Smoked Salmon Brunch Pizza

A few of my favorite things: a breathtaking view of the city, local writers and one killer menu. I would take any one of these on a lovely fall afternoon. On Saturday, I had the good fortune to experience them all at once. A group of food and drink writers gathered at R2L for a meet-up. It was everything I wanted it to be and more.

Several months ago I approached the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) with an idea. I wanted to bring together local food and drink writers with the folks at Philly Homegrown in an effort to continue to build our foodie community. Our writers are passionate about their craft. I knew they would love to have a chance to come together. When I started out writing I never passed on an opportunity to learn from others. This event presented the attendees with an opportunity to engage in a collaborative effort to share knowledge and empower each other.

R2L was gracious enough to host the event. If you have not been to R2L add it to your bucket list a.s.a.p. Located on the 37th floor at Two Liberty Place, they have a birds’ eye view of Philadelphia. Their menu of creative American food by Chef Daniel Stern sets the scene for a spectacular culinary experience. The staff is simply phenomenal. I cannot say enough wonderful things about R2L.

They created an amazing menu of hors d’oeuvres including steak tartare, truffled flatbread, smoked salmon, risotto bites and tuna skewers. Cocktails included the R2L-EVATION (gin, parfait amour, luxardo, fresh lemon, cherry) and a SIDECAR (hennessy vs, pallini limoncello, cointreau, fresh lemon). Did I mention that every guest was greeted at the entrance with a glass of champagne? When I say amazing it is quite the understatement. Plated items for the food photography portion of the workshop included many eye grabbing meals such as the smoked salmon pizza at the top of the page.

Me and Chef Daniel Stern (photo courtesy of The Omnivore)

Chef Daniel Stern greeted the attendees before the workshop. He thanked them for keeping the conversation going about food and being so passionate about the local food scene.

Remaining photos courtesy of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis

Caroline Bean (pictured left) and Alethia Calbeck (pictured right) spoke to the group on behalf of GPTMC. In Philadelphia, we are fortunate enough to have Philly Homegrown, an initiative of GPTMC. They promote chefs, restaurants, farms and flavors of the region’s 100-mile foodshed. Their site is a wealth of information on everything you would want to know about how to go local. Upcoming initiatives include a celebration of the hoagie on National Sandwich Day (November 3, 2011); their expanding presence on Foodspotting and news about Philadelphia’s local food online.

Eric Mencher

Eric Mencher, photographer and guest speaker, wowed the crowd with his some of his adventures from his 35 years as a photojournalist. He advised that the two most important ingredients in food photography are your eye and your camera. If you have an eye, and your eye is key, he advised that you can take memorable photos anywhere and with any kind of camera. Getting in close to the food, to visually express texture, shape and color is also key. He stressed that light, as we all know, can make or break a photo. He encouraged the group to experiment with light, move it around, seeing how and where the light strikes. He suggested shooting into the light, let the background go bright or shoot from above or below so the camera lens is almost touching the dish. He asked the group to move around to find their ideal image. The two tips that he gave at the end of the workshop were the ones he touted as the most important pieces of advice: shoot RAW and use Adobe Lightroom. I wholeheartedly agree with him. Shooting RAW and using Adobe Lightroom has dramatically improved my photos.

Attendees listening to Eric’s workshop

Attendees actively photographing the dessert cart

The dessert cart included various, cookies, brownies, cupcakes, tarts and other pastries.

As with previous events, once everyone got their photos, some of the food that was plated became fair game for the attendees. I announced that the dessert cart was up for grabs. Within the blink of an eye it was all gone. Can’t say I blame them. It’s too good to pass up.

I’m still on a post-event high. It truly was better than I could have ever expected. Everyone in attendance was bristling with excitement about the event and the opportunity to spend time together. R2L went above and beyond in every way to make sure everyone had a great experience. Caroline and Alethia were pivotal to bringing this community together to share and learn. Everything was perfect including the weather. The view from R2L is breathtaking. We had the sun shining through the windows, spectacular food and an amazing crowd. Truly wonderful!!!

