Page 213 ⋆ Jersey Bites

New Jersey’s Best Pizza: It’s time to Vote!

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October 18, 2010

As many of you know, we here at Jersey Bites are in a perpetual search of New Jersey’s finest. This month, we are combing the Garden State looking for the best Jersey pizza. Our Facebook Fans have been eager to offer their nominees for this category and now it is up to you. Please take a minute to vote for your favorite Jersey Pie. If you don’t see your favorite on the list, feel free to pencil it in. (be sure to include the name of the town) Deadline for voting is October 22nd, this Friday. We will then choose the top 5 Vote getters who will be featured here on Jersey Bites and receive the official Jersey’s Best Jersey Bites logo to use on their website or wherever they wish. So, please spread the word. Let your favorite pizza place know you’ve voted for them and direct them to Jersey Bites for more information. Remember, voting ends October 22nd.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

This is New Jersey: Pumpkin Picking

This is New Jersey

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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October 16, 2010

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I hope you all have picked your pumpkins. I have yet to pay the pumpkin patch a visit. This picture was taken at Eastmont Farms on a recent apple picking pilgrimage we wrote about a few weeks ago. If you have a favorite place for picking plump, perfect pumpkins provide it please with a comment below. (written by an admitted alliteration addict, sorry about that.)

“This is New Jersey” is our Saturday “way of life” feature bringing you images of New Jersey that may be new to you or at least a reminder of all that is wonderful about New Jersey. We welcome submissions from photographers and amateur photographers, so please send us your photos.

Pasquale’s Ristorante Italiano in Edison

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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October 15, 2010

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Lajawaab Italian!

At first, it may seem perplexing that a gourmet Italian restaurant, Pasquale’s Ristorante Italiano, would choose to locate in Edison’s “Little India.” But then again, when I heard the restaurant is a member of the Mehtani family of restaurants, who was I to question location. I had a feeling I was in for a wonderful dining experience.

My first impression of Pasquale’s was how comfortable and relaxing the environment felt. This was due in no small part to the sincere and friendly affect of everyone that took care of our party.

I believe the maître de must have channeled a past life as a mixologist in NYC when he produced our amazing cocktails. Mine was a Key Lime Martini that used crushed graham cracker in place of salt around the rim. If that sounds a little unusual, I agree, but what a perfect combination it turned out to be and quite the work of art.

Before our official appetizers arrived, we sampled a diced tomato white pizza that had such a clean, light taste. We then started in earnest on the Antipasto Freddo containing prosciutto, mozzarella, sausage, artichoke, ricotta, soft and hard cheeses, and olives, Calamari Fritti (with balsamic aioli, and marinara sauce), and the Bruschetta Sampler containing artichoke scampi, truffled mushrooms, mozzarella and tomatoes over crostini bread. Salivating yet?

The pasta course found us sampling Porcini Mushroom Ravioli in Pomodoro Sauce, Fresh Gnocchi in a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce, and Fresh Cavatelli with Broccoli Rabe in a Garlic and Oil Sauce with a touch of White Wine. After having dishes like this, you understand exactly what Executive Chef Pasquale Presa means when he says that ‘this is his passion and his love.” His passion, love and twelve years of hotel experience are expressed in every dish.

We cleansed our pallets with a New Jersey Blueberry Granita as we anticipated the main course, Salmon Saltimbocca, Veal Principessa, and Stuffed Chicken Rollatini. All three competed for top honors and ended in a three-way tie. Tremendo!

One of the challenging parts of a night like this is having room for dessert (it’s a tough job but somebody’s gotta do it). On the not-to-be-missed list were Nonna’s Ricotta Cheesecake, Perugina Chocolate Mousse, and Maria’s Tiramisu.

Jersey Bites was honored to be part of this experience. It was “Lajawaab” something truly special in Little India.

