Sunday, May 17, 2026
Home Blog Page 103

A Decadent Dozen in Bergen County: Glaze Donuts

Lisa Pisano
-
0
A Decadent Dozen in Bergen County: Glaze Donuts

Behold, it’s the day of the donut.

And it’s about time, don’t you think?

I recently had the chance to check out Glaze Donuts, an artisanal donut shop in New Milford.

Quality and Care

What makes Glaze Donuts unique? Well, I can tell you that the aroma alone upon entering the shop transported me to another place in time. It smelled like an “old-tyme bake shoppe:” a buttery, yeasty, sugary smell with just a hint of coffee.

It was absolutely heavenly!

And that’s probably due, in part, to what goes IN to making these artisanal treats.

“As a child growing up in New Jersey, you could always find quality, great tasting donuts at farm stores or down the shore,” says founder Jules Hazou. “What makes us different is our commitment to producing premium quality traditional and eccentric donuts and baked goods.”

This means donuts made without preservatives, artificial coloring, or high fructose corn syrup. And everything is cooked in small batches.

If one gets too oily or over done? It doesn’t make the display case. Plain and simple.

Fab Flavors

If you pick up the Glaze Donuts flyer or visit the website, you’ll see more than 50 varieties of Classic, Glazed & Infused, and Artisan Donuts.

Sure, there’s your standard glazed, powdered, cinnamon, and chocolate frosted (my personal favorite). But then there’s – ready for this? – maple bacon, banana foster, white chocolate pretzel and sea salt, French toast, piña colada, Aztec chocolate, Twix style, bourbon caramel, mango, blood orange, Reversed Jersey, and more.

And even when we’re talking about flavors like lemon, wild strawberry, peach, and blueberry – the folks at Glaze tell me they’re not using factory-made, artificially dyed flavorings. If it’s strawberry season, you’re getting freshly preserved strawberries in your strawberry-filled donut.

And that maple bacon donut? It’s topped with premium cut smoked bacon and SO decadent that it might be best shared.(I did think it could have been a hint crispier for maximum flavor, texture, and overall WOW factor.)

Glaze tells me that they change up the flavors on a daily basis, but standards like chocolate frosted, glazed, powdered and the aforementioned rock star, maple bacon are pretty much always present.

My family sampled the sour cream, cannoli, chocolate frosted, maple bacon, glazed, and triple chocolate varieties. My favorites were a tie between the chocolate frosted and sour cream.

In addition to donuts, Glaze offers Zepps (zeppole), Beignets, Crepes, Muffins, Croissants, Cookies and Breakfast Sandwiches, along with a full hot and iced coffee menu.

Glaze Donuts
358 River Road
New Milford

 

NJ Fisheries: Harvesting Jersey Fresh Seafood Daily

Cindy Dudas
-
0
NJ Fisheries: Harvesting Jersey Fresh Seafood Daily

New Jersey might be called the Garden State, but its agriculture expands far past the gorgeous green farmland out to the coast and beyond into another realm: aquaculture. New Jersey fishermen bring in tons of fresh seafood daily along the Jersey shore for our dining pleasure.

Even with all the wonderful seafood the Jersey coast has to offer, 91% of America’s fish is imported from other countries, according to Gef Flimlin, of the Rutgers Commercial Fisheries and Aquaculture Cooperative Extension. And do you really know where that fish is coming from or how it is harvested? Sustainability is one of the words that you hear a lot when discussing aquaculture. When it comes to fishing the NJ coast, sustainability is on the forefront of every fisherman’s mind.

bagged scallops offloadedBy getting your seafood from local New Jersey fishermen like the ones at the Fisherman’s Dock Co-Op in Point Pleasant or Viking Village in Barnegat Light, you will know exactly where your dinner comes from, and you can rest assured that it has been harvested in a highly managed sustainable way. Each fisherman must comply with strict laws written by the National Fisheries Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that include restocking the waterways to maintain a successful crop each year while simultaneously improving the waterways. Clean water means higher quality products being harvested and brought to market.

One of the hang-ups people have when it comes to purchasing local seafood (as opposed to buying imported or skipping it altogether) is that local seafood can sometimes cost more than the alternative. However, not only does supporting local fisheries help keep our waterways safe, it also helps our local economy. When you purchase local seafood your dollars pay the fisherman who brought in the catch, as well as the boat repairman, the dock master, the crew, and everyone who had a hand in the operation. Everyone involved gets a portion, which they in turn use to stay in business themselves. Eventually, this cycle can lead to lower costs for everyone—if it is maintained.

