5 Reasons Why Wolf Convection Ovens Will Change Your Kitchen (sponsored post) Features Kitchen Gear CTbites Team October 04, 2013 Every day when customers come into Clarke - New England's Official Sub-Zero & Wolf Showroom and Test Kitchen - in South Norwalk, we get questions like these about Wolf's Convection Ovens: "Why is convection cooking better?" "How does convection cooking work?" "Is convection cooking faster?" "Why is convection baking energy efficient?" So here are five reasons why using a Wolf Convection Oven will change your kitchen in a dramatic way and save you time and energy. Read More
Saugatuck Craft Butchery Moves in Westport w/ New Take-Out Menu & Kitchen Features Restaurant Butcher Prepared Food Westport Take Out Lunch Sarah Green September 17, 2013 Just a quick hop, skip and a purely sustainable, pasture-fed jump across Riverside Ave is the spankin' new Saugatuck Craft Butchery, now re-opened for business in Westport! Owner Ryan Fibiger and crew are ready and waiting with a crisp, clean, larger locale complete with a larger retail space as well as a complete, working kitchen where fresh, prepared foods are being made for purchase. Head Chef Mark Heppermann and his sous chefs have begun with sandwiches and salads, all made with the freshest ingredients. Meat from well...that's obvious, veggies pulled straight from the earth of the edible gardens - courtesy of Homefront Farmers - that surround the shop, and breads delivered daily from ELI's and Balthazar in NYC. The day we visited, we were pleased to find a Lamb Meatball Sandwich with pickled red onions and house made hummus as well as a gorgeous "Beets Me" salad with Quinoa, watercress and goat cheese. Read More
Book-a-Cook: Bringing Culinary Excellence to YOUR Kitchen Features Catering Chef Talk Entertaining Kathleen Atkins September 11, 2013 The best life has to offer often happens around the dinner table. Mealtime moments shared with family and friends over good food and good drinks. However, making a meal that will impress your guests is a time consuming feat, one that takes you away from those life-well-lived moments at the table. That’s when Book-a-Cook steps in, relieving you of any stress and work involved in planning a family meal, dinner party or culinary event. There is so much culinary prowess in Fairfield County, and with Book-a-Cook you can book a chef’s table right in your own kitchen. Book-a-Cook was founded by Westport native and Fairfield resident, Ashley Hart. Hart, an Institute of Culinary Education graduate and former New York City and Hamptons personal chef, wanted to provide intimate access to some of the great chefs in this area. Many cities offer similar services, but the suburban market had yet to be tapped. “We live in a very social community and it seemed like the perfect fit,” says Hart. With the help of business partner Amy Strife, Book-a-Cook launched in January. “Our goal is to take a restaurant experience into your home and make the experience as seamless as possible,” says Strife. “You are able to have a much more personal experience with the chef.” Read More
CTbites is on Instagram! And We Want To See What You're Eating Features Instagram Stephanie Webster September 08, 2013 More CTbites food shots to love: CTbites is now on Instagram and we want to see what you're eating! Follow us on Instagram and tag #CTbites on your favorite food shots in & around Connecticut. We may just repost them, or include them in a weekly Instagram roundup on CTbites.com. Go forth and be artsy. Click here to follow CTbites on Intagram. Read More
Culinary Gifts @ Clarke Culinary Center in South Norwalk (sponsored post) Ingredients Features Gift Guide Holiday Norwalk SONO CTbites Team September 06, 2013 Culinary Gifts? No Problem. Tucked inside Clarke, New England's Official Sub-Zero & Wolf Showroom and Test kitchen in South Norwalk, is a culinary boutique that every foodie will want to visit - Savoir Fare. This is the perfect place to purchase unique holiday gifts or a new set of champagne flutes for entertaining in your own home. With a name that is creatively based on the French for "knowledge of food," Savoir Fare offers an evolving collection of cookware, bakeware, stemware, cooking tools and fine French linens. With an impeccably curated assortment from these fine brands, you are assured that only the highest quality items are in this collection: Culinary Institute of America (CIA) Staub Riedel Le Jacquard Francais Read More
