Dressing Room Guest Chefs @ The Westport Farmers' Mkt Restaurant Chef Talk Farmers Market Local Farm CTbites Team June 02, 2012 Please welcome Conor Johnson, one of CTbites' summer interns, who will be covering the local Farmers' Markets throughout the 2012 season. This past Thursday at the Westport Farmers’ Market, the grilling, searing, and sautéing began as they kicked off the season with their first of the many scheduled guest chefs. The first chef featured was Jon Vasst, Executive Chef of The Dressing Room, who awed a sizeable audience as he worked his culinary magic before their hungry eyes. His first of two demos began at 11 am, the second at 1 pm, with upcoming market guest chefs Bill Taibe, of LeFarm and Arik Bensimon, of Napa & Co. in the audince to show their support. Read More
Friday Froth: Spring Things Ingredients Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon June 01, 2012 "The planet has needs for your deeds," read the bottle cap. I studied it as the beer's head made sizzling noises, bubbles popping in the glass. "Well," I thought, dropping the cap and producing a tinny rattle. "Obviously." I brought my eyes around to study the carbonation's wavering path as it rose through the brown fluid. A previous topper reading "It's later now than it has ever been before" stuck to my other hand as I put it down. I flicked the cap, and it skidded across the glass table, leaving a faint but traceable trail through the collected pollen. Weakening rays of early evening sun hit me on a slant as I closed my eyes and leaned back. Those beams wouldn't be much good for generating solar power, but they seemed to recharge my personal batteries just fine. Some sort of tiny insect crawled its way over the hills and valleys of my toes and back into the green grass. Ah, spring. Read More
CT Invasion: CT Chefs Cook The James Beard House Restaurant Chef Talk Events Stephanie Webster May 31, 2012 For a chef, one of the most coveted cooking spaces in American is the tiny kitchen that sits in the belly of The James Beard House on West 12th Street, NYC. The ancient copper pans, the elegant dining room, and the chef's whites that hang on the wall bearing the signatures of accomplished chefs from around the world, carry with them a lineage that celebrates the prolific food writer, cookbook author, and teacher, James Beard. Today, The James Beard house provides culinary inspiration, education, and scholarships, but at the heart of this narrow townhouse is a “performance space” for visiting chefs, the gold standard for any culinary career. Last week, six Fairfield County chefs paid The Beard House a visit, and the meal that resulted was a celebration of CT talent, seasonal ingredients and camaraderie. Read More
Rizzuto’s: A Day of Italian Food, Wine & Cars, June 10th Kids Bites Restaurant Events Italian kids activity Kid Friendly CTbites Team May 30, 2012 On Sunday, June 10, 2012, NOON – 4 PM, Rizzuto’s, located in the Saugatuck community of Westport, has teamed up with The Ferrari Club of America and FIAT of Larchmont for a day-long event filled with Italian food, wine, and cars. The event takes place during the Formula 1 Grand Prix Du Canada race, which will be shown on 2 large screen HD TVs. Race car fans can take a virtual lap around the track in a GoSimRacer Race Car Simulator. Kids feeling the need for speed can race through an on-lot GoGo-Kart track presented byGrand Prix New York Racing. Rizzuto’s is pulling out all the stops with classic Italian dishes and an Italian wine tasting. San Pellegrino will be keeping things cool and Rizzuto’s will be grilling outdoors this year, preparing sausage and pepper wedges and meatball sliders. Read More
BONDA En Plein Air Dinners @ Greenfield Hill Grange Restaurant Events Stephanie Webster May 29, 2012 BONDA Restaurant takes dinner to the outdoors this July with BONDA En Plein Air at Greenfield Hill Grange #133. BONDA will host a one week series of magical and intimate evenings dining in the open air, “en plein air” from July 11th – 15th @ 6:30 pm nightly. Following a cocktail hour, guests will be invited to a four course dinner (with wine of course!) artfully curated by Chef/Owner Jamie Cooper – all enjoyed in the sweet summer air with a background country orchestra of crickets and birds Price: $150 per person all inclusive of tax and gratuity, non refundable but transferable, rain or shine. BONDA will begin taking reservations Monday, June 11th at 10:00 am Call 203.292.9555 or email bondarestaurant@hotmail.com Read More
