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Noshing and shopping
Mini éclairs and a look at the restaurant scene at the Taste of Downtown Nashua
By Linda A. Odum food@hippopress.com
The 14th annual Taste of Downtown Nashua will be held on Wednesday, June 4, at 6:30 p.m.
This event, the second-longest-running food event in New Hampshire, pairs restaurants with downtown retailers for a night of great food and fun shopping.
Each restaurant will bring its food to a specific shop so guests can sample its signature cuisine.
“Obviously this is a great event for people who love food,” said Great American Downtown executive director Sue Butler of. “But what we really need is for people who attend the Taste to gain a true appreciation for our unique local businesses. They need to understand that in order for Nashua to have a strong, vibrant downtown we need the public to shop and dine downtown as often as they can.”
“It is so much fun,” said owner Judy Dionne of Bippity Boppity Baby at 86 Main St., who is also on the event’s committee. This year her shop will host Saffron Bistro. She noted that many participants on that night are either first-time visitors to her business, or people who will spot an item and return to make a purchase soon afterward. She has twice enjoyed the event herself with its wide variety of food. “It is the perfect opportunity to sample food from a lot of different restaurants and decide if you want to go in and sit down for a meal sometime.”
Crosby Bakery at 51 E. Pearl St. participates every year in the event. Owners Michael and Gale Cummings have been in business for 60 years, and they like that the money from the event is used to keep the downtown area vital. This year, Gail said, they plan to again serve seasonal treats. “Last year we did strawberry and rhubarb squares,” she said. “If I can get fresh rhubarb, I’ll make them again. Or maybe something like rhubarb tarts. We also serve cakes and cupcakes, and if we don’t do mini éclairs, people ask where they are. So we will probably do mini éclairs.”
The Black Orchid Grille (8 Temple St.) will once again be serving at Cardin Jewelers.
“We get to see a whole variety of people come through and they get to see what we are all about at the Black Orchid,” owner Tim Gilday said. “Then people come over to the restaurant later in the evening for cocktails.” He noted that chef Rich Girard likes to prepare food for the event that is a little different from the everyday menu but still represents the type of cuisine visitors can expect at the restaurant.
There were 800 tickets available for this year’s event.
“We sold out record early last year,” Dionne said.
Discounted $30 tickets are available online (via PayPal) through May 23. Though June 3, the tickets will cost $35, and, should there be any left, tickets will cost $40 on the day of the event. To purchase a ticket, go to www.nashuataste.com or call the Great American Downtown office at 883-5700.
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