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Merrimack Valley Magazine

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A Cut Above

March 23, 2021 by Lysa Pelletier

Add Warmth and Style to Your Kitchen Counters

Since we’re all doing more cooking at home, it’s time to upgrade our cutting boards to ones that are visually appealing, sturdy, safe for food preparation and reliable. One of the most noticeable benefits of wood cutting boards is durability. Their longevity makes for a smart financial investment. Plus, when preparing food, a reliable surface is critical. Compared to other materials such as plastic, wood cutting boards are relatively easy to clean and maintain. Because of this, they are not easily contaminated by harmful bacteria. They can also be customized in limitless ways to add warmth and beauty to kitchens. A well-made cutting board may be used as a permanent display on your countertop. If you need recipe inspirations, we’ve included some new cookbooks, as well as unique serving bowls and trays, to make your finished dishes shine.   

 

 

Style Editor and Set Design
Lysa Pelletier,  Anchor Artists / Boston, Mass. / AnchorArtists.com

Photography
Amy Spirito Photography / Hingham, Mass. / AmySpiritoPhotography.com

Furnishings and Accessories
Acorn Home & Design / Andover, Mass. / (978) 273-9717  /  acorndesigncenter.com
MAK & CO. / Andover, Mass. / (978) 475-5511  /  MakAndCoHome.com
Quality Wood Products by Joel Laino / joellaino@verizon.net

Filed Under: Home & Garden Tagged With: bowl, Cookbook, cuttingboard, home, Kitchen, style

Holiday Bitz – Vintage “Kitschen”: Newburyport Art Association Cookbook

November 21, 2020 by Suzanne DeWitt

Vintage “Kitschen”: Newburyport Art Association Cookbook

Community cookbooks are time capsules in print, capturing eras, locations, and sometimes even subcultures. They also can make you giggle. A great example from the Merrimack Valley is the “Artists Directory & Cookbook,” published in 1971 by the Newburyport Art Association. Each page is dedicated to a local artist and includes a picture of the virtuoso, a sample of their work and a recipe. It’s fascinating to see how the hairstyles and clothing of the day connect with the highly stylized artwork of that era. Browsing through the book is like going on an art gallery tour with the Brady Bunch, complete with snacks. As a bonus, many of the recipes sound delicious. 

 

Here’s an example. The highlighted artist is Janine A. Faucher, who worked out of a home studio in Haverhill at the time. The text reads: “Pets ’n People Portraits in pastels are her forte, but Janine feels at home in any media. She is so compelled to paint an experience, that you will find a personality in all her work, whether it be an old house, vase, animals, people, or mountains.” (Judging by the picture, this also seems to apply to her hairdos.)

Courtesy Newburyport Art Association.

Here is Janine’s recipe, just in time for your holiday baking.

Kringle

Mix: (large bowl) 2 cups sour cream, 2 teaspoons (baking) soda

Blend: 1 cup whipping cream (unwhipped)
1 1/3 cup sugar1 teaspoon vanilla
3 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon salt

Add: About 4 cups flour until dough is stiff, but slightly sticky for shaping with floured hands. Pinch off and roll into wreaths, bows, pretzels. Sprinkle with colored sugars, nuts, etc. Brown lightly at 450 degrees 4 to 5 min. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate.

Filed Under: Food & Drink Tagged With: art, Cookbook, history, Holiday Bitz, Kitschen, newburyport, Recipe

Book Reviews – Fall / Winter 2020

November 8, 2020 by Emilie-Noelle Provost

As autumn turns to winter and the days grow colder, there are few things more satisfying than curling up in your favorite chair with a good book. Here are some new publications with local links you might want to add to your winter reading list or consider as holiday gifts for the book lovers in your life.

“This Is No Time to Quit Drinking: Teacher Burnout and the Irish Powers”
By Stephen O’Connor
Gatekeeper Press
January 2020
288 pages 

Lowell author Stephen O’Connor’s latest book, “This Is No Time to Quit Drinking,” is a multilayered story chock full of clever humor and quirky characters, making it something of a departure from his previous novels, which tend toward more serious story lines. 

This book features Bartley Hannigan, a middle-aged high school teacher doing his best to cope with the ever-present demands of his job while dealing with the death of his father and inheriting a haunted farmhouse in the process. At the same time, Bartley is struggling to negotiate an amicable divorce from his wife while unexpectedly finding himself in a romantic relationship with an exotic dancer from a local strip club. Throw in a few Mafia thugs with high-powered weapons, an authentic Irish banshee hunter, and an ancient stone circle with otherworldly connections that’s being threatened by a real estate developer, and you’ve got the makings of a highly entertaining, at times hilarious, read. 

O’Connor displays his writing skills by keeping the story plausible, even at its most fantastic moments. Although it was published in January, “This Is No Time to Quit Drinking” is an ideal book for the pandemic, injecting a bit of smart humor into readers’ everyday lives at a time when many people need it most.

