Jersey Biters

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Cheffe

Spring Time????

I apologize for the neglect as the restaurant has gotten much busier since I started this.

So, I can't tell if Spring is here, too cold for the Southern Boy ya know, here is our Early Spring Menu. Frankly, while I love braises, they are getting very heavy. Time to lighten up!

Early Spring 2009

In The Beginning


Prime Beef Carpaccio ricotta salata, meyer lemon, caperberry, $9.
maldon sea salt, cubeb pepper, organic extra virgin olive oil

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake over fennel/carrot/sweet onion sl… Continue

Posted by Cheffe on March 13, 2009 at 10:50am

Ben Fisher

New Menu

Hi Again, I forgot to mention that we're working on a new menu. We've added Homemade Pastrami that even New Yorkers say is GREAT! We make it into a plain pastrami sandwich or into a Pastrami Ruben. On the new menu, it'll also be part of the combo platter. We'll also be offering smaller appetizers, since the normal one's are way too big for one person. We've added some of the old Friendly's Bar & Grill favorites like Chicken Marsala and Francais! On the new menu it'll be calls "Chicken Specia… Continue

Posted by Ben Fisher on January 26, 2009 at 11:01am

Ben Fisher

FaceBook

Hi All, I've been told about how important getting on to facebook is to help advertise a business. I just started my facebook site under my name "Ben Fisher" and a group called Ben's eXtreme Bar-B-Q Smokehouse & Grill. I'm not totally sure how I'll proceed from here, but it's a start, and something all family owned small restaurants might consider. Business has been sloooooooowly picking up due to word of mouth recommending our sloooooooooowly smoked BBQ. I sure hope this economy picks up ag… Continue

Posted by Ben Fisher on January 26, 2009 at 9:55am

johnandlisa

Haven't updated this in a while

Hello all. Been a bit busy - we have a brand new baby daughter, yknow!

Do we have things planned for the new year? Sure do!

Will we be able to do all the things we have planned? Dunno.

One thing that we will certainly be doing is going to The Tortilla Press sometime this weekend for my b-day. Yes!

- John

Posted by johnandlisa on January 15, 2009 at 12:49pm

Donna

Have you ever tried Peppadew Peppers?


I found these gems at ShopRite in Wall, at the olive bar section. They were calling my name. I was first introduced to them by my sister-in-law Jeanne, at a holiday party. OMG! They are wonderful. Sweet, tangy, with quite a bit of a kick. To serve these, you only need 2 ingredients,… Continue

Posted by Donna on January 12, 2009 at 7:56pm

Latest Activity

Jack Wagner added a discussionJune 28
I had dinner this week at Fresca Ristorante at 210 Ocean Ave, Pt Pleasant Beach and it was excellent. Great service and outstanding food. It is a small facility, across the street from the Off Shore but it was great. We had 2 of the veal dishes an...
I was thinking about Sunday nite doing a review. Would that work for you?
Come on in!
Donna left a comment for RoseJune 9
Donna and Rose are now friendsJune 9
How Exciting Karen. Let me know when you're ready for Jersey Bites to review it. Did you find some good help? Deb
Debz left a comment for Stacey KatzMay 30
Hi Mareen, Welcome. Glad you found us. When you lived in NJ where was it? Deb Smith Editor JerseyBites.com

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South Jersey Locavore

We're moving


I'm moving the blog from blogger over to Wordpress. There will be new posts by mid next week. Until then stop by a farmers market, buy a bottle of wine from a local winery or plant something edible in your backyard.

John and Lisa are Eating in South Jersey

Whitesbog Blues


We tried. Really we did. After all, it was the first beautiful day in ages, the blueberries were in their glory this year, and we were all assembled in the car, ready to go at a reasonable hour for a change.

As we closed in on Whitesbog Village for the 26th Annnual Whitesbog Blueberry Festival, we saw people parking out on the main road and walking in; but since we were pooped from entertaining some good friends and a surprisingly wide-awake Lizzie the night before and unsure if we'd get ticketed or towed, we'd abide by the steep suggested $8.00 parking fee. After all, it would be closer and more convenient for families with young children wouldn't it? And since it was about 1:30 in the afternoon when we arrived, we'd have plenty of time to enjoy the festival's offerings before it shut down at 4:00. Right? RIGHT?

After paying our money and wending our way through a seemingly endless tour of the cranberry bogs, it became apparent we were almost as far from the festival as our house. The only way in now was either to walk all the way back, or to take the shuttle bus with kids (and stroller in tow).

We parked and took our place in a loooooong line of people waiting. A little after 2:00PM, it was our turn to board the bus-still, I thought, surely we'll be there in no time! Suddenly, the bus stopped in the middle of a narrow wooded lane. Then the engine shut off. The story eventually came out: a police car had gone off the road and ended up in a ditch. The bus was going nowhere until the car was pulled out by a tow truck. Several disgruntled people left the bus-why not walk the rest of the way?- but promptly returned. No one was going to be allowed through, by vehicle or on foot, until that car was dragged out of the ditch. So we sat, and waited...and waited...on an non-air conditioned school bus. With screaming, cranky toddlers. And many of us wondering why the hell couldn't they have decided to drag this car out after the festival was over. We hadn't even arrived yet and we felt ripped off. Finally, at about 3:00, the road was cleared and we were brought safely into the festival proper.

Needless to say, we weren't in the most accommodating of moods, and I found myself comparing everything to Hammonton's big annual festival (you can read about our visit there last year here). There were a fair share of interesting craft booths, but with half of our $16.00 budget already wasted (we're living on unemployment, folks) and now an added time constraint, we rushed to scope out our activities strategically- namely the kid's activities for Jules and, well, blueberries.

