Chestnut Butter Bruschetta with Burrata, Kale or Arugula Recipe from Locali Pizza Bar Features Entertaining Thanksgiving Recipe CTbites Team November 23, 2014 As family and friends arrive, it's always a great idea to have a few nibbles ready for them to enjoy as the cooks in the kitchen place the final touches on the main courses. Many homes will be filled with the aroma of chestnut stuffing, so tantalize the taste buds with a delicious appetizer with a hidden ingredient, chestnut butter. Chef Mogan Anthony of Locali Pizza Bar + Kitchen shares his recipe for “Chestnut Butter Bruschetta with Burrata, Kale or Arugula” that pairs chestnut butter with greens and Burrata. Read More
Napa & Co.'s Maple-Bourbon Banana Pudding Cake Recipe Features Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe Dessert CTbites Team November 22, 2014 You’ve finished the turkey, gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, sides galore, apple sauce, cranberry sauce, salads, cole slaw, and maybe a few glasses of cider, wine and beer. In the background, the football games are on the TVs and maybe a little jazz, rock or classical fills the air. It’s been a great Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family. So what’s next? Close your eyes and travel to the South and focus on one of their comfort food desserts, Bread Pudding. Chef Adam Truelove of Napa & Co. in Stamford was kind enough to share his version with CTbites, and he starts with a simple bread pudding and adds his special twists…bourbon, maple syrup and bananas. Here's Chef Truelove's recipe for Maple-Bourbon Banana Pudding Cake. Read More
Friday Froth: Beer Pairings For A Very Merry Thanksgiving Features CT Beer Thanksgiving Beer James Gribbon November 21, 2014 You can smash that wine bottle against a new ship's prow, because I'm drinking beer this Thanksgiving. I enjoy wine, but the waveform of my interest in it describes a gentle curve approaching zero on this particular day of the year. There's very little you can put on the table in late November that will get my personal circuits firing like a nice beer pairing.This week's Froth will be a selection of suggested beers for both Thanksgiving hosts and guests, presented in the order you may like them to appear during our country's great feast. I enjoy typing that word. Say it with me: "FEAST!" I wish I had a relative with an eight foot tall fireplace suitable for roasting an entire ox. I hope at least one of you reading this is going to attempt a feat of inadvisable open flame cookery next week. Bonus points if you have to bribe a child so they don't tell a spouse what you're doing. A quick note to begin: I wrote a Thanksgiving column back in 2011, and this new post is an update/overhaul. Read More
Sage Infused Turkey w/ Pomegranate Juice & Chestnut Sausage Stuffing via South End Features Entertaining Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe CTbites Team November 21, 2014 One of the most important guests at any Thanksgiving table is the turkey. In our ongoing Thanksgiving recipe coverage, Nick Martschenko, Executive Chef at South End, New Canaan, has kindly shared his recipe for Sage Infused Turkey Basted w/ Pomegranate Juice & Chestnut Sausage Stuffing. Sure, anyone can toss a turkey in the oven, but Chef Martschenko has given his bird the love and attention it deserves. Check out his incredible recipe which will likely end up an annual tradition. Read More
Thanksgiving Recipes from The Chefs @ Westport Farmers' Mkt Features Chef Talk Farmers Market Thanksgiving Recipe Lori Cochran November 20, 2014 We, Westport Farmers’ Market, wanted to find a way to say thank you for the support our communities continue to provide us, so…… We have collaborated with the best of the best in Fairfield County to bring you a local, delicious and certainly special Thanksgiving menu. You might even say it is a celebrity chef Thanksgiving menu created just for WFM. We've gathered recipes from the likes of: Bill Taibe, Matt Storch, Mischel Nischan and so many more. View The Complete Recipe Guide Here & view the list of chefs below. Looking for the perfect recipe - heck, the perfect menu? Look no further! Each recipe will include a grocery list for Saturday's market at Gilbertie’s Herb Garden in Westport. Celebrity Chef Thanksgiving Menu Read More
