Sweet Stuff: Halloween Candy Bark Kids Bites Features Holiday kids activity Recipe Kid Friendly Dessert Nicole Straight October 21, 2010 My girlfriend and I were thumbing through our monthly cooking mags and we both noticed the cover picture of a very decadent looking Halloween themed candy bark. I thought, “ this looks like fun, but I can do better than that!” So off I went to our local grocery store that is stocked with bins of interesting looking sweets and nuts. 10 mini bags later, here’s what I came up with! Alas, it's not healthy, but Halloween only comes once a year, and it's a great activity for a kids Halloween party. The making is (almost) the best part of this recipe! Halloween Candy Bark for Kids Read More
Sport Hill Farm: Caring for the Land & the Community Ingredients Kids Bites Easton Local Artisan Local Farm Organic Farm Fresh Jessica Ryan October 21, 2010 Sustainable, seasonal, local, organic, and green might be popular phrases these days among the media and the masses, but to those who truly care about where their food comes from, whether they contain pesticides and want to support their communities, these are very powerful words indeed. By buying locally, seasonally and organically, the consumer never has to worry about food recalls. More importantly, the consumers know not only where their food comes from, but get to know their farmers by name. These are the people who also truly care about the future of their children and of children for generations to come… These are the people who truly care about preserving the world around them. Patti Popp of Sport Hill Farm is just this type of person. Read More
Thai Coconut Curry Lentil Soup c/o Healthy Living Blog Features Asian Soups Thai Recipe Comfort Food CTbites Team October 20, 2010 Jeanette Chen is a resident of New Canaan. Her Healthy Living Blog is dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle through good nutrition. Lately, I've been craving both Thai coconut curry soup and lentil soup. Perhaps, it's because I wanted to relive the heady bowl of Thai Coconut Curry Noodle Soup I had for lunch last week when it was wet and dank outside. There is something warming and completely comforting about spicy Asian noodle soups. Thick lentil soups have also been on my mind, as it's getting cooler out, calling for heartier fare. These two comfort foods inspired me to come up with a recipe for Thai Coconut Curry Lentil soup. Read More
Reheated: This Week's Top Food News in CT & Beyond Amy Kundrat October 19, 2010 Reheated is a weekly round-up of bite-sized food news in Connecticut and beyond. In Connecticut... Tasti D-lite opens Oct 20 in Fairfield at 1201 Kings Highway in Staples Plaza [p.s. CTbites readers get a FREE topping during the month of October]. Info CTbites. Attention NYC transplants living in Stamford: Fairway will open on November 3! A bake sale fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society on behalf of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Oct 20 at 535 Connecticut Ave in Norwalk. Stew Leonards will be hosting SIP & TWIT on Friday, Oct. 22, a wine tasting combining traditional tastings with social media at 3 Stew Leonard’s Wines locations beginning Friday, Oct 22. Info StewLeonards.com. Buy tickets now for a chef event featuring Barcelona's Christian Petroni, Match's Matt Storch, Manolo's Pedro Garzon, Capital Grille's Matthew Schmalle and Robin Selden of Marcia Selden Catering with Padma Lakshmi as a special guest judge on Oct. 28. Part tasting, fundraiser and trunk sale of Lakshmi's jewelry collection hosted by Cottages & Gardens. RSVP 203.227.1400. ....and beyond. Read More
Hartford Baking Company Restaurant Bakery Coffee West Hartford Breakfast Dessert CTbites Team October 18, 2010 Alicia Fidalgo is the voice behind The Clean Plate Club blog. She shares her time between West Hartford & Boston. On a chilly Sunday morning I recently had the pleasure of visiting Hartford Baking Company in West Hartford, CT. Located in a strip of shops on New Park Avenue, the bakery's interior juxtaposes the cozy comfort of a local bake-shop with urban-inspired industrial design. Baked goods run the gamut from sweet to savory: muffins, sticky buns and scones, as well as beautiful crusty European-style bread. Read More
Bonda Restaurant is Back...Now in Fairfield Restaurant American Fairfield Margie Treisman October 17, 2010 If you liked Bonda at its former Westport/Saugatuck location, you’ll love its new incarnation in Fairfield’s Greenfield Hill (the former home of La Colline Verte and Fraiche). Sure, we miss Abbondanza – owner/chef Jamie Cooper’s former Saugatuck gourmet deli/catering operation and site of the original Bonda. But we’re excited he’s now focused on the restaurant and taking it to the next level in this new location. It’s a clean, inviting space, with warm orange walls, fresh white trim, vintage posters and comfortable seating. The small, sixty-seat restaurant was nearly filled to capacity when we visited on an otherwise quiet Tuesday evening in October. For good reason. In fact, for at least three very good reasons. Reason 1: The Bond-alicious food. Inventive yet simple dishes, expertly prepared. Although the menu has a classic American backbone, Jamie treats the world as his pantry. Read More
