Ooh La La! The World Famous Montclair Rooster Montclair Rooster Is French

Sometimes everything falls into place just perfectly, On my way to the SoTastyVegan Pop-Up dinner the other night I found myself parking quite a distance from the restaurant as Montclair. Things happen for a reason, right? Had I not parked in the middle of no where I would not have had the opportunity to walk along Park Street Montclair and capture the "World Famous Montclair Rooster." I love how the whimsy of the mural contrasts to the formal white table clothes of Fricassee and the more traditional cornices of the street scape.

Olive That And More in Montclair: A World Of Olive Oil

Thanks to Rachel Ray we’ve all come to know EVOO, but few of us know what that means. Olive oil, in all of its forms, is heart healthy, especially when compared to other fats in the diet. Flavor profiles change significantly when olive oil is processed. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or even First Press EVOO is just that, olive oil that has been pressed from olives. It’s green and yellow, and if you get the unfiltered variety it has those little floating bits of fruit that are packed with flavor. Once pressed, the olives still hold a lot of oil in their fruit, so heat is applied to release more of the oil. Heat diminishes flavor making this sort of oil a poor choice for dipping, but a great choice for cooking since all of the healthy properties are still there. The remaining fruit is then chemically treated to extract even more oil given us the generically labeled “olive oil” and grocery items that “contain real olive oil.”

The flavor profiles of olive oils vary by regions and country of origin. My favorite was, big surprise here, Tunisian Olive Oil. Like Moroccan olive oils, this North African oil has a very smooth flavor and texture profile, with grassy notes that connote spring and new growth. All of the olive wood spoons and serving pieces in the store also come from Tunisia. Steve and Jennifer deal directly with the olive wood producers in Africa. Greenpeace Africa recently released a report that stated solar power plants in North Africa (Tunisia) could conceivably power the entire EU. I have a strong suspicion that well all be hearing a great deal more about this Mediterranean nation but for now let’s just enjoy the olive oil.

to learn more about Olive Oil and Olive That and More read the full story Olive That! And More : A World Of Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar  on Devil Gourmet

Words We Love : Campanile / Photo : Immaculate Conception Montclair NJ

noun, from Italian, usually freestanding

In Italian a campanile is a bell tower, when used in the American vernacular it usually refers to a free-standing bell tower (like the St Mark's Campanile in Venice) but technically it is any bell tower. The leaning Tower of Pisa is another famous example of a campanile.

In Montclair NJ, the Church of the Immaculate Conception features a campanile that does bear a striking resemblence to St Mark's; at least for a moment, when viewed from the base.

No Recipe Recipe: Sage Butter

No Recipe Recipes are those easy throw it together recipes that don't require much in terms of measuring - they are simple toss together meals, sauces, and treats that are sure to please (and the results often seem like they took more work than they really did). Sage Butter is a simple No-Recipe-Recipe.

Sage Butter brings new layers of flavour to ordinary pasta and can make one of those "just got in the door and want something NOW" weeknights something special.

For this recipe all you need is a stick of butter, unsalted works best, and a handful of sage. The method is simple, just melt the butter slowly over low heat with the sage.

The goal here is not to fry the sage, or even saute it for that matter, but simply to let the flavourful oils of the sage permeate the butter as it swims around in this golden pool.

Drizzle the liquid sage butter over pasta - its incredible over totellini and ravioli. Any remainder can be stored in the fridge for later use. Sage butter is also a great base for your seasonings for roast chicken and turkey - rub some sage butter with your other seasonings under the skin of the bird before roasting for great flavour!

The sage I use is Golden Sage that I grow in the garden. Given its attractive appearance golden sage remains in the herb garden but some is also making appearances in other areas of the garden for colour and interest.

So What Exactly Is Juneteenth I Hear So Much About?

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

Though the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued on September 22, 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln, it did not change the day-to-day lives of slaves as they were in states under Confederate (insurgent) control. The Confederacy was the break away region of the United States during the American Civil War.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day Union (United States) General Gordon Granger and 2,000 federal troops arrived on Galveston Island in Texas to take possession of the state and enforce the emancipation of its slaves.

Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. In several cities across the US, both in the North where slavery was not permitted, the South where it ran rampant, and in the Western states that were wilderness in the 19th Century, various civic groups will mark the day with parades and celebrations.

The American's Creed / A Flag Day Reflection

The American's Creed

 by William Tyler Page

I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed, a democracy in a republic, a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.

–Written 1917,

 accepted by the US House of Representatives on April 3, 1918.

It's Flag Day ~ Show Your Colors!

Shakespeare Gets Ugly

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Jeero is the sun.



(Lambert Castle has become a favourite spot of Jeero's but he's so bloody dramatic)

No Fishing At Turtle Back Zoo

Somehow I Think

 Jeero Is Going

 To Be Getting Into

 A Lot Of Trouble

HAVEN Riverfront Restaurant & Bar : Opening Fall 2013

Haven is opening this Fall in Edgewater NJ.

 

HAVEN will feature extraordinary Manhattan skyline views, a comfortably chic aesthetic, sparkling New American cuisine, outdoor seating, and a lively bar scene.

 

 

 

For the full story, click over to Devil Gourmet

and be sure to follow @DevilGourmet  on twitter and like him on Facebook

 

 

Best Summer Ever : Restaurant Week Coming To Bloomfield NJ via @DevilGourmet

Bloomfield Restaurant Week will run from from Sunday, August 4th through Saturday, August 10th, 2013. More than twenty five restaurant will join the fun with special prix-fixe menus that showcase the culinary diversity of this Essex County community. Based on the success of 2012, this year’s organizing committee is optimistic that 2013 will have an even greater turnout Participating restaurants will offer multiple-course lunches for $15 or less and dinners for $30 or less, (exclusive of tax, tips and drinks); regular menu selections will also remain available for those patrons who wish to go a la carte.

Devil Gourmet   is proud to be a sponsor of this annual culinary event. For more details "like" Devil Gourmet   on Facebook. Follow our stories about this great foodie town on DevilGourmet.com