FOOD - Page 3 of 5 - THE RIDGEWOOD BLOG.

Posted on March 31, 2015 June 27, 2021

Kings Food Markets : Easter & Passover Catering

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Kings Food Markets : Easter & Passover Catering
March 30,2015

Ridgewood NJ, Kings Food Markets offers a full range of catering services tailored to fit each family’s needs – and this Easter and Passover is no different. To get you started with your menu, we’ve hand-selected the following dishes to serve:

Kings Easter Catering Menu

1. Savory Starters

· Fig and Almond Baked Brie

· Spinach and Artichoke Poppers

2. Extraordinary Entrees

· Kings Herb Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast

· Hardwood Smoked ½ Spiral Ham

3. Sensational Sides

· Wheatberry and Dried Fruit Salad

· Potato and Leek Torta

Kings Passover Catering Menu

1. Keeping it Kosher

· Stuffed Cabbage

· Kings Antibiotic-free Rotisserie Chicken

2. Seafood Staples

· Fresh Pack Whitefish

· Black Pear Salmon

3. Additions to Accent Any Meal

· Home-style Matzo Balls

· Kings Traditional Potato Latkes

Kings’ catering services extend beyond the kitchen, though, offering an array of floral arrangements, such as locally grown tulips, and hostess gifts that will surely bring added life to your gatherings.

Of course, however, if you prefer to cook yourself, Kings offers a great assortment of inspirational recipes for both Easter and Passover – including all of the necessary ingredients to make your holiday a memorable one. And if your meal is in need of just one more dish, we offer a great assortment of side dishes that will surely complement your mea

Posted on March 30, 2015 March 30, 2015

Raymond’s in Ridgewood, Montclair to pay $345K in back wages

Raymond’s in Ridgewood, Montclair to pay $345K in back wages

March 30, 2015 Last updated: Monday, March 30, 2015, 2:50 PM
By MELANIE ANZIDEI

A Ridgewood restaurant chain and its owners must pay $325,534 in back wages to 160 workers for overtime and minimum wage violations, the U.S. Department of Labor said Monday.

Raymond’s Ridgewood LLC did not pay members of its kitchen staff for overtime and failed to pay tipped workers the proper wage rate, an investigation by the department’s Northern New Jersey Wage and Hour District Office found.

Employees at two locations were affected. At Raymond’s in Ridgewood, 84 employees are due $100,048 in back wages, said the department. This includes overtime back wages to its kitchen staff and tipped employees. The employer also failed to pay tipped workers in Ridgewood the proper wage rate from the beginning of their employment, the department said. At Raymond’s in Montclair, 76 workers are due $225,486 in overtime back wages, the agency said.

The restaurant chain agreed to make the payments, which are in the process of being paid, according to Department of Labor spokeswoman Leni Uddyback-Fortson. The back wages cover employee compensations from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2014.

Raymond Badach and Joanne Ricci, owners of the restaurant chain, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/business/raymond-s-in-ridgewood-montclair-to-pay-345k-in-back-wages-1.1298939

Posted on March 26, 2015 January 21, 2019

Wyckoff resident encourages cultivating edible gardens

Greg Carbone

Wyckoff resident encourages cultivating edible gardens

MARCH 26, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015, 12:32 AM
BY LYNN BRUGGEMANN
CORRESPONDENT |
WYCKOFF SUBURBAN NEWS

WYCKOFF — Winter-weary gardeners can pass the time waiting for the ground to thaw with “DIY Backyard Farm Edible Garden Planning Guide,” second edition written by township author Greg Carbone.

“The reason people claim to have a brown thumb is they fail to plan,” said Carbone. “Planning is crucial for a successful garden and anyone who likes to eat should be able to have a successful, edible garden.”

His book offers experienced and novice gardeners charts to prepare for the growing season, tips to achieve success, a glossary of horticulture terms and a diary to record the garden’s successes and failures.

“I like to keep notes on what plants thrived and where I planted them,” said Carbone. “I have an example of what I planted last year in the book.”

