Bucks County Taste » Markets

Bucks County Seafood

Rich Baringer — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:00:56 +0000

by guest blogger Rich Baringer,

Bucks County isn’t located all that far from the coast, so we’ve been fortunate to have a number of quality seafood markets that provide wonderful fresh seafood. For those of us who live in close proximity to Dublin, we’re lucky to have Bucks County Seafood right around the corner.

Owner Mike Geehring opened Bucks County Seafood almost 2 years ago after having owned Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer for about 15 years. When it got a little too difficult to compete with the mega-soda companies, he sold PA Dutch and, after teaming up with a friend who worked for a local seafood market, they decided to try their hand at the seafood trade. It looks like things are working out just swimmingly (sorry).

When you visit a seafood market, you always want to be sure that it’s clean and doesn’t smell fishy. That’s just the case at Bucks County Seafood. The seafood is laid out on fresh ice and looks so good—deep red sushi-grade tuna, milky Chilean sea bass, wild and farm-raised salmon and much more. It’s the kind of place that you can feel free to ask questions about the products—when and where it was caught, how to use it, etc.

In addition to the fresh seafood, Bucks County Seafood offers a number of prepared platters—all made to order using the fish from the display case. And Mike says that a big part of their business is selling live crabs, a rarity in our area. Around holidays such as Father’s Day or Memorial Day, his steamer is running all day, cooking up bushels of the crustaceans.

Mike prides himself in offering high quality products—whether it’s the fresh fish, frozen items like king crab and lobster tail, live lobsters and crabs, or his dinner and party platters. He gets deliveries every day, so if you’re looking for a certain kind or amount of seafood that he doesn’t have in stock, he only needs a day’s notice to order it for you.

Bucks County Seafood is located at 164 N. Main St. (Rt. 313), Dublin, PA, 18917. Check out their list of products by visiting their website or call them at 215.249.1295. They’re open 10 am to 7 pm, Monday through Saturday and 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday.

Bucks Food Calendar: November 11, 2011

Lynne Goldman — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:38:11 +0000

Now we’re getting some real November weather. Cool and windy, as the last of the leaves blow away and leave the trees bare. Time for warming food like stews and soups. I feel the cooking itch, the need to make a big pot of something or a lasagne, enough to freeze for later in the winter. I guess squirrels aren’t the only ones with the urge to stock up for the cold days ahead.

Speaking of warm, lots of church suppers and firehouse dinners this weekend, as well as two firehouse breakfasts on Sunday. And good warming food too. There’s the Spaghetti Dinner at the Delaware Valley Fire Co. in Erwinna on Friday (today). Then on Saturday, stop by the Roast Beef Dinner at the Chalfont United Methodist Church, or head over for dinner to the Plumsteadville Fire Co. Quakertown will be the site for a Ham Dinner at the Quakertown United Methodist Church or a Pork & Sauerkraut Dinner at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. The nice thing about these suppers is that you know the proceeds are going to a good cause. For more details and locations, see our full calendar, Food Events in Bucks County.

To market, to market. Several farmers’ markets are still going, full of cool weather crops, like greens, and root vegetables good for storing for the winter, like potatoes, onions, garlic and beets. Doylestown, New Hope, and Wrightstown will have markets until the week before Thanksgiving. What will you find there? In addition to baked goods and bread, eggs, pastured meats, coffee and more, the veggies include: winter squash and pumpkins, broccoli, bok choy, cauliflower, celeriac, kale, collards and other greens, cabbages, leeks, Swiss chard, radishes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, fennel, lettuce, basil, parsley, herbs, potatoes, garlic, onions, carrots, and red beets. Many markets will also have apples and cider, and locally foraged, wild maitake and other mushrooms.

For more details on any of these events, please go to our full calendar, Food Events in Bucks County. Have a warm weekend. Follow Bucks County Taste also on Facebook and Twitter.

Friday, November 11:

Veteran’s Day Salute Pancake Breakfast @ New Seasons, Chalfont [7:30 - 11 am]
Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [3-7 pm]
Beer Tasting, Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton, NJ [4-6 pm]
Friday Wine & Music @ Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Pennington, NJ [5-8 pm]
Spaghetti Dinner @ Delaware Valley Fire Co. , Erwinna [5:30 - 7:30 pm]
Seasonal Surf & Turf (cooking class) @ The Cooking Cottage, Sellersville [6:30 - 8:30 pm]
Fridays Unplugged @ Crossing Vineyards, Washington Crossing [7 - 10 pm]

Saturday, November 12:

Doylestown Farmers’ Market, Doylestown [7 am - 12 pm]
Wrightstown Farmers’ Market, Wrightstown [9 am-1 pm]
Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [9 am - 4 pm]
Homemade Pasta (class) @ Kitchen Garden Cooking School, Upper Black Eddy [10 am - 1 pm]
Wine Tasting @ Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton, NJ [12 - 6 pm]
Let’s Talk Turkey: Wine & Food Pairing @ Chaddsford Winery Tasting Room, Lahaska [2 - 3:30 pm]
Beer Tasting @ New Hope Beverage, New Hope [3 - 7 pm]
Second Saturdays in New Hope – New Hope [3 - 9 pm]
Roast Beef Dinner @ Chalfont United Methodist Church, Chalfont [4 - 7 pm]
Pork & Sauerkraut Dinner @ St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Quakertown [4 - 7 pm]
Dinner @ Plumsteadville Fire Co., Plumsteadville [4 - 8 pm]
Ham Dinner @ Quakertown United Methodist Church, Quakertown [4:30 - 7 pm]
Saturday Wine & Music @ Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Pennington [5-8 pm]
Food and Wine Pairing @ Crossing Vineyards, Washington Crossing [7 - 9 pm]

