Just a heads up to all our loyal readers. We may have some downtime this weekend for a software upgrade, so I apologize in advance if you have any trouble accessing the site. We’ve been having some hacking issues lately, so I’d really like to get this done sooner rather than later. It’s going to be a beautiful weekend anyway…get out there and away from the computer!!
Maintenance time
Oh what a beautiful evening at…
Oh what a beautiful evening at the Grange Fair!
Matt’s Red Rooster Grill
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
Make the Most of Hunterdon!
As part of it’s “Make the Most of Hunterdon” weekend, the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance (New Jersey) is running workshops and tours at its farmers’ market this Sunday, August 15th. The Northeast Organic Farming Association, working with Sharon Vecchiarelli of To Nourish, will present three half-hour workshops that will teach attendees how to make summer’s bounty last throughout the year. The workshops, starting at 10 am and 11 am will demonstrate how to preserve foods using dehydration, canning and freezing preparation techniques. In addition, a dietician from The Center for Nutrition and Diabetes Management will give an informational tour of the market, highlighting solutions for healthy living using locally grown foods. Tours wills begin at 9:30 am 10:30 am and 11:30 am.
The market will also be hosting a Peach Party in honor of Jersey Fresh Peach Month, where you can pick up a free copy of the Peach Production Council’s recipe book featuring peach based recipes by some of New Jersey’s favorite chefs. Just in case you buy too many juicy peaches, Sharon Vecchiarelli will be highlighting the preservation of peaches during her workshops on preserving food.
“Make the Most of Hunterdon” weekend will wrap up on Sunday night with a Farm to Table Dinner at Matt’s Red Rooster Grill in Flemington NJ. Proceeds from the dinner will benefit the Hunterdon Land Trust and support their work to preserve the natural resources and rural character of Hunterdon County. Make your reservation for the Farm to Table dinner by calling Matt’s Red Rooster Grill at (908) 788-7050. For the complete Hunterdon Land Trust special event schedule visit www.hlta.org or call 908-237-4582.
The farmers’ market is open Sundays from 9 am to 1 pm through November 21 and Thursdays 3 pm to 7 pm through September 30, in Flemington, right on the Route 12 circle at Dvoor Farm. The market is sponsored by Stem Brothers, Inc., Team Capital Bank, Matt’s Red Rooster Grill and Basil Bandwagon.
The Hunterdon Land Trust is Hunterdon County, New Jersey’s only countywide land trust. Incorporated as a 501 (C) (3) non-profit organization in 1996, the land trust is committed to preserving and protecting the rural landscapes and natural resources of Hunterdon County. To learn more about the Hunterdon Land Trust, please visit their website at www.hlta.org.
News Flash!! “The Unbeetable” …
News Flash!! “The Unbeetable” wins 2010 Lower Makefield Farmers’ Market Zucchini Races
Bucks Food Calendar: August 12, 2010
We spent a long weekend in Kentucky, tasting good bourbon and visiting distilleries. What fun! But we are very glad to be in our ‘Old Bucks Home’ (sorry, Stephen Foster). I had forgotten just how much fried, salty food there is in the South. I know they must have fresh vegetables and fruit – it just doesn’t seem to make it to the restaurants. (Deep-Fried Dill Pickle Chips. I’m not kidding.) I’ll say it once again. We are very fortunate to live in Bucks County.
A big heads-up – the 62nd Annual Middletown Grange Fair starts on Wednesday, August 18th and goes through Sunday, August 22nd. It’s kind of our local county fair, and if you’ve never been, go. The food is…so-so, but the chicken dinner is a great deal (see last year’s post).
Ah, but this weekend. A little cooler, maybe some rain (okay by me). And so much going on. Where do I start? How about with wine…?
Check out the many events at local wineries every weekend. Every Friday evening, enjoy Friday Night un(Wine)d Concerts at The Market by Shady Brook at Del Val College (6 – 9 pm) or the companion event at Shady Brook Farm’s location in Yardley, also music and also 6 – 9 pm. Wine Tasting for Singles happens at Crossing Vineyards this Friday evening, as does their popular Summer Music Series, where you can picnic, sip wine and enjoy great music. For details see our full Food Events in Bucks County calendar.
