Tasteful Living

A perfectly delicious Mother’s Day brunch is perfect on any day

 

Tyler's delicious brunch

Mother’s Day this year was one of the best ever. First a beautiful anthurium plant arrived with flowers in a rich watermelon color. Then my son revealed his surprise ~ a special brunch that he created and planned to prepare: Eggs Benedict on grilled steak marinated in Chimichurri sauce, Red Bliss Potato and Vegetable Hash, and Buttermilk Apple Parmesan Muffins from The Pinehurst Inn in Bayfield, WI (a tribute to this mom’s home state) and Grilled Plums in a balsamic vinaigrette with lemon sorbet.

 

Brunch preparations began early Sunday morning. Additional gifts from his sister and her beau included a gorgeous silver and gemstone necklace from their travels to Tucson, lavish Tokyo Milk Lotion and luxurious Atelier Cologne soap, as well as a light fruity Rosé and equally light, but not too sweet, Sauvignon Blanc. One glitch to the chef’s culinary contribution ~ the grill was out of gas. Scratch the plum dessert ~ except for the sorbet and broil the steak. Coordinating the timing was now a challenge and had his grill man in limbo. The end result, however, was a smashing success to be savored all day and complemented by the fine wines brought by his sister.

The Buttermilk Apple Parmesan Muffins were superb. Here is the recipe for these savory muffins from the far reaches of a very northwestern part of Wisconsin.

Buttermilk Apple-Parmesan Muffins

Pinehurst Inn's Buttermilk Apple Parmesan Muffins

 

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup corn oil

1 egg

1 small apple (preferably Dudley apples from one of Bayfield‘s orchards)*

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter or spray muffin tins
In a medium bowl, stir and toss together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set Aside. In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, oil and egg until smooth.
Note: these will bake far more evenly if you have ALL ingredients at room temperature before putting in the oven. Add the combined dry ingredients, along with the finely chopped apple and the parmesan cheese. Stir until just blended.
Spoon into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick or knife comes out clean – about 20 minutes. Cool before removing from tins.
Makes 12 standard muffins

*I believe that Dudley apples are local only to this part of Wisconsin, so Granny Smith  apples were substituted.

 

Dust at The Pinehurst Inn, Bayfield, WI

Thanks to The Pinehurst Inn for sharing delicious recipes on its website.  This recipe certainly piques my interest in staying at this inn located in an area of Wisconsin that I have never visited.

 

For up-to-the-date food news, recipes and an inside look at great restaurants and events, please enter your e-mail address above to receive e-mail alerts and be sure to visit Shore Region Restaurant Examiner and Shore Region Food Examiner.

 

Love the Great Gatsby era is to love VNA's designer showhouse, Hartshorne Mansion

  On Tuesday, April 30, the VNA’s Stately Homes-By-The-Sea, Hartshorne Mansion, opened to the public. The mansion is open for tours Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through June 9. Hartshorne Mansion is an historical landmark overlooking the Shrewsbury River in Little Silver. The majestic English Tudor home was designed by noted architect Roger Harrington Bullard and built in 1929 for Olympic champion figure skater Harold Hartshorne.

More than 50 interior designers and landscape artists from the tri-state area and across the country have envisioned their inspirations by creating magical spaces in the mansion’s 29 rooms, 14 gardens, patios and pool house. Consistent throughout the mansion are: elements of texture, vivid color counterpointed with mellow monochromatic tones, as well as polished chrome accents from traditional and period to sleek and modern. Many of the mansion's architectural features were left intact as the living room wooden beams imported from Germany’s Black Forest, the wooden panels, the coffered and sculpted ceilings and the 217 leaded glass windows with stained glass inserts of allegorical and historical scenes and medallions of Swiss cantons.

While there are too many fabulous interiors to mention all, some highlights include:
Canterbury Design’s ultra-modern kitchen bathed in white with polished chrome accessories and accents throughout, a sitting area by the gas-burning fireplace, a dining area with banquette, ultra-modern stainless steel appliances and Mediterranean tiles with a sun-bathed conservatory filled with lush plantings.

