Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival 2012The focus of The Atlantic City Beer Festival is the promotion of craft beers and the brewers that create them. Now in its 7th year the festival has taken a truly organic turn with the addition of original music from artists across the Tri-State area.
There’s something about spring that just makes me think, asparagus, asparagus, asparagus. I am drawn to asparagus like a moth to a flame, and while I am always perfectly happy to have it steamed with just a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt, if I can incorporate it into a full-on elegant dinner, so much the better! That’s one of the things I love about this recipe. The other is that it is one of those priceless recipes that you can pull out for a fancy dinner party…or make on a regular old Tuesday night. That’s how quick and wonderful it is!
For the all-important asparagus, while the thicker ones will work just fine, I like the thinner stalks for this one. There’s something so delicate and scrumptious about them, and this is the time of year when they start getting easier to find. As for the veal, pound it thin if it’s not thin already. You’re going to want to cook it fast so it stays tender, and the thinner it is the less time it will spend in your frying pan. And last but not least…the mozzarella. There is a place in Secaucus called Vito’s Bakery, and while I’m sure their bakery goods are amazing, their mozzarella is completely, totally, utterly Out Of This World. It’s ruined me for all other mozzarellas….if I can’t get Vito’s mozzarella, we don’t have mozzarella. So if you are lucky enough to live anywhere near Secaucus…Vito’s. You heard it here first. If you don’t, just go for the best fresh mozzarella you can find. It will make this dish sing. Well, that and the asparagus.
Happy spring, everyone!
Veal Scallopine with Asparagus
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
Olive oil
1 pound thin veal cutlets
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced thinly
1/2 cup Marsala wine
2 lemons, juiced
1. Preheat oven to 425. Place asparagus on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 12 minutes.
2. Season veal with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Heat 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat and cook veal for two minutes on each side. Remove veal from pan and set aside.
3. Add remaining butter to pan along with wine and lemon juice and bring to simmer.
4. Place asparagus in baking dish, top with veal and sliced mozzarella and run under broiler until cheese melts. Top with pan sauce.
Kate Morgan Jackson is an editor, photographer, and writer. Her cooking and photography blog, Framed Cooks, is a collection of recipes and pictures designed for the busy cook, and her posts have been featured on a variety of sites including Glamour, Saveur, The Pioneer Woman, Steamy Kitchen, The Kitchn and Design Crush. She is a natural light photographer who specializes in portraits of children, animals and of course food of all kinds. Kate is a long-time resident of New Jersey, currently residing with her husband, daughter and rescued redbone coonhound in Upper Saddle River.
When a new restaurant takes over the space vacated by an establishment with a less than stellar reputation, I’m always a little wary that the bad karma might carry forward. But I am happy to report that Cielo has escaped this fate. Billing itself as a “restaurant with an active bar,” Chef/owner Anthony Pucciarello describes his new venture as “elegant, but affordable.” And in a world of over-priced, mediocre competitors that dot the north Jersey landscape, this should be a welcome venue.
Chef Anthony, well known in the area for many years, is a graduate of the CIA and the FDU School of Hotel/Restaurant Management.
Dining there recently, I was impressed with the wait staff’s attention to details, but also their relaxed approach and humor. They walked that fine line of familiarity very well. Our waiter answered all of our questions with ease and patience, and knew just when to check on our progress.
Diners are offered a delicious complementary Italian specialty with the bread service. And then the hard decision making process begins. Besides the robust regular menu, the Chef offers 20-25 specials on the weekends. We began with a light and flavorful arugula salad highlighted with apples, candied walnuts, and gorgonzola. Moving on to the entrees, while intrigued with the meat and fish choices, once I see house made pasta on a menu, I’m done. Any restaurant that wants to be thought of in serious terms needs to make its own pasta. It’s too simple not to. And good chefs and restaurateurs know that. My choice was the orecchiette with caramelized cauliflower, sweet sausage, white northern beans, garlic, and olive oil, topped with toasted breadcrumbs. The melding of the tender cauliflower with the velvety beans and crumbled sausage was perfect. And, as is the way with most pasta dishes, it was even better the next day! My friend chose a special that evening of large rigatoni brimming with crumbled hot sausage, white beans and Brussels sprouts in garlic and oil – pure delight!
The plates at Cielo are generous – so much so that I could not even glance at the dessert menu, which is totally out of the norm for me! However, I will plan better next time so I can take advantage of their pastry chef’s specialties.
Chef Anthony has lots in store for his baby. Besides offering live music on Friday and Saturday evenings, they are planning a “create your own antipasto” offering to be paired with appropriate wines in the coming months. There is an outdoor patio for the warm weather with seating for up to 84 people, and a tavern menu that can be ordered at the bar anytime. This includes wood-fired oven pizzas, Angus burgers, and small plates.
I inquired about the Chef’s favorite foods and without a moment’s hesitation he answered, peasant food; he considers seafood his specialty. When asked about his vision for the restaurant, he said he wants to create a comfortable spot where people can come for affordable Italian in the dining room, or stop by for a drink and a light dish at the bar. He has made an effort to offer a wine list with no bottles costing more than $35 and all drinks $10 or less. To round out the wine list, I would encourage him to incorporate more well-regarded vintners in the line-up, while keeping the value-based wines. Well educated diners (and wine lovers) will appreciate that.
You may be wondering, as I was, the meaning behind the restaurant name. Chef Anthony relayed a touching story. His father passed away two years ago. As the August 31st closing date for the restaurant approached, his lawyer notified him the day before that there were still many outstanding issues from the previous owner. “The skies would have to open up for this closing to go through tomorrow,” his lawyer counseled. Anthony looked to the skies and said “well, Dad, at least we made it this far.” They went to the closing as scheduled the next day, not expecting it to go through. However, when they arrived, they were told that all of the problems had miraculously been resolved! Anthony immediately knew the name of the restaurant had to be “Cielo,” which means sky or heaven in Italian. Good karma, indeed.
Cielo
168 Passaic Avenue
Fairfield, NJ
973-808-1414
www.cielonj.com
Closed Monday
Open Tuesday-Friday for lunch
Dinner served Tuesday-Sunday
Food served at the bar until 1am
Terry Krongold is a life-long passionate baker. In addition to a full-time job in the pharmaceutical industry, Terry has been involved with food for many years, including co-ownership of a dessert catering company in the late eighties called I Love Cheesecake, specializing in fine cheesecake and unique desserts. Terry is the author of The Cook’s Tour, a blog focused on food, baking, and travel. When not working, writing, or baking, she spends time planning vacations around restaurants to visit. She can be reached at [email protected].
I’m always on the lookout for new places to eat in South Jersey, but it was a surprise to find this little gem so close to home. The Sweets Suite Bake Shoppe Cafe is located in the north gatehouse at Wheaton Arts on Glasstown Avenue in Millville. Opened last summer by chef Adrianna Spencer, this small take-out cafe is the “icing on the cake” for visitors to the glass museum. Now you no longer need to leave Wheaton Arts to enjoy a delicious lunch during your visit.
Ms. Spencer holds a culinary arts degree from Paul Smith’s College in New York, and she served two years as the pastry chef at Fat Canary, a five-star restaurant in Williamsburg, Virginia, before returning home to start this solo venture. Her menu certainly reflects her pastry roots – muffins, scones, brownies, and cupcakes iced-to-order are available daily. Grab one of these with a cup of freshly brewed Green Mountain Coffee for a quick breakfast or morning snack.
