Eating with Andrea Clurfeld

SNOW! AND THE FORECAST

2007-12-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

Gray skies and white flakes falling - cooking weather!

But before I leave for the store (stocking up is what this weather is all about), I'm communing with my new pottery and making final decisions about what to give which friend for Christmas. It's match-making. I scored some wonderful pottery up at the show at the Art School at Old Church in Demarest, where legendary pottery Karen Karnes each year curates a show of some 30 potters from all over the country. Much of the work is table-friendly, oven-friendly, serving friendly. I love seeing the food I cook in such beautiful pots. (For future reference, the show is an annual one, usually the first weekend in December.)

OK, now, some story notes for the future to answer your questions: First, the cookbook story is coming out this Wednesday (Dec. 5) in the Press. And as for specifics, I can't reveal before publication which books I picked for the story. But you only have to wait till Wednesday!

The next Wednesday, we'll have some party tips in a story and, the following week, Dec. 19 we have something super-special for Christmas Eve - on the feast of the fishes. For New Year's, if all goes according to plan, we'll be introducing you to a Asian specialty that's quite off the beaten menu. Fingers crossed!

I'm very curious about what y'all are cooking for the holidays. Staying with traditions? Trying something new and different? Please tell me about it.

cheers,
Andy
12.2.07

BUYING TIMES

2007-11-25T12:50:00.000-08:00

I’m sitting between piles of books and piles of menus. I’m looking through my book notes, thoughts scribbled as I tested recipes and read text, and making my final decisions about which cookery books of 2007 to include in my annual favorite books roundup. The photo shoot for the books is Tuesday, so I’m in Serious Selection mode. The menus are from some of the better restaurants I’ve reviewed this year and I’m sort of doing the same there, though I do have a few weeks left before I have to narrow down those selections for a year-end Dining Companion column.

Hmm. Meanwhile, I’ve taken home printouts of e-mails, questions from readers wanting info on restaurants, recipes, recommendations of food products. One e-mail jumped out at me, mostly because it’s so off-the-beaten-question course.

“Where do you shop for holiday gifts if they’re not food gifts?” the reader wants to know. How funny. How indicative, too, that these are Buying Times. We’re all in a what-to-get mind-set and looking for advice anywhere we can get it.

Well, I’m hardly an expert and, frankly, really believe my shopping strength is in the edibles category. I’m not a huge clothing person and, other than a pottery habit that I satisfy at craft fairs and shows (such as the one this coming weekend up at the Art School at Old Church, in Demarest), I probably spend more money at the Hungry Puppy pet shop in Howell than anywhere else.

But I love Jesse on Main Street in Manasquan, where Donna, the owner, always has beautiful handmade objects at reasonable prices. (Her new collection of scarves, both fuzzy and warm and funky and artful is terrific. She also has the greatest totes and bags around, tapestry-type oversize ones that could be used for travel or everyday.) I adore the clothing at Dreamkeeper, which is on Morris Avenue, off Third, in Spring Lake, though I haven’t been there in way too long (Terry, the wise and witty owner, is probably super-mad at me, but I’ve honestly been too busy wearing all the clothes I’ve bought there to shop!). Dreamkeeper is always filled with unusual, extraordinarily wearable things. It’s also a more than reliable shop, I’ve found, for the kinds of dressy duds I need for special dinners and events.

Where else? Well, like I said, I’m not a huge shopper. My girlfriends are going to the new Anthropologie at The Grove in Shrewsbury. If I had a spare afternoon, I’d haul it out to B. Adorned, a magnificent jewelry store in Lambertville. Evelyn, who owns B. Adorned, is the single most talented jewelry designer I know and everything she makes is out-of-the-ordinary and eye-catching.

That’s really about it. I seem to do my best shopping under the supervision of my buddy Alison Cook, the restaurant critic of the Houston Chronicle – if you haven’t tapped into her blog, Cook’s Tour, you’re missing one of the great voices in food. Whenever Alison and our mutual eat-for-a-living pals travel together, we always try to steal a couple of hours to check out local stores. Come to think of it, Alison once told me she finds great gloves and mittens at dollar stores. “Since I always lose them, I don’t want to spend more than a dollar on them,” she reasons. Since I’m desperately in need of gloves and mittens, I’ll have to give that a try. Anyone know of a good dollar store?

Cheers,
Andy
11.25.07

TALKING ANYTHING BUT TURKEY

2007-11-23T12:03:00.000-08:00

I'm moving on. Done with turkey. Shredding the last vestiges and dabbing it with mole and lime juice, then stuffing it in tacos with a sizable side of guac. Over and out. Oh, I'll enjoy hearing how my friend Rick's first brined turkey turned out - he was gulping over his decision to serve his little experiment to 12 guests yesterday, no time for a practice run - but that kind of turkey talk is all I can tolerate right now. I know it's beloved and I know I've suffered through way, way too many way, way overcooked ones, making me un-Americanly turkey tired, but I'm ready for other food.

The other night, I did duck confit over slices of Jersey sweet potatoes cooked in chicken broth and studded with diced prunes. I spiced it up with a shake of chipotle powder. It was simple and seasonal. I simmered adzuki beans with white miso, then sliced and sauteed a bunch of Asian vegetables (shiitakes, sprouts, baby bok choy, Chinese chives and spinach) with ginger, orange and soy, then combined the beans and vegetables. It was a stew-y soup and good for re-charging personal batteries. You know what else I did? Sounds silly, but tasted wonderful: I slathered olive oil on one of those newfangled heat-and-serve naan breads, warmed it in the oven a bit, then layered it with potatoes and onions I'd sliced super-thin, then browned and softened by further cooking in broth with lots of spices. I next layered the potatoes and onions with some sliced piquillos and a bit of mild cheese on the naan, and baked it till the topping melded and melted. It was a cross-cultural pizza and really fine with a big green salad.

People always ask me what I eat when I'm not working. Well, I'm really always working, but if I'm eating home, that's the kind of thing I do - quirky fare, without borders, without recipes.

How about you? It's cooking season. Please tell me what you're cooking or, if you are going out, where you are going and what you're eating. Restaurant chefs - what are your specials this weekend?

cheers,
Andy
11.23.07

THANKSGIVING WINES

2007-11-20T18:37:00.000-08:00

I hope you don’t mind if this is a little rushed. I wish, truly wish, there was money and time for extensive testing of wines right for turkey and all the classic T-day side shows.

But I’ve some thoughts to share. First, I continue to find prosecco to be endlessly versatile when a wide range of flavors is on the table. This bubbly from northern Italy is light enough not to weigh down a big meal and personable enough to stand up to forward flavors. All of Mionetto’s prosecco are terrific and would do nicely for the opening round T-day foods – nibbles and bits, oyster stew, smoked fishes, that kind of thing.

I’m also finding German rieslings quite companionable for big birds. Donnhopf is one producer that’s available in our area and works for turkey, sweet potatoes, sausage stuffing, sauced-up green beans, bacon-dotted Brussels sprouts, creamed onions – all the quintessential Turkey Day fare. Give it a try; you may be surprised. (If you can’t find a Donnhopf, ask for something else Terry Theise imports through Michael Skurnik. Theise has a brilliant palate.)

Personally, I find West Coast zinfandels too heavy and too alcoholic for Bird & Co., though they seem to be recommended so widely. And the Beaujolais Nouveau I’ve tried this year are aggressively raw; I just don’t see them with Thanksgiving fare. (I’d give a nod to regular Beaujolais, however.) But if you’re doing sausage-pocked stuffing and veggies spiked with bacon or pancetta, a Rhone Valley red (or California Rhone Ranger) would do you well.

Truth be told, if you are looking for a fruity white cause you like fruity whites, think about a white from the Rueda region of Spain and be done with it.

Mostly, I think your T-day wine should be relatively uncomplicated. After all, the tastes on your table likely swing from gamey to sweet, from creamy to mild, from butter-rich to bland. Keep your wine straightforward and simple.

Cheers,
Andy
11.20.07

CALLING ALL FANS OF BRUSSELS SPROUTS

2007-11-20T09:11:00.001-08:00

This is for the poster in search of a preparation for Brussels sprouts that might win over some anti-Brussels sprouts folks. Since I did this dish last year, I've been doing riffs on it - such as, chopping the Brussels sprouts, cooking them along with minced onions on the stove top in a large deep skillet in some chicken broth, then adding lemon juice and zest, capers and mustard. I toss it with pasta and enjoy. P.S. I'll offer some Thanksgiving wine recs tonight, after I get back home. I'm thinking New World viogniers, German rieslings and some Rhone Valley reds.
cheers,
Andy
11.20.07

BRUSSELS SPROUTS
WITH MUSTARD-LEMON-CAPER SAUCE
2 pounds of Brussels sprouts, about 4 dozen
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper

For the sauce:
One-quarter cup unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed through a press
3 large shallots, very finely minced
2 large lemons, zested and juiced
One-half cup tiny green capers
One-half cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Rinse and trim Brussels sprouts. Layer the sprouts on the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet. Dot with the butter, sprinkle the olive oil atop the sprouts, then season with salt and pepper. Roast in the 450-degree oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until tender and able to be pierced easily with a knife.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a very large skillet set over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the garlic and shallots and cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Stir in the zest of the lemons, cook a minute, then stir in the lemon juice and the capers and cook 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the mustard. Stir briskly to fully incorporate the mustard into the liquids. Add the parsley, then spoon the roasted Brussels sprouts in the skillet. Toss the sprouts with the mustard-lemon-caper sauce and, when well coated, transfer to a serving dish and serve. Serves 8.

GREETINGS FROM BEHIND THE STOVE

2007-11-18T09:15:00.000-08:00

I haven’t left the stove. Except to travel a whole huge bunch last month, eating, going to school, eating. I feel as though this time of year is all about making something a little bit new out of something classic, and so I play with all the holiday staples and, by Thanksgiving, I feel more stuffed than the bird on the table.

I’ve also been doing a lot of soups – a neat wild mushroom soup with goat cheese, a spiced-way-high tomato-orange soup that took me back to a trip to North Africa, a kid-friendly potato-Cheddar. I’ve spoken to my editor Kathy Dzielak and she’s going to try to find space on our Sunday Dining page next month for these soup recipes. Would that interest you? I’ve always wanted to do a page called Sunday Suppers, a page that would be about cooking, real-people cooking – not showy, TV-style stuff, not glitzy chef food, but hang-around-the-kitchen-on-a-Sunday fare. Anyway, that’s the kind of food I most love cooking at this time of year.

Especially while watching football. Oh, brother, I’m really nervous right now, waiting for today’s games. My beloved Packers have shocked, stunned, left speechless even the most devoted Cheeseheads, and I find myself in a constant state of anxiety about what’s to come this season. I don’t know whether their game against the Panthers will be televised locally today, but I do know I’ll be cooking as they play – my way of cheering them on. (No kidding: Those cheese-based soups all evolved during Packer games, a superstition – “Tuna,” anyone? – I now can’t shake.)

OK, OK. I want you to see/read/hear where I’ve been (and, in part, what’s been keeping me from being here with you), so please let me refer you to www.southernfoodways.com post-haste. That’s the Web site of the Southern Foodways Alliance, which last month held its annual symposium down at Ole Miss, in Oxford, Miss. I went and lapped it all up. If you go to this Web site, you can key in to the lectures I heard and, if you’re hip to the ways of tuning in via computer, you’ll only miss the feedings and after-hours revelry.

The feedings: Ed Mitchell’s barbecue (he’s from North Carolina and a reigning master of that genre) rocked my taste buds. The fried catfish we ate at Taylor Grocery, a quick hop from Oxford, was textbook terrific, and the hickory catfish dip something I’m aching to recreate back here at home. It’d be fabulous for New Year’s Eve. Anyway, if this kind of thing tickles your culinary fancy, you might want to consider joining the Southern Foodways Alliance (Yankees are welcome) and learning more, as I am enjoying doing, about the culinary culture of the expansive and wonderfully, devoutly vernacular South.

Closer to home, there are some new restaurant openings that are making savvy diners curious. I’ve been getting lots of e-mails about Kanji in Tinton Falls, Kicky’s in Matawan/Aberdeen (I think it’s in Aberdeen, though the correspondents have been calling in Matawan), and Vivas in Belmar. Kanji is Japanese, Kicky’s a melange of French and Asian, Vivas Latin, with some nods to the chef’s (Wil Vivas) previous stint at Bistro Ole in Asbury. Anyone care to weigh in here? Chefs, too, are welcome to talk about their new restaurants here.

A couple of ending notes: To all the nice folks who wrote me nice notes about Grace Lowry’s pumpkin pie recipe, which we published in this past Wednesday’s Food section – it IS as delicious and easy to make as it looks and sounds; I’m glad you are inspired to abandon your supermarket pie plans and plan make Grace’s pie – I ate a huge piece while at Grace’s house and pouted when every last morsel was gone. It’s the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever eaten. And to all the curious people wondering if brining is worth the trouble for the Thanksgiving turkey: It IS worth it and it’s really no trouble at all. You simply need to plan ahead, giving your bird a couple of days in the brine. Those new brining bags the kitchen shops are selling are handy indeed, offering easy instructions. Don’t be timid about trying something a little bit new.

Say, anybody out there have some turkey tips they care to share? Be it a brining tip or something else? Speak up and out, please!

Cheers,
Andy
11.18.07

IN A SOUTHERN STATE OF MIND

2007-10-10T07:17:00.001-07:00

I spent several days in Charleston and figure I consumed about 40,000 calories. I say this not because I’m a calorie-counter or a glutton, but because when you’re visiting for a short period of time a city where food is a central focus, you feel obliged to sample all you can. Especially, I guess, if you eat for a living.

You do two dinners some nights. Not two full dinners, but a handful of dishes at a 6 o’clock rez, then a complete lineup at your 8 p.m. seating. You have a major lunch and you also do a mid- or late-afternoon feeding. During my time in Charleston, I packed in an oyster roast, a jaunt to the country for barbecue, a soul-food repast and visits to five restaurants.

I’ll admit, I’m a bit worn out. But as I write this, I’m wearing my Sweatman’s BBQ (Holly Hill, S.C.) T-shirt and dreaming of those oysters I sucked down at Bowen’s Island, which justly deserves all the accolades it’s received – including a James Beard America’s Classics’ award.

After I got back here to the Jersey Shore, I tucked into Nancie McDermott’s “Southern Cakes” (Chronicle Books; $19.95). It’s got a coconut layer cake on the cover and dozens and dozens of cake recipes within. Southerners are serious about their baking, devout in their baking traditions, and Nancie not only documents the backgrounds of all the classic Southern cakes, but makes the how-tos seem conquerable for a truly bad baker like me.

One thing isn’t explained that well, however: I’ve bookmarked “Southern Cakes” to note the recipes I want to try (Hummingbird Cake, Buttermilk Cake, Pear Bread, Daufuskie Island Carrot Cake), but I’m waiting till the temperatures register true fall before I rev up my oven. It was 85 degrees with 90-plus percent humidity in Charleston when I was there. How can those kindly, warm-worded folks bear to bake in that weather?

Yet they do. Baking season is year-round in the South. I’ve got to tip my hat to those bakers. Especially the one who made the buttermilk pie at Hominy Grill in Charleston. Fine pie.

So what have you been up to while I’ve been gone? What/where have you been eating?

Cheers,
Andy
10.10.07

RASPBERRIES, TAKE TWO

2007-10-03T09:15:00.000-07:00

The following missive from Roz Ressner at Earth Friendly Organic Farm, out past Great Adventure, on Olde Noah Hunt Road, reminded me that the second wave of local raspberries is ready for picking:

Roz writes:
"Just a note to remind you that we have beautiful raspberries to pick.
Also check our Web site www.earthfriendlyorganicfarm.com for the applesauce recipe. We have delicious organic Granny Smith apples that make wonderful applesauce."

Farmers: What's popping on your acres right now? Please post right here, so we local produce fiends can know where to forage for autumn's finest.

cheers,
Andy
10.3.07

FROM MY 'IN' BOX

2007-10-02T17:39:00.000-07:00

A few newsy notes from my incoming e-mails:

* Bobo's 33 in Atlantic Highlands is now 4th Quarter Sports Zone. Owner James Barry writes that he has turned "Bobo's into a sports tavern with a twist in the same location. I have ... redone the entire menu and drink list as well as added 20 flat screen TVs and took on a partner by the name of Christian Peter ( a former NY Giant and local here in Atlantic Highlands). We also have brought in David Burke's ex-executive Chef (Kieth Jodway) who has provided a wonderful cuisine here in the restaurant. It's not your typical Sports Bar!"

* A friend and neighbor of chef Fredric Byarm, who was the opening chef at Antoinetta's in Cedar Run, Manahawkin, reports that the chef had an accident in the kitchen, was injured and subsequently had surgery. Sadly for his fans, Byarm may be moving out of the area.

* A fan of Wil Vivas, formerly the chef at Bistro Ole in Asbury Park, has visited the chef's new restaurant in Belmar. The devoted diner feels the wait for a table at the no-reservations spot called Vivas isn't conducive to the fine-dining experience she was seeking, but enjoyed the Latin fare. "Why can't restaurants learn to take reservations? Can't they manage this basic skill?" she asks.

Just for you to chew on.

In other news: I'm going to Charleston, S.C., on Thursday for a few days of eating and foraging. I'll give you a feeding report after I return.

cheers,
Andy
10.2.07

HOW IT HAPPENS

2007-09-30T17:40:00.000-07:00

Nothing is more satisfying to me than working on a dish for my Foraging column and then hearing from a reader that my recipe has found a place on his or her personal hit parade. I know it’s cool and chic to brag about being too busy to cook, but I believe in cooking. I believe in the sounds of chopping, the aromas of braising meats, the sight of fresh ingredients piled on kitchen counters and tables.

The recipes in Foraging are, primarily, based on what’s in season. From spring through fall, I spotlight Garden State produce and seafood, stalking the farms and fish markets to see what’s at its fresh best. I bring it all home, mess around in the kitchen and, after much experimentation, come up with the recipe that ends up in Foraging on Wednesdays.

It’s usually not a quick-hit business.

Sometimes, though, I do hit on a great recipe on the first try. Sometimes it takes forever. Sometimes I learn so much from the initial effort, I go into the second attempt much assured. That’s what I think is about to happen with what I started on tonight.

Sweet potatoes are starting to come in and apples, too, are arriving. So I bought a load of each at local farm stands today, then returned home to see what I could conjure. I could, I thought, simply layer slices of sweet potato and apples and bake as a basic gratin. Hmm, a little cream, butter, S&P and, presto, a lovely side dish.

But I decided I wanted a complete casserole, a main dish supper, not a mere accompaniment. I scoured my pantry and found something of companionable interest: black Beluga lentils.

Long cooking story short, I made a stovetop casserole of cubed sweet potatoes and apples, black lentils, coconut milk, sweet curry powder, ginger, garlic and lots and lots of fresh lime juice. I served it over jasmine rice. I really liked the way it tasted.

But, brother, was it ugly. The black lentils gave off a fatigues-green juice that mingled with the coconut milk and turned the whole dish the color of a swamp. I loved the way the sweet potatoes and apples played off the earthy lentils and totally dug the richness the coconut milk brought to the dish. I knew, however, that anyone who made the dish would fine it visually revolting.

So? What’s next for my seasonal experiment? Red lentils, which I expect will bring a sunny hue to the casserole without diminishing the taste. I’ll be working on that and when it’s ready for public consumption, you’ll read about it in Foraging.

That’s how it happens.

Reporting from behind-the-scene in my very own home kitchen, I remain faithfully yours,
Andy
9.30.07
P.S. I know y’all aren’t much into football, but I’m so happy Brett Favre snatched that TD record.

MORE ON THE FLAKY TART

2007-09-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

Marie Jackson grew up in Oceanport, went to Red Bank Catholic and, as a teen, would make a post-class beeline to a German bakery in Red Bank for its crumb cake.

The pastry chef, who this summer opened The Flaky Tart in Atlantic Highlands (see story in today’s Food section), remembers that crumb cake as “warm and wonderful” and something she always wanted to emulate. It was, she says today, “this amazing thing.”

Marie’s got her own battery of amazing things at The Flaky Tart, from two-bite cupcakes to many-bite tarts to outrageous cakes in that tres fashionable “baby cake” style to the best crumb cake I’ve ever tasted. She does croissants in the genuine-article French tradition and then spins out sandwiches with them by adding a layer of jamon and a film of Gruyere. She’s starting slow and small but, eventually, she’s going to do breads and more. She’s a smart cookie.

