NyHaven in New Haven: A New Nordic Pop-Up Restaurant Chef Talk New Nordic Underground Dinner New Haven Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster March 11, 2014 NyHaven, a one-time pop-up new Nordic dinner in New Haven on March 3, blew away a couple dozen diners lucky enough to purchase seats to the 15-course dining experience showcasing some of the most daring and inventive food in Connecticut. Conceived by Chef Simon Marcell Davidsen with fellow Community Table chef Tommy Juliano, they teamed up with John Ginnetti of 116 Crown, who not only generously offered the kitchen and dining space for NyHaven, but also paired each snack and course with an appropriate "cocktail." An indelible evening marked by a provocative menu, curious cocktails, and a house filled with appreciate gourmands, we attempted to capture the meal in not just words, but an interview with Chef Simon Marcel Davidsen, photos of each course, and 116 Crown's video of the NyHaven experience: 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
Barrique Bistro & Wine Bar: Top Notch French with a Twist in Stamford Restaurant French Italian Spanish Stamford Lunch Elizabeth Keyser March 09, 2014 It’s the corner where downtown Stamford’s sidewalk café scene began. Bedford and Spring streets. Barrique has the best location in downtown Stamford, in a quaint stone building a few steps from the Art Deco Avon Theatre (date night recommendation--an independent film and Barrique’s bistro food). In summer, Barrique’s large, wood doors fold open on both sides of the corner. For 14 years, it was Chez Jean-Pierre, and under new ownership since June, Barrique’s dining room has lost the humorous Renoir-esque mural of Jean-Pierre and his friends in favor of a subdued white and gray palette -- white-washed brick walls, café chairs, wrought iron chandeliers, and bare, dark wood tables. It’s a casual, relaxing atmosphere. And there’s a new bar room at the back of the restaurant, a cozy spot where jazz is played Wednesday evenings. Executive chef/co-owner Louis Barresi’s menu mostly focuses on France, with Italian, Spanish, Latin, Asian and Latin influences. Barresi is a co-owner of Doppio Artisan Pizza in Greenwich, New York City and Long Island. Manager and partner Danny Silver is the sommelier. Barrique means “barrel” in French, and if you have questions about the 41 wines served by the glass, ask him. He’s the former sommelier at A Voce in New York City. Read More
Bodega Hits The Road w/ The Bodega Food Truck Catering Features Restaurant Food Truck Tacos Mexican CTbites Team March 05, 2014 Bodega Taco Bar continues to make its mark on Fairfield County with the addition of the Bodega Food Truck hittin’ the road this month. The rolling vibrant green mobile might as well be named the party bus as it already being booked for private parties, school functions and outdoor events – and the paint’s not even dry yet! Fans of Bodega’s innovative and edgy, while authentic and fresh cuisine, will now have the opportunity to follow their favorite cuisine to a street corner near them or grab a taco while partaking in a local event. This taqueria on wheels will also be the centerpiece of Bodega’s thriving catering business. The team has created a catering menu that straddles the line between “fine” and “fiery” with ease. From a Burrito Bar and Taco Party, to passed hors d’oeuvres of Tuna Tataki and Smoked Chicken Albondigas, party goers are assured to have a unique experience. Bowls of hand slapped guacamole, pico de gallo, and cucumber mango salsa with fresh corn tortilla chips are a true crowd pleaser, as are roasted veggies with poblano agave yogurt dip and ceviche bowls with vibrant citrus shrimp and scallops. That deli sandwich platter at the office lunch meeting is transformed with hearty “tortas” such as; Argentinian grilled hangar steak with chipotle aioli, greens and queso fresco; Grilled Chicken with black beans, goat cheese and pickled onions; Grilled Portabella with truffle red pepper aioli and crispy kale; and the Baja Fish Wrap with mango cucumber salsa. Read More
