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. 

Employee appreciation on the water

Still tempting 70 degrees in late October, on Monday we celebrated what really makes this company work: our employees. With the sun setting against lower Manhattan, the Landmark Hospitality family embarked on a harbor cruise. It's times like these where we get to give thanks to our team of Memory Makers, a term that embodies Landmark's commitment to creating life's great memorable moments.

From l to r: Janet (Crave Caterers), Daniella (Liberty House) and Millie (Crave Caterers)

Look at that view from The Valiant!

If you're interested in booking your own party aboard our yacht, please visit the Valiant site.

Stone House Tasting at Bloomingdale's

Stone House at Stirling Ridge was one of the featured restaurants at the Love Where You Live event at  Bloomingdale's, Short Hills.  Chef Jerry Villa treated hungry shoppers to a wonderful tasting of Veal Ragu Pasta with Porcini Mushrooms. Owner Jeanne Cretella, and Bloomingdale's Culinary Event Coordinator Sajal Hamilton, take a quite moment to pose with Chef Jerry and his team. More to come...

Restaurant Review: Stone House at Stirling Ridge

The best part about moving? New restaurant choices. Last week, we decided to visit the Stone House Restaurant at Stirling Ridge. I had seen this advertised in NJ Monthly, and the venue looked gorgeous. The reviews on Yelp were pretty good, so we took a little drive over.

The pictures don’t lie. The venue is absolutely beautiful. The Stone House Restaurant is managed by Landmark Hospitality. The Web site isn’t very clear about this, but I’m guessing Stirling Ridge is the events section, as they do have a Grand Ballroom and wedding options. There was also a beautiful outdoor patio that would probably be very lovely when it’s not 50 degrees out. I’m sure having an event there is expensive, but it really is beautiful.

Now, on to the actual restaurant, which was also very elegant without being stuffy. The kitchen is open, and the whole interior features natural stone, as well as a beautiful floor to ceiling wine cellar. We sat in a booth close to the door, which I was worried about at first with noise and drafts, but it actually proved to be quiet and comfortable. Table seating was a bit cramped, so I’m glad we had the opportunity to sit alone instead of on top of other patrons.

The wait staff seemed young, but exceptionally knowledgeable. The wines by the glass list was pretty versatile, considering it seemed like a place where they would push the bottles. I started with a cheese platter, and Jared had an antipasta-type appetizer. Our server gave us a selection of cheeses that complemented one another very well. While the platter was a bit much for a one person starter, he was kind enough to wrap it up for us to take home. Honey, fruit and bread made nice additions to the platter.

Dinner was absolutely phenomenal, and well timed. The Stone House prides itself on creating meals based around local, market driven food buys. The wait staff does an excellent job pointing out which dishes feature local vegetables, meat, etc. Even though the kitchen seemed busy, the pace of the meal moved at very comfortable rate. I had the pork chops with maple glazed sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts. Pork chops are my usual, since they often come in a fabulous glaze with sweet potatoes. Can I just say that these sweet potatoes were to die for? And the brussel sprouts were fantastic-usually I’m not a huge fan, but these were like little baby ones that complemented the dish very well. Overall, a fabulous presentation that matched the taste.

The dessert menu actually proved to be better than we thought. Sometimes at restaurants like this, they only feature the usuals, with some seasonal fruit dessert that doesn’t appeal to us. However, there was no way we were passing up the S’mores Brownie with ice cream. A rich, chocolate brownie topped with some kind of marshmallow hardened glaze? To die for. And the tea and coffee list did not dissapoint either.

While the Stone House ended up becoming more crowded towards the end of our dinner, our server and the wait staff in general did not seem to ignore anyone to the point of annoyance. It’s nice to go to a restaurant that takes care of your needs from start to finish, keeping things moving, while also giving you time to relax and enjoy a lovely Friday evening.

My Rating: 10/10

Stone House at Stirling Ridge
50 Stirling Road
Warren, NJ 07060
908-754-1222

http://www.stonehouseatstirlingridge.com

Source: Adventure Ales and Trails

Stone House - Dinner in the Fields

Gathering clouds and a sudden shower did nothing to dampen Stone House at Stirling Ridge's first Dinner in the Fields.

