Friday Froth: Beavertown Brewery, USA Features CT Beer Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon June 05, 2015 "Raygun Gothic," they call it - all pneumatic curves and sleek fins blasting through air and space. This was the look of a future that meant rocket vacations to the moon, a fission reactor in every home, and wristwatch television walkie-talkies. Like Cicely, Alaska, I've always wanted to live there. Humanity has accomplished some of this - I'm sure at least one of you reading this right now has an iWatch on your wrist - but the dream, the one Huge Gernsback had while writing inside his isolator and thinking about "Vacation City" suspended 20,000 feet in the clouds, is out of reach. Maybe not quite so far as I think, though, thanks to Beavertown Brewing of London, and late of America. Read More
Chefs of Our Kitchen (C.O.O.K.) Series Restaurant Dinner Events New Haven CTbites Team May 30, 2015 The third annual C.O.O.K. series presented by Gateway Community College Foundation features chef-led culinary evenings at Gateway's campus in New Haven. Upcoming events include Neil "Singing Chef" Fuentes on June 3, 2015 and Abby Dodge on November 4, 2015. Tickets for the Neil Fuentes dinner are $65 per person. Tickets include: 6 p.m. Pre-event reception with wine, beer soft drinks and hors d’oeuvres in Gateway’s New Alliance Foundation Art Gallery A cookbook, memoir or recipe booklet A chance opportunity to meet the author/chef A 6:45 p.m. 3 course meal prepared by the featured chef and Gateway Community College Culinary Read More
Best Doughnuts in CT 2015 Edition: Friday June 5 is National Doughnut Day! Restaurant Bakery Doughnuts Breakfast Best of CT Dessert CTbites Team May 29, 2015 Yes, it’s a recognized national holiday, and CT has great doughnuts for sweettooths ready to celebrate! Here are places serving delicious ones. Thank you, readers, for your contributions! Uncle Leo’s, ReddingSpeedy Donuts, NorwalkWhitney Donut & Sandwich Shop, HamdenLakeside Diner, StamfordBeach Donuts, Old LymeDarien Doughnut, DarienOrangeside, New HavenLorca, StamfordCoffee An’ Donuts, WestportStew Leonard’s, Norwalk, Danbury, Newington, Yonkers SoNo Baking Company, NorwalkDonut Crazy, Shelton, StratfordNeil's Donuts, WallingfordFaddy's Doughnuts & Ice Cream, Windsor Read More
Food Truck Rodeo & Music Fest: Food Trucks, Music & Beer via HeyStamford! Restaurant Events Food Truck Hey Stamford! May 27, 2015 Here's the scoop on Stamford's Food Truck Rodeo from our friends @ Hey Stamford! A few weeks back we shared the news with you about the Blue Point Brewery Food Truck Rodeo & Music Fest. The event is just weeks away, June 20th at Mill River Park in Stamford Downtown and we are excited! With live music, almost 20 food trucks and kids games galore, it will literally be a fun family day of food and music! It's a who's who of local food trucks slinging their best meals with almost 20 of the best food trucks in our area in one spot you can expect a little of everything from apps, to main courses to desserts and everything in between. Check out this list..it's a work in progress as more are being added as we speak. Read More
CT Hops for Hope Brewfest Supporting the SMS Research Foundation Restaurant Brewery Amy Kundrat May 22, 2015 CT Hops for Hope, an intimately-scaled craft beer festival in New Britain on August 30, 2015, is organizing a fundraising event with 100% of proceeds benefitting the Smith-Magenis Research Foundation. The event will feature a terrific lineup of 20+ craft breweries, craft beer enthusiasts, and food trucks. Tickets are $45 for general admission and $55 for early bird admission, and will be available for sale beginning Friday, May 22 at 11 am. General admissions includes all brewery samples, but does not include the price of any food trucks, which will be selling their food separately. The event will take place at The Quartette Club in New Britain, rain or shine. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cthopsforhope.com. Read More
Zuppardi's Pizza Truck Now Rolling in Connecticut Restaurant Food Truck Pizza New Haven Amy Kundrat May 20, 2015 It was four years ago this month when I first met a Zuppardi's sausage pie. They say you never forget your first, which I then ensured by writing about it for Serious Eats. So imagine my surprise when I learned they were rolling out a Zuppardi's pizza truck, and my elation when I ran into said truck, a bright red beacon on an otherwise gray and drizzly New Haven day, on the corner of Chapel and Church in New Haven. Put another way, if New Haven's signature pizzas were the rat pack, the Zuppardi's sausage pie would take center stage alongside New Haven's other apizza stars: Sally's tomato, Pepe's clam, Modern's Italian Bomb, and Bar's mashed potato. Yup, it's that good. Read More
