Filtering by Tag: Gift Guide,Beer Dinner

CTbites Holiday Gift Guide For Food Lovers (2024 Edition)

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April Guilbault December 01, 2024

And here we are again, on the threshold of the holiday season! The weather might be a little warmer than usual (but then again, it snowed this morning. Anyone else keeping up with all of this?) but the holiday spirit is in full swing! With that comes the quest for the perfect gifts for all those lovelies on your list. We have scoured and explored and found some delicious and interesting gift ideas for you…fresh delivered milk anyone? We have divided this curated list into four sections: Gifts, Cookbooks, Subscriptions, and a few “Beyond Connecticut” items not to be missed.

Happy Shopping and Happy Holidays to you, our fellow foodies!

CTbites Holiday Gift Guide For Food Lovers (2023 Edition)

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April Guilbault November 23, 2023

Ding, dong, ring, ring, ca-ching, ca-ching…time for holiday shopping! From the small to the large, from tours to classes, we have a wonderfully tasty listing assembled for you that could quite possibly take care of all the people on your list (naughty folks not included). We are all about making the holidays easier and well, just more delicious in every way possible for you. So, from us to you, our scrumptious readers and followers, we wish you a truly Happy Holidays!

40+ Spots To Celebrate Oktoberfest In Connecticut 2023

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April Guilbault September 08, 2023

“Let’s get a drink”. “Come over for a drink!”. There’s nothing more convivial than sharing a drink together with a person or a whole group of favorite persons. And isn’t the ol’ saying -it’s 5 o’clock somewhere? Well, here’s a historical “reason” to raise your glasses high-Oktoberfest, the beloved, ancient event involving mouthwatering beers, so much (too much? never!) merriment and some fabulous lederhosen. Oktoberfest-ivities run pretty much the entire month of September and into October, so there are plenty of chances to raise that stein. And remember, we all put our lederhosen on one leg at a time. Prost!

CTbites Holiday Gift Guide For CT Food Lovers (2022 Edition)

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April Guilbault November 25, 2022

Ah, the hunt for the perfect gift. Or least a really, really, good one. Where to start? Don’t we go through this every single year (we do) and swear each year our shopping will being in July! Well, if you haven’t begun to purchase or ponder, we’ve got a good-make that great-list right here that will have you on your way to pulling out the almighty Sharpie and cross, cross, crossing things off your list. Is there any more divine feeling? Well, maybe finding that perfect gift! Happy shopping everyone!

Friday Froth: Beer Dinners at Little Pub- Featuring New England Brewing

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James Gribbon February 18, 2022

Anyone who's ever hit happy hour and subsequently remembered they hadn't eaten dinner while staring into a beer at another location sometime around midnight can probably feel the pain of the next morning right now, as you're reading this. Remember that? Well, let's not let that happen again, or allow ourselves to slap late night drive-thru - the FlexTape of Shame - over the leaky bucket of our decisions.

What we need is food with our beers, whether we're adding plates to pitchers and pints at the taproom, or exploring flavor combinations at home. Inspiration struck while I was at my first beer pairing dinner in over two years at The Little Pub in Fairfield, hosted by Greg Radawich, director of brewing operations at New England Brewing Company in Woodbridge. I'll get into what you can have from the brewery and pub, plus a few more ideas to serve as springboards for your own dives into brews and foods.

And if you missed this beer dinner, Little Pub will be hosting another beer pairing dinner with Fat Orange Cat brewery at Little Pub, Fairfield on Tuesday, March 1.

CTbites Holiday Gift Guide For CT Food Lovers (2021 Edition)

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April Guilbault November 26, 2021

While this year somehow crept slowly and at warp-speed at the same time, holiday season has finally arrived at our feet. And shipping issues be damned-we’ve got a great list here of local-to-Connecticut vendors whipping up all sorts of unique goods that will make for a fun gift-giving season. Isn’t that a good feeling? Giving a gift you know someone will love and knowing that it’s locally made? Sure is. Just to be clear, since we all have a bit of wanderlust after these long 18 months, we have included a few vendors beyond the confines of our state for good measure (just order as soon as you finish reading this). Have a wonderful holiday season, everyone!

