Swiss Chard Calzones Features Entertaining Farmers Market healthy Recipe Melissa Roberts November 15, 2011 As we creep into November, the look of the greenmarket changes. More gourds, potatoes, and with the exception of collards and kale, less greens. I’m ready for a seasonal change but part of me is still holding onto warmer months past and long to see some leafy goodness. This week at the Imperial Avenue market I spotted some gorgeous rainbow swiss chard. Now chard and I have a history, one in which I could never imagine a future promoting it. Growing up in suburban New York, my parents maintained a good sized garden where swiss chard thrived; in fact, took over. Mom and dad couldn’t give it away fast enough, and the stuff that remained made its way to our dinner table just about every night. Later in life I renewed my relationship with chard. At Gourmet, our Executive Food Editor couldn’t stand the stuff, but to her credit, she was open minded enough to know that other people enjoyed it--or at least should eat it, and because I had more than a passing familiarity with it, chard crept into a few recipes I developed at the magazine. Read More
Ad: Order Turkey = Raise $$ for Wakeman Farm CTbites Team November 15, 2011 Graze is opening up ordering on our delicious, fresh (never frozen) Misty Knoll Farm free-range turkeys to supporters of the Wakeman Town Farm in Westport. The turkeys are $4.50 a pound. There are 100 available. First-come, first-served. Ten percent of the proceeds of the sale of these turkeys (and anything on our Thanksgiving Menu) is going to support Westport's Wakeman Town Farm. When you order, please use the code WAKEMANTURKEY so we can apply the promotion to the farm. Please request approximate number of pounds and Graze will deliver your turkey fresh (not frozen) to the farm for Thanksgiving. Misty Knoll will provide a turkey as close in weight to your request as possible, within a small range. A good rule of thumb is 1.5 lbs. per person (this allows for leftovers; 1lb/person without leftovers). Pickup is at Wakeman Town Farm, 134 Cross Highway, Westport on Monday, Nov. 21 from 2-6 p.m. Email us @ grazedelivered@gmail.com or call 1-888-WE GRAZE to reserve. Or, place your entire Thanksgiving order online at Graze Read More
Say Good Bye to Doc's Cafe in Westport (w/ a Party!) CTbites Team November 14, 2011 Longtime Westport favorite, Doc's Cafe, will close this Saturday as the building is being torn down for development. But fear not, before they close the doors Docs will be throwing a party to say "thank you" all of their loyal customers on Saturday November 19th between 3-6 p.m. Complimentary coffee, espresso drinks, beer, wine, hors d'oeuvres and sweets will be served. Plus...read on for info on a possible move. Native Texan and longtime Westport resident Yvonne Dougherty opened Doc’s Café in September 2000, and her eclectic, family-friendly coffee shop has been a fixture in the town’s Saugatuck neighborhood ever since. Yvonne fell in love with the coffee business in the mid-nineties while serving as an entry-level barista at Juba’s, a small café housed in the former Peter’s Bridge Market space. Over the past decade, Doc’s Café, buoyed by a loyal following of commuters and lunch patrons, has served tens of thousands of expertly crafted cappuccinos, lattes and cups of their signature French roast blend, Sledgehammer. Read More
GotChef Gourmet Food Truck in Milford Features Restaurant Food Truck Italian Milford CTbites Team November 13, 2011 Biagio’s Barone’s is reinventing the wheel. Literally. His GotChef gourmet food truck, which is parked on the Eastbound side of the Milford, CT Metro North Station, is turning the mobile canteen concept on its head. From Monday through Friday, 11:00am-8:00 pm, and Saturday 3-7pm, Chef Biagio and his crew offer up-all natural, creative, delectable cuisine out of his neon yellow restaurant-on-wheels. You won’t find the typical taco, BBQ-grilled cheese-Belgian waffles-cupcake food truck fare on the GotChef menu. His selections, which vary with the season and change daily, are comparable to anything you can find in an upscale Italian bistro. Some of the recent chalkboard specials include: Capesante Farcito (Stuffed Scallop with Lobster, Shrimp, Sweet Bread Lemon Stuffing in a Scallop Shell, drizzled with Lemon Gremolata), Homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi, Slow Roasted Short Ribs--served over a mushroom truffle risotto, Wild-Grilled Salmone Agrodolce-- topped with a pineapple Sweet and Sour sauce and served over balsamic glazed green beans, and an Osso Bucco Read More
