by TT on October 28th, 2011 | Restaurant News
Our final Harvest Dinner event is not simply one event but an entire week of dining. Hosted by the
SJ Hot Chefs (AKA South Jersey Independent Restaurant Association),
Fall Harvest Week will take place from October 30th through November 4th. With more than thirty independently owned restaurants participating, it is sure to be an amazing week of food.
Each restaurant that participates will serve a four-course dinner, which will include a variety of locally sourced ingredients. Some of the menu items available from these restaurants include:
- Stuffed Bell Pepper- sweet sausage, fontina cheese, roasted tomato
- Fall Harvest Vegetable Misto Fritti- mushrooms, eggplant
by TT on September 23rd, 2011 | Chef News, Restaurant News
With today marking the start of fall, it seemed the appropriate time to start a new series. This series will features chefs and restaurants who are hosting Fall Harvest dinners that utilize locally sourced produce, meats, cheeses, and more. The series will highlight many delicious events from California to Florida to New Jersey and a few other locations in between.
Our first Harvest Dinner is taking place this Sunday, September 25th, at 5:30 p.m. at the
Lucky Bucket Brewery in La Vista, Nebraska, in conjunction with The Food Localmotion (Sierra Club Omaha, Green Omaha Coalition, and Slow Food Omaha). Preparing
by TT on June 15th, 2011 | Restaurant News, Summer Restaurants
From Long Island, we move back to the Northeast to feature Maine coast cuisine, at
88. This casually elegant restaurant is located at Spruce Point Inn, serving dinner nightly from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. In addition to having the special charm of being a summer-only destination, this restaurant also has a father-son pairing in the kitchen providing delicious meals for their diners. I was able to speak with Assistant Chef Peter Stiles (not to be confused with Executive Chef Peter Stiles, Sr.).
TT: When does the 88 open and close for the season?
PS: 88 opened on May 24th for hotel
by TT on June 8th, 2011 | Restaurant News, Summer Restaurants
From the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, we travel to Long Island to learn more about the next restaurant in our Summer Only series,
Nello Summertimes. This restaurant is the sister of
Nello, located in Manhattan. Leaving the heat and bustle of the city for the relaxing pace of the Hamptons and this fine restaurant, we spoke with
Nello Balan, owner of Nello, to learn more.
TT: When does Nello Summertimes open and close for the summer season?
NB: Nello Summertimes opens Memorial Day Weekend. We close Labor Day Weekend.
TT: What prompted you to open a restaurant in the Hamptons while
by TT on June 2nd, 2011 | Restaurant News, Summer Restaurants
Continuing with our Summer Restaurant series, we travel to the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. This seventy-six year old resort is home to a fine dining restaurant, which is open from Memorial Day to Columbus Day weekend. In addition to the restaurant there also is a beach-side bar that offers the full restaurant menu after 5:00 p.m.
I spoke with Cynthia Makris, general manager of the resort to learn more about the NASWA.
TT: Do you use local meat, produce, or dairy in your menu?
CM: We do use all locally grown fruits and vegetables when available. We receive deliveries six days
by TT on May 26th, 2011 | Restaurant News, Summer Restaurants
We are starting our summer series with a brand new restaurant,
Whim, which is located at
Smolak Farm. To learn more about this restaurant, we interviewed
Michael Smolak, owner of the farmer.
TT: Last summer you had a chef demo series. How did you decide to integrate that into your farm?
MS: We had been doing farm demos for years as crops came available. At the urging of our customers we took a chance and reached out to restaurants that were actually suggested to us by friends of the farm, such as Edible Boston and others, and we were shocked by
by TT on May 14th, 2010 | Appetizers, Recipes
A few weeks ago, I purchased the ingredients for a coconut chicken soup that I wanted to try. However, our evening plans became filled with driving children here, there, and everywhere, and dinner became more of an eat out of the fridge night.
The next night should have been soup night, but alas, it was a very warm day. For me, warm weather means cooler food. So, I decided to take some of the soup ingredients and create a tropical salad. Filled with an assortment of veggies, fruit, and chicken, it would make a great main dish. However, a salad almost
by TT on May 10th, 2010 | Restaurant News
At Think Tasty, we enjoy visiting new restaurants at home and when we travel. We look for creative menu items, helpful service, and attractive decor. Although we are foodies, we also like simple food done well. Sometimes a side of the road diner can be just as delightful as a gourmet bistro.
Unfortunately, reviewing restaurants for Think Tasty is not a full-time job, which means that we need input from others. In the coming months we will be finding the best restaurants from coast to coast (with a little help from HARO). Starting with the Pacific Alaska region, we will
by TT on May 5th, 2010 | Desserts, Recipes
Ever since I was a child, I have enjoyed homemade apple crisp. Growing up in New England, I was fortunate to enjoy the fall with freshly picked apples and usually batches of hot from the oven apple crisp. Although my mom wasn't necessarily an avid baker, she did enjoy making apple crisp for my brothers and me. Once I was old enough to start baking, I began making batches every fall.
As an adult, I tried to teach my children about the tastiness of apple crisp, among other fruit desserts. However, they are major choco-holics. If a dessert didn't have chocolate,
