Every once in a while we get product samples mailed to us so we can sample and then blog about. This one -- Kozy Shack key Lime Pie filling -- was actually pretty good. Just get it out of your head that it's going to taste like Key Lime Pie from scratch, cause this ain't it. But to be able to stop at your regular grocery store, buy a tub of this, a graham cracker pie crust (even an Oreo one would work with this), and a small tub of whipped cream is pretty convenient--and it makes for ...<< MORE >>

Cookware Collection for Charity Benefits Buyers May 17th at COOK in Somers Point Jackie and Heather McGinty (above) are collecting cookware and cutlery for a cause. The owners of Cook, the new gourmet kitchen store in Somers Point, will be taking used items on Saturday, May 17, 2008 for donations to local charities. Customers who donate will receive 15% off any cookware or cutlery that they purchase that day. Stop by and exchange something old for something new. “Not only do we want to give back to the community,” ...<< MORE >>

I swear it should have been called another name but the Trash Fish Dinner hosted by The Wetlands Institute is Thursday night, May 8, 6 p.m. Chef Lucas Manteca, whom I wrote about in my Cape Cuisine column this week, is doing the cooking. Lucas will be using unusual fish--called trash fish in the commercial fishing industry because they are the ones thrown overboard after a catch is netted--to illustrate that there are plenty of fish to be consumed instead of the over-fished varieties that stress the ocean's population. To learn more about the event, go to the search ...<< MORE >>

The Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce Foundation will host the ninth annual Wildwoods Restaurant Showcase at Neil's Steak and Chowder House on Wednesday, May 14, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The public will have the opportunity to enjoy mouth-watering dishes and decadent desserts from local eateries. Tickets for this event are only $25 and are available at the door the day of the event. All proceeds benefit scholarships for the students of the Wildwoods attending Wildwood High, Wildwood Catholic, Cape May County Technical High School and Cape Christian Academy. Technorati Tags: Wildwood,the Wildwoods,Restaurant Expo,food blogs ...<< MORE >>

The Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit Key Ingredients: America by Food is coming to Cape May County this summer. The exhibit will be at the Sam Azeez Museum of Woodbine Heritage and the Woodbine Branch of the Cape May County Library from July 19 to Aug. 31. Part of this celebration will be a production of a cookbook of family recipes and for this the organizers need your help. Send any recipes you’d like to share (along with any family stories that might accompany them) to Jane Stark at the Museum. Jane’s e-mail is jstark@thesam.org. Please send in your recipes ...<< MORE >>

CAPE MAY – Keith Bader from Lauber Imports shares his expertise and knowledge of wine during the final Cape May Wine School of the 2007-08 season on Sunday. May 18, sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC). From 1-3 p.m. at the Washington Inn, 801 Washington St., you’ll learn to evaluate and appreciate summertime wines in the final class, “Wines for Summer Sipping.” Admission is $25 per person. Spend a Saturday afternoon touring the award-winning Cape May Winery this spring on a Winery Cellar Tour and Tasting. Learn how grapes are grown and visit the ...<< MORE >>

Lime Ricky's (left) and DeAngelis Italian Market held grand opening ceremonies last week and are now open for business. It was the second location for Lime Ricky's, this one at Oak and the Boardwalk in Wildwood. DeAngelis returned to North Wildwood after a short stint on Pacific Avenue in Wildwood. They're now on New Jersey between 8th and 9th, Technorati Tags: Wildwood Boardwalk,Lime Ricky's,North Wildwood,Wildwood,Italian Market ...<< MORE >>

After a run through Somers Point last spring or summer, I remember going to the new Starns Shop Rite plaza where they had a Philly Soft Pretzel Factory and a Five Guys Burgers and Fries. I complained -- okay, whined -- about not having any down here. Well now we do. With the opening of Philly Soft Pretzels Factory last week in Rio Grande across from Joe Canal's, we now have two soft pretzel shops, a Five Guys, a China Pavilion that is pretty good, a Cinnabon, a Subway and more all within a stone's throw of each other. ...<< MORE >>

