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Morristown Festival of Books Features Food and Wine Authors

Deanna Quinones
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Morristown Festival of Books Features Food and Wine Authors

The Morristown Festival of Books is ready to roll on October 2 and 3, and this year’s roster of authors includes some tantalizing selections for food and wine lovers:

Baking Bible Cover hi resLegendary baker Rose Levy Beranbaum, known affectionately as the “diva of desserts,” will share stories from her latest book, The Baking Bible. The most comprehensive book in her “bible” series (The Cake Bible, The Bread Bible), this delectable volume—winner of the 2015 IACP Cookbook Award for Baking—features all-new recipes for cakes, pies, tarts, cookies, candies, pastries, and bread along with meticulous instructions for outstanding results. Samples from one of Beranbaum’s recipes will be provided by Morristown’s The Artist Baker. (This appearance is to be followed by a book signing at the Book Tent on the Vail Mansion lawn.)

Rose Levy Beranbaum
Saturday, October 3
10 to 11 a.m.
Church of the Redeemer
36 South Street
Morristown

HowToLoveWine_PBsnapshotWine lovers of every varietal (ha!) will enjoy this rare opportunity to sample wines under the direction of New York Times chief wine critic Eric Asimov. Along with discussing his book How to Love Wine: A Memoir and Manifesto, which celebrates the simple approach of drinking what you love and leaving anxiety out of the equation, Asimov will lead a hands-on wine tasting, during a session that promises to be one of the highlights of this year’s festival! Tickets are $20 and include the talk and wine tasting (book sold separately). To purchase tickets, visit the festival’s Wine Talk and Tasting event web page.

Wine Talk & Tasting with Eric Asimov
Saturday, October 3
5 to 6 p.m.
St. Peter’s Parish Hall
121 South Street
Morristown

LostRavioliRecipesofHobokenJames Beard Award-winning author Laura Schenone carries readers along on the fascinating journey inspired by a love of food, a passion for writing, and a search for a long-lost family recipe. In the Montclair author’s The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken: A Search for Food and Family, storytelling and recipes combine deliciously in a narrative that reveals the heartbreaks of family life and the mysteries of ravioli—the food of celebration and happiness.

Laura Schenone
Saturday, October 3
3:45 to 4:45 p.m.
Starlight Room at Mayo Performing Arts Center
100 South Street
Morristown

 

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The two-day Morristown Festival of Books features visits by more than 25 award-winning and best-selling authors. It opens on Friday evening, October 2, with a Keynote Event at the Mayo Performing Arts Center. This year’s keynote speakers are Pulitzer Prize winners and human rights activists Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.

A full schedule of events is planned for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 3, in downtown Morristown. All of Saturday’s main festival events are free of charge: no tickets required. For more information and to see the full author roster, visit www.morristownbooks.org.

 

Note: Deanna Quinones, who authored this article, is the co-chair of the marketing committee for the Morristown Festival of Books.

Scenes from Porcini in Highlands

Melissa Beveridge
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Scenes from Porcini in Highlands

Out to celebrate our anniversary about a month ago, my husband and I looked for a restaurant that would properly complete the evening. As we considered our usual haunts, I continued to shake my head, no. I wanted something special, something memorable, to commemorate our time together. We took a drive down to Highlands and came across Porcini. I had never heard of it and quickly investigated. Five stars popped up over the screen.

Porcini“Excellent food.”

“The food was delicious.”

“Highly recommended.”

“The food was incredible.”

Were these reviews too good to be true? We were going to find out. Turns out, they were right on target. Every single one of them.

Walking into Porcini Italian Trattoria is reminiscent of walking into a sidestreet restaurant in the middle of Florence. Small, cozy, and welcoming—and that’s just the atmosphere. Wait til the food comes out. Greeted with open arms, we were quickly seated and then realized that it was a BYOB. (Noted for next time.)

To be honest, I was a little skeptical. Maybe all those five star reviews were from friends and family. Could it really be that good? Little did I know that this culinary adventure would be one of the most surprisingly delicious meals I’ve had recently.

