The past few years have seen a spike in the amount and popularity of Farmers’ Markets, and the New Canaan Farmers' Market is no exception. Every Saturday morning from May through November vendors and townspeople crowd into (and around) the Municipal Parking Lot across from the town library. They come here to shop for local produce, pick up breakfast or lunch, and mingle with family, friends, acquaintances and strangers. The market is still small compared to others in the area, but the number of vendors and buzz around it is on the rise as more and more people seek quality, fresh food and want to know where it comes from.
As the July sun softened beneath the vineyard, diners gathered in Simsbury on Thursday night to enjoy another Chef to Farm dinner atRosedale Farms, in partnership with Max Restaurant Group. Now in its third season, Chef Scott Miller and the Max Chef to Farm team will delight diners with a truly local menu for another six Thursday evenings through October. View photo gallery here.
Each three-hour feast begins with a wine tasting reception featuring Rosedale wines. After the reception, stroll through the vineyard or take a hayride to an elegant tent filled with lights and music, set peacefully between the vineyard and the cornstalks. Past events have featured Bombster Bros. seafood from Stonington, pork belly from Rowland Farms in Oxford, and vegetables sourced right from Rosedale Farm. Guests enjoy four- to six- courses of local, seasonal ingredients, designed to highlight the best available that day.
Artisan, a "farm to table New England-inspired" restaurant opens tonight, July 13, 2011 at the Delamar Hotel in Southport, CT.
“We wanted Artisan to feel comfortable, as if you have been invited to enjoy a weekend in the country,” says Chef Kieffer, a native of Paris and resident of Fairfield County. “And we want the food to match the feel of the restaurant; a place that is casual and very comfortable yet that also reflects quality and excellence.”
Previewing the space during an opening party is a biased occasion, admittedly, but it’s also one of the best ways to understand intentions as well as gauge reactions. Dining experience non-withstanding, mission accomplished Artisan.
The Westport Farmers’ Market opened today with a celebratory vibe as late spring temps finally pushed into the low 80’s and bright sun pushed through the early morning fog. More than 30 vendors set up under their tents, arranging heaping towers of local produce and lovingly prepared food product as shoppers streamed in to resume their Thursday routines of shopping, eating, and shmoozing at this one stop al fresco mecca. Westport’s market, winner of BEST FARMERS’ MARKET for the third consecutive year in the annual BEST OF THE GOLD COAST AWARDS, has embarked on its sixth season with stricter guidelines imposed on market vendors. Lori Cochran Dougall, Market Manager, has developed 12 guidelines that must be met by both farmers and small food producers. These guidelines are accepted by all vendors and make the mission of this market clear: all edibles must be local, sustainable and healthy. What does this mean for shoppers?
Enjoy a bit of the Berkshires in our own backyard at the "Sunset Picnic on the Hill" @ Ambler Farm. Spread out your picnic blanket on the hill a la Tanglewood or join your friends under the tent for farm-fresh fare and live music as the sun sets over Ambler Farm.
The evening will kick off with a champagne greeting complemented by local artisanal food prepared by A Delicious Affair and homemade desserts. Celebrate our local harvest with the tasty menu below.
Woodsy, flowery and herbal scents wafted towards the entrance of AROGYA as I sought shelter from the cold drizzle of the damp, spring day. Part tea boutique, part apothecary, AROGYA is committed to providing the ultimate tea drinking experience to novice and devoted tea connoisseurs alike. There were two contemporary glass teapots filled with steaming liquid on the reception desk. I made a bee line for the golden hued warmth, placed both hands around the handsome ceramic cup that was offered to me and inhaled the deep, earthy flavor of Pu-erh. The knowledgeable and friendly woman behind the counter explained that I was drinking organic Yunnan Pu-erh tea leaves combined with organic ginger. She proclaimed it to be the perfect warming anecdote to the chilly damp day. She was correct.
Every so often the fine art of sampling in grocery stores uncovers a delicious new product. While shopping last week in Fairway Market in Stamford I stumbled across a local business, You&Me Cookie, that is creating three scrumptious versions of old-time favorite cookie recipes: the original Chocolate Chip, a Cranberry and Dark Chocolate Chunk, and a modern version of an old-fashioned Oatmeal Raisin. I sampled and loved all of the varieties. With one bite I knew I had an obligation to let our readers know that You&Me Cookies are now available in Fairfield County. After two years of successfully selling through specialty stores in Westchester County, co-owners Heather Mahland and Kyle deLasa have expanded their distribution with the addition of Walter Stewarts in New Canaan, and Plum Pure Food, Starlight Café at the YMCA and Caffé Bon in Greenwich.