Good news for Acme shoppers arrived by e-mail today: Acme Markets today (Friday) announced a program that enables shoppers to exchange their economic stimulus or tax refund checks (which start going out in the mail this week) for a store gift card loaded with extra money. Customers can redeem their checks for store gift cards in $300 increments, and stores will add an extra $30 to each card. This offer is available May 2 through July 31, 2008, at all Acme locations. Recent data shows that nearly 10 percent of disposable personal income is spent on food[1]. ...<< MORE >>

Hearing very good things about Quahog's Seafood Shack from people in Stone Harbor and surrounding communities. In the old Tridi Jo's building on 97th in the borough, Lucas Manteca is hoping to fill a void by opening a seafood shack. He has a Spring Lunch Takeout Menu of Po Boys (clam, shrimp or oyster), fish cakes and Fish and Chips, and then, depending on what he finds fishermen bringing into the docks each morning, that's what will determine the nightly menu. Like today (Thursday) for instance, he arrived in Cape May as commercial boats were bringing in yellowfin tuna. "I ...<< MORE >>

WILDWOOD -- The Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the Grand Opening of Lime Ricky World. The new business will be located at 3409 Boardwalk, Wildwood. A grand opening celebration will take place at the new store front on Saturday, April 26, at 1 p.m. Get a coupon for a free Lime Ricky and one skee ball game at www.limericky.com. Technorati Tags: Lime Ricky,Wildwood,Wildwood Boardwalk ...<< MORE >>

Historic Cold Spring Village begins the 2008 season with Feasting On History, its main fundraiser of the year. This 8th annual restaurant gala will be held at the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum, Cape May Airport on Tuesday, May 6 at 6 p.m. Over 35 of Cape May County’s restaurants generously donate gourmet food and desserts. This year, Allied Beverage will be the wine provider for the event, which benefits the HCSV Endowment Fund. Allied Beverage, based out of South Jersey, is ranked among the 10 largest wine and spirit ...<< MORE >>

Richard Fanucci and family will wine and dine guests for the Grand Opening of Fanucci’s On the Bay. Fanucci’s will feature an evening of wine tasting and lite fare. While enjoying the spectacular view of Great Egg Harbor Bay, guests may sample from the extensive and growing list of fine wines as well as selections from Fanucci’s menu. Live music and dancing will top off the night. Friday, April 18th, 2008 5:30PM – 7:00pm 800 Bay Avenue, Somers Pt., NJ (609) 927-3100 Formerly Tucker’s Steak and Seafood House, the restaurant was known for upscale dining. ...<< MORE >>

Volunteers in Medicine of Cape May County will be hosting their 3rd Annual Beef ‘N Beer fundraiser on Friday, April 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Windrift, 80th Street and the beach in Avalon. The event will feature live music, plentiful door prizes, hot roast beer sandwiches, beer, wine and soft drinks. Tickets are $25.00 and are available in advance and at the door. Stu Hartman, VIM Fundraising Chair, said ‘It’s a fun evening with superb entertainment for a great cause.” Mark Ternosky of Sea Isle City heads up the live entertainment line-up. Invited entertainers for the event ...<< MORE >>

Try some new kinds of fish, learn to eat in a sustainable manner and support the Wetlands Institute, all while having a fun evening Thursday, May 8 at the first-ever “Trash Fish” dinner. Chef Lucas Manteca from Sea Salt and his partner Carlos Barroz along with several other well-known local chefs will prepare local seafood, including a few species not usually on the menu, at Quahog’s Seafood Shack, 206 97th Street, Stone Harbor, beginning at 6 p.m. Fresh organic salad and vegetables from local growers and wine from local vineyards will complement the fish. The evening is sponsored by ...<< MORE >>

Cape May— New Zealand is home to lush forests, snow-capped mountains and sandy coastlines. Its wine region is 1,000 miles long with grapes growing in a vast range of climates and soil types, producing a diverse array of wine varieties. Discover the fine wines and flavors of New Zealand during the four-course Down Under Wine Dinner, at the famous Mad Batter Restaurant, 19 Jackson St., sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC), on Friday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. Dinner is limited to 60 people and admission is $70 (gratuity not included). This event takes place during ...<< MORE >>

