Forget Punxsutawney Phil and Groundhog Day. Residents of Hudson County know that spring arrives when the annual Taste of Weehawken culinary fundraiser lights up Lincoln Harbor.
This year’s event on Tuesday, May 2 will feature 30 of the best restaurants, caterers, and bakeries spanning North Hudson and the Gold Coast, each showcasing some of their signature dishes to raise money for the Weehawken library.
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“It’s like a big block party and everybody’s invited.” – Alex Gulino
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“That’s the largest number we’ve ever had and it’s a tremendous variety of food,” said Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner at a press conference at the library on April 25.
“I’ve been to other Taste events and this one just feels so warm to me,” said Alex Gulino, marketing director of Houlihan’s, one of a handful of restaurants that have participated in the event since the inception 17 years ago. “I really feel like this is a community event. You’re hanging out with your neighbor, your girlfriend down the block, and everybody’s just there to have a good time and try some new stuff. It’s like a big block party and everybody’s invited. I love it.”
In addition to serving three of their perennial favorites – Navajo chicken pasta, stuffed mushrooms, and baked potato soup – Houlihan’s contributes all the ice for the event and offers any other assistance that’s needed.
Providing liquid refreshments for the fifth year running is Giannone Wine & Liquor Co., a family-owned business with locations in West New York and Hoboken. This year they will have 12 tables, staffed by 24 vendors serving free samples of wines, spirits, and craft beers.
“We’re very conscious of the community that we’re part of,” said Director of Operations Felix Ayala. Giannone reaches out to their suppliers, who in turn pitch in by donating their time and goods. “The library wouldn’t have the contacts to the suppliers, so that’s where Giannone Wines comes in, because of our relationships,” said Ayala. “We help with all that legwork. We organize all the vendors, we get the word out, we get their support.”
Among the new offerings this year is an original, locally-produced specialty. “Two guys from the Hoboken area came out with a new ginger bourbon,” said Ayala. “It’s called Misunderstood Whiskey. It’s really good stuff, a little bit softer with a nice ginger spice. Bourbon has grown so much in the last couple of years.”
International and local cuisine represented
The record number of vendors will offer cuisine from Italy, Spain, Mexico, India, Cuba, Japan, Greece, and further afield. To sample them all would otherwise entail traveling to 30 of the area’s finest establishments and sampling their best dishes.
Jack Austin’s opened in the Weehawken Sheraton just over a year ago and immediately joined last year’s Taste with their delicious southwestern fare. “This year we’re doing 16-hour smoked brisket sliders,” along with brisket cut to order, according to Consulting Executive Chef Julie Farias.
“The thing we’re most proud of is that we source everything from local New Jersey, said Bruce Hanks, general manager of Jack Austin’s. “Even our craft beers are all from local New Jersey craft breweries. You’re not going to come into our bar and get a Bud Light or Miller Lite. You’re going to get quality craft New Jersey ale.”
“We get our meat from Pat LaFrieda, right on Tonnelle,” added Farias. “We have a gluten-free blueberry crisp on the menu so we use local Jersey berries when they’re in season.”
Also among the servers this year are some students who were barely a year old when the first Taste took place. Weehawken High School’s culinary and pastry arts program traditionally showcases the students’ cooking skills at the event. This year they will offer a bacon maple chicken wing served over a spicy wild rice blend, and a peaches and cream puff pastry tartlet.
“We spend Monday and Tuesday during the day preparing all the food, and on Tuesday afternoon we bring it down to be served,” said Culinary Instructor Joe Mantineo.
Senior Alfonso Salandra is among the half-dozen or more students who will be working the event.
“I’m interested in a career in the culinary arts. I love cooking,” he said. And what has he learned from the event preparations? “I’ve learned that it takes an immense amount of food to prepare for this.”
Plentiful baked good and desserts on offer
Luce’s Gluten-Free Artisan Bread is one of numerous local vendors joining the event this year. Owner Charles Luce lives in Weehawken and although his bakery and storefront are in Berkeley Heights, he operates a pop-up shop on Thursday nights at Clarity Fitness in Union City and sells by mail-order.
Luce has celiac disease, rendering him gluten-intolerant, which is why he began the business in 2012. “I’ve always been an amateur baker, but my background is in the chemistry of photography,” he explained. “A lot of photography chemistry is in odd ways related to bread chemistry. Photography depends on long molecules and gluten is a long molecule so there’s a parallel. I came up with solutions to make high quality gluten-free breads.”
With affiliates in the U.K. licensing his product, Luce will be bringing about four of his breads to the Taste. “The sweets field in gluten-free baking is pretty well dominated already,” he said. “A lot of people figured that out. But nobody’s really figured out how to make great breads except us.”
But don’t think sweets will be neglected. Various local vendors like Kathryn’s Confections, Lorraine’s Table, and The Hudson Cakery will offer specialty and boutique chocolates, pastries, and other dessert delicacies. Even Ben & Jerry’s has something special in mind.
“We’re going to launch our new cereal flavors, which are Frozen Flakes, Fruit Loot, and Cocoa Loco,” said Manager Christine Amores. “They’re supposed to represent Saturday morning cartoons, with you in your pajamas.”
Alongside those will be the non-dairy vegan flavor Caramel Almond Brittle, and the new favorite Totally Baked.
All for a good cause
“We love to keep Weehawken’s small-town atmosphere, and the library enhances that,” said Mayor Turner. “It has programs from 6-month-old children up to senior citizens. And there’s always things that the budget doesn’t provide for: special art exhibits, special children’s programs, guest lecturers, and then upgrading technology is a constant effort. So this helps fill in the gaps that the normal budget doesn’t cover.”
This month alone the library ran about 43 programs for all ages, according to Leona Nersesian, president of the library trustees. A member of the library board for over 30 years, she recalls the first Taste of Weehawken, inspired by a similar event in Hoboken. “It was hard in the beginning,” she said. “We had a little less than 20 restaurants and a local liquor store. I would think a little over 200 people came out.”
Last year the event attracted more than twice that many attendees, selling out the location and netting about $18,000. “I really want to thank Hartz Mountain Industries,” said Turner. “Hartz Mountain Industries for 17 years have let us use the food court free of charge. They’ve supplied their personnel. If it’s too hot we get air conditioning. If it’s too cold we get heat.”
But this year may be the last at this location for the event. “I think Hartz Mountain is renting that space out to a restaurant or something,” said Nersesian. “Next year we may have to have a new venue.”
How to attend
Two tiers of tickets are available: $40 per person allows entry to the event and access to all 30 vendors from 7:30 to 9 p.m. on May 2, while $60 per person allows early entry at 6:30 plus door prizes, including gift certificates, donations from restaurants and businesses, lunch and dinner cruises, tickets to the Paper Mill Playhouse, and much more.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at the library, 49 Hauxhurst Ave., or online at brownpapertickets.com. Tickets at the door, if they are still available, will cost $5 more per ticket. For more information call (201) 863-7823 or visit weehawken-nj.us/library.html.
