe Babysitting, 8:30 am-3 pm, Ossipee Town Hall, Ossipee, info/pre-register: 539-1307.

March 18, Strafford Wind Symphony, 7 pm, presented by Wolfeboro Friends of Music, First Congregational Church, 115 S. Main St., Wolfeboro, ticket/info: www.wfriendsofmusic.org.

March 18, Sugar Moon Fest, 11 am-4 pm, Hobbs Tavern & Brewing Co., 2415 White Mt. Highway, W. Ossipee, 539-2000, www.hobbsbeer.com.

March 18, Tuckerman Inferno, 8 am race start, fundraiser for Friends of Tuckerman Ravine, ski, fatbike and snowshoe, 1 Mt. Washington Auto Rd., Glen, www.greatglentrails.com

March 18-19, Maple Weekend in NH, visit sap houses, get samples all over NH, info/list of locations: www.nhmapleproducers.com

March 19, Intro to Pastel with Terri Brooks, 10 am- 5 pm, Jackson Art Studio & Gallery, 155 Ridge Rd., Jackson, register/info: 387-3463, www.jacksonartnh.com.

March 19, Majestic Café, Heart Songs & Circle Songs, Community Sing, 1 pm, 32 Main St., Conway, www.mountaintopmusic.org., 447-4737.

March 20, Survival Story of Moose in NH, 6-7:30 pm, Rochester Public Library, 65 S. Main St., Rochester, register: 332-1428 ext. 2.

March 22, Cricut Class, 6-8:30 pm, Makers Mill, 23 Bay St., Wolfeboro, 5691500, www.makersmill.org

March 22, Majestic Café, Mountain Top Community Orchestra: The Genius of J.S. Bach, 7 pm, 32 Main St., Conway, www.mountaintopmusic. org., 447-4737.

March 22, Mt. Washington Valley Square Dance, 5:15-8:15 pm, N. Conway Community Center, 78 Norcross Circle, N. Conway, 356-2095, www. northconwaycommunitycenter.org

March 24, James Montgomery, 7-10 pm, Hobbs Tavern & Brewing Co., 2415 White Mt. Highway, W. Ossipee, 539-2000, www.hobbsbeer.com.

March 24, Majestic Café, Friday Night Jazz, 7 pm, Al Hospers, Jarrod Taylor, Craig Bryan, 32 Main St., Conway, www.mountaintopmusic.org., 447-4737.

March 25, Lotus Land: The American RUSH Tribute, 8 pm, Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 335-1992, www.rochesteroperahouse.com.

March 25, Old Hat Stringband, 8 pm, Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, ME, 207-935-7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

March 25, Ye Vagabonds, 8 pm, Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, ME, 207-935-7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

March 25 & 26, Walk-In and Weave, 1-3 pm, Makers Mill, 23 Bay St., Wolfeboro, info/pre-register: 569-1500, www.makersmill.org.

March 26, Matt Rife, 5 & 8 pm, Chubb Theatre, 44 S. Main St., Concord, tickets: www.ccanh.com, 225-1111.

March 26, Stone Mountain Arts Walk, 1-3 pm, Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, ME, 207-935-7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

March 27, Majestic Café, Chamber Music on Stage, 7 pm, 32 Main St., Conway, www.mountaintopmusic.org., 447-4737.

March 28, Skins and Skulls of NH Mammals, 5:30-6:30 pm, 15 Greenwood Avenue, Conway, 447-5552, www.conwaypubliclibrary.org.

March 29, Cricut Class, 6-8:30 pm, Makers Mill, 23 Bay St., Wolfeboro, 5691500, www.makersmill.org

March 30, Conservation Easements 101 for Landowners, 4-6 pm, by Moose Mt. Regional Greenways, held at Ossipee Public Library, 74 Main St., Ossipee, 539-6390; register: www.mmrgnh.org.

March 30, Sewing 101, 6-9 pm, Makers Mill, 23 Bay St., Wolfeboro, info/preregister: 569-1500, www.makersmill.org.