Sunday, November 13:

Breakfast @ Silverdale Fire Company, Silverdale [8 am - 1 pm]
Breakfast Buffet @ Richland Twshp Fire & Rescue, Quakertown [8 am - 1 pm]
Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market @ Dvoor Farm, Flemington, NJ [9 am - 1 pm]
Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [10 am - 4 pm]
Vinyasa Yoga & Wine @ Crossing Vineyards, Washington Crossing [11:30 am - 1:30 pm]
Master Chef Food & Wine Series @ Old York Cellars, Ringoes, NJ [1 - 4 pm]
Pairing Wine and Cheese @ Crossing Vineyards, Washington Crossing [2 - 4 pm]

Monday, Novermber 14:

The Lucky Cupcake Company (cooking class) @ The Cooking Cottage, Sellersville [6:30 - 8:30 pm]

Tuesday, November 15:

Bun Bake Sale @ Central Bucks Senior Center, Doylestown [8:30 am - 4 pm]
French Bistro Cuisine (cooking class) @ The Cooking Cottage, Sellersville [6:30 - 8:30 pm]
Chocolate Lover’s Fantasy Celebrity Bartender @ The Other Side, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]

Wednesday, November 16:

Bun Bake Sale @ Central Bucks Senior Center, Doylestown [8:30 am - 4 pm]
Pierogy Wednesdays @ St. Anne Ukrainian, Warrington [9 am - 12 pm]
Wine Down Wednesdays @ Old Bethlehem Road Hotel, Quakertown [6 - 9 pm]

Thursday, November 17:

Bun Bake Sale @ Central Bucks Senior Center, Doylestown [8:30 am - 4 pm]
Free Nutrition Program @ McCaffrey’s Supermarket, Lower Makefield [10 am - 12 pm]
New Hope Farmers’ Market, New Hope [3:30-7:30 pm]
Clam Bake @ Logan Inn, New Hope [5 - 9 pm]
Sushi Night in the Wine Cellar – The Inn at Lambertville Station, Lambertville, NJ [6 - 10 pm]

For more details on any of these events, please go to our full calendar, Food Events in Bucks County. Follow Bucks County Taste on Facebook and Twitter.

Tomatillos and pork loin

Rich Baringer — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:00:22 +0000

by guest blogger Rich Baringer,

An item that I’ve noticed more and more at many farmers’ markets over the last couple years is the tomatillo. You’ve seen them—they look like small green tomatoes wrapped in a papery husk. Unless you’re familiar with Mexican food, though, you may not know much about them.

As you would expect, tomatillos are related to the tomato as well as the cape gooseberry, or ground cherry. (You can read my post about these little fruits here.)

Unlike tomatoes, though, tomatillos hold very well for weeks in the refrigerator without losing any flavor or texture. Their flavor is a bit hard to describe—herbal and a bit citrusy—but distinctive and delicious. They’re very high in pectin, so when cooked, they add a luxurious thickness to a sauce.

Tomatillos may be most familiar to many as the main ingredient in salsa verde. This green salsa usually uses raw tomatillos and other typical salsa ingredients like garlic, chiles, cilantro, and onion. But the best tomatillo recipe I’ve come across is from Mexico One Plate at a Time by Mexican food guru, Rick Bayless. It uses many of the same ingredients as the raw salsa in a delicious, spicy sauce served with a tender pork loin. It’s a little involved, but definitely worth it. Your guests will be crazy about it.

Tomatillo-Braised Pork Loin (Lomo de Puerco en Salsa Verde)
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Tbsp pork lard or olive or vegetable oil
1 (2 lb) boneless pork loin roast, untied if in two pieces
1 lb (10-12 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
Fresh hot green chiles to taste (serranos or jalapenos, for example), stemmed
1 medium white onion, sliced
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or minced
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few sprigs for garnish
Salt
10 small (about 1 ¼ lbs total) red-skin potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

HOW TO

BROWNING THE PORK. In a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat the lard or oil over medium heat. When very hot, lay in the pork loin (if in 2 pieces, don’t crowd them, or they’ll stew rather than brown). Brown well on one side, about 5 minutes, then flip and brown the other side. Remove pot from heat and transfer the pork to a plate; set the pot aside to use for the sauce.
THE SAUCE. Roast the tomatillos and chiles on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until darkly roasted, even blackened in spots, about 5 minutes. Flip them and roast the other side 4-5 minutes. This will give you splotchy-black and blistered tomatillos and chiles that are soft and cooked through. Cool, then transfer everything to a food processor or blender. Be sure to scrape the flavorful stuff from the baking sheet. Process until smooth.
Set the pork-browning pot over medium heat. When hot, add onion and cook, stirring regularly, until golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute longer. Raise the heat to medium-high and when oil is sizzling, add the tomatillo puree. Stir until noticeably darker and very thick, 3-4 minutes. Add 1 ½ cups water and the cilantro. Taste and season with salt, usually 1 tsp. Stir.
BRAISING THE PORK. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Nestle the browned pork into the warm sauce, cover and cook in oven for 30 minutes.
While the meat is cooking, simmer the potatoes in heavily salted water to cover until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
When the pork has cooked 30 minutes, nestle the cooked potatoes into the sauce around the meat, cover and cook until the interior of the pork registers about 145 degrees, 5-10 minutes longer. The meat will feel firm (not hard) to the touch and cutting into the center will reveal only the slightest hint of pink.
SERVING. With a pair of tongs and a spatula, transfer the pork to a cutting board. Let rest for 3-4 minutes while you finish the sauce. Spoon off any fat from the top of the sauce. Taste and season with salt, if necessary. Spoon the sauce and potatoes onto a warm deep serving platter. Cut the pork into ¼” slices and arrange on top of the sauce. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and enjoy!
NOTE: The pork can be browned and the sauce made a day ahead; refrigerate separately, covered, until a couple of hours before you’re ready to braise the pork. The meat will be best if braised just before serving, but will hold fine in a very low oven (uncovered) for about a half-hour if you slightly undercook the pork—it will finish cooking as it sits.

