Mac & Cheese Segment From Fox

Here's a rundown of the Macaroni & Cheeses that the Chef's put together for the show. I really appreciate all their work, especially delivering it to the restaurant. I'll be getting your dishes & casseroles back to you all soon. I think that Chef Jim from blueplate & I we're the only ones to actually taste all 11 dishes, but remember, everyone can this Monday night at Tortilla Press Cantina 7716 Maple Ave, Pennsauken 08109. Call 856-356-2050 for reservations. $10 per adult $4 for kids & the bar will be open.

Mexican
The Tortilla Press
Chef Mark Smith
Key ingredient: the five cheeses! Cheddar, monteray jack, Chihuahua, queso anejo, cotija; Crumbled home made tortilla chips on top give it extra crunch.

American
Blueplate
Chef Jim Malaby
Key ingredient: one is gluten free (lobster and goat cheese)
Second one is “regular” BLT mac and cheese – bacon and oven dried tomatoes with greens.

French/Italian
Blackbird
Chef Alex Capasso
Key ingredient: Riviera style macaroni and cheese with Fregola eggless pasta, mascarpone and truffle oil and fresh truffle.

French
La Campagne
Chef Rich Benussi
Key ingredient: Our mac and cheese key ingredient is trois lait or three milks (cow, goat, sheep). To represent them we will be using three French cheeses. Brie (cow's milk), Chevre (goat's milk) and Petit Basque (sheep's milk). A hint of truffle and an almond crunch topping should also be noted.

Italian
Mirabella Café
Chef Joe Palombo
Key ingredient: lobster with several Italian cheeses. Chef Joe’s mac and cheese demonstrates how this homey dish can be dressed up.


Viennese Cafe
Chef Richard Marsh
Short rib mac n cheese with pine nut crust topping

Italian
Bistro di Marino
Chef Jim Marino
Key ingredient: penne pasta & gorgonzola make this extra creamy.

Indian
Coriander
Chef Vipul
Key Ingredient: a combination of the spices that are used in many Indian dishes including ginger, cumin, coriander powder and tumeric. (It was nice & spicy) my note!

Greek
Kuzina by Sofia
Chef Sofia Khoury
Key ingredient: a secret! Let’s just say it’s chef Sofia’s TLC

Moroccan
Norma’s Mediterranean Café/ Cous Cous
Chef Elias

Homestyle classic menu Jan25 thru Jan28

Well, the holidays are over & The Cantina is re-opened & I'm done testing margarita & mojito recipes for a little while at least. I've just finished tweeking my recipe for the first annual (I hope) Mighty Mac Battle of the Chefs. I call it the "Mac Off" much to my wife's dismay. The event is to be held at Tortilla Press Cantina on Monday Jan 18th at 6:30, and will be featuring the mac & cheese of at least 10 of the areas chefs. Please make your reservations soon at 856-356-2050. The cost is $10 for adults & $4 for kids. Part of the proceeds will go to The South Jersey Food Bank. We will also have a cash bar available with great drink specials.

My blog this year will be a place to check out upcoming events at The Tortilla Press, Tortilla Press Cantina, South Jersey Culinary Events & SJ Green Dining. But, mainly it will be the musings of an independent restaurateur/chef running two restaurants & the daily triumphs and challenges that arise. Of course, this will be the place to see all special event menus & changes to either restaurants' menu before the rest of the public, so check back often & feel free to comment anytime with suggestions, ideas or ways to improve The Tortilla Press or The Cantina.

Our second annual Homestyle Classics is the first event for South Jersey Culinary Events in 2010 & it will run from Jan 25 thru Jan 28. The event is $30 for 4 courses & it will feature all of the chefs' unique twist on the classics we grew up with. Here is the first draft of the menu to be served at Tortilla Press & The Cantina. Remember, feedback is always welcome here.

Homestyle classics

Choose 1

Fried Cheese Sticks

Breaded chihuahua cheese lightly fried & served with tijauna marinara sauce

Pulled Pork Sandwich

Our award winning chipotle peanut bbq pork served on a toasted mini brioche roll with a side of spicy slaw

Hot Wings

Our twist on the classic buffalo wings served with honey cholula sauce & avocado ranch