Check out what some of the other writers had to say about the event:

The Palate Princess

A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis

Zen and Potatoes

My Life On A Plate

Bridges, Burgers & Beer

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

Asian In America

I Can Cook That

From Graduate to Gourmet

Pass the Sushi

Feed Me Lee

South Jersey Locavore

Row Home Eats

Yum Marks the Spot

Jersey Bites

Eating in South Jersey

Three years ago we made our first trip to Maine and I’ve been begging to go back ever since. Last week we returned to one of my favorite vacation spots for some desperately needed rest and relaxation. Bar Harbor, Maine is a quaint town surrounded by Acadia National Park. There is so much to love about the area that my list could go on and on. Highlights include cooler temperatures, incredibly friendly locals, endless outdoor activities and of course lobster, lots and lots of lobster.

Lobster Roll at Fish House Grill

Lobster Bisque at Fish House Grill

They also have local wild blueberries that they incorporate into a lot of their dishes.

Blueberry Pancakes at Jordan’s Restaurant

Blueberry Pie at Stewman’s Lobster Pound

The food is incredible but the real draw for me is Acadia National Park. You can go hiking, biking, boating or fishing to name a few. If you are not feeling too adventurous you can take in the sights on the 20-mile Park Loop Road for breathtaking views of the park.

After a long day in the park I love to head to Jordan Pond House to refuel and relax. They have the most amazing popovers. I’m working on developing a gluten-free popover recipe. I’ll share it soon.

Sand Beach, Acadia National Park

Thunder Hole, Acadia National Park

Otter Cove, Acadia National Park

Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park

Just when I thought that our vacation couldn’t get any better I stumbled upon the most beautiful sight. A family of deer walked through our backyard early on our first morning there. I assumed it was a one time deal. I was thankful to have spotted them. We didn’t have our cameras accessible. I made sure to have one on hand for the rest of the week just in case we were lucky enough to spot them again.

The next day I was reading on the back porch and spotted the mamacita grazing. It was all I could do not to squeal with excitement.

Then we saw her two little ones.

As you can see from this pic one of the fawn spotted us too. We made sure not to make any sudden movements. Shortly after our mutual glances the family went about their way.

All in all it was an amazing week. Maine is by far one of my favorite vacation spots. I can’t wait to go back. Have you been to Maine? What is your favorite vacation spot?

]]> http://laphemmephoodie.com/2011/07/lobstah-blueberries-and-bar-harbor-maine.html/feed 43 http://laphemmephoodie.com/2011/04/thoughts-of-summer-ocean-city-new-jersey.html http://laphemmephoodie.com/2011/04/thoughts-of-summer-ocean-city-new-jersey.html#comments Tue, 12 Apr 2011 11:53:43 +0000 Wendy http://laphemmephoodie.com/?p=3497

It all started with this cake. I was assigned the task of transporting the cake down to my aunt’s 70th birthday party in Ocean City, New Jersey from the Sweet Eats Bakery location in Voorhees, New Jersey. The ride is a little over an hour. My family made it clear to me that the cake was to arrive intact. I was instructed to do whatever necessary to ensure that it arrived without a dent, nick, scratch or smudge. I felt like a Secret Service agent protecting the President. I was ready to dive in front of the cake should anyone try to damage it. Cake is serious business in our family.

As you can tell from the picture above, the cake survived and so did I. The beach themed design was flawlessly executed by Sweet Eats. The yellow cake with dark chocolate filling and white chocolate icing had just the right combination of dense moist cake paired with rich creamy filling and sweet icing.

The weather for the party was perfect. Low 60′s, sunny, light breeze and low humidity. It was so nice out that I felt motivated to go for a long walk on the beach. My plan was to squeeze in a brisk walk early in the a.m. and then head back to the house. With my Earbuds in, my music pumping and my adrenaline flowing I was on my way. There is something so invigorating about feeling the sun on your face.

I wasn’t planning on taking any pictures on my walk but the scenes before me were too beautiful to ignore. I had my iPhone with me and decided to start to photograph what I saw along the way.

