Tender meatballs nestled in bubbling, vibrant San Marzano tomato sauce. Hearty breads that cradle cutlets generously smeared with homemade pesto. Crispy-on-the-outside Mac and Cheese balls and tender Crabcakes with a dollop of Horseradish Dill sauce. Lasagna that is layers deep, stuffed full of gooey cheese and smothered in more of that delightful tomato sauce.
And it’s all vegan.
Without getting too Hallmark-y, it is all based in love, as well.
Tracy Alexander, with her two daughters Brittany and Taylor form the triumvirate of Three Girls Vegan Creamery in Guilford, Connecticut. Mama Tracy creates the recipes and menus, while daughters Brittany and Taylor run the locations and handle the marketing.
Craving something sweet but not in the mood for the full indulgence of ice cream? Do you want something that tastes just as good without as much guilt? Have no fear, Dave’s Gourmet Paletas has just opened in downtown Fairfield serving up 20 flavors of homemade paletas…made fresh daily. These pops are far cry fro from the average popsicle as paletas are made entirely from whole ingredients, delicious things…like fresh fruit and nut butters. Dave’s Paletas also feature gluten free, dairy free and vegan options with a menu ranging from classic flavors like strawberry and banana to more unique ones like matcha and mango chamoy. Paletas are a traditional Mexican frozen treat and owner and CEO Dave Rock says,
“We wanted to offer standard flavors, traditional ones that everybody likes, but we also wanted to sprinkle in some of the more uniquely Mexican options like a mango chamoy.”
Bufalina Wood Fired Pizza in Guilford is one of this shoreline town’s most charming and delicious destinations. Open since September 2011, Bufalina has earned a reputation for rustic, seasonally-driven, and Neapolitan-inspired pizzas.
“We wanted to recreate the feeling that you are in our kitchen and we are cooking for you,” said Melissa Pellegrino, chef and co-owner of Bufalina alongside her husband, chef Matt Scialabba.
When I reluctantly moved to Los Angeles at the beginning of this decade, I missed our annual fall apple and berry picking trip so much that I dragged a posse of ex-East Coasters and their small children to the closest orchard (two hours into the desert) to pick apples one hot October Sunday. To put it mildly, apple picking in California is a sad facsimile of the real deal here in New England. The air was heavy, we were sweaty and the only ones enjoying the adventure were the children– they didn’t know any better.
Being back in New England, where there really is a fall season and apples taste like, well apples, we recently took advantage of the pick your own trifecta: September peaches, apples and raspberries and visited Bishops Orchards in Guilford, CT.
