Catering Tasting - December 9th

Join us as we unveil
the newest classics.

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Thursday
December 9th
5 to 7pm

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RSVP

stacy@iwantfreshfood.com

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Can't make it but
want to learn more?
908.719.9100
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Ask not what you can do for your country.
Ask what's for lunch.
-Orsen Welles

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Fresh. Catering. - Land Rover Event

Give Thanks.

BK Pie Bake Off.

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Brooklyn Pie Bake-Off Benefit that will take place on Sunday, November 14th, from 1:00 to 4:00pm at SPACECRAFT in Brooklyn.

The Brooklyn Pie Bake-Off Benefit is a yearly Brooklyn based pie bake-off that raises money for local underfunded non-profits.

There are only two rules for the Annual Pie Bake-Off Benefit. Rule One is that all pie crust must be homemade. Rule Two is that at least one ingredient must be local(our “local” is defined as being grown or produced within a 200 mile radius of Brooklyn).

To wash down each slice we will have milk from Ronnybrook and beer from Brooklyn Brewery.

More info here.

The Alternative Press - New Jersey's Daily Hyperlocal Newspaper: Fresh In Basking Ridge Serves It Up!

Check out the super awesome article about us by Warren Bobrow.
The Alternative Press - New Jersey's Daily Hyperlocal Newspaper: Fresh In Basking Ridge Serves It Up!

Do you like food made with organic ingredients? Do you crave home made food, made with love? Freshly made salads that are crisp with organic greens, a grilled cheese sandwich on really great bread with smoky bacon and cheddar, how can you go wrong? There is something for nearly every taste available at Fresh.

Check out their cooler, filled with interesting sodas, juices, good ole' organic milk and several varieties of coconut water.

Remind yourself to bring some of that coconut water to mix with some Rhum Agricole to make a Tikki Bar Cocktail. (write me for the recipe)

How about an ice cream sandwich made with all natural ice cream stuffed between two home made cookies? I'm starved.

A recent trip to Fresh (562 Allen Road, Basking Ridge 908-719-9100 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 908-719-9100 end_of_the_skype_highlighting) the two year old restaurant located in Basking Ridge sought to dispel the common thought that healthy means bland.

The food at Fresh is so full of flavor that you want to graze your way through the menu, pausing to taste their chicken noodle soup. This elixer is a must keep for the freezer if you are ever feeling that cold coming on. Daily specials are posted on the board or on their easy to read website. Today's special: Grilled hanger steak with chimichurri speaks clearly of the commitment to prepare flavorful foods with a healthy slant. You won't be alone at Fresh. This place practically bustles on the weekdays at lunch, dinner is chockfull of families looking for a fun way to spend the evening.

Try to get in here on a Saturday and the place is just jamming with activity! Great music on the stereo, was that dub that I heard? Anything but elevator music here. This is a funky place with a great atmosphere. You are welcomed by one of the owners- a good sign to have an owner on site... Hanging out is ok, for owners Erik and Avianna Wolfe who practically brim with enthusiasm. This is their passion, their commitment for good food and great conversation. Push the tables together, bring some friends and share in this honest, healthy food made with real flavor!

Does the thought of a pulled pork sandwich with house made slaw and pickle slices curl your toes? If it does, find your way over to Fresh and tell them I sent you.

Cheers! wb

5 Questions with Christopher Kimball
by Warren Bobrow.

In these few weeks of The Five Questions, I’m finding more and more people who are world travelers. What I never expected to find out was that for all their flying around, the place where they most enjoy being, is home with their family. One of my questions surrounds the idea of being anywhere in the world- eating, drinking, etc. What I thought I would find was a list of exotic dream locations. What I found was the pleasure of house and home, family, memories and nostalgia. These things bind us all. In our own way we nest when we are home. We cook meals, drink wine and share time with each other. This is my gift to the universe. A sense of discovery about good food. Good times amongst friends.

Read 5 Questions with Christopher Kimball here at Wild River Review.

Apple Pie Bake Off

1st Annual - Fresh. Apple Pie Bake Off

Prizes awarded to 1^st, 2^nd & 3^rd place.

1st: $50 Fresh. Gift Certificate, Fresh. t-shirt & trophy.

2^nd: $25 Fresh. Gift Certificate, Fresh. t-shirt & trophy.

