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News07/22/2016: Baked Goods and Signed Books
There’s a reason the Food Network named Jen Carson’s LiLLiPiES among the Ten Great Pies From Coast to Coast. It’s Jen's unique combination of kindness mixed with her passion and fierce attention to detail.
To illustrate what I’m talking about, I saw Jen once at the farmer's market. She was about to buy a case of berries from Stults Farm, which is one of the market's local farms. But when farmer Jill Stults mentioned that that was her last case, Jen withdrew from the deal.
I asked her why and she said that Jill should sell the berries to customers at retail price, instead of to her at wholesale price.
That’s Jen. Vehement about getting the best local ingredients, but at the same time cares about the people with whom she deals. Both her perfectionism and caring shine through her food.
Up until now, you could get LiLLiPiES baked goods at various locations around town. Now they have a place of their own, LiLLiPiES Bakery. At the bakery, Jen bakes long-fermented sourdough bread as well as American-style desserts. Daily. From scratch.
On my last visit there I had a lemon tart that exemplified the perfect balance between sweet-yet-tart and creamy-yet-airy. And a chocolate-stuffed pretzel that was - well, you can imagine.
Visit LiLLiPiES any time. But on Monday, July 25, 2016, from 3-4PM there’s a bonus. Author John Holl will sign copies of his newest book, Dishing Up NJ. The book features several Princeton restaurants including LiLLiPiES Bakery, the bent spoon, and Small World Coffee. All these beloved establishments will provide free samples of their treats at the event.
LiLLiPiES is located at the Princeton Shopping Center. Bakery hours are Tuesday-Sunday 7am-4pm, with occasional special events scheduled after hours. Princeton Shopping Center's address is 301 North Harrison Street in Princeton. 07/01/2016: Love and Friendship - Whit Stillman revisits Austen novella Princeton book club and movie worlds collided in June with the opportunity to see indy director Whit Stillman in the flesh at the Garden Theater for a Princeton showing of his newest movie, Love and Friendship. Thumbs up for the movie, and "meh" for Lady Susan, the little known epistolary novella by Jane Austen. (Our book club had chosen to read Lady Susan given the new movie's arrival, but little did we know we'd have the chance to hear and see the director in the flesh.) Both the movie and the talk were a trip down memory lane for Austen fans and Stillman afficionados alike. As with all Austen flicks there were great period costumes, witty dialogue, interestng casting choices (Kate Beckinsale as Lady Susan and Chloe Sevigny as her now American friend) and grand settings. But Stillman's handling added more humor, improv and a fully fleshed out cast of extras to life. I found myself laughing out loud throughout the movie, as much at the banter of the main characters as the slapstick-ish footmen and other extras. Stillman's talk after the movie was the opportunity to gauge the audience's favorite Austen books (Emma was up there with Pride & Prejudice) and to share his thoughts about the process of updating a novel and making a good movie at the same time. Stillman's past work (Metropolitan, Barcelona & The Last Days of Disco) were perhaps more autobiographical and leveraged many of the same cast of characters, but in Love & Friendship, Stillman branched out (except for Beckinsale & Sevigny, who starred in "Disco") with British aplomb.
06/24/2016: A Celebrity Farmer’s Fennel, Blueberries & Arugula Salad In foodie-lands like Northern California, there are celebrity farmers almost as influential as celebrity chefs. They possess an irresistible combination of a) delicious offerings that bear their unique signature and b) an affable, charismatic personality that is the secret of many celebs.
We in Central Jersey have one celebrity farmer, the award-winning Jess Niederer of Chickadee Creek Farm. Jess, an Ivy-educated petite woman, is first and foremost a talented grower. I could recognize her carrots in a blind tasting (if there were a blind tasting for carrots). You can find her vegetables at her bountiful, attractive stands at area farmers markets (my favorite is the Pennington Market, at which I am the vendor liaison).
Jess is also a talented writer and her weekly emails to her CSA members border on a lyrical prose. This week, Jess had caught my attention with a brilliant trick for blueberry dressing that’s worked right into a salad of fennel and arugula she harvested that day.
I tried it at home, and it tasted as good as it sounds.
Here it is, in Jess’s words. You can find the ingredients at the weekend farmer markets.
