The Drawing Room In Cos Cob Hosts Artist’s Table Dinner Series CTbites Team March 16, 2013 The Drawing Room in Cos Cob is excited to announce it’s first Artist’s Table Dinner Series. The Drawing Room is an intimate gem, with a small dining room and garden patio that extends the tiny restaurant in the warm seasons and a newly remodeled art gallery in the space adjacent to the cafe. “The Artist’s Table”, is a seated, plated dinner, with limited seating, situated right in their beautiful gallery, featuring local farms, artisanal cheeses and fresh, local ingredients, which highlight particular artworks and artists in their current exhibit. This Dinner Series is an exciting combination, bringing together art and food lovers and alike. The season kicks off on March 24th @ 6:30 PM, when their executive chef, Paul Lockely teams up with Bjorn Eicke of Thomas Henkelmann to artfully create a five course dinner inspired by artworks from the current exhibition “Homeland.” Each course is well thought-out and inspired by the current collection of artwork in the gallery. (See menu below) In other words, each dish is based on a piece of artwork. Read More
Invites: Join us for Dinner w/ Bistro Latino & The Wine Mapp CTbites Team March 16, 2013 Join CTbites for a special dinner on Tuesday 3/26 from 7:00-9:00 pm featuring Chef Rafael Palomino's Bistro Latino & The Wine Mapp in Greenwich. Four courses plus dessert, all inclusive of tax and gratuity, are each paired with specially selected wines for $75. Start off with assorted tapas reception at 7 pm, followed by a 4 course dinner and wine pairings from Greenwich wine merchant, The Wine Mapp, a boutique wine and spirits shop with exceptional choices from around the world. View Menu Below or click here for more info & to purcahse tickets. 4 course menu from Chef Palomino includes: Read More
Friday Froth: Different Shades Of Green Ingredients Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon March 15, 2013 Welly, well, well, my drinking droogies - what's it going to be then, eh? Me? I'm going hybrid for the holiday, and downing a few pints of Black Velvet (I like to make it equal parts Guinness and champagne). It certainly does chase the grey away. But we can't rush into things, oh no. The sight of the crowds, of too much Kelly green, too fast - especially when contrasted with tanning bed orange - presents a shock to the system few mortals can bear. Thus it was that I decided to ease up and down and through a palette of greens in the Costa Rican jungle. To prepare myself for St. Patrick's Day, you see. It's a strange feeling, while sipping a cold beer in a palm hut, to find you somehow have wifi. The distraction provided by the ability to check the score of the UConn game is occasionally a welcome one, though, since Costa Rican beers are nearly as indistinguishable from one another as they are terrible. They don't merit much expatiation, so on to the bullet points: Read More
Upcoming Events at Yale Sustainable Food Project Restaurant New Haven Amy Kundrat March 15, 2013 Mark your calendar for an impressive schedule of events hosted by Sustainable Food Project at Yale University in New Haven. Among their upcoming events is a talk with Bren Smith of Thimble Island Oyster Co. (recently featured on Lucky Peach's Tumblr), followed by Greek food writer Diane Kochilas, and a foraging tour with the Sustainable Food Project's Justin Freiberg. The Project manages an organic farm on the campus of Yale University and runs educational programs that support exploration and academic inquiry related to food and agriculture. For more information on their mission and events, visit Yale Sustainable Food Project. Upcoming Events @ Yale Sustainable Food Project Calhoun Master's Tea with Bren Smith of Thimble Island Oyster Co.Thursday, March 28Calhoun College Master's House, 189 Elm Street Read More
Too Little Thyme’s Pickles & Preserves: Pickling to Perfection Ingredients Local Artisan Kid Friendly Kathleen Atkins March 14, 2013 Jane Costello of Too Little Thyme has mastered the art of pickling to perfection. Based out of her home in Westport, Costello has been sharing her old family pickle and preserves recipes with Connecticut for the past 15 years. “I am a foodie,” says Costello. “I am always in the kitchen and I am happy to be turning this hobby into my career.” Growing up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Costello spent her weekends browsing the rows of stalls at the Lancaster Central Market, America’s oldest operating farmer’s market. “I was used to produce not wrapped in cellophane,” says Costello. “My mother always had something fresh on the counter.” It was from her childhood days in the market and in her family garden that Costello developed her love for fresh ingredients. “It sounds like the old story, but everything I learned in the kitchen was from my mother and grandmother,” says Costello, “including my pickle recipe.” Read More
