Connecticut's Best Dairy Farm Ice Cream: 2014 Edition Ingredients Restaurant Road Trip ice cream Best of CT Kid Friendly Dessert Lou Gorfain June 22, 2014 With summer finally here, we have updated and expanded our annual roundup of the best dairy farm ice cream in Connecticut. You can’t get closer to farm fresh ice cream than tasting it at farm. Not only do you see the cows, you whiff them, and that aroma is part of the authenticity of the experience, if not the charm. Sure, these farms aren’t close by. But WTD. They’re “Worth The Drive” And worth the lick: usually the freshest, creamiest, and most flavorful retail ice cream available in Connecticut. While Chocolate and Vanilla remain cash cows, dairy farms also offer a greater array of flavors than you’ll find at parlors or in the supermarket freezer case. In fact, farmers have begun to rival restaurant chefs for sheer inventiveness and culinary dairying-doo. So, for your and your family’s guilty or innocent pleasures, we submit our favorite cow-to-cone ice creams … Read More
Secrets of a Supermarket: The Science of Selling Ingredients Features Specialty Market Lou Gorfain June 20, 2014 There exists an arcane branch of psychology dubbed “Supermarket Science." To uncover the secrets of how and why we buy our groceries, researchers treat a supermarket floor as a behavioral lab. They track such factors as our route through the store, our eyeball movement in the aisles, even our conversation at the checkout counter. As a result, nothing in a supermarket is there by happenstance. So how much does a supermarket play the customer? Encourage you to buy more? To find out, we asked Robert Reinisch the manger of Stamford's Fairway market to candidly talk about his store’s selling strategies. We chose Fairway not only to take advantage of Reinisch's openness and passion to do well by his customers, but also because it’s a food-centric supermarket. No banks, no pharmacy, no kitchenware, not even a loyalty card (another window on your personal buying habits.) We asked Robert about the first axiom of Supermarket Science: “The more time spent in the store, the more money spent in a store.” "Absolutely we want the customer to spend as much time as possible here," Reinisch allowed. "Our average shopping trip lasts about an hour." Wow, that's 50% longer than the national average of 40 minutes. What’s Fairway’s secret? Appealing to a customer’s basic emotions. Read More
Friday Froth: Sweet, Sour and Stout Ingredients Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon June 13, 2014 You're hungry, but you sit there, getting hungrier, because you don't know what you want to eat. Spoiled for choice, you end up ravenous and choosing the closest, quickest option for an ultimately unsatisfying resolution. An Italian combo sub is good, but Thai would have been better. Barbeque usually hits the spot, but enchiladas suizas are what you were really craving. Sometimes having fewer options can lead to happier conclusions. This week I'm going to give you a few options in three categories, and hopefully it will make your decisions a little easier the next time you're faced with a giant wall of six packs, or a tap list with fifty options.How about something fruitier to start? A drink almost like a punch, or a cocktail you'd get at a tiki bar? One answer to sate this need is Birrificio del Ducato Frambozschella. This is an Italian beer made with fresh raspberries and lactic acid, then aged in wooden barrels. It pours a deep, dark ruby red, and had almost no head at all as it was poured for me. You'll be able to smell the pH from four inches away and it's sour, but it never threatened to turn my face inside out. Read More
