Three Flights Of Dirt At The @OrangeSquirrel Bloomfield NJ

mousse and crumbs, layers in flights; here's chocolate mousse, white chocolate mousse, and chocolate rapsberry mousse flights change monthly, something new will be coming your way soon

visit The Orange Squirrel to discover more

Here Comes The Rain Again

Mural on Freeway Underpass in Clifton NJ

The Classics Remixed ~ At Kings Cooking Studio in Short Hills NJ 8 February

We all grew up with them – those classic dishes that seem to grace every table in the land and remind us of all comforts of home, but sometimes we want something just a little bit different. In this course we’re going to break the rules, just a little bit, toss tradition to the wind but still remain classic.

Flavors and techniques from foreign and domestic regions accent classic dishes while allowing their traditional heritage to shine through. You’ll learn how to make the North African staple, preserved lemons,  and use them to brighten American dishes;  risotto isn’t just a savory side dish; and macaroni and cheese can grow up while still satisfying the child in all of us.  Who says baseball is all about hot dogs and apple pie? You’ll learn easy pulled pork that will score a home run  every time and might start a summer tailgate revolution.  Everyone loves bread pudding, this class will also include a savory bread pudding that is perfect for weeknight meals. You’ll also learn some simple changes to make ordinary side sides extraordinary.

You’ll also be encouraged to ask questions and share ideas. Recipes for the dishes in class, as well as some extra remixed classics will be shared.

On the menu: Preserved lemons, chocolate risotto, grown up Mac and Cheese, pulled pork, a savory bread pudding, truffle mashed potatoes, a vegetable chili even carnivores will love; plus some additional seasonal sides.

 

This 3 hour class starts at 6:30 pm on February 8th. 

Sign up at the Kings Cooking Studio  website for The Classics Remixed

Citizens Petition Whole Foods To Open A New Location in Bloomfield NJ

Bloomfield NJ is a suburban community with a storied past. With homes and commercial buildings dating back to the 18th Century, the township has seen its share of highlights and opportunities for a do-over.

 Located along New Jersey Transit's rail line into New York City, Bloomfield is at the beginning of a revival. Several redundant buildings located near the train station were recently bulldozed to make way for new commercial development. Bloomfield has even become a new force in the suburban food scene with Anthony's Cheesecake and the Orange Squirrel proving that one need not travel to Manhattan for a top drawer culinary experience.

As a part of the Bloomfield Renaissance, a group of citizens has launched a Change.org  petition to bring Austin Texas based Whole Foods to the new development.

The petition reads :

"The completion of a crucial redevelopment project in the area adjacent to the Bloomfield Train Station situated on Lackawanna Place (servicing NJ Transit's Midtown Direct service to Penn Station, NYC), in addition to numerous mixed-used developments surrounding the prestigious Broad St. and Bloomfield Ave. intersection, will inject new, vibrant energy as well as thousands of discerning customers in need of Whole Foods' unique brand of high quality natural foods into Bloomfield Center.

A complete overhaul of the commercial district is currently taking place, with exciting new projects underway such as a state of the art LEED-certified residence hall by Bloomfield College (featuring a Barnes & Noble and Starbucks), in addition to the restoration of the Bloomfield Train Station (on the New Jersey Historic Register), and an influx of alluring new high quality establishments, such as Garden State Yoga, Anthony's Cheesecake, JukGaJee New Thai Jersey Cuisine and Senorita's Mexican Grill, set the stage as complementary attractions for customers typically wanting a Whole Foods Market experience.

Furthermore, a dense population of customers who prefer to shop at Whole Foods Market, and none other, exist in the surrounding residential areas of Bloomfield's Watsessing Heights, Montclair's South End, Nutley, Clifton, Belleville and the entirety of Glen Ridge. While these customers may periodically visit existing Whole Foods establishments many miles away, a new, much more convenient location in Bloomfield Center would firmly cement Whole Foods Market as their exclusive grocer of choice, with many intending to make it a mainstay of their daily activities.
As informed, active and unserved potential customers, the signers of this petition request that Whole Foods Market establish a location in Bloomfield, New Jersey's Bloomfield Center."

To sign the Change.org  petition click here : Bring Whole Foods To The New Bloomfield Center

John Lee Becomes A Global Phenomenon! A Drink Is Named After Me In South Africa !

There it is -

 all the way at the bottom -

 under "Quenchers"-

 on the left side -

 slightly above the Coca Cola logo :

JOHN LEE SPECIAL

A John Lee Special is a Coca Cola drink with a splash of fresh lemon juice served mainly in Spur Restaurants in South Africa.

Millions of saffies know my name!

Pretty cool having a drink named after me don't ya think?

Starbucks Secret Menu Revealed

a lesson from Martin

Estelle Think's She's At Downton Abbey

But really it's Kips Castle in Essex County NJ, on the Montclair ~ Verona Border.

Curbing Discovery : Cringeworthy Cafe Chair

I've gotta pop the red back and remove the seat cushion to start.

Then I'll put a birdbath where the seat was, and plant morning glory at each leg so the structure of the chair becomes a trellis.

Forget the secret garden, this will be the seated garden.

