Chef Talk: Da Pietro's Chef Scotti's Grilled Calamari Salad Interview Features Seafood Westport Recipe Christy Colasurdo December 14, 2009 Though better known around these parts for his inventive creations at DaPietro’s Restaurant in Westport, chef Pietro Scotti is all about tradition when it comes to the holidays. Leading up to Christmas, he bakes and decorates gingerbread houses with his kids, Tomaso, 7, and Lucia, 5, and sips festive hot cider with star anise, cinnamon and orange slices. He also bakes “Chicolino,” a bread with prosciutto and egg filling and a traditional sweet baked dessert that includes capellini pasta (go figure!), candied fruit, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Hailing from Ischia, a tiny fishing village in Italy, Pietro recalls fondly his family shopping excursions to the waterfront dock. There, his mother chose fish so fresh it was literally splashing around in buckets for his family’s “Feast of the Seven Fishes” Christmas Eve meal. When asked to provide CTbites with a favorite holiday recipe, Pietro chose this grilled calamari salad because it’s simple, clean and easy to prepare—a modern riff on a classic—but also because it reminds him of his childhood. Isn’t that what traditional holiday cooking is all about? Read More
Sensational Sweets @ Sweet On You Cafe & Bakery Ingredients Restaurant Catering Stamford Lunch Dessert Deanna Foster December 12, 2009 I love the challenge of baking: trying to get a light flake in a pie crust or the perfect crumb to a cake or the right texture for a chosen cookie. But mostly I love baking because when successful, it can bring such delight to those doing the eating, usually my friends, whom I enjoy making happy. So, it is rare for me to purchase baked goods as I feel I lose out repeatedly: once in the making, once again in feeling the love, and too often in taste, with overly sweet, overly greasy or overly heavy confections. However, baking requires time, and when you don’t have it you need a quality go-to bakery that will not disappoint. Happily, I discovered my go-to place last week: Sweet On You Bakery in Stamford makes heavenly confections that are beautiful and delicious, and frankly, better than I can make at home. Even if you don't live in Stamford this bakery is worth the trip. Read More
Alpine Getaway @ Little Pub in Ridgefield Restaurant Ridgefield Comfort Food Lunch Christy Colasurdo December 10, 2009 There’s good reason the parking lot at Little Pub is jam-packed before noon—and through the wee hours. When you step inside, you’ll swear you’ve entered a lively Austrian ski chalet, complete with distressed wooden ceilings, stucco walls, wrought iron chandeliers and a blazing stone fireplace. Whether you cozy up to the hopping bar or take a seat next to the fire (if you’re lucky enough to snag one), this relative newcomer feels like it’s been here for ages. In actuality, Little Pub, which sits on busy Ethan Allen Highway in Ridgefield, was home to an antiques shop until four months ago, when Daneen Grabe, of Fairfield, worked her magic on the space, transforming it into one of the area’s most popular hangouts, drawing fans from across the state, and a large contingent of Europeans who find it feels like home. Read More
The CT Bites Suzysaid Lunch Recap Restaurant CTbites Lunch Events Fairfield French Lunch Stephanie Webster December 09, 2009 Yesterday a group of CT Bites and Suzysaid readers enjoyed their first in a series of lunch events, this one at Cafe Lola in Fairfield. The dining room was abuzz with satisfied diners who, for a mere $15, savored a wonderful 3 course meal in the warmth and elegance of owners Ivanina & Henri's Donneaux French bistro. We arrived early to check out the scene. In the kitchen, Chef Henri had things under control and was beginning to prep his first plate of Ratatouille. Ivanina (who manages the restaurant and creates their excellent wine list) was greeting guests and making sure things were running smoothly. And they were! I sat down with two of our CT Bites contributors, Sarah Green and Jenny Vynerib and began strategizing the meal. Here is what we ate: Read More
