A Tale of Two Pies - The Pumpkin and the Pecan

Christmas is a time for celebrating with great food- and with great food, you need to have a great dessert. Pies are always fairly easy to make, and usually make everyone happy. For this past Christmas, I was called upon to produce two pies for the family dessert- a traditional pumpkin pie, and (by request), one of my favorites- a chocolate covered pecan pie.

Eggs and Corned Beef Hash - Brookside Diner, Whippany NJ

 

The classic diner breakfast is an integral part of the local culture in the state of New Jersey. New Jersey has more diners per capita than any other place on the planet- and just about all of them take special pride in their breakfast offerings. It had been a while since I've been to any of the Garden State's many diners. My travels took me back to an area near where I once worked, so I took the opportunity to stop and have a little breakfast at one of the places  I used to eat at from time to time- the Brookside Diner in Whippany, New Jersey.

Thin Crust Pizza from Chimney Rock Inn, Bridgewater, NJ

Chimney Rock Inn is a place high on the list of local favorites in the Somerset County area of New Jersey. For one, they have been in business for over 200 years- and is probably one of the oldest businesses in the state. The inn has a reputation for serving classic Italian fare, and has a reputation for great thin-crust pizza. By a quirk of the local Postal system, the Inn is located in the town of Bridgewater, but has an address in neighboring Bound Brook- this quirk has obviously not made it difficult for customers to find- it is always busy.  The area was the focal point of a conflict between two native american tribes, and the restaurant is named for a lanmark where, according to local legend, star-crossed lovers from opposite sides of the conflict met with their untimely end in a murder-suicide scenario that plays out like the ending of Romeo and Juliet. So with a quirky location, a long and storied local hostroy, and an association with a fascinating local legend certianly makes for lively conversation, and an interesting place- but does the food live up to the setting?