Bucks County Taste » Restaurants

Food adventures: Cheese and ale

Lynne Goldman — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:05:47 +0000

I’m fortunate to get lots of information coming my way about good things to eat and do in Bucks County and nearby. I often see something and think, “That would be a great little day trip.” We don’t always do it – the chores need to be done, our sailboat beckons, or sometimes we just feel like sticking close to home after a long week. But it’s stuff I would love to share. So here is my first in a series of “Food Adventures” – easy day trips, combining a few interesting stops and good, local food.

If you love cheese – and I mean really good cheese – you must try some from the Bobolink Dairy Farm. Jonathan and Nina White recently moved their farm – cows, equipment, the whole shebang – from Vernon to Milford, New Jersey (read more about how this all happened at Artisan Cheesemakers and Land Trust collaborate to preserve historic farm). They make aged, earthy, rich, complex cheeses out of raw milk from grass-fed, pastured cows. They also make wonderful, crunchy artisanal bread, baked in an earthen oven (still under construction at the new farm).

The move to Milford happened just this summer and the Whites have been slowly ramping back up to normal, including selling at farmers’ markets from New York City to nearby Flemington, at the Hunterdon Land Trust’s Farmers’ Market at Dvoor Farm on Thursday afternoons and Sunday mornings. But now you can visit the farm too! So here’s my food adventure suggestion. I hope we can do it this weekend:

Breakfast at the Lovin’ Oven in Frenchtown. See some photos I posted from my last visit. Yum.
Off to Bobolink Dairy Farm in nearby Milford to see the new farm and buy some cheese. The farm tour takes you through the milking parlor, creamery, bakery, cheese cave, and a hike up the hill to see the cows and the beautiful land. A full tour takes about an hour, plus cheese tasting. And, there’s more…
At the end of the tour the Whites give a coupon for a discount on a growler of ale at the local Milford brewery pub, The Ship Inn, serving authentic British ales, including a Farmhouse Ale inspired by Bobolink cheeses. The Whites say the food at the Ship Inn is “decidedly unauthentic for a British pub, insofar as it it excellent. [Their] burgers are made from 100% grassfed cows of my neighbor Harry Swift, from whom we got our little piggies. Chef Lon’s specials are also a treat, as is the fish and chips, which is served with the best mushy peas this side of the Mersey.” Sounds good to me! [Note: on the Ship Inn's website they list other fun things to do nearby.]
If we have the energy and time on the way home, we may stop by Frenchtown for their annual Riverfest. This year’s theme is Mardi Gras. The festivities begin at noon and go until 6 pm.
Or…stop by to watch the polo matches on the Pennsylvania side of the river at Tinicum Park. The polo takes place every Saturday from May 15 to October 9th from 2 – 4 pm. Admission is $5 per carload. You can park at the sidelines of the polo field and have a tailgate picnic or sit in the shade of the big striped tent for members of the public. See the Tinicum Park Polo Club website for more info.

I could go on, but I know we’ll have to get home at some point to feed the dogs and start cocktail hour.

Here are directions and a map for this little trip.
[Note: this may not open in some versions of IExplorer. Sorry.]
View Larger Map

Becker’s Corner

Rich Baringer — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:10:46 +0000

by guest blogger Rich Baringer,

For as long as I can remember, the little roadhouse on the corner of Old Bethlehem Road and Rt. 563 near Lake Nockamixon State Park, was known as Cappie’s. It wasn’t the kind of place that I frequented, but it was sort of an institution until it closed a number of months ago. Now in its place is Becker’s Corner, a bar/restaurant that I tried out for lunch with my parents, who live nearby.

The first thing you notice when you walk in is the decor. Lots of restored stone and woodwork give it a comfortable feel. I don’t know what it looked like before, but someone along the line put in some work to get it to its present state. The building was once a one-room school, so it’s not huge, but there’s plenty of seating at tables or the bar.

The owner of Becker’s Corner also owns the Full Moon Café in Lambertville, NJ. The Full Moon chef headed north to take over the kitchen at Becker’s. Clearly, a seasoned chef has come up with the selections they offer.

The menu has something for everyone and the whole menu is available at any time (they’re open from 11AM to midnight, 7 days a week). If you have trouble making decisions, give yourself some time because there are lots of choices offered.

Appetizers include about 10 different versions of chicken wings, fried calamari and much more. We got an order of spinach/artichoke dip to share. It was served hot with melted cheese and red tortilla chips. Basic, but very tasty.

The menu includes a wide selection of sandwiches. Since it was lunch, we each chose from this section: Dad got a Cider Marinated Pork BBQ sandwich; Mom went healthy with a Sweet & Sour Turkey Wrap, which included pineapple, chunks of turkey and rice; I decided on one of their specialty burgers with mushrooms, asparagus, shallot and blue cheese. All were served with waffle fries and a pickle. The advantage of going to dinner with family is that you can freely ask for a taste, so I know first-hand that every sandwich was substantial and tasty, although I’d say Dad’s BBQ was my favorite.

The salad menu includes a Caesar, an Asian salad with Orange Vinaigrette and a number of other salads with choice of dressings. They also have a really nice kid’s menu—pasta, chicken, even a petite filet mignon (perfect for my little carnivore).

