Foodie Things To Do This Weekend And Beyond

A Taste of Spring, Friday, February 10th from 6:30pm-9:30pm. Join members of the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church for an evening of tasty food samples show-casing delicious foods from a variety of local restaurants and caterers, including On Call Catering in Flanders, NJ, All in the Icing in Netcong, NJ, the Budd Lake Diner in Budd Lake and many many more! Tickets are $20 purchased in advance and $25 at the door.  To purchase tickets please call 973-898-0751.

Wine and Chocolate Tasting to benefit the Community Hope Fund, Friday, February 10th at 5:30pm. Ocean Township Library Meeting Room. Admission is $10 and includes: Gallo wines, Dove chocolates, Cheese and crackers by Wegmans, Door prizes provided by Cobblestone Spirits and Wines. Reservations suggested: 732-660-1880

Wine & Chocolate Trail Saturday & Sunday, February 11th & 12th from 12pm-5pm. Join the Garden State Wine Growers Association at wineries throughout the state as they pour their hearts out to you in loving thanks for all your support for the successful wine shipping legislation. This is a state-wide event, for more information please visit NewJerseyWines.com and Wine Trail Maps.

Chocolate Festival, Saturday, February 11th from 11am-4pm. Morris Museum. Enjoy a day of chocolaty fun! Chocolate tastings, demonstrations, crafts and more. For more information: Morris Museum

Lets Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels – Free Program. Saturday, February 11th from 10:30am-11:30am. Part of LBI Chocolate Week. 15 person limit – come in and make a chocolate covered pretzel surprise for your parents/friends/ or sweetie.  For ages 9 and up.  Stop in the Tuckerton Library on 380 Bay Avenue in Tuckerton, Call 609-296-1470 or go online at http://www.theoceancountylibrary.org/ to register.

Valentine’s Day Inspired Tasting Event, Sunday, February 12 from 2pm-4:30pm. Carter & Cavero, Princeton (Palmer Square) location. We’ll have Champagne, Strawberries and Chocolates… All balsamic vinegars, of course! Let us show you how to impress your sweetheart with deliciously simple ideas. Also, enjoy a special sale on select oils and vinegars for that day only! Carter & Cavero

And Beyond…

An Evening in Tuscany, Tuesday, February 14th from 6pm-9pm. Culinary Workshops Offer Taste of Global Cuisine at Atlantic Cape. There are few things better than the flavors of Italy. Learn to prepare Fennel and Aged Pecorino Salad, Artichoke Custards with Fava Bean Sauce, Sausage Bread and Chicken Liver Spiedini, and Meringata with Chocolate Espresso Sauce. To register, call 609-343-4829 or visit www.atlantic.edu/conted.

LBI Chocolate Week 2012

Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels for your sweetheart! Tuesday, February 14th. Celebrate Valentine’s Day by coming in and making chocolate covered pretzels for that special someone! All ages, drop in at the Long Beach Island Branch of Ocean County Library in Surf City. 609-494-2480

Platinum Design Build Company presents Post Valentine’s Party and 20 ways to re invent your Kitchen- Wednesday, February 15th from 5:30-7:30pm. Join Platinum Design for complimentary chocolate martinis and chocolate covered strawberries, raffles and fun conversation at  Dave’s Appliance in Oscar Huber.  For more information or to RSVP 609-994-3244 or visit www.platinumbc.com/chocolate

TGI Friday’s Chocolate Week Bartenders Competition, Thursday, February 16th at 8pm. Add some flair to your Thursday with the best local bartenders mixing the best drinks in town to benefit the Southern Ocean County Community Foundation Hunger Relief Dinner. The bartenders will be creating libations featuring chocolate while being judged for their showmanship. Drinks will be auctioned to crowd! $5 entry to benefit Hunger Relief Dinner For more information contact TGI Friday’s Manahawkin, 609-489-0950 http://www.worldbtc.com/about Come out and be part of the live video broadcast and meet the B98.5 van for prizes and giveaways!