Fresh Nation Enables Home Delivery for Westport Farmers' Market Ingredients Features CT Farms Farmers Market Home Delivery Local Farm Farm Fresh CTbites Team June 11, 2014 Fresh Nation, the online marketplace for farmers markets, and Westport Farmers’ Market announced they have formed a strategic partnership to provide online shopping and home delivery. Fresh Nation will operate an online storefront for the Market, providing local consumers with the ability to place an online order from many of their favorite Market vendors and receive same day home delivery from a Fresh Nation personal shopper. Fresh Nation delivers fresh food direct from farmers markets to consumers, by bringing local farmers markets together into a convenient online shopping destination, enabling farmers and food makers at the markets to reach new customers who do not normally make it to the market. The company employs trained food shoppers to go the markets and personally fill customers’ online orders. After receiving orders from Fairfield County residents for Thursday delivery, Fresh Nation fills these orders at the Westport Farmers’ Market and drives them directly to customers’ homes. “We are committed to bringing the freshest and best foods from the Westport Farmers’ Market to all members of our community,” said Lori Cochran Read More
Dad’s & Grad’s Ultimate Grilled Pizza Party w/ Recipes from Marcia Selden Ingredients Features Grilling Holiday Recipe Kid Friendly Marcia Selden Catering June 10, 2014 Time to celebrate your special Dad (June 15th ~ Father’s Day) or your fabulous Grad! There’s no better time to fire up the grill and throw a party. We've got a great salad to start… our grilled romaine with a blue cheese and bacon vinaigrette. Another one of our favorites things to make, at Marcia Selden Catering, are grilled pizzas. The varieties are endless. It’s a little different and who doesn’t love pizza! This is a rare treat. As for the pizza, if you don’t want to make your own dough, most stores sell great pre-made dough to make it real simple. Buy (from a good salad bar) or make lots of the toppings. The best way to set yourself up for success is to arrange all of the toppings in bowls on a table by the grill. Guests can simply choose their toppings and grill up the pizzas on the spot. Read More
An Exclusive Look @ The New OEC Brewing in Oxford (Ordinem Ecentrici Coctores) Ingredients Brewery CT Beer Oxford Beer James Gribbon June 05, 2014 You read it here first back in April, and now CTbites is bringing you an absolutely exclusive first look at OEC Brewing, days before the grand opening party this Saturday. The party, by the way, is open to everyone, and will take place at 7 Fox Hollow Rd., Oxford, CT, from noon to 5p.m. We have the tap and bottle list for the event below. As a reminder, OEC stands for Ordinem Ecentrici Coctores, a bit of muddled Latin roughly translating to the "Order of Eccentric Boilers," and is the work of Ben Neidhart and Jie Yu. Ben designed the name, logo, and all associated labels and artwork as a bit of a spoof on medieval guilds and secret societies, and framed examples of this art can be found decorating the walls of OEC's combined brewery and tasting room. The Grounds Read More
2014 Guest Chef Lineup @ The Westport Farmers' Market Ingredients Chef Farmers Market Local Farm Stephanie Webster June 05, 2014 Already love the Westport Farmers' Market? Here's another reason to feel good about shopping local. Market Director, Lori Cochran has announced an outstanding "Guest Chef" Lineup for 2014. Mark your calendars people as the guest chefs will conduct classes and demos from 10:15 to 11:00 a.m. every Thursday. I don't know about you, but some of my favorite chefs in Fairfield County are on this list. Don't miss your chance to meet and greet the people who make your mouth water. The Westport Farmers Market will be held every Thursday from 10-2 at the Imperial Avenue Parking Lot. Read on for the complete Guest Chef Program Schedule: Read More
Port Chester Hall & Beer Garden is Now Open! Ingredients Restaurant Beer Garden Port Chester Beer CTbites Team May 27, 2014 This just in from the folks at PORT CHESTER HALL: After undergoing a full renovation and transformation into the first ever food hall, beer pavilion and garden in one venue, Port Chester Railroad Station is proud to announce the opening of PORT CHESTER HALL & BEER GARDEN. The Hall will be pouring 12 unique craft beer selections, created by Kelly Taylor, Director of Brewing for Port Chester Hall (in addition to Houston Hall and Flatiron Hall in Manhattan). These specialty beer styles include English, Belgian, German, and American, however all use mostly American ingredients. In addition to the proprietary beer selection, the Hall is serving imaginative cocktails by the in-house mixologist, as well as top shelf spirits and a variety of wines. The station's historic architecture, originally designed in 1890, was preserved and retooled with vintage lighting, seating, and century-old murals. The Pavilion combines the original railroad steel design with communal wood tables and a towering stone fireplace. Read More
