Aside from being a blog writer on the weekends and week nights, during the day time, I am a teacher. Being a teacher has many highs and I won’t lie, some stressful lows that I’m sure any teacher can attest to. One very high perk about being a teacher is that I am gratefully showered with many types of chocolate during the holiday season.
Although it doesn’t really have a positive impact on my waistline, my serotonin levels shoot through the roof. And because I had so many options to choose from, I can safely say that my favorite box of chocolates was from the The Fudge Shoppe in Flemington, NJ.
Opening a box of these beautifully presented chocolates will definitely put you in a truffled spot. Of course you have to eat them. They can’t go to waste.
So in order to maximize the full experience of these delicately decorated chocolates, I decided to have one a day until the box was empty. Continue reading “you’re in big truffle”→
Some things are just tradition like the birthday table cloth, the birthday sign, the star streamers in the kitchen. Year after year these things have been present on family birthdays and although they are inanimate objects, they definitely raise my serotonin levels. I used to think that birthdays were all about getting presents! (I mean who doesn’t love a nice gift here or there) After this birthday though, I realized that it’s not about what you get but about the memories that you make. My list of good birthday memories grows and grows every year. (Does this mean I really am getting old?) I really appreciate everyone who made an effort to make me feel special for a day.
Although the fact that summer is winding down, pool time is coming to a close, beach season is ending is very disheartening, there are a variety of Fall outdoor activities that await you. Fall is a great time to go outside and go apple picking, pumpkin picking, hiking, sometimes even kayaking (pending temperature- I hate being cold).
Another really fun way to get outside and get moving is to go for a bike ride. I love bike riding because it seems effortless (if you know how to ride a bike) and although you are active, you’re mind can just wander, drift, and take in all the scenery around you.
If you like to ride your bike or even go for a stroll, you should visit Duke Farms in Hillsborough, NJ. Duke Farms is a large estate that was owned by James Buchanan Duke. His vision was to build a farm similar to the ones he grew up with knowing in North Carolina. The architecture that was built still stands today. So when you’re strolling around or riding your bike, you can stop and read the various descriptions of each part of the estate. It’s actually a pretty cool way to look back in history.
Anyway, this is food blog right? Better get to the point. After I went for a relaxing bike ride with my parents, we stopped in at the cafe. I’ve never eaten in the cafe before but I heard that they had very fresh ingredients and often times sell out of all of their dishes because they’re so popular. Since I was there right at 11 am, I got to choose anything that I wanted from the lunch menu. I decided to order the “Hay Barn” panini. The Hay Barn consisted of ham, swiss cheese, spinach, and honey dijonpressed together in rye bread.
They make all of their food fresh to order, so once I placed my order I had to wait at one of their tables. Not terrible because located on each of their tables were beautiful orchids. I wish I knew how to keep orchids this healthy and this alive. I’ve tried many times.
I’m really not a red meat eater. For whatever reason, it has never really appealed to me, so for me to say that this burger is worth sacrifrying your diet for, is a BOLD statement. Now I know that technically Shake Shack is a “chain” restaurant, but it has so few locations that you really have to drive a distance to get to one unlike other fast food locations that are on every corner. In New Jersey, there are only three locations, Bridgewater, Garden State Plaza, and Paramus.
Also unlike other burger places, Shake Shack’s uses ingredients that are made from 100% all-natural Angus beef that are vegetarian fed and humanely raised. There are no hormones or antibiotics, thank goodness because I have enough of those myself. Continue reading “worth sacrifrying your diet”→
Who needs an excuse to have ice cream? I’m down to eat ice cream at any time during the year but if you do need a concrete reason to indulge in the ever delicious, creamy, cold dessert treat, I have it right here for you! July is National Ice Cream Month. BAM! Go out now before time is up!
Where do you want to go? One of my favorite ice cream windows is Petrucci’s Dairy Barn in Piscataway, NJ.
ice cream window
Sometimes the line can be long, but that’s okay because that’s just concrete evidence that this place does it right! Also, if you can’t decide what to get, there is a huge assortment of options to choose from. You can never really get tired or bored of having their ice cream.
Also on the plus side, which I think makes for a really good dining experience in any scenario, the people are really friendly and work as quickly as possible to give you your desired frozen treat.
Take a look at their peanut butter sundae. Can you go wrong with peanut butter? You get to choose the type of ice cream you would like on the sundae (this one has soft serve vanilla) and it is topped with peanut butter, peanut butter cups, chocolate fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry. What a taste delight!
If you want something a little less peanut butter-y, you can opt for your favorite ice cream topped with any of their available toppings. This sundae happens to have peanut butter cups and the most awesome neon, rainbow sprinkles. Honestly, no matter what you get they do not jip you on the toppings. Look at those peanut butter cups. Look at the amount of sprinkles.
You know what else is awesome? You can get orange creamsicle, vanilla swirl soft serve. Yup! That’s right! You don’t have to even go to the jersey shore for this. They have other fun flavors like caramel, salted pretzel and strawberry banana swirl. What better way to spend a hot, summer July night than outside getting some ice cream?
Did you know that Sunday, July 19 is National Ice Cream day? Seriously, what are you waiting for?
Can anyone really resist a good bakery? I know there’s plenty around New Jersey and every time my dad brings something home from one of them, I just can’t say no.
Dorsi’s Bakery 479 Port reading Avenue Port Reading, NJ 07064
When you see this on your kitchen counter, the fun has only just begun, right? I mean aside from trying to wrestle with the strings in order to open the box only to eventually get scissors out so you can cut the string off, there’s actually a treat inside! Continue reading “i mean, crumb on!”→
shut up and eat with me 