The definitive collection of New Jersey's odd, wacky, and most offbeat people, places, and things, for New Jersey residents and anyone else who enjoys local humor and trivia with a twist.

The ultimate guide to New Jersey's food scene provides the inside scoop on the best places to find, enjoy, and celebrate local culinary offerings. Written for residents and visitors alike to find producers and purveyors of tasty local specialties, as well as a rich array of other, indispensable food-related information including: food festivals and culinary events; specialty food shops; farmers' markets and farm stands; trendy restaurants and time-tested iconic landmarks; and recipes using local ingredients and traditions.

Savor the flavors of New Jersey If there is one thing New Jerseyans are good at, it’s eating. We’re equally at home in the poshest restaurant and the most ramshackle seafood shack. We can describe the virtues of filet mignon or a chili cheese dog. We’ll think nothing of driving 50 miles or more to our favorite restaurant. The Garden State? Call it the Food Fanatic State.In Food Lovers’ Guide to New Jersey, seasoned food writer Peter Genovese shares the inside scoop on the best places to find, enjoy,and celebrate these culinary treasures. A bounty of mouthwatering delights awaits you in this engagingly written guide.With delectable recipes from the renowned kitchens of the state’s iconic eateries, diners, and elegant dining rooms, Food Lovers’ Guide to New Jersey is the ultimate resource forfood lovers to use and savor. Inside You''ll Find: Favorite restaurants and landmark eateries • Specialty food stores and markets • Farmers’ markets and farm stands • Food festivals and culinary events • Recipes from top New Jersey chefs • The state’s best cafes, taverns, and wine bars • Cooking classes • Local food lore and kitchen wisdom

Visit Goofy Golf, Florida's coolest miniature golf course. Explore Gatorama, home to the state's largest captive croc, Goliath. See Orange World, the 62-foot-tall orange-shaped fruit stand. The author of Roadside New Jersey goes south to explore the outrageous roadside attractions that have come to define the Sunshine State in this fun, full-color book. Experience the best Florida has to offer.

Pizza is a $35 billion a year business, and nowhere is it taken more seriously than New York City. Journalist Peter Genovese surveys the city’s pizza scene-the food, the business, the culture-by profiling pizza landmarks and personalities and rating pizzerias in all five boroughs.In this funny, fascinating book, Genovese explores the bloggers who write about New York pizza, the obsessive city dwellers who collect and analyze the delivery boxes, Mark Bello’s school where students spend a day making pies from scratch, and Scott Wiener’s pizza bus tours. Along the way, readers learn the history of legendary Totonno’s on Coney Island (Zagat’s number-one pizzeria for 2012), along with behind-the-scenes stories about John’s on Bleecker Street, Joe’s on Carmine, Lombardi’s, Paulie Gee’s, Motorino, and more than a dozen other favorite spots and their owners. Throughout these profiles, Genovese presents a brief history of how pizza came to the city in 1905 and developed into a major attraction in Little Italy, a neighborhood that became a training ground for many of the city’s best-loved pizzerias. Enjoyable facts and figures abound. Did you know that Americans put 250 million pounds of pepperoni on their pies every year? Or that Domino’s has more outlets per capita in Iceland than in any other country?Beyond the stories and tidbits, Genovese provides detailed, borough-by-borough reviews of 250 pizzerias, from simple “slice shops” with scant atmosphere to gourmet pizzerias, including shops that use organic ingredients and experiment with new variations of crusts and toppings. Complemented by hundreds of current and never-before-seen archival photos, the book gives the humble slice its proper due and will leave readers overwhelmed by a sudden desire for New York pizza.

No state has been so frequently mocked, maligned, or misunderstood as New Jersey. Yet the state is filled with amazing places and people who rarely receive the media attention they deserve. For the past twenty years Star-Ledger columnist Peter Genovese has been one of the rare voices singing the praises of his state's hidden wonders and gritty charms. For this new book, Genovese spent months scouring the state for rich stories and fascinating locations. New Jersey State of Mind takes us on a journey to over twenty-five of these places and introduces us to the colorful characters who live and work there, from a demolition derby driver to a female craft brewer, and from a Cuban celebrity chef to a Portuguese pig breeder. He also reveals the many natural wonders that have earned New Jersey its "Garden State" nickname, from cranberry bogs to river tours to wild bird sanctuaries. Collectively, these pieces paint a picture of a diverse state full of hard-working individuals who care for their communities. This book cuts through the myths and stereotypes surrounding the state and reveals the proud beating heart of the real New Jersey.