First up, the mushroom tart. (When you’re dining at Porcini, you must eat porcini!) A flaky tart, warm goat cheese, shallots, an array of mushrooms, topped with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and a hefty helping of arugula. I was in heaven. According to our server, it’s a fan favorite and I can see why. For our main courses we ordered the farfalle pasta dish with spicy cauliflower, tomatoes, capers, and olives in a garlic-parmesan broth and the tagliatelle with pomodoro sauce and ricotta cheese. A classic. If you screw this up, there’s no coming back in my book.

PorciniWhen our pasta dishes arrived, that’s when the excellence of Porcini’s magic hit me. The pasta was homemade. All of it! Nowhere on the menu was that even mentioned; yet here they were, surprising our taste buds with homemade treats. There’s just something about homemade pasta that makes what would be a normal dish completely extraordinary. The time, the effort, and let’s be honest, the love that goes into making pasta is transferred directly into the dish. Just one bite of farfalle was like getting a big hug from an Italian grandmother. Except, behind the kitchen door there’s no Italian grandmother.

porcini“This is how we eat at home,” says co-owner Alexandria Mahon when I later spoke with her about what makes Porcini pop. “Simple, really flavorful dinners with candles. We’re a restaurant that’s small and intimate. We want you to feel like you’re dining with us at home.”

When I mentioned in the beginning that dining at Porcini on our anniversary wasn’t a coincidence, I meant it. As corny as it sounds, we wanted to celebrate a day that we remembered as being a day filled with love, with a dinner that was also filled with love. Porcini is a story of both love of food and a love story. Mahon and Atamian may look young (well, they are young, at 26 and 29), but they’ve both been in the restaurant business for over a decade. Mahon began working as a busser at the Bay Ave Trattoria where Atamian was a sous chef over 10 years ago, that’s where the initial romance began. After Superstorm Sandy, Bay Ave Trattoria closed and Atamian worked in the kitchen at Nicholas in Red Bank for five months before taking the head chef position at Fresh in Highlands. Two years later, Atamian and Mahon decided to follow their dreams, take the risk, and open an Italian American restaurant. They moved into the space that used to be the Pancake House and opened on July 18. We were there one month later and I’m still talking about it.

porciniOther highlights of the menu include the mushroom fettuccine, crab cakes, and the pork osso buco, which Mahon says on a Saturday night, is not surprising to see on every table.

“I’ve been giving up my entire weekend to work in the restaurant business since I was 15 years old,” says Mahon. “I love this job. We’ve been together for seven years and our ultimate goal for the past six was to open up a restaurant that we can pass down to our family in the future.”

And that’s what it boils down to. You’re eating love and that’s why they deserve every five-star review they’ve received. Oh, and maybe the goat cheese cherry gelato that capped off our dinner that evening had something to do with it as well. I’m telling you, this is what foodie fairy tales are made of.

Porcini
168 Bay Avenue
Highlands
732-291-3080

Salt Creek Grille’s Bidgood Named 2015 Restaurateur of the Year

Sarah Rodriguez
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Salt Creek Grille’s Bidgood Named 2015 Restaurateur of the Year

Salt Creek Grille co-owner Steve Bidgood has been named the 2015 Restaurateur of the Year by the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association (NJRHA). The title is one of the highest honors in the restaurant industry, with competition including the 25,000 establishments the NJRHA represents. The winner is selected from a large pool of nominations, by a panel of six former winners. 

Bidgood’s success is rooted in his 40 years of restaurant experience, which includes various challenges ranging from natural disasters to economic hardships in recent decades. Both of Bidgood’s locations have proven to be two of the most popular restaurants in their respective towns of Rumson and Princeton.

Bidgood advises that the key to long-term success includes honing in on a few key concepts to building and sustaining a successful restaurant business, some of which include treating your staff like family, making your guests feel comfortable, listening to your chef, and having fun.

Alongside four additional honorees, Bidgood will be honored by the NJRHA on November 30 at the organization’s 31st Annual Awards Gala at the Stone House in Stirling Ridge. Congratulations!

New Jersey Wine Week Wraps up September

Sarah Rodriguez
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New Jersey Wine Week Wraps up September

 

The Garden State Wine Growers Association and the NJ Department of Agriculture are dedicating an entire week to New Jersey wine. Until the end of the month, through the last week of September New Jersey Wine Week will showcase New Jersey wine and include various tasting activities that range from vineyard dinners, to restaurant promotions, and a Jersey Fresh Wine Festival to close out the week.