Another reason for buying local is that the imports often include more commonly known types of fish, like shrimp, flounder, tilapia (which is actually a freshwater fish, not seafood). Learning how to cook the local seafood might seem like a hard task, but simple is the best way to prepare any seafood regardless of the type. And using local seafood will most likely help you end up with a much tastier dish!

On Fridays in the summer, Viking Village offers a dock tour to teach the public about the commercial seafood industry in NJ. You can see the facility in full operation while hearing about the delicious Jersey Seafood available each week. You can also learn how to prepare and cook those options with Chef Peter Fischbach. For more information on the tour, visit Viking Village’s website or call the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce at 609-494-7211.Support your local fisheries while enjoying the best seafood the East Coast has to offer!

Here are a few more resources for info about NJ’s commercial fishing industry and how to incorporate more local seafood into your lifestyle:

New Jersey Aquaculture

Fishermen’s Dock Cooperative

NOAA Fisheries

Rutgers: New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station

All photos are courtesy of Gef Flimlin.

North Eats: Asbury Park’s Beachfront Food Trucks

Melissa Beveridge
-
0
North Eats: Asbury Park’s Beachfront Food Trucks

Asbury Park has gained its fair share of delectable delights over the past few years. From new options in fine dining to countless takes on what good pizza actually tastes like, if you’re looking for a good meal, chances are you can find one in Asbury Park. So when North Eats debuted on the boardwalk this summer I was pretty excited to see what else would be thrown into the culinary mix.

Settled on the north end of the Asbury Park boardwalk, just past Convention Hall is North Eats. (It’s steps away from great surfing and the after hours dog beach.) Six food trucks are parked there for your eating pleasure, seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

asbury park north eatsUnder the canopy of bulb lights, this little food oasis has it all: Peruvian cuisine, organic pizza, pork roll sandwiches, sliders, ice cream and of course Korean tacos. I stopped by on a recent (hot) afternoon, ready to dig in, however my eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach. (A second visit is in order).

With my eating partner in tow, we divided and conquered. Deciding on a Bianca pizza from Neapolitan Express, a pork taco—Asian style—with spicy sriracha and kimchi made by Chef Andrew Mazza and Josh Scala from Seoul Fusion; Bourbon BBQ sliders (with fries, of course) from The Outslider, and a classic cebiche from RUNA Peruvian Cuisine.

After collecting all of our foodie goodies, we sat down at one of the picnic tables (after a game of cornhole) and were in awe at the range of dishes that we had just acquired—within feet of one another. It was like traveling to Korea, Peru, Italy, and, final destination—the Southern U.S. The two sliders were delicious—just cooked with a sweet BBQ sauce. The cebiche was amazingly refreshing, especially on a hot summer day. (We were sweating even though we were sitting under an umbrella). Chef Marita Lynn did an amazing job bringing the dishes that her customers love at her Red Bank restaurant of the same name, to the beach goers of Asbury Park. Onto the pizza, which Neapolitan Express touts as being the first organic and GMO-free pizza truck serving authentic Neapolitan pizza: three things I’m very into.

Made with “OO” flour and Ciao San Marzano tomatoes (well, not pie, because I went with the Bianca), the pizza tastes as good as it is for the environment. It’s actually the first eco-friendly food truck that’s powered by clean energy fuels. But really, who cares about all of that because it’s really the pizza we’re after and it’s stellar (especially coming from a food truck).

My favorite was the pork taco. It was incredibly flavorful and really hit the spot when it comes to taste and spice in my book. I’m looking forward to going back and trying out some more of their dishes including Bulgogi Bites that’s reminiscent of a Korean, meat-filled zeppole (sounds unusual, but you know you want a bite of it too).

Rounding out the food truck set (and on my to-try list for next time) is the Igloo Italian Ice & Ice Cream where owner David Hirschel, who owns a storefront in Oakhurst, brings ice cream up a notch (or ten) with his flavorful creations of homemade ice cream pops. Then there’s Johnny’s Pork Roll and Coffee Truck where pork roll aficionados can take a bite into New Jersey’s favorite meat anytime of day.

