Brunch at The Cassidy

The Cassidy in Maplewood, NJ has become one of our favorite places to grab a creative cocktail.  Their mixologists are always on point with fresh, fun flavors.  Normally we go at random afternoon times and sit at the bar.  But one Sunday we decided to head over for the brunch menu and live jazz.  We got there toward the end of the afternoon, so we only caught the tail end of the music (which was great!).  But the food and cocktails once again did not disappoint.

The Cassidy Waltz

(a delightful mix of Small Batch Ridgemont Reserve 1792 Bourbon, Punt E Mes, ginger, lemon and apple cider... with the jazz band in the background)

Chick-N-Waffle

(the waffles are made with bacon and potato - surprisingly fluffy and addictive)

Shrimp & Grits Skillet

(lovely cheddar grits and nicely seasoned shrimp; 

totally satisfied the Southern food craving created by watching the latest season of Top Chef in Kentucky)

We were stuffed and happy and ready to get the check.  But when a waiter comes by and says the words "fresh maple donut with candied bacon"... the only correct response is: "Yes, please."  The donut was MADE TO ORDER and AMAZING!  Worth every indulgent bite. 

Caribbean-Style Rice and Beans in the Slow Cooker

We recently took a family trip to Jamaica, and our picky eater LOVED the rice and beans.  We've known for a long time that what makes Jamaican rice and beans so special is that they use coconut milk.  We were just never sure of the ratio to add when cooking, so we never attempted it.  Thankfully, after our trip Mel vaguely remembered that one of our slow cooker magazines featured a recipe for "Caribbean-Style Rice and Beans."  Might it include coconut milk?  Might it be the answer we've been searching for?  YES!

Such easy prep work and relatively quick cooking time for a slow cooker.
Two substitutions we made:  brown rice instead of white and chicken broth instead of water.

The end result:  DELICIOUS!  Just the right hint of coconut flavor.  We just had to add a dash of salt to taste.  Also, it came out a bit sticky this first time around.  At around 2.5 hours, we decided to turn off the slow cooker because the sides were starting to burn.  So next time we'll grease the slow cooker pot with butter or non-stick spray and leave the rice in a little longer to hopefully get the consistency just right.  But we're so pleased that the flavor is absolutely spot-on, and our picky eater is happy to have "vacation rice" at home!  

7 Year Celebration at The Huntley Taverne

It's already March and we haven't put up a post for the new year yet?!  Yikes!  We have quite a backlog of posts to choose from, but it seems fitting that the first post for 2019 should feature our date at The Huntley Taverne celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary!

We've been to Huntley many times before, and it never disappoints.  The cocktail menu featured such a fun variety of choices, as always.

DJ went with a simple glass of Prosecco, while Mel indulged in a Timm's Cup because nothing beats a cider drink near a cozy fire on a cold winter day.

We shared the Lump Crab Cake to start.  "Lump" is quite an appropriate choice for the name - huge chunks of crab and minimal bready filling make this a winner!

Lump Crab Cake

(shaved vegetable slaw, Creole remoulade, dressed herb salad)

Then Mel went with a classic Huntley Burger - super juicy with awesome truffle fries on the side.

The Huntley Burger

(grilled red onions, pancetta, crumbled blue cheese, truffled house cut frites)

DJ gave the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich a whirl - the chicken was nicely prepared and the jalapeno ranch added a nice kick.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich 

(panko crusted, shaved vegetable slaw, jalapeno ranch)

So glad we could begin another year of foodie adventures by celebrating at one of our favorite local haunts.  Cheers to 7 years!