Unfortunately, the plethora of fresh, fat, juicy Hammonton berries were completely gone when we got there. A heavy sigh. Well, no matter. I can always pick some up at the Waretown farmer's market on Tuesday...Then I looked at the schedule to see what we'd missed: free lectures and tours on blueberries, cranberries (after all, that's what Whitesbog Village was really known for, despite being historically recognized as the birthplace of the cultivation of the blueberry in 1916 by Elizabeth White), and history; pick your own blueberry tours ($5 fee), tours of the home and experimental gardens of the famous Ms. White ($5 fee), various nature walks and wagon tours (each having a -you guessed it-$5 fee)...Hmmm, how about some blueberry cheesecake ice cream? Nope-gone.

Well, dammit, we came to the festival for blueberries, and dammit, we were going to get something with blueberries in it! Luckily, we came across the "bake sale" table, and there were still plenty of items to be had there.

We purchased a few slices of blueberry cheesecake and pie, bagels, and a blueberry sugar cookie.

Julian made quick work of the interesting giant cookie and the cheesecake was good, but nothing special; it was the pie that stood out. The filling was not too sweet, showcasing the real star of the show-the fresh berries. In fact, it was the second best blueberry pie that I've ever had (the first was at a catered family event in Maine with wild blueberries).

The bagels looked great, but I'll have to let you know how they are after breakfast tomorrow. We also found an old favorite we were introduced to last year (at the Red, White, and Blueberry Festival)- Jersey Blues Blueberry Iced Tea. Ahhh-refreshing on a hot afternoon.

Having missed a lot of the tours, we sought out the few fun kid's activities, such as face painting, a bean bag toss, and a blueberry paper craft - there were no rides or inflatable jumping thingies (Julian was a bit disappointed).

By this time, the money was just about gone and we had had enough- poor Lizzie was hot and tired and even Jules was wilting a bit. So off we went to line up for a shuttle bus back to the car. When it arrived, we found it was the kind that is sealed shut because it is supposed to be climate controlled-but it wasn't. It was hot, stuffy, and crowded- poor Lizzie screamed the whole way and didn't stop until the door opened again, letting in what now seemed a cool breeze. Ugh.

Interestingly enough, while I was sitting in our beautifully air-conditioned car and nursing/rehydrating the exhausted Lady Miss Elizabeth, we observed people picking things off bushes on the edge of the parking area. I briefly investigated a little later and found that, sure enough, they were wild blueberry bushes! But being that they were so small and tart (of course I sampled one!), and we were SO worn out, I skipped the opportunity.

As we followed the exit signs, it seemed that the way out was shorter than the way in-and we were right. To add insult to injury, it was apparent that we paid 8 #@*&^ dollars (in this economy?!?) for the privilege of parking FARTHER away than was necessary (the main road would have worked just fine), enduring the tortures of the shuttle buses, and missing a good deal of the attractions of the festival. Sure the pie was good, but I feel cheated and abused. Our vote? Skip Whitesbog next year and get your berries at the Hammonton festival instead.

-Lisa

Jersey Girl Cooks

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth everyone! Let's not forget all our service men and women on this great country's birthday. It is a beautiful day in NJ and I am excited to hang out with friends at our swim club today. I just did my 3 mile walk/run and I am ready for some holiday food. Right now, I can smell the ribs in the smoker outside. I baked a blueberry buckle this morning so that smell is lingering in the house also. Heaven, right? Here is some preview pictures. The hubby will be guest blogging this week and sharing how to make the best smoked ribs. I will also post my blueberry buckle soon. Have a great weekend!



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Caviar and Codfish

Butchers

Hey guys! Anyone have a favorite NJ butcher? I am a loyal customer to Sergentsville's Maresca & Sons Fine Meats but would love to here of other butchers or small meat producers all around NJ. ...

Tagged: food-shopping, Jersey, New, butchers

Started by Caviar and Codfish in Cooking Questions Nov. 23, 2008.

Debz

Looking for Tomato Recipes 12 Replies

Hi Biters, My tomato plants are as tall as I am (5'8") and I'm expecting a bumper crop of tomatoes this year. I've decided to start a Jersey Tomato Cookbook and would love your input. If you have ...

Tagged: cookbook, tomato

Started by Debz in Cooking Questions. Last reply by Chef E Nov. 11, 2008.

Debz

Labor Day Plans? Anything good on the menu?

Hi Biters, I'm planning my Labor Day party, trying to figure out what to serve. Any great suggestions? I'm definitely doing the lamb burgers that I posted a while ago on JerseyBites. They are amazi...

Tagged: lamb, burgers, party, recipes, day

Started by Debz in Cooking Questions Aug. 26, 2008.

karen ann

Jersey Fresh and sooo much of it 5 Replies

OK, it's that wonderful time of year when our gardens are bursting with fresh produce, but, what to do with so much jumbo zucchini? I grill it, stir fry it, but was wondering if anyone had somethin...

Started by karen ann in Cooking Questions. Last reply by Dani Jul. 16, 2008.

Jennifer M.

Weird maybe...but yummy! 2 Replies

Not really a question, but a comment. I made some homemade chicken soup this week. I like when a soup has some nice chunks of chicken, so I added some extra. OK, here's where it might get weird... ...

Tagged: cranberry sauce, soup

Started by Jennifer M. in Cooking Questions. Last reply by Elizabeth Apr. 7, 2008.

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