A teaser peek into the contemporary kitchen

Accolades go to the talented design students fromBrookdale Community College who created a “Winter’s Tale” for the Design Sales Office. Setting the scene is the wall art of skate marks on ice taken from a blown-up photograph, while the pop of orange color in the chevron-patterned wallpaper adds movement and interest against a monochromatic scheme of winter white.

Kristina Bade’s Seaside Dreams bedroom is sheer heaven for a young fashion professional’s weekend retreat to the family home. The bedroom debuts silk wallpaper panels that are hand-painted and hand-stitched with silk threads. The intricate pattern is called “Coraille” as in the finite delicacy of coral. Bade’s use of aquamarine accents, washed silks, natural and elegant elements, such as alpaca wool-covered pillows, bedside tables in lacquered grass cloth and the console table covered in Shagreen (stingray skin), was inspired by the room’s view of the water.

 

24 Ocean Blue Bedroom

Designers from Creative Wallcoverings & Interiors collaborated with a 24 year old designer who “has a love for anything blue” to design the 24 Ocean Blue bedroom in tones of aqua and cobalt blue ~ another room inspired by views of the water. The addition of wood panel details to the ceiling brought unexpected architectural elements to a room with simple lines. The high gloss of Benjamin Moore’s Blueberry Hill paint highlights the center adding another layer of pattern and color, which tie all the elements together in a unique way. Accents and accessories lend an aura of “Moroccan meets glam” to this luxurious bedroom.

 

Mediterranean influences continue to inspire for Mannarino Designs in the Media Room’s La Dolce Vita theme. The modernist twist intermingled with Italy of yesteryear is a true reflection on Viva Italia past The transcendence of time is reflected in all the furnishings, vignettes and accessories from the vintage photographs of old Italy to the contemporary espresso bar with ultra-modern chrome fixtures.

Barbara Ostrom’s The Westminster Retreat, office/sitting room for an award-winning dog breeder, is canine heaven with doggie treats in every jar, a feeding station and tributes to many breeds in portraits hung from the vaulted ceiling. Almost every accessory has a canine theme from a side table held by a sitting dog to a lamp with a brass dachshund base, all accentuated by a tartan wallpaper in vivid yellow and black.

Kidegories’ Eileen Buriani transformed a third floor trunk closet into a child’s Camelot, “Under the Big Top.” With only a four-foot high doorway and a lot of imagination, the designer painted the vaulted walls like a circus tent with animals and filled the room with vintage Fisher Price toys reminiscent of the youth of a child’s parent, making an idyllic playroom hideaway.

In a salute to the VNA Health Group’s century old mission, JMP Designs and Chetkin Galleryhave created a gallery showcasing historical photographs illustrating VNA’s extraordinary journey in public health and contribution to New Jersey over the years.

Hartshorne Mansion is a definite “must see,” a tour that would be an ideal gift for Mother’s Day.Plan to take your time touring the home as there is an extraordinary attention to detail in every room. Proceeds from Stately Homes-by-the-Sea Show House events will be used to benefit VNA Health Group programs and services. General admission is $35; $25 for Seniors. Children under 12 are not permitted. There are no refunds or rain dates for any event. For additional information and parking details, visit Stately Homes-by-the-Sea.

For the latest food and restaurant news and seasonal recipes, visit me at Shore Region Food and Drink Examiner and Shore Region Restaurant Examiner . For interior design news, visit Shore Region Interior Design Examiner.

 

Silkflowers.com is blooming with spring & summer blossoms to brighten your home

 

Peonies Deluxe

Spring blossoms bring summer flowers and Silkflowers.com is bringing its stylish Spring and Summer 2013 collections to you for beautifying your home.

 

"Our amazingly lifelike designs make it so easy to add cheerful, chic springtime color to your home," Tim Hennessy, co-founder of Silkflowers.com, said. "Leave your daffodils and tulips outside this year and turn to the carefree beauty of silk botanicals for interior décor. Our silk florals make the ideal Mother’s Day gift. Mom does so much for us already; give her a break this year and surprise her with a lasting reminder of your love.“

Some highlights of Silkflowers.com’s Spring 2013 collection include: a striking bouquet of Calla lilies in a shapely glass vase; a unique white amaryllis bouquet in a modern glass cylinder vase and a classic tulip nosegay.