Winesday: Elm Restaurant Rhone Wine Dinner Wine Chat Wine Tasting Winesday Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 13, 2013 “Are you here for the wine dinner?” asked a smiling gentleman as I entered Elm Restaurant in New Canaan, shaking snow flurries from my coat. Before I knew it, he was whisking us away behind the bar, past a few tables, and into a smaller dining room tucked away in the back. The area felt cozy and intimate. Four glossy walls framed the small space and a table set for eight sat in the center. Nearby stood a countertop, where a few more guests could perch while looking into the bustling kitchen. “We want people to feel like they are at our homes,” explained Chef Brian Lewis. “It’s like the feeling of having close friends over for dinner.” Read More
Connecticut Chili Classic 2013, Presented by Craft Butchery CTbites Team March 13, 2013 Get ready all you chili lovin' Nutmeggers. The Connecticut Chili Classic, presented by Craft Butchery, will take place on Sunday, April 14, 2013 from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM @ SoNo Market Place, South Norwalk. Yeah...you heard right. The challenge for the best chili is on! In its inaugural year, twenty five teams will battle for the coveted Connecticut Chili Cup as voted by the public and a panel of local restaurant chefs. This outdoor event will feature live music by several local artists and a bonfire. 10% of profits will be donated to a local food-related charity. The Connecticut Chili Classic (CCC) is sure to become Connecticut’s premier chili competition. Whether you're competing or eating, here are the details: Read More
What's in Season @ Walter Stewart's Market (sponsored post) CTbites Team March 13, 2013 In an era of big box shopping, Walter Stewart’s Market is a breath of fresh (and gourmet) air. A fixture in downtown New Canaan since 1907, this family run grocery features a great selection of everyday needs for your family, as well as the kind of customer service rarely seen these days. But Walter Stewart's offers so much more than your average grocer. At Walter Stewart’s you can find artisanal goods from local producers and farms throughout the store, while hard to find specialty goods can be seen in every aisle. And let’s not forget Stewart’s Spirits. This is a market where the butcher really does know your name, and sushi chefs are waiting to prepare you the perfect dinner. Enjoy your shopping experience and the season at Walter Stewart’s with St. Patty’s, Passover, Easter Goods and a whole lot more. Read More
Shares in Sport Hill Farm's Organic Summer CSA Now Available Ingredients Local Farm Farm Fresh CTbites Team March 12, 2013 Shares in Sport Hill Farm's Organic Summer CSA Now Available ORGANIC SUMMER CSA are Now Available at Wakeman Town Farm! Interested in getting farm fresh produce while supporting our local farming community? This is your chance to share in the local harvest from the verdant Easton fields of our favorite farm gal, Patti Popp. Many of you know already know and love Patti and her delicious, local organic produce from her stall at the Westport Farmers' Market. This is your chance to become a member in her organic, summer CSA program without having to drive up to Easton to retrieve your weekly goodies! Pick up your fresh-picked produce every Friday at Westport's Wakeman Town Farm. Register to Reserve Your Share! Deadline to register is March 31. Read More