Raw Vegan Food Done Right: Catch a Healthy Habit Cafe Restaurant Fairfield Special Dietary Needs Vegetarian healthy Lunch Liz Rueven December 08, 2009 Here in Fairfield County, there are a number of interesting vegetarian cafes, restaurants and markets that focus on mostly organic, mostly vegetarian ingredients and healthy eating. The most recent addition is Catch a Healthy Habit Cafe, just past the Community movie theatre in Fairfield. In the ever burgeoning foodie scene that is sprouting in Fairfield, this one is unique and specific in its orientation and intention. Be assured that everyone who ventures (and I mean adventures) into this cool spot is in for an unusual experience. CATCH A HEALTHY HABIT is a raw, vegan cafe. HUH? No need to be stumped. Read More
Homemade Holiday Gifts: Vanilla Sugar & Extract Ingredients Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Recipe Dessert Nicole Straight December 07, 2009 Tired of giving your teachers and hosts the same bottle of wine, gift certificates, or coffee table books? Why not make your own eatable holiday gifts this year? CT Bites makes gift planning easy with our ongoing December feature "Homemade Holiday Gifts." No, we're not getting out the hot glue gun. We're getting crafty in the kitchen with delicious gift ideas that everybody will enjoy: Homemade Vanilla Extract & Vanilla Sugar. Read More
Mexican Treasure Discovered @ Los Portales' Grocery Restaurant Delicious Dives Norwalk Specialty Market Mexican Sarah Green December 06, 2009 OMG. It happened. I think, for about 40 minutes, I had an out-of-body experience where I traveled to Michoacan, Mexico and had lunch in the back of a bodega. It was a strange hallucination, considering four of my other foodie friends seemed to travel with me. Yet there we were, frantically gorging on the most authentic and outrageously delicious Mexican food any of us had ever eaten. Had I bumped my head during that twister? (note to self - always listen to Auntie Em.) It all began as we innocently followed a lead I had received from my sister-in-law about the best kept secret in Fairfield County. In an area packed with what seems to be an abundance of ethnic restaurants, and one that i think we should dub "Little Mexico," we found ourselves stepping through the doors of LOS PORTALES Taqueria & Mexican Grocery (literally, the portals) and we were trans-"portled"! There is NOTHING like this place, this side of the border, and I don't mean the Norwalk/Westport border! LOS PORTALES is the real deal. You simply MUST try it. Don't get me wrong, though. It is NOT your typical restaurant. Read More
Café Luc’s: Real-Deal French Bistro Fare in Ridgefield Restaurant French Ridgefield Lunch Christy Colasurdo December 04, 2009 Back when I lived in the city, I hit my corner bistro when I craved comfort food. There’s one on practically every corner. But since I moved to Westport, the authentic bistro has been elusive. That is, until friends turned me onto Café Luc’s, a homey, out-of-the-way Parisien gem tucked behind Ridgefield’s main drag, for real-deal peasant fare in one of the town’s oldest and most rustic buildings. To get to Café Luc’s, you cruise up the winding Rte. 35, past antique farmhouses and sprawling country spreads, until you hit Ridgefield’s postcard-quaint town center. Admittedly, it’s a bit of a schlep for a weekday lunch, but the payoff is a steaming crock of soupe à l'oignon gratinée or a heaping bowl of moules marinières with addictively thin and crunchy pommes frites—perfect cold-weather food. It’s a taste of Paris secreted away in the ‘burbs. Read More
GreenChic Recipe: Green Goddess Salsa Features healthy Recipe Farm Fresh Jennifer Spaide December 01, 2009 Jennifer Spaide is the Founder of Greenchic.com, and is dedicated to educating and inspiring individuals to lead healthy lives, starting with what they eat. She lives in New Canaan and is a registered nutritionist, cook, mom, and foodie. This recipe was developed for one of my readers who was looking for a healthy salsa to serve at a party..."something a little green." I was so pleased she had made the request because this Green Goddess Salsa has become one of my staples. It is packed with healthy ingredients and is amazingly nutritious. It also has a clean, fresh flavor that is perfect with homemade tortilla chips, with eggs in the morning, or served with grilled meats. Green Goddess Salsa Read More
