July 4th Strawberry S'mores Kits c/o Peace Tree Desserts Ingredients kids activity Kid Friendly Dessert Stephanie Webster June 28, 2011 July 4th just got sweeter. Peace Tree Desserts is serving up Sustainable Seasonal Strawberry S'mores this 4th of July. For those of you who have sampled their Classic Chocolate S'mores c/o Skinny Pines Pizza at your local farmers' market, you know Peace Tree does a s'more justice. These S'mores Kits are ideal hostess gifts or one stop shopping for a high end night by the campfire. The S'mores Kit is handcrafted in small batches with local and organic ingredients, and includes homemade graham crackers made with local honey and Wild Hive Farm's organic whole wheat flour, strawberry marshmallows made with local strawberries, and Taza's organic stone-ground chocolate. Each kit makes 6 s'mores. If this doesn't make you hungry, check out their S'mores Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOg5SxBKolo Read More
Tasting & Preview: "El Bulli: Cooking in Progress" @ Avon Events Stephanie Webster June 28, 2011 On Wednesday, July 13 at - 7:30 p.m. The Avon Theatre presents DOCUMENTARY NIGHT: A special SNEAK PREVIEW of "El Bulli: Cooking In Progress," co-promoted by Barcelona Restaurant & Wine Bar. There will be a post-film Q&A with Adam Halberg,, Culinary Director of the Barcelona Restaurant Group. Plus....Enjoy a FREE Spanish tapas tasting after the screening courtesy of Barcelona! ABOUT THE FILM: El Bulli has been called the best restaurant in the world and Ferran Adrià, its creator, deemed a brilliant innovator, the father of molecular gastronomy, or sometimes just a crazy chef. The restaurant, located outside of Barcelona, closes each year for 6 months, as Adrià and staff sequester themselves to concentrate on creating the new culinary wonders that will become their next 30-course menu. Read More
Fairfield County Reports: The El Bulli Experience Restaurant Road Trip Multiple Eaters June 28, 2011 Poised to close at the end of the season, El Bulli has been fielding millions of reservation requests for the relative few coveted tables that remain to experience Chef Ferran Adria's operatic meals in Roses, Spain. This mecca for molecular gastronomy has been in the sights of two regular CTbites readers, a professional chef, Matt Storch of Match Restaurant in Sono, and a professional eater, Chris Grimm, who recently visited El Bulli and have graciously shared their experiences with us. Read More
Brunch @ Bartaco in Port Chester Restaurant Brunch Port Chester Mexican Breakfast Amy Kundrat June 26, 2011 Thanks to Bartaco, your brunch options just got a whole lot more interesting. Lazy weekends, newsprint-stained hands, Bloody Marys and now tacos are firmly in the domain of this weekend morning ritual. The popular Port Chester taco joint owned by the Barcelona Group, has recently unleashed a brunch menu for Saturdays and Sundays that is a fitting extension of the brand’s signature breezy Mexican beach food. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this scene, think Mexican street food influenced by the tides (and an enviable location on the Byram River) with a backdrop fit for a Hampton's weekend of beach-going and people watching minus the traffic on the LIE. Read More
Douro: Portugese-Mediterranean in Greenwich Restaurant Greenwich Mediterranean Portuguese Lunch Latin American Leticia Schwartz June 23, 2011 Greenwich: just say that word and you can see fancy convertibles cars slowly driving through the Avenue, white gloved policeman directing traffic, and people carrying shopping bags awaiting for a whistle command to cross the streets. On and surrounding this fashionable Avenue, you will also see lots of eateries, among them Douro, a Portuguese inspired restaurant that opened doors in September of 2009. With its typical blue tile sign outside the entrance, terracotta floors, and dark wooden tables, Douro might appear to be just another trendy Greenwich restaurant. Good looking people and a good looking staff fill this charming place. Douro sets its standards and fits its West Putman Avenue location like a glove, but this Portuguese/Mediterranean venue is more than it seems. Read More
Learn To Can w/ Put 'em Up Author @ Sport Hill Farm Ingredients Events Local Artisan Local Farm Stephanie Webster June 23, 2011
"Line Entertainment" @ Pinkberry of Fairfield Restaurant Fairfield kids activity Kid Friendly Dessert Stephanie Webster June 22, 2011
Grilled Tandoori Shrimp w/ Cilantro Lime Yogurt Features BBQ Recipe Indian Nicole Straight June 21, 2011 Chef Nicole is back with some great grilling tips to maximize your summer cooking. This dish was inspired by a trip to Patel Bros, Norwalk's new Indian grocery superstore, and is a delicious and simple dinner or appetizer just perfect for your next BBQ, picnic or beach party. These Grilled Tandoori Shrimp are super quick and can be eaten hot or cold. The Hot Pickled Lime Chutney is seriously addictive. Read More
