This is pumpkin spice season for sure. Every food stuff , from candy corn to lattes is now flavored with it. There are even pumpkin spice Oreos! Yet what exactly is pumpkin spice? Is one spice or an amalgam of a few? Another good question is how do we accept it after being oversaturated with it.
The spice is actually a blend of four spices, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg. Their combination is what gives that spicy, sometimes spiked taste. The dominant flavor notes are the cinnamon and ginger, while the allspice and nutmeg provide the more mellower ones. Everyone is so inundated by the combo, that they've sworn off the spice combo. Don't . On their own they are wonderful flavors that can be used in a variety of sweet and even savory dishes.Cinnamon is yummy in homemade rolls and coffee cakes. It adds a sweetness to cereal and is perfect for dusting over cappuccinos. It can be used as a rub on any game fowl such as turkey and pheasant and is a perfect spice for bringing out lamb's flavor. We all know that ground ginger is the anchor flavor in gingerbread and snaps.It;s a strong , robust flavor that can also be used in stuffing recipes for boost and color.Both spices have a lot of health benefits and you can also make restorative teas with both.
Allspice and nutmeg, "the quiet" spices are excellent on their own too. Their rich individual flavors are woodsy and intense. Allspice can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, Ground allspice is always used in sweet potato recipes to give the dishes kick while the whole allspice fruits are used to flavor stews (whole ones are not meant to be eaten, they should be tossed after cooking). They can be used in making the traditional Jamaican jerk recipe too. Nutmeg is one of the loveliest fall spices. It has a warm, sweet flavor, imagine a favorite fall sweater for your taste buds. It graces vanilla custards, adding color and flavor as well as zinging up that autumn dessert Indian pudding.Nutmeg can also be used in savory dishes too.It's a must have for creamed spinach and vital in quiche Lorraine. Nutmeg is also the rare spice that can work well with seafood. Use it to sprinkle over scallops or in a creamy sauce to serve with them or shrimp,
Pumpkin spice should not be feared Deconstructed , It yields four spices that are perfect additions to any sweet or savory meal. Try one,or try them all. They are the perfect spices for fall cooking.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Weekend Mishmash
Saturdays- and even Sundays can be lazy days. You don't feel like going to the grocery store, you don't feeling like ordering out. Don't worry. There's probably enough to create a tasty meal just by using a mishmash of ingredients.
First of all assess what you have before getting an idea of what you want to make. It helps to have the ingredients in front of you for inspiration. It's a good time to clean out the freezer and work with that. If you have frozen burgers or dogs, then use them. Add dabs of whatever cheese you have around to give them some flair. Those tomato sauces you made with your July harvest would work perfectly with any pasta in the pantry. You can also use it along with any frozen and fresh veggies to make a homey and hearty soup. Leftover chicken and ham can be ground into pastes similar to the Underwood products . Add olive oil to make it smoother ad more spreadable.. You can also coarsely chop any leftover meat , add mayo and spices and voila a nice filling for a sandwich. Finely chop them or any leftover from the week cold cut for a chef salad. Leftover mashed potatoes can be turned into yummy fried puffs.Just add one egg, breadcrumbs and some parsley for flavoring and low fry in a frying pan. These can be served on their own or as a side.
Even left over breads can be repurposed into delicious dishes. Bread can be turned into a savory or sweet bread pudding. Zuppa montagna , that favorite Piedmontese fall and winter dish can be made with any leftover stale slice. Layer with Swiss or Fontina cheese. Those slices and hunks can also be turned into a sweet version too. Personally I like using leftover French bread for this dessert.It provides a chewiness and texture that regular bread doesn't have. Add any raisins or chocolate chips for added dash or you can make your own caramel sauce for true decadence.Those cake mixes collecting dust in the pantry can be turned into fun desserts. Instead of making an old fashioned buttercream, use Cool Whip instead for icing for a lighter cake. Utilize those rolls of cookie dough you bought on sale for sweet pizzas. Bake a giant cookie, ice with whipped cream or canned frosting and then top with coconut, chocolate morsels and marshmallows. If you have pound cake and chocolate then think chocolate fondue for a fun weekend dessert.
any kitchen has the ingredients to make a tasty meal and dessert. assess what you have. Be creative with that mishmash. Then cook - or bake.