American cheese: the good kind

Lynne Goldman — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:09:57 +0000

The first time I tasted cheese from the Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse, I was stunned. I had never tasted cheese like this that wasn’t, well, from Europe. I know that sounds snobbish, but I love cheese, and I’ve tasted a lot of it, all kinds. This cheese was…something else. Earthy, creamy, complex, with a bit of tang, and something more. It wasn’t a copy of some European cheese, like an American-made brie or such. It was its own cheese, with its own personality.

After regaining my power of speech, I looked up from the cheese to Jonathan White, standing proudly behind his cheese, smiling. Questions rushed into my mind: Who are you? Where did you come from? And please tell me you’re not too far away and I’ll be able to buy more of this cheese.

Moving on down. In fact, Jonathan, and his wife and partner, Nina, resided at the time on a leased farm up in Vernon, New Jersey. They had been producing their excellent cheese for eight years at that site but were looking for their own land. With the help of the Hunterdon Land Trust, they were able to do a simultaneous preservation and purchase of the Stamets Farm in Milford, New Jersey, which has been farmed by just two families since the American Revolution. In the spring of 2010, they moved their herd and all to the new farm. There the Whites raise almost 50 cows on 184 acres of clean, natural pasture. No pesticides, no GMO grains, no antibiotics, no hormones, no nuthin’. The cows spend most of their time in the pastures, eating rich millet, wildflowers and grass, and fertilizing the fields at the same time. They are milked once a day in the morning, then go back out to pasture. They are allowed to suckle their calves, which results in less milk to make cheese, but which is healthier and more conducive to a longer life for the cow. Commercially raised cows, who spend their days in milking sheds, live an average of 2.9 years. Pastured cows can live over 15 years. Two of the Whites’ cows, Flora and Liberty, are 16 and 17 years old respectively. Not a bad life.

The Whites are quite happy with this arrangement. Their goal is to run a completely sustainable farm. So, for instance, the large amounts of whey that are a by-product of the cheese making process go to feeding their hogs. Chickens are kept on the farm not just to provide eggs, but to eat the flies that are always hanging around a dairy barn. Jonathan, a former software engineer, applies his talents now to improving the systems around the farm – like finding a type of millet that has more leaves and less seeds, or cross-breeding the cows. The former to reduce the chance of E-coli entering the water table, the latter because most dairy cows today were bred to stand in a milking shed all day, not roam in pastures.

American cheese. Jonathan began making cheese in the late 1980s as a hobby. He had learned to love cheese as the cheese buyer for the Hoboken Co-op in the 1970s, and then later when his work took him to England. In the early 1990s, he began making cheese professionally using industrially-produced milk. But he really wanted to use milk from 100 percent grass-fed cows. It was time to become a farmer. The family moved to Vernon and bought their first dairy cows, using their own raw milk to make exceptional cheeses.

“What kind of cheeses do they make?” asked my friend, Lauren, when I told her about Bobolink. Um, how do I answer that question? I thought. She probably expects an answer like cheddar or Gouda. Many Americans are at least somewhat familiar with different cheeses, knowing that Velveeta is “bad,” and anything aged is “good.” But how can I begin to explain Bobolink’s cheese? What I’ve learned is that a cheese comes from its place – its terrain, its grass, its climate and the animals that live in all that, what winemakers refer to as terroir. Perhaps most of all, a cheese comes from its history. This is the challenge American artisanal cheese makers have had to overcome in selling and marketing their cheese. How can – and why should– you make a copy of a cheese that’s been made for centuries in France, or Italy, or England? Why not make something unique to this land?

So what kind of cheese does Bobolink make? Small round ones, like Amram and the Tower of Bobol, which are made in the spring and fall, when there is less milk from the cows. Or Baudolino, a soft-ripened cheese, that varies in firmness and taste depending on the season (like when the cows are eating wild garlic). Then there is Drumm, mostly firm and a little crumbly, with a rich flavor. Jean-Louis, one of my favorites, is very grassy and can only be made in the late spring and early summer when there is plenty of milk to fill the large molds. It’s soft in the inside, like brie, and firmer towards the rind.

All of Bobolink’s cheeses are made from raw milk – which is not homogenized or pasteurized. The latter is particularly important since pasteurization entails boiling the milk, which kills all bacteria, including the good kind that makes flavorful, intense cheese, unique to its place and the time of the year. Because the cheese is made from raw milk, by law it must age for at least 60 days. Most of Bobolink’s cheeses age longer, up to 24 months, kept in their cheese cave, a refrigerator kept at 55 degrees or colder.

Baking it up. Cheese is made every day at the farm with milk from that day’s milking of the cows. As is bread, another Bobolink product. Nina is the baker. She began baking as a child, and when the cheese business began to pick up, she baked artisanal, whole grain breads to “go with.” Except the breads started selling as well as the cheese, and so their bread business began. At the front of the renovated barn is a wood-fired brick oven which reaches temperatures over 600 degrees. A computer screen sits beside the oven, covered in flour dust. It gives Nina data about the oven, a graph representing varying temperatures. “The oven dictates how much of what kind of bread we’ll make,” she explains. She tries to balance the oven’s mood with that of her customers’ wants. The most popular breads? The ciabattas – which come in many variations. Plain, cheese, olive onion, and roasted garlic with duck fat. Nina experiments with different grain flours, adding variety that way instead of mixing in seeds, like other bakers. To learn more about Nina’s baking, see our previous post and video.