3^rd: $25 Fresh. Gift Certificate

Each pie will be judged on the following:

Overall Appearance: 15 points

Crust: 20 points

Flavor: 30 points

Filling: 25 points

Creativity: 10 points

Winner determined by highest overall score. In the event of a tie, the pie scoring highest in creativity will be determined to be the winner.

All entries must be dropped off at Fresh. Restaurant (562 Allen Rd, Basking Ridge, NJ) by 5pm on November 1, 2010.

Sign up sheets are available at the restaurant.

Ok, so what's the difference between our chicken fingers and chicken nuggets? See what looks like soft serve ice cream on the left? Yeah, that's actually your nuggets before they get nuggetized.

Learn the creepy details here:
http://bit.ly/cMUhxQ

The Time for Lunch campaign is a project of Slow Food USA, a
national network of people who believe everyone deserves food
that is good for them, good for the people who grow it, and good
for the planet.

It's time to help schools serve healthier food for lunch.

• Send an email to your legislators
• Make a donation

You can also:

• Read our policy platform
• Learn about our partners
• Find answers to frequently asked questions
• Read our press releases

2010 Fall Food Events

Here's the haps from Edible NJ's Fall Food Events:
EDIBLE EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 18 & 19, 11 am - 4pm
APPLE FEST Delicious Orchards kicks off the start of the Apple Harvest with an event to please all ages. Along with live music, antique cars, and Lolli the Clown, there will be food demonstrations and tastings, and the resident bee keeper will be at the observation hive to answer any of your questions. For more info, visit the website or call (732) 462-1989. 320 Route 34, Colts Neck.

SEPTEMBER 18 & 19, 10am- 5pm
APPLE DAY Join your friends and neighbors for two days of fun, activities, and music as you celebrate the 34th Annual Apple Day at Terhune Orchards. Dance to the Daisy Jug Band, and bring your appetite! Fresh apple pies, juicy roast pork, BBQ chicken, fruit pie, homemade salads, fresh apple cider and apple cider donuts are among the favorite treats. Fill your day with your favorite farm activities: wagon rides, pony rides, face painting, pumpkin painting, make your own scarecrow and more. Don't forget to make some time to Pick-Your-Own, and stroll through the Corn Stalk Maze and Barn of Legends & Lore. Admission is $5.00 (children under 3 are free). Parking is at the Farm. 330 Cold Soil Road (crossroad Carter Road), Princeton.

SEPTEMBER 19, 10am to 4pm
FUNGUS FEST This "science fair of mushrooms" is filled with fun for the entire family. It includes extensive exhibits, mushroom art and photography, guided outdoor mushroom walks with NJMA experts, edible and poisonous mushroom information, how-to's on mushroom cultivation and mushroom cooking, talks and presentations for beginners, medicinal uses of mushrooms, and more. Visitors are invited to bring their own mushroom specimens in for identification by experts. In addition to the activities, mushroom books, field guides, and crafts will be available for purchase. Fungus Fest is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $2.00. Frelinghuysen Arboretum, 53 East Hanover Avenue, Morristown.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2-7pm
FARM TO TABLE 2010 Executive Chef Christopher Albrecht presents a family style feast, including hot and cold antipasti and a market grill course. The Farm Fresh dinner will be served in two seatings at Eno Terra (3 & 5pm). Lite fare including hors d'oeuvres and dessert will be offered by the canal throughout the event. Activites for children are hosted by Stony Brook Watershed. All proceeds will benefit the Watershed. Tours of Eno Terra Canal Farm, and Rockingham historic Site are also available. Rain or Shine. $49 per adult, $15 per child under 12, under 5 free. Please call 609.497.1777 for reservations. 4484 Route 27, Kingston.

SEPTEMBER 19, 3-7pm (RAIN DATE: September 26th)
DINNER ON THE FARM Join Zone 7 as their monthly "Dinners on the Farm" takes place at Manoff Market Gardens. Guests will first be welcomed with drinks and hors d'oeuvres, and escorted by a farmer on a tour of the fields. Then, everyone will be seated for a delicious 4-course meal featuring the seasonal bounty prepared by Chef Mark Miller and his team from Hamilton's Grill Room in Lambertville, NJ. Complimentary wine pairings will be provided by Crossing Vineyards of Washington Crossing, PA. Cost is $135 per person, click through for ticket info. Manoff Market Gardens, 3157 Comfort Road, Solebury, PA.