Carbone said the idea to create the guide was “planted” by friends and neighbors who asked him to help them create gardens that resembled his own 20-foot by 30-foot fenced garden.

“I can grow an edible garden, but those pesky chipmunks still get in a nibble on the tomatoes,” laughs Carbone.

https://www.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/books/how-to-sow-a-garden-good-enough-to-eat-1.1295762

Posted on March 24, 2015 March 24, 2015

Monsanto chief admits ‘hubris’ is to blame for public fears over GM

Monsanto chief admits ‘hubris’ is to blame for public fears over GM
OLIVER WRIGHT Monday 23 March 2015

The American company that produced the world’s first genetically modified crop has admitted for the first time that its “hubris” in promoting the technology contributed to a consumer backlash against genetically modified food.

Speaking to The Independent, the chief executive of Monsanto conceded that the company had failed to appreciate public concerns over GM technology when it was introduced nearly 20 years ago.

And he also said that the company had suffered by making “the wrong call” when it failed to rebrand itself in the aftermath of the botched launch of GM in Europe.

But Hugh Grant claimed that unless public attitudes towards biotechnology changed it would be impossible to feed the world’s growing population and called for a more nuanced debate on the potential uses for GM technology in the developing world.

“There never had been a lot of trust in companies, particularly not big companies and certainly not big American companies,” he said.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/monsanto-chief-admits-hubris-is-to-blame-for-public-fears-over-gm-10128951.html

Posted on March 23, 2015 March 23, 2015

March for Meals – Mayors for Meals

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March for Meals – Mayors for Meals
March 19,2015
This year we celebrate the 13th Annual March for Meals campaign, which is an annual month-long event, sponsored by MEALS on WHEELS AMERICA (formerly Meals On Wheels Association of America). It is designed to generate public awareness about senior hunger and isolation and to celebrate the invaluable services provided by the more than 5,000 Meals on Wheels programs across the country. Given the exemplary public-private partnership Meals on Wheels America embodies, this annual campaign is also intended to help recruit new volunteers from our community and to increase fundraising from local businesses and supporters. For more information, visit www.marchformeals.com.

Today, CMI once again participated in MAYORS for MEALS DAY, where mayors or elected official from the seven towns we serve are invited to accompany a volunteer and deliver meals to “their” clients, in the hope of gaining much-needed visibility for Community Meals and the national agenda. We wish to thank Mayor Paul Aronsohn – Ridgewood, Mayor John vanKeuren – Glen Rock, Mayor Patrick “Bud” O’Hagan – Midland Park and Mayor Thomas Giordano – Waldwick for participating. Additional thanks to Gloria Geannette, Editor of the Ridgewood News for arranging a photographer and reporter from the Ridgewood News and a photojournalist from The Record to capture the moment and help publicize our organization and purpose.

If you have a Facebook account, please look for postings of current events and volunteer photos , and of course “LIKE” us at: https://www.facebook.com/CommunityMeals
And last but certainly not least, we thank our volunteers and supporters – because without you we would not be Community Meals.
Sincerely,
The Board of Directors of Community Meals, Inc.

Community Meals, Inc.
is a member of Meals on Wheels America

Posted on March 21, 2015 March 21, 2015

Socially Engineering Food Choices Doesn’t Work

Socially Engineering Food Choices Doesn’t Work

To say that Los Angeles merely failed would be putting it mildly.

Earlier this week, the nonpartisan RAND Corporation released a study that helps demolish the argument that governments (cities, in this case) can socially engineer away residents’ obesity by restricting food freedom.

The study, funded by the National Cancer Institute, focuses on a ridiculous, controversial, seven-year-old zoning ban on new fast food restaurants in South Los Angeles. To say that the measure merely failed would be putting it mildly.

“Since the fast-food restrictions were passed in 2008, overweight and obesity rates in South Los Angeles and other neighborhoods targeted by the law have increased faster than in other parts of the city or other parts of the county,” reads a RAND press release on the study.

Well then.

“The South Los Angeles fast food ban may have symbolic value, but it has had no measurable impact in improving diets or reducing obesity,” said lead author Roland Sturm of RAND.

