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Merrimack Valley Magazine

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A Taste of the World – Part 5

February 15, 2021 by Timna Nwokeji

Sowy’s

In Puerto Rico, we have many small shops that function as quick stop-and-go breakfast and pastry stops. From breakfast sandwiches made with fresh bread, to cafecitos (small, piping hot, fresh coffees), to quesitos, you can find all the sweet and savory flavors you want in one place. The first time I walked into Sowy’s Bakery in Lowell I was instantly reminded of my childhood. Fresh smells of pan sobao (a sweet, fluffy bread), cafecito and baked goods are all I need to be swept away to my hometown of Ceiba.

 

Breakfast sandwiches on either pan sobao or pan de agua, which is similar to French bread, are extremely popular in Puerto Rico — order a large one, it’s big enough to share. 

A must try is the ham, egg, cheese and mayo, or butter, on pan sobao. Trust me, they’re great.

In the mood for something sweet? Sowy’s Bakery in Lowell features Puerto Rican pastries and breakfast sandwiches. Owner Sol Ofarrill sits in front of her creations at right.

Sowy’s Bakery
Lowell, Mass.
(978) 455-2518

Filed Under: Food & Drink Tagged With: bakery, fluffy bread, Global Cuisine, Lowell, MA, pan de agua, pan sabao, pastries, Sowy's Bakery, Taste of the World

Mangia! Italian Bakeries in the Merrimack Valley

January 26, 2021 by Kathleen Pierce

There is a neighborhood in Lawrence not far from the Everett Mills that always smelled like anise. People came from across the valley to visit Pappy’s, Tripoli, Anna Loro’s and Fisichelli’s. Cannoli and coffee, bread and biscotti drew them in droves. It was a bakers’ row, and on any given Saturday you’d have to fight your way to the counters that were three-people deep. 

Like the once-thriving textile mills, many bakeries have shuttered, their apron-clad owners having pulled their last loaves out of the ovens years ago. But a trip to the heart of the city still delivers tasty results. Tripoli and Fisichelli’s have been hanging tough for nearly 100 years, keeping alive the baking traditions of the Merrimack Valley.

Pulling into the mighty Tripoli, home of the killer cannoli, the first thing you notice is the sign. The vintage yellow and brown marquee portends the authenticity within. Behind the endless glass counter, brightly colored cookies seem to stretch for miles. “S”cookies, anise toast and cream puffs as big as cantaloupes come next. How can anybody choose just one?

When the Zappala family purchased the bakery on Common Street in 1924, bread was the top seller. Loaves were delivered by horse and buggy to the tenements where the mill workers lived. “My father would go up four flights of stairs and hang bread on a nail outside their doors,” said Rosario Zappala, whose father, Angelo, took over Tripoli Bakery when he was in his 20s.

Today, Rosario presides over the high-output bakery, where giant industrial ovens turn out hundreds of loaves — called sticks — and meat and spinach pies a day. Rosario agreed with most of the Italian bakers I spoke with, saying the cookies are the main draw, followed by bread, cannoli and cakes. Andover native, Jay Leno, comes for the pizza. 

Square pizza with a buttery crust has extended Tripoli’s brand beyond Lawrence. It has found so many fans that they built an adjoining shop to handle the trade. This is the same pie with sweet tomato sauce that has fueled generations of sun worshipers on Salisbury Beach and crowds up in Seabrook, N.H. Look for Tripoli number four to open in North Andover this year.

 

Left: Loaves of bread —called sticks— on display near the front of Tripoli. Right: Josephs Trattoria Bakery Cafe features many designer pastries including this colorful fresh fruit tart.

When you crave the aroma of an Italian cafe, Josephs Trattoria Bakery Cafe should be your next stop. In the corner of the cozy Italian restaurant on Route 125 in the Ward Hill section of Haverhill, designer pastries and torte cakes are a refreshing counterpoint to the old world charm of Tripoli. 

