26 August 2016 Dreyfus Ashby Instagram Doggie Photo Contest

Dreyfus Ashby Instagram Doggie Photo Contest

August 26, 2016 By

dogsofinstagram-768x573Now through September 5th, Dreyfus Ashby, the national importer of fine wines and spirits, is running a fun, and rewarding, Instagram contest centered on man’s best friend – the dog!

Kicking off on #NationalDogDay, August 26th, the contest is easy to enter:

  1. Follow @dreyfusashby on Instagram
  2. Post a dog photo or any photo of your beloved pets
  3. Hashtag #DreyfusMeansFamily

Prizes:

  • The grand prize winner will receive a gift card to a pet-related retail outlet and gift basket of assorted dog treats and toys valued at $150.
  • The second prize winner will receive a gift basket of assorted dog treats and toys valued at $50.

Photo requirements:

  • Photo must be original, the sole property of submitter and not previously submitted in any other contest or promotion.
  • Photo must not include stock photography.
  • Photo must not incorporate/prominently display any third-party brands or trademarks other than that of the Sponsor.
  • Photo must not violate any third-party rights, including copyright and right of publicity.
  • Photo must not contain material which is (or promote activities which are) sexually explicit, obscene, pornographic, violent, self-mutilating or the mutilating of animals, discriminatory (based on race, sex, religion, natural origin, physical disability, sexual orientation or age), illegal, offensive, threatening, profane, or harassing, or otherwise unsuitable content as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Photos containing such content will be disqualified immediately.

Contest runs from now through Labor Day (9/5/16) and is open to residents of the continental USA.

Complete contest terms and conditions can be found on the Dreyfus Ashby website.

Let’s have some fun with this!

Veronique

Filed Under: Food & Wine Events, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , ,
31 July 2016 Meadowlands BBQ Battle Recap

Meadowlands BBQ Battle Recap

July 31, 2016 By

BBQ Battle WinnersI was invited to judge at yesterday’s Meadowlands Battle for the Best BBQ. I’ve guest judged at the popular racetrack a few times now and Rachel and Jennifer from the organization’s marketing department always put forth a great event, in this case, on a very rainy Saturday.

Food trucks and more modest tents and tables were set up in The Backyard, an outdoor event space overlooking the race track. Attendees could walk around and purchase food from vendors among the following participants:  

  • Bearded Pigs BBQ
  • The Guac Spot
  • Smoke + Fire Craft Meats
  • Road Grub Mobile
  • Tacoholics
  • Empanada Guy
  • Kimchi Smoke Barbecue
  • Olsen’s BBQ & Grill
  • Bite Back BBQ

There were also some sweets-focused vendors: Glazed and Confused, Flirty Desserts, Kath’s Catering, Waffle de Lys, Carnival Concessions & Jersey Girl Smoothies.

The battle we judged consisted of four food categories: chicken, pork, brisket and ribs. The vendors could opt to submit entries for all the categories or not. Four vendors turned in food in all four categories, the others cooked chicken and/or pork.

I’m a KCBS-certified BBQ judge and knew what to look for from the cooking teams. Knowing it wasn’t an official/sanctioned BBQ competition, I was more open-minded about the various submissions, some of which were a bit unorthodox.

The winners were chosen based on a points system: appearance, taste, tenderness. I thought there were clear winners in each category. Prizes were $500 for wins in each category and the winners were:

There was also a “Fan Favorite”, Delicious BBQ.

I was familiar with the outstanding food Robert Cho puts forth at Kimchi Smoke, so wasn’t surprised he took home a win. I was a little surprised though that his win was for chicken and not the delish pork or brisket he’s famous for. I’m a sucker for brisket and I’ve been presented a good version at VERY few BBQ events. Kevin Pohlman, the self-proclaimed “one-man BBQ competition team” behind Smoke + Fire Craft Meats blew me away with his. The brisket slice was perfectly-bendable without breaking off, a sure sign of an overcooked brisket, juicy, beefy with the right amount of smoke. I’ve trained myself to take small bites at these cooking competitions, but I simply couldn’t do that with this brisket – fine work. I was happy to see that a ‘dessert’ vendor could pull off a good pork dish – neat!

The Meadowlands hosts many food events during the year and fans can stay abreast of upcoming events by connecting with the track via Facebook or by signing up for its newsletter.

Cheers,

Veronique

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19 July 2016 Ramstein Beer Farm to Table Dinner at Blue Morel Restaurant

Ramstein Beer Farm to Table Dinner at Blue Morel Restaurant

July 19, 2016 By

Ramstein beerOn Thursday, August 18, 2016 at 7pm, Blue Morel Restaurant in Morristown, NJ will host a five-course farm-to-table dinner featuring Ramstein beer.

