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Foodie Things To Do This Weekend And Beyond

Jon Faronea
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Cape May Wine Weekend, February 17th-19th. Triple your enjoyment by combining a Wine Tasting Dinner, Winery Cellar Tour & Tasting and Wine School Class for a weekend of total indulgence!

The four-course Wine Tasting Dinner will be held on Friday at the Washington Inn and will feature wines themed to the Sunday Wine School Class. Seating is at your convenience and guests will be treated to individual attention by the wine steward.

On Saturday, Feb. 18 at 3 pm, visit the award winning Cape May Winery located in North Cape May for a Winery Cellar Tour & Tasting that includes vineyard tour, introduction to winemaker’s art, and a barrel tasting with cheese and fruit.

“Great Italian Reds” is the topic of Wine School Class on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 1 pm.  Learn the finer points of wines, meet other wine enthusiasts, and  expand your knowledge.  The complete package is $135 per person (gratuity extra).  The wine school class can be purchase separately for $30 per person. Call 609-884-5404 for more details.

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

Soul Food Celebration, Saturday, February 18th from 2pm-4pm. Lawrenceville, NJ. In honor of Black History Month, Mrs. G’s TV & Appliance is launching a new free community cultural cooking series with a soul food celebration. Executive Chef Mary Beth Madill and her special guests, sisters Beverly Queen, Adrian King, and Cindy Fulmore of ABC Dadlites in Trenton, will dish up a tasting menu of southern home cooking. The menu will feature: fried chicken wings, macaroni ‘n’ cheese, collard greens, and pork BBQ. Seating is limited so registration in advance is requested. Call 609-882-1444 or email [email protected]

Wine & Chocolate Weekend, Saturday & Sunday, February 18th & 19th from 12pm-5pm. Celebrate Valentine’s Day and the love of fine wines and chocolates at Alba Vineyard. Learn all about wine, as well as wine pairings from the vineyard staff and local vendors. For more information: Alba Vineyard

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

D’Angelo Italian Market One-Year Anniversary, Sunday, February 19th from 4pm-8pm. Celebrating with a Carnevale-inspired event on Sunday, February 19th, from 4pm-8pm. Mayor Moore will begin the event with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, to be followed by Entertainment, Food and Prizes. Some children-friendly activities will include face-painting and balloon animals. Please click here for more information.

And Beyond…

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

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

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

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

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

Dine Out For CASA, Wednesday, February 29th. Arthur’s St. Moritz will make a generous donation to CASA of Morris and Sussex Counties based on your lunch or dinner check on February 29th. Enjoy Arthur’s famous hand-cut Delmonico steaks, burgers, seafood, pasta, and salad dishes while taking in the scenery of beautiful Lake Mohawk. For more information please call: 973-729-5677

5th Annual New York Wine Expo

Friday, March 2, 2012
6:00 – 10:00 PM

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

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

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

Food For Thought, Sunday, March 4th from 12:30pm-4:30pm. Celebrate all the roles food plays in our lives! The New Jersey Center for the Book and the Monmouth County Library will play host to a food festival featuring speakers American Chef David Burke of David Burke Fromagerie in Rumson and Lynne Bugai of Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen in Red Bank, whose topic will be: Hope is Delicious: Food as Community Service. Also featured will be a demonstration by Kiwi Magazine’s Next Great Young Chef Chloe Rosen. For more information: Monmouth County Library Free and open to the public!

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

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

Revel Begins Reservations for Preview, Monday, March 5th. Revel Entertainment, the newest resort to open in Atlantic City, will open it’s doors for an 8-week preview. Opening will be 12 restaurants! RevelResorts.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival 2012

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

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

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

For more information and tickets: AC Beer & Music Fest

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

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

A Culinary Adventure in Paterson

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor
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So, where do two Jersey guys of Italian descent and one Irish-German girl go for a bite to eat on a typical Friday afternoon?  Why Al Hilal Meat & Fish market in Paterson, of course. I guess when you invite yourself to lunch (yes, I did) with the Mayor of nearby Haledon Borough and the author of EthnicNJ.com, Anthony Ewing, you really need to be prepared for just about anything.

