Author Archives: Debbie Mazzie

Mar 05

New Jersey Restaurant Week 2013

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Maplewood March 03-09, 2013 www.maplewoodvillagenj.com
Atlantic City March 03-09, 2013 www.acrestaurantweek.com
Hudson Valley March 11-24, 2013 www.hudsonvalleyrestaurantweek.com
South Jersey March 17-22, 2013 www.sjhotchefs.com
Collingswood March 18-22, 2013 www.collingswood.com
Jersey Shore April 05-14, 2013 www.jerseyshorerestaurantweek.com
Montclair April 09-21, 2013 www.montclairrestaurantweek.com
Morristown April 22-28, 2013 www.morristown-nj.org
Cape May June 02-09, 2013 www.cmrestaurantweek.com
Westfield September 29-October 10, 2013 www.westfieldtoday.com
Highland Park October 23-28, 2013 www.shophighlandpark.com

If you would like to add your event to this list please contact debbie@northjerseyfoodies.com. If you would like to share experiences on your favorite restaurant or restaurant week please post in the comment area. Enjoy!

Mar 04

Upcoming Restaurant Week in New Jersey

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WHAT IS “RESTAURANT WEEK”?

“Restaurant Weeks” have been popping up all over the country and not in just major cities like Chicago or NYC. Local towns are also now participating. It is a great way for customers to try a restaurant that they thought may be out of their budget. During restaurant weeks the restaurants offer prix fixe lunch and dinner specials. They are normally under $30.00 for dinner and $20.00 for lunch. Few even offer their full menu with a percentage off the bill. Towns are also getting involved by offering free metered parking during lunch or dinner hours.

UPCOMING RESTAURANT WEEKS:

MAPLEWOOD RESTAURANT WEEK: MARCH 03-09, 2013

Maplewood offers some of the most eclectic and award winning restaurants in North Jersey. This year there are close to 25 participating restaurants. Click here for a full list or restaurants:
Maplewood Restaurant week.

ATLANTIC CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: MARCH 03-09, 2013

This is one of the best restaurant weeks in New Jersey. There are over 100 participating restaurants to choose from. You have the old charm of the Atlantic City Country club or a fabulous casino restaurant like Wolfgang Pucks, Carmines, or Cuba Libre to name a few. You can choose from many culinary varieties all with a reasonable price of $33.13 for dinner and $15.13 for lunch. Reservations are recommended. Many hotels are also offering discounted rates. Click here to find out more information on Atlantic City Restaurant week.

Please leave a comment if you know of or experienced any great restaurant weeks in New Jersey.

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Mar 01

Foodie Events

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MAPLE SUGAR FESTIVAL, Saturday March 02, 2013. Maple syrup snow cones, taste tests, tree tapping demos and more! There will be crafts, games and hikes. This is fun for the whole family. Location is The Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center in Chatham Township. Admission $4.00 per person. Please click here for additional information: Maple Sugar Festival Maple-Sugar-1

RAMSEY INDOOR FARMERS MARKET, Sundays until March 24th, 10:00 to 2:00. Established by the Ramsey Historical Association it supports eating, growing, and buying local and fresh. There is something for everyone: local made honey, breads, nuts, and cheeses. For a full list of vendors please click here: Ramsey Indoor Market.

A TASTE OF MORRISTOWN, Monday March 04, 2013 from 6:00 to 9:00 at the Hanover Marriott. This is the 11th annual charity event for the Morristown Rotary Club. This year there are 30 vendors highlighting the event. It is a great way to sample some of the finest restaurants in and around Morristown. There is also wine and whiskey tasting. This is a great event for a great cause for only $60.00. Please click here for additional information: A Taste of Morristown.taste_jpg-1

SAVOR FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL, Monday March 04, 2013 from 5:00 to 8:30 at the Preakness Country Club, Wayne. This is the 13th Annual event for the North Jersey Regional Chamber of Commerce. It is a great networking event but also a night out to sample some local restaurants and top notch wines. There is also entertainment, a mystic reader, and free chair message all for $50.00. Please click here for more information: Savor Food & Wine Festival.

