Max Hansen Grocery

The best breakfast in New Hope? If mom is not available, hit Max Hansen’s Carversville Grocery. 

The hot, steamy, gooey breakfast sandwich

The breakfast sandwich is warm, eggy, happiness on a fresh airy kaiser roll, wrap, or  toast. Would you like some extra cheese? How about smoked bacon? Local Haring Brothers sausage settles into an egg like no other meat...unless you consider the pork roll. 

The burrito bursting with beans 

And just when you thought you had decided what to order, your eye wanders to the breakfast burrito with braised black beans, onions, and peppers rolled in a flour tortilla. 

The specials

Along with choices from the regular menu are specials. Does poached egg and spinach over creamy polenta sound special?  

The aromatic baked goods

Or maybe your thing is warm, freshly baked donuts. Cinnamon sugar is a regular feature. Is there anything better with the locally roasted coffee? Unless you decide on a chocolate croissant. One thinks that maybe breakfast should be followed by dessert. Which if you look closer you will notice the incredible assortment of pastries from Sweet Victory bakery that are available.  There are muffins encrusted with little slivered almonds and sugar. There is Max’s Doughnut Bread Pudding. 

What to do

So here is what you do. You order a wrap or sandwich for breakfast. Sit and watch the cyclists file in and out of the store. Better yet, ride your own bike down to the center of Carversville to burn off the calories from that moment of indecision that led to a pork roll sandwich and a croissant and a donut!  

Pineville Tavern

The Pineville feed mill then general store then hotel now tavern was built in 1742. Situated at the crossroads of Pineville Road and Route 413, the building was the hub of what was then and still is a small crossroads town. Like many Hotels of its day, the Pineville had a front porch upon which friends, neighbors, patrons, and travelers gathered. 

The bar

This local vibe remains at the Pineville, particularly in the old bar where the bartenders know the names of most patrons. Most of the Pineville retains the sense of an unpretentious old school bar/restaurant where you can kick back with a beer but also bring the kids. The bar is old. The shelves that hold the booze behind the bar are funky and original. The linoleum is scuffed. 

The food

Don’t go to the Pineville for a low calorie dinner, because the handmade egg rolls will throw you right off the wagon. Buffalo chicken and Philly cheese steak egg rolls are a guilty pleasure. Fried egg roll wrappers stuffed with chicken in the one case and steak and cheese in the other are greasy in a give me more faster kind of way, especially when they are dipped in blue cheese dressing or spicy ketchup. Calamari is another fried starter that will invoke greasy smiles. 

The homemade ravioli

The ravioli is homemade by the owner Andrew Abruzzese. Other pasta dishes are standard tavern fare, from pasta and meatballs to rigatoni Bolognese. The half portions are nice after a huge, fried appetizer. The salads are fresh as are the vegetables on the more dinner style meals. The food at the Pineville is consistent. It’s hearty. There is something for everyone and everyone always seems happy with what is placed in front of them to eat on any given night.

The ghost

Sit in the older rooms of the Pineville to soak up the true vibe of the building. Rumor has it there’s a ghost in the building...but then how could there not be after 272 years as a public gathering spot? 

Bobolink dairy and bakehouse

Nina and Jonathan White are doing great things for the artisanal cheese and bread lovers of Bucks and Hunterdon Counties.

The Whites raise their own grass fed cows

The White farm is home to over 50 grass fed cows and heifers. The White’s bulls are their own new breed, the Bobolink Blacks, which are a cross breed of Ayshire, Guernsey, Jersey, and the Kerry cattle of Ireland. Visitors to the farm can join a one hour tour that will include meeting this assortment of cows and bulls. Don’t wear pumps for this hike through the fields...remember cows and pigs live and work here!

The Whites craft cheeses from the milk of these happy cows

This assortment of grass fed animals provides the most wonderful, happy milk that is used to create out of this world cheeses all handmade on the farm. The cave ripened cheddar has a rich, full, creamy flavor. The Drumm cheese is a semi-firm wheel cheese that changes seasonally. The Jean Louis cheese is made in the spring and the fall and has a bold, grassy, lemony flavor. Along with these varieties come seasonal cheeses that are made only at particular times of the year, such as the Baudolino. 

