For this summer’s Jersey Fresh Fridays series, I invited Executive Chef Gregory Zapantis of Molos Restaurant, in Weehawken, to share a Jersey Fresh-friendly recipe. And he delivered! This greens and cheese salad incorporates produce from Jersey Legacy Farms (the cheese is imported from Greece) and is served at Molos, where the food is as fabulous as the waterfront view.
“Though locally sourcing food may be a trend now, back home in Greece it was all about supporting your local farmers and cooking only what was in season and what was available seasonally,” said Zapantis. “I brought those same values stateside, to Molos.” Click here for additional Jersey Bites coverage of Molos.
Legacy Farms Greens & Cheese
Yields 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
4 cups salad greens (escarole, arugula, romaine or other greens)
6 to 8 radishes, sliced
1 medium red onion medium, peeled and cut into rings
1 small green pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 tomato cut into wedges
1 garlic clove
½ cup Feta cheese, crumbled
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
10 to 12 Kalamata olives
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Wash and dry salad greens.
Tear greens into bite-sized pieces.
Prepare radishes, onion, green peppers, cucumber and tomatoes.
Crush garlic cloves and rub around the surface of bowl.
Add salad greens, olives, cheese, salt, pepper and oregano.
Sprinkle with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Toss lightly and serve immediately.
Opened in July 2015 in Jersey City’s Powerhouse Arts District, Bucket & Bay Craft Gelato Co is the brainchild of husband and wife owners, Jen and Boris Kavlakov.
The Bucket & Bay Back Story
Jen and Boris met at a Thunderbird School of Global Management alumni event in Chicago. Jen was a 17-year finance executive when she realized she wanted to explore her passion for food and healthy cooking as a means to making a living. Boris was a marketing executive who jumped at the opportunity to start Bucket & Bay. Jen, whose relevant experience was limited to making gelato at home for her two daughters, took courses at the Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan to expand her skills and Bucket & Bay was born.
About the Gelato
For ice cream lovers unfamiliar with gelato, it’s lighter, fluffier and creamier than ice cream. That creaminess suggest a high fat content but it’s actually the opposite. Gelato has a lower fat content than ice cream, which has more cream and more air incorporated into it.
Bucket & Bay claims that using 100% organic grass-fed milk is what sets its gelato apart from the rest – after sampling the product, I completely agree, it’s superior. After months of searching for a local, sustainable source of milk, the duo selected Oasis at Bird-in-Hand, an Amish farmers’ cooperative in Pennsylvania, two hours away from the shop, that produces 100% grassfed, organic milk from heritage breeds such as Linebacks and Jersey cows. The high buttermilk content of the Oasis milk creates a distinctively clean and fresh taste. Jen and Boris also sell Oasis brand milk and butter at their store.
Bucket & Bay has a rotating lineup of 12 flavors. The signatures include Deep Dark Chocolate, Rose Latte, Mint Chip, Vanilla and Black Label Vanilla. When I visited in late May, I indulged in several gelatos including the outstanding Deep Dark Chocolate made with Raaka raw 71% dark chocolate and the Black Label Vanilla made with Johnnie Walker Black Label. I also enjoyed a few seasonal flavors including Red Eye made with cold brew coffee and espresso, Dark & Stormy with Gosling’s Rum, Mango Smoked Cardamom and an ingenious flight or tequila-infused gelato. Gelato and sorbets are served by the cup or in handmade, gluten free, crunchy-perfect waffle cone. You’ll want that cone. And you’ll dream about it after you visit.
Bucket & Bay has partnered with Choc-O-Pain to offer clients the bakery’s delectable, baked-fresh-daily scones and croissants on which the lunchtime artisan cheese melts are served. Jersey City’s modcup coffee co. supplies the shop’s single-origin, locally-roasted beans.
Bucket & Bay Goes Mobile
Bucket & Bay has recently deployed two gelato carts fashioned from Virtue Bike School Bus carts. The carts are located in Jersey City’s Exchange Place and in downtown Hoboken. They feature six-eight flavors of gelato and even have their ownInstagramaccount for fans needing constant reminders of how fabulous this product is.
Bucket & Bay also offers catering, hosts special events and teaches gelato classes. Sign up for the shop’s newsletter to keep up with all the news and happenings.
