Scenes from the Pine Bush Farmers Market 2013

The 2013 Market opened and I sincerely thought I would visit, take some photos and create a blog. Never happened. The season will end in a month or so and I am still going to the Pine Bush Farmers Market with cash, a cloth shopping bag and the camera from my phone.  I wondered what I would tell you about the market... well, instead, this blog entry will simply be photos. More information can be found on their Facebook page.

I never took pictures of the people - the entertainers, the vendors, the crafters or the farmers. You'll have to go and meet them for yourself. Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. just behind the Cultural Center on Main Street in the municipal parking lot. See you there!

Baked Goods

Flowers

Fruits

Vegetables

Garlic

Tomatoes - no one can argue I put them in the wrong category.

Some examples of how I put it together at home:

The above platter had help from Winterton Farms for a few veggies and Heaven on Earth Natural Foods in Pine Bush for the Hummus.

The Pine Bush Farmers Market will surely have something for every appetite and craving. Is it the freshness of the food, the flavors, the atmosphere or satisfaction at a higher level that leaves me feeling Fed Well after my visits?  I'm not sure, but I know I have to return each week.

Jack & Mike's Brickhouse - Brick, NJ

A Friday night dining experience in a strange town can be quite frightening.  We stopped at a chain and were greeted then told, "It's about an hour and a half wait. Is that ok?"  Umm, do a lot of people say yes?  We simply drove a little further and came upon Jack and Mike's Brickhouse Bar and Grille.  I had been having enjoyable success in selecting meals during our mini-vacation while the Mr. was not having great luck.  The tide was about to turn.



We were seated quickly and met our server, Justin.  I had been enjoying a cocktail with dinner on our get away so I did order a Pina Colada.  A soda for the Mr.

We placed our food orders once our drinks arrived and were then brought this lovely, warm, braided bread with a garlic butter.

Next out of the kitchen was my soup.  Let's play a game.  Guess the type of soup from the photo...

Before I answer, it does seem to us the bar does a fairly decent business.  We can hear a bit of commotion. Some of it sounds like fun, but some of it has a negative vibe. Justin returns with a smile to check on us and admits he's staying out of the kitchen. Perhaps that is where the ruckus is coming from? Back to the soup. Did you figure it out yet?  New England Clam Chowder. Nope, didn't taste like it either. It's not that it was a bad soup, but if I were blindfolded I never would have guessed clams nor chowder. Celery was an upfront taste.

I let the Mr. chose the appetizer.  Stuffed mushrooms.  They contained a lot of breading, but were pretty good.

Time for the main event.  Here are our plates:

The above platter-like rectangular plate was the Mr.'s shrimp stuffed with crabmeat, potato croquettes and mixed veggies (he didn't touch).

For me, the same mixed veggies which were actually pretty good, a cafeteria style scoop of naked mashed potatoes and I ordered a broiled seafood platter.  A few shrimp, scallops, a white fish (maybe cod?) and a huge crab cake.

The Mr. was quite happy.

For dessert, Justin brought over a sample platter of the available desserts.  I selected the one he was not sure what it was and ordered it to go.  When I returned from the ladies room, it was on our table in the traditional Styrofoam to-go box.  Let's play the game again.  What do you think it is?

Justin had guessed carrot cake cheese cake.  Nope.  Key lime pie.

The bar was quite full when we left and more cars were arriving. Maybe it's more of a hamburger/pub grub establishment?  We brought home a full container of left-overs as well as the dessert. We drove back to the campground which was filled with people enjoying campfires and adult beverages.  The campers air conditioner was welcome and our mini-vacation would end in the morning.  We rode our bikes for 4 miles, swam, gambled, beached, and had a blast being Fed Well.

Relish - Inside Revel in Atlantic City, NJ

A gray rainy day near the Jersey Shore is perfect for a day trip to Atlantic City!  I can't help it.  Every time I plan on a casino visit, I have a fast fantasy of winning big, hearing the ringing bells and whistles as jacketed employees circle and swarm.  I also plan on the size of donation I am willing to make before I woke away from the games! Usually, I simply make a donation.  

For today's strategy we decide to eat lunch first.  We are visiting the Revel for the first time and after reading Relish's menu we feel it suits our tastes.  Click here for Relish's website.

Once seated I take in the decor and am amused by the silverware lined overhead light fixtures.  I am a sucker for whimsy.

I also enjoy when the style of things is slightly off beat or unusual. The shape of the soda glasses for example. They are cut and angled, contemporary and practical.

To start, a cup of the New England Clam Chowder.  I tease the Mr. for ordering chicken at almost every opportunity, but I have my repeat orders as well.  This one was a winner. The stock was the right thickness without feeling gloppy, the ingredients were the right size, texture and flavor. Rich, creamy and hot. A good start.

A table with a family of four is seated right next to us.  The server brings out a few dishes of the potato gnocchi with sausage which is what I ordered. However, the guests he is trying to serve have ordered their version meatless as they are vegetarian. I volunteer that I ordered the same dish with meat and am given one of the plates. The photo does not do the serving size any justice. Once I turned the ingredients a few times, the gnocchi filled the surface and many slices of sausage were buried underneath.  