Two Roads’ Second Annual Road Jam Concert: Soul Rebels, Food Truck & Beer! Restaurant Brewery CT Beer Events Festival Beer CTbites Team May 20, 2015 Stratford, CT's Two Roads Brewing Company will be celebrating their 2nd annual Road Jam concert on the grounds of their 100 year-old brewery building and it promises to be just as fun as last year with four awesome bands, great food trucks and plenty of Two Roads beer. Building on the success of last year's event, this year's Road Jam will be a must-attend festival for music lovers. Two Roads has hired three local bands as well as a headliner all the way from New Orleans to keep you dancing until last call. Returning this year will be the Alpaca Gnomes who killed it at last year’s event and new to the line-up this year are two other Connecticut favorites, the psychedelic Snooty Garland and jam group The McLovins.Headlining the event is New Orleans' finest brass band: The Soul Rebels. They have shared the stage with everyone from Kanye West to Dave Matthews and have collaborated with some of this generation's best musical acts. They have been described by the Village Voice as “the missing link between Public Enemy and Louis Armstrong.” Two Roads is thrilled to feature them as the main act. Read More
5-Course Pasta Tasting at Bar Sugo: Decadent & Delicious Restaurant Dinner Events Pasta Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 19, 2015 Several years ago I sampled Chef Pat Pascarella’s Pasta Bolognese and it was one of the best Bolognese I had ever tasted. Since that time, Pascarella opened Bar Sugo on Wall Street in Norwalk and I have enjoyed many of Chef Pat’s creations. He recently introduced his full-table Pasta Tasting menu and invited CTbites to sample the five courses…from a straightforward tomato and basil to a complex lobster, morel and truffle. The incredible Bolognese that Chef Pat served me several years ago was a prelude to the fantastic five courses that I enjoyed with wine pairings from Sommelier Megan Pacarella. Read More
This Week @ Westport Farmers' Market: Chef Cecily Gans of Staples High School Culinary Arts Department Features Farmers Market healthy Recipe Lori Cochran May 18, 2015 Cecily Gans is a culinary teacher at Staples High School. What makes her stand out is her commitment to teaching the kids the value of using local ingredients. Cecily spearheads our Gillespie Center monthly meal program where we, WFM, purchase food from our market for to kids prepare and serve the meal to our neighbors in need. She will be the guest chef at The Westport Farmers' Market on May 21st. You can find her recipe for Grilled Scallion, Herb & Goat Cheese Vinaigrette. Read More
Camille's Wood Fired Pizza in Tolland Restaurant Pizza Tolland Lunch Kid Friendly Amy Kundrat May 17, 2015 A three hour drive to Boston is best broken up by lunch, preferably pizza, and always with a good friend. This is how I found myself at Camille’s Wood Fired Pizza in Tolland with someone as obsessed with pizza as I am. A strikingly thin and crispy yet solidly constructed crust forms the foundation for Camille’s 11 or so red and white pies. They range from the classic margherita to their signature Billy’s Bianco, a combination of pistachio, cream, goat cheese, ricotta, truffle honey, red onion (pictured). Their spicy sausage and kale was an excellent lunch partner alongside the Bianco, balanced well with savory sausage, spicy chile oil, and slight bitterness from the kale smoothed out by mozzarella. Read More
The Beer Garden @ Shippan Landing Re-Opens May 21 For The Summer Season in Stamford Restaurant Beer Garden CT Beer Happy Hour Stamford Beer Bar Stephanie Webster May 15, 2015 Imian Partners will open The Beer Garden at Shippan Landing for its second season on May 21st. Imian first introduced the pop-up beer garden concept two summers ago with The Beer Garden at Harbor Point and is credited for invigorating the social scene in Stamford’s South End. The Shippan spot has a significantly more relaxed vibe than that of Harbor Point, but has all the charm and beauty of the perfect summer hangout. With unobstructed waterfront views, (and the best seat in town to watch the sunset all summer long), The Beer Garden at Shippan Landing will showcase and rotate its carefully curated list of local craft beers on draft and in cans offering a variety of options. Look for favorites such as Half Full, Broad Brook, Captain Lawrence and more. We also hear that The Beer Garden will be partnering with Half Full to create a signature beer just for the garden. Pretty cool. An impressive rotating lineup of the area’s best food trucks will also be part of the nightly festivities at the Beer Garden. Stay tuned for details on some of your favorite mobile eats. The family-friendly environment will include outdoor games such as life-size jenga, corn hole, can jam and beer pong. Entertainment will include live music and special themed-events throughout the summer beginning on Sunday May 24th with a Memorial Day party. Read More
Millwright’s at the Farm with Guest Collaborators Bill Taibe & New England Brewing Co. on September 10 Restaurant Farm Dinner Beer Amy Kundrat May 13, 2015 What happens when you combine two of Connecticut's James Beard nominated chefs, a Connecticut Brewery, a community farm, and a good cause? Millwright's at the Farm, of course! This charity dinner series is held throughout the summer with guest chefs and themes. Chef Taibe will be the guest collaborator on September 10 at 6:30 pm at Community Farm of Simsbury, located at 73 Wolcott Road, Simsbury CT 06070. Price includes tax, food and beverage at $95 per person. June 11: Chef/Owner James Wayman, The Oyster Club & The Engine Room July 16: Chef Jamie McDonald, Bears Smokehouse [Theme: BBQ] August 27: Chef Jeff Lizotte, On20 September 10: Chef Bill Taibe, LeFarm, The Whelk, Kawa Ni, and New England Brewing Co. September 24: Chef/Owner Billy Grant, grants, Bricco October 8: Chef Scott Miller, Max Group Read More
