Taco night!

We decided to make some pork tacos and Mexican coleslaw tonight. After getting some cabbage with our CSA share this week, we were reminded that we've been wanting to try to make some of the slaw we had on tacos down in Cape May last spring.

The pork was marinated overnight in a chili-lime rub, and it started cooking in the crock pot this morning with salsa verde and vegetable stock added in. It cooked for about 8 hours on low, and was literally falling apart as we started removing it this evening.



The slaw was simple enough to make:

6 cups thinly chopped cabbage
1.5 cups grated carrots
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt


We cooked up some rice and beans as sides, and started piling up the tacos. Some lime squeezed over the top finished them off.


The textures were awesome. Crunchy slaw. Bready tortillas. Mmm. The pork was tender enough, although the flavors weren't really coming through as much as we would have liked. We're definitely going to try and cook it a different way next time. The flavors were still nice, though, and some bites were the perfect blend of pork, cilantro, vinegar, and lime. Certainly not the most offensive thing we've ever made! All in all it was a pretty successful taco, and we've got plenty left for lunch tomorrow - always an added bonus.



The aftermath:

Jersey Shore BBQ

After spending the morning relaxing on the beach, Elizabeth and I decided to try a new BBQ place in Belmar thanks to the advice of some friends. It's located only a few blocks from the beach - their website can be found here.

As soon as you enter Jersey Shore BBQ you begin taking in the aroma of smoky barbeque. Their pit, "Bessie" is located out back, and the smells of oak, cherry, and other hardwoods fill the air of the small restaurant. The menu covers all of the major BBQ staples, and also offers some pleasant surprises like catfish, homemade salsa, and gulf shrimp.

The staff were very friendly, and after realizing neither of us had ordered mac & cheese as a side, hurried out a small sample of it for us to try. It was some damn good mac & cheese.


My meal, pictured above, is the "Belmar Duo". Two proteins plus two sides and some cornbread. I opted for my two favorites - beef brisket and pulled pork. The brisket had a beautiful smoke ring thanks to hours in the pit, and the smell was heavenly. The sauce on the pulled pork was a little sweet, but the flavors were awesome. Neither meat was the most tender I've had, although the textures were far from offensive. I decided on ranch beans and sweet potato fries for my sides. Both were tasty, although the ranch beans came in a very small plastic cup and only offered a pair of forkfuls.

Elizabeth ordered a catfish po'boy sandwich, which she enjoyed. The fish had a nice flavor, and the coleslaw added a nice crunch to the meal. She loved the cornbread - no surprise there.

This fine establishment probably offers some of the most authentic southern style BBQ you will find in The Garden State. The flavors and aromas were all there, although I'd like to see how the meats and their sauces stack up next time. Prices were reasonable and the portions were modest yet filling. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.

Brew Review 1

I decided to splurge a bit and pick us up a couple of beers from the "fancy" section at one of the local liquor stores. One of them was Wells Banana Bread Beer. Yes, this beer is actually brewed with real bananas.

Although I will occasionally eat bananas, I'm not the biggest fan in the world. And usually I stay away from things with banana flavoring - the exception being banana bread. The beer actually surprised me with how little it tasted like bananas, or banana bread. That's not necessarily a bad thing, considering how overly powerful certain beers are with fruits and flavors.


The aroma was what really carried the sense of bananas. It didn't smell overly sweet or fruity, thankfully, and taking in the smell of banana bread while a beer is being raised to your lips is definitely a novel experience. There was an ever-so-slight hint of banana in the aftertaste as well, but it was very subtle. The beer itself was fairly innocuous, although for the price it really doesn't seem worth a second purchase. It was a decent enough lager, but there was really no complexity in flavors outside of the banana aftertaste. I almost wish it had been done with a thicker beer to give it a more comforting, banana bread vibe.

We also finally put up our wall-mounted bottle opener! Elizabeth made sure the previous owner left it behind, and it sure is fun to pop open a cold beer after a long day of work.

