TheLaker_January_23

A Wintertime Dash

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

With the holidays of December behind us, it is time to hunker down for a long winter. There will be snowstorms, skiing, skating and if there is ample snow, the annual sled dog races in Laconia among other wintertime activities. We can indeed “dash through the snow” as the song goes.

Many people reason if there is winter, we might as well find the fun in the season. If you want to see how people once enjoyed the season of snow, head to the Laconia Public Library for an informative exhibit.

I love the exhibits put together and presented by the Laconia Historical and Museum Society. They have a good collection from which to pull old photos, donations of everything from china to skis to skates and much more. They present exhibits on the upper floor rotunda area at the Laconia Library, and all displays are open for viewing during library open hours and are free to the public.

On a recent pre-New Year’s Eve weekend, I was at the Laconia Public Library at 695 Main Street in downtown Laconia. It is a great place to spend a few hours any time of the year, but especially so in the long, cold, looking-for-something-to-do days of winter. Along with browsing the many books and magazines, it is a great place for those who love beautiful architecture. According to information at the

Laconia Public Library website, the library was the gift of Napoleon Bonaparte Gale, a local banker, who died in 1894. He was greatly respected locally, and his will designated part of his fortune to be left to the City of Laconia to build a park and a memorial building that would house a public library and a historical museum. Charles Brigham, an architect from Boston, and contractor E. Noyes Whitcomb and Company of Boston were hired to design and construct the building. The main library building is in the Romanesque Revival style, with rock-faced masonry, heavy arches, and broad roofs. Deer Island

granite, New Brunswick granite, oak paneling, and stained-glass windows make the library a beautiful building. Under construction from 1901 to 1903, the Gale Memorial Library Building (Laconia Library) was dedicated on June 9, 1903.

Making good use of the rotunda area on the upper level of the library, the Laconia Historical Society fashions exhibits, and some are in keeping with a season or a specific holiday. The exhibits offer us a chance to see how people celebrated, decorated their homes and generally lived long before us.

Such is the current exhibit titled

“Dashing Through the Snow: Winter Recreation in Laconia.” I am not a skier or much of an ice skater anymore, but I enjoy old artifacts of how people once lived and that includes such things as old winter sports equipment. This exhibit is full of wintertime items and a lot of fun to see.

I started my tour with a look at some old-timey ski boots still attached to their skis. They certainly look crude –and a bit questionable as to their safety by modern standards - but at the time they were used, the ski equipment was probably in vogue. The boots are of leather and resemble modest winter boots versus heavy-duty, sturdy skis. They are lace-ups and held to the skis with a simple leather strap and buckle.

I marveled at how things such as skis have changed/improved over the years, but I could picture a young person 100 or more years ago delighting in these skis. They would climb to a Laconia-area hillside with their friends and strap the boots to skis and down they would go, long before there were wellgroomed ski area slopes.

By mid-winter, people were likely getting sick of the snow and being house bound. The solution was a winter carnival and Laconia had one each year. In Laconia, early winter carnivals included toboggan races, pie eating contests, and costumed parades. For a

Wintertime continued on page 4

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“Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh…”

Ice racing on the lake, early 1900s. (Photo courtesy Laconia Historical and Museum Society)

•

bit of a thrill, there also was ski jumping. During the 1922 winter carnival, a ski jump was erected and it was with a 35-ft. take-off ramp.

There were other activities as well, and a popular one was sled dog racing. The early sled dog demonstration became a great event – the Laconia Sled Dog Derby. Although dependent on the depth of snow and sometimes canceled if there was not enough snow, most years saw the race in January or February. The event was part of the 1926 Laconia Winter Carnival, and followed the 1925 Nome (Alaska) Serum Run, which gained worldwide attention. The Serum Run made sled dog racing popular everywhere. The Laconia Winter Carnival seemed a good place for locals to see an exciting sled dog race.

The current exhibit has some great old sled dog photos of the early races. It also shows photos of early mushers –both men and women – and gives background on these people. A highlight of the exhibit is a real sled dog made by Charles Lyman, Jr. a man involved in dog sledding. The sled is made of wood and really quite simple in design/ structure, showing us the musher relied upon the team of dogs as much as the sled to win a race.

Older folks may remember the Toboggan Shute on Mile Hill in Laconia. In 1922, according to information at the exhibit, The Laconia Democrat newspaper declared the ½-mile Shute as the longest slide in the state.

No one could live in Laconia long ago and not know of the Northland

Ski Company. In 1938, the company, which was headquartered in Minnesota, opened a second factory in Laconia. At the local factory, workers created a line of skis, ski accessories, hockey sticks and toboggans. Having the factory in the Lakes Region was quite a feather in the cap for the state, because at one time, Northland was the largest maker of winter sporting goods in the country.

One of my favorite items in the exhibit is a charming old photo of a large group standing outdoors in winter. Youngsters in the front row of the photo are holding skis and others have the skis strapped to their feet, ready to go, go, go down the nearest hill. The ground is snow-covered, and everyone looks to be really enjoying the snowiest season of all.

If you don’t know much about the 10th Mountain Regiment of World War II, the exhibit will fill you in on the brave group that utilized wintertime equipment to battle the enemy during the war years. We see at the exhibit, snowshoes like the ones the soldiers of the Regiment wore.

Also on display is information on ice racing. Old photos show drivers racing over the frozen lake in old-time cars, competing for prizes and out to have some daring fun.

Information about skiing at nearby Gunstock in Gilford concludes the exhibit. The old items and information on how folks endured and ultimately enjoyed winter in the Lakes Region will send us dashing to the exhibit.

For information, call the Laconia Public Library at 603-524-4775.

Free Fishing Day in NH

If you’ve ever wanted to try ice fishing, why not take advantage of New Hampshire’s winter free fishing day on Saturday, January 21, 2023. That’s a day you can fish without a license in New Hampshire.

Note that all other regulations must be followed. Learn more about fishing rules by reading the NH Freshwater Fishing or Saltwater Fishing digests at www.fishnh.com/fishing/publications.html.

This annual winter event takes place on the third Saturday in January each year. New Hampshire also offers a free fishing day on the first Saturday in June.

Persons participating in a fishing tournament must still hold a license, even on free fishing day.

To read or download the brochure “Safety on Ice — Tips for Anglers,” visit www.wildnh.com/outdoor-recreation/ice-safety.html.

Explore Life in Ice and Snow

Join the Newfound Lake Region Association (NLRA) as we explore life in ice and snow during Newfound Nature Station, a free program that connects youth and families to the natural world. This event will be held at Grey Rocks Conservation Area at 178 N Shore Road, Hebron, NH on January 18 from 1pm to 3 pm and January 21 from 10 am to 12 pm. As we look across the frozen landscape, the natural world looks and feels like a very different placeeven water is behaving differently! At Nature Station, NLRA educators will lead visitors on an exploration of snow, ice, and how local wildlife survive through the winter. See how cold weather changes the behavior of water, other substances, and animals living in the Newfound Watershed. Participants will also make a craft to take home. This program is free and open to all. Newfound Nature Station, along

with other family programs and events, is part of NLRA’s year-round work to encourage residents and visitors to enjoy the natural beauty around them, learn more about the environment and how to protect it, and fall in love with the Newfound Watershed. By connecting the people of Newfound to the wonders around them, NLRA works to inspire the next generation of stewards and fulfill the mission of protecting Newfound Lake and its watershed. Along with programs like Newfound Nature Station, NLRA maintains Grey Rocks Conservation Area in all seasons as a place for people and wildlife alike. It offers walking trails, a picnic area, fishing alcoves, and a non-motorized boat launch and is frequented by wildlife like loons, turtles, and bald eagles as well as people. Learn more about NLRA including other upcoming events at NewfoundLake.org

Wild Lakes Region Weather

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Weather fascinates people, no matter where they live. The weather is a great conversation starter; nothing beats asking someone at a party or gathering how many inches of snow they got on their street or the one about the windy day blowing a big pine tree right into Mrs. Smith’s roof.