The entrée menu has plenty to choose from including Salmon with Ginger Lime Beurre Blanc, Boneless Pork Ribs over Cheddar Onion Grits, Sweet Chili Rubbed Chicken with Cornbread Stuffing and a variety of pasta dishes. It definitely makes me want to return and try one of these meals.

Speaking of returning, after lunch we were given a card to bring to our next visit. At the end of our next meal, the card entitles us to roll a die and, if we roll a 3, up to 4 meals at our table are free (excluding alcohol, tax, and gratuity). It can be used as many times as we visit before the expiration date. A clever way to get patrons to come back, but the food is good enough to do the job on its own.

So next time you’re over by Lake Nockamixon, stop in at Becker’s Corner—just leave yourself enough time for those tough decisions!

Postscript: The family and I went back to Becker’s for lunch yesterday. The food was again very good, but the best part was that Jake rolled a “3″ and we got our lunch free ($36.80)!

Becker’s Corner
110 Old Bethlehem Rd.
Quakertown, PA 18951
215.536.3220

Matt’s Red Rooster Grill

Lynne Goldman — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:44:04 +0000

It was a cold and wintry February afternoon. The snow was laying thick and fast. (No, this isn’t the beginning of a bad novel. It really was snowing hard. You remember last February?)

A couple of people had mentioned this great restaurant in Flemington (“Flemington?”) named Matt’s Red Rooster Grill. So I was surfing the web looking for it. Not only did I find it, but imagine my delight then dismay when I realized they had planned a special dinner for that very night – “A Bacon Inspired Feast…” Three courses, prix fixe at $44, all involving some wonderful incarnation of bacon and meat. Mark would be thrilled. But it was for “Guys Only,” and, to add insult to injury, there would be a drawing for a very old, very good bottle of Scotch. The feminist in me growled – as did my stomach.

As it turned out, the “Guys Only” night was rescheduled to March due to the weather. Even though I begged – offered to come dressed as a man, etc. – I was told, alas, I could not attend the event. But Liam Burns, manager extraordinaire, offered us a seat at the “Chef’s Table,” that is, overlooking the grill and the line at this delicious BYOB. We also were offered the same prix fixe the guys upstairs were getting.

The meal began with grilled slab of bacon, over wilted baby spinach with warm apple cider vinaigrette. The entrée choices were: Double cut pork chop, bacon cheddar stuffed and a honey bourbon BBQ glaze; or day boat scallops with crispy bacon and caramelized apples. Dessert, believe it or not, was maple bread pudding with a crisp piece of molasses candied bacon on top. And, yes, it worked. Deliciously.

Some of you may know Chef/Owner Matt McPherson from his time as chef du cuisine at the Hamilton Grill Room in Lambertville. He’s also a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a Hunterdon County native. In 2005 he turned this quaint old row home on a back street in Flemington into a destination restaurant (the New York Times has found it), serving fresh, local ingredients and innovative grill cuisine. Even as we got out of the car, we knew we’d be happy. We both paused to deeply inhale the smell of burning wood, and glanced over at the stacks of wood behind the restaurant. Later we would watch the line chef constantly feed the grill fire with these tasty logs.

While the food is great anywhere you sit at Matt’s Red Rooster, we personally recommend sitting at the four counter seats that overlook the grill. If you enjoy watching a well-run kitchen, and the techniques involved in grilling over an open fire, it’s interesting and exciting.

See the video below to watch the pork chops being made and grilled.

Matt’s Red Rooster Grill
22 Bloomfield Ave (just off Main Street)
Flemington, NJ 08822
908.788.7050
Open Tuesday thru Sunday for dinner

1821 Steaks & Cocktails

Lynne Goldman — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 01:20:19 +0000

When was the last time you went to a restaurant – for the first time – and immediately started discussing with your partner, “who can we bring here?” wanting to share your good find as soon as possible? We just did last Friday.

Our conversation took place at a restaurant and bar on River Road in Upper Black Eddy, formerly known as the Canal Bar, now reborn as “1821 Steaks & Cocktails.”

If you knew the Canal Bar, you probably won’t recognize 1821, starting with the corrugated modern steel siding that now cloaks the building. When Kate Barker and Louis Giliberti bought the bar in 2002, it was a beer-and-a-shot bar that had an interesting history. Kind of rough but beloved to many locals – and sometimes a little scary to others. Kate and Louis took over and kept the place as it was, improving the food and respecting the community that had grown to love the bar.

But food is their passion, and their dream was to renovate the bar and make it into a restaurant. So eight months ago they closed the doors and began the metamorphosis. Down came the low ceiling and the second floor above it. A beautiful pitched roof with windows appeared in its place, shedding a soft light over the stained pine boards. The bar shrunk – when it was the Canal Bar you practically walked into the bar upon entering, and it took up most of the place. Now it is a sleek brushed steel surface fabricated by Louis, and the perfect complement to the warm wood floors and walls. The bar seats about a dozen patrons. Add the three booths in the bar area, four more a few steps down from the bar and a table in between and you’ve got a cozy place. Just the way Kate and Louis like it.

“We want it to be a celebration of people being together,” Kate told me as we sat in the empty restaurant on a quiet Tuesday afternoon. Kate and Louis are customers at the Pineville Tavern, and they hope 1821 will evolve into the same kind of warm and welcoming place. If the dinner we had there is any indication, it’s well on its way.

