The Delamar Hotels have added yet another offering to their ever-growing list of experiences. They recently launched their Afternoon Tea program which can be enjoyed at all of their locations.
We recently paid a visit to Artisan in Southport to get the tea on this new offering. Guests can enjoy this Afternoon Tea every Wednesday from 2:00 – 4:00 PM. For $50+ per person you will enjoy a variety of signature sandwiches, pastries and desserts as well as a selection of green, herbal or black tea served in your own individual teapot.
Tea for two and two for tea, a scone for you, petit fours for me. What a charming way to spend an afternoon, isn’t it? Simply slow down and sip; a flavorful cup of tea asks only this of us, to take time and relish all it has to offer. Around our state, there are tea rooms of every shape and size-with gardens and sunrooms, quirky themes, historic leanings-yet all encourage you to stop, steep, and slow down. Make sure to scroll the entire listing, as we first list those establishments that regularly offer afternoon teas, then follow it with a listing of interesting places around the state that hold special event and holiday teas. This is a great year to explore the world in a cup…
May and June in New York City are a special time. The long winter and the soggy April showers give way to sunny days and warmer temps. New York City is a walking city, and on a perfect Spring day, I donned my pearls and a “little black dress” and headed into the city for a visit to the newly reopened Tiffany & Co on Fifth Ave. to check out the Blue Box Café by Daniel Boulud for my version of Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Hartford County's premier restaurant group and Farmington Valley's century-old farm and vineyard partnered for the 15th year of Max Chef to Farm. The culinary acumen is Max Level (through the roof) with the added benefit of having beverages curated MH by Sommelier and Beverage Director Brian Mitchell.
The owners of Rosedale Farms and Vineyards have been providing apples that are redder, corn that's sweeter and berries that make the juiciest cocktails to CT restaurants for decades, and Max Hospitality has always been obsessed with fresh, local and organic. To culinary Hunter Morton, these are more than buzzwords-they're a way of life. Max Chef to Farm grew out of a desire to take the "farm to table" movement one step further and bring the culinary talent right to the source of their best ingredients.
I attest that great farm produce is available all over the state- but how often with a vineyard attached? Max gives a nod to Rosedale Farms winemaker Morgan Wilson's selections and Brian Mitchell, Max's beverage director, sommelier and a decorated wine and spirits professional and President of the New England Wine Academy
Chef Jonathan Rapp and the Farm Dinner team has announced the 2023 season for Dinners at the Farm! Join them and their friend Digga Schacht at his beautiful Hunts Brook Farm in Quaker Hill, CT for four magical dinners, July 27, 28, 29 & 30. Each night will feature a unique and delicious five-course menu showcasing the talents of cook and farmer paired with great wines, local beers, and homegrown music. A sensory extravaganza you won't want to miss. Oh, and, did we tell you it's four nights only? Get your tickets before they're gobbled up and get ready to celebrate the glorious summer season in all its finest.
As summer rolls around, Connecticut’s food lovers look to take advantage of the seasonal ambience and garden produce in order to experience unforgettable meals. And nothing epitomizes the combination of beautiful sights and fresh food more than field-to-table dinners. This summer, a handful of Connecticut’s most beloved farms are offering outstanding on-site prix fixe meals made with locally-sourced ingredients. So that you don’t miss out on these special experiences, we’ve rounded up the best that Connecticut has to offer.
Downtown Stamford appears to be a Connecticut diner’s dreamland: dozens of bustling streets dotted with happening restaurants, bars, gastropubs, and more. Yet, amid this buzz, nineteen-year-old Sabrina Wang noticed a problem. “The [area] has a lack of good dessert places,” opines the UConn business management student. Daringly, Wang set out to fix this dearth, opening Shiro Dessert with the help of investors on May 14th.
The bistro serves up a handful of East Asian inspired drinks and desserts, from honey toasts to milk teas to fruit ades. In curating the menu, Wang “made sure to cater to the trends” of similar beverage shops throughout the state. This influence is most evident in the mango popping bobas that customers can add to any drink. But the impact of East Asian cuisines goes much further. Shiro’s menu is filled with ingredients popular in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese dishes — Matcha, Yuzu, Lychee, Jasmine, and more. Even Yakult, a sweetened milk product popular throughout Japan, takes a front-and-center position on the menu.