The drama of the weather elicits the same reaction in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, and over the years, residents have dealt with flooding, blizzards, hurricanes and more.

In 1969, a huge snowstorm hit New Hampshire with all the ferocity winter could bring. The February storm broke snowfall records and stalled over the state, and residents probably thought it was never going to stop snowing.

On Feb. 25 of 1969, over 50 inches of snow fell on Mount Washington, and it was the snowiest 24-hour period of snowfall throughout the state. It beat out a later storm that brought 48 inches of snow in just 24 hours to the Lakes Region.

In the February, 1969 snowstorm, three feet of snow was measured in the Lakes Region, and it was among the heaviest of storms in the state’s history.

For some people, the blizzard of 1978 remains the most memorable. It was a sneaky storm, and many were at first unconcerned and shrugged their shoulders at weather predictions of yet another winter snowstorm. Little did they know the storm would be such a problem.

Predictions in New Hampshire were of cold and sunny weather on the weekend of Feb. 6, 1978. But the

forecast for Monday following the weekend told residents there would be heavy snow and temperatures in the teens, according to an article in Foster’s Daily Democrat by Sean Murray.

By the next day, central New Hampshire, from Dover/Rochester to the Lakes Region and elsewhere felt the effects of the snow storm. The heavy snowfall wasn’t the problem; the Lakes Region had endured storms bringing over a foot of snow in the past, but the winds that accompanied the snow were the issue.

The winds kicked up the snow, which buried vehicles, damaged homes and caused people to stay indoors, curtailing any outside activities. There were dramatic stories of travelers trying to get home who were stuck in their cars on the highways and later forced to abandon their vehicles and walk to safety.

Laconia law enforcement had fewer crimes to deal with, but they made supply runs for those without food and stranded in the storm, and sometimes, needing a warm place to ride out the storm. In Laconia, many streets were impassable, and drivers traveled at their own risk.

Hurricanes have always been a menace no matter where they hit. The worst to target New Hampshire was the Hurricane of 1938 (in September). It dealt the state – in the memory of many elderly Lakes Regioners who were children in 1938 – a massive blow. Amid all the talk of the stormravaged Lakes Region, if you lived among the mountain areas, you felt the force of the hurricane as much as along

the coast. Imagine fierce winds coming through a forested land and the power of the wind to down large trees. Those who were camping out or working for such places as the Appalachian Mountain Club were easy targets for high winds and falling trees. Forests were decimated in New Hampshire and it took a long time to recover after the 1938 storm. An estimated 1 billion board feet of timber was destroyed.

In the Newfound Lake area of the state, the Hurricane of 1938 was reported in the Bristol Enterprise, that “not a street in the town of Plymouth escaped.” In another edition The Enterprise told readers, “The Newfound Region is a stricken area. Our foliage friends have been slain, and many hearts are sad.” These words were the understatement of a lifetime for many who lost property, animals and worst of all, friends and family to the unforgettable Hurricane of 1938.

In most regions, we do not often turn our attention to summertime weather. After all, how much harm could the balmy days of June, July and August bring to places like the Lakes Region? The answer is, in 1911, the weather could do quite a lot of harm.

As July of 1911 began, a heat wave day gripped the state, with temperature

in the Lakes Region, as elsewhere, at 90 degrees. The following days saw the thermometer hit 100 degrees. A few days later, the temperature was an astounding 106 degrees and it meant serious problems. Air conditioning was unheard of and if you were lucky, you had electricity at your home to power a table fan. This was no competition for such high temperatures and the only relief was a swim in the river or at the lake. Fears of a prolonged drought and all it could mean for crops was a concern.

Certainly the 4th of July was a lackluster celebration. Who would want to be in a parade or take part in a ball game, let alone stand on the sidewalk to watch the parade go by, or sit in the stands to cheer on their favorite team? Most people wanted to remain indoors or go for a cooling swim.

The heat wave was endured until mid-July, when things saw a return to moderate summer temperatures. Until then, beaches were crowded and it was reported that even in White Mountains, an area usually cooler than other regions of the state, the temperatures

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soared to 100 degrees.

People were hospitalized with heat stroke, and some died from the terrible heat wave. One can only imagine such heat in 1911, when refrigeration was poor, homes were without air conditioning and travel by car unavailable. You might want to get to the beach or the ocean, but if you lived on a Lakes Region farm, you may not have owned a car and the drive was too much for a horse and wagon.

Eventually the heat wave broke, but it goes down in history as a terrible weather disaster in New England.

The Lakes Region and all of New Hampshire do not seem likely places for earthquakes, but over the years, shaking ground has been felt. On December 20, 1940 – just a few days before Christmas – citizens in central New Hampshire awoke to the ground shaking when a 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit the area. It happened around 2 am and residents,

groggy with sleep, were frightened when awoken by the rumbling. (This was during World War II, so perhaps Lakes Regioners feared the Germans had reached American soil and were bombing New Hampshire.) Whatever their fears, the earthquake was large, recorded as among the state’s largest in history at the time. The powerful quake tumbled some chimneys and caused headstone damage at cemeteries.

While recovering from the December 20 earthquake, the area was hit again, this time on December 24, 1940. It was a shorter quake but even more powerful than the first. It happened at 8:43 am and caused quite a stir in the Lakes Region. Aftershocks from the second earthquake were felt until the New Year, and it likely set residents on edge.

No matter the time of year, storms and natural disasters have hit the Lakes Region and created memories by those who lived through each occurrence.

of Children and Youth Programs

Gilford Community Church (GCC) recently named Amber McLane as their new Director of Children and Youth Programs. For McLane, her interest in the position at GCC reflects a lifelong association with the church.

“Currently, we have four generations that link our family to this church,” she said. “My journey began as an infant when I was baptized by Reverend Raymond Wixon, and I grew up participating in Sunday School and singing in the youth choir.”

She also was part of GCC’s youth group where she took part in community service activities, analyzed bible verses, and “had fun participating in community events.” “During those years, I was able to interact with a variety of church members, and it was nice to know that I had a church family I could rely on,” she said.

Currently, McLane has an eightyear-old son who participates in GCC’s Sunday school and youth events. “It brings joy to my heart to see him comfortable and experiencing wonderful

opportunities the church has provided for him over the years,” she added.

Regarding her interest in the position, McLane cited her care regarding the youth in the Gilford Community. “I want to provide families with opportunities that will be memorable for them,” she said. “I want to help and guide children and youth on their faith journeys in a safe and positive environment.”

