11 Questions w/ Chef Matt Storch of Match Restaurant Interview Chef Talk Stephanie Webster October 27, 2011 If you had unexpected guests arriving at your home for dinner in 1 hour, what would you whip up? Grilled Ribeye or Chicken Thighs with sautéed veg and caramelized onions or possibly a garden salsa of some sort, avocado, plums, jalapeño, toasted corn…always some nice crusty bread What is the last dish you cooked for yourself? Lunch is a pasta with sour cream and cottage cheese..(old family favorite) My wife and I had (see above) for dinner the other night What are your guilty pleasures (in terms of food)? Hamburgers, hot dogs, and French fries What ingredient could you not live without? Salt, Bacon, Olive oil, Eggs...sorry couldn’t decide Read More
Go Waiter Restaurant Delivery Service Opens in FC Features Delivery Service Home Delivery Stephanie Webster October 27, 2011 How many nights have you sat at home wishing that dinner would magically appear on your doorstep? Well, maybe that's just me, but in Fairfield County the delivery options are generally limited to pizza and a few Chinese joints. Enter GoWaiter, a national franchised restaurant delivery service, who will for $3.99 pick up and deliver lunch and dinner from over 40 local restaurants. Check out the list of participating restaurants below (including Da Pietro's, Layla's Falafel, & Tabouli Grill): Read More
Breakfast with Rene Redzepi @ Yale Amy Kundrat October 26, 2011 When you receive a breakfast invitation with the world's 'best restaurant' chef René Redzepi you say yes first and ask questions later. This first dialogue, in what hopes to be an ongoing series of intimate food-centric talks, was an insiders discussion of the restaurant industry and CTbites was lucky to simply be a fly on the wall. In town for a talk at Yale, Redzepi was the guest of honor at an intimate breakfast hosted by Carey Savona of Heirloom Restaurant located at The Study at Yale in New Haven. He invited Yale professor Paul Freedman and a gathering of Connecticut chefs with some familiar names, including: Tim Labant, Schoolhouse at Cannondale; Fritz Knipschildt, Cafe Chocopologie; Jean Pierre Vuillermet, Union League Cafe; Bill Taibe, Le Farm; Bun Lai, Miya's Sushi; Denise Appel, Zinc; Pedro Garzon, Cafe Manolo; Roland Olan, Martel; Tyler, Union League Cafe;Brandon Ahearn, Heirloom; and Marcell Simon Davidsen, Heirloom. Read More
Chef Lidia Bastianich @ Fairway in Stamford CTbites Team October 26, 2011 On Saturday, November 5, 2011, Fairway Stamford and renowned chef Lidia Bastianich will celebrate food and community in an event to support WNET New York Public Media. Lidia will kick-off the festivities at 11 a.m on November 5th, with the signing of her series companion cookbook, Lidia's Italy in America (Knopf) and her popular children’s book, Nonna Tell Me a Story: Lidia's Christmas Kitchen (Running Press Kids). Filled with adventures and irresistible recipes, both books are journeys into the heart of authentic Italian cooking. Wine tasting will follow the book signing at the adjacent store, Fairway Wines & Spirits. At the culinary event on Saturday, November 5th, Fairway Stamford will feature a free spectacular sampling of LIDIA’S pasta and sauces Read More
Meet Danny Meyer (Shake Shack) & Raise $$ for Leukemia CTbites Team October 26, 2011 On Wednesday, November 2, 2011, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Connecticut Chapter will host the StarWrite Author’s Luncheon: LLS’ 2nd annual luncheon with guest speaker Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group and author of Setting The Table, at the Dolce Norwalk from 11AM to 2PM. “We are so thrilled to have Danny Meyer as our guest speaker for our second annual event,” said Jeannie Montano, Executive Director. “Danny just opened a Shake Shack location in Westport, Read More