Mayor Domenick Stampone, was born and raised in and around Paterson (not counting his year in Italy in the third grade). Brought up surrounded by a vast selection of ethnic cuisine choices in Paterson, he is the quintessential Jersey Bites tour guide.  Our tour began on the street in front of Al Hilal as Stampone showed off the Paterson Farmer’s Market just a stone’s throw away from the front door of the restaurant. As we entered Al Hilal which is operated by Palestinian natives, Domenick explained to me that the term Halal refers to the religious dietary code that observant Muslims must follow in butchering, cleanliness, and in the absence of pork. To one side of the market was a very impressive selection of fresh fish. The selection was so impressive, I felt a bit intimidated and gravitated to more familiar waters, shrimp. I know, I’m a wimp. Mr. Mayor on the other hand, went for a beautiful Bronsino which he would escort to the cook to have grilled.

So, how does a Mayor take his lunch? In a bucket?

The fish monger handed me my catch of the day in a plastic bag and we made our way to the location of rising smoke. We met Anthony on the way who was coming from the Butcher counter with his choice of Lamb chop and Lamb sausage.

If the fish intimidated me, you can be sure this counter presented no temptations. We worked our way to the rising smoke and handed over the beginnings of our lunch. I asked to have the shrimp grilled on their charcoal grill. Anthony repeated those instructions for his meat platter and the Bronsino. While we waited for the food to cook, we perused the available side dishes which included grilled vegetables, rice, creamy hummus, sweet red pepper spread, and a Turkish salad.

As you can see, the end result was a glorious mix of colors and tastes, much like the population of Paterson. We sat at the only seats in the house, a bar hugging the front window of the store and chatted about Paterson and Mayor Stampone’s political career, a career that began when he ran for the School Board at age 20 while he was still in College. It was fascinating to learn about the many nationalities that have come to settle in Paterson since the first German and Jewish immigrants arrived in the 1800’s. Paterson’s designation as the first planned industrialized city in the United States drew immigrants from all over the world with the promise of employment. Today, Paterson is home to Syrian and Lebanese immigrants, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Peruvian, Colombian, Mexican, Central American, and various South American natives and more.  It is the ultimate melting pot.

We left Al Hilal (it is spelled three different ways throughout the store) and headed for a “sweets” shop called Nablus Patries. The colors and textures were like nothing I had ever seen. Mayor Stampone explained that there are subtle differences in ingredients and naming of the various dishes from country to country.  We sampled a dessert known as kanafe.  It is the dessert she is cutting in the picture.   It was very sweet with a unique grainy texture similar to polenta as Anthony pointed out.

We finished our ethnic cuisine adventure with a trip to Taskin Bakery for some Turkish bread. I sampled the Börek also known as burek which is a baked or fried filled pastry made of a thin flaky dough and stuff with various ingredients. Today it was the spinach and cheese variety.

We said our goodbyes in the parking lot of the bakery. In just a few short hours, I had been exposed to the sights, smells and tastes of what might as well be another world to this Jersey Shore girl whose most exotic choices growing up were between Pizza and Chinese.  I was extremely grateful to my twitter friends @EthnicNJ and @DomStampone for the great company, conversation and culinary adventures.

So, what country are we visiting next fellas?

Deborah Smith , Founder and Executive Editor of jerseybites.com.  Launched in 2007 as a home for her growing collection of recipes, Jersey Bites soon grew into a hub for all things edible in the Garden State. Deborah is also the owner of 3SquareDeals.com a Deals program that benefits Hunger Relief organizations in New Jersey. In her spare time, (Ha) she works as a Social Media consultant and speaker.  You can learn more about her services and marketing through social media on her blog www.DeborahLSmith.com

The Atlantic Cape Community College Restaurant Gala’s 29th Annual Dining Extravaganza

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor
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The Atlantic Cape Community College Restaurant Gala’s 29th annual dining extravaganza will feature original dishes from more than 50 of the region’s best restaurants. With the theme “Dine Like Royalty,” the 2012 Gala will feature upscale décor, trumpeters and delectable dishes and desserts from a variety of restaurants at the March 22 event at Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel and Casino.

The annual event celebrates food with mouth-watering hors d’oeuvres prepared by students at the Academy of Culinary Arts and the house specialties of area restaurants served at a progressive dining experience. An elegant dessert reception, headed by Master Pastry Chef Eugen Ess of Trump Taj Mahal, will complete the night’s events.