 

Chef Bryan Gregg to Compete at 2015 Great American Seafood Cook-Off

Veronique @ Food & Wine Chickie
-
0
Chef Bryan Gregg to Compete at 2015 Great American Seafood Cook-Off
Chef Bryan Gregg
Chef Bryan Gregg

Bryan Gregg, Chef and Owner of Escape Montclair, was recently crowned the winner of the 2015 Jersey Seafood Challenge held at Viking Village in Barnegat Light in late June. The winning dish,Barnegat Light Scallops, Creamless Creamed Corn and Jersey Chanterelles (pictured above), much like the food Chef Gregg serves at Escape, was created using locally-sourced ingredients and crafted specifically for the challenge.

As a result of his win at the 2015 Jersey Seafood Challenge, Chef Gregg will be New Jersey’s official representative at this weekend’s Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans. “It means a lot to me to have the chance to represent the Garden State at the national competition in New Orleans,” said Chef Gregg. “What I’m most excited about is showing people across the USA what we can do in the kitchen with the quality, local products available to us in New Jersey. I can’t wait to share my Jersey pride at the event and my twin boys think that dad being on Food Network is pretty cool.”

Only 20 chefs from across the country are invited to participate at the Great American Seafood Cook-Off, and the event champion will be named King or Queen of American Seafood. The cook-off will be televised by the Food Network (date and time to be announced) and is part of the Louisiana Foodservice Expo.

Chef Gregg generously shared the recipe to his winning scallop dish with Jersey Bites for readers to try to recreate at home.

To help show your support for Chef Gregg from now through the weekend, use hashtag #GASCO15 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and follow Jersey Fresh on Facebook or Twitter.

Good luck, Chef Gregg!

Veronique Deblois, Food & Wine Chickie: Veronique is a food and wine writer based in Morris County. As the author of the popular blog, Food & Wine Chickie Insider, Veronique shares recipes, wine and restaurant reviews and insight into the travel industry of which she’s a 15-year veteran. Follow Veronique on Twitter or like her Facebook page.

 

Recipe: Barnegat Light Scallops, Creamless Creamed Corn and Jersey Chanterelles

Veronique @ Food & Wine Chickie
-
0
Recipe: Barnegat Light Scallops, Creamless Creamed Corn and Jersey Chanterelles

Try this recipe from Escape Montclair‘s Chef Bryan Gregg.

Recipe yields 4 servings.

Creamed Corn Ingredients:

  • 5 ears of corn, preferably from New Jersey
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper

Creamed Corn Directions:

  1. Cut the kernels off 3 of the ears of corn.
  2. Place the kernels in a blender with ¼ cup water and purée for a minute, until smooth with very few chunks.
  3. Place a fine sieve over a bowl and pour the corn mixture in the sieve. Using the back of a spoon, gently push down on the corn mixture to extract all the corn liquid. Expect about ½ cup of liquid.
  4. Cut the kernels off the last 2 ears of corn.
  5. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the kernels from the 2 ears and blanch for 1 minute. Strain the cooked corn kernels and place in a bowl filled with water and ice cubes for 5 minutes. Once cooled, strain again and dry over paper towels.
  6. Over medium-low heat in a heavy saucepan, bring the corn liquid to a low simmer and whisk until thickened, about 10 minutes. Do not allow to boil or risk the liquid curdling.
  7. Once the corn liquid has thickened, turn the heat to low and whisk in the butter until melted and fully incorporated. Add the cooled, blanched corn kernels and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat until ready to plate, at most, 10 minutes.

Seared Barnegat Scallops Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 16 Barnegat scallops
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper

Seared Barnegat Scallops Directions:

  1. In a large, nonstick sauté pan, melt the butter over high heat until slightly golden and frothy.
  2. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and place them in the pan. Sear the scallops on the first side for 2 minutes without disturbing them. Once golden brown, flip the scallops and sear the second side, undisturbed, for 2 minutes.
  3. Remove the scallops from the pan and set aside for later use. Reserve the butter-infused with scallop juices in the pan.

Jersey Chanterelles Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ pound chanterelle mushrooms (preferably from NJ), cleaned and cut in half if larger than bite-size.

Jersey Chanterelles Directions:

  1. Over high heat, in the pan used to sear the scallops, add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the butter-infused with scallop juices.
  2. Add the chanterelles and sauté for 4 minutes, or until softened and slightly browned.

Final Dish Assembly:

  1. Divide the creamed corn among 4 bowls.
  2. Top the creamed corn with 4 scallops per bowl.
  3. Divide the chanterelles among 4 bowls and arrange around the scallops.

