Filtering by Tag: Local Farm,Wilton

Fresh Nation Enables Home Delivery for Westport Farmers' Market

Ingredients Features CT Farms Farmers Market Home Delivery Local Farm Farm Fresh

CTbites Team

Fresh Nation, the online marketplace for farmers markets, and Westport Farmers’ Market announced they have formed a strategic partnership to provide online shopping and home delivery.  Fresh Nation will operate an online storefront for the Market, providing local consumers with the ability to place an online order from many of their favorite Market vendors and receive same day home delivery from a Fresh Nation personal shopper. 

Fresh Nation delivers fresh food direct from farmers markets to consumers, by bringing local farmers markets together into a convenient online shopping destination, enabling farmers and food makers at the markets to reach new customers who do not normally make it to the market.  The company employs trained food shoppers to go the markets and personally fill customers’ online orders.  After receiving orders from Fairfield County residents for Thursday delivery, Fresh Nation fills these orders at the Westport Farmers’ Market and drives them directly to customers’ homes. 

“We are committed to bringing the freshest and best foods from the Westport Farmers’ Market to all members of our community,” said Lori Cochran


2014 Guest Chef Lineup @ The Westport Farmers' Market

Ingredients Chef Farmers Market Local Farm

Stephanie Webster

Already love the Westport Farmers' Market? Here's another reason to feel good about shopping local. Market Director, Lori Cochran has announced an outstanding "Guest Chef" Lineup for 2014. Mark your calendars people as the guest chefs will conduct classes and demos from 10:15 to 11:00 a.m. every Thursday. I don't know about you, but some of my favorite chefs in Fairfield County are on this list. Don't miss your chance to meet and greet the people who make your mouth water. 

The Westport Farmers Market will be held every Thursday from 10-2 at the Imperial Avenue Parking Lot.

Read on for the complete Guest Chef Program Schedule:


The Farmer's Cow 2014 Farm Tours: Meet Your Local Farmers!

Ingredients CT Farms Local Farm Farm Fresh

CTbites Team

The Farmer’s Cow announces its 2014 Farm Tour schedule and invites visitors to come out to the country and meet the farmer’s that bring you real local Connecticut milk and dairy products.

Locally sourced food is one of the hottest trends in the 2014 culinary forecast according to a recent survey by the National Restaurant Association. But what is local? The Farmer’s Cow milk comes from the contented cows of six real local Connecticut family-owned dairy farms, not from six other states.  “Real local” means our farm fresh products get to you faster and that means greater nutritional value and a smaller carbon footprint. 

“If you can visit the farm, then you know it’s real local,” said Robin Chesmer, Managing Member of The Farmer’s Cow.

"We invite families to see first-hand what life is like on a working dairy farm and learn about how we are working to save Connecticut farmland and sustain farming as a way of life.”

The 2014 Farm Tour schedule includes events in every season – winter, spring, summer and fall. Each tour is unique and celebrates a different aspect of what it means to be “real local.” Visitors can meet the cows and calves, learn about dairy farming and sample The Farmer’s Cow milk, ice cream and beverages. Hosted by The Farmer’s Cow farm families, all events are free and fun for all ages.

In case of inclement weather, please check The Farmer’s Cow Event and Facebook pages for updates.

All events are free and no reservations are required.

View the full Farm Tour schedule below:


Chef Jon Vaast Joins Sugar & Olives in Norwalk: Now Serving Dinner

Restaurant Brunch Local Farm Norwalk Organic Lunch

Stephanie Webster

There's a new chef in the kitchen at Sugar & Olives in Norwalk. You may recognize the name from his years cooking over at Dressing Room in Westport. It's Chef Jon Vaast, and Jennifer Balin, owner of Sugar & Olives, explains her new hire as "An Organic collaboration between two like minded people." Johnny and Balin have been strong advocates for the local and sustainable food movement, and simply put, want to create a menu with delicious food sourced from within an arms reach of the shop. Every ingredient at Sugar & Olives is seasonal, and comes from a farm near the restaurant. Balin says "whenever possible, she selects ingredients that are also Organic." 