Joseph Faro Sr. started Joseph’s Baking Company in Lawrence. His daughter, Deanna Gaiero, who now owns the establishment with her father and sister Gina Brannon, would never give up the bakery, even as the restaurant continues to grow. “It’s important to keep it, to remind us of where we started,” she said.

It’s hard to improve on tiramisu —sponge cake soaked in coffee with mascarpone cream dusted in coco powder — but Josephs succeeds. The tiramisu here is a stylish, cylindrical tower. “They are beautiful, but they also taste good,” Gaiero said.

The zebra bar, a slice of chocolate cake with vanilla butter cream dipped in chocolate ganache, is the perfect indulgence at the end of a hard week. Pair it with a cappuccino at the cafe or slide over to the bar with a cupcake and Chianti. 

With the rise of supermarket bakeries a few decades ago, the number of independent, family-run sweet shops has declined. But those that remain have loyal followings. “It’s better than a grocery store. This is the closest to homemade I can get,” customer Sandy Martino said at Mirabella’s Bakery in Tewksbury on a Friday morning. 

Drooling over the neatly stacked rows of fig bows, macaroons and almond-crusted cookies in this busy Route 38 shop, one feels instantly like a kid. “We make over a hundred different kinds of pastries,” said Anita Mirabella, whose father started the bakery more than 30 years ago.

She now runs the cheery shop with a pair of veteran dough punchers from Boston’s North End who follow her father’s recipes. Creating rum cakes with elegant cream takes time. “Some of these recipes took me 20 years to learn,” said Armando Mottla. 

Holding true to old world tastes is a key ingredient in the success of an Italian bakery, as is adapting to new appetites. Guava turnovers and flan appeal to Latino customers up in Lawrence, but fads don’t fly.

Mirabella experimented with low-carbohydrate bread and pastries when the Atkins diet craze peaked in the middle of this decade. Customers didn’t bite. “People come here for the fat. They are not coming in because they are on a diet,” she said. 

Mirabella’s fig bows (left) and decadent rum cake (right) are a taste of the old country.

They come for Napoleon cakes, éclairs, rum cake and lobster claws. And they are willing to travel. “I have people that come from the North End to buy my cannoli,” said Nina Gaffny, owner and head baker of Fisichelli’s Pastry Shop in Lawrence. “It’s my cream; it blows people out of the water.” 

She is the third generation of Fisichelli to shape cookies by hand in the tradition her grandfather started in 1915. Although reality TV shows have turned bakers such as Buddy Valastro, the “Cake Boss,” into celebrities, the life of a baker is demanding. Clocking in at 3 a.m. to prepare fresh paragini and savoy is not glamorous. “It gets very tiring, especially when it’s a joyous time of year and you want to be with your family. But this is your family,” Gaffny said. “I love my customers.”

Cream is the measuring stick that sets these bakeries apart and the Piro brothers know how to top their creations. The apple cream pie at Piro’s Bakery & Pizzeria in Methuen is a decadent slice of New England via Tuscany. Baked apples in a perfect crust, smothered in homemade whipped cream, is the sleeper hit at this Merrimack Street establishment. Blueberry, pecan, ricotta, and custard pie will tease out the joy in any celebration. Is it any wonder that Joe, Paul and Tony Piro learned everything they know at their grandparents’ bakery in Lawrence?

If you haven’t spent much time in an Italian bakery, they are warm and festive places. After visiting a few, I wondered why Italian bakeries became so novel. Where are the Irish bakeries? Chinese or Dutch bakeries in the region? “That’s our heritage, that’s our culture. Our lives revolve around food,” Mirabella said.

Mangia!

Filed Under: Food & Drink Tagged With: bakeries, bakery, cannoli, Italian, mangia, Pizza

The 495 – This Week’s Episode – Purple Carrot Bread Company

January 11, 2021 by Katie DeRosa

Local restaurants have taken a huge hit. On this episode of The 495, we’re joined by Purple Carrot Bread Co. owners Alaina and Doug Brackett to find out what their Lowell bakery is doing to survive in the age of COVID. Click here to listen!

