Holiday 2018 Issue
A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Gingerbread architecture can be a world of crazy excess. I recall an exhibit years ago that featured a replica of Falling Water, the Frank Lloyd Wright house built o...
ROAD TRIP
Cape May - Victorian charm plus new energy in the city by the sea
CARRIAGE RIDES AND CANDLES, BUT ALSO A CHOCOLATE BAR, TACOS AND A DISTILLERY
One could be forgiven the temptation to descend into Dickensian fantasy when the holidays arrive in Cape May, and not simply by virtue of the town’s annual Dickens Christmas Extravaganza. To walk Cape May’s Victorian-fringed streets, accompanied by the well-placed snowflake and a gingerbread-house backdrop, is to inhabit the metaphoric interior of a snow globe.
Everything shimmers as dusk arrives, quaint and lovely. Shops and restaurants bustle, merry and bright.
Yet to miss the new energy that has taken hold here is to deprive yourself of Cape May’s most alluring attractions. From cocktails with a modern sensibility to shops that mix old-school and new, there’s a shifting balance of energy these days. This is particularly true on the culinary front, where an uprising of distillers, brewers and artisans are changing the city’s narrative. “I always come to Cape May when it’s time to start something new,” says Chris Gwin, who you will find at Louisa’s Chocolate Bar.
The food scene continues to evolve. Case in point: the reincarnation of the Exit Zero Cookhouse, now the Exit Zero Filling Station, which brings its beloved curries and a new burger bar to (you guessed it) a gas station. At press time, winter plans were TBD.
There’s no reason to skip the candlelight tours and carriage rides, should you be so inclined. The grand old city by the sea has long been heralded for its nostalgic offerings. Yet the new kids on the block are equally worthy of star billing. This year, why not remix your Cape May holiday and define your own winter wonderland?
Photo 1: Cape May architecture evokes rainbow gingerbread
Photo 2: Cape May is increasingly a year-round locale
Photo 3: tacos get a modern remix at The Taco Shop
Photo 4: Congress Hall’s Winter Wonderland brings together a festive group of local vendors on the Grand Lawn
9:30am
• PUNS AND DOUGHNUTS •
Favorites on the farmers’ market scene for more than a decade, RSK Doughnuts opened its brick-and-mortar shop in 2016. Yet the story behind their mini-doughnut obsession begins somewhere more tropical. In Hamilton, Bermuda, to be exact. Joe and Lisa Griesbach encountered the patented Lil’ Orbits mini-doughnut machine on holiday and couldn’t shake the sweet memories of treats served hot in an island dive shop. “We couldn’t stop eating them,” Lisa says. This isn’t hyperbole. They ended up investing in their own gear, and the rest was history. You’ll feel like a VIP as you watch your order fresh fried in a machine that can crank out up to 1,200 doughnuts an hour. “There’s no greater thrill than someone who likes your cooking,” Joe says. Fair warning: There are a head-spinning number of flavor options. (French toast, raspberry, peanut butter with sprinkles.) Go classic with cinnamon-sugar and eat them in the winter air. You may just be swayed by their motto: “Eat more hole foods.”
10am
• GARAGE FILL-UP •
In the spirit of “two birds, one stone,” head next to West End Garage, a converted gas station and repair shop on the edge of the cool-kid neighborhood of West Cape May. Two stop-worthy attractions are here: La Colombe draft lattes and a collection from 60+ vintage and indie vendors that will help make a dent in your holiday list. The coffee comes courtesy of Beach Plum Farm Bakery & Café, an airy offshoot of the namesake farm owned by local hospitality powerhouse Cape Resorts Group. You’ll find (more) doughnuts, strong coffee and fresh-pressed juices in rainbow tones, from ginger-carrot to beet. Once you’re fortified, it’s time to shop. Pick up hip maritime prints from designer Gene Rogovitz, AKA “The Salt & Sea.” Also watch for holiday cards from Jersey brand Food for Thoughts at the Cape May Peanut Butter mini-shop in the store. The company donates the value of a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich to The Food Bank of South Jersey for every card sold.
11am
• HOP, SKIP AND SHOP •
You have pastry to burn, so walk back to the Washington Street Mall area and peruse a tidy collection of food shops. Begin with a power duo: Cape May Olive Oil Co. and Spice Cellar of Cape May. Smooth enough for a winter vinaigrette, the shop’s namesake Cape May Blend brings together Greek Koroneiki, Spanish Arbequina and Italian Nocellara del Belice olive oils. On the spice side, hand-blended mixes have locally inspired names, including the pepper-citrus-flecked Rt. 9 Blend, ideal for Jersey Shore seafood. For sugar, spice and everything fiery, try the habanero cane sugar. It will transform your holiday cookie game. Nut fanatics will also want to hit up Cape May Peanut Butter, where samples served from modified pastry presses are the star attraction.