Chimichurri Burger with Roasted Sweet Potato Fries via Marcia Selden Features Catering Recipe Marcia Selden Catering September 03, 2013 September might feel like the beginning of fall to some, but to many others it means the return of the nightly back to school dinnertime dilemma, and the sentence that sends chills through many parents; the dreaded “I’m hungreeeee, what’s for dinnerrrr?!” Our mouth-watering chimichurri burgers are a sure-fire way to please everyone at the family table. If you can’t wrap your arms around making home-made sweet potato fries, use the frozen ones, we won’t tell! Enjoy this perfect weeknight recipe for Chimichurri Burger with Roasted Sweet Potato Fries. Read More
Front Porch Cocktail Recipe via Saugatuck Grain & Grape Ingredients Features Cocktails Entertaining Recipe Jeff Marron August 28, 2013 I like making (and drinking) this cocktail. Maybe it's because that you can't tell how bitter the Sibila Amaro is. It adds just the right amount of complexity to cut through the sweetness of the preserves. The Domaine Canton adds an underlying ginger spice while the Plymouth Gin and Carpano Antica Vermouth tie everything together. I like to call this kind of cocktail a "think or drink" cocktail. You can either think about every sip, analyze it and pull the flavors apart or just sip it on your front porch on a beautiful Summer day while watching the grass grow. Read More
The Chelsea: Gazpacho Meets Mozzarella & Tomatoes Recipe Ingredients Features Entertaining Recipe Matt Storch August 20, 2013 The Chelsea in Fairfield boasts a vibrant pub scene and some pretty tasty fare. Chef Matt Storch who oversees the kitchen with Jeff Spence (also from Match Restaurant) says, "There's a lot of love in every dish." Given the season, we were feeling the love for this classic mashup: Gazpacho meets Classic Mozzarella & Tomatoes. Enjoy this dish while tomatoes are still in season, because unless you are canning those beauties, the harvest time for local vipe ripened tomatoes is coming to a close in September. Enjoy a little bit of The Chelsea in your kitchen. Read More
Recipe: Late Summer Tomato Tart via Marcia Selden Features Catering Entertaining Recipe Marcia Selden Catering August 15, 2013 Late summer offers some of the best produce of the season! For those of you who garden, you may be finding yourself with a bumper crop of plump sweet tomatoes. Here’s our recipe for a delicious tomato tart. Don’t let the word tart intimidate you, it’s deceptively easy to make, and absolutely perfect for a picnic at the beach or at home with friends. Read More
Thali's Chef Prasad: A Lesson in Spice @ Clarke Culinary Center Features Restaurant Cooking Classes Education Kitchen Gear Sarah Green August 06, 2013 A lesson in spice, a lesson in life - a cooking class with Prasad Chirnomula is both. Purely charming and ridiculously modest, Chef Prasad (of the Indian restaurants THALI and THALI TOO and of the former Oaxaca in Westport) recently taught a group of eager foodies some very important secrets regarding the art of cooking Indian at Norwalk's prestigious Clarke Culinary Center. Clarke offers the best in high end kitchens and top quality appliances as well as wonderful cooking classes where top notch chef Gods let a small groups of mortals watch and learn. So we came, we saw, we watched and we ate. But it wasn't just food that Chef Prasad cooked up- it was more like the creation of a warm, breezy sunset. Chef Prasad created a palate of color. Read More
Gazpacho Recipe: South End In New Canaan Features Chef Talk Recipe CTbites Team August 01, 2013 Gazpacho is one of those summer treats that allows a chef to combine vibrant seasonal flavors with a unique personal touch. Every bowl of gazpacho is different, and Chef Nick Martschenko of South End in New Canaaan does a wonderful job marrying texture, taste and a little heat. This sweet and spicy version combines the sweetness of the tomatoes with a little spiciness from finely diced jalepeno peppers. He then finishes this delectable recipe with grilled shrimp. Enjoy! Read More