leFarm's Bill Taibe Opening Waterfront Restaurant in Westport Stephanie Webster November 11, 2011 Ever since the doors of leFarm opened in Westport, the question has been asked of Bill Taibe…so what's next? leFarm fans need wait no longer for news of Bill Taibe's second Fairfield County culinary venture because work is well underway at Taibe's new stomping grounds in the Gaults' newly constructed Saugatuck River complex. This renovation project aims to revitalize the area and with Craft Butchery a stone's throw away, Batali across the street and Bill Taibe as the anchor tenant, I'd say they are on the right track. So, what's the concept? Another leFarm? No, Bill has other intentions for this new waterfront haven. While leFarm defines casually refined upscale dining, this new venture will be simply casual. Leveraging the proximity to the Saugatuck River, this new menu will feature seafood as the guiding force. Read More
Napa & Co Celebrates 5 Years in Stamford Restaurant Stamford Stephanie Webster November 10, 2011 Opening a restaurant takes guts. Developing a compelling concept, finding the right chef and training a strong team is no small feat. Mary Schaffer and her husband Charles Morgan, owners of Stamford's Napa & Co, make all of this look easy. As they celebrate their 5 year anniversary, Napa continues to stay true to the guiding principles under which it was founded: "a celebration of the bounty of our land...wine country cuisine made from organic, farm-fresh ingredients and artisan products at their seasonal peak." They were innovators in the farm-to-table movement before it was trendy to talk about it, and 5 years later, under the leadership of Chef Arik Bensimon, Napa & Co's kitchen is serving some of the best tasting food in Fairfield County. The secret ingredient to their success? Here's what Napa has to say: Read More
Pie & Hors D'oeuvre Class @ The Schoolhouse CTbites Team November 09, 2011 Right in time for the frenzy of holiday entertaining, The Schoolhouse at Cannondale will be offering their annual pie and hors d'oeuvre class Reserve your spot now for Tuesday November 22nd from 7:30 to 9:30 to sample some of our latests and greatest hors d'oeuvres and our sinfully delicious seasonal fruit and nut pies while sipping warm mulled cider and wine in our cozy restaurant. The cost is $65.00 per person (cash only) and you will have a chance to learn our secret tricks for creating show stopping and easy to do hors d'oeuvres and dessert pies complete with recipes and instruction for your holiday fêtes plus a pie of your choice* to take home and share. Read More
Win a $120 Gift Certificate to Bobby Flay's Bar Americain CTbites Team November 09, 2011 Subscribe to the CTbites Newsletter for a chance to Win a $120 Gift Certificate to Bobby Flay's Bar Americain. On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of Mohegun Sun, we're booking our road trips to that quiet corner of Connecticut and think you should too. For a little added incentive, our friends at Mohegun Sun are giving one lucky reader a $120 gift certificate to Bar Americain, Bobby Flay's Bar Americain. To enter, simply subscribe to receive our weekly CTbites newsletter. If you're already a loyal subscriber, simply comment below, sharing how you would you plan your day at Mohegun (in addition to bringing along yours truly), or why you pine for Flay, or why you prefer blackjack over craps (the odds, duh!). Good luck and see you on the Reservation. Read More
NY/CT Buick Culinary Event w Celebrity Chef Michael Psilakis CTbites Team November 08, 2011 Attention all foodies. The Buick Discovery Tour, featuring Celebrity Chef Michael Psilakis, is heading to Stamford, Connecticut this weekend, Nov. 12 and 13. Buick has partnered with FOOD & WINE magazine to host this exclusive culinary event. On Saturday, Nov. 12 and Sunday, Nov. 13 at The Sheraton Stamford, the Buick Discovery Program will offer invited guests the opportunity to view full cooking demonstrations, sample delicious cuisine (including dessert!) and test drive vehicles from Buick’s 2012 line-up. Celebrity Chef Michael Psilakis will be in attendance cooking up delicious Greek cuisine, along with FOOD & WINE Best New Chef 2007 Gavin Kaysen from New York City. Don’t want to miss out on all the excitement? Follow us @GMNortheast to find out how you can register for this delicious weekend or contact Eleni Simmoneau @esimmoneau@tierneyagency.com. Read More
2011 Guide to Buying Local and Heritage Turkeys Ingredients Events Holiday Local Farm Specialty Market CTbites Team November 08, 2011