It’s in her blood. “My mother baked bread, my grandfather is a bread baker, too,” Marie says. “My grandfather has ‘Beard on Bread,’ and James Beard’s white bread is the first thing I ever baked.” The oldest of four, with parents who were teachers, she graduated Monmouth U with a degree in accounting, but always kept her baking dreams close to her heart.

Lucky for us. She went to the New York Restaurant School, studied pastry and did wonders for the snack bar at Ship Ahoy Beach Club in Sea Bright, where her husband is the manager. Muffins were her specialty and she’s imported them to Atlantic Highlands.

“Mine are basic muffins,” she says. “I try not to add anything weird, definitely not too much sugar. My philosophy is that I just want things to taste really good.”

I’m trying to think of a muffin that’s better than Marie’s blueberry muffin. I’m going to have to think on this for a few years.

Anyway, I’m a bit afraid that Marie’s going to get inundated by sweet-toothed customers who are as starry-eyed over her pastries as I am. Realize, please, that every wonderful thing you see at The Flaky Tart is so very painstaking hand-made, completely from scratch, and every day the bakery is open, to boot; so be patient and don’t expect a mass-manufactured style and scene. Call ahead, inquire as to the best times and days to come for what you desire, and be very happy we have the talented Marie Jackson in our midst.

The Flaky Tart is at 145 First Ave. in Atlantic Highlands. 732. 291. 2555.

Cheers,
Andy
9.26.07

P.S. THANK YOU to the “Eating” poster who tipped us all to The Flaky Tart several weeks back. You are a most reliable source of delicious information. Take a bow, oh gifted eater!

BREAKING THE CHAINS

2007-09-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

I’m doing a little chain research and stopped off tonight at a local chain I have a lot of respect for.

That’d be Surf Taco. I tend to hit Surf Taco/Manasquan ex-post a buying trip to Spirit of ’76, a great wine shop just across the street. In the past, I have had better food at ST/Squan than I have at the other Surf Taco branches. Yes, I realize talking about Surf Burrito variation at Surf Taco branches is what many would describe as ridiculous. Have at it.

But tonight, I popped in at the Surf Taco in Point Beach and scored what I have to say is the best Surf Burrito of my extensive Surf Taco-eating career. The fish was wonderfully fresh and bulged from the soft flour tortilla. The cabbage was crunchy-crisp and the sauce just the right shade of tangy. The black beans were earthy and firm, yet soft – not mushy, not tinny tasting. It was a Surf Burrito as a Surf Burrito ought to be. To my mind, this is one of the primo fast foods on Earth. My heart soars every time I see a bevy of folks in their late teens and early 20s chowing down on Surf Burritos and their ST kin. When I was 23, I was weeknighting on junky salad bars so I could save pennies and hop into the city and pretend to be an adult at Le Veau d’Or. This generation just might know better.

Anyway, I always tell folks to take their kids to Surf Taco because you can get good food, including some good healthy food there. I don’t know if anyone ever listens.

If any of you are listening – or reading, I should say – tune in to the Food section tomorrow (Wednesday, Sept. 26). My cover story is on a woman who is an extremely gifted pastry chef – and she’s opened a sweet little shop in Atlantic Highlands. Read all about The Flaky Tart in the Press and check back to this blog tomorrow, since I’ll be posting some extras from my interview and my tastings.

Cheers,
Andy
9.25.07

A LITTLE MORE

2007-09-22T12:24:00.001-07:00

It’s been a bit hectic the past few days, and I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s simply September, when everything starts up again.

But I wanted to, briefly, re-visit that topic of waiting-for-a-reserved table, which I brought up because 1) it’s one of the most frequent complaints I get and 2) it had happened (again) to me in a rather extreme manner, and I was curious as to how you food-centric souls feel about it. I’ve been gobbling up your thoughts. Thank you!

I have someone else’s two cents to pitch in. My friend Bob, an avid, eager and several-times-a-week restaurant-goer, told me he has a rule of thumb about waiting for a reserved table. “I wait 15, 20 minutes without thinking about it, especially if it’s a busy restaurant,” Bob says. “After about 20 minutes, I feel someone from the restaurant should approach, apologize and ask if I’d like a drink, a beverage of some sort. If it’s more than 30 minutes, I think it’s right for the restaurant to offer me an appetizer – either at the bar or just as I sit down at the table.” This is the right thing to do, he notes, because “I was expecting to be eating already and I’m hungry!” After 45 minutes, if the restaurant hasn’t extended itself in any way, “I leave,” Bob says. “I don’t feel as though I have to honor my reservation after that.”

Now, onto other topics. I’m going to be exploring in future stories a couple of your favorite things to talk about, and I’d love your input.

1) Sushi. During the past five years, the Shore’s joined Sushi Nation. There are certain parts of Monmouth, in particular, that have become nearly saturated with sushi-serving restaurants. I’d like to know A) Your favorite PURIST sushi spot and B) Your favorite MODERN sushi spot – i.e. places with dozens of different wild-and-crazy rolls.

2) Chains. We had a big go-round late last month and early this month about chains. So to follow up on this, I’d like to know A) Is there a chain you think works really well – taking it all beyond formula food (which is why the food-centric chastise chains) and B) If there isn’t a chain you have food-affection for, what is it about your experiences at chains that has turned you off? And please be more specific than don’t-like-formula-food.

THANK YOU!

I’m working this week on a fall-produce farm story. I’ve been a bit itchy this week, because a few of my favorite farms have closed for the season or are in between peak summer and the start of fall. So I’m thinking I’ll distract myself tomorrow while the games are on by doing a big ol’ tagine. I’ve been messing around with farro (see Foraging, this coming Wednesday) and am madly in love with the stuff – it’s Italian, an ancient strain of wheat, it’s super high in protein and totally delicious. Nutty, with a delightfully chewy texture. Who’s cooked with it?

This is all making me really hungry.

Cheers,
Andy
9.22.07

RESTAURANT THOUGHTS

2007-09-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

Questions for you: You've reserved a table at a fine-dining restaurant and, as you check in, you're told your table's not quite ready. It's not quite ready 10, 15, 20 minutes later. And then some. At what point are you impatient? Annoyed? Exiting the restaurant in search of another source of nourishment?

Further: Do you feel entitled to some sort of compensation - a beverage? a nibble upon being seated? a please-forgive-us complimentary dessert? - if you feel the wait for a reserved table has been excessive?

I ask because I want to know how folks feel about reservations not being honored in a relatively timely fashion. I want to know how long a wait you feel is understandable and, if you're past the point of understanding, if you feel the restaurant should extend itself in any way to make up for any inconvenience caused. I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts.

Now, onto other restaurant issues. In last week's Los Angeles Times' Food section (dated Sept. 12), Regina Schrambling tackled the interesting issue of modern-day restaurant criticism - to be precise, restaurant criticism Before Good (BG) and After Google (AG). Regina notes that Google has enabled zillions of Googlers to see the mugs of critics everywhere. Further, virtually anyone can set up review shop with a personal blog or access to a Web site, with many not following the traditional rules of anonymity and/or paying for one's meal when reviewing a restaurant.

The story bears reading by anyone interested in restaurant criticism - www.latimes.com/food - because it examines what's out there for food-centric folks like you to digest. The questions Regina Schrambling poses are excellent and the answers she receives from a range of culinary pros and amateurs fascinating. I'd love to hear your take on it - and also to understand what you seek in restaurant criticism.

cheers,
Andy
9.18.07

CHEFS' STUFF

2007-09-14T14:54:00.000-07:00

Doesn't it seem as though all the star chefs have their own line of cookware and gadgets these days? A hop-skip through any kitchen goods catalog tells you of the latest Mario Batali or Rachael Ray pots and knives.

But something under the Rick Bayless brand (Bayless headlines two award-winning Mexican restaurants in Chicago, stars in his own PBS-TV series and, in his spare tim,e writes seriously educational and useful cookbooks on Mexican cuisine) caught my eye in a recent Sur la Table catalog: a stovetop chile roaster. Wow - I'm always looking for a way to roast chilies in the summer months without turning on the oven.

"Toasting chilies brings out a sweeter, earthier flavor,'' claims the blurb describing the chile roaster. "Ideal for using in sauces and salsa or making chile powder. Removable grate for easy cleanup.'' It's $49.95. I'm drawn to it.

Anyway, are you coveting any particular kitchen gadgets these days?

A little gossip: I heard that Bobo's 33 in Atlantic Highlands has segued into a sports bar called Fourth Qaurter - or maybe it's Fourth Down?? Quietly and recently, I'm told. Anybody been? Speaking of eating out, where are y'all dining this weekend?

cheers,
Andy
9.14.07

'R' MONTHS ARE UPON US

2007-09-12T13:05:00.000-07:00

I was reminded that we're officially in "R" month season - traditionally, oyster season - when I got the following from Doug Douty, owner of Lusty Lobster in Highlands:

"Come join the fun! Asbury Park's Guinness Oyster Festival returns on Saturday, Oct. 6 from noon to 6 p.m. on Cookman Avenue after a hiatus of four years. This event is packed with beer, oysters, shrimp and clams provided by Lusty Lobster of Highlands, as well as some of the best Irish music on this side of the pond. The Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce proudly hosts this event.''

Lots and lots of Irish music is promised and, since it's First Saturday in Asbury, shops will be open late. Those who would like more info are advised to visit www.asburyparkchamber.com.

cheers,
Andy
9.12.07

TAKING CORN INTO FALL

2007-09-11T11:16:00.000-07:00

Last night, I made corn chowder and I felt as though I should serve it for dessert.

I'd bought the corn early in the afternoon at Twin Pond Farm in Freehold Township, and started thinking about what to do with it as I drove home. It's not that gnawing a cob isn't fun; it's just that it's September, and it's time to shimmy into new cooking modes.

So I cooked down some carrots and scallions and some mighty pretty rose-colored fingerling potatoes, all diced. I added some stock and dispatched my pal "Sue" out to the back deck to grated the corn. "Sue" is my sous chef Don Callahan; we call him "Sue" -- short for sous chef. Yup, he's got a great sense of humor, our boy named Sue.

Anyway, Sue grated and grated and grated, then returned to the kitchen with a bowl of corn and corn juice. Nibs of corn speckled his face like freckles. But there was no time for primping: Into the pot went the corn, along with a couple jiggers of half-and-half. A little seasoning (salt, pepper, chives), a dab of butter, and we had a mighty fine chowder on our hands. (If you'd like, puree a bit of it, either in a food processor or with a hand-held blender, to thicken the chowder even more.)
As I tasted the chowder, though, I worried that it actually was too sweet. I mean, no one in the world would think that but me, but I was worrying I should serve it for dessert. As Sue fried up some bacon to top the chopped heirloom tomato salad we'd also made, I whispered to him, "Put a little bacon on the corn chowder." Smoke, I figured, might tame that sweet fire.

But, boy, that chowder sure was tasty.

What are you going to do with the last of the 2007 corn?

cheers,
Andy
9.11.07

WHAT'S SWIMMING BY?

2007-09-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

The Jersey Fresh folks issue an every-other-week seafood availability report. Here are the fishes listed as in "very good'' supply with "excellent quality'':

Atlantic croaker, daylights, flounder, ling, lobster, squid, swordfish, tuna and whiting.

In the farm-rised hard clams and oysters category, ditto for supply and quality:

Littlenecks, middlenecks, Cape May salt oysters and Delaware Bay oysters.

A message that matters: I've found my bumper sticker, and it's winging its way to me as I write.

While I was up in Maine last month, I saw a car in the parking lot of the food co-op in Belfast sporting a bumper sticker I had to have: "Who's Your Farmer?'' I couldn't find it in any local shop, so I did the Google thing when I got home. I should've guessed this one - it's a MOFGA product, meaning the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, which is religion in Maine. I ordered a gadbillion of them from the MOFGA Web site and plan to spread them around these parts.

So what are you cooking/where are you eating this weekend? Sunday, I'm sure most of you know, is Kick-Off Day. Yeah, I know the Colts played the Saints last night, but there will be hours and hours of NFL grunts and smacks on Sunday, and there's no music I'd rather cook to. It's Kick-Off to Cooking Season for me.

cheers,
Andy
9.7.07

COMINGS, GOINGS

2007-09-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

Indigo Moon in Atlantic Highlands has closed. Too bad. I was just there last month and had some lovely food.

Vivas, with chef Wil Vivas, has opened semi-quietly in Belmar Plaza, Belmar. The menu features "Classic Latin Cuisine.''

Everywhere, suddenly: cowboy steak. Are you riding' this one high, or bucking a bronco?

Far too few places: side dishes specifically suited, specifically crafted for the main element on the plate. Can there really be one-size-fits-all sides?

Questions for the informed: Where's Richard from Far East Taste, Eatontown? Is chef Fredric Byarm back at Antoinetta's in Cedar Run? Where are Adam and Janet Scott (of Indigo Moon) now?

cheers,
Andy
9.5.07

THE SECRET OF FEEDING KIDS (and more)

2007-09-03T18:25:00.000-07:00

I have stumbled upon the secret of feeding kids and it involves an endless supply of duck confit.

Laugh, go ahead, but the vast majority of kids I know love duck confit. This evening, for a Labor Day patio party at the home of friends in Little Silver, I did two batches of burritos: One sported shredded chicken, made with a bit of lime and a dab of chipotle, layered with avocado and chopped lettuce, while the other featured shredded duck confit spliced with mango chutney and piled with fresh mango and chopped lettuce. I bet on the adults lunging for the duck and the kids picking on the chicken.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. The adults, laying back after an opening-round spread that included various melons wrapped in prosciutto di Parma, Fra’mani salumi, whipped salmon spread, baba ghanouj, hummus, piquillos stuffed with burrata, and various nibbles and bits, let the kids have at the mains first. I ran out of duck confit-mango burritos and had to buzz back to the kitchen to assemble more.

Jake, tasting a mango: “I don’t like mangos.” Jake, tasting a burrito with duck confit and mango: “I like mangos as long as they’re with duck confit.” He’s a single-digit.

Craig: “Where’s my duck confit? Don’t let anyone have my duck confit! Can I come into the kitchen for more duck confit?” He’s also a single-digit. The duck confit was brewing in a pot on the stove top. He is no fool, this kid.

Nick: “I don’t want chicken, I want duck confit.” Yes, yes, single-digit, too.

Sarah: “Pleeeeeeeeeease let me help you make the duck confit burritos. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease!” She recently turned 10.

This phenomenon isn’t limited to duck confit burritos. My 8-year-old sous chef pal finds duck confit ragout (braised with lots of vegetables in orange juice and chicken stock), served over wide noodles to be her edible bliss. Another 8-year-old I know likes his duck confit tossed in a salad, with tangerine segments and pecans. He eats it before I even have a chance to dress it.

Maybe they just like saying it. Duck cohn-fee. I don’t know. But I do know they like eating it.

Anyway, it’s been a busy, busy weekend. I got pretty choked up yesterday afternoon at a party for a friend’s upcoming 35th birthday. You see, it was for my beloved Liza, who I hired 19 years ago this week to work as our bureau’s assistant when the gang of us were all packed into the old Freehold Bureau on Spring Street. Liza was 15, a few days away from turning 16, and we all fell in love with her instantly. Here we are, 19 years later, and Liza’s a wife and a mom – and doing extremely important work helping to prevent young folks from turning to drugs, alcohol, gangs. I can’t believe she’s on the cusp of 35; but I know the world’s better for her being all grown up and doing the good she’s doing.

Of course there was food – tons of grilled fare and salads, but the best was the rice and beans. Love 'em.

So, no chains for me this weekend. Ooops. Did I hit a nerve?

You all know from my reviews how I cherish those small chef-owned places, restaurants where there’s a person in the kitchen who just has to cook, who gets jazzed about a gorgeous in-season ingredient and lets it fly with minimal razzle and absolutely no gimmickry. A voice from the stove. An original. Chains give us formula, and we’ve plenty of that around. So I’m pained at the thought of another chain, but I honestly and truly think (agreeing with a poster below) that we’ve set the stage here for chains: They would not be coming our way if they weren’t making money at our Shore, and they’re making money 'cause locals are patronizing them.

Sighing,
Andy
9.3.07

RE-ENTRY

2007-08-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

I’m thinking next summer of putting a moratorium on my Down East BLTs, which are Bacon, Lobster and Tomato rolls. They are my version of Maine’s justly revered lobster rolls. Basically, they’re about lots and lots of fresh-picked lobster meat mixed with mayonnaise that’s been drizzled with the juice of tomatoes rubbed against a fine-mesh sieve. You take the residual juices and whip them with mayo. There are only a couple other tricks – I don’t chop celery stalks, for instance, but rather mince celery leaves and add them to the lobster salad. I layer a slice or two of bacon inside the top-loading hot dog roll (and you can find them in these parts if you look hard enough, made by Pepperidge Farm and called either New England-style rolls or top-sliced rolls), a very thin slice of ripe tomato and pile on the lobster salad.

This is all there is to it. But every time we have folks over to dinner when we’re up in Maine, they want Down East BLTs. I love them, but I also love making lots of different things. So I told Jay he’s getting something else next summer and I told Rob he’s only got one more year of Down East BLTs, then he, too, has to cope with something lobster-new. Alison and Melissa, having trekked this year from Houston and Vermont respectively to the little cottage on Penobscot Bay, still have a few years of Down East BLTs to go before they hit the no-more wall.

Not that I didn’t cook anything else. Greens – oh, oh, the greens from Chase’s! That would be Chase’s Daily in Belfast, part restaurant, part farm market. At 11 a.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, the truck from Chase’s Farm pulls up to the back door of Chase’s Daily and starts unloading. Bunches of mixed greens – amaranth, miner’s, kale, chard, feathery Asian leaves and more, more, all string-tied in the same beautiful bunches. Heirloom tomatoes, cups and cups of colorful cherry tomatoes, onions red, white and yellow, leeks, beans of all stripes – skinny and fat, Romano and thread-thin yellow. Herbs galore, potatoes, potatoes, potatoes, squashes, melons, bouncy heads of lettuce, berries – tiny strawberries, tinier wild blueberries. And flowers, which I never get around to buying, since I’m always at three shopping bags of produce and already short a hand. I manage to squeeze in a bread or three, baked by the Chase family, as well, and rush home to contemplate.

Oh, dear, and I also go to the farmers’ markets. It’s the same there.

So I have this fridge full of produce, counters laden with tomatoes-potatoes, and everyone wants Down East BLTs???? You understand my dilemma.

Don’t feel too sorry for me. This year I forced on folks a potato salad dressed in lemon-mustard vinaigrette and powered by lots of parsley. Potatoes, too, partnered with Ducktrap Farms peppery smoked mackerel. Greens, of course, stir-fried crisply and squirted with lemon juice, as they do as Chase’s. Beans blanched and dipped in all sorts of pungent things. Mostly it was thread-bare stuff – food that let the all the various vegetables to their own tunes. It was glorious. Yes, I had a few Whoopie Pies. Why not? And crab rolls and fried clams up at Bagaduce Lunch on the Blue Hill Peninsula. Of course.

But though re-entry is hard – have you ever watched a nearly full moon rise over Penobscot Bay, when Penobscot Bay is inches away? – I felt so, so much better this year about Garden State produce. The heirloom tomatoes at Clayton Farm and The Farm in Freehold Township slam-dunk the tomatoes I had in Maine. Twin Pond Farm’s Sicilian eggplant remains the champ. The wonderful island crops out at Hallock’s rock and rule. Used to be that I came home from Maine mourning the loss of what I was leaving behind. This morning, as I write this, I’m eager to set out to see what’s on the farms here right now. I know it will inspire me.

So I’m off and scouting. In the coming days, I’ll chat with y’all about some of the issues you raised in posts below (a chain restaurant where Jersey Freeze is now??? What???) and, if you’d like, talk more about Maine.

Right now, I’m hungry. Again.

Cheers,
Andy
8.30.07

SUMMER'S EATING BEST

2007-08-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

Before it's over, before we declare Summer 2007 a vintage … or decide that it really isn't … can you please re-cap your eating favorites of this season almost past?

Here are the 10 categories:

Favorite dish.
Favorite new restaurant.
Favorite place for a drink.
Favorite place for a spot of something sweet.
Favorite far-from-the-madding-crowd spot.
Favorite farmstand.
Favorite summer vegetable.
Favorite new recipe.
Favorite new wine/beer/spirit/drink.
Favorite guilty eating pleasure.