Rose Wine Tasting @ The Boathouse in Westport Restaurant Wine Chat Wine Dinners Stephanie Webster June 21, 2011 Rose seems to be the buzz word on every wine menu this season. Trendy? Who cares...there are some really great labels out there doing Rose right. You can sample a few of these at The Boathouse on Tuesday the 5th of July at their weekly "Wine on the Water" wine tasting series. Those of you who already drink rose will find exciting new examples of this category and those who don't will be introduced to some truly amazing summer wine. The Wine: The tasting will include a Bandol under the label "Mas de la Roviere", a Cerasoulo under the label "Torre dei Beati", a Provencål called "Le Ferme St Pierre" and a Venetian sparkler by "Le Colture."They will also be throwing in an oddball or two in the mix. Read More
Free BBQ @ Fairway Market as Firefighters Face Off Restaurant BBQ Events Specialty Market Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster June 20, 2011 Come on down to Fairway Market in Stamford to enjoy free BBQ ribs, beef and turkey burgers, music and giveaways on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at noon. In lieu of helmets, hoses, and axes, Fairfield County’s bravest will instead don aprons, barbecue tongs, and basting brushes when they compete in Fairway’s Firefighters Food Face-Off. This grilling “throwdown” will pit firefighters from Stamford, Darien and Ridgefield against one another to prove whose barbecue is best @ the Stamford store location – 699 Canal Street (Rain or Shine). The public is welcome to enjoy free samples of the firefighter’s cuisine, as well as music and giveaways. The firefighters will compete to cook their tastiest ribs, beef burgers and turkey burgers. A panel of judges, Jodi Heilman, of the Stamford Patch Chris Preovolos of the Stamford Advocate, Lou Gorfain of CTbites, Read More
Dine With Design @ The Glass House Recap Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger June 20, 2011 The Dine with Design event at the Philip Johnson House in New Canaan was an amazing food tasting extravaganza for people who enjoy spectacular food and architecture. Nestled amongst the architectural brilliance of the late Philip Johnson Glass House estate, five renowned farm-to table chefs shared their culinary talents with several hundred guests. Read More
Pizzeria Rosso in Norwalk Features Restaurant Bridgeport Delivery Service Norwalk Pizza Amy Kundrat June 19, 2011 At Pizzeria Rosso, it’s a family affair. As chef and partner of Norwalk’s newest take-out pizzeria, Pasquale Pascarella is the driving force behind this old world meets new world approach to pizza. His cousin handles the dough, his mother arrives each morning at 7 a.m. to make the sauce, and Dad shuttles the pies from oven to destinations in Norwalk and just beyond. A veteran chef of Stamford’s Old Saltwater Grille where he remains a partner, Pasquale decided that a take-out pizza business would help him shift his focus and gain control back to what he loves about cooking, both Italian-inspired dishes and traditional Neapolitan pies (he cites San Francisco’s A16 as inspiration) would be a great muse for this transition. Read More
Friday Froth: Gold Diggin' Ingredients Features Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon June 17, 2011 Every once in a while you just have to splurge, and this means different things for different people. For Mikhail Dmitrievitch Prokhorov this means playing underwater polo using solid platinum submarines off the Dalmatian coast, or the Beluga caviar high-dive, but non-oligarchs must find other avenues of diversion. This week we're going to dive into golden luxury like Scrooge McDuck taking a swim. These beers may not be kilt-wearing Scottish royalty like Ola Dubh, Tactical Nuclear Penguin or the clan Bruce, but if they're not members of the country club, they at least lunch there often. Read More
Fine Dining For Less at a Westport Landmark: Da Pietro’s Restaurant French Italian Westport Lunch Robert Zeoli June 17, 2011 Once Le Chambord vacated its location on the Post Road (you have to be a true townie to remember it), Da Pietro’s staked its claim as Westport’s standout “classy joint” from the late 1980s on, and today is like the town’s elder statesman in the restaurant realm. A seamless fusion of French and Italian cuisine, a tour de force of European refinement and classic technique, Chef Pietro Scotti’s repertoire has evolved with the times, but his establishment is still a benchmark of classic fine dining in the area, and he's still in the kitchen. Happening by Riverside Avenue recently you might have seen a chalkboard sign subtly advertising DaPietro’s weekday lunch and dinner prix fixe deals. For real? Yes, $12.00 gets you a two course lunch, three courses for $15.00, and at $33.00 for dinner (drinks excluded), you can enjoy a three course meal and be privy to the chef’s wonderful creations. Read More