First of all assess what you have before getting an idea of what you want to make. It helps to have the ingredients in front of you for inspiration. It's a good time to clean out the freezer and work with that. If you have frozen burgers or dogs, then use them. Add dabs of whatever cheese you have around to give them some flair. Those tomato sauces you made with your July harvest would work perfectly with any pasta in the pantry. You can also use it along with any frozen and fresh veggies to make a homey and hearty soup. Leftover chicken and ham can be ground into pastes similar to the Underwood products . Add olive oil to make it smoother ad more spreadable.. You can also coarsely chop any leftover meat , add mayo and spices and voila a nice filling for a sandwich. Finely chop them or any leftover from the week cold cut for a chef salad. Leftover mashed potatoes can be turned into yummy fried puffs.Just add one egg, breadcrumbs and some parsley for flavoring and low fry in a frying pan. These can be served on their own or as a side.
Even left over breads can be repurposed into delicious dishes. Bread can be turned into a savory or sweet bread pudding. Zuppa montagna , that favorite Piedmontese fall and winter dish can be made with any leftover stale slice. Layer with Swiss or Fontina cheese. Those slices and hunks can also be turned into a sweet version too. Personally I like using leftover French bread for this dessert.It provides a chewiness and texture that regular bread doesn't have. Add any raisins or chocolate chips for added dash or you can make your own caramel sauce for true decadence.Those cake mixes collecting dust in the pantry can be turned into fun desserts. Instead of making an old fashioned buttercream, use Cool Whip instead for icing for a lighter cake. Utilize those rolls of cookie dough you bought on sale for sweet pizzas. Bake a giant cookie, ice with whipped cream or canned frosting and then top with coconut, chocolate morsels and marshmallows. If you have pound cake and chocolate then think chocolate fondue for a fun weekend dessert.
any kitchen has the ingredients to make a tasty meal and dessert. assess what you have. Be creative with that mishmash. Then cook - or bake.
Friday, October 2, 2015
Old Fashioned Slow Cooking
Many home chefs bemoan the fact that they don't have enough time to cook a tasty and filling meal for their families. There is a solution to that - get a slow cooker and a cookbook dedicated to this kitchen must . Anyone can create all sorts of recipes from savory to sweet with it,
Cookbook author Phyllis Good realized and compiled a thorough one entitled Fix-It And Forget It:Slow Cooker Magic (Good Books/Skyhorse Publishing).This is more like one of those church cookbooks where everyone contributes a recipe, except the congregation is the entire United States.I like this cookbook, it's down home cooking in a slow cooker. There are no fancy ingredients or even fancy equipment .Eveything can be easily bought at your grocery store or farmer's market. Slow cookers are mostly for beef and pork, namely meatballs. There are plenty of recipes featuring them here. The book is divided into simple sections from beef and pork to veggies to even lasagnas There are also side dishes and veggie dishes for vegetarian. The dessert section is surprisingly big, with all sorts of yummy treats and there is also a breakfast section loaded with both sweet and savory AM starters.. There's also a page about what to sub in when you're in a pinch which will come in handy.
The recipes are varied , yet have two things in common, they're rib sticking and delicious.They're perfect for the chill fall days ahead as well as for the upcoming holidays. There are recipes for a warming three cheese broccoli soup along with a hearty corn chowder.Use those newly bought pumpkins and squashes for the tasty soups with recipes from Gladys Koth in Kansas to Ms. Good;s own butternut squash soup. Meat lovers will enjoy meat and potato loaf and slow cooker beef Stroganoff, rich with both cream cheese and sour cream. Try Theresa Leppert's Amazing Turkey which is a buttery turkey wit rich drippings. The sides are very good too. Use the last of the season's tomatoes for baked stuff tomatoes that are filled with Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and a variety of herbs. There is the classic green bean casserole by Beverly Hummel which is the perfect holiday side. to ny turley and ham. Slow cookers also produce desserts and there are some wonderful recipes featuring them as well.This season's apples wil go well in Kendra Dreps' apple cobbler or Judi Mano apple crisp recipes. For a fun weekend treat try Jeanne Allen's Toffee Treasure Cake. slow cookers can be used for chocolate fondues too.