Participating restaurants include: Atlantic Club Casino Hotel, Atlantic Grill at Caesars, Buddakan Atlantic City, Carmine’s Atlantic City, Carriage House, Chart House, Chelsea Prime, The Continental, Dakota Prime, Deauville Inn, Dos Caminos at Harrah’s, The Ebbitt Room, Foundation Room at Showboat, Girasole Ristorante & Lounge, Gourmet Italian Cuisine, Harrah’s Chester, Harry’s Oyster Bar and Seafood at Bally’s, House of Blues, Il Mulino, Kwi Restaurant & Noodle Bar at Caesars, Linwood Country Club, Luke Palladino at Harrah’s, Mama Mia’s Ristorante & Catering, McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants, Mia at Caesars, Morton’s The Steakhouse, Nanking Asian Fusion at Bally’s, Nero’s Tuscan Steakhouse at Caesars, The Palm Restaurant, Ram’s Head Inn and Redding’s Restaurant.

Also featured are: Renault Winery Resort, Resorts Casino Hotel, The Reserve at Bally’s, Sammy D’s at Harrah’s, Scannicchio’s, Scarduzio’s at Showboat, Sheraton Atlantic City, The Smithville Inn, Sofia, The Steakhouse at Harrah’s, Steve & Cookie’s By the Bay, The Tap Room Bar and Grill at Atlantic City Country Club, Teplitzky’s, Tropicana Casino Resort, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Waterway Inn, Washington Inn and the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor.

Gluten-free options will be offered and identified on the menu.

The Gala has raised more than $2.5 million since 1984 for scholarships at the Academy of Culinary Arts and Atlantic Cape Foundation operations. Tickets to the Gala are $200 per person. For more information about the Gala, visitwww.atlantic.edu/gala or contact Lauren Canzanese at (609) 463-4672 or [email protected].

*Connect with the Restaurant Gala on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/nn4Xo7 and follow @AtlCapeRestGala on Twitter.

2012 New Jersey Outstanding Young Farmer One of Four National Honorees

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor
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For the fourth year in a row and the sixth time in the last 12 years, a New Jersey farmer has been chosen as a National Outstanding Young Farmer.

Paul “Duce” Tallamy II, a beef and produce farmer from Wantage, Sussex County, was named one of the four 2012 National Outstanding Young Farmers on February 11 by the National Outstanding Young Farmer Congress in Springdale, Arkansas.

“New Jersey’s crop of motivated younger farmers continues to gain national attention for their talent and innovation, showing the Garden State is a national agricultural leader,” said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher.  “Through hard work, an unwavering commitment to excellence and good business sense, Duce Tallamy deserves this national and state recognition.  His achievements showcase New Jersey’s unique and diverse agriculture.”

John Melick from Oldwick, Richard A. Norz from Hillsborough and H. William Sytsema from Wantage, were 2011, 2010 and 2009 New Jersey Outstanding Young Farmers who went on to become national winners.   Since 1999, every New Jersey Outstanding Young Farmer has been among the top 10 National Outstanding Young Farmers, as well.

Tallamy and his wife, Joy, competed against nine other finalists for the four top positions.  The Tallamys, along with Brian and Renee Schaal of Wisconsin, Andrew and Karlie Bowman of Illinois, and Troy and Bobbie Jo Uglem of North Dakota were selected as national winners, representing the beef,  produce, dairy, hay, soybean and agribusiness industries.

The honor of being named one of the four national OYF finalists is difficult to put into words — the emotions felt are from how could they pick us among our peers to being very proud of my family and the important role we have within the ag community,” said Duce Tallamy.  “This program is great encouragement for young farmers in New Jersey and nationally, as an example of how each farm family can make a positive impact in their local communities and abroad

Tallamy is a first generation farmer who got involved in agriculture while working on a degree in applied science at SUNY Cobleskill.  After graduating, he worked as a herdsman on an 1,800-head dairy farm.  A few years later, he became partners with the owner of an old farm in his hometown of Wantage and together they renovated the buildings on the 250 acres of property, reclaimed the cropland and purchased some cattle.  In 2006, he and his wife, Joy, purchased the farm, which is part of the Farmland Preservation Program, and began Green Valley Farms, a produce and natural beef cattle operation.  Visit them on Facebook and say congrats!

The Tallamy’s operate four retail markets, all within 20 miles of the home farm, selling their own sweet corn, cut flowers, fruits and vegetables.  At their farm in Wantage, they offer pick-your-own strawberries, cut flower and pumpkins and USDA-certified all natural beef.  Joy Tallamy runs class trips and farm education tours and they host yearly strawberry, ice cream, sweet corn and harvest festivals.

