Page 214 ⋆ Jersey Bites

The Pub: A Little Bit of History in South Jersey

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September 28, 2010

The Pub in Pennsauken, New Jersey is more than just a steakhouse; it’s a South Jersey tradition and a source of memories for hundreds of diners in the area.

Located on Route 130 South on Kaighns Avenue, The Pub is easy to find. This area is also known as the Airport Circle, where 130 South meets 70 West and 38 West. The current building that houses The Pub was built in the late 1930s as a nightclub called Neil Deighan’s. The Pub itself came into existence in 1950 when the building was bought and remodeled by three local families.

One of the most unique aspects of this restaurant is the decor. In contrast to the building’s very plain exterior, the inside of the pub is dark and decorated like a medieval castle. Shields and swords adorn the walls, and the floors are made of stone. The entrance is a spacious room where guests can wait for their friends and family to arrive. To the right is a bar where guests can sample a variety of cocktails and specialty drinks. The dining room is a very large open space with high ceilings and seating for 500. Chefs can be seen working over six open hearths with charcoal ovens. The Pub’s menu offers a variety of delicacies, but the thing to order is the steak. The filet mignon has been a house specialty for 50 years, and the open oven preparation gives the meat a unique taste. One great choice is the Filet Steakabob with its small pieces of filet mignon skewered with peppers and mushrooms. Another popular choice is the Burgundy Street Sirloin: a 12 oz center cut top sirloin marinated in wine sauce.

All entrees are served with a basket of fresh bread and your choice of a mashed or twice-baked potato. You also get unlimited trips to the salad bar with its signature leaf-shaped plates.

It has been said that The Pub is a great place to take your in-laws, and that’s particularly true if your in-laws grew up in South Jersey. The tradition of The Pub continues to thrive and create happy memories for the many guests who have entered its doors.

The Pub
7600 Kaighn Avenue

Pennsauken, NJ 08110
856-665-6440 view the menu at www.thepubnj.com.

Jennifer Ellis May is excited to be working with Jersey Bites in Burlington County. Originally from Missouri, Jennifer is embracing all it means to be a Jersey girl. She enjoys every aspect of food from cooking to gardening, but her best skill is eating. Her other interests include books, flowers, animals and swimming. Jennifer currently works as a freelance writer and has published articles and fiction in a variety of print and online publications. She lives in Burlington County with her husband and 2-year-old daughter. You can contact Jennifer at [email protected].

Grape Picking Parties

Elizabeth Norton

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September 27, 2010

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Grapes in Hand

Fall is for fruit picking and in New Jersey, Harvesting there’s certainly no shortage of farms to choose from. One of my favorite places in Cape May County has to be Natali Vineyards, an old world farm winery. When I was invited to be part of the sauvignon blanc harvest, I couldn’t have been more excited. This isn’t your typical stuffy winery. Natali Vineyards truly celebrates their wine from vine to glass, with grape picking parties and year round wine tasting events that feature rockin’ live bands and local vendors.

Arriving at the vineyard at 9:30 am, I found myself outfitted with a glove and a set of clippers. Vineyard manager, Kevin Celli instructed me to check for fruit all the way through to the back side of the vine, clear out all the dried up grapes from the harvested bunches and examine the tops of the vines for hard, underdeveloped grape clusters. These clusters had to be harvested too in order to prevent the vine from continuing to try to nourish them. Kevin said it’s important that the photosynthesis process at this time of year focus on the strengthening the bark of the vine for the winter months. We discarded the underdeveloped grapes in the soil below to fertilize it for next year’s wine.

Spending the day with my face and arms buried in a perfect insect habitat while the sun beats down isn’t really as appealing to me as air conditioning, but there was a sense of invincibility in the vineyard. I think I understand why poets write about nature as man’s great retreat from himself. The music of the grapes plunking into the buckets and the soft, steady sound of the clippers hypnotized me. It was calm and quiet. I was doing physical labor that has been done for thousands of years and yet, it didn’t feel like work. I didn’t even notice the heat of the sun (though I did end my adventure as a slightly crispier version of myself). There was only the vine and me.

