Connecticut Food Trucks Guide: 150 + CT Mobile Caterers (2023 Edition) Features Restaurant Guide Food Truck Best of CT Highlight Food Truck Guide Caterer Catering Guide Caterers Pizza BBQ Mexican Ice Cream Homepage April Guilbault June 08, 2023 We are all rolling, rolling, rolling into the summer months-Yay! Between parties, vacations, and just plain ol’ exploring, the warm and sunny months have us on the move. And what better info to have in your back pocket than plans for where to eat-trucks offering food of all kinds, whether you’re stopping mid-trip or renting for your next party! We have broken down this behemoth of a list by categories so you can high-tail it to the foods that interest you: Pizza, Tacos/Mexican, BBQ, Ethnic, Lobster & Seafood, All-American, Plant-Based/Alternative Diet, Ice Cream & Sweets, Cocktails & Beer and Coffee & Tea. Happy summer, everyone, roll on! Read More
Mr. Hibachi Mobile Hibachi Catering Rolls into Connecticut (sponsored post) Features Restaurant Caterer Mobile Caterer Catering Japanese Hibachi Entertaining CTbites Team June 02, 2023 Your search for the perfect party has finally arrived. Connecticut now has a mobile Hibachi caterer who is ready to roll into your house and create the ultimate custom Hibachi party…just for you.If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of “Hibachi “it’s a type of cuisine that was first introduced to Japan, a meal typically including meat, vegetables and seafood, cooked over very hot metal plates. The word “hibachi” comes from Japanese meaning "fire bowl."Just like your favorite local Hibachi spot, Mr Hibachi pulls out all the stops for a hands on, interactive culinary experience. Guests (including kids) can take over the grill, score a cooking lesson, and learn some serious spatula skills. And then, of course, there is the time honored game of chefs throwing food into guest's mouths, and a REALLY fun twist, the Mr Hibachi SAKE GUN!! (a crowd favorite) Diners can “shoot” Sake at each other….or just enjoy some for themselves. Good times all around. Read More
Guide To 2022 Fall Cooking Classes in Connecticut Features Cooking Cooking Classes Education Guide April Guilbault October 12, 2022 You’ve gotten the kids settled in school so, hey, maybe there is some schooling to be had for you too. Maybe you are looking to spice up your girls’ night out or do something beyond-the-water cooler with office mates. Maybe you are wanting to try a new hobby with a partner or honestly, maybe you just need some You Time. Something for yourself that expands your mind, your curiosity and possibly your palate. Take a class. The possibilities are endless and you’ll learn some skills that follow you through your life. What is not to love about that? Read More
Guide to Kids Cooking Classes & Camps in Connecticut (2022 Edition) Features Cooking Cooking Classes Kids kids activity Kids Cooking Classes Guide Education Highlight April Guilbault April 05, 2022 Feels like we were all just stuck home together and dreaming of getting OUT and low and behold, now we can! Let’s start with getting those kiddos some cool stuff to do once school lets out. Let’s hear it for cooking camps! To learn (in a fun way) about food, where it comes from, what the heck we can do with it, and yummm, how it tastes-what could be better? Follow it with some parent-kid trips to your local farms or farmers’ markets, and lookie there, you’ve just filled the calendar a bit for the summer months. Here’s to brilliant and tasty new discoveries! Read More
Avon Prime Meats Butchery Heats Up With New Smoked Meats Program Restaurant Features Avon Butcher Butchery BBQ Deli Catering Caterer Lunch To-Go Stephanie Webster March 25, 2022 Avon Prime Meats, located in Avon, CT, was voted “Best Local Food Market,” an honor awarded for excellence as a butcher, but also due to their loyal following and footprint in the local community. In addition to having a reputation for top notch meats, they also serve as a specialty grocer, deli and caterer, but as of this week, things are heating up at Avon Prime Meats. Two smokers have been added to the kitchen, and their chefs have been honing the craft of smoking their prime cuts to get ready for the big launch of Avon Prime Smoked Meats. Why are we excited? Here’s what’s coming off those smokers hot and ready Sun-Wed: brisket, pastrami, baby back ribs, pulled pork, heritage slab bacon, and Old Spot pork are on the menu - and their deli customers are going wild. Not only can guests score these smoked meats by the pound (with some tasty BBQ sides), but the deli situation has done some leveling up with the addition of these house smoked sandwich meats. Read More
