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Filtering by Tag: Farm Fresh,Peruvian

Stepney Kitchen: Creative Farm-To-Table Fare

Restaurant Farmers Market Local Artisan Monroe Farm Fresh

Multiple Eaters

Amy Kundrat on Stepney Kitchen

Chef Jason Hall spends each Tuesday driving from farm to farm in and around Northern Fairfield County looking for the bounty that will fill his menu at Stepney Kitchen. Located strategically at the intersection of Rt. 59 and Rt. 25 in Monroe, CT, Stepney Kitchen is in the epicenter of what may be some of Fairfield County's most bucolic and farm-dense townships.  The neighboring towns of Easton, Newtown, Oxford and Shelton enjoy a deep agricultural heritage that is being honored today by dedicated farmers and chefs such as Jason Hall at Stepney Kitchen. 

On a recent evening, the kitchen was bursting with rhubarb as it enjoys its seasonal peak, arugula, ripe and delicious strawberries and piles of garlic scapes.  In fact, after my meal Chef Hall sent me packing with my very own bag of garlic scapes. "Right now we are getting lots of beautiful late spring items like sugar snap peas, really nice lettuces, baby vegetables like turnips, squash blossoms and we are running through the end of a very prolific strawberry season- the strawberry gazpacho w/ fennel and grilled shrimp has been a staple item for the last couple of weeks," said Chef Hall.


Beach Street Sandwiches: Celebrity Chef on Wheels

Restaurant Catering Farm Fresh Lunch

Stephanie Webster

On June 19th, BEACH STREET SANDWICHES, the Shoreline’s first gourmet sandwiches truck, operated by Chef Gregory McCarty, ex- Nobu and Jean Georges Chef, opens for business during Madison CT's Flea Market on the Green. 

Beach Street Sandwiches is Chef Gregory McCarty’s latest project, a shop on wheels serving sandwiches, because everything is better on bread." The chef is best known for his menu development and execution at Nobu 57 and Jean Georges Vongerichten’s Bahamian outpost, Dune. 

For the next month, Beach Street Sandwiches will be running truck-less, setting up a table at various shoreline events, the first of which is June 19 ’s Madison Lions Club Flea Market, taking place from 9am-3pm on the Madison Green.


Cooking w/ Match Restaurant's Matt Storch

Features Chef Talk Cooking Classes Norwalk Recipe Farm Fresh

Amy Kundrat

The home cook versus a trained chef. There are thousands of reasons that separate these two knife-wielding gourmands in the kitchen. And I'm not even talking about dicing technique, the battle scarred hands or the colorful vocabulary. I'm thinking more about the dozens of small things that only chefs can learn from years spent in kitchens developing and preparing dishes hundreds of times under the pressure of executing them perfectly for customers, that forces insight and knowledge. 

The Clarke Culinary Center in Norwalk is giving us entree into the world of the trained chef, allowing voyeuristic home cooks throughout southern Connecticut the chance to watch, smell, taste and touch alongside some of the best chefs in the area. This series launched in September 2009 and features some of the most talented and well-known chefs in our area including Matt Storch of Match in Norwalk;


What's Fresh @ The Westport Farmers Market

Ingredients Features Ask Chef Nicole Farmers Market Openings Recipe Farm Fresh

Stephanie Webster

Chef Nicole and I have been eagerly awaiting the opening of the Westport Farmers Market all Winter, and finally the day had arrived. The weather held up, and under the new leadership of Market Director Lori Cochran, we were delighted to see some exciting new vendors in the mix. Chef Nicole made the rounds looking for ingredients for a Memorial Day market fresh lunch, and while gathering the goods we chatted with a few of the vendors who made this menu possible.

Check out the video to hear about a new sustainable coffee roaster, buying your milk straight from the cow, backyard chickens, and a great reason to clean out your pantry every Thursday.

Here are Chef Nicole's recipes from the market:


Westport Farmers Market: Guest Chef Lineup

Ingredients Farmers Market Openings Organic Farm Fresh

Stephanie Webster

You've waited all Winter. You've been patient. You've eaten produce flown in from countries far away, and had daydreams involving fresh blueberries. But now, your wait is over. It's time to rejoice with fresh local farm fare. The Farmers Markets are back in session!

Throughout the season, we will bring you coverage from Farmers Markets around Fairfield County, but we wanted to make you aware of an exciting culinary opportunity that can only be found at The Westport Farmers Market this Summer. Under the new leadership of "market master" Lori Cochran Dougall, this year's great roundup of 30 farms and vendors will be accompanied by a weekly "Guest Chef," and wait till you see the lineup. Mark your calendars people. 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 adjacent to the Women’s Club through mid November. For more information about opening dates and vendors at the Farmers Markets near you, check out The Fairfield Green Food Guide. 

Read on for the complete Guest Chef Program Schedule:


Whole Foods Market Opens in Darien

Ingredients Openings Organic Special Dietary Needs Specialty Market Farm Fresh

CTbites Team

On Monday night, I joined the 1,900 person throng that descended on the new Whole Foods store in Darien for a "Sneak Peak Party."  My two boys and I were treated to dozens of tastings, all from local vendors, that spanned the perimeter of the store, from appetizers to desserts. 