Chef Ray

At 12:30, Chef Ray rang the lunch bell and all the grape pickers gathered at the farm house for a feast of thanks and celebration. He laid out a spread of stuffed chicke

n, grilled Si

cilian eggplant, prosciutto wrapped asparagus, ripe tomatoes with mozzarella and an array of grilled veggies. They also presented us with a bottle each of sauvignon blanc, the wine we had just picked along with a table full of samples of their award winning wines to compliment our amazing lunch spread.

Stuffed Chicken, grilld eggplant, veggies

Natali Vineyards holds free grape picking parties every Wednesday during harvest season. Just call to reserve your spot.

Natali Vineyards

221 N Delsea Dr (Rt 47)
Cape May Court House

609-465-0075

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

Tim McLoone’s Supper Club in Asbury Park

Monmouth County

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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September 26, 2010

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Due to my stubborn insistence on being a June bride and not realizing three children and years later that romantic anniversary dinners would ultimately be replaced with baseball games, tennis matches and graduations, we finally got to have our special night out in August. I can tell you it was well worth the wait!

Being a musician and a food lover, I decided to combine the best of both of my worlds and made reservations for Tim McCloone’s Supper Club in Asbury Park. We met our good friends, Karen and Glenn, on the boardwalk at the entrance to The Supper Club at 7:00 sharp on a warm and breezy Saturday night. (Did I mention we have the same wedding anniversary?)

We were escorted to a table by the band under the stars. Yes, I said under the stars. The Supper Club was at one time a Howard Johnson’s Restaurant which has been transformed into a fun and beautiful seaside getaway complete with a full restaurant downstairs (the Asbury Grille) which includes outdoor seating on the boardwalk overlooking the ocean, and the upstairs supper club with sweeping windows that invite the stars in to dance. In short, the ambiance could not be better.

It was a perfect summer night and I was ready to enjoy it with good food, good wine, good friends, and good music – provided by Tim McLoone and the Shirley’s. As you all probably know, Tim owns numerous Jersey Shore Restaurants and has recently expanded his realm into Maryland. He is also very well known for his music and his incredible volunteering and fundraising with his “Holiday Express” band.

Now, comfortably sat, it was time for a bottle of Chardonnay and a review of the menu. In addition to my favorites, crab cakes and scallops, (which I’ve had on numerous occasions at Tim’s Pier House in Long Branch and the Seafood Pasta in Sea Bright), there was so much more on the menu to try. Since we were starving and out with very good friends, we decided to order one of each and share. On our second bottle of wine and with ‘The Shirley’s” on stage, we decided to order two salads, the Mango & Gorgonzola Salad (walnuts, fine herbs, dried cranberries, thyme vinaigrette) and the Classic Chicken Caesar Salad (romaine hearts, peppered croute, white anchovy).

By now the dancing had really kicked up our appetites. I believe the waiter detected this and graciously sent over two over flowing bowls of a very fresh pasta salad to hold us over. (OR, might I have told him once or twice that we were both celebrating our anniversaries???) Only minutes later our entrees arrived which included the “Colossal Crab Cakes” (roasted garlic couscous, sweet peppers and mixed greens), the “NJ Caught Mahi Mahi (haricot verts, mashed potatoes, lemon sauce, tomato confit) and two “Specials” of the evening which included both a stuffed Lobster tail and salmon in a lemon dill sauce.

Since we knew we were all going to try dessert, it was time to dance again – and dance we did. In my day, I was quite the dancer and still believe I am (much to my kids’ dismay).

