Rugged
TAMWORTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE | MAY 2023
The White Mountains of New Hampshire are beautiful in the way that New Englanders are — intimidating to many, off-putting in their intensity, but ready to open up to an eager explorer, to share their beautiful secrets with those willing to head off the beaten path. Historic whitewashed churches and farmhouses anchor charming mountain towns that dot the valleys, rivers wind below rugged mountains topped with stocky alpine tundra. From frosty wind-bent winter trees to fiery fall foliage to frothy wildflowers in the springtime, it’s no wonder that the woods and waters of the Whites have long been an escape for urbanites and artists, a world away from the crowded seacoast just miles down the road.
We wandered into the Whites for a Supper celebrating the floaty feeling of spring, full of delicate blooms and day-glow greens that boil over the edges of the woods. The idyllic escape of The Preserve at Chocorua offered the perfect refuge for an evening of connection away from it all, their vintage china and gold rimmed glasses adding delicate details to the celebration of the season. Chef David Vargas served a menu highlighting the delicacies of this shoulder season, like spring peas and fresh herbs, even a few of the year’s first tomatoes, while dressing every dish fit for a garden party. Paired with pink and gold and berry-toned Suzor wines while woodsmoke wafted through the air and laughter carried across the lawn, Supper was a feast for all of the senses. Things went so great that it didn’t even matter that a bench tipped over midway through the meal, dumping a few guests on the lawn! We’ve learned our lesson, long benches and uneven ground don’t mix — we promise to stick to chairs from now on.
WELCOME
We started off with a fresh and floral Spring Crush cocktail made with Lillet to set the tone for the spring evening. Guests gathered on the patio outside the farmhouse to mingle before sitting down together on the rolling lawns on the preserve.
A MENU BY DAVID VARGAS
Chef David Vargas is known for cooking some of the best Mexican food on the East Coast, but his passion runs along the entire food chain — long before the food even gets to the restaurant kitchen. He is obsessive about using local ingredients, working with Heritage Harvest Project and Cultivate New Hampshire to promote (bio)diversity in New England’s agriculture and foodways. Particularly, he works with New Hampshire farmers to grow heritage flint corn for traditional masa tortillas, which he mills and makes by hand. He even brought his tortilla press into the mountains to make fresh tortillas for our Supper!
Chef David’s energy was as infectious as his menu was delicious, full of the sweetness of spring and the whispering promise of summer soon to come.
MENU
WELCOME
Garnachas de Frijol con Salsa Morita
Sope con Ensalada de Camarón
English Peas Esquites
Cocktail: Lillet Rosé Spring Crush
FIRST
Charred Local Vegetables mole de chocolate, local goat cheese, tarragon chimichurri, crispy things
Wine: 2022 Suzor Wines L’escargot Rosé
SECOND
Summertime Fideo Seco local calamari, first of the year tomatoes, verdolaga
Wine: 2020 Suzor Wines Sunflower Chardonnay
MAIN
Smoked Ranchera Steak heirloom beans, chinchillo mole, salsa macha, carrot escabeche, hand pressed tortillas
Wine: 2021 Suzor Wines Gamay
DESSERT
Crepes de Cajeta last year’s preserves, lime curd, coconut, whipped cream
Cocktail: Late Spring Amaro
WINE PAIRINGS
We poured beautiful wines from our friends at Suzor Wines, in the Willamette Valley, OR, to pair with Chef David’s delicious Mexican cuisine. The Sunflower Chardonnay paired sunnily with summertime fideo seco, while the 2021 Gamay stood up to steak and chimichurri as the evening air cooled.
NIGHTCAP
We finished off the evening with homemade crepes de cajeta — a Mexican goat milk caramel that chef David paired with lime curd and fruit preserves. The bouquet of fresh and sweet flavors in dessert were a perfect compliment for Late Spring Amaro, which capped off the meal with a bittersweet punch. After scraping up the last bits of lime curd, many guests floated over to the wood burning fireplace on the patio of the farmhouse, where conversations continued over the scent of pine wafting through the nighttime mountain air.
SECRET LOCATION: THE PRESERVE AT CHOCORUA
The Preserve was founded as a working farm by the Hayford family in 1778. Later generations of the Hayfords opened up the grounds as a refuge for passing travelers in the 1890’s, helping to cement the role of the Chocorua Basin as a haven for intellectuals and artists looking for a break from city life in the idyllic surroundings of the White Mountains.
While the Preserve has changed hands, its current family of stewards have spent much of the last 10 years renovating and restoring the historic structures. Upon arrival, we could feel not only that legacy, but the sense of adventure inherent in the ruggedly beautiful surroundings of the White Mountains.