“Not much time to write today, but I made an amazing salad you should know about: -Two bulbs fennel thinly sliced (I used a mandolin) -One bag arugula -1 pint Mike's blueberries (available at Chickadee Creek Farm stands) -1 tsp apple cider vinegar -1 tbsp olive oil
I put these all in a mixing bowl together and smashed it all up so the blueberries were crushed into it all and the oil and vinegar were worked into the fennel and arugula, making them slightly milder.
I chilled it for a half hour or so, and then added grated parmesan, as much as you prefer.
And this was the best salad I've had all year. It was amazing.”
05/13/2016: The Revenant & Hologram for the King Spring is hanging on with a vengeance, giving plenty of time for movie going before the summer blockbuster season. If you have not already seen the Oscar winning The Revenant, do so - Leonardo DiCaprio is very deserving of his first Academy Award (although I thought his acting in The Departed was too). Directed and co-written by Oscar-winning Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman, Babel), it's about the most intense, gruesome movie I've ever seen. (Don't eat beforehand). The cinematography is breathtaking, as is the music. It's an all-around amazing movie experience, with a terrific supporting cast. For lighter fare, I very much enjoyed A Hologram for a King. Tom Hanks is wry, understated, earnest, at his best in this quirky film based on a Dave Eggers novel. The movie opens with a wild Talking Heads roller coaster ride that sets the tone for the rest of the film - dreamlike, absurd, and whimsical. Reminiscent of Tailor of Panama in its land of deadpan bureaucracy, great cast and otherworldly locale, Hologram deftly tackles the themes of middle age relationships, work ennui and relationship dysfunction while immersing you in another world.
04/21/2016: 14 Tips for Going Green
Happy Earth Day! We all know that taking care of the Earth is something we should do 24/7 - 365, but it's still good to have a day dedicated to educate and bring awareness to the most basic ways we can adopt sustainable practices. It can be as little as turning the light off when you don't need it and taking reusable bags with you to the supermarket. Since there are so many ways to go green, we polled the community for how they honor Earth Day today and every day. Be sure to let us know your best green tips too! Spread the Earth love! 1. I try to follow the river friendly resident program at the Watershed. No pesticides or fertilizer - Peter, Princeton Online President & CEO 2. I canceled my NYTimes weekly paper, use all cloth grocery bags ( even at target), and I NEVER buy plastic water bottles - Jane, POL Content Manager 3. Shady Brook Farm makes their own mulch. They encourage locals to drop off their grass clippings, twigs, sawdust, leaves, etc to turn into mulch, which can be ordered by customers. - Elisa, NewtownYardley.com Community Manager 4. We ditched our Keurig and bought a drip coffee maker - Sarah Hughes, founder/editor FinneganandtheHughes.com 5. I follow the Hopewell Valley Green Team and take advantage of their opportunities to recycle styrofoam, wine corks, CDs, etc., as well as Mercer County's electronics and household chemicals recycling collection. - Tracy Meyer @twmtalks 6. Keep Middlesex Moving invites commuters take the Pledge to unplug for one hour, whether in your car, at home, or at the office - small, simple actions can make a huge impact. Join hundreds of commuters across Middlesex County and take the Eearth Day Pledge at http://kmm.org/kmm_earthday.php. - Cristina Fowler, Marketing Communications Manager, Keep Middlesex Moving 7. Let go of stuff you don't need and sell it at the Princeton Public Library community-wide yard sale on Saturday, April 30th, from 9am to 1pm. The event is co-sponsored by Sustainable Princeton and is part of the Princeton Environmental Film Festival (PEFF). Visit www.princetonlibrary.org/yardsale. 8. Skoy cloths - brilliant replacement for papertowel, sponges, etc. Just throw in washer and drier to clean. Color code for diff uses - Cricket Allen, founder of the Perfect Snaque and mom of The Kitchen Twins! 