Our dessert plates of cheesecakes and a chocolate decadent cake were placed at our table and along with Tim and the Shirley’s, we all took a break. After finishing every spoonful of our own and each other’s plates, we reluctantly agreed – it was time to go home. ( Between you and me, I could have stayed longer.) But, we had a great night and created precious new memories. On the way out, I just had to to tell Tim myself what a memorable evening we had. As he sipped his wine and reveled in the fun his guests were having, he thanked us for coming and was genuinely happy to hear how much we enjoyed our meal and music of the evening. We will be back for more – and more. And who knows, maybe one day, I can be a “Shirley” for a song or two!

Tim McLoone’s Supper Club

1200 Ocean Avenue

Asbury Park, NJ 07712

732-774-1155

www.timmcloonessupperclub.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

This is New Jersey: Apple Picking at Eastmont Orchards in Colts Neck

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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September 25, 2010

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Today was a perfect day for picking apples. I caught these two adorable and happy apple pickers meandering through a row of Stayman Winesaps. Eastmont Orchards is a great place to take the family, and there were families galore all equipped with cameras hoping for that perfect shot. The farm is located on Route 537 just a mile of off Route 34.

According to the Eastmont Ochard’s website, the farm has been owned by the Barclay family since 1923. “In those days apples grown in this area were sold locally or shipped by barges out of Red Bank, down the Navesink River all the way to New York City.” Today, they sell all of their products retail, direct to the consumer via “pick-your-own.” You can pick your own pumpkins and peaches too. The website recommends that you always call ahead before making the trip to ensure that they are open and they have what you want. (732)-542-5404. If you have any questions about how “pick your own” works at Eastmont, they’ve done an excellent job of answering practically any question you have on this page. Questions.

I came home with two huge bags of Stayman Winesaps, so stay tuned for a recipe or two in the coming week.

“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.

Jersey Bites and Share Our Strength Help End Childhood Hunger; You Can, Too

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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September 23, 2010

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Dirksen_bloggers

Jenny Dirksen, third from left, and food bloggers at the Share Our Strength kickoff for the Great American Dine Out.

If there’s one nice thing you’re going to do for others this week, let it be this: go out to eat.

Sure, it may seem a personal indulgence, and you’ll have the benefit of all that delicious food and wine swirling in your stomach, but trust me, you’ll be lending a hand to millions.

Millions of children, that is, who will benefit from profits gathered during this week’s Great American Dine Out, an event sponsored by the hunger-combating Share Our Strength charity based in New York and Washington, D.C.

On Monday, Share Our Strength partnered with Jacob’s Creek Wines and invited a dozen food bloggers and mommy bloggers out to eat to kick off the campaign. Their idea was simple: show a group of women how fun it can be to help, how important it is to help fight childhood hunger, and how good the food is at a restaurant called Good, in NYC’s West Village.

And good it was. The restaurant’s trendy spin on homestyle favorites included a baked goat cheese and tomato cazuela–an intense, reduced tomato sauce, served warm in a terra-cotta pot with a dollop of goat cheese and country bread–a crispy flatbread pizza with creme fraiche, smoked bacon, arugula and onions, and bite-sized cheddar corn hush puppies, lightly fried and delicious.

watermelon_salad

Watermelon, feta, and cucumber salad.

Over chilled moscato from Jacob’s Creek, Share our Strength’s director, the bubbly Jenny Dirksen–a former assistant to famed NYC restaurateur Danny Meyer–gushed about the Great American Dine Out.

“Last year we were able to send food trucks into New York’s neighborhoods in the summer, bringing meals to students who normally get breakfast and lunch at school but wouldn’t go to the schools during the summer,” she said. “We ended up serving hundreds of more meals a day than we do during the school year.”

The summer food trucks are only one part of Share our Strength’s campaign to end childhood hunger by 2013. Through a number of food-themed fund raisers each year, the organization is able to teach cooking classes to families and send them home with raw ingredients, help enroll families in government food assistance programs, and support local on-the-ground hunger organizations.