My walk started on the beach. I have no idea how far I went. I was lost in the moment which is rare for me because I am not a big fan of exercising. I’m ALWAYS watching the clock waiting for the torture to be over. Not this time.

I decided to venture up onto the boardwalk for my return trip back to the house. At that point my tummy started to rumble. I wasn’t going to stop to eat but I decided the next best thing would be to snap some pics of some of my favorite eateries on the boards.

First up on my walking tour was Mack & Manco’s, one of the most popular pizza places in Ocean City.

Next, how about some fries? A visit wouldn’t be complete without some Curly’s Fries right?

Once you have nibbled on some pizza and fries it is time to make room for dessert.  Let’s start with some Johnson’s Caramel Popcorn.

Followed by some Kohr Brothers frozen custard.

Top of your hodgepodge of desserts with the ultimate beach treats: fudge and salt water taffy. The problem is there are so many great places to buy these treats. Wait, that’s not what I would call a problem. A surplus of sweet treats is never a problem. Choose between Fralinger’s, Shriver’s or Steel’s Fudge.

I don’t have one particular favorite but I know a lot of people have their “spot” which is the only place where they will buy fudge or salt water taffy.

Overall, it was a perfect weekend. I was able to spend time with my family at the beach with gorgeous weather and one heck of a cake to top of the party. Editing these photos and writing about all the great eateries has me longing for summer. I’m looking forward to heading back to Ocean City to take another long walk on the beach and top off my walk with some scrumptious boardwalk eats.

Have you been to Ocean City? What’s your favorite boardwalk food?

There was only one restaurant I thought of to host the event: Supper. Located in Philadelphia at 928 South Street, it is one of my favorite restaurants in Philly. They have a killer brunch menu which is highlighted by their red velvet waffles and spicy Bloody Mary. They also have a delicious dinner menu. I reached out to the owners, Mitch and Jen, who were thrilled to host the event.

Exterior of Supper

We had a great turnout. I was so excited to meet so many bloggers that I have admired. In fact, I was so excited that I forgot to take pictures as the food was coming out. They served passed bites of their apple beignets, red velvet waffles, dixie biscuits, burgers and hot dogs. Thankfully, towards the end of the event, they were kind enough to make full-sized versions of each dish for us to photograph.

Mitch Prensky of Supper, Bradd and Kirsty DelMuto, LeeAnne Mullins

I managed to snap a pic of Mitch but I forgot to take one of Jen. Hopefully, some of my fellow bloggers were able to grab some pics of the lovely Jen Prensky so that I can show them to you here. I’ll add a link once I find them. ***Found one. Thanks Amy!

LeeAnne Mullins, Veronica McKee, Jen Prensky, Alyssa Huegel (Photo courtesy of Amy Strauss)

John Howard-Fusco and Robin Shreeves

We each enjoyed a complimentary Mimosa while we nibbled and chatted the afternoon away.

Nikki Palladino and Erin Crew

Everyone had a great time as you can tell by the smiles on their faces.

Jennifer Reed, Nikki Palladino, Aly Cleary, Erin Crew, Jamie S.

The most hilarious part of the day was towards the end of the event. We had all been nibbling on the passed bites. Everyone then had a chance to take pictures of the full-sized meals. We were all hanging around the area where the food was staged. We had already nibbled on a lot of food but that won’t keep a food blogger from taking just a wee bit more. We were engrossed in conversation when someone made a reach for the fried pickles that accompanied the Supper Dog.

Supper Dog: bacon wrapped and deep fried w/kraut, barbecued onions & beer mustard on a housebaked bun served w/buttermilk fried pickles

Then someone else decided to take a little piece of the waffles and it all went downhill from there. It was a glorious mash up of bits and pieces of the dishes being devoured by the food bloggers who had circled the area. You can’t keep a food blogger from fried pickles even if they are full.