With Chef Vaast at the helm, Sugar & Olives is excited to announce that in addition to their daily weekday service, and one of the best brunches in Fairfield County, they have begun dinner service Thursday through Saturday.


Sign Up for Sport Hill & Stone Gardens Farms CSA's w/ Easy Pickup @ Wakeman Town Farm

Ingredients Local Farm Farm Fresh

CTbites Team

Wakeman Farm CSA Pickups
Thursday or Friday? Just pick your day!
 
Wakeman is offering not one - but TWO - CSAs to provide you with 
fresh-picked produce all season long.
 
One is from Sport Hill Farm in Easton, the other is from Stone Gardens Farm in Ridgefield. Both are for pickup at Wakeman Town Farm 
Choose your day!   
 
Organic Sport Hill Farm CSA is accepting applications through 3/31. Order now and receive weekly produce delivery every Friday at Wakeman Town Farm! To order, click here: 

 

Friday Pickup

A Note from Organic Farmer Patti Popp, of Sport Hill Farm in Easton:
We have extended the 2014 CSA deadline until 3/31/14 for pick up at Wakeman Town Farm Sustainability Center on Friday afternoons 1-7 or at Black Rock Farmers Market Saturdays 9-1. Our CSA program runs twenty weeks. Usually begins the first week of June through mid-October. We are mainly a vegetable production farm, we grow watermelon and cantaloupes. Cooking is a must. Please e-mail me for an application if this seems like a good fit for you and your family.Farmgal596@gmail.com

Maple Syrup Tap A Tree Program @ Ambler Farm

Ingredients Features Education Cooking Classes Local Farm Local Artisan

CTbites Team

It's that time of year again. Sign up for Ambler Farms immensely popular, Maple Syrup Tap-a-Tree program. Sign up quickly...these classes fill up fast. 

Maple Syrup Tap-a-Tree program 
Training sessions (choose only ONE): Sat., Feb. 8th at either 10-11am or 1-2pm.
Learn the science and history of maple syruping by being a hands-on part of the process.   We will send regular updates on the running of the sap so you can come to the Farm to collect sap from your tree. We will boil down the sap in our sugar shack and send each family home with their very own bottle of Ambler Farm maple syrup.

The season runs from early February to mid-March (a typical season is five weeks long). If you are traveling during February or March, we will collect sap for you.  Contact Kevin Meehan

Enrollment Limited to 110 families. This program sold out quickly in previous years, so please do not wait to sign up.  The number of trees at the Farm is limited, so we are unable to accommodate late requests or wait lists. 
 
$65 per non-member family/$60 per member family.


Jason Sobocinski Hosts Friends of Boulder Knoll Fundraiser

Restaurant Cheese Farm to Table Local Artisan Local Farm

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Usher in autumn with an elegant farm-to-table dinner featuring beautiful wines, craft brews, and delicious cuisine.  On September 18 at 6pm, the Friends of Boulder Knoll will hold a multi-course meal prepared by Jason Sobocinski, host of The Cooking Channel’s “The Big Cheese.”  The event will also feature wine pairings created by Southend Wine and Spirits of Cheshire, CT.  They will pour “boutique” vino from the Halter Ranch line.  Mikro Brew Bar will offer craft beers andPi Pies Bakery will provide a sweet ending to the evening with artisanal, freshly made baked-goods.

Guests will be entertained with music by On Call, “Connecticut’s premier musical duo.”  They can also participate in a silent auction featuring items from local businesses

The event supports Friends of Boulder Knoll, a Connecticut-based organization dedicated to educating the community about sustainable agriculture and sustainable communities. 


Arethusa Al Tavolo: The New Gem of Litchfield County

Restaurant Farm to Table Litchfield Local Farm

Cindy Hartog

Arethusa Al Tavolo is the new gem of Litchfield County. Only a one hour's drive from Westport, past lush pastures and glistening lakes, Arethusa Al Tavolo takes you on a culinary journey. The restaurant is located right next door to the Arethusa Dairy Shop, founded by Manolo Blanik owners George Malkemus and Anthony Yurgaitis, whose taste and style manifests itself in all of their ventures: The Arethusa Bar, The Dairy Farm, and Arethusa Al Tavolo, which opened in June 2013. The dairy produces milk, house made ice cream, and Arethusa cheese to take home. The restaurant highlights fresh local ingredients, and Chef Daniel Magill, who has worked with the likes of Daniel Boulud, works his magic in a dining space that is bright and airy, but with no airs. The food is the centerpiece. 