Pairing cheese with rustic bread

The White’s bake rustic breads in a wood fired oven designed by Alan Scott. The hearth measures 48” X 72” and is a single chamber oven like those used since ancient times. The Roasted Garlic Duckfat Ciabatta is a loaf that will not last beyond the first slice because one slice leads to many more. The Cheese, the Olive Onion, and the Plain Ciabatta are equally amazing. For those interested in fresh loaves try the Flax Seed or the Cranberry Walnut or the Medieval Rye breads. The Cranberry Walnut bread stick won’t even survive the car ride home. 

Other products are available

Bobolink also sells their grass fed beef, pastured whey fed pork, cultured butter, buttermilk, and Pate de Campagne.  Aspiring bakers can take classes or order 
Jonathan’s bread starter. The White’s have an active farm market schedule which can be viewed on their website. Products can be ordered online. Door to Door Organics sells some of their products as well. 

Visit the farm to appreciate the White’s mission

A visit to the farm is the very best way to be introduced to this truly special endeavor. The White’s truly care about their land, their animals, their children, and their community. Traditional food and food preparation is evident in their commitment to the age old techniques of bread and cheese making. A visit to this family run farm is a real treat. 

Rick's in Lambertville

Rick's in Lambertville, New Jersey, has a long and rich history. The red plastic tumblers, the old Phil and Dan's menus on the shelf, and the checkered table cloths are historic proof. The knotty pine interior has not changed at all over the years, but the owner has.

Alex Cormier is the chef/owner at Rick's

Alex Cormier can list stints at La Truffe, The Fountain Restaurant at The Four Seasons Hotel, Ciboulette, his own Alex on South, Harriette's, and Alison on Dominick among his many culinary accomplishments. Cormier's Rick's, following on the heels of his previous successes, has never failed to impress.

Beef Braciole Fra Diavolo

Amidst a humble backdrop of ephemera from Rick's days as Phil and Dan's, Cormier serves food that is at once hearty, humble, and inventive all on one plate. On a recent winter night, the ever changing specials menu featured Beef Braciole Fra Diavolo. Thin slices of beef wrapped around herbed breadcrumb stuffing with a spicy tomato sauce was no match for those who ordered it on a cold night out recently. A delightful Minestrone with a spicy kick was wonderful with the homemade bean dip that was served with the fresh Italian bread. Confit of Quail with Shitake sauce has been a recent feature on the specials menu as well. Cormier's vegetable special winter is usually Brussel Sprouts -  a real treat.

Italian standards

Along with Alex's inventive dishes are the standards that have been in place forever at first Phil and Dan's and now Rick's. The parmesan dishes - eggplant, chicken, portobello, tofu, veal and shrimp, are all fantastic. They come with a massive serving of tomato sauced pasta. The standard pasta dishes on the menu are also excellent -  particularly the ones with the massive homemade meatballs.

BYOB

Rick's is a great choice for both diners who choose one of Alex's weekly special creations or those who want a traditional Italian meal. Remember to grab a special bottle of wine because Ricks is BYOB.

photo Alex Damevski

We were recently in Philadelphia to view the new Barnes Foundation.

Afterwards we drove home through Northern Liberties to eat at Bar Ferdinand. I've written about BF before, but it seems fair to keep extolling the virtues of this grand place because it never disappoints. 

The chef is now David Ansill, who looks like he should be sitting around in Jamaica doing all things Jamaican. Instead he is here in bone chilling Philadelphia cooking for the lucky diners at BF. 

We started with a Cava Rose and the traditional duo of Toasted Marcona Almonds and Olives, marinated with the summer essence of rosemary. That alone would have been enough to transport us to a warmer, sweeter place. 

We tried the Mushroom Croquetas with herb aioli. Three puffs of earthy mushroom delight, crispy on the outside and oozing with goodness on the inside were set atop a garlicky sauce. 

We moved on to the Baked, Stuffed Oysters, again served in a set of three, the third of which we nearly fought over. 

The Frisee, Poached Egg, and Pork Belly was a wonderful followup for the crispy dishes, the egg poached to perfection and the pork belly...is pork belly ever bad?

Our bartender recommended the Roasted Mushroom Flatbread with goat cheese and truffles. When he put that in front of us we both dove in like Dominos had just delivered to a college dorm party. 

New York Strip Steak with truffles was paired with by the glass red wines recommended by our bartender.

