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Archives for October 2011

Fall Harvest Week

by Michele Pesula Kuegler 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

Homemade Ricotta

by Michele Pesula Kuegler October 27th, 2011| Main Dishes, Recipes
About a decade ago, I remember speaking with a friend about her lasagna recipe.  Raised in an Italian family, her lasagna was the best I had ever had, especially the ricotta.  I asked what brand she used.  Her reply was, "Where do you buy your ricotta?"

At that time, I thought

XO on Elm

by Michele Pesula Kuegler October 25th, 2011| Restaurant Reviews
A little over a month ago, my husband and I attended the annual wine tasting and auction for the Palace Theatre.  It was a fabulous evening of (You guessed it!) wine tasting that ended with an auction.  Of course, there were other pieces to this evening, such as some

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?

by Michele Pesula Kuegler October 21st, 2011| Restaurant News
Through our Harvest Dinner series, we have met many great chefs who are hosting dinners at restaurants and festivals.  This week we are pleased to feature another chef who is serving dinner in a different location.  Elise Johnson will be hosting dinner at her home for eighteen lucky dinner

Spinach Sauce

by Michele Pesula Kuegler October 19th, 2011| Recipes, Spreads & Sauces
Out of our four children, our oldest is the least picky.  In our house, that is saying a lot, for none of our kids are truly picky.  Having the "no thank you" serving really has helped with that.  However, if I had to choose one that I could

Lunching in Florida

by Michele Pesula Kuegler October 18th, 2011| Restaurant Reviews
A few weeks ago, I had the good fortune of spending a few days with my parents.  While we did spend every evening together, during the day we typically did things in pairs.  Most of those days my mom and I spent time together, touring the area, browsing in

ZAZU Restaurant, Monday Night Farm Suppers

by Michele Pesula Kuegler October 14th, 2011| Restaurant News
In this Harvest Dinner series, we've traveled from Nebraska to Georgia to Florida.  Our next stop is Santa Rosa, California, which is the home to ZAZU Restaurant & Farm.  Co-owners and chefs, Duskie Estes and John Stewart, opened the restaurant in 2001 and have been busy earning accolades

Asian Ketchup

by Michele Pesula Kuegler October 12th, 2011| Recipes, Simple Solutions, Spreads & Sauces
It's been a month since I shared a Simple Solution.  This recipe fits perfectly within this category.  It requires two ingredients and takes about 5 seconds to make.  However, the flavor that it imparts is so much greater than would seem possible.

So, how did Asian Ketchup come to be? 

Ithaki, Ipswich, MA

by Michele Pesula Kuegler October 10th, 2011| Restaurant Reviews
I was invited to dinner at Ithaki last week.  Bringing my husband for company, we made the hour drive in hopes of finding a tasty meal ahead.  Much to our delight, we enjoyed a delicious three-course meal that was filled with great food, excellent service, and pleasant atmosphere.

Dining at

The Ritz-Carlton “Meet the Farmers” Dinner

by Michele Pesula Kuegler October 7th, 2011| Restaurant News
The third restaurant in our Harvest Dinner series is The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.  This "Meet the Farmers" Dinner will offer diners the opportunity to sample delicious dishes made from locally sourced foods and to meet the people who produced them, including local farmers, growers, and seafood purveyors.

The dinner

Silky Zucchini Soup

by Michele Pesula Kuegler October 6th, 2011| Recipes, Soups & Stews
Originally I was going to call this recipe Creamy Zucchini Soup.  However, before I could publish the recipe I read an article in which a chef took another chef to task for calling a soup creamy, when there was no cream in the recipe.  This recipe has no cream;

Abattoir Fall Harvest Dinner

by Michele Pesula Kuegler October 4th, 2011| Restaurant News
The next Harvest Dinner to be highlighted at Think Tasty will feature a chef duo using only ingredients sourced in their respective states.  Chef Josh Hopkins of the host restaurant, Abattoir, in Atlanta, Georgia, and Chef Steven Devereaux Greene of Herons at the Umstead Hotel and Spa