Previous to joining GCC’s staff, McLane has worked at Gilford Middle School for seventeen years where she is currently the Physical Education and Health Teacher. Past-President and Awards Chair for the New Hampshire Association of Physical Education Recreation and Dance (NHAHPERD), McLane was awarded Teacher of the Year for Middle School Physical Education in 2018. In 2020, she was awarded Eastern District Teacher of the Year in 2020, while she received the Denise Maslakowski Education Award from Plymouth State University in 2022.

SOUPS & CHOWDERS

By Kelly Ross

For the most part, I am a believer, usually, in thin broth soups during the warm weather seasons and creambased soups and chowders and stews for the cold weather season, and for the most part, that will be the mentality here today. I’ll be the first to admit that although I have cooked professionally for over 40 years, I still have no problem opening a can of Campbell’s Soup in a pinch, but when making it from scratch, the flavor is 10-fold better, not to mention they are usually better for you. Granted, cream-based soups/ chowders/stews aren’t considered to be health food, but homemade is better for you compared to the alternative. At least we are all able to pronounce the names of all the ingredients of the homemade versions as opposed to reading the label of a can.

Besides the fact that wintertime screams soup season, it also screams slow cooker season as well. There is something wonderful about some quick prep, toss the ingredients into the cooker and let it slow cook all day. Not only does it take much of the labor out

of the equation, but dinner is waiting for you when you get home from work or skiing or however you spend your day. A total win/win situation! I’m going to start off with a couple of delicious options utilizing this awesome kitchen toy. First off, this is one of my favorite winter soups that I also like to cook for most St. Paddy’s Days, but it works whenever in the mood. This is a wonderful potato and sausage soup with pancetta as well, guaranteed to stick to your ribs. This will serve 8, takes about 20 minutes to prep, and depending on what setting you use on the cooker, it will take between 3 ½-7 hours to cook. I love this as a dinner entrée, but you can obviously use it as an appetizer or maybe just a cup with a sandwich at lunchtime.

Slow Cooker Sausage and Potato Soup

4 oz pancetta, around 5-6 slices, more if preferred. Bacon works too but pancetta is better in this

2 lbs mild ground sausage

2 cans cannellini beans, 15 oz each, rinsed and drained

6–7 cups chicken stock, divided

1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes

3 cloves fresh garlic

1 small yellow onion

2 lbs Russet potatoes

3 inches of hard Parmesan cheese

rind

Salt and fresh grind black pepper, to taste

½ cup half and half, tempered 3 cups fresh kale, chopped fine ½ cups Parmesan cheese Cube your pancetta. Brown the pancetta in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the pancetta has rendered down and become crisp, add sausage to the same skillet and brown, breaking it up into small bite-sized chunks. Remove pancetta and sausage from heat and transfer to 6-quart slow cooker crockpot. Puree one can of cannellini beans, along with a little water if desired, in a blender or food processor. Drain and rinse another can of beans and add whole beans and pureed beans into the slow cooker. Chop onions and mince the garlic finely. Peel Russet potatoes and slice into small even cubes. Add 6 cups of chicken stock, red pepper flakes, onion, garlic, potatoes, and Parmesan cheese rind to crockpot and stir to combine. Season

with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. Chop kale finely. Set aside. Freshly grate Parmesan cheese. Set aside. Remove lid after cooking and add tempered half and half, the kale, and Parmesan cheese. If you wish to make the soup thinner, add more chicken stock until the soup reaches the desired consistency. Stir to combine and cook for 5-10 minutes to allow kale to soften. Remove Parmesan rind and serve immediately. To properly temper the half and half, add a little bit of hot stock to it before stirring into the slow cooker. Absolutely yummy!!

Without doubt one of my all-time favorite dishes is jambalaya. New Orleans is easily my favorite city I have ever been to for a few reasons, but yup, the food is a key reason with its Cajun influences. Jambalaya is amazing and is one of those dishes that you can • ‘Cue the Grill continued on page 10

easily adjust to your own likings. This one, like the traditional, has andouille sausage, chicken, and shrimp, so you can adjust any of those or sub with something else if preferred. Again, we are using a slow cooker for this one. This recipe in a slow cooker just makes it grow in richness and flavor as time goes on, making this amazing. Some people prefer their jambalaya soupy, and others prefer it wet but not with a lot of broth. This recipe will give you options. It will feed 8, includes 20 minutes of prep time and slow cooks for 4 hours on high or 8 ½ hours on low. This has a tremendous blend of flavors.

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

¾-1 lb andouille sausage, diced

1 can diced tomatoes, 28 oz

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 cup chicken broth

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning

1 tsp hot sauce

2 bay leaves

½ tsp dried thyme

1 lb frozen peeled shrimp, thawed. I suggest 24/30 in size

2 cups white, long grain rice

Fresh chopped parsley as garnish

Prepare the ingredients for the crockpot by cutting chicken, dice sausage, and chop the onion, green bell pepper, and celery stalk. In the crock pot combine all of those plus the chicken broth. Stir in oregano, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, bay leaves, and thyme. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Cook the rice according to package directions, which can be done at crunch time, or I usually cook the day before and add a few minutes before serving with the shrimp. Discard bay leaves before digging in, add fresh chopped parsley if desired, and serve. If you prefer a jambalaya with less liquid than this will give you, once all the items in the slow cooker are cooked, ladle out as much liquid as needed into a pan and add water to it to get you 4 cups and cook the rice in that. It does add a nice flavor to the rice. Just another option for you. If you like Cajun and spicy, this dish is for you.

Here is one more slow cooker soup for you. This one is a vegetarian soup if you want it to be. Technically there

is no meat in this, but it does contain chicken broth, but can easily have vegetable broth substituted in its place. The main ingredient is butternut squash, which to most of us is a wonderful flavor that makes a great soup, although this also has a great Indian flare to it as curry is the main spice. Where the other slow cooker soups I gave you work in an outstanding way as a main course, this one, in my opinion, works best as a first course or as a great lunch item. This will give you 8 portions at 1 cup a piece, so plan accordingly if you feel the need to double up on the recipe. Prep is quick, and cook time is in the ballpark of 3 ½-4 hours on high or 7 hours on low.

Slow-Cooker Curried Butternut Squash Soup

1 medium butternut squash, about 2-2 ½ lbs, peeled, seeded and cubed, about 5 cups

3 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 medium onion, chopped

4 tsp curry powder

½ tsp garlic powder

¾ tsp salt

1 can coconut milk, 14 oz

1 ½ -2 tbsp lime juice, plus wedges for serving

Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish Stir squash, broth, onion, curry powder, garlic powder and salt together in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook until the vegetables are very tender, 7 hours on low or 3 ½ hours on high. Turn off heat and stir in coconut milk and lime juice to taste. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth, or if you don’t own one, you can do so carefully in a food processor or blender.

Garnish with cilantro and serve.

OK, it’s time to make some soups in a more traditional way, although very simple for just about all of them, and more so with this recipe. This literally only takes 15-20 minutes to make, although most soups get better with age, but this is great right from the get-go. This one is a wonderful creamy soup with a Tuscan flare, great flavor of garlic, and loaded with tortellini and chicken, as well as few great veggies. Like many, I have been attempting to lay low on pasta, only somewhat successfully, but when it comes to tortellini, I’m a huge sucker. I absolutely love anything with it. This will eat well as a dinner and get you 8 servings.