My husband and I visited The Sweets Suite during it’s first season on a very hot, summer day. First we ordered lemonade – freshly squeezed and ice-cold. It was actually rather tart, not overly sweet, which made it very refreshing. We both ordered sandwiches – turkey and swiss on wheat for me, and ham and cheddar on Italian bread for my husband. The sandwiches were made to order with organic meats, quality cheeses, and freshly-baked bread. They were served with a choice of chips and could be eaten at picnic tables in Wheaton Arts or packed up “to go.” We agreed that the sandwiches were generously portioned, and we probably could have shared one. Luckily, the Cafe offers a half-sandwich option (at half the price) if you want to eat less!
For kids, there is peanut butter and jelly or an organic hot dog to keep even the pickiest eaters happy. Drinks for kids include juice, water, or lemonade.
As for the taste, our sandwiches were delicious! They were very fresh, with the ratio of bread to meat at just the right thickness for biting (I dislike sandwiches that are so thick, I can’t take a bite)! My husband had the homemade horseradish sauce which he claims “made” the sandwich.
We also took home a vanilla cupcake for our teenage son. Wow, was it huge! The sweet, very moist cupcake was nearly four inches in diameter and was topped with a mound of creamy icing. The cupcakes are iced-to-order with your choice of icing and sprinkles. It was too much for my son to eat, so I highly recommend sharing with a friend.
The Sweets Suite Bake Shoppe Cafe will be re-opening March 30 with new menu items and catering service. I recently had a chance to sit down with Adrianna to ask her a few questions about the cafe and her first year of business:
Why Millville?
When I was little, my mom would take me and my sister to Wheaton Arts (then Wheaton Village) often. We loved riding the train and visiting the General Store for the penny candy. So when my mother suggested that we open a café there, I thought it was a great idea and so did the staff at Wheaton. They desperately needed an eating establishment on the grounds, especially because the Paper Waiter recently closed. In addition, many of their patrons often asked if there was any place to eat on the grounds. I feel so honored to have filled that need.
Any changes to the menu this year?
This year we offer a choice of Caesar, Chef’s or garden side salads for our guests who are gluten free or carb free. We also offer scrumptious shortbread and peanut butter cookies as well as yummy carrot and red velvet cupcakes.
What inspires you when you are coming up with a recipe/menu idea?
I put items on the menu that I would want to eat, especially when it comes to the sweet treats. Most of the items on the menu are recipes that I have collected for years. I have tested and retested each one until it is perfectly delicious.
Tell me more about your new catering venture.
We now offer catering platters for any party or special event. We wanted our customers to be able to feed large numbers of people easily and conveniently from a birthday party to an office meeting.
The Sweets Suite Bake Shoppe Cafe is open Tuesday – Sunday 10:30 am to 4:00 pm at Wheaton Arts in Millville. Find it on the web at SweetsSuite.com or call 856-825-6800 ext. 161.
Jennifer Malme is a full-time mother, sometime substitute teacher, avid locavore, and enthusiastic supporter of New Jersey wines. Her lifestyle blog, Down-Home South Jersey, explores ways to live simply and eat well in and around Cumberland County. When she is not blogging, she enjoys cooking, touring local wineries, and reading. She has never met a cheese that she doesn’t like, and she especially enjoys finding new, authentic ethnic restaurants in her area. Jennifer lives in Vineland with her husband, teenage son, and very smart Siamese cat.
Beers on the Boards, Saturday, March 24th. Two sessions: 12:30pm-4pm & 6pm-9:30pm. A craft beer tasting festival on the boardwalk! With over 20 breweries and an all day gourmet buffet. Taste a tremendous variety of beer flavors. Buffet to include some cool beer inspired fare and different beer/food pairings to sample. Held Indoors at Martell’s Tiki Bar.For more information and tickets: BeersontheBoards.com
‘The Great Wine Regions of Italy’ Classes, No other country can match the opulence, or the complexity, of the contemporary wine scene in Italy. In 3 classes, you’ll visit the major regions; get to know the most important grapes; get a feeling for the warmth, finesse and generosity of Italian winemaking. Held at The Frog and the Peach, New Brunswick. Call 732-846-3216.
Friday sessions, beginning at 7:00 pm
March 23 • Campania, Basilicata, Sicily
March 30 • Piedmont and the North
Marty Wilson, Jr. Art and Music Foundation Wine Tasting, Friday, March 23rd from 6pm-9pm. Support the arts at this annual wine tasting fundraiser. Includes light fare with cash bar. Proceeds benefit Art & Music classes and scholarships for Atlantic County students. Held at Angeloni’s II Restaurant, Atlantic City. Tickets are $15, available at the door or call 609-347-4500.
Winemaker’s Food & Wine Pairing Dinner, Friday, March 23rd at 7pm. Laurita Winery. Reserve your spot for a special evening out enjoying Laurita’s award-winning wines and delicious food while learning about the basic ins and outs of wine tasting, choosing the perfect wine to accompany any meal, and how to avoid wine pairing pitfalls. Email reservation requests to [email protected] or call 877-316-1753.
Wine & Cheese Pairing Class, Friday, March 23rd from 7pm-9pm. Sharrott Winery. An introduction to the classic and complex aspects of pairing wine and cheese. Tuition for the class is $25 and advance registration and payment is required. Please call the winery at 609-567-9463 to register.
New Jersey Craft Beer Week, March 25th- April 1st. From special discounts to tastings and other events this week is for the craft beer lover. This would be a great time to get introduced to the New Jersey Craft Beer membership program. For a list of events and locations, click here.
Organic Greenhouse Dinner, Tuesday, March 27th at 6:30pm. The dinner will be the epitome of farm-to-table dining as ingredients for the dishes will be planted and harvested in the college’s Organic Greenhouse, and cooked and served by ACA’s talented students. The menu includes organically grown items, responsibly harvested seafood and free-range poultry. Guests will be seated inside the Organic Greenhouse and reservations are limited to the first 20 guests. Tickets are $75. RSVP to Careme’s Restaurant at (609) 343-4940.
Riedel Wine Tasting Seminar, Wednesday, March 28th at 6:30pm. Held at Miele Gallery, 9 Independence Way, Princeton. Join Riedel & Miele for an educational and entertaining program that will change your wine life forever! Tickets are $50 including a four-piece Vinum XL wine tasting set with a value of $123. Call 800-843-7231 or register online.
Milagro Tequila Tasting and Class, Wednesday, March 28th at 6:30pm. Joe Canal’s Discount Liquor Store in Iselin. The class will be led by Milagro brand co-founders, Daniel Schneeweiss and Moises Guindi. Upon arrival, everyone will receive a taste of the Fresh Margarita – Milagro Silver, Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice and Agave Nectar. We’ll also be serving cheese and crackers, and tasting through Milagro’s great tequila line. Tickets are $10. Reservations can be made in person or by calling 732-726-0077.
Taste Of Home Cooking Show, Thursday, March 29th. Edison, NJ. A traveling culinary event produced by “Taste of Home Cooking.” Each show features live cooking demonstrations of up to 10 new seasonal recipes performed by a Taste of Home Culinary Specialist. Attendees will take away cooking tips that will make anyone a star in their own kitchen. They’ll also receive a gift bag chock full of more than $40 in valuable merchandise, including cooking magazines, cooking tools/utensils, promotional items, coupons and more. For ticket & venue information click here.
Husdon County CASA’s 6th Annual Wine Tasting, Sweets & Eats, Friday, March 30th from 6pm-9pm. Atrium in the Harborside Financial Center on the Jersey City waterfront. Enjoy sampling over 90 wines with sweets and treats gathered from the metropolitan area’s best purveyors. The night will also include hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction featuring one-of-a kind prizes, free parking, and much more!