March 31, Dave Mallett & Mallett Brothers, Cranmore Mountain Resort, 1 Skimobile Rd., N. Conway, 1-866-422-0585, www.cranmore.com.

March 31, Majestic Café, 7 pm, Chamber Music on Stage, 32 Main St., Conway, www.mountaintopmusic.org., 447-4737.

March 31, Wild Corn Blackberry Shindig, 4-10 pm, 2 shows from the jam band, King Pine Ski Area, 1251 Eaton Rd., Madison, 367-8896.

March 31- April 1, 24 Hr Theatre Project, Spend the night at the Theater in the Wood while you write, produce, rehearse, and perform your very own show, Theatre in the Wood, 41 Observatory Way, Intervale, tickets/info: 356-9980, www.believeinbooks.org.

April 1, Easter on the Green, 11 am-2 pm, treasure hunt, Settler’s Green, 2 Common Court, N. Conway, 888-667-9636, www.settlersgreen.com. Sponsored by Lindt Chocolate Shop.

April 1, Harry Manx, 8 pm, Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, ME, 207-935-7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

April 7, Buffalo Nichols, 8 pm, Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, ME, 207-935-7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

April 7, First Fridays, Stories from the British Isles, noon, 32 Main St., Conway, www.mountaintopmusic.org., 447-4737.

April 7, Majestic Café, Friday Night Jazz, 7 pm, Michael Beling (piano), John Hunter (bass), Żak King (drums), 32 Main St., Conway, www.mountaintopmusic.org., 447-4737.

April 8, Comic Hypnotist Frank Santos, Jr., 8 pm, Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 335-1992, www.rochesteroperahouse.com.

April 8, Easter Egg Hunt, 10:30 am, free, bring a basket, enjoy a visit from the Easter bunny, music, held at the field behind Ossipee Central School, www. ossipee.org/ossipee-parks-recreation.

April 8, Tinsley Ellis & Marcia Ball, 8 pm, Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, ME, 207-935-7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

April 14, Majestic Café, Friday Night Jazz, 7 pm, Heather Pierson Trio, 32 Main St., Conway, www.mountaintopmusic.org., 447-4737.

April 14 & 15, Sole City Dance presents Treasure Island, Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 335-1992, www.rochesteroperahouse.com.

April 14-22, Restaurant Week, shop and dine in Wolfeboro, info: www. wolfeborochamber.com

April 15, Adam Ezra Group, 8 pm, Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, ME, 207-935-7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

April 15, Friends Book Sale, 9 am-noon, Madison Public Library, 1895 Village Rd., Madison, 367-8545.

ONGOING

Adult Oil Painting, Mondays from 9 am-noon, no experience necessary, dropin group, Ossipee Town Hall, Ossipee, info: Pat Jones: pjonesossipee3@gmail. com

ArtWorks Gallery & Fine Crafts, works by over 30 artists. Winter hours 10 am-5 pm Friday to Sunday, 323-8041, 132 Rt. 16, Chocorua, www. chocoruaartworks.com

Believe in Books Literacy Foundation/Theatre in the Wood, Intervale, programs for children, www.believeinbooks.org. or call 356-9980.

Chapman Sanctuary and Visny Woods, nature trails open for hiking, 740 Mt. Israel Rd., Center Sandwich, 284-6428, www.champansanctuaryvisnywoods. com.

Chocorua Lake Basin View Lot, free, directions/info: www.chocorualake.org

Conway Historical Society, historical info., 447-5551, www. conwayhistoricalsociety.org.

Conway Public Library, 15 Greenwood Avenue, Conway, many learning experiences, 447-5552, www.conwaypubliclibrary.org.

Conway Scenic Railroad, various train rides to White Mt. areas, reservations: 356-5251, station located at 38 Norcross Circle, N. Conway, www.conwayscenic. com.

Freedom Gallery, artwork/exhibits by area artists, 8 Elm St., Freedom, 610762-2493.

Freedom Village Store, variety of goods from artisan items to baked goods and much more, 11 Elm St., Freedom, call for info/hours: 539-3077, www. freedomvillagestore.org.