Pasquale’s Ristorante Italiano
1655-200 Oak Tree Road, Edison, NJ

732.947.3010
www.pasqualesristoranteitaliano.com

Phil Sikora: In his own words “I have a T-shirt from a club for owners of Russian motorcycles with a motto that translates to: “Eat to ride; ride to eat.” I’ve taken that to heart. And so the stories will unfold.” Phil is a motorcycle enthusiast and System Engineer for AT&T. He works in Middletown and lives in Paramus and will be reporting on his culinary adventures in his “Reviews from the Road” series for Jersey Bites.

The Winner of the Crazy Steve’s Pickles & Salsa Giveaway is…….

Giveaways

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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October 13, 2010

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The winner of the Crazy Steve’s Pickles and Salsa giveaway is Michelle Bonafide. Congratulations Michelle, you are going to Love, Love, Love Steve’s products and I hope you come back and leave a comment about them. For those of you who missed our post on Crazy Steve and his wonderful pickles and salsa’s, here it is.

To give these great pickles a try for yourself, you can order online at CrazyStevesPickles.com. Heck, even if you don’t want to order anything, his website is so cool, you need to pay a visit.

Thank you all for entering, and stay tuned for our next giveaway. We’ve got a very exciting Emile Henry cookware giveaway coming up and 2 Tickets to the 5th Annual Harvest Wine Festival at the Hilton Short Hills Hotel in Short Hills, NJ.

Cape May Fish Market

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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October 12, 2010

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On the rainiest day of this summer, I ventured down to the Cape May Fish Market in the Washington Street Mall. As it rained harder and harder, something told me to keeping pressing on. That something was the unbelievable crab cake I sampled at the Food Network’s Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival just one week before. The “buzz” at the festival was deafening, “Don’t miss the crab cakes in the corner!” There, Paula and her crew from the Cape May Seafood Market were serving what seemed like a mile long line of hungry customers.

After parking our car and dodging buckets of rain, we were greeted with warm (and dry) smiles at the entrance to an enclosed patio seating area before entering the restaurant. From here on out I will attempt to describe how incredible this restaurant is – from the staff to the ambiance (which won an award) to the menu and quality of food….I think King Neptune himself would be pleased.

Holding a quaint booth for us in the corner, Constantine, our waiter, welcomed us with his smooth Russian accent and smile. We were then joined by Paula bearing two cherry lemonades — her own clever twist on a “drink menu” since at the current time no alcohol is served. She does make it a point to send everyone a few doors down to the The Ugly Mug pub for a drink after their meal.

As Paula listened to what type of seafood we enjoyed, she motioned to Constantine to bring over a sampler platter (pictured above) of all of our favorites. I do not think there is a word in the English ‘foodie’ vocabulary to describe the flavor and freshness of this seafood. I am a VERY picky seafood eater and can tell you “perfection” is the closest I can get.

Paula knew we liked both broiled and fried seafood, so she set us up with a plate that basically consisted of everything in the restaurant. This included sea scallops (my favorite), crab cakes (with a coating so ‘thin’ yet crispy and warm and silky on the inside), clams casino, and a totally serious piece of grilled tuna topped with lump crab meat. Every ingredient was fresh and local, Wow…..

Now for lunch. Paula suggested the lobster roll and the broiled crab cake sandwich with chipotle sauce and homemade rolls. Even though we were starting to getted stuffed, the food was so delicious that when Paula said “now for the soup” we couldn’t argue. Two piping hot, thick and creamy bowls of New England clam chowder were set down before us. The aroma of clams, butter, cream and an unusual mystery spice. As we sipped each spoonful, not wanting to miss a drop, we tried in vane to distinguish all the ingredients. Although we did guess the obvious, Paula noted that the chef has his own “secret ingredients” that he experiments with at different times.

