Rosie will be on vacation until mid-March. Today, a post by guest blogger Deborah Carter.
Pleasantdale Chateau, at 757 Eagle Rock Ave., West Orange, is holding two special events in March. First, on March 9, is the Stags’ Leap Wine Dinner, a five-course dinner (menu to be announced) with wines from the Napa Valley Winery, where grapes have grown continuously on the estate since the 1880s; Joanne Wing, a winemaker from Stags’ Leap, will be on hand as guest speaker. The dinner costs $165 per person, including tax and gratuity. Then, on March 30, come back to Pleasantdale for the Glenrothes Scotch Dinner. Here, executive chef Robert Albers will present a signature multi-course menu to pair with single-malt scotches from the renowned distillery, whose first bottle of whisky was produced in 1879; Glenrothes has been producing in the Speysides region ever since. The Glenrothes Scotch dinner is $150 per person, tax and gratuity included. Both events begin with a reception at 6:30 p.m. and start at 7 p.m. Pleasantdale will open a select number of guest rooms at the chateua for overnights on the evening of both events. For reservations, (973) 731-5600 ext. 416.
Marian Bolum is a certified master food preserver and the founder of Farm to Jars, an organization that teaches people to eat seasonally year-round through the magic of, among other things, pickling. From 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on March 12, she is holding a workshop at Blue Moon Acres’ certified organic farm in Pennington (11 Willow Creek Dr. Pennington). Here, you’ll learn pickling using three different methods: refrigeration, fermentation and shelf-stable vinegar-brining.
The workshop will cover selecting produce for pickling, flavoring and step-by-step instructions on safe canning procedures. Each person will make a jar of crunchy pickles applying each of the three methods.
Cost is $60 per person, and the class includes light farm-fresh fare, beverages, tastings, recipes, instructions and jars to take home. To register, 609-306-3489 or farmtojars.com.
In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, the Irish Sports Pub the Tilted Kilt, at 645 Cross Keys Road in Sicklerville, is rolling out a 2016 Hooley Menu. The new menu offers a modern twist on Irish food classics like corned beef hash and eggs and the corned beef sandwich, and new Irish drinks such as the Lucky Kiss. A portion of St. Patrick’s Day weekend’s proceeds will be donated to All Hands Working, benefitting first responders at home and nationwide, including police, fire, EMS and military veterans. One dollar for every Guinness sold that weekend will be donated to All Hands Working. There will also be live entertainment Thursday through Saturday night ($5 cover), with all proceeds donated to All Hands Working. March 19th will feature events all day, including a beer pong tournament at 1 p.m. run by Chive Charities to raise money for All Hands Working. For information, 856-318-7059 or their website.