New Jersey comprises 2,000 acres of grapevine cultivation, with 50 licensed producers fermenting wine throughout the state. These local vineyards help make New Jersey one of the nation’s top 10 wine-producing states.

New Jersey Wine Week will feature Villa Milagro Vineyards in Milford and Sharrott Winery in Winslow Township. Both will serve dinner throughout the week. “Wine Week is a terrific opportunity for NJ wines to step outside of the wineries,” says John Cifelli, executive director, Garden State Wine Growers Association. Cifelli explains that the Association is looking to engage with consumers who have yet to learn about what NJ wines are all about.

In carrying out that effort, restaurants and liquor stores will offer samples and discounted promotions throughout the week. The Iron Room in Atlantic City will offer a sampling of local wines, while the Harvest Restaurant Group will feature wines from Alba Vineyards at their restaurant locations in Berkeley Heights, Morristown, and Basking Ridge. Blue Morel Wine Bar, in Morristown, will pair New Jersey wine with local artisanal cheese from the Valley Shepherd Creamery, making for an ideal afternoon happy hour or late-night tasting.

Wine Week will conclude at the Burlington County Fairgrounds, in Columbus, for the Jersey Fresh Wine Festival. The festival will feature a dozen of New Jersey’s local wineries and will kick off with Secretary of Agriculture Doug Fisher. Jersey Fresh Farmers will sell fresh local produce alongside the Garden State Wine Growers Association’s various food vendors. The festival will also include exhibits from the NJ Department of Agriculture, the Farm Bureau, and Jersey Bites.

“In future years we hope to see more and more of these businesses feature local wines,” says Cifelli. “We will support and promote them in turn.”

Click here for more information on New Jersey Wine Week and a full listing of the week’s events.

Photo: Unionville Vineyards, courtesy of Garden State Wine Growers Association

 

Zoe Bistro Introduces Junior’s Chef’s Table

Melissa Beveridge
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Zoe Bistro Introduces Junior’s Chef’s Table

Disclosure: The food/beverages covered in this post were provided to Jersey Bites for free. As always, all views and opinions are the writer’s own.

 

You know it’s going to be an interesting—and unforgettable—dinner when you’re sitting at the table with the farmer who raised the pig that you’re about to eat. Yeah, this evening was one that will go down in the books, thanks to Chef Laercio Chamon, Jr. (aka Junior), the new owner and chef of Zoe Bistro in Little Silver. (It’s soon to be renamed, so if you’re great with words, feel free to lend a hand.

zoe bistro chef tableJunior’s love of cooking started at an early age when he was shucking oysters and clams at Doris and Ed’s in the Highlands at age 15. Working his way through the restaurant business, Junior learned from the best, cooking at Jamian’s Food and Drink, Dive Coastal Bar, Charley’s and the Orange Lawn, and Tennis Club in South Orange.

After learning from the best, he has become one of the best. Junior’s talent was on full display the evening I happened to join him for a Chef’s Table featuring a summer suckling pig roast straight from The Green Duchess Farm in Somerset (and yes, the Duchess herself was there to feast with us.) Along with 11 other hungry guests, I peered into the expansive windows into the kitchen, trying to get a glimpse of what dishes were coming out next.

Once those windows opened, it was an all-out family-style feast that brought the flavors of Junior’s Brazilian culture to a pasture-raised New Jersey pig. Served with Jersey corn bread with paprika and cilantro butter, Portuguese rolls, Brazilian black beans, potato hash, summer vegetables, sautéed kale and fresh oranges, and a bell pepper vinaigrette, it was one dish after another that brought the taste buds to attention.

