By RICHARD VIRGILIO
I heard somewhere that it takes three days for fat cells to expand from calories. If you time it right, you can enjoy these obsession inspiring, one-of-a-kind, party-in-your-mouth summertime comfort foods and still keep your swagger around the beach. They are worth every extra minute on a Newberry Fitness treadmill.
All I can say is OMG. The Bread Pudding at Clementines in Avon (owned by Michael and Bobby, 35-year Asbury Park residents) is a-maz-ing. I am not the hugest fan of bread pudding; however Chef Bobbys Grandmothers hush-hush recipe definitely takes me to the other side.
The bread pudding, smothered in a beyond delicious rum, pecan and raisin sauce, looks marvelous too its served warm on Bobbys Grandmothers depression-era amber glass plates and topped with the perfect amount of fresh whipped cream.
If you are into experimentation and who isnt – try the Yuzu sorbet at Taka.
Yuzu is an East Asian citrus fruit believed to be a hybrid of sour mandarin and Ichang Padeda a refreshing lemony taste, stated Taka, owner. Ciao Bella, one of Oprahs favorites, makes this sorbet for us exclusively. Its ours alone. Customers tell me the sorbet is like nothing they have ever had before.
You will thank me after you try a milkshake from Wish You Were Here on Cookman Avenue. My friend Johnnie turned me on to these mmmmshakes. Kathy Ragauckas, owner, crafts this treat a nightmare for the stomach stapled – with gelato not ice cream.
I have been making the shakes for almost three years from a secret recipe, Kathy stated. We make every one on request.
Jeffrey Haveson, owner, Restaurant Plan B, makes a wonderful not-too-sweet Coconut Cake with his own hands.
At first glance it resembles a summer snowball. At first bite, its a moist, rich, personal size coconut cake wrapped in the perfect amount of a proprietary cream cheese-buttercream icing, adorned with coconut flakes. The combination of textures hot.
Its a special seasonal dessert that we created to celebrate the summer, Jeffrey stated.
Take a one-hour vacation and sit on the porch at Moonstruck savoring the Chocolate Crme Brulee.
The Crme Brulee from Moonstruck is fantastic, stated Janet Manni, James J. Pentz Realtors. There is melted chocolate on the bottom and vanilla on top with perfect caramelized sugar. It makes you moan as you eat it.
As my dear Britney says, Gimme more, gimme more, gimme more more more.
Briefly: Cheers to everyone involved in Road Trip 7 last weekend. I was and always has been my favorite weekend of the summer in my favorite City. Attendance for Road Trip 7 was record-setting, stated Jill Potter, chairperson, Asbury Park Marketing Fund, the organizer of Road Trip. More than 3,000 enjoyed our city and all it had to offer.
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Published every Thursday.
great richard!