Name: Mocha Shortbread Cookies
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; ½ cup granulated sugar; ¼ cup espresso grinds (finely ground coffee); 1 cup unsalted butter, softened; Splash of vanilla extract (optional); 1 cup finely chopped chocolate (such as 2 standard-size Hershey's bars)

New Jersey Restaurants Transform into Mini Grocery Stores

Adam Horvath

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April 24, 2020

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New Jersey Restaurants Transform into Mini Grocery Stores

For many of us, hours have become days and days have become weeks. Sure, the idea of “opening the economy” is nice. The reality, however, is that we could be far from any real change in the situation. For the struggling restaurant industry, this is devastating.

As we have previously reported, some restaurants are responding to this with newly started curbside pickup. Some are using delivery services like Grubhub, Door Dash, and UberEats to get food to customers. Others have even created DIY, interactive food kits to sell their wares.

Another type of much appreciated transition that’s happening for many restaurants is the switch to a focus on groceries. In the past month, a growing number of restaurants have adapted to the new normal by revising their menus to include a range of grocery store staples. Now you can order your chicken parm sandwich with a side of toilet paper—and you’ll be thrilled!

These are just a few of the establishments that have revised their menus to include grocery items. Know of others? Let us know at [email protected]!

Asbury Park

Cul+ure: The new Cul+ure Market launched April 10 and is delivering within a 10-mile radius of Asbury Park, for orders of $60 and up. Groceries will be available for pickup and delivery on Tuesdays and Fridays, and all support the staff that is currently unemployed at this time. They will continue with the Cul+ure delivery and takeout for their restaurants REYLA and Barrio Costero at their usual times. To order from Cul+ure Market go to www.culturehg.com/market or call 732-307-9140.

Cul+ure, Adam Horvath, Jersey Bites, restaurants to grocery stores — A delivery from Cul+ture

East Windsor

Americana Kitchen & Bar: This East Windsor Restaurant has created an online community shop offering zero-markup access to their purveyors’ products including a produce basket of bulk vegetables and a butcher basket with strip steaks, rib-eyes, and filet mignon.

Glen Rock

Giannella’s Deli: Michael Visser has fashioned his Glen Rock Deli’s offerings on his Grandparents Silvio and Sylvia’s classic 60’s-era Paterson bakery, and offers a comprehensive menu.

Holmdel

Bell Market: Bell Market Provisions Pick Up and Delivery is now offering produce boxes, protein bundles, easy meal kits, and other grocery essentials, available on their online store to pre-order for curbside pick up at the front entrance of Bell Works or by contactless delivery straight to your door. Place your order online and select one of the two delivery days (Tuesday or Friday).

Hopewell

Aunt Chubby’s Luncheonette: Returning to its roots as a one-time grocery store in Hopewell, Aunt Chubby’s currently offers a full list of market items including nondairy milk options, gluten-free bread, cold cuts, and condiments to name a few.

Manasquan

Blend on Main: Executive chef and owner Lou Smith offers a local delivery and pickup service of groceries including coffee, flour, eggs, and produce. In addition, the Jersey Shore eatery (pictured at top) currently offers limited quantities of paper and janitorial products.

Montclair

Montclair Bread Company has done the pivot from top-notch bread and doughnut shop to becoming the go-to for many for produce, dairy, and meat products as well as, yes, a great selection of their doughnuts and breads. DIY meal kits and birthday cakes are also available. The market is taking advanced, online orders only (https://squareup.com/store/montclairbread) for contact-free pickup.

Multiple Locations

Turning Point Restaurants: Offering a variety of items, Turning Point is selling produce, meats, coffee, household items, beverages, dairy, bread, and more. You can find their list of groceries on their Essentials page. Order over the phone and pick your items up curbside. Check their website for a location nearest you.

Panera has kicked off grocery services in many of its locations, with dairy, produce, and bread. This is in addition to its regular, still-available soup, sandwich, and salad menu. Check individual locations for availability of specific items.

Sea Bright

Drift House by David Burke: The Sea Bright restaurant is currently offering signature cuts of high-quality meat that can be prepared at home. Options include 8oz filet mignons, 12oz ribeyes, 12oz hanger steaks and 1lb ground beef packs. They also have poultry, produce, canned goods, and more. Please a takeout order online or at 732-530-9760.