May 10

Capalbo’s Gift Baskets – Clifton New Jersey

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Capalbo’s is mainly an online store that carries 100’s of specialty and Gourmet Food Baskets. Those that live in North Jersey are lucky enough to be able to visit their walk in shop located at 350 Allwood Road in Clifton. It carries their quality gift baskets and will also take orders for their many gift items. Exclusive to the store you can also find one of the largest candy bin and Jelly Belly jellybeans displays. Here you can make your own assorted bags and containers.

The store is attached to a 30,000 square foot factory. They have the ability to make one special basket or fill an order for 100’s of baskets. The baskets are filled with a wide variety of items such as Belgian chocolate, Hershey chocolate, Primo Dolce cookies, Columbia Crest wines, and Dom Perignon champagne. The fruit is only the freshest Grade A Extra Fancy and the baskets can be made for any occasion, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, sympathy, housewarming, corporate events, and kosher baskets, to name a few.

The Capalbo Family has been in business for over 104 years. Rose and Domenick Capalbo started the business in 1906 by hand selecting fresh fruits and vegetables at market and then delivering them to affluent families in Essex County.

The company evolved by adding gourmet food items, buying in bulk, and then opening a store front in Nutley, New Jersey. Today you can still find a Capalbo family members at work in their Clifton location.

It is nice to know that there is a place in North Jersey that has been able to sustain itself through hard work, great quality, and outstanding customer service. The added beauty is walking in and browsing the Clifton store or having the convenience of a speedy van delivery to local areas. Many gourmet gift baskets also qualify for free shipping.

Capalbo Gift Baskets has also expanded to Wine Gift Baskets and Adorable Baby Gift Baskets for Baby Boys and Girls

Capalbo’s Gift Baskets
350 Allwood Rd.
Clifton, New Jersey 07012

Store Hours:
Mon – Fri 9AM – 6PM
Saturday 9AM – 4PM
Phone: (973) 667-6262 or (800) 252-6262
Fax: (973) 450-1199

Apr 19

ABMA’S FARM

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Abma’s Farm is one of the oldest working farms in Bergen County. The old Dutch style barn has been turned into a market place that is a feast for ones eyes. There are lettuces, vegetables, and fruits from their own fields and greenhouses. All of the baked goods are done on premise from scratch. These homemade goods are made with preservative free ingredients and vary depending on the season. There are specialty muffins, breads, cookies, brownies, and pies. The gourmet pies vary by season, spring strawberry rhubarb, summer fruit pies, and fall gourmet apple and pumpkin pies.

There are also home grown turkeys, chickens, and pigs. You can hand select your own brown or white eggs in the market place. The turkeys are hormone and antibiotic free and are a great holiday tradition. The pork produces some of the best smoked bacon, ribs, and loins you will ever taste. You can also find specialty BBQ sauces, salads, and breads to go with a summer party.

Daily you can find fresh from the kitchen homemade lunch specials that include fresh sandwiches and salads, hot soups, and gourmet pot pies.

Everyday there is a petting and feeding area with about 15 animals that include small horses, goats, and pigs. You can even peek in and see a baby chick being born. Through out the year they have special events that include Easter with live chicks and bunnies to pet, Wellness Days, and other workshops. Your little one can go to summer camp at Abma’s to learn about what is becoming a lost art of farming and preserving the land. They also have many themed birthday parties.

As an added bonus for North Jersey Foodies there is a wonderful greenhouse that has the most gorgeous hanging plants, annuals, and perennials.

Abma’s Farm Market and Greenhouse is a place that should not be missed.