“Hey Bartender” Documentary Screening May 29 in Westport Ingredients Food Movies CTbites Team May 20, 2014 Ever had a fantasy about becoming a bartender, if only for a night? Or wondered about the lives of those who shake, stir and pour? Now is your chance. The 92-minute documentary, “Hey Bartender” gives you an insider’s look into the lives and dreams of bartenders, and explains the lure of the bar that goes beyond the drinks. Steve Carpentieri, owner of Dunville’s Restaurant in Westport, is featured in the film. You’ll hear from some of the world’s most renowned bartenders, glance back to the Prohibition era, and see the rise of the classic cocktail era and its aftermath today. The film premiered at the prestigious SXSW Film Festival. Time: 7.30pm Date: Thursday, May 29 Place: Christ and Holy Trinity Church, 79 Church Lane, Westport. Cost: Tickets are $10 at the door or online at: westportcinema.org Read More
OEC Brewery Opens In Oxford Ingredients Brewery CT Beer Oxford Beer James Gribbon April 24, 2014 Ben Neidhart of Beverage United International, importer of vanishingly rare and obscenely delicious beers from Europe, Africa and Asia, has announced the finalization of his brand new brewery, OEC Brewing, which will open its doors alongside B.United's headquarters facility in Oxford. A public grand opening party will take place on Saturday, June 7th, at noon.B.United imports have appeared numerous times in Friday Froth, and I had a chance to tour the facility last year as part of their Nepenthia event. BU has consistently been years ahead of the curve in barrel aging beers in creative and exotic ways as part of the ongoing experiment they call Zymatore, and OEC, while a separate entity, will be able to benefit from the other facilities on site. The new brewery, called OEC, for Ordinem Ecentrici Coctores or "Order of Eccentric Boilers" (they know their Latin is less than perfect), gives the mad scientist Neidhart family a chance to bring creations wholly their own to the market, along with a tasting room which will feature six taps of OEC beers, B.United imports, and at least one of the ultra-rare Zymatore barrel aged special brews. Read More
Spring Wine Picks: Austria's Hopler Vineyards, Gruner Veltliner + Ingredients This Week In Wine Wine Chat Wine Tasting Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 24, 2014 It seems as though everyone loves a good Riesling for springtime and summer sipping. Last year, New York City was just one of the regions to participate in a “Summer of Rieslings” with a number of selections on the High Line and in restaurants. Germany is revered for its remarkable versions of the varietal. However, a lesser-celebrated varietal promises to satisfy all of your desires as the warmer weather approaches. Gruner Veltliner, a national grape of Austria, shares Riesling characteristics, but has lighter, crisper, and fresher tones than its counterpart. On Friday March 28, Fairfield County hosted Christof Hopler, a respected winemaker and owner of Hopler vineyards in Austria. He presented a selection of his delicious wines to an eager room of wine enthusiasts at South End Restaurant in New Canaan. Read More
The Farmer's Cow 2014 Farm Tours: Meet Your Local Farmers! Ingredients CT Farms Local Farm Farm Fresh CTbites Team April 23, 2014 The Farmer’s Cow announces its 2014 Farm Tour schedule and invites visitors to come out to the country and meet the farmer’s that bring you real local Connecticut milk and dairy products. Locally sourced food is one of the hottest trends in the 2014 culinary forecast according to a recent survey by the National Restaurant Association. But what is local? The Farmer’s Cow milk comes from the contented cows of six real local Connecticut family-owned dairy farms, not from six other states. “Real local” means our farm fresh products get to you faster and that means greater nutritional value and a smaller carbon footprint. “If you can visit the farm, then you know it’s real local,” said Robin Chesmer, Managing Member of The Farmer’s Cow. "We invite families to see first-hand what life is like on a working dairy farm and learn about how