My favorite dish? The Salpicao, a traditional Brazilian chicken salad that hit every texture—creamy and crunchy—and flavor—sweet and tart—in one unbelievable bowl. It was definitely a table favorite and we did our best to try and convince Junior to add it to the regular menu. (Fingers crossed!)

zoe bistro chefs tableAs for the pièce de résistance—it was everything you would expect an organic, locally raised suckling pig would taste like in the hands of a talented chef. Unlike a lot of “pork dishes,” where the flavor of the sauce does its best to conceal the true pork flavor, Junior presented a pig that tasted just like pork. It was fatty, meaty, and perfectly cooked (not to mention the skin was on point in the crispy department). Brined for 24 hours then smoked for two and a half hours, it finally came together roasting in the oven in… duck fat for another two hours. With a recipe like that, you can bet the meat was full of flavor.

The meal was finished off with apple flan, served with French-pressed coffee from Fair Mountain Coffee Roasters, located in Atlantic Highlands. The owners, husband and wife team, Greg and Barbara, were also sitting at the table. Talk about pressure. But Junior came through on all fronts, as The Green Duchess and Greg and Barbara were nothing but smiles before, during, and after the meal.

Available anytime, the Chef’s Table at Zoe Bistro runs the gamut from family style gatherings to beer and wine tastings and even “catch and cook” where you can drop off your catch of the day fresh off the boat and for Junior to create a family style meal just for you that will make your catch of the day seem like the best thing you’ve done in a long while.

“Chef’s Table is open to a food lover’s imagination,” says Agnes Chamon, Junior’s wife, who helps run the show over at Zoe Bistro. So if you’re reading this and you still haven’t visited Junior, get yourself in motion and head over to Zoe Bistro. The word is getting out and it’s only a matter of time before a seat at Chef Junior’s table is the hottest meal in town.

Zoe Bistro
151 Markham Place
Little Silver
732-747-9988

Pour-a-Palooza at the Pour House

Peter Culos
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Pour-a-Palooza at the Pour House
The Pour House on Haddon Avenue in Westmont, NJ
The Pour House

When Joanne Jordan, who represents the P.J.W. Restaurant Group, invited me to come check out the annual Pour-a-Palooza beer fest at The Pour House in Westmont, it gave me the excuse I was looking for to visit a South Jersey craft beer icon.

I knew I’d be tasting some great beer, but Jordan had another treat for me that I wasn’t expecting, and it wasn’t even a beer.

Hot and steamy weather was no match for a live band and a parking lot full of beers to taste. Enthusiasm reigned. Unlike many beer events, the breweries represented themselves with some of the finest they have to offer. Allagash Brewing (Portland, ME) showed up with Victor and Victoria, Belgian-style strong ales made with cabernet and chardonnay grapes, respectively. Then there was Kane Brewing (Ocean, NJ) who offered up their much sought after, and rarely found, Mexican Brunch. It’s an imperial porter with maple syrup and ancho chilies. I won’t taunt you with the entire list, but I mention them to make a point.

Mike Chapman, the general manager for The Pour House in Westmont, went to great lengths to personally curate a top notch line up. Attendees where even given a tri-fold list of beers and a pencil to keep track of them. Thoughtful touch. He told me that at least a quarter of the attendees are Pour House regulars. The number of t-shirts from Pour-a-Paloozas past on the backs of attendees seemed to bear that out. The party was as much for the regulars as anyone else. Despite being part of a 16-restaurant group, each J.P. Whelihan’s location maintains a neighborhood vibe. Chapman explained that some of the proceeds of the event go to the local fire department which is, quite literally, next door. That’s community involvement!

Repeat Pour-a-Palooza attendees wear their old shirts as a badge of honor.
Repeat Pour-a-Palooza attendees

That’s one reason why they are able to have that local feel. The other is Bob.

And that’s exactly how he introduced himself. Bob, with his kindly expression and regular guy demeanor, is also known as Robert Platz, founder and CEO of the P.J.W. Restaurant Group. If there ever was a guy you’d love to sit down and have a beer with, it’s him. “My employees don’t jump when I show up.” Bob explained, “We’re all family here.” In many instances that is literally the case. His children, nieces, and nephews all have a hand in the business and a lot of the staff are children of previous servers and bartenders as well. Clearly this is no soul-less corporate enterprise.

Once I sat down with Mr. Platz, the stories flowed like craft beer from the tap. It really was a treat. Bob worked a lot of jobs, including a stint as a teamster, but ever since his first experience as a dishwasher in a restaurant he knew he wanted to own a bar. So he quit his teamster gig with the modest dream of owning a bar where he could live upstairs with his family.