 

Just Jersey Food Truck & Music Festival

Jessica Herring
-
0
Just Jersey Food Truck & Music Festival

Sponsored

This sponsored article is brought to you by the Just Jersey Food Truck & Music Festival.

Layout 1The Just Jersey Food Truck & Music Festival rock Waterloo Village’s concert field on Saturday, August 8, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The first 250 people who bring more than one non-perishable food item will receive a t-shirt from the festival sponsor, pazoo.com.

This festival will include more than 30 gourmet food trucks; each one will offer a different type of cuisine. There will be a craft beer and sangria bar for adults as well featuring NJ’s Forgotten Boardwalk, Funnel Cake & Shore Shiver, Brooklyn Brewery, Green Market Wheat & Harpoon UFO Shandy, and New Jersey’s Senor Sangria. Guests can check out the many vendors, face painting, an obstacle course, and summer activities for the kids. Four bands will provide live entertainment over the course of the festival.

Food Truck Lineup
• AAH! La Cart
• Amanda Bananas
• Chick Wings & Things
• Classic Jersey Weiners
• Cold Stone Creamery
• Cosina Ocasio
• The Cow and The Curd
• Cupcake Carnival
• E&S Original Steak-N-Take
• Eddie’s Churro Factory
• El Lechon de Negron
• Empanada Guy
• Falafull
• Fired Up Flatbread Company
• French Quarter
• Gorilla Cheese NYC
• Kona Ice
• Mac Truck NYC
• Maddalena’s Cheesecake
• My Hola Paella
• Oink and Moo BBQ
• The Outslider
• Prime Kutz
• Red Hook Lobster Pound
• The Original Soupman
• Prime Stache
• Robeks Fresh Juices and Smoothies
• The Thai Elephant
• The Tot Cart
• Waffle De Lys

ft3Music Lineup
• 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Spinn
• 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Kinderhook
• 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.: The Nerds
• 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: Black Rose

All monetary and perishable foods collected at the will be given directly to the Roxbury Food Pantry, GiGi’s Playhouse in Hillsborough and Morris Rugby Corporation.

Waterloo Village Concert Field
1053 Waterloo Road, Stanhope

Sunflower Maze at Alstede Farms

Marina Kennedy
-
0
Sunflower Maze at Alstede Farms

Alstede Farms is a vibrant, 600-acre working farm in Chester. For the first time, the team has introduced its own sunflower maze, with the theme of farming in the Garden State.

The giant sunflowers that tower over your head are planted in a clever design of pathways. They are currently in full bloom, making this a delightful spot for photographs. The maze itself is four acres. It features placards with interesting trivia about farming in New Jersey, covering topics such as farming practices, animals, fruits, and vegetables.

Beautiful, fun, and educational, the maze will be open for the duration of the bloom. Enjoy a casual stroll through as many times as you like. The maze opens at 9 a.m. and the last entry is at 6 p.m. (Guests must exit the maze by 7 p.m.) The maze access is included as part of Alstede Farms’ Pick Your Own admission. Entry prices vary according to the days and time of arrival. (The fee does not include the cost of the produce you pick.)

These beautiful flowers won’t last forever, so if you can, check it out soon!

Alstede Farms
1 Alstede Farms Lane
Chester
908-879-7189

Photo courtesy of Alstede Farms.

Served Fresh, Right to Your Table

Alex Esposito
-
0
Served Fresh, Right to Your Table

If you’re a frequent visitor to Jersey Bites, you’re probably familiar with Jersey Fresh. If you’re new to the term, here’s a quick 101:Jersey Fresh began in 1984 as a government-sponsored radio ad campaign informing consumers about the availability and variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the Garden State. Over the years, it has evolved into one of the premier state-grown agricultural marketing programs.

We’ve got a partnership with the brand, exploring a variety of all things Jersey Fresh in our #JerseyFreshFriday posts, from CSA (community supported agriculture) initiatives, to recipes, farms, fisheries and much more. The following restaurants are active members of the local food sourcing community, and their upcoming events encapsulate what it means to be Jersey Fresh.

Terre à Terre
Located in Carlstadt, Terre à Terre offers a sustainable way to dine. Featuring fresh, locally grown produce and meat, owner and chef Todd Villani offers diners with a true farm-to-table experience. Next month, Villani will show off his culinary skills at Garden State Bounty, a special five-course dinner featuring local, farm-fresh foods, held at the James Beard House in Manhattan.

