One of my favorite months has finally arrived. Ok, yes, it does happen to be the month I made my debut on this planet a.k.a. my birthday, but that’s not the only reason October ranks high on my list. Hey, what can I say? Mama likes to get her costume on. Check Peter and me out below as Zeus and the Greek Goddess. So, to celebrate the other side of me and I’m sure many of you, this month we will be sharing our picks on what tricks and treats you should be serving your ghoulish guests and a few tips on where to get your ghoul on this month if you rather venture out into the night.
This month also marks the launch of a new monthly series we are calling “Jersey’s Best.” Each month we will be polling our readers, Facebook fans and Twitter followers to uncover the best of the best in New Jersey dining. This month, we are in search of the best Pizza in New Jersey. We want to know about your favorite pizza joint and why you think it’s the best. Next month, we will report on the top 5 nominees, and who knows maybe even pay them a surprise visit. So, do your favorite pie proud, and nominate them as one of “Jersey’s Best” on our Facebook page on the Discussions Tab.
October is shaping up to be one exciting month for Jersey Bites. Let’s start with the Big Apple. On October 8th and 9th I will be attending the Food Network’s Food and Wine Show in New York City as part of my new role as a member of Shoprite’s new Blog Advisory Panel. We are honored that Shoprite has invited us to serve with 20 other bloggers from four states and look forward to working with them to bring the inspired home cook the best products from all over the world.
On October 12th Jersey Bites (some 15 of us) will be attending a live taping of the Martha Stewart show. I really hope you tune in. We have no idea what the show is about, but it’s going to be a great Jersey Bites get-together and sure to be a fun time for all. Look for the food geeks in the red shirts in the audience. Who knows, maybe we’ll catch Martha’s eye.
Our last bit of exciting news is that we have been asked by the Community Food Bank of New Jersey to assist in their “Check out Hunger” campaign set to launch in mid-October in Grocery Stores all over the East Coast. Check-Out Hunger campaign is an annual awareness and fund raiser that takes place every autumn at most major supermarkets and some convenience stores in New Jersey. You’ve probably seen those $1, $3 and $5 tickets at the check out counter in the past. These donations benefit the Community FoodBank and their affiliates by providing an easy way for food shoppers to help fight hunger right in their community. You can find out more information about Check out Hunger here.
We have some great articles on the horizon for October. I will be recapping my exciting “Girls Night In” party with the folks from Sauza Tequila and Chef Marcela Valladolid from the Food Network. What a sweetheart she is. I’m dying to dive into her book and share some great traditional Mexican recipes. Tom Kovacevich, our Jersey Bites produce guy, will be spotlighting Evergreen farm one of the most amazing farms in New Jersey specializing in Golden Pears and Grapes. Rachel Bozek (Essex County) will be learning from custom cake designer Samantha Kestin, owner of Sweet Samantha, how to make ghost cupcakes with fondant. Allison Heller (Cape May County) will be sharing her recipe for Boneyard Brownies and reporting on the Motorcycle “Ride to Feed the Masses” to benefit the food bank on October 23rd. Melissa Yurasits (Jersey City) will be reporting on a local Barbecue Fest and Octoberfest at the Zeppelin Hall Beer Garden in Jersey City. This is just a handful of what is in store this month on Jersey Bites so please stay tuned.
We are also thrilled to welcome three new Editors to the Jersey Bites family. Danielle Kohler, who grew up in Cedar Grove is our first Sussex County regional editor for Jersey Bites. She moved to picturesque Highland Lakes a few years ago and has been enjoying all the area has to offer, which of course includes indulging in the local fare.
Wayne Galya of Middlesex County is quite the Renaissance man and I can’t help but love his explanation of how he got into cooking. “I discovered how exciting food could be back in Junior High, when the Wood Shop class was completely full and the guidance counselor encouraged me to take Cooking instead. Why would I want to take a cooking class? Wait a minute…cooking = girls! Heck yeah, sign me up!” One of Wayne’s first posts is his story of our first meeting and the delicious meal he prepared for me.
And, finally, finally, we have found the perfect person to cover the town Facebook now seems to favor, Newark. Vicki Lindgren Rimasse a.k.a “Divamom” is an amateur chef and congenial foodie who has strong opinions about restaurants and has been a fan of Newark New Jersey and its restaurant scene since she moved to the Garden State from Long Island nearly 20 years ago.
We are so thrilled to welcome our new Editors and look forward to all they have to tell us about their piece of the Jersey pie. Check out their extended bios and photos on our Team page.
As you can see, Jersey Bites is truly blossoming. We are so grateful to the 13,000+ readers who visit us every month and look forward to dishing out the best of New Jersey to more and more readers in the months to come. Thank you for your continued support and tips and raves. This is a labor of love for all involved and we are truly honored by your interest and contributions.
Happy Halloween and Here’s to a Fantastic Fall.
Deborah Smith
Executive Editor