The CakeBox Opens "Swoon" Gluten Free Bakery in Ridgefield Restaurant Bakery Gluten-Free Ridgefield Special Dietary Needs Kid Friendly Dessert CTbites Team March 12, 2013 The Cake Box Expands and Relocates, Swoon Takes Over: Gluten free gourmet treats and cupcakes to live for... As a mother of a child who has Celiac disease and cannot eat any gluten or wheat, I’ve struggled with finding cakes and desserts that actually taste like the real thing. I’ve found some good options at local markets but need an occasional splurge for a special event or party, or just because. Thankfully, there is good news if you’re in Fairfield County: a new gluten-free, nut-free bakery has opened. Soon after Cake Box of Ridgefield moved to its larger location, the same team opened Swoon. Cake Box owners Robert Byrnes and Jordan Gregory, whose bakery is known for its variety of gourmet cupcake flavors and custom cakes, decided to open a gluten-free and nut-free bakery when Cake Box outgrew their Copp’s Hill Marketplace location. They explain, “We have been making gluten-free treats for customers that requested them. Now that we have a dedicated gluten-free and nut-free location, and can offer our customers the highest guarantee of no cross-contamination with other ingredients that may be problematic for them. Which means they can relax and enjoy a cupcake like everyone else!” Read More
Momma's Boy Cook Off @ Aitoro's April 11 CTbites Team March 12, 2013 With a strong culinary foundation rooted in family history and tradition, local chefs share the spotlight with the women who have inspired them. Published in Woman to Woman Magazine (W2W), “Momma’s Boys” tells the story of 5 chefs and the influence their mothers have had on their careers. Shared recipes, spirited view points, and a friendly competition in the kitchen will be revealed on Thursday, April 11, 2013 in the beautiful kitchens of Aitoro in Norwalk. Tickets can be purchased online for this unique cooking event where guests will have the privilege of meeting the women behind these talented art culinaires and sample the dishes that two-cooks-in-the-kitchen prepare their way. Tickets are $40: http://www.w2wmagazine.com/ Read More
Zinc: Modern American Farm-to-Table in New Haven Restaurant Cocktails Farm to Table Farm Fresh New Haven CTbites Team March 10, 2013 Zinc has been a fixture on the New Haven green since 1999, well before farm-to-table restaurants became the sought-after reservation. Even then, Chef Denise Appel was designing plates that changed with the season, and "continued to do so even when people in town wondered if she'd ever make her mind up on a menu," laughs co-owner Donna Curran, who has worked alongside Chef Appel for more than two decades. Named for the traditional zinc bars in European bistros, Zinc has successfully become a well-known neighborhood gathering place over the past dozen years. Warm and welcoming for its minimalist design, the restaurant is long and narrow, as expected in an urban setting. Yet with a profound cherry bar, generous seating and plenty of quiet nooks, you know you’ll gladly stay a while. Read More
Westport Weston Restaurant Week March 10-16 Restaurant Week CTbites Team March 09, 2013 Westport & Weston Restaurant Week returns March 10th through March 16th. This year the Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce will be offering a new Patron Reward Program that should entice you to dine more frequently during Restaurant Week. A minimum of three dinners and/or lunches out will make you eligible to be entered into The Chamber raffle to win gift certificates to your favorite restaurants or tickets to the Westport Country Playhouse’s season premiere, The Dining Room. View the list of participating restaurants below: Read More
THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE: Gabriele's Italian Steakhouse, Greenwich. Interview Restaurant Entertaining Greenwich Italian Steakhouse Lou Gorfain March 08, 2013 Though CTBites traditionally reviews the food created by gifted chefs in the Back of the House, we thought a story about the talent at the Front might be in order. So who better to feature than Tony Capasso, the celebrated maître d of Gabriele’s Italian Steakhouse in Greenwich and unquestionably the biggest personality on the Connecticut restaurant scene? Actually, Copasso may be more MC than Maitre ‘d. "My mother tells me that when I was five, I was already meeting, greeting and introducing people to each other in my apartment house," he told us. "I've always been a people person. President of my high school. Captain of the football team, I like people, they like me, and that's what this job is all about." Read More
Q & A with Carissa of The Stand Juice Company CTbites Team March 07, 2013 That's right folks, the day you've all been waiting for is finally here. Carissa, co-owner of The Stand Juice Company is putting together an evening for you to come to The Stand and hear about how to incorporate The Stand's lifestyle into your own. Her goal for the evening, on March 26th from 6:30 - 8:00, is to help everyone move in a direction towards a healthier sustainable lifestyle. Her talk will be followed by a Q & A , and she welcomes you to bring in your favorite recipe and she will do her best to convert it into a healthy vegan option! Where & When: March 26, 2013 @ The Stand Juice Company Fairfield, Sportsplex 87 Mill Plain Rd Fairfield Time: 6:30 - 8:00 Cost : $10.00 Please Email or call Mae to sign up 207-712-1080 OR mae.thestandjuice@gmail.com Related Links: The Stand Juice Cleanse: 5 Days Without Food Read More