You can taste and buy Bobolink’s cheese and bread, along with yogurt, butter, and meat products in season, at their market on the farm. Be sure to also go on the tour, and meet the cows. The farm is very kid-friendly too, so bring them along. You can also buy Bobolink’s products at the Stockton Farm Market every Saturday, at the Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market at Dvoor Farm in Flemington (May 15 – November 20), at several New York farmers’ markets and online at their website, www.cowsoutside.com. The farm is at 369 Stamets Road, Milford, New Jersey.

This article was originally published in Bucks Life magazine.

Welcome back to school!

Lynne Goldman — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:44:33 +0000

I’m referring of course to the New Hope Farmers’ Market which has moved back to its previous location at the New Hope-Solebury High School campus grounds.

“It is wonderful to be back,” says Susan Pierson, market manager. It’s been a bumpy season for so many reasons. The market had opened the season at a new location, right on Route 202 next to the Eagle Diner. “We thought we could gain more traffic for the market from 202, but it didn’t work out,” Pierson says. Then came the rains of May. And changes in Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture regulations (Act 106) that caused some vendors to pull out because it wasn’t economically feasible for them to stay. But, adds Pierson, “we’re back at the school and thrilled!”

Back, nestled in the cool shade, on the grass. Nestled in the welcoming arms of the town. It definitely feels good to be back. Pierson is grateful for the wonderful support of the school board and Dr. Boecuti, superintendent, and for the vendors who stuck it out all summer.

Look this week for Milk House Farm (vegetables, heirloom tomatoes), Tall Pine Farms (vegetables), Mainly Mushrooms, The Cookie Lady, Lilies and Lavender (flowers), The Gourmet Puppy and Woods Edge Wools. The Coffee Scoop will be back next week with their locally roasted, USDA certified organic coffee. And other vendors will be coming as well.

What better time to move back? Just at the height of the summer bounty and on the verge of the fall season. You’ll find at the market this week heirloom tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, sweet corn, melons like cantaloupe and watermelon, eggplant, lettuce and salad mix, beans, cucumbers, Yukon Gold potatoes, onions, zucchini, summer squash and more.

The market has also shifted its hours, beginning at 3:30 pm and ending at 7 pm, and will be open every Thursday afternoon through November 17.

So stop on by to see an old friend this Thursday and go “back to school.”

Bucks Food Calendar: August 26, 2011

Lynne Goldman — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:29:57 +0000

Ah, Irene. You are striking fear in the hearts of many. Let’s pray you’re not as nasty as they are making you out to be.

It would be an understatement to say this weekend is overshadowed by Hurricane Irene. First priority is battening down the hatches, putting anything away that might be a projectile in 60 mph winds, and stocking up on water and other non-perishables. As for any events listed below for Sunday, call before you go. See our full food events calendar for contact information.

Now to the farm report, as it were. August has brought record rain fall and the ground is saturated. Tomatoes and other fruits are bursting. And heaven only knows what this storm will do to area crops. So…get to your local farmers’ market on Friday and Saturday and stock up! Fridays’ markets are Stockton and Ottsville. Saturdays markets are Doylestown, Plumsteadville, Perkasie, Stockton and Wrightstown. See our full food events calendar for addresses and contact information.

What will be available? For produce: Apples, beans, beets, blackberries, cabbage (green and purple), cantaloupe, carrots, celery, Swiss chard, collards, sweet corn, cucumbers (salad and pickle), edamame beans, eggplant, fennel, field peas, fresh cut herbs, garlic, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onions (purple and fresh), peaches, pears, peppers (hot and sweet), potatoes, radishes, raspberries, scallions, summer squash, tomatoes (all kinds), watermelon, (first of the season) winter squashes, and zucchini. In addition, many markets have locally raised meats, cheese, baked goods and bread, local honey and prepared foods, as well as preserves, nut butters and local artisanal goods like wool, soap, jewelry and ceramics.

A real treat at the Ottsville Farmers’ Market today will be a guest vendor, Jose Garces’ Guapos Tacos Truck. The famous Philadelphia chef bought a property in the Ottsville area this past year. What fun! For a menu, go to Guapos Tacos Truck’s website.

Eat ice cream and support your local foodshed. How easy is this? oWowCow Creamery will be hosting a fundraiser for the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance at its new Wrightstown location on Wednesday, August 31st from 6 pm to 9 pm. All you’ve got to do is show up and buy some delicious ice cream. John Fezzuoglio, owner and ice cream maker extraordinaire, will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Foodshed Alliance. The store is in Carousel Village at 591 Durham Road (Route 413) in Wrightstown, just a few miles north of Newtown. See you there!

Philly HOT LIST winners in Bucks. The results are in. So far we have two great local eateries who won top places. The Yardley Ice House won 1st place for Water Ice (well, duh). I’m a little annoyed because one of my favorites, Basically Burgers, only got 2nd place for Best Burgers (huh?). Well, it turns out first place went to Five Guys, a chain with several Philadelphia area locations, including Doylestown. Not fair. Five Guys is good, but it’s not Basically Burgers. So for BB to come in 2nd in all of Philadelphia – pretty damn cool! To see some of our past posts about Basically Burgers, including a video about the Taco Burger, click here.

