Rahway held its third annual Taste of Spring on Friday, April 13 at the Rahway Recreation Center. With over 700 tickets sold, up from 650 last year, the “Taste Committee’s” hard work really seems to have paid off.
One of the most tempting displays came courtesy of That Bakery in Clark where patrons scooped up cupcakes, crumb cake and cookies. That Bakery makes all of their decadent treats in-house and may be best known for their Red Velvet Cupcake, an airy cupcake topped with a buttery cream cheese frosting. Their head baker, Joe Scalise, worked previously at the famous Magnolia Bakery, and brings his expertise and passion to all of the bakery’s treats.
Little Portugal BBQ and Restaurant returned for the second time to the Taste of Spring, having enjoyed their experience in 2011. The owners commented that the event is a great way to advertise and give people a taste of their food. One of their delicious tastes was Serradura or Macau Sawdust Pudding. Serradura is a layered chilled dessert made up of a sweetened, vanilla whipped cream and crushed tea biscuits. The word Serradura means sawdust in Portuguese.
While many businesses were veterans of the festival, four-month old Pronto Grill in Clark made its first appearance. The restaurant brought their secret weapon: a 35-year-old recipe for pressure cooked chicken which helps the chicken retain its juiciness. His recipe for success appears to be working as one woman remarked “This is incredible!” after trying Pronto Grill’s BBQ Pulled Chicken.
The Latin fusion restaurant Patria has been open for just over a year but has already found recognition from the NY Times and NJ Monthly. The restaurant and mixology lounge served up drinks to a long line of eager patrons at the festival. There was no better way to end a successful day at Taste of Spring than to have a drink, relax, and wonder how next year will somehow find a way to be even bigger and better.
Michelle Stavrou, the Union County regional editor, has hop-scotched across the Garden State, growing up in Bergen County, then moving to Hoboken (after a stop over in Queens) before finally settling in Cranford. After too many years stuck in tiny kitchens Michelle finally has a kitchen that can accommodate multiple batches of cookies. Her husband and her co-workers are probably even more thankful than she is. Michelle’s baking adventures are documented here: jerseygirleats.blogspot.com.
Don’t blink! If you do, you may miss this hidden gem tucked away in an industrial park in Manasquan. Trust me—the food is not to be missed. In an area where breakfast joints are a dime a dozen, you’ve got to set your restaurant apart from the masses. The Blue Peach Café does just that.
children’s menu, but chocolate chip pancakes, as well as classic French toast and pancakes, are kid-friendly options. Blue Peach also offers several types of muffins, including a pineapple coconut muffin, which is grilled to perfection.
Wine Tasting Event, Friday, April 27th from 7pm-10pm. Held at Heritage Vineyards (South Jersey). Get an exclusive chance to taste hand-selected wines from Joe Canals of West Deptford. 75+ wines from around the world will be available for tasting along with a tasty buffet of dinner items from Toscana Restaurant. This event is held by the Mullica Hill Rotary Club, all proceeds from this event help fund local and international projects. To purchase tickets 
Spring Wine Festival, Friday, April 27th from 7pm-10pm. At the Hilton Short Hills (North Jersey). 100+ fine wines hand-selected for your tasting pleasure by the experts of the Wine Library. Relax, mix n’ mingle with wine lovers just like you! Sip a diverse array of wines, nibble on delicious accompanying light fare, and kick back with the smooth sounds of live jazz. For tickets and more information, 
Asbury Park Restaurant Tour, Sunday, April 29th from 12pm-4pm. This inaugural event, hosted by The Chamber of Commerce, will feature small “bites” and one-of-a-kind sampling experiences at over 25 Asbury Park restaurants, lounges, juice bars and bakeries. For more information, 
5th Annual Cooking for Kids: Gourmet Fare From Everywhere, Monday, April 30th from 6pm-9:30pm. Held at the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel, East Rutherford, to benefit the St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital’s pediatric programs and services. **Chefs who will be offering samplings of their signature dishes include Lidia Bastianich, Michael Carrino, Ryan DePersio, Ariane Duarte, Scott Cutaneo, and Jim Weaver. $200 general admission, $250 for a VIP ticket that includes a special gift bag. For more information, visit Click or call the St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center Foundation office at 973-754-4408.
Feasting on History, Tuesday, May 1st at 6pm. This restaurant gala is the Village’s signature fundraiser event. Each year on the first Tuesday in May, over 40 local and popular restaurants sample their signature entrees and specialties for guests to enjoy. In addition, local wineries and distributors sample over 100 wines. The event is held in Hangar #1 at Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum. For more information, 
Big Brew Beer Festival, Friday & Saturday, May 4th & 5th. 
Red Bank International Flavour Festival, Sunday, May 6th from 12pm-7pm. Twenty-five of Red Banks finest restaurants will be serving international favorites outdoors at the event. They will also feature international beer, wine and great entertainment on two stages. Family Friendly! For more information, click here.