Outstanding Young Farmer nominees must be farm operators, deriving a minimum of two-thirds of their income from farming and must be between the ages of 21-40, not becoming 41 prior to the National OYF Awards Congress.  The OYF program is the oldest farmer recognition program in the United States, selecting its first group of national winners in 1955. The goals of the OYF program are to foster better urban-rural relations through the understanding of farmers’ challenges, as well as the appreciation of their contributions and achievements; to bring about a greater interest in farmers/ranchers; and to help build an urban awareness of the farmers’ importance and impact on America’s economy.

The National OYF program is sponsored by Deere & Company, supported by the National Association of County Agriculture Agents (NACAA) and the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce and is administered by the Outstanding Farmers of America (OFA) Fraternity.

For more information about the New Jersey Outstanding Young Farmer Program, visit www.nj.gov/agriculture/about/sba/cover.html.

Last Minute Sweets For Your Sweetie

Beth
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The Fudge Shoppe in Flemington

It’s that time of year when New Jersey sweethearts focus their thoughts on romance, flowers, and (last but not least) chocolate and other candy delights. We are fortunate to have several local purveyors of homemade chocolates who can help you satiate your sweetie with Valentine’s Day treats. One such chocolatier is Pam Orris, who (with her husband) owns Aunt Selma’s Chocolate and Candy Company in Mount Laurel.

Aunt Selma’s Chocolate and Candy Company

The story of Aunt Selma’s is a story of triumph in the face of adversity. Pam’s husband is a survivor of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. As if that wasn’t enough to deal with, both Pam and her husband were laid off from their jobs within months of each other. Pam started selling real estate in South Jersey and heard about a local candy shop that was for sale. She convinced her husband to take a giant leap and join her in becoming an entrepreneur in the spring of 2008-shortly before the economic down turn that rocked business owners everywhere. Three and a half years later, they have a booming business that encompasses sales to walk-in customers, corporate clients, mail order clients and parents seeking a great birthday party venue.

When I dropped in to see Pam on a recent Saturday, Aunt Selma’s was buzzing from the squeals of delighted children who were attending a birthday party in the store. In addition to making forts, microphones and other treats out of the bountiful candy supply in their midst, the children got to take home candy bars with their own personalized wrappers. They also got to sign their names on an apron that was personalized with the birthday child’s name. Of course, since the party took place in a candy store, the partygoers received goodie bags filled with all kinds of treats. I guess they were all getting their Willy Wonka on! Pam told me that the birthday parties that she hosts are an important part of her business, and one that she particularly enjoys because they allow her to exhibit her creativity.

But kids aren’t the only customers that Pam caters to. There are a plethora of candy confections that would be perfect for that special someone on Valentine’s Day. Almost all are locally made by Aunt Selma’s. Chocolate covered Oreos? Chocolate Meltaways? White chocolate bark with key lime, orange and lemon? Pam is ready to send you on your way with these treats and more. She has also been dipping chocolate covered strawberries non-stop in preparation for the big holiday.

I had an opportunity to sample my way through some of the delectable treats that are featured at Aunt Selma’s when I visited the store. As far as those chocolate covered Oreos are concerned, Pam will tell you that I loved them so much that I definitely could not stop at one. I was not sure that I would like the white chocolate bark sprinkled with key lime and other citrus flavors, but they had a sweet and tart flavor that would be sure to please even the fussiest of sweet-tarts (bad pun, I know). Pam uses her Fine Arts degree to concoct fanciful creations out of candy-that look almost too good to eat!

Aunt Selma’s Chocolate and Candy Company is located at 451 Larchmont Boulevard in Mount Laurel. The telephone number is 856-642-6363.

Not in the Mount Laurel area? Check out these other sweet suggestions.

The Fudge Shoppe in Flemington

The Fudge Shoppe, 461 US Highway 202, Flemington, NJ 08822! Delicious chocolates and a great variety to choose from!  According to some recent reviews on Yelp things not to miss: the chocolate covered fruit in white, milk, and dark chocolate which include chocolate bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple. Hazelnut truffle, dark chocolate covered marzipan, chocolate covered strawberries, cappuccino truffle, and of course- the fudge.  Check out their Facebook page for more delicious photos.

