The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Thomas E. Faglon of Somerset died peacefully with his wife Diane by his side. He was 82.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Faglon resided in Somerset for 43 years. Prior to his retirement, Tom worked as a I.T. Professional with Telcordia, Inc. of Piscataway.
Tom competes as a regional finalist in the Sutter Home winery “Build a Better Burger” cook-off in Pittsburgh.
Tom is selected for the fifth time to compete in the National Oyster Cook-off in St. Marys, Maryland!
Diane and Tom are avid “foodies”. Our favorite TV channels are the Food Network and the Cooking Channel. We can “kick it up a notch”, and “BAM” it with Emeril and the best of them. We surf the web looking for new gourmet food suppliers and wine merchants. To better hone our cooking skills, we have completed cooking, baking and chocolate courses at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York and King’s Cooking Studio in New Jersey. We have also participated in wine courses given by Connie Fowler, a local New Jersey wine expert, the Stage House Inn (Scotch Plains, NJ), Pierre’s Bistro and Serenade (Chatham, NJ). Our “foodie”-mania is evident in our memberships in the Vidalia Onion Lovers Club, Cooking Club of America, “Foodie Forum”, Beer Across America, Wine Library Wine Club, Coffee Anyone Gourmet Coffee Club and D & M Champagne Society. We receive probably 40-50 food and cooking magazines and catalogues a month. Our mania around food and cooking centers mainly around our dinner and tea parties, our wine and food pairing seminars, building relationships with chefs, Tom’s recipe and cook-off contests and competitions, our favorite suppliers and restaurants and, of course, our favorite food fantasies. Since Tom retired, he has been focusing his energies on recipe competitions, cook-offs, and relationships with local food purveyors.
Tom has also been featured in the NY Times for his Dark chocolate Bark with Pomegranates and Candied Ginger. Watch the video at: http://nyti.ms/18cj53L. Read the article at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/04/dining/sweet-treats-from-their-kitchen-to-yours.html?_r=0&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1385904383-5uthX6Q+8noupARKC/Ig2A
In addition to our regular culinary events, each year we have one big extravaganza that really puts our skills and capabilities to the test. Some of our culinary adventures include:
Tom’s winning 2nd prize at the 2017 Sutter Home Winery “Build a Better Burger” contest.
Tom’s partnership with food writer, Melissa Clark, to produce a video for the New York Times Dining section for his Dark Chocolate Bark with and Pomegranate and Candied Ginger
Several featured articles about Tom’s culinary prowess in the NJ Star Ledger and Taste of Home Magazine.
Tom’s winning 2nd place in the Best NJ Home Cooks Competition in 2015, sponsored by the NJ Star Ledger.
Tom’s winning cook-off competitions at the 2011,2012, 2013,2014 and 2017 National Oyster Cook-offs sponsored by the Maryland Seafood and Aquaculture Organization
Partnering with the TV Food Network to realize one of our food fantasies–to cook a dinner party for a 5 star chef!
Serving as featured chefs for a culinary weekend at the Fox Creek Inn, Chittenden Vermont
Catering a “Culinary Cruise” for the Wyse Advertising Company and 70 of their key clients
Donating a food and wine pairing seminar for a fund-raising auction at the annual New Jersey Junior Achievement Gala.
Tom’s adventure with the NJ Star Ledger’s Munchmobile to answer the question, “Can you get good Cajun food north of N’Awlins?”
Tom’s partnership with L &D ‘s Sapore Ravioli & Cheese, LLC. to develop and market dessert ravioli products and represent the company at local farmer’s markets and supermarkets.
Tom’s many successful recipe competition entries
Tom is the subject of a full-page feature article in Taste of Home magazine, Summer,2016 issue.
Tom won second prize in the Star Ledger Best Home Cooks of New Jersey competition.
Tom was featured in a full page feature article in Taste of Home magazine.
Tom took 2nd pace for the Taste of Home “Lazy Day Summer Shortcuts” competition for Mushroom and Gouda Quiche recipe
Tom had his Mighty Mango Shrimp recipe published in the Taste of Home Holiday and Celebrations Cookbook
Tom had the following recipes published in the Taste of Home Magazine: Orange Glazed Carrots, Onions and Radishes recipe, Mediterranean Chicken Orzo recipe, Summertime Tomato Salad recipe, 3 Sausage Breakfast Bake
Tom competed in the Sutter Home “Build a Better burger” Contest and took second prize for his Grand English Burger.
Tom competed for the fifth time in the National Oyster Festival and took second prize for his Fennel and Orange Oysters Baked in Parchment.
Tom won first place in the Taste of Home Big Breakfast Recipe contest with his Shitake and Manchego Scramble recipe.
Surviving are his beloved wife Diane (Perz) Faglon; his children Thomas McKeon and his wife Christine, Mary Holleran and her husband Edward, and 4 children.
All services will be private.
For more information on Thomas E. Faglon you can visit his website at www. faglon.com
Stay ‘In the Know,’ subscribe to the Franklin Reporter & Advocate!
No other media outlet covering Franklin Township brings you the depth of information presented by the Franklin Reporter & Advocate. Period. We are the only truly independent media serving the Eight Villages.
But we can only do that with your support. Please consider a yearly subscription to our online news site; at $37 a year, it’s one of the best investments you can make for yourself.
To subscribe, please click here.