Bucket & Bay Craft Gelato Co.
150 Bay Street
Jersey City
201-503-5588
There’s more to Father’s Day than ties and tool belts! Take a bite out of these Father’s Day gift picks from the Jersey Bites team!
Cookbooks
The Jersey Shore Cookbook, by Jersey Bites founder and executive editor Deborah Smith, offers Dad all the know-how he needs to cook up an authentic taste of the Jersey Shore right at home. And if the dad in your life is into eating fresh, natural, and healthful food, he may appreciate the recipes featured in Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation, and Reset Your Body by Amie Valpone. Or maybe he’s just into good-for-the-soul pork roll. If that’s the case, it just might be time for a copy of the Pork Roll Cookbook by Jenna Pizzi and Susan Sprague Yeske.
Gadgets and Accessories
Spice up Dad’s culinary adventures with these uncommon treasures, from Uncommon Goods, starting with the Himalayan Salt BBQ Plank. This hand-carved plank of Himalayan salt imparts nuanced, salty flavor into any dish served or cooked on it, guaranteeing a sure hit. Or you can turn Dad into a brewmaster this Father’s Day with the Texas Chipotle Amber Beer Brewing Kit. But wait, there’s more! Give Dad the power of complete condiment control with the Make Your Own Hot Sauce Kit. There’s no end to the possibilities of what hot sauces you can create with this fun D-I-Y kit, which includes cayenne, ancho, curry, and chili spice packs. Finally, The Mobile Foodie Survival Kit could be exactly what Dad needs to fight off flavorless food! Comes fully stocked with 13 organic herbs and spices, including rosemary, dill, curry, and more.
Help the dad in your life take the fuss out of grilling with The Original Po’ Man Charcoal Grill! While this unassuming grill may look like a trash can, the mouthwatering barbeque it cooks up is anything but.
Dads who eat on the go need the humangear GoBites Trio. This handy utensil set comes fully loaded with a spoon, fork, knife, and toothpick, all made from a BPA-free nylon material and packed in a thoughtfully designed, compact case that’s even fitted with a bottle opener.
The smartly-designed Trudeau Graviti Electric Salt & Pepper Mills make the two-handed mills of yesteryear obsolete by automatically grinding when turned upside-down and shutting off when flipped back upright.
Help make Dad’s next dish smokin’ good with the PolyScience Smoking Gun. This handheld smoker opens up a whole new dimension of culinary possibilities by imparting the flavor of natural, cool smoke to whatever the cook’s imagination desires.
In just 90 minutes, Dad can turn a bottle of his favorite wine into a conversation piece with a handy twist with the Corkcicle Air. The Corkcicle Air chills wine to the perfect temperature and, thanks to its brilliant pour-through design, you can pour another tastefully-aerated glass without even needing to remove the cork!
Experiences
Treat Dad to a delicious custom meal cooked by expert chef Janet Davis of JADE Jamaican Grill… right at home! Schedule Dad’s special dinner now!
Pour Dad a glass of Wicked port-style wine from Sharrott Winery, Blue Anchor. This delicious dessert wine was winner of the Best Dessert Wine in New Jersey, 2015. Sweet with flavors of cherry and dark chocolate.
If you’re in the Montclair area (or want to order online,) check out the Coffee and Mug Gift Set from Java Love, Montclair: the perfect pairing for caffeine-fueled, coffee-enthusiast dads. The set includes a half-pound bag of Java Love’s signature blend along with a hand-crafted ceramic mug. This gift is sure to brighten Dad’s morning! And for the dad who likes artisanal craft beer just as much as coffee, sign him up for the upcoming Odd Brew Fellas class at Amanti Vino, Montclair, in partnership withJava Love, on July 16. Attendees will explore various styles of beer imparted with coffee-like qualities along with styles that incorporate coffee into the brewing process. Call 973-509-WINE to enroll. Or for a gift that keeps on giving, treat Dad to a subscription to wine, craft beer or spirits clubs from Amanti Vino. There’s Club Birra for beer lovers, Club Goda for wine aficionados, and more. Memberships come with several privileges, including additional discounts at the shop and first dibs at tickets for dinners and other special events. Click here for more details and to order subscriptions.