Red Velvet Waffles with sweet cream cheese mousse, toasted pecans and molasses bourbon cherries

Dock Street Pancakes topped with candied apples, vanilla suds and housemade cracker jack

Dixie Biscuit: two scrambled eggs, country ham & pimento cheese on cathead biscuit with white grits & pickles

Supper Burger with caramelized onions, smoked bacon, roasted tomato and gruyere served with housemade pickles and duck fat potatoes

Once the event began to wrap up and people headed on their way I checked in with Mitch and Jen to thank them profusely for being such great hosts. They were not just working the event. They were hanging with us which made it feel more like a family event and less like a formal meetup. Have I mentioned how much I love Supper? I have? Okay. Let me just say that I would highly recommend you visit them soon and I’ll leave it at that.

If you do visit them I’m not sure I can tell you just one item from the menu to try. There are so many that are worth trying that I think your best bet is to go there with a group of people and order various items off the menu. Their portions are large enough that you can share. You don’t want to miss out on anything. If you don’t like to share then plan several visits so that you can enjoy everything they have to offer.

Oh and if you do order the Supper Dog guard your plate closely. There may be a blogger lurking around looking to steal your fried pickles.

You can visit Supper’s website and follow them on Twitter. If you are on Twitter say hello to Mitch. He’s the “official” tweeter for Supper.

Check out what some of the other bloggers had to say about the event:

Philly Street Style

The Pour Curator

Jonny Sparks Lounge

Two Eat Philly

Fish Foodie

In Search of Beer

22nd & Philly

Apples and Cheese, Please

Row Home Eats

One Curly Fry in a box of the regular

la mia tavola

Blogroll for the remaining attendees:

Philly Foodie

Midtown Lunch: Philadelphia

Eating in South Jersey

Doris and Jilly Cook

Madame Fromage

Mother Nature Network

Cooking In Stilettos

NJ Epicurean

Exton Dish

Zagat Buzz Philadelphia

@ButtercreamPhl At love park and its sunny and warming up fast. Got apple crumb pie, choc peanut butter mousse pie and all your regular faves!

I was only a few blocks away. Needless to say I made a mad dash towards Love Park. This was my first visit to the Buttercream Cupcake Truck. Kate Carrara, a/k/a the Cupcake Lady, regularly updates her location on Twitter. I’ve been following her tweets for months just waiting for our schedules to mesh.

I headed towards Love Park and immediately spotted her truck.

I arrived a little after 10:00 a.m. I was first in line. Woot! Woot! I think I kind of squealed when Kate opened her window to greet me. As we chatted about her transition from law to cupcakes I surveyed the menu. I settled on the Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting…

and the Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache…

Please don’t ask me which one was my favorite. It’s impossible to choose. While I truly believe that all cupcakes are merely a vehicle for the icing I must say that I did enjoy the cake part of the cupcake just as much as the icing.

I’m looking forward to the next time our schedules mesh so I can try all the other scrumptious items on her menu.

You can check out the scheduled stops for the Buttercream Cupcake Truck here or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.

I recently sat down with Joe Gatas, co-owner of the Cafe, to discuss all things Bok Bok. The idea for the Cafe is the culmination of the dream of his father Joe Gatas and his mother Patti to provide the American public with a fresh, healthy concept for families on the go. “We are serving fast casual not fast food. Our goal is to provide quality food and a healthier alternative at a fast food pace.”

Exterior of Sicklerville Location

The name for the restaurant was selected after a lot of discussion among their family. Joe and Patti did not want “chicken” in the name. They wanted a fun creative name that people would remember when they hear it. “After many pages of names and testing we settled on Bok Bok Fresh Cafe. Clearly Bok Bok is a sound that a chicken makes. The ‘fresh’ part of the name incorporates our emphasis on providing fresh quality ingredients. The ‘Cafe’ part of the name helps to distinguish it from other fast food restaurants.”

Joe and Patti want to give their guests joy and nourishment by serving them the best meal for their well being. They have been in the food business for over thirty years. Bok Bok Fresh Cafe was created as a response to the fast food dilemma. Their family’s eating habits began to suffer when they needed to eat on the go. They saw the need for a quick-service restaurant that served high quality food.

