You may have been picking up quarterly issues of Edible Jersey in your local natural foods stores or favorite restaurants. The publication is part of a network of over 80 titles throughout the U.S. and Canada devoted to local and regional food. In 2011, Edible Jersey along with the entire Edible Communities organization was named Publication of the Year by the James Beard Foundation. I love that it’s free to those who visit participating businesses, since it is advertiser supported.
We owe Edible Communities a debt of thanks for their corporate mission (a case of win-win capitalism), which has really enhanced our appreciation of the local foods and food producers which are presented to us in each issue. Their publications are gorgeous, and if you have a culinary interest in other regions of the country, go to their main website publications page and read away. (I can’t resist checking out Edible Aspen periodically, since I lived there for almost 15 years.)
Eat Drink Local Restaurant Week, the annual event celebrating the bounty of New Jersey farmers and the creative culinary skills of dozens of our state’s most talented chefs, will be held June 21-June 28 at restaurants statewide.
Presented by Edible Jersey, the award-winning magazine dedicated to promoting the local, seasonal foods of the Garden State, Eat Drink Local Restaurant Week will feature specially-crafted prix-fixe and supplemental menus that showcase the harvest of New Jersey farmers.
Among the restaurants taking part in Eat Drink Local Week are Agricola, Princeton; Frog and the Peach, New Brunswick; A Toute Heure and 100 Steps, Cranford; The Bernards Inn, Bernardsville; Elements, Princeton; End of Elm, Morristown; The Ebbit Room, Cape May; The Blue Pig Tavern, Cape May; Langosta Lounge, Asbury Park, Light Horse Tavern, Jersey City, and Ryland Inn, Whitehouse Station.
“There are so many talented chefs in New Jersey who place a dedicated emphasis on working with local farmers and purveyors and featuring locally sourced ingredients on their menus,” said Nancy Painter, publisher of Edible Jersey. “This event is designed to showcase those efforts and to help point food lovers toward establishments that offer a truly delicious Garden State dining experience.”
“A new component of the event this year,” continued Painter, “is that we will be partnering local wine, brew and spirit makers as well as some local food artisans with many of the participating restaurants. It should add a fun twist – and an even more enhanced Eat Drink Local experience!”
“Eat Drink Local Week” is co-sponsored by Zone 7, a fresh-from-the-farm distribution service that connects local farmers and chefs by delivering high-quality ingredients from farms in New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania to restaurants and grocers through NJ, PA and NY. Additional specials tastings and guest appearances by farmers and producers during Eat Drink Local Week will be announced soon.
For a complete list of participating restaurants, see below or visit http://ediblejersey.com/
NJ SPICE 