Honeybrook Organic Farm

We just found out that we've received a share of Honeybrook's CSA for the 2010 growing season! Community Supported Agriculture is a great way to support local farmers and get wonderful, fresh produce at the same time. You can read more about Honeybrook's program here.

The season officially began this morning with pick-your-own strawberries and fresh herbs! Their website offers a harvest calendar which approximates when certain produce becomes available. You can view it here, and be sure not to skip over the PYO items at the bottom!

Photo by Kim Unertl (c) 2008

We'll have updates after the first pick-ups of the season to let everyone know what we received and what we're making with our fresh produce. There are lots of greens early in the season, so if you have any suggestions or yummy recipes let us know. Thanks!

Ag Field Day / Rutgers Day

On Saturday, April 24th, Rutgers will hold their event-filled day all over their campuses. Head on over to New Jersey Outdoors to read more about the events surrounding the day, including nature hikes at Helyar Woods and Rutgers Gardens.

Of course we'll be talking all about the food! The big lawn on Cook/Douglass campus will once again host the NJ Folk Festival, which is accompanied by a huge food vendor marketplace. In a brilliant tactical maneuver, food trucks will surround the fields with the smells and sounds of deliciousness.

A variety of cultures and cuisines will be represented, including Italian, Greek, Egyptian, Lebanese, and many more! Of course American cuisine will also be prevalent, with all the spring time classics.

Last year during the events we feasted on flavorful pit beef sandwiches with vinegar fries.


For dessert we watched as our strawberry-banana-chocolate crepes were made.


And then we dug in!

There's something for everyone. Go ahead, ask my little sisters Emma and Sarah!


Don't miss out on a great day in central NJ filled with fun and food!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This was our second time having this version of a southwestern style soup, and we just couldn't deprive our readers any longer! The recipe we started with for this particular soup came from Real Simple, but there are a ton of different variations and you can tweak things here and there to make it your own. For example, we added corn and cheddar cheese (added on top when serving) and ditched the sour cream.

Here's the ingredient list:

• 1 12-ounce jar salsa verde
• 3 cups cooked chicken pieces (1 small rotisserie chicken or leftovers)
• 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
  
• tortilla chips
• 1 can of corn, drained

Start off by emptying the salsa into a large saucepan. Cook it for 2 minutes over medium-high heat, and then add in the chicken, beans, broth, and cumin. Bring all of that to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook it for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can add another cup of chicken broth (4 total) to make the dish soupier, but 3 cups really is plenty. It's not overly thick.

Top each bowl with a sprinkling of onions, a dollop of sour cream, or some tortilla chips. We decided to put some shredded cheddar cheese on top as well.

The salsa verde really makes this a unique dish, and you get a bunch of fun textures and flavors with each bite. Careful, though, as you can easily go through an entire bag of tortilla chips while eating dinner. We know from experience.

Quick Bite: The Bent Spoon

Earlier this month we visited The Bent Spoon in Princeton, NJ. After hearing about flavors such as dark chocolate habanero and basil lavender, we decided we just had to see what this artisan ice cream shop had in store.

They offer plenty of sorbets, including passionfruit and blood orange (both delicious), along with a nice variety of homemade ice cream. We opted to try the olive oil and the cardamom ginger. I know what you're thinking - olive oil ice cream? What the...? It worked. The flavors were subtle and the ice cream itself was smooth and creamy almost beyond belief. The cardamom ginger had a more forward flavor but it wasn't overpowering. It was fresh and unique, and the tiny pieces of candied ginger were an added bonus. An unexpected scoop of ice cream, but certainly a pleasant surprise.

The shop makes a new flavor each time one of their current choices runs out, so there's almost always something new to try. Two small scoops will cost you $3.50, so this isn't the most budget-friendly treat, but the taste and unique flavors are worth the splurge. We can't wait to see what they have out the next time we go!