Friday Froth: Beer CONN Comes To Bridgeport Ingredients Beer CT Beer Friday Froth James Gribbon December 18, 2015 Two sessions, fifty breweries, and over a hundred different beers - the second annual Beer CONN poured all day and into the night in Bridgeport. Separate afternoon and evening sessions and a limit on the number of tickets sold maximized elbow room and kept things easy just over the ice in the arena.Out of state breweries like Stone, Shiner, and Jack's Abbey were represented, but the focus of the one day beer fest was on beers from the Constitution State. I attended the second session, which was not without surprises, including Brewscuits: dog biscuits made from spent grain used in brewing, and the Growler Getter, from Woodbridge, Conn. - a hard plastic tote capable of holding two 64oz. growlers, or three 32oz. growlitos. Read More
Heavenly Homemade Gifts for the Holidays via Marcia Selden Catering Recipe Recipe kids activity Kid Friendly Dessert Marcia Selden Catering December 15, 2015 We love making homemade treats for our friends and family, especially at the holidays. They’re the perfect way to show our love and joy for the season. Package them in cellophane bags tied with ribbon or raffia and pair them with a nice bottle of bubbly and you’ll be good to go. We love this brittle because it’s super easy to make and yummy to eat. Check out our recipe for "Kitchen Sink Brittle." Read More
Lost Restaurants of Fairfield: A History & Cookbook By Patti Woods Recipe Book Cookbooks CTbites Team December 15, 2015 Looking for a great locally inspired holiday gift? Author, Patti Woods has written a book, featuring stunning images and recipes, outlining the culinary history of Fairfield, Connecticut, Lost Restaurants of Fairfield. The culinary history of Fairfield, Connecticut, brims with bygone and beloved eateries and watering holes. Discover some of these lost classics, from the Sun Tavern—where George Washington enjoyed a few victuals—to the Scenario, where local celebrities always had a seat reserved at the bar. The best doughnuts in town were at the corner of Post and Beaumont at Devore’s, while Art Green served up his famous chocolate cream pies at the Pie Plate. Read More
Gretchen Thomas of Barcelona Wine Bar Launches “Gretchen’s Selections” Ingredients Recipe Wine Bar Wine Chat Wine Shop Emma Jane-Doody Stetson December 06, 2015 Exciting news from Barcelona Wine Bar and Barteca Restaurant Group! Selections from their award-winning wine list, recognized by publications like Wine Spectator and The Wall Street Journal, are now available online. Newly unveiled “Gretchen’s Selections” features approximately 25 wines that are directly imported and offered to Barcelona’s guests. Each wine was hand-selected by Gretchen Thomas, acclaimed Wine and Spirits Director for Barteca Restaurant Group. “I’m always looking for great wines for the Barcelona wine program, whether they are sold through my trusted suppliers or not,” says Thomas. Sometimes she comes across amazing bottles here at home. Vineyards will ship wines to her or she will be introduced to someone in the area doing something new and exciting. Other times, her quest takes her overseas. Read More
Friday Froth: It's Porter Season...Here's What To Drink Recipe Beer CT Beer James Gribbon December 04, 2015 I won't be mad if you tell me you don't like porters, but I will be disappointed. This is mainly because it robs me of the opportunity to order taster samples of this imperial, and that oatmeal version, and - oh man, you have to try this sour Baltic one... until you are half drunk from slamming six two ounce servings of 9% alcohol beer in four minutes, and the bartender hates us both. I am enthusiastic in my love for porter beers, and I want to share that joy. Being a pasty Irish dude, I am a natural ally of the darker, colder months, and the necessary extra layers of clothing work well in disguising the extra layers of me which come from downing 500-calorie pints two at a time. You may notice something funny going on with the names of several of the beers we're looking at this week, after that intro so, first, a quick bit of knowledge: all stouts are porters, but not all porters are stouts. If you'd like to do a deep dive on the subject, you can do worse than this. Read More
Shout Out: What's Your Most Essential Kitchen Gadget? Recipe CTbites Shout Out Kitchen Gear CTbites Team December 02, 2015 Whether you're a chef or a home cook, I'm sure you have an arsenal of kitchen tools and gadgets you simply can't live without. Alton Brown favors multi-taskers. Some favor a broader approach of single use gadgets (my favorite being the cherry pitter). We've posted some of our favorites over in our Gadget Guru section, but we want to hear from you. What is the one kitchen gadget you can't live without? Post your comment below! [This shout out was first posted in 2010. A lot has changed in 5 years...or perhaps not so much.] Read More
