Elizabeth Fuller is the Playwright for the Off Broadway play "Me & Jezebel." She is also the author of ten published books and Op-Ed contributor to New York Times.

Good news!  Cobb’s Mill Inn is no longer just your Aunt Tilly’s favorite restaurant.  Opened on Mother’s Day, the fully renovated pre-revolutionary inn, with an eye level view of its magnificent waterfall through the massive dining room windows, smacks of excitement and the promise of romantic culinary adventure.  And now, for the first time in decades, so does the menu.  The visionary new owners, Drew Friedman and Elayne Cassara, know a restaurant’s ambiance, mallards shooting across 20 foot cascading falls, is not enough of a draw for the savvy Fairfield County patron who has a ridiculously wide array of great restaurants from which to choose.  We all know that food trumps view.  So what did the new owners do to counteract years of Cobb’s Mill’s famous mediocrity and bump them into the competitive Foodie scene?  They set out with the same gusto with which they renovated the 1740 inn to hunt down a chef who would bring their vision of the ultimate dining experience home to Weston, Connecticut’s only restaurant, other than for a local luncheonette. 

Do you know about Green & Tonic, the provider of nutrient rich, plant based food & juices in Greenwich CT? You can sample some of their signature dishes at the 2012 Harvest Fest at the Stone Barns, alongside vendors such as: Balthazar Bakery, Luke's Lobster, and Mile End Deli. 

Valencia Luncheria, Classic & Vintage Artisinal Spirits & Harry's Wine & Liquor Market are joining forces to bring you: A Venezuelan Pig Roast on the Beach & Cocktail Seminar on Wednesday October 24th @ 7PM.

If you HOME-BREW beer, or are just interested in learning more about that stuff you love to drink, keep October 8TH open!  Coalhouse Pizza in Stamford is teaming up with B. United International to create a satellite classroom once a month beginning October 8th. The first class is entitled "HOPSTACLE" - a discussion on the 5 major hop growing regions of the world and the different flavors & aromas their hops can impart on beer while tasting 5 different beers that use those hops. Contact Coalhouse to sign up. 

Will Allen, Founder and CEO of Growing Power and author of The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy Food, People, and Communities, is going to be giving the keynote address on local food at The New Haven Land Trust 30^thAnniversary Celebration Dinner on Friday, October 12th at 6:00 p.m. at Yale Commons, 168 Grove St, New Haven, CT. Purchase tickets to the NHLT 30^th Anniversary Dinner here.

For those who have been meaning to get to Sherri Brooks Vinton's canning classes, but haven't yet made it, here is your chance. On Thursday, October 11th, Author Sherri Brooks will be speaking about "The How's and Why's to Canning" as well as signing books @ Catch A Healthy Habit in Fairfield, 6:30pm. 

Canning is a great way to store away seasonal flavors and support local agriculture. In this class, Sherri Brooks Vinton, author of the home food preservation how-to, “Put ‘em Up!” will walk people through all the basic info needed to safely and confidently create our own “canned” goods.  Sherri will demonstrate the Boiling Water Method, the basic method used for making jams, jellies, salsas, chutneys, pickles. Sign up today and you’ll be ready to “preserve local agriculture” at this demo and book signing. The cost is $10.00. Sign up HERE. 

A new food and music venue has opened in Westport today in the Saugatuck neighborhood...The Blu Parrot. With the team from The Georgetown Saloon at the helm, The Blue Parrot is poised for some good times in the old Jasmine location. With nibbles like Duck Confit Knish, Blistered Sheshito Peppers, and Oyster Po' Boys on the menu, and one of the best Kids Menus I've seen in the area, this may be a place to watch. Here is their story. (SEE VIDEO ABOVE)  

Let us know what you think if you check them out. 

Got kids? Like pancakes? And bacon? And all things farm-y and fun? Did you miss last's year's hugely successful event? 

Come on down to an old-fashioned “Pancake Breakfast & Pop Up Farmers' Market," a family event at Wakeman Town Farm (134 Cross Hwy, Westport) on Sunday, October 14th from 9 a.m.-noon. It's a fun, fall $8 Pancake Breakfast (Rain or shine.)

Pancakes & maple syrup, bacon & all the fixins, plus juice & coffee will be served. This event is SPONSORED by CHRISTIE'S COUNTRY MARKET.

