Debra Ponzek's The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook

Debra Ponzek, owner of Aux Delices Fine Foods, knows a few things about getting food on the table. She cooks for her family and has a successful catering and restaurant business with locations in both Westport and Greenwich. Ponzek’s fourth cookbook The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook, comes out on April 1st 2013 as an answer to the age old question, What’s for dinner?

“You write different cookbooks at different times in your life,” says Ponzek. “I have kids and the question of what will I serve for dinner is a constant.” 

To approach this mealtime conundrum, Ponzek has written her book with the organizing principle of,” What do I feel like eating tonight?” 

The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook is divided into basic mealtime genres such as: "Everybody Loves Burgers", "Pasta & Beyond", "On The Slow Side" for braises, "If You Love Chicken", as well as "Breakfast For Dinner" (my personal favorite). The concept is to take an ingredient your family enjoys and expand on what you already know. 

“I found that people tend to make the same 5 of 6 dishes every week,” states Ponzek. “I hope that people will be inspired by the recipes in The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook and find that they are simple enough to add these to their repertoire.” 

Click to read more ...

Interview & Recipe with Slow Cooker Author Dina Cheney

Dina Cheney is a Connecticut-based food writer and author of Year-Round Slow Cooker, published in 2013 by The Taunton Press. I recently chatted with her about her latest book, what makes Connecticut a special place for dining out, and her inspiration for fellow food writers. 

As a CT resident, what do you think makes CT a special place for food and dining culture?  I love living in Connecticut! We moved from Manhattan nearly 10 years ago, and I haven't felt at all deprived from a culinary perspective. Being on the coast, the seafood is terrific! I also think CT residents are educated and discerning, so the restaurants and shops that cater to them are top-notch, many quite sophisticated. 

As a mother of two, what are some of your favorite family-friendly places to eat out? So many! We love City Limits and Coromandel. This sounds strange, but—being part Syrian—I love exposing them to Middle Eastern food. So, we enjoy taking them to Safita in Fairfield (plus Shiraz in Elmsford, which is in Westchester County). Other Connecticut favorites are SoNo Baking in South Norwalk for breakfast and The Bedford Post Inn in Bedford (also for breakfast) and ReNapoli Pizza in Old Greenwich.

Click to read more ...

Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for the Connecticut Foodie

As is always the case, one holiday ends and another is launched into our consciousness almost instantly. Those crumbs from the pumpkin pies are just being swept away, but The Holiday Season is officially here and Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa shopping has begun. What to get? Where to get it? It’s the annual quest. We’d like to make things a wee bit easier for you, as we’ve found some great items for the food lovers on your list. Buy one, buy several! Either way, you will seen as one of those “good gift givers”!

Click to read more ...

Chefs & Cookbook Authors @ Ferguson Library

As part of the Friend of The Ferguson Author Series, Food Writers Katie Workman of The Mom 100 Cookbook, Michele Stuart of the award winning Michele's Pies & Claire Criscuolo, and owner of Claire's Corner Copia in New Haven will be speaking about their experiences and signing books on Wednesday, November 7 from 6-8pm. 

Wine reception will begin at 6 p.m. Appetizers courtesy of Bar Rosso and Capriccio Cafe. Discussion will start at 6:30 p.m. followed by a book sale and signing. Tickets are $15. Proceeds benefit the Library.  Register Here 

Click to read more ...

TATE'S Bake Shop Creator & Author @ King's Market Oct 13

In celebration of Kathleen King's new cookbook, BAKING FOR FRIENDS: Over 120 scrumptious recipes from Southampton's favorite baker, Kings Food Markets will host a book signing and Q&A with Kathleen at its Old Greenwich, Connecticut store location on Saturday, October 13th at 12p.m. Guests attending will have the opportunity to meet the author and taste some of Tate's delicious sweets.

Click to read more ...

Food Porn: Apple Tart Recipe

CLICK ON IMAGE ABOVE TO LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY

Tina Rupp is a professional food photographer who works with Food & Wine Magazine and Weight Watchers and also photographs many cookbooks and national print ads. 