9. Eating from local farms - when you eat local you rely less on produce from far away which relies heavily on transportation. More mass transportation = more fuel into our atmosphere. And some of my favorite local farms: Blue Moon Acres, Rolling Hills Farm, Ely Farm Products, The Stockton Farmers Market and West Windsor Farmers Market - Samantha Hadcastle, owner of AmoreSocial.com 10. Use Pure Haven Essentials, safe and effective products. No microbeads or chemicals going down my drains! www.purehavenessentials.com/storie - Christine Storie, consultant with Pure Haven Essentials 11. Princeton Elks is offering a recycling program in conjunction with Terracycle- cosmetic packaging, toothpaste containers, etc. They receive small donations to the Charitable Trust which serves Special Children, Veterans, and Youth Activities in the community. Details on their Facebook page. - Heather M. 12. Composting! I keep a countertop compost bucket near my trash can so I can easily gather my food waste. Then I empty into my composting bin outside when full. - Casey H. 13. Recycle, bring your own bags to the grocery store, support local farmers markets and join a local CSA! We have been members of Stults Farm on Cranbury Neck Rd in West Windsor for years. We split a share with my sister who lives near the farm. - Jennifer G. 14. Since my job is sustainability, I kind of drive my family crazy at home. We compost, recycle practically everything (even shoes, batteries, toys - nothing gets landfilled). When I built my new kitchen last year, I made sure that all of the big items were manufactured domestically and my countertops came from a facility in MN (Cambria) that is ISO 14001 certified (which means they have to prove that they have a robust environmental program by getting audited by a third party annually). When we were deconstructing the old kitchen I gave away everything I could - even tried giving the cabinets away to a neighbor. Our old kitchen table became a work bench in the garage, and we made the chairs into stools for my son to stand on while working with his dad. I make my own cleaners with vinegar. We buy local whenever we can, and eat pretty clean. We grow our own veggies in the summer. - Alison Gosselin, Director, Sustainability and Engineering, Aramark Leisure
03/21/2016: Rock On Do you feel like you have to hit Philadelphia or the boroughs of Manhattan or Brooklyn to catch good live music? The babysitting and uber bills alone can really add up. Don't settle for a night on the couch watching Netflix – let the PI offer a few local suggestions to get your groove back ON!
Jazz & Rock
Bordentown Jester’s European Cafe
Hightstown
Hopewell Hopewell Valley Vineyards - - live music Thurs – Sun – mixing it up with rock and jazz Off-Broad Street Theater - coming back after a complete renovation. Used to be solely a playhouse but they now will be booking bands
New Hope John and Peters - featuring live music 7 days/week, 365 days a year. The gold standard. Logan Inn - live music fri sat and jazz brunch on sundays
Newtown
Princeton The A & B - live music every Sun/Wed/Thurs
Trenton Candlelight Lounge - The Jazz Masters Series at the Candlelight Lounge most Saturday from 3:30 – 7:30pm is worth it. Acts that might have later gigs that night in NYC or Philly warm up in the afternoon here. 24 Passaic Street, Trenton. 609-695-9612 Championship Sports Bar – hipster hangout with live music and NO sports
Coffee House & Folk - for those looking for an acoustic vibe while sipping lattes . . . Dragonfly Music & Coffee - http://www.dragonflymusicandcoffee.com/ Small World - http://smallworldcoffee.com/ The Grind Coffee House N Café - http://plainsborogrindcoffeencafe.com/ Grover’s Mill Coffee House & Roastery - http://www.groversmillcoffee.com/ Princeton Folk Music Society - monthly concerts - http://princetonfolk.org/ Thomas Sweet - http://www.thomassweet.com/locations/montgomery For more ideas about when and where to get your groove on, check out Princeton Online's ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE for the latest events and happenings. 02/05/2016: Schmaltz - The Jewish Cook's Secret Ingredient A post I wrote about lard reminded me about its Jewish counterpart, the Schmaltz. Here is the piece about it that I wrote for the book Jewish Soul Food From Minsk to Marrakesh.
Schmaltz, rendered chicken or goose fat, had been the secret weapon of Jewish-Ashkenazi cooks until its fall from grace during the fat-phobia era.
Golden and homey, it used to lace chopped liver (schmaltz is key), chicken soup, matzo balls, kreplach, knishes, kishkes for cholent, and other Ashkenazi foods.
My grandmother was a career woman who avoided the kitchen whenever she could. But on Fridays she would step in, complaining profusely, and produce excellent Ashkenazi food.
She used schmaltz in everything - in chopped liver, in egg salad, in matzoh balls, and best of all - she would let us dip our challahs in schmaltz (it’s liquid at room temperature) and eat with a crunchy, spicy homemade pickle.
One Shabbat in the 70’s, we gathered as usual for lunch, but the schmaltz was gone. That was the first time in my life I’d heard the word “cholesterol”. Grandma introduced us to the substitute: chopped onions simmered in oil until caramelized. They had their magic, but they weren't schmaltz.