Sitting at the bar is great fun at Bar Ferdinand. If you sit by the oven and prep station you can watch some of the dishes being created. The bartenders are very knowledgable and if they suspect that you are a food geek they will recommend specials and pairings that are superb. 

Throw in the flamenco music and dancing and you have a really festive night in store. 

Stay home for a romantic Valentine’s Day evening. 

Before lighting the fire, opening the wine, and setting the table, head to the Carversville General Store where Max Hansen will provide you with a wonderful selection of dishes for your cozy evening.

Hansen’s selections change daily, but here is a tempting list of Max’s special dishes. Consider his Arancine with Risotto & Wild Mushrooms. Wrap your carb craving around the homemade blocks of rich Mac & Cheese. Entertain your healthy side with Broccoli Rabe & Chorizo. Engage your inner meat lover with Boneless Braised Short Ribs or a Roasted Rack of Venison with Poivrade Sauce and a Parsnip and Yukon Gold Potato Puree with Herb Roasted Carrots. Take a dip in the ocean with Seared Viking Village Scallops, Fresh Morels, Fava Beans, and Fresh Thyme Jus. Max is renowned for his Smoked Salmon so that should surely be your first course.

And should your romantic evening lead to an engagement, consider Max for your wedding caterer. No matter what dished you choose, serve the homemade potato chips with creme fraiche and caviar. Eating these is like starting the honeymoon early.  

When you have finished choosing your dinner take a stroll through the freshly baked desserts. Lemon tartlets, freshly baked donuts, and an entire selection of gluten free sweets will complete your “dining in” experience. 

Follow Max on Facebook and Pinterest for updates and wonderful food ideas.

Jaffron indian in New Hope

photo Aleksandar Damevski

A delightful Indian couple is cooking very good food in a slip of a flourescently lit kitchen in New Hope. Their restaurant is Jaffron.

The search for Indian food can yield an off putting array of brownish yellow oily sauces with one overarching flavor that often prove to be unkind to the digestive regions.  

What makes Indian food authenticand enticing? 

Indian food should be packed with fresh ingredients. The vegetables should resemble something of their original form, not look as if they have been mashed into a jar in a far off factory. 

Each family and each Indian chef will have their own special blend of spices - coriander, cumin, pepper, ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay, tumerick - and they will differ from kitchen to kitchen. 

At Jaffron the dishes present an array of interesting flavors. The baigan ka bharta, or baked eggplant with onions, tomatoes, and fresh herbs, does indeed have fresh herbs as well as an array of seeds and leaves and pods from the various spices that are used in the sauce. The aloo gobi matar, cauliflower and potato cooked with green peas, ginger, tomato, and spices also has a collection of spice remnants that end up on the side of a diner’s plate.  The meat dishes are flavorful and fresh. The samosas are excellent, made with a crust that is not too thick or saturated with frying oil. 

Any combination of dishes from the menu will yield equally pleasing results. From the tandoori chicken to the lamb vindaloo each dish has a unique flavor and combination of ingredients. 

The ambiance in the dining room lends itself to take out - nonetheless, there is usually a strong crowd on the weekends at Jaffron, New Hope. New comers to the cuisine of India will find the staff extremely willing to make the necessary introductions.

Marsha Brown's raw bar

Oysters on Ice
Tina Phillips

Date night...where to go? 

Last night it was raw oysters. De Anna’s has great raw oysters but we were just there...so we ended up parking our tired butts at Marsha Brown’s - at the bar. 

I am not a fan of the big “congregational” room upstairs. The bar has even been feeling kind of dated decor wise. But alas, last night Randy told us there is to be a renovation starting next week. His description included booths. Not a fan. But we’ll see. Maybe it will be better. Out with bordello burgundy and in with? We’ll see...

At any rate we were there for squishy,salty things that come on platters of crushed ice with lemons and tabasco and maybe to channel some “New Orleans.”

Louisiana, particularly New Orleans, is renowned for it’s culinary culture of oysters. Why oysters in New Orleans? The estuarine environment (which describes a place where fresh and salt water mingle) in Louisiana provides a home for a veritable cornucopia of mollusks who end up on raw bars throughout the land - lucky for us all. So it stands to reason that Brown would include a raw bar in her Creole inspired restaurant. 