First up was raw oysters, handed over by Captain Northrop, a local aquaculture farmer who informed us that the shellfish were pulled from the water in Westport just an hour-and-a-half ago. They were large, fresh and worthy of any reputable raw bar. Other raw offerings at the store include clams and other oysters, plus tuna, salmon, eel and shrimp sashimi.

We sampled sashimi tuna steak, served Tataki syle with Whole Food's wasabi aioli


Green Gourmet To Go: Healthy Eats in Bridgeport

Ingredients Features Local Farm Organic Special Dietary Needs Vegetarian healthy Farm Fresh

Liz Rueven

If you discover sweet potatoes and spinach in your fudge brownies at Green Gourmet to Go don't be surprised. OK, you can keep that a secret from your kids because the veggies are not detectable in these moist, chocolatey bites or in the Blondies with a sweet potato base.  The chocolate (anti oxidants a plenty!) masks the veggies and you will be better off for having added a few more to your daily intake.  My fave desserts were the peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and the almond oaties.  They tasted most like what I would expect (read: crave) from a cookie. Imagine eating your veggies in your dessert!  I didn't mean to jump to the end first but I was so enthralled by the ingredients list that I did exactly that!

Linda Soper-Kolton has been open in Black Rock for only 5 weeks but she is well on her way to establishing herself as a resource for healthy meals and nutrient dense foods.


Re-creating leFarm's Golden Beet Salad w/ Lentils & Feta

Features Vegetarian Recipe Farm Fresh

Lauren fister

I came across this post from a local blogger, Lauren Fister of chatNchow.com. The words "excellent dinner at leFarm" caught my eye, and I read on to find out that Lauren and I shared a common obsession with a new appetizer featured on leFarm's menu, the Beet & Lentil Salad.  In fact, she liked it so much, she went home and tried to re-create the dish in her own kitchen. From the looks of it, she did a pretty good job. Mind you, we're not promising Bill Taibe here, but check out her recipe for a delicious Golden Beet Salad (Nature's Candy) With Lentils & Feta.

Golden Beet Salad (Nature's Candy) With Lentils & Feta


GourMom's Homemade Organic Salsa & Simmer Sauce

Ingredients Organic Specialty Market Recipe Farm Fresh Kid Friendly

Liz Rueven

Sarah Galluzzo  waits with great anticipation for the ground to thaw and the spring to arrive in CT. OK,  we are all yearning for spring.... but her product depends on it! GourMom's  USDA certified organic salsa and simmer sauce is her scrumptious creation.  She is committed to using LOCAL and CERTIFIED ORGANIC ingredients for this chunky, choc full o'flavor salsa.  As a salsa enthusiast,  I was enthralled by her story and her product. We chatted at the Pantry in Fairfield, one of her retail outlets,  and she explained about the launching of this super local, super delicious product. Her excitement was contagious as she shared her story.

In 2008 Galuzzo decided to get serious about selling her salsa and test the market.  She had been dubbed "GourMom" by friends and family


Behind the Scenes @ Napa & Co: Iron Chef Mushrooms

Restaurant Stamford Recipe Farm Fresh

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

Napa & Company in Stamford, one of the elite restaurants in Connecticut, was founded several years ago and immediately created a frenzy of activity along Summer Street. Proprietors, Mary Schaeffer and Charles Morgan, have been fixtures within the high-end Stamford restaurant scene for many years and have raised the culinary bar in Fairfield County. They are known for their menu's dedicated farm-to-table approach with a focus on locally sourced seasonal ingredients, and an outstanding wine list. 

The kitchen is presided over by the very talented  Executive Chef Arik Bensimon, whose youth belies his extensive experience.  Raised in a restaurant family, he began cooking at the age of 14. After graduating from the CIA he worked at top NYC dining establishments including Le Cirque and Picholine. Chef Arik's unique ability to stay calm and focused sets the tone for this uncharacteristically non-frenetic commercial kitchen, and allows his efficient and friendly kitchen staff to produce an incredible array of inspired creations. 

In thinking how to best present the well established Napa & Company to the CTbites community, we asked if we could combine an “Iron Chef” single ingredient concept with a trip behind the scenes to watch Chef Arik in action. Chef Arik was quick to accept our challenge (which included my assisting in the kitchen). And now, Napa & Company meets Iron Chef…MUSHROOMS!!!


A Guide to Fairfield County 2010 CSAs

Ingredients Features Delivery Service Local Farm Organic healthy Farm Fresh

CTbites Team

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a means for consumers to buy a share in a farm's seasonal production directly from the farmer. Consumers benefit from buying local, farm fresh, high quality produce at an attractive price and farmers benefit from pre-selling the harvest. It’s a clear win-win. CSA members typically pick up their weekly shares at the farm or a location in their community, but a new CSA option is delivered to your door! Community pick up locations generally involve a small volunteer commitment, perhaps two hours per season, during which the site is readied and broken down for weekly share distribution. CSA membership is not for everyone because in such a partnership arrangement, the consumer shares both the bounty of the farm's harvest and some of the risks inherent in farming.

