Earlier this week, The Hubs and I had the chance to attend St. Joseph’s Hospital’s 8th Annual Cooking for Kids: Gourmet Fare from Everywhere event at Westmount Country Club in Woodland Park, New Jersey. As you read in previous posts, it’s an event that we enjoyed last year very much and this year was equally as wonderful. Every bite benefits St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, and every bite is AMAZING, with over 30 of the finest restaurants and food/wine establishments in the Tri State Area participating.
Most memorable bites?
Definitely Villalobos’ fresh guacamole garnished with bacon, English peas and house made tortilla chips (I would have never thought to pair peas and bacon with guac…but it definitely worked and made for a lovely variety of textures and flavors.)
Villalobos’ guacamole with English peas and bacon
I just might have stopped by Chef Ariane Duarte’s table twice (okay, three times) to sample Ariane Kitchen & Bar’s tomato soup with grilled cheese gnocchi served in a precious little espresso cup and saucer.
Ariane Kitchen + Bar’s tomato soup with grilled cheese gnocchi
Fitzgerald’s 1928 served up sliced short rib sliders with a schmear of horseradish cream on a delicate mini brioche roll.
There were several cupcake purveyors. I was quite impressed with the depth of flavor and freshness of the double chocolate mini cupcakes provided by Cakes by Maria G of Lodi, New Jersey, while Baked Bouquet made for visually stunning and innovative cupcake bouquets for giving as gifts or using as centerpieces.
Baked Bouquet — yes, those are cupcakes!
Some Bergen County fan favorites were also present, like Marc’s Cheesecake out of Glen Rock, Empanada Mania of Bergenfield and Glaze Artisan Donuts (the home of the maple bacon donut) of Ridgewood.
The Hubs and I also enjoyed sipping a variety of wines from Gary’s Wine & Marketplace — I even stumbled upon a rose that might be my go-to summer sip: Charles and Charles Rose.
A very special thank you to John Dougherty and The St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation for hosting The Hubs and me, and for putting on yet another quality event for such a notable cause.
oxox
-mom a la mode
{The Hubs and I received complimentary VIP tickets to Cooking For Kids: Gourmet Fare from Everywhere. All opinions expressed here are solely mine.}
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