This summer, leave your garden looking beautiful and flourishing with colorful blossoms. As summer’s a time to relax and unwind, the carefree beauty of Silkflowers.com designs is the perfect choice for styling a room with ease. Silkflowers.com’s Summer 2013 collection offers single stems of popular summer blooms like hydrangea and peonies and arrangements of tropical flowers like Bird of Paradise and Orchids.

Bird of Paradise & Calla Lily

 

Silkflowers.com is the nation’s largest supplier of designer-quality silk botanicals, including floral arrangements, decorative stems, plants and trees. The company proudly offers the widest selection and inventory of beautifully designed silk creations at affordable prices. Gifts purchased from Silkflowers.com are shipped directly to a special someone’s doorstep. And like all Silkflowers.com products, they’re expertly packaged to arrive in perfect shape for easy display right out of the box. Visit Silkflowers.com to view the entire Spring and Summer 2013 collections. Silkflowers.com is also on Facebook and Twitter and has a blog, Silkflowers.comblog.

Enjoy this article? For more news and tips on interior design trends in 2013, visit Shore Region Interior Design Examiner.

For the latest food and restaurant news and seasonal recipes, visit me at Shore Region Food and Drink Examiner, Shore Region Restaurant Examiner.

 

 

April is National Grilled Cheese Month

 

Prosciutto and Finlandia Swiss Cheese with Olive Tapenade created by Chef Ariane Duarte

 

Did you know that April is National Grilled Cheese Month, a celebration of how grilled cheese sandwiches have been reinvented to become gourmet comfort foods? No longer are they just a few slabs of American cheese tossed between two slices of buttered white bread and thrown on the griddle!

There is still lots of time this month to enjoy numerous creations of delicious grilled cheese recipes posted on food websites, as well as sites like Finlandia® and Land O’ Lakes. TryProsciutto & Finlandia Swiss Grilled Cheese, an artisanal grilled cheese recipe that’s a twist on tradition, by Chef Ariane Duarte of Bravo’s Top Chef and owner/executive chef of the award-winning CulinAriane restaurant in Montclair. Duarte refers to herself as “a masterful chef whose creations are intoxicating works of art that excite the palate.”

“I love a great grilled cheese sandwich and I hope you’ll enjoy this “grown-up” version I’ve created using Finlandia® Swiss cheese,” says Duarte. “In the recipe the cheese takes center stage and, to achieve its superior taste, creamy texture and excellent melting quality, I insist on using Finlandia® Swiss, it’s the secret to creating the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. My signature take on this classic, I add thinly sliced prosciutto with home-made olive tapenade!”

Prosciutto and Finlandia Grilled Swiss Cheese with Olive Tapenade
Created by Chef Ariane Duarte
Serves 4
Ingredients:

• ¼ lb. imported prosciutto
• 1 package Finlandia Swiss sliced cheese
• 8 slices sliced country white bread
• 4Tbsp. butter

Olive Tapenade

• 1cup olives (your choice) – pits removed
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1tsp. red pepper flake
• 1Tbsp. olive oil
• 1Tbsp. chopped parsley

Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse about 6 times.

Directions:

1. Spread tapenade on all 8 slices of bread.
2. Then add a slice of cheese and a slice of prosciutto to only 4 slices and top with each of the remaining 4 slices.
3. Melt butter on a griddle and toast “sandwiches” golden brown and until cheese melts.

Or try this unique twist from Land O’ Lakes:
Swiss Fondue Sandwich
Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons Land O Lakes® Butter, softened
• 2 cups sliced onions
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 8 (1-ounce) slices Land O Lakes® Deli Swiss or Swiss & American Cheese*
• 8 slices marbled rye or hearty grain bread

Directions:

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 10-inch skillet until sizzling; add onions and garlic salt.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are browned (5 to 7 minutes). Stir in lemon juice and nutmeg.
3. Layer 1 slice bread with 1 slice cheese, about 3 tablespoons onions, 1 slice cheese and 1 slice bread. Spread remaining butter on both sides of sandwiches.
4. Cook in same skillet over medium heat, turning once, until golden brown (4 to 6 minutes).