Great Glen Trails, outdoor center/activities, Mt. Washington Auto Rd., Gorham, 466-3988, www.greatglentrails.com.

In the Round, Sundays at 8:45 am, thought-provoking topics related to tolerance, Benz Center, Sandwich, 284-7532.

Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild, meets second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, 10 am-2 pm at First Congregational Church, 115 Main St., Wolfeboro. A second group meet first and third Tuesday of each month at Community Center, 22 Lehner St., Wolfeboro, www.llqg.net

Majestic Café, jazz, blues, and more, Fridays, 32 Main St., Conway. Walk in or reserve at www.mountaintopmusic.org., 447-4737.

NE Ski Museum, 2628 White Mt. Highway, N. Conway, www. newenglandskimuseum.org.

NH Farm Museum, 1305 White Mt. Highway, Milton, 652-7840, www. nhfarmmuseum.org.

Outdoor Nature Based Storytime for Young Children, Tuesdays, 10:301:30 am, Cook Memorial Library, 93 Main St., Tamworth, 323-8510, www. tamworthlibrary.org.

Quilting Group, 1-4 pm, meets every 2 weeks, Ossipee Public Library, 74 Main St., Ossipee, schedule/info: 539-6390.

Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm, Tamworth, 323-7591, www. remickmuseum.org.

Thursday Night Book Group, meets fourth Thurs. of every month for discussion of books; Mystery Book Group meets second Thurs. of the month, White Birch Books, N. Conway, 356-3200, www.whitebirchbooks.com.

Tin Mountain Conservation Center, 1245 Bald Hill Rd., Albany, programs, hikes, nature learning center, 447-6991, www.tinmountain.org

Soups, Chowder and Pasta...

By Kelly Ross

Hi-Tee-Ho Happy Valley. It took a while to get the winter started, but the snow has been phenomenal in the past month or so, hence the skiing and snowmobiling has been awesome as well. Better late than never and we all would have loved the winter more had this weather started in December, but beggars can’t be choosers. Mother Nature operates on her own terms, and we have zero say in the matter, so we just wait for her to tell us what’s up and adjust accordingly. As a man, I know we all are much better off if we just let a woman do her thing lol. We can only hope we get enough of the white stuff to allow some great spring skiing, other than up on Tucks, which is always amazing, although not all of us have the capabilities of climbing up there, so many just want us to have plenty on the local slopes as long as possible.

Well, my articles usually have a theme of sorts. This one, although it sort of does at times, is more of a hodge podge kind of thing. A mix of Asian and Italian pasta dishes, a couple of slow cooker methods on very traditional soup favorites, a great Italian bread/dip appetizer, and of course a couple of deserts because I have found when I don’t include dessert recipes, I usually get emails telling me to get my act together, so who am I to deprive you all of what you want?

Let’s start off as I usually do with an appetizer. This one is much like a pizza of sorts, but it’s a dip using rolled biscuit dough from your supermarket. This is a monster crowd favorite whenever I have busted it out with a twist of ricotta, cream cheese, pepperoni, pizza sauce and mozzarella, you will find your crowd all over this one in a big way. It’s a pull apart kind of bread thing with all the delicious flavors of your favorite pizza and lasagna. Plan on prep time to be 15 minutes and total time to be 1 ¼ hours and will keep 6-8 of your family/friends very quiet as the feed their face, short of a few moans and groans.

Pull-Apart Garlic Bread

Pizza Dip

3 cups shredded mozzarella, divided

16 oz of cream cheese, room temp

1 cup ricotta

1/3 cup, plus 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan, divided

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

¾ cups pizza sauce

1 cup mini pepperoni

2 cans refrigerated biscuits 16 oz each, such as Pillsbury Grands

¼ cups extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large

bowl, mix 2 cups mozzarella, the cream cheese, ricotta, ⅓ cup Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt. Transfer mixture to a 9-x-13 baking dish, then spread pizza sauce on top. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella and pepperoni. Unwrap the biscuits, cut/rip them in half and roll the halves into balls, then place on top of dip. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, garlic, and parsley. Brush on biscuits and sprinkle with remaining 2 tbsp parmesan. Bake until biscuits are golden, and cheese is melty, about 45 minutes, then cover with aluminum foil and bake until biscuits are cooked through, another 15-20

minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Any pizza lover will be inhaling this one.