How about a one-night staycation at the beautifully redesigned boutique Westminster Hotel in Livingston—home of seductive steakhouse, Strip House (pictured at right)? Package includes one-night weekend stay in a Traditional Guest Room including complimentary movie and access to the hotel’s sexy pool and Jacuzzi plus $100 gift card (valued at $125!) toward dinner at the highly-rated Strip House. Offer valid through July 31, 2016. $239 plus tax and gratuities.
Jersey Bites is proud to once again partner with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s Jersey Fresh program. Throughout the summer, please check in for Jersey Fresh Fridays, as we cover the latest and greatest about restaurants statewide that celebrate—and cook—Jersey Fresh. If you share or comment on any of it on social media (please do!) be sure to use #JerseyFreshFridays!
Owners of The Flaky Tart, Matthew Rosenzweig and Laura Martelli show off a few of their seasonally inspired creations in the bakery case on a recent visit: a strawberry cheesecake and a savory asparagus and goat cheese tart.
After seven years of working pastry magic together at The Flaky Tart, Matthew Rosenzweig and Laura Martelli are fostering another magical talent—as the new owners of the Atlantic Highlands bakery. Now with the full creative freedom that comes with ownership, the two have blended their love of artistry and seasonal produce with a flair for social media. The Flaky Tart is emerging as a pied piper of Jersey Fresh, if you will. Instead of a flute, Rosenzweig sends out their sweet messages with daily posts to Instagram and Facebook using the hashtag #JerseyFreshLove. Wooed by hunger-pang-inducing photos, customers can’t seem to resist following their eyes (and stomachs) into the elegant shop that was a 2016 James Beard award semifinalist for Outstanding Baker.
The strawberry is the star of their siren’s song at the moment. During the all-too-fleeting peak strawberry season here in New Jersey, these chefs are using them in any way imaginable—strawberry shortcakes, tarts, scones, cheese cakes and even in salads. Chef Laura’s strawberries and cream cake is a dreamy confection made with yellow buttermilk cake soaked with vanilla bean syrup, layered with local strawberries and a fluffy cloud of fresh whipped cream. The cake is available as a special order or by the (generous) slice at the pastry counter. In other recent cake creations they paired strawberries with hibiscus and a rich chocolate devil’s food cake.
Laura Martelli of The Flaky Tart in Atlantic Highlands recently dreamed up this chocolate strawberry-hibiscus cake: layers of devil’s food cake filled with strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream, frosted in hibiscus Swiss meringue buttercream, dripping with chocolate ganache, and garnished with chocolate covered strawberries, candied hibiscus flower and crispy chocolate pearls. Photo by The Flaky Tart.
Rosenzweig has been stocking the pastry case as fast as he can with strawberry brioche. Even on a quiet Wednesday morning these puffs of tender pastry filled with crème fraiche custard and fragrant strawberries were a sellout before noon (see photo at top). Just when you think they created enough temptations, they roll out mini tartlets that tenderly hold glistening berries like ruby rings in a cream, velvet-lined jewel box.
An accomplished forager of wild berries and other edibles in the Garden State, Rosenzweig also likes to seek out local produce for the bakery directly from the source. The strawberries they use are coming in from McCormack Farms in Middletown, a family-owned farm that’s been in operation since the 1880s. They sell their berries and other produce at their roadside farm stand.
And the Jersey Fresh love at the Flaky Tart is certainly not limited to strawberries. Lately, Martelli has gone to great lengths to use as much Jersey Fresh asparagus as possible. “This is what asparagus should taste like,” she tells customers as they eye a delectable tart brimming with goat cheese and verdant spears of asparagus just harvested at McCormack Farms.
At lunchtime, customers can find a selection of salads, frittatas, sandwiches and foccacia breads that highlight fresh local ingredients. Customers could not resist the call of the recent rhubarb specials: foccacia laden with rhubarb and sweet Italian sausage and a rhubarb upside-down cake.
This spring farmer Meg Paska of Rumson has been supplying the Flaky Tart with produce that they use in salads and on top of focaccia breads that quickly sell out once Rosenzweig posts a few mouthwatering photos. “Just yesterday we had a salad with Meg’s greens and radishes that we sold out in record time,” he said. The bakery started purchasing from Farmer Meg after she stopped in to introduce herself and told them about her farm, which is just five minutes away.
