Flavorful Lunch Bargain @ Thai Pearl in Ridgefield

If you're looking to give your brown bag a break or if you just can't face another sandwich, you'd be hard pressed to find a better and more affordable lunch alternative than Thai Pearl in Ridgefield. With a prix fixe lunch menu featuring ten traditional Thai dishes and three courses starting at just $8.95, I'd say it's easily one of the most affordable and most satisfying lunches in town.

On a recent snowy afternoon, I began with the shumai as a warm and savory amuse bouche to start the meal. A combination of shrimp, tofu and vegetables fill three wonton wrappers. I presume these are steamed and then pan fried given their chewy exterior and crisp edges, and then finished with a chili and soy sauce. The other lunch appetizer options include soup, salad or spring roll. One course down, two more to go.

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School is Back in Session @ Fairfield Cheese Company

Fairfield Cheese Company classes are back in session and school has never been this delicious. Whether you are a cheese novice looking for a an introduction to the basics, or a cheese-aficionado seeking to expand your knowledge on a specific variety, they've got the class for you. 

I jumped at the chance to attend one of these sessions back in October and spent some time with owners Laura and Christopher who lead these entertaining and informative evenings. If you would like some background on Fairfield Cheese Company, check out our review, "Cheese 101."

With wine pairings from Harry's Wine & Liquor, this is the perfect way to break out of that dinner-and-a-movie date night rut. If you attend any of the classes below, let us know what you think!

Cheese School Class Schedule-Spring  2010

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Breakfast Solution: Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro

Before I met my husband, I gave nary a thought to the most important meal of the day. I’d rather sleep. But since becoming enlightened to the art of eating this meal, weekend breakfasts have become sacrosanct to my family.  One of our houses of worship is Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro, located in an indistinct shopping center in Norwalk.  The food snob in me has learned that you cannot judge a restaurant by its geography.  Such is life in suburbia – some restaurants are in strip malls.  They are not all as transporting as this one.  Robert Troilo, owner and chef, was schooled at the French Culinary Institute in New York and it shows, both in his inspired cooking and its artful presentation.   Equally impressive is that he seems to always be there, greeting customers warmly, cooking in the open kitchen, serving and waiting on tables.  

Last summer, at a friend’s suggestion, I ventured to the strip mall at 75 Main Street for a Saturday night dinner (read our review). The food was so outstanding, we asked the requisite question of each distinctive restaurant in Fairfield County: “Are you opened for breakfast?”

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Taste Testing the NEW Sono Baking Co. Cookbook

A good cook book is like a map. It takes you to places in the kitchen you couldn’t have gone with out it. A great cook book is like a navigation device. It not only gives you the maps, but shows you points of interest along the way and tells you how to get back on track if you veer off course.  The Sono Baking Company Cookbook is a great cookbook and it's on sale March 9th! From its thick, glossy pages to its gorgeous photos and instructive recipes, this book is an inviting and engaging kitchen travel companion.  

The first thing you notice about the Sono Cookbook is its beautiful photos. Much credit to Ben Fink, who makes the food pop off the page and look so stunning and real you’re surprised you can’t reach into the book and pick up the pastry brush to glaze a tart on the Table of Contents page. When we decided to do a tasting as part of the book’s review

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CTbites Shout Out: What's Your Guilty Food Pleasure?

 

Ok CTbites readers, we all have our guilty food pleasures... a secret stash you hide in the back of the pantry, or a fast food stop you make mid-day when your kids aren't in the car? 

Here's what our contributors have hankerings for.

What do you crave?

Stephanie Webster:  I've got a serious problem with S'mores. I make them in the toaster oven with dark chocolate...Also anything with bacon and grilled onions. 

Marcy Shinbaum:  SALT SALT SALT! A great piece of artisan bread, well toasted, lightly buttered, and heavily salted. Perfection.

Jennifer Spaide:  My guilty pleasure is Fish Filet sandwiches from McDonalds... extra tartar sauce please!  They are one of the worst things on the menu to order, and I don’t do it often, but they have a magical way of making me feel like a kid again.  Damn you Micky D!!! 

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Chef Talk: Barcelona's Spicy Lobster Salad

Here is our second installment from the Barcelona Cookbook, Spicy Lobster Salad. This recipe will have you craving those Summer lobster runs to Massachusetts. It is simple, fresh and delicious, but has a little kick giving it that signature Barcelona flair. 

Spicy Lobster Salad

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Local Artisan: Making Maple Syrup with Mark Harran

Neil Gluckin is a writer, communication consultant and local food advocate who lives in Wilton, CT. He explores the links between food, self and community in his blog at forageprimeval.com.