Grace Farms New Canaan Launches 100% Fair Trade Organic Tea, Coffee & Cookie Line

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Jessica Ryan November 03, 2021

When was the last time you visited Grace Farms? The stunning 80-acre space in New Canaan, Connecticut that supports initiatives in the areas of nature, arts, justice, community, and faith, and encourages participation locally and globally is a treasure to visit. Pritzker Prize-winning River building, is the focal point, having become an integral part of the landscape. Designed to resemble a rambling river, five transparent glass-enclosed buildings that each live beneath one flowing roof. Here you will find The Sanctuary, a 700-seat amphitheater; the library, a staffed library with resources related Grace Farms Foundation's initiatives; the Commons, a community gathering space with 18-foot-long tables; the Pavilion; a welcome reception and conversation space with tea service; and the Court, an incredible underground recreational space used by local children and schools. Wander around the 80 acres of open meadows, woods, wetlands, and ponds and soak up all the breathtaking scenery.

In 2021 Grace Farms Foods was launched by Grace Farm’s Founder Sharon Prince along with Adam Thatcher to share with the world and invite everyone to be part of their mission by offering our signature cookies, coffee, and tea.

CTbites 2020 Gift Guide: Great Gifts For Your Favorite CT Food Lover

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April Guilbault December 05, 2020

How to find the perfect gift for this crazy ass year-well ain’t that the question of the day! As many of us are staying a little further away from stores and not partaking in the usual activities we have in past years, we got creative and found the creative for your gift-giving! Artisans, chefs, and vendors are all rising to the occasion with fabulous out-of-the-box thinking and we discovered a treasure trove of unusual, beautiful, tasty items and experiences that will infuse a blast of goodness into this particularly memorable holiday season. Give, get, live, love, and celebrate the moments of sparkle. To quote the infamous Clark Griswold, “we’re all in this together”.

Stamford's Winter Wonderland Market & Beer Garden Opens Dec. 6th

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CTbites Team November 30, 2019

Half Full Brewery and Mill River Park Collaborative announced today the return of Winter Wonderland Market & Beer Garden to Stamford, Conn.’s Mill River Park. The Winter Wonderland is intended to celebrate and unite local residents and professionals through a diverse and expanded slate of programming, which will run from Friday, Dec. 6 through Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2020.

CTbites 2019 Holiday Gift Guide For CT Food Lovers

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April Guilbault November 24, 2019

We’re back with some soon-to-be-loved holiday gifts! From hostess gifts to a Big Kahuna gift (get your passport ready!), we’ve uncovered an array of goodies that you will be excited to give and others will be thrilled to receive. With your beloved foodies in mind, bestow these gems in the spirit of love and good eats-made even better knowing that they all originate in our fair Nutmeg State. See, even the name of our state is food-centric. We love to support local and small businesses and hopefully, this list will encourage you to check out these favorite new finds. Happy Holidays everyone, eat well, gift well! …and if shopping stresses you out too much, go get some Oops, I Ate My…..you’ll see (wink!).

D2 Interieurs Valentine's Day Gift Guide For the Stylish Foodie

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CTbites Team February 06, 2019

Denise Davies of D2 Interieurs dishes on great gifts for your Valentine. Let your gifts speak from the heart AND the taste buds. The list has something for everyone, from the chef to the foodie this curated go-to is sure to please even the pickiest Valentine.

Valentine's Day CT Gift Guide: Cocktails Kits, Chocolates, Classes, Boozy Treats & More!

