No trip to The Cottage is complete without…IT. At least one, but probably two. Fans of Brian Lewis’ flagship restaurant in Westport (and in Greenwich in recent years) know that I’m talking specifically about the wagyu brisket bao buns, a day one appetizer (though I could eat these as my main course) when Lewis opened in 2015. The buns have had their share of the spotlight, too, as they’ve been gushed about in TheNew York Times, Forbes, and countless local news sites and blogs.
Summer vacation has come to an end, which can only mean one thing…it’s Oktoberfest season! Known for its abundance of excellent beer and German food, you’ll find restaurants, bars, and festivals across the state offering an Oktoberfest celebration in the coming weeks. You can find one-day events or, in some instances, festivities that span multiple weeks.
As the name implies, Oktoberfest originally took place over 16 days in October. These days, the festivities usually begin sooner, with the first festivals starting in September. That means your favorite Connecticut town or restaurant is in the final preparation phases for this year’s Oktoberfest. Organized by county, you’ll be able to find an Oktoberfest celebration near you.
Just over two months from this very publication date, The Cottage Westport welcomed back chef de cuisine, Christian Wilki, after his stints at Villa Mulino in Avon and Swyft and Ore Hill in Kent. Having worked with chef and owner Brian Lewis for five years previously, Wilki is happy to return to further cultivate and create culinary magic at The Cottage. ingredients from the Westport Farmers Market.
“We did this a while back, but one day, me, Brian, and Ralph ( León)were sitting down after service sharing a bottle of water—I know, so exciting—and we sat here talking and I said that I wanted to do a farmers market menu again like we did years ago,” Wilki says. “Brian was like, ‘absolutely, let’s do it.’”
Udine, Trieste, Pordenone, Rome, Barcelona, Santiago, Athens, and…Norwalk, Connecticut? So, you usually don’t see six European cities and one South American city mentioned in the same breath as Norwalk, but when it comes to gelato and master gelato maker, Carmelo Chiaramida, this is perhaps the one time it applies. What Chiaramida is doing in Norwalk, opening his first OGGI Gelato shop in America, is simply every local ice cream lover’s good fortune.
Call it a coincidence through connection, actually. And it’s best spelled out by Maurizio Ricci, who along with his brother, Graziano, are the founders of Romanacci and Norwalk’s Osteria Romana.
“Let’s get a drink”. “Come over for a drink!”. There’s nothing more convivial than sharing a drink together with a person or a whole group of favorite persons. And isn’t the ol’ saying -it’s 5 o’clock somewhere? Well, here’s a historical “reason” to raise your glasses high-Oktoberfest, the beloved, ancient event involving mouthwatering beers, so much (too much? never!) merriment and some fabulous lederhosen. Oktoberfest-ivities run pretty much the entire month of September and into October, so there are plenty of chances to raise that stein. And remember, we all put our lederhosen on one leg at a time. Prost!
This is the story of a plant-based burger patty that began with a wedding invitation.
Our heroine, Lisa, receives her son’s wedding invitation in the mail one day. Joy! But, oh, on that day, she is feeling that she doesn’t want to be in the spotlight, walking down that aisle as the Mother-of-the-Groom, with everyone staring at her. So, to help counter her depression and anxiety, she soon finds a local fitness trainer. In walks trainer Joseph and Lisa’s life begins to change. Even more changes are to come down the road, including, oddly, a little incident with a meat grinder on Rt.8 on dark and stormy night.
As Lisa Nicholas begins her transformation and changes the way she thinks about nutrition and exercise, Joseph suggests upping her daily intake of protein to build those lean muscles. Problem is, Lisa had tried the vegan lifestyle years before and was hitting a wall with food being interesting and, also, getting enough protein.
Vergelegen, South Africa’s second oldest winery, was introduced in the U.S. for the first time this year. We had an opportunity to try these outstanding wines, and speak with the group responsible for bringing Vergelegen to America.
Vergelegen's existence in the U.S. is one of the better success stories we’ve heard from the last two years, but its history dates back to the year 1700, when the Dutch East India co-founded the vineyard in order to have drinkable liquid on Cape Horn when traveling back and forth from India, Indonesia, and all points East.
Vergelegen (closest pronunciation we can manage is VAHK-heh-lehn) means "situated far away," and the original estate totaled an absolutely whopping 74,000 acres. A bit smaller now, the current production is still 100% estate wine, and their V and GVB wines are still produced on specific blocks of the old vineyard, located around the corner from Stellenbosch. Cold currents of air coming from Antarctica at night, with hot weather from Indian Ocean in the day, plus variable soils at the base of the Helderberg Mountains have proven perfect for wine growing.