WIP's Glen Macnow set about finding the best cheesesteaks in the Philadelphia area. He mostly spent his time in the city, but did manage to make his way once to the Jersey Shore, and the White House Sub Shop cracked his top 10 list. Pat's and Geno's, by the way, were buried almost at the bottom of the list. It's an interesting but way too long read. You can find it here: http://www.610wip.com/pages/351421.php I've been playing around with doing something like this with local eateries and this just might give me the kick I need to get going. Pizza, ...<< MORE >>

I was just told that C-View (Cape May) owner Steve Ransom and one of his bartenders there just went in as partners and are taking over the Anglesea Pub in North Wildwood. It's a lease/purchase deal, and they're hoping to be open sometime in early May. Technorati Tags: Food blogs,restaurant blogs,Cape May,North Wildwood,Anglesea Pub,C-View ...<< MORE >>

MAYS LANDING—Lucky ticket-holders shared in more than $17,000 in prizes in this year’s The Press of Atlantic City Restaurant Gala 50/50 Raffle. The winning tickets were drawn at the 25th Anniversary Restaurant Gala Thursday night, April 3, at the Atlantic City Convention Center. The winners include: First Prize, $10,260, Holly Beach Public Library in Wildwood Second Prize, $5,130, Charles Pessagno of Cape May Third Prize, $1,710, John Celestino of Linwood Winning amounts were based on the number of tickets sold. More than 340 raffle tickets were sold at $100 each, raising approximately ...<< MORE >>

Confirmed. Lucas Manteca e-mailed me yesterday to confirm the post about a "crab shack" style restaurant moving into the building that formerly housed Tridi Jo's. Lucas is the chef/owner of acclaimed Sea Salt in Stone Harbor, and he is opening "Quahog's Seafood Shack" on 97th Street. He's supposed to call me today so hopefully I'll get a Cape Cuisine column out of it for next week's papers. Technorati Tags: restaurant blog,food blog,Stone Harbor restaurants,Sea Salt,Lucas Manteca,Cape Cuisine ...<< MORE >>

I'm hearing the old Tridi Jo's building in Stone Harbor will be used by the Sea Salt owner/chef, Lucas Manteca, to open a "Crab Shack" kind of restaurant. There are some sheets of paper hung on the door of the 98th Street restaurant but I haven't confirmed it yet with Lucas. I have calls and e-mails in to him so just waiting to hear back. Any other grand opening or new places, give me a shout at 609-624-8900, ext 239, or e-mail me at seitz@catamaranmedia.com. Technorati Tags: Stone Harbor,Jersey Shore,Sea Salt,Restaurant Rumors,New Restaurants,food blogs,restaurant blog ...<< MORE >>

CAPE MAY – Swirl your way to a better understanding of fine wines. Learn to appreciate and discern wines from around the world as Keith Bader from Lauber Imports shares his expertise and knowledge of wine during the Cape May Wine School on Sunday, April 20, presented by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC). Sip fine wines from Tuscany in the Cape May Wine School class It Ain’t Just Chianti on April 20 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Washington Inn, 801 Washington St. You’ll enjoy tastings and learn how to evaluate the characteristics of these fine wines ...<< MORE >>

Owner Jim Salasin told me late last week that the Crab House and Two Mile Landing are not opening this summer and won't be open at least until summer of 2009. The buildings are structurally unsound and the Crab House floor collapsed during a busy Saturday evening last July. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in the accident. See this week's Cape Cuisine for the full story. Technorati Tags: food blog,Cape May County restaurants,Crab House,Two Mile Landing ...<< MORE >>

My buddy Carl Price offers this slow-cooker recipe for tasty BBQ ribs: Spring is upon us and that means put away the crock pot; soups, stews and chilis won't be needed to warm our bones until next fall, right? Wrong!You may want to lay off the heavier chow during the summer, but the crock pot can be used to cook a plethora of different foods, including light fare and it won't heat up your house like the oven would.Besides, who wants to hang around the house all day when you can throw the ingredients in the crock, hit the beach ...<< MORE >>

Ocean City has two new restaurants this spring. The Tigerlilly Cafe and The Courtyard Restaurant, located in the Homestead Hotel on Eighth Street and the beach block. The Tigerlilly Café boasts an eclectic menu with a southern style influence. The ambiance is pure art nouveau. Tigerlilly Cafe' will be opened weekends beginning Saturday, March 29 and will be open full-time beginning Friday, May 23. The Courtyard, opening in May, will have a fusion-mixed menu offering everything from surf and turf to vegetarian. On-site catering will also be part of this venture and The Courtyard ...<< MORE >>