TAWA: Indian Fusion in Stamford Restaurant Stamford Indian Sarah Green November 29, 2009 "Please, can we go for Indian?" I often implore. Yet my pleas usually fall on deaf ears as a large majority of my peeps find Indian cuisine just too heavy or just too spicy or just too Indy. Yet I think the perfect solution has finally surfaced with what I'll call "Indian Fusion." It's the trendy and very "very" new Indian restaurant in Stamford, TAWA. Head chef and owner, Kausik Roy, a native of Mumbai, says that he wanted to open a "...very different type of Indian restaurant that draws on a deep respect of food tradition and a love for breaking food rules..." - and he has certainly succeeded. Read More
Cranbellinis: The Holiday Breakfast of Champions Features Cocktails Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe Elizabeth Keyser November 26, 2009
CT Bites Lunch Event @ Cafe Lola: Free Gifts! Restaurant CTbites Lunch Events Fairfield French Stephanie Webster November 25, 2009 On Tuesday December 8th & Wednesday Dec 9th 2009, CT Bites and Suzysaid invite you to an exclusive lunch event at Cafe Lola in Fairfield. This $15 prix fixe lunch includes a fabulous goody bag with products and coupons from local vendors, and a 3 course meal. Menu is below. Reserve your spot now by calling 203-292 8014, and mention CT Bites. Lunch is available from 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM. Read the Cafe Lola review on CT Bites. $15 Prix Fixe Menu Read More
Stuffed: The Benefits of Stale Bread Features Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe Michael Mordecai November 24, 2009 Michael Mordecai is baker behind The Fairfield Bread Company and the wonderful "Flaxette." In giving thanks, respect is inherent. Our earth provides for us. We accept these provisions not with greed, but with appreciation. In celebrating food and the bounty of the earth, it is only right to respect the food by utilizing it to the fullest. Using leftovers to create new dishes minimizes waste of food and preparation time. Leftover stale bread has infinite uses. Hardened crusts and heels are transformed into delicious sweet or savory dishes. But now is the time to make stuffing. Use day-old (or 2 or 3 day-old) bread. Use what you have, crusts and all. If you must buy bread to make stuffing, buy a variety of day-old bread (or rolls) from a trusted bakery. The more varied the types of bread, the better the flavor, although one type will work: white, whole wheat, rye, pumpernickel, or sourdough. Read More
Ask Chef Nicole: Thanksgiving Side Dishes Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe Nicole Straight November 22, 2009 Thanksgiving is my all time favorite holiday, there’s no pressure to give gifts, and the whole day is about being together with people you love (or at least like very much) and think about all of the things I am grateful for. And of course, there’s the meal… When it comes to Thanksgiving, I must admit I am a bit of a purist. I want to know that this annual meal will taste exactly as it did last year and the year before that. The recipes I use are the ones my mother used and the ones her mother used. While I have made some small changes over the years (mostly to make life easier) the flavors are exactly the same as I remember them when I was young. My other favorite thing about Thanksgiving is the day after Thanksgiving sandwich, which is basically a little bit of everything (warmed just a little) stuffed between 2 soft pieces of white bread. When you make these recipes, be sure to make a little extra so you have enough for those yummy “day after sandwiches." Here are three of my favorites: Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Prosciutto, Chestnuts and Apple; Mapled Sweet Potatoes; Classic Cranberry Sauce. Read More
Cooking at Home: Radish Greens Features healthy Recipe Farm Fresh Elizabeth Keyser November 18, 2009 Elizabeth Keyser is a local writer living in Fairfield. Her work has been published in The New York Times, GQ, American Photo, The New York Post, Connecticut Magazine, as well as CT newspapers. She writes restaurant reviews and a food column for the Fairfield County Weekly. Radishes and chard were the last things growing in the garden. A creature had gnawed on one of the radishes, so it was time to pull them up. But I wasn’t just harvesting the root. I was eying their bright healthy-looking greens. Yes, you can eat radish greens. They contain more vitamin C, calcium, potassium and folate than the root, and while peppery, they’re mellower than the root. They say you can eat them raw, but I’m turned off by the fury-prickly texture. I make soup with them. Radish leaf soup is an old French recipe. You can find it in Larousse Gastronomique, but it’s easy enough to wing it. This is a quick soup. You’ll be eating in this mildly piquant green elixir in 30 minutes. Radish Greens Soup Read More