Guide to Cooking Classes for Adults in Connecticut (2022 Edition) Features Cooking Cooking Classes Education Best of CT Homepage April Guilbault March 23, 2022 Spring is in the air and everything is growing like a mother! Hey, that can include you too-how about learning a new skill, discover a new culture through its food, and explore new flavors and spectacular taste sensations this season. Wooo! Get out there with your besties, co-workers or just fly solo; cooking and learning is for everyone and anyone. Whether it’s laughing together, creating, or just the discovery of some new tricks and tips, this will be time well-spent. Ah, those are good words. Go for it.Get cooking with our 2022 CT Guide To Cooking Classes for Adults. Read More
Shaken and Stirred – Dedicated to Serving You Fresh, Flavorful Catering Throughout CT (sponsored post) Features Catering Caterer Parties Private Dining Holiday Thanksgiving CTbites Team November 12, 2021 Shaken and Stirred Catered Events is turning up the heat this holiday season. From Thanksgiving meals and holiday parties to wedding receptions and corporate events, the team at Shaken and Stirred will deliver nothing but class, expertise, and delicious food to you and your guests.Being a chef-led service, Shaken and Stirred can provide handcrafted, custom menus for every event. As the holiday season approaches, it’s time to begin planning dinners and parties for your family, friends, and coworkers... Read More
The Home Cook: ‘Heat & Eat’ Meal Delivery Service Features Ingredients Home Delivery Dining At Home Delivery Service Catering Caterer Meal Delivery Homepage Stephanie Webster June 23, 2021 I’ve got to be honest. I really don’t like to cook. I LOVE to eat, but like many parents, the daily dinner drama is, well, just that…a ground hogs day “oh lord not again” situation. For this reason, I have spent a good deal of time, sampling and reviewing the local meal delivery services/caterers who can provide me with a dinner experience that feels “home cooked” but only involves my heating things up in and around my oven. #lazyandlovingitOne might think that identifying this type of local ‘heat & eat’ meal delivery service would be an easy task, but the requirements involved in successfully prepping large quantities of food that fares well in transit, and then is to be re-heated by an “at home cook,” is trickier than you might think. Meal prep like this requires determining the proper balance of par-cooking dishes, heating instructions for dummies, and developing meal plans that work for any and all family dynamics. Read More
Marcia Selden Catering Creates Perfect Picnicking for Greenwich Polo (sponsored post) Features Catering Caterer Home Delivery Picnic CTbites Team June 04, 2021 Wanna do something totally different and truly tasty thanks to Marcia Selden Catering and The Greenwich Polo Club? All summer long, you can get on the field and in the competitive horse action at Greenwich Polo Club’s Sunday public matches. Fun Fact: Polo is the world's oldest known team sport.So, what’s better than dressing up and watching beautiful horses and skilled players compete on a nice summer day? I’ll tell you what….Marcia Selden Catering has created custom polo picnic boxes available weekly for pre-order. Each picnic box feeds 2 people and each is packed with its own deliciousness. Read More
Jackie’s Empanadas On The Go: Artisanal Argentine Food Delivered Ingredients Features Empanadas Home Delivery Cottage Bakers Latin American Bakery Argentine Comfort Food Caterer Camille Vynerib May 26, 2021 Due to the pandemic, many families have primarily been eating at home for the past year. Home-cooked meals are great but can get monotonous, and let’s be real -- sometimes you just don’t want all the work. Jackie’s Empanadas On The Go is a great solution for tired parents, young adults craving a quick delicious meal, and anyone looking for a unique alternative to the meal-time grind. They can be purchased frozen or baked, picked up or delivered… how easy is that?!Jackie Mendive, the founder of Empanadas On The Go, said her journey began by preparing empanadas for her family and friends. Mendiv grew up in Argentina, and she wanted to keep her upbringing and culture alive. Jackie says she would often think to herself, “I wish I could just order them online” since the actual preparation was extremely time-consuming. In January of 2017, she decided to begin selling her empanadas to local families. Since then, Empanadas On The Go has expanded to all of Fairfield County, Westchester County, as well as delivering to Manhattan and Brooklyn. Read More
