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Friday Froth: Around A Square State With Stubborn Beauty, Black Hog and Overshores

Features Restaurant Brewery Local Artisan Beer

James Gribbon

What shape is Connecticut? Kind of a cleaver-shape, I think. I live down in the that cleaver's handle - along with you, by statistical probability - and the myriad horrors of highway travel in Connecticut tend to keep me there, but I'm wired to explore. If Lando can escape the Sarlacc, I can get out of Fairfield freaking County. 

This is especially useful as I paddle my canoe up the rivers of craft beer this state has to offer, because breweries don't usually spring up next to yacht clubs, son. Train that spyglass further afield, and you'll spot Stubborn Beauty Brewing Company in increasingly craft beer dense Middletown, Black Hog Beer Company in Oxford, and Overshores Brewing Co. in East Haven. It's about time I gave each of them their due. 


Chef Pat Pascarella of Bar Sugo to Host Cooking Classes

Features Cooking Classes

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

Chef Pat Pascarella of Bar Sugo in Norwalk announced that he will conduct a new series of cooking classes beginning in Jan 2015! For those readers who have visited Bar Sugo and enjoyed his great meatballs, pastas and entrées, these classes will give the secrets for creating some of these delicious dishes at home. 

There are currently six scheduled classes: 

  • Fresh Pasta Workshop – Saturday January 24th at 11:00am
  • Mama's Kitchen: Meatballs 101 – Saturday February 7th at 11:00am
  • Art of Braising – Tuesday March 3rd at 7:00pm
  • Pizza Workshop – Tuesday April 7th at 7:00pm
  • Farmer's Harvest & Feast – Saturday May 16th at 11:00am
  • Cooking with Seafood - Tuesday, June 2nd at 7:00pm

2014 CT Food Lovers Holiday Gift Guide

Ingredients Features Restaurant Entertaining Gift Guide Holiday Specialty Market Wine Shop Dessert

April Guilbault

Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Gift giving-choosing a gift for another person that is resonant of their personality and interests-is a true art. How do we know this? We know this by the sheer number of Yankee Swap and White Elephant parties that we have all attended. You thought those salt and pepper shakers in the shape of ugly, primitive holiday carolers would be perfect for me...um, why? And thus, yet another odd gift enters the rotation of passed-along, re-gifted gifts. On the flip-side, we all hopefully have experienced the joy that comes when we do find that perfect gift. The thrill of watching the unwrapping and the smiles that follow! This holiday season, we would like to help you in your pursuit of That Perfect One....

We bring you the CTbites 2014 CT Food Lovers Gift Guide. Start shopping!


Chef Matt Storch's Recipe for "Day After Turkey & Waffles"

Features Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe Breakfast

Matt Storch

Every Thanksgiving, we ask our friends in the Chef community for their favorite holiday recipes. This year we got a last minute entry from Chef Matt Storch of Match Restaurant & The Chelsea with a great idea for all those leftovers. Ok...that picture above...it's not turkey...those are chicken livers, but it's the best we could do on short notice. Here is Matt Storch's Day After Turkey & Waffles Recipe. 


Cast Iron Roasted Fruits & Vegetables Recipe from Chef Arik of Le Farm

Features Thanksgiving healthy Recipe

CTbites Team

Arik Bensimon, Chef de Cuisine at Le Farm, has always been an innovator when it comes to cooking. His roots run deep with French technique, but the ingredients always come first. We liked the simplicity and deconstructed quality of his Thanksgiving side dish. Not only is the recipe absolutely beautiful but it preserves and highlights the integrity of the seasonal ingredients. Enjoy Chef Arik's recipe for Cast Iron Roasted Fruits & Vegetables. 


Roasted Butternut Squash & Bosc Pear Soup Recipe from The Spread in SoNo

Features Holiday Soups Thanksgiving healthy Recipe

CTbites Team

It's not too late to run to the store and pick up some Butternut squash for this incredibly delicious recipe created by Carlos Baez of The Spread in SoNo. This one is sure to be a keeper. When your guests are sighing with delight, please feel free to thank us. Enjoy this recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash and Bosc Pear Soup. 

Roasted Butternut Squash & Bosc Pear Soup

1 Butternut Squash, cut in half and seeded

1 Tsp Kosher Salt, divided

½ Tsp Black Pepper


Chestnut Butter Bruschetta with Burrata, Kale or Arugula Recipe from Locali Pizza Bar

Features Entertaining Thanksgiving Recipe

CTbites Team

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.  


Napa & Co.'s Maple-Bourbon Banana Pudding Cake Recipe

Features Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe Dessert

CTbites Team

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.


Friday Froth: Beer Pairings For A Very Merry Thanksgiving

Features CT Beer Thanksgiving Beer

James Gribbon

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.

Sage Infused Turkey w/ Pomegranate Juice & Chestnut Sausage Stuffing via South End

Features Entertaining Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe

CTbites Team

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.   