Sufganiyot (Cream Filled Doughnuts) Hanukkah Recipe from Roia Restaurant Recipe Holiday Recipe Stephanie Webster December 01, 2015 The first night of Hanukkah is December 6th. The miracle of Hanukkah is that only one vial of oil was found with just enough oil for one day, and yet it lasted for 8 full days. And so, we celebrate the holiday by paying homage to an ingredient no cook can do without...oil. Roia Restaraunt in New Haven has shared a wonderful recipe to enhance any true Hanukkah celebration Sufganiyot (Cream Filled Doughnuts). Pay tribute to the oil that lasted 8 days while enjoying one of America's favorite desserts. Happy Hanukkah! Read More
2015 CT Food Lover's Holiday Gift Guide Restaurant Recipe Gift Guide Holiday Kitchen Gear Specialty Market April Guilbault November 29, 2015 “At the end of the day, people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” said the incomparable Maya Angelou. Well, we couldn’t agree more! So this holiday season, we know that when you give some of these gifts that we have found (along with a wide smile, a big hug and happy greetings!), the lucky recipients will surely be feeling the love. Happy them, happy you. Happy holidays, everyone! Here are 16 creative and delicious local CT gifts for the food lover in your life. Read More
Great Cakes & Cupcakes at Forever Sweet Bakery Ingredients Recipe Bakery Catering Kid Friendly Dessert CTbites Team November 24, 2015 Forever Sweet Bakery is celebrating its third anniversary as one of the most creative bakeries for cupcakes, cake pops, and special occasion themed cakes. Located off the beaten path in a strip mall on New Canaan Avenue in Norwalk, CTbites visited on opening day several years ago and over the last three years the bakery has received numerous accolades including the 2014 & 2015 Best of the Gold Coast Cupcakes. CTbites recently returned to Forever Sweet to confirm the original impression and taste the expanded offerings of cupcakes that owners Sky and Frances Mercede have created. Over the years, their cakes have been featured at many political victory parties and charity events including the Connecticut Food Bank, the Westport Little League and the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Sky and Frances believe in giving back to the community as often as possible. Read More
Holiday Recipe: Autumn Old Fashioned by La Zingara in Bethel Recipe Cocktails Holiday Recipe CTbites Team November 24, 2015 Although we all love the Thanksgiving holiday, there comes a time in any family gathering where one simply requires a cocktail or two. La Zingara in Bethel is here to help you in your time of need with a classic drink. Their Autumn Old Fashioned cocktail recipe will drown out any trying relative, and just make the dinner that much better. Read More
Holiday Recipes: Scandinavian Caramelized Potatoes & Mushroom Toast via Community Table Recipe Holiday Recipe Thanksgiving CTbites Team November 23, 2015 One of our favorite Litchfield County restaurants, Community Table, has contributed these deceptively simple but absolutely delicious appetizers for the upcoming holidays. Chef Marcell Davidsen's recipes for Scandinavian Caramelized Potatoes & Mushroom toast will delight even the most discerning guest. You may want to add this one to your virtual recipe box. Read More
Holiday Recipe: Chef Carey Savona's Heirloom Kale Salad Recipe Holiday Recipe Thanksgiving CTbites Team November 21, 2015 "By far our most requested recipe (I get at least three a week) is for our kale salad. I know that kale has jumped the shark, but this recipe was featured in the CT Farm to Table Cookbook and it fits well on the holiday table; healthy, but still very flavor forward," says Chef Carey Savona of Heirloom in New Haven. Enjoy this recipe for Heirloom's Kale Salad. Read More
Holiday Recipe: Black Truffle & Leek Bread Pudding from elm restaurant Recipe Holiday Recipe Thanksgiving CTbites Team November 18, 2015 Executive Chef Luke Venner, of elm restaurant in New Canaan, has a decadant and delicious Thanksgiving recipe for our CTbites readers. If you want to make your guests extra happy this season, go beyond traditional bread pudding with his recipe for Black Truffle & Leek Bread Pudding. We are quite certain it will elicit praise all around. Of course, personally I'd rather have Chef Venner cook it himself, but if you can't get to elm restaurant, try this recipe at home this Thanksgiving season. Your guests will thank you. Read More