I love using my slow cooker this time of year just as much as I love my grill during spring, summer, and fall. Two of my better half’s favorite soup recipes, which I make for her often so she can take it to work for lunches are Beef ‘n’ Barely and Corn Chowder. Most of my life I have made it for her as I would when working in the restaurant world, right on the stove top. In the last few years, here at home, I have

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brought the slow cooker into the equation and how can anyone not embrace the “set it and forget it” mentality? Plan on the total time of this to be 3 ½ -4 hours or so and will feed 4-6 depending on eating as a meal or as an appetizer. If you are like myself who loves to have the same soup for a few days, I suggest doubling up on this one, as well as the next one.

Beef & Barley Soup Crock Pot

1-1 ½ lbs boneless chuck roast, trimmed and diced into 1-inch pieces

1 ½ cups thinly sliced carrots

1 ½ cups thinly sliced celery

2/3 cup diced onions

10-12 sliced mushrooms

2 tbsp beef base paste, such as Better Than Bouillon

8-10 cups hot water, start with the 8 and add more as needed

1 or 2 large bay leaves

1 cup uncooked pearl barley

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 tbsp minced garlic

In a skillet, brown the cubed beef over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once the beef is browned, remove it from the pan and transfer it to a crockpot. Add the

sliced carrots, celery, diced onions, sliced mushrooms, minced garlic, and bay leaves to the crockpot. Dissolve the beef base in the hot water, stirring well and then add that to the pot. Cook on high heat for 2-2 ½ hours. Add the uncooked pearl barley to the crockpot, then reduce the heat to low and cook until the vegetables and beef are tender, about another hour. Stir in the salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaves before serving. Bust out some nice warm crusty bread for dipping and you’ll be well on your way to a happy tummy.

I have never met a chowder I didn’t like, and a good corn chowder is so good. This one is chock full of bacon and the usual cast of characters, guaranteed to bring mega smiles to those who are a fan of corn chowder. Unlike the last one, this one is hearty and creamy. Like the last one though, plan on 15 minutes of prep with a total time of 3 ½ -4 hours and this one should feed 6-8.

Slow cookers rock!!

Slow Cooker Bacon

Corn Chowder

1 lb small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

½ cup chopped onion

2 bags frozen whole kernel corn, 12 oz each

3 cups chicken broth

Get A Move On

1 can of cream corn

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

2 cups half-and-half

2 tbsp cornstarch

¾ -1 lb bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled

In your slow cooker, mix potatoes, onion, corn, broth, cream corn, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high heat setting 3-4 hours or until potatoes are tender. In small bowl, beat half-and-half and cornstarch with whisk until smooth. Stir halfand-half mixture and bacon into the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes longer or until slightly thickened and dig in.

I have one more soup for you, although I find this one to eat much like a meal than the last couple. Also, unlike the last two, this one goes together quickly as this is done on the stove top and can be done in barely a half hour, is so scrumptious and screams Italian flavor. This feeds 6 as a meal. If you are a fan of lasagna, this will be right up your alley.

Lasagna Soup

24 oz of spaghetti sauce, homemade or store bought

4 cups water

1 can petite diced tomatoes, 15 oz, not drained

4 tsp chicken paste, such as Better Than

Bouillon

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced green peppers

1 ¼ lbs ground beef and/or ground sausage

1 lb lasagna noodles broken into pieces

1+ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup ricotta cheese

In a pan, brown the ground beef and drain. In large pot bring water, spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, bouillon, garlic, and onion to a light boil. Add the lasagna noodles. Cover and cook about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are al dente. Stir in cooked meat, mozzarella and ricotta immediately before serving. Garnish with fresh basil and parmesan cheese if desired.

