Weekly Nibble: Oysters, CT Beer Summit, Cooking Classes, Stamford Restaurant Week + More

Stamford’s Winter Restaurant week begins Monday March 2 and runs through March 16.  Over 30 Downtown Stamford restaurants will offer special prix fixe options.  Participating restaurants include places like Barcelona, Cask Republic, Tengda Asian Bistro, and more.  Please call ahead to confirm pricing and the dates offered.  

Head over to The Spread in South Norwalk Tuesday March 2 and help raise money for the “Sheffield Island Lighthouse Education Program.” Starting at 430PM Chef Carlos will prepare oysters fourteen different ways. In conjunction with Copps Island Oysters, The Spread team will host an evening filled with Oyster Shooters, Poached Oysters. Oysters Casino, Oyster sliders and their famous BBQ grilled Oysters.

Tuesday March 3, you have your pick of great cooking classes:

Chef Pat Pascarella of Bar Sugo in Norwalk continues his new series of cooking classes with “The Art of Braising” on Tuesday March 3 at 7pm. 

Meanwhile, Tim LaBant at The Schoolhouse in Cannondale will teach you about “Fish cookery;  wet and dry cooking methods.” The class will be from 6-8pm at the Schoolhouse and is limited to 6 people. Each class is priced at $125 per person.  

On Monday March 2, Tomato and Basil of Fairfield will hold a five-course Rutini wine dinner featuring five selections from Rutini, including the Apartado Gran Malbec Reserva, the jewel of the Rutini collection. $85 per person, plus tax and gratuity.  Please call 203-333-3600 to reserve your seats.

The Weekend Kitchen in Essex, CT presents “Quick and Easy Thai.”  Classes include full dinner, professional instruction and all recipes.  It lasts from 6:30-10pm and costs $75.

The Connecticut Beer Summit will take place on Wednesday March 4 at Two Roads Brewery in Stratford. The panel discussion, moderated by Ken Tuccio, includes 5 Connecticut breweries: Two Roads Brewing, Half Full Brewery, Black Hog Brewing, OEC Brewing and Shebeen Brewing. The event is sold out, but anyone can submit questions to be asked that night.  http://welcomect.com/ctbeersummit.htm

It’s a Victory Tap Takeover at Cask Republic Stamford. On Wednesday, March 4, witness the CT debut of Deep Cocoa, a porter with rum soaked cocoa nibs. http://caskrepublic.com/events/Victory-Tap-Takeover/60 

Also on Wednesday, Hartford’s City Steam Brewery will hold the “4th Annual March Madness BrewFest.” It includes over 20 breweries such as Half Full, Relic, Firefly Hollow, Thomas Hooker, Thimble Island, Back East, Cambridge House Brew Pub, SBC, Weed, Beaver, Broad Brook, BAR New Haven, and more. There will also be a beer inspired dinner buffet.  It goes from 7-10pm and costs $35 per person.  For tickets and details, visit: https://city-steam.seatengine.com/shows/23289 

Join Steve Conaway of “The American Chestnut Foundation” on Thursday, March 5 at The Carriage Barn Arts Center in Waveny Park in New Canaan. He will be joined by Chef Silvia Baldini who will lead a “Culinary Demonstration and Tasting” featuring chestnuts. Analiese Paik of the Fairfield Green Food Guide will also lead a discussion entitled "Heirloom and Ark of Taste. The informative session runs from 6:30-8:30 pm. http://www.ctbites.com/home/2015/2/17/the-american-chestnut-educational-tasting-on-march-5.html

Connecticut's largest food, agriculture and sustainability conference, held Western Connecticut State University's Midtown Campus in Danbury on Saturday, March 7. The conference will focus on the future of sustainable farming through dozens of workshops, an exhibition space with over over 70 vendors featuring local foods, crafts, books, and sustainability initiatives. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Kristine Nichols, Rodale Institute Chief Scientist who will deliver a speech on the "Regenerative Agriculture for Soil & Climate Health." /home/2015/2/19/ct-nofa-2015-winter-conference.html 

James Beard-nominated Millwright's in Simsbury is offering a $30 three course prix-fixe menu every week from Tuesday through Thursday. Their menu changes weekly. If that isn't enough to get you there, they offer $1 oysters on Tuesdays and 1/2 off wine on Sundays throughout the winter.