Next up: Louisa’s Chocolate Bar, where the packaging does double duty as art. First, choose a style: one side of the shop veers traditional, one avant-garde. Then, delve into a gamut of high-end indie brands, from Denver’s Cultura to Nathan Miller Chocolate. A James Beard House collaborator who was long-listed for a Beard award while working as a pastry chef in Colorado, Nathan Miller now crafts his confections in Chambersburg, PA. His creations are superlative for three reasons, explains shopkeeper Chris Gwin. “He works with the local dairies, so his buttermilk bars are super fresh. He makes all the chocolate by hand. He makes all the paper by hand.” No matter what the brand, every bar in the shop has a story, from the sly humor of Compartés (spy the cheeky label on its biscuits & honey bar) to the social mission of Seattle Chocolates. “That’s a woman-owned chocolate cooperative, and their ethical principal is: ‘Equal pay for equal work,’” Gwin says.
Photo 1: Louisa’s Chocolate Bar shows holiday spirit
Photo 2: Cold Spring Brewery mixes craft brews and a historic vibe
Photo 3: Pickle Girl Pickles pack a punch visually and on the palate
Photo 4: Cape May Sweet House offers a fun serving of holiday nostalgia
12:30pm
• TACOS AND BREWS •
Hop in the car and make the quick drive to the Cape May Airport. You won’t be flying, but you’ll enjoy the winter line-up of a brewery that just reached new heights. Cape May Brewing Co. landed atop Beer Connoisseur magazine’s 2017 list of the best 100 brews in the nation. That was for The Topsail, a sour blonde ale. As if that’s not enough reason to visit the brewers’ tasting room, there’s the third annual Boughs of Barley—a series of holiday-worthy special releases celebrated by beer geeks with a taste for dark brews. Expect cognac and whiskey-barrel-aged imperial stouts. Not drinking? No problem. In addition to always-on ginger ale and root beer, head of culinary ops and “soda guru” JP Thomas releases a new soda flavor on draft every Thursday. Cheers to pomegranate apple and raspberry tea.
If you work up an appetite, hop next door and grab lunch at chef Lucas Manteca’s Taco Shop. In a spare, yet cool space, you’ll find tacos stuffed with barbacoa, carne asada, chorizo and more. Don’t miss the crema-topped elote (Mexican street corn). While you’re waiting for your order, peruse the creative creations of the Pickle Girl, AKA Maria Fox. Part of Chef Manteca’s Bread + Butter Group, Fox’s pickles are good enough to grace the table at The Red Store (more on that later). The line also includes hot sauces made in partnership with Manteca. Beyond Manteca’s spots, you’ll find Fox’s new Bloody M’s, exclusively at well-stocked Sunset Liquors in West Cape May, owned by Thomas and Nancy O’Hara. As the name suggests, this pickle is custom designed for a Bloody Mary.
2pm
• COOL-WEATHER FUN •
Though its on-site museum closes for the season in September except for special events, the grounds of Cold Spring Village make for an evocative winter’s walk. Designed to mimic a rural, 19thcentury community, the village is gorgeous with a touch of snow on the ground. Stop by the year-round brewery if you crave a tipple. For more vigor, opt for winter roller skating at Convention Hall, which begins in December. Or head to Jersey Shore Alpacas for a natural encounter with an Andean twist. Time it right, and you will visit during the annual holiday photo shoot, when lady alpacas get gussied up in holiday scarves. When feeding them, mind the advice from owners Jim and Tish Carpinelli: Alpacas turn out to be the jealous type, and if they feel left out when their pen-mate is given a snack, they may express their displeasure by spitting. “Carrots are a treat for them,” explains Jim. “It’s directed at another animal—not you. They’re saying, ‘mine, mine, mine.’” Lesson learned.
4pm
• SHOPPING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND •
As dusk arrives, a visit to historic Congress Hall is in order. Inside, the hotel is bedecked for the holidays, and warm-me-up cocktails flow freely in The Brown Room. Outside is equally jolly in the form of a Winter Wonderland on the Great Lawn. A nod to a European holiday market in miniature, it features crafts from local makers, mulled wine and plenty of gifts for you and yours. Vendors were still being finalized at press time, but watch for merch from Cape May Brewing Co., Cape May Honey and Jalma Farms, makers of local beach plum jam. If you have the kids in tow, splurge for a cool-weather carousel ride with ocean views.
