Halloween Candy & Wine Tasting at Fleming’s
Thursday, October 31, 6pm
Grown-ups get tricked often enough. Fortunately Fleming’s in Edgewater is coming through with some treats this Halloween. From 6 to 8 pm, it’s Halloween candy and wine, plus a few less cavity-inducing hors d’oeuvres (filet mignon flatbread, prime meatballs with peppercorn sauce). Don’t rack your brain trying to figure out which grape variety goes best with candy corn; they’ve got four tables set up with preconceived pairings (e.g. merlot and milk chocolate, white wines and candy corn). Spend the time getting your costume ready; costumes are encouraged, not required, but, hey, when life gives you an excuse to dress like this, take it. Tickets are $45 per person; call to reserve. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Bar, 90 The Promenade, Edgewater; 201-313-9463
Harvest Cooking Class in AC
Friday, November 15, 6–9pm
AC might not be the first place you think of at the mention of “harvest,” but the Claridge Hotel and its Twenties Bistro will try to change that on Friday, November 15 with a “Harvest Cooking Class.” Tickets are $65 per couple (the event is based on their popular Valentine cooking class), which buys you and yours a lesson in preparing herb sweet-potato risotto as well as a buffet dinner chicken piccata and chicken cacciatore, as well as steak Diane and pan-seared Atlantic scallops. Drinks are not included but there’s a cash bar. In the least it’s a way to book a trip to AC in advance of the holidays (think of it as Thanksgiving pre-gaming). Twenties Bistro, Claridge Hotel, 123 South Indiana Avenue, Atlantic City; 844-224-7386
New Jersey Vegan Food Festival
Saturday and Sunday, November 16-17
VegFest at the Meadowlands Expo Center is here just in time for pre-holiday inspiration. With an enormous number of food and product vendors, vegans, vegetarians, and contented omnivores alike will find something to put on the Thanksgiving menu from Newark’s own Dream Greens by Aerofarms , adding coffee or kombucha from Pine-Coast, or grabbing sweet stocking stuffers from Mishti Organic Vegan Chocolates. Not everything will be food-based; organizations such as Halfway Home Animal Rescue and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society will be on hand. Young plant-eaters can find small-scale treats in the GoGo SqueeZ Kids Area both days. Chocolate chip cookie fans, FYI: check out Root 9 Baking Company. Ticket prices vary, up to $30 for both days, and kids under 13 area free. Meadowlands Expo Center, 355 Plaza Drive, Secaucus.
Orin Swift Wine Dinner at Café Chameleon
November 20, 6:30pm
November 28 (Thanksgiving) is a busy day at home. Let November 20 be a day—at least a dinner—of hands-free indulgence. Bryan Gregg of Café Chameleon is cooking four courses to pair with four wines from the award-winning Napa Valley winery Orin Swift. Pairings include a sauvignon blanc with Arctic char and smoked crema; 2017 Mannequin Chardonnay with sea scallops, celeriac, and truffle butter; and an epic zinfandel blend with a 60-day dry-aged beef roast with marrow and pommes Anna (delicately roasted, thinly-sliced, crispy potatoes). Tickets are $109 per person and can only be made by phone (i.e., pick up that phone). Café Chameleon, 60 Main Street, Bloomingdale; 973-850-6969