Forks & Corks: A Culinary Experience, Monday, May 14th at 7pm (6pm for VIP). Jersey City. This exciting new culinary event with Host Chef Chris Siversen, will include some of New Jersey’s most popular restaurants preparing delicious bites alongside unique wine and cocktail pairings. Proceeds from the event will go to support critical programs and services for people living locally affected by multiple sclerosis and to help fund research to find a cure for MS. For tickets and more information, click here.
Beer vs. Wine, Saturday, May 19th from 7pm-11pm. Held at Atlantic City’s famous Boardwalk Hall, this one of a kind event is a concept created to solve that age old question: Beer or Wine, which is the ultimate beverage and how do they pair with delicious foods? 15 American craft breweries and 15 American wineries will be showcased, all complementing Atlantic City’s finest restaurants. For more information, click here.
Glassboro Vintage South Jersey Wine Festival, Saturday & Sunday, May 19th & 20th from 12pm-5pm. The South Jersey Tourism Corp. and Glassboro Marketplace are proud to present the first ever wine festival featuring Outer Coastal Plain wines exclusively! This event is held on Rowan Boulevard. For more information and tickets, 
Jersey Shore Food Truck Wars, Sunday, May 27th. Join us for the first ever Jersey Shore Food Truck Wars! The top food trucks in town (and out of town) will be rolling in to serve up their delicious dishes and try to earn your vote for People’s Choice. 
Garden State Beer Expo, Saturday, June 2nd. Two sessions: 12pm-3:30pm & 5:30pm-9pm. Come sample some of the best brews available in the great Garden State at the PNC Bank Arts Center. Tickets are available online or at Spirits Unlimited locations. 
Farm-to-Fork Fundraiser, Saturday, 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: 
BrewFest at the Ballpark, Saturday, June 23rd. Two sessions: 12pm-4pm & 6pm-10pm. Held at the Lakewood BlueClaws Stadium. There will be over 100 styles of beers to taste. There will be local, regional, national, and international brews. There will also be giveaways and a live broad casting from the WRAT. For more information and tickets, 
By 
The pizzettes, individual pizzas baked in the kitchen’s brick oven, are also stellar ($11-$14). Popular options are the classic Margherita with tomato, bufalo mozzarella and basil, the Salsiccia with fennel sausage, pomodoro and mozzarella and the Funghi with salsa bianca, wild mushrooms, mozzarella and garlic oil.
I recently attended Bellview Winery’s Spring Wine Release, specifically to taste their Dandelion Wine. This obsession with dandelions here in South Jersey is new to me. I grew up in Pennsylvania, where the only dandelions I worried about were the ones messing up my father’s pristine yard!
A world class performing arts center needs a restaurant of the same caliber, and 
Brought to life by the capable hands of Ryan DePersio, Nico recently opened in the space previously owned by the Theatre Square Grill. And while Theatre Square made for a decent place for a quick bite or a drink before or after a show, it was never a destination restaurant. That’s all about to change.
The evening began with a Trio of Tartares consisting of Scottish Salmon, Truffled Beef, and Yellowfin Tuna, served with small slices of toasted Italian bread. I loved the mix of flavors as the seafood played off the beef. But the Beet Pinwheel was the star of the first course. Paper-thin slices of beets dusted with goat cheese “snow” and topped with a red wine syrup and mache salad were incredible. If beets were cooked like this more often, they wouldn’t be such a maligned vegetable!
The second course brought us some of the Chef’s pasta that we know and love. No one beats Ryan’s Ricotta Gnocchi – little pillows of lightness enveloped in a sweet sausage Bolognese – heaven here on earth. The other half of the pasta course was equally delicious, but diametrically opposed – black as night Squid Ink Cavatelli with peppadew peppers, pomodoro, and gremolata. Perfectly spiced with just the right bite.
But wait – there was still another course before dessert! Direct from Fascino’s much lauded menu, the Porcini Dusted Sea Scallops sitting on a crispy eggplant round, gently floating in a peperonata, red pepper emulsion. I have enjoyed these many times at Fascino, but the lightly fried eggplant platform gave the scallops a whole other delicious dimension.
The parade of desserts began with Praline Ricotta Cheesecake with Grand Marnier Sauce, followed by Chocolate Sour Cream Cake with Fudge Pot, Cherry Compote, and Pistachio Mousse; and bringing up the rear, but by no means a lesser player, Rum Raisin Bread Pudding with Caramel Pecan Gelato. For those of you who know me and read my articles on 
FUDGE POT
Morristown Restaurant Week, Monday, April 23rd – Sunday, April 29th. Think global, dine local. Restaurant Week businesses will offer prix fix menus for lunch and/or dinner, not to exceed $35 per person, or special promotions in their establishments. Look for the 2012 Morristown Restaurant Week window decal and posters at participating businesses and ask for their Restaurant Week menu or special promotion. For complete event participation list, menus and special promotions, please visit 
The eagerly anticipated Jersey Shore Restaurant Week™ returns to the area. Nearly 70 restaurants from the Highlands to Toms River will be participating, offering three course meals with three choices in each category for $20.12 or $30.12. This year, Restaurant Week will also offer a specially priced lunch option at selected restaurants.