“I like to seek out restaurants and chefs that make food I really like,” Paska said. “It’s important for me to have face time with people. It’s really fun to have a dialogue back and forth there. They post what they are doing with my produce and it inspires our customers to try new things at home, too. ”
Martelli encourages more farmers to approach the bakery directly. “We always try to promote local farms,” she said. “Definitely reach out to us. We’d love to use more local and be inspired by whatever comes our way.”
Jersey Fresh fruits and vegetables are key ingredients at The Flaky Tart in Atlantic Highlands. In late spring, strawberries and asparagus from a local farm are cropping up all over the menu.
A strawberry brioche from the Flaky Tart is made with Jersey Fresh berries from McCormack Farms.
Strawberries and cream cake at The Flaky Tart is a rustic unfrosted layers of buttermilk cake, vanilla bean whipped cream and fresh strawberries, topped with a swirl of whipped cream. Available by the slice or by special order. Photo by The Flaky Tart.
The upcoming summer season will be their first as owners. “Seasonality is a priority,” Rosenzweig said. “It is something important to me. There is a bigger push for us to be local and seasonal. We have a great farmers market here in Atlantic Highlands on Fridays.”
Martelli added, “As it gets warmer we have more to choose from and we take advantage of that.”
From the sounds of their menu plans the duo has plenty of inspiration. When sour cherries are ripe in June, Rosenzweig plans to pick them himself at Battleview Orchards in Freehold. He is also a fan of the ground cherries grown by The Farm in Freehold. While in the area he stops into From the Garden in Freehold for Jersey Fresh honey and honeycomb. Laura is already envisioning foccacia topped with Jersey peaches and blue cheese, heirloom tomatoes and goat cheese or brushing them with a tangy plum barbecue sauce. There is talk of a watermelon panna cotta and dreams of tarts piled high with blackberries, currants and raspberries.
We can only wait for patiently for their sweet messages to beckon us to come see and come taste their take on Jersey Fresh Love.
The asparagus and goat cheese tart at The Flaky Tart showcases just-cut Jersey Fresh asparagus from McCormack Farms baked on top of a goat cheese and creme fraiche custard, with spring onions and pink peppercorns in a flaky pastry shell. Photo by The Flaky Tart.
This sponsored post is brought to you by Peppadew®.
I just want to say Peppadew® Pepper Pizza all day long. (Try it!) We picked a peck of them for this recipe, that’s for sure. (Actually, they come in a jar—there was no picking involved.) This pizza has all of my favorite bites: sweet sausage, caramelized onions (which, by the way, I would eat on ice cream if the world would let me) fresh basil, ooey-gooey mozzarella and, of course, the star of the show: Peppadew®Whole Sweet Piquante Peppers.
If you’re a seasoned home pizza maker, please feel free to follow your own doughy path. I find store-bought dough to be just fine. And if you’re looking to grill said pizza, you might want to try this dough recipe, with bonus tips.
You may notice a lack of sauce in this recipe. Frankly, I didn’t feel the need for it. The sausage, onions and Peppadew® peppers make for the perfect combination, and I didn’t want to add any distractions. Now, if you are not a fan of the spicy you can opt for Peppadew® mild variety. The company’s Goldew™ peppers will also add a nice sweetness to this dish.
Sausage, Caramelized Onions and Peppadew® Pepper Pizza
Ingredients:
1 lb. package of fresh, store-bought pizza dough (If you’re making the dough from scratch and need a recipe, try this.)
½ lb. ground sweet Italian sausage (I like the bulk ground sausage)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon coarse corn meal
3 cups sweet onions, sliced (about 3 medium)
1 cup Peppadew® hot whole sweet piquante peppers, chopped
1 teaspoon grated Parmesan or your favorite grated Italian cheese blend
4 oz mozzarella cheese, 1 cup grated
¼ cup fresh basil, packed
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Drizzle the inside of a mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Remove pizza dough from package and add to the bowl. Turn the dough ball to coat in the oil on both sides. Cover the top of the bowl with a dishtowel and allow the dough to come to room temp while preparing the toppings.