Death By Chocolate: Murder Mystery Dinner Show, Friday, February 17th at 6pm. The Engleside Inn. Death by Chocolate will be the perfect ending to Long Beach Island’s Chocolate Week and a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day Weekend. Proceeds from the dinner theatre event will benefit Tuckerton Seaport’s educational programs. For more information or tickets: 609-296-8868, brookes@tuckertonseaport.org, Tuckerton Seaport.

Eat Slow Winter Farmers Market, Sunday, February 19th from 11am-3pm. Music – Prepared Foods – Full Bar. Tre Piani is the original site where the Markets started seven years ago with Slow Food Central New Jersey. For directions to Tre Piani, visit www.trepiani.com.

Individual Chocolate Desserts, Wednesday, February 22nd from 6pm-9pm. The Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape offers amateur chefs and food enthusiasts alike the opportunity to learn how to prepare a variety of confectionery creations with Chef Mary Lou D’Angleo. Learn how to prepare Truffles, Lava Cakes, Chocolate Obsessions and more. To register, call 609-343-4829 or visit www.atlantic.edu/conted.

South Jersey’s Men R’ Cookin’ Thursday, February 23rd from 6pm-8pm. The Pool at Harrah’s. Joe and Scott from 100.7 WZXL, in collaboration with Chef Davies, will prepare Salmon Portabello Ravioli with Smoked Tomato Crema and Arugala Orange Fennel Salad, at the Men R Cookin’ event, which benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City. For tickets and more information: ACBGC

3rd Annual Chili Cook-Off & Homebrewing Contest, Saturday, February 25th from 2pm-6pm. To support HOPES CAP, Inc. and their adult services that provide clients assistance with employment, self-sufficiency and education, Hoboken Volunteers holds this event. For more information: Hoboken Volunteers

“Feast in February” Wine Festival, Saturday, February 25th from 12pm-5pm. Natali Vineyards, Cape May Court House, NJ. Featuring six local Cape May County food vendors offering some light samples of their newest dishes, as well as foods for sale. 12 Natali Wines in stock (enjoy five wine samples for $5 all day), purchase wines by the bottle or try sipping on some heated mulled spice sangria for $5 a glass. The Ravioli Shanker Band will be returning to the stage and guests will be able to shop the wares of local vendors. Free admission and free educational vineyard & barrel room tour at 2:30 pm.

An Evening in Spain, Tuesday, February 28th from 6pm-9pm. Culinary Workshops Offer Taste of Global Cuisine at Atlantic Cape. Experience the classic tastes of the Iberian Peninsula. Start with assorted Tapas, Almond Soup and Paella Valencia. The night wouldn’t be complete without a classic Flan. To register, call 609-343-4829 or visit www.atlantic.edu/conted.

5th Annual New York Wine Expo

Friday, March 2, 2012
6:00 – 10:00 PM

Saturday, March 3, 2012
2:00 – 6:00 PM

Don’t miss this opportunity to sample over 760 wines from over 190 winemakers from around the globe in the Grand Tasting. The Expo is open on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon allowing consumers to take a tasting tour around the world. Several seminars will be available as well.

This event will be held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in NY. For more information: NY Wine Expo

Atlantic City Restaurant Week, March 4th – March 10th. During the week, fine restaurants throughout Atlantic County will offer value priced three-course lunches and three-course dinners. A full list of participating restaurants, menu items, chef biographies and other details are available online. Restaurant Week hotel packages will also be available through the site, as well as the ability to book reservations online through Open Table at restaurants that use the Open Table reservation service. www.acrestaurantweek.com

A Taste of the Two Rivers, Monday, March 5th from 6pm-9pm. The Molly Pitcher Inn hosts area restaurants serving up a night of delicious food, decadent desserts and wine and spirits to benefit The Community YMCA. Participating restaurants and purveyors will be vying for the “Best Display” and “Best Dish,” as selected by votes from the evening’s guests. There will be live music and a chance to win prizes. For more information call 732-671-5505 ext. 20 or visit cymca.org.