After firing up the generator that runs the vacuum pump, Mark Harran watches intently as liquid begins to flow through plastic tubing connected to a sleek spout protruding from the trunk of a tree. We are a long way from wooden buckets, tanks of sap on horse-drawn sleds and rustic smoke-filled sugar houses, but Harran is aiming at the same result: maple syrup, the addictive nectar that Americans have been distilling from the sap of the sugar maple since the legendary Chief Wokis first struck a tree with his tomahawk and made it weep sweet tears.

A 30-year veteran of the food industry, Harran, now retired, has returned to his roots. He grew up on a farm in upstate New York that hung buckets from 5,700 taps, and he lives on one now, in Litchfeld, where he does the same thing albeit on a smaller scale. In addition to being a private farmer, he also serves as President of the Maple Syrup Producers Association of Connecticut.

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What's in Your Lunchbox? Kids Bento

Back by popular demand, our "What's in Your Lunchbox" column has returned offering answers to the age old question...What do I pack in those darn lunchboxes today? 

The concept here is simple...Bento box. What child wouldn't love the smorgasbord of choices with this kid style bento box? Today we are featuring garbanzo beans, black olives, shredded carrots, peas, mini mozzarella balls, cornichons (baby pickles), and tamari cashews (if your school is nut friendly). Really, you could put anything in these little foil containers. Just cup your hand and tuck a small piece of foil inside to make the cups, place food in and voila...bento. Kids will love opening up these little surprises!

Now, we at CTbites do not advocate generating extra waste in your lunch, so we suggest reusing or recycling the foil after use. You can also get great reusable bento-style lunch boxes from LaptopLunches.com. 

For more information on great waste-free lunchboxes, see our back to school roundup. 

Behind the Scenes @ Napa & Co: Iron Chef Mushrooms

Napa & Company in Stamford, one of the elite restaurants in Connecticut, was founded several years ago and immediately created a frenzy of activity along Summer Street. Proprietors, Mary Schaeffer and Charles Morgan, have been fixtures within the high-end Stamford restaurant scene for many years and have raised the culinary bar in Fairfield County. They are known for their menu's dedicated farm-to-table approach with a focus on locally sourced seasonal ingredients, and an outstanding wine list. 

The kitchen is presided over by the very talented  Executive Chef Arik Bensimon, whose youth belies his extensive experience.  Raised in a restaurant family, he began cooking at the age of 14. After graduating from the CIA he worked at top NYC dining establishments including Le Cirque and Picholine. Chef Arik's unique ability to stay calm and focused sets the tone for this uncharacteristically non-frenetic commercial kitchen, and allows his efficient and friendly kitchen staff to produce an incredible array of inspired creations. 

In thinking how to best present the well established Napa & Company to the CTbites community, we asked if we could combine an “Iron Chef” single ingredient concept with a trip behind the scenes to watch Chef Arik in action. Chef Arik was quick to accept our challenge (which included my assisting in the kitchen). And now, Napa & Company meets Iron Chef…MUSHROOMS!!!

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Upcoming Maple Syrup Events

Ambler Farm Maple Syrup Open House

Saturday, February 27 + Saturday, March 6
12:30pm-1:30 pm

Join the folks at Ambler Farm to watch how they make their very own maple syrup. Bundle up for a great discussion on the Native American origin of maple syrup, the amazing flow of sap and learn how to boil the sap down to make syrup. They'll wrap up the program with some tasting of their very own maple syrup over vanilla ice cream. It's great activity for the whole family. Dads love this kinda stuff!

Free for all ages! Email amblerfarm@gmail.com to pre-register

Address: Ambler Farm, 257 Hurlbutt Street, Wilton CT 06897

First County Bank Maple Sugar Sunday

First County Bank Maple Sugar Sunday takes place March 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m at The Stamford Museum & Nature Center. The maple sugar season peaks on March 7 as the museum celebrates the 10th Annual Maple Sugar Sunday. At this fun-filled family festival, visitors can learn how Native Americans created sugar from sap using the hot rock method; see how colonialists used large iron cauldrons to boil the sap over an open fire, and then stop by the maple sugar house to see modern evaporation technique in action. 

There will also be a cook-off between Frank Daniele of Frank & Julio Complete Event Planning and Marcia Selden of Marcia Selden Catering and Event Planning. On feb 20th, three chefs competed to create a recipe using maple syrup as a primary ingredient. The recipes were judged by the public, eliminating one of the contenders. The final two chef show down will take place at the March 7th event.  

Of course, there will be lots of sweet treats and the ever-popular pancake breakfast. Other activities include maple-themed crafts, games, storytelling, music and much more.