Guess The Chef Part 3: Win Westport Farmers' Market Swag

Stephanie Webster October 01, 2013

We're back with our 3rd exciting edition of "Guess The Chef." This round, we are guessing the Chef for the October 6th dinner....

If you follow CTbites, you've likely heard their "Fork It Over" underground dinners to benefit The Westport Farmers' Market. If not, WFM is hosting 2 more pop up dinners over the next month with both mysterious locations and guest chefs.

The Guest Chef Cooking on October 6th gave these clues to CTbites. The FIRST PERSON TO GUESS THE CHEF BELOW WINS a basket of fabulous swag from local CT vendors courtesy of The Westport Farmers' Market. Good luck!!

What is your favorite ingredient? Right now...roasted tomato juice. Next month? Who knows?

Hobby when not cooking? Coaching my children sports teams

Award Winning Bareburger "Organic" Burgers Opening in Ridgefield & Stamford

Restaurant Ridgefield Stamford Burgers

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger September 29, 2013

Tremendous construction activity is happening at 38 Danbury Road in Ridgefield as the micro-chain Bareburger is slated to open in mid-November, bringing a wide variety of meats, toppings and, for those looking for a little less in the calorie-count, salads. In 2009 after receiving rave reviews preparing hamburgers in the kitchen of Sputnik, an underground music haunt in Brooklyn, Euripides Pelekanos founded Bareburger in an Astoria, Queens’ storefront. After bringing his winning formula to thirteen additional NYC locations, Bareburger is now expanding into Connecticut with its first Nutmeg State location in Ridgefield with a second slated for opening in Stamford in mid-2014.

In an exclusive interview with CTbites, Pelekanos explained his philosophy and vision as Bareburger expands from its single Astoria location into a regional micro-chain.

“I want all of my products to be organic or as close to organic as possible. From the meat to the toppings to the salads, I want natural or organic; that is my personal preference; that is what I eat.” With organic producers Albert’s Organic, Blackwing Quality Meats and Rick’s Picks already in the food chain, Pelekanos is now interested in developing relationships with local farms. The Bareburger brand represents products that are “free of hormones, pesticides and other unsavory elements.”

The Next Food Network Star TV Show is Casting: They Want You!!

CTbites Team September 27, 2013

The Next Food Network Star, one of Food Network’s hugely successful culinary reality series is currently casting for season 10 and they are holding an open casting call in NYC on October 7th.

They are looking for those with a captivating personality who believe they’re at the top of the culinary game and want to inspire a Food Network audience through their passion for food and cooking. If you are a chef or culinary professional who might be interested in becoming the host of his or her own cooking show please find the details of the casting event below:

CTbites Invites: Dinner Crawl to Osianna & Quattro Pazzi for $65

CTbites Team September 26, 2013

Join CTbites for a quick trip to Greece and Italy on TUESDAY 10/8 7:00- 9:00 pm for a special CTbites progressive dinner at family owned, Osianna Mediterranean Taverna and Quattro Pazzi for $65, ALL INCLUSIVE of wine, tax and tips! Ticket Info Here.

Gino and Maria are your hosts, as you begin the evening with a glass of Prosecco at Osianna, www.osianna.com , for an authentic Mediterranean Spread selection of Tzatziki yogurt, cucumber, garlic, Ktipiti hot peppers, feta cheese, Melitzanosalata eggplant caviar, hot peppers, Dolmathes grape leaves, grilled pita, and Mocroccan olives.

Escorted by your CTbites host, you leisurely will stroll just around the corner to Quattro Pazzi, www.quattropazzi.com , where a choice of beet and goat cheese salad or Caesar salad awaits, followed by three of Quattro's bestselling fresh pastas: FETTUCINI MITTY with scallops, shrimp, chopped lump crab meat in a pink sauce, CAVATELLI MARCO POLO: Chicken, sun dried tomatoes, broccoli, garlic oil and, RIGATONI BUTERA: Hot sausage, Peas, pink sauce, topped with ricotta...and your choice of glass of red or white wine.

WIN TIX to Blogger Lounge & Greenwich Wine & Food Festival!!!

Stephanie Webster September 26, 2013

10 lucky CTbites readers will WIN TICKETS to the Greenwich Wine & Food Festival & PASSES to the CTbites Bloggers Lounge, (reserved only for press).

