Filtering by Tag: Delivery Service,Cheese

Cheese Tasting Tips & Facts from Arethusa Dairy Farm

Features Ingredients Litchfield Cheese Cheese Shop Cheesemaker Local Farm Local Artisan Cheese Tasting

Jessica Ryan

A few months ago I had the privilege of visiting Arethusa Dairy Farm to attend a special cheese tasting event which coincided with Connecticut’s Agriculture Week. The event was a celebration for their Europa cheese, an aged Gouda, that had just been awarded “Best in Show” in the US Championship Cheese Contest. 


At Home Raclette Primer from Fairfield/Greenwich Cheese Company

Features Catering Cheese Dining At Home Play With Your Food Entertaining

CTbites Team

Raclette is a dish indigenous to parts of Switzerland. The raclette cheese round is heated, either in front of a fire or by a special machine, then scraped onto diners' plates. We went to the cheese experts tat Fairfield/Greenwich Cheese Company to learn more about making Raclette at home, and the different varieties of cheese used to make this ultimate comfort food dish, just right for winter.

Raclette comes from the French word racler, which means "to scrape." It's a cheese traditionally eaten in the Swiss and French Alps. Cow herders used to take the cheese with them when they moved cows from the valley pastures up into the mountains. In the evenings around the fire, they would place the cheese next to the fire and, when it had melted, scrape it on top of the bread. Today we have easy to use machines to do the melting, but the results are just as delicious.

These are our favorite raclettes:


DOM's Coffee, Cheese, and Now...Creamery: All The Good Stuff in Avon

Restaurant Ingredients Specialty Market Cheese Cheese Shop Coffee Ice Cream Avon

April Guilbault

Nestled in the Connecticuty-quaint town of Avon, an area known for its New England beauty, historic homes, and the well-known Avon Old Farms School, sits the quietly chic and welcoming Dom's Coffee. But wait, there's also Dom's Cheese. And now, Dom's Creamery right next door. Avon may be steeped in history, but it keeps evolving, as does Dom's. 

Dom's Coffee opened its doors in 2015, the brainchild of Lithuanian couple Asta and Andrius  Plankis and sweetly named for their son Dominic. What began as a place for the community to take time to sit and enjoy a great cup of coffee, not just grab-and-go-and-swill-it-in-your-car, has now become a beloved spot in town. With their European flair and attention to detail, Dom's Coffee seamlessly blends the CT aesthetic with the European, feeling all at once new but also comfortable and homey. Light and bright walls, with intentional and un-cluttered decor make his space both interesting and calming. Dom's serves a full range of coffee drinks made with beans from J. Rene Coffee Roasters (West Hartford), with inventive specials to get you in seasonal moods.


8 Home Meal Delivery Services in Connecticut: Don't Cook! Order Up!

Features Home Delivery Meal Delivery Delivery Service Prepared Food Best of CT Roundup Highlight

April Guilbault

Tired of cooking? Or maybe you love to cook but just can’t face the stove one…more…night. There are a million reasons why help is sometimes needed in the kitchen: a dear friend had a baby and hasn’t slept in 3 weeks, a neighbor is sick, your parents are getting older and you want to make sure they eat well, you’ve been away on vacation and would love to have some meals for when you return, or, well, you’re just plain sick of cooking (as we mentioned). It is vacation time, after all. Whether you need prepared meals for someone special or just to supplement your own cooking and streamline life a bit, there are plenty of options that make it easy. And delish! That’s precisely why we are highlighting these eight fantastic services. Some cater to dietary needs, some focus on local or organic ingredients, and all offer many tasty options to satisfy.

Here are 8 home meal delivery services we have enjoyed in Connecticut.


England Cheese Journey: Explore Dairy Royalty with CT's Fairfield Cheese Co 

Features Road Trip England Travel Cheese Cheese Shop Homepage

Tenaya Darlington

Imagine waking up in a 16th century English country house where designer cows graze just off the ballroom. You’re in Somerset, the seat of England’s best Cheddars, and you’re staying in a beautifully restored bedroom -- one of 25, no less -- in the opulent manor belonging to the Montgomerys, one of the best Cheddar-making families.

Cheese royalty? Maybe you didn’t know such a world existed. But the royal family does. They’ve served award-winning Montgomery’s Cheddar for years. Now, thanks to a luxury food-tour company called Cheese Journeys, you can travel to the Montgomery estate (a.k.a. North Cadbury Court) and learn to make Cheddar with the head of the family, plus feast on the best British cheeses, wines, ciders, and whiskies from October 2-9, 2022.

That’s where you’ll find Laura Downey, owner of Fairfield Cheese Co.

“No one curates a trip like Cheese Journeys,” Downey says. “It’s a great way to combine a vacation with our passion for cheese and good food.”


