Entering Health in Hurry in Fairfield is like entering a close friend's kitchen after she has prepared fragrant dishes for you all day. Owner, Sue Cadwell, greets customers while literally standing in the kitchen of her 275 Sq. foot storefront tucked away off the Post Road. There is nothing but a short counter to separate you from the simmering pots and a couple of dedicated cooks chopping and packing healthful, mightily flavored dishes to go. Sue's philosophy is simple. She provides a welcome alternative to fast-food for busy people using organic, whole foods, seasonal produce and ethnic flavors from around the world.
What she does in this tiny kitchen is remarkable, and even while working she is always ready to pause and greet her customers with a welcoming smile and a hug. She will ask if it is your first time there and gladly explain as much or as little as you would like to hear about each dish and its ingredients. Food allergies? Food sensitivities? No problem. Sue caters to all dietary needs and to her loyal following. This may be a small, intimate operation, but Heath in a Hurry has a big heart and big intentions.
Photos c/o Ekonk Hill Turkey FarmAnaliese Paik, Founder of theFairfield Green Food Guidehas compiled this exhaustive shopping guide to purchasing your free-range, organic, all natural Thanksgiving turkey. Everything you need to know about where to find the centerpiece of your holiday is here.
There is no better time to aim high for superior freshness and quality in our food than when we’re playing hostess to friends and family at Thanksgiving. All eyes are sure to be on the turkey so now is the perfect time to check that most important food purchase off our to do list. If you’re like me, you are also thinking about where and how the turkey was raised and what it was fed. Well, you are in luck because there are many excellent choices of all natural, free-range, organic, and kosher turkeys available in local stores. If you are looking for extremely rare locally-grown organic Heritage Turkeys, they are available for home delivery. Choosing Heritage Breeds, which have been passed down from generation to generation because they taste good, helps preserve genetic diversity as well as American culinary traditions. Please note that the most coveted birds sell out fast.
Here is a complete guide to buying your Thanksgiving turkey with brands from your local Fairfield County markets.
I know what you’re thinking...why is CTBites reviewing The Dressing Room? Isn't it the most reviewed restaurant in Fairfield County? Haven't we heard it all before? Think again. The Dressing Room has long been the go-to spot for a glass of wine or pre-theater meal, but it seems that Chef/Owner Michel Nischan and Executive Chef John Holzwarth have recently made some changes to their "Homegrown" repertoire.
I re-visited The Dressing Room recently at a friend's suggestion to try their new “American Tapas” menu. Just back from vacation on Cape Cod, and feeling the after-effects of the every day, all-fried seafood diet (ok, fine... there was the daily ice cream cone too), I was in dire need of a healthy veggie fix. My friend assured me that with the newly invigorated menu, I would not be disappointed... and I was not. In fact, I was blown away.
What would you say if you could support Connecticut farmers and small business entrepreneurs, reduce your carbon footprint and enjoy a wide variety of locally grown, farm fresh food with just a few clicks of your mouse? “Bring it on!” comes to mind.
Which is just what I did when I heard aboutCT Farm Fresh Express. This wonderful service recently arrived in Fairfield County, bringing Connecticut grown produce, meat, dairy, baked goods and other products right to your front door.
Now, you can leave the shopping and the driving to Deb Marsden, who began her service, CTFFE, in February ’08
Sometimes as Fairfield County residents, it is easy to get wrapped up in the daily suburban grind, a world of strip malls and meals on the go. Given all the white noise of routine life, it is nice to occasionally escape from the carpools and commuting…andhead to the farm. With its open space, beauty, and serenity, you can be transported...nourished. Many of us journey to the fields as an annual Fall ritual to pick pumpkins and apples, drink cider, or get lost in a hay maze, but the beautiful farms of rural CT can offer much more than just kid-friendly fun.
Last week I attended a "Meet Me at the Farm" lunch on the Sport Hill Farm in Easton.
Dinners at the Farm has hosted its final meal for the season, but for those of you who missed out of this exceptional dining event, make sure you make this a priority for next summer. If you didn't read our post on this last spring, Dinners at the Farm is a series of dinners hosted on farms throughout CT, using ingredients that are produced locally, and benefiting organizations that support our local farming community.
I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about driving an hour and a half in the rain to The Old Maids Farm in South Glastonbury to eat dinner in a possibly mosquito laden field. But despite Dinners at the Farm's rustic backdrop, the dining experience was a perfectly run 5 star culinary affair. From the first corn fritter and warm spiced whiskey sour cider, passed as the sun was setting, to the magic of the beautiful candle-lit tent with its white clothed communal tables..it was a perfect evening.
A few years ago, I tasted yogurt on the Greek island of Paros and it changed my life. Well, maybe not my life, but definitely my mornings. I now start every morning with a bowl of greek yogurt topped with fruit and granola. It’s routine, but never boring and it satisfies my subconscious craving to be back in Greece. I’ve enjoyed Fage, which is also made in Greece, is thick, creamy and has a slight sweetness to its tang. Trader Joe’s makes a Greek-style yogurt, and I give him points for trying, but his is farther removed from the real deal. I thought I was happy alternating between these two brands until I recently tasted Beltane Farm Goat Milk Yogurt, which is delicious and with just a little imagination nearly transported me back to Paros.
Natalia working her magic behind the counterWith more stores and restaurants evaporating around me every day, I live in fear of the Organic Market closing its doors.Not that there are any known plans or rumors of this, but I would have to pick up and move to Berkeley… or beg and plead with Maggie – the owner and food genius, as far as I’m concerned – to come home and cook for me.She could name her price.And I would just as soon give up my car, a limb, or possibly one of my children before living without her irresistible fare.
Entering Health in Hurry in Fairfield is like entering a close friend's kitchen after she has prepared fragrant dishes for you all day. Owner, Sue Cadwell, greets customers while literally standing in the kitchen of her 275 Sq. foot storefront tucked away off the Post Road. There is nothing but a short counter to separate you from the simmering pots and a couple of dedicated cooks chopping and packing healthful, mightily flavored dishes to go. Sue's philosophy is simple. She provides a welcome alternative to fast-food for busy people using organic, whole foods, seasonal produce and ethnic flavors from around the world. 
