Jersey Shore Restaurant Week

JERSEY SHORE RESTAURANT WEEK

APRIL 1-10, 2011

Jersey Shore Restaurant Week™ is a wonderful opportunity to re-visit your favorite restaurants and try new ones. Scheduled for April...after the Winter and before the Summer, it's the perfect time to gather your friends and enjoy the Jersey Shore's great restaurants. Participating restaurants will offer a three course menu for $20.11 or $30.11 with three appetizer, three entree and three dessert choices.  Check out the web site to find a participating establishment.  We ventured to David Burke's Fromagerie and had a 4 star meal for $60.00.  For the purpose of this BITE we are featuring our evening at Fromagerie.

David Burke Fromagerie

26 Ridge Road Rumson

732-842-8088

A 3 course Pre-fixe menu was prepared for the week long event

Beverages are not included in the pre-fixe menu but are a must to start

Amose Boushe

Seafood Pate on a Brioche with a drizzle of Mustard Oil

 

Classic at Fromagerie are the Cheddar Cheese Popovers served as the bread course

 
Our server Rob was awesome and very knowledgeable of the restaurant and the menu.  He told us that David Burke had introduced to Fromagerie a dry aged steak menu as he has at his Chicago Steakhouse Primehouse.  At Primehouse they utilize a pink Himalayan rock salt in the steak vault that aids in the dry aging process.  At Fromagerie they installed the same kind of Steak vault as Primehouse and the steaks are dry aged for 45 days.  This is a very unique process and the steaks have a very different taste and texture then other dry aged steaks.  Having heard this we absolutely had to try a steak so we opted to order from both the pre-fixe menu and the steak menu.
 

From the pre-fixe menu - Grilled Marinated Octopus on a Bed of Diced Fingerling Potatoes with Green Pea Puree, Pancetta and finished with Angry Sauce

From the Dinner Menu - Spinach and Poached Egg Raviolo with Garlic and Parmesan in an Herb Garlic Oil finished with Smokey Bacon

From the Pre-Fixe Menu - Cornmeal Crusted Skate Wing with Baby Artichokes and Trumpet Mushrooms in a Caper Brown Butter Sauce

 

             

From the Steak Menu - 45 Day Dry Aged Kansas City Bone In Sirloin with Beef Love and topped Buttermilk Chive Onion Rings

Also from the Dinner Menu - Potato Frites with Shaved Truffles, Parsley and drizzled with Truffle Oil

Creamed Spinach finished with Parmesan

This meal was a gourmet feast for a fraction of what it would've costed and now it was time to dig in.
Being that one meal was on the pre-fixe and one wasn't the dessert course gave us the opportunity to order s dessert that David Burke is famous for creating.  But before we splurged on a decedent treat we had some coffee to digest what we had just finished.

A single espresso and a cappuccino

Now on to the dessert but first we'll show the pre-fixe dessert.

Fromage Blanc - A tangy cheese custard reminiscent of creme brulee in texture topped with a Peach Sorbet, Blackberries and a Vanilla Sugar Wafer

What you are going to see now is not to be believed but is a must to experience.  In fact this dessert was feature on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate - Remaking Classics.

Cheesecake Lolli Pops with Fresh Raspberries and Bubble Gum Whipped Cream

They came in three flavors:
Cherry Pink Cashmere - Cheesecake, white chocolate coating, red coloring, dipped in pistachio crunchies, ground green pistachios and sun dried cherries

Three Chocolate Tuxedo: Cheesecake, white chocolate, milk chocolate and dark chocolate coatings, dipped in peanut crunchies and Reeses Peanut Butter Pieces.


Toffee Top Hat: Cheesecake, milk chocolate coating dipped in dark chocolate crunchies and ground Score Bars

BTW, you can purchase them online at the following URL:
Gourmet Pops  or you can take a box home from Fromagerie after you have dinner there.

We highly recommend that you experience a visit here and until the next BITE...Get out and enjoy the food

Thanks for reading and share us with others.