Guide To CT Virtual (& In Person) Cooking, Cocktail, & Beer Classes Features Education Cooking Classes Cooking Virtual Cooking Classes Best of CT Homepage Kristin L. Wolfe January 19, 2021 How would you rank your cooking skills? Have you become a master baker or a serious mixologist at the bar? From baking or creating homemade pasta to perfecting classic cocktails, we have a list of VIRTUAL (& IN PERSON) COOKING & COCKTAILS CLASSES for you to get the creative juices flowing. Step up your kitchen and home bar chops now:Note to Readers: Many below who offer classes in person must adhere to strIct Covid guidelines, please heed protocols. That said, there are plenty of online options as well.Do you know of a cooking class spot we missed? Contact us. Read More
Millwright's Sous Chef, Jamie V. Bordonaro, Publishes "Pursuit of Passion" Cookbook Features Cooking Cookbooks Education Author CT Authors Chef Talk Stephanie Webster October 01, 2020 Chef Jamie Bordonaro’s “day” job is Sous Chef at Millwrights Restaurant in Simsbury Connecticut, but over the past six years, Bordonaro has been working on a project of his own, in all of that “free” time one has as a chef. Jamie recently finished the publication of a cookbook titled, “Pursuit of Passion,” and as you can imagine, he is more than a little excited to finally be able to share the fruits of his labor with the public.The cookbook is a personal narrative and compilation of Bordonaro’s cooking techniques, flavor profiles, and skills that he acquired throughout his culinary career. But it is so much more than that, and is grounded in purpose that relates to one’s own inner drive and the importance of creating opportunity within yourself to follow your passion. Read More
"Room at the Table; Recipes from the Heart" E-Cookbook By Silvia Baldini Features Cookbooks Education Cooking Stephanie Webster September 23, 2020 Chef Silvia Baldini of Strawberry & Sage has released a wonderful new E-cookbook, “Room at the Table; Recipes from the Heart.” The cookbook is a collection of family recipes donated by ‘New Canaan Democrats’ members, friends, community leaders, and legislators. It’s a cookbook about the joy and benefits of sharing delicious meals with others. It is also about building a bigger table that welcomes and includes our friends and neighbors, embraces our diversities, and celebrates our expansive attitudes and values of compassion and care for everyone.Contributors to the project include: Senator Kamala Harris—vice-presidential candidate, Chef Marcus Samuelsson— award-winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, philanthropist and food activist, judge on Chopped, Gloria Steinem— Activist, author, Feminist…and oh so many more. Read More
Wood Fired Food Launches Private Cooking Classes/Dinner Events at YOUR HOME with Chef Dan Sabia Features Cooking Cooking Classes Education Catering Caterer Grilling Private Party Stephanie Webster September 16, 2020 What is it about fire? For most of human history, cooking over an open fire was the only way to cook a meal. Now, fire is just one technique in a chef’s culinary toolbox, but is one whose process and taste feel nostalgic, beautiful, and pure.Enter the master of all things FIRE, Chef Dan Sabia, who established Wood Fire Food catering and events in 2018 with a desire to cultivate deeper connections between food producers and eaters by blending his passion for design, Argentinian open fire cooking, community, and localized food, to transform the dining experience. His mission has always been to create an immersive and interactive experience where diners cultivate connections to their food, the chef, and each other. And now Chef Sabia is taking it one step further.In the Covid era, where events and live cooking classes have been all but eliminated, and indoor dining remains at reduced capacity, Sabia is bringing a new dining experience to CT, with all the comforts of HOME. Read More