Let’s start talking pasta, and for starters, Asian style. I think the majority of us when thinking pasta think Italian cuisine, but the Asians have some awesome options as well. Most of us love Asian food and for good reason, it’s delicious as all of you know very well. I adore just about any ethnic flavor, so let’s do a couple from that neck of the woods. This sesame noodle recipe is more of a side dish but do what ya got to do and feel free to add any and all

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protein or veggies to this. As is, this will go together in maybe 15 -20 minutes and will give you 4 side dishes. One thing I love to make sure you all know that is if you love a very saucy noodle dish, double up on the sauce ingredients, or maybe 1 ½ times the recipe. If you prefer more of a traditional consistency, keep as is.

Sesame Noodles

10 oz Chinese noodles/ramen

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup tahini

3 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp rice vinegar

2-3 cloves garlic finely minced, about 2 tsp

1 tsp fresh grated peeled ginger

¼ cup warm water

Garnish with green onion, sesame seeds

Cook noodles to al dente, according to package directions. Drain. If you prefer your noodles cold transfer to a bowl of ice water then drain again. While the noodles are cooking, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Add the drained noodles to the sauce and toss to coat. Serve with sesame seeds and sliced green onions and bust out the chop sticks if your fingers are nimbler and more talented than mine. Delicious simplicity!

Sticking with the Asian theme, let’s do a veggie chow mein, which can obviously be done as a main course or side dish and again can be doctored up with some chicken, beef or shrimp to make this more of a true main dish for the craving carnivores. This is loaded with all the standby’s such as pea pods, carrots, mushrooms, celery, cabbage, and onions. As is, this will be a great dinner for 2 or side dishes for 4, and again will be prepped and done in 20-25 minutes. So Good!! If you don’t do much Asian cooking but enjoy it, you will likely save this sauce recipe.

Vegetable Chow Mein

½ lb chow mein noodles, cooked a minute less than directions

2 tbsp sesame oil, divided

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

2 carrots cut into matchsticks/julienned, about 1 cup

2 celery stalks diced, about 1 cup

1 cup of cleaned and sliced mushrooms

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock/broth

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup oyster sauce

½ cup snow peas fresh

½ cup purple cabbage sliced

¼ cup cilantro chopped

¼ cup scallions or green onions garnish

In a large pan over medium high heat, heat 1 tbsp of sesame oil. Add the cooked noodles and fry in pan, stirring constantly, until turning brown and slightly crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Set noodles aside. Heat remaining sesame oil in pan and cook onion, carrots, and celery until almost tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add in mushrooms and cook for an additional minute. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in stock, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Let simmer for 10 minutes until reduced by ⅓. Stir in pasta, snow peas, and cabbage and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes until the noodles are warmed through and coated in sauce. Immediately before serving, toss in cilantro until just combined, and garnish with chopped scallions.

Let’s move on to other pasta thoughts. A favorite pasta flavor as far as popular in the restaurant world is almost any lemon pasta dish. I like lemon in a subtle way, not overpowering by any means, and this one fits that bill. Most pasta dishes in my book, other than ones with marinara, I often pop a hint of lemon into. This one has a bit more than a hint, but again, hardly overwhelming. Lemon and garlic have always been known to be a healthy marriage, and that applies here as well. This a basic dish you can always add goodies to, and again will work as a great side dish or main course. This goes together in 15-20 minutes, will get you 4-6 side dishes or more like 2-4 as a main course depending on who is eating. This is the ultimate in simplicity and barely a handful of ingredients.

Lemon Pasta

1 lb angel hair pasta

4 tbsp butter

2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

Salt & pepper to taste

¼ cup parmesan cheese

Optional garnishes grated parmesan, fresh chopped parsley

Prepare angel hair pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water and set it aside. Then drain remaining liquid. In a large skillet over medium heat melt butter, sauté garlic in the butter until fragrant, about 30 - 60 seconds. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. Stir in the reserved pasta water and add the lemon juice, toss to coat. If desired, simmer to cook off excess liquid. Add the ¼ cup of parm cheese and stir to combine/thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with more grated parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley. I love adding chicken or shrimp to this dish as well as some of my favorite veggies.