Phyliis Good's Fix It And Forget It Slow Cooker Magic is the perfect cookbook for busy home chefs. It's filled with a cornucopia of good dinner and dessert recipes along with ones for breakfast and parties. Buy it to day and start your slow cooking feast!
Cookbook author Phyllis Good realized and compiled a thorough one entitled Fix-It And Forget It:Slow Cooker Magic (Good Books/Skyhorse Publishing).This is more like one of those church cookbooks where everyone contributes a recipe, except the congregation is the entire United States.I like this cookbook, it's down home cooking in a slow cooker. There are no fancy ingredients or even fancy equipment .Eveything can be easily bought at your grocery store or farmer's market. Slow cookers are mostly for beef and pork, namely meatballs. There are plenty of recipes featuring them here. The book is divided into simple sections from beef and pork to veggies to even lasagnas There are also side dishes and veggie dishes for vegetarian. The dessert section is surprisingly big, with all sorts of yummy treats and there is also a breakfast section loaded with both sweet and savory AM starters.. There's also a page about what to sub in when you're in a pinch which will come in handy.
The recipes are varied , yet have two things in common, they're rib sticking and delicious.They're perfect for the chill fall days ahead as well as for the upcoming holidays. There are recipes for a warming three cheese broccoli soup along with a hearty corn chowder.Use those newly bought pumpkins and squashes for the tasty soups with recipes from Gladys Koth in Kansas to Ms. Good;s own butternut squash soup. Meat lovers will enjoy meat and potato loaf and slow cooker beef Stroganoff, rich with both cream cheese and sour cream. Try Theresa Leppert's Amazing Turkey which is a buttery turkey wit rich drippings. The sides are very good too. Use the last of the season's tomatoes for baked stuff tomatoes that are filled with Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and a variety of herbs. There is the classic green bean casserole by Beverly Hummel which is the perfect holiday side. to ny turley and ham. Slow cookers also produce desserts and there are some wonderful recipes featuring them as well.This season's apples wil go well in Kendra Dreps' apple cobbler or Judi Mano apple crisp recipes. For a fun weekend treat try Jeanne Allen's Toffee Treasure Cake. slow cookers can be used for chocolate fondues too.
Phyliis Good's Fix It And Forget It Slow Cooker Magic is the perfect cookbook for busy home chefs. It's filled with a cornucopia of good dinner and dessert recipes along with ones for breakfast and parties. Buy it to day and start your slow cooking feast!
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Middle Eastern Spins
Nothing is exotic or as tasty as Middle Eastern cooking. It is a mélange of different spices and cooking techniques, all marrying to create a wonderful , flavor packed meal. Mediterranean cooking is also easy. Any novice home chef can make it with ease and confidence, producing a perfect meal.
The cuisine featured prominently in both Melissa Clark's A Good Appetite and David Tanis' A City Kitchen in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Ms Clark made shallots grilled on a warm or indirect heat grill. Shallots are part of the onion family and they have a very sweet taste, intensified by the grilling. Ms. Clark recommends cutting them into chunks, This will vary
the textures of the shallot .Some will have creamy smooth interiors while others will be chunky and chewy which works.The key is moving the shallots around so they can get the optimum warmth.If they're not browning, then move them to the hotter side of the grill..They are then chopped and mixed with herbs and lemon and turned into a kind of relish to be served with labneh, a richly creamy middle Eastern yogurt. You can use Greek yogurt instead and pile on a pita. Ms. Clark recommends serving the relish with meats and fish, but personally I would have chicken and beef layered with the relish and yogurt as a kind of gyro.