It is the most popular drink in the world-are you surprised? Beyond coffee, beer, and even sodas, tea reigns supreme with over 159 millions Americans consuming it each day and 2 billion people drink it every morning around the globe. White, green, black, oolong, pu’erh, herbal; the variety of flavors within these types is almost endless and there is so much to be explored. There are teas for different times of day, flavor palates, health benefits and even ailments (rumbly tummy? Ginger!). If you haven’t started exploring the wide world of tea, it might be time. Tea-time, that is.
P.S.-The prize for the country that consumes the most? Turkey, followed by Ireland. The UK comes in third. Who knew?
Here are 11 spots for great tea in Connecticut. Happy shopping!
Can I just tell you how great it is to go to bed at the end of a fall night with the smell of a bonfire in my hair? Both end-of-season Hadley & Occum Farm Dinners hosted by DORO were truly sort of magical. Not in the knight in shining armor kind of magical, but in the can we hold onto to this beautiful moment of community and let these flavors and aromas linger just a little while longer kind of magical. It was community, it was the beautiful Sub Edge Farm, it was tremendous food, and it was a recognition of what Bourdain always talked about: the power of sharing a meal around a table, no matter who is dining with you.
Nominated as one of five for 2019 Caterer of the Year by the Connecticut Restaurant Association, we know DORO Catering and Restaurant Group is a master at their craft. With the connection of four restaurants, Zohara Kitchen, Avert, Treva, and Artisanal Burger Company, the catering group has a culinary treasure troveof flavors and experience from which to pull for any event they cater.
Birdman Juke Joint has kicked off their “Biscuit Brunch”. Yes, it's those nationally acclaimed Brown Sugar Buttermilk Biscuits that took the nation by storm when Chef Chris Scott made them on Top Chef. Brunch hours are Saturday and Sunday only from 10:30am to 2pm.
Artisanal Burger Company in Manchester, CT invites you to a Pig Roast on the Patio. Join them on Monday August 19 for a pig roast with plenty of BBQ sauces, picnic-style sides, drinks, and delicious summer desserts.
The Hey Stamford! Food Festival is finally here! On August 24 and 25, food trucks, live entertainment, local vendors, and more will converge on Mill River Park. Donut Crazy, Dinosaur BBQ, Cousins Maine Lobster, and Kona Ice are just a few of the eats that will be there for the weekend! Choose from regular admission or a VIP experience.
When was the last time you thought about where each element of your dinner came from? The plates, the table, the meat, the cups; each item seems to come from an arbitrary supermarket, creating a culture where the process of making and eating food is incredibly solidarity. That, in a nutshell, is why Dan Sabia left the restaurant industry. And now, he’s using his work with wood, fire, and food to change that norm in a world where very few are trying. Chef Dan Sabia is changing the way we think about private catering with his innovative new business, Wood Fire Food.
Max Chef to Farm, an award-winning group of events that celebrate the amazing food grown in our backyard, is heading into their 12th year. Guests are transported directly to the farm to experience seasonal and local food. Their dinners are multi-course feasts showcasing the delicious bounty of Connecticut-grown produce and other locally-sourced ingredients prepared on site by Chef Steve Michalewicz of Max Catering & Events, Chef Hunter Morton, Culinary Director of the Max Restaurant Group, and the entire Max Chef to Farm team.
Max Chef to Farm dinners are adventurous events that celebrate and support CT-grown products. Their host farm for most events this season is the 160-acre Rosedale Farms, located in Simsbury, CT. They have many things in common with the Max Restaurant Group including a commitment to using sustainable farming and business practices. Speaking of support...
Chef Billy Grant and his Chefs Corey Cannon of Bricco Trattoria, and Jon Gyles of Bricco West Hartford invite you to join them for their Summer 2019 Farm Dinner series at Rose’s Berry Farm, in South Glastonbury. Every Farm dinner features a creative menu with ingredients sourced from a multitude of CT farms, and includes passed and stationed hors d’ oeuvres, multi-course dinner, dessert, creative cocktails, craft beers, and vino!
Price per person is $89 plus 18% tax and gratuity (all alcohol is included). Reservations recommended and can be purchased online at www.billygrant.com or by emailing catering director Michelle McMahon at michelle@billygrant.com.
On Thursday, June 14th, Chef Geoff Lazlo of Geoff Lazlo Food, in Greenwich, CT will be cooking at the prestigious James Beard House in NYC. The evening's menu will feature Connecticut farms, and is aptly titled "Connecticut Farm Feast." Check out the menu below. and reserve your seat here.
