Second Annual Mac Off to benefit the Food Bank will be on January 17

robin — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 19:38:15 +0000

The "carnage" at our table from last year's Mac Off. Everything was so good.

On Monday, January 17th, join South Jersey Culinary Events, Chef Mark Smith from The Tortilla Press, and 10 other chefs who plan to turn Macaroni & Cheese on its ear at the Mighty Mac & Cheese Battle of the Chefs. The “Mac Off” will be held at the Collingswood Community Center.

Chefs from the local independent restaurant community will be cooking up their own style Mac and Cheese for their Martin Luther King Day of Service! Tastings of Mac & Cheese in a whole variety of ethnic cuisines – Mexican, Cuban, Italian, Indian…and good old American style! Proceeds will benefit the Food Bank of South Jersey.

Event begins at 6pm.
$10/adult and $4/child
Tickets will be available at the door

Need more details?
Call the Food Bank of South Jersey, 856-662-4884, ext 133.

My family and I attended the first Mac Off last year along with John and Lisa from Eating in South Jersey, and it was a lot of fun. All of our kids loved it, and we were impressed with the variety and quality of the offerings.

The event will kick off South Jersey Culinary Event’s Homestyle Classics Week. The week runs from January 25 through January 28, and $30 4 course “comfort food” menus will be available at participating restaurants.

Locavore odds and ends

robin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:25:09 +0000

If you took the time to visit the Westmont Farmers Market this year, you would now that it was on the corner of the block that is home to the Westmont Theater. The theater is a beautiful old relic that has been languishing in disrepair for years – mostly because of bureacratic red tape. My husband I have drawn up plans for the theater many times on the back of PJ Wheelihans menus, and have had visions of turning it into a small concert venue. Looks like we’d better act on our plans fast because the town is now accepting bids from developers. Lets hope it gets renovated and continues to be a place where the arts are celebrated.
New Jersey will be getting another craft beer company sometime this winter. The New Jersey Beer Company will initially sell its beer in Hudson, Bergen, Essex, and Passaic Counties in North Eastern New Jersey so it may take a while to make its way down South.
If you’re near Princeton, check out the monthly winter farmers market that Slow Food of Central Jersey sponsors at D&R Greenway Land Trust.
Planning ahead for some Valentine’s fun? The New Jersey Wine Growers Association has information on the Wine & Chocolate weekends being held at many of our state’s wineries. On Feb 6 & 7 and Feb 13 & 14 about 30 wineries will pair their wines with chocolates made by local chocolatiers. Sounds yummy.
Slow Food South Jersey has issued an annual feast invitation on its website. The dinner will be held at Congress Hall in Cape May (I have really great memories and stories from Congress Hall in the ’80′s by the way) on January 31st. Tickets are $48 for a 3 course meal and dessert.
Don’t forget that South Jersey Culinary Events is having its Homestyle Classics week starting January 25-28. $30 will get you four courses of meals like mom used to make them – but probably a little better.

Have a really great weekend. I’m looking forward to a relaxing one. I’ve earned it. I’m sure you have, too.

South Jersey Locavore » South Jersey Culinary Events

Second Annual Mac Off to benefit the Food Bank will be on January 17

Locavore odds and ends