Sparta

Mohawk House: This Sparta NJ restaurant is offering a mobile butcher featuring Pat Lafrieda’s fresh cuts of beef and rack of lamb. You can also take advantage of their more traditional market, which includes frozen vegetables, baked goods, and yes, toilet paper.

Stirling

The Stirling Hotel: This Morris County tavern offers groceries for 21+ takeout including cocktail kits like gin and tonic, sangria, and mango Bellinis, along with their curbside menu of pub fare.

Verona

Lakeside Deli is taking orders for pickup and delivery, covering areas including fresh produce, raw chicken, ground beef, boxed pasta, and more.

Whippany

Ome Caterers: This Whippany caterer has changed its menu to include a full store of dairy and nondairy options as well as butcher and pantry products for delivery.

Editor’s note: Offerings are subject to change.
Additional reporting by Rachel Bozek and Jon Faronea.

Free Coffee for the Front Line and a Mocha-Shortbread-Cookie Recipe for All

Rachel Bozek

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April 21, 2020

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Free Coffee for the Front Line and a Mocha-Shortbread-Cookie Recipe for All

While they live the curbside-pickup life along with so many restaurants and coffee shops around the country, the Cedar Bean’s Coffee Joint team, in Cedar Grove, NJ, is doing its part to show appreciation to healthcare workers and first responders. Read on to find out what they’re doing on that front, how they’re delivering live music on the regular, and how to make head barista Casey Wehr’s mocha shortbread cookies.

Thank You, Frontline Workers

Over the past few weeks, Cedar Bean’s Coffee Joint has donated coffee to area hospitals. They are also offering on-the-house, curbside coffee to EMTs and other frontline workers in the area. Frontline workers can get a free box of coffee for their teams by calling between 9 and 10 a.m. and picking up. (Regular orders for coffee-based drinks, tea, beans, and baked goods can be placed using the My Coffee Helper app.)

Live Music, from a Distance

As part of its pivot into serving a sheltered-in-place public, Cedar Bean’s Coffee Joint also continues entertaining customers and fans through its increasingly popular Very Virtual Caffeinated Open Mic, every Thursday at 7 p.m. via Facebook Live. With surprise guests and an engaged local following, the weekly happening reached 2,000 views last week. The most recent installment even incorporated performers from Portland, OR, and Australia into its usually very Jersey-centric roster.

A Delicious, Caffeinated Treat

Most of us are home cooking more than we’ve ever cooked before. With that in mind, head barista Casey Wehr has shared her recipe for mocha shortbread cookies. These caffeinated treats feature finely ground coffee, chocolate, and a few baking staples you probably have at home. Check out the two-minute video for the full scoop on how to do it. (Recipe is listed below the video as well.)

Mocha Shortbread Cookies

Requires three cookie sheets or similar baking pans. (Or you can do one sheet at a time.)Makes 18 cookies.

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup espresso grinds (finely ground coffee)
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
Splash of vanilla extract (optional)
1 cup finely chopped chocolate (such as 2 standard-size Hershey's bars)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Mix dry ingredients (flour, sugar, espresso grinds).
Gradually combine dry ingredients with the softened butter. (Use a mixer if you have one. If not, thoroughly hand mixing is fine.)
Add a splash of vanilla.
Add finely chopped chocolate.
Grease baking trays.
Roll dough into small balls, with ample space between them. Partially flatten each ball with a fork.
Bake for 30 minutes. Check on them in the final 10 minutes as ovens may cook differently.
Enjoy with a cup of coffee, cocoa, or milk!

On April 12, the Easter Bunny took a four-hour joyride with Cedar Bean’s Coffee Joint and waved to kids on just about every street in Cedar Grove.

Cedar Bean’s Coffee Joint
575 Pompton Avenue
Cedar Grove, NJ
908-955-8200
facebook.com/cedarbeanscoffee
cedarbeans.com

Bunny photo by Joe Mongiello. All others courtesy of Cedar Bean’s Photo Joint.

Jersey Bites Launches NJ Restaurant Takeout Finder

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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April 20, 2020

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Jersey Bites Launches NJ Restaurant Takeout Finder

New Jersey restaurants are offering takeout and delivery in many forms and on many different schedules. I belong to a few community groups started on Facebook to crowdsource takeout information. After seeing so many questions from members, I felt there was a true need for one centralized resource that hungry New Jerseyans could turn to for all their takeout and delivery options.