Carbonara is a huge favorite seller in the biz and easily a favorite of mine. Although I had been cooking for a few years, the first time I saw it was at Horsefeathers when I worked there as a line cook in the late 80’s-early 90’s. It became my “go to” shift meal when I was hungry. This isn’t their recipe per se, as theirs didn’t include using eggs, but the more I cooked, the more I found better ways. I make this one with spaghetti, but fettuccine is often a popular choice. Regardless which pasta you grab, this is a winner. It’s another quickie as you can make this in 20 minutes and will serve 3-4 as a main course, a little more as an app.

Spaghetti Carbonara

1 lb spaghetti

8 oz or more of pancetta, or thick cut bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled

2-4 cloves of garlic, depending on your taste, minced

3 large eggs at room temp

½ cup or more of heavy cream or half and half

1-1 ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ cup or more of frozen peas. Do not used canned

Salt & fresh cracked black peppercorn

Cook pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain pasta. While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the eggs, grated parmesan and some salt and pepper as it suits your tastes. Set aside. In a large

skillet, cook the pancetta/bacon until crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside, leaving about 2 tbsp of grease in the skillet. Sauté garlic in the skillet with bacon grease and cook until fragrant, 30 - 60 seconds. Add the hot pasta to the garlic in the skillet and toss to coat. Pour in the egg and parmesan mixture and toss with the noodles, coating thoroughly. Slowly stir in the cream a little bit at a time, until your desired consistency is reached. Stir in the cooked bacon and peas. Top with fresh cracked black pepper before serving. Arguably my favorite of the day.

Although I am well aware that this is March and not October, I’m busting out a pumpkin pasta recipe. No doubt pumpkin is a love/hate thing with many with not much of a middle ground, and I fall more on the hate crowd personally, but this dish isn’t bad, and I know that this one sold like hot cakes when I ran it as a special. This also has ground sausage, garlic, onions, heavy cream, and some other fun flavors. I get it if this isn’t your cup of tea, but I also know many of you pumpkin lovers will fall in love with this. It’s another quick one to put together, barely 30 minutes, and will feed 4 or more as a main course dish.

Pumpkin Pasta

1 lb pasta, I use cavatappi or penne

1 ¼ lb ground Italian sausage, I prefer sweet/mild, but the choice is yours

1 small onion finely diced, about ¼ cup

2 tbsp garlic, minced

1 ½ cups chicken stock or broth

1 can pure pumpkin puree 15 ounces

½ cup heavy cream

¼ tsp nutmeg

⅛ tsp cinnamon

Salt & pepper to taste

Garnish with fresh chopped sage, grated parmesan cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet over high heat, brown the Italian sausage with the onions and garlic, until sausage is cooked through, and onions are tender and translucent. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the pumpkin, nutmeg & cinnamon. Reduce

• Cook Out

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heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Season with salt & pepper to taste and simmer sauce for an additional few minutes to thicken. Fold in pasta and stir to combine. Plate and finish with freshly chopped sage and grated parmesan. You pumpkin lovers will be all over it!

For our last dinner theme of the day, still pasta, we are moving onto a casserole dish. The last few have been quick and easy and delicious and this one checks the boxes as well, except it will take closer to 4560 minutes so still not a long time in the big scheme of things. This does bust out a couple of cheats to it as it uses cream of chicken soup as well as a packet of ranch dressing mix. Chicken is the main ingredient with the pasta, as well as bacon, cream and cheddar cheeses and other goodies. This will serve 8 of you.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

1 lb of cavatappi or elbow macaroni, prepared to al dente

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed

8 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled

8 oz cream cheese, softened

3 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar, divided

1 cup sour cream

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, 10.75 oz

½ cup milk

1 packet ranch dressing mix

1 cup crushed Ritz crackers

2 tbsp butter melted

Green onions, chopped, for topping

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cream cheese, bacon, 2 cups of shredded cheddar, condensed cream of chicken soup, milk, and ranch dressing. Combine well

with a rubber spatula or with your hands. Add the cooked pasta and mix again. In a smaller bowl mix together the cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press chicken mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish sprayed with pan release spray. Top with the remaining cup of shredded cheddar and then the bread crumb mixture. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30-40 minutes, until cheese has melted, and casserole is bubbly and heated through. Garnish with green onion if desired and dig into this yummy comfort food dish. As a footnote, if you don’t have the ranch seasoning, you swap for 1 cup ranch dressing and just leave out the sour cream.