You can pick one category … or you can make selections for all 10. The idea is this: You will make and define the food trends of Summer 2007.

Cheers,
Andy
8.24.07

KID STUFF

2007-08-20T14:43:00.000-07:00

It's almost lunchtime.

School-lunch time.

What are you packing in your child's lunchbox? And if you're not packing lunch, what is your child eating at school?

We've read about the ideal: Schools with gardens, some even with mini-farms, where kids as part of their curriculum tend plants and reap the rewards of their labors by enjoying their very own vegetables in school cafeterias. Is there a school in the area doing this planting-harvesting-lunching thing? If so, please speak up with specifics.

I hear regularly from parents concerned about their kid's lunch choices at school. But what I'd like to hear from you is what can be done about making lunchtime learning time.

Learning about eating good … i.e., real … food.

Ideas?

Cheers,
Andy
8.21.07

FUTURE FEEDINGS

2007-08-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but when I'm stuck in traffic, I sometimes fantasize about what kind of food I wish I could find here at the Shore. (I also think how much nicer Mainers are to out-of-state motorists flailing about on roads up in 207-land than I am to visiting drivers down here. Every year when I'm Down East, I see Mainers at busy intersections waving ahead vacationers with Jersey, Pennsy and even New Yawk tags. Massachusetts' drivers, however, generally are not afforded the same kindly treatment. It's a long story.)

Anyway, here's a bit of a wish list, in no particular order.

I'd love to see a locally owned and operated artisan bakery. With real good bread. I'm not talking about shipped-in-bread from other ports, but hand-crafted bread. Hand-crafted HERE.

While we're baking, what about a true patisserie?

Charcuterie is probably the hottest commodity in the food world right now, with the best chefs doing their own and some even skipping out of the restaurant realm to make their own salumi on a full-time basis. Wouldn't it be dynamite to have a place that specialized in that genre, perhaps one also serving a little wine and, of course, some good cheese and, maybe, a spot of marinated vegetables?

You've heard me gush about Momofuku Noodle Bar and Momofuku Ssam Bar in New York, both owned by the brilliant chef David Chang. Well, I believe his talent is singular, but that doesn't mean we couldn't do with a true noodle house here or a place where Korean wrap sandwiches can be procured.

Taking that a step further, anyone who has experienced kimchi (a.k.a. kimchee) or any of the various bap (a.k.a. pap) rice-centric dishes in authentic Korean restaurants knows we need one here. Badly. You'll hanker for it like you crave sushi.

And how about an Indian restaurant that serves more than the standard-issue dishes? To those Indian restaurants that insist on continuing with only the common, why is it that the best tandoor-style chicken I've eaten in New Jersey was at a contemporary American restaurant on Long Beach Island? (Blue, in Surf City; reviewed Aug. 12).

Well, that's for starters. How about you? What do you wish for?

Cheers,
Andy
8.17.07

WHAT MAKES A PUB?

2007-08-14T13:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, a caller left me a message about pubs real and pubs fake, stating, with conviction backed by experience, that the places hereabouts calling themselves pubs really aren't pubs at all.

Pubs, particularly Irish pubs, are places of live music and intense conversation, he explained. Televisions are not the stuff of pubs. In fact, TV works against the soul and spirit of a pub. Can you really be engaged in conversation if you're engaged in a TV program?

My caller further noted that true Irish pubs sport low tables and low chairs … all the better, he posited, to allow pub patrons to lean over and talk to one another.

His words prompted me to ask folks what they thought of local "pubs"and if they were even fairly reasonable facsimiles of the quintessential publick house. Though names of certain taverns were mentioned, everyone I queried finally came to the conclusion that there's not a true pub in our midst. "We're a sports bar culture, not a conversation culture," one friend remarked.

So much for finding a bit of Dublin, world headquarters for conversation, here at the Jersey Shore. Suddenly, I found myself grabbing an old Peter McGarr mystery from a bookshelf. My favorite scenes in the series, set in Ireland and written by my old pal, the late Mark McGarrity (under the pseudonym Bartholomew Gill), always took place in pubs. Because that's where the conversation's the most interesting. (Martha Grimes' Richard Jury series, too.)

Pub, sports bar, neighborhood joint - what's what? And why? Is there a real-deal pub in these parts that I'm missing? If so, tell me about it.

Cheers,
Andy
8.14.07

"EATING" GETS A BLOG SITTER

2007-08-10T11:20:00.000-07:00

A blog is a living thing and like all living things, it must be fed.

Especially a blog about food and spirits and eating.

So while I'm on vacation north by northeast, I'm entrusting the care and feeding of this blog to Press staff writer Shannon Mullen.

Here's why:

Shannon is my friend. We've been friends for 20 years.

I could stop there, because I think that's good reason enough, but there's more. Shannon used to write a microbrew column for the Press Food section. It was called, depending on the era, The Beer Keeper or Mug Shots. He knows a bunch about beer; I know nothing about beer. So those of you who have beer queries should take this chance to fire away.

He's also eaten out with me (Dining Companion, Eat Out) countless times and endured years of my own personal recipes/kitchen mishaps/failed experiments. He's also been forced through proximity of our desks to listen to me chat with a nonstop stream of food-centric folks over the years. So I figure he's got the stomach for the job of blog-sitting "Eating.''

I've left Shannon several posts and he'll file them periodically while I'm away. He'll also moderate your discussions and answer whatever questions he chooses. I think you'll like him.

cheers,
Andy
8.10.07
P.S. I'll talk to you on or about Aug. 29. Meanwhile, field food marshals, please keep me posted on what's happening on the farms and what's new on the restaurant scene.

THE HEAT'S ON

2007-08-09T06:26:00.000-07:00

I love vacation but hate getting there.

I'm kind of overextended right now. (I liked the comment a few weeks ago about my farm-binging - the poster who said I was "okra-extended"; made me laugh then and every time I think of it, I laugh again.) Lots of cooking, eating, writing, interviewing, driving, driving, driving. Like what?

OK: This week, I've been doing lots and lots of soups meant to be served chilled. My favorites? Melon, made from super-ripe cantaloupe, spiked with mint and jalapeno and whirred till creamy in a food processor. A little dab of heavy cream? Maybe. Heirloom tomato, with many herbs, a shot of sherry vinegar, and tons of fresh lime juice. Again, time in the food processor. Gazpacho? Of sorts, I suppose.

I went out to Hallock's on the hottest, muggiest day of the year to do a story on the island crops grown out there. (Read all about it in the Press on the 15th.) Charlie Hallock took me on a 35 mph golf-cart ride around the farm. It was like riding shotgun in an open-air Jeep on a Montana highway; I held on for dear life and loved every minute of the wild ride. Sitting expansive in the middle of New Egypt, Hallock's appears on the horizon as our local Great Plains. But there are acres and acres of exotics - jute, bitterball, sour-sour, callaloo. More. We are very, very lucky to have such fertile farms in our midst.

Yesterday was Philly. (Yes, it was HOT, even as I left at 11 p.m.) I'm working on a story about restaurant eats there, which we're planning to run in early-early fall. I've been enamored and admiring of Philly's dining scene for a bunch of years now; been saying, too, that it's more exciting at this time in restaurant life than NYC. Dinner was at Vetri and it was THE BEST. Call today to make your rez for October (it's two months ahead, to the date, and last-minute table-seekers will be eating elsewhere.) The house-made charcuterie platter is worth the trip alone. My dining companions from last night already have weighed in this morning with their just-awake exclamations. When my pal Steve, who'd pronounced himself positively, absolutely, without a doubt sated, stuffed and full, started plowing into the desserts, I had to slap a hand over my mouth to stifle the giggles.

I have a lot of writing still to do, but save for tonight's feeding, my eating's done. I think we really will be able to leave at oh-dark-hundred Sunday for Maine.

But, I'll be in touch before then. And I won't be out of touch while I'm away, because I have a surprise for all you food-centric folks - a host for this blog while I'm away, someone who will post snippets and bits I've written and moderate conversations. Plus, he's got some thoughts of his own.

I'll tell you all about it before I leave.

BUT, meanwhile, can you tell me about your summer vacation? If you've already taken yours, what did you do? If it's still to come, what's planned? And, of course, tell me about vacation eating!

cheers,
Andy
8.9.07

PROWLING THE COUNTRYSIDE

2007-08-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

Debbie Clayton tells me that one of the most frequently asked questions she gets from customers at her stand at Clayton Farm, Monmouth Road (Route 537) in Freehold Township, is something on the order of, “Where does your produce come from?”

Right here, the farmer says. To which I’ll be happy to add, On these acres right in front of you planted with rows and rows and more rows of extraordinary quality produce.

In fact, it’s simply not possible to miss Clayton Farm: The busy stand sits square in front of the farmhouse -- which sits squarely astride the Clayton’s fertile fields. What you’re buying is picked by Debbie and her husband Ross that day, save for the very few things the Claytons clearly mark as from another farm – say, peaches from friends down in South Jersey.

Thing is, people are just so used to their produce coming from points thousands of miles away that they assume all produce has seen air or boat or truck time. And that’s transit time, mind you, in which freshness, nutrients and overall quality is lost.

Today at Clayton Farm, I bought bursting-fresh heirloom tomatoes that I’ll use to make gazpacho and salad, cantaloupes I’ll puree to make a chilled melon soup scented with mint … and tomatillos, jalapenos and onions with their stems attached. Oh, yes, onions don’t fall from the sky in perfect circular balls; check out how onions really look seconds before harvest at Clayton Farm.

Now, I’m a confirmed farmstand junkie (if you know of a bumper sticker that says, I BRAKE FOR FARMSTANDS, please let me know so I can fair-warn everyone driving behind me) and there’s no Sunday drive I’d rather take than one tooling around our 500- and 600-series roads and checking out all the stands, little and big. Erma Bombeck once wrote that she never could resist a Girl Scout selling cookies, so she’d buy boxes and boxes from every girl who stopped at her house. I’m like that with produce and farmstands.

But please tell me all about your favorite farmstand. I really want to know. You see, if there’s one I’ve missed, I want to get there right away. At least before dinner tomorrow.

Cheers,
Andy
8.5.07

FREE TOMATO TASTING

2007-08-04T07:34:00.000-07:00

I want to call your attention to a very, very important announcement posted in the comments section in my post below (My Monthly Wine Date).
It's not about wine, but about TOMATOES.
If you love tomatoes, if you are a pro chef or a home cook, if you are simply someone who eats his/her vegetables and fruits, please take a quick minute to read the announcement about the FREE TOMATO TASTING event planned for this coming Wednesday, Aug. 8.

Thanks!
Andy
8.4.07

MY MONTHLY WINE DATE

2007-08-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

It happens once a month: I flip through my mail and find the folded-over, buff-colored little gem, an unflashy 8-page trip abroad to Kermit Lynch's world of wine.

It's the wine importer's monthly report and, in anyone else's hands (and words), it would be nothing more than a promotion of wines for sale. Instead, Kermit's dispatches and discourses are insightful and inspirational. For example:

"Monsieur Monier likes farming," Kermit writes about a vintner from the Rhone Valley. "He lives in humble splendor way up in the hills ... surrounded by cherry, apple and peach orchards; grapevines he farms biodynamically, birdies singing and bees a-buzzing. He is living the life of a 19th-century vigneron. Monier told me he has it figured out: he makes about three dollars an hour in his little winery. "But I am so happy," he said." His is an almost regal Saint Joseph, loaded with character and luscious, juicy syrah fruit."

I read this and 1) I wonder if Monsieur Monier would be willing to take on a vineyard worker with precious little experience, i.e., me, please; 2) I bow to Kermit for the sheer genius and beauty of the phrase "humble splendor," which describes a place like Monier's better than any two words in any language; and 3) I begin to plot obtaining this wine.

Of course, it's always complicated, given New Jersey's arcane and outdated (yes, folks, even with the "new" rules and regs) wine-shipping laws to score such bottles and there's far too little Kermit Lynch wine in our state. But I read and I fall in love with wine all over again.

Same time, every month.

If you're a person who enjoys a little inspired wine-reading, you should check out Kermit Lynch's wine web site. It's www.kermitlynch.com

Most of the wines he imports are from France, where he spends a good chunk of the year, it seems. When stateside, he works in Berkeley, California, where his shop is located (510. 524. 1524). Oh, here's the other cool thing about his little flier: Kermit always writes about these fetes he's staging - the next one planned is a celebration of rose at a restaurant called Cafe Rouge, in Berkeley.

Don't you want to be there?

OK, OK. We're here. And what are you doing this weekend? Meaning, what are you cooking up at home and where are you eating out?

FARMERS, RESTAURANT CHEFS: Please tell us what's being picked and what's on special this weekend. We're hungry!

cheers,
Andy
8.3.07

CRITIC'S CHOICE

2007-08-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

It's not easy being the friend of a restaurant critic.

Not only do you get called upon to sit smiling through dinners that are less than enthralling or to be polite to servers who dump their dissatisfaction with their employers all over your dinner, but you don't even get to select what you want to eat. A professional critic will do his/her own picking from the menu, assigning dishes to guests and making it clear only a bite or two can be consumed before a plate must be passed to the person doing the evaluating -- i.e., the critic.

As if that's not rotten luck enough, a friend called last night to tell me of another hazard associated with restaurant critic friendship: the loss of ordering skills.

"I'm so used to you doing all the ordering," my pal said, "that when we went out with friends to dinner the other night, I practically forgot that I had to order."

"Use it or lose it," her husband added when I asked him about the lazy-eye-on-menu experience. "If you're not using your ordering skills, it's like an animal who doesn't use its tail --gradually, it disappears."

So used to my domineering ways with a menu my friend is, that she stumbled and couldn't work the menu. I felt pretty awful hearing her story. But not so awful that I failed to remind her of her next review date with me. She's too valuable a dining companion for me to lose.

cheers,
Andy
8.1.07

'TIS THE SEASON

2007-07-31T13:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel that just as restaurants begin to warm up, they close for the season. I wish there was more time to get to know them, especially as they hit their strides. But, often, their floor crews head back to school (to study or to teach) as September rolls around and their chefs return to cities that empty in warm weather or to resort communities that do more business in winter.

And, of course, there's the population drop-off at our Shore as summer folks close up summer houses and daytrippers find other destinations. Of course we year-rounders enjoy the less-crowded roads, but restaurateurs ache over less-crowded dining rooms.

Every year about this time, I realize I'm not going to make it to X, Y and Z seasonal places. Not enough dining-out nights on the calendar. I try to shoehorn in another trip to Mustache Bill's in Barnegat Light, see if I can round up a crew to try that first-year spot in that beach town, and hope that mid-summer entry returns for an encore next year. It's too short, this summer of ours, and as I plan my eating for abbreviated August (I take a spell of vacation then), invariably I face a time-crunch quandary.

So today, at the close of July, I find myself wondering and curious: What are your favorite seasonal restaurants -- those open, for the most part, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, or maybe offering a limited schedule into October? Names, towns, those dishes you'll crave all off-season long?

cheers,
Andy
7.31.07

RESTAURANT FAVORITES

2007-07-28T07:01:00.000-07:00

In a comment to a post below, Robin suggests I offer my selections for a promotion known as Readers' Choice awards. The suggestion sent me back 15, 16 years.

About a year and a half after I started writing The Dining Companion, I had what I thought was the bright idea of having a Best Restaurant competition. Readers would fill out a ballot and select their choices in a panoply of categories and we'd run a list of their picks as well as my picks. I figured we'd get maybe 200, 300 entries and I'd volunteered to count all the ballots in the dozen or so categories.

Well, after 1,600 entries were received and I'd done nothing for two weeks but count ballots, I asked for help with the remaining mountain of ballots. I learned, quickly, how restaurant mad y'all were.

But I also learned something else. My own picks in those 12 or so categories had legs you couldn't believe. Restaurants took out ads, hung banners, printed fliers proclaiming I'd deemed them the best restaurant. The problem, to my mind, was that some of those restaurants were ignoring their cooking in favor of their promoting, and foods I'd loved had taken quite a dive. A restaurant is an organic thing and it can change in a heartbeat. I was mortified seeing my name associated with a "best" I no longer felt was justified.

So I learned "best" lists aren't the smartest thing to do. Instead, at the end of every calendar year, I do a list of favorite dishes I've enjoyed that year. I write about the dishes that truly stood out during the course of that year, which is far more current and far more reliable than dubbing a restaurant "best." Too, a restaurant may not be across-the-board strong, but do one thing really, really well. I have no problem with saying that.

Thanks for the suggestion, Robin. It's one I myself would've pitched to a restaurant critic. I guess I feel, too, that it's pretty obvious from my reviews what restaurants I feel currently are operating at a really high level. And, as always, I welcome thoughts from all of you, whether you agree or strongly, adamantly disagree.

cheers,
Andy
7.28.07

WHAT'S HAPPENING

2007-07-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

Folks tend to ask me, and understandably, about the newest restaurants in the area. I'm as curious as anyone about how the new kids our our restaurant blocks are faring, but I generally tend to wait a spell before going on a review visit. (Unless it's from a long-established chef with a solid resume of restaurants.) Now, I might pop into a brand new place, try a couple or few dishes, but that's mostly to see how a restaurant grows.

I've been thinking about new places because I've reviewed, and very favorably, a new restaurant for this Sunday's Dining Companion. There are some service quirks at this place and not every dish sparkles, but I found a goodly bunch of dishes that truly excited me. I was practically dancing as I sent the review over to the editing basket.

I'm always on the lookout for these kinds of places, but sometimes I am forced to wait. For example, I was thrilled to hear chef Fredric Byarm was back at local stoves at a place called Antoinetta's down in Cedar Run. (On the re-built site of his first big success, Marina Russo, to boot.) I waited for the place to settle a bit, then recently called (incognito, as always) to reserve a table. But, I was told, Byarm currently isn't cooking there. Huh? Well, a few more phone calls yielded a few different answers from a staff that truly seemed befuddled: He hurt his leg, I was told by one. He may or may not be coming back, another said. He's out for a couple of weeks, he's out for a couple of months. So I need to wait to see how things pan out at Antoinetta's. (If anyone from Antoinetta's wants to offer an update, please do so right here.)

Havanna Tropical Cafe, rising on the site of the old Havana in Highlands, is another newbie of interest. Just three weeks old and sporting a Cuban menu, I'm sure it'll attract those looking for bold meats and island acenting. Have you been? If so, what do you think?

Chef Wil Vivas, formerly of Bistro Ole in Asbury Park, has hung his name on a storefront in Belmar (in Belmar Plaza, to be exact, a few doors down from Oyama) and his fans already are asking me when he's opening. Care to offer info, Chef Vivas?

Trinity in Keyport is a big opening for that small Bayshore 'burg. I'm hearing good things about the chef, who is scouting local farms for locally grown produce, and I think that's one to watch. Who has tried the eclectic menu there?

So, where are y'all eating this weekend? Dining out? At home?

And, may we have some contributions from the frontlines? Meaning:

FARMERS: What's come in today and what will you feature this weekend on your farm stands? If you'd like to have chefs reach out to you, please note that, too. And do feel free to post your address and any relevant info under comments.

CHEFS: What specials are you offering this weekend from seasonal ingredients? Feel free to be as detailed as you'd like. Get our gastric juices flowing!

cheers,
Andy
7.27.07

SODA GOES POP

2007-07-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

Have you been following the latest on soda? Well, yes or no, here's the news (I quote from an AP story) that's prompting all the chatter:

(R)esearch comes from a massive, multi-generational heart study following residents of Framingham, Mass., a town about 25 miles west of Boston. The new study of 9,000 observations of middle-aged men and women was published Monday online in the journal Circulation.
The researchers found those who drank one or more sodas a day - diet or regular - had an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, compared to those who drank sodas infrequently. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms that increase the risk for heart disease including large waistlines and higher levels of blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and blood fats called triglycerides.
At the start of the study, those who reported drinking one or more soft drinks a day had a 48 percent increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome compared to those who drank less soda.
Of participants who initially showed no signs of metabolic syndrome, those who drank one or more sodas a day were at 44 percent higher risk of developing it four years later, they reported.

Now, I take flak from friends about the fact that I don't like cola beverages and eschew soda in general. My feeling is that all that sweetness dulls the palate for the nuances of other flavors. I don't have a lot of respect for folks who consider themselves food savvy, then wash down their dinners with cola. Nothing goes better with a wash of liquid sweet, natural or artificial.