A Searchable Takeout Database

Thanks to the help of our stellar web team at Web Publisher Pro, we now have our very own searchable database for NJ restaurant takeout and delivery. The site is searchable by county or you can filter by distance from your location.

All that restaurants need to do to create their free listing is to visit the Takeout Finder page and click the button that says “Add a New Business.” Fill out the form with your details, days open, times, etc. Submit links and phone numbers. Upload a logo or photo of your business if you wish, and hit submit.

Our team will review the information before posting to make sure the form is filled out correctly. Customers can then find the restaurant’s information and a direct link to the online order page if the business has one.

Just for Food and Beverages

I realize that other news outlets and websites have created databases for still-open businesses, however, I wanted to create one strictly for restaurants. Food is what Jersey Bites has always been about, and our goal here is really to help our cherished restaurant industry in any way we can.

How You Can Help

The success of our Takeout Finder will rely on thousands of listings so please share this article or a direct link to the registration page, jerseybites.com/add-a-local-business, with your fellow restaurateurs or, if you are a consumer, with your favorite and go-to restaurants.

I believe that we will all be depending on takeout and delivery for quite some time. Even after the mandatory dine-in shutdown is lifted, we will surely see restrictions on the number of people in restaurants. We all miss our favorite spots and they need our help. It is my hope that our Takeout Finder will assist both sides of the equation.

Beer Broadcast: Bringing Online Beer Sales to NJ Craft Breweries

Peter Culos

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April 19, 2020

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Beer Broadcast: Bringing Online Beer Sales to NJ Craft Breweries

Timing

Timing is everything. Back in November of 2019, when friends Colin Keany and John Crepezzi dreamed up an online resource to track new brewery releases and where you can also make a purchase for pickup at the brewery, they had no idea of the trouble brewing in China. As the COVID-19 pandemic hit, on-line beer sales have become a necessity for small breweries trying to stay afloat during the crisis.

The Problem

Keany and Crepezzi were having a beer at their favorite local brewery, which happens to be Source Brewing (Colts Neck) and lamenting the fact that it is almost impossible to track new beer releases. First, there are new breweries popping up all the time. Good luck just tracking that let alone individual beers! Then there are a dizzying array of social media platforms and event management applications to monitor. As much as we have our heads in our phones we are still going to miss stuff! It would be so much easier if there was just one platform.

A Plan Comes Together

Having met while working at the same tech company, Keany and Crepezzi possess the perfect combination of skills to pull this off. Keany is in product design, while Crepezzi is a software engineer. Of course, they both love beer. The fact that their local brewery is Source is another stroke of good fortune. Owner Phil Petracca has an entrepreneurial spirit that helped the pair breathe life into Beer Broadcast. “Colin and John are good customers of the Source, and also it happens they’re very talented software developers,” said Petracca. “We’ve had some detailed discussions about the difficulties we were having managing can/bottle releases, and they experienced firsthand the limitations of us utilizing Square and Eventbrite.”

How it Works

First of all, it’s free for both breweries and consumers. Just head over to beerbroadcast.com, open an account, explore the member breweries, and track the ones you like. Easy. When one of those breweries releases a new beer, you’ll get notified. You’ll also have the opportunity to purchase beer on the website and before you head over to the brewery you’ll get a QR code to verify and pick up your order. If the brewery offers delivery you’ll be able to track the delivery status as well.

For breweries, getting set up is just as easy and the user interface is very intuitive. With just a few clicks you can set up all of the parameters of your beer release including start and stop dates, order limits, and inventory quantities so you don’t oversell. Delivery drivers can also use the site to track and update delivery status.

What’s Next?

As handy as Beer Broadcast is during this time of social distancing, Keany and Crepezzi have plans to expand its capabilities. They will introduce more robust support for brewery-sponsored events, including customization, alerts, and ticket purchases. Beer menu management across multiple platforms is also on the chalk board. We’ve all had Amazon tell us that if we bought “that” we might also like “this.” Well, Beer Broadcast has similar plans. Using collected data they could suggest new beers and breweries that you might like but were not tracking.

The end goal for Beer Broadcast is to create a community of breweries and beer drinkers in a way that other beer related apps have not. Online beer sales may be one of the innovations that sticks around after this pandemic finally ebbs away. Personally, I’m getting very used to being able to pre-order from my local brewery and pick up my order when it’s ready. (It sure beats standing in line behind some guy with five growlers to fill when I just want to grab a four-pack and get home for dinner.)