Colony Grill To Open in Norwalk CT @ New Waypointe Site Restaurant Norwalk Pizza Lunch Kid Friendly CTbites Team May 07, 2015 Colony Grill Development, LLC has reached a lease agreement with CP IV Waypointe BP I, LLC to open a Colony Grill within the newly-constructed Waypointe development, located at 515 West Avenue in Norwalk, CT. Colony, famous for its thin-crust hot oil pizza, plans to open the location in mid-summer 2015. “We believe Colony Grill is one of the restaurant linchpins of this project, “said Paxton Kinol, principal at Bellpointe Capital, the Waypointe developer. “We love their pizza, their local authenticity, and their commitment to community as a company. Colony is a tremendous amenity to the Waypointe project.” Read More
Meet Walrus + Carpenter's Pitmaster, Ben McCrea, The Man Who Makes The Meat Interview Restaurant American BBQ Bridgeport Lunch Sarah Green May 06, 2015 Ben McCrea is a gentle-giant of a man, but don't let his warm, friendly facade fool you. Underneath that kind-hearted shell is a mean, Auss-een, grilling machine. In the WAY back of the lot on Fairfield Ave in Bridgeport that Walrus + Carpenter calls home, is the perch where Ben keeps watch. His job... smoking all types of meat to perfection. But what makes the man that makes the meat?Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Ben gained his skills from watching his grandfather grill on the "barbie," but becoming a grill master wasn't his first passion. Ben came to the States as a boxer and did very well in that 'arena.' However, boxing is a short career and Ben knew something more awaited. What he didn't know was that it would be a smoker with a 500 gallon propane tank, commissioned by Walrus co-owner Joe Farrell (along with Adam Roytman.) Read More
Marcell Davidsen Succeeds Joel Viehland as Executive Chef of Community Table in Washington, CT Restaurant Farm to Table Washington Amy Kundrat May 04, 2015 Photo c/o Community Table Marcell Davidsen will succeed Joel Viehland as Executive Chef of Community Table in Washington, CT beginning May 15. The restaurant shared the news of Davidsen's appointment in an announcement released this evening. A native of Denmark whose style is infused with Nordic infuences and exquisite plating, Davidsen was the restaurant's fomer sous chef under Viehland. Community Table's mission – celebrating modern cuisine informed by local farms and purveyors – will remain the overarching framework under Chef's Davidsen's leadership: From Community Table: Marcell Davidsen succeeds Joel Viehland as Executive Chef of Community Table After five remarkable years, and much national recognition including a nomination for best new restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation and best chef nominations by Food and Wine Magazine and James Beard, Joel Viehland passes the reins to his former Sous Chef Marcell Davidsen. Read More
Cinco de Mayo Tips c/o Aarón Sánchez & Serendipity Magazine Ingredients Features Holiday Recipe CTbites Team May 01, 2015 c/o Serendipty Magazine Chef Aarón Sánchez, Executive Chef of Paloma in Stamford, and well-known TV personality with appearances on Chopped and Taco Trip, is the guest editor of Serendipity Magazine's recent issue. His gourmet take on tacos and Cinco de Mayo party tips will leave you inspired to celebrate this Mexican holiday with his signature contemporary Latin approach. On Party Prep Try to have as many things done ahead of time as possible, and display food in cool bowls. I have dishes with different compartments where you can put little things like pickles in my line at Target.com. Pre-make your drinks in pitchers so you just have to add ice. The key is being proactive with the prep. You don’t want to be working hard while your guests are there. Read More
Instabites: Camille's Pizza in Tolland, Anthony's Deli in Stamford, Holbrook Farm in Bethel, Donut Crazy in Shelton Restaurant Bethel Local Farm Shelton Stamford Tolland Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster May 01, 2015 A few of our recent snackable moments from Instagram: Read More
The First Annual Food Truck Festival in New Haven Restaurant Food Truck New Haven CTbites Team April 30, 2015 The first annual New Haven Food Truck Festival will take place on Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31, along the Long Wharf Waterfront. A celebration of New Haven street food, the family friendly event will include live music, children's activities local vendors, and rides provided by Marenna Amusements. Tickets are $5 per person (children age 17 and under are free). Proceeds will fund a micro loans and other financial assistance to New Haven's emerging small business entrepreneurs. For more information, visit newhavenfoodtruckfestival.com. Read More
Chef Thomas Henkelmann's Samuel Adams Glazed Veal Shank c/o The Greenwich Girl Features Greenwich Amy Kundrat April 30, 2015 Photo: Lora Warnick Our go-to gal in lower Fairfield County, Greenwich Girl Laura McKittrick, shared a recipe from her recent Food & Brews Issue with the Homestead Inn's award-winning chef, Thomas Henkelmann. If you don't know about Chef Henkelmann or the Homestead Inn, picture a cozy yet charming setting with a French-inspired menu and dishes that double as works of art. This Sam Adams veal dish is a delicious way you can recreate a bit of the Homestead in your own home. Samuel Adams Glazed Veal Shank with Red Cabbage, Carrots & Pearl Onions Read More