Best Places to Grab a Picnic or To-Go Meal in Fairfield County CT Features Restaurant Picnic April Guilbault July 25, 2013 A tisket, a tasket...a lovely picnic basket. Or possibly just a simple, perfect, brown bag lunch. A lunch wrapped to eat by the seashore (sand not included), one to eat while lounging on a blanket in the grass listening to an outdoor, evening concert or one stuffed into a backpack for your long, summer hike. What is it about eating en plein air that is so fabulously enjoyable? Whatever your destination, here are a few suggestions for acquiring the perfect to-go meal.... Share your favorite To-Go spots by leaving a comment below: Read More
Sono Baking Co's French Blueberry Tartlets Features Bakery Chef Talk Recipe Dessert CTbites Team July 18, 2013 Welcome to Throwback Thursday...We brought this recipe out of the archives right in time for blueberry season. Enjoy! Sweet! Berries are back in season and we've got the perfect way to celebrate the booming berry harvest: fresh fruit tarts. We asked John Barricelli of Sono Baking Company for his favorite recipe as he knows a few things about tarts. Piled high with fresh blueberries, these individual fruit tarts offer a sweet, creamy custard surprise in the center. Try making these with raspberries or strawberries, or an assortment of berries. Each tartlet uses very little pastry cream, so you’ll have some left over, which can be used as a garnish and served alongside the tarts. Read More
le Farm's Summer Market Salad Recipe Features Farm to Table Local Farm Recipe Farm Fresh CTbites Team July 16, 2013 Chef Arik Bensimon of le Farm embraces the summer growing season with this simple recipe inspired by a recent trip to the local farmers' market. Thinly shaved vegetables with varying weights and texture are drizzled with a light take on a classic Caesar dressing. (You'll want to save this recipe for use year round.) Chef Bensimon has left off the quantities on the main ingredients as there are no wrong answers here, and he recommends any raw vegetable that is to your liking as the summer harvest rotates through. Enjoy this wonderful Summer Market Salad Recipe from le Farm. Read More
Aye Cukarumba! Cocktail Recipe from Barcelona Restaurant Ingredients Features Cocktails Recipe CTbites Team July 09, 2013 Last Spring, CTbites ran a cocktail naming contest with Barcelona Restaurant. The drink in need of a name would debut on Barcelona Restaurant's Cocktail Menu, and has become one of their classics...the Aye Cukarumba! Yes...that is the name, not an exclamation. With zesty citrus, lightly sweet St. Germain, and a dash of Hellfire Bitters, this drink has it all going on, and now you can make Barcelona's Aye Cukarumba! cocktail in your home. Here are the ingredients for this unique and excellent addition to any party...or forget the party, and just make one for yourself tonight. Read More
Seasonal Strawberry Recipes from Festivities Catering Features Cocktails Recipe Dessert CTbites Team June 13, 2013 Throwback Thursday: Seasonal Strawberry recipes originally posted June 2012 Wondering what to do with the 10 pounds of strawberries your family picked over the weekend? Festivities has some great ideas for you. Whether you like your berries boozy, savory or sweet, here are three seasonal strawberry recipes to suit every palate: Strawberry Sangria, Balsamic Macerated Strawberries with Sweetened Ricotta, and Strawberry, Basil and Goat Cheese Bites. Enjoy the complete recipes below: Read More