When you step inside one of their restaurants, take a peak towards the back of the kitchen. You will see a charbroiler grill with full flames preparing your chicken fresh. Why fresh? Because fresh ingredients don’t need preservatives. The food at their restaurant is fresh and we all know that food tastes better when it is fresh. Because they are familiar with their ingredients in the food they can answer allergy questions and other health related questions.

Their focus isn’t just on the food. They are working towards creating a more sustainable restaurant. Their restaurants will now feature Bare (bringing alternative resources for the environment) biodegradable cups to eliminate their carbon footprint. They also have plans to do other things including energy efficient lighting and motion sensor lights. They purchase locally as much as possible.

The menu continues to expand to include items like their wings and tenders.  For those of you familiar with the former Barrington or Flemington locations you will notice that the new location in Sicklerville has a variety of coffees, more pastries and they have added flavored drinks as part of the expansion/rebrand.

Fruit Salad

Harvest Salad

Parfait

Sandwiches

Wrap Tray

Word of mouth is a tremendous marketing tool for them. The chain is a new concept. People still aren’t sure who they are or what they are about. At first glance many including myself needed a further inspection to determine it was in fact a restaurant.

If you live nearby or happen to be in the area I would highly recommend dining at one of their locations. The food is fabulous. The staff is always courteous and the prices are very reasonable. Once you go make sure to tell your friends to stop by.

You can follow Bok Bok Fresh Cafe on Facebook.

First Course: Butlered Hors d’eovures that included Mini nachos Lydia; Mini black bean sopes with salsa verde and queso fresco; chipotle peanut bbq chicken skewers; sweet potato, chorizo & pecan empanadas. The Hors d’eovures were served with Mini Sauza Silver Margaritas.

Sope and Empanada

Margarita

Second Course: Guacamole salad with pineapple cilantro dressing. The salad was served with Clarita, a pineapple infused Sauza Blanco & Coco Lopez.

Guacamole salad

Clarita

Third Course:  Chicken Tortilla Soup garnished with queso fresco, crispy tortilla strips, diced avocado, chopped fresh onion & cilantro & lime wedges. The soup was served Sauza Hornitos Silve Tejito (silver hornitos, lime, agave syrup, mint leaves and soda).

Chicken Tortilla Soup and Sauza Hornito Silver Tejito

Fourth Course: Choice of Three Entrees:

Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Achiote garnished with black bean & roasted corn salsa & cilantro rice.

Pan Seared Sea Scallops

Chile Rellenos & Cheese Enchilada drizzled with guajillo chile sauce & served with red rice & pinto beans.

Chile Rellenos & Cheese Enchilada

The third choice was Beef Tenderloin Medallion with Twin Cheese & Onion Enmoladas accompanied by rajas poblano & pinto beans. No pics of the beef dish. No one at my table opted for it but I did spot it at another table and it looked delish!The entrées were served with Tres Generations Reposado neat with Sangrita chaser.

Fifth Course: Dessert. Choice of Coconut Flan served with Sauza Gold Holy Mole or Dark Chocolate Square with a snifter of Sauza Gold

Coconut Flan

Chef Mark’s concept for the restaurant is to have fresh food made to order with Mexican influenced herbs and spices as well as to serve food for an excellent value with meals that are reasonably priced. The dinner was $39.00 per person. We had five courses paired with five drinks. An abundance of food and drinks for a great price. I can’t wait for his next dinner theme.

On July 18, 2010 – July 24, 2010 many restaurants in South Jersey will be participating in “Farm to Fork” week. The event is sponsored by the SJ Hot Chefs organization in response to their customers growing interest in where their food comes from. It also gives the chefs a chance to work with some wonderful locally grown ingredients. The chefs have highlighted many of the benefits of using locally grown food:

• locally grown produce is usually more flavorful
• local farmers can give us a larger variety
• locally-grown produce has a longer shelf life
• There is less waste, in many cases it is less expensive which helps us keep our prices from rising
• We keep YOUR money in YOUR neighborhood and help boost the local economy
• Using sustainable local farms helps insure a better harvest in years to come
• Using local farmers also cuts down on Global Pollution from fossil fuels of jet airplanes
• By knowing our farmers we can better control the purchase of produce not sprayed with harmful insecticides and toxins sometimes used

You will be able to indulge in 4 courses for $35.00 with some restaurants even offering $25.00 menus. If you cannot make it out to dinner this week take a look at the local farm directory to see if there is a farm near you where you can buy locally grown food.