High Point Brewing Company Owner and Brew Master, Greg Zaccardi, will take guests’ senses through a tour of the Ramstein’s seasonal beers, including the Summer Bock and Maibock, and year-round brews such as the award winning Blonde Hefe-Weizen, Imperial Pilsner and Dunkel Hefe-Weizen.

Blue Morel Executive Chef Bobby Varua will create a special menu to be paired with the beers.  Seating is limited. The tasting begins promptly at 7:00pm.  Reservation must be made by August 16, 2016.  For reservations and additional information please call 973-451-2619.

The cost of the dinner is $74 per person all-inclusive.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Beer Reviews, Food & Wine Events Tagged With: , ,
16 June 2016 Fourth Annual Sip into Summer Washington Lake Park Wine Festival

Fourth Annual Sip into Summer Washington Lake Park Wine Festival

June 16, 2016 By

WLP-2016-300x250-BannerAdVoted the 2015 Best Event of Washington Township, the “Sip Into Summer” Washington Lake Park Wine Festival in Sewell, NJ offers something for everyone: some of the best New Jersey wineries offering wines for sampling and sale, delectable foods from fabulous food trucks, great live music, unique artisan crafts and more!

Festival hours are Saturday, June 25th from Noon – 6pm and Sunday, June 26th from 12pm – 4 pm.  Gates open at 11:30 am.

Advance sampling tickets to “Sip Into Summer” at Washington Lake Park” are on sale now for only $15.00 (must be 21 or older to purchase).  Sampling tickets at the gate each day are $20.00.  Non-samplers tickets (21+) are $5.00 and can only be bought at the gate.  For complete details about the festival and to purchase advance sampling tickets visit www.newjerseywineevents.com.

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10 June 2016 Just Jersey Food Truck & Music Festival

Just Jersey Food Truck & Music Festival

June 10, 2016 By

foodtruckGet the Father’s Day celebration started a day early by taking dads and future dads to the Just Jersey Food Truck & Music Festival on Saturday, June 18th, at the Historic Waterloo Village Concert Field in Stanhope. 

Attendees will have an opportunity to sample the finest gourmet food while being immersed in the sounds of incredible bands and fantastic family activities including a spectacular fireworks show starting promptly at 9:30pm.

Eleventh Hour Rescue

The event is a benefit for Eleventh Hour Rescue. Eleventh Hour Rescue is made up of dedicated individuals who believe that innocent pets deserve love and a place to live where they are honored and cared for. No dog or cat deserves to die simply because they do not have a home. This wonderful organization will be on site the day of the festival, they will be accepting donations, you can meet and greet the dogs and fill out applications for adoption.

Pets are welcomed as long as they’re on leashes. There will be plenty of watering stations throughout the festival (no pets for the fireworks please).

11th

Food Trucks

The festival will feature 25 trucks serving everything from American fare to Australian, Cajun and Creole cuisines. Other gourmet offerings include lobster rolls, artisan pizzas, empanadas, tacos, BBQ, Cuban sandwiches, pierogis, steak, sliders, wings, mac & cheese, Belgian waffles, cheesecake, cupcakes and so much more including a craft beer & wine bar featuring libations from the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company and the Long Trail Brewing Co., who are sponsoring the Fireworks.

Music

The festival will showcase three fantastic New Jersey bands. The Musical Lineup:

  • 11:00am – 2:00pm: Stepping Stone Band – Acoustic Alternative Country Blues Rock
  • 2:00pm – 5:00pm: The Nerds – America’s Party Band FUN-OMENON
  • 5:00pm – 9:00pm: Street Hassle and the Brass Balls – Rock, Blues Funk and R&B Powerful Horn Band

Attendees can bring their own lawn chairs and blankets to place by the stage.

Admission: $5 and kids under 10 are free. The will be free parking.

Waterloo Field Concert Field – 1053 Waterloo Rd., Stanhope, NJ 07869.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Food & Wine Events Tagged With: , , , ,
2 June 2016 2016 Montclair Food & Wine Festival: BBQ, Bourbon, Biergarten

2016 Montclair Food & Wine Festival: BBQ, Bourbon, Biergarten

June 2, 2016 By

BourbonThe BBQ, Bourbon + Biergarten is an event put forth by the folks at Montclair Food & Wine Festival. The fun-filled evening will take place on July 9th from 6PM – 10PM at the Montclair Art Museum (3 South Mountain Avenue, Montclair, NJ) and will feature the flavors and spirits of summer with live music generously provided by The Wellmont Theater.

