Produce to the Max
Merely by chance, very unsuspecting, the favorites of the past two weeks happen to be stalwarts of the produce bins given extra loving in dishes that make veg and fruit lovers most happy fans.
Spinach & Soy Eggs
Treat the loveliest of from-the-farm spinach leaves as you would the choicest of embellished Easter bonnets and anoint the verdant petals with hard-cooked eggs soaked in a jazzed-up soy marinade.
Alec Gioseffi, Ironbound
Not many chefs can say they’ve helped to build their restaurant from the literal ground up. But the newest member of TPW’s chef-picks-chef society of top toques has done just that, using his synergistic approach to food, farming and community to tie it all together at Ironbound Farm and Ciderhouse in Hunterdon County.
Dosa Grill
Where do folks in the industry go for dosas, uthappam and the elusive and engaging adai? To this veteran South Indian specialist on the Garden State’s own Spice Route, where foods that are flat never taste that way.
Cravings of Great Joy
Fruta-Mex in Hammonton specializes in antojitos, the light, refreshing snack foods of Mexico that belong on more menus in our Garden State. Trend-setters, please unite in support of the dishes that need to be everywhere.
blue plate
The region’s darling for dining sits smack in the center of the village’s historic district and reflects its constant-motion status. One off-kilter meal won’t negate its years of better efforts but should cue the kitchen to stand at attention at all times.
Lively Chives
Early to sprout and easy to incorporate into first-of-spring dishes, the wispy allium can star in a hearty salad that can go entrée or holiday side dish.
Circling Around Hubs
What happens when a group of stakeholders in various agricultural enterprises are brought together by the New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative to talk about the variety of hubs and the options they offer in selling Garden State produce? A lot of learning.
Soup Dumpling Plus
In spite of the name of this neighborhood favorite, soup dumplings are sparsely represented on the menu, taking a back seat to a wide-ranging assortment of other authentic Chinese classics. By all means, order the exemplary specimens, but also seek out some daring alternatives.
Spring Forecast
We’ve had a few tastes of early springlike weather this month. But now that we’re in actual calendar spring, what harvests can we look forward to once the new season takes hold? Garden State farmers weigh in on what they’re likely to be picking soonest and what will follow as the days lengthen and grow warmer.
Clemmy’s
Appreciation of place and micro-season happens all the time at this newcomer that defines casual sophistication and has become the wise and informed arbiter of local foodways.
Flours and Fishes
The tops of the two weeks just past show off three very different uses of flours and two polar-opposite approaches to fishes.