Chocopologie Re-Opens in Downtown SoNo with Espresso, Dessert & Lunch Restaurant Coffee Norwalk SONO Lunch Dessert Kaila Finn November 20, 2014 Very shortly, Fritz Knipschildt, owner of Chocopologie, will be swapping his old 12 South Main St. location for an up-to-date Chocopologie at 133 Washington St. The new Chocopologie has maintained some aspects of the old café like the European flair (yes, I’m thinking about the savory buckwheat crepes), the open chocolate-making station, and their trademark exposed brick walls. But don’t be fooled; the light-washed wood flooring, trendy antique furniture, and a simple chalkboard menu point to a decidedly new style. Knipschildt described the new restaurant’s theme as “doing less with more.” Their “less is more” thinking has inspired their chow as well. Knipschildt and Manager Joseph Trepanowski are not fans of the nuevo, hipster movement, and said that “these hipster places put on good faces but it’s a facade,” adding that they want to be cool but have substance. A primary focus of the 133 Washington St. location will be the espresso. Read More
Delicata Squash Soup w/ Coffee Roasted Carrot Coulis Recipe via Boulevard 18 Features Entertaining Holiday Soups Thanksgiving Recipe CTbites Team November 19, 2014 It's time to dust off those recipe books or re-visit that Pinterest board. Thanksgiving is almost here, and in honor of our favorite culinary holiday, we have asked a few local chefs to share their favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Boulevard 18 in New Canaan is the first up with a delicious Delicata Squash Soup with Coffee Roasted Carrot Coulis and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds. Stay tuned for additional recipes as we will be posting new ones up until the big day.... Read More
Meet The Whelk's New Chef de Cuisine, Anthony Kostelis Interview Restaurant Chef Chef Talk Westport Stephanie Webster November 19, 2014 How does it feel to be hired as the new Chef de Cuisine for one of Fairfield County’s most successful restaurants? Chef Anthony Kostelis, of The Whelk in Westport, would say it is like a dream come true. In fact, ever since Kostelis started working with Bill Taibe in 2010, he knew he didn't want to be anywhere else. Kostelis’ love of food began at the ripe age of 15 when he started work in a Manchester pizza restaurant. Half Greek, half Italian, and the son of a food purveyor for high end ingredients, Anthony seemed fated to head down a culinary path. By age 20, he was working in New Haven as a server and bartender at Ibiza, when he decided to leave college and pursue his real passion, cooking. Working his way through the CIA, he was mentored by Executive Chef Jeff Caputo of Scoozzi, also in New Haven, who took him under his wing and “set me up for success,” says Anthony. Read More
16 CT Restaurants Open For Thanksgiving Dinner Restaurant Holiday Thanksgiving Emma Jane-Doody Stetson November 18, 2014 Not in touch with your inner Martha Stewart? Or would you rather enjoy a festive night out than serve up a Thanksgiving meal at home? That's perfectly alright- these CT restaurants are open on Thanksgiving and offering specials for the occasion. Whether you want traditional fare or modern twists on the classics, these venues are sure to make the night memorable. Be sure to make your reservations soon- these restaurants are booking up fast. David Burke Prime, Foxwoods Harbour House, Mystic Café on the Green, Danbury Bar Rosso, (Thanksgivng "eve" party on 26th) Stamford Carmen Anthony’s Steakhouse, New Haven Cask Republic, (bar only opens @ 7pm) Stamford Boulevard 18, New Canaan Bernard’s, Ridgefield Mill on the River Restaurant, South Windsor L’escale, Greenwich Elm, New Canaan The Brewhouse, Norwalk Artisan, Southport Rive Bistro, Westport Capital Grille, Hartford & Stamford Red Barn, Westport Read More
6 Stamford Breakfast Sandwiches Ya Gotta Try via Hey Stamford! Restaurant Stamford Breakfast CTbites Team November 16, 2014 Our friends over at Hey Stamford! did some breakfast related research we thought you might enjoy... Breakfast is one of our favorite meals. While my wife, Sandy often makes one hell of a breakfast at home, it’s just simply not that easy to always get a home cooked meal when you’re in a rush to the office during the week…or sleeping in for a lazy weekend (AKA hungover). Stamford Magazine just shared a great list of 12 great spots to grab breakfast in Stamford and we agree with every single one of them. Not only do they include some of the best breakfast spots in town, but in most cases, you’ll get a well rounded meal at any point in the day. Let’s be honest, you could find a tasty breakfast sandwich at almost any deli or dinerin town – it’s really tough to screw up a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. But, when you take those ingredients and kick it up a notch, that is when we’re really going to notice! That’s why, in an effort to provide a good will to you, we scoured the area to help you, the reader, make the right choices. After all, that’s what we do. You’re welcome. With that, here are 6 INCREDIBLE breakfast sandwiches you just can’t ignore in Stamford. Read More