The RAND study results represent some of the best evidence to date that policies that restrict food freedom do no make people healthier. The failure and repeal of Denmark’s so-called “fat tax” and damning research on mandatory menu labeling are two other convincing examples.

https://reason.com/archives/2015/03/21/socially-engineering-food-choices-doesnt

Posted on March 19, 2015 March 19, 2015

Novo in Ridgewood bringing new tastes and flavors to North Jersey

Novo in Ridgewood bringing new tastes and flavors to North Jersey

MARCH 18, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015, 4:01 PM
BY ESTHER DAVIDOWITZ
FOOD EDITOR |
THE RECORD

Executive chef Elie Kahlon is sitting in the elegantly subdued 74-seat dining room of Novo in Ridgewood, arguably North Jersey’s best new restaurant. In front of him is a big, plastic bag stuffed with smaller plastic bags that hold spices he had brought back from his last trip to his native country, Israel.

“I don’t like to use local spice,” said the dark-haired, olive-skinned Kahlon in heavy-accented English.

The 6-foot, 4-inch Ridgewood resident quickly opens bag after bag, sniffing and tasting what’s inside: Moroccan coriander, Middle Eastern curry, dried Persian lime, dried sumac flowers, a Mideast cinnamon-like clove, Tunisian paprika … “You see how red the paprika is,” he says, holding up its see-through bag. “It’s so much better than the paprika you can get from anywhere else.”

Many food lovers would argue that Kahlon’s food is not only better than the fare found in most North Jersey restaurants — The Record gave the five-month-old restaurant a 3 1/2-out-of-4 star review in January — but it is unlike much, if not all, food found in the area. His is a refined modern Mediterranean cuisine; think foods of the Middle East and North Africa, elevated by the use of sophisticated, most often, French cooking techniques.

He uses a Middle East open-flame oven, called a taboon, to sear and roast meats, vegetables and flatbreads; a couscoussier, an Arabic double-chambered food steamer, to make his own couscous; a dehydrating machine to produce dried-out fruits popular in Mideast dishes, including lemons, oranges and olives, which he uses to make crusts for fish or garnishes for salads.

https://www.northjersey.com/food-and-dining-news/dining-news/novo-in-ridgewood-bringing-new-tastes-and-flavors-to-north-jersey-1.1290918

Posted on March 7, 2015 January 20, 2019

Christine Nunn of Picnic on the Square on the one technique home cooks should master

Christine Nunn of Picnic on the Square on the one technique home cooks should master

March 4, 2015 Last updated: Wednesday, March 4, 2015, 1:21 AM
The Record

Christine Nunn of Picnic on the Square, Ridgewood

Christine Nunn wasn’t always on course to work in the kitchen — the 50-year-old chef and co-owner of Picnic on the Square in Ridgewood was once a journalist, and worked for the Ridgewood News after graduating with an English degree from Montclair State University in 1986.

By 2001, the Fair Lawn resident was working in Manhattan doing technical writing, but after 9/11, she decided that life was “too short to not do” exactly what she wanted to do.

She enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America in January 2002 and even lived in the dorms for a semester at age 37 (which was “horrifying”). She graduated in December 2003 and created the catering company Picnic. In 2005, she opened a storefront in Emerson, where she stayed for five years before opening Picnic, The Restaurant in Fair Lawn, which garnered rave reviews. After 2 1/2 years, Picnic served its last meal on New Year’s Eve 2012.

In 2013, Nunn published “The Preppy Cookbook” and worked as executive chef at Grange restaurant in Westwood. Three months ago, she opened Picnic on the Square in Ridgewood. The lovely, brick-walled 34-seat New American restaurant received 2 1/2 stars from The Record last month.