New Jersey Wine & Food Festival, March 30th-April 1st. Held at Crystal Springs Resort this even is a celebration of the world’s best wines and renowned local and national chefs. The weekend’s events are designed to allow food and wine lovers to meet and mingle with chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and fellow wine aficionados. For more information: Crystal Springs
The focus of The Atlantic City Beer Festival is the promotion of craft beers and the brewers that create them. Now in its 7th year the festival has taken a truly organic turn with the addition of original music from artists across the Tri-State area.
Session 1: Friday, March 30th from 7pm-11pm. Session 2: Saturday, March 31st from 12pm-4pm. Session 3: Saturday, March 31st from 6pm-10pm.
The 2012 Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival will not only highlight great beer and music but will also feature culinary demonstrations from local area chefs, beer seminars hosted by author and television personality Gary Monterosso as well as others and we can’t forget the amazing festival vendors… lots and lots of food and beer related vendors. This year’s festival will appeal to absolutely everyone.
For more information and tickets: AC Beer & Music Fest
Spring Fever Wine & Food Tasting, Sunday, April 1st fro, 12pm-5pm. Held at Branches in Long Branch. A sampling of more than 250 award winning New Jersey wines from 23 wineries and gourmet foods in an award-winning setting noted regionally for its elegance and attention to detail. For more information and for tickets, click here.
International Association of Culinary Professionals Book & Blog Fest, Sunday, April 1st from 1:30pm-4:30pm. Millennium Broadway Hotel, New York, NY. The event gives both IACP members and the public a chance to meet, greet, and discover top culinary writers in a festive, fun environment with music, giveaways, and, of course, books. For more information, click here.
Taste of Madison, Monday, April 2nd from 7pm-9:30pm (VIP Hour: 6-7pm). Held at the Park Avenue Club in Florham Park, Taste of Madison has become THE premiere food tasting event in Morris County, providing the opportunity to sample wonderful wines and signature dishes from some of Madison’s finest chefs and restaurants, all on one night and under one roof. For tickets and more information: Gary’s Wine
5 Course Beer Dinner with special a special guest from The Bruery. Wednesday, April 4th at 6:30pm. Jonas Nemura joins in on the beer dinner at Cloverleaf Tavern in Caldwell as you enjoy a five course menu paired with brews from The Bruery. Tickets are $55 and must be purchased prior to the event. For more information please call 973-226-9812.
Slow Food Pot Luck Lunch, Saturday, April 7 at 11:30 am. The first Slow Food Central New Jersey potluck at Cherry Grove Farm. We gather to celebrate food, community and a beautiful spring day on the farm. All you need to do is to bring a dish made of local ingredients to share. Please email Nirit Yadin at [email protected] to register!
An Evening in Warsaw, Tuesday, April 10th from 6pm-9pm. Culinary Workshops Offer Taste of Global Cuisine at Atlantic Cape. Explore the rich culinary history of this classic Eastern European cuisine. The menu will include Beetroot Borscht, Pierogies Ruskie, Golumpki (stuffed cabbage), and Morello Cherry Soup for dessert. To register, call 609-343-4829 or visit www.atlantic.edu/conted.
The Chef and the Brewer: Why the Best Wine for Dinner May Just Be a Beer, Wednesday, April 11th at 6:30pm. Held at Careme’s Gourmet Restaurant, M-Building. Sample international brews and learn how to pair them with your meal during a beer tasting and dinner, led by Dr. Lynn Hoffman, beverage expert and former Atlantic Cape Beacons by the Sea Visiting Instructor. Hoffman will be available to sign copies of his book, The Short Course in Beer. Tickets are $30. RSVP to the restaurant at 609-343-4940.
The Rahway Taste of Spring! Friday, April 13th. An event that takes up the entire site of the Arts District Recreation Center, and spills over into adjoining tents. The event hosts over 80 fine gourmet eateries, caterers, and food vendors from the Rahway metro area stretching across three counties. Included you will find well over two dozen fine wine/boutique beer/aperitif tasting stations with vendors of national stature. You will have a memorable gourmet food experience while having the opportunity to savor tastings of over 150 top shelf wine selections. rahwaytaste.com for additional details.
Ventnors Chefs Night Out, Sunday, April 15th from 4pm- 8pm. The Ventnor City Beautification Committee is the proud sponsor of the event. Eat at TEN of Ventnor’s “Yummy-Licious” Restaurants! Plus Homemade Candy, Water Ice and a Wine Tasting. Tickets are $40 per ticket. Tickets are limited. Enjoy the talents of local musicians and artists creations as well. Call 267-980-7632 or 609-929-1710 for tickets.
The eagerly anticipated Jersey Shore Restaurant Week™ returns to the area April 13-22, 2012. 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.
The week begins with the gala Kick-Off Party at The Breakers Hotel in Spring Lake on Thursday, April 12, 2012. “Savor the Spring” is the theme as top area chefs nourish taste buds with the freshest foods of the season. Other highlights include, an International Wine Bar, delicious desserts, a cheese station and pate bar and live music. A VIP session will start at 6pm with 90+ rated wines, a special menu and a spectacular swag bag of gifts.
Other Special Events planned for the week include:
Sunday, April 15th
Great Jersey Shore Martini Contest
The Mill. Spring Lake Heights. Area bartenders compete for the best martini at the Shore. Professional panel and “People’s Choice” awards.
Monday, April 16th
Shipwreck Point Wine Dinner
Point Pleasant
Top rated steakhouse prepares a classic steak dinner paired with boutique wines. Hors d’ouevres, 4 courses, all paired with wines.
Tuesday, April 17th
Happy Hour!
Mosouttos
Wednesday, April 18th
“Shellfish and Chardonnay” Happy Hour
Jack Baker’s, Point Pleasant
Specially priced shrimp, oysters, clams and chardonnay
Thursday, April 19th
Tour de Porta
Porta, Asbury Park
Experience one of the Shore’s hottest new restaurants. Sample foods and wine, kitchen tour, cooking demo, live music.
Friday, April 20th
Ruffino Wine Dinner
Buona Sera, Red Bank
Hors d’ouvres, 4 courses, all paired with delicious Ruffino wines.
Saturday, April 21st
“Burgers, Bloodies and Brews”
Harpoon Willy’s, Manasquan.
Enjoy your choice of a specialty burger with a Bloody Mary or beer, all at a great price
Sunday, April 22nd
Countdown to Summer
Venue: TBD
Beach BBQ, summer drinks, live music
FOR EVENT DETAILS AND TICKETS VISIT: www.jerseyshorerestaurantweek.com
Build a Rain Barrel Workshop, Wednesday, April 18th at 6:30pm. Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County presents Build a Rain Barrel workshop. Participants will build their own rain barrel and learn how to install it at home. A rain barrel is placed under a gutter’s downspout next to a house, to collect rain water from the roof. The water collected is great for watering your gardens. Register by contacting Jan Carrato at 732-600-1802 or [email protected]. Participants MUST register prior to event.
Spring Wine & Cheese, Saturday & Sunday, April 21st & 22nd from 12pm-5pm. Enjoy an exciting line-up of featured wines paired with imported cheeses. Taste Heritage Vineyards newest wine releases including Cuvée Blanc, an exciting blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris & Semillon! For more information, click here.
Eat Local- Meet Local, Pot Luck Dinner, Monday, April 23rd from 6pm-8pm. Elijah’s Promise, Better World Cafe and Slow Food Central New Jersey would like to invite you for an evening of good food and good talk about strengthening our Central Jersey food community. Come and meet local farmers, restaurateurs, chefs, entrepreneurs, gardeners and other food enthusiasts. For more information and to register, click here.