Heirloom tomato gazpacho, fresh lamb caramelized in a leek & bacon gratin, and juniper-cured duck prosciutto are just some of the delectable options that will be available at this unique dining experience. A showcase of some of the best produce and fresh food of the summer that New Jersey has to offer, tickets cost $170 each, and they can be purchased here.

The Frog and The Peach

New Brunswick’s The Frog and The Peach is another restaurant that embraces what it means to be Jersey Fresh. This summer, the restaurant gives a grand stage to one of the state’s tastiest fruits: the peach. The Festival of Peaches tasting menu is now in effect, and runs through mid-September. The Frog and the Peach ensures that every peach is locally grown.

For just $64, you can treat yourself to a variety of peach-infused dishes like duck carpaccio and braised suckling pig. The dessert menu has the potential to be the highlight of the meal, though, with poached peaches and cinnamon peach empanadas providing a perfect ending to a great dinner. Wine pairings are also available, at an additional cost. To book a reservation, click here.

The man behind Sparky, Jordan Anderson
The leader of Sparky, Jordan Anderson

Sparky
A one-night-only pop-up dinner event, Sparky will be hosted at Ristorante Giorgia in Rumson on Tuesday, September 15. The ten-course menu will be seafood-focused, showcasing seasonal produce and game from across the Garden State. All ingredients will be sourced from local farms or day boats. Dinner is $95 a person, and tickets can be purchased at the bottom of Sparky’s webpage.

According to Jordan Anderson, founder and head chef of the project, the experience will feature “casual fine dining with sophisticated service, but playful and ambitious food.” Jordan also told us the menu is supposed to be a surprise, but was able to share that each course “highlights an ingredient that represents something about New Jersey.”

Terre à Terre
312 Hackensack Street
Carlstadt
201-507-0500

The Frog and The Peach
29 Dennis Street
New Brunswick
732-846-3216

Sparky
102 Avenue of Two Rivers
Rumson

 

 

Laura Theodore’s Vegan-Ease

Melissa Beveridge
-
0
Laura Theodore’s Vegan-Ease

When it comes to cooking vegan-based dishes, Laura Theodore (a.k.a. The Jazzy Vegetarian) wants to make it super “ease-y.” Her latest cookbook, Vegan-Ease, which will be released on September 16, does just that, not only promising to make cooking vegan-based dishes easy, but also promising to make living a vegan-based lifestyle totally doable.

“This cookbook is for novice cooks and longtime vegans,” says Theodore, who lives in northern NJ. “I’ve created 130 wholesome, economical, and satisfying recipes that are quick and easy, with nutritional analysis.”

Ladies and gentlemen, this is not your average cookbook. Theodore could have just left us with 130 of her vegan recipes (26 of which are desserts), but no, she decided to take the whole cookbook thing to the next level. Each recipe has an “ease factor” of 1 to 3, depending on the number of ingredients, time it takes to serve, and how accessible the ingredients are to the average consumer (basically whether your average grocery store will have it or if you have to go to a specialty health market). All of the recipes take 30 minutes or less to prepare and even the 3s (the “hardest”) have, at most, 15 ingredients.

“There’s so many cookbooks with so many icons,” notes Theodore. “The crux of the book is the Ease Factor, which will help people prepare dishes much easier, especially when they’re tired at the end of the day.” If it’s rated an Ease Factor of 1, like the mini sweet peppers with hummus, it’s likely that you’ll have all the ingredients in your kitchen already—and it’ll take less than 15 minutes to prepare.

In addition to the “ease-y” recipes, the book also has a chapter about menu planning, packed with 12 full menu plans that you can mix and match for any occasion, whether it’s breakfast on a Monday or Thanksgiving dinner.

“I wrote this book around what I felt I needed in a cookbook,” says Theodore. And to help make your vegan lifestyle easier, there are entire chapters dedicated to nutritional concerns for vegans, a list for pantry, refrigerator, and freezer essentials as well as basic tools that will make every vegan cook’s life easier. There’s even help on what to do and say when you’re serving vegan dishes to a non-vegan guest.

As for the recipes themselves,Theodore outdid herself yet again. Including some recipes from her upcoming Season 5 TV show, The Jazzy Vegetarian (which includes guest appearances by Lynrd Skynrd’s Rickey Medlocke, celebrity chef and author Lidia Bastianich, and acclaimed author Victoria Moran), starting October 17, on NJTV at 2:30 p.m.