Today just after this tart came out of the oven, I FINALLY realized why I bake and don’t really cook.  I burned applesauce. Who does that? The running joke between me and my husband is that I can burn just about anything I cook: eggs, toast, fishies for my daughters and then today it was applesauce made from all of the extra apples I sliced for the shoot.  It finally hit me.  When I bake, I have a timer!  When I cook on the stovetop, no timer!  Eureka moment for sure. Thankfully, my husband is an amazing cook, beef bourguignon, the works. Nice balance with all the baking I do and fortunately I can also make a mean salad. No timer needed.

Click to read more ...

John Barricelli's "The Seasonal Baker" Cookbook in Stores August 21

The most appealing aspect of John Barricelli’s new cookbook “The Seasonal Baker: Easy Recipes From My Home Kitchen to Make Year-Round” is the reassuring conversational tone of his introductions and tips, which are not just sprinkled, but dolloped throughout the book.  The title is a mouthful, but accurate, with the emphasis on the home kitchen. If you want to recreate the multi-layered Chocolate Ganache Cake or Crème Brulee Tartlets from the Sono Baking Company’s repertoire, go to John’s first cookbook of the same name.  The Seasonal Baker is a go-to resource of thoughtfully selected and approachable recipes, both sweet and savory, meant to be prepared in a home kitchen. They will dazzle the diners, and not daunt the baker.

The book is well organized, dividing its 135 recipes into 9 clear sections from Muffins, Quick Breads and Breakfast Treats through Crisps, Cobblers and Other Fruit Spoon Desserts to the savory Tarts, Quiches, Pastas and More, and finally Focaccia and Pizza on the Grill.  With few exceptions, the recipes are designed for everyday baking and John’s heartfelt introduction sets you up for all you will encounter in the book, essentially a mash-up of food and family. 

Click to read more ...

Chef Cosentino, Iron Chef & Author @ William Sonoma

Chris Cosentino: Chef/Partner of Incanto, Boccalone and Pigg, former Iron Chef, and author of the new cookbook, Beginnings: My Way To Start a Meal is the featured chef partner this season at Williams-Sonoma. With his inspired interpretations of Italian dishes and innovative whole animal cooking, Cosentino has proven he’s someone to watch in the culinary world. 

On June 13, 5-7 pm you can join him at William Sonoma for an evening of Chris’s seasonal, Italian-Style first courses. These simple, rustic recipes reflect the chef’s love of cooking – both at home and in the kitchen of his San Francisco restaurant, Incanto and artisan salumeria, Boccalone. 

COST: $75 includes 2-hour demo, a signed copy of the book and dinner!

Please call the store at 203-221-8667 for more information.

Click to read more ...

The Naptime Chef: Local Chef Fits Great Food into Family Life

When Kelsey Banfield became a mother she quickly learned that organization was necessary to successfully run a household. Babies are unpredictable in their needs and they can easily wreak havoc on the day’s plans. A fussy baby needs tending to.  Clutter piles up, as does laundry as well as those lists of things we need to accomplish. Many of us have been there and our babies are much older. While we can better organize our days, we’re still incredibly busy and there never does seem to be enough time in our day. So while Kelsey utilizes her daughter’s naptime to get things done, those of us without napping children can carve out some time during the day where we can do the same, whether it be morning, afternoon or evening.  Whether we have newborns, active toddlers or busy teenagers with heavy schedules, Kelsey’s approach to fitting great food into our lives is one that can be adapted by us all, and you can share her secrets in her new cookbook, "The Naptime Chef, Fitting Great Food into Family Life." 

Click to read more ...

Sono Baking Co & Caseus at Barnes & Noble May 6th

If you’re a sucker for hand-baked bread and artisanal cheese and seasonal farm fare (and who isn’t?) you'll want to head over to Barnes & Noble in Westport this Sunday, May 6 at 11 a.m. for a book signing, foodie and children’s event in support of Westport's Wakeman Town Farm.

Jason Sobocinski of New Haven's Caseus restaurant and host of “The Big Cheese” will join SoNo Bakery's John Barricelli, host of "Everyday Baking," to offer tastes and sign copies of their beautiful cookbooks, Caseus Fromagerie Bistro Cookbook and the SoNo Baking Company Cookbook as part of a Bookfair Fundraiser for Wakeman Farm. 

Not only will you get to meet the authors and peruse their new books, but Caseus is bringing its famed Cheese Truck to the event. The Cheese Truck is a mobile kitchen that drives the streets of New Haven selling to-die-for grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, daily sausages, salads and more!

Click to read more ...