Cook The Book: Tune In On CTBites Instagram Live July 1st with Chef Emily Mingrone of Tavern On State Events Recipe Cooking Cookbooks Education Instagram Live Recipe Video Stephanie Webster June 28, 2020 Readers, Diners, New Quarantine Couch Potato-Turned-Chefs! Tune into our new IGTV Weekly Series COOK THE BOOK.On Wednesday July 1st @8PM, join trained chef and beloved Connecticut Cookbook author, Anna Francese Gass (Heirloom Kitchen 2019) & Guest Chef Emily Mingrone from award winning Tavern On State, as they cook Emily’s recipe for Chicken & Dumplings from our recently released CTBites e-cookbook: Connecticut Chef Recipes for Restaurant ReliefTune In on @CTBITES INSTAGRAM LIVE!! Read More
Cook The Book: Recipe Demos On Instagram Live Every Wednesday with Cookbook Author Anna Gass Features Events Cooking Cookbooks Education Recipe Recipe Video Celebrity Chef Kristin L. Wolfe June 20, 2020 Readers, Diners, New Quarantine Couch Potato-Turned-Chefs! Get Ready to tune into our new IGTV Weekly Series COOK THE BOOK.Join trained chef and beloved Connecticut Cookbook author, Anna Francese Gass (Heirloom Kitchen 2019), as she makes her way one through some of the most delicious recipes in the recently released CTBites e-cookbook: Connecticut Chef Recipes for Restaurant ReliefStarting this Wednesday June 24th @8PM Gass + a weekly featured Guest Chef will bring the book alive and further whet your appetite and drive to get in the kitchen. This weekSo, grab your aprons, your whisks, and the new e-cookbook (should we still plug here? for fun, great food, and to continue supporting our state’s wonderful restaurant industry. Read More
20+ Virtual Experiences and Cooking Classes for CT Food and Drink Lovers Features Cooking Cooking Classes Education Virtual Experiences Virtual Cooking Classes Homepage Emma Jane-Doody Stetson May 16, 2020 If you’re missing in person cooking classes or simply want to spice up your usual repertoire, Connecticut caterers, chefs, restaurants, shops, and bartenders have the perfect solution: virtual classes! Want to bake a cake? Mix up a cocktail? Cook a savory meal? Get private instruction? Do it as a group? There are opportunities for all of it! Here is a guide to virtual experiences in Connecticut. Read More
Barcelona Wine Bar Launches Wine Education Series in Partnership with Wine.com Features WIne Wine Chat Wine Tasting This Week In Wine Education CTbites Team April 24, 2020 Barcelona Wine Bar is launching a new, complimentary wine education series in partnership with Wine.com to bring a taste of Spain home. The best news…after the class, you can buy the wines on Wine.com.The first class, Iconic Red Wines of Spain will be released on April 28th, and will focus on Rioja, Bierzo, Ribera Del Duero, and Priorat wines. While there are specific wines that are available in a bundle on Wine.com for $89.99, Barcelona restaurants have an expansive range of wines from these regions and participants can call BWB to pick-up wine from one or all of these regions to taste along with the experts. The series was created for any Bierzo, Priorat, Rioja, or Ribera del Duero red wine to pair perfectly for the course. Read More
History Happy Hour Weekly Video Series: CT Bartenders Demo Vintage Cocktails Features Recipe Video Cocktails Bar Spirits Education Stephanie Webster April 12, 2020
World-Class Chef Dan Giusti is Giving School Lunch a Gourmet Overhaul (Starting in New London CT) Features Kids Celebrity Chef Education News Connecticut Magazine January 24, 2020 Dan Giusti was not used to failing in the kitchen. At 29 years old he had been named the head chef at Noma in Copenhagen, making him a de facto high priest of fine dining. As the leader of the kitchen of one of the world’s most critically acclaimed restaurants, he was tasked with executing owner and executive chef René Redzepi’s vision and making sure the culinary dreams of those who had spent years and months planning their visit to Copenhagen to dine at Noma came true. Giusti was good at this. But three years into the job, Giusti walked away to tackle the seemingly never-ending enigma that is school lunch. With Redzepi’s blessing and investment, Giusti founded a new company called Brigaid that sought to put skilled chefs at the helm of cafeteria kitchens in schools across America. The idea was “getting chefs who would never choose to do this work to do this work,” Giusti says. Read More