What happens when a chef, a butcher and a fisherman walk into a bar? Stay tuned and I’ll tell you…
If you’ve noticed some activity behind the brown paper covering the windows of what was once Westport’s Saugatuck Craft Butchery, it’s not just wishful thinking. Big things are happening behind that masked facade …big things that involve a culinary power team including Chef Matt Storch and Susan McConnell (Match Burger Lobster, Match) in partnership with Jimmy Bloom of Copps Island Oysters, and butcher, Paul Nessal, whom you will recognize if you spent any time at the nose to tail butchery, Saugatuck Craft, back in the day. After 5 years of discussion, this group is finally getting ready to open the doors to Saugatuck Provisions, a new concept offering customers a curated selection of the very best ingredients from the land, sea and grocery, enabling guests to create beautiful restaurant quality meals at home.
Saugatuck Provisions is conveniently located next to Match Burger Lobster in Westport, and will be ready for customers in early November, with Thanksgiving pre-ordering already live here.
Hops is on the brain and Oktoberfest is on the calendar. It’s that delightful time of year to gather with friends, German-style! Chomp into a giant pretzel, grill a brat, raise a stein (or 20, if you are partaking in a competition), and then toast, toast, and toast some more. Across our state, Oktoberfest celebrations are happening and you’ve simply got to get in on one of them. A better time will not be had! Prost!
Who doesn’t love a wedding? Wait…what? Did you know that Oktoberfest got its start in 1810 as a celebration of the wedding of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen? (please try saying that last name after a stein of brew.) We can get onboard with any wedding celebration that involves giant pretzels, bratwurst for miles, and beer flowing like a Bavarian river. Another little factoid for you to thrill your beer-buddies with: the current Oktoberfest in Germany only serves beer from the original six breweries in Munich. Our list, lucky for you, is a tad longer. You can call that a win and not even have to fly anywhere. Oktoberfest, weddings, whatever you are celebrating-Raise those steins! Prost!
Enjoy these 25+ spots to celebrate OKTOBERFEST in Connecticut!
The need to eat strikes in many different forms. Craving something healthy? At The Westport Farmers’ Market, you can grab some freshly grown produce to satisfy that yearning. Want something refreshing? Stop by the handmade popsicle stand to cool down. How about something sweet? Head to the various artisan bakers selling freshly baked pastries and bread.
After a brief intermission from the end of their winter season back in March, the Westport Farmers Market has reopened to serve the community fresh produce, baked goods and everything in between. Open Thursdays from 10-2 on Imperial Avenue in Westport, the market is something you will not want to miss.
With over 50 vendors determined to provide market-goers with healthy and fresh products, Westport residents can look forward to grabbing organic, local ingredients to prepare a healthy meal, or even a pre-made breakfast or lunch… after visiting all the other vendors…of course.
Visit the Westport Farmers Market to enjoy goods from any of their over 50 vendors or check out a few of our favorites below!
Ah, red sauce…most Italian families have their own recipe, and they generally keep that recipe close to their hearts, fiercely guarded. It’s part of the ancestral family lineage, and while there are shared characteristics based on region, each recipe is unique.
We first met the folks from Wise Guys Sauce close to 7 years ago during their stint at The Sono Marketplace. They debuted the Wise Guys Sauce product line for use in their retail pizza shop, called, not surprisingly, Wise Guys Pizza. Sadly the Sono Marketplace/food court was slightly ahead if its time, and they closed the complex, but Co-Owner, Chris Polidoro, decided to keep the sauce alive. Guests were such fans of the tomato sauce, they made the decision to keep on making it. They grabbed some mason jars, slapped a label on, and started selling…and boy did they. Manufactured out of New Haven, Wise Guys Sauce can now be found in local grocery shops both large (Shop Rite) and small (see list below) as well as specialty food stores throughout the state of CT. They even made it onto the TODAY Show with Kathy Lee.
P.S. CTbites readers get $10 OFF with Code: ctbites through January 30th.
Julie Messina had a problem to solve. What could she do to proactively combat the cold and flu season when it inevitably hit her own home? As a Kindergarten teacher and a new mom, she knew she would be a vector for viruses for her family and wanted to get ahead of the inevitable sniffles, or worse, influenza. When she discussed her concerns with her pediatrician, she learned about elderberry syrup, which some studies have shown can shorten the severity and duration of flu in adults. Drawn to its properties as a natural food, she wanted to give it a try but she hit her first roadblock when trying store brands. She didn’t like the taste or price of the elderberry syrups readily available, so she decided to try making her own. Although Julie wouldn’t officially sell her first bottle of elderberry syrup for several months, J’s Homemade was born on that fateful day at the pediatrician’s office. Like many entrepreneurs solving a problem, what followed wasn’t a straight path, but a lot of trial and error, perseverance and support from her wife Alicia and her (now) two children.