Flavorism: 5 Ghost Kitchens in Stamford Feature Local Chefs Thru Unique Delivery Platform

Features Restaurant Delivery Delivery Service Ghost Kitchen Stamford Pizza Salads Burgers

Jessica Ryan

Long before the term ghost kitchen became part of our vernacular, Jonathan Brennan was busy building his in the heart of Stamford. Today his virtual food hall features six farm to table kitchens under one roof, is bustling and has plans for expansion in the very near future. Each kitchen features a unique menu with a different flavor profile to accommodate a wide range of different tastes and lifestyles with a focus on heath and sustainability. While Flavorism could be touted as a Ghost Kitchen, it’s really so much more. It’s a focus on sustainability, the elimination of excess waste, serving the local communities and hiring local talents.


The Home Cook: ‘Heat & Eat’ Meal Delivery Service

Features Ingredients Home Delivery Dining At Home Delivery Service Catering Caterer Meal Delivery Homepage

Stephanie Webster

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.


The Food Crate Delivers Ultimate New England Seafood Experience To Your Doorstep sponsored post

Features Ingredients Home Delivery Seafood Delivery Service Lobster Lobster Roll Lobster Bake Catering

CTbites Team

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.

BONUS!! CTbites Readers Get 10% OFF with Code FC10


OLMO Launches OLMO@HOME Ready-To-Eat Meal Subscription Service

Features Subscription Box Delivery Service New Haven

CTbites Team

Olmo, established as New Haven’s first bagelry at 93 Whitney Avenue, has launched its Olmo@Home ready-to-eat meal subscription service, offering customers the option to receive their choice of weekly or on-demand prepared meals for pick-up or delivery. The service, which offers dinner and breakfast options for two, as well as beer, wine and grocery add-ons, offers flexibility and control over the menu, number of meals per week and more.

The seasonal menu is available on a weekly basis with one rotating, weekly special. Beer and Wine pairings and a la carte options are also available, as well as grocery provision add-ons including Torres potato chips, mixed marinated olives, Grady’s Cold Brew coffee, Swords into Plowshares Honey, Ortiz Tuna and more.


Berkshires Direct: Farm-to-Consumer Delivery To Your Doorstep

Features Ingredients Subscription Box Farm to Table Farm Fresh Farm To Table Delivery Service

Stephanie Webster

Chefs realized a long time ago that “farm to table” was more than a phrase, it was a healthier way to eat, tasted better and improved the diversity of local economies by helping make farming economically viable. In addition, this growing trend has another major benefit, increasing access to a wide range of different food options across our community.

We, in Connecticut, are incredibly lucky with access to a large and growing number of farms and farmers’ markets, but sometimes a visit to that local farm stand during its business hours is difficult. For people who are not members of a CSA (community supported agriculture) program and would still like to incorporate ultra-fresh products into their everyday lives, CT based Berkshires Direct now gives customers greater access to the resources of farm-fresh products delivered to your home. They are based in Connecticut and currently making deliveries in Connecticut and NYC (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens).

CTBites Readers USE CODE CTFriends10 for 10% off your first order!


Plum Plums Cheese Opening in New Canaan

Features Restaurant Openings New Canaan Cheese Cheese Shop Specialty Market

CTbites Team

Attn: Cheese lovers. This just in from New Canaan Advertiser…

Elixirs for mocktails, a choice of 65 cheeses and coffee sourced from women farmers in Kenya will all be coming to New Canaan next month.

Plum Plums Cheese is moving with its gourmet goodies from its Pound Ridge, N.Y., location to 149 Cherry St. in New Canaan on April 1.

The 7-year-old enterprise, owned by spouses Gayle Martin and Michael Riahi, will be expanding its offerings with butchered meats in addition to the charcuterie, soups and sandwich options. The new location is 1,100 square feet, compared to the 700-square-foot space in New York.

“We know the back story of every item we sell. If cheese, meat, bar of chocolate or jar of jam,” Martin said. “Our primary focus of cheese.”

Read the full article on New Canaan Advertiser.


Geoff Lazlo Food: Chef Driven Gourmet Food Delivery To Your Door Daily

Features Ingredients Delivery Service Home Delivery Catering To-Go

Stephanie Webster

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.


The Food Crate Launches, Delivering High End Specialty Prepared Foods to Your Doorstep

Features Ingredients Delivery Service Home Delivery BBQ Asian Meat Specialty Market Homepage

Stephanie Webster

CT based startup, THE FOOD CRATE has launched in the tri-state area (and just beyond) with overnight delivery of chef-sourced specialty and high end prepared foods to residents of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. Why is this food delivery service different from all others? After eating my way through several of these fully loaded crates, enjoying everything from gluten-free chicken meatballs and marinated shrimp kabobs to Hawaiian Baby Back Ribs, a Lobster Pot for 8 and restaurant quality crab cakes, I can report with great certainty that The Food Crate is a delivery service that relieves the pressure of the dreaded nightly “what’s for dinner” conundrum, and will surely be on repeat order in my home. (Also thru Aug 31st CTbites readers get 15% OFF with Code: CTB15)


Ben To Table: Food Subscription Launches To Promote Small-Batch Producers of Gourmet Pantry Items

Features Ingredients Delivery Service Home Delivery Ingredients Gourmet Ingredients

CTbites Team

So, we all like to support our local vendors, especially at times like these, but occasionally you need something a little “extra” or specialized, that you may not find at your local shop. Enter food-lover, cook, and long-time advocate Ben Simon, a New Haven native who is bringing high-quality, small-producer pantry staples and non-perishables to front doors across the United States with his new subscription box company, Ben to Table.