When we really could not eat another bite (I think we tried everything on the menu), Paula packed us a doggie bag (or “Bev bag” as my husband loves to call it) with Market sweatshirts, aprons, T-shirts, jackets…oh, and dessert. Paula slipped in a full box of her “secret” cookies. In her spare time Paula is the baker on premises, but when she is too busy they bring in delicious baked goods such as cheesecakes and mouthwatering mile high chocolate cakes from a local baker.

I did not even know the cookies were in my “Bev bag” until she smiled, handed me the bag and said….”When you get home, try the cookies, and let me know what you think.” And I sure did at about 10pm that night. Trust me when I tell you, I would go back just for her cookies – and I am not a big cookie eater!

So, after we packed up and gave everyone a hug, Paula brought us over for a beverage at their sister restaurant, The Ugly Mug. I am very familiar with Cape May, and with this bar specifically, because in my earlier days living in Cape May, I spent many nights here. With our family mug still hanging from the ceiling, we always know that every trip down to Cape May must include a stop at the Ugly Mug. As I walked through the door though I immediately saw a transformed Ugly Mug. Beautiful wood paneling and open windows have made over The Ugly Mug to well, the pretty mug. Remnants of the old Mug still remain but much has been renovated under Paula’s direction. Burgers, nachos, cheddar fries, seafood, salads… and, yes, alcohol, are still all served in great numbers at The Ugly Mug.

After finishing my chardonnay and Bob his beer, we completed our three hour lunch and waddled to the car, assuring Paula that even without the sweatshirts, T-shirts, and her ‘secret’ cookies, we would tell the world about both of these masterpieces in Washington Square….or at least our special readers at Jersey Bites!

Cape May Fish Market

Located between the Ugly Mug and Jackson Mountain Cape in the
Washington Street Mall
Cape May, NJ
1-609-770-3790

www.TheCapeMayishMarket.com

www.capemaycrabcakes.com

Beverly A. Beveridge is our Monmouth County Regional Editor. Bev resides in Eatontown with her husband, Bob, daughters, Melissa and Brittany, son, Glenn, dog, Bailey and cats, Kitty and Slodki (polish for honey/sweet). She enjoys dining out, piano, tennis, travelling, designing her JERSEY GIRL swimsuits and Calendar, music (especially Rock Concerts) and meeting people. Enjoy her ‘fun’ reviews! Passport to Peru – Home of the Jersey Girls Swimsuit models and ‘Calendar’ Girls! ‘Passport Swimsuits – A Swimsuit to fit ‘every body’. www.passporttoperu.net

Long Beach Island’s Chowderfest

John Fusco

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October 10, 2010

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The clouds were getting darker and darker. There was no escaping it – it was going to get a little wet for those attending Chowderfest. Soon enough, the skies opened and it rained. And rained. And rained some more, just to make sure the rain that had already fallen stayed nice and wet.

But were the chowderheads going to be deterred? Not one bit. They just huddled a little closer under the tents, debating which chowder they liked the best.

For more than 20 years, Chowderfest on Long Beach Island has been a great way to get fall started as well as grab an after hours taste of summer. And taste is what it’s all about, with local restaurants competing for the title of best white and red chowders. It’s a serious competition, no doubt, but the competitors make sure to dish out a lot of fun to the attendees with their decorative booths, chanting and shouting the praises of their chowder and the occasional wacky giveaway.

And those aforementioned chowderheads? Yes, they have a good time – but don’t think for a second that they take the competition part lightly. These folks are serious about their chowder, and serious about how they carry their chowder samples around without spilling. A muffin tin to you or me becomes a chowder transport vessel for these professionals.

So who were the winners this year? Check here to see the results!

John and Lisa Howard-Fusco Regional Editors, Ocean County. Although they and their two kids call Ocean County home, their John and Lisa Are Eating in South Jersey food blog has them traveling all over the southern region of New Jersey. They and their blog have been mentioned in articles by the New York Times, Courier-Post, nj.com and njmonthly.com. Lisa has written articles and reviews for South Jersey magazine as well as for Ed Hitzel’s Restaurant Newsletter and Hitzel’s Restaurant Magazine. And John could use a Gaetano’s cheesesteak right about now.