Place pizza stone, if using, in oven to preheat.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to a sauté pan and melt butter. Add onions and stir to coat. Reduce heat to low and stir occasionally for 30 to 40 minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. (Caramelized onions take time, but they are worth the wait.)
While the onions are cooking, in a second nonstick skillet brown the sausage over medium high heat, breaking it up with a spatula into small pieces. Once fully browned and there is no pink inside (10 to 12 minutes), place sausage in a bowl and set aside.
While the onions finish cooking, place one cup Peppadew®peppers in food processor and pulse 4 or 5 times. You can also quarter the peppers by hand if you don’t have a processor or don’t want one more thing to wash.
Lightly flour cutting board or marble counter. Form a fist with one hand. Lift the pizza dough out of the bowl and drape over your hand. Bring your second hand together with the first and gently pull your hands outward to stretch the dough. Rotate the dough a quarter turn and repeat. Allow gravity to help stretch the dough in a circular motion until it is about 12 inches in diameter. (If you get a tear, don’t worry! You can patch it after you lay it down.) Place it flat on the floured surface and rotate it to ensure the dough is not sticky on the bottom.
Get your cookie sheet or pizza pan ready for transfer. Sprinkle corn meal evenly on the pan. (This is a critical step, and necessary in order to get your pizza to release after cooking.)
Using two hands, lift the dough and transfer from cutting board to pan. Reshape as needed, gently pulling the dough to meet the edge of the pan if necessary. Now we’re ready for the toppings.
Sprinkle sausage evenly over pizza followed by the caramelized onions and Peppadew®peppers. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of Parmesan cheese and finish with the mozzarella cheese. Place pizza in oven and cook for 20 minutes for a soft crust or an additional 5 to 10 minutes for a crispy crust.
Stack individual basil leaves and roll together. Slice roll into ¼ inch slices (chiffonade).
Remove from oven and top with basil. Allow the pizza to sit for 10 minutes before you dive in. Enjoy!
Jersey Bites’ founder, and author ofThe Jersey Shore Cookbook, will be a guest on QVC’s In the Kitchen with David this Wednesday night, June 8. Please tune in at 8 p.m. for David Venable’s entertaining two-hour show and catch our own Deb Smith dishin’ it about the Jersey Shore to the entire country!
If you have yet to hear about The Jersey Shore Cookbook, tomorrow night is the night to learn all about it. Deb and David will be sampling some of the delicious Jersey Shore dishes from 50 Jersey Shore restaurants (in front of a live audience!!). The Jersey Shore Cookbook has been called the “hostess gift of the summer” and “a must for your collection if you love the Jersey Shore.” We hope you’ll tune in to see our very own Jersey Girl talk to the nation about our beloved Jersey Shore.
This sponsored post is brought to you by Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment
Join Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment on Saturday, July 9, for their its annual Seafood Fest. Plus on the racetrack watch and wager on the eliminations for Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace. Guests can watch live harness racing starting at 7:15 p.m.
The Seafood Fest will begin at 5 p.m. in The Backyard, the Meadowlands’ outdoor dining and entertaining area. Guests can indulge in a raw bar complete with clams and oysters, as well as a variety of food trucks including Luke’s Lobster & The Surf & Turf Truck. Each truck will offer different seafood dishes with plenty of options to choose from.
Interested food vendors can contact Jenn Bongiorno at [email protected] or 201-460-4166.
Guests can enter the Shrimp Peel-N- Eat Contest to have the chance to win the $500 grand prize. (Ten lucky contestants will have two minutes to peel and eat as many cooked shrimp as they can.) The winner receives $500 with $250 for second place and $100 for third.
When Sea Girt native Amie Valpone began feeling sick in her mid 20s, so much so that she was actually bedridden with doctors telling her she had less than 48 hours to live, something in Valpone ignited. Forty-eight hours later, Valpone was still alive. She decided to get to the bottom of her illness, which had caused her to be unable to absorb nutrients, led to a low white blood cell count, swollen legs, and C. diff Colitis, a deadly condition of bacteria in the colon.
