July 26, 2013

Yes, You Can! Summer Canning Classes at A Toute Heure

Yes, you can! Andrea and Jim Carbine, owners of A Toute Heure (ATH), in Cranford, will be hosting summer canning classes.

"The morning class will focus on fruit with an intro to preserving and jamming, as well as canning these sweet ﬂavors for the rest of the year. The afternoon class will focus on vegetables with an intro to pickling and preserving the best local produce for canning for winter storage. Both classes will include a hands-on demo led by ATH co-owner, Andrea Carbine, as well as a jar of one item covered in class to take home."

July 26, 2013

Food Foto Friday: Tasting Menu Dishes at Blu, Montclair

by Melody Kettle

"Don't eat it - - " I said, and the startled hands of my dining companion jerked away from his plate, "let me take a picture first." He breathed a sigh of relief and I repositioned the plate for better lighting.

Dining with a food writer takes some getting used to. Unsuspecting dining companions are often caught off guard and occasionally chastised for their haste. Sometimes I feel badly for the uninitiated and apologize, "Sorry, I might need this pic for a post."

Their grief aside, shutter-happy blogger behavior inevitably leads to a vast photo stream of culinary documentation. A nostalgic food diary; an account of where you've been, what you've eaten, and who you ate it with.

July 25, 2013

"You Have A Groupon, Right?" At Saveur Creole, Montclair

by Melody Kettle

Haitian cuisine seemed an appropriate selection in the midst of a sweltering NJ heat wave. So, with that in mind, Saveur Creole was set as our Ladies Night dining destination.

Located in a inconspicuous, little spot on Grove Street, Saveur Creole is a Montclair BYO that serves "une novelle cuisine Hatienne" in a Caribbean inspired atmosphere (envision a smaller, finer version of Cuban Pete's with more comfortable chairs).

July 24, 2013

UPDATED: Breaking News: Francesco Palmieri Gets Cutthroat on Food Network

by Melody Kettle

One of Hot From The Kettle's favorites, Francesco Palmieri, chef and owner of The Orange Squirrel, will be a contestant on the premiere episode of the Food Network’s new show, Cutthroat Kitchen, hosted by Alton Brown. The debut episode will air on Sunday, August 11 at 10 pm ET, immediately following Food Network Star Finale at 9pm ET/PT.

July 24, 2013

Video: Butchering Berkshire at Pig & Prince in Montclair

by Melody Kettle

Chef Michael Carrino, chef and co-owner of Pig & Prince Restaurant & Gastrolounge, in Montclair, opens his glorious meat locker and carries out half of a 285* pound Berkshire Pig. He lays the pig on the butchering table, ties on his yellow bandana, snaps on his black latex gloves, breaks out the hacksaw, and goes to work. About every fourteen days Carrino practices this near ritualistic butchering of a Berkshire pig. He harvests specific cuts to be used mainly for curing purposes, but is very methodical and makes every cut with a mind toward minimizing waste.

July 13, 2013

Road Trip: Cleveland Dining

by Melody Kettle

I knew Cleveland rocked, after all, the reason for the four hundred mile road trip was to visit the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. But the three day junket to Ohio not only revealed Elvis' Lincoln and Keith Richards' bomber jacket, but a vibrant, trendy gastronomy that left my lapping tongue quite satisfied.

Cleveland has great walking, a cool breeze, museums, monuments, architecture, of course, awesome beer. Cleveland is home to the Great Lakes Brewery and the locals seem pretty proud of their product. Upon check-in, I grabbed a Dortmunder Gold from the lobby refrigerator and was only too happy to drink it down once we got to our room. It proved to be our favorite beer of the trip.

For a food enthusiast, the thrill of the hunt - discovering a great place to eat or drink in an unfamiliar city - is exhilarating, rewarding, and arguably, a great way to become acquainted with the culture and people of an area.