Without much in the way of money, or even a loan, Platz approached a woman with the improbable name of Jadwiga (I’m almost certain that is spelled wrong!) ,who was looking to sell her bar. He bought it with a handshake and a promise to pay her for it (which he did) while she held the mortgage separately. That bar eventually became the Haddon Township P.J.’s. It just so happened that old Jadwiga had a bar-owning neighbor who was also interested in getting out of the business. That neighbor asked Bob for the same deal and 18 months after getting his first bar, Bob Platz had two. Now there are 18, composed of four brands: P.J. Whelihan’s, The Pour House, Treno (an Italian restaurant) and The ChopHouse (and American steak and seafood place), and he never took a bank loan or an outside investor. That is the definition of a self-made man if ever there was one.

Buck-a-Shuck oysters at The Pour House
Buck-a-Shuck

Without an outside influence, Bob Platz has been able to hold onto his concept of a string of beer centric, branded bar/restaurants where each location maintains a sense of place and local flavor. There’s a sense of history, too. Wednesday is “Buck-a-Shuck” night when you can pick from eight or nine varieties of oysters for a dollar each and have them shucked by the Pour House’s own nationally ranked oyster shucker! They all are served from a raw bar that was part of the original bar, which Platz retained.

Haddon Avenue is becoming a bit of a good beer mecca and the Pour House is the epicenter. As I learned, their impressive beer menu is not the only reason to pay them a visit.

And say hi to Bob for me.

Say hi to Bob Platz!
Say hi to Bob Platz!

Jersey Fresh Heads into Fall

Rachel Bozek
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Jersey Fresh Heads into Fall

For the past several months, we’ve been covering various Jersey Fresh food, drink, supporters, and events every Friday. This week, we thought it was time to check in with the Jersey Fresh team themselves. Al Murray, assistant secretary of agriculture for New Jersey, was kind enough to take some time out of his day to answer our end-of-summer questions.

Apples 1
Collingswood Farmers Market

JERSEY BITES: What can people expect from Jersey Fresh produce as summer turns to fall?
AL MURRAY: There are so many wonderful fruits and vegetables that are harvested in the fall: apples, cranberries, arugula, beets, broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, carrots, cauliflower, chard, collards, garlic, kale, leeks, lettuce, mustard greens, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkins, scallions, spinach, squash, turnips.

Aside from apple picking, what are some great Jersey Fresh-related activities for families?
They can visit farms for hayrides, hay and corn mazes, pumpkin picking, pick-your-own fall vegetables, and cider pressings. Many farms have special festivals and other activities. September also is the wine harvest and a great time to take in a wine festival or visit a winery for a tour of the vineyard and a tasting. For pick-your-own farms or a list of current activities, visit the Jersey Fresh website or follow Jersey Fresh on Facebook.

Is the idea of Jersey Fresh still alive and kicking in the winter?
Yes. Our Made with Jersey Fresh program is available to companies who make food items using New Jersey’s agricultural products. The Jersey Fresh logo alerts consumers that the products are made using local ingredients. New Jersey’s produce season runs from May to November. Incorporating Jersey Fresh products into processed foods extends the season to year-round. It also expands distribution well beyond the region. For a food processor to utilize the Made with Jersey Fresh logo, they must first become licensed to use the Jersey Fresh logo. Then, they must use products that are inspected through the Jersey Fresh Quality Grading Program. Those products must adhere to specific criteria for grading and quality. Another great way Jersey Fresh stays alive through winter is with Jersey Grown Christmas Trees. Jersey Seafood is also harvested year round. Look for the Jersey Seafood logo identifying local, quality seafood produced by New Jersey fishermen or fish farmers when preparing holiday meals.

