As the weather starts to turn chilly, I want my oven on as much as possible. Not so much as a temperature control feature, but more an olfactory control feature.  I love the smell of  things baking in the oven – bread, apple pie, pumpkin pie, baked brie, a turkey, a rib roast, or just about anything. I was raised by my grandparents, and my grandmother loved baking, too. In fact, she baked everyday. The aroma would hit me at the door every time I arrived home from school or from playing outside. It was comforting. It was home. I suppose I want my children to have those same olfactory memories…

A good meal is always better enjoyed in comfortable environs. Salute, Montclair’s one -year-old restaurant that specializes in  “Italian Countryside Cuisine” embodies that belief. Last week, I attended a family dinner at Salute. The restaurant is filled with rustic décor; the walls, the fixtures, and the earth tones speak to an era past.  The cavernous dining room is suitable for a romantic diner, yet welcoming to families. Gerry Cerrigone, along with co-owner Robert Gaccione, has mastered the delicate balance of kind familiarity. In the mind of this food blogger, who also happens to be the …

This Saturday, October 22, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., The Banyan Tree, 208 Bellevue Ave., Upper Montclair, will host a Crown Maple Syrup Tasting. Montclair residents, and founders of Crown Maple Syrup, Robb and Lydia Turner, are producing their own maple syrup at Crown Maple Farm in Dutchess County New York. According to the Crown Maple website: Crown Maple Farm is perfectly situated in the historic Hudson River Valley where its 800 acres of century-old sugar and red maples enjoy perfect soil and ideal seasonal weather conditions to produce a superior sap for maple sugaring. The farm is also …

We all know that Montclair is a formidable restaurant town, home to approximately 90 restaurants and eateries. But did you know that Montclair is also home to an Old World Table Supper Club? Lisa LaValle-Finan, founder and owner of the Old World Table Supper Club located at 203 Lorraine Avenue in Upper Montclair, is a self-described “domesticated international thinker” who believes in the "green and affordable” old world way of living.  Lisa, a cross-cultural trainer, who speaks multiple languages including French, Italian, Greek, and Spanish, has lived in Montclair with her husband Michael …

Local foodies are quietly buzzing about Montclair’s new bar and restaurant, Upstairs. Owned by Aki Kaneda, Upstairs is the metro-sexual, alter ego of the subdued Japanese restaurant, Dai Kichi, Aki has quietly operated for 24 years and counting.  At Upstairs, the décor is decidedly modern - a world away from that of Dai Kichi. But don’t let the emphasis on superficiality fool you—this restaurant is not all-show-and-no-go! Aki has succeeded at harnessing the elusive and delicate balance between a chic, fashion forward lounge and a well-grounded, food-conscious restaurant.  The railroad style …

Montclair has long been a formidable food town, highly regarded for innovative new-American cuisine, and praised for the large number of ethnic restaurants.  Strangely, Montclair’s culinary portfolio was lacking a serious performer in the Indian food sector.  This past July, gastronomic fortune turned in favor of Montclair when Sati Sharma and his partner, Ajit Singh Bains, opened Brick Lane Curry House at 540 Valley Road in Montclair.   The Montclair location marks the third Brick Lane Curry House, following Manhattan locations on 6th Street, and 53rd Street.  The man largely responsible for…

This Friday, July 1 at 7:30 pm, Brookdale Park will be the site of the Essex County Summer Concert Series, featuring a free concert performed by the U.S. Military Academy Band, followed by a firework display.  Of course this indicates an evening of great entertainment, but according to my calendar, it signals the official beginning of picnic season. What are the most important requirements of a picnic? Transportability, ease of eating, and of course, flavor! And since barbeque is the unofficial flavor of summer, it only makes sense to incorporate grilling into the picnic.   But isn’t that …

Today burgers come in all shapes and sizes. From hulking half-pounders, towering double-stacks, scrumptious sliders, and White Castle’s famous squares, to the current burger trend—flat-out smashed.  I’m talking about Smashburger! There’s quite a lot of buzz surrounding Smashburger, and I wanted to understand what makes this quarter-inch thin burger so appealing and blazingly popular.  So, I visited the kitchen of Smashburger, located at 989 Bloomfield Avenue (Montclair/Glen Ridge), and met manager Ed Basch, who greeted me with the phrase, “It’s a smashing day here at Smashburger!” Admittedly…

As the temperatures continue to rise, al fresco parties are becoming the trend. But every good party needs great libations. Therefore, as your local ambassador of good food and good drink, please enjoy Part 2 of the Summer Sipping Series! Amanti Vino, 33 Church Street, Montclair, has offered a recipe for a “beat the heat” cocktail that “hails from the rain-battered borders of the United Kingdom,” a drink called Think Pink. But before you get shaking, Amanti Vino provided a little background about the cocktail: A brief history of the drink takes us back to the 19th Century and the Royal Navy. …

I’ve been a red wine loyalist for about six years. Except for one very indulgent Baconized Bourbon cocktail, I’ve been strictly vin rogue. The recent heat wave, however, has changed my inclinations; I’ve been looking for something refreshing, cold, and —‘ahem—alcoholic.   During my pursuit of the perfect summer libation, I’ve developed a fondness of a British cocktail known as a Pimms Cup. This classic English drink, which does not appear on American Bar menus nearly as frequently as it should, is made with Pimms Cup No.1, a distilled alcohol made from a gin base, and deep red and has flavors…