On Saturday, be part of history (hopefully) at The Great Pennsylvania Wine Toast also at Crossing Vineyards. Thousands of people in more than 50 wineries across Pennsylvania will join the toastmaster, racing legend Mario Andretti, in an attempt to set a world record for the largest wine tasting ever conducted. The current record of 17,429 participants was set by more than 400 pubs across the U.K. in 2009. Entry tickets are $5.00 and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Fund to Benefit Children & Youth. The event begins at 3:30, with the toast taking place at 4:00 pm under the watchful eyes of folks from the Guinness Book of World Records. There’ll be music and wine for the toast, including a commemorative glass for you to keep.
Every weekend, Phillips’ Fine Wines in Stockton holds beer tastings on Friday afternoons and wine tastings on Saturday afternoons (go to the Stockton Market first, then go get a sip or two!). Or ride the Grapevine Express Wine & Cheese Pairing on the historic New Hope-Ivyland Railroad on Saturday or Sunday this weekend (5 – 7 pm). Listen to Dixie Land music by the vines, too, at Unionville Vineyards in Ringoes, NJ, on Saturday afternoon from 1 – 4 pm.
Sunday also brings two more wine events. Music Under the Arbor takes place at Alba Vineyards in Milford, NJ in the afternoon (lunch at Lovin’ Oven in Frenchtown, then up to the vineyard?). Or maybe you need to learn more about wine first? Take A Dummies Guide to Wine Tasting at Crossing Vineyards Sunday afternoon.
Peaches, peaches, peaches at Manoff Market Gardens in Solebury. Come to Manoff’s for their annual Peach Festival, including hay rides, peach ice cream making and wonderful yellow and white peaches. Yum.
And although it isn’t strictly about food, check out the 1st Annual Newtown Music Fest on Sunday, August 15th at Shady Brook Farm in Yardley. From noon to 10 p.m., the Newtown Corporation and Cambridge Sound Studios of Newtown will present a dozen bands along with food and beverages from Newtown restaurants, including the Temperance House, Joey G’s and the Green Parrot. Several Bucks County wineries will also be there selling wine by the glass and by the bottle.
As for farm markets and what is available this week, well, just about anything you can imagine. It’s August! All of the markets are listed below. Go check out a new one, and see what you find. Let me know where your favorite vendors are, and why.
For calendar details, read more here…
May the best zucchini win
Come on down to the Lower Makefield Farmers’ Market this afternoon for zucchini racing! I’ll be one of the judges for this annual event. It’s a lot of fun – really. It is amazing what you can do with a zucchini. The decorations and engineering are quite impressive.
The market is located in Lower Makefield at Veterans Square which is at the corner of Heacock and Edgewood Roads, across from Woodside Presbyterian Church. The zucchini racing stand will be setup on the left side of the market next to Sandy’s Eggs
The racers need to be registered by 5pm. Racing starts at 5:30pm with the number of heats dependent on the number of entries.
If it is raining, look for a rain date in the near future. See you there!
We’re back!
Sorry for the mid-summer lull on Bucks County Taste. We just got back from a long weekend in Kentucky, visiting bourbon distilleries. Had a wonderful time, met some nice folks and drank some very good bourbon. We’ll share it all, as soon as I can get my head back together!
Only two things that money can…
Only two things that money can’t buy…true love and home grown tomatoes.– Jay Unger and Molly Mason
1821 Steaks & Cocktails
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.”
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1821 Steaks & Cocktails
1821 River Road (Route 32)
Upper Black Eddy, PA 18972
610.982.0610
Hours:
Thursday — Dinner 6:00 – 9:00 pm
Friday & Saturday — Dinner from 6:00 – 10:00 pm
Open Sundays for special parties and events
Closed Monday – Wednesday
Update: 1821 is permanently closed as of September 2015.
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Home, Home on the Range: All a…
Home, Home on the Range: All about grass-finished meat in Bucks County (and where you can get it) http://bit.ly/bz6str
A circus in your mouth
[UPDATED] July, 2018
By guest blogger, Rich Baringer,
Remember this Seinfeld episode?
Kramer: Well, they’re in…
Jerry: What’s in?
Kramer: The Macanaw peaches, Jerry! The Macanaw peaches!