How can New Jerseyans best help support local farmers?
They can visit farms for agritourism, look for the Jersey Fresh logo when they’re in the supermarket, specialty store, farmers market, or farm stand, and buy New Jersey produce directly from New Jersey farmers. Also, they can focus on local when dining out. Many restaurants throughout the state source from nearby farmers to create seasonal menu items as well as participate in fall or harvest Restaurant Weeks. Another great way to support farmers is to participate in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Enrollment usually takes place in early spring in advance of the growing season. They pledge to support a farm operation and in return receive shares of the farm’s bounty throughout the season. They can also participate in our Jersey Fresh Love social media campaign. All they need to do is take photos of Jersey Fresh produce, dishes they’ve made with the produce, visits to local farms and restaurants that use Jersey Fresh and share on their own social media channels using #JerseyFreshLove. On Wednesdays, we highlight those photos on our own social media.

Anything else people should know about Jersey Fresh?
Jersey Fresh was the first state-sponsored agricultural branding program in the nation, launched in 1984. It is not only about promotion, but includes a quality grading component, and reminds consumers about the abundance and variety of New Jersey’s agricultural industry.

Keep up with Jersey Fresh!

Jersey Fresh
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Photos courtesy of Christine Fries/Jersey Fresh.

 

Jersey Bites Beer Bus Tour: It’s Real and It’s Here!

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor
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Jersey Bites Beer Bus Tour: It’s Real and It’s Here!

** Postponed **

 

Hop on board the Jersey Bites Beer Bus for a full day of beer education and guided tastings of some of the Jersey Shore’s top breweries and beer destinations.

The tour will start at Beach Haus and end at Beach Haus but not before making a few stops up the coast. Once everyone is boarded, the Beer Bus will make its first stop at Carton Brewery for a guided tour and tasting. Then it’s off to Maloney’s Pub, a premier beer destination for craft beer lovers. Their resident beer expert, Ron, will tell us about the NJ brewing landscape and host a tasting of Kane Brewing Company’s latest concoctions. Finally, the tour will end where it started: Beach Haus. There you’ll enjoy another guided tour and end with a beer tasting boat and lunch.

Ticket includes tastings at each spot, water, a custom beer glass, and lunch.

Note: This event is exclusively for persons ages 21 and up. Proper identification will be required.

The bus is scheduled to leave promptly at 10:15 a.m., however time is subject to change.
It’s important to take note of any future correspondences we may send you.

This is a non-refundable event.

Stuff Yer Face in New Brunswick

Jessica Herring
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Stuff Yer Face in New Brunswick

When people think of having a great homemade stromboli, Stuff Yer Face on 49 Easton Avenue in New Brunswick, usually comes to mind quickly. This restaurant in the heart of New Brunswick opened in October of 1977 and has a very rich history. Matthew Poznick, general manager of Stuff Yer Face, was a chef at the restaurant from 1995 to 2002.

Stuff Yer Face in 1982.
Stuff Yer Face in 1982

When Stuff Yer Face first opened it was located at 43 Easton Avenue, which is now Noodle Gourmet, and the front of the restaurant was a 100-year-old house, says Poznick. These days, Stuff Yer Face attracts Rutgers students and New Brunswick residents looking for a casual atmosphere, tasty and unique food, a great beer list, and friendly service, he says.

This restaurant offers a wide selection of selections, from pizza, burgers and sandwiches, to salads and stromboli. The restaurant also offers more than 100 varieties of beer. Each stromboli at Stuff Yer Face is, of course, the best dish to order because of the fresh dough and tasty ingredients,” Poznick says. Customers can select a stromboli from the menu or customize their own “The restaurant has talented cooks who can make them to order accurately and quickly.”

“The crew I have now have been with me for about 20 years,” he says. “They do an awesome job,” says Poznick.

He did not voluntarily become general manager of Stuff Yer Face, he notes, but rather the responsibility was placed upon him when the manager left—Poznick was next in line. He had some experience as an assistant manager but says he was still very nervous about the responsibilities he would have to deal with.

“With some of the staff stepping up to take on more responsibility we made it through and excelled,” he says. “Since becoming general manager, I have always had a fun-loving and hard-working staff.”

Mario Batali making strombolis at Stuff Yer Face.
Mario Batali making strombolis at Stuff Yer Face.

Years ago, Mario Batali, Rutgers alumnus, worked as a dishwasher and stromboli maker at Stuff Yer Face.“Batali will occasionally come back to the restaurant with his family to visit his roots and where his career started,” Poznick says. “He has always been humble, friendly, funny and thankful while visiting or talking about Stuff Yer Face,” Poznick says.