L'Ecole - Bouquet Garni of New Life

Our wonderful friends at the French Culinary Institute invited us to attend a presentation by world renowned chef Jacque Pepin on kitchen techniques.  If that wasn't incredible enough they invited us to have lunch on them at the institute's restuarant L'Ecole before attending the event.  For the purpose of this BITE we wanted to feature the incredible meal we experienced at L'Ecole.

The front of the house and bar area

Maitre D' Station and entrance

Back of the house, server's station and kitchen entrance

(BTW, the young lady in white is an FCI Graduate)

Amuse-bouche - Lamb Sausage - Sundried Tomato

Tuna Tartare with Pickled Daikon and Smoked Uni Cream

Tartare de Thon, Crème D’Oursin Fumé et Daikon

Gnocchi Parisienne with Asparagus, Prosciutto and Lemon-Chicken Velouté

Gnocchi Parisienne, Asperge, Jambon Cru et Velouté de Poulet au Citron

Pan-Seared Branzino with Roasted Mushrooms, Sautéed Spinach and Smoked Tomato Vinaigrette Filet de Loup Mer Poêlé, Champignons Roti et Épinards, Vinaigrette a la Tomate Fumé

Seared Duck Breast and Confit Duck Leg, Potato Terrine, Creamed Kale and Sweet & Sour Sauce Sauté de Magret de Canard et sa Cuisse Confite Gâteau de Pomme de Terre, Kale et Sauce Aigre-Doux

Orange and Lemon Tart with Raspberry Coulis

Tarte aux Citron et Orange et Coulis de Framboise

Chocolate-Orange Parfait

Parfait Chocolat et Orange

Chocolate angel food cake with white chocolate ice cream and raspberries

The entire dessert service

Orange and Lemon Tart with Raspberry Coulis

Chocolate-Orange Parfait

Chocolate angel food cake 

Lui and Jacques

The entire experience was incredible.  The food at lunch topped by seeing Jacques Pepin work his skills in the kitchen.  The French Culinary Institute and the restuarant L' Ecole are truly training the best in the industry.  Located at 462 Broadway New York City 212 219 3300.

Get out and try this place. Until our next BITE...enjoy the food

More Than Just Huevos - Distrito

In west Philadelphia, the heart of Drexel University is a culinary gem, Distrito, another establishment of Iron Chef Jose Garces. 

Distrito is a neighborhood place for great high end food and upscale variations on classic Mexican cuisine.  Incredible food in a fun atmosphere with great service.

The decor complements modern and traditional design

with bright colors

offering price specials for brunch and happy hours

Not your typical Mexican restaurant in concept as you can choose to eat on the go

or stay and enjoy the wall of classic Mexican wrestling masks while you dine 

 
 

We decided to go for the pre-fixe 2 course brunch menu for $20 per person including Jose Garces brand coffee. Its a great deal with a lot of menu choices that you can pair with a list of specialty beverages.   Of course what's brunch without an elegant libation to start.

 

Distrito Bloody Mary

Choice of RÖkk Vodka or Jimador Blanco Tequila - fresh tomato–horseradish–lime–thyme 

Distrito Margarita

Jimador Blanco Tequila - Lime - Orange

After enjoying our opening cocktails it was time order up the next two courses but the choices were difficult.  So many wonderful items on the menu we justed want to say, "we'll have one of everything please".  When faced with a challenge such as this we take a look at what everyone else is having and ask a lot of questions.  Often people are more then happy to tell you what they think.  So don't be afraid, make some friends.

With much discussion and advice we finally reached a decision.  The first course would be;

Nachos Ignacio

Black Beans, Tomato,

Queso Mixto, Jalapeño,

Chile de Arbol,

Radish

 

Chilango Chop

Romaine, Baby Arugula,

Watercress, Green Apples,

Cranberries, Spiced Pecans,

Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

 
The seconded course was;

Torta de Huevos

Over easy egg, benton’s bacon, avocado, refried beans, queso modelo

 

Queso Fundido

Duck barbacoa, Poblano Rajas, Tres Quesos

The Fondito is servered with a basket of small tortillas that we spooned the lucious hot filling onto and then devowered.  Each bite had then perfect blend of the three cheeses, the duck barbcoa and subtle heat of the poblanos.
No question that everyone will find something to enjoy here.