Jerry: Ah, right. The ones from Oregon that are only ripe for two weeks a year…
Kramer: Yeah…I waited all year for this (bites the peach). Ooooh, this is fantastic…Makes your taste buds come alive…It’s like having a circus in your mouth! Jerry, this is a miracle of nature that exists for a brief period. It’s like the Aurora Borealis!
Kramer may be exaggerating a little bit, but not much. When you bite into a fresh peach for the first time each summer, your taste buds do come alive. Sort of like you’ve never tasted anything quite so good before. (By the way, there is no such thing as a Macanaw peach.)
Picking the right peach
Peaches are one of my favorite fruits. But there is nothing more disappointing than biting into a dry, mealy, bland peach. And so, I present to you tips for finding a peach that will make you very happy.
Peaches, a member of the rose family (along with apricots, cherries, plums and almonds), don’t ripen after they are picked (although they do get softer). So it’s important to choose fruit that is already ripe.
- First, look for an even background color of golden yellow for yellow-fleshed peaches or a creamy yellow for white-fleshed. That red blush that you often see doesn’t have anything to do with ripeness. Any green around the stem means it’s not ripe.
- Look for a well-defined crease.
- The flesh should give slightly. If it’s a bit hard, they will soften on the counter at room temperature. You can quicken the process by putting them in a paper bag.
- If the skin is wrinkled or shriveled, put it down. It’s old and past its prime (I know the feeling).
- The best indicator of ripeness, however, is smell. Take a nice big sniff…does it smell like you hope it will taste? If so, then that’s the one you want.
Store peaches at room temperature until they soften to the extent that you wish. Then put them in the refrigerator crisper drawer. They’ll last for 5 days to a week in there. Whatever you’re not going to use within that time, you should freeze.
For my money, the best way to eat a fresh, ripe peach is to eat it out of hand. You know, when the juice drips down 
your chin and all over your hand. Yum!
Grill those peaches
Another great way to bring out the flavors of a sweet peach is to grill it. The fruit should be slightly firm.
Halve it, pit it and brush it with some vegetable oil. If you’re adventurous, sprinkle a little cayenne or other spice on it.
Then grill over a medium fire until tender. It’s good as a dessert (with some good vanilla ice cream), but even better as a side dish for grilled fish or meat.
Of course, there are a million recipes for peach cobblers, peach brown betties, peach crumbles, etc. As usual, I turn to Cook’s Illustrated magazine for a great peach dessert. But hurry! Good peaches are only around for a short time—sort of like the Aurora Borealis!
Blueberry-Peach Cobbler with Lemon-Cornmeal Biscuit Topping
Published July 1, 2004
I’ve also made this with blackberries. If your peaches are firm, you can peel with a vegetable peeler. If they’re too soft for that, blanch for a minute or two and shock in ice water. The peels should come off easily.
In the topping, low-fat or nonfat yogurt can be used, but it will be a bit less rich. This recipe can be doubled to serve a crowd. Use a 13″ x 9″ baking dish and increase baking times in steps 2 and 4 by about 5 minutes.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Left-overs (if there are any) can be reheated in a 350° oven until warmed.
INGREDIENTS
For the filling:
2 pounds ripe, but firm peaches
1 cup fresh blueberries
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 TBSP lemon juice
Pinch salt
For the topping:
1 cup minus 2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
2 TBSP stone-ground cornmeal
½ tsp grated lemon zest
3 TBSP plus 1 tsp sugar
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
5 TBSP cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼” cubes
1/3 cup plain whole milk yogurt
HOW TO
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425°F.
- For the filling: Peel peaches; then halve and pit. Using a small spoon, scoop out and discard the dark flesh from the pit area. Cut each half into 4 wedges. Gently toss peaches and sugar together in a large bowl; let stand 30 minutes, tossing several times. Drain peaches in a colander set over a large bowl. Whisk ¼ cup drained juice (discard extra), cornstarch, lemon juice and salt together in a small bowl. Toss peach juice mixture with peach slices and blueberries; transfer to an 8″ square glass baking dish. Bake until peaches begin to bubble around the edges, about 10 minutes.