While Kate and Louis spend their time in the kitchen, the front of the house is run by Stacey Bliss and Cyndi Heckman most nights. Stacey was a chef at Villa Richard and more recently ran The Mansion Inn in New Hope. Cyndi, the bartender, “kind of came with the place when we bought it,” says Kate. And you can see why they kept her on. Experienced, sweet, and welcoming to all customers, she is the heart behind the bar. Together they project the kind of atmosphere that welcomes both new customers and the old regulars.

The restaurant only reopened five weeks ago yet it filled up quickly after we got there. The bar was an obvious mixture of patrons – some new and some from “before” – but everyone cheerful. We spoke with some of the Canal Bar regulars to get their opinions of the new place. Change is always difficult, but everyone was unanimous in their praise of Kate and Louis, the food they serve and the feel of the bar.

Ah, the food. Usually that’s my main focus, and I apologize for taking so long to get to it but I fell in love with the space. The menu is simple, printed up to accommodate changes in the season and availability of quality product. It’s pinned to a clipboard along with a page describing Kate and Louis’ philosophy: “We are dedicated to keeping our prices reasonable, preparing our meals with the finest quality ingredients, and doing everything we can to guarantee an exceptional experience while you are here.” That includes local, seasonal vegetables and meat that comes from suppliers that guarantee the animals are “raised humanely, …fed superior grains, drink pure clean water, and receive no added hormones and growth additives.”

They go on to explain how they can keep prices reasonable. Because they own the building, keep labor costs down (Kate and Louis do the cooking, Stacey and Cyndi take care of the front), and believe you don’t automatically triple the food cost to get at the customer price. They also believe good, quality food shouldn’t cost a small fortune.

To start, Mark ordered the garlic roasted snow crab claws ($6) which had him making quiet, happy noises for awhile. I went for the crispy calamari served with a garlic aioli mayo ($7). They were indeed crisp, light and pleasantly chewy (why can’t more restaurants accomplish this?). The menu offered four salads: a fresh mozzarella salad with heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil and olive oil ($7); an Iceberg wedge with blue cheese, applewood smoked bacon and tomatoes ($5); grilled romaine caesar, with romano and a “tiny bit of anchovy” ($7); and a baby arugula salad with fresh vinaigrette and shaved parmesan ($6).

I’ll preface my description of the entrees with a warning to vegetarians: this is a serious steak place. However, I will add that Kate makes delicious vegetables, including a simple slow roasted cherry tomatoes dish that made me want to crawl into the kitchen begging for more.

Louis does the steaks – grilled with love and attention. The beef comes from two well-known all-natural ranches, Strube Ranch in Texas and Painted Hills in Oregon. They include a 16 oz. ribeye ($20), a 16 oz. NY strip ($22), an 8 oz. filet ($20), an 8 oz. Black Angus ribeye ($11) and a 16 oz. Strube Ranch American Kobe (Wagyu) ribeye ($24). Done to order and accompanied by the house french fries (a side of vegetables can be ordered for $2 – $3). In fact, Kate and Louis warn you ahead of time on the menu, “Due to the thickness of the steak cut, the wait may be longer than you are accustomed to elsewhere. We reserve the right to refuse to prepare a steak well done depending on the selection.” Like I said, a serious steak place.

If you’re not in the mood for beef, try one of the fresh fish entrees – Alaskan Coho salmon or halibut ($15), the night we were there, or a shrimp scampi ($10). There’s also an 8 oz. cheeseburger offered.

Don’t be taken aback either when they put your name on the order. “When we ask your name on a ticket it’s so I know in the kitchen,” says Kate. “Maybe you like your romaine a little more charred or a little more cheese, or you like blue cheese in a little pile beside your steak, etc. If you tell me what you liked and what you didn’t, I’ll remember for next time. I’m like a savant that way and I love making it special.”

1821 Steaks & Cocktails
1821 River Road (Route 32)
Upper Black Eddy, PA 18972
610.982.0610

Summer hours:
Wednesday & Thursday — Open at 5:30 pm, dinner from 6:30 – 9:00 pm
Friday & Saturday — Open at 5:30 pm, dinner from 6:30 – 10:00 pm
Sunday — Open at 5:30 pm, dinner from 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Closed Monday & Tuesday

Closed for vacation September 1 – 5

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The Tomato Triangle

Lynne Goldman — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:00:10 +0000

If you’ve ever been to the Pineville Tavern in the summer months, you may have noticed – or even ordered – an appetizer called, “Freddie’s Tomatoes.” It is the quintessential summer dish. Fresh tomatoes, sliced thick, sprinkled with crumbled blue cheese and thin slices of red onion, and finished with a splash or two of red wine vinaigrette.

Of course, the question that begs is, “Who is Freddie?” Easy enough. As you pull out of the Pineville’s parking lot, and come up to the traffic light, instead of turning onto Route 413, go straight onto Township Line Road. A mile will bring you into Wycombe, the pretty little railroad village we call home, but keep going over the small bridge. Drive two plus miles through Forest Grove, an even smaller village that looks like time and real estate developers forgot about it. Just a bit further and you’ll see a big sign shouting, “TOMATOES.” The Slack Farm is on the left. Pull in, get out and buy some of the best tomatoes you’ll eat in Bucks County.