Nauti Dolphin: New York Style Pizza in Fairfield Restaurant Fairfield Pizza Amy Kundrat May 28, 2012 If you've ever missed a train or slogged through a daily commute, you know it often comes down to being at the right place at the right time. A few minutes late and you may find yourself recalculating your entire day's schedule. But if pizza is your business, and your ovens are quite literally at the tracks, you're always at the right place at the right time. Situated on the northbound side of the Fairfield train station, Nauti Dolphin in Fairfield serves up New York-inspired slices and pies that not only serve clock-watching commuters, but loyal Fairfielders who find themselves visiting the station whether or not they have a train to catch. Paired with fairly inexpensive prices, over ten years, and a constant stream of commuting stomachs, Nauti Dolphin is one of the town's favored neighborhood pizza take-out and delivery joints. Read More
Opening Day @ The 2012 Westport Farmers' Market Ingredients Restaurant Farmers Market Local Farm Specialty Market Westport Stephanie Webster May 24, 2012 CLICK ON IMAGE ABOVE TO LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY The Westport Farmers' Market opened today with an official ribbon cutting ceremony attended by members of the Fairfield County community who came to show their support for the market and "living local." First Selectman Gordon Joseloff and State Representative Jonathon Steinberg brandished their scissors with vigor as market shoppers applauded the start of the Westport Farmers' Market season. Also poised for the big day was Chef Jon Vaast of Dressing Room, one of the 23 guest chefs who will be appearing at the market throughout the season doing recipe demos and tastings (more on that later). The crowd was packed with people enjoying their Skinny Pines Pizza, Raus' Cold Romans, Boxcar Cantina Tamales, and Du Soleil Fine Foods...and the rain held out. VIEW PHOTO GALLERY HERE. Read More
CTbites Invite: Blue Lemon Cooking Demo & Lunch Recap Restaurant CTbites Invites Westport Lunch Meaghan Morelli May 23, 2012 Blue Lemon chef Bryan Malcarney can clean, prep and sear a baby squid in just under 10 minutes, all while making small talk with a patio full of hungry diners. In fact, he makes it look pretty easy. “That’s my job,” the affable chef joked to a lunch crowd last week at a cooking demo organized by CTBites. The lattice and flower enclosed patio was packed with avocational foodies who had jumped at the chance to learn from one of the area’s most established chefs through the CTBites Invites program, which has regular offerings to take people behind the scenes in some of Fairfield County’s most respected kitchens. Read More
Kids Review: Cadiz Tapas in Bethel Kids Bites Restaurant Bethel Gluten-Free Spanish Special Dietary Needs Kid Friendly CTbites Team May 23, 2012 Most of the time at restaurants, I have no idea what to order because there are so many great choices. At Cadiz, however I can choose many different dishes. I can even order ten and share with friends and family. Cadiz is a place where you order several tapas and share among the group. Don’t be fooled though. It is located in the Bethel movie theater but that doesn’t mean it's cheap diner food. Plus, there are some great gluten-free options. My family started out with a basket of bread, a small plate of hummus with baked pita chips, and a bowl of Greek olives. The bread had a crunchy and flaky crust with a soft and warm inside. It tasted amazing; a great way to kick off the meal. Read More
Festivities Catering Now at Wilton Farmers' Market Restaurant Catering Entertaining Farmers Market Wilton CTbites Team May 22, 2012 Festivities, one of Fairfield county’s premier catering companies for over 28 years will be “popping up” with their signature, hand-made party food- Party Express at the Wilton Farmers’ Market. Opening day is Wednesday, May 30 from 2-6 p.m. and running each Wednesday through September 12th. Party Express at The Wilton Farmer’s Market offers freshly made party foods featuring the harvest from local farms. The rotating menu includes a wide range of delicious foods from “Snacks For Beach & Patio” to “Bento Box Meals To Go” to ‘Legacy Foods” borrowing world flavors from our families of origin. Also offered are weekly vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free alternatives. Executive Chef/Co-Owner, Bill Kaliff is particularly excited to be expanding his menu to showcase “legacy foods” while incorporating Connecticut Grown whenever possible. Read More