But this study is giving soda-drinkers pause - and I'd like to hear the thoughts of both soda-drinkers and those who don't touch the stuff.

cheers,
Andy
7.24.07

A FEAST AT POLLAK

2007-07-21T06:33:00.000-07:00

The laughs were delicious, the soliloquies stirring. At the end of "Chapter Two," I wanted to make a reservation for another night, to experience it all over again.

Pollak Theatre at Monmouth University, West Long Branch, is the setting this summer for an abbreviated season of Shadow Lawn Stage, and the current play, by Neil Simon, offers an extra-special reason to stay on this side of the Hudson for a spot of theater-going: Actors Bryan Cranston and Robin Dearden have come east from their home in California to perform with their best friends and happy collaborators Bill Timoney and Georgette Reilly of Belmar. It's an unforgettable "Chapter Two," the kind that makes you quickly turn the page in anticipation of chapter three - a reprise of the intermingling of incredible talent on stage.

The foursome are, at turns, belly-laugh funny and breath-stopping poignant. I roared, I teared, I left Pollak as one should leave a theater: completely consumed by the performances I'd just experienced.

Well, I think I expected no less. A scant two-and-a-half weeks ago, Bill cheerily ran down the steps of Bryan and Robin's rental home in Avon to greet me and help me unload food from my car. Georgette quickly followed, as Robin and Bryan put down scripts and started toting tubs of grub. It was Fourth of July, and the quartet had spent the day on the porch, running lines for "Chapter Two." I'd volunteered to cook.

We spent the next several hours eating, eating, eating and talking shop. (Let me tell you, if you think all actors are picky, weight-watching eaters, these folks will prove you wrong. I threw just about every spice and wacky accent at them, cooked enough for a Marine division - and they didn't hesitate and certainly didn't quit. If they weren't such fabulous actors, I'd suggest they go into food criticism.) Devoted to the theater, and committed to bringing Broadway-caliber productions to our local stages, the Cranstons and the Timoneys were using their summer vacations to make our evenings memorable.

It's a singularly sensational "Chapter Two." I'd reserve right now.

Performances in this limited engagement continue at 8 tonight, and also at 8 p.m. on July 25, July 27 and July 28. There also are performances at 7 p.m. tomorrow (July 22) and at 7 on July 29. For ticket information, call the Monmouth U box office at 732. 263. 6889.

cheers,
Andy
7.21.07

RATATOUILLE THE RIGHT WAY

2007-07-20T13:09:00.000-07:00

Ratatouille is all the rage, thanks to the movie, but it's too often made as a mushy stew. There's a right way to make ratatouille, and I'm looking for home cooks (in particular) and professional chefs (as quote-worthy resources) who know and can talk about the proper ratatouille-cooking techniques. Please reply under comments right here or e-mail me at clurfeld@app.com. I'll be doing a story on the right way to prepare ratatouille (and more!) a little later this summer.

Some questions for y'all:

Chefs/restaurants: What specials are you offering this weekend? What seasonal ingredients are you featuring?

Diners: What restaurants are you trying? Any new places snag your interest?

Home cooks: What are you buying right now at the farmstands and farm markets and what are you cooking up?

cheers,
Andy
7.20.07

HELLO, MY NAME IS ANDY AND I'M A -------

2007-07-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, employing methods stealth and unsavory, I hid in the roomy fridge of a friend lettuces and greens, then planted in the corners of her kitchen counters tomatoes both cherry and plum. This was a small part of the overstock from my kitchen, and I was looking to make the drop somewhere I wouldn't be watched and monitored. A safe house, so to speak. This secretively sequestered stuff, mind you, was in addition to the box of veggies I'd legitimately and openly brought in to her home under the guise of preparing lunch.

We are thick into farm market season and I'm an addicted buyer of from-the-farm produce. I go to a farm market or stand and I can't resist binge-buying. Give me 10 minutes and I will accumulate 10 bags of vegetables. No way can I eat all of this stuff before my next trip to a farm market (likely to take place within 24 hours), so I fob it off on unsuspecting friends. I prefer those who are too polite to protest. Luckily, I have a lot of really nice friends.

My fob-off yesterday did a little to help the space situation in my own home. Still, my fridge is so jammed full right now, I have to clear the kitchen of anything breathing before I dare open the door, lest a veritable avalanche of dandelions, squashes, romaine, chilies, peppers and herbs free-fall out. My collection of pottery currently holds tomatoes, eggplant, peaches, berries . . .

You get the idea. I'm a produce-buying addict. I can't help it.

Only I don't know how to describe myself to people who don't understand my addiction. Is there a word in the English language to describe someone who can't control him or herself when shopping at a farm market, a person who chronically overbuys far, far more than can be cooked and eaten? Is there a word that says I am to fresh produce what Imelda Marcos was to shoes?

Help me, please. Come up with word that could be the dictionary definition of an addicted farm market shopper. Post it under COMMENTS right here. Meanwhile, I'll be thinking of how to reward the cleverest, the most on-target reply.

Other than offering you my undying gratitude.

cheers,
Andy
7.18.07

ADVISING THE VISITORS - HELP!!

2007-07-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

By the time I get the calls, it's almost too late.

"Friends are visiting," the faithful Shore-dweller says, "and we want to know where to take them to dinner tonight. We've already been to X, Y and Z, but we're looking for some place, oh, I don't know - can you help?"

"Tonight." Gulp. That's pretty soon, right? "Already been to X, Y and Z." That means there's been some disappointment/displeasure, since there's no urgency to go back.

This is, really, the quintessential summertime dilemma for those of us who live here year-round, so I thought we should start a log of Places to Take Visiting Folks. These restaurants should speak to the character of our Shore, should be reasonably priced and should serve food that's unabashedly, deliciously ungimmicky.

I'm going to kick things off with a few of my own suggestions, and then you all can pitch in with your own recommendations. Sound OK? (Mine, FYI, are in no particular order.)

Mustache Bill's Diner, Barnegat Light. It's open for breakfast and lunch and early lunch is my favorite time to go. Fried fluke - caught that day by local fisherman. Ditto for the scallops. Cream-chipped beef! No kidding! Get a bowl of it for the table. Everything here is homemade, "except for the French dressing," the chef-owner is fond of saying.

Mexico Lindo, Burnt Tavern Road, Brick. I, for one, am so grateful for the born-in-Mexico dishes folks have brought to these parts. It's meant that the Shore now has more than Velveeta Mexican. Come here for the memelitas. The poblano burrito. The huaraches. Whatever is new on the menu. This isn't Tex-Mex, mind you.

Oyama, Belmar Plaza, Belmar. Do Korean at lunch. The owner is Korean and she offers a few different "bap" dishes (rice mixed with veggies, accents) for the midday meal. My two favorites: The "bap" topped with raw fishes and the all-vegetable one. Rustic, simple, yet the flavors are enthralling. Asian cuisines are taking hold at the Shore, many in the form of splashy, fish-tank-sporting large dining spaces, but this tiny, rather homely, tucked-away spot is doing this very different thing. I love it.

Bay Avenue Trattoria, Bay Avenue, Highlands. Lots of local seafood, a very seasonal menu, specials that lasso your heart. Now, don't forget an order of Joe's Meatballs, but just do whatever fishes are that-day caught and you'll be swooning. Yeah, yeah, the place is supposedly Italian, but it's far more than that. Which is very New Shore.

OK, I've had my say. Now how about you all speak up? Restaurant name, location, favored dishes, please.

cheers,
Andy
7.15.07

BASTILLE DAY

2007-07-14T07:19:00.000-07:00

July 14, and I'm thinking I'd like to make ratatouille and probably could (early eggplant and tomatoes are in, zucchini and bell peppers, plus the necessary herbs have been in), but I know if I wait a couple of weeks, the key vegetables will be so much better and therefore so will my ratatouille.

So, what then, should I do to toast Bastille Day? My 8-year-old sous chef says her favorite dish is something we concocted together a while back, duck confit ragout. (We start with a mirepoix - tiny-dice of carrots, onions, celery, herbs, slow-cooked in olive oil - then add a little chopped tomato and a lot of orange, in the form of zest, juice and sections from the fruit, some chicken broth and, finally, shreds of duck confit from hunky legs and more herbs. Cook till it all melds, then serve over noodles.) But though our duck confit ragout certainly would taste fine, I'd rather do something summery in tribute to the French holiday.

"Poulet verte"? That's "green chicken," a beloved dish in Southwestern France that uses herbs to their max. A salad of mussels with lots of greens and a smack of curry? Yes, that, too, is French, and popular in the Charente region. Barbecued spareribs, marinated in herbs, including thyme, mint, rosemary, sage and fennel, and cooked over a charcoal grill? Big, big, big in the Languedoc.

I'll keep thinking. French food, after all, is so much more than the cliches attributed to it. As we expand our culinary scope around the globe, there are good reasons - many, many delicious reasons, in fact - to explore ever deeper in that country where food always has reigned supreme.

cheers,
Andy
7.14.07

NOTES FROM NEW YORK

2007-07-12T05:41:00.000-07:00

First of all, the Fancy Food Show isn't what you think it is. When someone learns I'm going to a food show, that the whole of the Javits Center in New York will be filled with food, their eyes widen, their jokes get silly, their bellies reverberate from the guffaws. "Uhh-uh, tough job you got. Uhh-uh. Eating all that good food."

Most of it comes in the form of condiments. A little vinegar here, a spot of mustard there, a dab of flavored mayo in between shots of chocolate-covered pretzels and flakes of smoked trout. It's about micro-bites downed with minted waters and fruity sodas. Javits is packed to the gills with buyers and distributors, each trying to scope out the next hot food item. There are thousands of booths, from mom-and-pop one-product set-ups to huge spreads from the tractor-trailers of food companies.

As I walk up and down the aisles over the course of three days, trying to pick out the good stuff from the gimmicks, I overhear the stomach aches in progress. By about 2 p.m. daily, some folks are in real trouble. Too much hot sauce atop cream puffs, peppadews following rose sherbet, lemongrass chips backing up honey vinegar.

Right now, I'm compartmentalizing. I'm sifting through my taste memory and filtering out the best of the best. The next two Wednesdays (July 18 and July 25), our Food section covers will feature products from the Fancy Food Show. Yesterday afternoon, when photographer Bob Bielk and I went through his hundreds of snaps from the show, I smiled at images of a couple of sisters from Paterson who wowed me with a great new product and a young culinarian from Holmdel who is part of a company developing sensational and environmentally sound condiments.
You'll read all about them, and lots of other foods and folks, in the coming weeks.

BUT: Sunday night, after the show closed up for the day and I had an hour to re-group, I went with a couple of pals to Hill Country, the new Texas-style barbecue joint on 26th Street near Broadway. Good food, good fun. We had moist brisket and ribs, superb Kreuz sausages, dandy mac-and-cheese, campfire baked beans, terrific coleslaw, a classic green bean casserole, topped with fried onions, completely yummy corn pudding - you catch my drift. The only disappointment was that Hill Country had sold out of deviled eggs before we ordered. I was crushed. I have to go back.

It's such a different kind of restaurant for New York, and I suspect it will inspire folks in that business to create more casual, easier-on-the-pocket joints that suit families, gangs of friends, twosomes looking for low-key eats. Plus, if you haven't tried Texas-style barbecue - dry-rubbed, no sauce - it's something to experience. That brisket mesmerized me.

OK: I'm heading south today for some fish-eating. Writing that just made my gastric juices flow; boy, do I love just-caught fishes, simply prepared. My stomach's recovered from the food show and I'm ready to do business again.

cheers,
Andy
7.12.07

EATING SEASON

2007-07-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

I've spent the past few days visiting local farms for a story on the early crops of summer (it'll pub Wednesday, July 11) and gearing up for the Fancy Food Show in New York. I'll be eating my way through the show Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I feel grateful I've laid a healthy foundation in my stomach of kale, leaf lettuces, 8-ball squashes and the first corn of the season by doing this farm story. Goodness knows what I'll face during the food show - pounds of cheeses, chocolates, snacks, pestos, salsas, pastas, condiments, sauces - you name it, I'll eat it.

Before I take off, I'm going to try to catch "Ratatouille" at the Algonquin in Manasquan. Have you seen it?

I have to admit, I'm not much of a movie-goer. Mostly because I tend to spend my nights either in restaurants or my kitchen. It's not that I don't enjoy movies; it's just that it's hard to be in two places at once. But this "Ratatouille" sounds irresistible. I'm hoping it'll rev up my hunger for the food show.

I'll write you after the show - though, remember, as usual, I'll be doing a couple of Food covers on the trends and highlights. So here, you'll be fed out-takes. Leftovers? Hmm, I have to find the right word.

Meanwhile, I want to ask your opinions on something: What's your favorite casual seafood place? Not one of those tourist-type seafood palaces, but your most beloved seafood-focused spot? It might be seasonal, it might be shack-like, it might be very, very out of the way.

Farmers: Please post your just-picked specials right here. Chefs: What do you have that's special this weekend? Weigh in!

cheers,
Andy
7.06.07

P.S. Forgot to tell you - Sunday, after the first round of the show, I'm meeting a pal at Hill Country, the new Texas-in-New York barbecue joint on 26th Street. Anyone been? If not, I'll tell all after I get back. We need more barbecue joints out here!

FOURTH FEEDING

2007-07-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

I'm cooking for folks with some varying dietary restrictions and preferences, so my menu for the Fourth will be not exactly of the usual burgers-dogs-chix grilled variety. And since I'm toting it to a beach house being rented by friends, I'm doing prep at my home and trying to make everything completely portable.

It's an Eastern-leaning menu - as in Asian. Summer rolls of various stripes, filled with fishes. Spicy mini meatballs with spunky dipping sauces. Shredded chicken zapped with Asian accents, to be wrapped in lettuce leaves and eaten out of hand. Slaws and salads, yes, but all light, bright and using spices and such commonly found in Thai cuisine. I made blueberry sauce from Earth Friendly Organic Farm blueberries, though - I think I'll serve it over lemon sorbet.

What are you eating for the Fourth?

cheers,
Andy
7.3.07

SUNDAY SHOPPING, COOKING, PLOTTING

2007-07-01T18:15:00.000-07:00

This morning, we went out to Earth Friendly Organic Farm to pick blueberries. The sun, still slanted in the sky, was wonderfully warming, but not hot, a few chickens roamed about us, and the fat berries nearly fell off the bushes into our hands. "They should bottle weather like this," another picker said to me. Agreed.

Later, at Delicious Orchards, I surveyed the greens - lots of Jersey stuff, kale, dandelions, chard. Strip them of their stems, parboil the kale, then roughly slice the lot of them. Saute (in olive oil, toasted sesame oil and a dash of soy sauce) with chopped garlic, chives and ginger root. I'd gotten a huge bunch of Chinese chives at the Asian Food Center in Middletown and, boy, did they do right by the greens. If you're not eating greens, you are missing amazing food.

I also scored a big bag of "stuffing squash" at D.O. Aha! I'm betting that's a new name for farmer John Samaha's 8-Ball Squash. My favorite. Anyway, I cooked some orzo, tossed it with a little olive oil and spunky cheese I snagged the other day at Sickles Market, then stuffed the orzo mix into carved-out 8-Balls. Baked them for 35 minutes in a 350 oven and smiled when they emerged. Oh, yes, I did add one new ingredient I'm trying out: Peppadew Salsa I got up at Dearborn Farms. Just a couple of spoonfuls into the cooked orzo-cheese mixture. Sweet-hot-tart all at once. After I've played around more with the Peppadew Salsa, I'll tell you more.

OK, back to the kitchen. I'm going to make blueberry sauce. And, believe it or not, starting some prep for Fourth of July supper. My guests are a-traditional and so is my menu. Hey, it's called Independence Day!

cheers,
Andy
7.1.07

FRESH FROM THE FARM

2007-06-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

Attention farmers and folks who love shopping at farm markets and farmstands: 'Tis the season to be eating very, very well - with foods that go straight from the fields of our local farms to our dining tables.

So, farmers, please clicks COMMENTS below and post information about your farm market or stand. Tell us the name of your farm, where it's located, when you're open and what's fresh at the moment. If you're picking squash or beans or sweet corn, the rest of us would like to know. Feel free to post info any time on this blog. I'll regularly create FARM topics this season or you can e-mail me (clurfeld@app.com) or call me (732. 643. 4273) to prompt me to create a new FARM topic for you.

And for those of you who love to plow the farmstand trail, please let the rest of us know what you're finding where - and what you're cooking with beautiful Jersey produce.

thanks!
Andy
6.28.07

RANDOM RESTAURANT THOUGHTS

2007-06-27T13:57:00.000-07:00

I was speaking this morning with John Roberts, who for 17 years was president of the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade. We were talking about Sickles Market, which has won the NASFT's prestigious retailer of the year award, a particularly big deal for a market in Little Silver, N.J. (We'll be highlighting Sickles in the Food section of Wednesday, July 4.) Anyway, John, who has lived for 15 years in Rumson, offered some personal observations of eating in this area that I found reflective of comments I've heard from many folks over the years.

"When we moved to Rumson 15 years ago,'' John said, "our feeling was that this area was behind the times in terms of restaurant innovation.'' Perhaps restaurants relied on tourism, rather than creativity in the kitchen, to keep business strong.

John, who now works as a consultant in the food industry, had vast experience and lots of travel under his belt to support his observation that "at that time, not a lot of places were offering exciting dining experience.''

He feels the area is beginning to catch up with the culinary times - - and he credits folks such as Bob Sickles, owner of Sickles Market, with vision and determination to innovate and educate.

Just as I was finishing the Sickles' story this morning, a colleague came by to tell me of a disappointing dining experience she'd had at a local restaurant. A local restaurant, I should note, that is extremely popular. What did I think of the place? she asked. Behind the times, with a menu that hasn't evolved in years. Resting on very, very old laurels -- and very dependent on visitors to the Shore.

Our conversation brought to mind many of the excellent points John Roberts made to me and prompts me now to ask you: What restaurants in our midst are resting on old laurels? What restaurants chronically disappoint when you expect them to excite?

cheers,
Andy
6.27.07
P.S. Samaha's Farm Market, on Lloyd Road in Aberdeen, opened for the season this week. I talked to farmer-owner John Samaha this morning and he was picking all those good squashes and early-summer vegetables we've been craving. It's open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. FARMERS: Please post right here on this blog when you open your markets and farmstands for the season. Tell us your address and your hours of operation. Or e-mail me the info at clurfeld@app.com and I'll post it all for you. Whenever new crops come in, or if you have something special and/or unusual, either post it here or let me know so I can spread the good and delicious word.

ICE CREAM CHRONICLES, part two (WITH A SIDE OF FISH)

2007-06-22T12:10:00.000-07:00

As I was watching Susan Maccanico, of Niki's Homemade Ice Cream in Belmar, make ice cream one recent afternoon, I was struck by a few things. First, it's time-consuming. Second, there's lots of room for improvisation. Third, the ice cream industry sure has changed since I did a stint at HoJo's back in the early 1970s.

"In the beginning,'' Susan was telling me as she reminisced about her earliest days as an ice-cream parlor owner, "the old standards were in vogue. Chocolate, vanilla, butter pecan. Then it started branching out, with cookies and cream, candy bar flavors, toasted coconut.''

Her daughter-in-law Cheryl Maccanico noted today's trends to "comfort food" flavors - peanut butter, for example. Nearly every ice cream parlor I visited on my Shore tour had a good four or five flavors sporting peanut butter.

That's a lot of stirring for ice-cream makers like Susan. In fact, though she closes at 11 p.m., she's downstairs in her kitchen till 2 a.m. most nights making ice cream, then back at it a couple of hours before her shop opens at 1 the next afternoon. No wonder she's so trim and fit.

Though kids love soft-serve, I learned that once they age into the teen years, they start ordering hard ice cream. I guess that brands me as a permanent kid. Sure, I order hard ice cream quite often, but my soul craves soft chocolate. With marshmallow sauce. I'd love to eat a huge cup of that right now, preferably sitting in Niki's courtyard, right next door to her shop.

Maybe that's because I've been out in the sun, scouting fish the past couple of days. The blues are running, as are the flounders, and local lobster is tasting good these days. I'm readying a story for this coming Wednesday (June 27) about cooking fish on the Fourth of July and have lots of good advice from local fishmongers. So think about it. Think about fish on the Fourth.

Meanwhile, what/where are you eating this weekend? And, restaurant chefs, what specials are you posting?

cheers,
Andy
6.22.07

A CHEF IS BORN

2007-06-19T13:36:00.000-07:00

You remember when that toddler-wanna-be took those first steps, right? Of course. There's another milestone in some kids' lives: first slicing with a real knife.