This Western-themed restaurant has grown from being a startup with an inexperienced owner to a well-known and highly appealing place for Italian food and beer. Navera Hussain, a senior at Rutgers University‘s School of Management and Labor Relations, frequents Stuff Yer Face three to four times a year with friends and family. “I love their potachos and think Stuff Yer Face is a very important part of Rutgers history,” she says. Hussain says she has never tried a stromboli but plans to have one soon.

Poznick adds, “The restaurant is casual, comfortable and fun. It has a great mix of students, locals and alumni of Rutgers,” he says.

Roger Grillo, another Rutgers alumnus, and also the director of administration and finance in the Food Science Department, remembers coming to Stuff Yer Face with his friends as an undergrad and enjoying a stromboli and beer. “This restaurant defined a lot of my college experience,” he says. “On a nice day I would love to sit outside and have a tasty stromboli.”

Stuff Yer Face
49 Easton Avenue
New Brunswick
732-247-1727

All photos courtesy of Matt Poznick.

The Beauty of Jersey Beach Plums

Mary Wozniak
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The Beauty of Jersey Beach Plums

Summer is winding down, but Alma George is busier than ever selling her beach plum jams and syrups at Jersey Shore farmers markets. Late summer and early autumn is harvest time for the 2,100 beach plum trees on George’s Jalma Farms in Ocean View.

Photo by Joe Alvarez
Photo by Joe Alvarez

The sweet-tart beach plum is a Jersey native: a shrub-like tree that thrives on the sandy beaches of the Eastern Seaboard, from Maine to Virginia. It’s the official fruit of Cape May County. Joe Alvarez of the Cape May County Beach Plum Association notes that the beach plums were a hit at this summer’s roadside stands. He says, “The locals were kind of happy, they didn’t have to go foraging” for the tangy plum that is making an appearance in everything from vinaigrette to ice cream. (Visit Cape May’s Washington Inn for the beach plum martini, or try the Delaware Bay oysters with beach plum mignonette sauce.)

At Jalma Farms, George says that despite some weather-related setbacks this season, “We’re guessing we’ll have about 8,000 to 10,000 pounds of beach plums at the end of harvest.” All those beach plums are made into her all natural beach plum jam and beach plum pepper jam, which gets an extra zip from the addition of jalapeño and habañero peppers.

BeachPlum Jam
Beach plum jam from Jalma Farms. Photo by Matt Wozniak

Jersey brewers have also discovered the beach plum. The Cape May Brewing Company’s seasonal autumn brews include Beach Plum Ale and the Queen Street, a wild fermented ale infused with beach plums. Co-owner Ryan Krill explains that the yeast is from wild grapes grown behind the brewery. “We get the plums locally after they have been pressed for wine or jelly–they would otherwise go to waste,” he says. Krill notes that the pressed skins add color and flavor. “The beer is wonderful and tastes like a mix between a cranberry and a plum.”

Wine drinkers can also get a taste of the beach plum. Natali Vineyards’ Beach Plum Wine lives up to its description as “a sweet yet refreshingly tart dessert wine.”

Like all Jersey natives, the beach plum loves the shore. Because it withstands the sandy, salty soil and high winds, it provides beneficial dune stabilization along the Jersey shoreline. Jalma Farms nurtures seed beds for beach restoration projects in Stone Harbor, Sea Isle City, Ocean City and Brigantine. The dune plantings are done when the plant is dormant in the late fall and then again in March. “Not exactly beach weather,” says George, “but we work on Mother Nature’s schedule!”

The beach plum is good for you, too: according to the Rutgers University Cooperative Extension, beach plums have antioxidant and anti-bacterial attributes similar to cranberries and blueberries.

Sample a variety of beach plum products, or buy your own beach plum plants, at the Annual Beach Plum Festival hosted by the Friends of Island Beach State Park, at Island Beach State Park on Sunday, September 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival will feature beach plum ice cream making, crafters, vendors and music.

Jalma Farms
2424 Route 9
PO Box 42
Ocean View
609-412-3123

Cape May Brewing Company 
1288 Hornet Rd.
Cape May
609-849-9933

Natali Vineyards
221 North Delsea Dr. (Rte. 47)
Cape May Courthouse
609-465-0075

Photo at top by Frank Weiss Photo.