This is New Jersey – Evergreen Farm

Tom

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October 9, 2010

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Located 8 miles east of Trenton in Hamilton Township is the truly one of a kind Evergreen farm. Evergreen is one of only 5 farms in the U.S. that grow the gigantic, succulent and highly coveted Singo pear. The farm also grows and sells four other varieties of Asian pears, yellow peaches, persimmons, chestnuts, jujubes, Fuji apples, and organic chickens. Established in 1986 by Mr Jung Kim the 400 acre farm faced some enormous hurdles as Mr Kim adjusted his Korean agricultural techniques to the American pests and crop diseases. In Mr Kim’s own words “what you see here is attempt number 3, try one and two at this location were failures”. The way he says it you get the feeling there was not going to be a fourth try at farming in America. Mr Kim utilizes several innovative farming techniques that likely are the reason he has succeeded. The most obvious is an arch – trellis system where the pears are trained into long arched tunnels. These tunnels protect the fruit from high winds, allow more sunlight into the center of the tree making the fruit stronger and sweeter, increase crop yields, extend the trees productive life, and the trees also require less chemical applications.

There is an on site store, which is open year-round, Evergreen also supplies Asian supermarkets in Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. Be warned, the farm is closed on Saturdays! If you go, try the grapes, dry weather during the growing season intensifies the fruit’s flavor. Also keep in mind that the pears actually get sweeter as we move into November. Evergreen Farm 1023 Yardville – Allentown Road Hamilton Township, NJ 08620

“This is New Jersey” is our Saturday “way of life” feature bringing you images of New Jersey that may be new to you or at least a reminder of all that is wonderful about New Jersey. We welcome submissions from photographers and amateur photographers, so please send us your photos.

Tom Kovacevich is in the wholesale fruit and vegetable business in Philadelphia. His company, TMK Produce, distributes top quality produce to retailers and food service companies up and down the east coast. In 2008, Tom started a blog at BestFruitNow.com as a way to share his thoughts on what fruits are best each month. Geared for consumers, BestFruitNow.com also offers tips on how to select and prepare the fruits being recommended. An avid cook, gardener and all around foodie, Tom regularly travels the world meeting with growers ever learning more about his passion for fresh produce.

Australian Outback Wine Dinner

Atlantic County

Elizabeth Norton

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October 7, 2010

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Last week, I was invited to one of the Atlantic City Country Club’s wine pairing dinners. The country club, located in Northfield, provided a rustic setting in an old world dining room with floors made of ship’s wood. Even on a rainy evening, the view was spectacular with the lights of Atlantic City visible in the distance.

September’s meal conjured the Australian Outback in every course. We walked in to a social hour featuring Penfolds Winery’s Pinot Noir #23 and Thomas Hyland Chardonnay along with smoked scallops and jumbo prawns with a spicy kiwi glaze, a brilliant indicator that dinner was going to be nothing short of incredible.

We started with sweet potato curry soup with coconut milk and mussels. This essentially combines all my favorite flavors into one creamy, sweet and spicy starter. The milk tamed the spiciness to keep it mild and gave it an almost Thai flavor. The mussels were a perfect addition, nice and tender. I had to restrain myself from slurping the whole bowl!

Then came the salad- grilled asparagus piled with macadamia nuts and cranberries. If the world went backwards and salads were dessert, this salad would be chocolate cake. The sweetness balanced with the nuts and the tanginess of the cranberries to create a real treat.

