Since 2014, Genee Habansky’s Herbaceous Catering Co. has made the rounds all over. Catering, sure, but you’ve most likely come across her, if not at a private party, then it’s been at an event somewhere in Fairfield County (and beyond). If not there, then maybe you’ve picked up her food at the Westport Farmers Market where Herbaceous is a steady vendor. Habansky’s philosophy when it comes to her catering business is all about caring for the environment, plus, seasonality, locality, and super fresh as it pertains to ingredients she uses, something she became passionate about, first, at culinary school, then at Paul Newman’s The Dressing Room and her other stints at places like Pagano’s Seafood, Heirloom, Walrus + Carpenter, and Centro.
Ah, the “ber” months-filled with so many great holidays and events! I think we can all agree that while we are excited for the holiday season, it can also be a bit daunting. Happily, at our beck and call are a plethora of fabulous resources, such as these skilled, creative, and enthusiastic caterers. Your work just got easier, your event just got more memorable, and the food just got more delicious. Book ‘em soon so you can lean back and enjoy these “ber” months! A note: We are listing towns where the caterers are based, but many of them work throughout CT, so don’t hesitate to call them. Enjoy!
In various rankings online, stuffing generally comes in first place on the Top 10 list of Thanksgiving foods. I personally cannot argue with that for one hot second. Desserts such as pumpkin or chocolate pie have hovered around 5th or 6th place, respectively, wistfully lagging behind mac and cheese and mashed potatoes but ahead of the love-it-or-hate it green bean casserole.
It might be hard to believe with such an unseasonably warm start to November, but Thanksgiving is right around the corner! And that can only mean one thing: it’s pie time. Once again this year, there are dozens of restaurants, markets, farms, and other businesses across the state offering a variety of pies to preorder and have ready to add to your holiday table. Whether you are keeping things simple with a traditional pumpkin or apple pie to compliment your turkey dinner, or you want to mix things up with unique flavors and ingredients, there are desserts on this list for just about every palate. Happy Thanksgiving!
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. #lazyandlovingit
One 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.
Is there anything more perfect than hosting a dinner party for 6-8 people, where the meal is delivered to your doorstep, arrives in a single pre-made pot, and you don’t have to do ANY of the work? I think not. It is for this reason that I sing ALL the praises for THE FOOD CRATE’s customizable ATLANTIC STEAMPOT. This quintessential New England seafood experience comes ready to cook in its own container, complete with Snow Crab, Peeled White Shrimp, Atlantic Clams, Mussels, Smoked Sausage (optional), Potatoes and Corn….and the best part is…everything has been done for you. This dinner party in a box arrives perfectly layered. No muss. No fuss, All you need to do is pour wine or beer and cook as per the directions on the label. Bonus: Want more yum? Add up to 2.5LBS of mixed King Crab, Lobster, Shrimp and more Snow Crab a la carte and invite a few more guests.
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Chef Geoff Lazlo has been cooking delicious locally sourced, elevated comfort food for years in Fairfield County. CT diners will remember him from Bill Taibe’s The Whelk in Westport, and most recently from the very popular Mill Street in Greenwich, but he also spent time at both Gramercy Tavern and Blue Hill Stone Barns. When I got on the phone with Lazlo last week to discuss his new chef driven gourmet food delivery service, I had to laugh when I asked “what’s going on chef?,” and he replied with “honestly I don’t even know anymore.” Restaurants and chefs across the state have had to be nimble and do some pivoting to stay relevant in the current pandemic economy, and Lazlo is no exception. “I’m always figuring out the next thing to do, and I’m always thinking about moving forward,” says Lazlo. That forward motion propelled him to launch Geoff Lazlo Food, serving Fairfield and Westchester Counties, and giving food-lovers the opportunity to enjoy hand-cooked meals in the comfort of their own homes.
After weeks of being cooped up at home, you may be looking at ways to pass the time and explore your creative side. Fortunately, Connecticut restaurants, bakeries, and caterers are here to the rescue with fabulous DIY options to bring their delicacies into your kitchen. Sweet tooths and kiddos can partake in all kinds of cupcake and baking kits while the 21 and over crowd can get all of the ingredients to make their own restaurant worthy cocktails. There are also pizza kits, pasta kits, and more. Check out our full guide here!
