wildrnss's Profile
Gingerbread Houses
Check out the life sized gingerbread chalet at the Mt Washington Hotel
Scratch made croissants?
Looking for a scratch made croissant in the Salem, NH area, but would be willing to make a detour during my travels. Any suggestions?
Tilapia- Why?
Basa? Is that like Swai? Otherwise known as Asian catfish and locally disguised by restaurants as haddock in all you can eat fish frys? It is raised in the rivers of Vietnam and is cheaper than domestic catfish. Gotta love the fancy names this fish has been given.
North Conway, Glen, Jackson...etc NH..one nice breakfast, lunch, & dinner
I have eaten at the Wildcat only once in the past few years. The old owner now operates the dining at the shovel handle in Jackson.
I have never eaten at the ledges dining room. They have been putting on the Friday seafood buffet and Sunday brunch for years though.
2nd in the Moat. I have rarely not enjoyed my meal and the beers are really tasty. We also like Maestros for lunch and Kearsarge cafe for burritos. J town in Jackson also has tasty sandwiches.
For bakeries there is Old Village Bakery, Vintage Baking co, White Mtn cupcakery, and Riverstones
For bakeries
North Conway, Glen, Jackson...etc NH..one nice breakfast, lunch, & dinner
The 1785 has been up for sale for a long time- the current chef there is the former owner of coyote rose. He does a lot of the old dishes still so it may be worth a try. The cider company seems to be everyones favorite restaurant lately- and for good reason. The food is tasty and bar staff is pretty knowledgable about cocktails and wines.
The Eagle has had a big struggle for a long time and although the hotel itself is cozy the food hasn't changed much in the last 10 years or so.
The New Englad Inn has new owners and though they have a good beer selection the food just isn't what it used to be.
You may also want to research the Oxford House Inn over in Fryeburg. Nice owners and good food. It may seem far but it's not really.
The breakfast spot you are remembering is the stairway cafe. You may also opt for one of the scratch bakeries in town for a snack or meal there are a few new ones.
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Oxford House Inn
548 Main St, Fryeburg, ME 04037
Good goat cheese for beginners? (Central Maine)
I second Seal Cove. Vt Butter and Cheese chevre is a nice option too.
Farm Cheeses N.H./VT.
You may find yourself limited in cheeses from NH, there is a better production level from Maine, and Vermont with a few good blues from Mass as well...
Some of my faves from NH are :
Heart Song Farm -goat cheeses they have a nice variety and a really great goat feta
Sandwich Creamery: has some nice firm cheeses, mostly English style without washed rinds
The other cheeses folks mentioned are all good ones, you may be able to find Grafton Villages cheeses in country stores throughout the state if you are lucky. If you are a cheddar-head you will love their older styles.
The blues from Mass on the top of my head are Great Hill Blue: a lovely, slightly salty blue (I could eat it all day, and if you stop at a Flatbread restaurant they put it on their salads). They sell it here and there, it is even available at the farm stand down the road from me. The other one is Classic Blue from Westfield Farms- it's a surfaced ripened goat log, where the roquefort mold is on the surface. It's strong but really tasty.
Good luck and let us know what you find!
Simsoum bread?
i'm not sure if this is the proper board to post my question on, but here it goes:
So as long as I can remember my parents have bought a bread I believe is called Simsoum bread from bakeries around Lawrence, MA like George's. It's like a pita bread topped with a honey and sesame seed mixture.
Has anyoune out there ever attempted to make this bread?
I love love love it, but live 3 hours away from MA and can't seem to find it anywhere in the area. If anyone knows a place to buy this bread in maybe the Portland, ME area I'd love to know too.
Newport, R.I. recs, please...
My husband and I had a great meal at Salvation cafe a couple of years ago.
Best Catering in New Hampshire
A frind of mine who is a culinary instructor just happens to do some catering as well. She's a very dynamic chef, tons of energy and great tasting food. She's in the seacoast area, but I'm not sure she'd travel to do an event in the lakes region.