The food, all sourced from local farmers and the Stone House's own beautifully laid out kitchen garden, was simply too good for us to abandon just because of a few raindrops. We diners grabbed umbrellas and kept right on eating--and what a repast there was to be had!

Garden vegetable soup, perfectly showcasing the best of what Chef Villa's garden had to offer, roasted pork with fennel, sausages, roasted chicken, stuffed tomatoes, the last of the garden's beets, peach crostada--it all just kept coming, and we all kept eating, washing each course down with wines from Hopewell Valley Vineyards and beers from the New Jersey Brewing Company.

Once the last coffee was drunk and the last s'more toasted over the nearby open fire pit, we bade new acquaintances goodbye and went home, satiated, with a box of leftovers that carried us through the week and reminded us every night of that wonderful al fresco dinner.


Source: http://bit.ly/b0AsDr (New Jersey Life Health & Beauty Magazine)

Katie & Semmes get married at Stone House

Katie and Semmes get married at Stone House...

The bridal party surprised bride Katie with a choreographed dance to Flo Rida's "Club Can't Handle Me"... and the rest is history. Happy couple... FUN Wedding... Check out the video...



Video courtesy of www.alexiparizeau.com.

Stephanie Rose marries Jeffrey... A reception followed the ceremony, at Stone House at Stirling Ridge

Stephanie Rose marries Jeffrey... A reception followed the ceremony, at Stone House at Stirling Ridge.

Source: http://bit.ly/aXVfK0

Stone House Farm Dinner

Executive Chef Jerry Villa and his culinary team collaborated to create a... Stone House Farm Dinner!

Come visit us at Stone House at Stirling Ridge

Marianne & Jared @ The Stone House at Stirling Ridge

"Wow, time does fly! We’ve had Marianne & Jared’s wedding on our minds for almost a year now, having photographed their engagement session wwwaaayyy back in 09′. We were looking forward to working with them again as well as working in the stylish Stone House at Stirling Ridge located in Warren, NJ. As their website describes it, the venue “radiates country elegance and luxury.”"
 

source: http://bit.ly/aL9wMa

Stone House's Chef Jerry Villa and his team hosted its first Farm Dinner!



Some feedback from the Event:

"The food was fabulous (and there was so much - I'm still full, but I couldn't stop eating!"

"The pork was fab, as was everything else"

"Sounds like yet another "Gold Star" Landmark Event! Can't wait for the Second Annual!"

More to come...


Stone House Restaurant at Stirling Ridge

Roast Beet and Fennel Salad

“As with many people, my childhood experience of beets was not a positive one,” says Jerry Villa, executive chef of Stone House restaurant at Stirling Ridge in Warren, NJ. “We ate the canned variety, and I never liked them. Once I had fresh beets, however, it all changed for me, and now I love them. Especially when roasted, which brings out their earthy sweetness, beets are incredibly flavorful, and extremely healthy for you.”

“Now with our Dancing Goat Farm, I use the beets grown in our own garden.”

Please click on the following link to read entire article (and get the recipe): http://bit.ly/bWWFIg


Source: http://bit.ly/bWWFIg (New Jersey Monthly)

Stone House Farm Dinner at Dancing Goat Farm

Stone House Farm Dinner at Dancing Goat Farm

Executive Chef Jerry Villa and his culinary team

have collaborated to create a …

Stone House Farm Dinner

Sunday, September 26, 2pm $75

From farm to fork, a fabulous feast for all!

Local meats, vegetables and dairy products come together with

Hopewell Valley Wines in an open-air family-setting.

Menu includes; Figs with Speck and Gorgonzola, Dancing Goat Farm Amuse Bouche,

Garden Vegetable Soup, Stuffed Roast Pork, Sautéed Bitter Greens with Sweet Leeks, Peach Crostada

For reservations or more information,

Please call Stone House 908.754.1222 or email info@stonehouseatstirlingridge.com

WEBSITE: Stone House at Stirling Ridge

Source: LocalWineEvents.com, http://bit.ly/bk5wAp

Farm fresh salads at Stone House at Stirling Ridge

Farm fresh salads at Stone House at Stirling Ridge...