Fred and Evelyn Slack, and now their progeny, have been growing these tomatoes for a long time. They bought the Roselawn Farm – originally a minister’s house – when they married in 1952. Miles Slack, Fred’s brother, lives in the farm next door, just a little down the road. You’ll see his farm’s roadside shack selling a wide variety of vegetables and flowers throughout the growing season (sign says, “The Center Farm”). Miles and his wife live in the old Slack homestead.

I learned all this sitting at the kitchen table with Fred and Evelyn on a warm June afternoon. I guess you could say that Fred Slack is a traditional farmer. He’s got a good thing, and he’s sticking with it. He mostly grows tomatoes, corn, pumpkins and hay on his 76 acres and the 100 or so acres he rents. “Tomatoes and corn,” he says, “just go together, sell well together. Don’t know why. Just do. Seems you have to have both.” His stuff isn’t organic (he does spray when needed), and I didn’t discuss modern farming techniques with him either. You get the feeling that Fred is himself a vanishing breed, one you don’t want to mess with. It is what it is.

Last summer I stopped by the farm to pick up some tomatoes. There was a cute dog in the car next to mine who looked a lot like my Cody. Well, that’s enough to strike up a conversation for me. That’s how I met Chuck Rekemeier. He was picking up some corn from Fred. Turns out Chuck owns and runs Town & Country Greenhouses, on land he rents from Fairview Farm on Pineville Road, about a half mile from the Pineville Tavern. There he grows tomato seedlings for Fred Slack, who gives him his tomato seeds every year. The tomato triangle is completed.

Chuck starts the seeds in February and has the first batch of seven thousand or more plants ready for Fred’s first planting in late April. Fred does two more plantings, one in mid-May and one in mid-June, so that we can all eat delicious tomatoes throughout the summer and early fall. In fact, he’ll have tomatoes to sell into mid-October until the first frost. Along with corn, of course.

So how did Freddie’s Tomatoes come about? For that, we have to go back to the Pineville Tavern and Drew Abruzzese, son of owner Andrew Abruzzese, and general manager of the popular restaurant. The Abruzzeses love the well-known Italian restaurant, Chick and Nello’s Homestead Inn in Trenton, and enjoy their vegetable salads – simple salads made with just a fresh vegetable, red onion, some cheese and red wine vinegar. Once Andrew discovered Fred Slack’s tomatoes, Freddie’s Tomatoes, was born and it’s been a summer staple on the blackboard since Andrew took over the Pineville twenty years ago.

I asked Drew what he likes about the salad. “I don’t,” he shot back, “I don’t like raw tomatoes.” I burst out laughing, at a loss for words. But Drew, the consummate chef and restaurateur came back. “But everyone else loves it.” It’s all about simplicity, he went on to say. “It’s a perfect balance of flavors – the sweetness of the tomatoes, the sharpness of the blue cheese and vinegar… such a simple mix of ingredients, but just perfect.”

And the best part? “It’s the ‘soup’ at the bottom of the plate when it’s all finished,” explains Drew. “People cannot wait to dip bread into it. The best part…is when you are done eating.”

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Bucks Food Calendar: July 23, 2010

Lynne Goldman — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:43:11 +0000

Is anyone still left in town? The internet seems awfully quiet this afternoon. Everyone gone off to the shore or wherever? Ah well, still lots to do and eat here in Bucks County!

In particular…the first New Hope Summer Wine Faire debuts this weekend at Tuscany at the Towpath House in New Hope. Find out more at our previous post. Looks like fun – wine, food…hanging out by the canal, under the shady trees. What could be better?

Ice cream is everywhere too, but in particular why not get up to Chubby’s in Plumsteadville Saturday evening for a 1940′s-style USO Show? Donations will benefit the building of a veterans memorial in Plumsteadville.

On the firehouse circuit, Springtown Fire Company is having a clam bake also on Saturday to raise much needed funds. Tickets include 2 dozen clams, all you can eat shrimp, hot dogs, corn on the cob and more. There will also be a raffle for a timeshare week in Key West or Aruba. Firehouse breakfasts are also going on at the Plumsteadville Fire house (every Sunday) and the Haycock Fire Company. We recommend both.

What can you expect to find produce-wise this week at local farm markets? Ah, I knew you’d want to know that. That’s why I did a special post on farm markets and what’s growing earlier this week. Read more here.

Tune into the blog this week for more local food and recipes, stories and fun places to eat. Make sure to join our email list (look to the right, on the sidebar), Twitter and Facebook page. Especially the latter because I often post little tidbits and late-breaking news there.

For more details on any of these events, please go to our full calendar, Food Events in Bucks County. Have a sweet, relaxing weekend.