Enjou Chocolat located at 8 DeHart Street in Morristown is always one of the most mentioned by our readers. Owner Wendy Taffet says “when it comes to Enjou Chocolat…I’m doing what I was born to do.” It all started with a great passion for cooking and baking. Her first project in pharmacy school was to make chocolate syrup—perhaps suggesting her future path. Her admiration for fine desserts and chocolate coupled with the desire to create the world’s finest chocolate has led her to where she is today.  A recent suggestion from a Yelper is the cocoa nib bar, orange ginger bar and chocolate cover pretzels.

Jean Louise Candies 1205 Third Avenue in Spring Lake. Handmade chocolate that had one summer resident reviewer claiming this shop is always one of his first stops when he’s back in town and trumps the shops he’s tried in Manhattan. They specialize in wide variety of Chocolates, Chocolate covered Fresh Fruit, party favors as well as many other candies.

The Painted Truffle in the Stockton Market, 19 Bridge Street, Stockton NJ. Dreamy artisanal chocolates. Owner Tom Sciascia, says on his website “I make the best possible truffles I know how—small batches, fresh cream infusions, chocolate made from the earth’s finest cocoa beans, and 100% all natural (plus organic) ingredients from around the world. Each truffle is impeccably handmade, rolled, enrobed, and dressed—each one, a work of art.”

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Beth Christian subsisted primarily on cheeseburgers and liverwurst sandwiches during childhood and refused to try most new foods.  Her culinary horizons were expanded during her college days in Schenectady, New York, where she learned the joys of trying slow-simmered Italian dishes, Szechuan cuisine, and everything in between.  When not engaged in the practice of law in Monmouth County, Beth is busy scouting out interesting restaurants,  farmer’s markets and food purveyors near her home in Burlington County. Beth’s primary dining sidekick is her husband John, but she also enjoys having her daughter Meghan, son Michael and her wonderful friends come along for the ride. Email Beth at [email protected]

Romantic Recipes For Your Valentine

Jessica Perry
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Kate Morgan Jackson

Ok, enough with all this creamy, grainy comfort food — time to bring on the drama! And nothing says ooh-la-la, I am a DRAMATIC dinner like lobster. Now, lobster is usually something I save for eating at the beach (Red’s Lobster Pot, Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. Go there at least in your life. Trust me on this.) But that is when we are talking about whole lobsters. Let someone else have the putting of the lobster in the pot guilt, never mind the mess of the shells that fling themselves across the room as you are cracking your way through dinner.

However, recipes that involve lobster meat as part of the dish? Bring ’em on, baby. In those cases we purchase the lobster at the supermarket, they steam it right there, and then all I have to do is talk my sous-chef husband into doing the hard part, which is extracting the meat from the shell and chopping it into succulent little chunks. I am then home-free on the rest of the dish, because (once again) he has done the serious work. He also cleans up the kitchen, by the way. Every night. No, you cannot borrow him, he’s MINE.

This delightful, delicious, de-lovely lobster dish is from the cookbook ITALY AL DENTE by Biba Caggiano. This is a quick and pretty sauce that called for tomatoes sauted in olive oil with garlic, sundried tomato, red pepper and (and this MAKES the dish) a handful of capers. Some lobster meat, a lacing of butter, some hot pasta, and your evening just got a whole lot better!

TAGLIOLINI WITH LOBSTER AND FRESH TOMATOES

1 lobster, steamed, meat extracted and chopped into bite-sized pieces

1/3 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

Red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon minced sun-dried tomatoes

1-2 tablespoons capers

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, seeded and diced

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoons butter

8 ounces tagliolini pasta (use linguine if you can’t find this)

Bring water to a boil in large pot and cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve one cup of pasta water.
Meantime, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes and capers and stir for a minute. Add diced tomatoes, season with salt and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in parsley and turn off heat.
Add lobster and cooked pasta to skillet and toss with butter. Add a little pasta water to make a light sauce. Serve immediately.

