Eating, Drinking and Cooking in South Jersey This Weekend: Italian Feast in Brick and More!

What is it about an Italian feast that is so appealing? Maybe it’s the fact that the word ‘feast’ is part of the description. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s a feast being thrown by those of Italian descent, and they tend to do alright when it comes to preparing good food (I know…I’ve checked). Or maybe it’s just the thought of sausage and zeppole scents wafting through a summer evening that get the ol’ taste buds all a-flutter.

(Excuse me while I get this drool off the computer keyboard here…Sfd zpr[ aoek.a eut fcvgo[oifcl=9l=d…ok, much better now.)

So, what’s the point of mentioning all of this, getting everyone’s taste buds all a-flutter and their keyboards soaked? There’s an Italian Feast going on this weekend at the Church of the Epiphany on Thiele Road in Brick. Everything kicked off Thursday night actually, so why wait until the weekend. Then again, it’s not like you’re going to beat any traffic in Brick: there’s ALWAYS traffic in Brick. Call 732.458.0220 or check their website for additional details. They list quite a lot of food items that will be available – and there’s even going to be Filipino BBQ. Wow!

Staying on the Italian theme…how about some Italian wine to wash down all that food? Get out of that traffic in Brick (as best as you can) and get on the Parkway, zip down to AC, and mead on over to the marina to enjoy the Cal-Ital Summer Winefest that will be going on at the Golden Nugget Hotel. As you may have guessed, the winefest will feature Italian and Californian wines. There will be two big wine tastings on Friday and Saturday nights plus a wine brunch and fashion show on Sunday.

Staying on the wine theme…historic Renault Winery in Egg Harbor City is having its Culinary Classic II: Jersey Fresh Seafood & Produce dinner on Friday night. Cocktails will be at 6:30 p.m., and dinner starts at 7 p.m. The cost is $69 per person.

Staying on the wine AND seafood theme…oh, and have you gotten out of that traffic yet? Still stuck on Chambers Bridge Road? I feel for you…Bellview Winery in Landisville is having its annual Seafood Festival on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Staying on the seafood theme some more… on Sunday, the AJ Meerwald (official tall ship of New Jersey) will be having an Oyster Sail with Raw Bar at Utsch’s Marina at Schellenger’s Landing in Cape May starting at 1:30 p.m. The sail and seafood is $50 per person and $25 for kids.

Going back to the Jersey fresh theme…SJ Hot Chefs is once again doing Feast in the Fields this Saturday. Chef Fred of Elements Cafe in Haddon Heights is making a wonderful meal that will be served at 1895 Organic Farm in Lumberton. The cost to dine will be $50 per person.

Jumping off to a beer theme…it’s the annual Craft Beer Fest on Saturday being thrown by the Somers Point Fire Department Company #2. Beer will be served from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., with a special VIP tasting taking place from noon to 1 p.m.

And now to the peeking ahead to next week theme…the Wines of Argentina will be theme of a special wine dinner at DiPaolo’s Italian Ristorante in Penns Grove on Tuesday. There will also be a Vegetable Twilight Meeting and Research Tour at Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Bridgeton taking place on Tuesday.

If you care to venture out of South Jersey this weekend…

Philly’s got it going on yet again! The Festival of India is taking place this weekend at Penn’s Landing.

Here’s your cooking class schedule for the weekend:

Friday: Teen Cooking – Tomato Bruschetta at Ocean County Library, Jackson Branch, Chicago Steakhouse at Viking Cooking School at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, a Cooking Class at In The Kitchen Cooking School in Haddonfield, and Celebrating Julia Child at Sur La Table in Marlton.

Saturday: French Quarter Feast and Celebration Dinner Party at Viking Cooking School, Dinner in the Southwest at In The Kitchen Cooking School, and Stuff It! at Kitchen Kapers in Moorestown.

Sunday: Amazing Cake Pops at Sur La Table, Cookie Workshop and Titanic Dinner Party at Viking Cooking School.