What exactly are you looking for? What size event? Do you have a location or do you need someone to provide one? Do you expect the caterer to handle just food or total event setup?
New England Food Festivals
Not a true festival but my ultimate favorite is the Common Grounds Fair in September. It is put on by MOFGA (the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Assoc). You can park a little ways away and ride your bike in, and there is an awsome farmer's market, not to mention all the super good food. It's not your usual county fair stuff at all.
New Hampshire Restaurants
Hear hear on the Moat, I love most everything there.
Love the beer at Woodstock too, although I've heard a few variable stories about the food.
CHUNKY Custard Ice Cream Base!? Help!!!
Yikes! Yes that has happened to me before too. I guess I meant to tell you to substitute half of your milk with cream. Adding other stuff to ice cream high in fat and solids can make it hard after freezing as well - that happens a lot with chocolate and pumpkin ice creams. It usually takes a little microwaving to soften it but will stay frozen a little while longer after scooping.
Ice cream base does not have to be thick to make a good ice cream, just make sure it's cooked long enough to pasteurize the egg yolks (185F). Be sure to chill it quickly and let it sit in the fridge for 24 hours so the flavors can meld better.
Dining around Cincinnati
Okay so Cincinnati was certainly a cool experience!
We were staying at the Netherlands Plaza Hilton so we were well located to move around.
First off, the happy hour with half priced martinis was a great introduction. Happy hour is banned in NH, where most of us were from, so we were more than happy to indulge.
Before cocktails we started off at the Rock Bottom Brewery for lunch. I had been to the Denver location before so no big Chow moment. The beer was decent and the food was questionable. The service left much to be desired.
The good thing was the close location to Graeter's. Yum! We all liked the Black Raspberry Chip, Coffee, and Cookies and Cream. The chocolate left a little to be desired, but we are from Ben and Jerry's land. The shop employees were so friendly and answered all of our questions, smiling all the time.
For dinner we went to JeanRo's bistro. It was great! What a great layout, good staff and excellent food. The greens and salads were heavily salted, but I think the other food made up for it. The pot du creme was a little broken but tasty and the price was right. The tarte tatin was such a sight with the giant ball of vanilla i.c. by the time I got a photo of it it was mostly crumbs.
Our server recommended Tucker's (?) for breakfast, but we were wary when the Concierge warned us that Liberty St. was not the best neighborhood to be wandering around as tourists in. Instead we hit up Hathaway's which I had read about on roadfood. The waffle iron is still broken (at least 5 years by my count) and the service was REALLY slow, but the food was hot and the eggs were cooked perfectly. The goetta was so yummy I at most of the side myself.
One person in our group was really into Brazilian steak houses so we hit up Broi Na Braza. The food was decent enough, but not worth the $70 apiece we ended up shelling out. I've been to other restaurants that were similar concepts that had more interesting meats to offer, not to mention roasted pineapple and the like. I was a little disturbed that we were never even offered a menu for food, just a wine list and drink cart.
The next time we had a chance to go out was on Sunday. I spent a lot of time researching places, searching the boards and so forth. The one thing everyone forgets to tell visitors is that (almost) everything is closed on Sunday.
We ended up at Cafe Istanbul in Covington. The food was pleasant, not too expensive and the Baba Ganoujj (sp?) was the best I've ever had. I work with a girl from Istanbul and her Baklava tastes exactly the same. I saved a piece to bring back to her. It was delicious and satisfying. The appetizers were the best part, most of us had some kind of kebab.
I feel the need to apologize that none of us could muster the appetite to eat at Skyline Chili, although just about everyone recommended it. Maybe next time.
If I had to do it all over again I would pick somewhere nicer to eat before Sunday and saved JeanRo's for the Sunday meal. It was certainly the best overall eating experience we had, and I'm sorry I missed so many places due to being closed on Sunday (I think I wore the concierge out having him call about 10 places to see if they were open) :)
Dining around Cincinnati
I realized this morning when I read a bump from another posting...will do the search and look forward to the goetta!