- For the topping:While peaches are baking, in a food processor, pulse flour, cornmeal, lemon zest, 3 tbsp sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine. Scatter butter over and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to a medium bowl; add yogurt and toss with a rubber spatula until cohesive dough is formed. (Don’t over mix the dough or the biscuits will be tough.) Break the dough into 6 evenly sized, but roughly shaped mounds and set aside.
- To assemble and bake: After the peaches have baked 10 minutes, remove them from the oven and place the dough mounds on top, spacing them at least ½” apart (they should not touch). Sprinkle each mound with a portion of the remaining sugar. Bake until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling, 16-18 minutes. Cool cobbler on a wire rack until warm, about 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Want another easy recipe that turns peaches into a decadent dessert? Check out this recipe for grilled peaches with maple caramel sauce and ice cream.
As you would expect, peaches are abundant at many of our local farms and farmers’ markets. Here are some places you can find peaches, according to the Penn State Co-op Extension. Check their websites or call to check for availability:
Active Acres Farm 881 Highland Rd. Newtown, PA 18940, 215.968.2192. Open every day May through October.
Bechdolts Orchard 2209 Leithsville Rd, Rt. 412 Hellertown, PA 18055, 610.838.8522. Summer hours are 9 am – 6 pm, spring and fall hours are 9 am – 5 pm.
Bedminster Orchard 1024 Kellers Church Road Bedminster, PA 18944, 215.795.0303. Open June through November. Other locations include Doylestown Farmers Market. Orchard also has vendors at Peddler’s Village for the peach festival.
Bolton’s Farm Market 1005 Rt. 113 Silverdale, PA 18962, 215.257.6047. Open year-round, Monday through Saturday. Phone orders taken.
Manoff Market Gardens 3157 Comfort Rd. Solebury, PA 18963, 215.297.8220. Open June through March, 9 am – 5:30 pm.
Penn Vermont Fruit Farm Rt. 113 & Rolling Hills Rd. Bedminster, PA 18910, 215.795.0203. Open June through December, every day. Pick-your-own, call for dates and hours. Call for phone orders at 215.795.2475.
Shady Brook Farm 931 Stony Hill Rd. Yardley, PA 19067, 215.968.1670. Open year-round, Monday through Saturday, 7 am – 7 pm, Sunday from 9 am – 5 pm.
Snyder Farms Rt. 313 & 5th St. Perkasie, PA 18944, snyderfarmspa@gmail.com. Open July through September, daily from 9 am – 6 pm.
Solebury Orchards 3325 Creamery Rd. New Hope, PA 18938, 215.297.8079. Open July through December, Thursday through Sunday, 9 am – 6 pm. Open again January through March, Saturdays from 10 am – 5 pm.
Solly Farm Market 707 Almshouse Rd. Ivyland, PA 18974, 215.357.2850. Open May 1 until December 24 and January through April, Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am – 5 pm. Pick-your-own peaches.
Styer Orchard 97 Styers Ln. Langhorne, PA 19047, 215.702.9633. Open June through November, Monday to Friday from 9 am – 5 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9 am – 5 pm.
Tabora Farms 1104 Upper Stump Road Chalfont, PA 18914, 215.249.3016. Open year round. Monday through Sunday 7 am – 7 pm. Closed Tuesdays in January through March.
The Market at DelVal 2100 Lower State Road Doylestown, PA 18901, 215.230.7170. Open year round. Monday through Saturday from 8 am – 7 pm, Sunday from 9 am – 5 pm. Pick-your-own peaches.
TT Farms 3235 Route 413 Mechanicsville, PA 18934, 215.794.5587. Open Monday through Wednesday from 10 am – 6 pm, Friday and Saturday 9 am – 6 pm. Closed on Thursdays.
York Farm 5741 Hulmeville Road at Bristol Rd., Bensalem, PA, 267.601.4884. Farm stand open June through October, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am – 5 pm.
Rich Baringer is chef/owner of Dinner’s Done Personal Chef Service. Rich grew up in Haycock Township and has lived (and eaten) in Bucks County his whole life. He now lives in Blooming Glen Village with his wife, Mary Beth, his son Jake, and their new pup, Teddy. Rich graduated from the Culinary Business Academy in Atlanta, is a member of the U.S. Personal Chef Association and owns Dinner’s Done Personal Chef Service. For more information about Dinner’s Done PCS, contact Rich at 215.804.6438, dinnersdonepa@comcast.net or check out his website.