The soup and salad were paired with Penfolds’ Eden Valley Riesling- a white with floral notes as well as fruity that seemed to change flavors entirely with the dish. During the soup course, the wine took on a spiciness I’ve never experienced in wine before. With the salad, the riesling lost the spice and transformed into a sweeter, more acidic version.
Molasses Glazed Beef Tenderloin

For dinner, Chef Ed prepared the most flavorful, tender medallions of beef tenderloin in a molasses glaze with garlic ginger green beans and carrots on top of a crispy rice cake. Though molasses is probably my favorite flavor, I never would have thought to combine it with beef and wow! Sweet and smoky elements make for an unforgettable dinner. The beef tenderloin was paired with Penfolds’ shiraz which had both spicy and smoky tones that tied the meal together by enhancing the ginger and molasses flavors.

After dinner, we had a little shooter of mango, pineapple, orange juice and Malibu rum followed by passion fruit Bavarian pineapple upside down cake for dessert. I love desserts that are tart and fruity. The little mango volcano was exactly that! It was subtle and refreshing, not overwhelming or too filling.

We ended the evening more than satisfied and couldn’t stop talking about the meal for the rest of the night! Chef Ed Daggers is unbelievably talented and these wine pairing dinners can’t be missed. Experience the country club’s Fall Harvest Wine Dinner on Thursday, October 28th for $79 per person.

Atlantic City Country Club
One Leo Fraser Drive
Northfield, NJ 08225
(609) 236-4465

Alison Heller is the Jersey Bites Cape May County Regional Editor. She also writes for Examiner.com and TrendHunter.com. She grew up on the beach in Wildwood Crest and currently works in advertising. After earning her Master of Fine Arts in English and Creative Writing in New York City (a place that was essentially Food Rehab), she stopped putting ketchup on everything and started experimenting with flavors. She loves sushi and cupcakes, sushi that looks like cupcakes, but never cupcakes that look like sushi. www.superalzy.com

grounded. Coffee Catering in Lyndhurst, NJ

Bergen County

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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October 5, 2010

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Die-hard coffee lovers savor a great cup of joe year-round, whether the temperature is hazy, hot and humid or downright frigid. Bergen coffee aficionados have been buzzing about grounded. coffee catering, a fair trade and organic traveling full-function coffee café. For the past two years, Lyndhurst-native Melissa Knott has acquired an ever-growing circle of tri-state area (she serves Pennsylvania, too) fans for her café creations that bring a sexy, exotic dimension to any private or corporate event. Grounded emphasizes top of the line products including organic, fair trade coffee beans blended and ground according to Melissa’s exacting specifications, while also taking an eco-friendly approach by composting coffee grinds and cups and exclusively using 100% recyclable paper products. Serving organic and kosher coffee beverages, Melissa is often called upon to serve as a coffee tasting guide for those looking to whet their appetites and indulge in java knowledge.

Melissa can be found brewing the perfect cup, which she says is both an art and a science, fall and winter Saturdays at the Palisades Farmer’s Market in Palisades, NY from 9:00 am- 1:00 pm, and spring and summer Wednesdays at the Fair Lawn Farmer’s Market in Fair Lawn, NJ from 11:00 am – 6:00 pm. There, she sells ready-to-brew bagged coffee and specialty drinks ranging from a bold espresso con panna (shot of espresso with a dollop of fresh whipped cream) to a refreshing Italian cremosa (Italian soda blended with a touch of half and half). As summer temperatures reach their peak, an iced vanilla latte or an iced chai tea latte are both invigorating and refreshing as a delicious afternoon pick-me-up. Any chocoholic is sure to be satisfied by the iced mocha latte, a blend of bold, roasted Arabica beans and lightly frothed milk, infused with delectable organic white and dark chocolates.

Grounded. features a sensual variety of coffee drinks from the exotic spicy Turkish coffee, made with strong, steeped coffee flavored with cardamom and sugar, to the soulful southern feel of the New Orleans coffee, a stimulating blend of dark roast coffee and chicory with chocolaty undertones. The American brewed coffee is made with fair trade, organic Sumatra, with a “wine-like complexity” of which Melissa says “you’ll either love, or really love.” For the non-coffee drinker, grounded. features lush herbal teas infused with crushed rose petals—the perfect accompaniment to any wedding, birthday, or Communion cake. Melissa is mindful of the lactose and caffeine intolerant, offering non-dairy milk selections for all beverages and caffeine-free coffees and teas along with a rich hot chocolate and steamers, frothy steamed milk blended with a variety of lusciously flavored syrups.