We're staying at the Hilton downtown; our price range is completely open. We will most likely look for the most impressive restaurant and a hip scene as well, plus some really good lunch. Like I said we're across the board. I'm sure it will be a "chow hound" week!
white mountains quandry - help !
I think the Notchland or Sugar Hill are beautiful places to stay during foliage season. I have heard good things on both of their offerings for dining but have never eaten there myself.
As for the Mt. Washington, yes the verandah would be an excellent choice for a cocktail. They will be doing a LOT of construction this fall. It is not advertised. If you really want the experience I suggest you look at the Bretton Arms Inn. It is part of the resort and gives you amenities if it rains, but is away from construction and a more intimate setting. Both the chef and the host are amazing at what they do.
The Inn at Thorn Hill is excellent, but both their chef and pastry chef have changed since their CDNT award. It may be worth a visit to the lounge there since you can order off the lounge or dining room menu in the lounge without a reservation and the wine service is unparalleled. It may be worth looking at their rooms, as well. They are very comfy and certain ones can offer great views.
The Carter Notch Inn is a cute place with great views, especially at sunup. They would offer a close location to many of the white mountain restaurants without a really large driving commitment.
If you decide to head towards Sugar Hill, don't moss Polly's Pancake House. Even if the line is long. Seriously.
While you're at it, check out the Darby Field Inn as well. My husband thinks it has one of the best views in the Mt. Washington Valley.
Ralphie's Salem NH
I grew up in Salem and never knew about it until I was back visiting my aunt about 5 years ago. Now my husband and I go there every time we visit. We've always loved the food- it brings back memories from my grandmother's house.
Coyote Rose, North Conway
Yes indeed Peter, the chef and owner of the Coyote Rose had to close. He IS still in town, however. He is back at the 1785 Inn. He still has a few dishes that would cross over from the CR days. It may be a little more expensive than CR, but if you were a big fan, you would definitely want to check it out. Alan is a long time sever there, but all of the staff should be knowledgeable if you share you are there b/c you were a CR fan.
BTW, the Moat is an excellent option too, a lot more casual, but with a great brewery. I find I have staples that I love and things I have never had luck really loving. I always love the Hush Puppies, without a doubt.
Happy eating!
Dining around Cincinnati
I've got about 6 days next week in Cinci with a group of other folks who will be looking for some places to eat. I don't think any of us have ever been there before. We are foodies but are looking for places we should not miss out on, from casual to really special places.
What do you all suggest?
Inn or hotel, Fireplace and Tub
Take a look at the Inn at Thorn Hill in Jackson, NH. All the rooms in the main inn have gas fireplaces, many have in room ot tubs or even steam showers. Their wine list and food have both been well rated (perfect score in Conde Nast Traveller in the US for 2007).
The Balsams, Dixville Notch NH--WHAT HAPPENED
Steve Learned is still at the hotel, and is currently working as the Chef de Cuisine. Larry Johnson (I think that's his last name) is now the Executive Chef. The other Chef Steve that did leave is Chef Steve James (formerly the Executive Pastry Chef), who now has has own shop down in Portsmouth called Popovers on the Square. There are at least two other former Balsam's staff working there wtih him.
CHUNKY Custard Ice Cream Base!? Help!!!
Many times you can get "chunks" when you combine the egg yolks and sugar, but do not mix them right away. This might also be the reason behind the custard not coagulating as it normally would.
You should be able to get most of the chunks out with a fine strainer. As far as that "scrambled egg" consistency, an immersion blender should do the trick.
Have you tried adding some heavy cream to your recipe (replace half of the milk) to get a creamier taste?
Portland ME suggestions before the symphony
Last spring a hostess at Vignola recommened a place called the Front Room up on Munjoy Hill, not too far from downtown and have WONDERFUL food. It is quite casual, and the prices tend to be more reasonable than some other foodie places. The wine list is also affordable, and I've yet to have an unenjoyable bite of food there. I like to get a side of gnocchi and risotto on chillier days because they are so yummy. They have a website too. I would suggest making reservations as it's just a small chef owned place.
