It is amazing how far salt has come from being an iodized staple in everyone’s kitchen and “salt of the earth,” a preservative in ancient times, into today’s culinary scene as specialty salts for all seasons.

Over the next two weekends, Carter & Cavero Old World Olive Oil Company is hosting Sensational Salts Weekend in all three of its New Jersey locations (Red Bank, Long Branch and Princeton) to introduce its new line of salts from around the world. Local chefs will create specialty sampling dishes from delicious salads to creative and inspiring dishes using the salts.

On Saturday, March 19 from 1 to 2 p.m., Chef Dominique Filoni from Avenue restaurant will create his specialties at Pier Village, Long Branch. Chef Filoni was introduced in the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France at age 33, making him the young French Master Chef in the U.S.

Sunday, March 20, Chef Anthony Ferrando from Dish and Chef George Lyristis from The Bistro, both Red Bank restaurants, will appear from 2 to 4 pm. Chef/owner Ferrando is know for his New American cuisine with a unique Mediterranean twist which he attributes to his Italian heritage and extensive travel in southern Italy. Chef/owner Lyristis is known for bringing the world right to your table with exceptional world-class cuisine from Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Executive Chef Luis Bollo from Mediterra in Princeton will be cooking on Saturday, March 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Palmer Square store. Chef Bollo trained in Spain and specializes in Basque/French cuisine.

In today’s kitchen, salts have evolved from the basic sea salt into gourmet salts with unique flavors. Some of the salts that are now available at Carter & Cavero are: Bali Lime & Coconut Smoked Sea Salt, great on seafood; Himalayan Pink Salt, all-natural and one of the purest salts, great for grilling and roasting; Habanero Sea Salt, full of heat with a mighty kick, to be used sparingly;Yakima Applewood Smoked Sea Salt – aged applewood gives it a sweet savory flavor; and Hawaiian Black Lava, a stunning black salt that  is solar evaporated Pacific sea salt combined with activated charcoal.

Chef Lyristis from The Bistro says he’s going to keep foods all natural, serving sushi-quality raw tuna and salmon and trying the fish with different salts ~ Hawaiian Black Lava, Himalayan Pink, Habanero and Yakima Applewood ~ demonstrating a wide variety of tastes. Chef Ferrando at Dish is also using Hawaiian Black Lava Salt to create the ultimate sweet, a salted caramel brownie.

Chef Filoni from Avenue is going to the Pacific Rim serving hiramasa (yellowtail amberjack from Australian) with shiitake mushrooms, yellow and red peppers in a spicy yuzu (a tart Japanese citrus fruit) emulsion and seasoned with the Himalayan Pink Salt.

The gourmet line of sea salts is available at all Carter & Cavero locations: 19 Monmouth Street, Red Bank; Pier Village, Long Branch; and 27 Palmer Square West in Princeton. Visit the website at www.carterandcavero.com for a complete selection of salts.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Local chefs prepare dishes to introduce gourmet salts at Carter & Cavero – Newark Food | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/food-in-newark/local-chefs-prepare-dishes-to-introduce-gourmet-salts-at-carter-cavero?CID=examiner_alerts_article#ixzz1GxVwAAWm

Read This on The Bistro at Red Bank >>

Everyone has been there: It’s Saturday night and you want to go out to eat, but you cannot decide what you are in the mood for. My parents, brother and I went to Zoe, as we often do when we know we need a solid meal with no room for disappointment. As a BYOB restaurant, the sister of The Bistro in Red Bank has created eclectic twists on traditional dishes from Greek, Italian, American and Asian persuasions.

We arrived at the cozy restaurant with Penfolds Chardonnay, an Australian white wine with a subtle use of oak combined with melon, quince fruits and spicy aftertaste, and bottle of Castillo de Monseran Garnacha, a Spanish red wine that is soft but full flavored with a fruity finish. When seated, every customer at ZOE gets a basket of hot chewy bread with a crisp crust and garlic butter to spread. I immediately delved into the basket while sipping my wine and reading over the menu.

My mother, brother and I decided to share the Trio of Spreads as an appetizer. It was served with triangular cut grilled pita, served hot, with generous portions of their freshly made hummus, tzatziki and spicy Feta. The hummus was classically made but with a spicy finish. The Feta was creamy and spicy, balanced with a bold, tangy flavor. The tzatziki was not its traditional white watery consistency, but actually thicker and greener, perhaps due to less yogurt and more use of cucumber and parsley. To me, I prefer this version of it, and I actually ate more than I normally do when I have the traditional Greek appetizer. My Dad ordered a bowl of tomato basil soup to start, made with just enough cream to maintain the rich tomato color, topped with big, crunchy croutons – the perfect comfort food for winter.

The rest of the dinner menu is a lot to take in – in a great way. Whenever I go there, I am never sure what I am going to order, but I always make sure it’s something I have never had before. In the end, we all ended up ordering something different. My dad had the Panko Crusted Chicken. The crispy chicken is served over a bed of organic greens, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and a lemon-balasamic vinaigrette topped with shaved parmesan. This health-conscious dish combined a mouthful of heavenly flavors. My mother ordered Despina’ Moussaka with roasted eggplant, potato, tomato, ground beef and bechamel. This traditional Greek favorite is baked and served warm with hints of cinnamon. This is definitely a casserole that I would choose to eat during a snowstorm this winter.

To go truly American, my brother ordered their Kobe Burger, offering a ½ lb of Kobe beef, lettuce, tomato and cheddar on a brioche bun. The parmesan-herbed fries were crispy and a nice change from the common burger and fries you may typically expect.

Although there were many things on the menu I wanted to order, (in which case I will have to just keep going back to ZOE for more), I decided to order the pasta special. It was served with shrimp, prosciutto, basil and caramelized onions in a roasted tomato sauce. I never used to be a seafood eater, but I have recently started to like shrimp, so I decided to go for it. It was incredible. The sauce was fresh, garlicy and slightly spicy. I was very satisfied. To truly suit the dietary needs of any customer, ZOE has also provided an option for organic gluten-free pasta.

We ended the night with the sampling of two different desserts – the Chocolate Bombe and the Apple Cranberry Cobbler. The chocolate bombe was cake served warm with a molten lava center and a scoop of homemade chocolate ice cream. The chocolate was dark and bittersweet, dusted with powdered sugar. The Apple Cranberry Cobbler was a very generous dish, served hot. The cranberries were a nice pop of sour to cut the sweetness of the apple and cinnamon.  The crumb topping and homemade vanilla ice cream made me feel like I was at home having Thanksgiving with my family. All in all, we had a very mouth watering experience, as we do every time we go to Zoe. We left happy with our bellies full, and leftovers to enjoy for lunch tomorrow.

To Read The Original Article For Zoe Bistro On Patch.com Click Here