Reheated: This Week's Top Food News [weekend edition] News Amy Kundrat October 15, 2010 Reheated is a twice-weekly round-up of bite-sized food news in Connecticut and beyond. In Connecticut... Shake Shack will open in Westport in 2011! Info Eater.com The Tokeneke Pumpkin Carnival on Oct 16 in Darien will feature Burger, Shakes and Fries, Heights Pizza and Upper Crust Bagels. This weekend in Greenwich, Buick Food & Wine and Travel + Leisure invites CTbites readers to the event, featuring Chef Marcus Samuelsson. Register here with Registration Code: NY1BUICK Let the battle of FroYo begin. Tasti D-lite opens Oct 20 in Fairfield CTbites.com. A bake sale fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Awareness month, Oct 20 at 535 Connecticut Avenue in Norwalk CT. The 3rd Annual Stamford Charity Chili Cook-off will be held on Sat, October 23 to benefit the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County. Info StamfordNotes.com Don't miss our next CTbites lunch @ Sugar & Olives in Norwalk Oct 26. Info CTbites. Read More
SoNo Chef Shoot-Out Crowns a Winner Ingredients Events Amy Kundrat October 15, 2010 “The secret ingredient is ... ROOT VEGETABLE!” And with that, the first ever iron chef-style competition was kicked off at the Clarke Culinary Center in South Norwalk. The event pitted two of the neighborhood’s most well known chefs, Fritz Knipschildt of Cafe Chocopologie and Knipschildt Chocolatier against Matt Storch, chef and partner at Match who have collectively been serving up some of South Norwalk’s best meals for over 22 years. This event was an unforgettable evening of inventive food, chef personalities and culinary surprises that will stand as one of my favorite food moments this year. Read More
Advertisement: Tasti D-Lite Is Coming to Fairfield! Kids Bites Restaurant Fairfield Kid Friendly Dessert Stephanie Webster October 14, 2010 Good news for Tasti D-Lite fans. Made with natural ingredients, this lower calorie frozen dessert treat is opening its doors in Fairfield CT on October 20th at 1201 King Highway in Fairfield's Staples Plaza. Tasti D Lite has long had a cult following among health-conscious consumers as well as celebrities who line up to enjoy their guilt-free confections. Now Fairfield can enjoy the pleasure of Tasti without the commute, and CTbites readers get a FREE topping during the month of October! The Fairfield store will have nine tables, comfortable couches, and Wi-Fi access. Pair this with 100+ creamy delicious flavors (most of which are gluten free), including Toasted Coconut, Caramel Apple, and Mud Pie…why would you ever leave? Read More
Foxwoods 4th Annual Food & Wine Festival Road Trip Restaurant Events Wine Chat Amy Kundrat October 14, 2010
CTbites Lunch Event: Sugar & Olives Restaurant CTbites Lunch Events Stephanie Webster October 13, 2010 Join us for a spooktacular CTbites Lunch Event @ Sugar & Olives on October 26th. Chef Jennifer Balin is going all "pumpkin" on us with this exciting $20 prix fixe menu (including lobster risotto and a clever twist on the pop tart). Sugar & Olives is known for fresh flavors, locally sourced organic fare, and desserts that are worth the extra gym time...not to mention the beautiful ultra modern lounge-worthy dining space. Check out the menu below: Seatings will be @ 12 & 1PM. Call 203.454.3663 for reservations. Sugar & Olives $20 Prix Fixe Lunch Menu Read More
Reheated: This Week's Top Food News in CT & Beyond News Seafood Dessert Amy Kundrat October 12, 2010 Reheated is a weekly round-up of bite-sized food news in Connecticut and beyond. In Connecticut... Author Coleman Andrews will be speaking in CT Oct 14 @ New Canaan Library & Oct 28 @ Old Greenwich Library. The Pinkberry Opening Party is Oct 14. Info CTbites. Plan ahead for the Tokeneke Pumpkin Carnival is Oct 16 in Darien featuring Burger, Shakes and Fries, Heights Pizza and Upper Crust Bagels. A bake sale fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society CT Chapter on behalf of Breast Cancer Awareness month on Oct 20 at 535 Connecticut Avenue in Norwalk CT. You'll have to look to Stamford for the nearest Cosi, the Darien Cosi location on the Post Road is apparently now closed. ....and beyond. Read More
Ninety+Cellars: Premium Wine for Less Ingredients Features Wine Chat Deanna Foster October 12, 2010 Most of us like name brand products - especially when it comes to food. How often do we drive to different grocery stores to buy our favorite coffee or coveted snack item? Occasionally, I’m tempted to buy a store brand or private label option, attracted by the value and the hope it will taste as good as the name brand I trust, but past disappointments make me skeptical, and more often than not, I move on to the usual suspects to fill my market basket. I admit, my brand loyalties run deep, so I was particularly skeptical when CTbites decided to review 4 bottles of a new discount wine, branded under the label Ninety+Cellars. Yes, images of another Two Buck Chuck sprang to mind, but after our tasting and some research, I am convinced that the Ninety+Cellars is a distinctive label in its own right and it is now available in CT. Read More
