I’ve had roasted tomatoes on my mind, specifically plum tomatoes. First I enjoyed them with brunches at The Blue Rooster Bakery & Cafe in Cranbury. Then I saw a recipe in Canal House Cooking. So I’ve been playing around with different versions at home and they are very simple and handy to have on hand (and you can freeze them … Continue reading
Fire Fire (But WEC and CoolVines spared)
Just a note to say that although two Princeton restaurants, Tom Yum Goong (Thai) and Sultan Wok (Chinese), burned down in an early morning fire today (Packet story & photo), two other nearby businesses, The Whole Earth Center and CoolVines are unscalthed and open for business as usual. What’s left of the building that housed the two restaurants has … Continue reading
Butt-Off (but in the nicest possible way)
I’ve said it before and I’ll repeat it now: my colleagues at Princeton University, John and Kara, really know how to have fun. Each year this couple gathers with friends for what has traditionally been a pig roast and weekend party. This takes place on a farm in another state, and it has become a … Continue reading
Just (Jersey) Peachy
Jersey peaches are great this year, so I’m having fun with them in the kitchen. I thawed out some puff pastry I had stashed in the freezer. You can buy an inexpensive version in almost any supermarket, but be aware that it is made with margarine (i.e. shortening), so I buy mine at Bon Appetit … Continue reading
Gitchee, gitchee, good!
I vaguely remember buying tiny jars of baby food puréed fruit many years ago, for the novelty, but if they’d tasted this good I wouldn’t have stopped. At the recent Fancy Food Show in New York, a taste of Tastybaby‘s Bangos, a Stage 2 banana-mango blend, wowed me with its fresh, not processed, flavor. Tastybaby … Continue reading
Durian (no relation)
No, my last name, which is Armenian, has nothing to do with durian, the famously stinky fruit that is a favorite in Southeast Asia. They say that when you crack one of these open the aroma drives people out of the room, so hotels sometime post signs forbidding guests to do that in their rooms. I … Continue reading
Down on the (Fernbrook) Farm
Here’s a farm dinner for a good cause that is so reasonably priced, you may want to take the whole family. And kids really are welcome, as there will be special activities for them during the event. On August 8 (4-8pm), TerraMomo Restaurant Group puts on the fourth annual Farm to Table dinner at Fernbrook Farms to benefit the Farm’s … Continue reading
Coming soon to a brick oven near you
The pizza margherita at left (margherita means basic tomato, mozzarella and basil) is from Nomad Pizza’s brick oven truck at the recent East Coast Food & Wine Festival. My friend and I shared it and enjoyed every bite. But soon you won’t need to chase a truck around anymore when you want to enjoy their artisan pizza … Continue reading
Chill Out with Bent Spoon
If I find myself near Palmer Square, I make a point of stopping by Bent Spoon on Palmer Square if I don’t see a line out the door. They make so many interesting flavors of their artisan ice cream and sorbet, there’s always something new to get excited about (and now I follow them on Twitter, too). … Continue reading
Seafood Salad
This summery seafood salad is from Dolce & Clemente’s Italian Market in Robbinsville, and it tasted as good as it looks. Last time I checked, their planned cafe, Tavola Calda, in the same complex, was not open yet but hopefully they are now, or will be soon. If you travel to LBI via Rte. 526, you … Continue reading
NJ SPICE 