Northshore Magazine

may is on the lawn

After more than a year of stay-at-home orders and an April that brought chilly temps and snow flurries, May has finally arrived, and there has never been a better time to explore all that nature offers in our woodlands, coastline, farms, and fields. The Great Marsh turns a vibrant green, the coastal sea air becomes balmy, and ancient lilac bushes burst with purple and white pointed blossoms with a perfume so sweet. This issue celebrates the region’s great outdoors in a big way. Greenbelt, Essex County’s Land Trust, turns 60 this year, and to honor this anniversary, the organization challenges us to take 60 hikes throughout their properties, which can be found in the North Shore’s 34 cities and towns. Most recently, Greenbelt worked with West Newbury to conserve 38 acres…

contributors

DOUG LEVY / PAGE 88/ Doug Levy is a former Minor League Baseball umpire who turned to a career in photography. Levy’s photography work has taken him on helicopters over Boston, and inside some of the city’s largest companies. See his work at douglaslevyphotography.com. JEANNE O’BRIEN COFFEY / PAGES 18, 24, & 104/ Jeanne O’Brien Coffey has been freelancing for more than 10 years, covering everything from hot New York restaurants for the Zagat guide to top luxury travel spots for ForbesLife. She is Northshore magazine’s food editor and travels the region test-tasting chefs’ newest dishes. JOSEPH FERRARO / PAGE 104/ Joseph Ferraro is a commercial and editorial photographer from Salem. He is a graduate of the New England School of Photography and Lesley University. “Living in New England is as good as life gets.”…

hog heaven

Comfort food in Haverhill, casual dining and mini golf, local wine shops choose their spring favorites The Hidden Pig in Haverhill uses a lot of bacon—about 300 pounds every week. Of course, you can get bacon on your burger or sandwich, but there’s also the “Bacon Board” appetizer, with four flavors of porky goodness: candied, confit, fruitwood-smoked, and jalapeno-smoked. But the real surprise is probably the house-made bacon crumble, a not-so-secret ingredient in the waffles for their chicken and waffles, as well as a topping for the caesar salad, and even on the maplebacon glazed donut. Making those tasty morsels is a true labor of love. Chef Brandon Allardice spends seven hours cooking them, stirring every 20 minutes to achieve those crispy, smoky nuggets of flavor. In the case of the chicken…

community café

The beef for Café Sarina’s grass-fed burger comes from just four miles down Route 133 at Herrick Farm in Rowley. Juicy and perfectly cooked to order, the halfpound patty, served on a grilled brioche bun with lettuce and tomato, is indicative of the restaurant’s philosophy—putting local ingredients first, wherever possible, to tasty results. Vegetables are organic and local as much as possible, the goat cheese on their Mediterranean Salad comes from Valley View Farm in Topsfield, and the bread for some sandwiches comes from Fantini Bakery in Haverhill. It’s no surprise the Georgetown cafe—opened in 2019 by Steven Flynn Jr.—is focused on what’s seasonal and local. Flynn, who also owns Nunan Florist & Greenhouses next door, and his family have always been involved in the local community, supplying free plant rentals…

passion fruit

As we slip into May with its warm breezes, bright sun, and bursts of color, the sizzle of summer is just over the horizon. The ebb and flow of the surf beckons us to tiptoe along the ocean’s edge. We have been through challenging times, but beautiful new beginnings are just around the corner. The momentum is building and we’re thirsty to celebrate life anew. If there were ever a moment to look to wine as inspiration, it’s now. This month, four dynamic wine buyers share their passion for spirited, seasonal finds. JOHN MILLER, OWNER VINUM WINE SHOP 232B South Main St, Middleton, 978-304-1048, vinumwineshop.com “My eyes are all on Rosé Prosecco, which is super affordable and just plain fun,” says Miller enthusiastically. “Until last May, this style wasn’t allowed by law to be labeled…

clam capital

Insider’s guide to Essex and Ipswich If we’re going to talk about Ipswich and Essex, we should start with the clams. Both towns sit on the Great Marsh, a sweepingly beautiful and biologically rich wetland that stretches from the New Hampshire border down to Gloucester. And something about the muddy flats of the marsh—the cold water, perhaps, the precise blend of minerals in the mud—has made the soft-shell clams that grow there a coveted seafood delicacy. The Ipswich clam has become an iconic name, famous for being tender and plump, sweet and briny. But it is Essex—Woodman’s restaurant specifically—that lays claim to creating the fried clam that is an indelible symbol of summer in the area. So we understand if it’s the clams that lure you up to Ipswich and Essex. Still, if…