Forever Sweet Bakery is celebrating its third anniversary as one of the most creative bakeries for cupcakes, cake pops, and special occasion themed cakes. Located off the beaten path in a strip mall on New Canaan Avenue in Norwalk, CTbites visited on opening day several years ago and over the last three years the bakery has received numerous accolades including the 2014 & 2015 Best of the Gold Coast Cupcakes. CTbites recently returned to Forever Sweet to confirm the original impression and taste the expanded offerings of cupcakes that owners Sky and Frances Mercede have created.
Over the years, their cakes have been featured at many political victory parties and charity events including the Connecticut Food Bank, the Westport Little League and the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Sky and Frances believe in giving back to the community as often as possible.
Thanksgiving is the most anticipated and sometimes the most daunting meal of the year. But, in the end, it is all about food, friends and family. Depending on the number of guests in your party, there are several options for celebrating the holiday that don't involve slaving away in the kitchen for days. Here are a few resources for those who would prefer to get a little assistance. (Readers: If you know of other Thanksgiving catering resources, please add them.)
Rosiein New Canaancan handle all your Thanksgiving needs. A full menu of classic sides such as Rosie’s homemade herb gravy, haricots verts with shitakes, & celery root apple fennel soup. Call (203) 966-8998.
Le Farm/ The Whelk will be closed on Thanksgiving, but will be offering LeFarm's Whipped Chicken Livers with bacon marmalade and/or The Whelk's Smoked Trout Dip to serve your family and friends for the holidays! Call to order: (203) 557-3701
Sugar & Olives: Everything but the turkey...but everything is REALLY tasty. Fig and Apple Stuffing Muffins, Pecan and Bourbon Turkey Glaze, Brussels Sprouts w/ Pomegranate Molasses + Duck Bacon. Call for more information: (203) 454-3663
You won't believe what's in our PANTRY! Located at 1580 Post Road in Fairfield, Ct, The Pantry is much more than a food shop - it is Mecca for foodies as well as a one-stop-shop for busy consumers. Established in 2003 through the collaborative effort of chefs & food lovers, The Pantry has blossomed into a bustling marketplace stocked with an array of products and services for today's savvy clientele. What have they got? Top quality butchered meats & seafood (delivered daily from various New York markets), award winning desserts and pastries (the bakery has received "Best Desserts in Fairfield County" from Fairfield Weekly for 9 consecutive years), restaurant quality prepared foods & catering services, a full deli and salad bar, groceries, produce and floral & customized gift baskets. Whether you are looking for a freshly tossed salad, pan seared salmon with citrus, basil & olive oil or a chocolate chip cookie - The Pantry is the place to shop. This Pantry is stocked!!
Do you feel the need, the need for cheese? Introducing MELT Market and Cafe, the spectacularly gooey love child of former Westport-based Mirabelle Cheese Shop owners Andrea and Damon Itin. MELT, located in the up and coming section of Bridgeport at the corner of Lafayette Circle and Fairfield Ave is sleek and spacious with high tops as well as regular tables for seating and warm inviting color tones. The 2,200 square foot space seats plenty but if tables were pushed aside, this could be a fantastic place for a private function. But enough about things spatial, on to the celestial - this is a cheese lovers' nirvana -
What's for sale ? MELT is the purveyor of European as well as local cheeses
Cecily Gans, Chef and Owner of the Main Course Catering Company, will have the rapt attention of salad enthusiasts at the Westport Farmers’ Market this Thursday August 4th, as she introduces two new dressings to liven up those farm fresh greens. Starlight’s greens will share the spotlight with Beltane Farm’s goat cheese as she turns to fresh herbs, stone fruits and berries to accentuate the summer theme. Chef Gans describes her favorite cheese vendor’s cheeses as “ a muse for my dressings.” Talk about inspiration springing from one ingredient!
Gans’ two dressings are virtual opposites, with the ASIAN THAI (see recipe below) utilizing Thai Basil and rice vinegar as a base for a spicier salad.