Curds & Brew Class @ 109 Cheese & Wine in Ridgefield Ingredients Restaurant Cheese Specialty Market Amy Kundrat November 08, 2011 To mark the conclusion of American Cheese Month, 109 Cheese & Wine in Ridgefield is pairing great American brews with great American artisan and farmstead cheeses. Curds & Brew class will be held on Sunday, November 13 at 5:30 p.m. and will be $45 per person. The class and tasting will kick-off with a beer fondue, followed by a pairing of six beers and six cheeses (see list below Read More
Shiki Hana Japanese Bistro in Fairfield Restaurant Delicious Dives Fairfield Japanese Sushi Kid Friendly Melissa Roberts November 06, 2011 As a recent Westport transplant from New York City, one thing I find myself pining for from my former life is good sushi. A recent visit to Shiki Hana in Fairfield has changed all that. Located in a strip mall in Fairfield, Shiki Hana has the nondescript atmosphere of countless Japanese restaurants, but the surprise is in the food: some of the freshest, well prepared sushi I’ve had in a while. Read More
Saugatuck Craft Butchery Opens in Westport Ingredients Butcher Home Delivery Specialty Market Westport Lou Gorfain November 05, 2011 “Americans eat way too much meat," Ryan Fibiger says, and then grins, "I guess that sounds funny coming from a butcher." No kidding. But then Fibiger is a butcher truly on the “cutting edge” -- one of the very few whole animal cutters in America, sourcing his organic meat from local sustainable farms and utilizing every part of the animal, from nose to tail. Once a Wall Street investment banker, he’s turned from issuing stock to butchering them. For the past two years Fibiger trained with the “moo-rus”” at Fleisher's Meats, a whole animal butcher shop in Kingston, NY. With his knives honed as keen as his business skills, Ryan decided to open Saugatuck Craft Butchery and join in Westport’s red hot culinary renaissance. Read More
Visions of Gingerbread Opens Saturday, Nov 12 Kids Bites Events kids activity Kid Friendly Dessert Stephanie Webster November 04, 2011 A holiday tradition returns to the Stamford Museum & Nature Center on November 12th with Visions of Gingerbread III: The Sweetest Architects exhibition. Visions of Gingerbread is a tribute to architectural confections that truly make your jaw drop. Created by some of the area’s finest bakers, these edible wonders will display the chefs’ extraordinary creativity and gingerbread skills. It is the Museum’s desire to elevate these creative structures to the art form they so truly are, and put them on proper display. Last year, CTbites jumped on board and created an entry (much sleep was lost). This year, CTbites will help judge the winner. Read More
bartaco Launches "CTBites Invites" w/ Tequila & Tacos Restaurant CTbites Invites Cocktails Port Chester Mexican Sarah Green November 04, 2011 Last night, 35 or so lucky CTbites readers participated in the Inaugural "CTBites Invites" event at bartaco in Port Chester, NY. The "Invites," offer CTBites customers unique culinary experiences in the form of special restaurant "happenings" and special product purchasing opportunities. You sign up while the offer lasts, you pay on line and you're in. Simple as that. At last night's event, those who signed up were treated to a TACOS and TEQUILA and a whole lot more. Read More
Rubbing Elbows At Rory's in Darien Restaurant Darien Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers James Gribbon November 03, 2011 Rory's is a neighborhood bar in search of a neighborhood. Surrounded by the Orvis/Trader Joe's plaza, a nail salon, and an unfinished furniture/firearms emporium on the more commercial end of the Post Road in Darien close to the Norwalk border, Rory's somehow manages to have a "walk up and join the locals" feel. The tiny pub sits on a bit of raised land above Rt. 1 traffic like a little beach cottage above the tide line. Not too many people live within walking distance though, which is why you may find yourself parked next to a Rolls Royce or Ferrari. Maybe it's not your average local pub, after all. Read More
Farmageddon Screening: You Are What You Eat CTbites Team November 02, 2011 Westport Farmers Market rolls out the green carpet for its exclusive screening event - Farmageddon - on November 18 at 7.30pm in downtown Westport, at the new Christ & Holy Trinity church building. The Westport Farmers Market had the idea to bring the film Farmageddon to Fairfield County. Little did they know they would be able to assemble this all-star group to work together to share this documentary with the community. The goal is to create a fun and educational evening filled with local food, wine and friends. This is not a fundraiser for any organization just one way The Westport Farmers' Market is hoping to give back to the community. So please join them on November 18 at 7:30 for the Fairfield County premier of Farmageddon. Read More
