NJ Foodie

5 Star Recipes at Home

2011-09-06T10:22:00.001-04:00

Some of you may already be familiar with this website, but I truly have a love affair going on with www.allrecipes.com and had to share it here. The website contains recipes mostly submitted by users and rated by fellow users. The format makes it beyond easy to organize your results by category, ingredient, and my fave, reviews. Allrecipe.com users take the review system very seriously and often times, the reviews contain helpful tips for tweaking the recipe. Most recently, I've made the fluffy french toast recipe, adding a pureed banana (as one reviewer suggested) and substituting out the white sugar for brown. I also whipped up the chocolate peanut butter bars substituting out 1/2 a cup of the butter for more peanut butter.

Cheers,
NJFoodie

Restaurant Week - Brass Rail, Hoboken

2011-08-25T08:26:00.000-04:00

For this Summer's Hudson Restaurant week, we decided to try out the Brass Rail in Hoboken. Although it's too late to get the restaurant week menu, we definitely recommend stopping by for a meal at the Brass Rail's classy, bright, bar atmosphere. Check out what we enjoyed:

PEI Mussels with tomatoes, grilled eggplant, kaffir lime leaf & spinach in a coconut green curry sauce

Crispy Fried Calamari w/ garlic, basil, and Thai spiced dip

Steamed Salmon w/ bok choy, basmati rice and rock shrimp pineapple tapanade

Garlic and Thyme Chicken Breast with asparagus risotto and chippolini onions

Cheers,

NJFoodie

Shore Food All Year Round

2011-08-05T16:02:00.001-04:00

There's something great about those amazing down-the-shore foods that you only get in the summer. Be it your favorite clam chowder or ice cream, somehow it tastes better when you can only enjoy it 4 months out of the year. However, some treats lend themselves well to the fall and even the winter months and not being able to enjoy them then is just plain annoying. Enter www.macaroonshops.com. This legendary bake shop located in Avon by the Sea has an amazing website for ordering... you guessed it... you're favorite macaroons.. all year round! Chocolate covered is our personal fave :). Pick up a tub, you won't regret it!

It's a Shore Thing,

NJFoodie

Maru Sushi - Hoboken

2011-07-25T21:26:00.001-04:00

I barely venture out of my comfort zone for sushi. It's one of those things where once you find a clean place with a sushi chef you trust, you stick to it for fear of bad fish elsewhere, a confusing menu, or oppressive pricing.

However, I broke this rule when I grabbed a bite at Maru Sushi in Hoboken on a rainy summer day. The restaurant was nearly empty when we sat down and the decor was kind of dingy, but the meal surprised both our stomachs and our wallets - in a good way!

Salad w/Ginger Dressing and Miso Soup

Shumai - Shrimp Dumplings

Rainbow Roll

M-3 Spicy Combo

I'm a HUGE fan of no-rice sushi rolls and this M-3 Combo hit the spot. It's my Must Try. The set of rolls consisted of a tuna mango roll, salmon apple roll, and lobster cucumber roll. All three rolls are wrapped with rice paper without sushi rice.

I've had rolls with mango before but the salmon apple was definitely a first and was very delicious! If you're feeling adventurous, definitely give this combo a try!

Skip the beef negimaki appetizer. It sounded good in theory - but was bland and underwhelming.

This place was definitely a good bang for your buck. It's bring your own, so we saved money there and the rolls were moderately priced. My M-3 Combo was $19.50 for 3 "special rolls," served with both soup and salad.

While this is not the best sushi restaurant we've tried, it's certainly worth trying for a casual night when only sushi will hit the spot!

Step outside your sushi comfort zone,

NJFoodie

Hendrickson's - Bayonne

2011-07-13T20:45:00.000-04:00

Hendrickson's is a staple of the Bayonne restaurant community. I am not exactly sure how long it has been around for but from the decor of the building it's been a long time.

Hendrickson's is a tavern style restaurant and bar. The menu consists of all your tavern / bar favorites. Definitely a place where local "Bayonnites" go on a Sunday for lunch.

The Food

Hands down best Burger in Bayonne (pic below). This things is great. A large sized burger usually served on a nice kaiser roll. This thing comes out hot and is so juicy. Definitely my recommendation.