We ordered two of each of the three oysters offered. Two’s picky brother Voislav wants his oysters to convulse with the first squirt of lemon juice. This has never happened at Marsha’s. But then he is used to eating seafood at a restaurant on a dock in Sicily, where we are relegated to an old church in a dark, cold river town. 

Nonetheless, the oysters were very good last night. They did conjure the oceans they came from. The shrimp were fresh and had the right texture. There is nothing worse than the wrong texture or the taste of soapy water from a bite of shrimp. The snow crab claws were good as well. The colossal lump crab meat in remoulade was his good idea.  Despite a vow to eat only sprouted whole grains in the new year we polished off the warm baguette as well. I really do love the chopped salad with gooey blue cheese and bacon. They are very nice to split the order onto two plates. 

All was well last night in rawville. No complaints and really only praise for the raw bar experience at Marsha Brown’s. 

DEANNA"S

I was extolling the virtues of "locals night" at DeAnna's moments ago in a meeting. I thought a word about why this delightful, cost saving evening is worth the effort of having date night on Tuesday would be in order.

$25 includes an appetizer, a choice of main dish, and a dessert. Usually there are three wonderful options from each category. It has been our experience that the appetizer option is either a salad, a soup, or some kind of savory pudding or tart. The  puddings have always been wonderful - somehow they ooze butter and richness but retain the flavor and freshness of the vegetables that are included in their fluffy folds. And a word about the vegetables...they are always very seasonal. So Fall really feels like Fall - high lighting root vegetables and not hot house tomatoes. If there are tomatoes they are roasted(in-house) and intense. 

DeAnna makes her pasta fresh everyday.So usually there will be a pasta choice. When you order a non pasta main dish, there is an opportunity to order a vegetable or a bowl of pasta. It comes with homemade tomato sauce but we special order the pasta with olive oil, garlic, and lots of fresh ground black pepper. Fish is always a great choice too - usually whole and grilled - bronzino most recently. 

There is also always a specials menu. From that I highly recommend the pate with fruit. Highly. 

The menu has remained largely unchanged for awhile, which I like because I always know that when I don't care about getting on the scale in the morning I can order the pasta with proscuitto, peas, and cream sauce and then ask the wait person for extra grated cheese. The raviolli is excellent as well and often featured on the locals menu.  

My personal favorite is the grilled romaine. Which makes me an even cheaper date. Usually it is two nicely sized romaine hearts that are perfectly grilled so that only the tips of the lettuce are charred and then there are nice olive oily grill marks on the body of the lettuce. The Caesar dressing is perfect. The shaved parmesagne also perfect. 

Two other things to mention  - the bartenders at DeAnna's are delightful. When ramps are in season you might find a freshly pickled one in your martini courtesy of Russell. And try the St. Armand - a bourbon based cocktail invented by - you guessed it - Armand. Talk records with Russell and motorcycles with Armand and your evening will be complete. 

Almost. 

Any of the home made Italian pound cakes are amazing. My personal favorite is the blueberry almond. And the bread pudding changes according to - who knows - but every time it is fantastic. The ricotta cheesecake is renowned far and wide. Emphasize wide. Because we always seem to order dessert no matter how many St Armands and how much pasta has come before someone asks if we want dessert.

HAMILTON'S GRILL ROOM (AND THE BOAT HOUSE)

Going out to dinner can be so many things. For One and Two there are times when it is simply a matter of not wanting to cook - rare for two people who love to create in the kitchen - but feed 6 kids for a week and it looks pretty good to have someone put a plate of anything in front of you and then ask nicely to take it away when you are done. 

However, there are those times when going out can be an event. Not necessarily a grand one but an event in the sense that it inspires and comforts and surprises and  entertains. Time stands still and the outside world melts away. 

When One and Two go to the Boat House in Lambertville the margarita is foremost on their minds. Fresh lime juice...great tequila...a splash of Grand Marnier...rocks & salt - what could be more perfect? The standard of margarita has become "is it a boathouse margarita?" The taste is the thing but the soft hammer between the eyes is no small reward. And while pre margarita there is always a promise to go home and cook something, seldom post margarita do One and Two make it past the door to Hamilton's Grill Room.

Last night One and Two found themselves seated at the grill - really the only place they ever sit. Executive chef Mark Miller presided over the charcoal grill and wood fired oven.  

