Locavore odds and ends: Harvest, harvest everywhere

Yesterday, Alli from All I Eat Food and I went to the Moorestown Kitchen Kapers to meet Emeril Lagasse and have him sign copies of his latest cookbook, Sizzling Skillets and Other One Pot Wonders. I’m looking forward to delving into some of the recipes. It looks like a great fall/winter cookbook.

As usual, I’m glad it’s Friday. I’m looking forward to the farmers market tomorrow, and we’ll be having dinner with friends at the fabulous Tortilla Press Cantina tomorrow night. There’s lots going on this weekend if you’re looking for something to do.

• The 28th Annual Chatsworth Cranberry Festival is Saturday and Sunday, the 15th & 16th from 9am to 4pm. The Cranberry Festival is a celebration of New Jersey’s cranberry harvest, the 3rd largest in the United States, and offers a tribute to the Pine Barrens & Local Culture.
• Cooper River Park in Pennsauken will be the site of the 2011 Columbus Italian Cultural Festa. They’ll be food, games and wines from Hamonton’s Plagido’s Winery.
• It’s a bit of a hike up to Morristown, but if you have the whole day Saturday or Sunday free, it will be worth it for the Grand Harvest Wine Festival that features twenty NJ wineries offering nearly 250 locally-produced wines, food, crafts vendors, live bands and the opportunity to experience one of New Jersey’s significant historic farms.
• Hop the Patco from New Jersey and head into Philly for the Reading Terminal Market Harvest Festival tomorrow. They’ll be hayrides, live bluegrass, a pie eating contest, and of course, lots of food.
• If you’ve ever thought about starting your own food blog or have but you’re not sure what direction to take it in, there’s a food writing/blogging workshop being held tomorrow at Indie Hall in Philly. Tenaya Darlington (Madame Fromage) and Marisa McClellan (Food in Jars), both engaging food writers, will instruct. It starts at 10am, so if you’re interested click on the link and snag your tickets to the class now.
• If you’re looking to get out of town for a bit, check out the regional harvest festivals that Visit Philly has information about.
• This is perfect for American Cheese Month. On Thursday, October 20th, they’ll be the  Tasting and Tales of Farmstead Cheese. The head cheesemaker from Cherry Grove Farm will be on hand for an evening of conversation and a tasting of his farmstead artisan cheeses at Whole Earth Center in Princeton. Free, pre-registration requested.

Enjoy your weekend!