Friday, July 23rd:
Forecast – Sunny, 91°

Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [11 am - 7 pm]
Warrington Farmers’ Market @ Valley Square, Warrington [3 - 6 pm]
Ottsville Farmers’ Market @ Linden Hill Gardens, Ottsville [3 - 7 pm]
Beer Tasting @ Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton, NJ [4 - 8 pm]
Community Backyard BBQ, Sweet Mustard Seed, Bristol [4 - 8 pm]
Friday Happy Hour @ Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Pennington, NJ [5 - 8 pm]
Friday Night un(Wine)d Concerts, Doylestown [6 - 9 pm]
Summer Wine Concert Series @ Shady Brook Farm, Yardley [6 - 9 pm]
“Songs on a Summer’s Night” @ Sand Castle Winery, Erwinna [7 - 9 pm]
Summer Music Series @ Crossing Vineyards and Winery, Washington Crossing [7 - 10 pm]
Barbara Trent @ The Centre Bridge Inn, New Hope [7 - 11 pm]
Bob Egan @ Bowman’s Tavern, New Hope [8 pm-12 am]

Saturday, July 24th:
Forecast – Sunny, 95°

Doylestown Farmers’ Market, Doylestown [7 am - 12 pm]
Perkasie Farmers’ Market, Perkasie [8 am - 12 pm]
Indian Valley Farmers’ Market, Telford [8:30 am - 12:30 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 - 3 pm]
“Food Production and the Natural Landscape on a Bucks County Farm”, Upper Black Eddy [10 am - 12 pm]
Wine Tasting @ Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton, NJ [12 - 5 pm]
New Hope Summer Wine Faire, New Hope [12 - 7 pm]
Springtown Fire Co’s Clam Bake, Springtown [1 - 6 pm]
13th Annual Summerfest @ Alba Vineyards, Milford, NJ [4 - 10 pm]
Grapevine Express Wine & Cheese Pairing, New Hope [5 - 7 pm]
Kindle Cafe Supper & Music: A Benefit for the Colombia Fire House, Lambertville, NJ [6 - 10 pm]
USO Show to Benefit Plumsteadville Veterans’ Memorial, Plumsteadville [6:30 - 9:30 pm]

Sunday, July 25th:
Forecast – Sunny, Scattered Thunderstorms, 91°

Breakfast Buffet @ Plumsteadville Fire Co., Plumsteadville [7 am - 12 pm]
Breakfast Buffet @ Father Gallen Council 5494, Warrington [7:30 - 11 am]
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 - 3 pm]
Sangria Sundays @ Chaddsford Winery, Lahaska [10 am - 6 pm]
New Hope Summer Wine Faire, New Hope [12 - 7 pm]
39th Annual Puerto Rican Day Festival, Bristol [12 - 8 pm]
A Dummies Guide to Wine Tasting @ Crossing Vineyards and Winery, Washington Crossing [2 - 5 pm
Grapevine Express Wine & Cheese Pairing, New Hope [5 - 7 pm]

Monday, July 26th:
Forecast – Sunny, 87°

94 Cents Cookie Night @ Chubby’s Dairy Barn, Plumsteadville [6 - 9 pm]
Fresh Fish and Seafood, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]

Tuesday, July 27th:

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

Wednesday, July 28th:

American Legion Meals on Wednesdays, Quakertown [11:30 am - 9 pm]
The Farmers’ Market @ Playwicki Farm, Feasterville [4 - 7 pm]
Complimentary Beer Tasting @ the Copper Leaf Grill, Buckingham [5 - 9 pm]

Thursday, July 29th:

Capital City Market, Trenton, NJ [11 am - 2 pm]
Healthier Hearts Farmers’ Market, Trenton, NJ [12:30 - 5 pm]
Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market, Flemington, NJ [3 - 7 pm]
Lower Makefield Farmers’ Market, Yardley [3:30 - 6:30 pm]
New Hope Farmers’ Market, New Hope [3:30 - 7 pm]
Springtown Farmers’ Market, Springtown [4 - 7 pm]
94 Cent Ice Cream Cone Night @ Uncle Dave’s Ice Cream, Yardley [5 - 9 pm]
Lobster Night @ The Centre Bridge Inn, New Hope [6 - 10 pm]
Sizzling Summer Grilling – Pork and Poultry, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]

Bucks Food Calendar: July 15, 2010

Lynne Goldman — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:16:53 +0000

Wow. Can’t believe how much is going on this weekend. Sorry if I’ve been a little sparse on the posts this week. Still hobbling around the house with my torn ACL. It’s a drag. Literally.

Some highlights for this weekend? On Saturday, how about the 28th Annual R&B Picnic by the Bucks County Blues Society, being held at Snipes in Morrisville? Good music and good food. Or you can go celebrate Goodnoe’s Dairy Bar’s First Anniversary – after being reborn last year, and now run by a new Goodnoe generation. That’s in Newtown, also on Saturday. Or Bastille Day Celebration in Frenchtown – with muffulettas, croissants, music and street performers, on both Saturday and Sunday.

Also on Saturday, stop by the Stockton Farmers’ Market to meet cookbook authors, Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer, who will be at the market from 12-3 pm to autograph their latest beautiful and delicious addition to the Canal House Cooking series, this one titled, “Farm Markets & Gardens.”

What can you expect to find produce-wise this week at local farm markets? Apricots, Basil, Beets, Blackberries, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Cauliflower, Sweet Corn, Cucumbers, Dandelion Greens, Fennel, Garlic Scapes, Garlic, Green Beans, Kale – Tuscan & Red Russian & Winterbor, Kohlrabi, Lettuces, Mesculun mixes, Mustard Greens, Parsley, Peaches, Peppers, Plums, Potatoes, Radishes, Raspberries, Salad Mix, Scallions, Summer Squash, Swiss Chard, Tomatillos, Tomatoes (cherry and slicing), Turnips, Wax Beans, and Zucchini. You’ll also find fresh eggs, pastured meats, homemade baked goods, condiments, jams, honey, coffee and more!