Beware the dangers of being a chef. Forget the seared scars on hands and forearms or the sliced cut from razor-sharp knives -- beware of bullets falling from the skies. Celebrity chef Paul Prudhomme was setting up a cooking area Tuesday morning for the Zurich Classic, a PGA event in Louisiana, where he was to begin cooking Thursday for golfers, their guests and their caddies for the four-day competition. As he was working, he felt a stinging sensation in his right arm. He shook his arm thinking a bee was zapping him and out of the sleeve from his chef's ...<< MORE >>

Copper Fish restaurant on Route 109 in Cape May is hosting an inaugural Iron Chef competition on Wednesday, April 2, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The competition will follow the same format as the Food Network TV show. They'll have four chefs (instead of TV's two) highlight a secret ingredient in four courses. Copper Fish chef/owner Geoff Johnson, who has competed in the similar competition hosted by the Cape May Wine and Food Festival in the fall the past two years, will not be competing, but he enlisted the help of chefs Robert Trevisanutto, of the Wildwoods Convention Center, ...<< MORE >>

Our extended clan went to the Golden Inn for Easter Brunch yesterday and came away with a very good review--yet it's still a work in progress under new general manager Kevin Sterling, who said they expect an even better offering for Mother's Day Brunch. The Golden Inn, 78th and the beach in Avalon, used to have these brunches with the food being offered throughout the lobby. It was a lot of food but very crowded and hectic. This brunch was moved to a back banquet room and much more well run than previous visits. The service was better, friendlier and ...<< MORE >>

Wadda Juice and Wadda Blast are new children's drinks entering a market that experts think will grow by the more than double the average for the soft drink industry. With growing concern over obese children, big company soft drinks took a sales hit in the past year while kid-targeted water bottles and nutrition and sports drinks have exploded. Sales are expected to near $6 billion by 2012, according to Packaged Facts, a market research firm. Enter Wadda Juice and Wadda Blast, boasting seven flavors, 50 percent less sugar, fewer carbs and less sodium than most juices but still ...<< MORE >>

Celebrate a quarter century of culinary excellence with the 25th Annual The Press of Atlantic City Restaurant Gala on Thursday, April 3. This year’s black-tie fundraiser, “Gala Reflections: The Gala Turns 25,” will bring 40 of the best restaurants in Atlantic and Cape May counties together for a dazzling feast to benefit scholarships for students at the Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape Community College in Mays Landing. Restaurant Gala tickets are $200 a person and available by calling (609) 343-5674, 625-1111 or 463-4774, ext. 5674. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Atlantic City Convention ...<< MORE >>

Wildwood Catholic High School invites you to an afternoon of education and enjoyment. The Parent Teacher Connection will host its second annual wine tasting on Sunday, April 20 at 2 p.m. This event provides an educational wine seminar presented by Rich Gerber, a member of the renowned Dionysian Society International, and a wine tasting expert. Light food will be served, and there will be a silent auction. Tickets are $50; there is limited seating. Must be 21 years of age to attend. Call the school business office at 522-7257 or Karen Mangold at 496-4098 for tickets or information. Wildwood Catholic ...<< MORE >>

STONE HARBOR –– Councilwoman Anne Wannen said plans for a summer farmers’ market in the borough are close to being finalized. Wannen already met with county Health Department officials, and is awaiting permits and the settlement of insurance issues before finalizing the plans. She said the market would run from the weekend before Memorial Day until October from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays or Sundays. All vegetables and fruits would have to be grown in New Jersey, and any homemade products would need to be processed in licensed and inspected kitchens before being sold at the ...<< MORE >>

Writing my Cape Cuisine column this week on Ike's Famous Crabcakes. The story idea came from their opening a new restaurant on Sea Isle Boulevard in Ocean View, but the story turned more into a tribute to Ike, who would have turned 47 today, Tuesday, March 18. Ike died at the Eagles home opener in September and his sister, Stormi, now runs the business with help of family. She opens the Ocean City Boardwalk location on Good Friday. Here's some snippets that didn't make the column: Why Stormi? She says her mom, from West Virginia, claims it’s a popular ...<< MORE >>