For more details on any of these events, please go to our full calendar, Food Events in Bucks County. Have a…dry-as-can-be, safe weekend. Follow Bucks County Taste also on Facebook and Twitter.

Friday, August 26:

Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [1-7 pm]
Summer BBQ @ Lumberville General Store, Lumberville [3 - 7 pm]
100% off @ Vintage Grille, Doylestown [4 - 6:30 pm]
Ottsville Farmers’ Market, Linden Hill Gardens, Ottsville [4-8 pm]
Beer Tasting, Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton, NJ [4 - 6 pm]
Friday Wine & Music @ Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Pennington, NJ [5 - 8 pm]
Wine Concert Series @ The Market at DelVal, Doylestown [6 - 9 pm]
Wine Concert Series @ Shady Brook Farm, Yardley [6 - 9 pm]
Friday Night Fireworks Express – New Hope/Ivyland Train, New Hope [6:15 - 10:30 pm]
Summer Fireworks in New Hope/Lambertville – New Hope, PA & Lambertville, NJ [9:30 – 10:30 pm]

Saturday, August 27:

Doylestown Farmers’ Market, Doylestown [7 am - 12 pm]
Perkasie Farmers’ Market, Perkasie [8 am - 12 pm]
Plumsteadville Grange Farm Market, Plumsteadville [9 am - 12 pm]
Wrightstown Farmers’ Market, Wrightstown [9 am - 1 pm]
Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [9 am - 4 pm]
Sensory Appreciation of Local Produce: Grapes @ Tinicum Conservancy Upper Black Eddy [10 am - 12 pm]
2010 Mainsail White Release Weekend @ Alba Vineyard, Milford, NJ [12 - 5 pm]
Wine Tasting @ Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton, NJ [12 - 6 pm]
Beer Tasting @ New Hope Beverage, New Hope [3 - 7 pm]
Grapevine Express Wine & Cheese Pairing @ New Hope/Ivyland Train, New Hope [5 - 7 pm]
Saturday Wine & Music @ Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Pennington [5 - 8 pm]
Chef Dinner Series: Chefs Matt Achuler & Peter Hess @ Linden Hill Gardens, Ottsville [6 - 9:30 pm]

Sunday, August 28:

Breakfast Buffet @ Father Gallen Council 5494, Warrington [7:30 - 11 am]
Firehouse Breakfast @ Haycock Fire Company, Quakertown [8 am - 12 pm]
Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market, Hellertown [9 am - 1 pm]
Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market, Flemington, NJ [9 am - 1 pm]
Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [10 am - 4 pm]
Milk House Farm Tomato Recipe Contest @ Milk House Farm, Newtown [12 - 2 pm]
2010 Mainsail White Release Weekend @ Alba Vineyard, Milford, NJ [12 - 5 pm]
Cherry Grove Farm’s Labor Day Cookout Sale Event, Lawrenceville, NJ [12 - 5 pm]
Pairing Wine & Cheese @ Crossing Vineyards, Washington Crossing [2 - 3:30 pm]
Grapevine Express Wine & Cheese Pairing @ New Hope/Ivyland Train, New Hope [5 - 7 pm]
Summer Wine & Music Series @ Crossing Vineyards, Washington Crossing [7 - 10 pm]

Monday, August 29:

Soupcon Salon by Kindle Cafe @ Manon, Lambertville, NJ [7 - 9:15 pm]

Tuesday, August 30:

Langhorne Farmers’ Market, Langhorne [3:30 - 6:30 pm]
The Beach Shack @ Carlow Cookery, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]

Wednesday, August 31:

Pierogy Wednesdays @ St. Anne Ukrainian, Warrington [9 am - 12 pm]
Summer Pantry Stock Up Food Drive @ Bucks County Wellness Centre, New Britain [10 am - 4 pm]
The Farmers’ Market @ Playwicki Farm, Feasterville [4 - 7 pm]
Complimentary Beer Tasting @ the Copper Leaf Grill, Buckingham [5 - 9 pm]
Bucks County Foodshed Alliance Ice Cream Social (fundraiser) @ oWowCow Creamery, Carousel Village, Wrightstown [6 - 9 pm]
Wine Down Wednesdays @ Old Bethlehem Road Hotel, Quakertown [6 - 9 pm]

Thursday, September 1:

Uncle Dave’s 94 cents Ice Cream Cones @ Shady Brook Farm, Yardley [3 - 9 pm]
Lower Makefield Farmers’ Market, Lower Makefield [3:30 - 6:30 pm]
New Hope Farmers’ Market, New Hope [3:30 - 7:30 pm]
Clam Bake @ Logan Inn, New Hope [5 - 9 pm]
Sushi Night in the Wine Cellar – The Inn at Lambertville Station, Lambertville, NJ [6 - 10 pm]

For more details on any of these events, please go to our full calendar, Food Events in Bucks County. Follow Bucks County Taste on Facebook and Twitter.

Bucks Food Calendar: August 19, 2011

Lynne Goldman — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:12:46 +0000

If some of these “scattered thunderstorms” can hold off, it looks like a pretty decent weekend. Which is great news if you are heading over to the 2011 Middletown Grange Fair. We will be going tonight – for the BBQ Chicken Dinner, of course, and to see the bunnies and maybe buy a raffle for a cow. Oh, and to see the Mutts Gone Nuts show. That’s gotta be fun with a name like that. To see photos from last year’s show, click here.

Lots of fun things this weekend but a few caught my eye in particular. In the upper part of the county, stop on by the Firehouse Breakfast in Riegelsville on Sunday. This is a monthly breakfast that has been going on for over twenty years. They know what they’re doing. Almost a full breakfast menu, including pancakes, eggs (any way you want them), breakfast meats, coffee, juice and more. See our previous post for more details, Serving up breakfast in Riegelsville.