Photo courtesy of Amie Valpone
After performing her own research and speaking with integrative and functional doctors, Valpone discovered that her body was full of toxins, but that with lifestyle changes, she could recover. Her journey led her to create TheHealthyApple.com, where she posts pictures of enticing recipes that are healing to the body and now, her book, Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation, and Reset Your Body. Think of it as a true go-to source for how to have a healthy lifestyle while cooking up easy, wholesome, and delicious recipes that will not only make you feel good, but will help you look pretty good, too!
“My illness sparked everything,” said Valpone who has lived in New York City for the past 10 years. “Before, I had no idea about anything. My mission is to change the way people look at food. Once you eat like this, you’ll never want to go back.”
The cookbook is filled with not only recipes including her mushroom, kale, and caramelized onion, to savory oats to chickpea miso soup, and even raspberry thumbprint cookies. It also covers a number of tips for creating a home and lifestyle that is completely nontoxic, from all-purpose cleaners to shampoo.
Back to the recipes. They’re short, simple, and full of ingredients that you can actually pronounce and find at your local supermarket. Valpone focused her recipes on using whole foods as ingredients instead of processed and packaged foods, which add a lot of salt, oil, and artificial flavors and colors that could pose potential hazards to your health. According to Valpone, everyone’s level of how they handle toxicity is different, so by learning to address your personal imbalances, you’ll be able to feel and look your best.
Photo courtesy of TheHealthyApple.com
The 21-day plan that Valpone recommends in Eating Clean is not meant to derail people by creating impossible plans that require 24/7 attention, but instead it’s meant to help readers adapt to simple recipes with whole ingredients that will help remove toxins that can cause everything from bloating to eczema.
“I want to hand the keys over to someone else and show them how good it feels and how easy it is to be their best self,” said Valpone. “After just 21 days, people feel incredible and never turn back.”
Photo courtesy of TheHealthyApple.com
Rght about now, you might be thinking, “But how is the food going to taste?” And, “This sounds hard.” Here’s what you need to know: there’s no calorie counting, no deprivation, and tons of flavor. Valpone, who currently works as a writer and recipe developer for magazines including Clean Eating, Self, and Vegetarian Times, gives countless tips for creating flavor in every bite.
“That 100-calorie pack of pretzels and a 100 calories of avocado may be the same number of calories, but the nutrition is completely different,” said Valpone.
The recipes in Eating Clean will make nutritious and quite delicious additions to your collection. The dishes (and I can attest to this) are simple to make and will satisfy even the pickiest of eaters (including your meat and gluten loving friends). Start off with a few recipes here and there or try the 21-day detox plan. As Valpone said, once you start, you’ll never go back.
South Jersey features an eclectic blend of culinary delights from off-the-beaten-track diners to exotic, high-end cuisine. Here are a few of my favorites.
El Mariachi Loco, 101 Bellevue Avenue, Hammonton, 609-270-7224
Hammonton, whose claim to fame is being the “Blueberry Capital of the World,” is also home to a few great Mexican restaurants, and as such is one of the best places to enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine. If you haven’t been to El Mariachi Loco in a while, you may be in for a surprise—the restaurant has undergone significant renovations and is now housed in the highly ornate building formerly known as Godfrey’s Drug Store in the center of Hammonton’s shopping district. Their Mole, a traditional savory sauce blending rich chocolate with Mexican spices, is a delicious accompaniment to their house-made enchiladas. Finish off your meal with a tall glass of Horchata or a slice of tres leches cake.
El Mariachi Loco
Chicken and spinach enchiladas
Chicken and cheese quesadillas
Illiano’s Ristorante, 705 12th Street, Hammonton, 609-561-3444
If Hammonton is known for its Mexican food and blueberry crops, it is every bit as characterized by a large Italian population. And like many Italians, Hammontonians love their pizza, and locals know that Illiano’s is one of the best places to grab a slice or to enjoy family-style cuisine. Like El Mariachi Loco, Illiano’s is situated along a recently revitalized street featuring small, local shops and eateries. When entering Illiano’s one of the first things you’ll notice is that you’ll feel more like you’re sitting in your grandmother’s kitchen than in a restaurant, and the food tastes every bit as homemade as the atmosphere feels authentic.