I thought maybe it would be a problem accepting the early plate since the Mr.'s had not yet been placed on the warming counter. (We had a perfect view of the kitchen plating/staging area so we could keep on eye on things.)  The Mr. assured me to go ahead and start since "You take longer than I do."

It was more than a minute or two until he was served his chicken pot pie in an oversized bowl.

A healthy serving size to be sure. The bowl was first coated with mashed potatoes, then topped with the stew ingredients and finally the individual pastry square. Yes, one little problem. The dish looked picture perfect, but had an indescribably wrong taste swimming in the stock. I could not identify it, but did agree it was slightly off.

The time had come, the meal was done and we headed out to the gaming area. Part of the appeal of this new casino is the ability to gamble with a view of the Atlantic. The sitting areas, shops and decor were all quite updated and lux in appearance. The gaming noise, bells and whistles were trilling and calling out. I used my brand new casino card in the machine and so it began. Did I win? Well, in less time than it took for us to sit, order and enjoy our meal, we clasped hands and headed outside for the boardwalk. We were Fed Well and I had left before making my entire allotted donation amount. We will return.

RiverWatch - Brick, NJ

The Mr. and I decide on a quick camping adventure just before the long Labor Day weekend.  I avoid crowds and traffic at all costs and so we leave the Wednesday afternoon before the holiday and plan to return on Saturday.  The weather was immediately disappointing and uncooperative - rain with a touch of thunder and lightening.  Traffic was also less than ideal once we were an hour or so on the New Jersey Turnpike.  Stop.  Go.  Stop.  Go.  Truck accident behind us.  Ugh.

By the way, the definition of camping adventure is taking our big black truck with the 30' trailer which will be hooked up to electric and running water, has air conditioning and the only thing missing is a cleaning service compared to a cheap hotel.  Let's not try to imagine any nights sleeping on the ground with bugs buzzing and wildlife scampering around on the other side of a canvas wall.  This was more about time away from schedules, responsibilities and anything really related to the real world.

The campground itself offered lots for both trailers and tents as well as cabins.  Trees are everywhere which may be appealing for the rustic feel, but for the Mr. they were quite a handicap when it came to backing into our site.  A few stressful minutes later the hookups were done and we spent just a few quick minutes primping before heading out to dinner.  We had asked in the camp office for a few recommendations and then we headed off to The RiverWatch in Brick, NJ.  Click here for the link to the RiverWatch

I love family vacations, but they can be a bit of work as far as organizing activities, meals and taking every one's tastes into account.  When it is just the Mr. and I the negotiating is quicker and easier.  Plus, I know he mostly just wants a good chicken dish for dinner.  Yes, typically Marsala.

We were seated quite quickly in the outer dining area and right by the windows with a view of the marina. The photo is an inside wall table.

We are able to hear the pleasant singing from the bar area and discover it is one man in a karaoke style.

Looking over the menu I do struggle to decide on an appetizer.  The Mr. surrenders in this culinary decision and says, "Whatever you want."  Thai Chicken skewers with peanut sauce it is!

The chicken was moist and delicious on its own.  I did enjoy wrapping the poultry in fresh spinach, pulling it from the skewer and dipping it in the flavorful sauce.

Warm bread.  It's like the pleasant smile of the meal.  Welcome.  Familiar.  

Time for the entrees and if we were using a two thumbs up voting system, I will spoil it for you now and say the main course would only receive one thump up.  Let's see if you can easily see which dish was not a raving success.

Here is the Mr.'s Chicken Marsala served over Risotto.

I know the photo quality leaves a lot to be desired.  Try to put that aside.

Here are the lobster rolls with fries and red cabbage cole slaw.

I loved my meal.  The fries were crisp, not greasy and the lobster meat was sweet, tender and present.  I leave the bun behind and am able to split the meal in half - the remainder will be lunch.  

The Mr.'s chicken dish...well, the sauce/gravy was far too thick, gloppy, heavy and not really tasting of Marsala wine.  The chicken itself was well prepared.  The risotto was dense, the flavor difficult to describe, and had an unusual mouth feel.

Dessert.  Well, the Mr. has struggled in finding the right cup of coffee when we are out to dinner and I often ruin his chances by ordering tea with milk.  Frequently this means the server will not bring cream and milk, only the milk I request.  He decides to quit now but will have a few spoonfuls of my sweet treat.

Bananas Foster.  Warm, gooey caramel, bananas, vanilla ice cream all topped with whipped cream. Lovely. 

We talk about what we hope to do and see during our mini-vacation.  We laugh about how quickly one perfectly prepared Cosmopolitan can cause me to become inebriated and giggly.  We try not to notice the horribly stained carpet and focus on how much I enjoyed my meal and we liked the appetizer.  Tomorrow we will be heading to Atlantic City and a casino we have never before visited.  A day for boardwalk walking, retail outlet stores, and perhaps another Happy Hour experience...a but those are stories for another day.  Tonight we were Fed Well and looking forward to a few days of a more leisurely pace.