So what is the real Taste of Milford?
Sean Trombly of Trombly Gardens believes he’s found it.
“I always tell people this is the true taste of Milford,” he said, as he served up a beef slider along Middle Street. “This is Milford-raised beef.”
It was a beautiful late spring evening along The Oval, as the town held its fourth annual "A Taste of Milford." The event pairs the town’s restaurants with downtown shops. Attendees walk into local stores and get a sampling of local cuisine.
Vicki Riendeau cooked up the grass-fed burgers, as Trombly handed them out as fast as they were coming off the pan. As I sunk my teeth into one, I immediately got that fresh taste of local beef. It was juicy and delicious.
The various aromas of all the fresh food cooking at the more than 20 participating restaurants filled the quaint downtown, as people strolled along the sidewalks enjoying their latest sample.
The beauty of this type of event is that it exposes people not only to local food, but also to the downtown shops they may never had a chance to visit.
Inside Lisa’s Sweets candy shop, Chef Dan St. Jean from Giorgio’s Restaurant prepared some tasty artichoke and asparagus ravioli.
Attendees were asked to vote for their favorites, and Giorgio’s won for best entrée, while Carol’s Cake Creations won for best dessert and best overall presentation.
At Souhegan Cycleworks, Becky Cox handed out samples of Amigos Mexican Cantina’s house margarita, while owner Mike Heeney put together fresh tacos.
There was live music, as well, as the band Groov’n played rock covers inside the Milford Town Hall auditorium.
I’m a sucker for pulled pork, which is why my highlight of the night was a visit to the booth of Phil’s Old Fashioned BBQ, whose pulled pork and brisket was smoky and flavorful. The restaurant’s slogan? “A little taste of hog heaven.”
And for dessert, we enjoyed some “bumbleberry” pie from Maple Lane Farm inside the I Do Again Bridal Boutique. The pie was incredible and the boutique planned ahead by covering up the wedding dresses to avoid any unfortunate stains.
My fiancée and I got full pretty quickly, so we weren’t able to enjoy all of the vendors. But it was a perfect (and tasty) night capped off with a walk over the Souhegan River, where we took in a beautiful sunset.
