Q&A, Book Signing: The Dressing Room's Michel Nischan

For anyone who has every wanted to meet the man behind The Dressing Room as well as Wholesome Wave Foundation, head on over to Borders Books this week!

Join Chef Michel Nischan Tuesday, May 4 at Borders Books, 1499 Post Road, Fairfield, Connecticut for a discussion and signing of his newest cookbook, Sustainably Delicious: Making the World a Better Place, One Recipe at a Time.

Chef Michel has always embraced the simplest messages about how to eat: Use what’s readily available. Celebrate variety.  Respect the land.  Eschew waste.  In Sustainably Delicious, Chef Michel brings these vital messages out of the white tablecloth setting and into home kitchens throughout the country.   Chef Michel demystifies buzzwords like “locavore,” “organic,” and “sustainable”—to showcase foods that are good—in every sense of the word.

Chef Michel will begin discussion, question/answer session and book signing at 7:00 p.m.

A Taste Of Westport 2010

The 6th annual "Taste of Westport" is returning on Thursday May 6th for an evening of eating, drinking and fundraising. Money raised at this event will support CLASP Homes Inc., a great local not-for-profit organization serving people with developmental disabilities.

Earthplace will be hosting this tasting extravaganza where guests will be able to sample an abundance of fare from restaurants like Brasitas, Cafe Lola, Rizzutos, and Da Pietro's (See the full list of restaurants and vendors below). Need a drink? They've got that covered too. Wine, beer, and signature cocktails are included in the admission price. 

As if that wasn't enough to get you in the door, there are also fabulous silent auction items including: tickets to the Daily Show, BMW adult and kids bikes, a plane ride around NYC, tickets and preview party for 20 @ The Westport Playhouse, a "boys night out" package, restaurant gift certificates, and much much more. 

Here are your ticket options:

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Chef Talk: Sono Baking Co's Tomato Tarts

John Barricelli, owner and chef at Sono Baking Company, takes his tarts seriously. If you visit his storefront, you will see them perfectly crisped, savory, and seemingly impossible to make at home. 

A few months ago, we went "behind the scenes @ Sono Baking Co." and watched John cooking up these tasty morsels, and decided this was one recipe we had to have. Fortunately his new cookbook came out last month and now every home cook can enjoy these divine Tomato Tarts without having to drive to Norwalk. 

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The Farmer's Cow: Ice Cream Naming Contest Winners

This past February, The Farmer's Cow, a group of 6 CT family dairy farms, decided to hold a contest to name 10 flavors in their new line of premium ice cream. We posted it here on CTbites, and we worked hard on our entries, but alas, no Webster family winner below. If you were wondering who did win a Summer of free ice cream, check out the names and the new flavors below. 

They sifted through over 3,000 names for the various ice cream flavors.

The winning names and their creators are:

• “Hay! Hay! Hay! Vanilla” - Tracy Shortell, Wallingford
• “Cow Barn Chocolate” - Sebastian Tonewo, Franklin
• “Farm Stand Cherry Vanilla” - Karen Provoncha, Storrs
• “Summer Meadow Strawberry” - Kip Kolesinskas, Manchester

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Green Food Tips To Reduce Your Footprint

One of the easiest ways to make Earth Day every day is to green your kitchen. Here are some delicious and fun ways to reduce your family's "foodprint" while eating well. You can also view some of Analiese's tips on this Channel 8 news segment. 

1. Buy locally grown food from a farmers' market and learn to cook with the seasons.

Michel Nischan's (of The Dressing Room) latest cookbook is perfect for anyone looking for inspirational ways to cook with the seasons

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Green Gourmet To Go: Healthy Eats in Bridgeport

If you discover sweet potatoes and spinach in your fudge brownies at Green Gourmet to Go don't be surprised. OK, you can keep that a secret from your kids because the veggies are not detectable in these moist, chocolatey bites or in the Blondies with a sweet potato base.  The chocolate (anti oxidants a plenty!) masks the veggies and you will be better off for having added a few more to your daily intake.  My fave desserts were the peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and the almond oaties.  They tasted most like what I would expect (read: crave) from a cookie. Imagine eating your veggies in your dessert!  I didn't mean to jump to the end first but I was so enthralled by the ingredients list that I did exactly that!

Linda Soper-Kolton has been open in Black Rock for only 5 weeks but she is well on her way to establishing herself as a resource for healthy meals and nutrient dense foods.

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Coffee Beans 101 @ espressoNEAT

(Yes! Those red berries turn into that AM addiction)

Have you ever wondered how the green seed of a cherry is transformed into the brew of your morning cup? You've never seen a coffee tree (yes, coffee cherries grow on trees!), but you're curious how the growing region, harvesting process, and roasting level might affect your flavor experience.  Oh, and you've never quite figured out how the caffeine is removed to keep you from getting the jitters.

Come learn and discuss over a cup of NEAT coffee, and know your stuff next time you buy a cup of coffee or bag of beans!

What: 1 hour from seed to cup

Where: espresso NEAT (20 Grove Street, Darien) 

When: Monday, May 3rd @ 4PM Price: $10

RSVP: info@espressoNEAT.com (10 person limit)

Bringing Back The Martini

The gin martini deserves to be revered. Done well, it's a study in radical simplicity. Done poorly, and you’re better off using it as a cleaning solution. 

Each Monday I encourage you to celebrate the start of the week with a classic dry gin martini. A weekly ritual in our house, it should begin with good quality gin, a whisper of vermouth, combined with a shaker full of ice and finished with a twist of lemon served in a chilled glass. (If you'd rather not serve, but be served this classic cocktail, check out our "Martini Map" below.) 

An acquired taste for many, the juniper and botanical essence of gin over time will grow on you, especially when paired with an olive or olive juice (the dirty martini), perhaps a pickled onion (the gibson) and of course (my preferred pairing) the lemon twist

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Old School Burgers @ Their Best: Cherry Street East

Photo Credit: Natasha Montero“Déjà vu all over again” – Yogi Berra

In April 2006, Cherry Street East suffered the greatest catastrophe that can strike any business when it became engulfed in flames. A total loss; many loyal patrons stared at the charred remains of their local pub, their beloved hangout, and the place that since 1977 had served one of the best burgers in Fairfield County. Cherry Street East was a piece of the fiber of the New Canaan community and patrons were concerned that Cherry Street East would become a distant memory.  In a true tribute to the owners John and Mary Bergin, the local residents formed an alliance with the owners to reconstruct an exact replica of the original building. The eclectic clientele returned and include local business people sharing an appetizer and burger for lunch, several regulars holding court, and families out for a burgers and fries dinner. 

With the building rebuilt to its former glory would the legendary burgers return?

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CTbites Lunch Event @ Nicholas Roberts

As promised, our next CTbites / Suzysaid lunch event has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 4th @ Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro. Many of us in the CTbites community have been long time fans of Rob Troilo's sublime cuisine, and now he will serve up a meal especially for our readers. You know it's going to be good.

For anyone who has dined with Rob before, you know the space is small, so call now to make your reservations at (203) 229-0035. Check out the delicious $15 prix fixe menu below...

Choice of entree:

Seared Tuna Nicoise Style - with black olive tapenade, green beans, anchovies and a dijon vinaigrette

Caesar Salad with Organic Chicken - brioche croutons and parmesan crisp

Spring Vegetable Risotto with fresh favas, english peas, asparagus and mascarpone

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