Who Is David Burke?

  You  probably have heard the name David Burke if you live in New Jersey and eat out a lot. He's becoming more and  more prevalent as he opens up tons of restaurants across the Garden State. Will he be the next Bobby Flay or Lidia Bastianich with a culinary empire?

Chef Burke is amassing a mighty empire of interesting and varied restaurants.He has one in Riyadh , Saudi Arabia along with two in North Carolina and three in New York State. However it's his home state ,New Jersey that has the most and the most varied menus. You can go to  Son Cubano in West New York, get a great view of Manhattan and have such Spanish and Hispanic  influenced mainstays  as  paella and empanadas.Then there is Morristown's 1776,  the name a nod to the town's major involvement in the Revolutionary War.This is modern American fusion food, that features hamburgers made with aged beef to a wide assortment of sushi rolls. He has appealed to brides and grooms by opening up Orchard Park at the elegant Gilded Age looking  Chateau Grande in East Brunswick. The menu is trendy with date night specials and breakfast pizzas offered at brunch.His Fort Lee establishment Ventana's has a fusion menu of Cuban Asian and American dishes as well as entertainment, namely in comedy

The Jersey shore seems to be his mainstay since he is familiar with the area. he grew up in Hazlet where his early years were spent delivering papers. His restaurants span from Rumson to Sea Bright to the latest The Goat, The Greatest of All Times,  which features a wild mix of Nuovo Italian and traditional hamburgers, along with a twist on shrimp cocktail(it involves cucumbers. His latest acquisition is dear to my heart - the famed Dixie Lee Bakery in Keansburg. From the pictures, it's gone upscale with a cheery outside repainting that makes it look like an Amish barn. The inside seems redone too, with what seems to be mirrors added to give the main part a bigger look.However he's intent on making too SoHo or West Village for this predominantly red leaning area of New Jersey. He wants to bring sandwiches and gourmet coffee to the Dixie Lee, named for Bing Crosby's first wife Dixie Lee, a popular  actress.when the Slovenz family opened it up in 1933. There are also going to be salads too and even baking classes. Is this too much for a bakery who sold such deliciously homey goods like their onion rye bread and chocolate dipped butter cookies?

Who is David Burke then? He's the man behind some of this state's great restaurants. Let's hope he keeps up this winning streak of successful eateries  while keeping in mind his roots.

New York Is Back

 One of the cities that took a tremendous hit during the lock down is New York City. Manhattan and its' boroughs  have been struggling.One of the biggest hit was the restaurant industry. Good news!!! Eating out is coming back and with it a slew of must visit places. It's time to get dressed up and enjoy a meal out!!

The New York Times Food critic Pete Wells wrote about this renaissance of sorts in yesterday's New York Times Food section. This is not only great for the inhabitants of the five boroughs but also visitors from out of state and even out of country. Mr. Wells gives us seventeen eateries that have to be tried. They're not solely in Manhattan but scattered around the boroughs so they can be an easy drive from Long Island and New Jersey.Of course the city places have a certain air of excitement to them. Diners can try Blue WIllow, a new Hunanese restaurant in Midtown. Their  whole steamed sea bass is legendary while their longevity chicken soup with ginseng tastes like homemade. Tex-Mex lovers will go mad for Greenwich Village's Yellow Rose, a taqueria that offers chicken stewed so much in salsa verde that it's green and beef cheek barbacoa.A true fusion restaurant is The Migrant Kitchen located on William Street in the Financial District. The menu has carnitas going into a sharwarma sandwich and falafel being turned into a waffle. The hip St. Mark's Place has Mokyo, chef Kyungmin Hyun's second restaurant that features Korean cuisine but also has other Asian as well as Maine or Louisiana dishes. Thai Diner in Nolita offers diner classics like burger and fries but also fried rice with lump crab meat.

The boroughs don't disappoint either.For those who want a French seaside vibe head to Rockaway Beach's Bar Marseille.There is bouillabaisse and pastis scented mussels and olive tapenade. The Bronx gives us Empanology At Bronx Brewery where flaky palm sized empanadas are stuffed with everything from pizza to Bananas Foster. Then there is All Things Good in Brooklyn which features masa or ground corn meal recipes. They serve half moon quesadillas griddled or fried, and triangles of masa that look like mini volcanoes and filled with refried beans, salsa verde and melted Chihuahua cheese. Trendy Williamsburg has the even trendier Kokomo, a fun waterfront eatery that serves wings with a sweet gochujan glaze. There's also chicken and waffles with both whipped coconut cream and a Scotch bonnet hot sauce.  Another win for Brooklyn is Rangoon which serves mohinga,a fragrant fish soup with noodles. Another Thai restaurant is gracing Brooklyn too, It's Tong in the Bushwick section and it features kub klaem or whiskey snacks such as a spicy steak tartare and goong pai, tiny shrimp pancakes along with bite sizes sausages

New York is going to be hopping again with good eateries. Head to the city. See what's in your neighborhood for some tasty bites again.