A Farm Grows in Stamford: Hubbard Heights Farm

Local Farm Stamford

Lou Gorfain

Thanks in part to a gruff farmer who answers to the moniker "Uncle Buck," three acres of organic vegetables, fruit, herbs, and flowers are ripening smack dab in the middle of Stamford's big town hustle and bustle.

Rows upon rows of tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, potatoes, kale, eggplant, lettuce, herbs, pumpkins and squash now prosper on land that was once part of the city's most fashionable district, an estate area known as Hubbard Heights.  Over a century ago, this is where the town's doctors built their stately manses to be near the new Stamford Hospital just down the block.  Even today, historic Hubbard Heights remains one of the most elegant streets in town. 

But let’s go Way Back to the Future, more than two and a half centuries ago.  You would be standing in the middle of Hubbard Farms, a vast bucolic acreage farmed by the Hubbard family, newly arrived in Connecticut.  Their fields stretch almost to the horizon; the abundant crops leafy, tall and green, free of herbicides, fungicides or growth hormones.

 


Preserving the Harvest Canning Workshop @ Wakeman Farm

Ingredients Cooking Classes Education Local Farm

CTbites Team

Wondering what to do with all those extra vegetables from the garden?  Don't let them go to waste.  Instead, come to the Wakeman Town Farm on August 10th and learn how to can and preserve your harvest.  During this 2 hour workshop, you'll learn the basics of canning as you make delicious homemade jam, tomato sauce, and salsa.  There will be tastings, and participants can take home a jar of their choice! The Preserving the Harvest Canning Workshop will take place on Saturday August 10th, 10am - 12pm.

 

Fee:  $25
When:  Saturday, August 10,  2013
Time:  10:00am - 12pm
Location:  Wakeman Town Farm, 134 Cross Highway, Westport

Ages:  Open to all

Email wakemantownfarm@gmail.com to reserve your spot!


le Farm's Summer Market Salad Recipe

Features Farm to Table Local Farm Recipe Farm Fresh

CTbites Team

Chef Arik Bensimon of le Farm embraces the summer growing season with this simple recipe inspired by a recent trip to the local farmers' market. Thinly shaved vegetables with varying weights and texture are drizzled with a light take on a classic Caesar dressing. (You'll want to save this recipe for use year round.) Chef Bensimon has left off the quantities on the main ingredients as there are no wrong answers here, and he recommends any raw vegetable that is to your liking as the summer harvest rotates through. Enjoy this wonderful Summer Market Salad Recipe from le Farm. 


Strawberry Picking is On @ Bishop's Orchards

Ingredients Local Farm kids activity Kid Friendly

CTbites Team

This just in from Bishop's Orchards...

"The 2012 Pick Your Own Season is OFFICIALLY here.  Picking is at its peak right now so come PYO Strawberries this weekend, from 8:30 am - 5 pm.  The Strawberry crop looks great this year and they are absolutely delicious and so sweet.  Remember, our Strawberry season is only a few weeks long, so don't miss your chance to pick and enjoy the freshest local strawberries! 

We hope to be open most mornings thru mid July, but weather conditions and the plentiful availability of ripe berries determines our daily schedule, so call in daily for our schedule. 203.458.PICK  We hope to see you in the fields!"

For more information on Bishop's Orchards see their web site


Bistro 7 in Wilton: The Backstory

Restaurant Farm to Table Wilton

Lou Gorfain

At times the story behind a restaurant can be as delicious as what’s on their menu.   For instance, consider the improbable tale of how Wilton’s Bistro 7 came to be….

Breno Donatti began his restaurant career seven years ago as a dishwasher at Pizza Post in Greenwich.  A young kid from Brazil, he had just come to America, spoke no English, and was without home, money, or many friends.   Today, he is the popular co-owner and host of Bistro 7, a trendy restaurant in Wilton; his English is impeccable; and he lives in a lovely apartment in Stamford which he shares with his even lovelier wife, one of America’s most esteemed coloratura sopranos. (Her bio is just as amazing, but we’ll get to that shortly.)