CLOSED Lunch @ Abbondanza = An Abundance of Flavor Restaurant Catering Westport Lunch CTbites Team November 17, 2009 One of my concerns about moving from NYC was leaving behind my favorite food shops and restaurants, the regular haunts I had adored and frequented over the years. I thought it impossible to find suitable replacements in the suburbs. When I stumbled upon Chef Jamie Cooper and the beautiful food he was serving at Abbondanza by day, and Bonda by night, I realized I was wrong! This little gem in Westport just off of Exit 17 of I95 has become my NYC replacement eatery and thus my salvation. Read More
A Festival of Flavor @ Little Thai Kitchen Restaurant Darien Delivery Service Greenwich Stamford Thai Lunch Stephanie Webster November 14, 2009 It was a Saturday night and I was tired of the standard nouveau American fare. I was in the mood for the spicy sweet flavors of Thai cooking, but where to go in Fairfield County? A friend whose taste buds I trust told me her go-to spot was Little Thai Kitchen or LTK, with Greenwich, Darien, and NYC locations. We opted for Darien, (right across from the train station) and our party of four headed out in the pouring rain to seek out dinner. Walking into LTK is sort of like walking into a West Elm catalogue. It is modern and sleek with splashes of bright color giving it a nice clean design. The two dining spaces to either side of the front door are small, as a good chunk of their business is take-out, but we found that with the lights dimmed it was surprisingly cozy and well appointed. We took a seat next to the large corner window and discreetly checked out the food on the other guests' tables. It looked good. It smelled good. We quietly prayed to whatever God worked for each of us that we had found some decent Thai food in this town. Read More
It's Breakfast Time: Eggs in Phyllo, Pita or Tortilla Cups Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Breakfast Kid Friendly Nicole Straight November 12, 2009 You wake up on Saturday morning. You're feeling guilty about feeding your kids frozen waffles every day this week. It's time to break out of the mould and try out a new recipe...something with a little pizazz. How about eggs? Boring you may say, but these are not just any eggs. This is an egg breakfast that comes wrapped in its own carb (in the form of phyllo, tortilla, or pita cups). With the addition of veggies, cheese, or meat you've got a whole meal in one tasty little package. They look complicated but they only take about 20 minutes, and your family will love the results. Eggs in phyllo, pita bread, or tortilla cups Read More
Bill Taibe's Inspired Farm-to-Table Fare @ LeFarm Restaurant Farm to Table Local Farm Westport Farm Fresh Lunch Stephanie Webster November 08, 2009 While busily building my stationery empire this summer, I noticed an exciting transformation happening downstairs from my office (Colonial Green in Westport). The Italian restaurant favored by the blue haired crowd had closed and serious construction was underway on a new place. Over the next several weeks, there was a buzzing of saws, table tops were painted, artwork lay arrayed on the sidewalk, and chicken wire went up in the window. I took note of the words “Le Farm” scribbled on the front window and thought to myself, this is promising. I couldn’t resist asking one of the men standing out front if he was le farmer (he wasn’t). Then I heard rumblings (and soon confirmation) that foodie darling and former chef at Stamford’s famed Napa and Co., Bill Taibe, was le man behind LeFarm. LeFarm was to be Westport’s newest outpost for farm-to-table cuisine. As a charter member of the farm-to-table club, I couldn’t have been more excited. I’d live on a farm if it wouldn’t derail my shoe collection. Read More