Thanksgiving Recipes from The Chefs @ Westport Farmers' Mkt

Features Chef Talk Farmers Market Thanksgiving Recipe

Lori Cochran

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


Delicata Squash Soup w/ Coffee Roasted Carrot Coulis Recipe via Boulevard 18

Features Entertaining Holiday Soups Thanksgiving Recipe

CTbites Team

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....


Guide To Thanksgiving Planning & Recipes via Marcia Selden

Features Entertaining Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe

Marcia Selden Catering

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!


New Haven Restaurant Week: November 2 - 7, 2014

Features Restaurant Week New Haven

CTbites Team

The semiannual New Haven Restaurant Week kicks-off on Sunday, November 2 and runs through Saturday, November 7, 2014 featuring prix fixe 3 course menus for lunch and dinner, $18 and $32 respectively, at 36 restaurants at last count. Participating restaurants include, 116 Crown, Barcelona Wine Bar, Caseus, Heirloom, L'Orcio, Oaxaca Kitchen, and Roia.

For information on participating restaurants and menus, visit: http://infonewhaven.com/restaurantweek


Guide To Great Caterers in Fairfield County: Holiday Catering Made Easy

Features Catering Entertaining Special Dietary Needs

April Guilbault

A stack of gifts. Cards with cute holiday stamps. Family parties. Work parties. Kids’ parties. Cocktail parties. Concerts. Shopping. Even more shopping. And now you want me to host a party of my own or host eighteen relatives?? Your holiday to-do list is quickly making the song “The 12 Days of Christmas” look like a lullaby with all the items that are mentioned-that partridge atop that pear tree has nothin’ on you and your list. So...save yourself some gray hairs and a freak-out by booking one of these delightful, highly capable, and creative caterers to take over the food-portion of your entertaining obligations this season. They will do you proud and you can actually relax and enjoy an evening before you have to wrap that 200th gift. And with that, may there be peace on earth. + CTbites readers get special discounts. See below.

 Here is our Guide To 9 Great Caterers in Fairfield County:


"Future Chefs," A New Cookbook by Westport Author, Ramin Ganeshram

Features Chef Talk Cookbooks Recipe

Jessica Ryan

This is not a kid cookbook – well, of course it is, but it’s not the type of cookbook you’d expect from a bunch of kids. This is a book to be gifted, passed on and shared, especially among children and teenagers. It’s inspiring and thought-provoking. Future Chefs: Recipes by Tomorrow’s Cooks Across the Nation and the World is the brainchild of chef, food writer and author, Ramin Ganeshram.  Future Chefs is a remarkable collection of stories and recipes from extraordinary children world-wide. Some of the recipes are quite complex, others couldn’t be more simple, but the messages about the food and around the food are what inspires. 

We are introduced to a new generation of chefs, foodies and tastemakers and we see the ever changing world of food through their eyes. Today’s children are smart and savvy. They are aware of all that lies around them. Many of these children are keenly aware of health and nutrition, the importance of fresh, wholesome ingredients, supporting local businesses and farms and using organic ingredients. In Future Chefs you will meet all sorts of children from a wide array of socio-economic backgrounds – some are privileged, others are not, and many have remarkable stories to share. These children, are focused and determined. Collectively they have published recipes, have food blogs, have been invited to the White House as guests of Mrs. Obama, and have made appearances on The Today Show, The Tonight Show, NPR, and Chopped.


Recipe for Coleslaw from TRUCK Chef

Features Recipe

CTbites Team

This Thursday, October 30th, at the Westport Farmers' Market, chef/owner of TRUCK restaurant, Nancy Roper, will be demonstrating their house coleslaw. Stop by and try a mini green chile cheeseburger topped with TRUCK coleslaw. 

TRUCK Coleslaw

1/2 head medium sized farmers' market white cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 head medium sized farmers' market red cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 lemon juice and zest
3 carrots shredded
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1 cup parsley, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise (add more or less depending on house saucy you like your coleslaw)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
finish with Maldon salt
Gently mix all ingredients in a large bowl. 

16 Fall Recipes from Our Local CT Chefs

Features Chef Talk Recipe Video Recipe

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Temperatures have started dipping and a fall chill is in the air!  CTBites has collected recipes from local chefs and popular restaurants that embody the seasonal harvest.  We've compiled some of our favorites below- and included three new fall inspired recipes.  Try Chef Frederic Kieffer's Acorn Squash Cappuccino Soup, Chef Matt Storch's Quince and Hazelnut Torte, and Cask Republic's Harvest Vegetable Medley.

  1. Autumn Harvest Apple Contorno, The Boathouse
  2. Curried Butternut Squash Soup, Chef Nicole
  3. Cider Braised Turkey Legs, le Farm
  4. Prosecco Apple Fizz, Sugar & Olives
  5. Baby Pumpkin, Bernard's
  6. Spiced Dark Chocolate & Pumpkin Seed Bark with Sea Salt, Katie Vitucci
  7. Homemade Apple Fashioned Cocktail, Luxe Wine Bar
  8. Pecan Pie, Leticia Schwartz
  9. Apple Tart, Tina Rupp