Distrito is located at 3945 Chestnut Street Philadelphia 215 222 1657

Get out and try this place and until our next BITE...enjoy the food

Chef Jose Garces - City's Best Philadelphia Interview

Jose Garces: From Grandma's Kitchen To 'Iron Chef'Mar 21st 2011 11:30AM / by Ptah Gabrie

Jose Garces is a busy man these days. He's opened seven restaurants in Philly and Chicago since 2005 and most recently opened a Mexican food truck in Center City named Guapos Tacos. His farm in Bucks County is gearing up for a new season of locally grown produce, he's the sixth chef to earn the title of Iron Chef America and Garces is a semifinalist for Best Chef in this year's James Beard Awards. His style of cooking blends family, ethnic tradition and a desire to push the boundaries of cooking. Garces follows a simple mantra: "Authentic and innovative are not contradictory."

How did your grandmother shape the way you cook?
My mamita amada, or beloved grandmother, was the first person to bring me into the kitchen, along with my mother. Cooking with her, making big meals for the family from her Ecuadorian recipes, intensified my interest in Latin cuisine, which is largely present throughout my restaurants.

What's one dish you serve that truly exemplifies your grandmother's cooking?
At Amada, we serve a variation on the first empanada she taught me to make. It's called Amada's Empanada -- green plantain dough stuffed with spinach and manchego cheese, served over an artichoke heart and piquillo pepper escabeche. It always takes me back to her kitchen in Chicago, where we'd roll out the dough, and I'd be covered in flour.

After opening so many prestigious restaurants, what made you decide to open Guapos Tacos?
Guapos Tacos was born after a trip to Mexico City. We ate such great street food, and I wanted to bring that back to Philly. It reinforces the fact that food should be fun.

Do you feel like Guapos Tacos lets you tap into a group of people who may not normally come into one of your other restaurants?
One of my favorite things about Philly is the diversity of our dining scene. My guests seem to come from all walks of life, and I love that about the city. Perhaps Guapos Tacos will help me to reach a different crowd, but more importantly, I think it will help me share my food with people in a different setting -- at their private events and even casually curbside -- rather than in a restaurant.

Why was opening JG Domestic important to you?
JG Domestic is the culmination of my career so far. The menu is proudly inspired by the rich, eclectic cuisines of our country and its harvests. It's a true celebration of the great products we've got right in our very own soil and it gets back to the roots of cooking -- letting the seasons tell you what to prepare, not the other way around.

What types of food will you get from your farm this year?
We're looking forward to fresh produce, especially lettuces, herbs and root vegetables, then squash and melons as the summer goes on. Come autumn, we'll have pumpkins, too.

Why is having this farm important to you?
I've always believed in top-quality ingredients, and the farm allows me complete access to those ingredients. I'll be able to monitor the growth of this produce from seed to plate, and I think that's an amazing way to be sure that we're serving the very best to our guests.

Why do you think you have been so successful on Food Network's "Iron Chef?"
"Iron Chef" has been a continuous learning experience for me. Each new ingredient forces me to dig deep into my culinary arsenal and come up with new and daring ways to prepare them. I think my willingness to adapt and my experience with varied cuisines has been a great asset.

Aside from Latin and Spanish cooking, what is your next favorite style?
I'm interested in all kinds of cuisines, from Peruvian Chifas, which incorporate indigenous South American ingredients into Cantonese cooking styles, to modern American dishes that take their inspiration from all over the world.

It seems like you are trying to push the boundaries with every place you open. Do you have any ideas or goals you would like to see come to fruition in the coming years?
I do have one more project coming up, Frohman's Wursthaus, a sausage and beer joint in Midtown Village in Philadelphia. But to be honest, I'm really enjoying everything that I have going on right now, from the restaurants to the farm to "Iron Chef." I'd love to be able to continue to spend time with my family as well, so once Frohman's is up and running, I'm planning to just sit back and enjoy it all for a while.