Most of the breweries opening and operating in New Jersey use a tap room-centric business model and are being hit hard by this pandemic. Petracca said,”COVID-19 also brought about major changes to our business model—we had to pivot from a destination taproom focused brewery to 100% pre-packaged to go sales with the ability to provide home delivery. The Beer Broadcast guys were able to quickly add features that provided a cashless and contactless fulfillment process with the ability to also manage home delivery routing and notifications.” Beer Broadcast is a bit like a virtual tap room that enables breweries to stay in touch with their fans by selling them beer directly.

I hope more breweries sign up for Beer Broadcast because, frankly, I’m having a tough time keeping up with all the new stuff myself!

&grain Owner Bakes from the Heart

Adam Horvath

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April 17, 2020

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John Ropelski is a good dude. He is also the owner of &grain (andgrain.com), an artisan bread and coffee shop in Garwood, NJ. The neighborhood café is a little bit of Brooklyn mixed with a sprinkle of Portland, but it’s also all New Jersey.

When COVID-19 hit, like many other small-business owners, Ropelski was forced to downsize his staff. And his business was relegated the world of call-ahead, curbside-only service.

John Ropelski from &grain — John Ropelski, owner of &grain

Undeterred, Ropelski kept baking. “I can’t give up—this is my life,” he says. And what he isn’t selling, he donates. He partnered with Westfield Fun Club, a local charity, and started donating bread two nights a week.

It wasn’t long before he placed a bulletin board in front of the shop announcing, “Free Bread!!! 4 the Elderly & Anyone Laid Off.” And with that, on March 31, &grain launched its Free Bread program.

There is no judgement and no proof of hardship is required. If you are in the area and would like bread, contact John at 908-232-2233 by 1 p.m. the day prior. &grain has pledged to continue the relief program throughout the pandemic or until Ropelski can no longer afford to continue. A GoFundMe page has been organized with proceeds going toward the Free Bread initiative.

Ropelski is humbled by the response and attention that this initiative has drawn and is happy to give back to the community that he has been part of for the past eight years.

For now, keep &grain in mind for curbside pickup and if you or anyone you know is in need of fresh bread. And once the pandemic is behind us, stop by the café for some scrumptious breads and pastries and give John Ropelski your regards.

&grain
700 North Avenue
Garwood, NJ 07027
908-232-2233

Local Businesses Get Creative with DIY Food Kits and Crafts

Adam Horvath

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April 13, 2020

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Local Businesses Get Creative with DIY Food Kits and Crafts

Being forced to stay in the house can be a bit maddening but this quarantine has helped to bring families together and has pushed businesses to think outside the box and into new creative territory.

Lemonade Outta Lemons

Many local establishments have turned to social media with offers of DIY food kits and crafts for the whole family. This not only provides patrons with fun filled entertainment but also affords another revenue stream for struggling restaurants.

For a fun night of pizza making, check out Carmine’s Pizza in Netcong, NJ. The third-generation Morris County pizzeria is selling a $10 pizza-at-home kit with all of the ingredients to make a large pie. They are just one of many local pizzerias offering a DIY pizza kit. Maybe buy an extra kit to practice that pizza toss—but watch out for the ceiling fan.

Sweet Creations

For a sweet treat, try Bovella’s Pastry Shoppe in Westfield, NJ, for their $25 kit of a dozen animal-shaped cookies, with assorted icing and sprinkles. See if you can stay within the lines and who knows, maybe you can even start your own quarantine reality show, The Art of Painting Cookies.

Splurge Bakery DIY cookie kit — Splurge Bakery in Millburn offers weekly DIY Baking Kits

Virtual Cocktails

DIY food is not just for kids! Adults, consider checking out Asbury Park’s newest cocktail destination, Laylow, from the privacy of your dining room and sign up for the $10 Virtual Cocktail Making Class. Zoom some friends for a fun and informative virtual hangout. All sales from the class go directly toward supporting the bar team.

Color for a Cause

Finally, consider supporting the Smith Restaurant Group and their employee relief program. Smith oversees three Porta locations, three Brickwall locations, Pascale & Sabine, and Little Buddy. The group now offers specialized coloring pages, which can be downloaded for $5 per page. Grab one for the kiddos and know that you are helping to support employees in need. If you download two or more coloring pages, you’ll receive an email for a coupon for a free Margherita pizza from Porta, good to use when the doors reopen. Check out the coloring book here.