Importing fresh ingredients from all over the world has always been a priority for Chef Jerry Villa who is going back to basics and staying local. So local that some of your meal may come from Stone House’s very own Dancing Goat Farm. With a goal of limiting the amount of human impact on the environment his Farm-fresh fare just tastes good. It’s a win, win, from farm to Chef to guest. When dining at Stone House be sure and look for the Dancing Goat logo on your menu and see which fresh farm ingredients are available.

Visit Us: http://www.stonehouseatstirlingridge.com/

Great summer recipe from Stone House featured in NJ life Health & Beauty!

From: Jerry Villa, Executive Chef at Stone House Restaurant, Warren, NJ
The Dish: Steamed Baby Clams with Chorizo and Garlic Bread

CIA graduate Jerry Villa has been the force behind many of Stone House owners Frank and Jeanne Cretellas’ restaurants, including Liberty house and the Boathouse in Central Park and Lundy’s in New York City. Now in charge of the kitchens at Stone House, Villa is taking advantage of nearby farms and food purveyors by sourcing many of the restaurant’s ingredients locally.

The restaurant has even gone the extra mile by farming its own vegetables and herbs at Wagner farms, a communal farm nearby, and hopes to expand its garden into a field immediately adjacent to the Stone House to ensure customers eat only the freshest produce available.

Serves 4-6 as an appetizer

2 pounds baby clams [cockles from New Zealand or Manilas from Washington State work well]
4 oz. Chorizo
1 Tablespoon chopped shallots
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 Tablespoon of chopped parsley
¾ cup of white wine
3 oz. plus 2 Tablespoons of butter
Salt and Pepper To Taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes

Place 2 tablespoons of butter into a skillet over medium heat. When butter is slightly melted, add chopped shallots and sliced garlic. Cook until translucent.

Add chorizo and cook for two minutes. Then add baby clams, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Pour white wine over clams, raise the heat and cover skillet. Cook for about 4 minutes. Remove cover and check to see if clams are open. If not, continue cooking at lower heat until open. Add chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix well and place in a large bowl to be served family style with garlic bread.

Garlic Bread
Half loaf of crusty Bread [ country,seomilia or any Italian type]
¼ cup olive oil
1 Teaspoon chopped garlic
1 Teaspoon chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients and let sit for one hour. Slice bread into half-inch slices. Brush both sides of bread with olive oil mixture. Bake in 350 degree oven for 12 -15 minutes or until desired crispiness,or place onto a pre-heated grill and grill on each side until desired crispiness. Cut and serve with clams.

Source: http://www.njlhealthandbeauty.com/recipes/steamed-baby-clams/

Visit us: http://www.stonehouseatstirlingridge.com/

Star Room twinkles with excitement!

Star Room at Stone House in Stirling Ridge twinkles with excitement...

Party at the Stone House

By Brianne Harrison

The oppressive heat and humidity that had reigned all week thankfully abated just in time for Stone House at Stirling Ridge to inagurate it’s new Star Room Patio with a fabulous party fit for the setting. Cooling breezes kept guests comfortable as they snacked on delicious hors d’oeuvres, sipped refreshing orange fennel martinis, and toasted marshmallows for s’mores over the fire pit while swaying to the beat of a seasonally appropriate reggae band. The new space, which adjoins the Watchung Mountain-set restaurant, is absolutely gorgeous and is bound to be a hit with diners and parties spilling over from Stone House’s banqueting facility. Fairy lights in the open latticework trellis overhead cast a warm glow on those gathering on surprisingly comfortable wooden chairs drawn up around the fire pit or the glowing water table. Along the pebbled paths are sofas set in cabanas, for those who want a little more privacy. The spot is sleek and sophisticated, but still warm and cozy, like the rest of Stone House. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, stop by, and maybe grab one of those yummy martinis while you’re there.


Orange-Fennel Martini
Ingredients:

2 oz fennel-infused vodka (see below)

4 oz fresh squeezed orange juice

Splash of fresh lime juice

Orange slice

Shake ingredients with ice until cold, strain and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with 1/2 wheel of orange and serve.

