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Fall events and bonus recipe

A chill is starting to set in. It's a great time to cozy up to one our cocktail classes.

Consider having us prepare Thanksgiving dinner for you at Liberty House or Stone House, both open from 1-6 p.m. on Turkey Day. We're sharing a special Fall recipe, straight from Liberty House executive chef Philip Campanella.

Call 866.683.3856 or e-mail info@libertyhouserestaurant.com to make reservations for cocktail classes and Thanksgiving feasts.

Learn How to Make Cocktails Like A Pro

Create and sip on cocktails, lounge with friends, nosh on complimentary hors d’oeuvres, and receive recipe cards to take home. Bar supplies, glassware, and ingredients are all provided.

Fall 2010 featured cocktails

• Fall Spice: A little spice, a little chill and a lot of flavor. This tasty treat features vanilla liquor, bourbon and a homemade, chipotle-orange syrup.

• Pumpkin Pie: Tasty drinkable version of the real thing. Substitute vodka for the crust.

• Washington Apple: A little bit of whiskey + a little bit of schnapps = a whole lot of fall fun.

 The details:

Cost: $35 per person

Thursday, Nov. 11: 7-8:30 p.m.

Liberty House Restaurant, 76 Audrey Zapp Drive, Jersey City, NJ

www.libertyhouserestaurant.com

Thursday, Nov. 18: 7-8:30 p.m.

Stone House Restaurant, 50 Stirling Road, Warren, NJ

www.stonehouseatstirlingridge.com

Baked Brie with Pear, Cranberry, & Walnut Conserve                                                                                   (serves10)

For the Brie:

1 Wheel (2-pound) firm Brie (rind intact)
chilled 2 pk (17 1/4-ounce) frozen puff pastry sheets (4 pastry -sheets)
thawed 1 lg egg, beaten lightly

For the conserve
2T unsalted butter
4 bartlet or bosc pear, peeled, cored and diced

2T brown sugar

¼ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup chopped walnuts

¼ t allspice

¼ t nutmeg

To make the conserve:

1. Heat the butter in a heavy pan over medium heat until it begins to foam

2. Add the pears and cook stirring for 2 – 3 minutes, until the pear is tender

3. Stir in the brown sugar, dried cranberries, walnuts and spices

4. Continue cooking for 10 minutes, then set aside and cool to room temperature

To make the brie:

1. Put Brie on a work surface and with a 2-inch round cutter cut out 10 rounds

2. On a lightly floured surface unfold 1 pastry sheet (do not roll out pastry) and with a  2 1/4-inch round cutter cut out 10 rounds

3. Unfold remaining 3 pastry sheets and with a 5-inch round cutter cut out 10 rounds

4. On cleaned work surface arrange 1 large pastry round and brush top with some egg. Center 1 cheese round on pastry and wrap pastry up over cheese to form a 3/4-inch border on top of cheese. Brush border with some remaining egg and top with 1 small pastry round, pressing edges of dough together gently but firmly to seal. Brush round with some remaining egg and chill on a baking sheet. Make more wrapped Brie with remaining pastry and cheese rounds in same manner. Chill each wrapped Brie, uncovered, at least 30 minutes

5. Preheat oven to 425 F. and lightly grease a baking sheet.

6. Bake Brie on baking sheet in middle of oven 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden.

7. Cool Brie on baking sheet on a rack about 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm   

      

* Chef Phil likes to serve the brie on a bed of frisèe with a spoonful of the conserve. The bitter frisèe provides a nice contrast of flavors with the creamy and buttery brie. The conserve can be made ahead, cooled and refrigerated up to a week. Allow to come to room temperature before serving. 

Is it crazy to celebrate Thanksgiving at a restaurant?

Liberty House Restaurant will be open from 1 to 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving day, which made us think: Does it make sense to celebrate Thanksgiving out?

Imagine no clean up. Imagine the pressure to cook everything perfectly on someone else. Americans love tradition and there's something reassuring about going to someone's home to give thanks, but....

Come to think about it, a lot of Jews make it a Christmas tradition to go their favorite Chinese restaurant. It might be fun to go against the grain for Thanksgiving.

Time to revive the company holiday party

There is some good news on the economy today. Jobless claims dropped to a three-month low, indicating a the nation's labor market is rebounding. One thing we can do to help the economy is to revive the company holiday party.

To some people the Company Holiday Party is a dreaded occasion where bosses are watching how employees interact, spouses are uncomfortable because everyone else is talking about work and you really can't enjoy it because, well, you're at work but maybe in a fancy location.

We like holiday parties that people actually look forward to. A well-executed (i.e. not-too-formal) event can really make people feel  appreciated. 

Here are some tips on how to throw a Company Holiday Party that people will remember and look forward to next year:

• Keep it relatively casual: In modern times (not "Mad Men" times) people want to come as they are. That said, as a host, don't be afraid to rock a reindeer tie.
• Good food and drink: This is an essential for entertaining period. Don't give people an opportunity to gripe about the basics of a good party. Work with your event planner on the menu.
• Play upbeat music: Don't overdo the holiday cliche music, but play some uplifting jazz or pop at just the right volume to make an impact, but low enough so everyone can comfortably conversate.
• Serve alcohol: We're all adults here. We can handle some libations. You are not responsible for those who are foolish enough to overindulge. But don't leave designated drivers and those who choose not to drink alcohol with just water. Create a delicious non-alcoholic beverage choice.
• Keep it short: Don't make party goers feel like they have to stay a long time because it's a work event. If they choose to stay longer, great, but keep the official time just for a few hours and let it run long.
• Keep the speeches short: Go ahead and acknowledge the reason for the gathering. Give thanks and recognition, but, by all means, keep it concise. People are here to enjoy food and conversation, not sit through a meeting.

If you and your co-workers have really worked hard this year, a company holiday party is a small gesture than can go along way if you execute it properly.

Eat locally

 

OK, so you’ve read that eating locally sourced food is a good idea. It’s green. It’s supporting the local economy.

In an article from Treehugger.com, John Ikerd, a retired agricultural economics professor, says local farms need not give priority to packing, shipping and shelf life issues and can instead “select, grow and harvest crops to ensure peak qualities of freshness, nutrition and taste.” Eating local also means eating seasonally, he adds, a practice much in tune with Mother Nature.

At our restaurant Stone House at Stirling Ridge, we like to use our own locally grown ingredients whenever we can because it simply tastes better. Located on site, Dancing Goat Farm (pictured) are where we grow our own vegetables and herbs. We are in the Garden State and we believe that our places of dining should reflect that heritage.