Soon we will be back to visiting our favorite brick & mortar locations, but in the meantime take advantage of some of the options shown here. Also, follow all of your favorite restaurants and bars on social media to see if they are offering similar items.

More DIY Kits to Support

Pizza

Lorenzo’s, Sussex
Zio’s Pizza, Little Ferry
Rome Pizza, Dunellen
Bicycle Club, Englewood Cliffs

Desserts

The Cake Fairy, Harrington Park
Devour Desserts, Mantua
Splurge Bakery, Millburn
Polkadot Cake Shop, Lyndhurst

Options like these are popping up all over the state, so check with your local pizza shop, bakery, or other area eateries to see what might be in store for you on the DIY front!

Unionville Vineyards Donates Profits for Nurse & Doctor Care Packages

JerseyBites

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April 10, 2020

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Unionville Vineyards Donates Profits for Nurse & Doctor Care Packages

Press Release: Hunterdon County’s Unionville Vineyards is donating all profits from sales of Dry Riesling in the months of April and May to support front line healthcare workers in the battle against COVID-19. The winery will purchase lunches and other requested items for the nurses and doctors tending to COVID cases at hospitals across the region.

“It’s important to let our healthcare professionals know that they have support from their communities outside the hospital walls,” said John Cifelli, the winery’s general manager. “They’re caring for the friends and family members of the region’s residents, often without proper protective equipment and doing so for long hours under physical and emotional duress. Donating a meal or sending a care package is a meaningful gesture we can make to remind them that all of New Jersey stands with them.”

After announcing the campaign on social media late last week, already over $1,500 has been raised and the winery made their first contribution on Wednesday the 8th. Each meal donation will use a different restaurant, giving a needed boost to these small businesses as well.

Unionville’s wines are available via online at www.unionvillevineyards.com or over the phone at 908-788-0400 ex 2. Free shipping to anyone in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or New York is offered on purchases of 6 or more bottles. Contactless pickup at the winery’s parking lot at 9 Rocktown Road in East Amwell is available 7 days a week from 12-5 p.m. Orders can also be picked up at Unionville’s wine bar at Ferry Market, 32 South Main Street in New Hope, PA, Thursday to Sunday 12-7 p.m.

Unionville Vineyards produces wines from 47 acres of vineyard planted at sites in Ringoes, Hopewell, and Princeton. The winery’s portfolio is focused on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Rhône-style blends.

Restaurant Wholesalers Step up and into Home Delivery

Deborah Smith, Executive Editor

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April 9, 2020

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Restaurant Wholesalers Step up and into Home Delivery

With meal kit and grocery store deliveries practically impossible to secure these days, and visits to the grocery store getting increasingly stressful, restaurant wholesalers have stepped in to meet the needs of thousands of hungry households in New Jersey.

The Chefs’ Warehouse

Many companies, like The Chefs’ Warehouse, have transitioned into home delivery for the first time in 35 years of business as the government started to mandate restaurant dine-in closings.

“We had to evaluate the best course of action,” says David Vogel, vice president of marketing for The Chefs’ Warehouse. “Number one, we wanted to support our communities as grocery store shelves became barren. Number two, we needed to keep as many employees working as possible.”

The Chefs’ Warehouse created a new website (shop.chefswarehouse.com) to accommodate at-home shoppers. According to the site, you can expect your order to arrive within three days. (I placed my order on April 6 and it arrived April 8.)

At-home food delivery from restaurant supply company — My order from The Chefs’ Warehouse arrived in two days.

Big Time

Heads up: Be prepared for bulk sizes. (Anyone interested in 24 cans of chick peas?) Still, not everything is in huge quantities and right now it’s not a bad thing to stock up. Another option is to consider forming your own food club with family or neighbors and splitting an order. Not only does The Chefs’ Warehouse offer tons of food choices, but…wait for it…they also have toilet paper and latex gloves!

With Chefs’ Warehouse there is no minimum order, but orders under $250 will incur a $35 delivery fee. If you’re stocking the freezer, though, you will not have a problem hitting $250 and you’ll get the added bonus of restaurant quality. Plus, The Chefs’ Warehouse is donating 10% of retail sales profits from home delivery orders to frontline furloughed employees and other impacted members of the foodservice industry, who are financially suffering while so many restaurants around the country are closed.