Taste Of Home Cooking Show, Thursday, April 26th. Mays Landing, NJ. A traveling culinary event produced by “Taste of Home Cooking.” Each show features live cooking demonstrations of up to 10 new seasonal recipes performed by a Taste of Home Culinary Specialist. Attendees will take away cooking tips that will make anyone a star in their own kitchen. They’ll also receive a gift bag chock full of more than $40 in valuable merchandise, including cooking magazines, cooking tools/utensils, promotional items, coupons and more. For ticket & venue 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.
Spring Wine Festival, Friday, April 27th from 7pm-10pm. At the Hilton Short Hills. 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, click here.
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: Garden State Brewfest
Mother’s Day Wine Trail Weekend, Saturday & Sunday, May 12th & 13th. At participating wineries across the state. Many New Jersey wineries will offer a special wine tasting during this trail weekend; a perfect way to spend time with Mom. For trail maps, click here.
Chili & Salsa Cook-Off, Saturday, May 19th from 11am-5pm. Come to Downtown Toms River to taste tons of chili and salsa. There will be live entertainment, vendors and crafts. For more information: Chili & Salsa Cook-Off
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. JS Food Truck Wars
Jersey Shore Wine Festival, Saturday & Sunday, June 2nd & 3rd from 12pm-5pm. The BlueClaws host the annual wine fest at FirstEnergy Park. Sample a variety of award-winning wines from throughout New Jersey. Enjoy live musical entertainment throughout both days, crafters, vendors, and food, plus a play area for the kids. For more information, click here.
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: America’s Grow a Row
42nd Annual New Jersey Irish Festival, Sunday, June 10th. Join us for live entertainment on two different stages, Pipe & Drum Band Competition, Catholic Mass, Food Vendors, Craft Vendors, Irish Step Dancing, Family Activities, 50/50 Raffle and a full day of live Thoroughbred racing. Irish Festival
Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival, July 26th-29th. Festival will enjoy four days of events, tastings and celebrity chef appearances that showcase the city’s abundant culinary offerings. www.acfoodandwine.com
On March 11, the United Way of Union County held the 3rd Annual Taste of Cranford highlighting restaurants and food establishments from Cranford and the surrounding areas. The funds raised from the event went to Cranford Family Care, which provided local families with support after Hurricane Irene.
The 2012 Taste of Cranford started with a VIP 4-course tasting event at Pairings and then continued at the Cranford Community Center. The 2011 event brought in over 300 people, and organizers this year were hoping to surpass that number as the quality and quantity of restaurants in the area has continued to grow.
While some businesses, such as Dinner in a Pinch, were at the event for the first time, many were happy to come back after having a successful experience last year. Café Lia in Cranford returned for the second time, making sure to bring extra portions of their Sunday Sauce, a popular dish last year.
One of NJ’s most well-regarded restaurants, A Toute Heure, served corned beef sandwich bites and sugar cookies in the shape of New Jersey. A Toute Heure owner Jim Carbine said the event is great not only for the opportunity to support the local community, but also to reach potential customers. A Toute Heure’s goal at Taste of Cranford was to make people aware of their lunch service and the new “lunch box” they offer, which comes with a sandwich, salad, and cookie.
The event served up not only delicious entrees from restaurants as diverse as Avenue East in Cranford and Le Rendezvous in Kenilworth, but also gave people something sweet to finish with, as Cake Artist Café offered cupcakes, The Greek Store served honey-soaked baklava and Vanilla Bean Creamery scooped ice cream.
Purveyors represented at the event weren’t limited to food, as beverage companies made a showing also. NJ Wine Seller provided drinks at the VIP event, while at the Community Center Climax Brewing served tastes of beer and Laird & Company provided signature cocktails using their AppleJack and Apple Brandy.
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.
On Sunday, April 1st from 1:30-4:30pm, cookbook geeks (I’m one so I can say that) and fanatical food bloggers are in for a wonderful treat. This year’s IACP Book & Blog Festival is expected to be the largest under-one-roof gathering of top cookbook authors, culinary writers, and food bloggers in the country. The event gives both IACP members and the public a chance to meet, greet, and discover top culinary writers in a festive, fun environment with music, giveaways, and, of course, books. Jerseybites will be on hand, so I hope you’ll track us down and say Hi. We love to meet our readers.
General Admission is $10 and tickets can be purchased at: Location: Millennium Broadway Hotel, 82 Mercer Street’ New York, NY
But wait, we’ve got two tickets to give away!! Just leave a comment under this post about why you’d like to attend the Book & Blog Festival. Be sure to leave your contact email in your entry if your profile doesn’t include one or we will have to pick another number.You can also gain an extra entry by Tweeting about this Giveaway. You must come back and leave a comment to let us know to be counted.
Deadline for entries is Wednesday, March 28th at 11:59pm. Winners will be chosen with the help of Random.org. Best of luck and hope to meet you there.
For more info about the festival, please visit:
I”m guessing that while driving down Route 9 in Central Jersey, you’re probably not in the “Looking-for-a-nice-place-to-eat” mode. However, if you are, I have JUST the place for you. Ironically enough, JUST Restaurant is where you will want to find yourself after either a long day, week, or much-needed break from the mundane.
The restaurant/soon-to-be lounge opened this past December and has been working hard to bring diners an exceptional culinary experience. Situated behind a gas station, it makes perfect sense that the décor and ambiance upon walking into Just should transport you into a different world. The walls are textured, the ceilings are high, the lighting is soft yet innovative, and one of my favorite aspects is the wine-wall, where their selections are displayed like pieces of art in an enlarged glass case. A nice escape from the hustle-bustle of that outside environment indeed!
Besides the detail paid to the décor, much has also been applied to the food. Executive Chef Ira Siegel has already begun to wow guests after just a few months. Trained through the Culinary Institute of America and working for such notables as The Waldorf-Astoria, The Water Club, and Wolfgang Puck Catering in Boston, he truly shows skill and experience in his new residence. The kitchen prides itself in using fresh, top quality ingredients while also providing wild-caught seafood and organic, free-range meat. His cuisine is not only delicious at first bite; it is truthfully gorgeous at first look.
My husband and I were recently there for Just’s Exclusive Media Dinner* where we were able to sample numerous items from their menu and see directly how this restaurant runs. And to put it simply, we were amazed at all the aspects of our evening.
We were first presented with 2 types of bread and infused butter. The winner here was the Popover, home-made and created with a French cheese inside. It had everything going for it: flakiness, moisture, texture, and sharp cheese flavor. The butter was a nice gesture but honestly, the carb didn’t need it. First course was a Tuna Tartare Napoleon ($16), comprised of Yellowtail tuna, Japanese Mayo, tobiko Caviar and a Unagi sauce. The tuna was fresh, creamy and skillfully placed against a cracker-sort for texture. The next plate to be sampled was the Shrimp Bruschetta ($14) which was champagne poached with a pear tomato salsa vinaigrette. Although I failed to find the pear, I did enjoy the tender and plump shrimp as well as the lively dressing. Nantucket Bay Day Boat Scallops ($15) soon arrived and my husband, not a usual scallop fan, was quite pleased. I also enjoyed the seafood, but found just as much to admire in the asparagus puree. Next plate, Hudson Valley Foie Gras ($18), served atop an apple tatin, was remarkably transformative in taste. It went from sweet to savory in all of two seconds! Just Sliders ($18) and Duck Breast Risotto ($13) soon followed and received opposing reactions. The ladder was absolutely delectable with its varied textures and rustic appeal while the mini-burgers had slight issues in due part to both their dry consistency of meat and overabundance of bread. But even on that marred dish, the adjacent fries and tomato salad received deserving compliments.