The Jersey Shore, our most treasured asset, the envy of forty-nine other states, comes alive in this new book by the reporter and writer who knows New Jersey—and the Jersey Shore—best. Every conceivable topic—where to eat, where to stay, landmarks and attractions, what to do with the kids—is covered with the kind of inside information you just won't find on tourism web sites or Facebook. All one hundred-plus Shore towns are included, from Sandy Hook to Cape May. There are hundreds of restaurant listings and recommendations. The book also contains engaging profiles and vignettes of the people and places that give the Shore its special character and charm. A throwback five-and-dime store on Long Beach Island. Banner pilots. Birders. Baby parades. And more. You want lists and rankings? The book is full of them—twenty best Shore towns, twenty-one secret spots down the Shore, twenty essential Jersey Shore experiences, fifty things we bet you didn't know about the Shore, and so on. The book is the next best thing to being at the Shore; actually, it may be better than being there (think of those epic traffic jams on the Parkway, and all the money you'll save on tolls, beach fees, and bad boardwalk pizza).

The Jersey Shore, our most treasured asset, the envy of forty-nine other states, comes alive in this new book by the reporter and writer who knows New Jersey—and the Jersey Shore—best. Every conceivable topic—where to eat, where to stay, landmarks and attractions, what to do with the kids—is covered with the kind of inside information you just won't find on tourism web sites or Facebook. All one hundred-plus Shore towns are included, from Sandy Hook to Cape May. There are hundreds of restaurant listings and recommendations. The book also contains engaging profiles and vignettes of the people and places that give the Shore its special character and charm. A throwback five-and-dime store on Long Beach Island. Banner pilots. Birders. Baby parades. And more. You want lists and rankings? The book is full of them—twenty best Shore towns, twenty-one secret spots down the Shore, twenty essential Jersey Shore experiences, fifty things we bet you didn't know about the Shore, and so on. The book is the next best thing to being at the Shore; actually, it may be better than being there (think of those epic traffic jams on the Parkway, and all the money you'll save on tolls, beach fees, and bad boardwalk pizza).

The definitive collection of New Jersey's odd, wacky, and most offbeat people, places, and things, for New Jersey residents and anyone else who enjoys local humor and trivia with a twist.

The ultimate guide to New Jersey's food scene provides the inside scoop on the best places to find, enjoy, and celebrate local culinary offerings. Written for residents and visitors alike to find producers and purveyors of tasty local specialties, as well as a rich array of other, indispensable food-related information including: food festivals and culinary events; specialty food shops; farmers' markets and farm stands; trendy restaurants and time-tested iconic landmarks; and recipes using local ingredients and traditions.

Savor the flavors of New Jersey If there is one thing New Jerseyans are good at, it’s eating. We’re equally at home in the poshest restaurant and the most ramshackle seafood shack. We can describe the virtues of filet mignon or a chili cheese dog. We’ll think nothing of driving 50 miles or more to our favorite restaurant. The Garden State? Call it the Food Fanatic State.In Food Lovers’ Guide to New Jersey, seasoned food writer Peter Genovese shares the inside scoop on the best places to find, enjoy,and celebrate these culinary treasures. A bounty of mouthwatering delights awaits you in this engagingly written guide.With delectable recipes from the renowned kitchens of the state’s iconic eateries, diners, and elegant dining rooms, Food Lovers’ Guide to New Jersey is the ultimate resource forfood lovers to use and savor. Inside You''ll Find: Favorite restaurants and landmark eateries • Specialty food stores and markets • Farmers’ markets and farm stands • Food festivals and culinary events • Recipes from top New Jersey chefs • The state’s best cafes, taverns, and wine bars • Cooking classes • Local food lore and kitchen wisdom

Visit Goofy Golf, Florida's coolest miniature golf course. Explore Gatorama, home to the state's largest captive croc, Goliath. See Orange World, the 62-foot-tall orange-shaped fruit stand. The author of Roadside New Jersey goes south to explore the outrageous roadside attractions that have come to define the Sunshine State in this fun, full-color book. Experience the best Florida has to offer.