 

Filed Under: Community Tagged With: 495 Podcast, bakery, Lowell, Merrimack Valley, Purple Carrot Bread Company, The 495, The 495 podcast

2019 MVMA Winners – Wine & Dine (Part 1)

July 23, 2019 by Merrimack Valley Magazine Leave a Comment

We are happy to present the winners of the 2019 Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards. This spring, the top picks in all categories were chosen by our readers via our online voting platform. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and congratulations to all the winners.

American
Burtons Grill & Bar
Burton’s Grill is the place to go for cuisine from the traditional to the innovative. Perfect for power lunches, after-work socializing and fine wine, Burton’s offers paleo, vegetarian and gluten-free options as well as classic American cuisine. Takeout is always available and several locations feature seasonal outdoor patios.
North Andover, Peabody, Burlington, Westford and Hingham, Mass.; Nashua, N.H.
BurtonsGrill.com

Asian
Fusion House Restaurant
The emphasis in on fusion at this cozy Methuen eatery. The scope of the dishes is wide: the many choices include sushi, pad thai, and Polynesian-style Chinese favorites. Wash it all down with one of their classic cocktails.
301 Merrimack St.  |  Methuen, Mass.
FusionHouseRestaurant.com

Pastry Shops/Bakery
Purple Carrot Bread Company
In April 2018, Purple Carrot Bread Co. opened its doors as a cafe and eatery on Merrimack Street in downtown Lowell. Every item on the menu is made from scratch, from hearty stews to salad dressings and condiments. Rustic breads are the heart of Purple Carrot’s menu: Country Blonde, Kalamata olive, rosemary and garlic ciabatta are among the more popular offerings.
107 Merrimack St.  |  Lowell, Mass.
PurpleCarrotBreadCo.com

Coffee Shops & Cafes
Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus
With free WiFi, compostable cups, outdoor seating and custom-roasted beans, what more could you ask for in a local coffee shop? Find all this and more at Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus. Offering Equal Exchange fair trade coffees and three in-house roasts, Brew’d Awakening is a great place to do some work, chat with friends or just sit and sip.
61 Market St.  |  Lowell, Mass.
BrewdAwakening.com 

Italian
Tuscan Kitchen
Inspired by owner Joe Faro’s travels throughout Italy, Tuscan Kitchen’s authentic Italian cuisine makes you feel as though you’ve stepped right into the boot. Tuck into a Fichi pizza with figs, rosemary, burrata and prosciutto, or go for the traditional rigatoni alla Bolognese. Want something lighter? They also offer delicious salads and meat dishes.
Burlington, Mass.; Salem, N.H.
TuscanBrands.com/Kitchen

Irish Pub
The Irish Cottage
The Irish Cottage bills itself as Methuen’s first authentic Irish restaurant and pub and features great food, drinks and music, all served up with a heaping of traditional Irish atmosphere. Enjoy watching sporting events on their numerous TVS while you chow down on classics such as corned beef and cabbage, cottage pie and Guinness beef stew. Every Saturday night at 7 p.m., The Irish Cottage features live Irish music.
17 Branch St.  |  Methuen, Mass.
TheIrishCottagePub.com

Mexican
Cafe Azteca
Ready for some authentic Mexican food? Look no further than Cafe Azteca. The restaurant’s owners, the Guerrero family, draw inspiration from their annual trips to visit family in Mexico, bringing back new recipes and colorful Mexican decor. Enjoy their delicious selection of margaritas while awaiting your tamales and tostadas.
180 Common St.  |  Lawrence, Mass.
Cafe-Azteca.com

Middle Eastern
Jocelyn’s Mediterranean Restaurant & Lounge
The lamb, kafta and kibbee dishes make this Salem eatery a carnivore’s paradise. Fear not, herbivores — the vegetarian combo appetizer plate is so packed with freshness and flavor that you’ll forget it’s healthy. Jocelyn’s offers Lebanese and American food, a full-service bar and even a martini lounge.
355 South Broadway  |  Salem, N.H.
JocelynsRestaurant.com