An intermezzo of granita, served above a strawberry preserve, was refreshingly cool and tasty. The three dinner plates we were given were all excellent. The Milk Fed Veal Cheeks ($32), braised in a Burgundy wine, were tender beyond belief. Knife-not-needed, the meat instantly fell apart and featured a thyme demi-glace that was equally admirable. Australian Rack of Lamb ($38) was executed expertly and again showed craftsmanship and caress from the kitchen. The accompanying eggplant puree and stewed leeks were notable in both flavor and presentation. Last of the dinner selections was an Agave – glazed Chilean Sea Bass ($32). And what a note to end dinner service on! Flaky, buttery and seared to- a- T, it exemplified what most kitchens strive for.
Dessert platters, compliments of their pastry chef, whom like Siegel, is a graduate of the CIA, were ridiculously rich and worth every calorie! The plate had a unique theme to it in that each item fell under a chocolate/nut “umbrella,” if you will. I am actually not sure which of the 3 samples I liked best-the Peanut Butter Terrine ($11), Chocolate Pyramid ($11), or Just Chocolate Cake with a Hot Chocolate “shooter” ($11). Nonetheless, I do know that each one had me thankful I had my own plate rather than one to share!
So there it was, an exceptionally delicious night at place where I would have probably just driven past if didn’t know any better. And so know you know; sometimes the most surprising places yield the most exceptional evenings!
Just Restaurant is located at 2280 Highway 9 South, Old Bridge, NJ. www.justrestaurantnj.com
*Disclosure: Media Dinners include complimentary fare but all of the opinions contained above are completely my own. We never promise coverage of an event.
For more photos from my evening at Just, visit our Facebook page.
Gina Glazier is a born and raised Jersey Girl. She recently earned her Master’s degree in Reading & Literacy and currently teaches 5th grade. Gina lives with her husband Matt who is her number one fan and shares in her passion for the culinary arts, minus the cooking part! Her “culinary life” became a reality a few years back when she was chosen to be a guest of The Star Ledger’s Munchmobile. This ignited Gina’s desire to be around food and all its counterparts all the time, meaning restaurants, cookbooks, TV shows, cooking, etc. Gina says her “biggest and most monumental experience” was being a part of The Star Ledger’s Pizza Patrol two years ago where she traveled the entire state, eating at 3, 4, sometimes 5 pizzerias a night for just about 6 months! You can check out her Hungry Teacher adventures, on her blog www.ahungryteacher.blogspot.com.
St. Patrick’s Day is here and my Irish menu is all but set. Along with the sweet and spicy Brown Sugar and Dijon Glazed Corned Beef and Cabbage, Red Potatoes and Baby Carrots boiled along with sauerkraut, and a loaf of Irish Soda Bread, I will be making some Irish Mashed Potato Rolls as an additional to the bread basket.
With any yeast bread or roll recipe, it will take a little time to make these moist and slightly dense rolls. They are slightly sweet from honey included in the recipe and benefit from a brushing of melted butter when they come out of the oven. The batch makes 2 dozen rolls; enough to make Reuben sandwiches with any leftover corned beef.
Irish Mashed Potato Rolls will be welcomed at your Celtic dinner. And hopefully they will be a new tradition your family will look forward to each March 17th.
Irish Mashed Potato Rolls
makes about 24 large rolls
1 medium russet potato, peeled and cubed
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Place potato in a small saucepan and fill with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Allow the cooking liquid to cool to about 105 degrees. Mash potato and set aside.
It is recommended to make this dough in a standing mixer with a dough hook. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm cooking liquid. Add the honey, oil, salt, egg, flour and mashed potato. Beat until smooth. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky. It will not form a ball like typically bread recipes. If using a standing mixer, knead on lowest speed until smooth and elastic, about 7-8 minutes. Otherwise knead by hand on a floured work surface for 8 – 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 24 pieces. Shape each into a ball. Place in a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter. Serve warm.
Amy Casey has had a lifelong love of food. It began at an early age with many hours watching Julia Child on The French Chef and learning to cook from the many fabulous cooks in her family. Her love of food lead her to become a personal chef, and she is the chef/owner of EAT! A Personal Chef Service in northern New Jersey, and also a member of the United States Personal Chef Association. Always wanting to share her love of food, she chronicles her collection of recipes in the blog Dinners for a Year and Beyond.
‘The Great Wine Regions of Italy’ Classes, No other country can match the opulence, or the complexity, of the contemporary wine scene in Italy. In 3 classes, you’ll visit the major regions; get to know the most important grapes; get a feeling for the warmth, finesse and generosity of Italian winemaking. Held at The Frog and the Peach, New Brunswick. Call 732-846-3216.
3 consecutive Friday sessions, beginning at 7:00 pm
March 16 • Tuscany
March 23 • Campania, Basilicata, Sicily
March 30 • Piedmont and the North
$130 for 3 classes; $55 individually
All 3 classes and the April 14th dinner, $235
Forum on the Green – Farm to Table Dinner, Friday, March 16th at 6 pm. Go “green” this St. Patrick’s Day weekend as Cape May Forum partners with Slow Food South Jersey Shore in Congress Hall’s Ballroom. Acclaimed farm-to-table Executive Chef Lucas Manteca of The Virginia Hotel’s Ebbitt Room will craft this five course dinner using the freshest of ingredients from Beach Plum Farm and other local sources. Event is SOLD OUT, call 609.770-2626 to check openings. Congress Hall is located at 251 Beach Ave. in Cape May.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY, Saturday, March 17th ALL day! Happy St. Patty’s Day to all of our Irish and “wanna-be Irish for a day” readers. We asked our wonderful Jersey Bites contributors to send in their suggestions for places in New Jersey to get your Irish on this Saturday, click here to take a look.
Argentinian Wine & Food Tasting Fundraiser, Sunday, March 18th from 4:30pm-6:30pm. Sample Argentinian specialties from Valdebenito’s paired with Argentinian Wines from Discover Wine to benefit Friends of Somerset Regional Animal Shelter. Held at Valdebenito’s Restaurant, 18 West Main Street, Somerville, NJ. Advance ticket purchase required. Ticket price includes food, wine, and a small basket raffle. For more information, click here.
New Hope/Lambertville Restaurant Week, Sunday-Friday, March 18th-23rd. This year, 28 restaurants will participate in the week, long promotion of either a fine dining $29.95 pre-fixe dinner or $19.95 pre-fixe dinner. The following sponsors make new Hope/Lambertville Restaurant Week possible: E&J Gallo Winery, River Horse Brewery, Stoli Vodka, Local Living Magazine and Packet Publications. Please visit www.VisitNewHope.com and www.Lambertville.org to view the pre-fixe menus and detailed information on all of the restaurants.
Taste of Middlesex on Monday, March 19, 2012 from 5:30pm-8:30pm. Held at the Pines Manor, 2085 Lincoln Highway/Route 27, and Edison, NJ presented by the Edison Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are $50 in advance (seniors are $40) and $55 at the door. Call 732-738-9482.
Wines of Antinori: Italy vs. USA, Monday, March 19th. Tasting dinner with special guest Aldo Rafanelli will be held at Undici Taverna Rustica, 11 W River Rd, Rumson; $99 including dinner, seminar, tasting, tax, and gratuity. Call 732-842-3880.
Atlantic Bakery Expo 2012, Industry Expo. Sunday & Monday, March 19th & 20th. A complete educational program with demonstrations, seminars and hands-on classes to go along with a trade show floor packed with all the exhibitors you need for your business. This years expansion will help meet your need for new products to help increase profits. For more information:Expo 2012
Taste of Montclair, Monday, March 19th from 5:30pm-9pm at The Grove, 691 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove, to benefit the Food Pantry, the Salvation Army Feeding Program, and Toni’s Kitchen. $40 before March 15, $50 thereafter. The event will kick off Montclair Restaurant Week, which will run from March 20th through April 1st, with participating restaurants offering specially priced meals for $31 or less. For more information, click Montclair or call Diane Lilli at 973-868-9028.