*Substitute Land O Lakes® Deli American Cheese

*During the months of April and May Land O’ Lakes is fighting hunger in partnership with Feeding America. Whenever you pin or re-pin one of its recipes, Land O’ Lakes will donate eight meals to Feeding America... Learn more at www.landolakes.com.

For up-to-the-date food news, recipes and an inside look at great restaurants and events, please enter your e-mail address above to receive e-mail alerts and be sure to visit Shore Region Restaurant Examiner and Shore Region Food Examiner.

 

Love oysters? Love Dave Matthews Band

 

Oysters on the half shell

 

This week it was announced that Dave Matthews Band, the very popular improvisational rock band, has given a grant of more than $16,000 to the NY/NJ Baykeepers group to help save thousands of baby oysters growing in a New Jersey bay. Researchers have gathered enough data to be able to say that an oyster-restoration program wrecked by Hurricane Sandy will work and this grant, which has been given throughDave Matthews Band’s Bama Works Fund, will help reestablish the research on a Navy pier.

The NY/NJ Baykeeper group will use the grant to rebuild and relocate an aquaculture building destroyed by the storm. According to Meredith Comi, director of Baykeeper's pilot project at the Earle Naval Weapons Station,many nets holding the oysters were ripped from the pier during the storm. The rebuilding would involve establishing oyster colonies in other parts of the Raritan Bay.

In 2010, New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection ordered Baykeeper to destroy a thriving research colony in Keyport because of fears that poachers could steal oysters from the polluted waters and sell them, possibly introducing contamination into the marketplace and damaging New Jersey's $790 million shellfish industry. As a result the group turned to the Navy, which allowed it to place the oysters at its station in Middletown, where a rigorously enforced security perimeter prevents any possibility of poaching.

Oysters are vital to the ecological integrity of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary, which is why Baykeeper has been working to restore oyster beds in NY and NJ waters since 1999. Baykeeper utilizes a two-prong strategy to achieve oyster restoration. This includes utilizing oyster gardening to provide a reproductive stock to the reef and jump-start the reef structure using remote setting where oysters are already attached to a substrate or rebar structure. This work has resulted in the restoration of hundreds-of-thousands of oysters to the Estuary's ecosystem – allowing this keystone species to begin playing its natural role in cleansing our waterways.

The remote setting is done at Baykeeper’s Aquaculture Facility in Highlands, New Jersey. It is when the hatchery-raised oyster larvae attach, set, and grow on shell substrate. Microscopic oyster larvae are released into 450 gallon tanks of saltwater that also contain volunteer-made mesh bags full of clam shells. The larvae attach themselves to the shell and grow in this protected environment. Once the oysters have “set” on the shell, and grown for about two months, they are ready for release onto newly established oyster beds, or reefs, around the region. The Aquaculture Facility was built in partnership with Bahrs Landing Restaurant,Brookdale Community College Sandy Hook Field Station, and the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Restoration Center.

Oyster restoration is recognized as a very important coastal restoration technique. Oysters are the only bivalves that build a reef. Natural oyster reefs are built by larval oysters attaching to adult live or dead oysters and creating a vertical structure into the water column. This function is important for several reasons: A reef structure provides habitat for many other marine organisms. All over the reef there are lots of little nooks and crannies where small fish, crabs, snails, shrimp, anemones, other bivalves and organisms can nest and live. This increases the species richness and biodiversity of the region. If large enough, oyster reefs can help protect the shoreline as well. In New Jersey, the most popular oysters are Bluepoints and Cape May Salts.

*Note: This information about oysters, their restoration and further information about how to help is found at NY/NJBaykeepers.org.

Enjoy this article? For up-to-the-date food news, recipes and an inside look at great restaurants and events, please enter your e-mail address above to receive e-mail alerts and be sure to visit me visit Shore Region Restaurant Examiner and Shore Region Food Examiner.

 

Delectable Easter goodies for planning an Easter egg hunt or Easter dinner

For the little Easter egg hunters, the prize might be one of many delicious holiday treats. And, for the families planning Easter meals together, there are wondrous ideas for table settings and servings. Although there are few signs of spring blooming in this cold, here’s is a peek into of all the Easter goodies blooming around the Jersey Shore.