Melissa is a regular at tri-state area pool parties, birthday parties, baby namings, and to the ladies-who-lunch crowd, turning these gatherings into coffee ecstasy. She’s done coffee tastings at fundraisers and she even hosted a ristretto, or short shot espresso, toast at a wedding. I have to agree with Melissa, who pointed out that “having an espresso bar is an unexpected treat for guests, adding an elegant flair and wow-factor.” The blood orange tea is a great late-summer indulgence for full-bodied tea enthusiasts, whether iced or piping hot. For fall, Melissa predicts the ginger-spiced latte and an almond café au lait will be seasonal favorites.

Grounded. coffee catering manages events from 20 guests with a basic package of $175 and up to 120 guests for $450, with add-on options and beverages available for additional costs, www.groundedcatering.com. Melissa Knott can be reached at 1.800.519.8931 to discuss your coffee catering fantasies.

Heidi Raker Goldstein is our Bergen county regional editor. A locavore, cooking enthusiast, publicist and mother of three junior gourmands, Heidi is equally comfy in greasy spoons and high-end restaurants. When not visiting local farmers markets and farm stands in Bergen and Rockland counties, this New England native, former Manhattanite and Bergen county resident is busy running her PR and green marketing agency, Raker Goldstein & Co., buying food, planning menus, cooking food, writing about food or simply eating. To reach Heidi, email her at [email protected].

This is New Jersey: Football Season

This is New Jersey

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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October 2, 2010

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It’s that time of year where I flip flop between loving the sweet, cool air of autumn and mourning the long, lazy days of summer. Where I am happy to see my boys go back to school and where I miss the unscheduled, uncommitted, free form days the summer months allow. Soon the pool man cometh to cover the shimmering reflection in my back yard with a dirty olive drab blanket that will stare back at me for more months than my lovely pool is ever permitted. This is always the curtain call for summer. That and the beginning of football season.

Both my boys play football. My youngest son is a helmet with legs who spends the entire play trying to figure out who has the ball and then what to do if he ever gets to him. My eldest son is now a seasoned pro going into his fourth year. He’s a strapping sight at almost 5’3” still golden brown from our long days on the beach. My job in the fall is to sit on the sidelines and watch my boys collect bruises. It’s not easy for a mother. Our job is to protect, to make everything better. I know I am not alone. We bleacher moms hold our collective breath with every play and use every ounce of restraint to keep from jumping the chain link fence and decking the kid who just dared to touch our son. We scream, we shield our eyes, we wiggle in our seats and then finally, once the long hard battle has been fought, we take them home and make them macaroni and cheese and admire every bruise as they passionately describe how and where each one was acquired.

Football also brings with it a chance to connect with friends and family, which, given my love for entertaining, is the part I enjoy. Big pots of chili on the stove, listening to the men recap every play of the game while the kids have moved on to more important things like video games and street hockey. Moms sit back and relax, finally, thankful to be out from under our anxious hours on high alert. From August to November, we ride the tide of Pop Warner Football. Like the families who have come before us and the families who will follow, why we do it is a mystery. For love of the sport? Perhaps, but for me, it’s the chili.

Originally written by Deborah Smith, 2008

“This is New Jersey” is our Saturday “way of life” feature bringing you images of New Jersey that may be new to you or at least a reminder of all that is wonderful about New Jersey. We welcome submissions from photographers and amateur photographers, so please send us your photos.