Here, she talks about the technique home cooks should master and the best way to cook fish.

https://www.northjersey.com/food-and-dining-news/dining-news/christine-nunn-of-picnic-on-the-square-on-the-one-technique-home-cooks-should-master-1.1281892

26 Wilsey Square, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
(201) 444-4001

Posted on February 13, 2015 February 13, 2015

What to get your sweetie this Valentine’s Day? Reservations at McDonald’s

What to get your sweetie this Valentine’s Day? Reservations at McDonald’s

Laura Reiley, Times Food Critic

Monday, February 10, 2014 2:56pm

The Golden Arches at 6717 N Dale Mabry Highway is offering sweethearts an opportunity to “create your own McMemories” this Valentine’s Day. Think about it, a McFlurry with a side order of love.

One of the 53 Caspers Co. McDonald’s franchises in the Tampa Bay area, this location will be transformed on Friday into a sit-down restaurant, complete with LED candles, tabletop flowers and counter employees retrained as waiters offering table service and refills. They are accepting phone reservations, the first 10 of which will receive complimentary roses.

General manager Ernesto Izquierdo credits service manager Liliana Rofario with the idea.

“She came to me and asked me what I thought. She has three kids and she thought it would be a cool thing for them. Maybe for them it’s a first Valentine’s Day, and they can’t afford to go to a lot of places,” Izquierdo said. “There a misconception that it has to be romantic. It’s about showing someone you love them.”

Izquierdo spoke with Caspers Co.’s communications team, which gave the idea the green light.

https://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/food/dining/what-to-get-for-your-sweetie-this-valentines-day-reservations-at-mcdonalds/2164920

Posted on February 13, 2015 February 13, 2015

Whole Foods low-price makeover pays off as profit tops estimates

Whole Foods low-price makeover pays off as profit tops estimates

FEBRUARY 11, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015, 7:15 AM
BLOOMBERG NEWS |
WIRE SERVICE

Whole Foods Market Inc.’s makeover is paying off.

After cutting prices in a bid to shake its reputation for expensive groceries, the company on Wednesday posted first- quarter sales that rose 10 percent. And even while selling its wares for less, Whole Foods still managed to produce profit that topped analysts’ estimates.

“This quarter shows they can lower prices and not kill their margins,” said Brian Yarbrough, an analyst at Edward Jones & Co. in St. Louis. “They’re going to continue to see pressure there.”

Investors cheered the news, sending the shares up 3.1 percent to $55.16 at 4:39 p.m. in late trading in New York.

Whole Foods has been forced to lower prices, particularly on produce, because of increasing competition in the organic- food market from the likes of Kroger Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. So far, the strategy is working. Sales at Whole Foods stores open at least 57 weeks rose 4.5 percent in the quarter through Jan. 18, up from a 3.1 percent gain in the prior period. Same-store sales in the current quarter were up 5.1 percent through Sunday, showing the momentum has continued.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/business/whole-foods-low-price-makeover-pays-off-as-profit-tops-estimates-1.1269290

Posted on February 11, 2015 February 11, 2015

Chef Tom Finnelli of Restaurant Memoire , Accountant to Culinary Master

Chef Tom Finnelli of Restaurant Memoire , Accountant to Culinary Master

FEBRUARY 11, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015, 1:21 AM
THE RECORD

Chef Tom Finnelli’s path to the kitchen was long and winding. Although he’d worked at restaurants during high school, he went to college for accounting and had a successful 18-year-career in that field. Still, at 32, he turned down the chance to become partner at the fifth-largest accounting firm in the country because he knew that, if he accepted, he’d never work in a restaurant again. That company had massive layoffs in 2009, and Finnelli was “almost happy” to be one of those included.

The 40-year-old Park Ridge native and Rockland County resident already had his degree from the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan (now the International Culinary Center) – and in 2013, he bought the spot that would become Restaurant Memoire in Ridgewood. The restaurant, which serves seasonal eclectic fare, received 2 1/2 stars from The Record in January 2014.