How to Win? It's easy. 1) All entrants must be FACEBOOK FRIENDS & CTbites Newsletter Subscribers (sign up on the left). 2) Just tell us you'd like to win one of these FREE TIX below in the comments section.

We will announce the winners on Thursday October 3rd. Must be 21+ to enter.

Little Barn in Westport: Local Pub Gets Ready for Fall Opening

Restaurant Westport Beer Bar Comfort Food Kid Friendly

CTbites Team September 24, 2013

“Things are starting to move really quickly now” said Scott Beck the co-owner of the soon to open Little Barn in Westport. He and his partner Kevin McHugh are working to get the new Pub opened before the holiday season starts. “We’re building a barn, and putting a pub inside”

‘Since Kevin sold his shares in The Little Pub in Ridgefield we have been looking for a great spot to put a new pub concept. When we found out that the Swanky Frank’s space could be had we moved quickly. I loved the idea of redoing such an iconic building in Westport particularly since we both grew up in Westport and spent lots of time in the Dairy Queen back in the days before it was Swanky Franks.” While the shape of the building harkens back to its Swanky days, the interior has been completely reconceived. Beck says “I want people to be surprised when they walk in.”

“The plan is to keep the original lines of the building intact but basically rebuild the entire place as a barn with a pub inside it. The gambrel shaped roof will be kept but the bright red roof will be replaced with a galvanized steel one. The building, inside and out, will feature lots of reclaimed red barn siding, the 2 spectacular reclaimed roof vents just went up, the 2 sided stone fireplace is being built now which will be perfect for the cooler nights. It will cozy up the inside and also warm up the outside when eating or drinking on the outside stone patio. In the summer the bar and dining room have sliding doors that open onto the patio as well which will give it a nice open air feel.

The menu and ambiance will be casual and fun, with no dish priced over $20.

Bar Rosso Hosts Palmar Vineyards Wine Dinner

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson September 24, 2013

On Thursday October 17, Bar Rosso will hold a wine event that marries the wines of Palmaz Vineyards with traditional cuisine from Peidmont, Italy. The event will highlight the talents of the restaurant’s Chef, Ches Massimo Stecchi, who heralds from the region. He will prepare five courses that will be accompanied with a complementary wine.

Palmar Vineyards has an interesting story. It is located in Napa Valley, California. Henry Hagen first transformed it into a vineyard in 1881 and it went by the name of Cedar Knoll. He produced many award-winning bottles and marshaled acclaim in the region. Unfortunately, prohibition brought its Golden Age to an end. When the Palmaz family purchased it, it was just a disheveled older house on a tract of land. Today, they are working to restore it to its previous grandeur.

Winvian Hosts Culinary Fundraiser for CT NOFA Sept 29th

CTbites Team September 24, 2013

This Sunday, September 29th, spend an amazing afternoon wandering the luxurious grounds of one of the most beautiful resorts in Connecticut and enjoy some amazing food as Winvian presents a Special Culinary event to benefit Connecticut’s Northeast Organic Farming Association. From noon until 3PM, guests will sample appetizers by Winvian’s Executive Chef Chris Eddy using the freshest ingredients from Winvian’s and other local farms. Then tour the cottages, enjoy live music and participate in the auction. A relaxing day in a luxurious setting.

For reservations contact CT NOFA at 203.888.5146 or www.ctnofa.org/winvian

Winvian is located at 155 Alain White Road, Morris CT 06763

Fork It Over Recap: Westport Farmers' Market Throws A Locally Inspired Clam Bake

Restaurant Events Farm to Table Farmers Market

Stephanie Webster September 23, 2013

CLICK ON IMAGE TO LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY

Sunday night harkened the first of four highly anticipated “Fork it Over” fundraising dinners to benefit the Westport Farmers’ Market. Market Director, Lori Cochran, added a dash of mystery this year as guests submitted their RSVP’s (quickly I may add as the events sell out in a matter of minutes), without any knowledge of the location or the chefs participating in any of the four culinary evenings.

Alas, diners waited for weeks, running through possible guest chef scenarios in their heads, and waiting for the morning of the event when news would arrive.

The inaugural event was held at The Grange in Fairfield, and the first Chef in the Fork it Over lineup was none other than Matt Storch of Match Restaurant assisted by Jeff Spence of The Chelsea.