Update on Elm: Opening Soon in New Canaan Restaurant Farm to Table New Canaan Farm Fresh Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger October 25, 2011 A flurry of activity surrounds New Canaan’s Elm Street as Chef/Owner Brian Lewis’ much anticipated elm restaurant is set to open in New Canaan in January 2012. Elm will be a Modern American restaurant, “rooted in tradition and inspired by the seasons” featuring a 60 seat elegant dining room and 25 seats in the warm, casual bar area. A highlight of elm will be The Chef’s Kitchen Table, with seating for twelve as well as a separate Chef’s Tasting Bar with four seats, which will be etched into a semi-private nook overlooking the heart of Brian’s kitchen. Together, the food, wine, hand-crafted cocktails and exceptional service will embody both luxury and comfort; a destination perfect for everyday or your favorite occasion, filled with high energy, world class food and small town charm. Read More
Epicurean Artisanal Honey Tasting, Saturday, Nov 12 Restaurant Events Wiine Tasting Dessert Stephanie Webster October 24, 2011 Join RED BEE Honey and Peace Tree Desserts for an afternoon of artisanal honey tasting and adventurous epicurean delights, presented by Sustainable Pastry Chef Robyn Eads, founder of Peace Tree Desserts in Westport. The locally sourced tasting event will be held at Sport Hill Farm in Easton, Connecticut on Saturday, November 12, 2011. This sweet event will include an exquisite three course tasting menu crafted by acclaimed Sustainable Pastry Chef Robyn Eads. The tasting menu will feature Red Bee’s artisanal single-source nectar luxury honeys, and ingredients from local artisans and organic Connecticut farms. Each course will be paired with wines from Connecticut wineries. The afternoon will begin with a prosecco and cheese reception, sourced from Connecticut’s own Cato Corner Farm and Beltane Farm, and paired with Red Bee’s honeys. Read More
ReNapoli: An Education in Pizza in Old Greenwich Restaurant Greenwich Pizza Lunch Kid Friendly Amy Kundrat October 23, 2011 What can pizza be? ReNapoli in Old Greenwich answers with one kitchen, two ovens, and three distinct pizza styles. Dining at ReNapoli isn’t just a meal, it's the equivalent of a three-credit course in pizza. Owner and pizzaoilo Bruno DiFabio has been making pizza for thirty years. A fact made more interesting when you consider he is only 42. A first generation Italian American, DiFabio was already working the lead sauté station at age 16 in his grandfather's restaurant kitchen. Fast forward a few decades, several restaurants, five World Pizza Championship titles and stints at the famed ovens of Spacca Napoli, Da Michele and Trianon in Naples, and you have the genesis of ReNapoli. Read More
Friday Froth: Buck The Trend...Drink Good Beer Ingredients Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon October 21, 2011 Modern hipsterism is a weird and annoying thing. Here's how it goes: people had settled into a fairly stable fashion landscape by the time the millennium rolled around so they naturally started looking around for the next big thing. Lacking any creativity or new ideas of their own, they decided to take the most hideous and outdated clothing they could find and wear it as publicly as possible because "Haha, aren't I funny and clever and please oh god look at me." Since wearing ugly clothes is easier than actually being interesting, and neon hats from 1992 were cheaper than water, it caught on. Then everybody found out about The Cobrasnake and now the landscape is littered with "Aren't I cool for not looking cool but really that's what's cool about it but I'm too cool to acknowledge I actually really think this is cool." It's the Inception of pop culture trends, and somehow beer got caught up in it. I'm sure PBR doesn't mind that every idiot with an ironic mustache and Ladyhawke on their iPod has to have a Blue Ribbon tallboy in their hand, but this is the acid reflux disease of trends. It was ugly the first time, let's not have it again. Let's try something new, and let the revolution start with beer. Read More