Terry Krongold

ALMOND CAKES WITH CHOCOLATE PASSION-FRUIT SAUCE
Epicurious | January 2009
by Claudia Fleming and Gerry Hayden

To neatly and evenly transfer the cake batter to the ramekins, Fleming likes to use an ice cream scoop, but if you don’t have one, the batter can just as easily be poured.
Yield: Makes 6 individual cakes

For cakes:
4 ounces almond paste (not marzipan)
1/2 cup sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

For chocolate passion-fruit sauce:
5 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup passion fruit juice, such as Loóza Passion Fruit Nectar

Special equipment: 6 (1/2-cup) ramekins, food processor, stand mixer with paddle attachment

Make cakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour ramekins.
In food processor, process almond paste and sugar until mixture resembles fine sand, 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer to bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, then add butter and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down bowl as necessary, about 1 minute. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
In small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift over almond paste mixture, then mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
Divide batter among prepared ramekins, smoothing tops. Transfer to baking sheet and bake until cakes are golden brown and springy to touch, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool while making sauce. (Cakes can be baked ahead, removed from ramekins, and frozen, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, up to 1 week. Allow 4 hours for cakes to thaw at room temperature. To rewarm, place on parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.)

Make sauce:
Transfer chopped chocolate to small bowl.
In small saucepan over moderate heat, stir together cream and passion fruit juice. Bring to boil, then pour over chocolate and let stand 30 seconds. Using heat-proof silicone spatula, stir until smooth, about 30 seconds. Cover with plastic wrap and keep warm.

To serve:
Pour about 2 tablespoons sauce into center of each plate.
Run small, thin knife around inner edge of 1 ramekin, then invert onto palm of hand and, using other palm, smack bottom of ramekin to release cake. Transfer cake to rack and sift confectioners’ sugar over, then transfer to prepared plate. Unmold remaining cakes in same manner. Serve immediately.

BAKED SHRIMP SCAMPI (Barefoot Contessa)

Prep Time:
30 min
Inactive Prep Time:
—
Cook Time:
13 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
6 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell

3 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons dry white wine

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)

1/4 cup minced shallots

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 extra-large egg yolk

2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)

Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.
In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.
Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Veronique Deblois

PORCINI MUSHROOM AND LOBSTER MACARONI AND CHEESE
Poached Lobster Ingredients:

2 – 8 ounce lobster tails, uncooked, shell removed, each tail cut in 2
pieces lengthwise
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter

Pasta Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp each, salt and pepper
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups whole milk
2 cups extra sharp Cheddar cheese, freshly grated
2 cups Fontina cheese, freshly grated
1 ounce dry porcini mushrooms, reconstituted in 1 cup hot water,
drained, then chopped
1 pound elbow macaroni, or other tubular pasta, cooked 2 minutes less
than recommended in package directions, drained

Topping Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp panko bread crumbs
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Poached Lobster Directions:

Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan.
Add lobster pieces and cook for 5 minutes, ensuring to baste with
butter.
Remove from heat and allow to cool, then chop lobster into large bite-
size chunks.

Pasta Directions:

Place butter in a large saucepan and melt over medium heat. Add flour
and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Season with salt and
pepper.
Stir the heavy cream and the milk into the butter/flour mixture and
bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes,
whisking often.
Slowly add the cheeses, a handful at a time, and stir until fully
incorporated. Add chopped porcini and cook 1 more minute.
Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and mix well. Gently fold in
the cooked lobster meat.
Add cheesy pasta to a 13×9 baking dish.

Topping Directions:

Microwave butter in a small dish for 45 seconds. Add panko and cayenne
pepper and stir to incorporate the butter and create a crumbly
mixture.
Sprinkle panko mixture over pasta in an even layer.
Bake pasta for 15 minutes until panko mixture has lightly browned.
Serve at once.

Makes 6 servings.

Beth Christian

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE

For this recipe I turned to one of my tried and true baking resources: Ann Byrn’s “Chocolate Cake Mix Doctor”. The book (as well as others by Ann Byrn) contains great recipes which allow you to “doctor” pantry ingredients that you already have on hand to create a tasty repast. I decided on a triple chocolate cake recipe entitled “Kathy’s Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake.” Please forgive me for the crumbs-we were all anxious to cut and eat!

1 ten inch tube pan, misted with non-stick spray
Flour for dusting the pan.
1 18.25 ounce package devil’s food or dark chocolate cake mix.
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup whole milk
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 ½ cup chocolate chips (the book suggests mini chips but regular size worked fine for me).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray tube pan with non-stick spray and dust with flour, shaking out any excess.

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, milk oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with a mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Beat 2 to 3 minutes more. The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, making sure that they are well distributed. Pour the batter in the pan and smooth the batter out.

Bake cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with a spoon and is just starting to pull away from the pan, 50 to 55 minutes (Note-my oven runs warm so I baked for 45 minutes). Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a rack. Allow to cool 20 minutes more. Dust with confectioner’s sugar. Consume with friends.