Two started with the potato pancakes with caviar and creme fraiche. This combination always brings Two back to Max Hansen's homemade potato chips with creme fraiche and caviar. Oh my good God. This is the combination fit for the Gods. The food Gods. No joke. The poached egg with caviar at Jean Georges was in the God food club too. Last night's appetizer did not disappoint - tequila notwithstanding. One had the oysters. Paired with 1995 Meursault these oysters sang a salty sea song. 

The tuna - perfect. Two doesn't always order tuna because it can be so firm and dry and frankly bland. She ordered it rare and it came off Mark's grill - rare. Rare and tender and perfect. The mashed potatoes and snow peas were really nice buttery additions. One had the skate - breaded and fried in butter butter and more butter. It was tender and sweet and really fresh. Dessert was raspberry sorbet and a basil panna cotta. Perfect. 

So the thing is - when we are eating out and find ourselves talking about food, cooking, other memorable meals, the meals we are planning for the week  - the ingredients in the sauces we are eating and the combinations of flavors - it is like an artist

going to a museum. We were inspired - by the food - by the atmosphere - by the really nice guy behind the grill sharing anecdotes about his young son's first haircut. 

Hamilton's Grill room remains a really special place. Treat yourself...start with the margarita at the Boat House. 

ANAPURNA

Two grew up in New Hope. Two grew up buying her high school wardrobe in the various India import shops in the Four Seasons Mall in New Hope. Where New Hope was once a collection of eclectic shops and curious cuisines, it is now an ever rotating crop of shops struggling to survive amidst the dwindling dollars of the tourists who flock to Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. There are some old timers...Farley's is still hosting a very large cat amidst the tumbling stacks of books & Cryer's Hardware has been reopened by Tania Leibgold and Brad Finch as an fun collection of vintage ephemera and textiles. But one thing has not changed. The Four Seasons Mall was then and is now an aesthetic disaster. 

To reach Anapurna you will have to walk its entire length to the very rear of the Mall. But it's worth it. Honestly. The food was really good. The vegetable Samosas were good. The Lamb Korma was excellent. The Chicken Vindaloo was excellent. The Okra was more than excellent. Each dish was distinctive in color, flavor, and texture...which is sometimes a problem with Indian food that arrives in a flurry of all brown sauces with indistinct chunks of meat and vegetable floating around in the steaming bowls. 

It seems that Indian is one of those foods that we crave...as in "I have a craving for Indian food...when's the last time we had really good Indian?" And Anapurna will not disappoint your craving. Two's only complaint was that the condiments came in little plastic lidded containers of 2 tablespoons or less. Two loves Raita and loves it most in a bowl with chunks floating about. Two ate that Raita with one chunk of lamb. The other strange moment was the waitress having difficulty finding room for everything on the table and actually using the floor for one of the baskets. Odd. So were the two ladies who were sure we had their samosas. They didn't want them once we had a quick bite though...

CARVERSVILLE INN VS BELLS TAVERN

The bread pudding...easily Two's favorite dessert. Comfort food for a cold winter's night? Yes absolutely. But Two could eat bread pudding in the desert. Carversville Inn serves their warm, oozing, gooey, raisin studded bread pudding with homemade cinnamon ice cream. Bell's serves theirs with a warm caramel sauce. They are neck in neck. There is never a single sweet crumb left once One and Two finish eating. You judge for yourselves. 

CARVERSVILLE INN

Two grew up in Carversville, so the first time One and Two went to the Inn it felt like going home. Back in the very distant, dim past - the 70's - Two's mom had a small store in the Inn. She sold her handmade lighting fixtures along with a sampling of work from local artisans. There was a restaurant there at the time, but it's owner and chef are a hazy memory for the little girl Two was at the time. 

Now, the Inn is comprised of a lovely sit down dining room and a cozy bar. We always head for the bar. The stools are invariably taken by local folks who all know each other and who are now starting to know us...regulars I think they call us. Tuesday is burger night and well worth coming out so early in the week for dinner. But most of the time we are looking for really wonderful food in a very homey environment among wonderful local patrons. Two has had the diver scallop wrapped in prosciutto twice and loved it both times. It was perfectly cooked, nicely seasoned, and set atop a bed of fragrant red cabbage with bacon and shitake mushrooms and a sweet-sour whole grain mustard glaze. The onion soup is consistently wonderful. One had homemade fettuccine with spicy sausage, smoked pork loin, sun dried tomatoes, spinach , and Two's fork which kept dipping into One's meal. 