Spanish Wine Tasting Workshop, Wednesday, March 21st at 7pm. Held at La Tavola Cucina Ristorante, 700 Old Bridge Tpk, South River. Tickets are $45 plus tax and tip. The price includes tastings of several wines, plus a lecture, discussion, and buffet dinner. Call 732-238-2111.
29th Annual Atlantic Cape Restaurant Gala, Thursday, March 22nd at 6:30pm. Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino. The event celebrates food by highlighting thousands of hors d’oeuvres prepared by students at the Academy of Culinary Arts and showcasing the specialties of 40 of the area’s best restaurants at a progressive dining experience. The Gala raises money for student scholarships. There will be 3 lucky winners will share up to $15,000 in the 50/50 raffle. For tickets and raffle tickets, please contact Lauren Canzanese at (609) 463-4672, [email protected], or online at www.atlantic.edu/gala.
Marty Wilson, Jr. Art and Music Foundation Wine Tasting, Friday, March 23rd from 6pm-9pm. Support the arts at this annual wine tasting fundraiser. Includes light fare with cash bar. Proceeds benefit Art & Music classes and scholarships for Atlantic County students. Held at Angeloni’s II Restaurant, Atlantic City. Tickets are $15, available at the door or call 609-347-4500.
Beers on the Boards, Saturday, March 24th. Two sessions: 12:30pm-4pm & 6pm-9:30pm. A craft beer tasting festival on the boardwalk! With over 20 breweries and an all day gourmet buffet. Taste a tremendous variety of beer flavors. Buffet to include some cool beer inspired fare and different beer/food pairings to sample. Held Indoors at Martell’s Tiki Bar.For more information and tickets: BeersontheBoards.com
Organic Greenhouse Dinner, Tuesday, March 27th at 6:30pm. The dinner will be the epitome of farm-to-table dining as ingredients for the dishes will be planted and harvested in the college’s Organic Greenhouse, and cooked and served by ACA’s talented students. The menu includes organically grown items, responsibly harvested seafood and free-range poultry. Guests will be seated inside the Organic Greenhouse and reservations are limited to the first 20 guests. Tickets are $75. RSVP to Careme’s Restaurant at (609) 343-4940.
Riedel Wine Tasting Seminar, Wednesday, March 28th at 6:30pm. Held at Miele Gallery, 9 Independence Way, Princeton. Join Riedel & Miele for an educational and entertaining program that will change your wine life forever! Tickets are $50 including a four-piece Vinum XL wine tasting set with a value of $123. Call 800-843-7231 or register online.
Taste Of Home Cooking Show, Thursday, March 29th. Edison, NJ. A traveling culinary event produced by “Taste of Home Cooking.” Each show features live cooking demonstrations of up to 10 new seasonal recipes performed by a Taste of Home Culinary Specialist. Attendees will take away cooking tips that will make anyone a star in their own kitchen. They’ll also receive a gift bag chock full of more than $40 in valuable merchandise, including cooking magazines, cooking tools/utensils, promotional items, coupons and more. For ticket & venue information click here.
Husdon County CASA’s 6th Annual Wine Tasting, Sweets & Eats, Friday, March 30th from 6pm-9pm. Atrium in the Harborside Financial Center on the Jersey City waterfront. Enjoy sampling over 90 wines with sweets and treats gathered from the metropolitan area’s best purveyors. The night will also include hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction featuring one-of-a kind prizes, free parking, and much more!
New Jersey Wine & Food Festival, March 30th-April 1st. Held at Crystal Springs Resort this even is a celebration of the world’s best wines and renowned local and national chefs. The weekend’s events are designed to allow food and wine lovers to meet and mingle with chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and fellow wine aficionados. For more information: Crystal Springs
The focus of The Atlantic City Beer Festival is the promotion of craft beers and the brewers that create them. Now in its 7th year the festival has taken a truly organic turn with the addition of original music from artists across the Tri-State area.
Session 1: Friday, March 30th from 7pm-11pm. Session 2: Saturday, March 31st from 12pm-4pm. Session 3: Saturday, March 31st from 6pm-10pm.
The 2012 Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival will not only highlight great beer and music but will also feature culinary demonstrations from local area chefs, beer seminars hosted by author and television personality Gary Monterosso as well as others and we can’t forget the amazing festival vendors… lots and lots of food and beer related vendors. This year’s festival will appeal to absolutely everyone.
For more information and tickets: AC Beer & Music Fest
Taste of Madison, Monday, April 2nd from 7pm-9:30pm (VIP Hour: 6-7pm). Held at the Park Avenue Club in Florham Park, Taste of Madison has become THE premiere food tasting event in Morris County, providing the opportunity to sample wonderful wines and signature dishes from some of Madison’s finest chefs and restaurants, all on one night and under one roof. For tickets and more information: Gary’s Wine
Slow Food Pot Luck Lunch, Saturday, April 7 at 11:30 am. The first Slow Food Central New Jersey potluck at Cherry Grove Farm. We gather to celebrate food, community and a beautiful spring day on the farm. All you need to do is to bring a dish made of local ingredients to share. Please email Nirit Yadin at [email protected] to register!
An Evening in Warsaw, Tuesday, April 10th from 6pm-9pm. Culinary Workshops Offer Taste of Global Cuisine at Atlantic Cape. Explore the rich culinary history of this classic Eastern European cuisine. The menu will include Beetroot Borscht, Pierogies Ruskie, Golumpki (stuffed cabbage), and Morello Cherry Soup for dessert. To register, call 609-343-4829 or visit www.atlantic.edu/conted.
The Rahway Taste of Spring! Friday, April 13th. An event that takes up the entire site of the Arts District Recreation Center, and spills over into adjoining tents. The event hosts over 80 fine gourmet eateries, caterers, and food vendors from the Rahway metro area stretching across three counties. Included you will find well over two dozen fine wine/boutique beer/aperitif tasting stations with vendors of national stature. You will have a memorable gourmet food experience while having the opportunity to savor tastings of over 150 top shelf wine selections. rahwaytaste.com for additional details.
The eagerly anticipated Jersey Shore Restaurant Week™ returns to the area April 13-22, 2012. 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.
The week begins with the gala Kick-Off Party at The Breakers Hotel in Spring Lake on Thursday, April 12, 2012. “Savor the Spring” is the theme as top area chefs nourish taste buds with the freshest foods of the season. Other highlights include, an International Wine Bar, delicious desserts, a cheese station and pate bar and live music. A VIP session will start at 6pm with 90+ rated wines, a special menu and a spectacular swag bag of gifts.
Other Special Events planned for the week include:
Sunday, April 15th
Great Jersey Shore Martini Contest
The Mill. Spring Lake Heights. Area bartenders compete for the best martini at the Shore. Professional panel and “People’s Choice” awards.
Monday, April 16th
Shipwreck Point Wine Dinner
Point Pleasant
Top rated steakhouse prepares a classic steak dinner paired with boutique wines. Hors d’ouevres, 4 courses, all paired with wines.
Tuesday, April 17th
Happy Hour!
Mosouttos
Wednesday, April 18th
“Shellfish and Chardonnay” Happy Hour
Jack Baker’s, Point Pleasant
Specially priced shrimp, oysters, clams and chardonnay
Thursday, April 19th
Tour de Porta
Porta, Asbury Park
Experience one of the Shore’s hottest new restaurants. Sample foods and wine, kitchen tour, cooking demo, live music.