It would also go well with David Tanis' recipe this week, Moroccan steamed lamb shoulder. It one of the favorite Moroccan ways to cook it besides spit roasting and simmered in tangines,it's an easy technique with first starting off with putting the seasoned shoulder in the basket of large steamer(you can use the steamer part of your spaghetti pot for this). Keep the water at the steamer's bottom at a brisk boil for two and a half to three hours. This will make the meat incredibly tender and succulent. Serve with typical Moroccan veggies such as carrots, turnips and zucchini but you can also have a dish with chickpeas drenched in lemon or spices. Moroccan cooks and home chefs slather saffron butter on the shoulder before cooking but Mr. Tanis recommends dabbing it on the meat and veggies before serving. The shoulder is usually accompanied by wildly spiked red pepper oil that's rich with cayenne. For something much more tamer serve it the charred shallots with it as side on top, along with pita to sop up any juices.
Mediterranean cooking is a tasty mélange of different spices and flavors. Try an easy relish of grilled shallots for an easy lunch or served with a steamed lamb shoulder for a dinner. These make wonderfully fragrant dishes that are a snap to make.
The cuisine featured prominently in both Melissa Clark's A Good Appetite and David Tanis' A City Kitchen in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Ms Clark made shallots grilled on a warm or indirect heat grill. Shallots are part of the onion family and they have a very sweet taste, intensified by the grilling. Ms. Clark recommends cutting them into chunks, This will vary
the textures of the shallot .Some will have creamy smooth interiors while others will be chunky and chewy which works.The key is moving the shallots around so they can get the optimum warmth.If they're not browning, then move them to the hotter side of the grill..They are then chopped and mixed with herbs and lemon and turned into a kind of relish to be served with labneh, a richly creamy middle Eastern yogurt. You can use Greek yogurt instead and pile on a pita. Ms. Clark recommends serving the relish with meats and fish, but personally I would have chicken and beef layered with the relish and yogurt as a kind of gyro.
It would also go well with David Tanis' recipe this week, Moroccan steamed lamb shoulder. It one of the favorite Moroccan ways to cook it besides spit roasting and simmered in tangines,it's an easy technique with first starting off with putting the seasoned shoulder in the basket of large steamer(you can use the steamer part of your spaghetti pot for this). Keep the water at the steamer's bottom at a brisk boil for two and a half to three hours. This will make the meat incredibly tender and succulent. Serve with typical Moroccan veggies such as carrots, turnips and zucchini but you can also have a dish with chickpeas drenched in lemon or spices. Moroccan cooks and home chefs slather saffron butter on the shoulder before cooking but Mr. Tanis recommends dabbing it on the meat and veggies before serving. The shoulder is usually accompanied by wildly spiked red pepper oil that's rich with cayenne. For something much more tamer serve it the charred shallots with it as side on top, along with pita to sop up any juices.
Mediterranean cooking is a tasty mélange of different spices and flavors. Try an easy relish of grilled shallots for an easy lunch or served with a steamed lamb shoulder for a dinner. These make wonderfully fragrant dishes that are a snap to make.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Vegans Gone Glam
Vegans usually get a bad rap. They're either thought of crunchy granola types or ditzy Hollywood stars who eat nothing but lettuce leaves and avocados. There is a happy medium thanks to a Malibu couple that's giving the lifestyle a much needed boost. It's not only good for you ,it's also glam.
Jeff Gordonier of the New York Times Food section got to interview and eat with glam vegans Julie Piatt and Rich Roll in their Malibu , California home.Going meatless now is going mainstream. There are famed vegan restaurants on both coasts.and more and more people are embracing plant based diets.it's not dowdy any more . There's a sexiness and brightness to it with the promise of looking younger and having better skin without any surgery, serums or creams.One Britsh blogger, Ella Woodward claims it cleared up her skin as well as improved her health. For those who want to start glowing and cooking this way there are several good books to chose from such as Mr. Roll's The Plantpower Way, Deliciously Ella,My New Roots and The Lookbook Cookbook. It may take family members some time to embrace it. Most think non meat eating is strips of tasteless tofu over brown rice or mashed yeast. It's so much ore than that.