10 Questions for Chef Geoff Lazlo of The Whelk in Westport Interview Restaurant Chef Talk Stephanie Webster June 12, 2013 On any given day, Chef Geoff Lazlo can be found in his vegetable garden, with his young family, or in the kitchen at The Whelk in Westport. After years of working at renown restaurants such as Blue Hill Stone Barns, Chez Panisse, and most recently Gramercy Tavern, Geoff came back to CT where he was born, to join team Bill Taibe. “I made an effort to work at the very best restaurants while I was in New York City,” says Lazlo, “but I was never really an urban person. When I was 5 years old I turned my sandbox into a garden.” As passionate locavores who care deeply about the integrity of each and every ingredient, Taibe and Lazlo would agree that this has been a perfect match. After a few months at Le Farm which Geoff says “was a great opportunity to be in a small chef driven kitchen after Gramercy Tavern," Geoff took over the helm at The Whelk (recently voted Best Seafood Restaurant in Fairfield County). When asked about The Whelk, Geoff said, “I’m a really academic guy and I like the challenge of approaching seafood with multiple cooking methods.” “Bill and I have a similar spirit, but we come at food from two different angles. I cook clean and light, and Bill encourages me to add that last ingredient that pushes it further.” Read More
10 Questions with Chef Carey Savona of Heirloom Interview Chef Talk New Haven Amy Kundrat May 28, 2013 Carey Savona is the Executive Chef of Heirloom at the Study at Yale in New Haven and the Head of Culinary Development for Study Hotels. Heirlooms's self-described "American-heritage" approach to cooking, leveraging small batch growers and neighborhood artisan suppliers, makes it one of our favorite New Haven haunts. A tireless force in the Connecticut food scene, Chef Savona is passionate about seasonality and the city of New Haven. He earned his kitchen stripes working alongside some of the most talented chefs and restaurateurs in the country. Savona has lived and cooked in San Francisco, Connecticut, South Florida and in New York City where, with Drew Nieporent and the Myriad Restaurant Group he earned Two Stars from Frank Bruni of the New York Times for his work at Mai House in Tribeca. If you had unexpected guests arriving at your home for dinner in 1 hour, what would you whip up? Spaghetti Carbonara. We always have pancetta, guanciale or bacon. Always eggs and good cheese and parmigiano or pecorino is part of that repertoire. Carbonara is great anytime. Better for breakfast or after a night of too much wine. Is there such a thing? What is the last dish you cooked for yourself? Last dish at work was spaghetti with olive oil, parsley, chilies and pecorino. Eaten out of a mixing bowl, quickly huddled next to a stove as we began to get hammered with dupes. Last dish I made at home was an egg and cheese sandwich for my wife (Alison Savona) and I that we shared over coffee before we both left for work. Best and saddest part of my day. Read More
The Bedford Posts' Pork Chops w/ Grilled Cherries & Wild Mustard Greens Features Chef Talk Holiday Recipe CTbites Team May 25, 2013 Despite the inclement weather this year, Memorial Day weekend always harkens the launch of grilling season. Chef McMillan, of The Bedford Post in Bedford, NY is no stranger to a fiery hearth, so we've asked him to ring in the season with a recipe from the restaurant. Chef McMillan recently conducted a series of grilling themed dinners at The Bedford Post and as a locavore, he and his staff have taken to foraging the property for ingredients to use on their menu. Hence the use of Wild Mustard Greens and Nasturtium seen in this recipe for Pork Chops with Grilled Cherries, Wild Mustard Greens, and Nasturtium Leaves. Happy Grilling! Read More
Raus Coffee to Debut New Drink at Westport Farmers Market Ingredients Features Restaurant Coffee Farmers Market Amy Kundrat May 21, 2013 Raus Coffee will debut its newest iced espresso drink, the Roman Navel, at the opening of the Westport Farmers’ Market on May 23. The new drink was inspired by a trip to Seattle’s Café Vita, where Raus Coffee founder Donny Raus became smitten with the Medici, an espresso-based chocolate and orange drink. The success of the flavor combination compelled him to recreate it using his own approach. The Roman Navel is the third product in Raus’s award-winning espresso product line. Donny and I met recently at the soon-to-open Steam Coffee Bar in Westport, so he could give me a sample of this newest obsession. So I had a baseline, I also grabbed his other two iced espresso-based drinks, the Roman Kiss and (my old personal stand-by) the Cold Roman. Read More