For more details on any of these events, please go to our full calendar, Food Events in Bucks County. Have a tasty weekend.

Friday, July 16th:
Forecast – Sunny, 94°

Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [11 am - 7 pm]
Warrington Farmers’ Market @ Valley Square, Warrington [3 - 6 pm]
Ottsville Farmers’ Market @ Linden Hill Gardens, Ottsville [3 - 7 pm]
Beer Tasting @ Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton, NJ [4 - 8 pm]
Friday Happy Hour @ Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Pennington, NJ [5 - 8 pm]
Friday Night un(Wine)d Concerts, Doylestown [6 - 9 pm]
Summer Wine Concert Series @ Shady Brook Farm, Yardley [6 - 9 pm]
Wines of Washington and Oregon, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]
Wine Tasting for Singles @ Crossing Vineyards & Winery, Washington Crossing [7 - 9 pm]
Summer Music Series @ Crossing Vineyards and Winery, Washington Crossing [7 - 10 pm]
Kindle Cafe Supper Club at Rojo’s Roastery, Lambertville, NJ [7:30 - 9:30 pm]

Saturday, July 17th:
Forecast – Sunny, 89°

Doylestown Farmers’ Market, Doylestown [7 am - 12 pm]
Indian Valley Farmers’ Market, Telford [8:30 am - 12:30 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 - 3 pm]
28th Annual R&B Picnic by Bucks County Blues Society, Morrisville [11 am - 7 pm]
Goodnoe’s Ice Cream First Anniversary, Newtown [12 - 5 pm]
Walk In The Vineyard Weekend, Ringoes, NJ [12 - 5 pm]
Bastille Day Celebration, Frenchtown [12 - 6 pm]
Wine Tasting @ Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton, NJ [12 - 5 pm]
Grapevine Express Wine & Cheese Pairing, New Hope [5 - 7 pm]
The Great American Barbecue @ Crossing Vineyards and Winery, Washington Crossing [5 - 8 pm]
Annual Hard Shell Crab Dinner Special @ Yardley Inn, Yardley [5:30 - 9:30 pm]
Evening Star Dinner Trains, New Hope [7 - 9 pm]

Sunday, July 18th:
Forecast – Sunny, 91°

Breakfast Buffet @ Plumsteadville Fire Co., Plumsteadville [7 am - 12 pm]
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 - 3 pm]
Sangria Sundays @ Chaddsford Winery, Lahaska [10 am - 6 pm]
Walk In The Vineyard Weekend, Ringoes, NJ [12 - 5 pm]
Bastille Day Celebration, Frenchtown [12 - 6 pm]
Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration: Preserving the Harvest, Morrisville [1 - 4 pm]
Grapevine Express Wine & Cheese Pairing, New Hope [5 - 7 pm]
Annual Hard Shell Crab Dinner Special @ Yardley Inn, Yardley [5:30 - 9:30 pm]

Monday, July 19th:
Forecast – Mostly sunny, 91°

94 Cents Cookie Night @ Chubby’s Dairy Barn, Plumsteadville [6 - 9 pm]

Tuesday, July 20th:

Langhorne Farmers’ Market, Langhorne [3:30 - 6:30 pm]
The Food of Provence, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]

Wednesday, July 21st:

American Legion Meals on Wednesdays, Quakertown [11:30 am - 9 pm]
The Farmers’ Market @ Playwicki Farm, Feasterville [4 - 7 pm]
Complimentary Beer Tasting @ the Copper Leaf Grill, Buckingham [5 - 9 pm]
Cuisine of the Pacfic Northwest, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]

Thursday, July 22nd:

Capital City Market, Trenton, NJ [11 am - 2 pm]
Healthier Hearts Farmers’ Market, Trenton, NJ [12:30 - 5 pm]
Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market, Flemington, NJ [3 - 7 pm]
Lower Makefield Farmers’ Market, Yardley [3:30 - 6:30 pm]
New Hope Farmers’ Market, New Hope [3:30 - 7 pm]
Springtown Farmers’ Market, Springtown [4 - 7 pm]
94 Cent Ice Cream Cone Night @ Uncle Dave’s Ice Cream, Yardley [5 - 9 pm]
Lobster Night @ The Centre Bridge Inn, New Hope [6 - 10 pm]

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Farm-to-Table…to mouth

Lynne Goldman — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:56:41 +0000

There’s been a trend over the past few years. A good one. It combines eating fresh, seasonal and local food with fine cooking in an al fresco environment, often on a farm, sometimes in a restaurant. These “farm-to-table” dinners are springing up everywhere and they are a delight. You get to enjoy fresh, well-prepared food by local chefs, meet new people and relax on a beautiful summer evening. Some are fundraisers, and some are just for fun. Either way, go to at least one this summer.

Here’s a few that are going on this month in Bucks or nearby.

On Tuesday, July 13th, Chef Ed Coss will host his third annual Farm to Table dinner to benefit the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance at his Milford, NJ restaurant, the Milford Oyster House. Coss has planned a menu using only ingredients from the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance Dvoor Farm Farmers’ Market.

Chef Ed confers with Farmer Mark of Comeback Farms about the best salad greens to use for the upcoming Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance Benefit dinner on July 13.

