Representative, Please
Each of this go-around’s favorites have their roots in well-defined cultures and speak clearly and respectfully to those cultures. There are a million ways each could go south. But instead they soar, exemplars of type that do proud by proxy.
Queen Mayonnaise
Master this indispensable and ubiquitous condiment with the help of Chef Andre de Waal and find yourself able to construct a regal BLT. Then ride his recipe’s coattails to myriad other uses.
A Viticultural Shangri-la
Meadowbrook Winery’s mission well suits its protected and preserved home astride a sanctuary for nature in Tewksbury Township. That its focused portfolio of estate wines can be tasted while taking in an incomparable panoramic vista is part of an experience designed to captivate.
Brunch by De Martino
A switch from night to daytime dining is proving such a hit in the county seat of Somerset that Chef Martino Linares will be bringing a sibling of this Latin-leaning hotspot north to Denville, where his carefully syncopated dishes will continue to embellish and upgrade classics.
Farm Art at Ayres/Knuth
A farmstead in Denville that dates back to 1793 is the setting for an exhibition that gives agriculture its due through paintings, photographs, mixed-media pieces, pottery and sculptures, tightening the connection between our farms and our foodways.
The ‘Greening’ of Supper
Use this tart, green apple – or any other tart apple – as the key ingredient in a savory dish that can be served as the main event for dinner. In other words, re-think the fruit that too often is overshadowed by its sweet kin.
How About Them Other Apples?
Consider the Greening this season of a limited harvest, and let it be your gateway variety to the Garden State apples you can be with and love – and not grouse and grumble about those that didn’t make it out of a very cruel spring.
Fig Italian Rustic Kitchen
Problems in cooking and communication plague a newcomer to Long Valley that aims to serve hand-crafted Italian cuisine in a scene that’s “always vibing.” Rather than counting on vibes and branding to impress, old-fashioned focus is needed to bring thoughtfulness and care to the entire process.
Manila Asian Market
Find ingredients essential to Filipino cookery at a small grocery that serves as a companion to Manila Café in Mount Laurel. No need to travel far for calmansi, coconut vinegar and shrimp paste.
Give ’Em a Hand
This quintet of favorites are all hand-helds, proving that street-style eats, snacks and emerging, soon-to-be-classic foods can rise from ho-hum staples to thrills in casual form. OK, a couple of these may require two hands, but who will mind?
Hot Uses for Creamed Honey
It’s a condiment with a wider variety of uses than its sweet reputation may boast. Doctor it as per our suggestions and give it a try with meats, fishes and vegetables.
Mitsuwa
Top-notch food-shopping in the Asian vernacular dominated by prime Japanese products, a continual flow of special events, cooking classes and demonstrations, direct-from-maker talks plus adjunct shops and a food court second to none give this uber-market in Edgewater world-class status. It’s the newest entry into TPW’s canon of Favorites.