Ben to Table is a New Haven-based monthly subscription box inspired by Simon’s years of working on environmental and human rights campaigns across the globe, with a focus on preserving and promoting sustainable agriculture.


35+ DIY Take-Out Meals, Desserts & Cocktail Kits From CT Restaurants

Features Ingredients Take Out Delivery Service Entertaining Catering Cocktails Pizza Dessert Homepage

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

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!


Arethusa Dairy Farm: Saving CT Farmland Through Exceptional Dairy

Features Ingredients Bantam Litchfield CT Farms Local Farm Local Artisan Dairy Farm ice cream Cheese Homepage

Jessica Ryan

CTBites and Terrain were recently invited to Arethusa Dairy Farm for a behind the scenes tour of their dairy farm and cheese making process. But before we get all cheesy, I want to share the wonderful story of a once little known dairy farm.

It all began in 1999 when the Webster family put their 150 year old family farm up for sale. Worried that their view would be obstructed, and to preserve the historic property, neighbors George Malkemus and Anthony Yurgatis stepped in to purchase the farm once named for a small pink orchid that grew in a swamp on the land. Malkemus and Yurgatis promised to restore its original name, and such were the humble beginnings of the Arethusa Dairy Farm.


Local Spotlight: Mike Geller of Mike's Organic in Stamford

Features Ingredients Delivery Service Home Delivery Organic Specialty Market Stamford Westchester Interview Homepage

Andrew Dominick

Hello, CTbites readers! 

Most of the time we bring you pieces on chefs but we’re trying something new that puts the focus on interesting food and beverage industry folks that ARE NOT chefs but have a tale to tell; think bartenders, independent bakers, farmers, maybe some brewers, or even that waiter everyone seems to know. 

It’s only fitting to kick it off with Mike Geller, the owner of Mike’s Organic Delivery in Stamford. He’s not a chef, he has a story, and he’s really easy to have a conversation with. He’s one of the reasons why I thought of this series in the first place, so making him number one was a no-brainer. 

If you’re unfamiliar with Mike’s Organic, it opened in 2009, strictly as a grocery delivery service. Now, celebrating its decade-old birthday, Geller expanded his business and opened his doors to the public with a mini market filled with carefully selected organic goods, fresh produce, and lots of local products. To boot, they host lots of special events and cooking classes with the likes of Geoff Lazlo, Ross Bread, and Nit Noi Provisions

How it all started, though, is quite something. Cue the Q&A! 


Connecticut’s Brewery Legitimus & Barden Farm Partner Again for 2nd CSABC (Community Supported Agriculture, Beer & Cheese) Share

Features CSA Local Artisan Local Farm CT Beer Cheese Farm to Table

CTbites Team

Brewery Legitimus, the 7 barrel craft brewery co-founded by husband and wife team Chris and Christina Sayer, is partnering once again with Barden Farm (New Hartford, CT), to bring a Community Supported Agriculture, Beer & Cheese (CSABC) Share to the community.  Back for a second year in a row, the 10-week “Farm, Beer and Cheese Share” begins July 11th and will run until September 12th. 

The first in the area, the CSABC share brings together locally grown produce from Barden Farm, locally crafted beer by Brewery Legitimus, and locally made cheese from several different farms in CT.

A CSABC share membership is $485 for the 10 Weeks and includes Craft Beer from Brewery Legitimus, Cheese and of course a Farm Share from Barden Farm. It works just like a CSA. Here’s what’s included:


Fairfield Cheese Company Celebrates its 10-Year Anniversary w/ A Cheesefest!

Features Events Cheese

Stephanie Webster

Laura Downey and Chris Palumbo, co-owners of the popular Fairfield and Greenwich Cheese Company shops, reflect upon their 10-year journey in the cheese biz, their accomplishments, and how far consumers have come in their appreciation for delectable fromage. They will also be celebrating with some great cheese-centric classes in early May. Check ‘em out here.


FreshDirect Online Grocer Expanding Throughout Fairfield County!

Features Delivery Service Home Delivery

Stephanie Webster

FreshDirect, the Northeast’s leading online fresh food grocer, announced that it will be extending its service further into Connecticut, and will now be delivering to Fairfield, Norwalk, Southport, and Westport, in addition to Greenwich and Stamford, starting Tuesday March 26th. Why is this exciting? For those not familiar with FreshDirect, they pioneered the short supply chain, so you can experience fresh food at its finest. Place an order online before 9pm, and you can have ALL of your groceries delivered to your house the following day. From responsibly sourced seafood to organic produce, their food comes to their campus straight from the source and is delivered to your door at peak freshness in just a few days. That's less handling by middlemen—and it puts more money in the bank for local farmers, skilled artisans, and responsible fishermen.