Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.
Lunch date with one of my favorite people. 😍 We Lunch date with one of my favorite people. 😍 We popped into Cafe Crevier downtown and I finally got to try one of their burgers. It was thick and juicy and cooked to perfection. Love that the lettuce was shredded, and that the bun was toasted and slightly crispy. If you’re local, pop in and give them a try - don’t miss the fries!
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Eating Local: Apple and Peach Picking

September 22, 2008 · Narrative

Apple Picking 08Come fall, we gather up the crew and head off to go apple picking at a nearby orchard.  Row after row of deliciously ripe apples, the trees are planted on a hill, so for each different variety, we’re hiking up.  Fresh air, exercise and food that doesn’t get more local, it makes for a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

This time, they had ripe peaches too, but those were strategically placed at the very top of the orchard (you know, like the milk on the other side of the grocery store entrance), so we staked out a small spot in the shade three-quarters of the way up and relaxed while The Husband volunteered to go to the top.  What a champ.  Hey, it’s not easy pushing the stroller through the sandy, apple-strewn grounds of the orchard.  As the kids and I sat for a few minutes and looked out over the vast fields, we caught a nice breeze and chomped away on the crisp apples we had grabbed so far.

MineYesterday the place was hopping, but considering they have a corn maze, a stone labyrinth, a hayride, a General Store and much, much more, it was no surprise.  We’ll be back in a few weeks to hunt down their newest apple varieties, and soon pumpkins as well, but in the meantime, it’s going to be homemade apple sauce, apple pie and apple cobblers.  And the peaches?  Perfect for eating as is, they’ll also be lightly roasted with a little bit of brown sugar for an easy and delicious topping for ice cream.

P.S.  Just for fun, last year’s apple picking adventures.

Hungry for more things to do with your apples?
The brilliant food photography that is La Tartine Gourmande is featuring Upside Down Apple Cake.
FX Cuisine has a very unusual Swiss Apple Pasta.
Eggs on Sunday recently made an Sausage, Cheddar and Apple Strata that now, at 10 pm, is making my mouth seriously water.
And lastly, Everybody Likes Sandwiches has a Curried Apple and Lentil Dal.

A year ago today… nothing.
Two years ago today… a new food blogger hits the net.
Three years ago today… family banana issues.

Sign

Hayride

Ripe for the Picking

I Can Reach It

Choosing the Right Tool

Painted Pumpkins

Fresh Peaches

But I Have No Teeth

Apple Picking

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Posted In: Narrative

Comments

  1. Sara says

    September 22, 2008 at 10:45 pm

    Cute pics! We have a huge granny smith apple tree in our yard, I’ve been making TONS of applesauce!

    Saras last blog post..Double chocolate and allspice crumb muffins

    Reply
  2. claire says

    September 22, 2008 at 10:48 pm

    Looks like a lot of fun! The only “picking” I know of around here is pumpkin. Oh, well!

    claires last blog post..Yummy Peppers

    Reply
  3. Patsy says

    September 23, 2008 at 10:21 am

    Looks like a great place for apple picking… making me want to clear the packed schedule for this weekend so we can go… perhaps the following weekend we’ll get there!

    Patsys last blog post..Mexican Chicken Soft Tacos

    Reply
  4. ttfn300 says

    September 23, 2008 at 11:54 am

    I love the pics of Madeline with the apple!!! so cute :)

    ttfn300s last blog post..Delicata Risotto

    Reply
  5. Darius T. Williams says

    September 23, 2008 at 12:29 pm

    You know – I’ve NEVER been apple or peach picking. I’d love to go.

    -DTW
    http://www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com

    Darius T. Williamss last blog post..Let’s Have A Fiesta!

    Reply
  6. The Sister In-Law says

    September 24, 2008 at 5:18 am

    Look at the face… love it!

    SIL

    Reply
  7. maris says

    September 24, 2008 at 3:36 pm

    How fun! Last year my best friend and I went apple picking and we brought her boyfriend along, which was kind of like going with children. But he isn’t NEARLY as cute as yours!

    This is also an great apple recipe if you also like pumpkin: http://www.recipezaar.com/73469

    Reply
  8. Cate says

    September 24, 2008 at 9:37 pm

    Sara – I’ve actually never made applesauce before, until last night. So good!!

    Maris – lol, sounds like a fun guy! Going to check out the recipe – thanks for the recommendation – still lots of apples to use up. :)

    The SIL – how are you feeling?

    Darius – ’tis the season. Check out http://www.pickyourown.org to find a place near you.

    ttfn – thank you!

    Patsy – I think the boys will have a blast. We’re going back next weekend.

    Claire – pumpkin picking is just as good. Think we just have apple, peach and pumpkin but need to do some digging to see what else we’re missing out on.

    Reply
  9. jan says

    September 25, 2008 at 10:00 am

    has anyone else ever made peach butter? In previous years, I’ve made it and frozen it in small containers. Nice on toast or as a condiment.

    Reply
  10. Mrs Ergül says

    September 25, 2008 at 10:54 am

    I wanna pick my own apples too!

    Mrs Ergüls last blog post..Pan-fried Salmon on a bed of French Beans

    Reply

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Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef

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Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.
Lunch date with one of my favorite people. 😍 We Lunch date with one of my favorite people. 😍 We popped into Cafe Crevier downtown and I finally got to try one of their burgers. It was thick and juicy and cooked to perfection. Love that the lettuce was shredded, and that the bun was toasted and slightly crispy. If you’re local, pop in and give them a try - don’t miss the fries!

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