Connecticut Magazine’s Best Chef of 2018 Geoff Lazlo earned his fine dining chops with stints at Gramercy Tavern, Chez Panisse, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and the Mill Street Restaurant Group before venturing out to create his own company. Sample the cream of Connecticut’s farm-to-table crop with a sumptuous, organic spring harvest, fresh picked from his lovingly tended plots at Greenwich Community Gardens.
Chef Tim LaBant and The Schoolhouse At Cannondale have released the schedule for the 2018 season’s Farm to Fork dinners.Tickets go on sale May 1st...and they go fast! Check out the schedule below.
Four locally sourced courses served family style under the stars (weather permitting). Beginning at 6 pm, Cocktail hour (drinks included), Farm Tour and Dinner (BYOB) by Wilton's own, Chef Tim LaBant of The Schoolhouse at Cannondale. Location: Millstone Farm, Wilton, CT.
Dinner is BYOB starting at around 7 pm and is four courses, family style.
On Saturday, September 16th, Enjoy an organic farm to table feast alongside the sounds of acclaimed jazz musicians from The Mike Casey Trio at Waldingfield Farm in Washington CT.
Visit a beautiful organic farm hidden in the Litchfield Hills for a fine seasonal dinner all sourced locally. Guests will enjoy an Autumn sunset and a fine dinner in celebration organic farming in Connecticut!
4 PM Refreshments & Farm Tour 5 PM Cocktails & 1st Course 6 PM The Mike Casey Trio Followed by Dinner & Dessert
Terrain Garden Cafe in Westport hosted a vegetarian dinner this week to celebrate the summer bounty of the Westport Farmers' Market. Terrain's Chef Jes Bengsten, alongside Chef Jeff Michaud from The Vetri Group, created a stunning 10 course dinner to honor the Westport Farmers' Market, highlighting fresh, seasonal ingredients from local growers. Cocktails and wine pairings complemented the menu that featured the diversity of plant-based cuisine. Terrain Garden Cafe in Westport hosted a vegetarian dinner this week to celebrate the summer bounty of the Westport Farmers' Market. Terrain's Chef Jes Bengsten, alongside Chef Jeff Michaud from The Vetri Group, created a stunning 10 course dinner highlighting fresh, seasonal ingredients from local growers. Cocktails and wine pairings complemented the menu that featured the diversity of plant-based cuisine.
Mark your calendars. On Monday, March 20th, the first day of spring, tickets will go on sale for the 2017 season of Outstanding In The Field.
The 2017 CT locations will be held at Waldingfield Farm on September 12th and The Hickories on September 13th. The guest chefs for Waldingfield will be Jason Sobocinski & Alex Lishchynsky of Caseus in New Haven. The Hickories will feature James Beard nominee Tyler Anderson of Millwright's in Simsbury. Additional details on chefs and farms can be found below.
Tickets have gone on sale for the Dinners At The Farm 2016 season!
At Dinners At The Farm, each evening begins at 6:00pm, dinner served at 7:00pm. Tickets are per person and are $125 (Wednesdays, Thursdays & Sundays), $150 (Fridays and Saturdays).Upon arrival, guests are greeted with an orchard fruit cocktail and passed hors d’oeuvre and then proceed onto a lively tour of the farm with our warm and engaging farm hosts. Following the tour, guests are seated beneath a tent at long candle-lit tables with white porcelain settings where they will savor course after course of freshly cooked food with ingredients just picked from the fields outside the tent. Guests will break bread and raise a glass with the farmers, fishermen, and others who make up Connecticut’s vibrant agricultural community.
Our 2016 season marks 10 years of hosting our celebrated open-air dinners in the fields of Connecticut farms for delightful and delicious evenings of locally grown food, wine, and conviviality. Dates and additional information here.
With August in full swing, farmers across Connecticut are preparing for one of the most important times of year; harvest season. On September 13th, 2015 Connecticut Farmland Trust will be celebrating the bounty of the harvest at The Hickories farm in Ridgefield, Connecticut.
Please join other local food enthusiasts from 3:00 to 7:00 PM for a locally grown dinner prepared by Chef Tim LaBant of The Schoolhouse at Cannondale. Chef LaBant will be preparing hors d’oeuvres, a family style dinner, and dessert from farms across the state featuring produce from The Hickories farm and Sport Hill Farm, meat from Stuart Family Farm, ice cream from the Farmer’s Cow, and cheese from Beltane Farm and Cato Corner Farm. (Ticket info here)
Wine and local beer will also be served at the event, however, attendees are also encouraged to bring their favorite beverages. Bluegrass music will be provided by Dick Neal and Friends.
Tickets have gone on sale for the Dinners At The Farm 2016 season!