My favorite 8-year-old kitchen helper has been asking when she could use the chef's knife to slice and chop since she was 3. She's curious about everything in the kitchen and always is eager to join in the cooking. Last night, we were using chives and mint to make a kind of Asian pesto, dandelions and mushrooms to make a topping for pasta, baby bok choy as the main element of a stove-top braise, and cucumbers for a refreshing, counterpointing salad. We even prepped sugar snap peas for future use. My pal, aided by her 5-year-old sister and good-naturedly abetting her 3-year-old sister's tasting wishes, had dutifully stripped the leaves off the dandelion stalks, separated the leaves of mint from their stems, ripped the strings off the pea pods and was begging for more work.

"Andy,'' she asked, her voice soft but not a tad whiny, "can I chop something?''

She'd probably asked me that question a hundred times over the years, never getting discouraged at my firm, "No, not yet. You need to be stronger to use that knife.''

But on this night, I said, "Yes, you're ready. You did beautiful work with the dandelions and the herbs and the peas. You can slice the cucumbers. I'll show you how.''

Her face was proud and determined. She picked up the santuko and manned her cutting board. She already knows how to properly hold a knife, already has practiced how to grip, firmly, whatever is to be sliced or chopped. She now stirs sauces with a steady hand and is watchful when her younger sisters approach the stove, cautioning them to keep hands behind backs and stand clear of the flame. She is not only strong, she shows responsibility.

So we tasted the cucumbers, to determine if they were bitter and needed to be seeded (they weren't and didn't), but decided to remove most of the peel (a tad tough-textured). Next, I guided her through the first few slices, urging her to slice a bit more thinly. She followed directions. Her cuke slices were beautiful. They stood, crisp and elegant, in a simple salad flecked with fresh dill and dressed with splashes of lime, rice vinegar and olive oil. Thomas Keller would have approved.

It was a momentous first step for my friend. I see delicious things in her future.

cheers,
Andy
6.19.07

THE ICE CREAM CHRONICLES, part one

2007-06-17T07:09:00.000-07:00

I've been touring the Shore, checking out trends in ice cream for a Food cover story (running this coming Wednesday, June 20), and learning the darndest things. I had much more material than could make it into the space allowed me, so I thought I'd offer up some extra scoops here.

I'm quite curious about the sundaes vs. regular cups/cones thing - you know, do folks order more sundaes or do they go for basic cups and cones? One scooper told me, emphatically, "Cups and cones. With the variety in flavors today, with all the accents already mixed in, you don't need to pay extra for toppings on sundaes." Logical, I thought. Once upon a time, there was chocolate-vanilla-strawberry, with a side of butter pecan, pistachio and, maybe, coffee, but now you get chips of this, combos of that, and all manner of mix-ins mixed in at the start.

Then I chatted with another scooper, who said, "Sundaes are big. Real big. But there's a difference in how people order them. Women take their time, consider the options and really work on putting together their sundaes. Men just come up to the counter and and say, 'I'll get the hot fudge.' They want to get the ordering over with."

We both laughed at that, though the scooper insisted over my giggles that it was absolutely true. Knowing how I personally labor over constructing my own sundae order and even go so far as to ask whoever is making my sundae to put things together in a certain fashion, I can't dispute the distaff angle of his theory. I always feel awful that I'm probably holding up the ordering line.

While what the typical kid orders at an ice cream parlor makes me shudder, there was one thing a scooper said that made my jaw drop to my knees. As I spied Day-Glo blue ices in one of the tubs at this particular shop, I commented that this surely was no color that EVER had appeared in nature. I mean, it looked sci-fi supernatural. Wacky. So I asked the parlor owner who in the world would order shocking-blue ices.

"Kids," the proprietor of the shop told me. "It makes their tongues turn blue."

Golly. When I was a kid, my favorite ice cream combo was chocolate with marshmallow topping. I thought soft chocolate trumped hard chocolate in those days, and I always tried to steer any ice-cream-eating expedition to Carvel. (Alas, Carvel is not the same any more; the formula must've been changed.) When I lost out, when the ice-cream-eating took place at the old Minuteman in Somerville and, later, when I was a teenager, at the Buxton's in Pluckemin, I got a little fancy. In those pre-rocky road days, I used to urge scoopers to mix some chocolate chips and mini-marshmallows into my chocolate, then top it off with gooey marshmallow sauce. Before there was rocky road, I was leaning to rocky road. But nut-free rocky road. My old high school chum Erin, who worked at Buxton's, must've gotten in serious trouble for deviating from the strict recipes to make my special-order ice cream. But it tasted good.

Oh yeah: I still hate nuts in ice cream. I just don't get setting something that's crunchy-dry against something that's cooling-smooth. That's one counterpoint that never has worked for me. In fact, when I learned the love of my high school life habitually ordered nuts on his sundaes, I gasped and reconsidered my devotion. Could I care for someone who had such poor taste in matters so culinarily critical?

I quickly softened in my judgments, and have remained open-minded in my assessments of friends and their ice cream choices. So, tell me, friends: What is YOUR favorite ice cream flavor? And why?

cheers,
Andy
6.17.07
p.s. I'll do another round of ice cream chatter later this week. Please do check out the cold, hard facts of our local ice cream scene this Wednesday in Food.

THE BLUEBERRIES ARE COMING!

2007-06-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

For those of you (and there have been dozens) who have been asking when the blueberries at Earth Friendly Organic Farm (located on Olde Noah Hunt Road, about three miles west of Great Adventure) will be ready to pick, there's news from the farm's owner, Roz Ressner:

"The berries are ripening," Roz says, "and hopefully we'll begin picking on the 30th of June." Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Roz and her crew at Earth Friendly, on Olde Noah Hunt Road, also have a number of activities planned for the summer. For example:

* Make the perfect blueberry pie, with Theresa Brosius in the Kitchen
followed by lunch on the patio; Tuesday, July 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

* Learn to make blueberry jam; Wednesday, July 11, starting at 9:30 a.m. You'll pick blueberries, make jam and have lunch at Earth Friendly.

Call Roz to make reservations for both events: (609) 259-9744.

And here's another note from Roz re: a special you-pick day on Sunday, July 22, to benefit an organization called Empower The Children. "My good friend, Rosalie, a retired speech therapist from Jackson, lives in Kolkata eight months of the year and has devoted her life to helping impoverished children of Kolkata through educational and nutritional programs, served up with lots of love! Earth Friendly would like to invite you to help in a small way. A portion of our blueberry sales will be donated to Empower the Children. So please reserve Sunday, July 22 for some serious picking!"

For more info, visit Roz's web site, www.earthfriendlyorganicfarm.com

I've said this before and I'm sure I'll say it again after I pick blueberries at Earth Friendly this summer: I've never had better blueberries, anywhere. And, as many of you know from reading my end-of-summer vacation chronicles, I'm a Maine regular and I've got tons of blueberry experience.

Cheers,
Andy
6.13.07

LAST LICKS

2007-06-11T17:01:00.000-07:00

So the finale of “The Sopranos” was an eating scene in an ice cream parlor in Bloomfield. But we only got to the onion rings; we didn’t make it to dessert.

Last night and today, there’s been a ton of discourse everywhere I watch, everywhere I listen, about the ambiguity of the final episode. Lots of folks are totally ticked that there wasn’t a big-bang ending of some sort, a conclusive conclusion. After I (like everyone else in the HBO universe) realized my TV hadn’t failed me, I said, “Bizarre.”

Then, a second later, I loved it. I loved the ending because it brought to mind another ending I’ve never forgotten: “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” Freeze frame; the outlaws live forever – never making it to the barrage of bullets that await.

Pop to black; the Sopranos live forever, too, never making it to whatever was out there for them. We can argue the scheme of things right and good vs. the attachment we felt for modern-day criminals all day, all night, but that’s pretty ambiguous, too. It was, after all, entertainment.

Have an ice cream sundae, ignore the consequences, and say goodnight. Right now, I’m going to watch it again. Who knows? Maybe they’ll show another of the three endings those folks said they filmed.

Andy
6.11.07

THE TOPS

2007-06-09T06:55:00.000-07:00

I’m loving the fact that folks are shedding their insecurities about screw-caps on wine bottles.

For the longest time, far too many wine-drinkers were holding on to silly and out-dated notions that only bad wines were capped with screw-on, screw-off tops. When really good winemakers started sealing their bottles with screw caps, which offer fabulous protection for the tasty stuff inside, some folks remained reluctant to buy the wines. It made no sense – and, frankly, it branded the reluctant as uninformed.

But today, temptation is trumping all those old wives’ tales of plonk under the screw-caps. All the Yalumba “Y” series wines from South Australia are bottled with screw-caps, including the fabulous – I mean scrumptiously delicious – 2006 Sangiovese Rose. Bonny Doon’s California-raised Ca’ Del Solo line is screw-capped, following winemaker Randall Graham’s own pioneering spirit. The other night, I screwed the cap off the dandy 2005 Indaba Chenin Blanc from South Africa. Many terrific German rieslings come with screw-caps, including the right-for-drinking-now crisp and fruity 2005 Bex Riesling.

I understand and appreciate the pomp and ceremony of popping a cork. It’s fun, it can add a touch drama – but it also brings with it uncertainty. Every wine-drinker I know has nightmare corked-wine stories.

That doesn’t have to happen on a night when there’s a thirst for a flirty wine with quenching capabilities. Twist, pour, sip and enjoy. Hey, if you’re at a BYOB restaurant charging a corkage fee, and you find yourself a tad miffed, you can always point to your screw-capped bottle of wine and ask, “Corkage fee? Where’s the cork?”

Speaking of which, I haven’t heard of any more BYOBs tacking a corkage fee on to diners’ tabs. Have you?

Cheers,
Andy
6.9.07

GREENS AND ICE CREAM

2007-06-08T06:17:00.000-07:00

The baby arugula is so nice these late spring days but, once I got it home from the market, I suddenly didn’t feel like salad. I wanted something more substantive, with a bit of body to it. So I made arugula pesto.

You can make pesto out of practically anything green (my personal favorite, something I love even more than traditional basil pesto, is a combo of cilantro and mint, which I spike with ginger root and garlic, thin with lime juice and use to dress Asian noodles, seafood -- and chicken that otherwise would taste ho-hum plain), so I just went at it: I toasted pine nuts, then I whirred arugula and the toasted nuts in my food processor, drizzled in olive oil and added grated Parmigiano Reggiano. I tasted, decided it needed something more, and so squeezed the juice of a couple of lemons into the mix. Bingo. A little sea salt, pepper and I was done.

Literally. There’s no more to the story. It’s a simple pesto. I tossed it with spaghetti and plan to use the rest of it to dress sandwiches and such over the weekend. I’m quite certain it would be terrific alongside a slab of beef you’ve grilled, a condiment of another color that would add nuance to the meat. You know those Tuscan steak platters so many of us love? The ones that set a steak over a bed of balsamic-splashed arugula? Well, it’s the same flavor concept. Marinate your steak for a spell in a mix of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, grill, then serve with a slather of arugula pesto. Sounds like a fine Father’s Day dinner to me.

OK: Now, a favor. What LOCAL (this means NO chains allowed) ice creamery do you favor? And what flavor there do you crave? I want to know your ice favorites, both place and flavor. Thanks!

Cheers,
Andy
6.8.07

SEAFOOD REPORT

2007-06-02T07:21:00.000-07:00

Greetings - and here's the latest from the Jersey Fresh folks on the availability of local fishes. (I'm editing out anything less than excellent quality.) Shop smart - eat local. Restaurant chefs: Are you using any of these local fishes in specials this weekend?

Black Sea Bass – Supplies are good with excellent quality.

Bluefish – Supplies are good with excellent quality.

Butterfish – Supplies are good with excellent quality.

Flounder – Supplies are good with excellent quality.

Fluke – Supplies are very good with excellent quality.

Ling – Supplies are very good with excellent quality.

Lobster – Supplies are good with excellent quality.

Mackerel – Supplies are good with excellent quality.

Mahi-Mahi – Supplies are very good with excellent quality

Monkfish – Supplies are limited with excellent quality.

Monktail (Day Boat Gill Net) – Supplies are very good with excellent quality.

Scup (Porgies) – Supplies are very good with excellent quality.

Sea Eel – Supplies are limited with excellent quality.

Sea Scallops (Day Boat) – Supplies are good with excellent quality.

Snails – Supplies are limited with excellent quality.

Squid – Supplies are good with excellent quality.

Sword Fish – Supplies are limited with excellent quality.

Tilefish – Supplies are very limited with excellent quality.

Weakfish – Supplies are very good with excellent quality.

Whiting – Supplies are very good with excellent quality.

Cherrystones, Chowders – Supplies are limited with excellent quality

Cape May Salt Oysters – Supplies are very good; available on a daily basis with excellent quality.

cheers,
Andy
6.2.07

QUICK BITES

2007-05-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

I'm enjoying the lively discussion re: corkage fees at BYOBs. Poster 93Chambertin makes gallons of valid, smart points.

BUT: I'd like to hear comments/thoughts from a BYOB owner who charges a corkage fee or a restaurateur with a liquor license who refuses to allow diners to bring special bottles not on his/her wine list for the cost of a reasonable corkage fee. We need to understand the other side in this debate.

Hey, wine geeks - where's your competitive spirit? Rise to the occasion of my challenge (a few blog entries back) to explain what wine you enjoy partnering with what fast food. The cookery book that's the winner's prize is a truly excellent one. I stand by my rose with cheesesteaks and I dig the poster who offered "555'' with Popeye chix.

I'm going nuts with the local scallops. Hope to have some cooking ideas for you a week from today in Foraging.

A last nibble before I take off for chow scouting: If you're looking for a new option in casual fare, check out my Eat Out column this coming Friday in Jersey Alive! It's grub I've not found before in these parts. And it's a whirl of deliciousness.

cheers,
Andy
5.30.07

STRAWBERRY HARVEST

2007-05-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite field researchers just got back from picking strawberries at Silverton Farms. Organic strawberries, mind you. This gal is super-consicentious about keeping pesticides out of her family's meal-stream.

"The picking is still very good,'' our field researcher reports. "We asked, and some rows of berries haven't even produced (fruit) yet, so there are a couple more weeks of berries ahead.'' She was out picking with three assistants, ages 8, 5 and 3. They were far from alone at the organic farm located at 1520 Silverton Road, Toms River Township.

The owners of Silverton Farms, Tom and Audrey Nivison, have set down hay to make some of the pathways easier to navigate. But our field crew reports that "it can be a little rough out there for kids.'' Nonetheless, the quality of strawberries is "excellent -- and there are very few bugs this year. The berries are in really good shape.''

The price is right, too: If you pick your own strawberries, you pay $10 for four pounds.

"We stopped on the way home and bought some heavy cream,'' the head strawberry picker reveals. "The kids are plowing through the berries right now.''

For info, call Silverton Farms at (732) 244-2621.

Have you been out doing the pick-your-own thing yet this year? If so, what and where?

cheers,
Andy
5.29.07

POPPING OFF ON CORKAGE FEES

2007-05-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

Is it a coming trend or simply a statement being made by a restaurant or two?

I'm talking about corkage fees at BYOB restaurants. Several readers recently have spoken to me about being assessed corkage fees without warning at a specific BYOB restaurant. They are not only annoyed, they are boycotting the restaurant. Their wine was opened and poured by a server at this restaurant without an offer of an option to -- well, DIY, so to speak.

Now, it's true restaurants without liquor licenses that allow diners to bring their own bottles do have to invest in wine glases, corkscrews, wine buckets and the like. This is seen by some BYOB restaurateurs I've spoke with as a significant expense for which there is no compensation.

However, the concept of corkage fees far more frequently applies to restaurants WITH liquor licenses that allow diners to bring their own wines for a relatively modest charge -- less than it would cost to buy a modest bottle of wine on the list. Here in New Jersey, I've been lambasted by reservations-takers at places with liquor licenses for even asking if I could bring a special bottle of my own NOT on their list and pay a reasonable corkage fee (say, $25) as compensation. I've only made these inquiries of restaurants with particularly poor wine lists at bloated prices.

OK, so let's discuss this and hear all sides:

Diners, do you think corkage charges at BYOBs have a place? Or not? Why? Do you think restaurants with liquor licenses should allow you to bring special bottles not on the restaurant's existing list for a corkage fee, as is custom in many other places?

Restaurateurs with liquor licenses, do you offer the option of BYOB with a corkage fee? Restaurateurs at BYOBs, do you assess a fee for those who bring their own wines and, if so why? If you don't, why not? And what would prompt you to change your policy?

Looking forward to hearing from y'all,
Andy
5.25.07

THE CHALLENGE

2007-05-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

Every sommelier on the planet can tell you what luxury wine to partner with what luxury food. But it takes a palate of ingenuity and imagination to advise on which wine goes splendidly with which – well, let’s just be blunt and to the point here - junk food.

That thought came to me this evening as I was taste-testing a bevy of cheesesteaks and Jersey-wiches for a future Eat Out column. Though I was tempted to whip up a milkshake to slog 'em all down, I decided instead to pop open a new rose I’d just bought at Spirit of ’76 Wines and Spirits, Route 71 and Stockton Lake Boulevard in Manasquan.

Cheeseteaks and rose, perfect together.

Down the road a couple of weeks in Eat Out, I’ll give you the deets on the sandwiches, but I will tell you right now about the juicy, fruity, berry-rich 2005 Montes Cherub Rose made in Chile from the syrah grape. There’s a faint, discreet tickle of effervescence to it, making it a delightful picnic wine. But it’s also the right wine for shaved-beef cheesesteaks, with or without, garlicky, pepper-laden, however you call 'em. The Montes rose sells for about $11.99.

Now, here’s my challenge to you. Tell me what wine you like with what bona-fide junk food. State the food, the wine and your reasons for making the match. Do so right here in my blog, under the comments portion of this entry. Deadline: One week from today, i.e. Thursday night, May 31. I will announce the winner – the person who makes the most convincing case for his/her match – on Saturday, June 2 and ask that winner to e-mail me (clurfeld@app.com) his or her home mailing address so I can send them a copy of one of my favorite cookbooks as a prize.

Have at it, folks. And tell your friends.

Cheers,
Andy
5.24.07

RIDE 'EM HIGH

2007-05-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

I never thought there was much of a need for a cowboy cookbook, but then ol' Robb Walsh comes out with this book and danged if I'm not reading it. And even thinking about cooking from it.

Then again, I'd read almost anything Robb writes 'cause he is the funniest son of a gun west of the Delaware. But "The Texas Cowboy Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos'' (Broadway Books; $17.95) isn't meant to make you roar; it's lively, all right, but it digs deep into the Texas cowboy culinary vernacular and brings a documentary-like sense of reality to a maligned and mythical culture.

The recipes that Robb, who is the food critic for the Houston Press, brings to the fore are so appealing, they almost made me change plans for our Memorial Day Weekend festivities and go with a cowboy-themed menu: Cane Vinegar Pork Chops, Barbecued Cowboy Steaks, Jalapeno Corn Bread, Jicama and Carrot Coleslaw, Hill Country Peach Pie, Roasted Ancho Pecans.

You know, I may have to sneak those Roasted Ancho Pecans in there somewhere, right?

cheers,
Andy
5.23.07

WHAT'S COOKING

2007-05-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

Last night, we were cooking English peas, beautiful little peas that we'd just shelled and set in a small saute pan. I was going to do them in an itty-bitty dab of butter and something else - only I couldn't quite decide what that something else was going to be.

My pal Katalin came into the ktichen and saw the peas. "In Hungary,'' she said, "we put parsley in the new peas.'' Katalin motioned to the bowl of freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley on the kitchen counter and continued: "Parlsey, exactly like that.'' I grabbed a handful of the fragrant parsley and tossed it into the peas. "Anything else?'' I asked Katalin. "Yes,'' she replied. "Black pepper. A little bit of black pepper.'' Since a peppermill also was nearby, that was easily accomplished.

One taste made me awfully glad Katalin had spoken up about how the cooks in her family prepared a simple dish such as peas in her native Hungary. I felt as though I'd traveled, even though I was right here at the Shore, at the home of friends I see every week.

The local lands are starting to yield some pretty glorious bounties, and I don't seem to want to stop cooking. I bought some gorgeous baby spinach and cooked it down with a bunch of other veggies (broccoli, carrots, spring onions) in vegetable stock, whirred it all together in a food processor, then added some seasonings and heated the thick puree of a soup till the flavors fully melded. I spooned it into bowls and squirted in a lot of fresh lemon juice just before serving. That lemon juice woke up the bright flavors of the vegetables in the soup like the sun wakes the Earth.