On the lawn guests were greeted with the smell of grilled sausages in 3 varieties from Saugatuck Craft Butchery, a peek into Chef Storch’s La Caja China smoke box filled with Norm Bloom’s oysters, clams, and lobsters, and a bar with expertly crafted Cocktails and wine pairings from Saugatuck Grain and Grape. What we had here was an old fashioned end of the summer Clam Bake. The evening was looking good. If you missed it, no worries, we've got lots of photos. VIEW PHOTO GALLERY

ON20 in Hartford: Lofty Views, Gorgeous Food, Top Chef, New Prix Fixe Lunch Menu

Restaurant Hartford

Douglas P Clement September 22, 2013

The season we’ve just entered, that glowing, golden transition from high summer to early autumn, with cooler temperatures and the first blush of fall foliage, is the year’s best backdrop for fine dining. This menu of gorgeously-presented, heavenly-tasting farm-to-table cuisine will continue indefinitely—just like the unparalleled views of the cityscape and the Connecticut River Valley that guests enjoy at the restaurant, named for its location on the 20^th floor of The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection & Insurance Company - and here’s the season’s best invitation: ON20 in Hartford, a nonpareil Connecticut restaurant with a very talented young chef, is launching a new $30 prix fixe lunch menu that highlights locally-grown ingredients.

Close your eyes and order anything on the menus created by Executive Chef Jeffrey Lizotte, who, barely into his 30s, has worked with David Bouley, at Le Bernardin and at the two-star Michelin Restaurant, La Bastide St. Antoine in France. He’ll send out plates that are works of art, and bites that will leave you trying to put words to the rhapsody of flavor epiphanies with each forkful.

(ON20 is open Monday through Friday for lunch, Thursday and Friday for dinner, and hosts happy hours Wednesday through Friday.)

Read the full story on
Connecticut Magazine's Web site.

CTbites Hosts Blogger Lounge at Greenwich Wine+Food Festival

CTbites Team September 22, 2013

CTbites is pleased to participate in this year's third annual Greenwich Wine+Food Festival, hosting the CTbites Blogger Lounge.

The CTbites Blogger Lounge is a new addition this year, inviting food bloggers, writers, photographers and chefs to connect with like-minded food lovers and recharge during the busy afternoon festivities. Throughout the afternoon, CTbites will be hosting an agenda of chef appearances and moderating a series of interviews by and with chefs. All Chef Q & A's will be recorded and made available for viewing on CTbites.

Visiting chefs include: Arik Bensimon of leFarm, Tim LaBant of the Schoolhouse at Cannondale, Debra Ponzek of Aux Delices, Matt Storch of Match and Chelsea, and Gretchen Thomas of Barcelona Wine Bar, mixologist, Adam Patrick of Walrus & Carpenter, and Geoff Lazlo of The Whelk. Chef Storch will also act as a moderator for select CTbites interviews. Also VIP and Network Chefs to be announced shortly.

The lounge will be available for media only, but keep an eye out as...we will be giving away Blogger Lounge tickets to 10 CTbites Readers.

If you are a food blogger or chef and are interesting in visiting the CTbites Blogger Lounge, please contact: amy@ctbites.com or steph@ctbites.com.

Join Us @ Greenwich Wine & Food Festival 2013: The Ultimate Foodie Event

CTbites Team September 21, 2013

JOIN US for the GREENWICH 2013 WINE+FOOD FESTIVAL presented by Serendipity Magazine, all proceeds benefitting The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. This tented event on 6.3-acres features celebrity chefs, cooking demonstrations, gourmet tastings, wine and spirits and live performances by favorite headlining musicians. This event brings together the very best Chefs, Sommeliers, and food experts in the Fairfield County/ Westchester area. Events include: The Culinary Village taking place on October 5th hosts Gourmet tastings by 90 of the Northeast’s finest food, wine and spirit vendors. Celebrity Demo Tents will feature: Duff Goldman, Graham Elliot, Sara Moulton, Francois Payard and many many more. Mixology Tent features: Gretchen Thomas of Barcelona, and Adam Patrick of Classic American Whiskey Cocktails. Plus, there's a Burger Throwdown & Food Trucks galore.

And for the first year, CTbites will join the festival by presenting The CTbites Blogger Lounge. CTbites will be hosting an agenda of chef appearances and moderating a series of interviews by and with chefs.

