Curlz

Sign me up! Did Marc give any indication of when they're officially going to be open?

Talk about a BUMP! Do a search for Wegmans and you'll see why this seemed the best choice for posting this, which I got via email. I won't comment-just sharing, FYI. Book-Signing Event: Meet Celebrity Chef Rocco DiSpirito With three cookbooks already under his belt, this award-winning chef and culinary star is ready to introduce his latest: Rocco’s Real Life Recipes, Fast Flavor for Every Day. It’s packed with 175 recipes for quick main meals, wine pairings, and his own unique style tips for everyday entertaining. After starring in NBC’s The Restaurant, Rocco went on to appear on national TV shows, like Bravo’s Top Chef and Oprah. This is your big chance to rub elbows with Rocco, and get a copy of his new cookbook personalized. It will be available at 20% off at Wegmans, too! Where: Woodbridge Wegmans When: Saturday, 11/10 Time: Noon – 2:00PM Tickets: In order to attend this book signing, you must: • Purchase Rocco’s cookbook at Wegmans. Retain your sales receipt. • Pick up your free book-signing voucher at the Service Desk. Quantities are limited. One voucher needed per person attending. • Exchange your voucher beginning at 11:00AM the day of the signing to receive your numbered ticket that reserves your place in line.

The place on Ridge Road (Lyndhurst) is called Osaka Sushi. Again, haven't been, but there it is! A Google search revealed this and this. Good luck!

It's not ravioli, but for all you pumpkin freaks, read this! Sharin' the love, folks. Sharin' the love.

I found myself in (cold, rainy) Morristown yesterday afternoon following an appointment, so despite dinner plans to the contrary, I picked up a few empanadas to take home. I was all set to order some of the usual suspects (5 sausages w/lime, First Heaven) when I heard Raul on the phone. "Pumpkin, yes, I have it..." I almost jumped across the counter when he hung up. Sitting down? A dessert emp w/pumpkin, brown sugar, raisins, coconut, and caramel. I'll be reheating them later today, but wanted to get the word out for those of you who are thinking "Hmm...what should we do for lunch today?" There's your answer!

Someone help me out, here...on Paterson Avenue in E. Rutherford (steps from Carlstadt), there's a sushi place, and I've heard that it's decent. Tiny place. On the northern side of the street... Another thought, 'tho I don't know if it's great sushi--Daruma on Park Ave in Rutherford. And there's a place on Ridge Road in Lyndhurst, right across from the Shell station that sits above Route 3...if I'm out and about today, I'll try to drive past and get the name for you. As you can see, I don't do sushi around here too often! Then again, I don't do a lot of sushi in general. Are you willing to venture out of the immediate area at all? Where's MJP?!? Paging MJP... He usually knows stuff in the area!

I've only used OpenTable a handful of times, and for the most part, those reservations have been for out-of-state dinners. I do occasionally log on to OT first to see if they have a variety of times available, but normally end up calling the restaurant directly. I guess I find the person-to-person contact a bit more hospitable!

I'll add my two cents and say that I can't imagine dating/marrying someone who is completely averse to trying new foods once in a while! The guys I've dated have been both willing to try things that I cook or suggest, and/or have introduced me to foods I haven't tried. Trust me--many of my closest friends are 'vanilla' eaters, some of them with good reason (i.e., spicy or rich foods make them sick every time they have them)--this is why we don't eat out together too often. When the only place they want to go is TGMcFunster's, I'm rolling my eyes, and they know it. Do I still love them? Sure. But I couldn't LIVE with that every day! A few others were just raised in bland households, and will happily taste something new or different, and I give them credit for doing just that. Then there's my friend Chris, who is game to try almost anything, b/c his mom was such a bad cook and he knows his tastebuds are stunted. I'll never forget being in a restaurant with him, looking at menus, and saying that I was probably going to order the pork chops again b/c they had been so good on my last visit. His reaction was great. "Pork chops?!? REALLY? Wow. I never eat pork b/c it's always so dry!" Further discussion revealed that his mom used to serve pork chops and they were always like shoe leather. I ordered them, he ordered something else, and we ended up trading plates halfway through the meal. I love opening eyes that way...! In the end, though, my food pals are the most fun to go out with!

