22nd Annual NJ State Chili & Salsa Cook Off – Saturday, May 21
Come on down to Toms River for family fun, contests, chili and salsa tasting, live music and more. The competition is open to cooks from across the country!
For more information, please visit: http://www.downtowntomsriver.com/chili/chilisiteframe.htm
A Taste of Bradley Beach: Bradley Beach, NJ – May 2011 Sample the best of Bradley Beach’s most popular restaurants at Taste of Bradley Beach, to be held in Riley Park from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 21. Rain date is Sunday, May 22. A dozen great restaurants, fun for the kids, plus many vendors to shop, from fashion accessories to crafters. Beer and wine available with proper ID. Admission is $5; food samples are $3 to $5. Presented by the Bradley Beach Chamber of Commerce and produced by The Passion Group. For more information visit www.bradleybeachnj.org.
The Shannon Rose Irish Pub Celebrates American Craft Beer Week: Clifton Sample a different featured craft beer every day of the week May 16 – 22 Saturday, May 21–Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA (Bear Republic Brewing Company, Cloverdale, CA) & Rogue Chipolte Ale (Rogue Ales & Spirits, Portland, OR) Sunday, May 22–Tommyknocker Imperial (Tommyknocker, Idaho Springs, CO) & Boulder Beer Hazed and Infused (Boulder Beer Company, Boulder, CO) For a full listing of the week’s festivities and featured craft beers, visit www.theshannonrose.com. The Shannon Rose Irish Pub is located at Clifton Commons, Route 3 East, across from Target in Clifton with a second location in Woodbridge, New Jersey.
Point Pleasant Beach Jazz and Blues Fest: May 21 & 22nd. Wine tasting by New Jersey Wineries, Great Local Cuisine, Explore Unique, Hand Made Craft Vendors and more. This is a free festival, except for the wine tasting which is a nominal charge. For more information:
Grill Masters Cooking Class – Sunday, May 22 A Grill Masters cooking class taught by executive chef Todd Villani will be held at the Park Avenue Bar & Grill, 3417 Park Ave, Union City. For more information, please call: 201-617-7274.
Cherry Grove Farm Cookout – Sunday, May 22
Cherry Grove Farm in Lawrenceville, will have a cookout sale with special guests, food, 40 percent off country ribs (all week long), and cooking demos at 1 and 3 PM with chef Marcia Willsie. 11 AM to 5 PM.
For more information, please call: 609-219-0053.
National Burger Month in Asbury Park: Asbury Park Restaurants are celebrating the entire month of May. Click here for specials from area restaurants.
Rumson’s “Family Night Out” to Benefit Lunch Break in Red Bank. Tuesday, May 24th, please join in the fight against hunger by dining out in one of our participating establishments in Rumson. A portion of the evening’s proceeds will be donated directly to Lunch Break. Your support will be greatly appreciated!! Participating Restaurants : – BARNACLE BILLS — MURRAY MacGREGORS — SALT CREEK GRILLE — WHAT’S YOUR BEEF — VAL’S TAVERN — UNDICI –
Top Chef the Tour: Red Bank, May 26th. Bravo’s fourth annual Top Chef: The Tour. This spring, you can see your favorite cheftestants live 21 cities across the nation. Information on Times and Tickets:
Looking ahead:
A Taste of Somerset – Monday, May 23 A Taste of Somerset is an annual culinary event that strives to bring people together with great food and for a great cause! Proceeds from this event will benefit the PeopleCare Center for Nonprofits. It will be held at the Palace at Somerset Park from 6 to 9 PM.For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 908-725-2299 or visit www.peoplecarecenter.org.
Beach Ball – Tuesday, May 23 The Atlantic City Country Club of Northfield will be hosting a Beach Ball to benefit the Community FoodBank of New Jersey’s Southern Branch. The event will take place from 5 to 9PM and will feature food, entertainment, celebrity bartenders, live and silent auctions, and more.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please call: 609-383-8843.
Dessert Wars: Tuesday, May 24th, 2011 from 6-8pm at Branches Catering in West Long Branch. Area bakeries, caterers, pastry shops and restaurants will compete in the Jersey Shore’s first ever “battle of the batter”… Click for more information.
Great New Jersey Hot Dog Showdown: Monmouth Park, Oceanport May 28 & 29. Do you relish great hot dogs and burgers? Kick off the summer by munching on the best hot dogs and burgers from across the Garden State at the Great New Jersey Hot Dog Showdown. Decide which ones cut the mustard and cast your vote. Sample them all, vote for your favorites and enter to win great prizes. Live entertainment, crafters and plenty of fun for the kids plus the ultimate in thoroughbred racing. Admission included in Monmouth Park entry fee. Food prices vary. www.monmouthpark.com or 732-222-5100 for details.
Fun food fact of the day: Fresh apples float because 25 percent of their volume is air.
Don’t Forget our Restaurant.com Giveaway, going on Now!! Click Here to Enter.
Candida Sadigh, Assistant Editor. Born in Montreal, Canada to an Italian mother and a Persian father, Candida comes from an obscenely large family. Needless to say she grew up surrounded by lots of great food. While she has always been passionate about trying new foods and enjoying favorites, she only began to try her hand at cooking a few short years ago. Her adventures in the culinary arts have drastically enhanced her appreciation for a good meal and, especially, for a creative menu.