Other musts on the menu include French Onion soup (pic below), The Ultimate Nacho Platter, the Cajun Fried Calamari, & the French Dip Sandwich

On Friday and Saturday nights there is usually a live piano player at the bar creating a nice old time "taverny" atmosphere for a bite.

Overall, Hendrickson's is a great place for a relaxed meal and a beer or two.

I met at up Hendrickson's last week with my buddy who now lives in California but is from Bayonne, here are some pictures of what we had.

Open Face Steak Sandwich

Chicken Quesadilla

Bacon Cheese Burger

French Onion Soup

If you have any questions or comments please comment or contact us.

Eat on,

NJ Foodie

Our Adventure in The City of Brotherly Love - Philly Eats

2011-07-11T22:30:00.001-04:00

For 4th of July weekend, we took a spur of the moment trip to Philadelphia (appropriate, we thought). We planned to see the liberty bell, independence hall, and sprint up the "Rocky Stairs" of the Philadelphia Art Museum. However, before we did all that, we had to do some foodie stuff, so we signed up for a food tour.

We opted for the "Flavors of Philly" food tour which led us walking around the city for 2.5 hours, stopping along the way for Tomato Pie at Joe's Pizza, Hot Pretzels at Philadelphia Pretzel Company, Cheesesteaks and Cheese Fries at Zios, and Chocolate Covered Pretzels and Cookies at Reading Terminal Market. Along the way, we learned a little about architecture, history, geography and also shared some laughs with two friendly tour guides. The tour was a great way to get our bearings in the city. That night, at our tour guides suggestion, we headed to Triumph Brewing Company to sample beers, chow down on some surprisingly good "bar food" and watch the fireworks. The following morning we headed back to Reading Terminal Market for breakfast at a Creperie we saw on the tour. Below are the highlights, foodie style.

From Top Left: Raspberry Blonde Beer at Triumph Brewery, Tomato Pie at Joe's Pizza, Veal Sliders at Triumph Brewery, Fried Pickles at Triumph Brewery, Nutella Bread Pudding with Bananas and Ice Cream at Triumph, and Ham Egg and Cheese Crepe at Reading Terminal Market.

If you have any questions regarding the tour or foods above, shoot us an email. We must say the cookies were some of the best we every had. Lucky for us, they are available online. Order some, you won't regret it.

Happy Travels,
NJFoodie

Hudson Restaurant Week Coming This Month!

2011-07-05T20:45:00.003-04:00

The summer edition of Hudson County Restaurant week is coming July 25 - August 5. Sign up here to receive email updates when menus are released. Where do you plan on going?

Participating Restaurants:

3Forty Grill	The Embankment	PF Chang's
Amanda's	Gaslight	The Pointe
Amiya	Hamilton Inn	Port-O Lounge
Arthur's Tavern	Henry's On The Hudson	Porto Leggero
Bistro La Source	Komegashi	Puccini's
Box	Komegashi Too	The Quays
Brass Rail	Liberty House	Satis Bistro
Casa Dante	The Madison	Sky Thai
Chart House	Maritime Parc	Trinity
Clinton Social	The Merchant	Turtle Club
Conguita	Michael Anthony's	Village Pourhouse
Dino & Harry's	O'Connell's	West Five Supper Club
Edward's Steakhouse	Oddfellows Rest	Zylo (W Hotel)

Prix-fixe it up!
NJFoodie

Feast Your Eyes - Patriotic Eats

2011-07-04T12:51:00.000-04:00

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!

Patriotically,
NJFoodie

Today's Deal - Make $ at NY Restaurant Week

2011-06-29T18:03:00.002-04:00

So if you're like us, although you're a devout NJ Foodie, you'll make the trip over the river a few times for NY restaurant week. It's a great way to try swanky restaurants in the city and the experience often serves you well down the road when swanky acquaintances want to discuss said swanky restaurants. Plus, the summer is the perfect time to head into the city (or my favorite, ride the top deck of the ferry). So if you've got an Amex card, this is a good way to make some money while you dine (or at least get some cash back to compensate for the commute!).

I received the above email from Amex and checked out the details. The offer is simple.

