Orin Swift Wine Pairing Dinner at Sax at the Reeds at Shelter Haven
Friday, March 1, 7–9 pm
David Swift Phinney opened Orin Swift Cellars in St. Helena in 1995 after falling in love with wine on a trip to Italy. You don’t have to travel to California to share his passion—Sax at the Reeds executive sous chef Dave Troxell has written a five-course tasting menu to pair with wines he painstakingly and/or lavishly taste-tested for the occasion. The results are pairings like Seared Scallops with Butternut Squash Risotto with Swift’s “Blank Stare” Sauvignon Blanc and Orin’s 2016 rich, ripe Bordeaux blend “Papillon” with a Grilled Lamb T-Bone with a Blackcurrant Gastrique. Tickets are $90, plus tax and tip; call to make a reservation. Sax at the Reeds, The Reeds at Shelter Haven, 9601 3rd Avenue, Stone Harbor; 609-368-0100
Blue Morel Grand Reopening
Friday, March 1
Morristown’s Blue Morel will be reopening after 10 days of renovations. They were closed February 18-28. An Instagram post shows new carpets being installed, so their March 1 reopening looks promising. Blue Morel, The Westin Governor Morris, 2 Whippany Road, Morristown; 973-451-2619
Coffee and Dessert Pairing at Black River Roasters
Saturday, March 2, 1–2 pm
Here’s an excuse to have dessert for lunch, and/or learn about the actual, and incredibly seductive correlation between coffee flavors and desserts. For just $15, you’ll find yourself in the very qualified hands of Black River Roasters barista (and recipe development student) Erin Kopecky, who will guide you through a range of coffees paired with a range of sweets provided by Sweet Spot Bake Shoppe in nearby Chester. Register here. Black River Roasters, 424 Route 22 West, Whitehouse Station; 908-823-4715
Taste of Morristown at the Westin Governor at Morris
Monday, March 4, 7–9 pm
Set dinner standards for the week ridiculously high with a Monday night mini-feast. Presented by the Rotary Club of Morristown and Blue Morel, this year’s annual “Taste of Morristown” will feature over 30 local area restaurants (see our top picks for where to eat in Morristown here). Chances are you’ll spend more time chasing down as many tastes of the town as you can, but refreshment will be available—there will be wine and spirits for tasting courtesy of Gary’s Wine & Marketplace as well as beers from a handful of local breweries. Entry only if you’re 21 or over. Tickets are $100 for VIP entry at 6pm and $65 for General Admission. The Westin Governor Morris, 2 Whippany Road, Morristown; 973-539-7300
Atlantic City Restaurant Week
Monday March 4 – Friday March 8
It’s $15.19 for lunch and $35.19 for dinner, three course prix-fixe, and those are pretty much the only stats you’ll need to remember for Atlantic City’s annual Restaurant Week. As for the number of restaurants participating, suffice to say a lot: Los Amigos, Angeline by Michael Symon, The Smithville Inn, Buddakan, Phillip’s Seafood, Red Room Café, The Iron Room, Sofia, as well as several restaurants at Harrah’s, the Tropicana, etc. Not every restaurant is participating in both lunch and dinner, so call before settling on a reservation. Atlantic City Restaurant Week, locations vary.
Four-Part Cooking Instruction at In the Kitchen Cooking School
Wednesday, March 6–27, 6:30pm
If the un-checked “Develop serious culinary skills” line on your New Year’s Resolution list is still screaming at you, here’s a chance to make up for a bunch of lost time. Beginning March 6, In the Kitchen Cooking School in Haddonfield is offering its “Four-Part Cooking Instruction Course,” with four Wednesday evening classes on a variety of culinary topics. You’ll go from “Knife Skills” and “Sauces and Stocks” to “Sear, Sauté, Roast, and Grill,” and “Dessert Sauces and Plating.” Don’t commit if you’re not, well, committed: the course costs $265 in total, though that includes one-on-one time with your chef-instructor. To register, call 609-206-4511. In the Kitchen Cooking School, 10 Mechanic Street, Haddonfield; 856-489-1682