Random Summer Bites

It's mid-summer (hard to believe).

Where does the time go?

We stopped in a hipster wine bar (I say that because we were the oldest people by 20 years, and we had no tattoos) in Jersey City called Third & Vine.

What a surprise this place turned out to be.

They have an amazing cheese program, and the lovely cheese monger Patricia chose 3 gorgeous cheeses for us to pair with some great wines and cocktails.

Lite bites were on the ridiculous side.

Stuffed piquillo peppers stuffed w/ mozzarella, wrapped in speck.
Marinated fennel w/ boquerones & pesto (my favorite!!).
Grilled watermelon w/ arugula & feta salad.
and life changing deviled eggs w/ caviar & crab, and wasabi & soy.

CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK!


Rainier cherries are a treat, and only around for a few weeks in July.
OF COURSE, I made a beautiful cherry & blueberry clafoutis.

This time, I left the pits in the cherries like the French do.
I actually liked it better this way, it forced me to eat slower!!!!!

The MCG is FINALLY producing. I didn't get my first tomato until just last week.

Green beans are taking their sweet ass time, and the only thing that is really flourishing are my beets, onions and broccolini, everything else is not as great as seasons past.

Must be the weird karma there.

I have had a nice crop of broccolini (sweet baby broccoli) every week, enough for a side dish. Sauteed with anchovies and garlic and topped with fresh mozzarella. I could eat it everyday (and I practically do!).

I stuffed my garden zucchini blossoms w/ fresh ricotta, mozzarella, herbs and egg and pan fried them for a lovely garden lunch.

Nothing is better in the summer.


It's almost fig season in NJ, however, I am constantly disappointed by the California figs (sorry California) in my market. They are always mealy and never taste right to me.

I guess I will have to wait a month for the real local figs here.

Instead of tossing out the lousy figs, I made my annual batch of bacon fig jam, and added in bourbon this time.
Recipe here.

Delicious with cheese.



We spent a week on vacation at the NJ shore.

We had some amazing pizza and enjoyed some beautiful weather.

and what would summer be without my nightly "chipper"?
2 homemade chocolate chip cookies with some vanilla ice-cream, rolled in some chocolate chips.

Summer is about tomatoes and ice-cream in my world (though I don't know about tomato ice-cream!).

and if you have seen some of these pics already on my instagram, I apologize.

I like instagram much better than facebook or any other social media, so if you don't follow me, you are missing out on all the fun!

Happy summer.

xo