This includes her five-ingredient Hungry Guy burger that was concocted one night when she was cooking for her husband. It was a hit and I predict will be one of the star dishes of the cookbook. In addition, unlike many other vegan cookbooks, Theodore did something that will make those with a sweet tooth very happy: she focused on desserts, made from scratch, with no preservatives.

Lynrd Skynrd's Rickey Medlocke, Laura Theodore, Jersey Bites
Cooking with Lynrd Skynrd’s Rickey Medlocke

“Eight years ago I upped my dessert game,” says Theodore who began making muffins, and then moved on to desserts and cupcakes. “There are no fillers, no xanthan gum. All of them (the desserts) are made from scratch and many are gluten free.” Theadore substitutes tortillas for tart shells and makes a lot of other switches that even as an omnivore, I applaud her for. There’s something that makes a really great vegan brownie just a bit more scrumptious than a regular one, eggs and all.

Whether you’re baking her Greek lemon cake with candied lemon slices, serving up her eggplant stackups with vegan cashew cheese, or maybe trying out the Hungry Guy burger (see below!) Theodore hopes that it’s super easy for her readers to cook and live a vegan lifestyle.

It’s even easy to preorder the book on Amazon or at The Jazzy Vegetarian.

Hungry Guy Burgers

Makes 6

Hungry Guy Burgers, Laura Theodore, Jersey Bites
Hungry Guy Burgers

Ingredients:
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
2⁄3 cup plus 2 heaping tablespoons prepared salsa, plus more as needed (see note)
3 slices whole-grain bread, torn into chunks
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2⁄3 cup rolled oats

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking pan with unbleached parchment paper.

Put the black beans and salsa in a medium-sized bowl and mash using a potato masher or large fork until well combined. Put the bread chunks and cumin in a blender and process into coarse crumbs. Add the bread crumbs to the black bean mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the rolled oats and mix to combine. If the mixture seems dry, stir in another heaping tablespoon of salsa and mix to combine.

Scoop up a generous 1⁄2 cup of the black bean mixture and put it on the prepared pan. Form it into a burger, shaping it with clean hands, then flattening it slightly. Continue in this manner to make five more burgers (see note). Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the burgers and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until golden.

Chef’s Notes
* You may use mild, medium, or hot salsa in this recipe.
* Once formed, the burgers may be covered and refrigerated for 2 to 6 hours before cooking. Add 5 to 7 minutes to the baking time.

Dullboy in Jersey City

Christine Florio
-
0
Dullboy in Jersey City

Sponsored

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.

I recently received an invitation to visit dullboy, a unique cocktail bar located in the heart of downtown Jersey City. With its laid back and endlessly intriguing atmosphere, dullboy is the first bar of its kind in the area.

dullboy, Christine Florio, Jersey BitesUpon my arrival, the first thing I noticed was one wall made 3-D by being covered entirely with novels. Once seated, I couldn’t help but turn my attention to the beautiful vintage typewriters mounted on the walls beside the cozy, intimate tables. When we were given menus, we learned that the bar’s cocktails are all named after famous heroines in literature. I then asked for the story behind the name ‘dullboy.’ As an English major and language arts teacher, I had to try not to geek out. The trendy and totally awesome literary overload that defines this bar really makes it stand out from others in the area.

The bar is inspired by, and heavily references, Stephen King’s book The Shining. It’s clear that the owners of dullboy stand by the novel’s famous proverb, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”  Upon entering dullboy, it’s time to hang with friends, have some laughs, and enjoy one (or a few) of the sophisticated and classic cocktails—we tried The Mina, The Roxy, and The Emma, dullboy’s signature flaming cocktail (pictured above). All delicious!

Sean O’Brien, one of dullboy’s five owners, provided us with wonderful hospitality, and explained that thus far, the main attraction of dullboy has been the signature cocktails—a sort of “drinks first, food second” ideology. 

Even so, I must commend their food with a shoutout, because everything we tried was absolutely delicious! Executive Chef Brian Dowling, also an owner, has provided dullboy diners with a creative variety of menu options. My top recommendations from the menu: oysters, tuna tartar, and the beet salad. Also worth trying: the bone marrow burger, the BLT tacos, and the crispy duck fat potatoes. 