Chilifest 2011: Everyone's a Judge Restaurant Events kids activity Comfort Food Kid Friendly CTbites Team October 21, 2011 Local area restaurants from Norwalk to Fairfield will engage in a culinary battle for the area's best chili on Saturday Oct. 29th from 11:30am - 3:30pm at the Unitarian Church in Westport. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 seniors (60+) and $2 kids (5-17). Unlike most competitions, everyone is a judge and can sample and vote for their favorites. The competition is expected to be 'hot' as the list of restaurants include chili cook-off veterans as well as restaurants you might not expect to see in this type of contest. Chef Pietro Scotti of DaPietro's in Westport is always up for a culinary challenge and will be entering a traditional as well as a "creative" entry. Chef Chris North of Rowayton Seafood will be cooking up a seafood chili, and Chef Troilo of Nicholas Robert's Restaurant in Norwalk will throw down with his special recipe. Read More
Beach Burger in Norwalk: Where'd the Chairs Go? Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger October 20, 2011 The hamburger scene in East Norwalk is experiencing a minor food fight. A few weeks ago Anthony Luciani, owner of Beach Burger was informed that his operating permit did not allow for interior seating. Once informed, Luciani immediately removed the stools and commenced the process of applying for the permit that would allow seated dining within the restaurant. I visited Beach Burger and discussed the situation and the status with Luciani. He informed me that he is conscientiously working with the appropriate departments within Norwalk to obtain the “Full Service” restaurant permit that will allow the interior seating to return. While the permitting is being resolved, Luciani assured me that Beach Burger remains open for business serving some of the best hamburgers and shakes in the area. Read More
Spiced Dark Chocolate & Pumpkin Seed Bark with Sea Salt Features Holiday Recipe Kid Friendly Dessert katie vitucci October 20, 2011 I am dubbing this treat "Halloween Candy for Grown-Ups." It's my kind of candy - a perfect combination of just enough sweetness, crunch, saltiness and a touch of spice. While the super dark varieties of chocolate aren't really my thing, I love bittersweet chocolate. Not only for it's purported health benefits but for, as it's name suggests - it's slightly bitter, not too sweet taste. I know I'm probably not the only one who can get a bit overwhelmed with the sickeningly sweet candy overload that comes with Halloween. This treat is perfect for folks like us and it's a fun treat to whip up for a teacher goodie bag, a hostess gift, or to serve if you're entertaining during the upcoming weeks. Read More
For the Love of Cheese Part 2: Cato Corner Farm Ingredients Local Artisan Local Farm Specialty Market CTbites Team October 20, 2011 Cato Corner Farm in Colchester, Connecticut produces a dozen styles of hand-made farmhouse cheeses from milk produced by their pasture-fed, hormone- and antibiotic-free Jersey cows. Elizabeth MacAlister, owner of the farm since 1979, began making cheeses in 1997. Her son Mark Gilman joined the operation in 1999 and is the head cheese maker. They make cheeses four days a week at Cato Corner; Dianna Sadowski works as a cheese maker one of those days. She wears a white hair bonnet, long white lab jacket and knee-high shiny white rubber boots when she works, an outfit that underscores her role as scientist in the cheese making process. While touring the operation’s underground cheese cave–which was pungently acrid from thousands of wheels of cheese ripening–she described that cheese makers must understand microbiology, pH values, bacteria and ammoniating. “But, you have to use your senses, too,” she said. “You can smell when a culture changes. That’s an art.” Read More
Prasad Chirnomula at James Beard House Stephanie Webster October 19, 2011 Prasad Chirnomula of Thali, Thali Too and Oaxaca Kitchen is returning to the James Beard House on November 4, 2011 with a Mexican/Indian-inspired menu. Tickets are $130 for JBF members and $175 for the general public. To make reservations, visit BeardHouse.org. The Beard House is located at 167 West 12th Street in New York City. View the menu here. Read More