Pizza
Tripoli Bakery
It all started with Italian breads and pastries. Luckily for us, in 1944 the Zappala family started making pizza, and one of the best pizzerias around was born. Now you can enjoy beach pizza and pick up some traditional Italian cookies and cannoli for later. Tripoli also offers specialty cakes and their signature fresh breads.
Lawrence, North Andover, Methuen, Salisbury, Mass.; Seabrook, N.H.
TripoliBakery.com

 

 

 

Stop by next week for the winners in the second half of our ‘Wine & Dine’ category.

The 2019 MVMAs are sponsored by:

Filed Under: Food & Drink, MVMA Tagged With: 2019, 2019MVMAs, american, asian, bakery, Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus, Burtons Grill and Bar, Cafe Azteca, Coffee Shops & Cafes, Food, Fusion House Restaurant, Good Eats, Irish Pub, Italian, Jocelyn's Mediterranean Restaurant and Lounge, Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards, Mexican, Middle Eastern, MVMAs, Pastry Shops, Piza, Purple Carrot Bread Company, The Irish Cottage, Tripoli Bakery, Tuscan Kitchen, Wine and Dine

Bread for All

February 9, 2019 by Amanda Leahy Leave a Comment

Artisan Bread-makers in the Merrimack Valley

At once a relatively simple and incredibly important food nearly everywhere in the world, the story of bread is deeply intertwined with the story of humans as social beings; that we cannot truly “break bread” alone is exemplified in the art, literature, song, history and traditions of virtually every people and culture. Bread brought people together in the ancient world, and it brings people together now. 

Cheryl Holbert, owner of Nomad Bakery in Derry, N.H., has built a thriving business around this principle. A New Jersey native with Persian and Jewish roots, Holbert worked as a journalist and studied art and tapestry design before teaching herself how to bake: “I started baking because my house felt empty. I was a journalist, busy. I had my own apartment. I was homesick. My Polish grandmother was an amazing baker; growing up, there was always bread on the table. Always. So I started to try to re-create that.” 

Holbert immersed herself more and more in the history and craft of bread baking. “I started to make a place at the table for that interaction that only bread allows,” she recalls. “I was baking just for my family then, but I would stay up until 1 a.m., reading recipes, studying the bread of other cultures. I truly became smitten with the cultural importance of bread.” Eventually she began drawing on her training in tapestry to “handweave” loaves of challah with incredibly intricate designs that became a unique signature of sorts. After several years of increased demand for her work from family, friends and her community, and after formal training at the King Arthur Flour baking school in Vermont, in 2013, Holbert decided to leave her job at the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, N.H., and commit to bread baking full time. “I felt like there was a path unlived in me,” she says. “And it was that passion for bread. I had to make a decision … and I chose bread.” 

 

Cheryl Holbert of Nomad Bakery. Photo by Kevin Harkins.

Since then, Holbert has continued to gain momentum. Along with her coveted challah, Nomad Bakery now produces various specialty ciabattas, three varieties of sourdough, barbari (a traditional Persian flatbread), and seasonal novelties such as Turkish bagels and spelt dark-chocolate-pecan cookies. Most products contain no more than five ingredients. 

Holbert does all her baking at home — Nomad is a New Hampshire homestead food operation. She routinely sells her breads at the Derry Homegrown Farm & Artisan Market and at local establishments, such as The Grind Rail Trail Cafe in Derry, Benedikt Dairy in Goffstown and Restoration Cafe in Manchester. She also offers baking classes periodically, and is currently writing a book on challah design.

When asked what it is that makes bread such a special food to produce and share, Holbert says: “Connecting to things that have been a part of the world for so long is so important, especially in today’s political and cultural climate. Bread has a sensory value unlike anything else. In sharing bread, we’re reclaiming something. That is why I do it. It all comes full circle to the tables I sat at — bringing to my community that sense of belonging at the table, that sense of coming together.”