Hot Savory Pies

This is the weather that calls for a hot pie- no, not one bursting with fruit but with savory goodness.There's nothing like a pie that explodes with flavor.A hearty slice is the perfect dinner or lunch,especially teamed up with a salad. Quiche is one of the easiest savory pies to whip up.What is great about it is that it can have a variety of fillings.A typical Quiche Lorraine has bacon and Swiss cheese in it.This centuries old dish is staple in almost every brasserie in France.It is easy to make ,simply using a pre made pie shell.It is actually German in origin as is the recipe zweibelkugen.This is an onion rich quiche which can also have ham strips or chunks added.Quiches can also be made with chicken or seafood such as crab.You can also make what's known as quiche lets, small individual pies for a Sunday brunch too.You can vary the ingredients on this, going from tomato basil to four cheese Another hot savory pie is a meat pie.Nothing beats a homemade beef or chicken potpie on a colk night. This takes a little more work than a quiche.You have to make both the bottom and top crusts.What you put in them is up to you.You could easily fill it with a type of thick stew, redolent with potatoes, corn,peas ,and carrots.Meat pies can be made individually too ,using pre made biscuits and muffin tins.For these you can think fun.Experiment with chili or ratatouille. Calzones and empanadas are variations of pies and these, too , are perfect for a weekend night. Calzones are good stuffed with ricotta and ham while the empanadas are open to any filling.Both are easy to make and bake,and you might want to start with them before heading onto meat pies. Nothing beats a hot savory pie on a cold night.Enjoy an egg rich quiches or a gravy laced meat one for lunch or dinner. They are warm and hearty, the perfect meal for these chilly days.

The New Hors D' Oeuvre

Not that long ago hors d'ouevres and appetizers used to be bland nibbles. It was either bacon wrapped around pineapple or something smeared on Melba toast. Nowadays there seems to be a revolution in cocktail party foods. They can reflect certain ethnic influences or new trends in foods.

One of the biggest movements in appetizers is foods that reflect a particular group. Empanadas are big right now and they're served in various flavors and  sizes. They can have  spicy black bean or creamy spinach fillings while also being stuffed with various meats. Some are regular size (thin tow or three bites) or tiny (think one bite).Other hors d'oeuvres include spring rolls and gourmet egg rolls.These can be vegan, filled with minced bits of bok choy, cabbage and carrots or meat and seafood stuffed ones. Both are about the size of a thumb . Mini bruschettas are also being passed around these days. These can be the traditional with chopped tomatoes on finely cut prosciutto and cheese topping almost wafer thin rounds of Italian breads.

Some hors d'oeuvres are stylized versions of traditional recipes. Shrimp, that party favorite , has been transformed into a shot, Small plastic shot glasses are filled with individual pieces of the crustacean. dipped in a swirl of shrimp sauce and sour cream.Another updated classic are pigs in blankets.Usually just mini franks in a soggy crescent roll, they've been revised to  being blanketed in  actual mini croissants or vol au vents. Plain mustard was usually served with them however now they can be dipped in honey mustard or a spicy barbecue sauce. Pate was a cocktail party or pre dinner  staple, usually quickly and sloppily on a stale piece of Melba toast. Now the paste has been updated to heart healthy hummus and the Melba toast has been replaced with a elegant flaky cup.

Hors d'oeuvres have undergone a stunning transformation in the last few years. They are more global and  more fun. Even the classics have evolved into true gourmet treats.These little bites are still party classics but they've become the life of the party as well.

Foodies Entrepreneurs

Yesterday's New York Times' Dining section had an interesting article about small time foodie entrepreneurs..It seems these hard economic times have pushed foodies to not only get creative but also down to business when selling their specialities. If you have a talent or specialty then sell it to the crowds.

The article written by Dining regular Julia Moskin tells of New York foodies who want to make it big in the food trade. Some are very creative selling cake pops ( specially made cakes that can be put on top of a Popsicles stick) to empanadas. A few even offer smaller versions of their wares to lure customers in. If you're in New York City ,whether living or visiting there, go to these markets such as the Greenpoint Food Market in Brooklyn, The New Amsterdam Market at the South Street Sea port or the Hester Street Fair. These places offer a unique variety of different homemade goodies from granolas to Mexican Popsicles.

Unfortunately these independent vendors may be endangered. As of May 25th the New York Department of Health decreed all food vendors must have a licence to sell their wares. They also can not cook or bake in their kitchen and must use commercial ones. This is all well and good for the consumer however for the food sellers this means paying up to $200 for use in a restaurant kitchen or bakery. It seems to me not worth it and I would either get a loan or backers for more cash to spend on a proper retail space.

You have to love foodie entrepreneur. When they have an idea , they'll go forth and cook and bake it no matter what the cost. The best part of their independent spirit? Other foodies get to taste and enjoy their fruits of labor.