We have lost so much farmland in Connecticut that less than one percent of our residents earn a living by farming. Eat well, support your local farmer and do your bit to preserve farmland by buying a CSA share in one of our precious organic or IPM (Integrated Pest Management) farms.

Back in January I announced that it was CSA registration month and shared that two organic farms were expanding and had opened their lists to new CSA families: Sport Hill Farm in Easton and The Hickories in Ridgefield. The CSAs from these two farms quickly sold out. The good news is that there are still a few CSAs open for new subscribers, but you should act quickly if you want to secure a share.


Raising The Bar On Eating Locally...Don't Miss FRESH

Features Education Events Going Green Farm Fresh

CTbites Team

Analiese Paik is the Founder and Editor of The Fairfield Green Food Guide. She is devoted to raising awareness for eating locally and incorporating sustainable food into your family's daily routine. Analiese organized a sold out screening of the documentary FRESH last August. If you missed it, on February 27th, you have a second chance to see this film. Details are below: 

You are invited to a very special screening of the documentary food film FRESH on Saturday, February 27 from 2:00-4:30 pm at Audubon Greenwich. Immediately following the film, a panel of prominent members of the local/sustainable food movement will discuss the critical role we each play in supporting local farms and creating a local market for sustainable products and offer practical ideas about small but important steps we can take to join and strengthen this grass roots movement. Please join us afterwards for complimentary organic wine and local cheese in the exhibition area. A special educational program for children ages 5 and up is being offered free of charge so the whole family can enjoy an afternoon at the beautiful venue.


Farmer's Cow Ice Cream Naming Contest

Kids Bites Organic Farm Fresh Dessert

Stephanie Webster

We found this little info morsel over at The Fairfield Green Food Guide. All of you aspiring branding gurus, young and old...get to work. 

The Farmer’s Cow is holding an Ice Cream Naming Contest for their 10 new flavors starting February 1 so start thinking of names! For those unfamiliar with this local brand, The Farmer’s Cow is a cooperative of six family-owned CT farms that supplies milk to retailers throughout Connecticut and parts of New York and Massachusetts. 

Contest Rules:

You may enter up to 10 names, one per flavor, making sure that the names reflect something about farming and the benefits of local agriculture. Entries will be accepted online from 12:01 a.m. February 1, 2010. through midnight on February 14, 2010.

Ice cream flavors are: Vanilla, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry. Cookies & Cream, Black Rasberry, Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Cup, Cherry Vanilla, and Coffee.

One lucky entrant will receive a summer’s supply of ice cream from Memorial Day 2010 until Labor Day 2010.


Health in a Hurry: Fast Food That's Good for You

Features Restaurant Fairfield Organic Special Dietary Needs Vegetarian healthy Farm Fresh

Liz Rueven

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.


Fairfield Cheese Company: Cheese 101

Ingredients Features Catering Education Fairfield Specialty Market Farm Fresh

Stephanie Webster

Have you ever walked into a cheese shop, and been utterly confused by the array of choices in front of you? For those of you who just nodded your heads, let me introduce you to Fairfield Cheese Company. Their bright beautiful retail space, right next door to Harry's Wine and Liquors, serves as a canvas for carefully chosen specialty foods and an impeccable selection of artisinal and locally produced farmstead cheeses. When Laura Downey and Christopher Palumbo opened their doors in May of 2009, they did so with a purposeful dedication to demystifying the daunting process of buying cheese and introducing their customers to the range and craftsmanship of artisan cheeses. "Cheese stores can be intimidating. We wanted to take away the mystique….It's not rocket science" says Laura. 

Shopping Guide: Green Foodie Finds for the Holidays

Ingredients Fairfield Holiday Westport New Canaan Farm Fresh

CTbites Team

Analiese Paik, Founder of the Fairfield Green Food Guide is constantly scouring the farm stands and markets of Fairfield County for great green foodie finds. She has come up with a list of wonderful local products just right for the holidays. Happy shopping!  

Holy smoke!: The Willie Bird whole smoked turkey, formerly available exclusively through Williams-Sonoma’s catalog, is now available at Palmer’s Market in Darien. You can thank Richard the butcher for bringing in this famous all-natural, vegetarian fed bird from Sonoma, CA to grace your holiday table. Save yourself the shipping and head to Palmer’s Market at 264 Heights Road in Darien, just off exit 10 on I95 across from the Noroton Heights train station. They also have fresh Long Island duck!


GreenChic Recipe: Green Goddess Salsa

Features healthy Recipe Farm Fresh

Jennifer Spaide

Jennifer Spaide is the Founder of Greenchic.com, and is dedicated to educating and inspiring individuals to lead healthy lives, starting with what they eat. She lives in New Canaan and is a registered nutritionist, cook, mom, and foodie. 

This recipe was developed for one of my readers who was looking for a healthy salsa to serve at a party..."something a little green." I was so pleased she had made the request because this Green Goddess Salsa has become one of my staples. It is packed with healthy ingredients and is amazingly nutritious. It also has a clean, fresh flavor that is perfect with homemade tortilla chips, with eggs in the morning, or served with grilled meats. 

Green Goddess Salsa