Eat, Pray, Love - you’ve heard of it, right? Well in the words of Willy Wonka, “Strike that, reverse it” - The CAKEBOX in Ridgefield has it all in the correct order - Pray (if you must), Eat (as many cupcakes as you can), and Love (absolutely!) This ESSENTIAL new dessert-stop in the Copps Hill Commons shopping center in Ridgefield is a cake and cupcake lover’s Shangri-La. Ridgefield native Jordan Gregory and her partner, Robert Byrnes, opened The Cake Box in April and have been whipping up extraordinary cakes for all occasions (including, eventually, custom wedding cakes), cupcakes by the dozen, and individual cupcakes, cookies, and macaroons at the store for your perusal and MASS consumption! Ms. Gregory received her pastry training at the Institute for Culinary Education in NYC and Mr. Byrnes, who has a degree in hotel and restaurant management, designs the custom cakes. Trust me, they know their stuff!
There’s something udderly amazing going down in Fairfield County. MOOOOVE over Pizza and Taco truck and make way for the new cow in town! For the sophisticated palate, Westport’s Mirabelle Cheese Shop is going portable with "CHEESE WHEELS." Andrea Itin, co-owner (with her husband) of the Fromagerie since 2008, has decided to go mobile, and she’s coming to a Farmers’ Market or private function near you. Here’s the (not-so!) skinny:
No matter what you’re into, there’s curd for you! Headed to your favorite wine shop for a tasting? Don’t be surprised if you see a reproduction 1940’s Tear Drop Trailer parked in the lot. As you pass, wafts of delectable cheese caress your nostrils and you go inside for a glass. As you sip the wine merchant’s favorite red of the month,you will be treated to divine local cheese on top of Isabelle et Vincent’s (1903 Post Road in Fairfiled) crusty baguette. Paired perfectly, cheese and wine are a marriage made in heaven. Another wine, another cheese, and you are in the zone.
Any time I am invited to a birthday party, I offer to bring the cake. I have been completely won over by a local baker who creates the most artistic, delicious and personal cakes you could ever imagine.
The first cake was for my brother's surprise 40th birthday party in New York City. The event caterer directed me to a patisserie on the upper east side, but I was determined to try a local baker, Laura Jayson, a.k.a. The Dough Girl of Rowayton, who works out of a small kitchen in Norwalk. When she offered to deliver the cake in a box fit for travel, the deal was sealed.
For the party, Laura recommended her biggest crowd-pleaser: a super-moist chocolate cake (she shared her secret ingredient: coffee) topped with vanilla frosting. In the center, at my request, she created a molded figure of my brother kite-boarding. The art work was playful and the figure true to form
Have you ever walked into a cheese shop, and been utterly confusedby the array of choices in front of you? For those of you who just nodded your heads, let me introduce you to Fairfield Cheese Company. Their bright beautiful retail space, right next door to Harry's Wine and Liquors, serves as a canvas for carefully chosen specialty foods and an impeccable selection of artisinal and locally produced farmstead cheeses. When Laura Downey and Christopher Palumbo opened their doors in May of 2009, they did so with a purposeful dedication to demystifying the daunting process of buying cheese and introducing their customers to the range and craftsmanship of artisan cheeses. "Cheese stores can be intimidating. We wanted to take away the mystique….It's not rocket science" says Laura.
It is still really dark at 4:30 AM , but the pre-dawn hours hold transformative powers. Darkness will turn to light and the promise of a new day will be realized. Sometimes, both happen sooner than you expect.
When we arrive at the SoNo Baking Company for a behind-the-scenes tour, it's shortly before 5:00 a.m., but the aroma of warm yeasty bread has transformed two half-asleep writers into bakers in training. Owner, John Barricelli, welcomes us in through the still dark café, chairs resting upside down on tables; display cases standing empty. Our eyes have to adjust as we walk through the sleepy cafe into the brightly lit kitchen. Suddenly awake, we are immediately caught up in the rhythm of the bakers at work.
I love the challenge of baking: trying to get a light flake in a pie crust or the perfect crumb to a cake or the right texture for a chosen cookie. But mostly I love baking because when successful, it can bring such delight to those doing the eating, usually my friends, whom I enjoy making happy. So, it is rare for me to purchase baked goods as I feel I lose out repeatedly: once in the making, once again in feeling the love, and too often in taste, with overly sweet, overly greasy or overly heavy confections. However, baking requires time, and when you don’t have it you need a quality go-to bakery that will not disappoint. Happily, I discovered my go-to place last week: Sweet On You Bakery in Stamford makes heavenly confections that are beautiful and delicious, and frankly, better than I can make at home. Even if you don't live in Stamford this bakery is worth the trip.