The bloggers swooned over Dirksen’s down-to-earth approach to feeding hungry children–or possibly over the main courses of grilled local swordfish, roasted Bell & Evans chickens, or house-smoke pulled pork–and asked how they could help.

swordfish

Grilled swordfish from Good Restaurant.

“We’ve already raised $412,000,” Dirksen said, referring to the dollar donated for each pour of Jacob’s Creek wines at participating restaurants nationwide. “So now we’re shooting for a million!”

Inspired– or something–the wine flowed and dessert courses were served. Each blogger left with a full stomach and a mission: convince someone else that dining out (and drinking out) can help put an end to childhood hunger. This week. Bon appetit.

Find a list of restaurants participating in the Great American Dine Out here, and find out more ways to help Share Our Strength here.

Colleen Curry is the Jersey Bites Regional Editor for Hoboken where she’s busy trying every restaurant. She is also a hyperlocal web editor for the Asbury Park Press, exploring community news and citizen journalism in Freehold, New Jersey.

It’s Never Too Late For Grilled Chicken On The Patio

Beth

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September 21, 2010

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Recently, we were invited to a wonderful event for Bloggers hosted by EP Henry. You may know EP Henry as the company behind beautiful patios, pavers and other wonders of brick and stone. You may not know that EP Henry is a New Jersey company headquartered in Woodbury, and that they are a major participant in the beautiful Philadelphia Magazine Design Home in nearby Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania. The Design Home is open for touring through October 10th. Details and directions can be found at by clicking here. Ticket proceeds benefit Ronald McDonald House.

EP Henry treated us to a lovely assortment of hors d’oeuvres and martinis in a spectacular setting on the patio of the Design Home. There was an amazing outdoor covered area with fireplace and TV, a beautiful paved area around the pool, and an over the top grill and refrigerator area. As I enjoyed the wonderful food and inviting atmosphere, I got to thinking about the fact that outdoor living does not have to end on Labor Day. Enjoying your outdoor space can be a wonderful thing in all seasons. Once summer is over, temperatures finally cool down and the bugs move away. I love throwing an old sweatshirt on and relaxing with a cup of tea in the back of our house on a weekend morning, or sitting outside with a glass of wine as the sun sets and the cooling breezes kick in.

While grilling is normally associated with summer, cooking outside is something that many people do year round. We have a well-loved list of outdoor grilling recipes that we use on a regular basis. Our recipe for ranch-marinated chicken is one of my favorites. Whether you use an over the top grilling station like the gorgeous one EP Henry created for the Design Home, or a charcoal kettle grill, I hope that you will try this recipe and that you will enjoy it as much as we do. The original recipe came from a recipe booklet published by the makers of Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing, but we have tweaked it a bit over the years.

Ranch Lime Grilled Chicken

1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breast
½ cup canola oil
1/3 cup lime juice
1 envelope ranch-style salad dressing mix
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper.

Combine oil, lime juice, dressing mix, cumin and pepper. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag or shallow container. Pour marinade over chicken and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Grill until chicken is well-seared but not blackened. Serve and enjoy!

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.

Disclosure: Jersey Bites was guest at the EP Henry event at the Philadelphia Magazine Design Home and was provided with complimentary food and drink.

New Jersey Restaurant Week: Sept 19 – 25

John Fusco

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September 19, 2010

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“I think people need to get out and get away from their daily grind – to relax, and let restaurants enable them to relax.” – Chef Marilyn Schlossbach

There are restaurant weeks, and then there are Restaurant Weeks. And when you have a Restaurant Week that covers every county in New Jersey, even capitalizing the words does not fully convey the size and scope. Starting on September 19, the New Jersey Restaurant Association (NJRA) will launch its 2nd Annual New Jersey Restaurant Week – an event that will have over 200 restaurants in all 21 counties participating. The event will run until September 25.