At Sugarush a Sweet Experience, Easter cupcakes and push-ups are fun and finger-licking good. Cupcakes specials are $2.50 each and push-ups are $3 each.

A little cottontail cupcake from Sugarush

 

The Red Bank Chocolate Shoppe has an army of sweet chocolate treats and baskets of bunny-loving bites.

Hoppy Easter Basket from Sickles Market

For the busy mom or dad, Sickles Market has prepared special Easter baskets for your little ones. The Hoppy Easter basket ($45) is a traditional collection of all Easter candies. Easter Sweets and Treats ($65) is a holiday classic filled with Peeps, milk and dark chocolate eggs, cookies, caramels and jelly beans ~ what would Easter be without jelly beans? And, although spring isn’t in the air yet, Sickles’ Spring in the Air ($110) is heartwarming in a deluxe basket overflowing with delicious gourmet goodies ~ no need to hunt further.

If you are planning to entertain family and friends for the holiday, Carter & Cavero Old World Olive Oil Company has all the accoutrement to make your meal flavorful with savory condiments like Tuscan Herb Olive Oil, White Balsamic and Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegars (each $10.95 and $21.95), Almond Cantuccini ($6.95) and Organic Mil and Dark Chocolates from Spain ($3.95).

Have a Happy Easter and joyful holiday!

 

Enjoy this article? For up-to-the-date food news, recipes and an inside look at great restaurants and events, please visit me at Shore Region Restaurant Examiner and Shore Region Food Examiner. 

Top egg trends for 2013 and a super deli quesadilla

Who doesn’t love eggs – scrambled for breakfast, a fried egg sandwich for lunch and deviled eggs for hors d’oeuvres? It’s incredibly versatile and packed with protein. The American Egg Board and Egg Nutrition Center teamed with market researchers to compile egg trends for 2013 with some amazing concepts for the egg’s future this year. Here are the results:
Powerhouse eggs - Energize the start of your day with a protein-packed egg for breakfast.
Eggs on the go - Eggs are on more restaurant breakfast menus.
Fried eggs – Expect more restaurant chains to add fried egg creations to their breakfast menus.
Eggs on the road – As new food trucks focus on breakfast in a growing competitive lunch market, they will be offering more egg dishes on their menus.
Eggs go global – In an increasingly popular farm-to-table movement, chefs and home cooks will continue to create egg dishes combined with fresh vegetables, ethnic flavors and spices.
Egg functionality - Egg products offer 20-plus functions ranging from nutritional to sensory and shelf life.
Eggs illuminate labeling - Front-of-pack labeling gives manufacturers the opportunity to promote their message with the positive impact of listing egg ingredients to indicate nutritional values such as higher protein content.

The nutritional information of one large egg is: 72 calories; an egg yolk contains vitamins A, D, E, B-6 and12, zinc, calcium and iron. An egg white contains more sodium, magnesium and potassium; slightly more protein; less carbohydrates, and no cholesterol or fats (that are all in the yolk).

Are your eggs safe to eat after being in the refrigerator past the expiration date? According to Help with Cooking, here’s how to test for freshness. A very fresh egg will immediately sink to the bottom and lie flat on its side. This is because the air cell within the egg is very small. The egg should also feel quite heavy.

As the egg starts to lose its freshness and more air enters the egg, it will begin to float and stand upright. The smaller end will lie on the bottom of the bowl, while the broader end will point towards the surface. The egg will still be good enough to consume, however, if the egg fully floats in the water and does not touch the bottom of the bowl at all, it should be discarded, as it will most likely be bad.

American Egg Board Egg Recipe of the Month
Deli Quesadillas – 12 servings

Ingredients:

• 4- 12” sundried tomato flavored flour tortillas
• 1 cup whipped cream cheese
• 12 large eggs, beaten
• 1 red onion sliced
• 1 large tomato sliced
• 2 Tbsp. capers
• 8 oz. smoked salmon slices

Directions:

1. For each serving, spread ¼ cup cream cheese on each tortilla
2. Cook and scramble eggs in non-stick pan over medium heat until eggs are firm throughout with no visible liquid egg remaining. Keep warm.
3. Spray-coat (or brush with oil) a large (12-inch) pan and heat over medium heat. Add tortilla, cream cheese side up.
4. Spread 1/4 of the scrambled eggs on the empty half of the tortilla.
5. Sprinkle 1/4 of the sliced onions, tomatoes and capers over the eggs.
6. Lay 2 oz. of the salmon lox over the cream cheese. Fold tortilla in half. Heat through. Remove from heat; cut in 3 triangles to serve. Repeat procedure for remaining tortillas. Serve immediately.