we are working to save Connecticut farmland and sustain farming as a way of life.” The 2014 Farm Tour schedule includes events in every season – winter, spring, summer and fall. Each tour is unique and celebrates a different aspect of what it means to be “real local.” Visitors can meet the cows and calves, learn about dairy farming and sample The Farmer’s Cow milk, ice cream and beverages. Hosted by The Farmer’s Cow farm families, all events are free and fun for all ages. In case of inclement weather, please check The Farmer’s Cow Event and Facebook pages for updates. All events are free and no reservations are required. View the full Farm Tour schedule below: Read More
Friday Froth: Seasonal Spring Beer...A New Crop Ingredients CT Beer Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon April 18, 2014 Dark beers and dark nights are falling away. Fresh life is shouldering its way through the crusty ground, and new batches of lively, energetic spring seasonals are seeing the light of day for the first time in brewery tasting rooms across the country. Spring time is for beer lovers. The season lends itself to saisons, the ancient staple of farmers and field hands in need of relief during the planting and cultivation of new life. Stillwater Artisinal Ales is celebrating the arrival of fresh, new life with the release of its Debutante American Farmhouse Ale. This saison, brewed with a combination of spelt and rye, and accented with a blend of heather, honeysuckle, and hyssop, is actually a collaboration between Stillwater and Belgian beer specialists The Brewer's Art, of Baltimore. Read More
2014 Guide to Fairfield County Farmers' Markets via FGFG Ingredients Features Farmers Market CTbites Team April 15, 2014 The spring/summer season brings many things: rain, blooms, a high pollen count, and vastly improved temperatures. The onset of warmer weather also means that farmers from all over our fair state will begin to harvest and sell the fruits of their labor at The Fairfield County Farmers' Markets. Sure, there were a selection of dedicated year-round markets this year which kept me deep in kale and root vegetables, but summer brings vibrant colors and flavors we can only imagine in the winter months. Perhaps, you already have a favorite, but the list of farmer's markets expands every year due to growing demand. Here's the roundup you need to stay in the local loop. Analiese Paik of The Fairfield Green Food Guide has the ultimate Guide to Fairfield County's Farmer's Markets. This cheat sheet is all you need to enjoy beautiful local produce, baked goods, and prepared foods all summer long. Let the season begin!! Read More
Sun Winefest's Wine Review: What To Buy & Try Ingredients This Week In Wine Wine Shop Wine Tasting Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 08, 2014 The annual Mohegan SunWineFest caters to a variety of interests. Restaurants, artisans, winemakers, and distributors unite in the sprawling Convention Center to deliver an epic weekend. However, wine lies at its heart; it is a “wine” fest after all! I enjoyed all of event’s facets, but as CTbites' wine correspondent, I paid careful attention to the hundreds of bottles presented. I researched the offerings ahead of time, questioned the representatives, and- of course- tasted the bounties to bring you a full report on which wines reign supreme. Check out my full report on: The Rise of Sauvignon Blancs, Is Oak a Joke?, Hail a Cab, Pleasing Pinots, Behold the Blend as well as a few other wine and spirit highlights. Read More
Sono Baking Company Opening Darien Shop on Tokeneke Road Ingredients Restaurant Bakery Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Dessert Stephanie Webster March 29, 2014
Friday Froth: Take The Black Ingredients Restaurant CT Beer Beer James Gribbon March 21, 2014 Springing forward is an effective way to A) add more light to the day, and B) feed the wailing vacuum where Morning People's souls would otherwise reside. Morning people are real-life Dementors who funnel away our sleep, and schedule 8a.m. meetings in their quest to rob us of the precious joy of living, but I say no. No cheap bagels can replace my repose, no tray of institutional eggs, and no bacon cooked under a clothes iron is worth my limited hours on this Earth. So I turn my back on the light, and embrace the dark. Tell 'em, Ray. As you have no doubt already read here on CTBites, The Ginger Man in South Norwalk revived their Great Wall of Stouts last week, allocating fifteen taps to the blackest of beers, and even going so far as to darken their trademark copper tap wall. Highlights of the event included a 2011 vintage of the impeccable Imperial Stout Trooper from New England Brewing, the deservedly popular Founder's Breakfast Stout (made with coffee, naturally), boozy, heavy offerings which drink like a meal, Read More