Or on Saturday, consider a drive to the Holland Township Farmers’ Market, the newest market in the bi-state area, just across the river in Milford, New Jersey. This Saturday, August 20 will be their last market for the season. Looking forward to seeing you next year too!

The first apples of the season have started to appear! Manoff Market Gardens in Solebury now has Ginger Gold. Solebury Orchards, also in Solebury, reports their first apples are available, as does The Market at Del Val by Shady Brook. See Solebury Orchards’ Apple chart to find out when your favorite apple variety will be available. Crunch!

To market, to market. What can you expect to find at local farmers’ markets this week? For produce: Apples, beans, beets, blackberries, blueberries (last of the season!), cabbage (green and purple), cantaloupe, carrots, celery, Swiss chard, collards, sweet corn, cucumbers (salad and pickle), edamame beans, eggplant, fennel, field peas, fresh cut herbs, garlic, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onions (purple and fresh), peaches, pears, peppers (hot and sweet), potatoes, radishes, raspberries, scallions, summer squash, tomatoes (all kinds), watermelon and zucchini. In addition, many markets have locally raised meats, cheese, baked goods and bread, local honey and prepared foods, as well as preserves and local artisanal goods like wool, soap and ceramics. Support your local farms especially this time of year when produce is gorgeous and well-priced. Get your nutrition local!

Save the date! oWowCow Creamery will be hosting a fundraiser for the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance at its new Wrightstown location on Wednesday, August 31st from 6 pm to 9 pm. All you’ve got to do is show up and buy some delicious ice cream. Easy, huh? John Fezzuoglio, owner and ice cream maker extraordinaire, will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Foodshed Alliance. The store is in Carousel Village at 591 Durham Road (Route 413) in Wrightstown, just a few miles north of Newtown. See you there!

For more details on any of these events, please go to our full calendar, Food Events in Bucks County. Have a lovely weekend. Follow Bucks County Taste also on Facebook and Twitter.

Friday, August 19:

63rd Annual Middletown Grange Fair, Wrightstown [10 am - 11 pm]
Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [1-7 pm]
Summer BBQ @ Lumberville General Store, Lumberville [3 - 7 pm]
Ottsville Farmers’ Market, Linden Hill Gardens, Ottsville [4-8 pm]
Beer Tasting, Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton, NJ [4-6 pm]
Friday Wine & Music @ Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Pennington, NJ [5-8 pm]
Lobster Bake at the Vineyard @ Unionville Vineyards, Ringoes, NJ [6 - 9 pm]
Wine Concert Series @ The Market at DelVal, Doylestown [6 - 9 pm]
Wine Concert Series @ Shady Brook Farm, Yardley [6 - 9 pm]
Friday Night Fireworks Express – New Hope/Ivyland Train, New Hope [6:15 - 10:30 pm]
Wine Tasting for Singles @ Crossing Vineyards, Washington Crossing [7 - 9 pm]
Summer Wine & Music Series @ Crossing Vineyards, Washington Crossing [7 - 10 pm]
Belgian-Style Brews with Beer Blogger Giuseppe Fusco @ Stockton Inn, Stockton, NJ [7:30 - 10:30 pm]
Summer Fireworks in New Hope/Lambertville – New Hope, PA & Lambertville, NJ [9:30 – 10:30 pm]

Saturday, August 20:

Doylestown Farmers’ Market, Doylestown [7 am-12 pm]
Perkasie Farmers’ Market, Perkasie [8 am - 12 pm]
Plumsteadville Grange Farm Market, Plumsteadville [9 am - 12 pm]
Wrightstown Farmers’ Market, Wrightstown [9 am-1 pm]
Holland Township Farmers’ Market, Milford, NJ [9 am - 1 pm]
Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [9 am-4 pm]
63rd Annual Middletown Grange Fair, Wrightstown [10 am - 11 pm]
Wine Tasting @ Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton, NJ [12-6 pm]
Beer Tasting @ New Hope Beverage, New Hope [3-7 pm]
Grapevine Express Wine & Cheese Pairing @ New Hope/Ivyland Train, New Hope [5 - 7 pm]
Saturday Wine & Music @ Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Pennington [5-8 pm]
Evening Star Dinner Train @ New Hope/Ivyland Train, New Hope [7 - 9 pm]

Sunday, August 21:

Breakfast @ Riegelsville Fire Company, Riegelsville [8 am - 12:30 pm]
Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market, Hellertown [9 am - 1 pm]
Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market, Flemington, NJ [9 am-1 pm]
Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [10 am-4 pm]
63rd Annual Middletown Grange Fair, Wrightstown [10 am - 5 pm]
Sunday Brunch Train @ New Hope & Ivyland Railroad, New Hope [10:15 - 11:30 am]
A Dummies Guide to Wine Tasting @ Crossing Vineyards, Washington Crossing [2 - 4 pm]
Music @ Villa Milagro Vineyards, Finesville, NJ [2 - 5 pm]
Grapevine Express Wine & Cheese Pairing @ New Hope/Ivyland Train, New Hope [5 - 7 pm]
Earth Center Coffee House, Tyler State Park , Richboro [6 - 9 pm]

Monday, August 22:

Mediterranean Style @ Carlow Cookery, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]
Soupcon Salon by Kindle Cafe @ Manon, Lambertville, NJ [7 - 9:15 pm]

Tuesday, August 23:

Langhorne Farmers’ Market, Langhorne [3:30 - 6:30 pm]

Wednesday, August 24:

Pierogy Wednesdays @ St. Anne Ukrainian, Warrington [9 am - 12 pm]
The Farmers’ Market @ Playwicki Farm, Feasterville [4 - 7 pm]
Global Dinner @ The Cafe at Rosemont, Rosemont, NJ [5 - 8 pm]
Complimentary Beer Tasting @ the Copper Leaf Grill, Buckingham [5 - 9 pm]
Chef Eben Copple’s Grilling Demo @ Yardley Inn, Yardley [7 - 9 pm]
Flavors of Northern Italy @ Carlow Cookery, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]

Thursday, August 25:

New Hope Farmers’ Market, New Hope [2:30-6:30 pm]
Uncle Dave’s 94 cents Ice Cream Cones @ Shady Brook Farm, Yardley [3 - 9 pm]
Lower Makefield Farmers’ Market, Lower Makefield [3:30 - 6:30 pm]
Clam Bake @ Logan Inn, New Hope [5 - 9 pm]
Sushi Night in the Wine Cellar – The Inn at Lambertville Station, Lambertville, NJ [6 - 10 pm]

For more details on any of these events, please go to our full calendar, Food Events in Bucks County. Follow Bucks County Taste on Facebook and Twitter.

Bucks Food Calendar: August 12, 2011

Lynne Goldman — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:42:20 +0000

Mid-August and the farmers’ markets are bursting with local bounty. And thanks to US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, the week of August 7 through August 13 has been named National Farmers’ Market Week. Now, if only we could get the feds to support small family farms more and build up regional food systems (an article in the Huffington Post shares some interesting data about small farms and their impact on regional economies).

Especially with the cooler weather this week, you can find practically any vegetable at local farmers’ markets, stands and year-round farm markets: Beans, beets, blackberries, blueberries, cabbage (green and purple), carrots, celery, chard, collards, sweet corn, cucumbers (salad and pickle), edamame beans, eggplant, fennel, field peas, fresh cut herbs, garlic, leeks, lettuce, okra, onions (purple and fresh), peaches, pears, peppers (hot and sweet), potatoes, radishes, raspberries, scallions, summer squash, tomatoes (all kinds) and zucchini. In addition, many markets have cheese, meats, prepared foods, bread and baked goods, and local artisanal food stuffs and goods. For a listing of all local farmers’ markets click here and for a listing of farm markets and stands, click here.

The other big news this week is the opening of the 63rd Annual Middletown Grange Fair, held in Wrightstown (just north of Newtown) beginning on Wednesday, August 17 and continuing through Sunday, August 21. This is Bucks County’s version of a state fair and is not to be missed. It’s a lot of fun for both kids and adults – lots of well-raised, beautiful animals, amusement rides, exhibits and “fair” food (you know what I mean; funnel cakes, burgers, hot dogs, etc.). Food-wise the highlight of the week is the chicken dinner which includes roasted chicken, corn on the cob, fresh tomato, mashed potatoes and a biscuit. Stop by and wander the fair. It’s a blast. See our post on the Grange Fair in 2010. For more information, see the Middletown Grange website.

For more details on any of these events, please go to our full calendar, Food Events in Bucks County. Have a relaxing and delicious weekend. Follow Bucks County Taste also on Facebook and Twitter.

Friday, August 12:

Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [1-7 pm]
Teen Battle Chef (class) @Resurrection Lutheran Church, Horsham [1 - 4 pm]
Summer BBQ @ Lumberville General Store, Lumberville [3 - 7 pm]
Ottsville Farmers’ Market, Linden Hill Gardens, Ottsville [4-8 pm]
Beer Tasting, Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton, NJ [4-6 pm]
Friday Wine & Music @ Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Pennington, NJ [5-8 pm]
Spaghetti Dinner @ Delaware Valley Fire Co, Erwinna [5:30 - 7:30 pm]
Wine Concert Series @ The Market at DelVal, Doylestown [6 - 9 pm]
Wine Concert Series @ Shady Brook Farm, Yardley [6 - 9 pm]
Friday Night Fireworks Express – New Hope/Ivyland Train, New Hope [6:15 - 10:30 pm]
Brewery NIght @ Fonthill Museum, Doylestown [7 - 10 pm]
Summer Wine & Music Series @ Crossing Vineyards & Winery, Washington Crossing [7 - 10 pm]
Summer Fireworks in New Hope/Lambertville – New Hope, PA & Lambertville, NJ [9:30 – 10:30 pm]

Saturday, August 13:

Doylestown Farmers’ Market, Doylestown [7 am-12 pm]
Perkasie Farmers’ Market, Perkasie [8 am - 12 pm]
Plumsteadville Grange Farm Market, Plumsteadville [9 am - 12 pm]
Wrightstown Farmers’ Market, Wrightstown [9 am-1 pm]
Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [9 am-4 pm]
Peach Festival @ Manoff Market Gardens, Solebury [10 am - 4 pm]
2010 Gewurztraminer Release Weekend @ Alba Vineyard, Milford, NJ [12 - 5 pm]
Wine Tasting @ Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton, NJ [12-6 pm]
Beer Tasting @ New Hope Beverage, New Hope [3-7 pm]
Second Saturdays in Frenchtown – Frenchtown, NJ [3 - 9 pm]
Second Saturdays in New Hope – New Hope [3 - 9 pm]
Dinner @ Plumsteadville Fire Co., Plumsteadville [4 - 8 pm]
Grapevine Express Wine & Cheese Pairing @ New Hope/Ivyland Train, New Hope [5 - 7 pm]
Saturday Wine & Music @ Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Pennington [5-8 pm]
Summer Dance (class & food) @ Serenity Day Spa, Doylestown [7 - 11 pm]

