Video Recap: West Hartford Wine & Food Festival 2017 Features Video Festival West Hartford Katharine Ortiz June 26, 2017 Over 250 wines were poured and 30 restaurants sampled the best of their culinary offerings at the first ever West Hartford Food & Wine Festival on the rolling grounds of the Kingswood Oxford school district. Guests enjoyed live music and plenty of space to roam, mingle, taste and sip over a leisurely summer afternoon. Read More
Announcing the Donut Crazy Flavor Contest Winners: 500 Entries...4 Winning Flavors Available Today Restaurant Features Dessert Doughnuts Bakery Homepage Stephanie Webster June 24, 2017 We are pleased to announce the winners of the DONUT CRAZY FLAVOR CONTEST. Doughnut lovers from around CT submitted over 500 contest entries, and because there were so many great flavor combos, Donut Crazy decided to select not just one winner, but FOUR winners! These four limited edition doughnuts are available at all Donut Crazy locations NOW! The Winning Donuts are....Bananas Foster, Raspberry Lemonade, Carrot Cake & Peaches n’ Cream. Read More
CTbites Happy Hour on the Patio at Jesup Hall for $40: June 28 Features Stephanie Webster June 22, 2017 Join CTbites as we continue celebrating Summer 2017 with Happy Hour in downtown Westport's new, Jesup Hall, on Wednesday, June 28th 5:30-7:30 pm for $40. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE Chef/Owner Bill Taibe's new restaurant is the hot spot in CT, and the just opened patio in front is the venue for the next in our summer series of Happy Hours. Read More
Where Do Local Chefs Eat Out? Michel Nischan of Wholesome Wave Interview Features Chef Homepage Jessica Ryan June 22, 2017 I am honored that Chef Michel Nischan agreed to play along with us for our latest installment of Where do Chefs Eat Out? The chef and co-founder of The Dressing Room - one of the first farm to table restaurants in the state - shifted gears in 2014 to focus on Wholesome Wave, a not for profit he founded that provides healthy food choices to underserved consumers by increasing affordable access to fresh, local, and healthy items. A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to talk with him about this incredible project. What began as a dream in our own backyard is now thriving in 48 states. Read More
Matt Storch's Bun Thit Nuong Cold Noodle Salad Recipe Recipe Features Recipe Noodles Stephanie Webster June 19, 2017 Chef Matt Storch will be at The Westport Farmers' Market June 22nd serving up this delicious Vietnamese dish, Bun Thit Nuong Cold Noodle Salad. This is an amazing delicious cold refreshing dish for a hot summer day. If you can't make it to the market, you can enjoy this great recipe at home be following the directions below. Read More
South Norwalk is Home to Ellie's Real Good Food Second Television Season Features Chef Talk CTbites Team June 19, 2017 Just when you thought you'd seen every type of celebrity chef show imaginable, along comes Ellie Krieger, New York Times best-selling author and nutritionist, whose public television show Ellie's Real Good Food is less about celebrity and more about real life...and real food.For the second year in a row, Krieger chose the demonstration kitchen at Clarke, New England's Official Sub-Zero & Wolf Showroom and Test Kitchen, in South Norwalk as her "home kitchen" for taping the cooking portion of her 13 episodes of Ellie's Real Good Food. We say "cooking portion," because Ellie's Real Good Food does a whole lot more than simply feature her cooking. In every episode she also takes viewers on trips to schools, farmer's markets, innovative farms, vineyards and more, where she is on a mission to share healthy, time-saving strategies for menu planning, food shopping and cooking. Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events For Week of June 16 - June 23 Features Events News Emma Jane-Doody Stetson June 16, 2017 From now through July 16, plan b restaurants will feature a menu of “BBQ favorites” from Memphis to East Carolina to Texas. Pair the dishes with special local brews from Stony Creek and Old Ox. Barcelona New Haven & The Wine Thief are teaming up for a winemaker dinner on Tuesday June 20. Taste wines from Blanco Nieva and Bodega Ochoa alongside dishes by Celebrity Chef and Barcelona Wine Bar Culinary Director Christopher Lee. Feast on four courses and participate in a Q&A. It costs approximately $70 (inclusive of tax and tip) and begins at 6:30pm. Read More
