High Summer 2019 Issue

Photography By | Last Updated July 11, 2019
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Edible Jersey magazine - High Summer 2019
Porgy caught in Jersey waters, at Local 130

THE JOYS OF DINING
 

An exquisite passage in literature comes from author Donna Tartt in her best-selling novel Goldfinch. I return to the passage often, reminded as always by the universality and the simplicity of the experience and impressed as always by the skill of the author.

The passage is deeply sentimental, a food scene. It comes early in the book, which tells the story of Theo Decker, a teenager whose mother is killed by an explosion at a museum in New York City. As an author, Tartt favors crazy long sentences, which are threaded together seamlessly and with great expertise. The effect, to the reader, is immersive and hypnotic. You feel as though you are there, sharing, savoring—nearly living—the moment.

“I remember a few weeks before she died, eating a late supper with her in an Italian restaurant down in the Village, and how she grasped my sleeve at the sudden, almost painful loveliness of a birthday cake with lit candles being carried in a procession from the kitchen, faint circle of light wavering in across the dark ceiling and then the cake set down to blaze amidst the family, beatifying an old lady’s face, smiles all round, waiters stepping away with their hands behind their backs … “

The sentence continues—I counted an astonishing 185 words. Tartt ends (finally!) with what I think is the best description ever of a restaurant experience—“a tableau vivant of the daily, commonplace happiness.”

Tableau vivant. Such a beautiful, evocative phrase. To create a tableau vivant on a daily basis is the challenge of every restaurateur. In this, our restaurant issue, we write about those who accept that challenge.

Teresa PolitanoIn a Personal Essay, food writer Devra Ferst shares an early truth learned at the counter of Smitty’s, a Jersey Shore clam shack (page 25). In Sea to Plate (page 28), writer Jenn Hall, who is fast becoming NJ’s foremost expert on local seafood, tells the story of skate through the lens of Local 130, an Asbury Park fishing company that is working to raise awareness of fresh, sustainable, local seafood, and via daPesca, a Morristown restaurant dedicated to sustainable seafood. “It’s the most underrated billion-dollar industry in the state,” says Eric Morris, founder and CEO of Local 130. Hall rounds out her report with a list of fish caught in Jersey waters; you’ll likely be surprised by the bounty (page 34).

Discover some of the latest happenings in the state restaurant scene in our New and Noteworthy feature (page 69). Learn more than a few secrets from Robert Cho, pitmaster and barbecue king (page 38); Cho, whose brisket has become legendary, is generous with his advice.

Also in this issue, we feature our annual Eat Drink Local Dining Guide (page 43). For day-trippers, our Road Trip to Fort Lee (page 54) showcases a vibrant and exciting new restaurant scene. And, in Story of a Dish(page 64), chef John Boswell of Diving

Horse in Avalon shares his recipe for Baked Oysters, using garlic and anchovies to create a unique twist on Oysters Rockefeller.

A tableau vivant indeed.

Cheers,
Teresa Politano
Editor

HIGH SUMMER 2019 FEATURES
 

Fort Lee New Jersey

Fort Lee New Jersey museum
A fascinating blend of history and cultures translates as new vibrancy to the city on the Palisades

NEW JERSEY RESTAURANT GUIDE

Restaurants and cafés throughout New Jersey “go local” to create the very best dining and imbibing experience for their customers.

Robert Cho Smokes It at New Jersey's Kimchi Smoke Barbecue

Barbecue at Kimchi Smoke in Westwood New Jersey
Cho is devoted to Texas-style barbecue.

The Diving Horse: Baked Oysters

Chef: John Boswell
As a chef, you don’t want to waste anything

Peach Noyau

peach pits
At the center of every Jersey peach lies an intensely flavorful, hidden morsel.

From Sea to Plate - Life on a New Jersey Fishing Boat

Onboard the FV Webo with Local 130 Seafood and daPesca

Local 130 Seafood Writes Its Next Chapter

“We represent hardworking men and women on the working waterfront.”

New Jersey Seafood: A Partial Guide

woodcut style illustration of a fish and shells
Expand Your Seafood Horizon

Fun for Kids - Under the Sea

Did you know that less than 5% of the Earth's oceans have been explored?

The Health Benefits of Plums

a basket of plums
Garden State plums offer sweet rewards

What's in Season in New Jersey in Summer - Lima Beans

lemon and garlic with lima beans illustration
How to enjoy New Jersey lima beans

Did You Know New Jersey Schools are Eligible for Gardening Grants?

Bringing the great outdoors to the classroom

See You in the Piazza: A Travel Narrative of Italy by Frances Mayes

Frances Mayes
Woman reinvents her life’ done in a very poetic way.

Simply Sheep: A New Jersey Farmer's Move Into the Sheep's Milk Yogurt Market

A selection of sheep milks yogurt from Valley Shepherd Creamery
Valley Shepherd Creamery Sheep’s Milk Yogurt offers an exceptionally creamy texture and outstanding flavor profile.

New Jersey Peaches

peach
It’s no surprise that the Garden State ranks third nationwide in peach production.

New Jersey's Ever-Changing Restaurant Scene

Edible Jersey shares a look at some of the new things happening this season in the kitchen, the front of the house and on the menu.

Sandwich

heavenly alchemies of taste

Enjoying Skate at daPesca

Skate is fantastic in a classic dish that’s been served for hundreds of years.

Pairing Wine and Seafood

wine tasting
When seeking a bottle to complement fish, don’t be afraid to color outside of the lines.

Advertiser Directory

Our advertisers make Edible Jersey possible. Be sure to thank them by supporting their businesses. Tell them you saw their ad in the Spring 2021 issue of Edible Jersey.

What’s happening near you

October 25 - November 29

Fall Fridays at Old York Cellars

Old York Cellars
Ringoes
November 22 | 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Bourbon & Steak Dinner Event

Johnson's Locust Hall Farm
Jobstown