We know everyone has their favorite mashed potato method. Some like it lumpy, some like it smooth, some like it baked in the oven so the top gets nice and crispy. This is a method of making super rich and creamy mashed potatoes using a ricer or food mill (cheap device you can find in any food store). I like the food mill better.
Note: Potatoes have a ton of starch, so if you do not want ‘gummy’ mashed potatoes, do not over cook them, and do not use a mixer or any other electric device to mix the potatoes. The idea is not to over work the potatoes.
A few years back, guests were delighted to find themselves dining under the stars in Terrain’s outdoor garden, at a pop-up dinner hosted by Andrew Mercado of FED Hospitality Group and Chef Jes Bengston. One of the lineup’s starters was this wonderful soup, inspired by campfire cooking and the fall season. The beauty of this soup, is that it is vegan, and built upon a Dashi broth base. In Mercado’s words, it is “vegan, creamy, flavorful, soul-warming, subtly spiced, coconut-infused, simple and perfect for fall weather.” We couldn’t agree more.
We have long loved Alison Milwe Grace of AMG Catering. Not only does AMG elevate the catering industry in Connecticut, but she also supports the community in so many other ways. We are excited to announce the release of her first cookbook, SAVOR, Recipes to Celebrate, just in time for the holidays.
“I have always loved how cooking brings people together and I wrote this book to share my love for food and encourage others to savor time with family and friends. Savor, A Reason to Celebrate is a collection of some of favorite and simplest recipes. I want everyone to see that we don’t need a major holiday or a complicated recipe to gather with friends and family and celebrate,” says Milwe Grace.
Savor is a carefully curated collection of Milwe Grace's favorite recipes, themed classes, and menus for enthusiastic home cooks to create festive gatherings for friends and family. Whether you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo, need inspiration for a backyard barbecue, or want to impress your guests on New Year's Eve, Savor will be the cookbook you reach for again and again.
(I love George Clooney and all, but you can do much better than Migos.)
Cimaroon-this, by far is the most value driven example of pure agave flavor.
It may be a bit too funky for some, but it is super authentic and full of spice, lime, and herbaceous notes.
Casa Noble Reposado- Aged for one day less than an Anejo, this is attainable luxury in a bottle. They check all the boxes for production, sustainability and investment in the drinking public with good information about how to truly appreciate the spirit. Vanilla, white pepper and bright orange dominate.
Gran Centenario Anejo- oak aging takes away agave flavor, and skill is required to add the notes of candied apple, chocolate and cinnamon while preserving the soul of an agave. This is great for a bourbon lover, and a spoonful on top of your margarita is instant elegance.
Being from Connecticut means that you’re in the lucky position of having access to some of the best indulgences available- legendary lobster, outstanding oysters, Industry leading IPAS, and…wonderful bourbon whiskey?
Oh yes. Thanks to some amazing CT producers, you have the pride of Kentucky Spirits at your fingertips, and this primer is all you need to enjoy the derby in style and spirit.
A solid Kentucky Derby experience MUST contain the following (for those who choose to indulge in alcohol, of course):
Over the top hat
Good bourbon
Mint julep cocktail
The Mint Julep is mandatory. After this one, you’ll never have to be told again and will request them yourself. This is a drink that I suggest everyone know how to prepare themselves.
First things first, let’s understand what bourbon whiskey is.
Two people walk into my bar. They both want to make amazing drinks for that holiday dinner. One of them is a bartender that studies the craft on a regular basis. The other person doesn’t know much besides a few drinks they they enjoy and have never made drinks themselves. Does one deserve to have a better time than the other simply because they do this all the time? I say no. We all deserve to have a good time and enjoy our adult beverages or mocktails.
IF YOU HAVE SKILLS WITH CRAFT COCKTAILS: Read the room, and read beyond the room. Holiday gatherings aren’t the time for us to prove why it was smart for us to drop out of college by pulling out the molecular mixology kits or playing with dry ice. The holiday gathering is about a laid back good time, or at least pretending that cooking for 17 hours is a relaxing activity. In any case, the beverage should contain flavors that anyone can understand, pronounce and enjoy without much research .