Bartaco's Signature Libelula Tequila Now Available in CT + Margarita Recipe Ingredients Features Cocktails Ingredients Mexican Emma Jane-Doody Stetson June 14, 2017 If you love Bartaco’s signature margarita we have great news… the tequila used to make their cocktail is now available for purchase in liquor stores across Connecticut! Libelula tequila made its official debut in the Connecticut market in January 2017, but as the summer months approach it’s becoming more and more visible on shelves throughout the state.“This is the exact tequila used to make Bartaco’s world famous margaritas!” says Curt Goldman, the Executive Importer of CNI Brands, longtime partner of Bartaco group. “No change whatsoever!” Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events For Week of June 12-18 Features Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson June 10, 2017 Wine bingo is a thing! On Tuesday June 13, give the game your best shot at Ballou's Restaurant & Wine Bar in Guilford from 5:30-8pm. Your $25 ticket gets you a seat at the game plus a glass of wine. Food and beverage will be available to purchase also. New Haven’s Caseus Fromagerie Bistro will offer a Rose and Cheese Pairing class on Tuesday June 13 from 6-7:30pm. Taste an assortment of international roses with complementary cheeses. Tickets are available online for $45. Stamford Magazine’s 5th Annual Best Bartender Contest goes down on Wednesday June 14! Local bartenders will compete to wine over the crowd with their best original cocktail recipes. The event also features summer dishes and calypso music. Tickets are $30 in advance online and $35 at the door. Read More
What Can You Do with a Convection Steam Oven? Mini Carrot Cakes Recipe via Clarke (sponsored post) Recipe Features Recipe CTbites Team June 09, 2017 Every week at Clarke, New England's Official Sub-Zero & Wolf Showroom and Test Kitchen in South Norwalk, the staff exemplifies how these extraordinary appliances can enhance your life. The Wolf Convection Steam Oven offers features that can only be appreciated by actually cooking on it. Here's a recipe for Mini Carrot Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, which was recently prepared by Chef John Craig at Clarke SoNo to illustrate some of the hidden features (convection humid mode) of this extraordinary appliance. If you own a convection steam oven...do try this at home! Read More
Black Rock Farmers Market Kicks Off 4th Season, Saturdays in Bridgeport Features Farmers Market Bridgeport farm fresh Local Farm Local Artisan Stephanie Webster June 09, 2017 The Black Rock Farmers' Market is back, Saturdays, June 10 -October 7th 9am to 1pm at 481 Brewster Street in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport CT. The season will kick off during Black Rock Day Weekend, an event that serves as a community initiative to promote projects that enhance the quality of life for residents and business in the area. BRFM is a producer-only market featuring locally farmed vegetables, fruit, cheese, eggs (with a real life rooster), bread, meats, jams pickles and so much more. Their local artisan selection varies from vintage finds to natural beauty care products. Market visitors have the opportunity to start their day with a 10:30AM yoga class in the field and enjoy their weekly produce shopping accompanied by live local musicians. Read More
Nutty Bunny Non-Dairy Gluten-Free Frozen Dessert, Made in CT Features ice cream Dessert Ingredients Renee Weisz June 09, 2017 When Pamela Aflalo decided to create a non-dairy, gluten-free, frozen dessert product, her idea was innovative, health-aware, and maybe a little nutty like her brand name Nutty Bunny. After her daughter, Sophie, developed a severe dairy reaction, Pamela’s culinary experience at the National Gourmet Institute and love for kitchen experimentation, especially for “vegan-izing” recipes, combined to establish her current full-time business. Read More
10 Questions w/ Chef Manuel Romero of Olea in New Haven Features Chef Talk New Haven Amy Kundrat June 07, 2017 Born in Spain, Chef Manuel Romero of Olea in New Haven, was raised in a family that loved cooking traditional and tasty food. When he was a child, his family moved to the United States, and he developed a passion for cooking by watching, helping, and learning alongside his mother. He moved up the culinary ladder, and in 2014, Chef Romero opened Olea restaurant offering guests his innovative interpretation of Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine. His menu is masterful and his dishes are stunning. We spoke with Chef Romero about his hobbies, worst kitchen nightmare, and his guilty pleasures. Read More
