LOCAL PUMPKIN EATS

PUMPKIN EATS START NOW

Sweet Aloha Bowls of Royersford Autumn Creations

The leaves are falling, the air is crisp, and pumpkin spice is de rigueur and we are starting our autumn eats right now.

Start with a slice or two of seasonal toast from Sweet Aloha Bowls in Royersford. Slathered with delicious pumpkin butter and topped with crushed pecans, apples, cinnamon and a vegan caramel sauce drizzle. Or how about the pumpkin bowl with maple syrup, granola and pumpkin seeds, or the apple pie smoothie with apples, almond butter and oat milk. Can you say ahhh-pple?

At A Taste of Britain, the Pumpkin Pie Black Tea sets the mood with a spicy autumn bite plus their Fall scone-Pumpkin Granola with a Maple Glaze. The scone has pumpkin, oats, golden raisins, sunflower seeds, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds.

Steel City Coffeehouse Spooky Latte

Looking for a fun place to curl up with a good book and get a unique coffee beverage or a craft beer, like the new American Brown Ale created with malt from Deer Creek Malthouse and honey from Breyer Apiary? Steel City Coffeehouse has the drinks to warm you, like local apple cider, Apple Pie Chai, S’more Latte, and Butterbeer Latte. Stay for the live music while you nosh on home-baked creations.

Looking for a hearty fall meal? Look no further than the Railroad Street Bar & Grill- their stick-to-your-ribs grilled cheeses are thick and substantial, and combine top-notch breads, cheeses and meats. Don’t miss the Thanksgiving Day Grilled Cheese (everyone loves gravy!) or the Octoberfest Grilled Cheese.

https://www.valleyforge.org/editorial/post/autumn-has-arrived-pumpkin-eats-start-now/

When it’s time for dessert pop into the Iron Abbey Gastro Pub for their adorable and delicious autumn tarts. Their Pumpkin Tart is baked spiced pumpkin pie filling topped with a whipped cream rosette and a chocolate pretzel; their baked Apple Mini Pie is made with homemade pie dough wrapped around smokehouse apples, cinnamon nutmeg tapioca and a scoop of vanilla ice cream; and their Pecan Tart is homemade traditional pecan pie filling glazed with apricot preserves and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Relax at home with the ultimate autumn dessert: Pumpkin cheesecake.
Kriebel’s Custom Bakery whips up a rich cheesecake loaded with pumpkin nestled in a crisp gingersnap crust, while their apple cake combines a delicious crumb cake with cinnamon and apples.

So while the leaves are falling and the sun is shining, grab a latte and a scone and enjoy autumn—it’s the best Montco has to offer!

The baked Apple Mini Pie from Iron Abbey Gastro Pub is made with homemade pie dough wrapped around smokehouse apples, cinnamon nutmeg tapioca and a scoop of vanilla ice cream;

Sweet Aloha Bowls
324 Main St
Royersford, PA

Iron Abbey Gastro Pub
680 Easton Rd
Horsham, PA

Black Powder Tavern
1164 Valley Forge Rd
Wayne, PA

Railroad Street Bar & Grill
36 Railroad St
Linfield, PA

A Taste of Britain
Eagle Village Shops
503 West Lancaster Avenue
Wayne, PA

Steel City Coffeehouse
203 Bridge Street​
Phoenixville, PA

Kriebel's Custom Bakery
3140 W Ridge Pike
Eagleville, PA

*Originally ran on Valley Forge Tourism Website: https://www.valleyforge.org/editorial/post/autumn-has-arrived-pumpkin-eats-start-now/

Author: Christine Tarlecki

Christine Tarlecki an entertainment and food writer seeking out the best bites and writing about them. She also pens an award-winning food & lifestyle blog. Most weekends you can find Christine in Montco trying out local cuisine or curled up with a good book. She also teaches small business social media marketing classes. Christine can be reached under @engchik on all social media. #LocalLove

Celebrate National Pumpkin Day with Tropical Smoothie Cafe's New Fall Flavors

National Pumpkin Day is October 26, but I couldn't wait until then to get my hands on some pumpkin-themed items this Fall. The best place to start- Tropical Smoothie Cafe!