This past Monday, NJRA got the culinary ball rolling with a media gathering at their headquarters, known as Hospitality House, which is right across the street from the State House in Trenton. The event was not only a way for NJRA to help get the word out about the week-long event; it also gave a few Jersey restaurants a chance to showcase their talents with a special Jersey Fresh Menu. The list of restaurants included Milford Oyster House, Doris & Ed’s in Highlands, Cloverleaf Tavern in Caldwell, Erini Restaurant in Ewing, and Langosta Lounge and Labrador Lounge in Asbury Park and Normandy Beach respectively.

And let’s talk about the food that was presented for a moment, shall we? Chef Thomas Donahue of Doris & Ed’s made scallops that were served over a gastrique that included red onion, bacon and garlic. The scallops were nothing short of pristine; not a grain of sand to be found. And he was preparing his dishes in the main media room, so that wonderful fragrance was wafting all around.

Staying on the seafood theme, Milford Oyster House presented a shrimp and peach salad with a honey-mint vinaigrette. The combination of of the shrimp and the Jersey peaches worked well together, both in flavor and in texture. Milford Oyster House was also kind enough to have the recipe nicely printed out for anyone to take.

Cloverleaf Tavern went simple with spring rolls filled with chopped and julienned goodness from Jersey farms and garnished with a homemade sweet chili sauce. Crispy, and not heavy with oil, the spring rolls were happy finger food. And then, there were the seductive chocolate truffles with raspberries and whipped cream thanks to Langosta Lounge. The truffles were rich and not overly sweet, which made a nice contrast to the lighter raspberries, making them seem sweeter than normal.

While the food spoke volumes about the culinary talent that exists in New Jersey, it was soon time for the leaders of NJRA to deliver the message of why Restaurant Week is important. NJRA President Deborah Dowdell stated it simply: the restaurant industry in New Jersey is the largest private sector employer in the state, employing over 300,000 employees. Let that little fact sink in for a moment: the restaurant industry is the largest private sector employer in the state. Wow.

So, what are the special offers available during Restaurant Week? Restaurants will be able to have three different options:

* A special $35 prix fixe 3-course meal featuring Jersey Fresh ingredients, OR
* 20% off their bill (not including tax, alcoholic beverages and gratuity), OR
* a complimentary dessert and coffee with a purchase of an entree

“Last year, we decided to do it about two weeks before we launched Restaurant Week, and we also didn’t have specific dining offers,” explained Ms. Dowdell, comparing last year’s event to this year. “This year, we obviously have established the three offers, and we’ve been promoting it over three months.”

The number of participating restaurants are about the same as last year’s inaugural event; however, Ms. Dowdell indicated that the quality of the restaurants participating is different this year. And by that she believes that “they’re deliberately participating by offering something that’s meaningful that I think the public will certainly enjoy. We’re really pleased.”

There’s an additional piece to next week’s festivities: participating restaurants will have the option to collect donations from customers as well as donate a portion of their proceeds to Share Our Strength. Ms. Dowdell added that these donations would be staying to help those in need here in New Jersey. So not only will diners be helping to support their local businesses, they will also be helping hungry children in New Jersey.

Executive chef and restaurant owner Marilyn Schlossbach agrees with the notion that it’s important to support local businesses such as restaurants. She used her own business to illustrate. “We have over 200 employees, and when we get slow we have to start cutting hours and laying people off, so it affects both sides.” Thankfully, the restaurants she co-owns in Ocean and Monmouth Counties have done really well so far this year. In a year where the economy is limping along, it was encouraging to hear a real success story.

What’s the message that NJRA wants to get out to the dining public regarding New Jersey Restaurant Week? Chef Marilyn put it this way:

“We’re giving people an opportunity to enjoy restaurants they might not have gone to before because of price, and have a fixed way to say ‘Let’s go there and try this one this time’.”

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: The Jersey Shore Roller Girls

This is New Jersey

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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September 18, 2010

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The Jersey Shore Roller Girls is a flat-track roller derby league that calls the Asbury Park Convention Hall home. Today’s derby is a revamped, flat-track version of the old-school sport that many of us remember from years ago. Jersey Shore Roller Girls follow the rules and regulations put in place by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association.