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April Guilbault February 03, 2019

Pitter pat, pitter pat. Oh, be still my heart! Although, some might argue that the sound they hear around this time of the year is the sound of pure dread. Embrace this holiday of love and get your cupid on! Back to that pitter pat you are hearing. What to do to surprise your Valentine? There is so much out there beyond the usual bunch of overpriced red roses and glittery greeting card-not that we have anything against glitter, mind you. Behold! We have found cocktail kits, chocolate-making classes, specialty brews and wines. Oh, what fun this day of love shall be! Best part is that so many of these great (lovely?) ideas can be done throughout the year…so that you declare your love again and again and again….

East Rock Brewing Company Opens In New Haven

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James Gribbon January 24, 2019

Pull back the hour hand on the clock of geologic time and the land in what was once New Haven begins to fill in. The sandstone rises up, glaciers come and go again in reverse, and the scenery levels off. The view across the water isn't Long Island - the glaciers pulled that land back with them - it's what will become Morocco. Now spin the clock forward again. The continents drift - ice, then not ice again - and the land erodes away until something seems to rise up again: the traprock scarp we know as East Rock. There's a lot of history here, and the newest bit to crop up is East Rock Brewing Company.

CTbites 2018 Holiday Gift Guide for CT Food Lovers

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April Guilbault December 02, 2018

’Tis the season of holidays, sparkly and bright, there’s baking and partying well into the night

The children are excited and the adults somewhat stressed, with planning and wrapping and finding the perfect Christmas vest

What shall we get for Aunt Mo or Uncle Buck, it’s hard to decide, we aren’t having much luck

But wait, it’s the Guide, the almighty Gift Guide! CTbites to the rescue, we exclaimed, we cried!

There’s something for everyone, your foodies and friends, we’ve found several classics, along with a few trends

So wrap them up lovingly with great care and great pride, and present these gifts with a gleam in your eye

How merry, how happy, the recipients will be, and you, the giver, will be brimming with glee!

Beers & Bites August 15th Tickets On Sale Featuring Skinny Pines & Chef Geoff Lazlo

Features CT Beer Beer Dinner Food Truck Stamford Events

Stephanie Webster August 01, 2018

Half Full Brewery and CTBites are beyond excited to bring you this year's most creative and collaborative food and beer-pairing event series. Not to be missed, "Beers & Bites" 2018 pairs limited release beers from Half Full Brewery with totally off-menu food items from some of Fairfield County's best chefs and food truck operators. Tickets for our August 15th event with Skinny Pines pizza truck & Chef Geoff Lazlo are going fast, so get your tickets now!

Nibble: CT Food Events For April 29- May 6

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Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 25, 2018

The 5th Annual Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival in Ridgefield starts Saturday May 5 at 11am and runs through Sunday 5pm. The Event will be held at the Historic Lounsbury House at 316 Main Street. Tickets: $10 for adults and $5 for students. Children under 12 are FREE.

Sunday, April 29th, Half Full Brewery is hosting a pig roast with Hoodoo Brown BBQ. Doors open at 12:00 for beers, starting at 1:00 Hoodoo will be serving up BBQ Wings (tossed in Red Bee Honey Sauce), and a Pig Roast that will feature a whole hog, apple-vinegar slaw, slider buns, cornbread, and mac and cheese. Reserve tickets here.

Tickets for The Schoolhouse at Cannondale’s Farm to Fork series go on sale May 1. Each evening includes a cocktail hour, a farm tour, and four locally sourced courses under the stars by Chef Tim LaBant. It takes place at Millstone Farm in Wilton, CT.

On Monday April 30, head over to Terrain Garden Café in Westport for “Dishing Local.” CTbites and the Westport Farmers Market welcome foodies to a food-focused evening and open forum in the terrain Garden Cafe. They’ll gather with some of the local food community's leading talents to discuss the latest trends, everyday eating, and tips and secrets from farmers and restaurateurs. This event is free and open to the public. Food and beverage available for purchase.

On Tuesday May 2, Fairfield Cheese Company presents “Cheese 102: Beyond the Basics with Arethusa Farm.” The class will expand on the basics and delve into cheese making, history, science, and more. Plus, taste plenty of cheeses and complementary wines. Tickets are $50 and the class runs from 7-9pm.