Although Finnelli doesn’t regret the two decades he spent in an office, he says he’d be a hypocrite if he told his two young children they should always follow their dreams when he hadn’t followed his. “We only have one life, and at some point, you’ve got to at least try to do what you love,” he says. “If you never [do it], you’ll always wonder, ‘What if?’ ”

Here, he talks about his $1,000 meal and the one thing he’d never eat.

https://www.northjersey.com/food-and-dining-news/dining-news/chef-tom-finnelli-of-restaurant-memoire-on-his-1-000-meal

16 Chestnut Street, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
(201) 857-8899

Posted on February 4, 2015 January 20, 2019

Small-plates restaurant Finca is now open in Ridgewood

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Small-plates restaurant Finca is now open in Ridgewood

JANUARY 29, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015, 1:20 AM
THE RECORD

NOW OPEN

Finca

20 E. Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood

201-444-1199; fincanj.com

* How it began: Marcelo Czernizer is no stranger to the Ridgewood restaurant scene. In addition to having owned The Stable, Finca’s prior incarnation, the Hillsdale resident owns Cravings Tapas Bistro, which is just across the railroad tracks on Wilsey Square. He closed The Stable in October and remodeled for three months before reopening two weeks ago as Finca, which means “estate” in Spanish.

For Finca, Czernizer jettisoned The Stable’s rodizio-style menu in favor of a selection of small-plate “global tapas,” which run the gamut from crab cakes and charred octopus to skirt steaks and shrimp tempura.

The two restaurants are differentiated by their size (Cravings has about 60 seats; Finca more than 100) and their décor (Cravings is modern and upbeat; Finca a calmer, statelier spot).

https://www.northjersey.com/food-and-dining-news/dining-news/small-plates-restaurant-finca-is-now-open-in-ridgewood-1.1260740

Posted on February 3, 2015 February 2, 2015

Celebrate National Heart Health Month with these Heart-Healthy Treats

Celebrate National Heart Health Month with these Heart-Healthy Treats
February 3,2015

Ridgewood NJ, The National Retail Federation reports that the average person will spend $142.31 on Valentine’s Day in 2015, up $8 from last year. With February underway, people everywhere are beginning to plan and find something special for their loved one – but it’s not about the amount of money you spend.

Kings Food Markets encourages you to give from your heart, rather than your wallet, in honor of National Heart Health Month this February with these heart-healthy treats hand-selected from Nutritionist Shari Bilt Boockvar, MS, RD.:

· Chocolaty Banana Crepes

o Dark chocolate has more antioxidants than milk chocolate and the cinnamon may help with decreasing your risk of high blood pressure.

· Chocolate Peanut Pomegranate Treat

o The peanuts and peanut butter provide beneficial unsaturated fats while cacao powder provides antioxidants, magnesium and fiber. By adding Greek yogurt, you get the benefits of both protein and calcium.

· Fruity Nutty Tortilla Pizza

o Choose whole wheat tortillas to provide additional fiber and enjoy berries that add a source of additional fiber and antioxidants. The unsaturated fats in almonds are also beneficial for heart health.

HEART-HEALTHY RECIPES FOR VALENTINE’S DAY:

Chocolaty Banana Crepe (Makes 1)

Ingredients:

· 2 Egg Whites (from 2 Kings Organic Cage Free Eggs)

· 3 Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Kisses, chopped

· ½ Banana, sliced

· 1 Teaspoon Sugar

· Cinnamon

· Vegetable Spray (such as Pam)

Directions:

· Spray small pan and pour in egg whites. Cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side to form a crepe.

· Place on plate and top half with banana slices and chopped chocolate

· Fold over other half to cover and then sprinkle top with cinnamon and sugar

· Wait about 1 minute until chocolate is melted

Chocolate Peanut Pomegranate Treat (Makes 1)

Ingredients:

· 1 Container Vanilla Greek Yogurt

· 1 Tablespoon Natural Peanut Butter

· 1 Teaspoon Crushed Peanuts

· 1 Tablespoon Cacao Powder

· ¼ Cup Pomegranate Arils (fresh or frozen)

Directions:

· Mix yogurt, peanut butter and cacao powder until blended well.