* Note: Do not let uncooked egg mixture remain at room temperature for longer than one hour (including preparation and service time).
Recipe courtesy of the American Egg Board (Here you will find loads of terrific egg recipes for any occasion.)

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Deliciously creative gift ideas for your special Valentine

 

Passionate for Chocolates from Sickles Market

Love is in the air! And, you may prefer to cozy up with your special someone and give a memorable gift straight from your heart rather than dine out on one of the busiest restaurant nights of the year. Many small shops and boutiques are offering creative and innovative gift ideas as well as mouthwatering specialty foods to celebrateValentine's Day. Some at the top of the list on the Jersey Shore are listed here.

 

And, for the culinarian lover in your life, from February 8-14, Carter & Cavero is offering special discounts on “Food from the Heart.”Items include: Champagne or Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar, Meyer Lemon Olive Oil (priced at $10.95 per 200 ml bottle and $18.95 per 500 ml bottle), Ratatouille by Oasis Olives ($6.50) and Peruvian Pink Salt ($5.95). Carter & Cavero Old World Olive Oil Company, 19 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, 732-492-1226.

Sugarush a Sweet Experience raises the bar for your Valentine’s sweetie with its 24-carat gold cake pops ($4 each and must be ordered in advance as supply is limited), champagne cupcakes, chocolate-covered strawberry cupcakes, red velvet whoopee pies and a host of chocolate goodies and custom cupcakes. Sugarush, 37 East Front Street, Red Bank, 732-414-9044.

Valentine Sweets from Sugarush A Sweet Experience

A Valentine Day must, The Red Bank Chocolate Shoppe will offer special discounts on its gourmet homemade chocolates from February 1 through February 14. Say you care with a divine indulgence whether it be a chocolate rose, heart-shaped box or chocolate-covered strawberries. It doesn't get more romantic than a Traditional Red Heart with a Big Bow - one and half pounds assortment of “Homemade Chocolate Goodness" that includes milk and dark chocolates, nuts, chews, caramels and more for $42. Valentine Truffles is 8 oz. of luxurious assorted truffles in a special red fabric swirl-patterned heart gift box for $17.95. One Pound assortment of“Homemade Chocolate Goodness” in a Valentine’s Day Fabric Swirl Heart box includes milk and dark chocolates, nuts, chews, caramels and more. Perfect for $28.95. Red Bank Chocolate Shoppe, 17 White Street, Red Bank, 732-219-0822.

Cherry Grove Farm’s affairs of the heart feature the perfect match of cheese and chocolate. Its heart-shaped Coeur de Fromage is actually a traditional shape of Neufchâtel- style cheese. During the 6th century, the young women of Neufchâtel-en-Bray offered this cheese to their gallant knights during the Hundred Years War as a token of their affection. Keep the tradition alive by offering Coeur de Fromage to your sweetheart. This beautiful cheese stands alone as a romantic gesture for any cheese lover. However, Cherry Grove is also offering a Spread the Love gift set (available in-store only) pairing the cheese with the delectable Tuscan-style chocolates by local chocolatier, Diane Pinder of Donna & Company. The Farm Store is open weekdays 11-6 (closed on Wed.) and weekends, 10-5 p.m. Cherry Grove Farm, 3200 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville, 609-219-0053.