We took the table outside. The only drawback is that it was too hot to enjoy a cup of coffee with my breakfast. I needed cold beverages. Keep the water coming please! Oh. Did I mention that a storm was also moving through the area. We managed to stay dry right up to the point where we picked up our check and started walking through the Italian market. We didn’t make it too far. The sky opened up pretty quickly and we sought the refuge of a cab to get us back into town.

Almost every review I read in advance mentioned three things: 1.) the stuffed French toast; 2.) the likelihood of a long wait and 3.) the hipster staff.  I went with the French toast. My dining companion went with the frittata. The portions are ginormous. There was plenty for both of us to eat and plenty leftover for each to sample from the others plate. The French toast was phenomenal. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. The frittata gave the French toast a run for its money. I found myself happily eating the French toast but secretly wishing I ordered the frittata and at the same time thinking I can’t wait to try more items on the menu.

Caramelized Challah French Toast stuffed with cream cheese and bananas. Topped with more bananas and some vanilla bean maple syrup.

Blue Cheese Frittata with Sauteed Spinach, Mushrooms and Bacon

There are plenty of other items on the menu including all the basics. If you are feeling adventurous check out their hilarious specials. They are inventive and a little more expensive but look like from their descriptions that they are a can’t miss as well.

The servers were on top of their game. Water glass was always full. Never wanted for anything. Sabrina’s Cafe is now my go to place for brunch and I can’t wait to get back there.

*Sabrina’s Cafe has two locations. We dined at the Italian Market cafe. They are also located in the Fairmount/Art Museum area.

The Four Seasons offers the English tradition of afternoon tea. Tea time takes place from mid to late afternoon. The menu includes finger sandwiches, scones served with clotted cream and lemon curd, and homemade preserves and pastries. Tea is served in the Swann Lounge where you sip your tea while listening to a pianist play on the baby grand piano. Request a table with couches. They are the type that you sink into which makes the experience even more relaxing.

On my last visit we were lucky enough to get a table at the front of the Swann Lounge overlooking Logan Square. I prefer this location because while I like listening to the pianist I prefer not to sit too close to the piano. It becomes hard to carry on a conversation over the music.

The Four Seasons offers a “Social Tea” or “Royal Tea,” both include loose-leaf tea (each guest gets to choose their own flavor), four different types of finger sandwiches, scones, and desserts. The “Royal Tea” includes the addition of an alcoholic beverage.

I’ve been to the Four Seasons for tea on several occasions. Each time has been pleasant and relaxing. Unfortunately, my last trip involved an issue with the food. Before we began eating my dining companion discovered a small fly on one of her sandwiches. I try to remember that this can happen at any restaurant. However, I do expect a little more attention from the kitchen at the Four Seasons. Once we apprised the server of our discovery she was quick to remedy the situation. She gave us our champagne (we did the Royal Tea) for free and brought out a new plate of sandwiches.

The food is good. Not great. The menu is secondary to the setting. The best setting for tea used to be at the Ritz Carlton. Unfortunately, they are no longer serving tea since renovating the rotunda to include the new restaurant 10 Arts by Eric Ripert. I’ve also been to tea at the Rittenhouse Hotel’s Mary Cassatt Tea Room and Garden. Don’t let the fact that they refer to it as a tea room fool you. It’s not memorable for the food or the setting. The area is too small and the food is below par.

All in all, I would recommend afternoon tea at the Four Seasons as a great way to relax and have a light meal in the city. The servers are very attentive but not overbearing. There is never any indication that they are trying to turn over the table. It’s not too stuffy. Dress is smart casual. Reservations are recommended.