The Tokeneke 2012 Pumpkin Carnival Will Take Place Saturday, October 13th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m at the Tokeneke Elementary School; Rain Date: Sunday, October 14th

Each year, hundreds of children and their parents take part in a Fall celebration in Darien known as the Tokeneke Pumpkin Carnival.  An annual tradition for over forty years, the 2012

The Pumpkin Carnival features attractions for all ages, including a haunted house, amusement park rides and games, rock climbing, a giant inflatable slide, a bake sale and raffle prizes. Carnival participants will also enjoy a wide array of tasty foods and beverages from local Darien restaurants such as Heights Pizza, Burgers Shakes and Fries and Upper Crust Bakery and Cafe.

CTbites in collaboration with the Westport Downtown Merchants Association is excited to present the first Downtown Westport Foodie Fest the weekend of October 26, 27, 28! All Foodie Fest events are venue driven, giving attendees a chance to come to the beautiful downtown area of Westport and savor over 15 events including: Sushi Making for Kids, a Biergarten on the Green, Happy Hour @ The Spotted Horse, and a screening of the ultimate foodie flick, “Jiro Dreams of Sushi" (to name a few). 

CTbites Invites, the very popular “insider access” foodie event program, will be offering a “menu” of over 10 dining experiences all day Saturday 10/27 including a Bloody Mary Demo and Brunch at Tavern on Main,  Lunch with Chef Pietro Scotti of Da Pietro’s,  Happy Hour at Spotted Horse, Mediterranean Wines and Appetizers at Acqua,  a thrilling Champagne Saber demo and tasting at LUXE Modern Wine Bar, Bourbon, BBQ and Beer at Bobby Q’s and a special pre-theatre dinner at Blue Lemon. BUY Tickets here for these events & more. 

Bottlerocket Wine & Spirit (1790 Post Road East, Westport) Thursday, October 25th 7-8pm hosts a Whiskey & Bitters Happy Hour Class.  Mix and match a variety of different bitters with two classic whiskey cocktails to see the big flavor impact just a few drops can make. Bottlerocket will open every bottle of bitters in the shop, allowing attendees to explore a wide range of flavor combinations.Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.  

Coalhouse Pizza in Stamford is all grown up. Coalhouse will soon feature a dedicated bar & game room with darts, bar shuffleboard, karaoke, and the Golden Tee 2013 golf game; four large flatscreen televisions; and up to 60 new seats in a private setting.  All Coalhouse Beer Club Members who book a Holiday Party at Coalhouse get 10% off (before tax & gratuity)!

To kick off American Cheese Month Fairfield Cheese Company will host Chris Gray of Consider Bardwell Farm on Saturday October 6^th from 1-4pm for a cheese tasting of their award winning American artisan cheeses. 

The ever popular Ambler Farm Day is THIS Sunday, September 12th from 12-4. Bring the family and enjoy this wonderful Fall Festival. 

This Saturday, September 29, Michael Stern (www.roadfood.com, NPR, Saveur magazine) will bring his Connecticut Eating Tour's 50 Foodies to Wave Hill Breads Bakery & Cafe at 30 High Street in Norwalk, CT. 

This week, local blogger, Jeanette's Healthy Living  paid tribute to the season with a roundup of great recipes featuring Winter Squash. Growing winter squash can be done well into the winter, thus the name. These are hardy vegetables that can be found locally throughout the winter into the spring. Plus, they are a Power Food. 

Winter squash comes in all different shapes, sizes and colors and I’ve started to see more at our local farmer’s market. I’ve tried the more common pumpkin, acorn squash and butternut squash, as well as spaghetti squash, kabocha squash, buttercup squash, (similar to kabocha), and delicata squash, and I’d love to get my hands on a blue Hokkaido pumpkin, a hubbard squash, or a red Kuri pumpkin.

I love using small winter squashes as bowls for serving soups and pilafs. They’re so elegant plus they’re edible!

So what makes Winter Squash a Power Food? They’re packed with beta-carotene (which your body converts to vitamin A) and vitamin C, plus they’re high in fiber, manganese, potassium, folate, vitamin K and vitamin B6. Winter squash’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds are believed to have potential in the area of cancer prevention and cancer treatment, as well as the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

To help get you started, I put together a roundup of 50+ Healthy Winter Squash recipes – Enjoy!