In Lowell, Purple Carrot Bread Co. co-founders Alaina and Doug Brackett are also artisan bread bakers, and their mission is to provide more people with authentic bread and real food. Like Holbert, baking wasn’t the couple’s first vocation. Doug, who was working as a restaurant manager, learned to bake while living above Five Loaves Bakery in Spencer, Mass. “I asked Doug one night, ‘Where can we get good bread?’ And when we couldn’t think of anywhere, we decided to make it ourselves,” Alaina recalls. 

Purple Carrot Bread Company opened its doors in the spring of 2018. They specialize in European-style breads and pastries, and have hearty breakfast and lunch offerings on sale at their Merrimack Street location. Photo by Kevin Harkins.

What started as a simple experiment slowly grew, as Alaina and Doug’s breads — which often include nothing more than water, salt, yeast and flour — gained popularity, and soon they began selling it at farmers markets. In April 2018, Purple Carrot Bread Co. opened its doors as a cafe and eatery on Merrimack Street in downtown Lowell. Impressively, every item on the menu is made from scratch, from hearty stews to salad dressings and condiments. “It isn’t necessarily easy to do this, and it’s incredibly time-consuming,” Alaina says of Purple Carrot’s “real food” philosophy. “But we do it because we believe in changing the process of how food should be made, and in changing the types of foods that should be available to people.”

Rustic breads are the heart of Purple Carrot’s menu. “Country Blonde” (a simple white bread), Kalamata olive, rosemary and garlic ciabatta, and “Seeded” (consisting of pumpkin, flax and sunflower seeds) are among the more popular offerings. “Many people notice a difference immediately in the taste and quality of our breads,” Alaina says when asked about the nuances of their products. “They start noticing how much sweeter supermarket breads are in comparison, or how much faster these breads will become stale if not cared for properly, due to the lack of chemicals and preservatives. It’s fun seeing that awareness grow in people that this is food. This is how it’s supposed to taste.” 

For those seeking more sources of locally-crafted artisan breads and other baked goods in the Greater Merrimack Valley, Annarosa’s Bakery in Salisbury, presents a third option. Jane Kenny and Bill Malatesta, Annarosa’s owners, began baking bread in 2000, and have since expanded their production to include specialty pastries and savories. Their breads include organic seeded sourdough, Kalamata olive levain, organic rye vollkornbrot, cranberry brioche and many other interesting Old World staples.    

Nomad Bakery
Derry, N.H.
(603) 560-5238
NomadBakery.com

Purple Carrot Bread Co.
Lowell, Mass.
(978) 455-4188
PurpleCarrotBreadCo.com

Annarosa’s Bakery
Salisbury, Mass.
(978) 499-8839
Annarosas.com

Filed Under: Food & Drink Tagged With: Annarosa’s Bakery, artisan, bagel, bakery, baking, bread, challah, ciabatta, cookie, Derry, Farmers market, flatbread, Lowell, Merrimack Valley, Nomad Bakery, Purple Carrot Bread Co., Recipe, Salisbury, sourdough

Purple Carrot Bread Company

107 Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA 01852
Website
Directions
(978) 455-4188
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Purple Carrot Bread Company

Located in Downtown Lowell, Purple Carrot Bread Company offers fresh, hearth style European breads made with quality ingredients, and no chemicals or preservatives. Specializing in savory and rustic pastries, such as croissants, sugar buns, scones & cookies, there’s always something for your sweet tooth! Sweets aren’t your thing? We also make soups, salads and sandwiches from scratch daily, including roasting our own meat. Have an event coming up, but don’t want to cook? Don’t forget to call us to discuss your catering needs! 107 Merrimack Street / Lowell, Mass. / (978) 455-4188 / PurpleCarrotBreadCo.com  
Address
107 Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA 01852
Website
Directions
(978) 455-4188

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