The Stand Juice Cleanse: 5 Days Without Food Ingredients Fairfield Norwalk Special Dietary Needs healthy Jane Beiles March 21, 2012 Can a diehard food lover survive 5 days without solid food? I love food. I love to eat it…raw food, cooked food, gourmet food, diner food, farm-to-table food, bar food. My first paychecks came from restaurants – seating or serving those seeking food. Decades later, I now earn my living taking photos…and yes, you guessed it, the subject matter of which is, quite often, food. So how in the world did a food-lover like me end up committing to spend 5 day chewing exactly none? Read More
Cheese Tasting w/ Chef & Author Jason Sobocinski Restaurant Cheese Chef Talk Events Specialty Market CTbites Team March 20, 2012 Love cheese? Want to know more about it? Want to taste some? Chef, TV personality, and cheese cookbook author Jason Sobocinski will talk about cheese, offer samples, and sign copies of his book, Caseus: Fromagerie Bistro Cookbook, on Friday, March 30, from 7-9 pm at a private home in Westport. Proceeds from the event, which costs $35 per person, will support Library programs. Sobocinski is host of “The Big Cheese” on The Cooking Channel and owner of New Haven’s award-winning bistro and cheese shop Caseus. Wine will be provided by Black Bear Wines & Spirits of Westport. Register online.For more information, contact Cindy Clark, 203.291.4824, clark@westportlibrary.org, or westportlibrary.org. Read More
"Outstanding In The Field" in CT: Tix on Sale March 20 Restaurant Events Farm to Table Local Farm Stephanie Webster March 19, 2012 On Tuesday, March 20th, the first day of spring, tickets will go on sale for the 2012 season of Outstanding In The Field. This year's dinner will take place at the Waldingfield Farm in Washington CT on September 15, 2012. Outstanding in the Field visits orchards, beaches and vineyards. At Waldingfield Farm, we have a site where we can all be out standing in the field. The other meaning of Outstanding in the Field is outstanding as in the best. This year at Waldingfeild Farm, guest chef Joel Viehland of Community Table will return to prepare another late summer feast. Joel is truly one of the best. "Outstanding in the Field is a roving culinary adventure – literally a restaurant without walls." Their mission is to re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food, and to honor the local farmers and food artisans who cultivate it. The Details: WHEN: Saturday September 15, 2012 WHERE: Waldingfield Farm, Washington, CT PRICE: $220.00, Tickets can be purchased on their website. Read More
From Masala to Mole: Westport's Oaxaca Kitchen Restaurant Mexican New Haven Lunch Kid Friendly Amy Kundrat March 18, 2012 “From Masala to Mole” is Chef Prasad Chirnomula’s recent gourmet battle cry. The man who revolutionized Indian cuisine in Connecticut with Thali, opens his newest Mexican-inspired concept in Westport in the form of the lively south of the border hot spot that is Oaxaca Kitchen. Leaving the Indian subcontinent, Chef Chirnomula has fully embraced the flavors of Mexico’s Oacaxa region, an area known for its mole dishes, barbacoa, mezcal and chocolate. The layers of flavors and spice found in Oaxacan dishes, a region often referred to as “land of the seven moles,” evokes a similar feel to the masalas and bright yet rich flavors found in Chef Chirnomula's native Indian cuisine. Read More
Arethusa To Open Wine Bar in Bantam Restaurant Litchfield Opening CTbites Team March 16, 2012 As reported by the Litchfield County Times, the owners of Arethusa Dairy in Litchfield County received town approval to open a wine bar in a location adjacent to their retail operation at 822 Bantam Road in Bantam, CT. The dairy was founded by Manolo Blanik owners George Malkemus and Anthony Yurgaitis who own and operate the dairy which produces milk and other dairy products such as yogurt and ice cream. According to the County Times: "Approval was given to a proposal for a wine bar in a building adjacent to Arethusa’s creamery in the former Bantam Firehouse, where its farm-fresh milk, ice cream, cheeses, yogurts and more are sold. The wine bar is envisioned as a bistro-style operation that will serve the creamery’s signature cheeses and other light fare." Read the full story at Litchfield County Times. Read More