Sickles Market features Valentine Cheese Plates that embrace a love of specialty foods and will tantalize your special someone. Love Bites - Cheese Plate Includes: CacioƩa Nostrana (Italian Style Brie), Vieux Cru des Crémiers (French Mountain Cheese), Marcona Almonds, Fig Salame, Red and Green Seedless Grapes and RusƟc Bakery Hazelnut Crackers. $50
Say You’ll Be My Valentine - Cheese Plate Includes: Brebirousse D'Argental (A French sheep’s milk cheese from the Auvergne region), Chocolove Dark Chocolate with Cherries & Almonds, Red Seedless Grapes and Waterwheel Crackers. $25
Pre-order cheese plates by Feb. 13 at 732-741-9563. Sickles Market, 1 Harrison Avenue, Little Silver, 732-741-9563.

Put a little magic into your sweetheart’s Valentine. Pre-order your custom cupcakes from the Cupcake Magician and take advantage of the bakery’s special Valentine’s Day curbside delivery service. Cupcake Magician, 54 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, 732-530-5700.

Enjoy this article? For up-to-the-date food news, recipes and an inside look at great restaurants and events, please visit me at Shore Region Restaurant Examiner and Shore Region Food Examiner. 

Celebrate National Pie Day with the ultimate all American apple pie

Tomorrow, January 23, is National Pie Day and two days after our Presidential inauguration. What could be more timely and patriotic than an All American Apple Pie to celebrate this significant food holiday?

All-American Apple Pie
Prep time: 30 minutes; cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
Double Crust Classic Crisco Pie Crust

• 6 medium Granny Smith apples
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Decorative Crust

• Single Crust Classic Crisco Pie Crust
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

1. PREPARE recipe for double crust pie. Roll out dough for bottom crust. Place in 9-inch pie plate. Press to fit without stretching dough. Trim even with pie plate. Do not bake.
2. HEAT oven to 400ºF.
3. PEEL, core and slice apples. Toss with sugar, flour and cinnamon. Pour into unbaked pie crust; dot with butter. Cover with top crust; seal and flute edge. Brush with egg white. Cut slits for steam to escape.
4. ROLL additional crust to 1/8-inch thickness. With small 1/2-inch star cookie cutter, cut 20 to 25 stars. Place 1 star on rim of top crust; brush with egg white. Repeat until rim is covered.
5. COMBINE cinnamon and sugar; sprinkle over crust. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until pie is golden brown and apples are tender.
Recipe courtesy of Crisco.

From Crisco here are some trivial tidbits on pie history and how integral pie is to our American culture:

• Before pie was America’s favorite dessert, fruit pies were commonly eaten as part of breakfast in the 19th century
• The term, “as American as apple pie” traces back to 14th century England. The Pilgrims brought their pie-making skills, along with the apple seeds to America. As the popularity of apple pie spread throughout the nation, the phrase grew to symbolize American prosperity.
• The term “upper crust” refers to early America when the economy was difficult and supplies were hard to come by. Only affluent households could afford ingredients for both the upper and lower crusts of a pie; thus, the term “upper crust” was born.

Be sure to visit the Crisco Pie Hotline where Crisco is serving up expert pie making advice, recipes and troubleshooting techniques to ensure homemade pie perfection. Pie experts can be reached live Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET by calling 1-877-FOR PIE TIPS (877-367-7438) to answer some of the most common pie-baking questions.

Aspiring pie pros and kitchen connoisseurs can also visit Pie Central at Crisco.com for recipes, visual demonstrations and helpful hints. For more delicious pie, tart and cobbler recipes, visit Crisco.com/recipes.

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Booskerdoo Coffee survives Hurricane Sandy and contributes to relief effort

Booskerdoo Holiday Blend brings Christmas home to the hearth

Booskerdoo Coffee, a Jersey Shore-based micro-roaster and coffee cafe in Monmouth Beach was a rare survivor of Hurricane Sandy. The company only suffered loss of power and some water damage. Backed up by a generator, the cafe was able to reopen the Saturday following the hurricane.

 

In an effort to help restore the town, Booskerdoois donating 10 percent of all its proceeds from orders sold online of Jersey Diner coffee to the local volunteer fire department, Monmouth Beach Fire Company. Jersey Diner is one ofBooskerdoo’s most popular blends and was created to emulate the classic coffee served at traditional New Jersey diners. The offer is in effect from now until December 31, 2012.

“We were very lucky,” says Booskerdoo’s owner James Caverly. “Because most of Monmouth Beach’s businesses are still not operational (word is that they would not be fully operational until February or March, 2013) and so many customers have been displaced, our foot traffic is significantly down. However, sales are still good as our customers who can't get here are ordering online.”