On St. Patrick’s Day, Monday, March 17, just about everyone is Irish. That’s because few can resist those old-fashioned Emerald Isle comfort foods and beverages such as corned beef and cabbage, Irish Potato candy, ale and other victuals and potables that honor Ireland’s patron saint. So in order to help celebrate the day in grand style, chef educators from the Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape Community College agreed to share recipes that are both traditional and new-fangled. ACA Chef Educator Jeff Phillips, who oversees the dinner operation of Careme’s, the student-run gourmet restaurant at ACCC, came ...<< MORE >>

The Friends of the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse are compiling a fundraising cookbook and CD. Recipes can be submitted online by visiting www.fundcraft.com and enter the Web ID (33796-07BO). (This is case sensitive. Please use capital B and capital O. The Web ID is needed, the password is not necessary to submit entries.) Anyone wishing to submit a written recipe should include the recipe title, ingredients, directions, and their name and city and state to be published in this book. This information should be mailed to the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, 111 North Central Ave., North Wildwood, NJ 08260. Their deadline ...<< MORE >>

Sonic was approved last (Tuesday) night by the Middle Township Planning Board and has to go before the Planning Board for final approval. Sonic, which bills itself as "America's Drive-in," is America's largest drive-in restaurant chain with 3,200 franchises. It has only one store in New Jersey (Waretown, Central Jersey), and the closest one to Cape May County is in Dover, Del. (Hey, we'll actually be getting something first before the rest of South Jersey!) Sonic sells unique menu items, and delivers them to your car using what they call "carhops," or waiters on wheels (roller skates). They ...<< MORE >>

CAPE MAY – Does a case of cabin fever have you feeling down? The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC) is offering wine events especially for Cape May’s winter visitors and residents to warm up your day. See, swirl, sniff, sip, and savor fine wines this March. On Friday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. enjoy a Wine Dinner at the Mad Batter Restaurant. Whet your taste buds during this five-course dinner at the Mad Batter paired with champagnes and sparkling wines by Tomasello Winery. The menu includes local flounder and scallop roulade on tomato coulis and chive ...<< MORE >>

Spring is nearly here, and students at the Academy of Culinary Arts are thinking about their favorite warm-weather treat—ice cream. Nine students competed in the first Lick Hunger Ice Cream Challenge, creating 11 original flavors in two categories. The winner in the adult flavor category was Lemon Meringue by Randi Wallace, of Cherry Hill. The winning children’s flavor was Where’s the Beach, a concoction of Creamsicle swirl, salt water taffy bits and orange jelly candies created by Nancy West, of Frenchtowm. The winning Lick Hunger flavors will be identified as Academy of Culinary Arts original flavors and sold this ...<< MORE >>

I took the day off and went to Rehoboth with the family yesterday so I never got the update on Owen's posted. Before I get to that, I love going to the outlets for various reasons and one of them is Peppers. It is a must stop every time we go down that way. They used to be in one of the Tanger Outlets but they moved up the road a little bit and doubled the size of their store. It is filled with barbecue sauces, hot sauces, wing sauces, salsas, dry rubs and anything else to do with the ...<< MORE >>

North Wildwood restaurant/bar Owen's Pub is on the City Council's agenda tonight, Tuesday, March 4, looking for approval to expand its restaurant. Owen's owners purchased the property next door to their's on 17th Avenue and demolished it. They are hoping to expand the seating area to meet demand and, according to Councilman Patrick Rosenello, want to add a patio/seating area. A North Wildwood police officer told me today that added traffic might be a concern, not to mention parking, because there already is a parking problem in the area, which will lead to people circling the area waiting for someone ...<< MORE >>

After my post last week about the impending closing of Busch's Seafood and Henny's Restaurant, the owners of Busch's sent a few e-mails saying there is no deal and that they will be open for the foreseeable future. "Ever since we've been down here (12 years ago), we've heard the rumors every single year" that they're selling, said Al Schettig, who owns the restaurant along with his wife Kim and two other business partners. "I can tell you that never have we sat down and even discussed how much we could get if we sold, not once," he ...<< MORE >>

