It’s that time of year again, when Edible Jersey, that wonderful publication featuring the culinary richness of our state, rounds up many of New Jersey’s top dining destinations – from humble to haute – for a week of special promotions that celebrate local food. This year’s event, the fourth year, runs from June 20 to 27, and you’ll find a list of participating restaurants at the link above. The restaurants offer special menus and tastings, and other activities that promote New Jersey’s bounty. (And do note that week includes Fathers Day, June 21!)
The sponsor of Edible Jersey’s Eat Drink Local Week is Fresh From Zone 7, a business which goes directly to local farms to pick up produce to be delivered to restaurants. Zone 7 provides an important link between small farmers and chefs that had been nearly impossible to establish until the company was founded by Mikey Azzara in 2008. (Believe me, I know, our “broken” food chain was a constant source of discussion at Slow Food Central New Jersey meetings during that period!)
Mikey was the perfect person to start this business, and did so at the request of the farmers themselves. He had a farming background and had worked for the previous five years at NOFA-NJ. You can read the Zone 7 story here. It always brings a tear to my eye, because it’s so, well, perfect. You know: New Jersey And You – Perfect Together?
NJ SPICE 