SEPTEMBER 25, 8am-1pm
HARVEST BOOT CAMP Enjoy the total grape harvest experience from the vineyard to the bottle at Unionville Vineyards. After continental breakfast, you'll find yourself in the midst of a large vineyard's fall crush, grape shears in hand, picking grapes on an autumn morning under the sunny sky. After crushing the grapes, enjoy the fruits of your labor followed by a deli lunch and wine tasting. Cost is $25 per person, call (908)788-0400 to make your reservation. 9 Rocktown Road, Ringoes.

SEPTEMBER 25, 12- 5pm (Rain date Sept. 26)
TEWKSBURY HARVEST FESTIVAL Come Celebrate Autumn in Tewksbury at the12th Annual Harvest Festival with every kind of fun imaginable: pony & hay rides, hot air balloon, classic cars, petting zoo, face and pumpkin painting, dunk tank, homemade pie contest, craft vendors, and more! Admission $20 per car- includes coupon for door prizes and all activities. Proceeds to benefit the Tewksbury Rescue Squad and the Tewksbury Library. Vendors should contact www.thecraftique.com. Christie Hoffman Farm Park, 108 Fairmount Road West, Califon.

SEPTEMBER 25, 10am- 3pm
DIG IN! BREAK GROUND & BREAK BREAD Slow Food USA is spearheading over 150 events nationwide, inviting one and all to break ground on local projects that help create a world where food is good for you, good for the grower, and good for the planet. Locally, join the celebration as we break ground together at The Community Supported Garden at Genesis Farm. With hopes set for 50 volunteers (children are welcome), possible activities will include 'crop mob' (where volunteers swarm a farm and accomplish a task that normally takes several days, like harvesting sweet potatoes) and 'gleaning' (going through harvested fields for crops left behind to be donated to a local food bank or shelter), and more. Advance sign up required, $5 per person for lunch. Click through for more info. The Community Supported Garden at Genesis Farm, 41B Silverlake Road, Blairstown.

SEPTEMBER 26, 11am- 4pm
FARM FESTIVAL at Middle Valley Farm! Family fun for everyone as kids explore a corn maze, hay rides, pumpkin slingshots and more. Informative presentations for adults include everything you need to know about CSAs, canning and preserving, food journalism and gardening from a chef's perspective. There will also be great food, a chili cook-off, blues, soul and rock. The event is organized by the Mendham Junior Women's Club to benefit the Schiff Natural Lands Trust and other MJWC charities. Admission: prepaid (through 9/25) $10 adult, $5 child; $15/7 at the door. Visit www.schiffnaturepreserve.org for more info. Middle Valley Farm, Pleasant Valley Road, Mendham.

SEPTEMBER 26, 1 to 4pm
EPICUREAN PALETTE Grounds For Sculpture will host its 10th Annual Epicurean Palette, a gourmet food and wine event to benefit Grounds For Sculpture. Sample extraordinary culinary creations from more than 20 of the region's most talented chefs, served up with an impressive selection of beer, wine and spirits. There will also be a silent auction featuring artisan crafts, a Rat's Restaurant wine-cellar raid, a catered in-home dinner for six, and other luxury items. Advance ticket purchase is required: cost: $99 for members of Grounds For Sculpture; $110 for non-members.VIP tickets available. For more info, click through to the links above or contact Coby Green-Rifkin, at 609-586-4305 or cgreen-rifkin@groundsforsculpture.org. 18 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton.

OCTOBER 1, 6-10pm
SUNSATIONAL EVENT FOR THE OCEAN Experience the sunset at Sandy Hook as you show support for Clean Ocean Action at this annual event at Sea Gulls' Nest Deck Restaurant. Enjoy the fare of more than 30 of the shore's premier restaurants and caterers, with dinner followed by dessert and dancing. Beer and wine are included, as is live music by Art Servilla, The Green Earth Troubadour and The Thom White Band. Tickets are $100 in advance, $125 at the door. Sea Gulls' Nest is located inside Sandy Hook Park. Parking lot D, 100 Hartshorne Drive, Highlands.