Chao Chi: Destination Dining in Northern Fairfield County Restaurant American Newtown Amy Kundrat October 10, 2010 Chao Chi is a collaboration between Elaine Chao, the former restaurant’s owner and Prasad Chirnomula, the new owner and the man behind Thali restaurants. Together they have transformed a former Pan Asian restaurant, into something of a modern American destination for northern Fairfield County, an area better known for farms than fine dining. Read More
$45 Wine Dinner @ The Boathouse for CTbites Only!! Restaurant Events Stephanie Webster October 09, 2010 Due to the great success of our recent lunch @ The Boathouse, Chef John Holzwarth has decided to treat CTbites one more time with a special dinner event featuring South American wine pairings for CTbites readers only! This beautiful 3 course dinner is a great deal at $45 and will be held on Wednesday October 13th and Thursday October 14th. Check out the menu below and grab yourself a seat by calling 203.227.3399 for reservations. CTbites $45 Wine Tasting Dinner Menu Read More
Reheated: This Week's Top Food News [weekend edition] Darien Pizza Farm Fresh Amy Kundrat October 08, 2010 Reheated is a twice-weekly round-up of bite-sized food news in Connecticut and beyond. In Connecticut... It's National Pizza Month. If you're in Fairfield County, check-out this post for the best pies around your neighborhood. The 5th Annual Harvest Tasting Fundraiser held at Equinox Club in Darien on Oct. 9 features over 60 wines. Info NicholasRobertsLtd.com. The Pinkberry Grand Opening Party in Fairfield is just days away on Oct. 14 from 6 to 9 pm. Info CTbites.com. Plan ahead for the Tokeneke Pumpkin Carnival is Oct 16 in Darien featuring Burger, Shakes and Fries, Heights Pizza and Upper Crust Bagels. Info Patch.com. A few days remain to take advantage of CT Restaurant Week, a few places in Fairfield County and many more options towards New Haven & Hartford. Participating restaurants at CTRestaurant.org. ....and beyond. Read More
RAUS: Coffee for Humanity Ingredients Coffee Tea And Coffee Jessica Ryan October 08, 2010 I was greeted by Donny Raus of RAUS Coffee at his home in Stamford, CT with a freshly brewed (French Press) cup of coffee waiting for me. This coffee, roasted in his own roaster, was so good it needed neither milk nor sugar. (I usually take both.) As I sipped my hot, smooth and bold cup of coffee I learned about the young man, his passion, and I scored some great tips for getting the best possible cup of coffee in your house (Check out Coffee 101 Tips below). Read More
Skillet Eggs & Potatoes from "The Parsley Thief" Kids Bites Features Recipe Breakfast Kid Friendly katie vitucci October 07, 2010 Katie Vitucci is a Norwalk resident and the Founder of The Parsley Thief, a blog about food and family. When I was a child, my grandmother's fried potatoes were one of my most favorite things in the world. She cooked them in a cast iron skillet, with nothing else but some oil, until they were perfectly crisped. Then, she would fry an egg on top. Whenever I wasn't feeling well, this is what she would make me...the ultimate comfort food. I recently made some for my kids. They are not potato fans...but, they do like french fries & these are so crispy, they don't taste like typical home fries, which sometimes have a mushy texture. They taste like french fries. They loved them!! So, this has become one of our "Breakfast for Dinner" options. This dish can be modified to suit your taste. Add some garlic, onion, bell or hot peppers...anything. I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet, as it does such a great job of browning the potatoes. Skillet Eggs & Potatoes Read More
This Week In Wine: Dierberg Chardonnay Ingredients Features This Week In Wine Kathleen Hall October 06, 2010 The Dierberg winery is located in the Santa Maria Valley, the northern-most wine appellation in Santa Barbara County in Central California. The Valley tends to be cool and foggy with breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean, resulting in a gentle ripening of the grapes. Fermenting the wine in larger oak barrels – as opposed to smaller oak barriques -- enables the wood flavors to become well-integrated without becoming heavy-handed. Dierberg Chardonnay is a perfect example of the shift in California winemaking towards a more restrained use of oak in Chardonnay. Flavors of golden pear, lemon custard, vanilla and warm spices. Read More
Pinkberry Grand Opening Party Kids Bites Restaurant Events Fairfield Kid Friendly Dessert Stephanie Webster October 06, 2010