Pizzeria Rosso Expands to Bridgeport & Greenwich Restaurant Bridgeport Greenwich Pizza Amy Kundrat March 15, 2012 Pizzeria Rosso is opening up not one, but two new locations in Connecticut in addition to their original Norwalk take-out outpost which has been open just under a year. [Read: Pizzeria Rosso Opens in Norwalk, June 2012] Pasquale (Pat) Pascarella is the chef and founder of the successful yet still young pizzeria. His second Pizzeria Rosso is set to open at 960 Main Street in Bridgeport in just about three weeks. The new Bridgeport location will be open seven days a week and boasts forty seats with two four-pie Baker's pride ovens. The menu will be largely the same, but more of a focus on pizza and less pasta and will be BYOB with the possibility of a future liquor license. With Webster Arena just up the street and the Barnum Publick House opening across the street, Pizzeria Rosso will be open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday night. A third location will open in Greenwich, giving Pizzeria Rosso the run of Fairfield County. Read More
Never a Dull Moment: How the Pros keep their Knives Sharp Ingredients Chef Talk Education Kitchen Gear Lou Gorfain March 15, 2012 For this article, CTBites spoke with many of Fairfield County’s top chefs, butchers, and professional knife sharpeners. These pros were very blunt about the knives used in most home kitchens: they are dull. Especial fancy “trophy-ware.” “A cook with a dull knife,” suggests Fairway’s top butcher Ray Venezia, “is like a sharpshooter with a water pistol.” Much like a gun slinger out of the Old West, this modern-day Paladin has Knives and Will Travel. He carries his complete cutting arsenal in a sleek case … but all that's inside are just two gleaming Victorinox Forshner rosewood knives -- a 6" boning blade and a 12" cemeter – a steel and whetstone. Read More
HUGE WUSTHOF Inventory Sale in Norwalk Features Kitchen Gear Chris Grimm March 14, 2012 For cooks and home cooks looking for great deals on fine cutlery, the Wüsthof Outlet in Norwalk is having their bi-annual inventory sale, from Thursday, March 22 to Saturday March 24. You’ll find knives, knife sets, and accessories. At last Fall’s sale, I fell for the Culinar line of stainless steel handled knives – basically forged from a single piece of steel – as beautiful as they are high-quality. Be careful while checking things out. Despite a dozen signs warning customers to be careful amongst the hundreds of sharp knives, I, of course, speared myself and had to deftly pay with a single hand while keeping a sliced finger in my pocket, rather than bringing embarrassment upon myself, in the store. Selection was great in the Fall (if you’ve never been to the outlet, it’s worth a stop under any circumstance). Regular discounts on the store models, overstocks, and discontinued models are 40% to 70% - with an extra 20% for the sale. Read More
Italian Wine Dinner at Blue Lemon in Westport Restaurant Events Italian CTbites Team March 13, 2012 Join Chef Bryan Mulcarney for "A Taste of Italy" Wine Tasting Dinner Presented by CDI and Blue Lemon on Wednesday, March 21st 2012, 7pm The Menu Causa of Maine Lobster with Avocado and Mango Vinaigrette Donnachiara Fiano di Avellino Pear and Endive Salad with Baby Arugula, Caramelized Walnuts, Gorgonzola Cheese, and Champagne Vinaigrette Donnachiara Sante Falanghina Homemade Ravioli Stuffed with Braised Veal, Root Vegetables, Grana Padano and White Truffle Oil Donnachiara Aglianico Irpinia Seared Filet Mignon with Wild Mushrooms, Garlic Mashed Potatoes And Cognac, Green Peppercorn Sauce Read More