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Bucks Food Calendar: July 29, 2010
What’s up this weekend? Well, not the temperatures. Saturday is supposed to only be in the mid-80’s and sunny, and Sunday will be in the mid-70’s with some possible storms. I’ll take it! As will the fields and veggies and fruit…
Farm-to-Table Dinners. The Heritage Conservancy is hosting their 2nd Annual Farm to Table Dinner at the Historic Lindsay Farm in Warminster this Saturday, July 31st. At $45 per person, with great local chefs like Earl’s Bucks County’s David Zukerman and Jamie Hollander, it’s a great deal. Click here to go the Conservancy’s website for more info.
Next weekend is an opportunity for another fresh, gourmet farm to table dinner, this one sponsored by Zone 7 (the New Jersey local food distributor). The dinner takes place on Sunday, August 8th at the Oak Grove Plantation in Pittstown, NJ (about a half hour north of Stockton, NJ) and features a meal prepared by Andrea Carbine of A Toute Heure, twice-nominated for James Beard’s Best Mid-Atlantic Chef. The dinner is part of a series of dinners, to take place through October at locations throughout New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. Guests will be treated to an intimate, farmer-led, “behind the scenes” tour of the fields, followed by a 4-course, fresh and seasonal meal prepared by one (or more) great restaurant chefs, with wines for each course included. Cost is $135 pp. See the website for ticket info.
Closer to home and more homespun, is the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance’s Summer Farm Tour this Wednesday, August 4th at the Milk House Farm in Newtown. It’s potluck at 6:30 pm, followed by a farm tour of this lovely property which produces a wide variety of vegetables, eggs, honey, preserves and crafts.
It’s time to preserve. Be on the look-out for a bunch of canning classes coming up in August and September. The Turnip Truck is running classes on canning peaches (August 4th), tomatoes (August 17 & 18) and hot peppers (September 14) at The Market by Shady Brook Farm at Del Val College. This Saturday, the famous all-natural, macrobiotic Chef Christina Pirello is teaching tomato canning at Pennypack Farm in Horsham (not sure if seats are still available; check their website).
Farm markets. If you haven’t ventured over to Flemington to check out the Dvoor Farm Market happening on Thursdays and Sundays, you now have new motivation. Bobolink Dairy is selling their exceptional cheese at Dvoor on both days. Bobolink just finished moving to a new farm in Milford, from Vernon, NJ. Their fine, artisanal cheese is simply some of the best cheese you can buy locally. Learn more about them at their website and stop by to welcome them to our neck of the woods.
Save that date…for zucchini racing. Yes, you read right. The Lower Makefield Farmers’ Market (Thursday afternoons) will once again sponsor Zucchini Racing on August 12th. The origins of zucchini racing remain shrouded in mystery. However, researchers have found that competitive zucchini speed events take place from Seattle to Texas to New England and countless places in-between. Zucchini races are hosted at a variety of venues such as farmers’ markets, county fairs, and even shopping malls. Anyone wishing to take the leap into competitive zucchini racing should possess the following: a zucchini, a sense of humor, creativity, and zucchini car building skills (because it’s hard to win if your zucchini racer falls apart before the finish line.) See our post about it last year (including racing rules), as well as pictures of the winners. May the best squash win.
What can you expect to find produce-wise this week at local farm markets? Basil, Beets, Blackberries, Broccoli, Butter Lettuce, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Cucumbers, Dandelion Greens, Eggplant, Fennel, Garlic, Garlic Scapes, Green Beans, Kale, Kohlrabi, Mesclun mixes, Mustard Greens, Nectarines, Parsley, Peaches, Peppers, Plums, Potatoes, Radishes, Romaine lettuce, Salad Mix, Scallions, Summer Squash, Sweet Corn (white, bi-color), Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Tomatillos, Tomatoes (heirloom, slicing, cherry…you name it), Turnips, Watermelon, White and Cheddar Cauliflower, Zucchini…and more.
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 , 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 delicious weekend.
Are you missing a good time……
Are you missing a good time…we’re singing along with Barbara Trent (and the Pips) at the Centre Bridge Inn
The Tomato Triangle
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.”
