Our Very Wide World
Concepts and/or ingredients hailing from the U.K., the Eastern Mediterranean, Korea and Italy – plus a saffron-scented tea from the Garden State – headline TPW’s every-other-week collection of favorites. It’s a very Jersey World, and we’re fortunate to live and eat here.
The Lure of Lacinato
A variety of kale that’s mild, yet complex in a multitude of savory ways is at peak in mid-fall. Grab the stubble-textured green while it’s in its prime and use to prepare an Italian classic – or something different that will counter all the “heavy”-hitters on the Thanksgiving table.
Striking Gold
There’s saffron in them thar raised beds of crocus sativus at Princeton Blooms in Somerset County, and it’s thanks to the determination of Ashwin Jaju that the world’s most expensive and precious spice is being harvested now in the Garden State.
The Pie Store
At a local favorite tucked into Watchung Plaza, British pies both savory and sweet (though not too sweet) do their marquee status proud. It’s a storefront, with a sister tea shop on the same block, that fosters a jolly ol’ time year-round.
MorningStar Café
Bigger than Brunch is a concept put forth at a daytime pit-stop in Toms River Township that's the subject of our inaugural (and occasional) column aimed at checking out more possibilities in our restaurant world. It’s a peek, a bite, a gander taken.
Haden Mango Chutney
There’s no time like the day-with-an-extra-hour to get started on Thanksgiving prep, and this sweet-tart, tangy-refreshing condiment is just the ticket to getting a leg up on the holiday. Make several jars, allowing for some sampling of the goods between now and then.
Obstacles to Abattoir
What’s preventing Garden State livestock farmers from meeting the high demand from consumers for meats and poultry from animals raised here? Both farmers and processors share experiences and pinpoint impediments to progress in a wide-ranging discussion.
Mishta
While ingredient pedigrees need to be specified on the menu or at least readily recited by staffers schooled in the farm connections ownership claims, the true-to-region Indian fare at this swanky spot in a shopping plaza is a decided draw. Don’t bypass the less-familiar here or you may be missing out on the best.
Treats Time: Halloween Chocolates
Forget the Butterfingers, Whoppers, Twix, Starburst and Blow Pops. Cast aside even mass-produced Milky Ways, 3Musketeers, Almond Joys and Good & Plenty boxes. Get serious about chocolates either decked out for the holiday or not. The next time Halloween will fall on a Saturday won’t be until 2037, so let us make momentous this year’s celebrations and indulge in artisan versions of our preeminent sweet.
A Blast of Fresh Air
Warming foods take the lead in our favorites of the past two weeks – soups, stews, mixes of ingredients that put us in good stead as we segue into the heart of autumn. Consider these your barometer.
The Facts of ‘Pumpkin’ Spice
Chef Andre de Waal has much to teach us this week, including truths about autumn’s popular spice mix, a concept yet to be tapped, and why he believes in a far-less-known blend that he uses in a best-of-all-worlds recipe for cheesecake. Lean in; there’s much to savor and learn.
Value Judgments
Where – and how – can we find value in dining out these days? Price tags on menu items at restaurants of all stripes are getting higher and higher, and while the reasons for those prices may be understandable, they still pinch. After investigating and scrutinizing menus, we offer ideas on just where and how to catch values that not only exist but invigorate the Garden State’s dining scene.