Use familiar spirits -bourbon and rum are seasonally fun. Vodka is a safe bet. Gin seems adventurous and may get a side eye, but in a sour style fruity cocktail, your guests WILL enjoy it. Sell them on the yummy ingredients.
Just One Thing-One ingredient can make multiple spirits shine and turn your 3-4 bottles into a complete menu.
Khalid Williams is a Bloomfield CT native who has established himself as a leading authority on bartending and beverage education. His focus is on demystifying the adult beverage world, empowering everyone to make classic cocktails and enjoy world class wine, craft beer, and other beverages that matter made by people who care. In 2021, Khalid received the CRAZIES Award for Bartender of the Year.
This will be the first installment of an ongoing series featuring Mocktails The Matter, or zero-proof cocktails exclusively featuring locally made CT based ingredients, from Khalid Wiliams, a.k.a., The Barrel Age.
Keep scrolling for some great tips on some “cocktail” making basics including the great straining & muddling debate, and enjoy Khalid’s zero-proof recipe for the Nutmegger’s Noontime Fancy.
Ice cream on a hot day. Ice cream on a rainy day. Ice cream for dinner or to delight a toddler. Ice cream just because. It’s summer and all of these reasons are 100% legit. Hell, any time of the year they are, right? Connecticut currently ranks #15 in the US for the most ice cream consumed (zippia.com) nationally. However, NY, NJ, VT, and RI eat more…guess this list is just what we need to show them what us Nutmeggers are made of. Or at least, what we enjoy on a hot summer afternoon. Grab a cone, enjoy the drips, and have a summer piled high with the creamy, dreamy stuff. One more thing: for your ease of finding these sweet establishments, we have broken the list down by counties in CT!
Warmer weather has finally arrived, meaning it is time to head outside and enjoy the many waterfront restaurants and bars the state of Connecticut offers. Whether you are craving a tasty seafood dinner or a refreshing cocktail, the state is filled with excellent restaurants with top-notch views of the water. Simply put, nothing says “summer” like waterfront dining, which is why we are back this year with a comprehensive guide to read through and decide where to grab lunch or dinner.
For your convenience, we have broken the guide up into counties so you can easily find exactly what you are looking for, whether you want to dine somewhere local or try someplace new! And keep in mind, we are not just talking about Long Island Sound – Connecticut has several riverfront restaurants as well with equally beautiful views and delicious food, so we have those included here as well.
To celebrate Black History Month 2023, we have updated our guide to black owned restaurants across the state of Connecticut. If you see a place that is missing, please let us know. Big ups and thanks to Molly Alexander for compiling an excellent start to this list with her Google Map posted to Eat in CT. Get out there and support these restaurants.
We did our best to compile a comprehensive list, but if you know of a spot we missed, please contact us here.
With notes of ancho chile, caneia and vanilla, this boozy Mexican Coffee is the perfect spiked treat to warm you up on a brisk winter day. Featuring fair trade Mexican coffee from chiapas, ancho reyes, 1921 crema, milagro reposado, canela-agave, chocolate bitters, kahlua cream, we strongly recommend adding this to your holiday cocktail list. If you haven’t been to CT’s new Mexican spot, Rosa Mexicano (yep the one of NYC fame), check it out.
Sometimes simplicity is best when it comes to cuisine. If you’ve ever eaten in Tuscany, you know this well. Great ingredients, prepared beautifully, and you’ve got yourself something delicious. Chef Luke Venner of Elm in New Canaan can execute the most elaborate dishes you’ve ever seen with layers of flavors and nuance, but he knows when to let the ingredients speak for themselves. We suggest sourcing your Mozzarella and herbs fresh from your local Farmers Market or cheesemonger. This simple dish is simply perfect. Enjoy his recipe for Caramelized Figs and Burrata.
