Ed Schoenfeld
When the ground-breaking envoy for Chinese cuisine died last week at age 72, the Garden State lost a friend, a fan, a force of nature who foraged for everything edible, and an inspiring guide to creating cutting-edge restaurants.
Winter Warmups
Heat can come from brewing methods, added ingredients or the grip of a hand around a snifter of a chilled beer. Shawn’s picks this month guide you to the best of the wide-ranging cold-season genre.
Berg’s Smoked Meat & Poutine
Chef Kevin Berg, hyper-focused and determined to play Pied Piper into the world of Montreal smoked meat, scores a hat trick with sandwiches, a trio of gravy-, cheese- and brisket-topped fries, and sides that just might surprise.
Comforts & Joys: 1-17-22
Swaddle yourself in smoked salmon. Cuddle up to chocolates. Ogle that fat in a classic oxtail dish and just dig in. Favorites of right now are designed to soothe.
50 Ways to Use Your Hummus
Love the creamy, nutty, downright delicious stuff? You’re in good company. But you can do lots more with our beloved chickpea spread than you think.
Food, Playing It Forward
Do you grow food? Do you cook food? Do you eat food? Do you care about the quality of your food? Any, all? Then tune in the last weekend of this month to NOFA-NJ’s virtual Winter Conference and sop up all the 411 the Garden State’s premier educational agriculture event offers.
Marcel Bakery & Kitchen
It’s hard to stop ordering at this Middle Eastern/Mediterranean storefront that has taken in its older sibling (MishMish) and now holds double the pleasure for diners both eat-in and takeout.
Gert’s Snacks & Spices
Better than Zingerman’s? On the main drag of Highlands, next door to Sandy Hook, is a small shop that stocks a United Nations of ingredients designed for curious culinarians and adventurous home cooks. More, please? Its peripatetic proprietor also cooks for the takeaway crowd and educates drop-ins.
Convenience Foods
A friend believes food-shopping at farmers’ markets is only for those with time to spare in the kitchen. Not so. With the freshest fundamentals on hand, it’s simple to make quick work of a wholesome supper.
Esposito’s
If sesame-seed crust pies are on your go-to map for pizza, put this spot (or its sibling in Matawan) on your dine card. Tip on a hit: the vodka sauce pie.
Artisan Food Artistry
The Garden State’s culinary craftsmen and women are known for taking foods from our farms and spinning them into the something-extras that elevate our everyday meals. Are they convenience products? Yes. Of a very high level.
Our Year of Eating Jerse-ly
Now we are one: Our featured news-gatherers here at The Peasant Wife have been reflecting on their year of exploring the Garden State and reporting on our foodways and food pros. In this, the last installment of our four-part series, TPW’s chief photographer Mike Peters brings background to his images that reflect people, place and process with truth and grace.