1. Register your Amex card at this website.
2. Eat out three times between July 11-24 at a restaurant participating in NY Restaurant week.
3. Get a $20 credit on your Amex credit card statement.

No, we don't work for Amex. We just like to pass along good (foodie-related) deals when we see 'em!

Cheers to $20,
NJFoodie

Drink Up - Cheap BYOB Wine

2011-06-27T08:44:00.000-04:00

Anytime we find ourselves running to the liquor store after we've just discovered our restaurant of choice does not have a liquor license, we debate buying a new and interesting wine. However, most times we end up with a bottle of Yellow Tail's Cabernet Merlot Blend. It's simple, inexpensive, and delicious with most meals. Also, one bottle always seems to be the perfect recipe for a perfectly pleasant night for two. :)

What's your favorite BYOB wine? What do you usually reach for? Help us expand our repertoire!

Drink Up,
NJFoodie

Dessert Please - Cups, Clifton

2011-06-24T08:20:00.001-04:00

Last night I trekked up to Cups in Clifton. I've heard a lot about this place lately and have past it several times on the highway. So last night, after dinner I headed there with a friend.

When we arrived at Cups, the line was very literally, down the block. We debated waiting, eventually deciding that if we were there, we may as well suck it up and wait. So we did.

The line was filled with teenagers as it seems like this place is the new hangout. When we finally reached the front of the line, we met a young girl working as the bouncer who asked how large are party was and let us in to wait on yet another line.

Once we reached the cups (they're all very large and bucket-like), we grabbed one and moved toward the handles. There were 21 flavors of yogurt, in groups of 3 (each flavor alone and a twist of well-paired flavors). I filled my cup with:

Red Velvet
NY Cheesecake
Cake Batter
Cookies & Coffee (twist of cookies and cream an cappuccino)
Peanut Butter
Mango
Strawberries and Cream (twist of Strawberry and Vanilla)

I topped my treat with:

Yogurt Chips
Chocolate Chips
Almonds

The yogurt was good, the flavor selection is definitely impressive, and if the hype eventually dies down, I'll probably head back. However, I don't think I'll wait in line again for a cup.

The place is well designed and decorated. The flavors and toppings are plenty. The self-serve can seem a little un-sanitary, with young children grabbing with their hands. However, that sort of thing doesn't bother me terribly and should probably be expected at a place like this.

Overall, this is a good, gimmicky, yogurt joint worth trying if you have a sweet tooth and the time to wait.

Cheers,
NJFoodie

Feast Your Eyes (Retro Recipes) - Deviled Eggs

2011-06-22T09:21:00.000-04:00

This past weekend for father's day, I decided to make my father's favorite summer backyard BBQ treat, deviled eggs. The recipe made me feel nostalgic. People don't make this tasty dish as often as they used to as we've gotten pre-occupied with newer, trendier, appetizers. However, sometimes it's the simple recipes that take us back to basics and remind us how good and old goodie can taste. Over the years, we've done some tweaking and ended up with the recipe below. I'm a fan, Dad's a fan, and hopefully you will be too.

What You'll Need:

6 hard-cooked eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 stalk of celery (chopped fine)

1/4 yellow onion (chopped fine)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 dash pepper

1 dash paprika

What To Do:

Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks; set whites aside. In a bowl, mash the yolks. I like to put the onion and celery in a food processor so that it mixes well with the other ingredients. Add mayonnaise, onion, celery, dill, mustard, salt and pepper; mix well. Spoon into egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate until serving. Enjoy! :)

Feast your eyes,

NJFoodie

Mangia! - Edgewater

2011-06-21T06:52:00.000-04:00

276 Old River Road, Edgwater

Last week, on a whim, I dropped into Mangia! (yes, the exclamation point is part of the Restaurant's name!) in Edgewater. My nail salon is right down the street so the location was convenient and the prices seemed right. The small trattoria, nuzzled on Old River Road, shares the space with a deli by the same name. The main entrance takes you into the deli where you can view all of the homemade specialties before you sit down to look at your menu. Everything from rice balls to stuffed artichokes peer at you from the glass cases and you're already confused about what to order before you've had a chance to sit down.