The dinner begins at 6:30 PM with radish crostini and peach champagne cocktails in the bar area. Dinner begins at 7 PM with squash blossoms stuffed with Purely Farm herbed ground pork, followed by roasted beet and homemade horseradish salad over Comeback Farm Greens. The main course is Headquarters Farm roasted leg of lamb with cucumber salsa, roasted Spring Run Farm Potatoes and Sweet Valley Farm braised Corn. Dessert will be Homestead Coffee Roasters mocha mousse glace followed by a Bobolink Dairy cheese course accompanied by Phillips Farm Berries. (All courses are subject to market availability.)

Cost for the dinner is $75.00 per person and includes a choice of local red or white wine. Tax and gratuity are not included. All profits from the dinner are donated to the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance. Last year, the dinner sold out and the Milford Oyster House was proud to donate $1500 to the HLTA. Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance is a nonprofit conservation organization working to preserve and protect the rural landscapes and natural resources of Hunterdon County. For reservations call the Milford Oyster House 908-995-9411. The Oyster House is located at 92 Water Street in Milford, NJ.

The end of July provides two farm-to-table dinners, one in Ottsville and one in Warminster.

The Kitchen Potager presents its first dinner in its Chef’s Farm to Table Dinner series on July 31st from 5 to 8 pm. “Pork Belly 3 Ways” will be the theme, prepared by Max Hansen of Max Hansen Caterers. The evening is set to be a unique experience, beginning around the center grill and working its way into the lovely barn at Linden Hill Gardens in Ottsville (see our post from last year). The locally-sourced menu looks fantastic!

Barbecued Pork Belly Quesadillas with Monterey Jack, Grilled Onions, Poblano Peppers and Fresh Cilantro, served with a Charred Tomato and Toasted Cumin Crème Fraiche;
Pork Buns “in the style of David Chang” with Du Breton Slow Cooked Pork Belly, Pickled Cucumbers, Scallions, Hoisin Sauce and Sirachi;
Slow Braised and Pan Roasted Pork Belly with Succotash- Sweet Corn, Zucchini and Great Northern Beans with Andouille Sausage and Fresh Thyme.
Max & Me Atlantic Smoked Salmon “Tartare” on Challah Crisps with a Lemon Crème Fraiche and Wild Smoked Salmon Ro;
A Local Rocket Salad with Fresh Goat Cheese, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and a Saba Vinaigrette- served with Rise Bakery Grilled Crostini;
Yukon Gold Creamers crushed with Fresh Chives, Italian Parsley, Sweet Butter and Maldon Flake Salt.

Ingredients will be coming from: Berger Farm, Blooming Glen Farm CSA, M&B Farview Farm, Manoff Market Gardens, Metropolitan Seafood Company, and Swallow Hill Farm. The dinner is BYOB and $75 per person. Only 20 seats are available so RSVP soon (by July 15th) at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/118649. And save the dates of August 21st and September 19th for the next dinners in the series.

Also on July 31st, The Heritage Conservancy will host its “2nd Annual Farm to Table” fundraiser at the Lindsay Farm in Warminster. The event aims both to allow people to enjoy the delicious local foods of Bucks County and to educate people on the importance of sustainable agriculture. For more than 50 years, Heritage Conservancy has been preserving the natural and historic heritage of Bucks County. Now, the group hopes to marry the common goals of land preservation and sustainable agriculture.

“This event offers the unique opportunity for guests to enjoy delicious food while also enjoying the beauty of a preserved property,” said Robin Folkerts, Vice President Advancement & Communications for Heritage Conservancy. “With more and more people interested in buying fresh and buying local this event introduces guests to local farms and connects them to the land where their food is being grown.”

The event boasts a farm-fresh meal, prepared by two Bucks County chefs, David Zuckerman of Earl’s Bucks County, and Jamie Hollander, owner of Jamie Hollander Gourmet Foods and Catering. Hors d’oeuvres, followed by a buffet-style meal, will be served in a rustic outdoor setting at the Lindsay Farm. There will be activities for children. The event starts at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $45 for adults and $15 for children. Proceeds benefit the Heritage Conservancy (special thanks to their sponsor Fulton Bank). To register, click here. The Lindsay Farm is at 545 Almshouse Road in Warminster.

UPDATE: Prallsville Mills in Stockton is also hosting a Farm to Table event Sat 8/14/10, with Dave Mergen of Just Food & Jim Maticolo of Emilys Cafe & Catering lending their culinary delights to benefit the Mill followed by an Open Air dancing in the Sawmill surrounded by the Images of the Mill artshow. Tickets & Info available at 609.397.3586

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Welcome back, Basically Burgers!

Lynne Goldman — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:23:48 +0000

They’re ba-a-a-ck!

Basically Burgers, in case you didn’t know, is a wonderful little family-run restaurant in Doylestown that produces delicious and innovative burgers. After being forced out of their other location on State St. (see our previous post), they have finally reopened at 33 North Main Street, right at the intersection of Main and Court Streets (east side of Main).

Wes and Jay Goddard have worked tirelessly over the last two months to get the new space open, overcoming hurdles that would tax anyone’s patience and blood pressure.

The menu has some new additions, mostly those that were “chalkboard” specials in the past. Look now for the Mac & Cheese Burger (2 patties with mac and cheese, grilled tomatoes, topped with cheddar cheese), the Steak Burger (2 patties, hot pepper Jack cheese and Heinz 57 Steak Sauce) and the Basically Brunch Burger (are you ready? 1 patty, fried egg, bacon, American cheese, cheddar cheese and a hash brown. Burp.) And did you know they make a grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich (3 layers!)? There’s also bison, turkey and ostrich burgers. And if none of this does it for you, you can “build your own.” Or get one of the many hot dog combos.

