Favorite Sub/Hoagie

My favorite sub, or hoagie, is: imported Italian prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers and sun dried tomatoes on a crisp Italian roll with the insides drenched in Balsamic vinegar. Two of the best: Jersey Subs on George Street in New Brunswick, NJ, and A&G Italian Deli on Route 1 South in North Brunswick, NJ (strip mall where the Barnes & Noble bookstore is located). 

RUTGERS FARMERS MARKET

We usually go to the weekly Farmers Market in our town, Highland Park,on Fridays. Today we visited the Farmers Market on Ryders Lane in East Brunswick. It is larger than ours, more vendors and a greater variety of products, including fresh produce, prepared foods (meat and vegetarian dishes), organic cosmetics (made by Hazel Russell in Monmouth Junction), a pickle guy, Rosetta Farms hot pepper spices (he grows his own peppers), the Valley Shepherd Creamery (artisan cheeses aged in caves),  Hidden Grounds Specialty Coffee (shop is on Easton Avenue in New Brunswick, beans from roasters in Brooklyn and near Philadelphia), organic meats, artisan breads, Anahata Chocolate (their shop is on Washington Street in Edison, around the block from our home),  Unionville Winery, and many more.

Rosetta Farm Spices

 Anahata (Valrhona) Chocolate

 Valley Shepherd Creamery

 Hidden Grounds Coffee and Tea

 Anahata Chocolate

One of several fresh produce vendors

Anahata Chocolate

Joel and Kettle Corn

We bought lots of fresh produce, Chipotle Cayenne hot pepper spice, Ginger Peach Tea, Cacao Peppermint Assam Yerba Mata tea blend, Gorgonzola Cheese, and Cabernet Sauvignon from Unionville Winery.

More Coffee Time

Joel bought a new coffee grinder to replace our little Krupps, which replaced our 20 year old Waring. The new machine is a Capresso Burr Grinder. Burr grinders are recommended by coffee mavens Joel finds on line. 

Coffee Time

We are retiring the Keurig coffee maker. Joel and I love good coffee, never possible with the Keurig, convenient, yes, but never a palatable cup. I keep it clean, never use tap water, have tried many cup brands, yet the coffee always, well, sucks. I grind beans (purchased from Cme, a roaster in Ohio) and prepare coffee using three traditional methods: A Chemex blown glass pot with unbleached paper filter, hot water poured slowly over freshly ground beans; A French Press pot, hot water poured over freshly ground beans, then press filtered; Percolators, using freshly ground beans ( small electric Farberware pot or, for company, large electric ceramic Corningware pot). 

Our favorite beans from Cme are city roast Ethiopian Yergacheffe, Brazilian Cerrado and Columbian  Popayan. We order Kona Blue Sky Estate Roast beans directly from the Big Island, Hawaii, plantation for special occasions. it's too expensive for everyday use. Desperation beans (rarely, only if we run out of the good stuff), Dunkin' Donuts.

A FEW WEEKS OFF

Alas, we will not be eating out for a few weeks, perhaps longer. We've started the South Beach Diet (again) and it's best to prepare our own meals. We can have wine after the first two weeks, so we may visit a few local wineries for tastings without pairings.

A Week of Dining in Cape May, New Jersey - August 18-25, 2014

GEORGE'S

 We never miss eating at George's, a small diner-like restaurant once featured on the Food Channel's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Greek food, huge portions. "We're Greek. that's what we do, eat," our waiter tells us. I liked his ink, one arm, no colors. Joel had whole Bronzino over eggplant laced orzo and a very generous Greek salad as a side. I had Halibut fillets over orzo, the filets topped with olive tapenade plus a side Greek salad. Both entrees, excellent. This year we had the good sense not to order appetizers, but we did have Baclava for dessert, soft Baklava rolls topped with chocolate sauce. BYOB.

KEY WEST TACOS

Monday night we had a light supper at this tiny spot in West Cape May. I had a Baja Steak Taco, Joel an ahi taco, and we shared rice and taco chips. Tacos here are soft. The food is good, the service fast.

WEEKLY FARMERS MARKET

Every Tuesday, in West Cape May, featuring local produce, food and crafts vendors. We did not eat here, but I bring it up because there was a local barbecue maven working two enormous smokers filled with ribs, North Carolina style.

PETER SHIELDS INN

We celebrated our 42nd wedding anniversary here, second choice because The Red Store was booked. Very posh, lovely ambiance, excellent service, fairly good food and live music, a pianist/singer who, sadly was drowned out by a very noisy toddler who squealed and screeched throughout our dinner. We bought a bottle of Cape May Red, shared a tomato/watermelon salad and fresh rolls with herb butter. Joel loved his entree, sea scallops over a mishmash of corn, bacon and greens. I had hanger steak over mashed potatoes. It was tasty, but too chewy. Joel had strawberry pan a cotta with raspberry sorbet and I had chocolate lava cake for dessert. The lava cake was OK, but not nearly as good as Roy's on the Big Island of Hawaii. We each had Cappuchino, not bad, but not strong enough.