Reader Nancy Rullo saw the post on Ike's Crabcakes and L's Restaurant and JBone Tavern opening soon and sent an e-mail announcing a new Stewart's on the Wildwood Boardwalk near Magnolia but she said it's in the building stage and might not open for awhile. '"It's looking beautiful and I hope many families enjoy it. I think they might be opened mid May. Hopefully some of the people who come down for Capt. Kidds weekend will be able to check it out then," said Nancy. And Pete and Connie DeAngelis are opening a new spot on New ...<< MORE >>

Overheard at an Avalon meeting Wednesday night is that two restaurant that are synonymous with Jersey Shore dining in the summertime will be closing after this upcoming season. Busch's Seafood, serving food in the south end of Sea Isle City since 1882, and Henny's on the corner of 96th and Third Ave. in Stone Harbor since 1931, are said to be closing their doors. I have the Henny's story confirmed after talking with council persons in the borough, but the deal to sell is contingent on the new owner's plans for redevelopment being approved by the borough. He would raze ...<< MORE >>

Ike's Crabcakes has opened a new location apart from its Ocean City shop and it's on Sea Isle City Boulevard in the Ocean View Plaza (exit 17 off the Parkway). You know Ike's because he is a vendor at many street festivals and is always wearing a hat with crab claws sticking out from it. They have a full menu with all kinds of seafood, mostly fried, aside from the grilled crabcake, lobstercake and satueed shrimp and scallops. The other restaurant is a bold venture by Mary and Jerry Licata, of Cape May Court House. They've totally revamped the old ...<< MORE >>

The talented chefs of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Culinary Team USA combine elegance with flavor and even a bit of home-style goodness in its latest set of holiday recipe offerings for your readers. The American Culinary Federation is making available recipes, complete with JPG art, from Cooking with America’s Championship Team (Feeding Frenzy, Inc., 2005) written by Edward Leonard, team manager, Certified Master Chef (CMC), American Academy of Chefs (AAC). Lent: Seared Sea Scallop and Clam Chowder Real Pasta and Bean Soup Salmon Cakes with Creole Mayonnaise Crunchy Fried Haddock with ...<< MORE >>

Cooking Light Magazine recently announced its Top 20 cities that offer the best opportunities to "eat smart, be fit and live well," which is basically the magazine's philosophy. Cooking Light created 15 criteria on which to come up with the list, which was compiled to celebrate their 20th year in publication. If you want to link to why each town made the list, scroll over the city's name, hold down the control button and click on the city. 1. Seattle, Washington An abundance of fresh local foods, walker-friendly streets, and inclusive attitudes helps make Seattle ...<< MORE >>

The Associated Press is reporting that Martha Stewart Living announced today (Tuesday, Feb. 19) that it bought the rights to the Emeril Lagasse franchise of cookbooks, television shows and kitchen products for $45 million in cash and $5 million in stock at closing. Martha Stewart Living said the deal will "contribute immediately to our performance," adding $8 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. The acquired assets generated $14 million in revenue in 2007. Martha Stewart Living expects the deal to close in the second quarter. Lagasse joined the Food Network in 1993 and has hosted over 1,600 ...<< MORE >>

Chefs Robert Ohlson and Jeff Schwartz announce: The return to Sofia’s in Margate Monday March 3, 6 p.m. The Epicurean Society of southern New Jersey presents its March extravaganza. Sofia’s delighted and fed us wonderfully in our initial visit last year. Join us again for another night of feasting, camaraderie and surprises. Guest speaker is Scott Cox, vice president Merrill Lynch for southern New Jersey Presenter is Billy Neilson, Multy Grain Foods. www.multygrainfoods.com A magician will patrol the premises. Surprises are in store. Open to the foodie public. Our members include food hobbyists, chefs, purveyors, and their employees and friends ...<< MORE >>

If you read this blog then we share a similar interest in food, cooking and cooking shows. While Food Network was once a staple of my food viewing, it's become way too much Rachel Ray-oriented. Giada, Tyler, Michael and Emeril (canceled?!) are still fun and educational, as is Iron Chef, but broadcasting 2 and 3 hours of Ray's raspy disingenuous enthusiasm a day makes my skin crawl. I can't hit the clicker fast enough. In search of other programming, I've found a public broadcasting show (on PBS) I really like: Everyday Food. No, it doesn't have anything to do ...<< MORE >>