5 Valentine’s Day Sparkling Wines under $25

Veronique @ Food & Wine Chickie
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0

Sparkling wine brings a festive vibe to any celebrations.  This Valentine’s Day, whether you are planning a romantic dinner at home or need an affordable bottle to bring to a local BYO, here are five sparkling wines under $25 to toast Valentine’s Day with:

2009 Jagdschloss Spatburgunder Brut Rose (Rheingau, Germany) – beautiful light pink in the glass with tons of tiny bubbles.  Aromas and flavors of ripe strawberries with a little Fiji apple ($15).
La Marca Di Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco (Trevisio, Italy) – light, crisp and offers a pleasant dry finish that’s citrusy and fresh ($12).
2008 Naveran Dama Cava (Catalunya, Spain) – aromatic wine with pear and apple flavors ($20).
Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut (Anderson Valley, CA) – flavors of ripe pear with nutty notes ($22).
Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé NV (Alsace, France) – features rich strawberries-and-cream flavors ($25).

Cheers,

Veronique Deblois, Food & Wine Chickie: Veronique is a food and wine writer based in Morris County, NJ. 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.

Foodie Things To Do This Weekend And Beyond

Jon Faronea
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0

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

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

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

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

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

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

And Beyond…

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

LBI Chocolate Week 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5th Annual New York Wine Expo

Friday, March 2, 2012
6:00 – 10:00 PM

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival 2012

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

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

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

For more information and tickets: AC Beer & Music Fest

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

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

South Jersey’s Men R’ Cookin’ Event

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor
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0

In preparation for the 11th annual South Jersey’s Men R’ Cookin’ event, Chef Jon Davies, adjunct instructor at the Academy of Culinary Arts, Atlantic Cape Community College, provided a cooking lesson for Joe, co-host of the “Joe and Scott in the Morning Show” on 100.7 WZXL, Wednesday, Feb. 8.

Joe and Scott, in collaboration with Chef Davies, will prepare Salmon Portabello Ravioli with Smoked Tomato Crema and Arugala Orange Fennel Salad, at the Men R Cookin’ event, which benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City, 6-8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Pool at Harrah’s Atlantic City, 777 Harrah’s Blvd. Chef Davies created the meatless dish to meet Joe’s pescatarian diet.

Joe received a cooking lesson from Chef Davies about how to make homemade ravioli. In turn, Chef Davies will be a guest on the Joe and Scott in the Morning Show, 7:45 a.m., Friday, Feb. 17.

Amanda’s Restaurant for Top Brunch in Hoboken

Veronique @ Food & Wine Chickie
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0

Housed in an intimate 1895 Hoboken brownstone, Amanda’s Restaurant exhumes understated elegance.  On a recent visit, our party was warmly greeted and led to one of the cozy rooms to settle at a beautifully-set table.  Mismatched antique china and flatware sit atop a fleur-de-lis draped table, creating a homey (if your home featured antique tableware for brunch) atmosphere.

The first thing to order at brunch at this establishment is the Balthazar’s Bread Basket ($8), a scrumptious array of fresh baked mini scones, cherry focaccia, croissant, raisin Danish and orange brioche.  Good butter and homemade strawberry jam were a perfect complement to the baked treats.

Next, order a fabulous drink.  The menu features several “Hair of the Dog” cocktails to brighten up any brunch.  The selection includes Amanda’s Mimosa ($6.50) – cava with fresh squeezed orange juice, Eugene’s Bloody Mary ($7) made with sundried tomato-infused Vodka, Classic Bellini ($7) – sparkling wine with peach purée and The Chocolate Muse ($6) – milk, Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur and Crème de Cocoa.

Must-try brunch starters include the delicious Warm Mushroom and Goat Cheese Salad ($7) and the comforting Creamy Polenta with Raisin Compote ($7).

The ever-popular eggs Benedict are served in three ways at Amanda’s:  in the classic manner ($10), with pork tenderloin and fresh tomato salsa ($12) or with cured salmon and spinach ($13).  All three are solid options, but the pork version is simply outstanding.

Other creative and tasty brunch entrées are the crispy eggs with Parma ham over sautéed Shitake mushrooms, croissant French toast with seasonal fruit compote $10) and the poached eggs with crab hash and orange Hollandaise sauce ($13).

Amanda’s is an ideal place to take out-of-town guests or someone dear to you to.  After an excellent meal, walk over to the nearby waterfront, with its lovely Manhattan skyline and boardwalk, to contemplate your next visit to Amanda’s.