Maybe the best way to acclimate family and friends into this lifestyle is taking them to vegan restaurants. New York has some good ones, in particular Dirt Candy.Amanda Cohen , its owner worries about the faddishness of the movement however eating at her restaurant may change that.Her Portobello mousse will definitely be an American classic along with her broccoli dogs with broccoli kraut.Veggie burgers usually don't get a following however chef Chloe Coscarelli makes that happen, Her variety of tempeh burgers is getting their own fan base at her SoHo eatery thanks to her blend of different grains and spices made into a patty. Home chefs can easily copy this however remember that the ingredients are somewhat more costlier than beef. As Chef Cohen points out , going vegan is not cheap."It's not for peasants." she declares. Home chefs can start off with the pocketbook friendly Morningstar Farms brand of vegan foods. They have a good array of veggie burgers, fake nuggets, bacon and hot dogs. Buy different canned beans from Goya. These can be made into everything from burgers to casseroles.
The Roll family is on the right track with vegan eating. It gives them a boost while they give it glam. It's not a fad anymore. It's a lifestyle choice with very good benefits.
Jeff Gordonier of the New York Times Food section got to interview and eat with glam vegans Julie Piatt and Rich Roll in their Malibu , California home.Going meatless now is going mainstream. There are famed vegan restaurants on both coasts.and more and more people are embracing plant based diets.it's not dowdy any more . There's a sexiness and brightness to it with the promise of looking younger and having better skin without any surgery, serums or creams.One Britsh blogger, Ella Woodward claims it cleared up her skin as well as improved her health. For those who want to start glowing and cooking this way there are several good books to chose from such as Mr. Roll's The Plantpower Way, Deliciously Ella,My New Roots and The Lookbook Cookbook. It may take family members some time to embrace it. Most think non meat eating is strips of tasteless tofu over brown rice or mashed yeast. It's so much ore than that.
Maybe the best way to acclimate family and friends into this lifestyle is taking them to vegan restaurants. New York has some good ones, in particular Dirt Candy.Amanda Cohen , its owner worries about the faddishness of the movement however eating at her restaurant may change that.Her Portobello mousse will definitely be an American classic along with her broccoli dogs with broccoli kraut.Veggie burgers usually don't get a following however chef Chloe Coscarelli makes that happen, Her variety of tempeh burgers is getting their own fan base at her SoHo eatery thanks to her blend of different grains and spices made into a patty. Home chefs can easily copy this however remember that the ingredients are somewhat more costlier than beef. As Chef Cohen points out , going vegan is not cheap."It's not for peasants." she declares. Home chefs can start off with the pocketbook friendly Morningstar Farms brand of vegan foods. They have a good array of veggie burgers, fake nuggets, bacon and hot dogs. Buy different canned beans from Goya. These can be made into everything from burgers to casseroles.
The Roll family is on the right track with vegan eating. It gives them a boost while they give it glam. It's not a fad anymore. It's a lifestyle choice with very good benefits.
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Is It Safe To Eat
There's been a little bit of controversy lately about expiration dates.Is it OK to eat food a day, a week a month, even a year past its' use by date? does it on the item?depend ?Or the fussiness of a wary home chef? The answers may surprise you.
We Americans are somewhat paranoid about the blue stamped dates on the bottom of our containers and bottles. Even British comedian John Oliver commented on it on his HBO show This Week Tonight According to him we throw away nearly 730 football stadiums full of food per annum. It all has to do with our squeamishness about those darn sell by dates. To be honest , we don't have to. Of course dairy should be thrown out . The smell of sour milk alone can stink up any fridge and kitchen, Old dairy products can cause food poisoning. However if it's unopened and only a day or two past the sell by date it's still OK to eat. Cheese can more or less last up to four months depending on the kind Parmesan, Asiago and Romano can be kept for this amount of time. The semi soft ones like Brie and Camembert should be kept only two to four weeks. Butter can last a month before turning while margarine has a further run at four to five months. Ice cream should only be kept three months after opening however I've had no problem with ones opened six months ago. The texture will be very gritty and icy but still edible. Unopened sodas like Coke and Pepsi can last six to nine months.