OCTOBER 2 & 3, Noon-5pm
GRAND HARVEST WINE FESTIVAL makes its annual return to Waterloo Village. Features include nearly 300 locally-produced wines, an array of culinary delights, live entertainment and the opportunity to experience one of New Jersey's significant historic landmarks. Check website for schedule information and ticketing options. Waterloo Village, Stanhope.

OCTOBER 7, 5:30- 8:30pm
EXPERIENCE THE ESTUARY CELEBRATION This year, the celebration will focus on "The Delaware River: A National Treasure," highlighting everything that makes this region special. It will take place right on the Delaware River, in the Currents Ballroom at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden. Festivities include a cocktail reception, dinner and hors d'oeuvres, a Delaware Bay oyster raw bar, a raffle, silent and live auctions, and live music. Individual tickets are $100, visit the website for more invitation information and corporate sponsorship opportunities, or call (800) 445-4935, ext. 101. Adventure Aquarium, 1 Riverside Drive, Camden.

OCTOBER 9 &10, 10am- 6pm
SOUTH JERSEY PUMPKIN SHOW FAMILY FALL FESTIVAL is back at the Atlantic County 4-H Fairgrounds. This favorite annual event's highlights include a pumpkin bake-off, pumpkin weigh-in, and little miss pumpkin pageant, to name a few. Visit the website for a listing of all the fun! Atlantic County 4-H Fairground, 3210 Rte. 50, S. Egg Harbor.

2010 Mendham Farm Festival

Sunday, September 26th 11am - 4pm Middle Valley Farms, Pleasant Valley Road, Mendham Presented by the Mendham Junior Women's Club as a benefit for the Schiff Natural Lands Trust and other charities MJWC supports

What's Happening at Farm Fest Fun for Kids! Corn maze, hay ride, pumpkin slingshot, crafts, games and much more... Local Food! Hot Box Food Truck Chili Cook-off! Show us what you're made of! (Or your chili recipe, anyway) Click here for details. Great Entertainment! Blues, soul and rock and roll with Tom Rice and Friends Also, join us for these fun, informative presentations: Canning and Preserving Sharon Allen from Sharon's Jams, Preserves and Relishes Everything you need to know about Community Supported Agriculture Kristin Bowlin and Kyle LaFerriere of Totten Family Farm Food Journalism and and Social Networking Warren Bobrow, raised on a farm in Morristown, NJ, is the Editor of Wild Table at Wild River Review. Gardening from a Chef's Perspective James Laird, Owner and Chef, Restaurant Serenade, Chatham Want to volunteer for the event? Click here and let us know how you'd like to help!

Admission Admission to Farm Fest is available at the pre-sale prices until September 25th. Pre-sale prices (until 9/25) Adult: $10.00; Child $5.00 Admission on day of event: Adult: $15.00; Child: $7.00 You may reserve tickets three ways: 1. Buy them online below. (This option will only be available until Saturday September 25th. On the day of the event, please purchase tickets at the farm.) 2. Send checks payable to: Mendham Junior Women's Club, c/o Amanda Sward P.O. Box 308, Brookside, NJ 07926 3. Pay with cash or check in person at the Schiff Nature Center. Adult Tickets Child Tickets Make a donation to the Festival! (A portion of your donation will allow local families in need to attend the event.)

Whole Foods CEO: Healthy food is affordable necessity.

Time flies when you're running one of the world's most profitable grocery chains. Whole Foods, the organic and natural foods supermarket trendsetter, turns 30 on Sept. 20.

It has been widely imitated in style and concept. Its pricing has garnered it the pop culture nickname "Whole Paycheck." The relatively tiny chain, which has 300 units in 38 states, has had a cultural impact more akin to that of Starbucks, which has more than 11,000 U.S. locations.

Yet, last year, in one of its most challenging years ever, Whole Foods (WFMI) still posted sales of $8 billion. It is about to roll out three much-watched health and wellness programs at stores in the next year. USA TODAY marketing reporter Bruce Horovitz talks with co-founder, cosmic thinker and conservative hippie John Mackey, 57, about his company's past three decades and the next. The interview is edited for length and clarity.

Read the article here.

Fresh Eggs from Lancaster County

Ever expanding egg recall is scary, right? Rest assured we use
only Sauder's Eggs from Lancaster County, PA.

Learn more about Sauder's Family Egg Farm here.
See pictures of the hens here.