Positano's To Take Over Dressing Room Restaurant Space @ Westport Playhouse Restaurant Westport CTbites Team November 13, 2014 In case you missed this bit of news, Dan Woog, of 06880 Westport news blog, recently reported on the new restaurant going into the old Dressing Room in Westport. Old Mill’s loss is the Westport Country Playhouse’s gain. Positano’s — the much-loved-but-too-seldom-visited restaurant kitty-corner from Elvira’s — is closing at its Old Mill Beach location. “06880″ broke that news 2 months ago. But it’s reopening in February, next to the Westport Country Playhouse. That’s the space was occupied for 8 years by The Dressing Room. The Paul Newman-created restaurant closed last January. Positano’s has been owned and operated by the Scarpati family for more than 15 years. Owner Giuseppe Scarpati was born on the island of Ponza, Italy. He learned to cook from his father, who studied with master chefs in Italy and was one of the island’s leading fisherman. Giuseppe focuses on all-natural cooking. Read the full article on Dan Woog's Blog, 06880.com Read More
Guide To Thanksgiving Planning & Recipes via Marcia Selden Features Entertaining Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe Marcia Selden Catering November 13, 2014 Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Don’t panic. Let us be your guide to creating the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy a traditional meal with family and friends, right? For some people Thanksgiving turns into an all-out crazy fest in the kitchen filled with ranting’s and multiple trips to the supermarket. Never again! Read on for our simple, fool proof guide to hosting a stress free Thanksgiving meal. If this all seems like too much for you, we’d be happy to help you…just call! Not only do we have an up to the minute timeline for your Thanksgiving prep, but we have the quintessential recipes for: Marcia’s Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey & Old-Fashioned Southern Pecan Pie. Ready, set...Go! Read More
Washington Prime in Sono Launches Sunday Prime Brunch Buffet Restaurant Brunch Norwalk SONO Steakhouse Breakfast Jessica Ryan November 12, 2014 Washington Prime opened just a few months ago to rave reviews, and a steady stream of satisfied customers as a result of the visions of owners Robb Moss and Marco Siguenza and the creative innovations of Chef Jared Falco. This past Sunday, at the request of many of their patrons, Washington Prime decided to do something new – the Sunday Prime Brunch Buffet where, for $29.90, you can select from a complimentary Mimosa, Bloody Mary or Moscow mule as you indulge from an incredible buffet. Select from a raw bar, artisanal cheeses, salads, a prime rib and omelet station as well as the traditional fare - a selection of bacon, sausages, French toast, Eggs Benedict, miniature bagels with smoked salmon and the works, assorted pastries and Danishes, yogurt, granola and fresh fruit. Read More
Westport Farmers' Market Moves Indoors To Gilberties November 15th Ingredients Features Farmers Market Westport CTbites Team November 10, 2014
Tipsy Cones Ice Cream Food Truck: Alcohol + Ice Cream = Yum Restaurant Food Truck ice cream Dessert Jessica Ryan November 09, 2014 A new food truck is rolling into Fairfield County and this is some serious scoop! How many times have you come up with a brilliant idea, only to dismiss it or put it on the back burner never to revisit it again? Most of us do this, but not so for Brooke and Jon Albers of Stratford. Like all great ideas, It all started out innocently enough - over coffee one morning, while sitting on the couch, half asleep still, watching the news, half paying attention to a story about stout beer and ice cream. At that moment a bell went off in Brooke’s head – She had a revelation. She wondered, what would happen if you took some ice cream and some booze and put them together? And so she set off to find out. Brooke purchased a small ice cream machine and set it on her kitchen counter. Soon the machine would start cranking away, blending vanilla ice cream and whiskey. The result was Whiskey Bean, an instant success. The favors paired perfectly. And Tipsy Cones was born. Read More