To make fennel-infused vodka:

Combine 1/2 cup fennel seed with 1 liter of premium vodka in a bottle or Mason jar. Cap tightly, and store in a cool dark place overnight. When ready, remove seeds through a fine strainer or other filter, decanting vodka into another bottle or jar. Store as you would any other vodka.

Source: http://www.njlhealthandbeauty.com/

Visit Us: http://www.stonehouseatstirlingridge.com/

Rosie Saferstein features the Star Room at Stone House on her Blog -Table Hopping with Rosie.

Stone House At Stirling Ridge, Warren, NJ

Eat, drink, and be merry at the new Star Room Patio at Stone House at Stirling Ridge, 50 Stirling Avenue, Warren. This eye-catching venue nestled in the Watchung Mountains was recently opened by Jeanne and Frank Cretella, owners of Landmark Hospitality, the parent company to Stone House at Stirling Ridge, Liberty House Restaurant, Crave Caterers, Valiant Yacht Charters, Celebrate at Snug Harbor (Staten Island), and Landmark Destination Weddings. The patio features a dramatic eighteen-foot water table with floating candles and flowers that guests may sit around while sipping drinks (try the newest summer cocktail, an orange fennel martini) and savoring executive chef Jerry Villa's menu. Additional design elements include an outdoor “wall” of mirrors and alluring, and private, little draped cabanas with dozens of silk pillows and comfortable seating. Guests can also opt to toast marshmallows in the fire pit after dinner. For reservations call 908-754-1222.

Source: http://njmonthly.com/blogs/tablehopwithRosie/2010/8/11/restaurant-news.html

Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein.

Take a sneak peek at the Star Room opening at Stone House and see what all the buzz is about.

Take a sneak peek at the Star Room opening at Stone House and see what all the buzz is about...



Visit us: http://www.stonehouseatstirlingridge.com/

Star Room Patio opens at Stone House at Stirling Ridge, Warren

The new Star Room Patio at Stone House at Stirling Ridge in Warren offers guests multiple areas for outdoor gatherings, from a water table with floating candles, to a fire pit table where marshmallows may be roasted, to hideaway cabanas and individual tables dotting the landscaped gardens.

Source: (Lois Heyman/MyCentralJersey) #11652

Join Us On Facebook: http://bit.ly/dD82Ks

August is heating up at Landmark Hospitality!

July was such a busy month at Landmark Hospitality for both Liberty House and Stone House restaurants. In case you were lucky enough to be on vacation or just to busy at work you still have time to experience some of the new and exciting things going on at both restaurants. Liberty House will be featuring some fantastic items during Hudson Restaurant Week and the Star Room at Stone House is the place to be. Can't decide... well why not go to both! For more information on Restaurant week go to HudsonRestaurantWeek.com. or call 201.395.0300. See you under the Stars!!!

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/jjournal/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-1/1279866515118180.xml&coll=3

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=CN&Dato=20100727&Kategori=FOOD&Lopenr=7270803&Ref=PH

Stone House Restaurant featured on "The Food Chain": A+ Patio

A+ Patio

Here’s another example of a great outdoor wining and dining space: the new Star Room Patio at the Stone House at Stirling Ridge in Warren. Owners Jeanne and Frank Cretella have enhanced their already spectacular venue with a multi-sectioned outdoor space that offers landscaped gardens with individual tables, marble benches, hideaway cabana booths and an 18-foot-long water table with floating candles, nestled under a gently lit pergola. Guests also may toast after-dinner marshmallows around the fire-pit table (especially on National Marshmallow Toasting Day, Aug. 30).

As work proceeded on the patio earlier in the season, guests clamored to be seated in the new space, with its Watchung Mountains backdrop, even while it still was being built by Frank Cretella’s Black Dog Construction Company. At the recent launch party, more than a hundred people enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres from executive chef Jerry Villa, cookies that sprang from “garden” platters, sangria punches, paella and Stone House’s newest cocktail, the Orange Fennel Martini.

Stone House at Stirling Ridge is part of Landmark Hospitality’s group of restaurants that also includes Liberty House, Crave Caterers and Snug Harbor Cultural Center. Stone House is at 50 Stirling Road, Warren. For more information, visit http://www.stonehouseatstirlingridge.com/

Source: http://blogs.mycentraljersey.com/foodchain/2010/07/28/a-patio/