Specials are available daily at dullboy, including $1 oysters on Monday (the oyster selection rotates between two east coast and two west coast), $1 Taco Tuesdays, and two daily cocktail specials (one shaken and one stirred). You can also swing by to listen to live jazz on Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Next time you’re looking for something cool to do in the downtown Jersey City area, make sure to visit dullboy. Have one of the signature cocktails, eat some savory food, or head there for a nightcap, because they are opened until 3 a.m. on the weekends, which is two hours later than most bars in the area! Thank you, dullboy, for a wonderful visit, and for adding your distinctive brand of hospitality to the culture of the area!

dullboy
364 Grove Street
Jersey City

The Garden State and the Square Mile

Karin Nastawa Ruffini
-
0
The Garden State and the Square Mile

Hoboken is a fantastic city. It has a small-town feel with easy, fast access to one of the biggest cities in the world. We have a lot right at our fingertips. But what we could use a little more of is all that green stuff—you know grass, trees, plants—simply put, a little more nature would be great. Luckily, we have access to the bounty of produce that has earned New Jersey the title of Garden State with Hoboken’s Farmers Markets.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, produce, fresh meats, eggs, and the occasional baked goods are trucked into town. Starting at the end of June and running through October, residents of the square mile can get their fill of tomatoes, corn, berries and beets, salad greens of all sorts, carrots in a rainbow of colors and the list goes on. The prices are usually very fair and you can often find organic options as well.

Downtown Market Hoboken

Here is a little more information about each of the three locations and farmers market schedule for Hoboken.

Hobokens Garden MarketDowntown Market
When: Tuesdays, 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., June 26 through end of October
Where: Washington Street at Newark Street

Uptown Market
When: Thursdays, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., June 26 through end of October
Where: Hudson Street at 13th Street

Garden Market
When:  Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., June 1 to November 23
Where: Garden Street, between 14th and 15th Streets

 

Putting it All to Good Use

Garden2Wondering what to do with all of those fresh veggies, fruits and meats? Me, too! As part of my farmers market tour, I attended a cooking class in town: the Garden Street Farmer’s Market Tour and cooking class, hosted by Hudson Table, a new culinary studio in uptown Hoboken. As part of the class we took a walk to the Saturday market to select our favorite seasonal ingredients. We prepared a feast with our zucchini, onion, squash, tomatoes, peaches, peppers, and berries.

All of the dishes were surprisingly easy to make. I consider myself a pretty good home chef, but a gentleman with whom we shared our prep table didn’t seem to know the first thing about cooking. He was able to jump in there like the rest of us, chopping, mixing and zesting to our final product. We learned some great tips—like how to cut corn kernels off the cob without making a huge mess.

I’m always drawn to the beautiful, colorful rows of produce, but sometimes struggle with how to really make a meal of them. Now, for seasons to come, I’ll have the great recipes shared by the Hudson Table team.

Below is one of the dishes we prepared and enjoyed together at the end of class. We used a mix of peppers and tomatoes because we couldn’t choose a favorite.

Hudson Table meal

Summer Corn Salad

Ingredients:
Freshly cut kernels from 6 to 8 ears fresh corn
6 cloves garlic, not peeled
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as grapeseed, corn or olive
2 teaspoons mild chile powder, such as ancho, pasilla or Hatch
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt
1 pound shelled soybeans (edamame, available frozen) or lima beans
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced, or 4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 medium jicama or 1 cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
6 scallions, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced
¼ cup crumbled Cotija or mild goat or feta cheese
¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

For the dressing:

1 tablespoon honey
Freshly squeezed juice and zest of 5 limes (about ½ cup)
½ cup vegetable oil, such as grapeseed or corn, more to taste
¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro, preferably both white roots and green leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 450°F. In a bowl, toss corn kernels and garlic cloves with the tablespoon of oil, chile powder, cumin and 2 teaspoons of salt. Spread in a sheet pan and roast 10 to 12 minutes, until fragrant and golden. Set aside to cool.
  2. In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the beans just until crisp-tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
  3. Make the dressing. Squeeze the roasted garlic flesh out of the papery skins into a blender. Add the honey, lime juice and zest, ½ cup oil, the cilantro roots and leaves, and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Taste and add more oil if the dressing is too tart.
  4. In a serving bowl, combine the corn, beans, bell peppers, jicama or cucumbers, scallions and cheese. Pour most of the dressing over this and toss well. Taste and add more dressing, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle ¼ cup cilantro leaves on top and serve.