Creamy Tuscan Garlic Tortellini Soup

2 tbsp butter

1 small white onion diced

3 cloves garlic minced

4 cups chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes, 28 oz

1 can white beans, 15 oz, drained and rinsed

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 cups cooked and shredded chicken. I usually buy and rip a rotisserie chicken 9 oz refrigerated tortellini

2 cups spinach

In a large pot over medium heat, heat up the butter. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender. Add chicken broth,

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diced tomatoes, white beans, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Add the chicken, tortellini, and spinach. Let simmer for 10 minutes to thicken up and for the tortellini to cook. So Good!

I know we started with a potato soup, but I am going to send a couple more your way as spuds make outstanding winter soups. This is another great quickie that is loaded with cheese to go with the great tater flavor. This was one of my favorites to make in the restaurant business because it became a favorite with so many of my customers. You’ll have this done in a half hour and serves 8.

Cheesy Potato Soup

4 tbsp butter

2 celery stalks, finely diced

2 small onions, finely diced

3 ½ cups chicken broth

6 large baking potatoes, peeled and

diced

4 tsp white vinegar

6 tbsp all-purpose flour

5 cups milk

½ tsp salt, plus additional to taste

2 tsp fresh grind black pepper

1-1 ½ lb shredded cheddar cheese depending on taste and the consistency you are looking for

In a soup pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add celery and onion, and saute 5-7 minutes, or until tender. Add chicken broth, potatoes, and vinegar and cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Combine flour, milk, salt, and pepper in a bowl and stir until smooth, pour into the soup and cook until it has thickened and is heated through, stirring constantly. Add cheese gradually and stir until melted until you get the consistency and cheese flavor you want. Taste for salt, adding more if necessary. To serve this hearty soup restaurant-style, top with bacon bits, sliced scallions, and additional shred-

From Left to Right: Gail DiGangi REALTOR® Amy Elfline BROKER ASSOCIATE Melissa Cribbie REALTOR® Maggie Braxton BROKER ASSOCIATE Ellen Watts REALTOR® Christopher Williams REALTOR® Bronwen Donnelly BROKER, OWNER

ded cheese. You will love it!

Here is one more potato soup, although more of a stew and loaded with smoked chorizo, a Spanish sausage with a great flavor and with a little kick to it as well. Toss in some bacon, mushrooms and onions to join the party, and season perfectly and you will have yourself another great stick to your rib dinner on your hands. When you read the recipe at first glance, you may think the amount of paprika listed is a misprint, but it really is ⅓ cup. Ideally, you are looking to use a hot smoked paprika, which is a big improvement over the usual paprika with its smoky flavor and heat. If you can’t find it, add more of the cayenne pepper to get the heat level to where you want it. You can have this finished in about an hour from start to finish and will give you 8 servings.

Chorizo and Potato Stew

8 thick bacon slices, chopped

2 medium sweet onions, finely chopped

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 tbsp tomato paste

2½ lb russet potatoes, peeled, cut into ¾ inch pieces

2 lb smoked Spanish chorizo, cut into rounds, halved into half-moons

1 lb button mushrooms, cut into ½ inch thick wedges

8 cups chicken broth

⅓ cup hot smoked Spanish paprika ½ tsp cayenne pepper

Kosher salt

1 cup sour cream

2 cups fresh torn dill

Freshly grind black pepper

Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until be-

ginning to brown but not yet crisp, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to paper towels. Add onions to same pot and cook, stirring often, until golden and softened, 8–10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Return bacon to pot, then add potatoes, chorizo, mushrooms, broth, paprika, and cayenne and bring to a boil. Reduce heat so liquid is at a bare simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, 25–30 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt. In a small bowl, combine/stir sour cream and 2 tbsp water and season with salt. Divide stew among bowls and top with sour cream, some fresh dill, and a few grinds of pepper.

Every article I write, I find myself sharing at least one recipe which I like to label as a love/hate recipe in that the main ingredient for this dish is one with not much middle ground in that people love it or hate it, and that ingredient this time around is mushrooms. Yes, we have a great cream of mushroom soup here, as well with getting a good hit of barley. This is a little misleading however in that there is no cream in this soup, with the exception of a hint of sour cream at the very end. That will be good news for those of you who choose to lay off the cream. This will take you 1 ½ hours and will give you 8 portions.

Cream of Mushroom & Barley Soup

1 cup pearl barley

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Jan.-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.

Jan. 9, NENSA Paintball Biathlon, race series, for skiers of all ages, Gunstock Mt. Resort, 719 Cherry Valley Rd., Gilford, www.gunstock.com, 293-4341.

Jan. 9, Winter Yoga in the Winnipesaukee Room, 5:30-6:30 pm, Castle in the Clouds, Rt. 171, Moultonborough, info/register: 476-5900, www. castleintheclouds.org.

Jan. 11, Discovery Tour, noon-1 pm, learn about programs, trails and more, Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd., Laconia, pre-register: 366-5695, www.prescottfarm.org.

Jan. 12, Square Dance, 7:30-10 pm, Barn on the Pemi, 341 Daniel Webster Highway, $15 band contribution, 481-0789, email: howe.gen@gmail.com.

Jan. 14, Dueling Pianos, 7:30 pm, Franklin Opera House, 316 Central St., Franklin, tickets: 934-1901, www.franklinoperahouse.org.

Jan. 14, Saturday Afternoon Music Series, featuring Switchback, 3-6 pm, Gunstock Mt. Resort, 719 Cherry Valley Rd., Gilford, www.gunstock.com, 2934341.

Jan. 14, Snowshoe Tour, 10 am-noon, adult program, Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd., Laconia, pre-register: 366-5695, www.prescottfarm.org.

Jan. 14, Songbirds of Winter, 1-3 pm, Squam Lakes Assoc., 534 US Rt. 3, Holderness, 968-7336, www.squamlakes.org.

Jan. 14, Tracking NH Wildlife in Winter, 1-3 pm, adult program, Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd., Laconia, preregister: 366-5695, www.prescottfarm.org.

Jan. 15, USASA Rail Jam, young freestyle skiers and riders from all over New England compete for prizes and bragging rights, Gunstock Mt. Resort, 719 Cherry Valley Rd., Gilford, www.gunstock.com, 293-4341.

Jan. 15, Wild Winter Walk, 10-11:30 am, learn about animals that live at Science Center in winter, outdoor program, kids (age 7 & up) and adults, preregistration required: Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, 23 Science Center Rd., Holderness, 968-7194, www.nhnature.org

Jan. 18, Nature Station: Living in the Ice & Snow!, 1-3 pm, free, open to all ages, learn about the lake/winter nature, Grey Rocks Conservation Area, 178 N Shore Rd., Hebron, Newfound Lake Region Assoc., 744-8689, www. newfoundlake.org.

Jan. 21, Beginning Birding, 10 am-noon, adult program, Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd., Laconia, pre-register: 366-5695, www.prescottfarm.org.

Jan. 18-22, Guys & Dolls, Flying Monkey Movie and Performance Center, 39 S. Main St., Plymouth, info./tickets: www.flyingmonkeynh.com, presented by Plymouth State University, info: 535-2647.

Jan. 20-21, Winter Quilter’s Retreat, 1/20: 6-9 pm, 1/21: 9 am-5 pm, quilting workshop, Community Center, Lehner St., Wolfeboro, info/cost: 569-5639.