Gold Coast Gourmet: Freezer...Meet Mark Ingredients Delivery Service Home Delivery Sarah Green May 22, 2012 Freezer, meet Mark. Mark Seigel, owner and purveyor of GOLD COAST GOURMET for the past 22 years, will be your freezer's best friend - reliable and ALWAYS there when you need him. I was lucky enough to be referred to Mark by a Westport friend (he only works by referrals, no door-to-door harassment) and just in the nick of time. With Memorial Day weekend and the warm summer months approaching, there is enormous potential for a lot of home entertaining with many "Mom, I also brought the rest of the team home for dinner " possibilities. If you are like me, this can cause some major anxiety. This year, no problemo. Gold Coast Gourmet provides home delivery of prime meats, gourmet seafood and much, much more. The great thing about this service is that you are purchasing items by the "box" meaning that most things come in individually wrapped, perfectly manageable, flash-frozen portions. Read More
Dine With Design @ The Glass House: Chef Update Restaurant Events Farm to Table Local Artisan Local Farm New Canaan Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 21, 2012 The second annual Dine with Design will happen June 9, 2012, on the magnificent and incomparable grounds of Philip Johnson’s Glass House in New Canaan. With the tremendous success of prior year’s food presentations, the afternoon will again feature incredible tasting menus designed and prepared by some of the most renowned and respected chefs in America. Several of the chefs are featured in Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer’s cookbook, Harvest to Heat and this year’s day and evening lineup will create one of the most delicious culinary experiences of the season. The participating chefs include three locals, Jeremy McMillan from The Farmhouse Restaurant at The Bedford Post Inn, Frederic Kieffer from Artisan in Southport, and Tim LaBant from The Schoolhouse at Cannondale in Wilton; two chefs from Cambridge, MA, Tony Maws from Craigie on Main and Ana Sortun from Oleana; plus Missy Robbins from A Voce in New York City and Gabriel Rucker from Le Pigeon in Portland, OR. The last two of the featured chefs, Missy Robbins and Gabriel Rucker present two vastly different paths up the culinary ladder and as well as approaches in their current restaurants. Read More
Estia's American Opens in Darien: Breakfast & Beyond Restaurant Brunch Darien Local Farm Breakfast Comfort Food Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 20, 2012 When restaurateur Colin Ambrose decided to follow his wife and three daughters and return to Fairfield County from the eastern end of Long Island, he brought with him a reputation for delivering creative farm to table cuisine. As the former owner/chef of Estia’s in Amagansett and the current owner of Estia’s Little Kitchen in Sag Harbor, Ambrose is celebrating his Darien homecoming by opening his latest restaurant, Estia’s American. After Ambrose settled on the location that formerly housed Ole Mole, he immediately set to create a rustic Americana décor that included American flags created from book spines, relaxing beach paintings and his personal collection of cookbooks and novels, including several by his uncle Stephen Ambrose. Read More
Blue Laws Officially End Sunday, May 20th Ingredients Specialty Market Wine Chat Beer James Gribbon May 17, 2012 It's not quite as momentous as the end of Prohibition, but Connecticut now has its own Repeal Day, as Gov. Dannel Malloy signed a bill Monday to end our state's archaic Blue Laws. And on American Craft Beer week, too. Way to go, Guv'na. Connecticut liquor stores will now be allowed to operate from 10a.m. - 5p.m. on Sundays, and choose one item per month to offer at a 10% discount. This last item was the lone concession to proponents of blue law repeal who sought the end of the state's mandatory minimum pricing practices. Discounts had previously been outlawed. Like most of the other measures signed into law by Gov. Malloy, this decision came down to the economic bottom line. Read More