Maifest 2012, Kicks off Friday, April 20th with several events through May 31st. Maifest is an annual celebration throughout Germany to welcome the arrival of spring. Join Pilsener Haus & Biergarten in Hoboken as they celebrate spring and good beer. Kickoff includes an opening ceremony and barrel-tapping. For a full list of events click here.
Fundraising Event with Tuckahoe Brewing Company, Saturday, April 21st from 3pm-6pm. Raising funds for The Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine. The event will be held at Yesterday’s in Mamora, NJ 609-390-1757. For more information, click or call Tuckahoe at 609-827-5375.
Brownstone Specialty Sauce Tasting, Sunday, April 22nd from 12pm-3pm. Dearborn Market, in Holmdel, will host members of the Manzo Family, from Bravo’s hit series, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, as they sample and discuss the creation of their new line of specialty tomato sauces. guests will be able to taste “The Brownstone” line of pasta sauces and meet members of the Manzo family, including Albert and Caroline Manzo. For more information, click here.
Wine Tasting Event, Friday, April 27th from 7pm-10pm. Held at Heritage Vineyards. Get an exclusive chance to taste hand-selected wines from Joe Canals of West Deptford. 80+ wines from around the world will be available for tasting along with a tasty buffet of dinner items from local restaurants. To purchase tickets please call Phyllis at from the Mullica Hill Rotary Club at 856-223-9900 or Heritage Vineyards at 856-589-4474.
Beer, Cheese and Chocolate Party, Saturday & Sunday, May 5th & 6th. Chocolate Lovers’ Club, Princeton. Come all you beer lovers, cheese lovers and chocolate lovers. We’ve included everyone’s favorite food groups in this 2 hour tasting extravaganza. Meet the elite in craft beers, cheese, and chocolate who do what they do for you. Delicious appetizers provided and a cooking demo is included. To purchase your tickets call 609-851-0660.
Garden State Brewfest, Saturday, May 12th from 2pm-6pm. Support your local community! Come on out to sample great beers from local breweries while supporting charities. Enjoy music from live local bands. For more information and tickets: 
Chili & Salsa Cook-Off, Saturday, May 19th from 11am-5pm. Come to one of the biggest events in Downtown Toms River to taste tons of chili and salsa. There will be live entertainment, vendors and crafts. For more information: 
Jersey Shore Food Truck Wars, Sunday, May 27th. Join us for the first ever Jersey Shore Food Truck Wars! The top food trucks in town (and out of town) will be rolling in to serve up their delicious dishes and try to earn your vote for People’s Choice. 
The menu at Blu changes constantly, based on Zod’s creative impulses. In fact, there are no recipes at Blu; it’s all done by eye and taste. One of his favorite ingredients is featured prominently on the menu – duck. The Montclair Thighs are his take on Buffalo wings. Composed of a duck thigh and leg, with skin so crisp and meat so moist, framed by whipped bleu cheese, celery root, and homemade hot sauce, I could have eaten an entire dinner of this appetizer. This beats traditional Buffalo wings any day and I sense this dish could become a classic.
We also loved the lightness and sweetness of the Bay Scallops with Fennel, Almond, Lemon Puree, and Poppy Seeds. And a bonus appetizer of Cod with Fresh Fava Beans and Truffle Foam blew us away!
Our waiter, Giorgio, appeared with the dessert menu. Your next question might be, could she really even be considering dessert after all that food? What do you think? Remember, in my world, dessert is my reason for being. The desserts at Blu are the definition of “thinking outside the box.” Consider our choices: Black Olive Cake with Orange Custard and Basil Ice Cream; Frozen Mocha Mousse with Coffee Foam and Hazelnut Crumbs; and Chocolate Truffle Terrine with Peanut Butter Ice Cream and Peanut Brittle. Has your mind exploded yet? The chocolate truffle terrine was so incredibly light it could have floated away, had it not been anchored by the crunchy house made brittle. And the icy mocha mousse surrounded by ethereal coffee foam was heavenly. Have you ever had basil ice cream? Until my dinner at Blu, I never had. It’s like your best summer day in a bowl.
On April 3, I had the opportunity to attend a lovely benefit event hosted by Amanti Vino, the boutique wine and spirits shop on Church Street in Montclair. The event was a gathering of 35 French winemakers presenting over 150 wines in the gorgeous setting of The Vault at Bangz Salon + Spa on South Fullerton Avenue in Montclair.