Friday, April 20th
Ruffino Wine Dinner
Buona Sera, Red Bank
Hors d’ouvres, 4 courses, all paired with delicious Ruffino wines.
Saturday, April 21st
“Burgers, Bloodies and Brews”
Harpoon Willy’s, Manasquan.
Enjoy your choice of a specialty burger with a Bloody Mary or beer, all at a great price
Sunday, April 22nd
Countdown to Summer
Venue: TBD
Beach BBQ, summer drinks, live music
FOR EVENT DETAILS AND TICKETS VISIT: www.jerseyshorerestaurantweek.com
Eat Local- Meet Local, Pot Luck Dinner, Monday, April 23rd from 6pm-8pm. Elijah’s Promise, Better World Cafe and Slow Food Central New Jersey would like to invite you for an evening of good food and good talk about strengthening our Central Jersey food community. Come and meet local farmers, restaurateurs, chefs, entrepreneurs, gardeners and other food enthusiasts. For more information and to register, click here.
Taste Of Home Cooking Show, Thursday, April 26th. Mays Landing, NJ. A traveling culinary event produced by “Taste of Home Cooking.” Each show features live cooking demonstrations of up to 10 new seasonal recipes performed by a Taste of Home Culinary Specialist. Attendees will take away cooking tips that will make anyone a star in their own kitchen. They’ll also receive a gift bag chock full of more than $40 in valuable merchandise, including cooking magazines, cooking tools/utensils, promotional items, coupons and more. For ticket & venue information click here.
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: Garden State Brewfest
Chili & Salsa Cook-Off, Saturday, May 19th from 11am-5pm. Come to Downtown Toms River to taste tons of chili and salsa. There will be live entertainment, vendors and crafts. For more information: Chili & Salsa Cook-Off
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. JS Food Truck Wars
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: America’s Grow a Row
42nd Annual New Jersey Irish Festival, Sunday, June 10th. Join us for live entertainment on two different stages, Pipe & Drum Band Competition, Catholic Mass, Food Vendors, Craft Vendors, Irish Step Dancing, Family Activities, 50/50 Raffle and a full day of live Thoroughbred racing. Irish Festival
Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival, July 26th-29th. Festival will enjoy four days of events, tastings and celebrity chef appearances that showcase the city’s abundant culinary offerings. www.acfoodandwine.com
Happy St. Paddy’s Day to all of our Irish and “wanna-be Irish for a day” readers. We asked our wonderful Jersey Bites contributors to send in their suggestions for places in New Jersey to get your Irish on this Saturday. Please be sure to leave us your suggestions in the comment section if we missed your favorite spot.
Michele : Irish Eyes Pub is as Irish as Leprechauns, lace curtains, St. Patty and….well you get the idea! The food is always great, try the Shepards Pie and Corned Beef and Cabbage and the drinks are always served with a smile. 446 St. Louis Avenue in Egg Harbor Twp. 609.965.7878
Jennifer: The Old Oar House Irish Pub inhabits an 1883 original 3-story building in the heart of Millville’s revitalized downtown district. Carefully reconstructed to look like the Irish pubs of old Philadelphia, Old Oar House boasts a custom wrap-around bar featuring 33 beers (18 on tap) including Guinness, Harp, and Flying Fish, and a collection of “drinking man’s” whiskeys. Enjoy Irish pub favorites such as Corned Beef and Cabbage, Shepherd’s Pie, and Guinness Irish Stew. Old Oar House blends the charm of a dimly lit traditional pub with the amenities of a city restaurant. The food here is first-rate! Karaoke on Wednesdays, live music Thursday through Saturday. It’s sure to be packed on March 17th! Located at 123 North High Street, Millville. 856-293-1200
Allison: Cattle ‘n Clover Irish Steakhouse is having a grand opening festival on March 17th, St Patty’s Day. They’re aiming for a Guinness world record for making the world’s largest shepherd’s pie and they’re giving away a trip to Ireland. Details below. More info here: http://www.wildwoodstpatsday.com Come celebrate like the Irish on St. Patricks day in Wildwood! This inaugural festival will be a crowd pleaser with entertainment all day long and family fun! This event is free & open to the public! Start the fun bright & early with Kegs & Eggs breakfast buffet ($10 includes 2 drink tickets) then get ready to listen to live bands like the Soul Cruisers, Burning Bridget Cleary & winner’s of ABC’s the Sing Off- PENTATONIX! Stick around for a chance to win a trip to IRELAND courtesy of Cattle ‘n Clover Irish Steakhouse and 98.6 the Coast & the making of the WORLD’S LARGEST SHEPHERDS PIE! Guinness record officials will be there to make sure it’s official! 3817 Pacific Avenue, Wildwood, NJ 08260
Deanna: Morris County’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade always attracts green-hued hordes to Morristown to celebrate, and crowds overflow from the many friendly pubs and bars surrounding the (appropriately named) Green. Take your pick from the Dublin Pub, Hennessy’s, and Grasshopper Off the Green, to name just a few. But for a decidedly less rowdy and entirely charming experience, head a bit north to Dover and venture into The Quiet Man, an Irish Pub that serves excellent grub as well as fresh, foamy Guinness and “famous” Irish Coffee. Their 32nd annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration, on Saturday, March 17, will feature a special Irish menu including potato leek soup, traditional corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew, and “Dublin style” fish & chips, along with live Irish music beginning at 2pm. No need to limit yourself to the holiday, though. The Quiet Man is open 7 days a week with Happy Hour and menu specials every weekday, and live music every weekend. Sláinte! The Quiet Man, 64 East McFarlan Street (Rt 46) Dover, NJ 07801. 973-366-6333
Colleen: Just open for 10 months, this will be The Irish Mile’s inaugural St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Saturday from 1pm to 1am everyone will be enjoying this weekend’s mild weather with a big outside tent equipped with beer kiosks, live Irish music, and traditional fare like shepherd’s pie and corned beef and cabbage. There are no tickets or reservations. Just come as you are and ready to celebrate. The pub currently has 48 beers on tap with another 12 coming soon! The party is sure to get bigger later in the afternoon and into the night as runners from the 7th Annual Adrenaline 5k look to quench their thirst and celebrate the Haddonfield Running Company’s 15thAnniversary. If all that isn’t enough of a pull, builder of the bar and St. Pat look-alike, Barry Felton will be available for photo ops and if you get stir crazy you can always join the free Haddon Township St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl with trolley service from 2-8pm! “This stretch of Haddon Township is unique…the Irish Mile. From Cuthbert Boulevard to PJ’s down the road is about a mile. It’s special because you have the major train station right there and all the restaurants with liquor license along that stretch,” said owner Ed Donohue. 350 Haddon Avenue, Haddon Township, NJ 08108 856-858-8500
Kerry: Dubh Linn Square owners Michael and Sean McGeough opened their two NJ pubs so we all could enjoy quality food and drink in a fun atmosphere with friendly service and great live entertainment – all wrapped up in a big, warm Irish welcome. The countdown to St. Patrick’s Day starts on March 18 of the previous year. They feature St. Practice Day specials on the 17th of each month. Every Sunday they feature Irish music. Needless to say, they celebrate the actual St. Patrick’s Day in a big. big way! At the Cherry Hill location, there’s no sleeping in for the Irish! St. Patrick’s Day, shenanigans begin at 8:30 a.m. Live Irish music all day. At 10:00 a.m., Belfast Connection; at 2:00 p.m.,Tom Brett; and at 8:00 p.m. Eddie Drive. Drink Specials, and a $15.00 Buffet will keep your spirits high and your belly full. There’s a $5.00 cover after 3:00 p.m. Overflow parking will be at the back portion of the Shoprite parking lot and a shuttle bus will transport everyone to and from the lot. 482 Evesham Road Cherry Hill; Phone: 856.520.8312
In Bordentown, a huge tented outdoor festival featuring a food & beer truck, live entertainment by Matt Sorrentino and Turtle Head Productions all day long; games & prizes, Irish dancers, pipers, and more. Live Music from 10:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m. with Bill O’Neal; 1:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. with Paul Kennedy and 8:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. with Drew’s Farm. 167 Route 130 North, Bordentown, NJ. Phone: 609.298.7100 Dublin Square wants to remind all revelers to have a happy and safe day – Slainte!