Their new Pumpkin Pie Smoothie is fantastic- feels just like Fall. My first sip was of a slightly spicy, cinnamony goodness! 

Made with real pumpkin, Ghirardelli® white chocolate, cinnamon and non-fat yogurt, this smoothie instantly transformed my afternoon to a cool, breezy autumn getaway! I really loved this smoothie, and it tastes just like pumpkin pie in a glass.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe's other Fall flavor is the Salted Caramel. This sweet, caramel smoothie took the stress out of my afternoon, and I kicked back and enjoyed the roasted banana, Ghirardelli® sea salt caramel, dates, non-fat yogurt and cinnamon.

Get yourself to Tropical Smoothie Cafe- these flavors are only around while the leaves are falling!

Oktoberfest 2016- September 17- Stable 12 & Uncle B's BBQ

Need something to do this weekend?

Stable 12 of Phoenixville and Uncle B's are offering up the most excellent of weekend events- kick off fall with Stable 12's Oktoberfest!

At Stable 12, 368 Bridge street, Phoenixville, starting at 5:00pm, til 7:00pm. 

September 17- Saturday- tomorrow- Brew and BBQ- this is one event not to miss!

Stable 12 will be releasing a new Oktoberfest style beer for the occasion and will have traditional stein mugs available to purchase to really make you feel like you are on a vacation in Germany.

All the latest fall beers plus 4 delicious smoked courses for just $35!  Your $35 ticket will get you a pound of sausage, awesome sides, 2 pints of beer and an unforgettable experience here at Stable 12!

This dinner will run from 5pm-7pm and include 4 different courses. Four 4oz servings of different types of sausages along with four 8oz pours of a paired beer and delicious side dishes. 

Engchik's Favorite Fall Flavors

Shake up the Pumpkin!

Have you tried Godiva’s Pumpkin Trufflelata yet? NO!? This delicious creation is a seasonal spin on the Trufflelata shake. Created with the Pumpkin Cheesecake Truffle -pumpkin spice and cheesecake ganache in a milk chocolate shell- and topped with fresh whipped cream and ground cinnamon, it’s an indulgent treat that fits the autumn season! Seriously try this at your area Godiva’s chocolatier! The Philadelphia location is at 1625 Chestnut Street.

I Heart Jam! 

Chai Heart Pumpkin Jam from the Jam Stand- creamy, pumpkin, and spicy- this jam has it all.
Flavorful with the tastes of autumn, this jam is perfect on toast, ice cream and more.
Find this jam and other greats by the Jam Stand at your local natural foods store. I love it with my rye toast and an omelette.

Get wicked with your wine!
Wicked Wine: the most festive, and dark Halloween wine, created in limited edition by the “Godfather of Zin” and founding Ravenswood Winemaker, Joel Peterson.
On-trend for Halloween parties thanks to its dark and ominous artwork, BESIEGED’s chilling label (a nod to Ravenswood’s first harvest, when a circling flock of ravens taunted Joel from overhead) belies the bottle’s rich, warm contents.
This wine is a unique blend of Petite Sirah, Carignane and Zinfandel grapes with notes of blackberry, black cherry, and plum spiced with cardamom.

What do you love for Fall?

*Some items have been provided for review purposes. Thank you.

Melting Pot KoP Offers Seasonal Fondue

When it comes to a romantic meal that I wish to linger over with my fellow, I immediately think of The Melting Pot fondue restaurant.

Stephen and I decided to fall into the delicious new seasonal recipes at the King of Prussia Melting Pot.

We began with two amazing cheese fondues: Swiss and the lobster & cheese. Both of these were amazing. As we dipped our bread cubes, vegetables, and apples into the steamy cheese, we were commenting on how well the flavors came together for each pot. 