Each bottle of J’s Homemade elderberry syrup reflects its natural products and represents her own ongoing research and development.
Having connected farmers to consumers for 10 years in Fairfield & Westchester Counties, Mike's Organic owner Mike Geller knows a thing or two about CSAs. And if there was ever a time to give a CSA a chance, it's now! First and foremost, our farmers need us. As many farms rely significantly on business from restaurants and other sources, a great way to support our farms right now is through signing up for a CSA.
This crisis has highlighted the importance of small, local farms. If planes stop flying or processing plants close, it is they that will feed us...let us never forget that. Second, it is a way to guarantee that fresh, healthy, local food will be on your table for a period of several months. There is so much uncertainty in the world and this is one way to regain some control over your food. Also, so many of us are home cooking and a CSA allows you to be creative and introduce new things to your family!
If you take care of your produce, it will take care of you. It's so fresh when you get it, and if you just give it a little love it will give a whole lot back.
These farms have CSA shares still available (organized by county), click through for additional details on each. Sales are very brisk this year, please act quickly!
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.
Trips to the grocery store are becoming increasingly difficult. In addition to the risks associated with heading out into the crowd, shelves are picked over and ingredients are low. In order to make premium foods more accessible, some Connecticut restaurants and food wholesalers are making their meats, produce, and other staples available to the public as groceries. We have compiled this guide to let you know which restaurants have grocery programs and which wholesalers are now offering their goods to the public.
It was a warm February morning and my son and I joined a group of families as we gathered at Ambler Farm in Wilton, CT to kick off the maple sugaring season. We were greeted by Program Director Kevin Meehan and received an introductory lesson on how to tap a maple tree. Most of us stood in awe as the sap started to drip out of the tree upon tapping it. Many cheered with excitement for what was about to begin was a fantastic winter farming adventure and a great lesson in farm-to-table. We then received our buckets from Assistant Program Manager Jennifer Grass and proceeded to carefully select our “Giving Trees” on the farm. We hung our buckets on the trees and captured photos to commemorate the day. (Our tree was number 42 and pretty far from the sugar shack! It was an adventure after all!) Then we waited. We waited a week. During that week, many of us wondered just how much sap we would find in our buckets when we returned to the farm.
Over 30 New England craft breweries will serve up their favorite seasonal beer tastings at Westoberfest on October 19 at 2:00 p.m. in the heart of downtown Westport on Elm Street. Building on a successful inaugural event last year, and in partnership with Westport's newest wine and spirits merchant, The Grapevine, there will be even MORE breweries this year, with more than 50 unique pours of the best local and regional craft beerfor three hours of unlimited tasting. Buy your tickets here!
The perfect complement to flavorful craft brews is tasty food, and Westoberfest will serve up two local favorites,Kawa Ni and Rothbard Ale + Larder, with options to satisfy any appetite. Line up early to experience traditional brats and pretzels from Rothbard’s or satisfy your culinary craving with spicy miso ramen, tofu pockets, and sesame noodles from Kawa Ni. The always crave-worthy DoughGirls truck will also be making an appearance in the kids' area (yes, there’s a KIDS AREA).
The 7th Annual Two Roads Ok2berfest takes place September 21 starting at 12pm. In addition to the brewery’s own tasty drafts, there will be Authentic German music, German-style beers, food, games and more.
Artisan West Hartford celebrates its 2nd Anniversary with a Havana Nights themed party on Wednesday September 18. Executive Chef Frederic Kieffer will be showcasing Cuban-themed cuisine including: Cubanos with pulled pork and pickles, Ropa Vieja , and other appetizers. In addition, unlimited Beer, Wine, Soda and Signature cocktails will be served. Dressing up for the event is encouraged!
Max Chef to Farm presents an Oktoberfest Dinner at Hanging Hills Brewery on Thursday September 19. This collaboration will bring Chef Hunter Morton together with selections from one of Connecticut's most popular craft brewers, Hanging Hills Brewing Company. Tickets are $79 inclusive and the event is limited to 70 seats.
Match Restaurant in Norwalk is turning TWENTY! Celebrate with them on Thursday September 19. Party with complimentary bites and bubbles along with a cash bar for other specialty drinks.
Greenwich Wine + Food Festival, located at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich, CT, is a multi-day event celebrating this area’s rich culinary landscape and showcasing innovation in the food and beverage industries. This year’s festival includes special guests like Martha Stewart, Margaret and Geoffrey Zakarian, and Valerie Bertinelli. Little Big Town headlines the musical entertainment. This year’s proceeds will go toward Food Rescue US and Greenwich Parks & Recreation.
