New Jersey’s best farm-to-table chefs will be showcasing their wares in the height of the fall harvest season. On Tuesday, September 25 from 6-9PM, SOPAC will be hosting Savor the Arts –An Evening of Culinary Adventure in the Loft. Several New Jersey food and beverage purveyors will be on hand to share their delicious offerings. Chefs Leia Gaccione (South+Pine and Central+Main American Eateries) and Kwame Williams (Vital Dining) will also vie to deliver the tastiest New Jersey-sourced dish in a live chef slam. Local foodies won’t want to miss this new community event featuring culinary skill and beverage pairings as performance art.
The evening begins with several food stations, each paired with a complement of wine, beer or cider. Emcee and wine enthusiast Hank Zona is on deck to keep the evening- and the libations- flowing and to guide you through the pairings.
In addition to specialties provided by Chef Leia and Chef Kwame, delicious tastings that will be on hand include fall harvest goodies from Chef Benjamin Walmer (Ironbound Farm Tasting Room in Hunterdon County) Chef Sylvia Becker (Wild Honey Catering), and some foraged snacks from Dan Lipow (The Foraged Feast). These chefs, among others, are promising their most creative fare.
Here’s a sample menu from Ironbound: Smoked Musconetcong trout salad, with fresh Ironbound Farm apple; Ironbound Farm Ramp kimcheese (with Bobolink Cheddar), with Bobolink toast; and Ironbound cider and adjika-braised Mt Salem Farm lamb shoulder, with Ironbound potato crisps. And plan on Blue Moon Acres microgreens as a healthy compliment to each dish.
Wild Honey Catering plans a menu of exotic international fare including Moroccan Chicken Pastilla, a traditional moroccan meat pastry featuring exotic spices and sliced almonds; Turkish Short Rib Arancini, a delightful fusion of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors; and Spanish Tortilla, a tapa famous throughout Spain featuring potatoes and organic eggs.
The Foraged Feast offering will remain a surprise until the Savor event nears; it depends on what goodies can be found in local forests the week before. Owner Dan Lipow will also provide some surprise ingredients to be featured in the Savor chef slam.
About Savor the Arts Vendors:
Ironbound Hard Cider hails from its farm in Hunterdon County. Its mission is to usher in the rebirth of heirloom Newark cider apples, while fostering environmental repair and workforce development. Ironbound uses these Old World apples and other locally sourced ingredients to craft a variety of dry, not-too-sweet ciders, free of preservatives and concentrate, which proudly reflect New Jersey’s heritage. The company eagerly anticipates the opening of its Ironbound Farm tasting room this fall.
Wild Honey Catering is a boutique catering company specializing in international cuisine, custom menus and exceptional service. From an intimate dinner party to an elaborate gala, Wild Honey creates the perfect menu to impress guests from near and far. Voted “Best of Essex 2018” and featured on Food Networks “Chopped”; husband and wife team travel the world seeking new cuisine and flavor combinations.
The Foraged Feast is a purveyor of wild and specialty provisions. Owner Dan Lipow sources and sells foraged and wild mushrooms, berries, roots, greens, herbs, teas, and more to restaurants and at farmers’ markets. You can find him at the Summit, Denville, and Montclair farmers’ markets, as well as hiking New Jersey’s forests on the hunt for edible goodies.
Tickets are $70. Buy tickets early to this exciting culinary event as capacity is limited.