What about all those sell by and eat by warnings? A "sell by" date tells the store how long to display the product for sale.It's not mandatory .It's just a guide to tell the retailer when the food is at its' freshest and best tasting. The can be eaten weeks afterwards. There is also the "best used by" date which refers to quality not safety. For example sour cream is already sour however it has a zingier taste when it's fresher.Born on date is the date the item was brewed or baked.Guaranteed fresh is used for baked goods. You can still eat then after the date but it will be less fresher or even stale. Many even buy the staler breads and cakes because their prices are usually slashed almost down to half.Use by is for foodstuffs and items and it's is the last date recommended while at peak quality. The deciding date is up to the manufacturer to decide this. Last is the pack by date and usually found on canned and tinned goods. This is a tricky date and can go by month -year - day or even stranger, by the Julian calendar not used in this country (or worldwide for that matter) since the mid 1700's. A can of beans can have a date of 090912 or 009-999.The best method to determine of a canned food is still OK to eat is look at the can.If it has a normal shape it's fine. If it 's bulging or even growing then toss. Bacteria is a living thing that grows and expands. It will stretch out the can to accommodate itself.
So when food is OK to eat and when should it be tossed. Use your senses as a guide If it looks, smells and tastes bad, toss it . If not then it's still viable to use. Whtever you do, don't waste good food. There are some people out there who would die for stale bread and expired milk.
We Americans are somewhat paranoid about the blue stamped dates on the bottom of our containers and bottles. Even British comedian John Oliver commented on it on his HBO show This Week Tonight According to him we throw away nearly 730 football stadiums full of food per annum. It all has to do with our squeamishness about those darn sell by dates. To be honest , we don't have to. Of course dairy should be thrown out . The smell of sour milk alone can stink up any fridge and kitchen, Old dairy products can cause food poisoning. However if it's unopened and only a day or two past the sell by date it's still OK to eat. Cheese can more or less last up to four months depending on the kind Parmesan, Asiago and Romano can be kept for this amount of time. The semi soft ones like Brie and Camembert should be kept only two to four weeks. Butter can last a month before turning while margarine has a further run at four to five months. Ice cream should only be kept three months after opening however I've had no problem with ones opened six months ago. The texture will be very gritty and icy but still edible. Unopened sodas like Coke and Pepsi can last six to nine months.
What about all those sell by and eat by warnings? A "sell by" date tells the store how long to display the product for sale.It's not mandatory .It's just a guide to tell the retailer when the food is at its' freshest and best tasting. The can be eaten weeks afterwards. There is also the "best used by" date which refers to quality not safety. For example sour cream is already sour however it has a zingier taste when it's fresher.Born on date is the date the item was brewed or baked.Guaranteed fresh is used for baked goods. You can still eat then after the date but it will be less fresher or even stale. Many even buy the staler breads and cakes because their prices are usually slashed almost down to half.Use by is for foodstuffs and items and it's is the last date recommended while at peak quality. The deciding date is up to the manufacturer to decide this. Last is the pack by date and usually found on canned and tinned goods. This is a tricky date and can go by month -year - day or even stranger, by the Julian calendar not used in this country (or worldwide for that matter) since the mid 1700's. A can of beans can have a date of 090912 or 009-999.The best method to determine of a canned food is still OK to eat is look at the can.If it has a normal shape it's fine. If it 's bulging or even growing then toss. Bacteria is a living thing that grows and expands. It will stretch out the can to accommodate itself.
So when food is OK to eat and when should it be tossed. Use your senses as a guide If it looks, smells and tastes bad, toss it . If not then it's still viable to use. Whtever you do, don't waste good food. There are some people out there who would die for stale bread and expired milk.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Monmouth's Mouthwatering Stops
New Jerseyans love two things: our cars and food. Road trips to interesting restaurants and food related shops are on our must do list especially with fall here. Monmouth County , a beautiful blend of farmland and waterfront provides that It's a great day trip to take, and it's only forty minutes south of Manhattan Island.