The people at Purple Beverage Company sent me some samples of their Purple cocktail that contains juice from seven of the world's greatest antioxidants: black cherry, pomegranate, black currant, purple plum, cranberry, blueberry and acai, which comes from Brazilian rainforest and is pronounced ah-SIGH-EE. It was also featured on Oprah, for what it's worth, and is being hailed as the new "superfood." The company was selling Purple (www.drinkpurple.com) mostly in select markets like New York City but now it's gone national by selling at GNC this month. I'll be straight with you about this: This is some tough stuff to ...<< MORE >>

A new scholarship established in memory of Nathan Allen, who graduated from the Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape Community College in 2003, will honor the former Cape May County resident. Allen died in a car accident in February 2006 at age 22. In addition to the endowed scholarship, Allen’s family is planning a benefit Feb. 23. Allen loved nature, adventure, sports and cooking. “When he was not off on a snowboarding trip, going on a spontaneous road trip, playing or practicing golf, he could be found whipping up a nice meal for his friends,” said Allen’s ...<< MORE >>

CAPE MAY—Find yourself in Cape May this February, wining and dining the winter blues away at a top-notch restaurant! Cape May’s Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC) and the town’s first-class restaurants are offering you chances to experience culinary excellence combined with fun events. Sweep your sweetie off her feet with a dinner for two at the Mad Batter Restaurant at 19 Jackson St. The Mad Batter Romance Dinner on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. is a romantic four-course dinner accompanied by music for lovers. Herb Moore and Terry Dougherty from the Herb Moore Trio will be performing a ...<< MORE >>

My print column, Cape Cuisine, next week will be on Taste of Philly, a new soft pretzel bakery in Rio Grande. They do hand-twisted pretzels, minis, nuggets, pretzel dogs, pretzel pizza and pretzel pockets stuffed with either ham and cheese or pepperoni and cheese. It's a franchise operation. They also have cool party trays that would be perfect for this week's Super Bowl if you're not doing a spread like I wrote about in this week's papers (www.thewildwoodleader.com). Another pretzel place, Philly Soft Pretzel Factory, is also a franchise that opened in Wildwood last year, with another location being ...<< MORE >>

By ROB SEITZINGER
Staff Writer

The Giants went and ruined the perfect
combination for a superb Super Bowl buffet representing two regions -- Green Bay
and New England – with fun food that works well for a football party. I was
already writing this column in my head with a cheese fondue and bratwurst on one
side of the table, and lobster rolls and New England clam chowder on the
other.
Then Brett Favre throws an interception. Lawrence Tynes goes from NFC
Championship Game goat to hero by kicking the game-winning field goal, and the
New York Giants replace the Packers in Supe ...

<< MORE >>

West Cape May’s newest fine dining establishment, MOONFISH GRILL, celebrates its grand re-opening on Friday, Feb. 1, in the former Daniel's on Broadway building. The newly-renovated, 125-seat Moonfish Grill is now owned and operated by Chef Joel Dincher, former chef of the Zagat-award winning Brighton Steakhouse at the Sands Casino Hotel and The Palm Restaurant at The Quarter, and Don and Mary Beth Donaldson. Foodies across the region will celebrate the addition of another gourmet establishment to the area. Appetizers, ranging from $8-$12, include Grilled Firecracker Shrimp, Pan Roasted Diver Scallops, Tempura Lobster Tail, and Broiled Eastern Shore ...<< MORE >>

Received a release today trumpeting: New Food Emporium to Open at Harrah’s Serving Jersey Shore Favorites It reads: "Harrah’s Atlantic City is incorporating mouthwatering Jersey Shore and other culinary favorites into the property’s ongoing $550 million expansion with the opening of “Taste of the Shore” in February. Located on the first floor of the property’s soon-to-open, 960- room, 44-story Waterfront Tower, the new food complex will offer food and snacks from Walt’s Original Primo Pizza; Sack O’ Subs; Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream; Philly Soft Pretzels; and Starbucks, opening in June." First of all, is it opening ...<< MORE >>