It’s dessert time kids. The first one has also been known to be a fun brunch item, although on the sweet side, and the second is cut from the cloth of my favorite treats, a bar of sorts. I’m a huge fan of both and I feel pretty confident you will as well. The first one utilizes canned crescent roll dough, which most everyone loves, with nothing else other than cream cheese and dessert spices. I make this in a 9x13 baking dish and will feed 8 or so depending on how you cut them. Total time will take you less than 45 minutes, more than half of which is baking time.

Cheesecake Crescent Rolls

16 oz cream cheese, softened

2 cans of prepared crescent roll dough

1 cup of granulated sugar

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup of butter, melted

1 tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp granulated sugar

Honey to drizzle over the final cooked product.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Unroll one can of crescent roll dough and spread it on the bottom of a lightly greased 9×13

baking pan. Combine the softened cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla. Spread this mix over the layer of crescent roll dough in the pan. Unroll the second can of dough and place over the cream cheese mix. Melt the ¼ cup butter and spread over the entire top of the crescent roll dough. Combine the cinnamon with the granulated sugar and sprinkle this mixture on top of the butter. Bake for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey if you desire, which I suggest. Yummy & Simple!!

Again, cream cheese is involved in this last dessert, combined with strawberries and white chocolate with a graham cracker crust and a slew of other incredible flavors. We’ve all heard of magic bars in the dessert bar world, and I’ll take these far and above any of the others loaded with chocolate. Total time is about an hour, although these are at their best being refrigerated after cooking and serving over the next couple of days. Depending on how you cut them, you will likely get at least 18 bars out of this.

Strawberries and Cream

Magic Bars

9 graham cracker sheets, approximately 5.4 oz worth, crushed

6 tbsp of unsalted butter, melted

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 ¼ cup flour

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp baking powder

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

½ cup quartered fresh strawberries pureed

4 oz room temperature cream cheese

½ cup thinly sliced fresh strawberries

½ cup white chocolate chips

½ cup sweetened condensed milk

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the crushed graham crackers, the butter and the sugar. Press into the bottom of the pan. In a different bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder, set aside. Beat together the granulated sugar and ½ cup butter until creamy, about two minutes. Add in the egg and then the vanilla until just combined. Slowly add in the flour mixture until it is fully combined. Very carefully spread the cookie dough mixture on top of the graham cracker crust. The easiest way to do this is to take small amounts, flatten it in your hands, and set it on the crust. You may not be able to entirely cover the graham cracker crust, that’s okay. Beat together the cream cheese and the pureed strawberries. Spread evenly over the cookie dough. Evenly spread the sliced strawberries over the cream cheese layer. Top with the white chocolate chips and then evenly cover/drizzle with the sweetened condensed milk. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool at room temp, then refrigerate overnight before slicing. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. This a huge favorite with my crowd.

That’s it Valley Friends. Enjoy the month of March as it’s generally a good one for most of us. Eat well, I hope you enjoyed your St. Paddy’s Day as I have always miss not hanging at The Shannon Door in Jackson on that special day when I lived in town, although every day is treated like St. Paddy’s up there….as it should be. Keep your taste buds happy my friends and I’ll see ya next time. If you care to touch base with any questions about any recipe or if you have any feedback, please reach out at fenwaysox10@gmail.com

2023 Cupcake Battle Return is a Sweet Success!

The 11th annual Cupcake Battle, to benefit Mount Washington Valley Promotions, was held on February 26 at the North Conway Community Center. Following a 2-year shutdown, thirteen bakers competed in 3 categories and competed. The Sugarmaker Bakery, in Glen took back the crown from Batter Up Bakery, in Chocorua in a battle that has gone back and forth through the years. The winning flavor was Beth’s Caramel Spice Apple Crisp, a cinnamon cake batter topped with homemade apple filling and apple crisp topping, then baked and filled with a dollop of caramel, topped with whipped cream and more crispy apple crisp topping.