The Blogger Lounge will be available for media only, but keep an eye out as...we will be giving away Blogger Lounge tickets to 10 CTbites Readers.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Walrus & Carpenter Host Crispin Cider Tasting

Restaurant

CTbites Team September 21, 2013

Walrus & Carpenter, one of Fairfield County's most exciting new restaurants will be hosting a...no...not wine...not beer...CIDER tasting event, Crispin Cider Tasting Thursday September, 26th. How better to herald the beginning of fall than with the menu below? Pork, Bourbon, Squash...Take a look.

For Walrus newbies, the kitchen is led by Executive Chef Paul DiMaria, formerly of the beautiful Community Table in Washington, CT. Walrus and Carpenter is located at 2895 Fairfield Ave. in Bridgeport. This is an evening you won't want to miss.

1^st Course – Crispin Original + Cider Cocktails

Fall spiced smoked pork + apple sausage, goat cheese crostini, tarragon aioli,

cider-red wine reduction

2^nd Course – Bourbon Barrel Aged Cider

Butternut squash + sweet potato soup, smoked bacon, apples + thyme

Westport-Weston Restaurant Week: 23 Restaurants, Dining Deals

Restaurant Restaurant Week

CTbites Team September 20, 2013

Mark your calendars; The Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce will once again sponsor the tastiest two weeks of the year during Westport’s Fall Restaurant Weeks -- Sunday, September 29th thru Saturday, October 12, 2013. This biannual event provides the perfect opportunity to take advantage of great savings at Westport’s best restaurants throughout town.

Twenty-three local eateries will feature exclusive 2-course lunch, and 3-course dinner options (prix-fixe) during the two-week period. It’s an ideal time to discover Westport’s hidden dining delights at savings of up to 40%.

Participating restaurants are: 323 Main Restaurant & Bar • Blue Lemon • Cru Restaurant and Lounge • DaPietro's • Matsu Sushi • Pink Sumo Café Sushi & Sake Café • Rizzuto's • Sakura Japanese Restaurant • Tabouli Grill • Tarantino’s • Tarry Lodge • Terrain Garden Café • The Mumbai Times • Rive Bistro • Positano's Ristorante • Artisan • Acqua Ristorante • Post 154 • Spotted Horse Tavern • Tavern on Main • Tengda Asian Bistro • The Red Hen at the Westport Inn • Arezzo Ristorante.

Foodie Road Trip: Mystic, CT for Seafood & Sweets

Restaurant Mystic Road Trip

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson September 20, 2013

“Cute Connecticut Day Trips.” Search. Labor Day had left me with an unexpected day off from work, and I’d turned to Google to help decide what to do with the time. The results came in with a definitive winner: Mystic, Connecticut. Between an aquarium, a historical seaport, and seaside shops, the town seemed like the perfect destination.

And perfect it was. In addition to its attractions, Mystic also holds an array of amazing restaurants overflowing with fresh seafood. After a morning at the aquarium, my friend and I chose a place called “Go Fish” for a late lunch. It is located in Old Mistick Village, an area of small shops and boutiques meant to feel like a colonial New England town. We walked into a space adorned with large sea inspired murals painted in vibrant colors- almost Warhol-esque. There was a beautiful large bar accentuated with rows of shiny glassware. Even though it was three in the afternoon, several people were enjoying a meal or a drink at the bar.

Go Fish specializes in fresh seafood; ideal for the person wanting to appreciate the coastal milieu. Specials included an assortment of local raw oysters and jumbo crab legs. Guests can choose from an array of appetizers, sandwiches, soups, and entrees. My favorite feature was that full entrees could be ordered as small plates as well. I decided on a small plate version of their Steamed Littleneck Clams with grilled chorizo

"The Founding of the Food Network: A 20 Year Retrospective"

CTbites Team September 19, 2013

The New School will be hosting a panel on "The Founding of the Food Network: A 20 Year Retrospective," on September 27, 2013, from 6-7:30 pm. It is open to the public; there is no charge. For those unable to attend, the panel will be taped and available online. Panel description and speakers below.

Speakers include Reese Schonfeld, co-counder CNN and the first president of The Food Network; Joe Langhan, formerly of an executive at Colony Communications, currently President, Media Program Network; Pat O’Gorman, lead producer for new talent and documentaries; and Allen Salkin, author of From Scratch: Inside the Food Network. Moderated by New School faculty member, Andrew F. Smith.

Description: Twenty years ago, the Food Network began broadcasting tapes of old cookery programs. It wouldn’t start live broadcasts for another two months, and when it did, there were not many viewers. From these modest beginnings, the Food Network has grown into one of America’s most successful cable network channel and in process, it has engendered hundreds of other food and cooking shows on cable and broadcast networks, and its culinary competitions have converted food into a spectator sport.