Amanda’s Restaurant

908 Washington St # A

Hoboken, NJ 07030-5152
(201) 798-0101

Amanda’s is open seven days a week:

Monday – Thursday: 5PM – 10PM

Friday: 5PM – 11PM

Saturday & Sunday Brunch: 11AM – 3PM

Saturday Dinner: 5PM – 11PM

Sunday Dinner: 5PM – 9PM

Tip:  Early dinner is an affordable way to experience Amanda’s.  Dinner for two is $32, includes a three-course meal and is served from Monday – Saturday at 5PM and 5:30PM.

Cheers,

Veronique Deblois is a food and wine writer based in Morris County, NJ.  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.

Dinner in a Pinch in Cranford

MStavrou
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0

Crab cakesThere are definitely too many nights when I ask my husband what he’d like for dinner and I’m met with a shrug. I usually make it home by 7, but he doesn’t get to town until nearly 8, which doesn’t leave much time for dinner at a reasonable hour. Our default takeout dinners usually involve a call to the local Chinese food restaurant. However, with the October opening of Dinner in a Pinch in downtown Cranford, our dining options have definitely expanded.

Dinner in a Pinch is owned by Sara Shaunnessey, who came up with the concept on one of her many train rides to and from her job in New York City. She recognized that many people don’t have the time or energy after putting in a full day of work to fix dinner. In a change from the normal takeout food options in most towns, Dinner in a Pinch offers home-style comfort food.

Though Sara has a background in finance and no formal cooking training, her enthusiasm and passion for food is evident in the meals she serves. The restaurant allows customers to choose one main dish with a serving size of 2, 4, or 6, as well as two side dishes to accompany it. The menu offers a number of comfort food favorites, including crab cakes, meatloaf, chicken and dumplings, pork chops, and pot roast. Sides run the gamut, from steamed vegetables, to macaroni and cheese, to mashed potatoes. The menu is always evolving as Sara is already looking ahead to summer, where she believes lighter choices will be more in demand. Sara also introduced the concept of Menu Crashers, a new main dish that will make an appearance on the menu for about two weeks. The first Menu Crasher was the result of a collaboration with Westfield’s Savory Spice Shop – a healthy, juicy chicken breast cooked with Hidden Cove Lemon Garlic blend. Sara followed that up a few weeks later with another Menu Crasher, 9 Layer Lasagna.

Mac and cheese
Like every restaurant, Dinner in a Pinch depends on repeat business. On my first visit there I met with a customer who reeled off the dishes he’s tried in the short time the business has been open (New Orleans fettuccini, meatloaf, crab cakes, risotto, chicken pot pie). His comments about their food ranged from “very good” to “out of this world.” He’s not the only one singing their praises, as Sara mentioned the one customer who let her in on the secret that she’s been passing off Dinner in a Pinch’s meals as her own home cooking. Is there any higher praise than that?

Dinner in a Pinch
908-272-5136
1 South Ave. East, Cranford, NJ 07016
http://dinnerinapinch.com

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.

Gallo’s Pizzeria — A Double-Bite Review

Deanna Quinones
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0

pizza slices at Gallo's Pizzeria
Lauren: The best Italian food around Westfield is a highly contested matter. I sometimes feel like I live in pizzaland—there are more pizza and pasta places in town than any other type of cuisine, and they each have their loyal following. There seems to be no saturation point for pizza joints around here, as new ones continue to open and thrive. My pick is Gallo’s Pizzeria. The restaurant itself is a few miles to the west, in Plainfield, but for years my family and I have been enjoying their food via catered parties and special events right in my own ‘hood.

The inspiration for this review was a lunch with Morris County editor Deanna Quinones at Tomato Pie in Morristown, where we wrote our first Double-Bite restaurant review. Deanna used to live in Westfield and said she loved Sorrento’s. They have changed ownership since she left town, and besides, I had another place in mind.

Deanna: The search for good pizza knows no bounds. In the fall, I tempted Union County editor Lauren Weiss into the wilds of Morris County for a sampling of Morristown’s recently opened Tomato Pie. Then Lauren countered with an invitation to her neck of the woods to try Plainfield’s Gallo’s Pizzeria. I braved the rain and unknown terrain last month to meet Lauren for the second in our “Double-Bite” tasting series. Mangia!

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