The Granola Bar in Westport Launches Dinner Menu & NEW Kid Friendly Fare Restaurant Coffee Westport healthy Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Nancy Kleeger November 08, 2014 If you love the cozy, familiar space of The Granola Bar for your lattes, lunch or gluten free baked goods, well, you can now love them for another good reason. Dinner—is served! With beloved Chef Jes Bengtson at the helm of The Granola Bar’s kitchen, a full menu of healthy, delicious items, familiar, new and seasonal, are now available to you and your family Wednesdays through Saturdays. Owner Julie Levitt speaks passionately about her mission of bringing a healthier food movement to focus, and the restaurant’s kitchen has no fryers…or even a stovetop! The produce is organic and whenever possible, locally sourced, a nod to Levitt’s commitment to support local farms. The menu aims to capture the tastebuds of every member of your family at a favorable price point, so when you have that pang of guilt for not having the time to cook and put dinner on the table, TGB is the locals’ no brainer. There are some new additions to the menu, such as Candied Turkey Bacon Deviled Eggs, which were divine. Read More
Friday Froth: Recap of Sourcopia w/ Chef Plum & Two Roads Brewing Co. Restaurant CT Beer Beer James Gribbon November 07, 2014 OK, ok: I know I've gone all 2Roads2Furious on you, but I did say these events arrive in pairs. Connecticut Beer Week ended as it began this October, with me sitting at a table and listening to brewmaster Phil Markowski explain his newest beers, this time beside Chef Plum, of Plum Luv Foods and The Taste. The event, Sourcopia, was the pre-release party for Two Roads' new collection of sour beers, a kriek, a gueuze, and the concoction 2R calls "Philsamic" against - it should be noted - the wishes of one Phil. He was pretty, pret-tay clear on that last part. This was a beer dinner, but the portion sizes Chef Plum provided were more akin to a tasting menu. I appreciated this, since I've walked out of some previous pairing events in dire jeopardy of tipping over like a one legged T. Rex. I'm not sure if this was the plan all along, or it was a result of Chef Plum et al. having to work in an ad hoc kitchen on site. Read More
Bailey's Backyard in Ridgefield Hosts "An Evening in the Berkshires" with Berkshire Mountain Distillers and 109 Cheese & Wine Restaurant Dinner Events Amy Kundrat November 06, 2014 Bailey's Backyard in Ridgefield will be hosting, An Evening in the Berkshires, a fall-themed spirits dnner on Thursday, November 13, 2014, with Berkshire Mountain Distillers and 109 Cheese and Wine. Hand-crafted cocktails will be paired with a four course tasting menu alongside guest speaker and distiller Michael Sharry. Bailey's chief mixologist, Bryan Walsh, has compiled an impressive lineup of cocktails paired with Executive Chef Forrest Pasternack's locally-minded menu. Price is $75 per person plus gratuity. Read More
Mozzarella Making Workshop w/ Chef Pietro Scotti @ Wakeman Town Farm Nov. 15 Restaurant Cooking Classes Christy Colasurdo November 06, 2014 Mild and milky, smooth and silky: any way one stretches it, people love fresh mozzarella! And in this hands-on crash course, participants will learn to make it at home. On November 15th, from 10:30 -noon, Chef Pietro will explain coagulation as how milk turns from fluid to firm curds. Then, participants will roll up their sleeves to turn curds into the beautiful balls that are known as fresh mozzarella. Taste several samples of fresh cheeses (think mozzarella, burrata!). Local Chef Pietro Scotti, of DaPietro's in Westport will teach the ins and outs tof making fresh mozzarella and burrata in this Saturday Cheese-Making Workshop at Wakeman Town Farm. To register, simply email wakemantownfarm@gmail.com and provide the name and number of people in your party. Class is $45 per person, and limited to 12. Respondents will be notified of acceptance into the workshop and will pay at the door. Read More
CT Beer Week Recap, Part 1: Two Roads Brewing & Cask Republic Talk Beer & Eat Good Food Restaurant Beer Dinner CT Beer Stamford Beer James Gribbon November 05, 2014 Sometimes, when it comes to beer, I envy starfish. Nature can tear the humble sea star in half and it just returns with backup, like a teeny Lernaean Hydra. The creature that is "Connecticut Beer Week" underwent a similar duplication for 2014 - with one week in May and another in October - and, after trying to be everywhere at once, I failed, regenerated, and present the first in this three part recap. Starfish likewise have the remarkable ability to turn inside out to eat. I like to think this would give them infinite eating capacity, which would be handy at your average multi-course beer pairing dinner. Fittingly, beer pairing events with Two Roads appear to be binate: the first of which was held at The Cask Republic in Stamford to kick off Connecticut Beer Week: The Revenge, this October.The hosts for the night were Two Roads Brewmaster Phil Markowski, who was debuting his Unothrodox Russian Imperial Stout, and Executive Chef Carl Carrion, whom I've mentioned before. Read More