Illiano’s
Spinach ravioli
Pesto pizza
Illiano’s interior
Vincentown Diner, At the intersection of Routes 206 & 38, near Vincentown, 609-267-3033 At first glance, the Vincentown Diner looks a lot like your classic Americana diner. But a closer look at its menu reveals a modern take on traditional American cuisine, which boasts organic, locally sourced eggs, meat, dairy, and vegetables on many of its dishes. The diner’s rural location amidst local farms is the perfect place to offer such cuisine, which often changes seasonally. Perhaps the place where the chef’s creativity shines most is on the grass-fed burger menu, which features several new and inventive takes on the classic burger. Even the coffee is locally roasted, and the diner also contains a bar serving locally made wines and beers. Come hungry and don’t forget to sample the house-made flavored butters that come with dinner.
Vincetown Diner
Caesar salad
Wine and dessert
Vincetown Diner exterior
Zeppoli, 618 Collings Avenue, Collingswood, 856-854-2670 Perhaps nowhere in South Jersey does the old adage “don’t judge a book by its cover” apply more than at Collingswood’s Zeppoli, where a small strip mall’s lack of aesthetic appeal leaves much to be desired. The food, on the other hand, leaves little room for improvement. Chef Joey Baldino, who has trained in both the U.S. and Italy, has truly perfected the art of Sicilian cooking, so much so that visitors won’t mind the small, noisy atmosphere. Quench your thirst with refreshing Sicilian blossom lemonade as you dine on the multi-course options Zeppoli offers on its small-but-fulfilling menu. Come hungry and bring your wallet—Zeppoli isn’t cheap, but it is well worth the money.
Zeppoli exterior
Gamberetti e fagioli
Fisherman’s stew
Doughnuts
Sicilian orange blossom lemonade
Ribeye steak
Zinc Cafe, 679 Stokes Road, Medford, 609-953-9462
Nestled in a shopping center in historic Medford, Zinc Cafe is a small, cozy establishment with a rustic but elegant atmosphere. Sunday brunch always begins with a freshly baked, warm muffin of the day beside a slice of fresh melon, and it’s so popular at Zinc that you’ll want to be sure to call ahead for reservations. The menu hasn’t changed much in the few years since Zinc opened its doors, but the chef does feature daily specials that offer variety. Vegetarians and carnivores alike can dine happily together at Zinc, where the menu features creative vegan and vegetarian options that move beyond bland veggie burgers, like the vegan plantain burrito with a side of tomatillo sauce.
Peter Ganiris, the gregarious owner of Sherban’s Diner, was in the mood to talk about history and his fond memories on a rainy afternoon in April. He was most proud of operating the South Plainfield establishment for more than 40 years. He recounted the story of how he was born on the Greek island of Chios and came to the U.S. at the age of 16. And then, the 65-year-old Ganiris told the classic New Jersey entrepreneurial diner tale: he started as a dishwasher, saved his money, and through hard work and determination, ended up owning his own diner.
Peter Ganiris, owner of Sherban’s Diner.
All the while, as Ganiris reflected on his career path and life journey, this reporter was enjoying potato and leek soup, a bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich (on whole wheat with mayo), and a bottomless cup of coffee. How good was the coffee? Well, four cups good (or was it five?). And there was one big treat to cap off the meal: a generous slice of dreamy banana cream pie. How good was the pie? It’s safe to say it was good enough to enjoy feeling guilty about eating it. In fact, it still makes this reporter smile. “Regrets, I have a few, but then again, too few to mention…”
Ganiris paid tribute to his family’s New Jersey diner and restaurant heritage, noting that, over the years, he learned the business from various relatives, his beloved mentors. For example, his aunt, Stella Barkalis, worked at a diner in Woodbridge in the 1930s, originally known as the Hy-Way Diner, which evolved into today’s Reo Diner. Ganiris’ sister, Irene Kokodis, currently serves as his business partner.
The original owner of Sherban’s Diner, Alex Sherban, launched the business in the late 1950s. Born in the U.S., Sherban’s family originally came from Romania. “Alex was a good guy and proud of his business,” Ganiris said. To pay homage to Sherban, Ganiris keeps a vintage black-and-white photo of the original diner prominently displayed on his dining room wall.