Da Pietro's Chef Pietro Scotti Talks About 25 Years in Westport Restaurant Chef Talk French Italian Westport Lunch ellen bowen March 05, 2014 Chef Pietro Scotti…on 25 years in Westport! On the day after Michel Nischan sadly announced the closing of The Dressing Room, I was sitting in the cozy dining room off the kitchen of Chef Pietro Scotti’s home talking with Pietro and his wife, Janine, about the changes in the restaurant scene and in particular dining in Fairfield County. An anchor in Westport for over 25 years, Da Pietro’s Restaurant on Riverside Ave was one of the first “fine dining” establishments in Fairfield County, and immediately become popular as the “go to” place for special occasions and romantic dinners. Reviewed as “Perfection ” by The New York Times and “Excellent” by Wine Spectator, the intimate 25 seat restaurant specializes in fresh pastas, creative starters and hearty and seasonal entrees. Pietro, known for his big smile, warm personality, and unfailing generosity to local community events and causes, has helmed Da Pietro’s since the beginning and can still be found in the tiny restaurant kitchen every day during both lunch and dinner. Read More
Graham Elliot's Primary Food & Drink Opens in Greenwich: Outstanding & Creative Cuisine Restaurant Celebrity Chef Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger March 02, 2014 Primary Food & Drink, the newest member of Master Chef Graham Elliot’s expanding restaurant group, opened in Greenwich this past December under the direction of Executive Chef and Managing Partner Merlin Verrier. The restaurant is serving some of the most innovative and imaginative interpretations of traditional recipes using unique combinations and ingredients. With six Michelin stars in his portfolio, Chef Verrier worked under several of the great chefs in America. His culinary experience included stops in his native California, Oregon and Colorado where he was eventually noticed by James Beard Award winner Chef Jennifer Jasinski and promoted to Sous Chef at her Rioja Restaurant. His travels brought him to Chicago in 2008 where his business relationship with Chef Elliot commenced. One month after joining Chef Elliot, he was promoted to Sous Chef and a year later he was overseeing the kitchen as Chef du Cuisine where he received his first Michelin star. Chef Verrier now brings his magical cuisine to Fairfield County. Read More
Friday Froth: The Good Earth Ingredients Beer James Gribbon February 28, 2014 Someone - I don't recall who, and I'm forced to paraphrase here - once said the amazing thing about books is that a writer who may be hundreds of miles away or hundreds of years dead can speak directly from their mind into that of the reader. A recipes is the same, because what is a recipe but another cook speaking into your head and guiding your hands? A recipe is thus a combination of people and ingredients - ideas of taste and texture made physical manifest. In this way a chef is the same as a brewer, and a dish is like a beer. Artisinal foods and beers are the result of obsessive dedication to recipes using prime ingredients to produce an idealized flavor. How much closer can you get to your ingredients than visting the actual dirt from which they spring? That's the idea behind Victory Brewing Company's Ranch series of double IPAs. The name comes from Victory working with family owned hop farms, which are sometimes called hop ranches, as if the hops detach themselves and wander the moonlit world when the humans aren't watching. Victory worked with growers from Roy Farms, Carpenter and Seagal Ranches, and and Perrault Farms, among others, to create this series. Read More
The Ginger Man Hosts 2nd Annual Great Wall of Stouts Ingredients CT Beer Beer CTbites Team February 28, 2014 The Gingerman in South Norwalk is hosting their second annual Wall of Stouts running from March 10th - March 16th. They will be taking over 26 of their lines just like last year's event to pull some amazing beer from their private vintage collection. Vintage bottles will also come out of the back room this year. If you're serious about your Stout, here's where you'll want to be. Read More
Sun WineFest 2014 @ Mohegan Sun: The Recap Ingredients Celebrity Chef Wine Shop Wine Tasting Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 26, 2014 Mohegan Sun’s annual WineFest is my Super Bowl. Before the big game, football aficionados took to twitter in anticipation of the showdown. I, too, waged a full out blitz on social media- enthusiastically counting down til I could try some great wines and see my favorite chefs back in action! For the Super Bowl, avid fans suited up in team apparel and NFL jerseys. I also donned some fancy getup; my yearly uniform is a pink shirt bedazzled with “Wine Diva” and a sparkly headband. Some people love calfskin; I love food, wine, and fun. From the moment I entered the Convention Center, it was apparent that this year’s festival was bigger than ever. Media members are granted an additional hour to peruse the venue. Last year there was a handful of us and it was easy to get a preview of what was to come. This year, however, it seemed that people everywhere were vying to cover the event. Media members were elbow-to-elbow before the doors even opened to the public. It was an extravaganza! The SunWineFest’s signature event is its Grand Tasting, which spans the weekend. Read More