Baldor Specialty Foods

Beginning as Balducci’s fruit stand in Greenwich Village in 1946, Baldor Specialty Foods has a long history in the New York Area and is one of the largest importers and distributors of fresh produce and specialty foods. For foodies, having this service available for direct purchase is a real treat.

On the Baldor website, you need to be logged in to see prices, and remember that they sell in bulk, so check the quantity. Their minimum order is $250 and there is no delivery charge. According to Ben Walker, vice president of sales and marketing, “We have had 51,000 people sign up for the service. And there has been such great demand in NYC and surrounding areas that we expanded the service to Boston and Philly.”

So, what are people ordering? “Just what you’d expect,” says Walker. “Grocery staples like chicken, eggs, milk, cheese, meat, and produce that has a longer shelf-life like potatoes, carrots, onions, and apples.”

When I asked if they are running out of stock on certain items, I was told yes, but that they have been restocking quickly.

I wondered if they’d heard of order-sharing from customers and they confirmed that yes, they had and also said they had heard of families cooking for elderly family members or neighbors, and dropping off prepared foods and staple groceries. “We have responded to this new customer by working to offer more products in smaller quantities,” offered Walker.

To place your order through Baldor, go to BaldorFood.com and sign up to be a customer. You won’t see food prices until you register. From there, you can place an order, which will be delivered to your door. Sales tax and delivery are included. Expect delivery within four to five days.

More Restaurant Wholesalers Now Offering Home Delivery

Singer Equipment Family Packs — Singer Equipment Family Pack comes in several sizes

HOJO Home Delivery: Poultry, meats, seafood, Joe Tea, Hoboken Farms cheese, ravioli, and sauces, and more. Two-day no-contact delivery to Bergen, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union, and Warren Counties. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday no-contact delivery to Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

Nicola’s Pasta Fresca: Fresh pasta and sauces delivered to your home. Delivering to the following counties in New Jersey: Essex, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, Warren, and Union.

North East Restaurant Direct: Mercer County delivery, which includes all of Mercer County as well as surrounding communities (Bordentown, Allentown, Kingston, Plainsboro, and other neighboring towns).

Singer Equipment Company: Offers a variety of care packages including toilet paper, paper towels, gloves, and other cleaning items.

If you know of a restaurant wholesaler who is offering home delivery in New Jersey, please send details to [email protected]. We will expand this list as more information becomes available.

At-Home Short Ribs Recipe from Chef AJ Capella, of Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen

JerseyBites

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April 2, 2020

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At-Home Short Ribs Recipe from Chef AJ Capella, of Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen

Right now, like so many, Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen, in Morristown, NJ, has temporarily closed its doors. But that doesn’t mean that Executive Chef AJ Capella isn’t cooking at home. He recently made these braised short ribs, and shared the recipe with Jersey Bites.

Chef AJ Capella’s Short Ribs

Ingredients

Serves 4

4 bone-in short ribs (Chef Capella got his from Fossil Farms.)
4 stalks celery, 1½-inch bias cut
2 heads garlic, split heads in half
2 white onions, sliced, ⅓-inch thick
1 fennel bulb, sliced
3 oz tomato paste
1 bottle Bordeaux, standard size / 750 ml
32 oz beef stock
1 oz thyme
1 oz oregano
1 oz rosemary
4 bay leaves
6 rainbow carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch long cylinders
6 Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled, cut into quarters
4 oz pancetta

Directions

Allow short ribs to come to room temperature then season liberally with kosher salt and pepper.
Sear all sides of the meat in a cast iron skillet or dutch oven.
Remove meat to a cooling rack and put the pancetta in the pan.
Begin caramelizing the sliced onion, followed by the celery and garlic.
Once the vegetables are caramelized, add the tomato paste and continue cooking until a deep red color is achieved, about 15 minutes, on medium heat constantly stirring.
Finally you can add the bottle of red wine with the herbs. Reduce the liquid by half followed by the beef stock.
Bring the whole mixture to a boil and poor into the cooking vessel.
Add the short ribs and cook covered in the oven at 350°F for 2½ hours.
Remove from the oven.
Add your carrots and potatoes.
Cover again and cook for another 1½ hours, for a total of 4 hours.

Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen, in Morristown

About

Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen is the creation of visionary restaurateur and James Beard Award winner Chris Cannon, along with a team of more than 100 dedicated hospitality professionals. Located in Morristown’s landmark Vail Mansion, the 15,000 square-foot space offers four distinct dining experiences on three levels for guests to explore.

Jockey Hollow Bar and Kitchen

110 South Street

Morristown, NJ 07960

973-644-3180

www.jockeyhollowbarandkitchen.com

NJ Brewery of the Year 2020 Goes to Zed’s Beer in Marlton

Peter Culos

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March 30, 2020

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NJ Brewery of the Year 2020 Goes to Zed’s Beer in Marlton

The New York International Beer Competition (NYIBC) includes over 600 beers from 14 countries across 30 categories. Along with the typical gold, silver, and bronze awards they also name a brewery of the year for each state represented. This year, the NJ brewery of the year was Zed’s Beer in Marlton.

Cofounded by Geoff Bado and Lori White, Zed’s Beer has only been around for two-and-a-half years. It’s a small storefront-type of brewery with a 10bbl system–recently upgraded from 5bbls. Despite such humble surroundings, Bado and White maintain a high quality product. “The NYIBC is known for its competitiveness and we are proud to be in good company in New Jersey, nationally and internationally,” said Bado.

Small Beer, Big Flavor

Even the beers are small at Zed’s Beer. Of the 10 to 18 beers they usually have on tap, most are 5% ABV or less. However, small beer can actually mean big flavor when done right. “It speaks to the brewer’s skill,” said Lori White.

Zed's Beer gets NJ brewery of the year — Geoff Bado and Lori White of Zed’s Beer

They’re pretty confident about that skill, too. For customers who can’t seem to decide on what they want, Bado will pick one for them randomly. “I wouldn’t have it on tap if I didn’t want you to drink it” he told me. I’m sure that maneuver has terrified more that one customer but Bado says that they almost always stay for a second beer,” he said. Zed’s Beer must be making good stuff! NJ Brewery of the Year kind of stuff.

The NYIBC judging panel—made up of restaurateurs, cicerones, sommeliers, retail beer buyers, distributors, and importers—seem to agree. Zed’s Beer hauled in gold for Zed’s in Ireland, a dry Irish stout which features bold coffee and bitter chocolate flavors coupled with a bone dry finish—all at less than 5% ABV. Zed’s in the Universe—Pale 42 scored a gold in the American Pale Ale category. Pale 42 is another sessionable beer starring Cascade, Centennial, and Amarillo hops. Fruity and floral, it’s great to contemplate or knock back a few.

NJ brewery of the year Zed's Beer — Zed’s gold medal winners

Two other New Jersey brewers garnered gold for a couple of very big beers. Cape May Brewing’s (Rio Grande) Coastal Evacuation was so honored in the Imperial IPA category, while Eight and Sand (Woodbury) nailed one for their Mallow Joe in the American Imperial Stout category.

In the end though, it was the little guy who walked away with the big award: New Jersey Brewery of the Year. If you’re wondering where to get a taste of this award winning beer, well, you pretty much have to go to the brewery. Even their distribution footprint is small—at least for now.

Preorder and Pick Up

Note: During the COVID-19 crisis you can preorder (call 856-872-7632 or send an e-mail to [email protected], website) and pick up beer at the brewery 7 days a week. I’d urge you to do this. If not Zed’s Beer, then go to your local brewer. Breweries are probably the cleanest place in town and they could sure use our help.

Zed’s Beer
19 North Maple Ave
Marlton, NJ

Pantry Staple Recipes from Cooking w/ Julie

JerseyBites

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March 27, 2020

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Pantry Staple Recipes from Cooking w/ Julie

Need new recipe inspiration using pantry staples like beans and rice? Check out these recipes, courtesy of Hoboken-based chef, healthy cooking expert, and YouTuber Julie Hartigan, of CookingwJulie.com. With easy vegan, no-cook, comfort food, and a much-deserved decadent dessert that takes just 15 minutes, you’re sure find something you love here.

For more easy ideas be sure to follow Julie and watch her three-times-per-week Quarantine Kitchen recipe videos at @cookingwjulie on Instagram and Facebook, and on YouTube.com\CookingWJulie.

Spicy Chick Pea & Roasted Pepper Shakshouka

You can make this with just about any cooked or raw veggie, canned beans, and tomato-based sauce including salsa or marinara. Also, it’s easy to rock for work-from-home lunch for one in an omelet pan. Get the recipe.