Fairfield Farmers Market Returns for Second Season June 11 Features Farmers Market Farm Fresh CT Farms Fairfield Stephanie Webster June 02, 2017 It's that time of year, and Sundays in downtown Fairfield are about to become even more fun. The Fairfield Farmers Market returns for its second season starting Sunday, June 11. The market will be every Sunday 10-2, rain or shine, until Oct 1st on the historic Sherman Green in downtown Fairfield. Over 20 farms and food producers will have everything you need for beach picnics, Sunday dinner, even your weekly shopping. [View complete vendor list below] Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events for Week of June 4-11 Features Events News Emma Jane-Doody Stetson June 02, 2017 Rothbard Ale & Larder will put on an Austrian Wine Dinner on Wednesday June 7. Feast on a five-course dinner with wine pairings by Gabe Cleary, Portfolio Director of Terry Theise Estate Selections. White Asparagus Soup with Truffle, Pork Terrine, and Confit Roasted Suckling Pig are all on the menu! AMG Catering continues their adult cooking classes with a “Bring Your Chianti Class - Tuscan dinner party menu” class. Learn to make assorted spring bruscettas, Chicken, pancetta and bean stew with sage, Tagliatelle with field mushrooms, lemon and tarragon, and Strawberry and mascarpone trifle. It costs $90 per person and runs from 7-9pm. Chop Shop Cooking School presents a “Fiesta Party” class on Wednesday June 7. Read More
Donut Crazy Flavor Contest! YOU Create the Next Donut Crazy Doughnut +WIN BIG Features Giveaway Homepage Stephanie Webster June 01, 2017 Do you sit around at night dreaming of the perfect Donut Crazy fantasy flavor? This is your chance to make it a reality!Donut Crazy and CTbites are giving YOU the chance to create the most wildly delicious donut flavor combo you can think of. The winner will take home more than just bragging rights.If your Donut Crazy flavor is selected as the winner, you will win a FREE DOZEN DOUGHNUTS every month for a year + DONUT CRAZY WILL SELL FOR A LIMITED TIME, YOUR VERY OWN SIGNATURE DOUGHNUT!!SHARE YOUR DONUT CRAZY FLAVOR COMBO BELOW. (Make sure you include your email address) Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events For Week of May 31-June 4 Features Events News Homepage Emma Jane-Doody Stetson May 26, 2017 Bartaco Westport is letting you help them pick their next summer drink with their “Sip + Tell” event on Wednesday March 31. Spanish winemakers from La Sueca will be there and guests will get to sample Bartaco’s new summer sangria recipes and vote for their favorite. For the fourth year in a row, CTbites has partnered with Chef Frederic Kieffer and Artisan at the Delamar Hotel Southport for an outdoor Happy Hour on their gorgeous patio and bar. On Wednesday May 31 from 5:30-7:30pm, we’ll kick off al fresco dining with assorted light bites and cocktails. Priced at $40, the Happy Hour includes a specialty cocktail and a second drink of wine or beer and assorted appetizers. New Haven’s ZINC will host Master Beekeeper Bill Hesbach, Broken Arrow Nursery, and Barr Hill Gin for a four-course dinner called “The Buzz About Bees and Flowers.” On June 1, learn about bees and pollination via a fun dinner inspired by honey and served with wine and cocktails. Tickets are $85, all inclusive. Seating is limited and reservations are recommended. Read More
Elm City BYO Party Bike Coming to Milford: Pedaling + Drinking = Fun Features Entertaining Bar CTbites Team May 24, 2017 Check out what's new in Milford via CTPost. If you’ve been to New Haven lately, you might have seen a strange vehicle on her streets.It looks like a bar on wheels, complete with barstools and a countertop, and even a bartender, Another strange thing about it is that it’s a human-powered contraption, pedal-powered by the the cool people sitting at the bar.It’s called the Elm City Party Bike, and now it’s coming to Milford.Mayor Benjamin Blake on Tuesday announced a new partnership with the Elm City Party Bike, New England’s “first and foremost pedaled sightseeing bike.”The Elm City Party Bike offers groups of 8-15 the ability to visit restaurants while viewing architecture, historical sites, the coast and more. Each seat on the party bike has a set of pedals, and while a trained Elm City driver steers the bike. Read More
Guest Chef Lineup for Westport Farmers' Market's 2017 Summer Season Features Ingredients Farmers Market Westport Chef Peter Dunay May 22, 2017 Personally, I have always wanted to be a judge or even a guest at one of Top Chef’s cookout challenges; where the chefs are tasked with using locally sourced ingredients and doing them justice by creating an epic meal. Whether, your dreams are as ornate as mine or you would just like to have a chef cook you a delicious snack, the Westport Farmers Market is the place to be.Every Thursday between 10- 2, a special guest chef will be at the market and tasked with finding some key local ingredients and making a meal for everyone to taste. (View the complete guest chef schedule below.) Read More