One fish, two fish, red fish…lobster. And seafood in all its forms. Oh yeah, baby! Get the bibs, the frosty beers and get crackin’, shuckin’ and lovin’. Nothing signals the start of summer quite like eating by the water while the sunshine sparkles on the waves. Picture, if you will, your teeth sinking into a lobster roll dripping with drawn butter, or wistfully dragging fresh steamers through (more) butter or popping hot-out-the-fryer clam strips and fritters into your mouth. Whether dining on land or by sea, seafood rules the roost this season. These simple summer pleasures make time stand still for a few blissful moments. Summer is here, and food is easy.
Enjoy our guide to over 40 summertime—or anytime—spots to get buttery lobster, chow down at a clambake, and sit and eat at a seafood shack!
Christian (Chrissy) Tracey is a local Vegan Content Contributor, Video Host at Bon Appétit Magazine, and Head Chef at Chrissy’s. She lives in New Fairfield CT.
As a Vegan chef, Chef Christian Tracey knows a thing or two about the beauty of plants. She has recently launched a video series called “Plant Curious”, a plant-based series showcasing the food and cultures she loves. Tracey will be exploring cooking, baking, foraging, and a bit of her Jamaican culture. She strives to inspire her viewers to get excited about adding plants to their lifestyle---whether that be through diet and meal planning, or simply getting outside.
In this video, she features Ackee, the national fruit of Jamaica. The dish, Ackee & Saltfish, is an ode to her childhood and her Jamaican heritage. It's a traditional meal consumed on a regular basis in many Jamaican households, and is savory and vegetable forward.
There is nothing more comforting than a crispy and gooey grilled cheese sandwich. You can make this even more interesting with the addition of some salsa macha with figs to complement all the cheesy goodness with some spicy and smoky flavor. I like to use a combination of cheeses like Parmesan, Asiago, Fontina and Provolone.
The secret to the crispy bread is using a great sourdough bread like the Wild Yeast sourdough bread from Wave Hill breads, and then add some mayonnaise to crisp up the bread on the griddle. —Lorenza Arnal of Alma Mexican Foods in conjunction with The Westport Farmers’ Market
Enjoy this recipe for Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Salsa Macha with Figs.
We continue our holiday recipe tour with Chef Emily Mingrone of Tavern On State. She shares a Christmas holiday classic that is near and dear to her, but truly can be made any time of the year littlenecks are available. Enjoy Chef Mingrone’s recipe for Stewed Clams with Fregola. If you make this at home, send us a photo!
The italian version of eggnog liqueur is known as VOV, from the Venetian-dialect vovi, meaning “eggs”. This energy and boozy bomb will heat you up and invigorate you. VOV was invented in 1845 by Gian Battista Pezziol, a confectioner of Padua specialized in the production of nougat, which required just the egg whites. Pezziol decided to use the remaining egg yolks with marsala wine, alcohol and sugar, to make a kind of zabajone liqueur and energy drink tonic. Drinks made with eggs have long been considered rejuvenating: many ancient recipes speak of their special power to ‘wake up’ love, revive the sick, and generally boost energy. Ideally you should sip it on the rocks, by a fireplace, after a day on the slopes. But it’s great anytime at room temperature, as a garnish for ice cream, or for dipping dry biscuits whenever you need a pick me up. You can take your VOV to the next level and transform it in to a "Bombardino" the original Après-Ski cocktail of the any Italian mountains holiday. Just add a splash of brandy, a dollop of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon or cocoa powder.
Given the current state of the world, many of us may be spending some quality time in the kitchen this holiday season. In the next few days CTbites will be providing some inspiration for the home cook. Our first holiday recipe comes from Chef Carlos Perez of @The Corner and ATC South Street in Litchfield. Enjoy this recipe for Gingerbread & EGGNOG Tres Leches. Send us a photo of your finished recipe and we will feature on CTbites.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year and with it comes plenty of wonderful eats! For your Christmas celebrating on the day or the eve, restaurants and caterers in all corners of the state have lovingly assembled delicious menus, kits and take out packages for you and your family. What a gift-spending time together, enjoying a beautiful meal and not being holed up in the kitchen. Wishing you all a very merry and delicious holiday!
Here are 50+ restaurants and caterers for your Christmas festivities.