[Live Event] A Taste of Innovation: From Farm to Table Restaurant Farm to Table Amy Kundrat February 24, 2014 Join the Yale Sustainable Food Project for A Taste of Innovation: From Farm to Table, a conversation on innovation in the agricultural value chain. Moderated by Mark Bomford of the Yale Sustainable Food Project, this panel of entrepreneurs and authors will explore some of the ways that we can redesign our current food systems and how to develop the regenerative food systems of tomorrow. The event is free and open to the public, held at Yale School of Management at 165 Whitney Avenue, Room 220, in New Haven, CT. Watch the event live on February 25 at 11:45 am. Speakers include: Joe Dobrow, Author of Natural Prophets: From Health Foods to Whole Foods; Patrick Horan, Waldingfield Farms; Dan Horan, President and CEO of Five Acre Farms; Moderated by Mark Bomford, Director of the Yale Sustainable Food Project. Read More
Kibberia Restaurant Brings Middle Eastern Cuisine to Westport Restaurant Middle Eastern Westport Lunch Sarah Green February 23, 2014 In September, Westport welcomed KIBBERIA Restaurant and Cafe to the Post Road serving traditional Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisine. Kibbe, a Levantine dish made of bulgur, minced onions and ground beef, is a staple in many Middle Eastern kitchens, and KIBBERIA serves KIBBE and an enormous variety of other Middle Eastern dishes, always fresh, always home-made (except for the Pita Bread) and very tasty! You have to excuse the packaging and get right down to the food… Cafeteria style with paper bowls for soup does not scream “GOURMET” by any means. But the food is the thing...and KIBBERIA does not disappoint. Westport is KIBBERIA’s second location (the other has been a huge success in Danbury since 2011) owned by Lebanese-born Nick Iskander and co-owner and head chef Carole Iskander. She is cooking for a packed, Westport crowd every day but Sunday. From moms with kids to business people out for a healthy, quick lunch to vegans to carnivores KIBBERIA provides a healthy, hearty, Middle Eastern meal that suits any palate. Read More
Cocktail Contest: Win Dinner for 2 @ Baró in Fairfield Restaurant Cocktails Recipe CTbites Team February 22, 2014 WIN a FREE Dinner for two @ Baró New World Cantina in Fairfield. Here's how... It's time for another cocktail throw down! Baró New World Cantina in Fairfield has decided to trust the fate of their new specialty cocktail to the naming skills of our CTbites readers. If your cocktail name is selected, you will win a FREE DINNER FOR TWO at Baró in Fairfield (cocktails included). Here are the ingredients for the cocktail in need of a name: 1.75 ounce Flor de Cana 7-Yr1 ounce simple syrup.75 lime juice.5 grapefruit juice Swizzle with crushed ice, top with two dash angostura bitters and Pina leaf. Post your submission below (include email). We welcome input from readers. If you see a name you like...post your vote! May the best namer win!! Good luck. The winner will be announced on March 10th Read More
[Video] Behind the Scenes with Stanziato's c/o Local Food Rocks Restaurant Danbury Pizza Amy Kundrat February 22, 2014 There is a synergy that sets Matt Stanczak's Stanziato's Wood Fired Pizza in Danbury apart. The combination of a chef/owner with a sincere devotion to his craft, a respect for simplicity, a loyalty to local ingredients, and last but certainly not least, Matt's fearless and fun leadership, make the sum of Stanziato's greater than its parts. Local Food Rocks captured the essence of Stanziato's perfectly in this behind-the-scenes video of how they build their fires (Jenga-style), what makes their pies so amazing (slow fermentation, good old Danbury water), and a couple trips to local farms you may recognize. This talented duo behind the blog and RMedia.TV deserves its own shout-out. Alicia (passionate home cook and blogger) and Renato (the man behind the camera and guitar) Ghio are literally a rocking duo. Check them out. If you watch one thing this weekend, make it this. And if you go to Stanziato's, don't miss the soppressata and chilies pizza and pair it with a salad. Read More