30 years later, fat made its comeback, and I reconnected with my grandmother’s forgotten wonder. Only then did I discover its byproduct: griebens, addictive bits of crunchy onions and chicken cracklings. How come I’d never had those before? My guess is that my grandparents ate them all by themselves.
A fun fact: the best approximation of schmaltz is cultured ghee (Indian clarified butter) from grass-fed cows. Go figure.
Note: use only organic chickens. They tend to have less fat, but fat is where the body stores unwanted chemicals and toxins.
1 lb. chicken skin and fat One large onion cut into ribbons.
Rinse the chicken skin and fat, and pat dry. Then chop it into small 1/2 inch pieces. Transfer to a large heavy skillet. Cook, uncovered, over low heat, stirring and breaking up the skin with a rubber spatula.
When the fat starts to melt and get slightly brown add onions and cook til onions and cracklings are golden brown and crunchy. Be careful not to burn the oil.
Let cool slightly and strain through a sieve strainer into a bowl. Let it drain slowly making sure that fat is free of onions and cracklings. Pour fat (now it’s schmaltz) into a glass jar, cover, and refrigerate.
Store onions and cracklings (now they are griebens) in a separate glass container, cover and refrigerate. Heat to crisp them up before eating. Use wherever you would use crispy fried onions. 11/23/2015: Holiday Events for the ADVENTUROUS Princeton and the surrounding communities know how to get their Holiday ON - Palmer Square, McCarter’s A Christmas Carol, Pennington Walk, Santa at the Airport, Morven’s Festival of Trees – these are just a few of the local annual favorites, not to be forgotten or ignored. The following list is more like Holiday ADVENTURES – events that are not local, but equally as fabulous. We all know about the tree at Rockefeller Center and ice-skating at Wolman Rink in NYC. Below is a list of things you might not know about. Yes, you might have to train, drive, or UBER there but the journey is always half the fun and the experience even greater. Get out there – new Holiday traditions are waiting to be made.
NJ
Six Flags Holiday in the Park - https://holiday.sixflags.com/greatadventure
Christmas in Cape May - http://www.capemaymac.org/toursevents/christmasincapemay.html
Storybook Land’s Christmas Fantasy with Lights - https://storybookland.com/fallchristmas.html
NYC
16th Annual Winter Eve’s at Lincoln Center November 30 - http://www.winterseve.nyc/the-16th-annual-winters-eve-at-lincoln-square-monday-november-30-2015/
Lighting the World’s Largest Hanukkah Menorahs - http://www.nycgo.com/slideshows/dont-miss-holiday-events-2015/10
Holiday Markets - where you'll find an assortment of homemade wares from craftspeople and mom-and-pop shops that should cover everyone on your list. The biggest and best selections can be found at the Union Square Holiday Market, the Holiday Shops at Bryant Park, the indoor Grand Central Holiday Fair or the Columbus Circle Holiday Market.
Winter Village at Bryant Park - http://www.bryantpark.org/things-to-do/wintervillage.html
Holiday Train Show @ New York Botanical Gardens - http://www.nybg.org/hts15/
Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal - http://www.grandcentralterminal.com/event/14th-annual-holiday-train-show-at-grand-central/2145462112
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, New York City Ballet - http://www.nycballet.com/nutcracker
Radio City Christmas Spectacular - http://www.radiocitychristmas.com/
New Year’s Eve Grand Army Fireworks Display in Brooklyn - https://www.prospectpark.org/news-events/events/2015/12/31#new-years-eve-fireworks-15
PHILADELPHIA
Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade - http://www.visitphilly.com/events/philadelphia/philadelphia-thanksgiving-day-parade/
The Macy's Christmas Light Show at Macy's Center City - http://www.visitphilly.com/events/philadelphia/holiday-light-show-at-macys-center-city/
The Rothman Ice Rink at Dilworth Park - http://www.ccdparks.org/dilworth-park/rothmanicerink
Stag and Doe Nights in Chestnut Hill - http://chestnuthillpa.com/events/holidays-on-the-hill/
Franklin Flea Holiday Market - http://www.franklinflea.com/holiday
Zoo Noel at Philadelphia Zoo - http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/explore/upcoming-events/zoo-noel.htm
Longwood Gardens Christmas - http://longwoodgardens.org/events-and-performances/events/longwood-christmas