Campari Martini via Saugatuck Grain & Grape

Jeff Marron September 19, 2013

The bitterness of Campari can be overwhelming to a lot of people. This is the reason why if you ask some people if they like it, they'll scrunch their face up and say "No! It's terrible!". While on the other hand, the part of the population that either grew up with sipping Campari after big meals to aid digestion or have had it properly incorporated into a delicious cocktail would disagree. I would fall into the "Campari Lovers" category. Although, there was a time in my life which I couldn't stand the stuff. It was only until I had a couple of sips of a perfectly made Negroni cocktail that I had changed my mind.

Inspired by other recipes, I tweaked this cocktail to soften the bitterness and bring out more of the beautiful complexity and citrus notes of Campari. The sea salt allows the hidden orange citrus, rhubarb and herbal notes to push forward on your palate. It creates a different experience on the tongue allowing different taste buds to "fire" to highlight more subtle flavors. Simple syrup acts as a smoothing agent. It carries all of these flavors to the back of the throat, softening the bitterness and adding a well place sweetness in this refreshing cocktail. This is a great cocktail for any time of the year for any occasion.

Upcoming Beer Dinners: Relic Brewing, Stone Brewing, Cask Republic

Restaurant Beer Dinner CT Beer Beer

James Gribbon September 19, 2013

Relic Brewing has been producing small batches of beer from their location in Plainville for well over a year, and they’ve been at the top of my mental checklist of Connecticut brews to try for some time. They’ve recently given all of us two more reasons/excuses/opportunities to satiate both our curiosity and thirst, starting with their Autumnal Celebration on September 20th. This will be a free event on Relic’s grounds at 95 B Whiting St. in Plainville, and feature local purveyors of wood fired pizza, paella, bratwurst, fries, porchetta and, of course, locally brewed beer.

The second, possibly more noteworthy, event involves Relic pairing with restaurant 50 West, also of Plainville, for a Belgian beer dinner on October 2. Relic produces several Belgian-style ales, one of which will be paired with five of the six courses at the meal, including some highlights like:

Guess The Chef...Again!! Win Westport Farmers' Market Swag

CTbites Team September 18, 2013

We're back with another exciting edition of "Guess The Chef." This round, we are guessing the Chef for the September 29th dinner....

If you follow CTbites, you've likely heard about the upcoming "Fork It Over" underground dinners to benefit The Westport Farmers' Market. If not, WFM is hosting 4 pop up dinners over the next 2 months with both mysterious locations and guest chefs. We've had so many questions regarding what mystery chef will be cooking on which dates that we thought we'd have ourselves a little fun.

The Guest Chef Cooking on September 29th gave these clues to CTbites. The FIRST PERSON TO GUESS THE CHEF BELOW WINS a basket of fabulous swag from local CT vendors courtesy of The Westport Farmers' Market. Good luck!!

What is your favorite ingredient?

Eggs. They are so versatile and have many different applications. They can be used in any meal of the day and are found in dishes all across the world. My favorite way to cook an egg is to poach it and then eat it alongside pork belly, braised greens, and toast.

Hobby when not cooking?

Brewing beer. I have been doing it for three years and currently, I'm building an automated system that can brew batches up to thirty-one gallons. My specialties are hoppy IPA's and chocolate stouts.

Kids Review: Wilson's BBQ via AsherZeats

Kids Bites Restaurant BBQ Fairfield Southern Lunch Kid Friendly

CTbites Team September 18, 2013

“It’s no sin to get sauce on your chin.” - Bishop Tutu

Last weekend I got a chance to make the short trek to Wilson’s Barbecue (1851 Post Rd Fairfield, CT ), to enjoy some incredible Pit BBQ. Wilson’s is owned by Ed Wilson, who has competed in and judged numerous BBQ competitions throughout his life. Ed is an extremely kind man, who goes out of his way to talk to everyone who enters his restaurant. He even happily agreed to sit down and talk to me after my fantastic meal, about what makes his food so good.

He couldn’t be nicer.

When we arrived at Wilson’s we were greeted by Mr. Wilson who said hello and wished us an excellent meal. As I entered the restaurant I noticed the comfy, road-house-esque atmosphere that was filled with memorabilia of his experiences as a chef and owner. When it was time to order, we got a lot!