Watching the Murder Beach Militia compete against the Right Coast Rollers for the playoff spot in the Jersey Shore Roller Girls league was one place I never thought I’d be, but I must say derby rocks! Once you get the hang of how the game is played, it’s a lot of fun to watch and the girls are just as competitive as male football, baseball and hockey players combined.

The league championship is November 27 and Murder Beach Militia will be battling Anchor Assassins for this year’s bragging rights (I will be there cheering them on!) Until then, you can catch them on October 9 when the JSRG All-Stars team takes on the River City Rollers. Tickets are $20 at the door; discounted tickets are available through the league website www.jerseyshorerollergirls.net.

“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.

A New Spin on Breakfast – in the Sky!

Elizabeth Norton

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September 13, 2010

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Entrance

To celebrate the mass exodus of the shoobie hoards and the end of a successful summer, I booked a date for Justin and I on the last weekend available for Breakfast in the Sky. Morey’s Piers in Wildwood started this unique dining experience this year offering a gourmet, freshly prepared breakfast on the largest ferris wheel on the East Coast. I am not a morning person, but this seemed like an adventure worth waking up early for.

A friendly staff dressed in collared shirts greeted us, sat us in our gondola and offered hot coffee or tea in brightly colored mugs while we waited to depart. I sipped my tea as the staff laid out a white linen tablecloth in our car and dressed the table with china, a basket filled with croissants and an ice bucket with a carafe of orange juice. We provided our breakfast choices during the reservation process so as soon as our breakfast was laid on the table, we took off into the sky.
View from the top

It was an overcast morning, which provided welcome relief from the parade of heat waves that comprised the summer. I ordered the steak and egg scramble, which mixed tender chunks of steak with fluffy scrambled eggs, feta cheese and Chef Wally’s signature Cuban spice. The steak was juicy and the Cuban spice lifted the dish to new level of savory and interesting.

If you’re going to have breakfast while suspended in the sky overlooking the ocean, seafood is a must. Justin ordered an omelet stuffed with shrimp, American cheese and the most delicious lobster I’ve ever tasted. Rich, cheesy, and decadent, I think it was the first time he had to fight me for a few bites. I admittedly put ketchup on everything, especially breakfast and especially eggs, but the ketchup bottle sat unopened for our entire meal.

Shrimp and Lobster Omelet

I also admittedly believe that dessert should come after every meal. Therefore, a Belgian waffle covered in fresh Jersey blueberries needed to happen. We were pretty full, but enjoyed picking apart our waffle and munching on plump blueberries.

The view was spectacular and I loved the romance of dining in solitude and silence with only the wind intruding on our conversation. Every few minutes the wheel rotated our position so the views kept changing. We had plenty of time to eat without being left in the air waiting to disembark. Everything was well thought out and prepared before we left the ground. I can’t wait to do this again next year.

Breakfast in the Sky is scheduled to run Fridays through Mondays in July and August.

Breakfast in the Sky

Morey’s Piers

609-729-3700

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

Time to take some “Jersey Bites” from some Fresh Picked Jersey Apples!

Jersey Fresh

Tom

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September 12, 2010

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Weather.com forecasts daily high temps in the 75 F range for the balance of September.

This cool down upon us is perfect for getting out and enjoying the numerous apple festivals occurring NOW in the Garden State!

This weekend you can Pick Your Own at Terhune Orchards in Princeton NJ, varieties being picked this weekend are Gala, Jonamac, Jonathon, McIntosh, and Liberty – all great apples! Hours are 9AM to 5PM daily and there are free wagon rides on the weekends.

Two of my favorite Apple Festivals are hosted by Terhune Orchards in Princeton and Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck.