· Top with pomegranate arils and crushed peanuts

Fruity Nutty Tortilla Pizza (Makes 1)

Ingredients:

· 1 Whole Wheat Tortilla (La Tortilla Factory)

· ¾ Cup Mixed Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries)

· 1 Tablespoon Chocolate Syrup

· 1 Tablespoon Sliced Almonds

Directions:

· Lay tortilla on flat surface and top with berries

· Toast for 2 minutes in toaster oven

· Drizzle with chocolate syrup and top with sliced almonds.

· Slice into 6 pieces

Posted on January 18, 2015 January 18, 2015

Ridgewood Restaurant Week 2015

Ridgewood Restaurant Week 2015
Sun, January 18, 2015 – Thu, January 22, 2015
Time: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Restaurants in Ridgewood, Ridgewood NJ

Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce presents Restaurant Week 2015
Sponsored by Valley Hospital

What a great way to start the New Year-
RESTUARANT WEEK in RIDGEWOOD @ $25.15

Sunday-Thursday
January 18-22, 2015
January 25-29, 2015
Fine dining at $25.15

For these ten days, participating restaurants and caterers are offering you the chance to “experience” dining in Ridgewood and or your home, plus a wonderful selection of wines.

Each Chef is preparing a tantalizing 3-course, prix-fixe menu at $25.15
Please add a wine that will enhance the cuisine.

Visit the following participating restaurants and caterers. Call for reservations and details.

A Mano Neopolitan
24 Franklin Ave.
201-493-2000

Bella Notte Italian Bistro
14 Oak St.
201-445-7222

It’s Greek to Me
21 E. Ridgewood Ave.
201-612-2600

Latour Restaurant-LUNCH ONLY
6 E. Ridgewood Ave.
201-445-5056

Le Bon Choix
11 Godwin Ave.
201-689-0400

Mediterraneo
23 N. Broad St.
201-447-0022

Novo
37 Chestnut St.
201-444-4910

Park West Tavern
30 Oak St.
201-445-5400

Pearl Restaurant
17 S. Broad St.
201-857-5100

Raymond’s
101 E. Ridgewood Ave.
201-445-5125

Restaurant Memoire
16 Chestnut St.
201-857-8899

ROOTS Steakhouse
17 Chestnut St.
201-444-1922

Sakura Bana Japanese Restaurant
43 Franklin Ave.
201-447-6525

The Office Beer Bar & Grill
32 Chestnut St.
201-652-1070

Village Green Restaurant –
36 Prospect St.
201-445-2914

Home Dining and Specialty Wines

Chestnut Catering
25 Chestnut St.
201-445-3031

From Scratch Ridgewood
www.fromscratchridgewood.com
201-986-6316-Will deliver

Super Cellars Fine Wines & Marketplace
32 S. Broad St.
201-444-0012

The Wine Seller
6 W. Ridgewood Ave.
201-444-3300

Beverages, tax and tips not included. Regular menu will also be available.

FREE Parking all day Sunday and Monday-Saturday after 6:00pm

For more details, please call us at 201-445-2600 or email info@ridgewoodchamber.com www.experienceridgewood.com

Posted on January 18, 2015 January 18, 2015

Ridgewood Elks welcome younger members

Ridgewood Elks welcome younger members

JANUARY 16, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The newest members of Ridgewood’s Elk Lodge 1455, ages 12 to 18, are redefining the stereotyped organization from a mysterious “drinking men’s club” to what it really is, members say – a community service organization open to all.

The young recruits, called “Antlers,” could also help repopulate the Elks’ ranks, which have dropped over the years.

In exchange, the young people get opportunities for fun, Elks note: membership in an adult organization and, notably, a lodge gaming space of their own, complete with an arcade game, pool table and air hockey.

They also get a chance to engage in the Elks’ meaningful community service activities helping veterans of foreign wars and children with special needs.

“I would recommend it to kids who are interested in community service, because the Elks have a lot of great programs such as the Hoop Shoot and scholarships,” noted Antler President Andrew Setten, whose parents are also Ridgewood Elks. “They do patriotic activities like Flag Day and they help veterans. Plus we have a nice, spacious lodge we can go to and plan the charity activities that we would like to do.

https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/clubs-and-service-organizations/elks-welcome-antlers-to-the-herd-1.1196403