Booskerdoo, which opened in April 2011, offers more than 10 different flavors of coffee from around the world, most of which are organic and fair-trade. Caverly is a self-taught roaster who researched his trade by meeting with many coffee professionals to learn their artistry. He perfected his palate by attending tastings of Royal Coffee New York, a group of professional tasters with well-trained palates. He followed its guidance in purchasing the best coffees from its distributors, obtaining beans from faraway places like Rwanda, Indonesia and South American countries.

Bookskerdoo Coffee Cafe, located at 36 Beach Road, Monmouth Beach (732-222-0729) is open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. and, in addition to its flavorful, fresh coffees, serves muffins, scones, tea and “the best ever” hot chocolate.

Enjoy this article? For up-to-the-date food news, recipes and an inside look at great restaurants and events, please visit me at Shore Region Restaurant Examiner and Shore Region Food Examiner.

 

Survival tips for preserving your food and your safety post Hurricane Sandy

 

LED candles provide safe lighting in power outages

For many of us we thought we were prepared for Hurricane Sandy, but did we really expect it to be the worst hurricane of the century or perhaps for all time? Never! It’s been nine days now without power, heat, internet and phone service and limited cell service. Isolation, yes leads to desolation, but also can led to ingenious creativity ~ like what am I going to do with all the food in the fridge so as not to lose it all.

 

This is where the creative culinary juices kicked in ~ and in the middle of my isolation from communicating with anyone live, onFacebook or Twitter, shut off from updated newscasts and with only limited communications via e-mail.

Before the next storm hits, make sure you have: a cooler for ice, plenty of ice, D batteries for a radio and heavy duty flashlights, several LED candles that are on a timer with AA batteries, a car charger for your cell phone, as well as one for your PC and plastic freezer bags. Remember to have adequate medical supplies and prescriptions refilled. And, if you have pets, stock up on their food supplies and toys.

Here are some helpful tips that can be used during a lengthy lack of power and heat. First thing to do is inventory: what you have in your refrigerator and freezer that can be salvaged and is non-perishable, what has to be thrown out and what can be adapted for a dish that might having some staying power, at least for a few days. Make a list of what you are throwing out so you remember what you need to replace.

Foods like herbs, lemons, bread, English muffins, condiments, grains, cornmeal, etc. may keep for the duration. If you keep your refrigerator closed, eggs, butter, milk, fresh vegetables may last for a few days ~ but, don’t always trust your palate ~ trust your nose. Put bags of ice in pots and put on each refrigerator shelf to keep colder for a longer period.

If you have several packages of frozen veggies in the freezer, make a stock or use a broth, if you have in your fridge or have bouillon cubes. Throw all the veggies into the stock that you have simmered with some herbs, sliced onion, carrots, salt and pepper ~ whatever you have on hand to make a flavorful stock. Throw in any fresh veggies you have before the frozen as they will take a little longer to cook. If you have leftover chicken, sausage, beef, etc., cube what you have and throw that into the pot also. Let the pot simmer until all the flavors meld into a savory soup.

To make coffee: use the old fashion method. Boil water; take your coffee maker filter holder, put it on top of the coffee pot with a filter and make your coffee the original way. For the little ones, make instant hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows to keep them happy and in their comfort zone.

Now, hopefully, you will have a cooler filled with ice – put your soup in plastic containers, cover tightly and store in the cooler. The soup will be very handy when in desperation planning for meals and will be very tasty and soothing as well.

Next, if you have gas burners on your range and it is getting frigid in the house, get out your stock pots; fill them with water and let them boil away on your range top. The steam will create humidity, but it will also raise the temperature several degrees.

And, remember to buy only foods that you can use up in one day or that are non-perishable. When life resumes normalcy, don’t be negligent about restocking all the items you have used. This way you will be prepared for the next fierce storm.

Enjoy this article? For up-to-the-date food news, recipes and an inside look at great restaurants and events, please enter your e-mail address above to receive e-mail alerts and be sure to visit me at Shore Region Food Examiner and Shore Region Restaurant Examiner.