Friday Froth: Steam Heat Ingredients Features CT Beer Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon February 21, 2014 The business of craft beer is expanding rapidly. Every Friday Froth column I've ever published on this site has been a celebration of that fact. I - and I'd guess you, if you're reading this - revel in the vast landscape of offerings which slake our thirst, delight our palette, and expand our notions of what beer can be. An article in the March issue of Forbes stated there are over 2,700 craft breweries in the U.S. right now, and the industry is currently worth roughly $100 billion per year. Unfortunately, that's money worth fighting for. Lawyers in the employ of San Francisco-based Anchor Brewing Company have taken legal action against Hartford craft beer touchstone City Steam Brewery over the use of the word "steam." As of this week, I am officially boycotting Anchor beers until they drop this petty lawsuit, and I encourage anyone who cares about the craft beer landscape of Connecticut to do the same. Here's why... Read More
Rincon Taqueria in Norwalk- A Hidden Gem in Plain Sight Restaurant Delicious Dives Norwalk Tacos Mexican Comfort Food Kid Friendly Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 20, 2014 Rincon Taqueria is the epitome of a hidden gem. The exterior is fairly non-descript and the interior is one large, open space, but the food is delicious. As you enter there are tables for twenty patrons to the left and behind these tables is a long glass deli case containing large baskets and bowls filled with several varieties of chili peppers. Along the right wall are three six-foot tall refrigerators with bottles of soda, home-canned items and take-away containers, including homemade apple sauce, beef and vegetable soup, cassoulet with duck and pork, duck confit. Taqueria? The young lady behind the counter asked if I needed assistance. I looked at the wall behind her and saw two large hand-written chalkboard menus with more traditional taqueria fare…Huevas Rancheros, Burritos, Chilaquiles, Tacos, Empanadas, Tamales and a Chicken Quesadilla. I ordered a trio of tacos…a fried fish, a beef and a pork. As it turns out the young lady is one of the owners, Maria Munoz Del Castillo. As I waited, Maria brought a plate of Frijoles con Arroz. In addition to the slightly spicey rice and black beans, the dish contained a few green beans, corn, scallions, diced red onions and cilantro. It was a very pleasant way to wait for my meal. Read More
Muse by Jonathan Cartwright' Debuts at Connecticut's Luxe Mayflower Grace Restaurant Litchfield Douglas P Clement February 18, 2014 “At the Mayflower Inn, reality does not intrude,” our restaurant critic, Elise Maclay, once wrote in Connecticut Magazine.“The doors are firmly shut against it and the staff is skilled at maintaining the illusion that the elegant dining room, the spacious entry hall, the cozy library, comprise your ancestral domain, a country estate that has been in your family for generations." That was many years ago, but memories of how sybaritically satisfying the Mayflower was in its early days, when chef Thomas Moran oversaw the kitchen, pushed to the forefront last Wednesday evening when fortunate members of the media were invited to join some of Litchfield County’s notable residents in celebrating the debut of The Mayflower Grace, the country retreat as restyled by new owner Grace Hotels. The Mayflower Grace a 30-room hotel on 58 acres of gardens and woodlands nestled on a rise in lovely Washington, Conn., retains its “Downton Abbey” appeal as the type of luxury hideaway that has drawn the likes of Bill and Hillary Clinton. Where the recent extensive refurbishment of the Mayflower is most obvious—and the reason folks such as authors Dani Shapiro and Candace Bushnell braved the wintry weather Wednesday—is the creation of Muse by Jonathan Cartwright, the new restaurant that brings with it a much different, sleeker and modern feel, complemented by the cuisine of Cartwright, the native of Sheffield, England, and world-class chef with a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux distinction who offers refined modern European cuisine that incorporates the best of local and seasonal produce. On Wednesday, those qualities, along with Cartwright’s versatility and flair for subtle drama, were evident in the wide range of small-bites offered to guests, most notably in a smoked lobster dish served in a plastic egg-shaped vessel. When you unscrewed the top and lifted it off, a wonderful smoky aroma wafted upwards. The lobster itself was rich, smoky, perfectly cooked and delicious. In addition to new flavors, Muse by Jonathan Cartwright brings a distinctive new look and feel to dining at The Mayflower Grace. Read the full article on ConnecticutMag.com Read More