Bites from the Editor

Uncategorized

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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October 1, 2010

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One of my favorite months has finally arrived. Ok, yes, it does happen to be the month I made my debut on this planet a.k.a. my birthday, but that’s not the only reason October ranks high on my list. Hey, what can I say? Mama likes to get her costume on. Check Peter and me out below as Zeus and the Greek Goddess. So, to celebrate the other side of me and I’m sure many of you, this month we will be sharing our picks on what tricks and treats you should be serving your ghoulish guests and a few tips on where to get your ghoul on this month if you rather venture out into the night.

This month also marks the launch of a new monthly series we are calling “Jersey’s Best.” Each month we will be polling our readers, Facebook fans and Twitter followers to uncover the best of the best in New Jersey dining. This month, we are in search of the best Pizza in New Jersey. We want to know about your favorite pizza joint and why you think it’s the best. Next month, we will report on the top 5 nominees, and who knows maybe even pay them a surprise visit. So, do your favorite pie proud, and nominate them as one of “Jersey’s Best” on our Facebook page on the Discussions Tab.

October is shaping up to be one exciting month for Jersey Bites. Let’s start with the Big Apple. On October 8th and 9th I will be attending the Food Network’s Food and Wine Show in New York City as part of my new role as a member of Shoprite’s new Blog Advisory Panel. We are honored that Shoprite has invited us to serve with 20 other bloggers from four states and look forward to working with them to bring the inspired home cook the best products from all over the world.

On October 12th Jersey Bites (some 15 of us) will be attending a live taping of the Martha Stewart show. I really hope you tune in. We have no idea what the show is about, but it’s going to be a great Jersey Bites get-together and sure to be a fun time for all. Look for the food geeks in the red shirts in the audience. Who knows, maybe we’ll catch Martha’s eye.

Our last bit of exciting news is that we have been asked by the Community Food Bank of New Jersey to assist in their “Check out Hunger” campaign set to launch in mid-October in Grocery Stores all over the East Coast. Check-Out Hunger campaign is an annual awareness and fund raiser that takes place every autumn at most major supermarkets and some convenience stores in New Jersey. You’ve probably seen those $1, $3 and $5 tickets at the check out counter in the past. These donations benefit the Community FoodBank and their affiliates by providing an easy way for food shoppers to help fight hunger right in their community. You can find out more information about Check out Hunger here.

We have some great articles on the horizon for October. I will be recapping my exciting “Girls Night In” party with the folks from Sauza Tequila and Chef Marcela Valladolid from the Food Network. What a sweetheart she is. I’m dying to dive into her book and share some great traditional Mexican recipes. Tom Kovacevich, our Jersey Bites produce guy, will be spotlighting Evergreen farm one of the most amazing farms in New Jersey specializing in Golden Pears and Grapes. Rachel Bozek (Essex County) will be learning from custom cake designer Samantha Kestin, owner of Sweet Samantha, how to make ghost cupcakes with fondant. Allison Heller (Cape May County) will be sharing her recipe for Boneyard Brownies and reporting on the Motorcycle “Ride to Feed the Masses” to benefit the food bank on October 23rd. Melissa Yurasits (Jersey City) will be reporting on a local Barbecue Fest and Octoberfest at the Zeppelin Hall Beer Garden in Jersey City. This is just a handful of what is in store this month on Jersey Bites so please stay tuned.

We are also thrilled to welcome three new Editors to the Jersey Bites family. Danielle Kohler, who grew up in Cedar Grove is our first Sussex County regional editor for Jersey Bites. She moved to picturesque Highland Lakes a few years ago and has been enjoying all the area has to offer, which of course includes indulging in the local fare.

Wayne Galya of Middlesex County is quite the Renaissance man and I can’t help but love his explanation of how he got into cooking. “I discovered how exciting food could be back in Junior High, when the Wood Shop class was completely full and the guidance counselor encouraged me to take Cooking instead. Why would I want to take a cooking class? Wait a minute…cooking = girls! Heck yeah, sign me up!” One of Wayne’s first posts is his story of our first meeting and the delicious meal he prepared for me.