Help the Hungry: Join Millstone Farm's “Glean Team” Ingredients Farm to Table Local Farm Volunteer CTbites Team March 13, 2012 The Millstone Farm “Glean Team” made its first visit to the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County on Friday, February 24 with a donation of 32 pounds of spinach gleaned from The Hickories, a family-owned farm in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Gleaning at The Hickories was the first of what Millstone’s patrons and farmers intend to be a regular occurrence throughout the 2012 growing season. The goal of Betsy and Jesse Fink, owners of Millstone Farm, is to gather and train a volunteer task force that will harvest fresh food offered up by local farmers and deliver it to those in need. Read More
Stew Leonard’s: "Taste of CT" Wine, Beer & Spirits Tasting Ingredients Wine Tasting Beer CTbites Team March 12, 2012 Stew Leonard’s Wines of Danbury invites customers to a complimentary “Taste of Connecticut” wine, beer and spirits tasting on Saturday, March 31 from Noon – 7:00 p.m. This tasting is celebration of local Connecticut producers who will be pouring samples for customers to taste throughout the day. The schedule is as follows: Read More
MELT Market & Cafe in Bridgeport: Go ahead and MELT Ingredients Restaurant Bridgeport Catering Cheese Entertaining Specialty Market Lunch Sarah Green March 11, 2012 Do you feel the need, the need for cheese? Introducing MELT Market and Cafe, the spectacularly gooey love child of former Westport-based Mirabelle Cheese Shop owners Andrea and Damon Itin. MELT, located in the up and coming section of Bridgeport at the corner of Lafayette Circle and Fairfield Ave is sleek and spacious with high tops as well as regular tables for seating and warm inviting color tones. The 2,200 square foot space seats plenty but if tables were pushed aside, this could be a fantastic place for a private function. But enough about things spatial, on to the celestial - this is a cheese lovers' nirvana - What's for sale ? MELT is the purveyor of European as well as local cheeses Read More
Cocktail Contest: Barcelona Restaurant & Wine Bar Ingredients Cocktails Spanish Stephanie Webster March 11, 2012 WIN a FREE DINNER for TWO at Barcelona Restaurant and Wine Bar. Here's how.. You all did such a superior job with our recent cocktail contest, we decided to throw the gauntlet down once again. If your Cocktail name is selected, it will be featured on Barcelona Restaurant's new drinks menu & you will receive a FREE DINNER FOR TWO @ any Barcelona Restaurant (+ YOUR new cocktail). "YOUR NAME HERE" Cocktail Recipe: 2 bar spoons of diced cucumber ½ oz. Simple Syrup 1 oz. Lime Juice ½ oz. St. Germain 1 oz. Vizcaya 12 yr. Rum 1 dash hellfire bitters pimenton/sugar dipped cucumber slice Post your submission below (include email) , or if you're shy, feel free to send it to us directly. Cocktail names must be submitted by March 31st. Read More
Friday Froth: Stop Making Sense Ingredients Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon March 09, 2012 Normally, this lede would be filled with some bit of esoteric ephemera wherein we'd compare the universe-building in the novels of Iain M. Banks to the lifestyle of the Hopi nation or some such, but we've been getting a little spacy lately, and I felt it was time to take it back to basics. If you want to talk katsina spirits and the socioeconomic theory of intangliation, come drinking with me some time, but for now, let's just talk beer. Read More
Westport Weston Restaurant Week 2012: March 25 Restaurant Events Weston Westport CTbites Team March 09, 2012 Westport & Weston Restaurant Week returns for 2012, offering consumers great deals and the opportunity to experience some new restaurants, as well as re-visit some of their favorites. Sunday, March 25 thru Friday March 30, 2012, participating restaurants will offer a special prix fixe lunch and dinner menu throughout the entire week. Participating restaurants include: Acqua Restaurant, Blue Lemon, Bobby Q’s, Coromandel, DaPietro’s, Matsu Sushi, Oaxaca Kitchen, Rizzuto’s, Splash, Tabouli Grill, Tarantino’s, Tarry Lodge, Tavern on Main, River House Tavern, and “V” Restaurant & Wine Bar. Read More