We started out with the mussels. They were large, not sandy at all, and adorned with a simple, thin, tomato sauce. They were definitely delicious and I would order them again. Although there was no interesting angle or fancy add-ons, these mussels were definitely old fashioned mussels marinara done properly. This is a MUST TRY. If you've yet to find what unadulterated mussels should taste like, these will lay down that framework for you.

The bread, pictured above, also came with a tasty chick pea salad. Further, each entree also came with a salad, pictured above. The salad was a typical small included salad. However, the house dressing was very good.

Salmon with olives, capers and broccoli rabe

For my main course, I ordered a special - the salmon with capers and olives and instead of pasta, I opted for the broccoli rabe (one of the dishes that looked so tempting in the deli's glass case). The meal did not disappoint. The salmon filet was large and cooked to perfection. The broccoli rabe was not at all bitter and cooked al dente (just how I like it).

My fellow diners (co-diners?) ordered the pork chop milanese and the sausage and peppers panini. They both seemed very pleased with these dishes. The only complaints were that the peppers accompanying the pork chop were very spicy (she wasn't into that) and the panini appeared to come with Doritos (strange, we thought). They were open to making substitutions, so if you order a panini, maybe ask for some pasta or vegetables on the side instead.

SKIP THE: Rush. While this restaurant is very good and worth a try, the waitstaff is a little (how do we say this nicely..) old school. They are slow and confused and not likely to remember everything you've said the first time you say it. One middle-aged, not fluent in english, (albeit nice) man waited on all the tables in the place. He forgot our pasta, took several minutes to record our order and seemed to not know where he was a few times. So we suggest if you're headed here for dinner, bring a bottle of wine and relax. If you're in a rush or easily agitated, head somewhere else.

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK: The restaurant is small and seemingly family owned. As such, prices are reasonable, but not dirt cheap. However, it is a BYOB which can often save a lot of the sticker shock. For three of us our bill was just about $70 for the mussels and three entrees (they don't serve dessert). Definitely not a bad deal.

Try Mangia out the next time you're game for a relaxing home-cooked meal.

Ciao!
NJFoodie

The Results Are In!

2011-06-20T13:45:00.000-04:00

Last week we asked: What's your favorite "date night" cuisine?

You said (drum roll please...):

Italian - 54%

French - 3%

Sushi - 42%

Steakhouse - 14%

Looks like most of you venture out for Italian on date night! Check our posts for restaurants in your area to try this coming date nights!

Thanks to those who voted! More polls coming soon.

If you have any interesting poll suggestions leave them in a comment below. We'd love to hear your input!

In food democracy we trust,
NJFoodie

Edward's Steakhouse - Jersey City

2011-06-18T09:37:00.003-04:00

Last Friday night we were able to get out to a great dinner at Edward's Steakhouse in downtown Jersey City. I've been to Edward's a few times in the past - it is cozy and tucked away in a nice brownstone on Grand St. and Marin Blvd. Everything about our meal was absolutely perfect from the time we walked in and had Cajun salted chips and drinks at the bar downstairs to the very last bite of dessert upstairs in the dining room.

Here is the breakdown of what we had.

Appetizers

New England Clam Chowder - $10

The soup was perfect with 3 actual clams in shell submerged in the creamy goodness.

Roasted Beet salad - $12
This salad was comprised of yellow and red beets, goat cheese, and pistachios - truly to die for if you love beets but feel like typical salads don't include enough of them (guilty!)

Blue Point Oysters on the half shell - $20

This was my first time trying oysters and they were tasty and fresh. They were served on an ice cold ice tray with tasty accompanying sauces.

Main Course
MUST TRY: Chilean Sea Bass - $29
The Sea Bass was served with spinach and shitake mushrooms in a parmesan broth that could have held its own as a soup. The Sea Bass was cooked to perfection and melted in your mouth. The broth was great for dunking bread or slurping (politely, of course) up with a spoon!

MUST TRY: Baby Rack of Lamb - $29

When I say tender, I MEAN TENDER! These basically fell of the bone with so much taste. They were also served with mashed potatoes, peas in a demi glace. Cooked perfectly and plenty to go around.