In 1972, Ganiris and John Stellakas bought the business from Sherban, and three years later installed a new diner on the site, manufactured by the Swingle Diner Manufacturing Company. The two partners expanded the facilities in the 1980s, adding a dining room and a larger kitchen. Eventually, Ganiris bought out Stellakas and joyfully proclaimed that he plans to run the business for another 40 years. The mustachioed Ganiris became especially nostalgic when he mentioned his business dealings with the Swingle company. “Joe Swingle was a good man, a beautiful man, an honest man, and very good to us,” Ganiris said, his eyes becoming misty. Joe Swingle indeed is a New Jersey diner legend—a 20th century diner renaissance man. He was part of the golden era, when companies throughout the Garden State produced stainless steel diners in factories as precise, engineered products. Yes, New Jersey is the diner capital of the world, because we have more diners than anywhere else. However, New Jersey also was the diner manufacturing capital of the world, as most of the major U.S. diner builders were based here. Today, that grand business sector has vanished. Diners in the 21st century are site-built structures. Time marches on.
In the late 1940s Joe Swingle got his start in the business working as a diner salesman for the legendary diner builder Jerry O’Mahony, who had a factory in Elizabeth. Swingle later became a sales manager for the Fodero Dining Car Company in Bloomfield. In the early 1950s, Swingle and his older brother Dallas purchased property in Springfield along Route 22 and bought a state-of-the-art diner from Fodero, which they operated as Swingle’s Diner. Finally, combining all of his expertise, Joe Swingle established his own diner manufacturing company in Middlesex, and produced nearly 150 modular, prefabricated eateries. He ran the manufacturing business until he retired in 1988, and died a year later.
The lunch specials at Sherban’s diner included Yankee pot roast, seafood creole, broiled salmon, baked lasagna, spinach pie, and corned beef and cabbage. In addition to bacon, lettuce and tomato, sandwich choices on the menu included cheese steak, jumbo shrimp, broiled or fried filet of sole, meatloaf, and chicken cutlet. There were majestic chef, Caesar and Greek salads. Desserts included various cheesecakes, puddings and pies, but I was very content to indulge in my banana cream pie. It was yummy.
It was time to go and we bid farewell to Peter Ganiris. He was a gentleman—a true old-school diner guy, and couldn’t have been more charming and friendly during a tasty lunch. It was still a dreary day, complete with gray skies, a chilly breeze and a persistent drizzle, but that was OK. A good meal, multiple cups of super coffee and sparkling conversation about New Jersey diner history on a Thursday afternoon in South Plainfield was more than enough to brighten the day. And did I mention how much I enjoyed the pie?
Have you been to Kitch Organic yet? Yes? Lucky you! No? You really should get over there as soon as possible! Open since October of last year, Kitch Organic is the creation of Joe Durso and what an achievement it is. On a residential street on Red Bank’s West Side, Joe has transformed what was once…
Who’s up for a Whoopie Daiquiri? How about a When We Vote, We Win! or a Fairfield Summer Fling? This Memorial Day Weekend, enjoy some of the most interestingly named cocktails from restaurants in the Garden State. Stop by these eateries, or try one at home!
Whoopi Daiquiri from Essex Junction, Bloomfield. Real McCoy Aged rum, blackberry, grapefruit, pineapple, lime and aperol.
When We Vote, We Win! from the newly opened Union Hall, Hoboken Hendrick’s gin, Suze, Cedilla acaí liqueur, grapefruit juice and tonic. Garnished with a lime peel and berry.
Pictured at top:
The Fairfield Summer Fling The Office Tavern Grill, Morristown and Summit
This beer-tail is made with Magnify Vine Shine IPA, vodka, elderflower liqueur, simple syrup and fresh lemon juice.
Opened in July 2015 in Jersey City’s Powerhouse Arts District, 
Bucket & Bay has partnered with 
How about a one-night staycation at the beautifully redesigned boutique 
Jersey Bites’ founder, and author of 
The cookbook is filled with not only recipes including her mushroom, kale, and caramelized onion, to savory oats to chickpea miso soup, and even raspberry thumbprint cookies. It also covers a number of tips for creating a home and lifestyle that is completely nontoxic, from all-purpose cleaners to shampoo.
Zinc Cafe