JG Domestic, 2929 Arch St.; 215-222-2363

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Now let's eat...

Boxty Pancake
Ingredients
8 ounces (225 grams) freshly cooked potatoes
8 ounces (225 grams) peeled raw potatoes
8 ounces (225 grams/ generous 1 1/2 cups) white flour
1/4 American teaspoon baking powder (1/2 Irish teaspoon bread soda), sifted *see note
8 to 12 fluid ounces (225 to 300 millileters/1 to 1 1/2 cups) buttermilk
Pinch salt (optional)
Butter, for frying

*Note: an Irish tablespoon is the same quantity as an American tablespoon plus a teaspoon
Directions
Peel the cooked potatoes while they are still hot, drop into a bowl and mash immediately. Grate the raw potatoes, add to the mashed potatoes with the flour and sifted bread soda. Mix well, and add enough buttermilk to make a stiff batter.


Heat a frying pan, grease with butter and cook large or small pancakes in the usual way. Eat them straight from the pan with butter, crispy rashers or pure Irish honey.

Every Heard of BLT? - How About CLT?!?!

In our inner circle there is no secret that we are BIG fans of Food Network's Guy Fieri and Triple D, (Diners, Drive Ins and Dives) because Guy and the show take us each week to meet real people making real food in their own unique way.

On the January 3rd, 2011 episode, Guy takes us to a Philadlephia landmark building that houses the Memphis Taproom where we are introduced to a Vegan variation of the BLT sandwich, (Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato) call the Smoked Coconut Club or the "CLT". Having the good fortune of living halfway between New York City and Philadelphia, two incredible gastro-cities we are often pulled in either direction to experience great culinary works.

For this Bite, we have experienced the delight of this incredibly unique dish. Once tasted, you like us, will not be able to contain yourselves and will want to tell everyone about this place and in particular, this club sandwich. We were fortunate to be able to obtain this clip from the show that walks us through the making of this unique dish. See below:

Compliments of Food Network, Triple D, Guy Fieri and the Memphis Taproom.

An excerpt from the show
"This trip Guy Fieri is pulling in for pork and a little tofu in Philadelphia at the Memphis Taproom, a local favorite serving a vegan club sandwich with deep fried tofu and smoked coconut."


Memphis Taproom 2331 E. Cumberland St., Philadelphia, PA 19125
(215) 425-4460
http://www.memphistaproom.com/

Get out and try this this place. Until our next bite...Enjoy the experience of food

Ice Cream Battle - Fallon vs. Colbert

Complements from Comedy Central and posted by Delish.com

The battle of the late night talk shows just got a little sweeter — and creamier.

Last week, Ben & Jerry's teamed up with NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" to announce its new flavor "Late Night Snack": Vanilla bean ice cream with a salted caramel swirl and fudge-covered potato-chip clusters. The salty-sweet treat was developed in response to a "Late Night" skit in which Fallon and the show's band The Roots performed a song "Ladysmith Snack Mambazo" about Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

More from Delish: Sweet Treats Your Way - How to Create a Custom Ice Cream Flavor at Home

But while the new flavor may come as welcome news to anyone who has enjoyed the forbidden pleasures of dipping a French fry in a Frosty, it was less well-received by Stephen Colbert, the other late-night talk show host to have his own Ben & Jerry's flavor. On last Thursday's episode of the "Colbert Report," the show's host, whose AmeriCone Dream features vanilla ice cream with fudge-covered waffle cone bits and caramel, railed against his new competitor, saying "Fallon, there's only room for one ice cream flavor in late night" before threatening to melt a pint of Fallon's dairy dessert with a hair dryer. Fallon then made a surprise guest appearance and the two traded ice cream insults before engaging in a brain-freeze inducing eating contest.

The Colbert Report
Tags: The Colbert Report: Ice Cream Fight With Jimmy Fallon, COMEDYCENTRAL

Article by Katie Robbins
She has written for Saveur, Psychology Today, BlackBook, theatlantic.com, and LA Weekly's blog, Squid Ink, among other publications.