This past February, Ilynna Martinez, owner of the much acclaimed qba Food Truck, opened a brick and mortar establishment, QBA A Cuban Kitchen, at 128 Watchung Avenue, the former site of Orbis.  But this weekend, you may have noticed the colorful and lively qba sign missing from the edifice of qba. With the recent rash of closings and re-openings, what could be the reason for this? According to Martinez: “[T]he town received a complaint from a local business owner/resident who demanded that we take down our sign because it was out of ordinance/code. "The two violations cited: 'qba' was …

I'll be honest: I did not pay for the meal I’m about to describe, nor is the tasting menu I enjoyed available on the menu*. So, what value is there in my opinion of The Orange Squirrel? Lots. What follows is not a review, but rather a description of the great talent of the effervescent, epicurean artist, Chef Francesco Palmieri, owner and chef of Bloomfield’s The Orange Squirrel.  I dined at The Orange Squirrel last Saturday evening on the very gracious invitation of Chef Palmieri. Over the course of the evening I sampled as many of his artful creations as would require three visits to ingest…

Great friendships are often forged through common interests. Lou Palma, The Gastro-Mechanic of Montclair, and Laura Schenone, Montclair resident and author of The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken, share a passion for discovering, recreating, and reclaiming their culinary heritage.  Lou suggested I attend a Saturday morning pasta making session with he and Laura. So, like any good apprentice, I listened to the gastro-mechanic and arrived in his kitchen at 9 a.m. You may be familiar with Lou’s modus operandi—digital scales, tools to suit every culinary need, fans to simulate the winds of Tuscany…

This just in from Church Street: The Honest Dog has run off and Tapastry, a restaurant that will feature a predominantly tapas menu, is opening this weekend—in Honest Dog's old location. Montclair residents and owners of Church Street Catering, Greg and Cheryl Spinelli, will resume operating responsibilities for the a la carte operations at 12 Church St. For the past 18 months, the Spinellis have concentrated exclusively on Church Street Catering. From what we hear, Gonzalo Fernandez, formerly chef and owner of La Xunta in New York City, will be manning the stoves in the restaurant (assisted …

Spring is in full bloom in my yard! I'm so happy, for a moment I'll ignore the mud and the pollen, and adore my little baby beauties! (See how to utilize a few of these beauties in the recipes below!) The Concord Grapes have formed little  clusters, and the plums and Asian pears are growing.  The "hot bed"—that's what my Grandfather called it—you may know it as a "raised bed," is full of micro greens and baby lettuce. The raspberries are just starting, the peas are growing, and most importantly, I've got tomatoes. For a foodie, this is a big deal. The freshest produce, available, right …

I grew up across the street from a cemetery. It was nice to have such quiet neighbors, but it was even nicer to have a source of spontaneously generated zucchini blossoms.    Every year, around June, my grandmother and I would cross the street, squeeze through an opening in the cemetery fence, and with brown bags in hand, we would head toward the southernmost hill in the cemetery that was magically covered with countless golden zucchini blossoms. And we would pick, and pick. When we were satisfied with our bounty, we would head home to dredge, egg, and bread the blossoms. We would then set up…

This week, many of Montclair’s true blues, (or authentic locals), attended the Kunde Family Estate Wine Dinner at Halcyon Seafood Brasserie, located at 112 Walnut Street., Montclair.  This was a very special event that also brought together two Montclair families with long histories as local business owners. For this event, Sharon Walsh Egan, host and co-owner of Halcyon, as well as Egan & Sons in Montclair and West Orange, collaborated with fellow Montclair family, the Powers, specifically, the Egans’ butcher, Martin Powers and his sister, Jacki Powers.  Before Halcyon Seafood Brasserie …

This May marks the 79th Anniversary of Pals Cabin. Pals Cabin is a north Jersey landmark. Perched at the intersection of Eagle Rock and Prospect Avenues, the white chimney, boldly emblazoned with black capital letters, unmistakably declares “PALS.” Then, there’s the aroma that emanates from that chimney, appealing to a meat lover's most primal urge.   Pals Cabin has been run by three generations of the Horn Family, with very humble beginnings. Pals was founded in 1932 as a 10’ by 12’ hotdog stand by Martin Horn and his “pal” (yes, that’s where the name comes from) Roy Sale. The business …

On Saturday, May 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., a group of Montclair moms will be conducting a Cookies for Kids' Cancer Montclair Bake Sale. The bake sales are to raise funds for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a nonprofit organization dedicated to pediatric cancer research.  Cookies for Kids’ Cancer was founded by Gretchen Witt to help increase her young son’s odds in his cancer battle. “When 2.5-year-old Liam was diagnosed, Gretchen was shocked to learn that the main reason over 25 percent of kids diagnosed with cancer do not survive is because of a lack of effective therapies. And the reason for the …

This Thursday is Cinco de Mayo. But before we dip our first chip, let’s first understand why Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a Corona and Dos Equis imbibing bacchanalia. There’s a popular misconception that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day. In actuality, Cinco de Mayo commemorates of a victory by Mexican troops in La Batalla de Puebla on May 5, 1862. I had the opportunity to chat with Michael Duarte, co-owner of CulinArine, 33 Walnut Street, Montclair, and husband of Montclair’s very own Top Cheftestant, Ariane Duarte. Michael was born in Baltimore, but raised in Mexico City. Here’s …