BELLA VIDA CAFE

Always a favorite spot, in West Cape May. Our waiter, Raymond, did a good job on just his second day on the job. Joel had a turkey BLT on a chunk of Foccachio, which he enjoyed. I wasn't hungry and had a bagel and a cup of their signature Costa Rican coffee.

WHEATON VILLAGE

We visited the glass museum and workshops at Wheaton Village in Milleville, about 45 minutes northwest of Cape May. I mention this here because the food at the tiny concession at the entrance to this place was remarkably good. Joel had a bowl of home made chili with a corn muffin and I had the "scone of the day," a huge blueberry peach scone and a cup of excellent coffee, from a local roaster.

NATALI VINEYARD

We stopped at this family owned vineyard on the way back from Wheaton Village. It's on Route 47 in Goshen. The tasting bar is tiny, the place busy. We each sampled five wines and bought two bottles, a white Riesling "Nonna," and a "Nonna Cellar," a blend of three reds. Natali has extraordinarily clever wine labels.

THE RED STORE

best restaurant in Cape May, the owner/chef formerly of the Ebbitt Room. This wonderful spot, in Cape May Point, was at one time a general store. And still is, in addition to the restaurant. We each had two courses, a small plate and a large plate, but we started with a la carte Artisanal Bread, to die for, and white truffle butter. We shared a tomato, beet and watermelon salad. my first course was a small plate, incredibly tender pieces of octopus over corn relish. Joel's small plate was baked eggs and lobster in a creamy white sauce. Sopping it up with the Artisanal bread, a must. My second course/large plate was skate, first time I ever ate this fish that was once akin to bait. It was delicious, served over mashed potatoes and thin carrot sticks. Joel's large plate was a strip steak, which he said had a weird taste, like it was cooked on a dirty grill. We ate outdoors, where the mosquitos were biting, which may have been why we got free desserts, small cups of rich smooth dark chocolate topped with tres leches cream. This is a farm to table restaurant, and the chef also owns the farm. BYOB.

WILLOW CREEK WINERY

Acres upon acres of grapevines, a large operation, big spacious building, long tasting bar, tables indoors and outdoors, and a piano player. Folks were two deep at the bar, their kids running free throughout the building. We decided on a light lunch instead of tasting. Good choice. We had two tapas plates, Serrano ham with figs, Irish Whisky cheese, grapes, walnuts and really good fresh bread for dipping in olive oil. A very good lunch. I had a glass of their Pinot Noir, not great, and Joel had a glass of Peachy Sangria.

THE BLUE ROSE RESTAURANT

This is a popular new restaurant in the Blue Rose B&B on Washington Street. Janet and Susan from our B&B, the Mission Inn, highly recommended this place. We shared an excellent salad, crisp calimari over arugula, with a delicate vinaigrette dressing. Joel's entree was crab cakes, which he enjoyed. I ordered short ribs with truffled sun chokes. The short ribs were boneless, actually a tender cut of beef brisket, and the sun chokes were puréed, like mashed potatoes. Dinner included fresh bread with house made butter. Joel had ricotta donuts with coffee ice cream for dessert, three very warm and wonderful cinnamon sugar beignets. BYOB, or buy a bottle of Hawk Haven wine. 

THE MISSION INN

Leslie's breakfasts, best food ny far in all of Cape May, something new, and healthy. Every day, a fruit plate followed by Breakfast entrees like Amish bacon, lemon soufflé pancakes, home made muffins, eggplant stackers, I could go on and on. She is publishing a cookbook, due ou in a few months.

Rats, at The Grounds for Sculpture

Try not to work up an appetite after touring the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, one of my favorite places to spend a day. The food at Rats is superb, and expensive. We'd lunched there before and never had to wait, but this time it was crowded with businessmen, ladies who lunch, and tourists. We made a reservation, and waited about half an hour for a call on our mobile phone. Unfortunately, the only table available was outdoors, in full sun, no umbrella. We took it, I put on my baseball cap (so fashionable) and hoped I'd used enough sunblock. The waiter brought fresh bread and herb butter, then seemed to disappear, which he did on and off while we were there. The meal more than made up for the bad location and poor service. Joel had Bronzini and salad with green beans, frisée and potatoes, with a light vinaigrette dressing. The fish was excellent. I had generous chicken Cobb Salad, with bite size pieces od grilled chicken, tidbits of real bacon, avocado, chunks of Bleu Cheese, minced boiled eggs on a bed of crisp Romaine lettuce. pedestrian, it wasn't. Joel had a tasty Claufouti tart with mango, and hazelnut ice cream and a Cappuchino. I had a cup of very good regular coffee. The sun got to Joel, and he waited in the shade for the bill, which took a long time coming.