Hot-tail Happy Hour at Parallel Post Restaurant Cocktails Farm to Table Wine Bar Amy Kundrat March 06, 2013 Parallel Post has launched a "Hot-tail Happy Hour," a week-day cocktail list of of three steamy concoctions that can be paired with their usual happy hour specials, available Monday through Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. Although it will take more to transport me from the Trumbull Marriott to the slopes of Val d'Isère, at $7 each, these après-ski cocktails are a nice alternative to the usual glass of wine. In addition to their full menu which I wrote about last week, I have become a fan of Parallel Post's wallet-friendly happy hour menu and this new cocktail addition. The man behind these inventive drinks is a familiar face to Fairfield County, lead mixologist Greg Genias who is the man behind Barnum Publick House's epic Bloody Mary Bar. For Parallel Post, Greg has created a full menu of original cocktails, featuring many house-made liquor infusions. A native of Jamaica, Greg comes to Connecticut by way of Utah, Greg's preference leans toward classic cocktails like Manhattans and brown liquors served neat. In addition to these new concotions below, don't miss Gregory's Bloody Mary made with an infused spicy vodka and a blend of roasted vegetables. Parallel Post Hot-tail Menu Hot Buttered Popcorn: House-blend herbal tea and popcorn-infused rum Read More
Winesday: When It Rains, It “Pours”... Wine & the Weather Ingredients This Week In Wine Wine Tasting Winesday Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 06, 2013 “What’s going to come next- a sandstorm?” asked my friend as we stared out at the never-ending expanse of snow in front of us. This season certainly has seen its share of weather anomalies from Hurricane Sandy to the recent blizzard that hit some parts of Connecticut with more than 30 inches of snow. As I assessed the damage and tried to get my daily routine back in order, I couldn’t help but consider how these extreme storms have affected the wine industry. A wine’s quality depends on a host of climate factors including the length of the growing season, temperature, and composition of the soil. Even a small deviation can alter an entire bottle. What happens to production in the wake of such monumental weather upheavals? In order to find the answer to my question, I turned to Andie Martin, Tasting Room Manager, and Chris Moore, Vineyard Manager, at the Jonathan Edwards Winery. Read More
Embody Fitness Gourmet in Westport: Fitness Inspired Functional Food Restaurant Juice Cleanse Special Dietary Needs Specialty Market healthy CTbites Team March 05, 2013 When I first walked into Embody Fitness Gourmet after it opened last September, it was a hot sticky day, the kind that melts the asphalt in the road. I could barely breathe and was in the midst of my usual daily stress. My car had almost died and the AC was acting quirky so I rolled into the parking lot off Riverside Ave across from the gas station. I ordered a GT Surge, a blend of crushed ice, green tea, freshly pressed lemon and agave nectar accented with fresh mint. Suddenly, my mind drifted off as the cool mojito-like flavors hit my tongue. I was transported to some palm-tree beach far away. Now, that the days of hot sunshine are long gone, I pull over and grab a homemade bean and kale soup as well as another GT Surge, if only to return to the summer in my mind. It seems these days, after much bad news and crazy weather, I need to escape often. Read More
Vote for CTbites for Best Local Blog in Best of Fairfield County Readers Poll 2013 CTbites Team March 04, 2013 To all our readers who have enjoyed CTbites this past year, please VOTE FOR CTBITES to win BEST LOCAL BLOGGER in the annual Best of Fairfield County Readers Poll. Every vote makes a difference. VOTE HERE. Here's how to vote: Quickly register and then select the Media & Education category. You will find CTbites under "Local Blogger" &"Local Twitterer." If you don't see us in the pulldown menu...WRITE US IN. Thanks for your support! Read More