Jan. 21, Eyes on the Sky: Stars, Planets & Constellations, 5-6:30 pmn, adult program, Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd., Laconia, pre-register: 366-5695, www.prescottfarm.org.

Jan. 21, Nature Station: Living in the Ice & Snow!, 10 am-noon, free, open to all ages, learn about the lake/winter nature, Grey Rocks Conservation Area, 178 N Shore Rd., Hebron, Newfound Lake Region Assoc., 744-8689, www. newfoundlake.org.

Jan. 21, One Act Play Competition, Newfound Region High School, Bristol, 744-2521.

Jan. 22, Family & Sea Chanties, 2-4 pm, First Congregational Church, 115 S. Main St., Wolfeboro, presented by Wolfeboro Friends of Music, www. wfriendsofmusic.org

Jan. 22, Intro to Ice Fishing, 7-10:30 am, advance registration required: Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, 23 Science Center Rd., Holderness, 968-7194, www.nhnature.org

Jan. 22, Winter in the Woods, 2-4 pm, Slim Baker Foundation, Bristol, www. slimbaker.org

Jan. 25, Watershed in Winter Story Time, 10:30-11:30 am, by Newfound Lake Region Assoc., takes place at Minot-Sleeper Library, 35 Pleasant St., Bristol, 744-8689, www.newfoundlake.org.

Jan. 26, Machu Picchu Talk with Lisa McDonald, 5:30-6:30 pm, Moultonborough Public Library, 4 Holland St., Moultonborough, 476-8895, www.moultonboroughlibrary.org.

Jan. 27, Dead Set, Winterland Revisited, 7:30 pm, Flying Monkey Movie and Performance Center, 39 S. Main St., Plymouth, info./tickets: 536-2551, www. flyingmonkeynh.com

Jan. 28, Discovery Tour, noon-1 pm, learn about programs, trails and more, Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd., Laconia, pre-register: 366-5695, www.prescottfarm.org.

Jan. 28, Forest Trail Games for Kids & Adults, 10 am-noon, children & adult program, Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd., Laconia, pre-register: 366-5695, www.prescottfarm.org.

Jan. 28, How Telescopes Work, 2-3 pm, child (age 8 & up) & adult program, Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd., Laconia, pre-register: 366-5695, www.prescottfarm.org.

Jan. 28, Poppa Chubby and Albert Cummings, 7:30 pm, Flying Monkey Movie and Performance Center, 39 S. Main St., Plymouth, info./tickets: 5362551, www.flyingmonkeynh.com

Jan. 28, Snowshoe Yoga, 10 am-noon, adult program, Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd., Laconia, pre-register: 366-5695, www.prescottfarm.org.

Jan. 28, Saturday Afternoon Music Series, featuring Dog Fish, 3 pm, Gunstock Mt. Resort, 719 Cherry Valley Rd., Gilford, www.gunstock.com, 293-4341.

Jan. 28, Wild Winter Walk, 10-11:30 am, learn about animals that live at Science Center in winter, outdoor program, kids (age 7 & up) and adults, preregistration required: Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, 23 Science Center Rd., Holderness, 968-7194, www.nhnature.org

Jan. 30, Hobbs Vintage Snow Show, 11 am-3 pm, vintage show, food trucks, local craft beer celebration, vintage sled owners invited to participate, Hobbs Brewing Company & Seven Lakes Snowmobile Club, Hobbs Brewery, 765 Rt. 16, Ossipee, 539-3795.

Jan. 30 & 31, Ladies Love Winter, age 16 and up, learn new techniques, have fun skiing, 8:30 am-3:30 pm, Gunstock Mt. Resort, 719 Cherry Valley Rd., Gilford, www.gunstock.com, services@gunstock.com, 293-4341.

Feb. 2, Winter Prime First Tracks, 7:30-8:30 am, Gunstock Mt. Resort, 719 Cherry Valley Rd., Gilford, www.gunstock.com, 293-4341.

ONGOING

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

Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon St. East, Laconia, gallery and textile museum, events and programs, info/call for hours: 524-8813, www.belknapmill.org.

Canterbury Shaker Village, walk the grounds, Shaker Rd., Canterbury, 7839511, free, dawn to dusk, programs, tours/info: www.shakers.org.

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

Chocorua Lake Basin View Lot, mountain views, benches for seating, sketch, paint, meditate, free, directions/info: www.chocorualake.org.

Country Village Quilt Guild, meets the first and third Wednesday of each month from 1:30-3:30 pm, Public Safety Building (back entrance to Police and Fire Dept.), Rt. 25, 1035 Whittier Highway, Moultonboro. Schedule/info. email: countryvillagequilters@yahoo.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

Laverack Nature Trail at Hawkins Brook, nature trail on boardwalk, free, trail starts to the left of Meredith Village Savings Bank, Meredith, info: 2799015.

League of NH Craftsmen Meredith Fine Craft Gallery, fine handmade crafts and art for sale, workshops, 279 Daniel Webster Highway, Meredith, hours/info: 279-7920.

Live Entertainment, Patrick’s Pub & Eatery, Gilford, 293-0841, www. patrickspub.com.

NH Farm Museum, old-time farm, programs, events for families, 1305 White Mt. Highway, Milton, call for winter info/: 652-7840, www.nhfarmmuseum.org

Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, www.prescottfarm.org. Call ahead for event information and to inquire if pre-registration is necessary: 366-5695.

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, 58 Cleveland Hill Rd., Tamworth, tours, walking trails, programs, info/hours: 323-7591.

Sanbornton Community Arts Festival, second Saturday of every month. Old Town Hall, 19 Meeting House Hill Road, Sanbornton.

Celebrate January with beautiful garnet jewelry.

9 cups chicken broth, divided 2 oz dried porcini mushrooms

4 cups boiling water

4 tsp butter

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cup minced shallots, about 4 medium

16 cups sliced button mushrooms, about 40 oz

4 stalks of celery, finely chopped

2 tbsp fresh minced sage, or 2 tsp of dried

1 tsp salt

1 tsp fresh grind black pepper

4 tbsp flour

2 cup dry sherry, not cooking sherry

1 cup sour cream

½ cup minced fresh chives

Bring barley and 3 cups broth to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, 30-35 minutes. Meanwhile, combine porcinis and boiling

water in a medium bowl and soak until softened, about 20 minutes. Line a sieve or fine meshed stainer with paper towels, set it over a bowl and pour in mushrooms and soaking liquid. Reserve the soaking liquid. Transfer the mushrooms to a cutting board and finely chop. Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add button mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they start to brown, 8-10 minutes. Add the porcinis, celery, sage, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, until the flour is incorporated, about 1 minute. Add sherry and cook, stirring, until most of the sherry has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the soaking liquid and the remaining 6 cups broth, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the soup has thickened, 18-22 minutes.

Add the cooked barley and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes more. Stir in sour cream until incorporated. Garnish with chives. This is about as awesome as a mushroom soup gets.

Where many people don’t like mushroom soup, this is a soup that generally doesn’t float my boat so to speak, but all in all, most people I know love it, and that’s a good old-fashioned minestrone. Ever since I was a kid, I have never been a big fan of most vegetable soups, and in my stubbornness, I have maintained that mentality. One thing I learned years ago was as a chef, it’s not always about what you may like to eat when cooking for others, it’s about what the customer wants. Wherever I have worked required having an array of soups available on a daily basis, and although I loved seeing it sell well, I never quite understood the fascination. That being said, I have a gut feeling many of you will have a decent interest since most of you love what you love and likely aren’t as stubborn as me. This is quite easily the healthiest soup of the day, which makes for another great reason why many will enjoy this. As is, it’s a vegan soup with the exception of the parmesan cheese to garnish it with. On the other side of the fence, if you want to add meat to it, as in beef, chicken, sausage or even shrimp, that’s another option. This will take a little over an hour to make and will feed 6.

