Friday Froth: XX, ADD and IPA

“He is the life of parties he’s never attended. His business card simply says 'I'll call you.'” The “Most Interesting Man In The World” commercials get me every time. Do you know what the two X’s in the Dos Equis name signify? Unlike the “33” on bottles from Old Latrobe, this one actually has an answer. XX was first brewed in 1900 by a German émigré to Mexico named Wilhelm Haase, and named “Siglo XX”, or “Twentieth Century” to commemorate the dawn of a new era. Concise and easily recognizable, the brand name has survived 111 years. Pacifico remains my personal favorite Mexican beer but, like the big building with patients, that’s not important right now.

Shall we? 

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Reheated: Beard Awards Tap Taibe

Chef Bill Taibe of leFarm has landed himself a nomination from The James Beard Foundation for "Best Chef Northeast" – the only Connecticut nominee in the "Best Chef: Northeast" category.

The Dressing Room will host a wine dinner featuring organic and biodynamic wines from Robert Sinskey Vineyards on Tuesday, February 22 at 7 pm.

Three Popular Chefs battle for the title of “IRON SOMMELIER” hosted at Ridgefield's Toscana Thursday, February 24 at 7 p.m, $80 per person. The competition will feature 3 food courses accompanied by wines chosen by local chefs: Bernard Bouissou of Bernard’s; Jean-Luc Le Gall of Le Chateau; Sabrina Rullo of Sagi; and Jeff Hennig of Toscana Ristorante. Reservations: 203.894.8995. 

Connecticut Restaurant Kicks off February 27. Check out deals, schedules and which restaurants in are participating near you: Ridgefield, Stamford and Westport. Kick the weekend off with a Harpoon beer tasting at Monster B's on Friday, Feb. 18 at 5 pm.

Whole Foods will open in Danbury's former Marcus Dairy location, as reported by Talk of the Town.

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leFarms' Bill Taibe Nominated for James Beard Award

Mr. Delicious (or so Bill Taibe's shirt read at the most recent Souterrain) has landed himself a nomination from The James Beard Foundation for "Best Chef Northeast." Taibe was the only Connecticut nominee in the "Best Chef: Northeast" category.

The James Beard Foundation Awards have been deemed “the Oscars of the food world,” by Time magazine, and are the country’s most coveted honor for chefs, as well as food and beverage professionals. Final nominees will be announced at the Oregon Culinary Institute in Portland on March 21 and simultaneously live via the Foundation's Twitter page, @beardfoundation.

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A Guide to Juice Fasts in Fairfield County CT

If you’re not going three times per day, then something’s not right ,”says Glen Cavallo, who, along with Lisa Storch, owns Catch a Healthy Habit Cafe in Fairfield, where I’m sampling one of the Super Smoothies that is bottled up for customers doing the Café’s Five Day Juice Cleanse.

To hear Glen, and other cleansing gurus like Carissa Delicicchi at The Stand in Norwalk, and Carrie at Kaia Café in Westport, talk, it seems that most of us could probably use a little “cleaning out” every now and again.

A Juice Cleanse is a nourishing diet consisting of liquid food allows the digestive organs time to rest and heal from the toxins of modern living. They give your body a break from bad habits like caffeine and alcohol and reset the palette for healthier foods.

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Stamford Restaurant Week Starts February 27th

Ridgefield Restaurant Week Starts February 20th

The Ridgefield Winter Restaurant Week will take place February 20 to 24 and February 27 to March 3, 2011 as a part of the larger Connecticut Restaurant Week initiative. 

Participating restaurants will offer a 20% discount off lunch and dinner entrees, not including beverages, tax and gratuity. It's a great time to eat out in Ridgefield.

Restaurants include:

Bailey's Backyard, Bernard's, Bissel House, Caputo's East Ridge Café, Junmai, Little Pub, Plate, Sagi Cucina Italia, Sarah's Wine Bar, Southwest Café, and Terra Sole.

LeFarm's Spaghetti with Braised Veal Leg

On New Years eve we came across a a dish for Spaghetti with Braised Veal Leg on leFarm's dinner menu. My husband (A.K.A the braise-master) decided to sample the slow-cooked meat to compare it to his own braised meat explorations. The analysis proved positive. Bill Taibe's braise had kicked our "you know whats," and layered atop fresh spaghetti, the dish was richly comforting. When winter weather abounds, it's time to hunker down and get cooking.

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Shout Out: Where & What Did You Eat for V-Day?

With the myriad of Valentine's Day dinners in Fairfield County, and the endless possibilities for a special home cooked Valentine menu, how did your evening pan out? Where did you eat? What did you eat? And most importantly, would you do it again next year? Help your fellow readers make the right choice for February 14th 2012. It's never too early to plan out a good meal. 

Where & What Did You Eat for Valentine's Day?

Would you do it again?

Westport Restaurant Week Starts February 27th

Westport Restaurant Week returns, offering great deals on dining out. From Sunday, February 27 through Saturday, March 5th there is simply no need to cook at home. 

Some of the participating restaurants include: Acqua Ristorante, Blue Lemon, Bobby Q's, DaPietro's Restaurant, La Villa Trattoria, Manolo, Thali, River House, Matsu Sushi, Rizzuto's Wood-Fired Restaurant and Bar, Splash Restaurant & Bar, Coromandel, Tavern on Main, and more!

Participating restaurants will offer a special prix fixe lunch and dinner menu throughout the entire week.

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Savor Pizza: Norwalk's Healthier Pizza (& Gluten-Free)

Pizza is easy to love.  Who doesn’t relish gooey mounds of cheese over even the most basic sauces and crusts? But for diners concerned with their health,  it is no secret that most pizza is loaded with fat and sodium.  For those with gluten allergies or intolerance,  pizza parlor pizza is off limits.

SAVOR PIZZA in Norwalk is a dream come true for pizza lovers with gluten sensitivities and diners who are mindful of eating lower fat, less salt and organic ingredients. For those with gluten intolerance, it may become your go-to spot for take out pizza, the meal you thought you would never be able to eat again.

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