CLASP Homes 14th TASTE OF WESTPORT will take place on Thursday May 3 from 6-9pm at the Westport Inn. Enjoy samplings of specialty dishes from Amis, Harvest Wine Bar, Hummock Island Oysters, Pearl at Longshore, Saltwater, Bobby Q’s Cue & Co., Tablao, and more. There will be plenty to drink as well! Tickets are $75 prepaid, $85 at the door.

Recap: Beers & Bites at Half Full Brewery with Knot Norms and Hapa Food Truck

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Andrew Dominick April 05, 2018

Did you ever hear the one about the food truck chef and the restaurant chef at a local brewery?

Wait, that’s a real thing. There’s no punchline.

What I’m talking about here is the first ever Beers & Bites event that was held on April 5, 2018 at Half Full Brewery in Stamford. Beers & Bites is a collaboration between CTbites, Half Full Brewery, local food trucks and chefs.

The idea behind Beers & Bites is to team a food truck chef and a restaurant chef to collaborate on a menu that gets paired with Half Full’s thirst-quenching brews. Think of it as a beer dinner where you won’t leave feeling overstuffed; it’s just enough food and drink. For $50 you get four-courses, four beers (refills were common so it’s a little more than four), a commemorative Beers & Bites snifter glass, and a damn good time in a non-pretentious, not overcrowded taproom.

Cheesemonger Subscription Box Launches From Fairfield & Greenwich Cheese Co.

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Stephanie Webster February 01, 2018

Fairfield & Greenwich Cheese Company have introduced a subscription cheese box service that curates small batch, artisan and traditional cheeses and delivers them, freshly cut, to the doorsteps of food lovers across the nation.

Cheesemonger Box will curate a selection of small batch and traditional American and European cheeses for monthly home delivery, launched this winter as the first cheese subscription service of its kind.

Founders Laura Downey and Chris Palumbo, co-founders and owners of Connecticut cheese shops Fairfield & Greenwich Cheese Company, are launching the service with the goal of “spreading the cheese love across the country” and empowering customers to “become the expert” on artisan cheese.

Local Chocolatier, Truffle Shots of Essex CT Named Country’s Best Chocolate Gift By Forbes Magazine

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CTbites Team December 12, 2017

Forbes magazine recently named local chocolatier, Truffle Shots of Essex, Connecticut among the country’s best chocolates for gift giving this holiday season. Forbes "loved the Fig and Balsamic shot—with aged balsamic and fig ganache as well as the Chipotle Cinnamon—dark chocolate ganache with a whiff of cinnamon and a slight kick from the chipotle."

Truffle Shots® brand chocolate truffles are the Chocolate Award-winning creation of mother-daughter chocolate lovers in Essex, Connecticut. The duo has replaced the chocolate shell of a traditional chocolate truffle with a sealed shot glass to create new levels of truffle indulgence.

The decadent, silky ganache of Truffle Shots® brand chocolate truffles melts on the tongue in sensory bliss in 30+ amazing flavors like Fig Balsamico, Tellicherry Cardamom, Caramel Beurre Noisette, Bumbleberry, Miel Habanero, Castelvetrano Olive, and Ginger, to name a few.

CTbites Holiday Gift Guide For Your Favorite CT Food Lover (2017 Edition)

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April Guilbault December 06, 2017

Holiday time and food just plain go hand-in-hand! Whether it is making a time-honored and well-loved recipe, sharing a meal with a group of special someones, or giving a gift of specialty food goods, the holidays…involve…food. Henceforth and ergo, we at CTBites would like to add a few items to your list. No need to check these twice, we can tell you right off that they are worth sharing! From pottery and chocolates to classes and luxury trips, there is something for every person you will be shopping for this season. Our great Nutmeg State is simply brimming with artisans and people who are making delicious, beautiful and fun products or offering experiences that enrich our lives. Enjoy these, enjoy *giving* these, and enjoy the smiles that will result. Have a wonderful holiday season, everyone! May it be delicious!