 

 

 

A Kitchen Witch’s Guide to Recipes for Love & Romance
By Dawn Aurora Hunt
Tiller Press, 2020
 208 pages
( Review by Doug Sparks )

You may have tasted the work of Dawn Aurora Hunt before having read her — she’s the owner of Cucina Aurora in Salem, N.H., and her infused olive oils are available throughout the Merrimack Valley. I note this because her writing isn’t what you’d expect from a business owner. It’s funny and candid, and makes the introduction to her latest book worth reading even if you’re ready to skip over it and drive right into the recipes.

Hunt is a proponent of what she calls “spiritual nutrition,” a way of cooking that involves mindfulness and awareness of how food affects us both in the preparation and consumption. This relates to the book’s focus — cookery that inspires love and romance — and it’s refreshing that Hunt opted to consider how we can strengthen our relationships with the people we care about in a year when so many dietary trends were self-centered.

As for the recipes, they represent an omnivore’s delight. The author doesn’t shy away from anything that might lead to kindling healthy amorous passions: avocado chocolate mousse, turmeric-ginger bone broth, spicy fried oysters, and red rose velvet cake are all on the menu. The photography is suitably gorgeous, making it an all-around perfect Yuletide gift for your favorite witch or warlock.    

Note: Dawn Aurora Hunt was recently a guest on The 495 podcast. You can listen to all episodes of our community podcast here. >>>

 

“Atlantic Currents: Connecting Cork and Lowell”
Edited by Paul Marion, Tina
Neylon and John Wooding
Loom Press, March 2020
335 pages 

This eclectic collection of short stories, essays and poetry brings together the work of 65 writers from Lowell, Massachusetts, and Cork, Ireland. The idea for the book was sparked by the participation of Lowell and Cork in the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Global Network of Learning Cities, a forum in which municipalities around the world can share ideas with the aim of creating or advancing lifelong learning opportunities and equal access to education for the people in their communities.

“Atlantic Currents” contains work from notable locals such as poet Michael Casey, novelist David Daniel, poet Kate Hanson Foster, novelists Elinor Lipman and Stephen O’Connor, journalist David Perry, and poet Tom Sexton. Irish contributors include novelist and playwright Cónal Creedon, author Liam Ronayne, and novelist William Wall.

The book is divided into 10 numbered sections loosely based on themes, each containing pieces from writers from both Cork and Lowell. Be sure to read the introductions by editors John Wooding and Tina Neylon, who offer insights into the literary cultures of both cities and the creation of the book.

Note: Paul Marion is a regular contributor to mvm. Read more of his work here. >>>

 

“The Docks”
By Joanne Carota
Neptune Books, July 2019
329 pages 

“The Docks,” the debut novel by Chelmsford author and UMass Lowell adjunct writing instructor Joanne Carota, is a murder mystery/thriller set in South Boston’s tightly knit fishing community. Carota’s experience as a former administrator at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington comes through in the form of the novel’s protagonist, Kate Finn, a marine biologist employed by the Food and Drug Administration. 

When Kate’s father, Seamus, is accused of murdering a local fisherman, she vows to stop at nothing to prove his innocence. Unaware of her father’s checkered past, Kate leaves behind her promising career and goes to work for Greely Seafood Labs, a company owned by local businessman Colin Greely that specializes in the genetic engineering of fish. Using her scientific training to track down the real killer, Kate faces a number of challenges and distractions that bring to light the conflicts between tradition and innovation in the modern fishing industry, and the ubiquitous battle between corporate greed and sustainable practices.

The novel’s many twists and turns, and Carota’s emphasis on family, trust and loyalty, will satisfy mystery/thriller fans, while the book’s local setting will appeal to New Englanders and readers who enjoy stories set by the sea. Although this self-published novel could benefit from additional editing in places, all in all it’s a solid read.

Note: A story by the author of this article also appears in the anthology “Atlantic Currents: Connecting Cork and Lowell.”     

Filed Under: Arts & Entertainment Tagged With: Books, Cookbook, Essay, Fiction, novel, Poetry, review

The 495 – This Week’s Episode – Dawn Hunt

September 16, 2020 by Katie DeRosa

Dawn Aurora Hunt is known as “The Kitchen Witch.” Find out why on this week’s 495 as we talk about her recent cookbook, how to bring a little magic into your kitchen, and the company she founded, Cucina Aurora. Click here to listen!

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Cookbook, Cooking Goods, Cucuna Aurora, Dawn Hunt, Kitchen Witch, Local, Merrimack Valley, podcast, The 495, The 495 podcast, The Kitchen Witch

PAN-ROASTED RADISH

May 8, 2020 by Digital Manager

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Filed Under: Cookbook, Sides & Starters Tagged With: Cookbook, pan roasted radish, radishes, Recipe

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