Edible Jersey's What's Fresh

Here's a list from the good folks over at Edible Jersey of what's local and in season:
cucumbers, dill, eggplant, kale, leeks, mint, nectarines, parsley, peaches, peppers, spinach, squash, sweet corn, Swiss chard, tomatoes, white potatoes. arugula, basil, beets, cabbage, cantaloupe & melons, cilantro and collard greens.
Source: NJ Department of Agriculture

Know of something they've missed? Give us a shout.

Get your groove on

Great tips for finding lost love in the kitchen.

Five Ways to Get Your Cooking Groove Back: Kim O'Donnel

1. "Roast a head of garlic: Trim off the top, slather it with olive oil and wrap in foil for 30ish minutes in a 400-degree oven. The perfume alone will inspire; the buttery oozing cloves will make you do a jig and yes, kiss someone."

2. "Go to your nearest farmers market. Stand by a stall selling basil and/or peaches and/or berries. Close your eyes. Inhale. Open your eyes, purchase and feast your senses. Spontaneous dancing in the streets may ensue."

3. "Engage in mindful cooking with the simplest of dishes, a meditation of sorts. Boil a pot of rice. Listen and smell while it bubbles up to the lid. Scoop into a bowl. Sprinkle with soy sauce and sesame seeds. Slice a cucumber and listen to the clunk of the knife on the cutting board. Taste slowly."

4. "Make a grilled cheese sandwich. Is there anything more comforting and soul stirring, or personal? Make one for yourself, and one for someone you like, or maybe even love. Eat under the light of the moon and with abandon."

5. "Grow something to eat: a pot of rosemary, a cherry tomato plant, a hanging basket of lettuce. It may not seem like much, but watching that plant grow will fill your heart and mind, and have you firing up skillets in no time."

NY Mags 101 Best Sandwiches for 2010.

Read the article here.
As a Fatty alum, proud of the guys at Fatty Que.

NJ Slow Food Farm to Table Dinner

Plaid Piper Farm, Farm-to-table dinner
July 18, 2010, 4-7pm, Branchville, NJ
ORDER TICKETS NOW!

Why attend this amazing dinner? The funds raised help Slow Food NNJ programs. The fundraising will provide grants for a minimum of five NJ schools to help develop school vegetable gardens. Along with the grants, our goal is also to provide workshops for teachers on how to integrate the school vegetable garden with NJ curriculum.

Slow Food NNJ is currently working with Maple Avenue School in Newark on the "Growing Minds" Program and recently on a special event called, "Eat, Grow, & Go"

Click here for more info.

Local Spinach

We just got some super fresh local spinach from
the good folks over at Totten Family Farm in Long Valley, New Jersey. Yesterday, our spinach salad with grilled chicken, tomatoes, and blue cheese dressing was a hit. Tonight it is featured in our wild caught grilled Alaskan salmon Blue Plate. We're very happy to be able to serve you this beautiful and delicious spinach. Keep your eye out for the next item featured from Totten Family Farm here at Fresh.

More info on Totten Family Farm:
"Totten Family Farm is a preserved 80 acre Certified Naturally Grown farm in Long Valley, NJ. The 2010 season will be our first season managing the family farm. Collectively we, Kyle LaFerriere and Kristen Bowlin, have been working on sustainable farms for over 12 years. As stewards of the land it is our objective to efficiently raise high quality, healthy food in a sustainable manner. We are driven by a deep rooted need to utilize the skills and preserve the traditions that have sustained humankind for so long. We consider food raised in a pure, ecological, and humane manner to be a basic right that is essential to good health."

Wanna visit the farm:
Totten Family Farm
442 Naughright Rd.
Long Valley, NJ, 07853

Totten Family Farm Online:
Home Page
Facebook
Blog

Local Strawberries

Avi & I picked amazing strawberries today in Hillsborough at Sunhaven farms. Only 17 miles away, they've got super ripe strawberries grown all naturally. We picked early this afternoon, half are working on the stove top now becoming jam - other half becoming strawberry shortcake.

As you may have already heard, this year's strawberry crop has matured quickly due to the weather meaning there are lots of beautiful berries just waiting to be purchased at your local farm, farmer's market or farm stand.

Sunhaven Farms
1018 Orchard Dr.
Hillsborough, NJ
908-369-6504