Veal Oscar - $34

Tender Veal, Crab meat, Asparagus sprinkled with just the right amount of Hollandaise sauce. This was my favorite, it was also a special on the menu so you may not be able to snag this one at all times.

Dessert

MUST HAVE: Ice Box Cake - $7

Light and awesome! A little different than your mother's ice box cake (my mom used graham crackers and cool whip), this cake layers homemade whipped cream and thin chocolate wafers.

SKIP: Blueberry Crumb - $10

The Blueberry crumb was the only lackluster part of the meal. Perhaps as a dessert after a not-so-stellar meal, this would have been impressive. However, it felt a little pre-manufactured and was not as hot as it should have been although the whipped cream and ice cream atop the crumb were delicious. And if we're being honest, I pretty much ate the whole thing anyway. However, I probably would not order this one again.

Overall

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK: The food was great and the final bill was definitely reasonable for a more upscale dining experience in Jersey City. The total came out to $212 for four people. Also service was very good, which is a plus when your paying a bit more. This was definitely a relaxing dining experience - the delicious food, attentive staff, and cozy atmosphere make Edwards worth the money and the trip!

I would definitely recommend going to Edward's. I can almost guarantee that all of your plates will end up looking like this. :-)

Click here for the complete Dinner Menu.

Feast Your Eyes - Happy Father's Day

2011-06-17T09:52:00.002-04:00

For fun, we wanted to feature some of dad's cooking. Often times, dads don't get credit for their work in the kitchen, so today, we're recognizing the personal manly touch of dads everywhere, whether it's on the grill, skillet, or picking up take out. Thanks to all the dads out there who get dinner on the table, one way or the other!

This is an exclusive meal made by my dad that was out of this world. Unlike our other features, we can't tell you where to get this (aside from my dining room). However, with some improvisation, you can use the ingredients below to end up at something fairly close (we'd post the exact recipe and instructions, except for the fact that my dad never even remembers what he did by the time the meal is cooked!)

Stuffed Chicken Cutlets

Dad wrapped these thin chicken cutlets around prosciutto, mozzarella cheese, and basil. He then simmered them in a white wine sauce. It always nice to come home to this type of home cooked meal.

Thanks Dad,

NJFoodie

La Sorrentina - North Bergen

2011-06-15T08:36:00.000-04:00

In a nutshell: La Sorrentina is a homey, real deal Italian restaurant with some of the best pizzas in the area.

You Must Try: The Mussels and the La Sorrentina Pizza.

Cozze Marinara - $11.95

The mussels at La Sorrentina are simple and delicious. And you get a ton of them. The appetizer could easily feed 3-4 people (or 2 very hungry people) and the sauce at the bottom is great for dipping their crusty bread, or as I like to do, sipping from a spoon. Tell the waiter to leave it on the table - you're going to want it for the rest of you meal.

I always say it's a good idea to try anything on the menu named after the restaurant. This usually indicates that this is a specialty, the restaurant it proud of it, and thus, you're smart to try it. The Sorrentina Pizza fits the bill. It comes piled with mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, arugula, and proscuitto. It's reasonably priced at $11.95 for a small (large enough to feed 4 people) and $18.95 for a large (big enough to feed a small army). Plus, the waiters here are kind enough to serve you the slices, a task that can be daunting for the inexperienced.

Skip the: Oil. While there isn't one particular menu item we suggest you skip all together, we do suggest that you ask your waiter to be sure the chef goes easy on the oil. Many of the dishes, including the pizza, can be quite oily if you don't ask otherwise. However, when you ask, they do listen, and the oil issue is easily averted.

Bang for your Buck: If a dish of mussels and pizza pie is your idea of a good italian meal (and it is for me), you can easily get out of La Sorrentina for under $30 (dinner for 2). If you're into more of the 4 course deal, the most expensive dish is $20.95; you can likely leave for under $50 or $60.*

*Skip coffee and dessert, there's a cute little gelato place right across the street that you're going to want to try (review coming soon).

A Presto,
NJFoodie

Feast Your Eyes - Happy Flag Day

2011-06-14T13:00:00.002-04:00

In honor of flag day, we're featuring some pretty awesome patriotic desserts.