Deborah: In Monmouth County, home to our very own “Irish Riviera” there are quite a few watering holes to stop in for a quick pint. In 2009, I did a round up of some of my favorites, you can read all about that in the article, The Best Irish Pubs and Grub in New Jersey. But, I’d like to mention a few more stand-outs. The Dublin House in Red Bank is one of the best Irish “pubs” around. Located in one of the most historic buildings in Red Bank, it stands out like the emerald isle amidst a sea of shops and parking lots. It will surely be the spot for a day of revelry on St. Patrick’s Day. 30 Monmouth St Redbank, NJ. Phone: 732-747-6699
Located in the heart of historic Downtown Keyport in a turn of the century brick building near the bay, McDonagh’s Pub combines old-world charm with modern cuisine. This means they’ve got more on the menu than Shepard’s Pie and Corned Beef. 2 West Front Street, Keyport, NJ. 732-264-0999.
If you are a craft beer fan, the undisputed champion of the on tap craft beer selection in Monmouth County is Maloney’s Pub and Grill in Matawan. On Saint Patrick’s Day they will be serving corned beef and cabbage, corned beef on rye, and corned beef Reubens, their “famous” fish & chips and shepherd’s pie. They will have live entertainment all day and all night. As far as beer is concerned, they will have all of the Irish favorites, and some great tributes to the Saint Patty’s day tradition from our favorite domestic craft breweries. 119 Main Street, Matawan, NJ 07747, (732) 583-4040
Jeffrey’s invites you to celebrate St. Patricks Day from March 15 through Saturday March 17. Their St. Patrick’s Day celebration includes $1 off bottles of Guinness and Jameson drinks and your your favorite Irish dishes. Indulge in Corned Beef & Cabbage, Shepherd’s Pie, Irish Soda Bread, Bailey’s Cheesecake & Warm Apple Cake with a Jameson Sauce. Jeffrey’s of Westfield.
Heidi: Biddy O’Malley’s – This new Northvale addition has an Irish-inspired menu that has the classics like Shepherd’s Pie and fish and chips, along with plenty of Irish beer on tap. The burger and many dishes are well-executed, earning the pub 3.5 star review in The Record a few months ago. A special menu will be offered on St. Patty’s and Sunday, March 18th including beef stew, and other Irish staples. Live Irish music at lunch and dinner service will accompany and restaurant owner Noel O’Malley promises “some members of local bagpipe bands will also be passing through in the evening.” Biddy O’Malley’s is located at 191 Paris Avenue in Northvale, NJ. Visit www.biddyomalleys.com
Tommy Foxes – This Irish icon has a dedicated following who visit for the pub’s fare and a younger following who come for the live gigs and wide array of bar promotions. Owner Tommy O’Reilly predicts he’ll go through 10 barrels of Guinness, the beloved beer of Ireland, over the upcoming weekend and sell plenty o f Harp and Smithwicks on tap, the holy trinity of Irish brews. St. Patty’s Day will feature Corned Beef and Cabbage (O’Reilly estimates he’ll sell about 1,500 pounds of the pickled beef) and classic Irish food including Shepherd’s Pie and fish and chips. The McLaughlin School Irish Dancers will grace patrons with performances at the top and bottom of every hour on Saturday after 12 Noon and through about 9PM. The pub, which features live music every Sunday at 5PM, will offer the same this weekend with an Irish show band which plays traditional Irish music, dancing waltzes and more. Tommy Fox’s is located at 32 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, NJ. Visit www.tommyfoxs.com
St. Patrick’s day looms on the horizon and I know it can’t pass without a beer article. Since this a blog mainly focused on foodies I thought, “I should try cooking with beer!” No, not my usual practice of cooking while drinking a beer, but actually using beer in the recipe for a change. So, I set about finding a suitable authentic Irish recipe that called for beer.
Pretty easy, right? Yes, if you want to use Guinness. JerseyBites is all about the Jersey, so I needed to find a New Jersey beer to stand in for the old Irish favorite. I defy you to find an Irish themed recipe that calls for beer other than Guinness! You can’t. So, it was time to experiment. I did find an authentic Irish Lamb Stew recipe and decided to substitute the Guinness for something else. My first thought was Flying Fish’s Red Fish. It’s a draft only beer and available in a local pub but not for growler fills. Time to get creative.
The next stop was a trip to my local Jonathon Ron store to have a chat with their beer manager, Chris Marvel. He had some good suggestions to this head scratcher. However, in the end, I went rogue (no pun!). I brought home a 4 pack of River Horse Hop-a-Lot-amus. Chris thought there would be enough sugar for deglazing and I just had to find out how the hops would taste with the rosemary and thyme in the recipe.
So, what is the verdict? Pretty damn good. Irish stew with a little Jersey attitude. I think that a mild stout would have imparted some sweetness taken a back seat to the rosemary and thyme but the River Horse definitely made its presence known. There was a dry spiciness that was unexpected but very pleasant. Success!
Well, not quite. The final step was pairing this concoction with a beer. Oh, no brainer. Pour another glass of Hop-a-Lot-amus and we’re golden. Not so much. I love this hop bomb of a beer and despite the fact that it is actually in the stew, it didn’t pair well. In the photo I included my bottle of Flying Fish Exit 9 Scarlet Ale (which I’m cellaring) because I think a more balanced beer would have been superior. In fact, the more malt forward the better. I should have gone with a brown ale, porter or, dare I say it, a stout.
Here’s the recipe, adapted from a recipe I found online here. I’d encourage you to get creative with the beer because this seems like a very versatile dish. Deb threw in green beans and mushrooms to the leftovers (because you know she can’t leave any recipe alone.) One caveat though. Please, for the love of St. Patrick, don’t use green beer!
Ingredients:
3 pounds of lamb shoulder, cubed
½ cup flour
3 large russet potatoes peeled and cubed
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
6 stalks of celery cut into ½” slices
2 large yellow onions diced
4 cloves of garlic
1 bunch each of fresh rosemary, thyme and parsley
2 quarts of beef stock
12 ounces of beer
2 teaspoons of cornstarch
Season and brown the meat in some oil, then remove. Sprinkle on some flour and set aside. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery to the pot and sauté. Add the beer to deglaze and then add the potatoes. Return the meat to the pot and add the barely. Put in enough stock to cover and add the bunched herbs. Bring the heat just to a boil and simmer on low for a couple of hours.
Finally, throw in some chopped parsley and the cornstarch dissolved in a little water to thicken.
Peter Culos is the editor of “Beer Bites,” a new monthly feature about breweries, bars and good beer in the garden state. A graphic designer by day, and a life long New Jersey resident, Peter was first introduced to the novel idea that beer could actually have flavor during several visits to the UK. He’s been riding the craft beer bus ever since. It has been called the ultimate social lubricant and Peter’s philosophy on beer is, “I’d rather split my last good beer with a friend than drink the whole thing by myself.” Besides beer he also likes history, dogs, Jeeps and painting. In the past, he has written a History and Art blog for the Weider History Group and occasionally contributes to his own blog, history-geek.com. Life is short. Drink good beer.