ABMA FARMS
700 Lawlins Road
Wycoff, New Jersey 07481
201-891-0278
M-F 8:00 to 6:00
Saturday 8:00 to 5:30
Closed on Sundays

Apr 05

MR. CUPCAKES

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Mr. Cupcakes makes homemade specialty cupcakes. Many may have seen one of New Jersey’s own Johnny Manganiotis on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. He opened his first store in Clifton and has now expanded to three other locations.

These gourmet cupcakes are unique in that they bake them with the specialty ingredients mixed into the batter. This is very different than stuffed or filled specialty cupcakes. You taste and see the ingredient in every bite. Most have their own unique frosting that compliments the cupcake.

I visited the Clifton Mr. Cupcakes location. There were over 30 varieties of cupcakes in the store when I arrived, including minis. Out front one of the bakers was putting frosting and sprinkles on Johnny’s famous coffee donuts. You could also see into the kitchen where the gourmet magic was happening with all fresh ingredients.

The cupcakes are listed in two categories. The Executives that Mr. Cupcakes always carries and The Intern which changes regularly. I choose to bring home the Red Velvet, Triple Chocolate, Cookie Jar, and Oreo Cheesecake. It was a difficult decision deciding which one to try first. The Triple Chocolate was just that. This cupcake is a paradise for chocolate lovers with chocolate chips still visible through out the cupcake. The Red Velvet was not the deep red you think of but the cream cheese icing was one of the best I have ever tasted. It was very light and tangy. The Oreo Cheesecake was delicious with almost a mousse like frosting. My ultimate favorite (and my family’s) was the Cookie Jar. I could not tell if I was eating a cupcake or a chocolate chip cookie. It was moist and had the perfect icing.

These homemade cupcakes are reasonably priced at the Clifton location at $1.50 a piece. Mr. Cupcakes also does special logos, holiday, and birthday cupcakes.

Their current locations are:

1216 Van Houten Ave
Clifton, NJ 07013
973-859-0180

385 Kinderkamack Road
Oradell, NJ 07649
201-483-8897

The Shops at Riverside
Hackensack, NJ 07601
201-342-2293

86 Broad Street
Red Bank, NJ 07701
732-219-8856

www.mrcupcakes.com

Mar 15

Celtic Themes – A Great Place for St. Patrick’s Day Food and Gifts

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Celtic Themes in the heart of Pompton Lakes, New Jersey has everything a North Jersey Foodie needs to celebrate St. Patrick’s day. It is actually three stores in one that carries items from Ireland, Scotland, and Nova Scotia. The owner is Gerry Rooney, who was born and raised in Scotland. He has successfully run Celtic Themes for 15 years with 6 of those years being in his current location. He imports all of his Irish specialty food from Dublin weekly. In the large refrigerator next to the front door you will find Irish sausage, sausage rolls, Irish bacon, meat pies, black and white pudding, and bridies. There is also a large selection of Barry’s Tea, scones, marmalade, HP sauces, drinks, and snacks.

The second specialty store is filled with gifts, jewelry, and apparel from Ireland and Scotland. There is a huge selection packed into this store. They carry a wide variety of women’s, men’s, and children’s jewelry that includes brooches, engagement rings, claddagh rings, and celtic for children. There are hand knit scarves, hats, and even hand made wedding gowns. There are nameless crystal, lenox, and pewter wares.

The third section of this store are kilts, bag pipes and other musical needs. They both sell and rent worldwide. If you do not find what you are looking for in the store Gerry will surely search it out for you.

This store is amazing! There are literally thousands of treasures tucked away in this store for every occasion. It is definitely worth the trip.

Celtic Themes
128 Wanaque Ave
Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442
973-839-4761
www.celticthemesusa.com

Feb 29

Sugar and Plumm, Purveyors of Yumm!!

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Sugar and Plumm, Purveyors of Yumm is a lovely retail shop, bakery and eatery that recently opened in The Bergen Town Center in Paramus. When you approach Sugar and Plumm you are mesmerized by the whimsical window displays. They are eye catching and beautiful with candy delights and the memory of childhood whimsy.