Sunday, August 14:

Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market, Hellertown [9 am - 1 pm]
Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market, Flemington, NJ [9 am-1 pm]
Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [10 am-4 pm]
2010 Gewurztraminer Release Weekend @ Alba Vineyard, Milford, NJ [12 - 5 pm]
Saving the Herbal Harvest: Vinegars, Pickles & Mustards @ Tinicum Herb Barn, Erwinna [1 - 4 pm]
Beer Tasting Train @ New Hope/Ivyland Train, New Hope [3 - 4 pm]
Hunt for Wild Elderberries with Wildman Steve Brill, Huntingdon Valley [4 - 6 pm]
Grapevine Express Wine & Cheese Pairing @ New Hope/Ivyland Train, New Hope [5 - 7 pm]

Monday, August 15:

Mini-Carnival @ Chubby’s Dairy Barn, Plumsteadville [6:30 - 9 pm]
Soupcon Salon by Kindle Cafe @ Manon, Lambertville, NJ [7 - 9:15 pm]

Tuesday, August 16:

Langhorne Farmers’ Market, Langhorne [3:30 - 6:30 pm]
Chicken 101 – Seasonal Recipes @ Carlow Cookery, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]

Wednesday, August 17:

Pierogy Wednesdays @ St. Anne Ukrainian, Warrington [9 am - 12 pm]
63rd Annual Middletown Grange Fair, Wrightstown [10 am - 10 pm]
The Farmers’ Market @ Playwicki Farm, Feasterville [4 - 7 pm]
Global Dinner @ The Cafe at Rosemont, Rosemont, NJ [5 - 8 pm]
Complimentary Beer Tasting @ the Copper Leaf Grill, Buckingham [5 - 9 pm]
Homemade Pasta (class) @ Casa Casale, Lahaska [6:30 - 9 pm]

Thursday, August 18:

63rd Annual Middletown Grange Fair, Wrightstown [10 am - 10 pm]
New Hope Farmers’ Market, New Hope [2:30-6:30 pm]
Uncle Dave’s 94 cents Ice Cream Cones @ Shady Brook Farm, Yardley [3 - 9 pm]
Lower Makefield Farmers’ Market, Lower Makefield [3:30 - 6:30 pm]
Clam Bake @ Logan Inn, New Hope [5 - 9 pm]
Sushi Night in the Wine Cellar – The Inn at Lambertville Station, Lambertville, NJ [6 - 10 pm]
Canning and Preserving @ Carlow Cookery, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]
Love & Lunacy Actors’ Net Cabaret Dinner Theatre @ Yardley Inn, Yardley [ 7 - 9 pm]

For more details on any of these events, please go to our full calendar, Food Events in Bucks County. Follow Bucks County Taste on Facebook and Twitter.

The 2011 Z-500

Lynne Goldman — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:27:24 +0000

Nope. Not referring to some new sports car. It’s zucchini racing time again!

The Lower Makefield Farmers’ Market hosts their annual Zucchini Races this Thursday (tomorrow!) afternoon. Beginning at 5:00 pm, cars will be on view and races begin at 5:30 pm. Yours truly will be judging along with some local celebrities.

Market manager, Sharon Kopp, has masterfully taken over the reins from Sandy Guzikowski (of The Guzikowski Farm CSA), even running a zucchini race car clinic last week to coach new racers on how to “properly” build a race car out of a zucchini. For more information on race car rules, see our previous post, What to do with all those zucchinis.

Apparently this sport is not just a local event. Although the origins of zucchini racing remain shrouded in mystery, researchers have found that competitive zucchini speed events take place from Seattle to Texas to New England. So there.

What’s really fun is seeing all the creative and amazing cars that children and adults alike put together. It’s a lot of fun, even if I’ve yet to see any really fast zucchinis (it’s the effort that counts, no?). And you can do your grocery shopping at the market too.

Racers must register their cars between 4:30 and 5:00 pm. Judging for all categories besides speed will begin at 5 pm and speed races will start at 5:30 pm. Categories this year include: Speed Racer Zucchini, Best Decorated Zucchini, Best Named Zucchini Racer, Most Nutritious Zucchini Racer and Most Likely to Eat Zucchini Racer. All racers should email Sharon Kopp at lmfarmersmarket@gmail.com beforehand. Let the best courgette win!

To see a video from last year, click here.

Lower Makefield Farmers’ Market
Edgewood Road at Heacock Rd. in Lower Makefield, PA. 19067
Market hours: 3:30 – 6:30 pm

Don’t miss this!

Lynne Goldman — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:25:46 +0000

What do you think the “don’t miss” food experiences are in Bucks County and nearby? A delicious burger, a delightful cocktail, a perfect view? Or how about the “feel” of the place, and the way the bartender or wait staff know you, and what you like. What are your favorite experiences and places to go for food, be it restaurants, bars, markets, farms, wineries, or ice cream shops? Share your delights with us the page – (click here) Don’t Miss This!

Bucks County Taste » Markets

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Bucks Food Calendar: November 11, 2011

Tomatillos and pork loin

American cheese: the good kind

Welcome back to school!

Bucks Food Calendar: August 26, 2011

Bucks Food Calendar: August 19, 2011

Bucks Food Calendar: August 12, 2011

The 2011 Z-500

The Unbeetable

More zucchini racers on

Sam Hoffman waits in

Fans at the

1st prize for Best Decorated

2nd prize for Best Decorated

1st prize for Speed and 3rd prize for Best Decorated

2nd prize for Speed

3rd prize for Speed

Don’t miss this!