Mix-matched Flatware at Samba Montclair

So why "mix-matched" instead of mismatched? simple, mismatched suggests an error, at Samba the owners collect old flatware to mix with existing pieces to compliment the comfortable home like traditions of the restaurant

Samba is on Park Street in Montclair NJ ~ directly across from the famous Montclair Rooster

Red's Dips Flips and Chips opens in West Caldwell NJ

Woo hoo! Red’s Dips, Flips, and Chips is open in West Caldwell and if this is any indication of what the year in food is going to be 2013 will be the best year in food yet!

 

Red’s signature dish is the Chicago Italian Beef sandwich. Thinly sliced slow roasted top round of beef with a choice of Red’s relish or sweet roasted peppers will change everything you thought a Roast Beef Sandwich could be. Dip it in the jus and my oh my, why hasn’t anyone thought of this before!

Read my entire story on Hot From The Kettle  :

Red's Dips Flips and Chips Makes 2013 The Year Of The Sandwich

Photo A Day ~ Day 4/365 ~ For The Birds #photo365

Stale Animal Crackers, Noodles from Chinese Take-Away, and Assorted Stale Bread set out for the birds on this cold January Morning.

Save those tins from gifts of popcorn or even the tubs from Cat Litter to store thoroughly dried bread and crackers.

On cold days when the feeding needs of birds are greatest set out the treats for your feathered friends. I use an old table as my platform feeder. This is in addition to the pole feeder used for seed.

Photo A Day ~ Olive That Window Day 3/365 #photo365

2012 was a great year at Olive That and More and 2013 looks like it's going to be even better.

It looks as if the New Year's Eve party at the store was a great deal of fun.

The inventive holiday window is now marked wih the what remains of New Year's Eve - partially deflated balloons, a few Solo Cups, Champagne bottles and and endless scattering of corks! Corks were given to the project by Samba on Park Street and Culinariane on Walnut St.

Olive That and More is located at 246 Bellevue Ave Montclair NJ

Mary and Matthew's "Wicked Game" on Downton Abbey

If the video does not play in the box above click here  to view on YouTube
"Downton Abbey" appears on Masterpiece Classic on most PBS stations this Sunday night at 9pm. In some markets it is shown again during the week. Check PBS.org for air times in your market

Day 2 / 365 #photo365 Photo Challenge ~ Hunger Construction

It's a Market Street on Park Street today at the Hunger Construction Food Truck.

Called "Cement Mixers" because of their resemblance to the construction vehicle of the same name, all menu items on the truck are named for streets and construction equipment.



 I caught up with Hunger Construction on Park Street in Montclair today and ordered a "Market Street." Hunger Construction will be opening a bricks-n-mortar location in early 2013 to compliment the truck. Details to follow soon

Save The Date : How To Live To 100 Premieres on @CookingChannel Sunday Night

Detroit-born chef, Jason Wrobel, dishes up a sublime fusion of food and humor as host of the new Cooking Channel special, How To Live To 100. Known as the "King of Superfoods," which are powerful ingredients proven to increase your longevity, Jason turns p the heat and whips them up into culinary masterpieces.

The show premieres at 8pm Sunday Night 6 January 2013 ~ Downton Abbey fans need not fret, the comings and goings of the Crawley family return to television at 9pm on most PBS stations.

Two Minute #Downton Abbey Recap ~ The New Season Starts Sunday

So what's all this meshagaas about Downton Abbey? Some rich people 100 years ago, and a Turkish gentleman, and someone called Mary and "Keep Calm and Ring Carson For Tea" Oy! Check out this two minute video recap from Masterpiece on PBS to catch up on all the latest on the most anticipated television event of the season.
  If the video doesn't start here, click here to view this great PBS Video on the Masterpiece PBS Youtube channel Downtown Abbey Premieres on most PBS stations this Sunday, 6 January, at 9PM EST/PST.

Save The Date : Olive Oil - It’s More Than Salad Dressing at Kings Cooking Studio 31 January 2013

We’ve all heard it more times than we can remember: Olive Oil is heart healthy and we should all consume more of it, but how many salads can we eat!

In this class we’re going to release Olive Oil from being trapped in the salad bowl and show how this  golden liquid can be used for baking, cooking, and poaching both sweet and savory dishes.

On the menu:  Fish, poached in Olive Oil; Brownies, Shortbread, and Chocolate Cake; plus we’ll show how to make pie crust and crumble toppings using olive oil instead of butter or shortening; and by the time this class starts John will come up with even more ways to shatter your preconceived ideas about olive oil.

This three hour class starts at 6:30 pm on Thursday 31 January 2013 at Kings Cooking Studio in Short Hills NJ; for details visit Kings Cooking Studio

Sponsored by Colavita Olive Oil.

Day 1 / 365 #Photo365 Challenge

For 2013 I resolve to take a photo-a-day every day to capture the themes of the day.

My new year started off with my story on the year on food in Montclair as the lead story on Hot From The Kettle : Happy New Year : A Look At The Best And The Rest Of A Great Year #photo365 Here's a shot of my computer screen with that story.

The Snowy Day ~ A Great Way To Start The New Year

Do you remember your first snowy day?

The wonder of the landscape changing overnight..the hushed softness of the snow, the simple adventures building snowmen, children making snow angels and climbing mountains of snow and then sliding down.

The recent snowfall brought back all of those memories - so I had to go out and play!

Ezra Jack Keats 1962 Caldecott medal winning book "The Snowy Day" tells of the adventures of Peter. This is one of the first books I ever checked out of a library and perhaps the greatest piece of American literature, ever.

American Pride On Such A Winter's Day

Happy New Year ~