The store is modern and inviting. When you enter through the retail portion there is a huge candy bar where you can mix and match your favorites, a large M&M dispensary on one wall, a great selection on nostalgic candy. There are also plush animals, stationary, games, books, and mugs to name a few of the many items.

The specialty bakery is filled with home made confections, cakes, and candy from their own kitchen in Moonachie. Some of the gourmet delights include fudge, bite size carrot cakes, tarts, cake pops, and chocolate bark. There is a lot of detail put into the artisan goods. They will also make custom cakes for all occasions.

The restaurant portion of the store serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are chefs making homemade crepes before your eyes. The smell and ingredients makes it hard to order anything else. The menu has a variety of smoothies, crepes, waffles, soups, salads, sandwiches, and dinner entrees. The menu is just the right size.

On our visit we ordered the banana chocolate crepe with fresh strawberries. The presentation was good, the homemade crepe was flavorful and the melted chocolate was perfect. We also had the 7-grain chicken sandwich, which had avocado, tomato, pea shoots, and boursin spread. The ingredients were fresh and homemade bread was good with a hard crust, if you like that. We also ordered a mango smoothie, which had good mango flavor. It was very thick and came with a nostalgic paper straw that got soft within ten minutes and made it difficult to drink. (Ask for a plastic one!)

It was difficult to choose which gourmet dessert to try so we split the chocolate caramel tart. It had a wonderful mousse texture and chocolate flavor. However, I did not taste any caramel.

Overall it was a good experience with some fine specialty foods. The service was attentive and accommodating. This is a treat for North Jersey Foodies to visit with or without children. Please note though the only allergy warning on their website states, “Our products are packed and made in a kitchen where dairy, soy, peanuts, and other nut products are used.” In reality I was told by the manager all of their gourmet-baked goods are made with almond flour.

www.sugarandplumm.com
Sugar and Plumm
620 Bergen Town Center
Paramus, New Jersey
201-880-8156

Feb 11

Top 3 Kitchen Must-Haves

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The Top Three Kitchen Tools You Must Have:

1. A good quality chef’s knife: There are a lot on the market to choose from. First determine what size you want. Large men may want a larger handle as opposed to a female needing something smaller in her hand. The size of the handle has no bearing on the size of the blade. The two best options are high carbon stainless steel and ceramic. The high carbon stainless steel knife has minimal rusting, maintains a sharp edge for a long time, and is the most popular. The ceramic blades are so hard they maintain their sharpness for potentially a lifetime. Ceramic blades need more special care. The tip is very fragile and a hard fall may cause a break. One thing you can do to determine which is best for you is to find a local cooking school and take a knife skills class. This will help you determine which feel and size is best for you and how to use it properly.

2. An instant read thermometer: This is essential for the quality of your food. How many times have you bit into a piece of chicken and it was dry or rubbery, or sliced into a steak that was too pink for your taste. This could all be avoided with an instant read thermometer. The probe on the thermometer should be very thin, sharp and short so to let out the minimal amount of juices. It should not be bulky or have any wires attached to it. There are both digital and classic instant read thermometers. One of the most important things to look for is accuracy, which can be tested by placing the probe in boiling water. You will only need one thermometer for sautéing, roasting or grilling so spending a little extra money on one is well worth it.

3. A slow cooker: These now come in single, double or even triple pots. You can be cooking your meat, vegetable, and dessert all at the same time. The size depends on how people you are cooking for. A good size would be 6 quarts but you can purchase one that has 2, 4, 6 quart interchangeable vessels. A nice feature is a programmable timer. This way you can set how long it should be placed on high, medium or low versus the standard cook times. Make sure it has a removable vessel and a stainless steel outside to help keep food warm. You can go from using the slow cooker from once to several times a week with the newer models that also let you roast, sauté vegetables, and sear. These versions are the Rolls Royce of slow cookers but can be used all year round instead of heating up your house in the summer or as an extra oven during the holidays.