 

Domenico Winery: NJ Roots Reaching the West Coast

Melissa Beveridge
-
0
Domenico Winery: NJ Roots Reaching the West Coast

The Pinot grigio is crisp. The chardonnay is not overwhelmingly oaky. The Syrah is full bodied, and might be the best I’ve ever tasted, while the Meritage merlot is full bodied and quickly made it to my favorite hits list. What makes these wines even more spectacular, besides their impeccable flavor, is that they’re made by a New Jersey native who flew west to follow his dreams of wine.

Gloria J. WinesFollowing in his grandfather’s footsteps, Dominick Chirichillo continued the Italian tradition of winemaking, making delicious wine in the basement. After tasting success in 1989 when his homemade Barbera took second place in an amateur competition in California, he decided to turn his passion into a business, opening up the very first wine school in the country. He opened Bacchus Winemaking Club in Toms River, named after the god of the grape harvest, winemaking, and wine (apparently he’s a lot of fun at parties because he’s also the god of ritual madness and theater).

The wine school brings Chirichillo’s passion for producing quality wines using California grapes and the Italian tradition of winemaking to the people of New Jersey in a state of the art winemaking room. Now, Bacchus Winemaking Club produces over 300 barrels of wine with customers every year using California grapes.

Domenico Tasting Room at Bacchus
Domenico Tasting Room at Bacchus

Chirichillo’s passion for wine didn’t stop there. In 1997, his family moved to California to learn more about winemaking and in 2001, he purchased his own eight-acre vineyard in Amador County where he grows Syrah and his flagship grape, primitivo which according to Chirichillo, “can be genetically retraced to the Italian shores of the Adriatic Sea.”

A few years later, he leased an additional 59 acres, growing eight more grape varietals including Aglianico, one of the oldest grapes in Italy, Nebbiolo, and the infamous, Sangiovese. In 2005, Chirichillo saw additional success, with the release of Domenico Winery, his first commercial brand of wine. He also brought some New Jersey flavor to California, opening up a Bacchus Winemaking Club in San Carlos.

This New Jersey native’s dream of pursuing his passion for wine has continued to grow, as he welcomes another brand, Gloria J.Wines, named after his wife, to the table. Between the two brands, you’ll find a number of refreshing and crisp whites, sweet roses and sangrias, and my favorite, medium to full bodied reds such as Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and Super Tuscan.

“Our style of winemaking is fruit forward, big, bold reds, fresh and fruity flavors in the aromas of the grapes,” said Chirichillo been ranked seventh nationally for winemaking excellence by the American Wine Society.

“Now we make a lot of Italian varietals that sets ourselves apart from other wineries including Barbera, Nebbiolo, Montepulciano, and Nero d’Avola,” said Chirichillo, who has continued to win awards for Domenico Wines.

For those looking to get a taste of Domenico and Gloria J. in New Jersey, there are two options. The first is to head to Bacchus Winemaking Club in Toms River where you can sample, purchase, and make wines. While you’re there, sign up for the wine club, through which you’ll receive new bottles every quarter at deep discounts. Chirichillo even shared that many of the specialty wines are only available through the wine club including the flagship Primativo wines.

Bacchus Wine Making Club
Bacchus Winemaking Club

The second option: dine out at your favorite BYOB, including Gaetano’s in Red Bank; Brandl in Belmar; Valentino’s in Freehold, and Palazzo in Montclair (among others), and purchase wines from Domenico or Gloria J. for your meal, in half and full bottles.

Recently I had the opportunity to sample four wines, two from Domenico and two from Gloria J. at Brandl’s with Domenico Winery’s New Jersey Regional Sales Manager John Annunziata on a wet afternoon. He led me through each wine, sharing its profile, what it goes well with, and what grapes were involved. I really enjoyed all of them and as I mentioned, the Syrah was one of the best I’ve tasted.

It’s a story where the east and west meet in a beautiful and tasty collaboration of wine genius. Oh and by the way, we all have an open invitation to visit Chirichillo in California anytime. He’s always looking forward to sharing his love of wine, especially with his fellow New Jerseyans!

Bacchus Winemaking Club
1540 Route 37 West
Toms River, NJ 08755
732-505-6930

Domenico Winery
1697 Industrial Road
San Carlos, California
650-593-2335

 

1...102103104...252Page 103 of 252

Latest Bites

Facebook Instagram Linkedin Pinterest Twitter
© 2026 jerseybites.com. All Rights Reserved. Website development by Web Publisher PRO