Old School Minestrone

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

Concord, New Hampshire

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2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

2 medium ribs celery, chopped

¼ cup tomato paste

2 cups misc. chopped seasonal vegetables, such as a variety of potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash, green beans, etc

4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

½ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp dried thyme

1 large can dice tomatoes, 28 oz, with its liquid

4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 tsp fine sea salt

2 bay leaves

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Freshly grind black pepper

1 cup whole grain orecchiette, elbow, or small shell pasta

1 can cannellini beans, 15 oz, rinsed and drained

2 cups baby spinach, chopped kale or chopped collard greens

2 tsp lemon juice

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnishing, optional

Warm 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened, and the onions are turning translucent, about 7-10 minutes.

Add the seasonal vegetables, garlic, oregano, and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Pour in the diced tomatoes and their juices, broth, and water. Add the salt, bay leaves and red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly

• ‘Cue the Grill continued on page 17

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grind black pepper. Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot with the lid, leaving about a 1-inch gap for steam to escape. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and add the pasta, beans and greens. Continue simmering, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente and the greens are tender. Remove the pot from the heat, then remove the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice and remaining tbsp of olive oil. Taste and season with more salt and pepper until the flavors really sing to you. Garnish bowls of soup with grated Parmesan and go for it.

In the world of simple, quick, and delicious, you can find this soup in the dictionary. Corn chowder is a favorite of oh so many, and this one goes together in record time, is simple to prepare and is awesome, plus it has chicken in it as well and will feed 8.

Chicken Corn Chowder

4 tbsp butter

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 sweet red bell peppers, finely chopped

4 cans creamed corn, 14 ¾ oz each

3 cups cooked cubed chicken breasts

2 cans reduced-fat evaporated milk, 12 oz each

1 ½ tsp jarred chicken paste bouillon, such as Better Than Bouillon

1 tsp fresh grind black pepper

1 lb cooked strips of bacon, crumbled

In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and red pepper, cook and stirring 6-8 minutes or until tender. Stir in corn, chicken, milk, bouillon and pepper, heat through, stirring occasionally. Make sure it does not boil. Top servings with bacon at serving time. Pretty simple, huh? It’s just as yummy too. Since we are talking corn soups, I

have another one which is outstanding. Like my love of New Orleans once again, this one has a great Cajun flare to it. Instead of a white corn chowder looking soup, this one is tomato based, hence the Cajun, as well as containing sausage, ham, and a slew of veggies and seasonings resulting in an amazing marriage of flavors. This is another easy recipe, it will take 1 ½ hours to put together and is another one that will fed 8 of you.

Cajun Corn Soup

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped green pepper

6 green onions, sliced

½ cup canola oil

½ cup all-purpose flour

3 cups water

2 packages frozen corn, 16 oz each

1 ½ lbs fully cooked smoked sausage rope, cut into ¼ inch pieces

3 cups cubed fully cooked ham

1 can stewed tomatoes, 14 ½ oz

2 cups chopped peeled tomatoes

1 can tomato paste, 6 oz

1 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning. Once soup is made, add more if needed

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more if that is your fancy

Salt to taste

Hot pepper sauce to taste

In a Dutch oven, saute the onion, green pepper and green onions in oil for 5-6 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour and cook until bubbly. Gradually add water, bringing to a boil while stirring to make sure the roux is well combined. Once to a boil, add the corn, sausage, ham, tomatoes, tomato paste, Cajun spice, cayenne, salt and pepper sauce. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve and enjoy. This is a very hearty and tremendous din-din.

Lastly, I want to share what many of you may have been expecting or hoping to see sooner than this, the ultimate classic for us New Englanders, and that is a traditional New England Clam Chowder. Arguably the biggest

staple and seller in all restaurants in this northern corner of the country, and when done right, it’s as good a soup/ chowder out there. Many people and chefs thicken their chowder with a butter/flour roux, which is what I often do, but this recipe is done with a flour/half and half slurry, which works divine as well. This is classic comfort food at its best. Most of my life I made this recipe 5 gallons at a time, but this adjusted version will give you 10 portions, and even if you are only cooking for just a few, I suggest making this as is so you can easily enjoy this just as much, if not more, the 2nd and 3rd day later. This goes together in less than an hour, and although this recipe has cooked bacon sprinkled over the top, I usually suggest oyster crackers as well as fresh chopped chives on top.

New England Clam Chowder 8-10 thick cut slices of bacon

4 celery ribs, chopped 2 large onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 6 small potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cup water

2 bottles clam juice, 8 oz each 2-4 tsp chicken bouillon paste, like Better Than Bouillon. Start with 2, add more gradually if preferred ½ tsp white pepper

½ tsp dried thyme

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups, or 1 qt, of half-and-half, divided

4 cans chopped clams, 6 ½ oz each, undrained

In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain and set aside. Saute celery and onion in the drippings until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, water, clam juice, bouillon, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes. In a small bowl, combine flour and 2 cups of the halfand-half until smooth. Gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil and cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in clams and remaining half-and-half, heat through but do not boil. Simmer on low until ready to eat. Crumble the cooked bacon and sprinkle over each serving with chopped chives if preferred and serve with oyster crackers. This is classic New England scrumptiousness.

Well, Happy Soup Season my Friends! May you all have a fabulous winter season. Have fun enjoying your winter sports, be safe on the slippery roads, cozy up by the fire, and keep your taste buds smiling!

If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to reach out at fenwaysox10@gmail.com

“As a Broker/Owner of a company with over 500 Realtors serving New England and South Florida, I can tell you that I see firsthand how Kate works, her knowledge, and how she treats her clients.”

“I will tell you all, there is a reason that I send my friends and family to her. If you are looking to buy or sell anywhere in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, I strongly recommend that you work with Kate.”

Anthony Lamacchia, Lamacchia Realty

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Laconia Adult Education Winter 2023 Enrichment Catalog

Course Title Day(s) Start date Times # weeks Cost Location Instructor Name

Health & Wellness

Beginner II Lindy Hop Mon 01/23/2023

5:45-6:45 4 weeks $90.00 LHS-Café Juli Pruden Beginner Night Club Two Step Mon 01/23/2023 6:45-7:45 4 weeks $90.00 LHS-Café Juli Pruden Beginner Salsa Mon 01/23/2023 7:45-8:45 4 weeks $90.00 LHS-Café Juli Pruden

Beginner Waltz Tues 01/24/2023 5:45-6:45 4 weeks $90.00 LHS-Café Juli Pruden Beginner East Coast Swing Tues 01/24/2023 6:45-7:45 4 weeks $90.00 LHS-Café Juli Pruden Beginner Tango Tues 01/24/2023 7:45-8:45 4 weeks $90.00 LHS-Café Juli Pruden