If you’re not a carnivore, not to worry. Wes and Jay have you covered. Veggie burgers, black bean burgers, Asherah’s Gourmet Vegan burgers, and salmon burgers all come highly recommended by their Facebook fans.

All fries (potato and sweet potato), onions and mozzarella sticks are fried in 0% trans fat canola oil, which then goes to a local recycling company, Wash Tyme (where it becomes bio-diesel fuel or soap). And if you can’t handle the delicious hamburger rolls (made like Challah), they’ve also got delicious gluten-free rolls, made from quinoa.

I could go on. But mostly there’s just a lot of relieved and happy folks in Doylestown and Bucks County. Me, I settled down with one of my favorites, the Ranch Burger (cheddar, sauteed onions and mushrooms, and Ranch chipotle sauce) while Mark went for the Stuffed 4 Cheese Burger. Or try the Taco Burger. Or the Black and Bleu Burger. And finish it all off with a milkshake made from hand-dipped ice cream.

Here’s some photos from the new place. Wishing you much success!

Basically Burgers
33 North Main Street
Doylestown, PA
215.345.8502
www.BasicallyBurgers.com
(you can also order online)

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Basically Burgers getting “flushed”

A day of learning

Lynne Goldman — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:48:10 +0000

I had an amazing day yesterday. I’m working on an article about grass-finished meat being raised here in Bucks County. The morning took me up to Springtown to interview Nevada Mease, who along with his father, Jeff, and mom, Cheyenne, raise grass-finished Black Angus cattle on their beautiful property, Meadow Brook Farm. Then it was over to Purely Farm in Pipersville to talk to Joanna and Marc Michini who have been raising organic, pastured pork, chicken, lamb and turkeys on their farm for eight years. And then, after stopping to pick up our share of veggies at our local CSA (community supported agriculture) farm, I showered, dressed and ran over to the County Theater to watch the fascinating and informative documentary, FRESH, which basically underlined everything I had heard and witnessed during the day at Meadow Brook Farm and Purely Farm. Wow.

So my head is kind of spinning but I need to give thanks to a bunch of people specifically for the screening event. We had a great turnout for the movie (sold out!), followed by comments from a panel of local folks involved in growing/producing/sourcing Bucks County food.

Thanks first to Chef Rich Baringer who organized the whole night, spurred by his passion and excitement after first seeing the film at the Ambler Theater in March, and who put his own money out to rent the theater. As you may have noticed, Rich guest blogs for us here at Bucks County Taste, while using local food to prepare meals for his personal chef clients. And if you’ve ever been interested in using the services of a personal chef, do check Rich out. He is very reasonable, a creative cook and loves to use local food. You can find out more at his website, Dinner’s Done.

Thanks to all the panelists too. All articulate and passionate, as well as informative. Henry Rosenberger and his wife, Charlotte, raise grass-finished beef on their farm, Tussock Sedge, in Blooming Glen. Their story is fascinating, having switched from conventional farming to all natural/organic, and grain feeding to grass finishing their stock. It’s a local example of what we watched in the movie. Thanks also to the Rosenbergers for fronting the money to rent the movie.

Tom Murtha, who along with his wife, Trish Borneman, grow beautiful and tasty organic vegetables at the Blooming Glen Farm CSA, was, as always, another articulate spokesperson for what is going on in our own backyard in Bucks, sharing both the joys and challenges of farming here. Thanks too to all the Blooming Glen CSA members who came to the screening.

Christy Devlin, while a newcomer to the scene, is passionate about her desire to bring organic and local to the specialty cake business. She and her colleagues make – create – beautiful decorated cakes and cupcakes that look good and are good for you too. Check their work out at Green Eggs and Cakes, and look for a post on them here in the near future.

Lastly, our thanks to J. Ryman Maxwell who owns The Down to Earth Cafe in Perkasie (you can get Green Eggs and Cakes’ cupcakes their too). His use of organic and local ingredients to make fresh and flavorful dishes are a breath of fresh air to the breakfast and lunch scene in Bucks County. See Rich’s post on the Cafe and my post on local restaurants using local produce to learn more.

Thanks to the County Theater (Chris Collier and Steve) for the venue and all their help in setting up and promoting the event. And a special thanks to everyone who came. Because we “sold out” our costs were covered, we got a wonderful community event, and a lot of learning.

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Bucks County Taste » Restaurants

Food adventures: Cheese and ale

Becker’s Corner

Matt’s Red Rooster Grill

1821 Steaks & Cocktails

The Unbeetable

Zucchini racers on display

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

The Tomato Triangle

Bucks Food Calendar: July 23, 2010

Bucks Food Calendar: July 15, 2010

Farm-to-Table…to mouth

Welcome back, Basically Burgers!

Basically Burgers "2"

Basically Burgers' new mural, showing the old and the new

Pa Hormone-free beef, gluten free rolls, and recycling fryer oil

Old favorites and some new menu additions

The new kitchen

Window view, looking out on Main & Court Sts.

The wait is over...

Bascially Burgers' new home

A day of learning