The bread pudding is really hard to resist. Ask for it with Cinnamon ice cream. 

XOCO

Two has a student who is an aspiring chef, so between discussing artwork and which assignment should be done, they discuss restaurants. Prior to One and Two leaving for Chicago, Evan suggested XOCO, Rick Bayless' new restaurant. The name Xoco is Mexican slang for little sister which we assume refers to the big brother Frontera Grill around the corner. 

Prepare to stand in line on the street for awhile waiting for Bayless' interpretation of Mexican street food... Tortas, Caldos, and Empanadas. But the line moves quickly and it smells so good and the hostess is so efficient that it really doesn't seem so bad. Actually, the rather sour hostess at Frontera Grill who informed us our wait would be over an hour made the wait at Xoco seem like a party. 

When we finally reached a stool, we tucked into a steaming caldos, the wood-roasted Chicken Pozole with Gunthorp chicken, pozole corn, rich broth, crunchy garnishes, ground red chile, and lime. We dipped our griddle fired tortas in the broth and left nothing for the dishwasher in the bowl. All in all worth the wait for wonderful Mexican comfort food. We ordered the churros and ate them as we walked in the cold Chicago air to our next destination. We highly recommend Xoco.

TAKASHI...again

When One goes to the Chicago Dental Society Annual Meeting Two tags along for two reasons. One is the Chicago Art Institute and the other is Takashi. If you are going to be in Chicago for just one meal, grab a cab to Bucktown and savor Takashi. Every dish that touches down on the table hovers for a moment in mystery, because even if you read the description of the dish, it is always more than it promises. First of all, the presentation is captivating. It invites what must seem to other diners like strange scrutiny when One and Two lower their heads to the plate to examine the visual impact of the dish.

"What is this? How did they do that?"

Some of the dishes bare their visual souls easily. Those who hearken to their austere Japanese heritage are easier to decipher. It is within the pairings of the flavors, textures, and temperatures that the dishes gain their complexity. The first dish One and Two had the pleasure to sample was the ceviche of shrimp, squid, hokkaido scallops & octopus cherry tomato, cucumber, fennel, red onion, with yuzu-ceviche sauce. Oh wow. That list of ingredients says it all. Next to warmly arrive was soy ginger caramel pork belly, pickled daikon salad, and steamed buns. Two could eat these little puffs of pork and bun every day. We could call her BIG Two under such a circumstance. But wait...there's more. The dish that stores the most delightful mystery is the sautéed maine scallops and soba gnocchi, trumpet royale, and celery root-parmesan foam. Those little gnocchi float beneath a hot, light, rich foam complimented by soft scallops.

At this point we should have stopped. The Cava, the Reisling, and the Pinot aside, we were getting full. Did I mention we slipped in the country pate somewhere near the beginning of the fun? Try to resist the roasted wisconsin young pheasant, chestnut risotto, golden chantrelle mushrooms, jerusalem artichokes, and pearl onions. I defy you. If you order it you will eat it. And then you will use bread to get whatever is sticking to the dish. My only regret...no room for dessert.

A THOUGHT ON THE WINTER SOLSTICE

Two was in One's office today having a lovely conversation with one of his staff. He popped his head into the room and made some wise comment and then grinned and left. "He is in love. It's written all over his face," she said. One year, nine months, eighteen days, and three hours ago Two met One at La Morena in Hatboro for pork skin tacos. And every meal since then has been memorable in one regard. Set aside the service, the menu, the presentation, the wine...and what is left is the dinner companion.

As we leave behind the old and bring forward the new, as the days get longer once again, remember what really makes a meal wonderful...the person or persons that sit with you while the flavors cross your palette. One is not the only one with the look of love on his face. Two finds herself deeply in love as well on this cold Winter Solstice evening, waiting for One to meet her at an as yet to be determined restaurant...and who really cares which one as long as he is there to meet her.