Freedom Through Forgiveness Thurs 05/25/2023 6:30-8:30 1 week $45.00 LHS-611 Brenda Paquette Introduction to Spiritual Energies Thurs 03/16/2023 6:30-8:30 1 week $45.00 LHS-611 Brenda Paquette Meditation 101 Thurs 05/04/2023 6:30-8:30 1 week $45.00 LHS-611 Brenda Paquette What are Angels & How to Communicate w/them Thurs 04/06/2023 6:30-8:30 1 week $45.00 LHS-611 Brenda Paquette

Yoga for Everyone: Beginning (Tues & Thurs) Session 1 Tues&Thurs 01/31/2023 5:00-6:15 4 weeks *$50.00* ctc-H234 Bonnie Morin Yoga for Everyone: Beginning (Tues & Thurs) Session 2 Tues&Thurs 03/07/2023 5:00-6:15 4 weeks *$50.00* ctc-H234 Bonnie Morin Yoga for Everyone: Beginning (Tues & Thurs) Session 3 Tues&Thurs 04/04/2023 5:00-6:15 4 weeks *$50.00* ctc-H234 Bonnie Morin

Language

Spanish for Beginners Mon 01/30/2023 6:00-7:00 10 weeks *$45.00* LHS-205 Mark Frattarola Spanish Intermediate Level I Mon 01/30/2023 7:00-8:00 10 weeks *$45.00* LHS-205 Mark Frattarola Spanish Intermediate Level II Mon 01/30/2023 8:00-9:00 10 weeks *$45.00* LHS-205 Mark Frattarola

Learning a skill

Basic Woodworking Thurs 02/02/2023 6:00-8:30 8 weeks *$110.00* LHS-517 Wes Anderson Digital Photography I Mon 02/06/2023 4:00-5:30 5 weeks $50.00 Remote Steve McGrath Wed 2/1/2023 6:00-8:00 6 Weeks *50.00* LHS-514 Shirley Glines Dog Obedience: Advanced Wed 03/15/2023 7:00-8:00 8 weeks *$70.00* WHS Carolyn Bancroft Dog Obedience: Beginning Wed 03/15/2023 6:00-7:00 8 weeks *$70.00* WHS Carolyn Bancroft Fly Tying Wed 2/1/2023 6:00-9:00 8 Weeks 100 LHS-612 Nick Proulx Intro to Intermediate Woodworking Wed 02/01/2023 6:00-8:30 8 weeks *$110.00* LHS-517 Ed Philpot Open Shop Woodworking Tues 01/31/2023 6:00-8:30 10 weeks *$110.00* LHS-517 Ed Philpot Smartphone Photography Tues 04/04/2023 4:00-5:30 3 Weeks $40.00 Remote Steve McGrath

Welding Fundamentals: ARC,GAS,MIG&TIG- Thursdays Thurs 01/31/2023 5:30-8:30 10 Weeks *$350.00* LHS-Welding Lab Bruce Beckford Welding Fundamentals: ARC,GAS,MIG&TIG- Tuesdays Tues 02/02/2023 5:30-8:30 10 Weeks *$350.00* LHS-Welding Lab Bruce Beckford

* * Additional Supply/book fee or pre-class requirement is additional in this course.

Check out our other great offerings:

A.B.E.- Free Adult Basic Education Tuesday & Thursday nights 6:00-8:30-Starting January 10, 2023 HiSET (Formerly GED) Prep- Free Monday & Wednesday nights 6:00-8:30-Starting January 9, 2023 E.S.L.- Free for those learning English Tuesday & Thursday nights 6:00-8:30-starting January 10, 2023

Academy-High School Math, English, Biology, Chemistry and Social Studies Classes starting January 23, 12023

Classes are in-person except when location is listed as remote.

CHECK ONLINE FOR MORE DETAILED COURSE INFORMATION (Including materials, book fees or Labs) REGISTER AND PAY ONLINE at: adultedlaconia.weebly.com

Still have questions? Call Laconia Adult Education at 524-5712

Sea Chanteys for the Whole Family

The Wolfeboro Friends of Music present a family concert of maritime music with renowned performer David Coffin on Sunday January 22, 2023, at 2 PM in the The Great Hall of Wolfeboro Town Hall. A New England treasure, Coffin transports his audience back to the 18th century as they join in singing the songs of the sea. His programs follow an imaginary whaling voyage presented through the historical sea songs of mariners long ago. With his harpoon, concertina, whistles, his trusty limber-jack Pierre, and big baritone voice, he embodies the atmosphere of old Nantucket, which his ancestors settled in 1659.

David Coffin has been performing since 1980, and has been a full-time

musician for over twenty years. At the heart of David’s work is traditional and contemporary folk music. He draws on vocal and instrumental music from North America as well as England, Scotland, Ireland and Brittany. Sea-chanteys, ballads, and the songs of sailors comprise his main repertoire. Coffin’s dynamic interactive performances inspire hundreds of children every year. His programs take the audience on an imaginary whaling voyage as they sing together the historical sea songs of mariners long ago.

In January of 2021 when Sea Chanteys hit TikTok David joined in and has posted over 500 videos averaging over one video post per day. Several videos have garnered millions of

Free Snowshoe Hare Hunting Workshop

Learn about the exciting sport of snowshoe hare hunting at a free workshop being offered at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Owl Brook Hunter Education Center in Holderness, NH. The workshop will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 21, 2023. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

This year, registration for the workshop will be completed online. To register, visit https://nh-events-web. s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/5325. To learn more visit www. huntnh.com/hunting/owl-brook.html, under “View Classes at Owl Brook,” select “Learn to Hunt,” and then select “Snowshoe Hare Hunting Workshop.”

This workshop will introduce participants to one of New Hampshire’s finest small-game hunting experiences— hare hunting with beagles. Topics covered will include snowshoe hares and where to find them, equipment needed,

dog care and training, safety considerations, resources about hare and rabbit hunting, and clubs in New Hampshire that focus on dogs and hare hunting. The instructors have many years of experience, a true passion for their sport, and are happy to answer participant questions.

Attendees should bring warm outdoor clothing and be prepared for some outdoor class time. The first portion of the workshop takes place inside the classroom, and then students will move outside where the dogs will show their stuff!

Please note that this workshop does not include lunch.

For more information on Fish and Game’s Owl Brook Hunter Education Center, visit www.huntnh.com/hunting/owl-brook.html. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is the guardian of the state’s fish, wildlife and marine resources and their habitats. Visit www.huntnh.com

views. https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJwEPhYk/ Through the course of that summer David led over 7,500 inner-city children on boat trips through Boston Harbor to George’s and Spectacle Island for a day of history, swimming, and fun. Many of the participating children have never been on a boat, let alone walked on sand or had a swim in salt-water.

In addition to music of the sea, Coffin is the Master of Ceremonies for the Revels at Harvard’s historic Sanders Theatre. He plays an impressive array of ancient musical instruments: bombard, gemshorn, cornamuse, shawm, rauschpfeife, and many others.

David Coffin has numerous recordings on the North Star and Revels

Records labels, and has four solo albums as well. Coffin has appeared on New Hampshire Chronicle and is the featured Chantey singer in Amazon Prime’s movie, Blow the Man Down.

The concert is sponsored by Paul Zimmerman, YFI Custom Homes, J Clifton Avert Insurance and Meredith Village Savings Bank

Tickets are $25 and are available at Avery Insurance, Black’s Paper & Gift Store, online at www.wfriendsofmusic. org or at the door. High school students with ID will be admitted free of charge and children accompanied by an adult ticket purchaser will be admitted free of charge. For more information, visit www.wfriendsofmusic.org or call 603569-2151.