Terhune’s Apple Day Festival is September 18 and 19^th 10 AM to 5PM

Delicious Orchards Apple Festival is September 18^th and 19^th 11AM to 4PM

Easmont Orchards is the “Original” Delicious Orchards, located in Colts Neck and they offer fantabulous “Pick Your Own” Apples!

For a complete list of Pick Your Own farms in New Jersey go to Pickyourown.com

If you like incredibly juicy Asian Pears the Best in the United States are grown in Hamilton Township, New Jersey at Evergreen Farm. You need to see this place! This Korean Owned farm, pictured above utilizes an amazing trellis system! Be warned, they are closed on Saturdays.

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.

This is New Jersey: 9/11 Memorial Mount Mitchill, Atlantic Highlands

This is New Jersey

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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September 11, 2010

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Photo by John

Of the 2, 595 lives lost in the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on 9/11, 674 were New Jersey residents. 147 of them lived in Monmouth County where this monument was erected in 2005 at the top of Mount Mitchill in Atlantic Highlands, overlooking the Manhattan skyline.

The monument centers around a sculpture of an eagle flying away from Ground Zero by artist Franco Minervini. In its talons it clutches a piece of a steel beam from one of the World Trade Center towers. The memorial actually has three symbolic components. In addition to the Eagle sculpture there is a time-line walkway to recollect the day’s events and a stone base carved with the names, ages and hometowns of the county residents who lost their lives.

It is one of those places you have to visit, sit and remember. My son was only 4 months old on 9/11. This is a place I will take him to help him understand the impact of that day on the lives of so many innocent people and their families. Our prayers are with all of them today and every day. God Bless.

“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.

5 Foodie Things To Do in Ocean County This September

Ocean County

John Fusco

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September 10, 2010

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Photo by Joan Manzo

So the calendar says September, and the summer tourists have all gone home, making it a little bit easier for the locals to navigate the roads and enjoy some beach time while there is still some decent weather to be had. And while you enjoy zipping around the traffic-reduced highways and byways (legally, of course – we at JerseyBites do not advocate speeding), here are some food events to point your car in the direction of this month:

Island Beach State Park is a wonderful place to enjoy the sun, sand and sea during the summer. It is also the location for the annual Beach Plum Festival, which will take place on September 12. Ever want to make jelly out of beach plums? Now you have your chance. And even if you don’t, there will be lots of other activities in which to participate.

Seafood lovers from far and wide make their way to Point Pleasant Beach every September for the annual Festival of the Sea. This year the event will take place on September 18, and as always will feature local restaurants doing all things seafood – lobster, crab cakes, chowder…and even a few non-seafood items get slipped in for good measure. This festival is quite heavily attended (in the tens of thousands), so you might want to look into using the shuttle service that will be available.

Two things that the Greeks do as well as about any other ethnic group: they eat well, and they know how to have a good time. That is why Greek festivals are usually quite the treat. The Greek Festival at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in Toms River, which will run from September 23 to 26, will be four days of great food, rides, music, dancing…all the fun stuff you could want in a festival. If you have never been to a Greek festival, you really need to experience this for yourself.

Listen up: forget those guys on ‘Jersey Shore’…how about some swine you can really enjoy! I am, of course, referring to barbecue that has been cooked low and slow by folks who know their way around a grill. The second annual Que By The Sea in Seaside Heights will take place from September 24 to 26, and it is not just fun and games. No sir – this is a serious competition sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society that will judge competitors on their chicken, ribs, pork and brisket. But the real winners here will be you, the tasting public.

Finally, we head back to Toms River on September 25 for their annual Pizza-Pasta-Pastry Italian Food Festival. As the name indicates, there will be plenty of pizza, pasta, and Italian pastries on hand for you to enjoy. Feeling a little competitive? Try your hand (and your mouth) at the pizza and pasta eating contests. Or maybe check out the pasta making demo. Or even try out for the US Pizza Team! The choice is yours, but always remember to take the cannoli.

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.