19th Annual Sugarloaf Crafts Festival, Friday-Sunday, March 9th-10th. Fri & Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm. Held at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset, NJ. There will be crafts representing “a sensory celebration,” gourmet food and favorites, live demonstrations and family entertainment. For more information and tickets: Sugarloaf Festival

Belmar Restaurant Tour, Sunday, March 11th from 11am-4pm. Sample chefs creations at many of Belmar’s fine restaurants. Buy tickets early and save. For tickets and more information: Visit Belmar

New Hope/Lambertville Restaurant Week, Sunday-Friday, March 18th-23rd. This year, 28 restaurants will participate in the week, long promotion of either a fine dining $29.95 pre-fixe dinner or $19.95 pre-fixe dinner. The following sponsors make new Hope/Lambertville Restaurant Week possible:  E&J Gallo Winery, River Horse Brewery, Stoli Vodka, Local Living Magazine and Packet Publications. Please visit www.VisitNewHope.com and www.Lambertville.org to view the pre-fixe menus and detailed information on all of the restaurants.

Taste of Montclair, Monday, March 19th.  AND Montclair Restaurant Week, March 20th – April 1st (no Joke). For more information: Montclair

15th Annual Taste of Middlesex on March 19, 2012, at the Pines Manor, 2085 Lincoln Highway/Route 27, and Edison, NJ presented by the Edison Chamber of Commerce.

29th Annual Atlantic Cape Restaurant Gala, Thursday, March 22nd at 6:30pm. Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino. The event celebrates food by highlighting thousands of hors d’oeuvres prepared by students at the Academy of Culinary Arts and showcasing the specialties of 40 of the area’s best restaurants at a progressive dining experience. The Gala raises money for student scholarships. There will be 3 lucky winners will share up to $15,000 in the 50/50 raffle. For tickets and raffle tickets, please contact Lauren Canzanese at (609) 463-4672, acccfdn@atlantic.edu, or online at www.atlantic.edu/gala.

Husdon County CASA’s 6th Annual Wine Tasting, Sweets & Eats, Friday, March 30th from 6pm-9pm. Atrium in the Harborside Financial Center on the Jersey City waterfront. Enjoy sampling over 90 wines with sweets and treats gathered from the metropolitan area’s best purveyors. The night will also include hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction featuring one-of-a kind prizes, free parking, and much more!

Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival 2012

The focus of The Atlantic City Beer Festival is the promotion of craft beers and the brewers that create them. Now in its 7th year the festival has taken a truly organic turn with the addition of original music from artists across the Tri-State area.

Session 1: Friday, March 30th from 7pm-11pm. Session 2: Saturday, March 31st from 12pm-4pm. Session 3: Saturday, March 31st from 6pm-10pm.

The 2012 Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival will not only highlight great beer and music but will also feature culinary demonstrations from local area chefs, beer seminars hosted by author and television personality Gary Monterosso as well as others and we can’t forget the amazing festival vendors… lots and lots of food and beer related vendors. This year’s festival will appeal to absolutely everyone.

For more information and tickets: AC Beer & Music Fest

Make Your Own Mozzarella Cheese, April 21st. ***This event sells out FAST.  The cost is $85.00 per person or $160.00 per couple and includes the following: Hands-on instructions on how to make your own mozzarella, Notes and recipe provided, and much more! To reserve tickets and more information: The Grape Escape 609-409-9463

***SAVE THE DATEFarm-to-Fork Fundraiser, June 9th at 6pm. Brady Life Camp in Pottersville, NJ. There will be a farm fresh meal catered, live entertainment, 50/50 and live and silent auctions. Proceeds go towards America’s Grow-a-Row’s mission to positively impact as many lives as possible through a volunteer effort of planting, picking, rescuing, and delivering free fresh produce. For more information and to be a sponsor, please visit: America’s Grow a Row