After graduating high school, Breno had enrolled at a Nutrition College in South Brazil..  “Although my family was in the car business.  I always had this passion for food,” he explains.  “At school, I loved dealing with farmers and the business side of the industry.  ”


The Westport Farmers' Market Opens May 23

Ingredients Restaurant Farmers Market Local Farm Westport Farm Fresh

CTbites Team

The Westport Farmers' Market will be opening for the season in just one week, beginning on Thursday, May 23rd. This weekly summer market runs every Thursday, from 10 am to 2 pm at Imperial Avenue Commuter Lot in Westport.

If you haven't yet made it to this Market, you'll want to mark your calendar. This all-organic market will be announcing the final vendors next week and will be selecting a rotating group of featured artists, vendors, guest chefs and non-profits to join the Market each week.

So who's at The Westport Farmers' Market this year??... (this is the fun part) See below for a complete list of vendors:


CTbites Guide to Connecticut Farm Dinners

Restaurant Farm Dinner Farm to Table Local Farm

Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster

The abundance of ramps across Connecticut menus this past week not only signals spring, but also the imminent seasonal collaborations between local farms and the chefs who love them. For Connecticut's farm-loving dining scene, this can only mean one thing—farm dinners are just around the corner.  

Why do we at CTbites look forward to these farm dinners so much? It allows us to celebrate and support both the chef as well as the farmer while appreciating the bounty of the Connecticut landscape that we call home (many, but not all of these dinners are fundraisers). With the promise of a new destination and communal seating, diners can enjoy the company of like-minded food lovers. And of course there is the simple and pleasurable act of dining en plein air with grass beneath your feet.

As it is still early in the season, this list of a dozen or so events is in formation, so if you'd like to recommend a dinner or an event we may have missed, please include it in the comments and we will update our list. Whether you look forward to farm dinners as much as we do, or have yet to embrace this seasonal ritual, we encourage you to give one or many a try this year! 


Little Pub Opens Second Location in Wilton TODAY

Restaurant Wilton Ridgefield Cos Cob Greenwich Pub Comfort Food

CTbites Team

Wilton residents, rejoice! Little Pub's second location is now open at 26 Danbury Road in Wilton. They will offer the same fare, and thanks to a much larger kitchen, will also be offering some new items. Check it out and please let us know what you think!

For the latest on their menu and what's on tap, check out littlepub.com and stay tuned to their Facebook page.


Best Brunch Restaurants in Fairfield County

Restaurant Brunch Fairfield Norwalk Ridgefield Stamford Westport Wilton New Canaan Breakfast

April Guilbault

...is something wonderful to be seen. In between daily meals one and two is something very delightful for you. How Dr. Suess-y, eh? Wedged in-the-between is the one and only: Brunch. With a capital B, thank you very much. Brunch is divine. You can roll out of bed late and into a perfectly wonderful, relaxed meal that begs to be savored. It lingers beyond the lunch hour and helps you cruise effortlessly into dinner. 

“There is no sincerer love than the love of food” says a quote that I stumbled upon recently. I think that is pretty darned accurate, especially when it comes to this meal. Here, for you, is a collection of some lovely spots to help you turn this noun into a verb...so go forth and brunch! 

Did we miss one of your favorite Brunch spots? Let us know...


Shares in Sport Hill Farm's Organic Summer CSA Now Available

Ingredients Local Farm Farm Fresh

CTbites Team

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.


Outstanding In The Field Seats Go On Sale March 20th

Restaurant Farm to Table Local Farm

CTbites Team

Mark your calendars. On Wednesday, March 20th, the first day of spring, tickets will go on sale for the 2013 season of Outstanding In The Field. 

UPDATE: Bill Taibe of The Whelk & le Farm will be hosting a 2nd date @ The Hickories Farm in Ridgefield on September 5th!! 

"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 other meaning of Outstanding in the Field is outstanding as in the best. 

We've just received word that the CT dinner will be held on Wednesday September 4, 2013, @ Waldingfield Farm, Washington, CT.