The top one reminds me of the cake my mom used to make every 4th of July.

Jose Tejas - Fairfield

2011-06-14T10:06:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday we headed out to Fairfield, NJ to Jose Tejas for some Tex Mex birthday fun. Now I know this is a chain restaurant, and I do have mixed feelings about going to chains because some are way over priced and deliver mediocre food experiences but Jose Tejas is different.

Jose Tejas does not disappoint for several reasons:

1. The Price - There are only a few items on the menu that are over $10 (bill was $100 for 6 people including some margaritas and coronas)
2. The Service - Waiters were awesome & we had a friendly 10 minute convo with manager regarding the removal of fish tacos from the menu (we'll get to that later)
3. The Food - The food was great. Period

I am going to try and focus on tasting more genuine Mexican food to see if I can compare some of these chains and see how good they are. (Perhaps a trip to San Diego??)

See below for some pictures of the great food that night. Clockwise from top left: Shrimp and Crawfish Quesadilla, Chips and Salsa, Texas Margarita (with Cointreau), Chicken Tacos, and Chicken Guadalajara (filled with chorizo, peppers, spinach, and cheese).

Must Try: The shrimp and crawfish quesadilla. The combo is amazing. Also, we're willing to bet the new fish tacos will be a must try once they're on the menu.

Two Disappointments:
Like I said, we talked to the manager regarding the restaurants decision to take the Fish Tacos off the menu. Unfortunately their is a growing shortage of Cat Fish, which I am reading up on now. Apparently it is difficult to get quality cuts of catfish at good prices, due to various implications involving cat fish farmers. It's a shame, as their Fish Tacos were awesome.

However, the manager did hint that they me be replacing them with a blackened swordfish taco :-) in a month or two. We can only hope!

One complaint I did have is that although I ordered extra guacamole, which I had to pay extra for, the portion was quite skimpy. I love guac and theirs is pretty good, there just wasn't enough to justify the extra cost (although I guess I shouldn't really complain given the overall cost of the meal).

Bang for Your Buck: You cannot beat Jose Tejas' prices, hands down. You will leave stuffed (and your wallet will too!)

Overall, Jose Tejas in Fairfield is a great value with excellent food, especially for a chain. I would definitely recommend it.

Feast Your Eyes - Savory Cupcakes

2011-06-13T19:21:00.000-04:00

So lately I've been noticing that cupcakes with ingredients you'd never expect to see in cupcakes are all the rage. Everything from bacon to beets is being featured in this new cupcake trend. The cupcakes below are just the tip of the iceberg with respect to how crazy these cupcakes can get.

"Maple Bacon" Cupcake - available at Kumquat Bakery in Brooklyn, NY

"Red Velvet" Cupcake made with beet cake and goat cheese horseradish whipped cream,
topped with red peppercorns - available at Tuck Shop in Phoenix, Arizona

"Chicken and Waffles" Cupcake topped with buttermilk battered fried chicken -
available at Robicelli's in Brooklyn

Looks like Brooklyn has the savory cupcake game locked down. Which one of the above would you try? What other types of savory cupcakes have you seen?

Feast your eyes,
NJFoodie

Cupcakes By Carousel - Ridgewood

2011-06-13T08:15:00.001-04:00

In a Nutshell: I guess it's true that if Oprah talks about it, you know it's good. Some of the best cupcakes around. If you're in the area, be sure to drop in!

A few months ago Groupon offered a deal for a cupcake shop up in Ridgewood. I passed on the deal but the pictures of the cupcakes from the store stuck with me. So this past weekend, after grabbing brunch at Country Pancake House, we headed down the block to Cupcakes by Carousel and picked up a few Saturday afternoon snacks.

192 East Ridgewood Avenue; Ridgewood

This weekend was quite dreary, but the cheery cupcakes inside this adorable shopped helped put a smile on my face. It was difficult to choose just 6 but we managed to buckle down and make some executive decisions.

Clock-wise from top left: Chocolate Raspberry, Chocolate Pretzel (vanilla cake), red velvet, cannoli, dirt worm, and Reese's. The picture does not do these cupcakes justice as they were all impeccably decorated and uniform. The six cupcakes cost $15 and were worth every penny.