Elm Restaurant Opens March 20th in New Canaan Restaurant Farm to Table Local Farm New Canaan Lunch Kid Friendly Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger March 08, 2012 CTBites readers and residents of New Canaan who are eagerly awaiting Chef Brian Lewis’ cuisine at elm Restaurant will soon enjoy this new addiition to the New Canaan culinary scene. Elm's much anticipated opening is scheduled for March 20 to coincide with the first day of Spring. The facade of the building and the interior space has been beautifully updated to reflect a sleek and minimalistic architectural style. The feel of the restaurant is airy and open and offers ambiance that is warm, relaxing, and stylish. The layout includes a large, handsome pewter-covered bar separating the main dining area from the less formal bar seating. A Chef’s Table with a view into the immaculate kitchen can be quickly enclosed behind sliding glass panels for a private dining experience for up to twelve guests. And if you like to watch, grab a chair at the four-seat tasting table where Chef Lewis will prepare and present special menus to lucky guests. Read More
Women Entrepreneurs Serve Up Recipes for Success Education Events CTbites Team March 07, 2012 Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven will host “Let’s Dish: A Feast of Food Talks” on Thursday, March 22 from 5:30-8:30pm. Three distinguished culinary experts will be on a panel to enlighten attendees with stories of the trials and tribulations of being in the culinary business, moderated by a fourth culinary specialist. These four women include Carole Peck, owner of Good News Café in Woodbury, CT, Missy Robbins, Executive Chef at A Voce in NYC, Cynthia R. Bigelow, president of Bigelow Tea Company, and Bonnie Leblang, food writer and internationally syndicated columnist. Read More
Giada De Laurentiis Signing Books at Stew Leonard’s Features Cookbooks Norwalk CTbites Team March 06, 2012 Giada De Laurentiis, famed Italian chef, New York Times bestselling author and Food Network star, will greet fans and sign 1,000 copies of her brand new cookbook WEEKNIGHTS WITH GIADA: Quick and Simple Recipes to Revamp Dinner (Clarkson Potter; on sale March 27, 2012) at Stew Leonard’s in Norwalk on Wednesday, March 28 starting at 5:00 p.m. Providing an intimate sneak peek into Giada’s day-to-day family life with husband Todd and daughter Jade, and chock-full of gorgeous color photographs, WEEKNIGHTS WITH GIADA will be a new favorite for longtime fans—and a new kind of handbook for home cooks everywhere. Stew Leonard’s is offering the cookbook at a special book signing price of $29.99 or two for $50.00. Please note that customers are asked to purchase at least one copy of WEEKNIGHTS WITH GIADA at Stew Leonard’s in order to get in line for the book signing. RAFFLE: Ten lucky fans will win a free copy of WEEKNIGHTS WITH GIADA and a reserved place at the front of the line to have their book signed. Read More
Pizzeria Rosso's CTbites Pie Contest Winners Restaurant Norwalk Pizza Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger March 06, 2012 Many thanks to everyone who submitted recommendations for the new “CTbites 2012 Pie Combo” to be included on Pizzeria Rosso's menu. Over forty unique combinations were submitted in both the savory and sweet categories. CTbites reviewed each of the entries with Pat Pascarella, owner of Pizzeria Rosso, and after careful consideration we are pleased to announce that one sweet creation received so much enthusiasm that we unanimously decided to name this delicious combination a winner. Congratulations to... Read More
Recap: Cooking Demo & Lunch w/ Barcelona's Chef Helton Restaurant CTbites Invites Meaghan Morelli March 05, 2012 Helton DaSilva knows how to work a room. The 26 year-old native of Brazil is currently the Executive Chef at Barcelona in Fairfield, but his talents expand beyond the kitchen. Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of watching him in action, courtesy of CTBites Invites. It was a chef demo and lunch, and the ladies who were lunching met Chef Helton’s enthusiasm and raised a flirt or two. “Are you married?” one woman ventured after the chef had introduced himself, much to the tittering pleasure of the crowd. And this was before sangria was served. The demo lunch was a mix of insider tips and delicious dishes with more than a dash of Chef Helton’s charm thrown in. Read More