Over the weekend, I e-mailed my friend and colleague Shannon Mullen that I couldn't seem to work up the same quivering heights of enthusiasm for the new car I'm getting this week as I could for ramps or a certain brand of sweet onion I've been scoring in these parts. He told me I should write about this on the blog. Which then would have to be re-named, "Confessions of a Really Weird Woman.''

Or, as my 12-year-old cooking buddy Matthew likes to call me, "Crazy.'' Short for "Crazy Lady, the Cook.''

cheers,
Andy
5.22.07

SOURCING SEAFOOD

2007-05-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

Today's seafood report from the state Department of Ag's Jersey Fresh folks offers the following info on fishes from our local ports. FYI: I'm only including those items deemed to be of excellent or very goood quality.

Black sea bass: Supplies are very limited with excellent quality.
Bluefish: Supplies are good with excellent quality.
Fluke: Supplies are limited with excellent quality.
Ling: Supplies are very good with very good quality.
Monkfish: Supplies are limited with excellent quality.
Monktail (day boat gill net): Supplies are very good with excellent quality.
Sea Scallops (day boat): Supplies are very good with excellent quality.
Skatewing: Supplies are very good with excellent quality.
Swordfish: Supplies are limited with excellent quality.
Tilapia: Supplies are limited with very good quality.
Tilefish: Supplies are very limited with excellent quality.
Weakfish: Supplies are good with very good quality.
Whiting: Supplies are very good with very good quality.
And also:
Topnecks, cherrystones, chowders (clams): Supplies are limited with excellent quality.
Cape May salt oysters: Supplies are very good; available on a daily basis with excellent quality.

I've got to get me some skatewing. Nothing is finer than skate sauteed in butter and fresh lemon juice with a generous scattering of capers. Simple and sensational.

What's your favorite fish and your favorite way to prepare it?

In other fish-related news: Those of you who are fans of restaurateur Marty Grims, perhaps from dining on the Moshulu in Philly or at his LBI spots, Plantation and daddy O, might want to note that on May 22, he's opening a year-round, seven-day-a-week place right on Egg Harbor Bay in Somers Point. It's called The Inlet. It's sounds big (400 seats) and seafood-oriented. And it's got a dock-and-dine feature, with 20 slips available.

cheers,
Andy
5.16.07

NIBBLES AND BITS

2007-05-15T11:26:00.000-07:00

Squawk, squawk: I've been scouting around for casual eating spots with worthy grub, and have hit on a couple of dandy places. One, at which I found a juicy and delectable rotisserie chicken, will be featured in this Friday's Eat Out column. I'd despaired of ever finding a good rotisserie bird. If, like me, you've plucked your way through dozens of dried-out specimens, you'll understand what I'm talking about. Also coming in a future Eat Out: Turkish pizza.

Have to have it: I'm looking at the current Sur La Table catalog and longing for the OXO mango splitter. It claims to "seed and slice fruit in half with one simple press.'' As someone who routinely mangles mangos in the slicing, I'm hoping this will be my ticket to making the most of one of my favorite fruits. My pal Mikey, age 4, will be ever so grateful if I score this OXO mango slicer and find it works as promised. Mikey, you see, is the world Mango Eating Champ.

These just in: Baby arugula and baby spinach, that is. Jersey Fresh crops. The state Department of Ag reports the harvest is just starting this week and the quality of these primo spring greens is good. Have at 'em. Toss arugula with a fruity vinaigrette (maybe mango, maybe raspberry) and partner spinach with some creamy goat cheese or a mild blue. Toasted, candied nuts and/or smoky bacon amp things up nicely. Strawberries are starting!

What are you finding out there? And where are you finding it?

Cheers,
Andy
5.15.07

CATCHING UP

2007-05-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

I sort of don't know where to begin, so I'll begin at the end. I feel like I've been away from you all for a long while.

Before I left New York City a couple days ago, a few of us, circling the Times Square area and waiting to see if our pal Pete could be sprung from work for a little chowing, walked hither and yon, thinking about Sushi Yasuda, but deciding that was beyond our NYC-depleted wallets, wondering about a new Italian place, but deciding that was too involved, rejecting barbecue, because it was touristy.

Put a bunch of food critics in a room, or merely on a sidewalk, and there are no easy decisions about where to eat.

But once someone, I think it might have been John T or Brett, said, What about that Turkish place?, we all united. We may have taken a rather circuitous route to Akdeniz, at 19 W. 46th, but we got to the skinny storefront and experienced bona-fide taste-bud arousal. There's nothing like zucchini pancakes, grilled octopus, fried calamari, Turkish meatballs (they're flat, not round) and a load of lamb to stop the arguing and start the chewing.

Anyway, this came somewhat on the heels of a totally sublime lunch at a swanky new Greek place called Anthos, at 36 West 52nd. I'm telling people it's nouveau Greek, cause it's got many of the familiar-to-Greek ingredients, but they're all refreshed, refined and rejuvenated. It's seasonal to the minute, too, with artichokes, ramps, sorrel, rhubarb, green garlic, favas, lovage, white asparagus and nettles threaded through the menu du jour.

Here's what I had for my raw meze starter: Tuna, with ruby grapefruit, fennel and coriander; yellowtail, with artichokes and crispy grape leaves; Taylor Bay scallops, with Mutsu apple, ramps anmd young chickpeas; Nairagi (a sweet, yet mild fish), with rhubarb, sorrel and chevre; cobia, with spring legumes and green garlic. Wow. All pristine, all doing justice to a country where water, water is half of everywhere.

I thought a couple of the fish entrees (which we passed around) were a tad overcooked, but that didn't prevent the concepts from speaking smartly. Olive oil-poached Atlantic halibut set in a fava broth shouts the season with ramps and morels; a generous dollop of caviar, a swish of yogurt, and you can't help but feel enshrined in happiness.

On Sunday night, we went to L'Atelier Joel Robuchon, over in the Four Seasons on East 51st. The next night, it won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant. Though I have to admit I was quietly rooting for David Chang's Momofuku Ssam Bar to take home the Best New prize, L'Atelier is as close to perfection as I have had in this time zone. (Chang won, deservedly so, the Rising Star Chef Award.)

If you read what I wrote last fall about L'Atelier - well, I can't ask you to pardon the repetition, since there's always lots and lots new from Robuchon and his crew. This time the charms came from dayboat scallops in seaweed butter, served in their shell; cod poached in basil oil; caramelized quail stuffed with foie gras; sauteed asparagus and morels with soft egg and potato-chip-crisp Serrano ham; foie gras-filled ravioli in an Asian-herb broth; and steak tartare, with delectable hand-cut fries. If you can skip a mortgage payment without losing your roof, go. And, as I've said before, sit at the dining bar.

Will it seem too-too-too much if I told you that, after the Beard Awards' ceremony and reception, a gang of us went down to Ssam Bar (Second Avenue at 13th) to feast on roasted pig shoulder? We'd special-ordered it. It's my fantasy food. Don't miss the fried Brussels sprouts. Or the oysters. With that scallion-ginger sauce. If you want to throw someone a great 10-person eating party, that pig is your ticket. Invite me, maybe??

cheers,
Andy
5.11.07

A COUPLE OF NICE WINES

2007-04-29T15:23:00.000-07:00

Joined by some wine-loving friends, last night I sampled a couple of lovely wines. Just FYI:

The 2005 Plume Bleue, a vin de pays D'Oc from Laurence Feraud of Domaine du Pegau in sunny southern France, is a blend of syrah and grenache with a load of ripe fruit. It's easy-drinking, this rustic red, right for unfussy meats and poultry. It's imported by Hand-Picked Selections, Warrenton, Va., and retails for about $10.

The 2005 Cantina del Taburno Beneventano Greco is a seriously fruity Italian white that we used to wash down a potently accented seafood salad of octopus and squid. I'd call this vivacious, sporty thing right for kicked-up seafood. It was selected by Marc de Grazia for Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, N.Y., and sells for about $13.

The best way to find the wines you want is to call around to wine shops where you live and find out if they deal with the area distributors who stock wines from specific importers. Keep calling until you find someone who says (for example), Yup, we get in Skurnik's wines. Then ask if the shop has the specific bottle you're after or if they'll order it for you. Walking blind into a wine shop, expecting to find a specific boutique bottle, pretty much is a waste of time.

Anyway, I'm off this week and I plan to try to get some non-work eating and cooking in. If I cook up anything spectacular, I'll report in. I'll be in NYC for the Beard Awards festivities Sunday through Tuesday (May 6-7-8); I'll touch base with y'all about the awards after I get back home.

cheers,
Andy
4.29.07

FROM THE HIGH SEAS

2007-04-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

Want to know what fishes are ripe for eating?

The folks who track these things for the state sent over a few notes that might be of interest to those of you in search of the freshest things that swim.

Day boat sea scallops are in good supply and of excellent quality, while there's a good supply and good quality for mackerel, ling, fluke (until April 30) and butterfish. There's excellent quality tuna and tilefish out there, but supplies are limited.

If you're into Cape May Salt Oysters, the state folks report that "supplies are very good ... with excellent quality."

The fish officials will be issuing a Jersey Fresh seafood availablity report every couple of weeks. If y'all are interested in hearing what they have to say, I'll be happy to post info (such as the above) on this blog.

So where are you eating and/or what are you cooking this weekend? And, restaurant chefs, any unusual specials this weekend or coming up next week?

cheers,
Andy
4.27.07

THIS JUST IN

2007-04-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

Next to hearing from readers about their restaurant and cooking adventures, my favorite missives come from the state Department of Agriculture. I LOVE learning what's going to be in season in New Jersey from the Ag Department's fountain of info on edibles, Bill Walker.

And this just in re: Jersey Fresh crops heading our way. Right now, be on the lookout for spinach, kale, dandelion greens, arugula and cilantro. Do a saute of spinach, kale, dandelions and arugula in garlic-infused olive oil and serve it over cooked white beans. After eating this for supper, you'll be able to flatten a super-hero with a flick of your wrist.

Look ahead to mid-May for the following: collards, dill and leaf lettuces. I know you're all wondering about strawberries. According to Bill's Jersey Fresh report, the earliest local varieties are expected to be ready for harvest in mid-May, with the bulk of the crop coming in late May. Memorial Day and strawberries, perfect together.

Now, recently a contributor to this blog had a terrific idea I heartily endorse: How about you folks reporting in with what you're finding at the produce markets, farmstands and farmers' markets? Just post whenever you snag something fresh and fabulous and let us all know where you got it and how you prepared it once you got home. I'll be on the road all spring, summer and fall, scouting for local produce and artisanal food products, letting you know right here and in my Foraging column (Wednesdays, in the Food section of the Press) what I find. Please chime in with your finds -- as often as you can.

cheers - and thanks,
Andy
4.24.07

LET IT BE SPRING

2007-04-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

It’s the sun before more rain later this week, and so this afternoon I met friends up at Sickles Market in Little Silver. Sickles, except for a few spring peak-plant days, is typically closed on Sundays. But last weekend, it began to open its doors –“now and forever,” they’re saying – on Sundays.

The market was a veritable party. Everyone who’s been hibernating all winter was out and buying produce, cheeses, little jars of this and that luxury item, and tons of Chef Kevin’s prepared foods. My pal Pam, a “greens-and-beans” fiend, stocked up her cart with a garden of kale, chard and spinach. We bought a bounty of bouncy frisee and a boatload of mesclun. Somehow I came away with a battalion of Meyer lemons. Yeah, right – there’s no “somehow” about it; I packed up a few pounds of the kind, gentle things quite purposefully. And shallots – 3 pounds of shallots. Did I mention the marinated artichokes? Two quart containers of those guys, from the Sickles olives-et-al bar. My friend Laura Osborne, who’s now working at Sickles, gallantly double-wrapped them for me.

I’m going to be making one of my all-time favorites, a stew of cut-up, bone-in chicken in a lemon-white wine sauce with artichokes, shallots and capers. It’s lemon-lemon-lemon. (I’ll sneak in a few preserved lemons, I’m sure.) Then, I’ll serve it over egg noodles and be very happy. It’s such a sunny dish. I can’t imagine anything more perfect for the onset of real-deal spring.

What do you cook to herald spring?

Cheers,
Andy
4.22.07

Qs FOR YOU

2007-04-19T12:41:00.000-07:00

1) When you dine out at a restaurant, are you more likely to order from its regular menu or select one of the restaurant’s nightly specials?

2) When choosing a restaurant, do you prefer a BYOB or a place with a liquor license?

3) What’s the most important factor for you in picking a restaurant for a night out: a) cuisine type, b) proximity to your home, c) scene and setting, or d) reputation?

4) What new restaurant in Monmouth/Ocean (and by new I mean that it’s been open about a year or less) has most impressed you?

5) How much do you typically spend – per person – on a non-fast-food restaurant dinner?

Comments, insights, reasons why for any of the above will be hungrily consumed (by me).

Cheers,
Andy
4.19.07

READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

2007-04-18T14:20:00.001-07:00

Here's some recent news adapted from my overflowing IN e-box.

The International Association of Culinary Professionals presented its awards Saturday night to cookbook authors and others in the culinary professions. Among the cookbook winners are:

The IACP Cookbook of the Year, awarded to authors Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page for"What to Drink with What You Eat," based on advice from America's best sommeliers.

American: "The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook" by Matt Lee and Ted Lee.

Bread, Other Baking and Sweets: "Bread Matters: The State of Modern Bread and a Definitive Guide to Baking Your Own" by Andrew Whitley.

Food Photography and Styling: "Simple Chinese Cooking" with photos by Earl Carter.

Reference: "The Spice and Herb Bible" by Ian Hemphill.

General: "The Improvisational Cook" by Sally Schneider.

Health and Special Diets: "Lunch Lessons: Changing the way we feed our children" by Ann Cooper and Lisa M. Holmes.

International: "Cradle of Flavor" by James Oseland.

Single Subject: "A Passion for Ice Cream" by Emily Luchetti.

TAKING THE LOCAL

2007-04-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

As I was shopping for the story on earth-friendly products (see tomorrow's Food cover in the Press), I made a point of looking for foods locally grown or locally crafted. I'm not talking about something made with ingredients grown hundreds of miles away, then manufactured elsewhere and sold by a locally owned business, but real-deal local fare.

One supermarket I was shopping at posted a sign touting the earth-friendly benefits of buying local goods. So I scouted this market for local products. I really looked hard and read a zillion labels. Nothing. I couldn't find anything New Jersey born and bred. I asked the folks at the courtesy counter, who told me to ask around the various departments. "The department managers will know,'' I was told. But I'd done that, I replied. Nada.

Anyway, a couple of managers were called to the courtesy counter and only one, a fellow who worked in produce, said he had anything from the Garden State. Eagerly, I walked with him to produce, where he pointed out mushrooms grown in Pennsylvania and onions hauled in from New York. "Pennsylvania and New York aren't New Jersey,'' I said. He shrugged. That's considered "local'' at this market, I was told.

I asked the supermarket's managers why they put up signs imploring folks to buy local if they didn't have one food item from New Jersey in their store. They didn't know why. One manager read the "buy local'' sign I'd pointed out and, rather than taking it down, straightened it slightly, then walked away.

Once our local farmstands and farmers' markets open for the season, I hope you'll take the opportunity to buy local. And when the locally operated large produce markets sport Jersey-grown and Jersey Fresh produce, I hope you'll patronize those farmers and food artisans rather than toting home produce from Chile and Argentina. The buy-local concept is a good one. Our supermarkets would do well by our hard-working growers to take it to heart.

Cheers,
Andy
4.17.07

MORE, PLEASE

2007-04-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

I'm supposed to be thinking and writing about summer eating right now, but my mind keeps drifting back to the foods I had last week at Zaitooni Deli in Red Bank.

My friend Lucy told me about Zaitooni. She works in Red Bank and found this new Lebanese/Middle Eastern spot shortly after it opened on Mechanic Street. She felt certain I'd find it special.

Right she was. (I wrote about Zaitooni in today's Eat Out column, which appears in Jersey Alive!) And right were we to order a mini banquet. The thing is, now all I feel like eating is Zaitooni's parsley- and mint-strong tabbouleh salad, its soul-warming hummus and baba ghanouj, and its fava beans laced with garlic, lemon and olive oil. I'm supposed to be in a July state of mind, but I'm living last week's cheese manoushi pie.

I've got to move on, I know. But I hope you check out Zaitooni and find your own version of tabbouleh bliss there. Meanwhile, I'm going to be cooking tapas this weekend, in preparation for a little tapas party on Monday night. If we get monsoon'd out by the nor'easter, I may be stuck in a Middle Eastern eating mind-set for weeks.

Well, that wouldn't be so bad, would it?

Where are you eating and/or what are you cooking this weekend?

cheers,
Andy
4.13.07

EVERYONE LOVES LIDIA

2007-04-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

Last night at Barnes & Noble in Freehold Township, a few hundred people were waiting to meet Lidia Bastianich - to ask her to sign copies of her cookbooks and maybe to share a food tip or two. Traffic in and around NYC was making Lidia late but, considering it was a school night and there were threats of any-minute downpours, the Lidia fans were plenty patient.

They were there to meet a woman who has guided them through her really good recipes, recipes that work and result in memorably delicious meals. Her recipes aren’t showy or fussy; her food isn’t layered in tilting skyscraper style or maneuvered onto plates in ways that let you know 84 hands have touched what you’re about to eat. No, Lidia’s food is real food. It is the sum of its good ingredients.

The chef/TV star/cookbook author makes that clear through what she serves in her restaurants (most notably, Felidia in NYC), what she prepares for the cameras on her PBS TV series, and what she writes about in her cookbooks. I loved hearing Lidia’s warm-hearted fans talk about their Lidia adventures – about what they cook (her lemon chicken, her risottos), how sincerely she greets diners at Felidia, how natural she appears on TV.

In an age of rock-star chefs and poof-the-magic-dragon kitchen techniques, there’s something very, very right about the genuine affection home cooks have for Lidia Bastianich. Very right, and as comforting as a bowl of Lidia’s cannelloni.

Cheers,
Andy
4.12.07

THINGS DON'T GO BETTER WITH ...

2007-04-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

The first few months of 1982, I had a hideously long commute from my then-home in Frenchtown to Newton. It was a lot of back-road driving, very scenic, really, but ardously long. I don't drink coffee and was never much of a cola-beverage person, either, but I started having a couple of Cokes a day to help stay awake during those back-and-forths.

I hated the cloying sweetness of the stuff. Pretty soon, I hated the buzzy head effects, too. There's something about caffeine that doesn't like me.

So I gave up cola beverages. Last week, I realized I've spent the last 25 years cola-free. I know most folks find this freakish. But, frankly, it gives me the creeps to see people wash down perfectly lovely savory foods with sugar-infused fizzy drinks. Doesn't the soda mask the flavor of the food? Shudder.

People I love and respect swear Coke enhances the flavors of some foods - and they're not just talking burgers, 'dogs and pizza. I have no reason to doubt their fine palates. But since I've decided to shoot for another 25 cola-free years, I won't be conducting any experiments to see if anything really does go better with Coke.

cheers,
Andy
4.10.07

MILKING IT

2007-04-06T13:04:00.000-07:00

Good Friday? Well, not so good for us milk chocolate lovers. Dark chocolate is taking over the chocolate world. I'd go so far as to say the dark chocolate Easter bunny population is multiplying at a rate that's positively endangering its milk chocolate kin.

I know, I know. Dark chocolate is better than milk chocolate. All culinary connoisseur types say so. Must be something wrong with my taste buds if I like the taste of the lighter milk stuff even a smidgen. Geesh, even Hershey's has jumped on the bandwagon with a new "extra dark'' chocolate.

Oh well. It's not that I don't like dark chocolate (nothing like a fine dark chocolate ganache), but I fear milk chocolate Easter bunnies soon will be an extinct species. Then I'll be hoppin' mad.

Happy holidays!
Andy
4.6.07

PIEROGI NATION

2007-04-04T14:02:00.000-07:00

My “in” basket is overflowing with folks talking about pierogis, which were featured in my Food cover story today in the Press. (I found the homemade pierogis at the new and wonderful Jan’s Deli, 24 Wilson Ave., Englishtown, to be the best, best, best I’ve ever had in these parts.)