 

The French Market in Rumson

Kerri Sullivan
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The French Market in Rumson

Culinary and Visual Delights

The French Market, which opened in Rumson in mid July, is wildly successful at capturing a feeling. The building is painted black with white trim and a very memorable striped awning. The stunning interior is bright white, with stone floors, marble counters, exposed beams, and a reclaimed antique door. The aesthetics and careful attention to detail have created a warm and welcoming place. It is a place that doesn’t look like it even belongs in New Jersey, and that is perhaps exactly the point.

The French Market is the result of the coming together of many talented people who each contributed their visions to this group effort. The owners are Carli Windsor, Pamela Best, and Robert Smith, who work in package design, the fashion industry, and interior design, respectively. Although the owners have no formal background in food, their chef, Laurent Chavenet, has over 25 years of experience. Chavenet was born and trained in France and also owns the French Tart in Staten Island.

The menu features crepes (sweet and savory), breakfast sandwiches, panini, salads, quiche, and sandwiches (including French specialities like Croque Monsieur). The bread is baked fresh two to three times daily. They use local ingredients in the kitchen whenever possible.

The market also offers a variety of croissants, tarts, macarons, and other pastries. Additionally, there are plenty of interesting imported packaged foods (including lemonades, mints, and caviar), quality cheeses, coffee, and tea. The homewares on display aren’t merely decorations–they’re for sale, too.

The next phase for the business is to sell fresh flowers and plants as well as to have an expanded homeware and antiques section located in the attached greenhouse. Their goal is to be “a one stop shop for gourmet food and upscale home design gifts, plants, and flowers.” It currently is a wonderful shopping experience, and the future additions will only enhance what’s already available.

When faced with the task of which of their offerings to try, I had a hard time choosing. Everything looked, sounded, and smelled delicious. I was advised to go with the almond croissant, which placed first in a New York Daily News contest in 2013. The pastry did not disappoint–the flavor and texture were both perfect. I also enjoyed an imported sparkling French lemonade. The combination of the food and atmosphere transported me to another place. I haven’t actually ever been to France, but after spending some time at The French Market, I felt a little like I’ve experienced it anyway.

The French Market
114 East River Road
Rumson, NJ
732-530-1692

 

A Week of Jersey Bites Birthday Giveaways

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor
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A Week of Jersey Bites Birthday Giveaways

On September 4, 2007, we published our very first “Hello, world” blog post. Although we had no idea at the time, it was the beginning of a truly amazing adventure. Every year since, Jersey Bites has grown, achieved new milestones, and reached more and more food-loving fans. We are closing in on the end of our eighth year, and we want to thank all of our readers and social media followers by hosting a week of exciting giveaways.

And, a BIG, SWEET thank you to Classic Cake in Cherry Hill for the beautiful birthday cake.

And of course, our sincere thanks to all of the fabulous restaurants and events who have come together to create this year’s lineup of amazing prizes. Check it out!

Rastelli’s Market Fresh in Marlton and Deptford ($100 gift card)

Dos Caminos, Harrah’s Atlantic City ($100 gift card)

Sammy D’s, Harrah’s Atlantic City ($100 gift card)

Talula’s in Asbury Park ($50 gift card)

Latour in Ridgewood (gift certificate for a 4-course prix-fixe dinner for two )

Classic Cake in Cherry Hill ($50 gift card)

Just Restaurant in Old Bridge ($100 gift card)

The Gables in Beach Haven ($100 gift card)

Runa Peruvian Cuisine in Red Bank ($100 gift card)

Ama Ristorante at The Driftwood in Sea Bright ($100 gift card)

Salt Creek Grille in Princeton ($100 gift card)

Garden State Wine Growers Association 2 Tickets to Jazz it Up Wine Festival, September 5 and 6 at Allaire State Park in Wall ($50 value)

Starting today, we will post multiple giveaways each day on our Facebook page, so check back often. The winners will be selected throughout the day on September 4, on our Facebook page.  Click here for the official rules. http://on.fb.me/1hOTVnz

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