Choose 1

Cesar Salad

Romaine lettuce, Aztec salad dressing queso cotija, garlic chile croutons,

roasted red pepper rajas & twin fire-grilled shrimp

Skyline Style Chile

A cup of an Ohio favorite served 5 ways with beef, black beans,

onion & grated cheddar over spaghetti

Vegetable Soup

A rich vegetable, tomato & chile stock with hominy & mixed vegetables

with a tostada, shredded lettuce, diced onion, lime & sliced radish garnish

Choose 1

Friday Night Fish Fry

My mom’s special breading on mild white fish filets

served with french fries, cole slaw & 3 dipping sauces

Mac & Cheese

Cheddar, monteray jack, queso fresco, chihuahua & cotija in a creamy guajillo chile sauce

with crunchy tortilla chip topping. Served with corn mexicana

Chicken & Dumplings

Roasted chicken pulled & simmered in a yellow mole

with masa dumplings served with green beans & carrots

Steak & Potatoes

Carne Asada grilled to your liking with achiote roasted Yukon gold potatoes

& a spicy lime chile dipping sauce

Choose 1

Rice Pudding

Slow cooked till creamy with mexican cinnamon then served

chilled with goat milk caramel sauce & whipped cream

Cream Puffs

Classic shell filled with coffee ice cream & finished with a

Patron XO enhanced coffee sauce & whipped cream

Bread Pudding

Mexican chocolate & challah baked into a rich egg custard with mexican cinnamon & vanilla

served with a spoonful of mixed berry salsa & whipped cream

All treats, no tricks this week at The Tortilla Press

It's a really really exciting time in the Philadelphia area. The Eagles kicked butt on Monday Night Football, The Phillies take on the NY Yankees in the World Series & Halloween is Saturday. So much to do & think about, but in all the craziness, don't forget about your local independent restaurant. We're still here to serve you & we at The Tortilla Press have added some really neat feature to help you enjoy the upcoming week.

We have a great deal on wings, our famous honey cholula wings & traditional buffalo wings plus our new really spicy wings for $8 1 dz, 2dz $15 3dz $21 & 4 dz $26. They are the perfect snack food during any game. Also our FAB Burrito would be a great centerpiece for any sporting get together. It's a 5# monster as big as a baby. If you haven't checked it out watch our burrito video on youtube

Our special Halloween treat for parents is bring your kids in for dinner this week Monday thru Friday & kids eat off our kids menu for $1.99 with an adult entree.

Also, Tuesday is "Date Night" 3 courses + a half picture of Virgin Margaritas for $38/ couple & Wednesday is Here's the Beef Night with 8 oz filet mignon for $15.95 includes 2 sides & a salad. So make sure you stop in either or both nights for some of the best value dining in South Jersey.

Next week date night will premier our Paella dinner for two, the recipe is almost complete & we're sure you'll be impressed with our take on the Spanish Classic dish. Also make plans for our upcoming Off the Hook promotion Nov 16th thru Nov 19th which will feature 4 course $30 of some of your favorite seafood dishes.

It's a FAB Burrito

Well to celebrate our Build your own Burrito Mondays, we built the mother of all burritos. It's our FAB Burrito & it's there to feed a family of 4. $25 each & free if you eat it by yourself in 1 hour.

Collingswood Farmers Mkt & Gluten free dining

Collingswood Farmers Market has won "America's Best Small Town Market" (we beat out California!) and that calls for a celebration as this year's farm season comes to a close. So we're featuring a week long menu of 4 courses, each one centered around offerings from the farmers at the market - with lots of gluten free choices.

Our Fall Harvest Week starts 10/18 - 10/23 and offers 4 courses for $30.00.

We decided to take this one step further and feature a specific farmer. We'll have a special "Chef's Table" set up (reservations required!) to dine with the farmer and get a first hand insight into what problems and issues farmers are facing as we take the food from field to table.

Our farmers are:
Monday - John Hurff, Schober Orchards
Tuesday - Stephanie & Larry Viereck, Viereck Farms
Wednesday - John Ebert, Springdale Farms
Thursday - Kevin and Sharon Flaim, Flaim Farms

Call us for reservations...856-869-3345. And for full menu details (with all our gluten free options including a yummy dessert) go to: www.thetortillapress.com.

Chef Mark
The Tortilla Press

Wow we're busy

I don't know who is more creative these days, my wife or my staff. Between the two, we have two more great events starting in October. I'm sure that you all probably know about our Going South Promotion as part of the South Jersey Culinary Events group that runs Sunday October 11 to Thursday October 15. See our Menu Here But how about our make your own burrito Mondays & Our Fall Harvest Celebration Monday Oct 18 to Thursday Oct 22.