One of my favorite places to go in Monmouth is the beach front. The county has some of the loveliest beaches in the state.Not too far from the historic and windswept state park Sandy Hook is Bahr's and Moby's These are owned by the Bahr family and have been since 1917 when the family switched from manufacturing neck ties to running a seaside eatery. A great grandson opened up the outdoor deck Moby's Outside deck a few years ago. Moby's is my summer and early fall hangout (it's closing for the season on October 18th)The clam chowder is the original recipe that Jack Bahr first made and it is a rich stew of huge clam chunks, potatoes and tomatoes. Bahr's the restaurant also features this and I recommend starting every meal with it.Both places also have delicious boiled lobsters served with homemade coleslaw. Octoberfest is big here thanks to the family being German and they serve weiner schnitzel and sauerbrauten along with potato pancakes and pretzel soup! For quick fare try The Windmill in Long Branch. It's part of a family owned chain and known for it's roasted to perfection foot long hot dogs as well as overflowing baskets of hot , crispy French fries..
Some of the best bakeries in the state are located here too. A fave, with a statewide reputation is Atlantic Highlands' The Flaky Tart. It is truly the best bakery in the metro area with perfectly buttery croissants and mouthwatering chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies. Cups and Cakes, of the tony town of Rumson also has some yummy treats plus a juice bar. You can buy sweet little tarts and fresh made carrot juice in one shot. Away from the shore front is western Monmouth county, This is horse and farm country, being charmingly reminiscent of the English countryside. Sadly there is no clotted cream but happily there are acres of pick it yourself apple , pear and peach farms. One of the most known is Delicious Orchards. This is a must see no matter what time of the year. They have the best baked goods, from apple pies to brownies to English muffin breads. This is also the place to go for gourmet meats such as Serrano ham and all sorts of veggies like Brussels sprouts on the stalk and huge wedding bouquet sized cauliflowers.Other farms like the nearby Eastmont is know for their various pies made with their own fruit, and they also have pick your own peach and apple trees when in season.
Visit Monmouth County not just for the beautiful windswept beaches but also for their eateries, bakeries and farms The county has an amazing array of homemade and fresh baked foods. Spend a day or even a weekend there to experience them.
One of my favorite places to go in Monmouth is the beach front. The county has some of the loveliest beaches in the state.Not too far from the historic and windswept state park Sandy Hook is Bahr's and Moby's These are owned by the Bahr family and have been since 1917 when the family switched from manufacturing neck ties to running a seaside eatery. A great grandson opened up the outdoor deck Moby's Outside deck a few years ago. Moby's is my summer and early fall hangout (it's closing for the season on October 18th)The clam chowder is the original recipe that Jack Bahr first made and it is a rich stew of huge clam chunks, potatoes and tomatoes. Bahr's the restaurant also features this and I recommend starting every meal with it.Both places also have delicious boiled lobsters served with homemade coleslaw. Octoberfest is big here thanks to the family being German and they serve weiner schnitzel and sauerbrauten along with potato pancakes and pretzel soup! For quick fare try The Windmill in Long Branch. It's part of a family owned chain and known for it's roasted to perfection foot long hot dogs as well as overflowing baskets of hot , crispy French fries..
Some of the best bakeries in the state are located here too. A fave, with a statewide reputation is Atlantic Highlands' The Flaky Tart. It is truly the best bakery in the metro area with perfectly buttery croissants and mouthwatering chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies. Cups and Cakes, of the tony town of Rumson also has some yummy treats plus a juice bar. You can buy sweet little tarts and fresh made carrot juice in one shot. Away from the shore front is western Monmouth county, This is horse and farm country, being charmingly reminiscent of the English countryside. Sadly there is no clotted cream but happily there are acres of pick it yourself apple , pear and peach farms. One of the most known is Delicious Orchards. This is a must see no matter what time of the year. They have the best baked goods, from apple pies to brownies to English muffin breads. This is also the place to go for gourmet meats such as Serrano ham and all sorts of veggies like Brussels sprouts on the stalk and huge wedding bouquet sized cauliflowers.Other farms like the nearby Eastmont is know for their various pies made with their own fruit, and they also have pick your own peach and apple trees when in season.
Visit Monmouth County not just for the beautiful windswept beaches but also for their eateries, bakeries and farms The county has an amazing array of homemade and fresh baked foods. Spend a day or even a weekend there to experience them.
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