Hot From The Kettle ®
Please give a warm welcome to Hot From The Kettle's new Vegan blogger, Dianne Wenz, otherwise known as Veggie Girl.
That's right - vegan. I know Hot From The Kettle® is somewhat pork-centric, with all that proscuitto curing, pig roasting and what not. Fear not my carniverous friends, I will not be dropping the meatball.
Hot From The Kettle's in-house somm, Sarah Lehmann, is going through some changes! After 12 long years of abstaining from shellfish due to an allergy, Sarah is finally able to indulge in the fruits of the sea.
According to this bivalve enthusiast, that's reason to raise a glass! Check out Sarah's seafood pairing with 2011 Domaine Felines Jourdan on Wine.
ADVERTORIAL
Cutie Pies. Photo courtesy of Cupcakes by CarouselTrying to down size on sweets this summer? Cupcakes by Carousel, with locations in Ridgewood, Englewood, and at 25 Church St., Montclair, has an option for perfect portions: Cutie Pies.
Ideal for parties or with your morning cup of coffee, Cupcakes by Carousel offers a variety of delicious Cutie Pies including flavors like Toll House, Pecan, Strawberry Rhubarb, Cherry Crumb, Blueberry Crumb, and Apple Crumb. Cutie Pies are priced at $3.75 each and are available at all store locations.
Planning a special party? Cupcakes by Carousel also has a new image machine. An edible image of your choice can be transferred onto the cake. Cupcakes by Carousel requires 48 hours notice. The cost varies depending on the size of the image.
Cupcakes by Carousel
192 East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey - 201-389-3090
31 North Dean Street, Englewood, New Jersey - 201-608-5092
25 Church Street, Montclair, New Jersey 973-707-2589
In the past few weeks local new sites have been abuzz about the Bloomfield Center Renaissance: a collection of old buildings adjacent to the Bloomfield Train Station have been demolished and a new mixed residential/retail complex is slated to occupy that block. With camera in hand I had to see what the fuss was about and discovered a foodie wonderland that apparently has slipped under the radar of pretty much everyone with an opinion about Bloomfield.
Known to many in Essex County from his family owned and operated "Matarazzo Farms" in West Caldwell, Jim Matarazzo has been a fixture at the Montclair Farmers' Market for several years.
It's tomato season in NJ and Jim will be sharing his bounty with those in need. On Saturday, from 8am to 2 pm the Matarazzo Farm stand willl give a free quart of Jersey tomatoes to anyone who is "down and out."
Favourite Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe
4 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic , crushed or finely chopped
3/4 cup really good extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper , to taste
Method
Combine the balsamic vinegar, mustard and garlic in a blender or food processor. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil through the opening in the lid to process into a thick dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
I've made the dressing using a plug-in immersion blender which produced an almost mayonaisse consistency as a great deal of air was whipped into the dressing. When really thick like this it is a great addition to turkey sandwiches or even as a dip for veggies.
The Balsamic Vinegar that I prefer is Olivier 25 year old barrel aged from Italy. It's so sweet and mellow that its possible to do a full shot without making a face. Its available at Williams Sonoma, its my favorite thing in the store, I always have 2 or 3 bottles around, and even if I wasn't associated with the company I would buy it.