BBQ Competition

A spirited BBQ competition with special master of ceremonies Anne (Annie) Marie Leamy of WPLJ Morning Show with Todd & Jayde. The competition will be judged by John Holl, acclaimed beer/food writer; Veronique Deblois (me!!!), Kansas City Barbecue Society Certified Judge and regional F+B blogger; and Ed Schoenfeld, Restaurateur (Red Farm & Decoy) and Judge on Food Network shows.

BBQ Tasting Event

There will be a BBQ-themed tasting event with savory and sweet dishes from the area’s top chefs, including a wide array of bourbons and beers from local artisanal and national brands. The current list of participating vendors follows (more being added):

ANI RAMEN, ANTHONY’S CHEESECAKE, AMERICAN CUT STEAKHOUSE, ANDRES RESTAURANT, ARIANE KITCHEN & BAR, BAREBURGER, BOBOLINK FARMS, CAKEAHOLIC OBSESSION, CRYSTAL SPRINGS RESORT, CHEF RYAN DEPERSIO, ESCAPE, ESSEX JUNCTION, FITZGERALD’S 1928, GELOTTI, HALCYON, HAPPY HARVEST HYDROPONICS, JERSEY BARNFIRE HOTSAUCE, LAUREL & SAGE, MISH MISH, MISS NICKY’S TOFFEE, MONTCLAIR BREAD CO., NICO KITCHEN + BAR, NINETY ACRES – NATIRAR, PICNIC ON THE SQUARE, PIG & PRINCE, PILSENER HAUS & BIERGARTEN, SPUNTINO WINE BAR & ITALIAN TAPAS, THE OFFICE BEER BAR & GRILL, THE ORANGE SQUIRREL, THE SHANNON ROSE, WHOLE FOODS MARKET MONTCLAIR & WEST ORANGE, THE WOOD PIT, VILLALOBOS, VITAL DINING, WELLMONT THEATER, WILD HONEY CATERING.

Tickets

General admission: $85 pp (includes access to food, beer and spirits tasting, music and BBQ competition, raffles and silent auction); VIP admission: $120 pp (includes premium craft beer and spirits tasting). Tickets may be purchased by CLICKING HERE. Hope to see you there! Veronique

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26 May 2016 2016 New Jersey Beer & Food Festival

2016 New Jersey Beer & Food Festival

May 26, 2016 By

NJ-Beer-Fest-3-300x200The 8th New Jersey Beer & Food Festival will take place June 25-26 at Crystal Springs Resort at a new location on the corner of Route 94 and Wild Turkey Way. The festival will feature new events for 2016 including a second day of festivities for the first time. The two day extravaganza offers guests beer tastings under the big tent, a beer and chocolate seminar, yoga with beer tasting, golf tournament and more.

Saturday June 25

9AM – Brews & Birdies Tourney on two of Crystal Springs’ award-winning links, Wild Turkey and Ballyowen. The tournament will feature 18 holes of golf and craft beer tastings on 4 different holes. Prizes will be awarded to the winners on each course. Tickets are $195 for Wild Turkey and $205 for Ballyowen. Registration for the golf tournament can be made at GolfGenius.com. 9AM Hoppy Yoga class at the picturesque Crystal Springs Quarry and enjoy a tasting of Schofferhofer Grapefruit ($25) afterwards. 12PM – 2PM – “Chefs & Shorts” Lunch ($45) will be served in the lush Chef’s Garden. 12PM – Beer & Chocolate, a fun, interactive seminar and tasting will showcase a wide variety of beers including Keegan Mothers Milk, Atwater Vanilla Java Porter, Atwater Decadent Dark Chocolate Ale, Sam Adams Nitro Coffee and more ($20). 3PM – 7PM – NJ Beer & Food Festival tasting for adults 21 & over only. Under the tent, beer aficionados can sample over 120 beers, including many craft brews, along with delicious BBQ pulled pork, German bratwurst, spit-roasted Berkshire pork and more. Popular cover band Lima Bean Riot returns to play everyone’s favorite hits ($75). NJ-Beer-Fest-9-300x200

Sunday June 26

12PM – 4PM – NJ Beer & Food Festival family day. Along with being able to enjoy over 150 beers from around the world, families will be welcomed with rides and activities for kids of all ages. There will be a petting zoo, pony rides, three-legged races, face painting in more, while adults can carom off each other playing Knockerball and Human Foosball ($55).  

Tickets for Beer Festival events are available at www.njbeerfoodfest.com.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Beer Reviews, Food & Wine Events Tagged With: , ,
20 May 2016 Show Some Like to Chef Bryan Gregg

Show Some Like to Chef Bryan Gregg

May 20, 2016 By
Chef Bryan Gregg

Chef Bryan Gregg

My friend, Chef Bryan Gregg of Escape Montclair, is trying to get to the Chefs Taste Challenge competition in ‪#‎NOLA on Aug. 19. He was one of over 50 chefs to apply for a chance at this competition and he’s now one of 16 chefs remaining.