PAGANINI DOYLESTOWN

I (Two) was having a conversation with my friend Pauline yesterday. We were praising our significant others for their formidable skills in the kitchen. Having graduated from the Cordon Bleu and having worked in restaurants and having cooked for admiring friends throughout the years, Two was unprepared to be intimidated by One's cooking skills. But alas, she was. One trained under two masters, his Serbian mother and her parents and the illustrious television personality of the 70's, Julia Child. One is impressive to say the least. Two has finally learned to cook along side him without wondering what it is that she thought she knew. Humility is a virtue, right? A virtue that Two continues to hone as One continues to shine in the kitchen. Pauline's significant other is no slouch either. He asked her to zest a lemon the other night for his pasta...then looked at her cautiously..."Do you know how to zest a lemon?" Whereupon she replied, "Do you even have a lemon zester?"

"No."

"Well I have two!"

Again, more humility in the kitchen. But honestly, what a wonderful lesson to be faced with learning - to have two great cooks in the kitchen.

Which brings me to our sad lack of entries this summer. We cooked from our garden. We cooked from Marie's garden. We went out, but mostly to sit at the bar and drink martinis and munch on bar snacks. Well, it's time to head out again. Last night we went into Doylestown for dinner al fresco. If you wander down past the Doylestown Inn you will come to a number of restaurants that offer outdoor seating. Paganini has a great outdoor garden festooned with trumpet vines that remarkably blocks much of the noise from another restaurant, 86, that features some sort of loud music. The fountain is also a lovely touch. All of the sauces are made to order, with each night featuring three pasta dishes. One had speck, peas, cream, and parmesagne linguine which was just right on richness, though One wanted more speck. Two had the special, rotini with red pepper flakes, capers, and feta. Also very good. Buffalo Mozarella and fresh tomatoes started the meal. There have been restaurants that blew our palettes right out of the atmosphere, stilling conversation as we marvelled over the unusual and sublime. This is not what you will find here. This is very well crafted Italian comfort food with fresh ingredients and rich flavors. By all means try Paganini.

MEALS

Meals has been in Stockton New Jersey forever. Two worked in the same building as an assistant pastry person years ago before it became Meals, when the restaurant was called Cakes and Catering. Not much has changed. Two's parents swear by the brunch served there, Two has had a number of nice homey meals there, and recently Two thought she might introduce One to a nice local place to eat...no strip mall in sight.

The evening started off on a great foot. Phillips Fine Wines is across the street from the restaurant,convenient since Meals is BYOB. Two knew One would love it. And he did. He asked the proprietor, Dick Phillips, if he had an obscure bottle of Chinon, which he did, and a true wine geek relationship was formed. Phillips is a wonderful wine shop and if this were a wine blog, Phillips would be tipping the edge of four wine bottles. Wine in bag, One & Two walked across to Meals and sat down to the worst corn fritters ever created. The fritter was a soaked in oil saturated soggy fried mass whose inside was full of bits of corn slogging through uncooked batter, none of which was improved by the slightly warm raspberry mayonnaise. The fritter dish sat piled with it's picked over carcass cooling on the plate while we sat and sat and sat...and sat. The wine bottle slowly emptied. The restaurant slowly emptied. We saw the lettuce part of the salads that we ordered appear on the prep bench in back and then they sat. The crowd had dwindled to two tables when the grilled duck met it's plate of lettuce. One ordered the flank steak to adornhis lettuce. Two has found more palatable and interesting lettuce in January than that cushioned her duck. The dressing was equally blah. The duck was not bad. One's flank steak was not bad either. It would have been better if there had been some wine left to go with it but alas we had to occupy ourselves somehow while waiting for our meal. Two knows plenty of people who have had good meals at Meals, so give it a shot. Maybe someone/everyone at Meals that night were off their game. The fritters didn't even make it to the field.