Thanksgiving Recipe: Match Restaurant's Maple Braised Squash + Wine Pairing Recipe Holiday Recipe CTbites Team November 17, 2015 It's time to get ready for our favorite holiday here at CTbites...Thanksgiving. Chef Matt Storch has a recipe to consider as you get your Thanksgiving menu organized, Maple Braised Squash. Our wine expert, Emma Doody, has also chimed in with some suggestions for wine pairings to enhance this dish. The sweet flavors from the maple and the squash call for a wine that imparts sweetness of its own. At the same time, I would stay away from a true dessert wine. They tend to have syrupy, thicker bodies and the maple will already have that texture. The wine should have a touch of acidity to cut through the decadence.An ideal bottle to complement this is Robertson Winery’s 2015 Late Harvest Gewürztraminer. It retails in Connecticut stores for around $9.99. The wine, which comes from South Africa, hovers on the brink of dessert wine. The late harvest makes it sweet without being rich. One could also pair an Italian Muscato with the dish. Read More
Holiday Recipe: Cauliflower & Apple Soup via Marcia Selden Catering Recipe Holiday Recipe Soups Marcia Selden Catering November 16, 2015 We are days away from Thanksgiving, and the menu planning has kicked into high gear. Marcia Selden Catering has shared one of their favorite fall soups. This recipe for Cauliflower & Apple Soup with Curry Drizzle, can be served both hot and cold, with equally delicious results. Happy holidays and enjoy. Read More
Video: Tofu Master Minh Tsai Talks Tofu and Sustainability at Yale Ingredients Chef Talk Video Amy Kundrat November 09, 2015 Minh Tsai, investment banker turned tofu master, is speaking at Yale this week about the intersection of tofu and sustainability. Watch the event live on Tuesday, November 10. From Yale CBEY: Meet Minh Tsai, the investment banker turned tofu master, and learn about his company Hodo Soy, an artisanal tofu supplier from Oakland. Minh has been a pioneer in getting chefs and large institutions to use tofu including Chipotle (heard of sofritas?) and Costco. This talk is sure to entertain and inspire and provide an enlightening discussion on how traditional recipes (along with Masters students) can be used to change our future impact on the earth. Read More
Friday Froth: Iceland And Sweetwater Come To Connecticut Ingredients Beer CT Beer Friday Froth James Gribbon November 06, 2015 Reykjavik and Atlanta usually don't have anything in common besides yours truly, but we've all come full circle this week. The daisy chain works like this: I love Iceland, and have done some work for the country here in the U.S. which allowed me to to visit the land of fire and ice, eat hákarl, and learn the correct pronunciation of Eyjafjallajökull. I also have a degree in history from the University of Georgia, where I became acquainted with Sweetwater Brewing Company. Just recently, Two Roads and Evil Twin conspired to produce Geyser Gose, using Icelandic ingredients, and Sweetwater made their Connecticut debut. Hell yes. Read More
bfresh Grocery Store Opens in Fairfield with Fresh New Shopping Experience Ingredients Features Fairfield Specialty Market Jessica Ryan November 05, 2015 Not another grocery store… Not something else to create more congestion to our already congested Post Road… These were my thoughts when I heard that yet another grocery store was coming to town. Read More
Westport Farmers’ Market Heads Indoors Saturday Nov. 14th Ingredients Farmers Market CTbites Team October 28, 2015 As the temperatures start to dip and winter approaches, we must bid a fond farewell to what has been a phenomenally successful summer season. While we continue our Ten Year Anniversary we celebrate the fifth year of our winter market. We are thrilled to announce the start of the Winter Westport Farmers’ Market which will officially begin on Saturday, November 14 at 10:00am. The market will return for our fifth season at Gilbertie’s Herb Garden on Sylvan Lane in Westport. We will operate Saturday, November 14 – March 12 from 10:00 – 2:00. Read More
Blackrock Farmers' Market Halloween Hootenanny Ingredients Events Farmers Market CTbites Team October 11, 2015 Black Rock Farmers Market (BRFM) presents a hoot of a party to celebrate the closing of our 2nd season. Join them for an afternoon of corn hole games, barn dancing, beer tastings, a pig roast by Walrus + Carpenter, local eats, and live music, from 1-5pm. Proceeds will directly benefit our 2016 season. The event will be family-friendly and include a haunted house. Come in costume to trick or treat through the market. Halloween Hootenanny Lineup Beer tasting with Two Roads Brewing Company and other local breweries Pig roast by Walrus + Carpenter Corn hole tournament from 1-3pm – REGISTER HERE Live music from KC Sisters, G Rockwell & The Still River Ramblers Barn dancing led by Bill Fischer, the Dance Caller from 3-5pm Haunted house Lounge area & bonfire Read More