05/21/2015: The Forgotten Gallery The master bathroom is the room where we start our day. It should comfort and revitalize us, at the same time be an inspiration to the rest of our day. Renovating a bathroom is much more personal than renovating a kitchen or a home theatre. It takes more time, more thought. The best bathrooms come from partnering with your designer and adding your thumbprint through textures, colors, fixtures, lighting, accessories, temperatures, and yes, even art. Strangely, we rarely consider adding art to the bathroom when renovating. Art inspires us. It comforts us. It excites us. When we think about renovating a bathroom, we consider many things: design, space, storage, tiles, light, color, textures, which all evoke strong emotions and create the space you want to wake up to. The options are endless. It is really a balance between form and function. Adding art to the walls can assist in creating the emotion in the room. Add a pop of color for inspiration or relaxation. Add a cherished family photo for a sense of security and love. Add piece of art from an adventurous trip. How about wall art with sayings to inspire you or to add a touch of humor or whimsy to start your day? A well-balanced room with art will affect all our senses. So, no art degree or experience needed when choosing art. Find the colors that coordinate and inspire an emotion. It doesn’t need to break the bank. Simply choose a painting or print that speaks to you. The piece of art that puts a smile on your face is the one to buy! Place it on the wall in front of the toilet or on the wall that you face when in the tub. Have fun with your selection. Remember: even a chandelier can be a piece of art! Please visit our work on Houzz.com and find out what’s new in our minds on Instagram and Twitter! 01/14/2015: 3 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding Flowers Georgianne Vinicombe at Monday Morning Flower and Balloon Company has a few excellent ideas on how to save a few bucks on your wedding flowers. Click the link and start saving today: http://mondaymorningflowers.blogspot.com/2014/10/my-top-3-tips-to-save-money-on-your.html For more help with your wedding floral needs, please click below to get the scoop from Georgianne. http://mondaymorningflowers.blogspot.com/2012/12/tips-for-choosing-your-wedding-flowers.html http://mondaymorningflowers.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-carry-bridal-bouquet-its-not-so.html http://mondaymorningflowers.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-carry-bridal-bouquet-its-not-so.html
10/15/2014: Keeping Your Bathroom Safe and Beautiful! As a designer it’s very important to make sure your bathrooms are both safe and beautiful. ADA compliant products are necessary to ease a client’s accessibility in their bathroom but you don’t want to outdate your new renovation with basic ADA products. Invisia is one of many companies that specialize in beautiful bathroom accessories that also keep people safe. Since 2008, Invisia has designed grab bars and bathroom seating that blend style and safety to provide peace of mind while contributing an elegant bathroom environment. Safety should not come by accident, nor should you have sacrifice the look of your bathroom to achieve it. Invisia is able to provide support when needed without compromising your design! As a designer it’s important to make sure all safety requirements are met and with Invisia you’re able to meet these requirements and keep your bathroom remodel beautiful, sleek, and up to date. All of their products feature a 500 lbs. weight capacity, and are made from durable, rust- resistant stainless steel. Also, the tray surfaces are nonporous and resist the growth of mold and bacteria. As a client and designer this type of information about your product is very important to know, you want a high quality product that won’t deteriorate after extensive use in water. No one likes to waste money so knowing you have the option to choose from a top of the line product like Invisia you don’t have to waste any money! A bath should be a retreat… a place to get away from it all! The Invisia Collection’s spa inspired seating invites you to let the world fade away. Each seat features hand selected Brazilian Walnut panels accented by a resilient aluminum frame. Brazilian Walnut is up to 3 times stronger than teak and is resistant to mold, mildew and bacteria. This ensures a lifetime of good use. Most products come in a range of finishes to fit every bathroom’s style! Some of their products include: an Accent Ring that provides support when accessing shower controls, a Corner Shelf that features a removable tray surface for easy cleaning, a Toilet Roll Holder that promotes safe toileting and keeps paper close at hand, a Soap Dish that features a removable soap tray, a Towel Bar that provides a top rail for gripping while lower rung holds towel, a Corner Seat that nestles into any corner to create a personal oasis, a BathBench that rests on the bath tub and doubles as a bath caddy, and a SerenaSeat that easily folds against the wall when not in use. Overall, you don’t want to compromise the design of your bathroom remodel with outdated products and you don’t have to anymore. With Invisia and other companies, you’re able to customize everything in your bathroom and at the same time make safe choices. Check out our Pinterest and Houzz boards for more beautiful and safe options for your bathroom! #SafeBathrooms |
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