Pizza is a $35 billion a year business, and nowhere is it taken more seriously than New York City. Journalist Peter Genovese surveys the city’s pizza scene-the food, the business, the culture-by profiling pizza landmarks and personalities and rating pizzerias in all five boroughs.In this funny, fascinating book, Genovese explores the bloggers who write about New York pizza, the obsessive city dwellers who collect and analyze the delivery boxes, Mark Bello’s school where students spend a day making pies from scratch, and Scott Wiener’s pizza bus tours. Along the way, readers learn the history of legendary Totonno’s on Coney Island (Zagat’s number-one pizzeria for 2012), along with behind-the-scenes stories about John’s on Bleecker Street, Joe’s on Carmine, Lombardi’s, Paulie Gee’s, Motorino, and more than a dozen other favorite spots and their owners. Throughout these profiles, Genovese presents a brief history of how pizza came to the city in 1905 and developed into a major attraction in Little Italy, a neighborhood that became a training ground for many of the city’s best-loved pizzerias. Enjoyable facts and figures abound. Did you know that Americans put 250 million pounds of pepperoni on their pies every year? Or that Domino’s has more outlets per capita in Iceland than in any other country?Beyond the stories and tidbits, Genovese provides detailed, borough-by-borough reviews of 250 pizzerias, from simple “slice shops” with scant atmosphere to gourmet pizzerias, including shops that use organic ingredients and experiment with new variations of crusts and toppings. Complemented by hundreds of current and never-before-seen archival photos, the book gives the humble slice its proper due and will leave readers overwhelmed by a sudden desire for New York pizza.

No state has been so frequently mocked, maligned, or misunderstood as New Jersey. Yet the state is filled with amazing places and people who rarely receive the media attention they deserve. For the past twenty years Star-Ledger columnist Peter Genovese has been one of the rare voices singing the praises of his state's hidden wonders and gritty charms. For this new book, Genovese spent months scouring the state for rich stories and fascinating locations. New Jersey State of Mind takes us on a journey to over twenty-five of these places and introduces us to the colorful characters who live and work there, from a demolition derby driver to a female craft brewer, and from a Cuban celebrity chef to a Portuguese pig breeder. He also reveals the many natural wonders that have earned New Jersey its "Garden State" nickname, from cranberry bogs to river tours to wild bird sanctuaries. Collectively, these pieces paint a picture of a diverse state full of hard-working individuals who care for their communities. This book cuts through the myths and stereotypes surrounding the state and reveals the proud beating heart of the real New Jersey.

The Jersey Shore, our most treasured asset, the envy of forty-nine other states, comes alive in this new book by the reporter and writer who knows New Jersey—and the Jersey Shore—best. Every conceivable topic—where to eat, where to stay, landmarks and attractions, what to do with the kids—is covered with the kind of inside information you just won't find on tourism web sites or Facebook. All one hundred-plus Shore towns are included, from Sandy Hook to Cape May. There are hundreds of restaurant listings and recommendations. The book also contains engaging profiles and vignettes of the people and places that give the Shore its special character and charm. A throwback five-and-dime store on Long Beach Island. Banner pilots. Birders. Baby parades. And more. You want lists and rankings? The book is full of them—twenty best Shore towns, twenty-one secret spots down the Shore, twenty essential Jersey Shore experiences, fifty things we bet you didn't know about the Shore, and so on. The book is the next best thing to being at the Shore; actually, it may be better than being there (think of those epic traffic jams on the Parkway, and all the money you'll save on tolls, beach fees, and bad boardwalk pizza).

The Jersey Shore, our most treasured asset, the envy of forty-nine other states, comes alive in this new book by the reporter and writer who knows New Jersey—and the Jersey Shore—best. Every conceivable topic—where to eat, where to stay, landmarks and attractions, what to do with the kids—is covered with the kind of inside information you just won't find on tourism web sites or Facebook. All one hundred-plus Shore towns are included, from Sandy Hook to Cape May. There are hundreds of restaurant listings and recommendations. The book also contains engaging profiles and vignettes of the people and places that give the Shore its special character and charm. A throwback five-and-dime store on Long Beach Island. Banner pilots. Birders. Baby parades. And more. You want lists and rankings? The book is full of them—twenty best Shore towns, twenty-one secret spots down the Shore, twenty essential Jersey Shore experiences, fifty things we bet you didn't know about the Shore, and so on. The book is the next best thing to being at the Shore; actually, it may be better than being there (think of those epic traffic jams on the Parkway, and all the money you'll save on tolls, beach fees, and bad boardwalk pizza).