The Swiss is one of my favorite cheese fondues, and the seafood fondue, with small langoustines and lobster, were a tasty treat. Our server Marie was just fantastic! 

We then enjoyed salads- I always adore these chilled fresh salads- they make eating a salad fun! 

I enjoyed the greens with candied walnuts, blue cheese crumbles and veggies, while Stephen had the balsamic tomato salad. Yum! I would love to eat these daily!

For our main course, I went with Pacific shrimp, Angus sirloin, mushroom pot stickers, and fresh Atlantic lobster in the coq au vin cooking style. I truly loved this because everything got to marinate and cook in this heavenly mushroom and burgundy broth with spices.

Stephen went with the mojito cooking style, vegetarian platter- pot stickers, artichokes, mushrooms, potatoes, and broccoli.

We happily dipped our cooked edibles into all the scrummy sauces- fresh green goddess, savory bleu cheese, a gloriously spicy cocktail sauce, a rich curry sauce, a hearty plum sauce, and more. 

Dessert was the crown jewel of this meal! In honor of fall, the new menu features pumpkin white chocolate dessert fondue- like pumpkin pie with a really dreamy icing. AND- in addition to the bananas, strawberries, brownies, and marshmallows, we also enjoyed the gourmet add on of caramel sea salt cheesecake, vanilla cake rolls, and blondies.

The Melting Pot King of Prussia offering amazing food, with fantastic service, and the atmosphere is truly a factor. Stephen and I always sit in the side room in the back with a circular banquette and two burners. The atmosphere is always warm, inviting, and relaxing.

Special Thanks to Catie Bontempo!!

Photographs by Stephen Trimble. 

Phoenixville's PumpkinFest October 18

This has been one of the busiest Octobers on record, and with it, great fall produce and abundant sunshine.

Along with that, I love living in a small town. I feel Phoenixville is a bit like the Gilmore Girls fictional town ofStars Hollow, with the local fun and town festivals, like the Autumn Festival. We have our own version here in Phoenixville, Chester County, it’s PumpkinFest!

 

Pumpkin painting and carving contests, pumpkin derby, local farms and vendors, food, lives music, and games & prizes await the downtown area of Bridge and Main streets on October 18, but there’s another reason it is so excited- for the winner of the Best Pumpkin Dish will be named!

 

Since September 20^th, when Phoenixville hosts its Restaurant Week, customers could try a dish and text their vote of their favorite pumpkin dish to the festival directors. Who will win?!

 

Thai L’ Elephant – Thai Pumpkin Curry with Chicken & Shrimp - a creamy spicy curry with flavorful chicken, shrimp, and vegetables and a sweet heat at the finish. 

 

Marly’s BYO -Pumpkin Braised Beef Lettuce Wrap with Caramelized Pumpkin & Sirachai Pumpkin Mayo - this tender, flavorful braised beef melts in your mouth, while the sirachai pumpkin mayo heats things up. The red cabbage added a nice sweet crunch. 

Pepperoncini – Bacon and Sage Pumpkin Soup- a creamy meld of pumpkin and sage, with toasted pumpkin seeds atop. 

 

Bistro On Bridge – Pumpkin Ribs & Apple Slaw-Delish slow-cooked ribs with pumpkin and spices, and vinegary apple slaw with some spice. 

Molly Maguire’s – Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Hash – diced pancetta over baked pumpkin and sweet potato with a fried egg on top- an interesting mixture of fall flavors, with squash chipotle soup and pumpkiny candied walnuts. 

 

There are two ways for the participating restaurants to win, through the best pumpkin dish by chosen as one of the judges (me and my fellow foodies) and then the people’s choice during the October 18 festival.

See you there

 

Special thanks to all the amazing restaurants who participated in Pumpkin fest’s Best Pumpkin Dish 2014 contest!