Be sure to try: The cannoli cupcake, chocolate raspberry, and red velvet.

The cannoli cake is iced with (surprise!) cannoli cream and rimmed with crushed cannoli shell. Truly a brilliant cupcake idea! We were surprised that other shops hadn't picked up on this idea (I guess it must be a Jersey thing).

The chocolate raspberry cupcake is a must for all you jelly ring lovers out there (you know who you are). If you love the dark chocolate and rich raspberry combo, this cupcake scratches that itch big time.

The red velvet cupcake is standard, however, this particular red velvet had some of the best cream cheese icing I've ever tasted. I'd order their red velvet cake for my next event in a heart beat. Truly decadent.

Cheers,

NJFoodie

The Results Are In!

2011-06-12T21:19:00.001-04:00

Last week we asked: How many times per week do you eat out?

You said (drum roll please...):

0-1 almost always eat home - 9%
2-3 typically only on weekends - 54%
4-7 out almost every night - 36%

Looks like most of you venture out to eat on the weekends. Check our posts for restaurants in your area to try this coming Friday and Saturday!

Thanks to those who voted! More polls coming soon.

If you have any interesting poll suggestions leave them in a comment below. We'd love to hear your input!

In food democracy we trust,
NJFoodie

Today's Deal - Make Wine With Us

2011-06-12T12:02:00.002-04:00

My family has made wine with "Make Wine with Us" in years past. The experience is incredible and the fruits of your labor make excellent favors, BYOB standbys, and gifts for those who you may have forgotten to by gifts for (we always keep some homemade wine around the house for this reason!). Not to mention, having cases of wine around your home bearing labels with your name is impressive to many. Plus, if you've ever had any homemade wine before, you'll know the stuff is strong!

Make Wine With Us - 21 Curie Ave, Wallington

Until tomorrow on Living Social, for $100, you get a dinner for two, evening wine-making experience and a year-long membership (a $210 value). For $100 you'll learn how to select grapes, crush, press, and bottle your own wine.

Trust us, the wine tastes that much sweeter when you know you've put in the work to have it on your table.

Drink Up, Jersey Wine-Os!
NJFoodie

Summer Cocktails - Red and Refreshing

2011-06-12T11:29:00.003-04:00

I don't know about you, but I pretty much trust what Martha Stewart has to say about cocktails that taste good and look pretty. So when I took a look at her list of 24 favorite summer cocktails, I had to share a few of my favorites here. Some of these recipes may seem like more work than they are worth, but I've learned Martha never disappoints. Give one of these a try this summer!

BING CHERRY MOJITO
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed lime juice (about 9 limes)
3 pounds Bing cherries
18 ounces best-quality black cherry or plain vodka
1 bottle sparkling water (750 mL)

Heat sugar and water. Add lime juice and cherries. Cool. Add vodka, top with sparkling water and serve.

SPARKLING SHIRAZ PUNCH

15 mint sprigs
1 ounce whipping-quality pasteurized egg white, lightly beaten
1 cup superfine sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 6 lemons)
2 bottles sparkling Shiraz
3 liters club soda
1 1/2 cups St. Germain Elderflower liqueur

Brush mint leaves with egg whites and let sit to create garnish (Martha and her fancy tricks!). Mix remaining ingredients, add

garnish and serve.

RASPBERRY HERB COCKTAIL

1 1/2 pints fresh raspberries (about 4 cups)
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
6 large sprigs (about 2 ounces) fresh mint, basil, or both, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup vodka
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
1 bottle (750 mL) Prosecco or Lambrusco

Mash berries, sugar, and herbs. Add juice, vodka, and champagne. Garnish with raspberries. Serve.

Drink Up,
NJFoodie

Desserts and Out-of-Area Eats

2011-06-11T15:12:00.000-04:00

Introducing... some new categories! We realized we had no place to organize amazing desserts and restaurants we may want to tell you about outside New Jersey. The buttons below (which will appear to the right permanently) will help organize desserts and out of area eats.

This button will take you to all dessert reviews

This button will take you to out-of-area reviews

We've had a busy weekend eating out - expect reviews soon!