The Weekly Nibble: Upcoming Food News & Events Ingredients Restaurant Beer Dinner Cooking Classes Events Wine Shop Wine Tasting Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 21, 2014 Monday March 24, Plan B in Stamford presents “Distill it with Willett.” Five courses will be paired with bourbon and bourbon cocktails… and they’ll use bourbon in every single course! 6 pm. $75pp, tax and tip included. Also on the 24th, Napa & Co in Stamford presents “A look at Sauvignon Blanc the hot white grape!” They’ll guide you through a global look at the varietal in New Zealand, Sancerre, Russian River, Napa Valley, South Africa and Washington! $45pp. 6:30pm. Brewery Ommegang comes to Harlan Social on Tuesday, March 25th for a 5-course menu paired with their beers. $70 plus tax and tip. 6:30- 9:30pm. Call 203.883.8000 to reserve seats. Event Menu: Tuesday March 25, Barcelona in West Hartford presents “New England Beers & Tapas.” In celebration of March Madness, Chef Eric is going to prepare some savory tapas to pair with some of New England’s thirst-quenching beers. $29 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations: 860.218.2100 March 25 is “Good Meats! An Evening with Charcuterie” at Fairfield Cheese Co. 7-9pm. Call 203.292.8194 for more information. Wednesday March 26 is the “Iron Bar Gala” at Plan B Burger Bar in Milford. Read More
Sign Up for Sport Hill & Stone Gardens Farms CSA's w/ Easy Pickup @ Wakeman Town Farm Ingredients Local Farm Farm Fresh CTbites Team March 11, 2014 Wakeman Farm CSA Pickups Thursday or Friday? Just pick your day! Wakeman is offering not one - but TWO - CSAs to provide you with fresh-picked produce all season long. One is from Sport Hill Farm in Easton, the other is from Stone Gardens Farm in Ridgefield. Both are for pickup at Wakeman Town Farm Choose your day! Organic Sport Hill Farm CSA is accepting applications through 3/31. Order now and receive weekly produce delivery every Friday at Wakeman Town Farm! To order, click here: Sport Hill Farm Organic CSA Friday Pickup A Note from Organic Farmer Patti Popp, of Sport Hill Farm in Easton: We have extended the 2014 CSA deadline until 3/31/14 for pick up at Wakeman Town Farm Sustainability Center on Friday afternoons 1-7 or at Black Rock Farmers Market Saturdays 9-1. Our CSA program runs twenty weeks. Usually begins the first week of June through mid-October. We are mainly a vegetable production farm, we grow watermelon and cantaloupes. Cooking is a must. Please e-mail me for an application if this seems like a good fit for you and your family.Farmgal596@gmail.com Read More
Bonnat & Pralus Venezuelan Chocolate Tasting Re-Cap Ingredients Dessert Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger March 10, 2014 Spending Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart is fantastic, tasting and learning about great chocolates with your sweetheart is even better. While many were eating at restaurants, enjoying romantic dinners at home, or enjoying a concert or sporting event, a group of chocolate novices and enthusiasts met at Olivette Oil in Darien and were educated on the finer points of high-end chocolates by Analiese Paik, trained chef, chocolate aficionado, and Editor of The Fairfield Green Food Guide. The table was pre-set with five different chocolates, a rating card and a flavor wheel. Normally, the chocolates would have disappeared in a nano-second but the group was instructed to sit and relax. Analiese presented an incredibly detailed and comprehensive overview of the process that converts the bean pods of the Theobroma cacao (“food of the Gods”) tree to chocolate. All of the chocolates that we would sample were from Venezuela and included Bonnat Puerto Caello, Bonnat Chuao, Bonnat Hacienda El Rosario, Pralus Venezuela, and Pralus Chuao. Read More