Here's the very short thread on Sabor Peru, Phaelon. Iirc, there was one other person who went and s/he posted about it on another thread...I'll see if I can find it. Curlz

Thanks for putting that little ditty into my brain for the day, mzrb! "We're gonna have roast rabbit...we're gonna have roast rabbit...we're gonna have roast..." AAAAACK!

Yes--in the shopping center right near it...where Tuesday Mornings is. Along with a supermarket...used to be Foodtown; I think it's now a Pathmark. EASTbound side of Rt 10, in Whippany.

Bourdain weighs in on NIC on Ruhlman's blog today...

It's funny...I read about this place before it opened and did some work in Morris Cty this summer, fully intending to get over there, but never did. Friends who aren't particularly into food rave about it, but when I'm out there I can't help but go to Denville Dairy if I need an ice cream fix! I smell a field trip brewing.

I don't know if you can special-order from them, but you might call the Pasta Shop in Lyndhurst Pasta Shop web page There are also a lot of terrific REAL Italian delis here in Lyndhurst...Lentina's is the first one that comes to mind if the Pasta Shop can't help you. Let us know how you do!

Oh...that MUST be why! Thanks for the laugh, Menton!

Interesting--thanks for sharing that, Ron! Fwiw, they are 1/2 block from a diner (one I never go to; can't say if their coffee is good or not), and a fast drive across the bridge to DD, but I think they're going to get foot traffic from the condos above and near them. We'll see! Oh, and I noticed that their (permanent, lit) sign says Sandwichs. Sigh...

I concur that the key to good turkey soup is to use both the carcass and some raw turkey...thighs and wings work particularly well, in my experience. I'm also a fan of wild rice and corn in my turkey soup, which receives raves! Can't say that I have a recipe per se, as I tend to make it up as I go, but I can't imagine that it would be any good if I only used the carcass and cooked turkey. My two cents...

Completely agree about hitting il lab! Just keep in mind that they have weird/short hours at the store (iirc, they close by 6pm)...and annoyingly enough, the hours aren't posted on their web site. But since you really shouldn't miss the opportunity, give 'em a call! 212 343 9922 For the record, I never said H&H Bagels are the best; just that they're great at 2-3am, hot out of the oven, and eaten curbside.

For the best sandwich, I'd get on a PATH train-or better yet, a ferry-and cross the Hudson River and go to Hoboken. VITO'S is the answer! Washington Street between...9th and 10th, iirc. Or, you could search out this one, but you can do just as well (if not better and a lot faster) at Vito's! Just remember they're closed on Monday.

This link ought to get you started... And since bagels aren't on that list, I'll throw out the idea of tearing in to some hot ones from H&H while sitting on the curb across the street. Particularly memorable if it's done around 2 or 3am. Really.

Rosie has a bunch of Octoberfest listings here on NJMyWay.

Great...so Top Chef sends people to cook in crazy altitude that affects both their bodies and their cooking, and FN can't figure out how to film in a real kitchen w/hoods and AC going? Please. But thanks for that info, Claudia.

what was up with that? ← What was up with that INDEED?!? I mean, really...obviously all of these chefs have put in their time in some hot kitchens with appliances that don't always cooperate, but at the CIA? If Alton had said "we've messed with a few things to increase the challenge," that might have been a different story. But a fridge that's not cold? Come on. I saw it as bad PR for a very expensive school with an excellent reputation.

I'm definitely not one to defend the FN (esp these days), but aren't all of these reality/competition shows based on the same model? I haven't watched enough of them to know, but think Survivor, The Apprentice, Project Runway, et al. Doesn't someone always get cut while the others 'survive' to the next challenge/week? ETA: I thought it was fun to see professionals having a good time while working their butts off!

Talk about FUN to watch...!