Morello Italian Bistro in Greenwich: Beautiful Food in an Exquisite Setting Restaurant Greenwich Italian Lunch Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger February 16, 2014 Morello Italian Bistro is architecturally one of the most beautiful restaurants in Connecticut and offers equally fine cuisine. The exquisite interior of the landmark building on Greenwich Avenue was designed by Rafael Guastavino, Jr, whose father invented the golden amber tile vaulting system that grace the pillars, herringbone arches and ceilings. Art adorns the walls, and the soft, hand blown white tear-drop shaped glass chandeliers, descending from the ceiling create a beautifully romantic atmosphere for dinner. As we worked our way through appetizers, pastas, entrees and desserts General Manager Jimmy Branigan, Jr. was the perfect host, stopping by the table on several occasions to explain the composition of many of the courses and offer suggestions from the reasonably priced wine list. While we leisurely perused the menu, we enjoyed the “Prosciutto & Parmesan Fritters.” The large fritters delivered complementary textures and flavors. The crisp exterior was offset by the marvelously smooth interior, which presented a delicious combination of prosciutto and Fontina cheese. The dish was finished with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese which added the perfect level of saltiness to the fried exterior. An order or two for the table is an excellent way to start the meal. Read More
Homemade Apple Fashioned Cocktail Recipe via Luxe Wine Bar Ingredients Features Cocktails Entertaining Recipe Jeff Marron February 12, 2014 Living in Connecticut, we are spoiled by the abundance of apples that are fresh out of the neighboring orchards. If you didn't make it out this past Fall to pick your own apples at Beardsley’s Cider Mill in Shelton or Silverman’s Farm on Sport Hill Road in Easton, you need to put that on your agenda next season. It’s fun for the whole family. If the crowds aren’t your thing, and you want a real farm experience, then definitely go buy local apples from Sport Hill Farm, just passed Silverman’s on the right heading north on Rt59. To enjoy your local fruit and vegetables over the winter months, you need to preserve them. This can be accomplished in any number of methods. Some people like to pickle their vegetables while others may turn the fruit into spreads and jams. I like to use my fruit to make syrups for cocktails. My Apple Cordial recipe has to be one of my favorites to make and to drink. Although it takes several days to make the syrup, it’s not a laborious task at all. In execution, however, this cocktail is definitely a labor of love. The good news is that once all the prep is complete and it’s in your glass, you’ll realize that your efforts were worth it. It’s delicious. Another great alternative is to visit me at Luxe Wine Bar in Westport, where I will be happy to make one especially for you. The apple bitters and apple brandy can be purchased at Saugatuck Grain & Grape, also in Westport. Read More
CM Gourmet Market Brings Casual Sophistication to Daytime Dining in Westport Restaurant Specialty Market Deanna Foster February 09, 2014 For years, Michelle Weber has fulfilled the artisan chocolate needs of the Westport community. Now, with the opening of CM Gourmet Bistro in Saugatuck Center, she is filling a chasm in Westport’s otherwise crowded dining scene for full service breakfast and lunch. Thanks to chef Molly Brandt, who shares Michelle’s discerning taste, creativity and attention to detail, CM Gourmet Bistro brings us a menu that is simple yet sophisticated, and just bold enough to separate it from the area’s usual breakfast, lunch and brunch fare. The setting can be described similarly - sophisticated, yet approachable, with white linen napkins on reclaimed wood tables, and chairs covered in signature Cocoa Michelle blue fabric, it’s an equally comfortable setting for a business meeting, lunch with friends, or brunch with the family. Read More