The final step in the process to get him to be one of 10 chefs is by having his fans (or friends of fans) “Like” and “Share” his photo card, located on the Chefs Taste Challenge Facebook page – simple, right!?

Click the following link to “like” and “share” and please ask your friens and family to also: http://bit.ly/1XnUR2L

Voting ends Thursday, May 26 and the final tally will be taken from his photo card.

Thanks in advance for the 5 seconds this will take you!

Veronique

Filed Under: Food & Wine Events Tagged With: , ,
13 May 2016 Adieu Terre à Terre

Adieu Terre à Terre

May 13, 2016 By
Chef Villani

Chef Villani

A few weeks ago, when Chef Todd Villani told me he’d be shuttering down his restaurant, Terre à Terre, when his lease was up, I was truly saddened. When I received the written notice earlier about the impeding June 26th closing, it seemed impossible to think that all the hard work Chef Villani and his marketing/PR/event planner/cheerleader sister Lisa put into the Carlstadt restaurant was all for naught.

Folks not around the restaurant business truly have no concept of what these entrepreneurs take on when they open independent dining establishments. In New Jersey, what makes things even more difficult is the challenge and costs associated with acquiring a liquor license. Without the aforementioned license, the margins these restaurants operate on are incredibly low.

Another challenge Chef Villani faced, and a problem facing many other BYOs and independent restaurants in the area, was the chronic lack of consideration from diners who secure multiple reservations on busy evening and decide at 4PM which to actually honor. No-shows and last minute cancellations plague the restaurant business and New Jersey appears to be worse than other states based on the constant feedback from local chefs and restaurant managers. I truly don’t believe diners know how much a no-show for a table of six on a Saturday at a restaurant seating 50 can cripple small business owners – CANCEL YOUR DAMNED RESERVATIONS, AND NOT AT 5PM THE DAY OF!!!

Chef Villani at Beard House

Chef Villani at Beard House

From Chef Villani “Terre a Terre has given me gratifying achievements beyond my wildest dreams. I’ve made lifelong friends and colleagues. I’ve employed incredible, passionate people who joined me in redefining the dining experience. My family has been incredibly supportive. And as for my customers, what can I say?  You’ve made it all worth it.  We are grateful to everyone who has supported us and we hope to see you one last time. Reservations are greatly appreciated. Thank you again for your support”.

It’s a sad day in the New Jersey food scene and I know Chef Villani and his expecting wife Beth will find another rewarding path, whatever they opt to do next. I was glad to be a guest and a friend through your three-year journey.

Farewell to Terre à Terre.

Veronique

 

Filed Under: Food & Wine Events, Restaurant News Tagged With: ,
12 May 2016 Wine & BBQ Experience on Memorial Day Weekend

Wine & BBQ Experience on Memorial Day Weekend

May 12, 2016 By

GSWGA-WineBBQ-Experience-3_31-282x300Garden State Wine Growers Association “Wine & BBQ Experience” Heads to Schooley’s Mountain Park on Memorial Day Weekend.

The “Wine & BBQ Experience” is returning to Schooley’s Mountain Park in Long Valley, New Jersey on Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29 from noon to 5 pm (rain date Monday, May 30).

This will be New Jersey’s biggest wine and barbeque holiday extravaganza. 

21 of the state’s finest wineries will be sampling over 200 wines at the event New Jersey wines continue to be regularly recognized as high quality in national and international wine competitions. 

The two-day event will also feature award-winning pit masters selling their barbeque including Ben’s BBQ, (Pitmaster and Kansas City Barbeque Society Certified Judge) and winner of mulitiple Star Ledger/Monmouth Park BBQ & Craft Beer Festival Awards; Texas Smoke, multiple winner of the Sussex County Champions of the Grill; Spanky’s BBQ & Catering, 2015 Alpha Phi Delta King of Wings Champion; Lost In The Woods (Pitmaster/Food Truck) and Oink and Moo BBQ (Food Truck); Nomad Pizza (Food Truck)  gourmet brick oven pizza and Cherries on Top (Food Truck) selling delectable frozen dessert treats.

Tickets are priced at $25 in advance and $30 on-site and can be purchased at www.newjerseywines.com. Sampling will take place from 12 noon – 4:30pm each day.  Those 21 and over that show proper ID will receive a wine glass and wristband with their admission. Those that do not want to sample will pay a $5 admission fee. The Admission Tent will open at 11:30am each day.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Food & Wine Events Tagged With: , , ,
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