Aventine Hills Wine Importers: Italian Wine Made Local Ingredients Wine Chat CTbites Team May 16, 2012 If you're reading this article, you're most likely adventurous…at least when it comes to food. You look to CTbites.com as a guide for new culinary experiences, so we'd like to take this opportunity to broaden your horizons from the plate to your glass. Allow me to introduce Jodi and Garrett Stonehouse of Aventine Hills Wine Importers with wines featured at local restaurants including Paci, Quattro Pazzi, Osianna, Aqua, Tarantino's, Fat Cat, Rowayton Seafood, and The Schoolhouse, just to name a few. It all began back in 2006 when Jodi and Garrett discovered a love of Italy, and more specifically of the wine in Italy. Read More
Class is in Session at 109 Cheese & Wine Ingredients Cheese Education Fairfield Amy Kundrat May 15, 2012 School is back in session, and I don't mean the kind that requires boarding a yellow school bus. I'm talking about an education involving terms like bloomy, soft-ripened, blue-vein, washed-rind, and brined or full bodied, flowery or peppery. Ridgefield's 109 Cheese & Wine Shop's Spring/Summer class schedule is out with a full offering for any level of wine, craft beer & cheese appreciation. These classes expertly led by owner, Monica Brown, a wine and cheese connoisseur who, along with her experienced team, is dedicated to bringing a curated selection of the best products from around the corner to around the world to 109. Check out the full line up below: Read More
Memorial Day BBQ & Party @ Barcelona Fairfield Restaurant BBQ Events Holiday Stephanie Webster May 15, 2012 Join Barcelona Wine Bar & Restaurant’s first barbeque blowout of the season. This Memorial Day, May 28th, have fun in the sun on Barcelona Fairfield's patio or enjoy some cocktails in their newly renovated bar. This fun-filled family event will feature: live music from the Jason Spooner Trio, beer tasting from Berkshire Brewing Company, kids events include face painting and a magic show as well as a lemonade, popsicle and ice-cream stand. For only $20 a person ($10 for kids) you can enjoy a delicious buffet of the best from their grill and kitchen. From beef, chorizo & cochinita sliders and suckling pig to grilled vegetables and assorted salads, there’s something for everyone. Read More
The Schoolhouse's Millstone Farm Summer Dinners on Sale May 16 Restaurant Farm Dinner Local Farm Wilton Stephanie Webster May 14, 2012 The 3rd annual "Farm 2 Fork" dinner series will officially begin on Wenesday, June 20th at Millstone Farm, 180 Millstone Rd., Wilton, CT. Those of you who have enjoyed these wonderful communal dining experiences in the past, are likely already drafting that email for reservations. For newbies, here's what to expect. A tour of the beautiful 75 acre Millstone Farm will begin at 6:00PM followed by a pristinely farm fresh, family style dinner beginning at 7:00PM. The cost is $100. per person with a featured wine. BYOB is welcome. Tax & gratuity is excluded. Space is limited so I would suggest you act quickly. Reservations will be taken by email starting this Wednesday, May 16 at 10:00AM. Read More
New Canaan Farmers' Market Opens Today Restaurant Farmers Market New Canaan Amy Kundrat May 12, 2012 The New Canaan Farmers' Market opens today, May 12, in the Old Center School Parking Lot in New Canaan, CT. The market will run every Saturday through November 17 from 10 am to 2 pm. Among the vendors are familiar faces such as Shortt's Organic Farm, Baby Cat Milk bar, Izzi B's Cupcakes, Skinny Pines Pizza, Raus Coffee and Michele's Pies among many others. Opening day specials include $3 off all bottles of Cold Roman (while supplies last). Check out our post of the Market from last year and come down every Saturday and see for yourself. The New Canaan Farmers Market is located at the Old Center School Parking Lot at the Corner of South Avenue, Maple Avenue and Main Street in New Canaan, CT. The market will run every Saturday from May 12 through November 17 from 10 am to 2 pm, rain or shine. Read More
Terrain Home, Garden, & Cafe Opens Today in Westport Restaurant Local Farm Westport Lunch Stephanie Webster May 11, 2012 It takes quite a bit to impress this native New Yorker when it comes to home design stores, but Terrain opened its doors in Westport tonight, and I have to say...I’m impressed. This breathtakingly beautiful space is quite literally a gallery for impeccably sourced home, garden, specialty food and gift items. The use of indoor/outdoor space and broad skylights makes this store feel like a walk through an elegant English garden. And in the middle of this green space is a coffee bar boasting Counter Culture beans, well trained baristas and baked goods, as well as a restaurant with a local, organic menu that will reflects the cycle of the seasons and the local Westport community. Read More