Anyway, I’ve heard from folks who reminisced about grandmothers, people who were near tears just at the notion of someone taking the time and trouble to make pierogis by hand, wistful lovers of the little comfort-food pockets who wish they could skip out on their jobs to get to Jan’s NOW. And here I thought I was the No. 1 pierogi fan at the Shore. Who knew we were a Pierogi Nation?

It is such a delightful food. The owners of Jan’s Deli, Stanislawa and Jan Data, came here from Poland 10 years ago and dreamed of opening a grocery where they could share the culinary traditions of their homeland. They are warm and welcoming people and gladly will share their pierogi preparation tips with you. I hope you stop by the grocery, meet them and score a couple dozen pierogis.

I prepare the fresh pierogis a bit differently than most. First, I slowly sauté some onions in unsalted butter in a deep-sided skillet on the stovetop. (Since discovering Jan’s Deli, I prefer the unsalted Polish butter sold there.) When they’re golden and soft, I remove them with a slotted spoon to a plate and then add water to the same skillet, not cleaning it out. How much water? Enough to just cover the pierogis – in order to boil, then simmer them. Anyway, I add the water, raise the heat to high, let the water bubble, then place the pierogis in the skillet. When the water starts to evaporate, I reduce the heat, season to taste with sea salt and black pepper, and let the pierogis simmer until there’s essentially just a film of liquid in the pan and the pierogis are cooked through and have turned golden at the edges. About a minute before serving, I return the sautéed onions to the skillet to warm them through. Sour cream? Sure, but with the Datas’ fabulous fresh pierogis, not necessary.

I’d love to hear how you cook your pierogis, oh you fellow residents of Pierogi Nation.

Cheers,
Andy
4.4.07

THE "C" WORD

2007-04-03T06:29:00.000-07:00

I’m reading Nancy Silverton’s new cookbook called “A Twist of the Wrist,” and giving tons of thought to its premise that there are many “quick flavorful meals” to be made with “ingredients from jars, cans, bags and boxes.” I agree; there are indeed. Silverton zeroes in on lots of provocative packaged and prepared foods, some commonly found in supermarkets, some of rare breed that need tracking down and/or ordering, some of brands and producers simply not found in these parts.

So as I’ve been reading, I’ve been tallying searching and shopping time vs. kitchen time and I think it’s pretty even-steven. You’re either going to put your time into acquiring good ingredients or you’re going to put your time into a little elbow-grease in the kitchen. You know, getting involved in the “C” word – cooking. The difference is the money. Buying some of those primo ingredients cost bucks, some of them substantial. A boxed quart of good stock will set you back maybe $4, while making a good stock from throw-away cooking scraps costs, well, the price of the water from your faucet.

We all know this: You’re either going to invest in time or money to eat. (Even if you do dinner for four at the local drive-through fast-food joint, it’s still going to cost you a twenty. Minus the tab for antacid.) We’ve pretty well convinced ourselves, however, that we don’t have time to cook, that all the shuffling to and from work and activities and obligations has exhausted our already-short supply of cooking time. So what Silverton’s book does is tempt us back into the kitchen with “Boneless Pork Chops with Yam Puree and Sauteed Bitter Greens,” a recipe that only calls for 30 minutes of your time, and Chicken with Potato-Lentil Curry, Green Masala Yogurt and Fresh Cilantro,” a recipe requiring just 20 after-shopping minutes.

Frankly, I think Silverton, who is one of the most respected (and deservedly so) chefs in the country and has written several praise-worthy cookbooks, has a dual-edged point with this book: For folks who have the money to buy verjus, piquillo peppers, imported tuna belly in olive oil and chef-sanctioned salsas (from Frontera, from Coyote Cocina) and/or enjoy spending the time hunting down small, artisanal producers of organic broad beans, ZerGut eggplant puree and jarred onions (“an invaluable resource” “used exclusively” to test recipes in the book) from Patsy’s or Aunt Nellie’s (don’t use the Rolland brand, which is a “different product”), this cookbook is a gold-mine of idea for every meal. But for those who don’t have the money to spend on some of these ingredients or the time to shop various markets and catalogs for them, whirring a bunch of herb leaves and olive oil in a blender to produce pesto suddenly seems a small price of time (3 minutes? Maybe 4?) to pay to make delicious recipes. Specifically, her delicious recipes.

I think what “A Twist of the Wrist” (Alfred A. Knopf; $29.95) does is give folks a choice. A choice beyond flat burgers and pressed chicken and oily pies and mayo-laced subs. That’s a “C” word that’ll get your gastric juices flowing.

Cheers,
Andy
4.3.07

IN SEARCH OF ...

2007-03-30T10:44:00.000-07:00

A bunch of ideas are swirling about in my mind and I thought I'd ask you folks for guidance. Feel free to chime in on any or all of these topics.

1) Are you, or do you know someone who, is a devout hot-sauce lover, preferring an incendiary chile-licked squirt sauce to, say, ordinary ketchup or mustard? If you don't wish to offer contacts here in this blog, please call me at the Press at 732. 643. 4273 and leave a message or e-mail me at clurfeld@app.com with specific names and contact info.

2) In that same hot-sauce vein, do you know any boardwalk eateries that line up those hot sauces as condiments, alongside or in place of, ketchup and mustard? If so, please let me know either here or via phone or e-mail.

3) What restaurants in our reasonable vicinity strictly follow the seasons with their menu offerings, only serving tomatoes (for instance) in high Jersey tomato season or focusing on root veggies in winter, and so on? And, moreover, which of you area chefs and restaurants buy your produce from local farms and farm markets? Again, if you don't wish to use your names here, call or e-mail me ASAP. I'd like to call and speak with you, so anonymous postings are nice to read, but not of much help in this instance.

4) What are your favorite places for picnicking at the Shore? And what is your favorite picnic food?

Thanks for any/all guidance!

Meanwhile, where are you eating and/or what are you cooking this weekend?

cheers,
Andy
3.30.07

IMPATIENCE

2007-03-29T11:41:00.000-07:00

I’m having a harder time than usual this early-spring, a harder time waiting for the first local crops to come in.

I’m hankering to have fresh English peas and mint and chives to use in a risotto or maybe even to top a bowl of little pasta shells. If I can score a few fresh morels – ohmigosh – that’d make it all the better.

When Vidalias come in from Georgia (I always seem to prefer them to the other sweet-onion varieties, probably because the Vidalia was my first sweet onion and it’s easy to be forever sweet on your first sweetie), I love adding them to any mix of local peas and mint, or peas and wild mushrooms. It’s then that the warm season begins for me.

When baseball starts next week, I think it’s going to get even harder. Heck, do you know I even popped the cork on a rose the other night? It was hardly a bone-chilling winter, but I’m ready for spring. Spring vegetables.

What crop jump-starts spring for you? (Any farmers who’d like to chime in with any forecasts would be much listened to, much appreciated. Any chefs planning local-crop specials at their restaurants also should feel free to jump in.)

Cheers,
Andy
3.29.07

WINES YOU CAN FIND

2007-03-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

Frankly, we in chronic search of a wine that works with a Tuesday night at-home supper don't get much in the way of guidance from wine writers who focus on trophy bottles. So when I saw a story in the April issue of Food & Wine magazine called "50 Wines You Can Always Trust'' by my always trustworthy and charmingly down-to-earth pal Ray Isle, I knew this was a clip-and-save article.

Turns out, his picks and insider insights are so good, I decided to point out the entire spread (it starts on Page 115 and tours the value-priced wine world clear through Page 130) to all you wine drinkers who don't call a $57 bottle of California cab a "bargain'' simply because its wine-shop brethren are priced at $30 more.

I asked Ray how his trustworthy-wines package came to be. "My goal in producing it kind of comes out of feedback I've received from readers - people really want to know about affordable, good wines that (here's the key part) they can also find. By a good margin, the e-mail I receive most from readers usually runs along the lines of, 'You wrote about X, but I can't find it anywhere!' Part of the problem is that there's something like 30,000 different wines for sale in the U.S. Finding any given wine in a specific wine shop is always a complete crap-shoot, so I figured at least I could help the odds a little by doing a whole package on really FINDABLE good wines.''

He not only writes about wines you can find, but adds to your knowledge of these everyday bottles with well-researched snippets. Kendall Jackson is so big, he says, that "when you take a tour'' of its vineyards, "you do it by helicopters.'' The Chilean winery Casa Lapostolle was co-founded by Alexandra Marnier-Lapostolle, Ray notes, and if the Marnier in the name sounds familiar, maybe you've sipped some Grand Marnier in your day; Alexandra is the great-granddaughter of the founder of the famous liqueur.

Anyway, I figured Ray had to do a lot of spitting-style research to come up with this remarkably useful list of 50 wines.

"It's hard to say how many wines I went through,'' Ray says, "since it's partly based on my experience - I specifically wanted NOT to recommend specific vintages, but rather wines that perform well in almost every vintage - so I drew on a lot of tasting experience, and a lot of repeated tasting of those wines. That said, I did taste current vintages of everything I wrote about, and I'd say I cut at least half of the original candidates for the piece, if not more."

Ray, who is senior editor of Food & Wine, could be your new best wine friend. I know you'll find his story worth your reading (and quaffing) time. After you take a gander at it, please let me know right here if you have anything to add about your favorite everyday wines.

Cheers,
Andy
3.27.07

THE PIZZA QUESTION

2007-03-23T14:09:00.000-07:00

You're not going to like my answer, I know, but I've thought and thought and I honestly can't do what you're asking.

Name my favorite place for pizza at the Shore, that is, now that Anthony Mangieri is mixing his dough up in the East Village at his Una Pizza Napoletana.

I know there are Pete & Elda's partisans, folks who swear by Vic's, Federici's, Freddie's, Panzone's - any of many pizza places in our midst. But I really got spoiled by Anthony, and his pizza is my manna. I can't name my favorite-now-that-Anthony-isn't-here place because I don't have one. That's the truth.

It's not that I can't love another pie. I fell in love with one just last night, only that thunderbolt hit me in Philly, at the new and irresistible Osteria at 640 Broad St.

"Have the one with the egg,'' I e-mailed another food-crazed pal early this morning. That would be Osteria's Lombarda pizza, which sports a runny egg waiting to be punctured over dots of sausage.

Osteria's pies are in the style of Puglia, with a thinner crust than Anthony's but similar charring and a wonderfully earthy-soulful flavor. There are also rustic and (I don't use this word lightly) perfect pastas: I can't choose a favorite between the gossamer ribbons of candele with wild boar Bolognese and chunky, yet light rigatoni with radicchio and Gorgonzola. Please don't ask me to choose a favorite. Please.

But I will ask you to consider ordering the wood-grilled octopus should you go to Osteria and the rabbit with pancetta served atop polenta. Italy isn't so far away when you sit in this dramatic high-ceilinged room whose side windows overlook a striking church complete with rose windows.

Where are you eating this weekend? And - or - what might you be cooking?

Cheers,
Andy
3.23.07

TOO-LATE-TO-COOK SUPPER

2007-03-22T07:22:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it’s too late to cook supper, but I need to cook. For me, it’s the ultimate wind-down from a busy day.

So I do something special. Special, but quick.

Here’s my latest Too-Late-to-Cook Supper:

Rinse a couple 15-ounce cans of Goya chickpeas (garbanzos) in cold water. Put them in a pot with 1 cup of good-quality chicken stock or broth (if I don’t have homemade on hand, I use Pacific Organic Chicken Broth) and bring to a boil for a couple of minutes, stirring and reducing the broth to more of a thick syrup in the process. Squirt in the juice from 1 or 2 fresh lemons. Reduce the heat to very, very low and let sit while you do the next thing.

Which is cook shrimp. Chop 3 to 4 cloves of garlic and add them to a skillet filmed with good-quality olive oil and set over medium heat. When the garlic turns light golden brown, add a pound to a pound-and-a-half of large shrimp. If you want a shrimp-filled supper, add the max; if you prefer a more bean-y dinner, go minimum. Saute the shrimp over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in a big fistful, about 1 cup, of freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves. Do not use the curly kind; flat-leaf is far tastier.

Place the beans in a serving bowl and add the sautéed shrimp, making sure you scrape into the mix all the good garlicky oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper and serve right away. Feel free to add another squirt of fresh lemon juice and/or another drizzle of olive oil. This serves about 3.

cheers,
Andy
3.22.07

A FIRST FOR NEW JERSEY

2007-03-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

It's a really big deal: Maricel Presilla, chef and owner of the restaurants Cucharamama and Zafra in Hoboken, this week became the first female chef in New Jersey to be nominated for a prestigious James Beard Award. In the food world, that's the equivalent of an Oscar nomination.

Maricel, a respected culinary anthropologist and former professor at Rutgers, started cooking professionally after she came to America from Cuba. For a dozen years, she juggled graduate studies with cooking at restaurants, most notably The Ballroom, the first upscale authentic tapas bar in New York City. In the intervening years, she taught, wrote cookbooks, magazine and newspaper articles. Then she ventured back into restaurants. First, she opened the Pan Latin Zafra and, three years ago, she christened Cucharamama.

It's a one-of-a-kind restaurant, a chic, yet comfortable corner storefront where Maricel turns out utterly personal artisanal South American food. What to eat at Cucharamama? Well, ordinarily I'd tell you to get the chicken with sour orange, the breads baked in the wood-fired oven, definitely the arepas, the potato dishes, the stews and, if you can plan ahead and special-order it, her roasted suckling pig. But when I called Maricel yesterday, she told me she was working on a bevy of new dishes. She's been traveling, learning, extending her culinary reach. Exploring, really, as she always has. What lies ahead on Cucharamama's menu will be an adventure for us all.

No question: Maricel Presilla, America's leading Latina culinary scholar, is absolutely tickled about her Beard nomination. But she's always going to be far more thrilled when she learns something delectably new about food.

Cheers,
Andy
3.20.07

P.S. If you would like to see a complete list of nominees for the 2007 James Beard Awards, visit www.jamesbeard.org

P.S.S. If you'd like to sample Maricel Presilla's food at Cucharamama, do call first for a reservation. The restaurant is located at 233 Clinton St., Hoboken; 201. 420. 1700.

CHICAGO RESTAURANTS (part two)

2007-03-18T17:53:00.000-07:00

It’s awfully posh at Avenues. Our corner table seems remote, comfortably so, a world apart from every other table in the hushed dining room. A very proper man rolls a cart containing bottles of chilled Champagne to our table, then explains, in detail, the virtues of each. As he delivers the kicker comment to a good half the descriptions, he shakes his head in a reverent, rather shivery motion and notes “how privileged, how extremely honored” Avenues is to be able to make this or that bubbly available to its diners. By the glass, no less! (We order a much lower-priced whole-bottle sparkler for our party of six.)

But Graham Elliot Bowles is one accomplished chef and we enjoy our butter-poached lobster, Casco Bay cod, with its side of brandade, bison short ribs and something called a brioche “twinkie.” Well, to be sure, one of us scored a “twinkie” with his deconstructed Caesar, then the rest of us clamored for twinkies of our own. Avenues never says no to a diner, I gather.

We’d had more of the same focused, all-pro service the night before at Tru, the kingdom of chefs Rick Tramonto (savory) and Gale Gand (sweet). Here, there were “faux” gras (Chicago has a ban on foie gras, so butter-whipped chicken livers suffice – and deliciously), chestnut tagliolini, prawns with green curry, Moroccan-tweaked king salmon and beef short ribs with white figs. Everything comes dolled up, including the room, which is elegant and stately and sports some serious art. Unfortunately, I sat facing a truly ugly piece that looked a bit like a bumble-bee-colored Ikea cast-off. Actually, we all got a charge out of the thing.

At Blackbird, which is crowded, noisy and deliberately under-decorated, we were stymied by the food: “Myrtlewood aged cow’s milk cheese salad with roasted quince, fennel, kumquats, mache and hazelnut oil” was boring, with bare snips of the listed accents and a soul-less cheese. Though our primary server was professional and exceptionally kind, the only element on any plate we came away enjoying was a fried rabbit leg. Weird. Chef Paul Kahan has a big-time rep.

These were some high-priced eats, Avenues, Tru and Blackbird. I liked Avenues and Tru, but couldn’t proclaim a love affair with either. But on the plane ride home, I kept thinking about the smoked shrimp I’d had at Calumet Fisheries Inc., a takeout shack way, way, way south – “95th Street at the Bridge,” as they say on the no-frills menu. Smoked shrimp, smoked trout, smoked chubs. Kickin’.

P.S. Some of you want to know if I had pizza in Chicago. Of course. Friends who live in the Windy City brought me to Spacca Napoli on the north side of town. Don’t get on a plane, all you Anthony Mangieri disciples; Spacca Napoli has nothing on our beloved mecca, now in the East Village. Una Pizza Napoletana still reigns as No. 1.

Cheers,
Andy
3.18.07

GNOCCHI LOVE

2007-03-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

The first question any restaurant critic is asked, when that critic's profession is revealed, is the one question that can't be answered with absolute honesty: What's your favorite restaurant?

Does such a beast exist? If you feel like eating sushi, if your hankering for toro is overwhelming, how could that lovely bistro with its brilliant cassoulet fare you well? If the desire for a prime burger leaves you suppressing a moo, can the spot with the engaging palak paneer actually satisfy?

So "favorite,'' for me and for many who eat for a living, is a relative term - relative, that is, to the craving at hand. (Or, rather, in mouth.) But for months now, I knew I wanted nothing but a big bowl of Marc Vetri's gnocchi as my birthday dinner. So last night, that's exactly what friends treated me to.

Vetri is a 34-seat humbly haute Italian restaurant on Spruce Street in Philadelphia. There is no restaurant I love more in this world, though there are dishes at other restaurants I certainly desire. If that speaks ""favorite'' to you, ya got me.

Now Vetri's gnocchi are spinach gnocchi and they're served in browned butter, sprinkled with slivers of sharp, tangy cheese. They're simple, they all but float away and they're the best, best, best I've ever eaten. I always knew I could eat them all night, and I almost did. But since the chef also had been having a field day curing all manner of pork products into exquisite salumi, since there was lamb and goat and bollo misto in the house, I did share my big bowl of gnocchi with my dinner mates to clear some room in my tummy. It was a spirited evening of eating.

Do you have a favorite restaurant? Craving-dependent or not?

Cheers,
Andy
3.14.07

OH BOY, WHAT A RESTAURANT (CHICAGO, PART ONE)

2007-03-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

It didn’t take long for us to realize Avec, a skinny storefront of a restaurant on West Randolph Street in Chicago, was firing on all cylinders. The place was packed on packed and servers were shimmying with amazing efficiency along the sliver of an aisle between the long row of bench-like tables and the dining bar. But the plates, the plates sporting modest price tags and charismatic flavors, beguiled.

A bunch of us spent this past long weekend eating in Chicago. We went to some hoity-toity spots (Tru, Avenues, Blackbird) and some humble-eats places (a smoked-fishes shack, pizza, hot dogs), but Avec, a cross between humble and haute, snatched my heart. It reminded me of Momofuku Ssam Bar in New York (in fact, I suspect Ssam Bar’s design pays homage to Avec’s understated wood-modern décor) in spirit and style. The food was mesmerizing.

Creamy parsnip and hot-feisty horseradish crostini had a vivid flavor pulse. Chorizo-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon and surrounded by a piquillo-tomato puree touched every taste bud. A simple chicken thigh, so crispy, so energized by its marinade, was set off by a confit of complementing elements: potato, apple, garlic – all in a super-eggy mayo. The crowning glory? A juicy-crunchy splay of skatewing on the bone with a rush of accents – curry, preserved tomatoes, cilantro, lime.

The plates at Avec come with flourishes of herbs. As our new best friends (Avec regulars, from Oak Park) sitting next to us at the communal table noted, herbs are used as vegetables. Refreshing.

Anyway, I’ll talk more about Chicago grub later this week. What/where did you eat while I was away?

Cheers,
Andy
3.12.07

SUSHI, RECIPES AND CHEFS' SPECIALS

2007-03-07T13:00:00.000-08:00

1) I've gotten lots of e-mails about my sushi essay in the Press a week ago Sunday. Where have all you sushi purists been? How come there's so much "cooked'' sushi out there if so many folks are clamoring for, and craving, pure Japanese sushi? I'd love to hear from the chefs at (and owners of) area Japanese restaurants.