Smiley Publishing Group, LLC in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is pleased to announce they recently reached an agreement to purchase Best Read Guide from Seacoast Media Group in Portsmouth, NH a division of USA Today/Gannett Co., Inc. Best Read Guide has been in business since 1992 when it was founded by the team at Foster’s Daily Democrat, and was at one time, part of a strong franchise system that had publications in many tourist destinations along America’s eastern seaboard. “Dan and The Laker will make for a great home for Best Read Guide,” said Jay Fogarty, SVP of Development for Gannett. “It’s been a privilege to serve advertisers and readers with the pub-

lication over the past several years.” Production of the magazines at Best Read Guide ceased in 2016 when Foster’s was acquired by Seacoast Media Group though statewide distribution to nearly 450 hotels, motels, campgrounds and other tourist destinations throughout New Hampshire’s north county continued. Best Read Guide also services an RFP with New Hampshire’s Department of Business & Economic Affairs to deliver millions of NH tourism materials into New Hampshire’s twelve welcome centers each year. These locations are Canterbury, Colebrook, Intervale, Lebanon, Littleton, Salem, Sanbornton, Seabrook, Sutton, Springfield, and two in Hooksett on opposite sides of route 93.

“It’s a win-win solution for our current customers,” says Dan Smiley, Publisher of The Laker, the flagship newspaper publication of Smiley Publishing Group that. “We’ve been in these important locations since 1984 and providing that people want to continue New Hampshire as a destination, we would do well by our customers to continuing being in them. We will now have The Laker in all twelve rest stop locations and be adding dozens more sites in southern New Hampshire with Best Read Guide’s distribution platform. Some of which will include Concord, Manchester, Portsmouth, Somersworth, Exeter, Hampton Beach and Jaffrey to name a few.”

The Laker, founded in 1984 by Richard and Kathy Eaton has become a mainstay guide for thousands of the Lakes Region’s vacation homeowners on bodies of water like Winnipesaukee, Squam, Winnisquam, Ossipee Lake, Newfound Lake and the 250 plus bodies of water that make up the lakes region of New Hampshire. Their unique focus on arts, entertainment, histo-

ry and other good news stories along with a strong calendar of events has allowed The Laker to quietly become the paper of record for a unique community that quietly resides within a larger community. “It’s estimated that there are currently 40,000+ vacation homes in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. That’s a city about the size of Manchester, New Hampshire,” says Smiley. “It should be noted that Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are number 1, 2, and 3 respectively nationwide for the number of secondary vacation homes inthe United States.”

Travel and tourism are a $6,000,000,000 business in New Hampshire powered by over 36 million granite state visitors. In addition to the State of New Hampshire rest stops, Best Read Guide has a strong network of hotels, motels, campgrounds, rental agents, restaurants, attractions and other long term distribution locations throughout the state.

A StoryWalk® is a fun, educational activity that places a children’s story (literally a book taken apart) along a popular walking route in your community, in this case Chamberlain Reynolds. The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the VT Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg Hubbard Library.

We hope you enjoy Aimee M. Bissonette’s story where you will explore the winter woods. Discover how much is happening in a seemingly empty woods once you slow down, listen carefully, and look closely. Erin Hourigan’s beautiful illustrations bring this winter wonderland to life. As you walk along while reading the story, remember to look for animal signs along the trail!

After exploring the story along the trail be sure to visit the Holderness Free Library for a fun craft activity where you can create your own animal track stories!

The StoryWalk will be up from

Thursday, December 15th-Tuesday, February 28th.

A huge thanks to our sponsors & partners:

Innisfree Bookshop in Meredith, NH generously offered a discount on the books for this StoryWalk®. They have copies available if you enjoyed the story and want to read it again and again. Support your local bookstores!

Holderness Free Library donated the books and created a fun craft inspired by the book. Stop by the library and make your own set of winter tracks!

The Squam Lakes Natural Science Center offers a variety of live animal programs year-round and has spectacular live animal exhibits May 1- November 1 so visit their website to see what great programs they have and to learn more about NH’s wildlife!

Ashland Town Library donated the books and will be creating the craft for the March 1st-April 30th StoryWalk at Whitten Woods featuring the book No Two Alike by Keith Baker.

Due to the great results we’ve had in the past with Dining Out Magazine, we feel it important to inform our valued guests and friends of a small typographical error in this winter edition.

Small Plate Specials are served from 4pm-6pm, Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays. We are closed on Sundays and Mondays. We apologize for any inconvenience.

yrna’s Classic Cuisine

Formerly known as Nadia’s Trattoria, voted a top ten restaurant in New Hampshire by Boston Magazine. 131 Lake Street, Gilford; Paugus Bay Plaza under the Canopy 603-527-8144 • myrnascc.com

Italian & American Comfort Food

Patterns in the Snow: Wildlife Tracking for All Ages

The beauty of snow is that it provides us with a natural canvas where we can see the pattern of animal tracks, other signs of animal activity, and read a story about the forest in winter.

On Saturday, January 21 from 10:30AM-12:30PM (storm date Saturday, January 28, same time), join Chocorua Lake Conservancy Stewardship Director Debra Marnich for a winter wander at the Bowditch Runnells State Forest off Route 16 north of Chocorua Lake to observe and learn about wildlife in winter, adaptations for survival, and the tracks they leave behind. A diversity of animals are active during the winter months, busy finding food and staying warm. They leave behind patterns in the snow that tell stories about their movements and what they need

to survive. What do they eat, where do they find shelter, who eats them? You’ll be amazed by what you can read in the snow and learn about our wild neighbors. Who walks in a straight line and who waddles? Who has four toes and who has five? Do the tracks lead to a tree or a hole in the ground? What clues might tell you what animal left the signs?

The Bowditch Runnells State Forest is owned by the State of New Hampshire, and surrounding private properties are restricted by CLC covenants. The forest is on the east and west sides of Route 16 north of the lake and south of Scott Road. We’ll explore the woods on the west side and down along the Chocorua River and its tributaries. Maybe we’ll find signs of otter or fish-

ers, some deer tracks mingled with fox or coyote, hares, mice and squirrels, and perhaps a bobcat? Parking is on the west side of the highway just south of the Bowditch Runnells sign, where the ROW has been plowed wider. We won’t be on a trail so be prepared for some wandering over rolling land. Snowshoes may be recommended depending on snow cover. Please wear good sturdy winter footwear, dress in layers for the cold temperatures, bring water and a snack if you’d like. Families are welcome with supervised kids ages 6 and up. This program is free; the CLC welcomes donations in support of its work. Please register in advance at bit.ly/CLC012123—we want to be able to let you know of changes to the schedule. Storm date will be Saturday,

January 28, same time.

About the Presenter:

CLC Stewardship Director Debra Marnich holds a BS in Zoology and an MS in Forestry. Her major interests and professional focus areas include combining wildlife and forestry practices to manage for both sound silvicultural and optimum wildlife habitat, creating early successional and bird nesting habitat, pollinator habitat creation, promoting small diverse farms local food production/agriculture, promoting land conservation and protection, environmental education, and integrating all resources concerns to create a balanced conservation system.