KRAFTWORK

Michael Thomas has left Bar Ferdinand to help create a new restaurant called Kraftwork. Sculptor Andrew Jevremovic, whose work is self described as sensuous, sustainable, and otherworldly has designed the room which additionally houses lighting made from unknown objects found outside the restaurant as well as the remnants of wall finishes found during construction. The resulting ambiance is casual with a strong industrial, yet relaxing sensibility. The place retains a sense of its history without being overly historic. The wine list is small but chosen with respect for the menu. One and Two had a lovely Rioja with their meal. Kraftwork is also a beer lovers paradise with over 20 beers on tap and take out growlers. Again, One and Two sampled two different beers and loved them both. The menu is seasonal and local wherever possible, reflecting Chef Michael's passion for a farm to table experience. Our first dish was Crispy Pork Croquettes. The plate was very reminiscent of Bar Ferdinand, with a refreshing shift from tapas to a more homey blend of flavors. The croquettes sat atop a honey mustard sauce, more mustard than honey, with a parsley caper salad and pickled red onions. The pickled onions, in our opinion stood out above salad and sauce. Pork croquettes were good as well. The charcuterie board, again reminiscent of Bar Ferdinand was very good, particularly the rabbit terrine. It came with a wonderfully creative herbed flat bread. Chef Michael is talking about creating his own sausages on premise so stay tuned for that event. We ordered the new Jersey asparagus with fried egg and shaved Manchego from the specials page. Each spear tasted like Spring...toothy and tender at the same time. The fried egg provided a simple, almost rustic sauce accent and the shaved Manchego....we wanted more of that in the ring with the asparagus. Last to arrive were the Ricotta Dumplings served with Roasted Red Pepper Harissa sauce. They were good. Everything was good, from the decor to the beer to the food to the wine to the casual, yet hip and fun staff. There is not yet transcendence. One and Two have had dishes at Bar Ferdinand that elicited a sigh from the first bite. Our Kraftwork experience did not provide that, though from all appearances, that experience is soon to come as everything aligns itself at this great new place to go in Fishtown. Definitely go and try Kraftwork.

WILD BLUE CATERING, INC.

Measuring the success of a catered evening is somewhat different than assessing a restaurant experience. The chef who endeavors to take his or her show on the road faces a unique set of challenges. To begin with, they guide the menu choices, but do not always choose them. The personality of the client and the composition of their guest list will often dictate the choices that are made. Then the food needs to be packed for safe travel to where it will be finished and served. And finally, the meal is usually served all at once. The chef is as a conductor at the event.

On a recent April evening One and Two arrived at Nova Care Center for a Children's Hospital special event to kick off the Eagles partnership with CHOP's Center for Autism Research, or CAR. The evening started in the sun flooded entryway of the building with cocktails. Guests were then moved to a cheese table further into the building. While the venue was lovely, it was an "event facility", and certainly did not have the charm of a quaint bistro in ambiance. Nonetheless our chef/caterer for the evening managed to create a culinary ambiance with a wonderful combination of cheeses and cured meats from DeBruno Brothers. The Mole Salami was wonderfully spiced with chocolate, cinnamon, ancho and chipotle peppers. There was a mustard oil and pear preserve as well as a white truffle infused honey both of which were wonderfully paired with the cheeses. His hot selections included a traditional as well as a lobster risotto. Both came steaming from the kitchen, something not always easy to accomplish in a catering situation. One wolfed down his lobster risotto before Two had a chance to try it, but from the look on his face it was pretty good. The sliders were made from local grass fed beef and were moist and flavorful. The duck steamed dumplings were very good. The quesadillas were also worth seconds that Two indulged herself. While the list of choices was not unusual or surprising, they did make sense for the cross section of palettes at the event where physicians, philanthropists, coaches, and hulking football players stood side by side enjoying the food. Dinner was more challenging for the group. The fresh pea soup was utterly Spring green...so green Two expected a tulip to pop from the center of the bowl. The peas were the stars with no other flavor overpowering them. One and Two loved the soup. Others at the table were not so sure. Two was reminded of her first pureed fresh spinach soup she served to her dad who promptly asked if she had cleaned the underside of his mower for the ingredients. The dinner was a simple selection of chicken with carrots and green beans with roasted potatoes. It was light, direct, and approachable. Dessert was served in the Eagles locker room. Calm down boys. Once the air started to clear of testosterone and the men started to collect themselves, the single bite pastries didn't stand a chance. Each was a delightfully subtle combination of flavor and texture, from little dollops of almond to miniature carrot cakes to raspberry with chocolate...all delightful.

Planning a catered meal requires both attention to detail as well as understanding the gestalt of an event. One course needs to flow seamlessly to another. It occurred to Two that dessert could easily have been placed right next to cheese and the two would have sung a beautiful song together. Overall, Wild Blue did a lovely job with the evening. One and Two also appreciated Chef Koye's use of local produce and grass fed beef, as well as his friendly and approachable presence at the event.

1/2