Honey lovers will want to visit Cape May Honey Farm in person to taste their full line. Beekeeper Doug Marandino, former sous chef at The Washington Inn, is partial to the Cape May wildflower and tart-sweet cranberry flower honeys, though clearly all are close to his heart. Each offering has a distinct taste, and together, they change one’s idea of what local honey can be. Terroir is everything in honey production, so the flavors are truly hyperlocal. That said, Marandino’s path to the trade has global accents. “My wife is from Bulgaria, and her family has been keeping bees for hundreds of years,” he says. After a trip there 12 years ago, he just “dove in,” as fascinated by the bees as by their byproduct. Marandino tends his own hives while also partnering with local beekeepers. The range of flavors the bees tease from the Cape’s landscape is incredible, from delicate blueberry blossom, a floral homage to late spring, to bright, fruit-forward flavors.
Photo 1: On the grounds of historic Cold Spring Village, Cold Spring Brewery’s tasting room offers a cozy respite
Photo 2: Furry residents grin for the camera at Jersey Shore Alpacas
Photo 3: Burger at The Red Store
5:30pm
• A DRINK BEFORE DINNER •
When in doubt, the Washington Inn is a smart choice for an expertly made Manhattan. The scene is old-school and classic, yet the bartenders are perennially welcoming to all. Bonus: executive chef Mimi Wood’s appetizer selections will tide you over before dinner. Across the Cape May Canal, newcomer Nauti Spirits Distillery tends their 60-acre preserved farm to craft spirits that go from farm to glass. At night, the crushed-shell parking lot is illuminated by streetlights; you feel as though you’ve reached the last distillery on earth. This is not a bad thing. Inside, the wood-burning fireplace is warm, the bartenders are friendly and the spirits flow both in the glass and among the patrons. Distinct anise notes make for a unique gin-drinking experience, and the vodka is made with Jersey corn and sweet potatoes. Rum is light and scented with molasses. A creative cocktail menu evolves seasonally and features house-made syrups and fresh-squeezed juices.
7pm
• DINE IN THE RED STORE •
Plan ahead, and end your day here. The vibe is warm and convivial. The staff is laid back yet energized. And the moment you sit down at The Red Store, you know you’re in for something special. Chef Lucas Manteca is a James Beard–nominated chef, and after dinner, you’ll understand why. A general store and brunch spot by day, the space converts into a prix-fixe love letter to Manteca’s Argentinian roots by night. The food, which changes every evening, manages to comfort and surprise. Service might begin with pancitos and picadita, small breads, pickles, jams and charcuterie that could stand as a meal on their own. Softshell tempura arrives crisp but melts in the mouth. Empanadas filled with red-wine-soaked beef are bold, rustic and soothing on a frigid winter night. It’s the small details that show how the chef ’s mind works: pops of finger lime and a whisper of truffle in a tangle of house-made cacio e pepe; caramelized persimmons nestled in a bed of sweet potatoes. This is intellectual food with a global perspective, yet Manteca’s true strength resides in a power to evoke emotion.
If you can’t get a reservation there, see if you can squeeze into Louisa’s Cafe. A long-time farm-to-table spot in Cape May, the kitchen turns out bright dishes centered on local seafood and produce from Beach Plum Farm. It may be the coziest dining room in town.
Photo 1: Louisa’s Café owners Will Riccio and Honna Riccio (brother and sister)
Photo 2: Beach Plum Hot Pepper Jam at Jalma Farms
CAPE MAY INTEL
Note: Many locations close for winter break after New Year’s Eve, but the holiday week is bustling.
RSK Doughnuts
505 Carpenters Ln.
609.536.8868 • facebook.com/RSKDoughnuts
West End Garage / Beach Plum Farm Bakery & Café
484 Perry St.
609.770.8261 • thewestendgarage.com
Cape May Olive Oil Co. /The Spice Cellar of Cape May
324 Carpenters Ln.
capemayoliveoilcompany.com • spicecellar.net
Cape May Peanut Butter Co.
516 Carpenters Ln.
609.898.4444 • capemaypeanutbutterco.com
Louisa’s Chocolate Bar / Louisa’s Café
106 Jackson St.
609.884.5519 • louisascapemay.com
Cape May Brewing Co.
1288 Hornet Rd.
609.849.9933 • capemaybrewery.com
Taco Shop
1288 Hornet Rd.
609.849.9045 • tacoshoptacos.com
Sunset Liquors
106 Sunset Blvd.
609.435.5052 • sunsetliquorsnj.com
Cold Spring Village / Brewery
733 Seashore Rd.
609.854.3077 • coldspringbrewery.org
Jersey Shore Alpacas
521 Route 47 South
609.889.4957 • jerseyshorealpacas.com
Congress Hall
200 Congress Place
609.884.8421 • caperesorts.com
Cape May Honey Farm
135 Sunset Blvd.
609.425.6434 • capemayhoneyfarm.com
Washington Inn
801 Washington St.
609.884.5697 • washingtoninn.com
Nauti Spirits Distillery
916 Shunpike Rd.
609.770.3381 • nautispirits.com
The Red Store (BYOB / Cash only)
500 Cape Ave., Cape May Point
609.884.5757 • capemaypointredstore.com
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