An Interview w/ Westport's Own Ramin Ganeshram Kids Bites Cookbooks Cooking Classes Kid Friendly Jessica Ryan October 19, 2011 I recently had the pleasure to sit down with Ramin Ganeshram to talk about her cookbook; her newly released Stir it Up! a novel written for young adults, as well as her involvement in the community. But before you start reading...In Stir It Up! heroine Anjali Krishnan enters a video cooking contest for a shot at a reality cooking competition show on Food Network. She does such a good job she makes it to the finals. If you have a young aspiring chef in your family, check out Ramin's video contest below. Ramin, who grew up in Brooklyn, New York, was greatly influenced by the cultures of her Iranian mother and Trinidadian father. The marriage of two different heritages and lifestyles would result creating in new traditions; food was one of them. Ramin explained, “We had access to Middle Eastern markets growing up, but all Middle Eastern ingredients are not the same. Read More
Station Eats (formerly Filling Station) Thanksgiving Burger Restaurant Holiday New Canaan Kid Friendly Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger October 19, 2011 Back by popular demand, the Thanksgiving inspired 2011 Station Eats Special Burger and Shake is a throwback to the 2010 offerings with its Turkey Burger plus the well-received Pumpkin shake. Station Eats will offer both of these treats in both October and November. The 2011 Thanksgiving Turkey Burger contains a free range turkey patty, plus thick sliced bacon, cranberry aioli, a slice of sage, lettuce and tomato. The 2010 Thanksgiving turkey burger was not to my liking but Station Eats changed its purveyors and the current turkey burger itself is juicy with loads of flavor. I think it is a welcome change and I like this year’s edition. I continue to be a big fan of the Station Eats bacon and its addition to the turkey burger is delicious, plus I appreciate the crispy Romaine lettuce and plum tomatoes. Read More
Rizzuto’s To Open in Stamford Early November Restaurant Pizza Stamford Lunch Kid Friendly Amy Kundrat October 18, 2011 Stamford seems to be getting all the attention lately. The latest outpost to open in the "City That Works" is the fourth installment of Rizzuto's, a popular casual Italian spot with outposts already humming in Bethel, West Hartford and Westport. Rizzuto's Stamford will be located at 1980 West Main Street on the Greenwich/Stamford border, and is slated to open in early November. The new restaurant will feature three-level dining with room for 160 and features such as a California pre-fab pizza oven, custom stone and tile work, and a signature granite antipasto bar and counter seating. Read More
Going "Grüner"... Wine Notes from Barcelona Restaurant Ingredients This Week In Wine Wine Chat Gretchen Thomas October 18, 2011 Nearing the end of the summer, I always crave what’s ahead in the coming Autumn. I’m dying for some butternut squash, I’m researching fall fashion trends, and I’m assembling my line-up of brooding red wines to pour by the glass. Every now and then something shows up on my desk that brings me back to the present, and most recently it is this amazing white wine that can combat every humid day we have left in this season. Truly, it was a tough summer; I found it hard to reach for a glass of anything other than water on some days, but I have found the solution in the 2010 Grüner Veltliner (pronounced GREW-ner VELT-lee-ner) made by Gustav Winery in Austria. If you are new to this varietal, here’s the scoop: Grüner Veltliner has been the darling white wine of nerdy sommeliers (like myself) for about 5 years now. Read More
Westport Farmers’ Mkt Celebrates 6 Yrs w/ a Party! Stephanie Webster October 17, 2011 The Market is throwing a party and you are invited. Join in the celebration of the fall harvest season, six years of success and honoring Michel Nishan’s vision and support for this community event. Thursday, October 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Westport Farmers’ Market, located in the Imperial Avenue parking lot. Did you say party? This Thursday enjoy specialty lunch items from some of your favorite vendors like Skinny Pines Pizza and Sugar & Olives. Skinny Pines is preparing Greyledge pulled pork sandwiches on Sono Baking Co’s rolls – be sure to get them while they last. The Jay Stollman Band is rocking the event with his acclaimed band. Whether you are one of the first to get a Westport Farmers Market t-shirt, sample Michel’s secret heirloom grain dish or chill with some friends over lunch this Thursday will be an event you won’t want to miss Read More