The third annual Chili Cook-Off will be held Saturday, Feb. 2, at 5:30 p.m. at the Seashore Church of the Nazarene on Seashore Road in Erma. Call 886-6196 for more information. Admission for adults is $5 and children are $3. All proceeds go to Work & Witness for future mission trips. For more information and reservations contact the church office at 886-6196 Technorati Tags: Chili,Church of the Nazarene,Chili Cook-off,Seashore ...<< MORE >>

WILDWOOD – Another plan has hatched in the evolution of Wildwood’s restaurant scene, this one calling for the addition of three upscale restaurants to the corner of Schellenger and Pacific avenues. Last week, local businessman Joe Palombaro visited with Wildwood City Commission to describe his plans for a new restaurant complex and adjacent public courtyard that would replace Palombaro’s nightclub Club Shakers. Three restaurants are proposed for the new building. A restaurant-club named “Coconuts,” surrounded by massive glass window panels, would occupy the entire second floor of the proposed new building. Dual stairwells, with the ...<< MORE >>

Our Middle Township reporter talked with developer Bill Juliano this week and confirmed that the chain restaurant Sonic is scheduled to go before the township's Planning Board next week looking for approvals for a new restaurant in Rio Grande, at the Grande Village (Wal-Mart, etc.). Sonic, which bills itself as "America's Drive-in," is America's largest drive-in restaurant chain with 3,200 franchises. It has only one store in New Jersey (Waretown, Central Jersey), and the closest one to Cape May County is in Dover, Del. (Hey, we'll actually be getting something first before the rest of South Jersey!) Sonic sells unique ...<< MORE >>

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE -- Who has time for family meals? Eating together as a family is a challenge. Today’s families are very busy, overscheduled, and juggle many tasks at once. Finding time to sit down together to share a family meal rarely happens for most families, yet research shows that the family meal is very valuable. “The Magic of the Famous Family Meal” will be presented by Marilou Rochford, Family and Community Health Sciences Educator for Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE), on Wednesday, Jan. 16 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and repeated in the evening, 6:30 ...<< MORE >>

Boyd's Texas Style Barbecue, with one location on Bayshore Road in Villas, will be opening a second location on the Wildwood Boardwalk near Sand Jamm where the former Picnic's used to be. I'm being told they plan to open in May. Boyd Lafferty, a Cape May native, used to live in Texas where he perfected his dry-rub style technique before bringing it home to Cape May County. North Carolina has a vinegar-based BBQ sauce, Kansas City style is ketchup or molasses based, but Texas style is meat rubber with a spice mix before cooking and served that way. It ...<< MORE >>

If you're one of the multitudes who are serious, this-is-the-year-serious, about improving your diet, learn how to do it Wednesday, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m. at Advanced Chiropractic (304 Rte. 9 South in Cape May Court House). Chef Josephine will conduct a cooking show that is sponsored by the Green Street Market that will teach you how to incorporate Mediterranean influences into your daily diet. They include fruits, vegetables, olive oil, nuts, some red meat but even more use of fish. The show is promised to have a Food Network feel to it and is open to the public. You ...<< MORE >>

We had a casserole night at my house recently so I wanted to do a nice big homemade mac and cheese casserole, something that was a meal in itself. This recipe received so many 5-star ratings on Food Network (Giada DeLaurentis) that I had to try it. A couple of tips and notes:-- Definitely let it sit 20 minutes before digging in. It'll appear a bit runny before it sets.-- It calls for 2 TEASPOONS of flour. We used 2 TABLESPOONS, as the reviewers suggested. It was thicker that way but adjust to your own taste.-- Adding the ham definitely ...<< MORE >>

Received a Sopranos Family Cookbook for Christmas last year that I would recommend as a gift for any Sopranos fan or food fan in your life. The recipes are not only authentic and terrific, but the book also contains anecdotes and stories from the characters in the show. Pauli Walnuts offers an interpretation of Americanized Italian phrases like Gabagool, Fazool, Giambott and Gavadeel. And then there's Junior Ten Tips to Living Long and Living Well (No. 2: Learn to sing; it's impossible to sing and be pissed off at the same time), Grilling--Italian Style by Anthony Soprano, and Christopha's Favorite Mob Movie Food Scenes (No. 10 Godfather I "Leave the gun. Take the canoli).<< MORE >>

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