No-Cook Greek Shrimp & Rice Bowls

Grain bowls are the perfect way to use up leftovers and ingredients you already have on hand. Plus they’re easy to pull together for lunch. Pro tip: Always keep a bag of frozen cooked shrimp on hand: just grab a handful and run under cool water to defrost in seconds! Get the recipe.

Grandmas Italian Pasta Fagioli Recipe, Julie Hartigan, Jersey Bites

Grandma’s Pasta Fagioli

Like a hug from your grandma, this Italian comfort food stew uses just a few easy things from the pantry. You can swap in bacon for the pancetta or skip that step and swap in vegetable broth to make it vegan. Get the recipe.

Moroccan French Lentil & Butternut Squash Stew

This vegan dish comes together all in one pot using just a handful of ingredients and spices. Bonus: You can leave some of the spices out if you don’t have them and it will still be amazing! Make a big batch of this to freeze in individual portions for later. Pro tip: If you swap in regular lentils it will cook even more quickly. Get the recipe.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe, Julie Hartigan, Jersey Bites

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

Because we could all use a little chocolatey treat right now! These take just 15 minutes in the oven or Instant Pot using ingredients you probably already have. Get the recipe.

We hope these recipes inspire you to cook something great while you’re stuck at home. Enjoy!

About Julie Hartigan

Julie Hartigan: Professional chef and recipe developer who left a career as an engineer to pursue her passion for all things food, cooking, cocktails, and fun! A longtime Jersey resident, Julie splits her time between Hoboken / Asbury Park and loves exploring both cities’ ever-changing dining and cocktail scenes…while she talks shop with the chefs. By day, Julie works with brands such as Weight Watchers, Bed Bath Beyond, Real Simple, Food Network, and others and shoots cooking videos, writes recipes, and appears on TV to share her tips and tricks. She’s thrilled to bring a “Chef to Chef” perspective to Jersey Bites and introduce you to the standout spots, dishes, and drinks on her must-try list! Follow Julie’s culinary adventures and get her recipes, cooking tips, and easy entertaining ideas on Instagram @cookingwjulie and on Facebook at Cooking w Julie.

DeNovo Montclair Owner Steps up for Employees During Public Health Crisis

Rachel Bozek

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March 26, 2020

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DeNovo Montclair Owner Steps up for Employees During Public Health Crisis

Looking for a way to make things better as everything seemed to just be getting worse, DeNovo owner Demetri Malki came up with a plan. “I said, ‘Let me try to generate some money to keep my staff working and keep food on their table and a roof over their head,'” Malki said. The restaurant is taking orders for pickup (including curbside) and delivery.

Implementing his plan on Tuesday, March 24, Malki has picked up the cost of the food in order to have his team work. Of course, they’re not all working at once, as social distancing is being practiced with care. “Usually we have 10 people in the kitchen—now we have three,” he said.

All the money they’re bringing in—not just the profits—goes to the employees who are working. Part of the Montclair restaurant scene for the past two decades, Malki acknowledged the community’s support during this difficult time with true gratitude in his voice. “The support has been tremendous,” he said.

DeNovo also has an Edgewater location, which is currently closed, but Malki wants to keep that team moving as well. “Now that I see things revving up,” Malki said, “I’m going to try to incorporate my Edgewater people [into the current Montclair operation]. I’m just trying to keep them active and hopefully put food on their table.”

Cacio e Pepe DeNovo European Pub Montclair NJ — Cacio e Pepe

DeNovo is currently operating Tuesday through Sunday, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Updates will be posted to their Facebook page, linked here.

How to Get Your Order

Malki broke down the ways people can get their orders.

Curbside: “Customers can call us and we bring it out to them.”

Pick up: “In the restaurant we have a long communal table as soon as you walk in. We’ve been using that as our expediting line. We put out the actual credit card voucher and your food, so it’s ready to go when you walk in. If you don’t want to sign you don’t sign. We point to your bag, you grab your bag, and you leave.”

Delivery: “Everything is done. They give us their credit card beforehand, and we’ll run the card outside when we get to the house. We ring the bell, we drop the food off, and then we leave. So there’s no interaction.”

DeNovo European Pub
275 Bellevue Ave
Montclair, NJ 07043
973-893-5008

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