And, finally, finally, we have found the perfect person to cover the town Facebook now seems to favor, Newark. Vicki Lindgren Rimasse a.k.a “Divamom” is an amateur chef and congenial foodie who has strong opinions about restaurants and has been a fan of Newark New Jersey and its restaurant scene since she moved to the Garden State from Long Island nearly 20 years ago.

We are so thrilled to welcome our new Editors and look forward to all they have to tell us about their piece of the Jersey pie. Check out their extended bios and photos on our Team page.

As you can see, Jersey Bites is truly blossoming. We are so grateful to the 13,000+ readers who visit us every month and look forward to dishing out the best of New Jersey to more and more readers in the months to come. Thank you for your continued support and tips and raves. This is a labor of love for all involved and we are truly honored by your interest and contributions.

Happy Halloween and Here’s to a Fantastic Fall.

Deborah Smith

Executive Editor

5 Foodie Things To Do in Ocean County This October

John Fusco

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September 30, 2010

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Good grief – it’s almost October already! How did that happen? Well, never mind – let’s take a look at what foodie adventures you can have this October:

Although the Rova Farm in Jackson isn’t operating its restaurant at this time, you have an opportunity to enjoy a Russian dinner the night of October 1 at Georgian Court University. And maybe even learn a little bit about one of Russia’s more well-known artists. Dinner and an Artist: Marc Chagall is the first of Georgian Court’s series of multimedia discussions on an artist with a special dinner pairing. The event is $37 per person, and seating limited, so make sure you reserve in advance.

If you love chowder, you cannot pass up the chance to be among thousands of crazed chowderheads on October 3 for LBI’s annual Chowderfest. For $20, you get to sample ten different red and white chowders and vote for your favorites. But Chowderfest is more than that – it’s a spirited competition where the competing restaurants really get into the moment. There’s chanting, there’s elaborate booths, there’s lots of funny hat-wearing…and then there’s the homemade chowder-holding palettes that are truly works of art. Chowderfest is lots of things – but mostly it’s a lot of fun.

Italian festivals in October are to be expected, since that’s when we celebrate Columbus Day. The Italian Street Festival in Seaside Heights is a three-day celebration from October 8-10, and culminates with the Columbus Day Parade on that Sunday. If you have been hankering for some Italian-American street food, like maybe a sausage and pepper sandwich, or perhaps a calzone, or maybe even some zeppoles, then this will be the right place for you.

Let’s continue down the ethnic trail, shall we, and talk about Oktoberfest. There will be two special, dare I say uber, events celebrating the brats and brews of Germany. Artisan’s Brewery & Italian Grill in Toms River is having an Oktoberfest Dinner on October 8 at 7PM that will have each course matched with a different beer. The dinner is $50 per person. On October 22, Laurita Winery in New Egypt is having a German Dinner from 7PM to 10PM. Please contact Laurita for further details.

The Ocean County Library is having Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations at a number of their branches. The Manchester branch is having a Fiesta on October 11, with food being provided by El Familiar of Toms River. The Celebration moves to the Stafford branch on October 13 with more music and food. And then on October 16, come to the Barnegat branch and Escuchar, Bailar y Fiesta! These events are all free to attend, but make sure you call ahead to reserve a spot.

John and Lisa Howard-Fusco Regional Editors, Ocean County. Although they and their two kids call Ocean County home, their John and Lisa Are Eating in South Jersey food blog has them traveling all over the southern region of New Jersey. They and their blog have been mentioned in articles by the New York Times, Courier-Post, nj.com and njmonthly.com. Lisa has written articles and reviews for South Jersey magazine as well as for Ed Hitzel’s Restaurant Newsletter and Hitzel’s Restaurant Magazine. And John could use a Gaetano’s cheesesteak right about now.