Father's Day Lobster Bake @ Nicholas Roberts Stephanie Webster June 16, 2011 If your plans for Father's Day are still up in the air, and you don't have time to organize that cookout, we just got wind of a great way to spend Sunday with dad. If your father/husband/grandfather etc. enjoys his seafood, Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro (Norwalk), is throwing a Lobster Bake on June 19th, and the menu is looking mightly fine. Check out the crustacean laden details below: 1.5lb Steamed Lobster: Yuzu Macadamia Nut Sauce, Thai Red Curry Coconut Broth, Drawn Butter Little Neck Clams, steamed with beer & chorizo Prince Edward Island Mussels, steamed with white wine, garlic & parsley Potato Salad w/ bacon, parsley, capers, mustard vinaigrette Read More
Connie's Cakes of Westport: Nostalgically Delicious Features Stephanie Webster June 16, 2011 David Evans knows a thing or two about coffee cake…and I don't mean those cloying jobs you find at the local deli. We are talking classic Midwest coffee cake, simply baked and conservatively dressed with streusel, but Connie's Cakes are based right here in Westport. David Evans launched this brunch-friendly brand in response to the throngs of people who reminisced about his mother Connie's coveted coffee and carrot cake when she passed away in 2008. In Indianapolis Connie's Cakes were legendary, a sought after nosh at every local event. In his new venture, Dave Evans has brought back a piece of his family, enabling Connie's recipes to live on. Read More
Barnum Hill Farm Meat CSA Now Open to FC Residents Ingredients Local Farm Christy Colasurdo June 16, 2011 Got Meat? Barnum Hill Farm Meat CSA Now Open to Fairfield County Residents Just in time for barbecue season, Barnum Hill Farm (BHF) is offering a limited number of memberships its bi-monthly Meat CSA, exclusively to Fairfield County residents. The Meat CSA brings all-natural, Vermont-raised beef, pork and poultry from a collective of small family farms right to your doorstep. These farms adhere to humane and sustainable practices in a healthy and humane environment, free of antibiotics and without use of artificial growth hormones. The cattle raised for Barnum Hill Farm are pastured outdoors during the seasonal months, where they graze on a steady diet of lush grasses and clover. To ensure the perfect balance of marbling and flavor, cows are finished on a diet of natural grains prior to harvesting. Read More
Thimble Island Oyster CSF for New Haven Ingredients Seafood Amy Kundrat June 15, 2011 This CSA's are for land lubbers only? Think again. The Thimble Island Community Supported Fisheries program is a joint venture between Miya's Sushi Restaurant and Thimble Island Oyster Co. modeled on land-based CSA's. This program is a way for seafood lovers to eat local, help restore the shoreline’s ocean ecosystem, and support local shellfish farmers.This program is designed for New Haven, so it's currently only available for people located in the New Haven-Guilford-Madison. This is admittedly too far for many folks who live and work in Fairfield County but for those of you who work in or around the Elm City, this could work for you. It also begs the question, why not a Fairfield County CSF? Read More
Chef Brian Lewis' elm restaurant Opening in New Canaan Restaurant Farm to Table New Canaan Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger June 15, 2011 This fall, the New Canaan culinary landscape will welcome an exciting addition with the opening of elm, a new restaurant by Chef Brian Lewis. Chef Lewis has cultivated strong relationships with local growers and producers and looks forward to bringing his seasonally inspired, modern American cuisine to New Canaan. Lewis is especially thrilled to be opening his first restaurant in New Canaan, a town where he once lived and was married to his wife Dana. CTBites is proud to announce that over the next few months Chef Lewis and elm will be the subject of an exclusive “Behind the Scenes” series chronicling the various aspects of bringing this much-anticipated restaurant to town including interior renovations and design as well as at-the-farm interviews as Brian visits local area farms in preparation for opening day. Chef Lewis and CTBites are excited to jointly announce this exciting collaboration today on www.elmrestaurant.com and www.ctbites.com Read More
Brazilian Coconut Cake via Chef Leticia Features Brazilian Recipe Dessert Leticia Schwartz June 14, 2011 Chef Leticia Schwartz is the author of The Brazilian Kitchen, the cookbook that made Brazilian cooking accessible to the masses. She is also a Fairfield County resident, and if you have had the opportunity to take one of her cooking classes, you already know that her recipes are worth coveting. In Chef Leticia's blog she posted the original version of this recipe for Toalha Felpuda, a heavenly delicious Coconut Cake from a store in Rio de Janeiro. This recipe can not be found in her cookbook, and it takes this classic cake to a whole other level. Read More