2) Reader Lisa Watznauer (among many others) asks: "Is there a way to search recipes that have been printed in past issues of the paper?'' At this point, Lisa (and others), your best bet is to call my colleague Nancy Romanenko, who does bravura work putting out the Food section each week and who clips selected recipes for her files. Nancy can be reached by calling 732. 643. 4289. The recipes are not, at this point, archived in our Web site. If a recipe is mine - meaning it was developed by me and has my byline on it - please call me at 732. 643. 4273 and I'll help you.

3) Chefs: Folks want to know your nightly specials, particularly your weekend specials. They'd love to know, for example, on Friday morning that you're snagging some fabulous scallops and what special dishes you're cooking up that weekend spotlighting your catch. I'd like to use this blog as an open forum for chefs who want to post their weekend specials every Friday. I think readers (diners) will benefit from - and use - this info. If this is something enough of you would participate in, I'll queue up a specials' post every Thursday night or Friday morning so you can list your specials under the appropriate comments and readers can click on and start salivating. Interested?

cheers,
Andy
3.7.07

COOKING FOR ST. PAT'S DAY

2007-03-06T15:32:00.000-08:00

St. Patrick's Day gets a bit cliched, in my opinion. I constantly hear from folks that they're tired of the same old corned beef-and-cabbage, but that's the standard offering in most homes and in many restaurants. Hey, I just finished writing a Foraging column for next week's Food section about a horseradish sauce I improvised to perk up the classic. A friend was begging me for something to dress up what he knows will be his supper on the 17th, so I gave it a shot.

I bet many of you out there have some snappy ideas. Restaurant chefs: What are you putting on your menus to celebrate St. Pat's Day next Saturday night? Home cooks: Do you plan on stirring the pot to toast the Emerald Isle?

cheers,
Andy
3.6.07

THE PROBLEM WITH KIDS TODAY

2007-03-05T05:53:00.000-08:00

Ruth Reichl’s Letter from the Editor in the current (March 2007) issue of Gourmet magazine hits a bull’s-eye. She warns that she’s going to rant, and she does it extremely well in the course of doing the right thing: The problem with the picky way kids eat today isn’t kids – it’s parents and a society that sets kids apart as a “separate species who require a different diet from the rest of us.”

YAY! I cheered as I read it. About a month or so ago, I wrote here in this blog that I was ticked off by the notion that kids simply don’t like certain foods. Sure, I know it’s tough to deal with a recalcitrant 5-year-old at dinner time who demands mac-and-cheese and won’t eat anything but mac-and-cheese. But it’s the responsibility of parents to guide their kids through the wonderfully delicious, huge world of food and encourage wide-ranging dining by example and perseverance. Just as parents must persevere when kids resist bed time, bath time, teeth-brushing time, homework time.

The ever-eloquent, always insightful Reichl says it far better than me: “Children study their parents – that is their primary job in life – and one of the things they absorb is the way the grown-ups eat.” If Mom’s eating salad, but Suzy’s only given applesauce, if Dad’s eating pasta with Bolognese sauce, but Sam’s pasta is naked, Reichl says, “What we’re really telling our children is ‘You won’t like what we’re eating.’ ”

She also addresses the particular myth I personally abhor – that single-digits only will eat chicken nuggets, hot dogs, mac-and-cheese – with my favorite argument against such nonsense: “Japanese children are not born thinking that rice, fish and seaweed are breakfast foods any more than American children are born with an innate preference for cereal. We tell them what they like, even if we don’t say it in words.”

If your kids won’t eat the foods you wish they would, head straight to Page 24 of the March issue of Gourmet. Reichl says a whole lot more about kids and food in her good-to-the-last drop essay.

Cheers,
Andy
3.5.07

NO SLEEP TONIGHT

2007-03-01T12:37:00.000-08:00

This morning, I bought Calvin Trillin’s “About Alice.” I bought it to read on the plane, when I take a short trip late next week, but I already know what’s going to happen: The book will tug at me the rest of today and its lure will win out just before I turn off the lights tonight.

I’ll stay up till I finish “About Alice,” I know I will. I’ve loved everything Trillin has ever written. His food stuff is brilliant, wittily honest. But his writing is that way because he gets people so spot-on right. This book, about his late wife, isn’t going to leave me.

Have you read “About Alice”? Any Trillin?

Andy
3.1.07

RECEIPTS, NOT RECIPES TODAY

2007-02-27T15:51:00.000-08:00

OK, I'm going to complain. Because I'm mad and wish I didn't have to take it any more. But I have to, and so do you, I'm afraid.

I routinely get overcharged for items I buy in the market. All the time. Recently, I was overcharged more than $27 -- that came on top of being overcharged $12-and-change the week before at the same supermarket. Last week, another market tried to charge me more than double for an item I regularly buy. The store manager got involved, he claimed the item in question absolutely was double the amount I usually pay, I challenged him, but I ended up asking to have the item put back and the charge refunded. This inconvenienced everyone in line behind me, embarrassed me and made me doubt how well the store is run.

The kicker? Since my name is on the bank card I use to pay for my purchases there, the folks know that I'm the gal who writes about food here at the Press. Well, today I read an e-mail from that same manager who tried to overcharge me, apologizing and correcting himself: I was right about the price and he was wrong. I wish he'd've said he was sorry to the poor folks who were forced to cool their heels behind me.

At least he apologized. When I have time to bring my store receipts back to try and prove I was overcharged, there are rarely any apologies. I'm made to feel as if I'm wasting someone's time. But I've been charged for 10 items when I bought only one, making a $2.99 purchase $29.99, had basic produce rung up as something far more expensive and fancy-pants, and had items I bought because they were on sale rung up as something definitely not on sale.

OK. Rant over. But I'll add one thing: Should I ever be undercharged for anything I buy, something that's happened a few times in my long food-shopping career, I always, but always return to the store to pay the difference. You know? My money's never been turned away.

Sigh,
Andy
2.27.07

BEAUTIFUL BABIES

2007-02-25T12:51:00.000-08:00

I shun tomatoes at this time of year, with one exception and for once purpose: I buy baby plum tomatoes and I roast them.

Wash them, slice them in half and lay them out, cut side up, on a baking sheet lined with foil. Nestle them in nicely, now. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Then sprinkle good sea salt over them, maybe Maldon or Hawaiian pink or Balinese. Bake in a preheated oven, set at about 350 degrees, for about 90 minutes, then check on them: The tomatoes’ juices should be bubbling, the tops should be lightly browned and, perhaps, even a smidgen charred in spots. If your baby plums aren’t there yet, give them a little more time in the oven.

Roasting intensifies and sweetens their flavor. By the time you’ve let them cool enough to handle, in 10 or 15 minutes, you won’t be able to resist eating them. Kids, I find, adore them as a pre-dinner snack. If you have any left after you and yours nibble on them straight, as is, toss them with cooked pasta, olive oil and some chopped herbs or use them to make a pizza. Do they work on an hors d’oeuvre platter? You bet.

If you want to store them, simply place them in a glass jar, cover with olive oil, close the jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate. Bring to room temp before eating.

Cheers,
Andy
2.25.07

YOUR Qs, A'd

2007-02-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

First, to the restaurant chef who took the time to post a totally smart, totally informed must-read comment under the FISH STORIES entry below: THANK YOU, GRAZIE, MERCI, GRACIAS. I hope everyone who cares even a smidgen about what they eat, at home or at any type of restaurant, reads this spot-on post. The point this chef makes about buying local seafood and produce is one we all need to consider: By doing so, you not only get the freshest product at the best cost, you're supporting our local economy. And P.S. to this savvy chef: Your point about tasteless farmed salmon is also excellent; I don't know why folks adore the stuff. Can any farmed-salmon-eater enlighten us?

Next, to the anonymous poster who prefers locally owned restaurants to chain eateries: Can you hear my applause? Yup, they serve the masses. Their food reflects that.

To the poster interested in eating the authentic fare at West Lake Seafood, a Chinese fish specialist in Matawan: Do not give up. My advice is to call ahead and ask when West Lake will be getting in live shrimp (the season usually starts in March), then immediately make a reservation for that day. As soon as you are seated, order a pound or two of live shrimp, steamed. (Figure on a third of a pound of live shrimp per person.) It's a phenomenal experience; you'll be eating shrimp that taste like shrimp, not pink-tinged cardboard, not something frozen and defrosted and water-logged. Tell your server you only wish to eat authentic Chinese dishes, that you do not like Americanized Chinese fare. West Lake's management says there is only one menu - authentic Chinese for all. Some of the dishes I regularly order at West Lake are: seafood king chowder, a hot pot of eggplant, chicken and saltfish, fried bean curd with conch, prawns and chicken with black bean sauce and snow pea leaves with preserved eggs. Since I've found West Lake, I've not had to trek into New York to score my live shrimp, steamed, at Fuleen in Chinatown when the craving strikes.

Last, but hardly least, to Al/Anonymous, who wanted to know about a cool, casual place I love in Philly: I'm pretty sure you mean Standard Tap, in the Northern Liberties neighborhood. It's a true-blue gastropub, with hand-pulled beers and classic French bistro fare (get the duck confit, the mussels with house-made sausage, the extraordinary pate). It's got an urban-rustic setting both upstairs and down and, when the weather's right, there's no place in Philly better to kick back than the rooftop dining area. Standard Tap rocks.

So, where are y'all eating out this weekend? Or what are you cooking at home?

cheers,
Andy
2.23.07

REDUCTION DEDUCTIONS

2007-02-21T14:18:00.000-08:00

We were straining canned tomatoes the other evening, separating out the diced stuff to layer atop a couple of pizza crusts, but not willing to waste those good cut-up-tomato juices. I put the juices in a small pot, set it on the stove top and, stirring from time to time, reduced the liquids over high heat. That rendered them thick and syrupy and very proper for dappling over a vegetable-strewn pizza. Tomato juice became a kind of intense tomato glaze that allowed the pizza to stay crisp and not get soggy.

I do some silly-sounding things like that. For example, one pressed-for-time night I strained the liquids out of a couple of cans of Muir Glen Southwestern Black Bean Soup and reduced them in a pot. When the bean liquid thickened, I stirred in some broken-up spicy sausage meat and a little ground beef. Meanwhile, I warmed the black beans in a separate pot. After the meat-liquid mixture was heated through, I stirred it into the beans and added a shake of ancho and jalapeno chile powders. Near-instant chili.

That's my kind of fast food.

cheers,
Andy
2.21.07

FISH STORIES

2007-02-20T10:31:00.000-08:00

As veteran fishmonger Don Takash was telling me about monkfish being a by-product of scallop-fishing, we segued into restaurant chatter. That subject, inevitably, is a by-product of any food-related conversation I have.

Takash, who owns Sally's Seafood, a wholesale operation, and Ahearn's Fish Market, a retail shop, both on Route 532 in Waretown, is one of the best-informed fish guys at the Shore. So when he mentioned Bonefish Grill, a seafood-oriented restaurant chain with a new branch on Van Zile Road in Brick, my ears perked up. I'd just been to Bonefish and got the company line from the servers on how the folks behind the scenes (Bonefish is part of the Outback empire) source seafood from all waters of the world. Interestingly enough, according to the servers I queried at the Brick Bonefish, there's not any seafood from Jersey Shore fishermen on the local menu.

Takash told me that Bonefish buys corporately. They're looking, he noted, for a "uniform product.''

He also offered another observation: "You'll notice there aren't chain restaurants in the beach towns.'' Chains succeed where there's volume, and there's just not the year-round population in most of our beach communities to support the economic needs of the major chains, he explained. Locally owned restaurants are the chow centers of our coast.

Hmm, I thought. How true that is; how hard it is for local restaurants in beach towns to keep going through the winter, to make that year-round run. Outback, Chili's, Longhorn, Panera, Applebee's, TGIFriday's and the rest of the chains do seem to settle in the Bricks, Toms Rivers, Middletowns and Freeholds of the suburban world, not your Sea Brights, Sea Girts and Seaside Parks.

But there is a small, steadily growing local chain that did get its start in our beach towns: Surf Taco, which was born in Point Beach, then expanded in Manasquan, Seaside and Belmar. Of course, it now is finding its sea legs in suburban Silverton and Jackson.

Chain vs. local: Where do you eat? And why? Restaurant chefs: Do you buy your fish from local wholesalers who source from local fishermen?

Cheers,
Andy
2.20.07
P.S. There's more fish talk from Don Takash and other fish-minded folks coming in tomorrow's Food section in the Press.

REAL MEX AND MORE

2007-02-16T11:10:00.000-08:00

Lisa offered an interesting comment in a post earlier this week: She's been finding more dining satisfaction in the little taquerias popping up in many Shore towns than in the "Tex-Mex''-style places she enjoyed patronizing once upon a time.

Si, si. There's a new generation of authentic Mexican eateries supplementing the Mexi-merican restaurants in our midst, and these authentic Mexicans are the places to go if you're looking for the real tamal, so to speak. Lisa's smart comments reminded me that what we're experiencing in the Mexican realm is not unlike what generations past experienced when the first Italian and Chinese restaurants opened during earlier waves of immigration.

Those early Italian and Chinese restaurants sported dishes dotted with American ingredients. Not all foods from the old countries could be found here, so those ethnic-restaurant pioneers improvised as they re-created their classics. The dishes they devised became our beloved standards. Will you find exact replicas in Italy or China? No, not likely. But they're here to stay, on this side of the ponds. As the global marketplace expanded, along with our palates and our knowledge, and as highly trained, highly skilled chefs took charge, more authentic Italian and Chinese restaurants opened. Choices, galore.

I see similar things happening today with Mexican restaurants. In addition to Mexi-merican places, we now have Mexico Lindo on Burnt Tavern Road in Brick, with its home-cooked memelitas, huaraches and signature poblano burrito, and Aby's, on Main Street in Matawan, with its luscious trademark sauces rousing all manner of meats and fishes. What you favor -Mexi-merican or the more authentic Mexican dishes - is a matter of personal taste preference. There's no right, no wrong.

But Lisa's thoughts have me wondering: Which do you prefer? What are your favorite Mexican and Mexi-merican restaurants?

And, further, are you eating out this weekend or cooking in? Where/what?

One more thing: Do you celebrate Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday is this Tuesday, Feb. 20)? If so, where/how?

Cheers,
Andy
2.16.07

VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE?

2007-02-14T10:08:00.000-08:00

I heard this morning about the mass layoffs at Chrysler. It's being called the "St. Valentine's Day Massacre.''

I can imagine chefs and restaurateurs today are feeling rather smacked in the teeth themselves: Next to Mother's Day, Valentine's Day is the busiest restaurant holiday of the year, an economic bump during the slow winter season. But with power outages blipping life here at the Shore and transit treacherous, it's likely more than a few lovebirds will be changing their plans from going out tonight to nesting at home.

So chefs and restaurateurs, how are you handling Mother Nature's cruelty? Are you going to offer Val Day specials tomorrow? Diners: Are you changing plans and staying home? Or will you persevere and not let the weather ruin your dinner-for-two?

Sigh,
Andy
2.14.07

DARK SIDE OF DESSERTS

2007-02-13T14:29:00.000-08:00

Last night, as I ate the last of the puffy little pastries made by my friend Maureen, I realized my sweet tooth hadn't been the victim of a phantom root canal, just of badly made restaurant desserts.

Indeed, my sweet tooth was alive and very well, and most eager to eat and enjoy the custard-filled, light and buttery-textured squares Maureen had so graciously packed up for me. My, they were wonderful, very French in style and size, bitsy bites of ethereal pastry with a central swoosh of well-made eggy custard. Why can't a restaurant make pastries like these, I thought, instead of importing hulking boxes of the dread Dark Side of the Moon cake?

That's the pre-fabricated confection that did me in, you know. It was everywhere for the longest time and after I'd been served my 200th slice, I got spitting mad. I've pretty much been mad at commercially prepared desserts served in otherwise fine restaurants ever since.

Too bad Maureen isn't a restaurant pastry chef. But lovely for me she's such a generous friend.

What restaurant features made-in-house pastries and desserts that you admire?

cheers,
Andy
2.13.07

WINES FOR SUSHI

2007-02-11T07:16:00.000-08:00

For Mike and Marli and the rest of you sushi-loving folks:

Even though sake, which is Japanese rice wine, is the spirit of choice with sushi in Japan, folks here tend to favor beer or, increasingly, wine when sushi is on the docket for dinner.

If a connoisseur of the highest level paired your sushi with a beverage, that drink most likely would be green tea. Make that the top green tea, sencha – and make that sencha, straight, no accents. If you try sencha with sushi, you’ll understand why it’s the perfect companion.

But you want to know about wine with sushi. Fair enough. One of the best sushi-spirit partnerships I ever had came at Masa, that temple of sublime sushi at the Time-Warner building in New York. I was dining with Jim Peterson, who not only writes the most technically precise cookbooks in print, he’s got one Olympic-caliber palate. He suggested we have a bottle of sparkling wine from the Loire Valley in France with our sushi. Its mineral-y characteristics, he said, cleanse and refresh. He was right.

Though it’s not always easy to find Loire Valley sparklers, some light, mineral-y proseccos from northern Italy serve a similar purpose. So if you’re doing a range of sushi, various rolls, various fishes, try one of the widely available prosecco around – from the producers Bortolotti, Bisol, Zardetto, Mionetto. I also favor albarinos, a dry, also mineral-y white wine , from Spain. Look for Burgans, Ducado de Altan, Martin Codax.

Now, if you’re like a lot of enthusiastic sushi-eaters, you’re big into the multi-faceted rolls with lots of spicy, big-flavor elements. If that’s your ticket, you might want a wine with a little extra fruit: Try the Casata Montfort Traminer from Trentino, Italy; the Marquis Philips Holly’s Blend (a mix of white-wine grapes) from southeastern Australia; the Domaine Bott-Geyl Pinot D’Alsace from Alsace, France; the Selbach “Fish Label” Dry Riesling from Germany.

That’s a good selection of starter-sushi wines. (All these bottles, by the way, are under $20.) Now all you sushi fanatics out there: Tell me what you drink with sushi. Wine? If so, what do you favor? Beer? Get specific, too.

Cheers,
Andy
2.11.07

MAZI UPDATE

2007-02-09T13:03:00.000-08:00

Patrons of the much-loved Mazi, a Mediterranean restaurant on Main Street in Bradley Beach, have been understandably bereaved since the restaurant closed … and most anxious for information about the future of the charming, congenial place. Mazi's chefs and owners Peter Mantas and Leslie Feingold touched the hearts and palates of many with their rustic and earthy savory dishes (Peter) and elegant, delectable and unfailingly seasonal desserts (Leslie).

Well, Mazi fans, please book a moment to spend with Peter and Leslie on the Food cover of the Press this coming Wednesday, Feb. 14. They share not only their own love story, but offer a gift from the heart for all those who connected with the peerless food at Mazi.

P.S.: Press photographer Tanya Breen's photos are making me desperately hungry right now.

P.S.S. Thanks to all those who reached out to me for information on Mazi, Peter and Leslie; you inspired this story.

cheers,
Andy
2.9.07

REPLY TO A SEASONAL CHEF

2007-02-08T13:05:00.000-08:00

To Anonymous Chef:

Thanks so much for your great post (below, under comments for Chilling News, Heart-Warming Chefs) and all the key info you’re providing the public by speaking out. I wish I knew the name of your restaurant so I could dine there and help eat up all those collards! Love 'em. (And everything else you mention you’re cooking up.)

Once harvest starts with the first of spring’s berries, asparagus, rhubarb, herbs, lettuces and peas, I’m hopeful farmers will be posting here, to let chefs and others know what’s in its prime. That way, both pro cooks and home cooks can seek out local produce in peak season. One thing you might consider this spring/summer/fall, Anonymous Chef, is doing some of your produce-shopping right at local farm stands and farmers’ markets so you can buy exactly how much you will use, and not suffer losses from any surpluses. (That IS dispiriting.) As soon as harvesting starts in the spring, I’ll be out visiting farms and reporting in with my finds, both here in this blog and in my Foraging column (which appears on Wednesdays, in the Food section). Please feel free to join in with your peak-season finds – and also ask me where you might be able to find, say, English peas or lemon cucumbers. Whatever I find, I’ll gladly share.

Meanwhile, thanks again to this chef-poster for the info – and I hope more pro chefs use this blog to spread the word about what they’re cooking up at their restaurants.

P.S. A parting thought: Chefs, if there are ingredients you'd like to use in your cooking, are there local farmers willing to grow them for you - in a cooperative effort? And, farmers, do you find reaching out to local chefs worthwhile? What can be done to make a chef-farmer collaboration easier and more effective?

Cheers,
Andy
2.8.07