“It’s so fun to get creative and try new things for the competition... and, to see everyone else’s ideas, too!”, said Sugarmaker owner, Beth Carta-Dolan. “Seeing the reaction and smiles of the tasters as they take a bite... Winning is great but the real reward is seeing folks like what you have created!”

“We are thrilled to come back with such a great group of bakers”, said Mount Washington Valley Promotions Executive Director, Lisa DuFault. In addition to The Sugarmaker Bakery, Batter Up, Memorial Hospital, and The Cake Lady were all in attendance with fabulous offerings.

In the Home Baker division, a new competitor won the title; Melissa Bedient, served up Strawberry Milkshake cupcakes; fresh strawberry cupcakes,

filled with strawberry Mousse, and frosted with strawberry white chocolate buttercream. “They put on such a wonderful event, and I had so much fun participating”, said Bedient. “I was overwhelmed with emotions as people came back to my display to tell me how wonderful my cupcake was. They complimented me on the balance of my cupcake, and how moist it was, and overall, how much they loved it. It was a great feeling to hear how many people enjoyed it, because I always doubt myself. Going into the competition I honestly wasn’t expecting to win. I was just there to support Valley Promotions, and have fun. It was truly such a fun experience, and I can’t wait to enter into next year’s competition!”.

Other Home Bakers were Leann Brown-Muzerall, The Gibson Center Book Club, Emma Hafford, Jen Hall and Marie Platt.

For the third year, the Under 16 Baker champion was Spencer Kelly, of Tuftonboro, who created Chocolate cupcakes with white chocolate ganache and raspberry drizzle. He said, “It was so exciting to be back for another round of the Cupcake Battle, and definitely a proud moment coming away with a win! Planning begins now for next year as I will be moving into the home baker category! Great job this year everyone!” He is waiting to see if the Under 16 title will be passed on to one of his competitors from this year; Araya & Joey Laplante or Kid Vi-

gneault (Oliver, Harrison and Phoebe).

Valley Promotions’ board member, Christina Howe, awards a special prize for the best display in each category, “because I can”. This year that prize went to Professional Susan Hidden, of The Cake Lady, The Gibson Center Book Club for Home division and Araya & Joey Laplante as the child bakers.

DuFault, who organizes the event, was extremely pleased with the comeback. “There were so many great choices, I don’t know how people could choose”, she said. “And the people who came to sample the cup-

cakes… they were all so happy to have the event back! They’re already talking about next year, which is amazing, since we didn’t know what would happen with it being shutdown the past two years.”

The Cupcake Battle is one of the largest fund-raiser Valley Promotions hosts solely for their own benefit and it takes place the Sunday between the two February vacation weeks. Mark your calendars now for February 2024 for the 12th annual celebration of cupcakes.

Maple, New Hampshire’s Medicine of Connection

Drop drop drip drip, maple sap is filling buckets across northern New England this time of year, part of a practice of sugar-making that stretches back long before Colonial`` times.

On Wednesday, March 22 at 7PM, join the Chocorua Lake Conservancy and the Cook Memorial Library for “Maple, New Hampshire’s Medicine of Connection,” a talk and slideshow with Damian Costello, live via Zoom. Author and theologian Damian Costello explores how the practice of maple sugaring in New Hampshire connects us to the land, our ancestors, and all that surrounds us. He examines the Indigenous origins of sugaring and the changes and continuities found in contemporary maple production. He

also speaks to the differences between maple sugaring in this region and the slave-based labor used in sugar cane production, a connection New England abolitionist made in the 1800s. In conversation with the bestselling book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, he suggests that sugar-making—which is informed by Indigenous wisdom—is a communal medicine of connection that teaches mutual reciprocity with the land, as well as an important local practice with significant cultural meaning. This program is free and will not be recorded. Please register in advance at bit.ly/maple-032223. You’ll receive a Zoom link in your registration confirmation email.