share your Victory Garden memories

Strawbery Banke Museum is reviving a piece of Portsmouth’s past to help lead the way into a more sustainable future, and people can help by sharing family photos and memories.

Last year, less than 6 percent of the agricultural products consumed in New Hampshire were grown within the state; rather, most of the food travels an average of 3,500 miles, according to a press release from the Museum. Reviving local gardening, like the Victory Garden movement, can counteract rising food costs and the use of fossil fuels to ship food long distances, while enhancing food security in the region.

With one of the only recreated World War II Victory Gardens in the nation, Strawbery Banke is leading discussions about localism movements, community and organic gardening throughout history and today, ways to get kids engaged in outdoor life, and ways to make wise use of resources.

“A new generation of victory or peace gardens can remind us how to reduce our carbon footprint, while teaching valuable lessons in backyard gardening and home economy to American families today,” said John Forti, curator of historic landscape at Strawbery Banke, in the press release.

A restoration of the garden is planned with programs and exhibits to engage visitors in the processes of gardening, composting, heirloom seed saving, canning and preservation. A costumed historic role-player will involve visitors in hands-on work.

To create these exhibits and connect them with the real, personal stories of Seacoast life during wartime, Strawbery Banke is seeking stories, photos, letters and other memorabilia related to the local Victory Garden era.

To contribute, contact Forti at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or write to PO Box 300, Portsmouth, 03802. For more information, call 603-433-1100 or visit www.strawberybanke.org.

going gourmet at UNH

Hospitality Management students at the University of New Hampshire are hosting their first gourmet dinner of the year, “Moonlit Memories…a classic night in black and white,” on Friday and Saturday, March 6 and 7.

The seven-course dinner will be a black and white affair set in the 1940s. The students, supported by a program at UNH’s Whittemore School of Business, use a variety of skills and classroom knowledge to execute the dinner at a professional level.

The dinner takes place at the New England Center on 15 Strafford Ave., in Durham. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served beginning at 6 p.m. in the hotel lobby, followed by the meal and live entertainment from local band Fellowship Hall Jazz Society.

Menu items include seared scallops with burnt orange glaze, mussel bisque with white bean salad, braised beef with wild rice and asparagus, and a dark and white chocolate mousse. For more information, visit www.unhgourmetdinners.com.

Students will host a second set of gourmet dinners on Friday and Saturday, April 17 and 18.

Tickets for the event are $50 per person and can be purchased by calling 603-862-2290.

Maine offers a new restaurant week, while Portsmouth returns for another round

Approximately 50 restaurants from Ogunquit to Ellsworth are taking part in Maine’s first Restaurant Week from Sunday, March 1 through Tuesday, March 10.

Participating restaurants are offering three-course meals priced at $20.09, $30.09 or $40.09, depending on the restaurant. Pricing is per person and excludes beverages, tax and gratuity.

The event precedes the return of Restaurant Week Portsmouth March 22-29, where a three-course prix fixe meal is $16.95 for lunch and $29.95 for dinner  .

For more information and to view a complete list of participating restaurants and menus, visit www.restaurantweekme.com or www.restaurantweekportsmouth.com.