Our waiters were discussing ways to make Mondays a little busier & started kicking around ideas to make them more interesting to You, our guests. Well I came in & they presented me with a list of ingredients, salsas & fillings that they felt you would enjoy combining to create your own dinner burritos on Mondays. I thought it was a brilliant idea & went to work to make it happen & I was able to do it at a great price....$12.95 which includes your choice of a side (I recommend the corn pudding). To kick off the newest Tortilla Press weekly event we also created the $25 FAB Burrito, It's about 5 pounds of burrito heaven. Chicken, beef, pork & chorizo with cheese, rice beans, pico, pickled jalapenos & lettuce. We top it with salsa, more cheese, guacamole & sour cream. My guess is it will feed 5 no problem. Of course Monday the 12th we will have 5 guest trying to eat it by themselves. Those who complete it will get their picture on the Wall of Fame. After this Monday, anyone who completes it in 1 sitting, gets it for free & their picture on the Wall also.

So then my wife said, what are we doing after Going South, I said taking a break, but she said we should celebrate Collingswood Farmer's Market winning America's Favorite Farm Market before the season runs out, hence...Fall Harvest Celebration Monday thru Thursday 10/19 to 10/23. Each night we will feature one of our favorite farmers who will be joining us at 7 pm to dine with the 1st 20 guest who reserve community style for our 4 course $30/ person menu. Monday will be John Hurff from Schober Orchard we've loved his peaches, apples & cider all year long. Tuesday will be Stephanie from Viereck Farms, we had her strawberries, asparagus, tomatoes, squash & corn. Weds will be John Ebert from Springdale Farms you all know his grilled corn, yellow zucchini & awesome tomatoes. Thursday will be Kevin & Sharon Flaim from Flaim Farms. They supply our poblanos, cilantro, spinach. leeks, jalapenos, tomatatillos & of course our squash blosssoms. So join us for a week of awesome dining with our favorite farmers from America's Favorite Farm Market. Not part of the first 20 guest please reserve anyway, I'll stop by to make sure that you are enjoying your meal.

Restaurant Week

Harvest Menu

Appetizer Choose 1

Grilled Sweet Corn Mexican Style

Empanadas with spinach, goat cheese & exotic mushroom, roasted red pepper sauce

Applewood smoked bacon & collards quesadillas with chipotle tomato sauce

Salad or Soup

Mixed greens with toasted pine nuts & pumpkin seeds, roasted poblano pepper & grilled queso & orange ancho chile vinaigrette

Fall vegetable pozole with chipotle tostada garnish

Entrees

Choose 1

Apple & Chorizo Stuffed Pork Loin with Ancho Chile & Apple Cider Reduction, sweet potato gratin

Achiote Baked Shrimp with fall pepper rajas served with cilantro rice & chile pecan green beans

Chicken Mexicana, boneless breast of chicken with sautéed with mexican oregano, garlic, jalapenos & tomato served with red rice & warm corn tortillas

Dessert

Apple Crisp with vanilla ice cream

Pumpkin bread pudding

Mexican chocolate caramel cake

Two quick notes, this Sunday join us for a fundraiser with Urban Promise, 10% of our dinner proceeds go to help one of Lydia & my favorite groups, so make your reservations today. Also their banquet is October 23 at the Scottish Rite in Collingswood & it is always a special meal & a great program.

Our Fall Vegan Tapas Night

On Thursday October 1 The Tortilla Press in Collingswood, NJ will be doing our Vegan Tapas Dinner & this fall it's 5 courses for $25. They are small plates, but I guarantee you won't leave hungry. All dishes will have vegan variations or substitutions & of course if you bring a carnivore we'll be happy to put a piece of meat on the plate in the 4th course if they insist & you do not object. I know that vegetarians, vegans & carnivores alike will enjoy our twist on some classic Mexican dishes

We are taking reservations for all size parties that evening & invite you to make your reservation soon. Call 856-869-3345. We are located at 703 Haddon Ave Collingswood, NJ 08108. If you have a comment, suggestion or just want to say hi, leave a comment or email me at ChefMark@thetortillapress.com & I'll get back to you.

5 Course Vegetarian Tapas Menu $25/person

1rst Course
Mini spinach, potato & leek tacos with goat cheese, pinenuts & smoked sweet chile

2nd Course
Fire grilled cactus leaves & quinoa salad with lemon oregano vinaigrette

3rd course
Roasted mushroom & barley soup garnished with chile fried mushroom chips

4th Course
Black bean & cheese gorditas with guajillo chile sauce & mexican crème garnished with fresh chopped onion & mexican crème served with cilantro rice

Dessert Course
Pumpkin bread pudding with cajeta

Or

Vegan coconut flan

Does not include beverages, tax or gratuity