Rosie’s Food Bytes: Raising Your Glass
September 26, 2007
This week, NJ My Way’s food editor Rosalie Saferstein is sampling wines and other libations throughout New Jersey.
Mixing It Up
Our first toast is for Tad Carducci who mans the bar at The Pluckemin Inn, (www.pluckemininn.com and 908-658-9292) in Bedminster. Tad mixes up business with pleasure—his cocktails have won him some impressive prizes in competitions.
Try his Somerset Sidecar which contains Laird's Reserve 12-year-old apple brandy, Cointreau, Frangelico, lemon juice and hazelnut sugar. Or the Pluckemin Flyer, made with Beefeater London Dry Gin, Maraschino liqueur, lemon juice and housemade violet syrup served with a brandied cherry.
Join their wine club and have two bottles of wine per month (two reds, two whites, or one of each depending on preference) sent to you. The Pluckemin Inn also has a three-story, temperature-controlled wine tower with over 10,000 bottles of wines.
Bargain Bytes
Love martinis? On Fridays they are half price at the Copeland’s Martini Bar, The Westin Governor Morris (www.westingovernormorris.com and 973-451-2619) in Morristown. Other featured drinks are $2 off during Happy Hour, Monday through Friday, 5 to 7 p.m.
Bring Your Favorite Bottle
Some restaurants waive corkage fees on certain days:
- Sundays at The Washington Inn (www.washingtoninn.com, 609-884-5697) in Cape May.
- Tuesdays at The Manor (www.themanorrestaurant.com, 973-731-2360), where a special reduced-price wine list is also offered Tuesdays.
- Wednesdays at Andre’s Restaurant & Wine Boutique (www.andresrestaurant.com, 973-300-4192) in Newton.
Or, if you’d rather not bring your own, all wines up to $100 are half price on Mondays at Casa Dante, (www.casadante.com, 201-795-2750) in Jersey City.
Got Vines?
Here are two upcoming festivals hosted by The Garden State Wine Growers Association (www.newjerseywines.com), both held from noon to 5 p.m., $20:
- The Cape May Wine Festival on October 6 and 7, at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, Cape May.
- A Grand Harvest Festival on October 13 and 14 at Alba Vineyards, 269 Rt 627, Village of Finesville, Milford.
Contact Rosie at foodbytes@hotmail.com with other suggestions!
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