On May 29th, Beekeeper and Honey Sommelier, Marina Marchese of Red Bee Apiary will be leading a "Honey Tasting" at her apiary in Weston. Guests will learn how honeybees make this liquid gold we call honey, how location and nectar source determines a honeys color and flavor and how honey is harvested and extracted from the hive.
Red Bee honey tastings are formal, white linen events where guest are treated to a tour of Red Bee Apiary, a honeybee talk then gather at farmhouse style tables to taste and evaluate artisanal honeys. Participants will be encouraged to engage their curiosity through discussions while learning about the many types and styles of unique nectar sources. Each menu is a carefully orchestrated "Tasting Flight" of seven single-origin local honeys
When husband and wife team Margaret Sapir and Mitch Rapaport first began delivering their signature bread to farmers markets in 2005, it was with a signature bread crafted from one recipe. Not that this has been a bad thing. Their Pain de Campagne is what started it all and has brought them the recognition they receive to this day.
Now, in addition to the fabulously addictive three-grain country loaf that we all know and love,Wave Hill Breads is proud to announce the launch of two new breads for your dining pleasure (+ spoiler alert...come May, you can dine in their new bakery/cafe in Norwalk). But first, let's talk about these magnificent loaves..
Spring is a time for rebirth; a time to emerge from hibernation and celebrate new experiences. One of the most exciting new experiences I have recently come across is happening every Tuesday 7-9PM at The Boathouse At Saugatuck. Chef John Holzwarth is coming out of the kitchen and cooking in the main dining room for an immersive weekly wine tasting event, "Wine On The Water." Weather permitting, they will move this party to the beautiful outdoor riverside patio featuring a raw bar and seasonal nibbles. These evenings are geared towards wine appreciation and exploration and if you've had the opportunity to sample the wine list at The Boathouse, you know they have some very unique finds.
@ $35 a person, this should become a weekly recurring event in your calendar.
I’m not much for New Year's Resolutions, but I do know that by making small changes, we can impact our health, the planet and the way we raise our kids. Something as small as where you buy your food can be one of those changes, so I was eager to check out Graze, a local farm-to-fridge online grocery delivery service “on a mission to bring fresh, wholesome and sustainably produced foods directly from small local family farms in Vermont to your front door.” Graze sells pasture-raised beef, just-picked local organic produce in season, award-winning artisanal cheeses and even home-cooked meals.
After a long weekend, capped off by a nasty blizzard, my supplies of fresh milk, eggs, fresh cider, meat and other staples have dwindled down to nil, and our fridge is pitifully bare. Normally, at this juncture, I’m faced with the quandary: Do I bundle up, shovel out and brave the unplowed back roads so that I can then fight the crowds at Whole Foods or Stew’s? Not anymore, thanks to Graze (grazedelivered.com).
The sounds of the Farmer’s Market change with the seasons. The “mmm’s” in June when the strawberries arrive; the “ooh’s and ahh’s” in July when the tomatoes make their entrance; finally, the sad, sighing “uh’s” in the fall as the weather chills and the markets draw to a close.
This year, thanks to the unabated demand for local produce and the persistence of some devoted market managers, we can enjoy a new season of sounds at our local Farmer's Markets.
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.
Attention Fairfield County families: Are you always looking for a great weekend activity? Why not get away from the burbs and head to the farm! Ambler Farms has some great fall family friendly event you will not want to miss, (plus they make for great holiday card photo opps). These activities are both fun and educational, and most programs run $10-$20 per family.
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.
What could make these glorious almost Summer days even better? Did you say "Ice cream?" Yeah…that's what we thought too, so we teamed up with The Whole Foods Market and The Fairfield Green Food Guide for a...
Free Local Ice Cream Tasting!!
On June 18th, please join us @ The Whole Foods Market in Westport as we sample some excellent ice creams, gelatos and sorbet from 12:00pm-2:00pm in the cafe.
This sweet & creamy get ready for Summer event will feature LOCAL ice cream, gelato and sorbet (so even those who can't do dairy can still enjoy). Stop by to sample how good these summer treats can taste and chat about the local significance in our community. We will be answering questions about sustainability and why buying local is best for you, your family and your community. All of the samples are made with all natural or organic ingredients. Bring your appetite and your kids!
The green Dodge pick-up truck slowly backed into my narrow, curved driveway with the 6 x 13 foot trailer leading. A dome shaped, brick pizza oven was mounted on the open trailer by some ingenious contraption that prevents it from being jostled and toppling off in a crumbled mess of mortar. Jeff Borofsky, chef/owner of SKINNY PINES, a portable wood fired oven catering company, was bringing the party to my home. A group of lucky CTbites contributors and other Fairfield County food producers were due to arrive in 90 minutes. I was beginning to wonder if the party would be ready for these friends with their discerning palates and voracious appetites.
