3 Summer Ceviche Recipes via Marcia Selden Catering Features Catering Entertaining Seafood Recipe Marcia Selden Catering July 21, 2014 There are few things more refreshing on a hot summer’s day or night than the delicious flavor of a freshly made ceviche. This elegant dish is surprisingly easy to make and the varieties are endless. The incredible marinade from Marcia Selden Catering makes all the difference between a meh and a wow ceviche! The best part? Ceviche doesn’t need to be cooked in the oven, which keeps the kitchen nice and cool. It should be made in advance, which means you aren’t stuck in the kitchen all day! Read on for ultimate ceviche variations using one killer marinade. Read More
"Crudo 3 Ways" Recipes From Match Restauran Features Chef Talk Seafood Recipe CTbites Team July 21, 2014 Show up Thursday July 24th at The Westport Farmers' Market @11AM and learn how to make killer Crudo 3 Ways! Chef Matt Storch will be schooling market go-ers and giving out samples. If you'd like to make Matt Storch's Crudo Recipe at home, please find the recipe below. Match Crudo Recipe 1lb of your favorite fish to eat raw (Tuna, Hamachi, Fluke, Bass or Maybe Salmon) 1/4C of Extra Virgin Olive Oil 3 Cloves of Garlic Pinch of Maldon Salt Pinch of Cracked Black Pepper 1 Bunch of Basil Read More
Chef Aarón Sánchez Gives CTbites Preview of Paloma Restaurant, Opening in Stamford July 21 Restaurant Celebrity Chef Stamford Mexican Latin American Lou Gorfain July 20, 2014 I never thought “gourmet” and “Mexican” belonged in the same sentence. Until I had dinner at Zarela's, a Mexican restaurant which had just opened on Second Ave. back in 1987. A revelation! Zarela Martinez orchestrated textures and flavors just as artfully and lovingly as the new chefs who were redefining Manhattan’s food scene. Zarela’s fast became the Nobu of Mexican food, one of the hottest spots in town. There, I learned the magic of mole and the enchantment that truffles could lend to an enchilada. A generation later, Aarón Sánchez, the Food Channel’s charismatic Mexican rock star chef, hopes that his new Stamford restaurant Paloma (opening Monday, July 21st, in Harbor Point) will similarly introduce Connecticut to the fire and the finesse of fine Mexican and Latin American cuisines. Revelations run in the family -- Aarón (pronounced "AH-rone") is Zarela's son. For all his celebrity, Sánchez feels he remains not only in his mother's debt, but also her shadow. "I honor her because she did it first," he told us when we chatted last week, a comfortable conversation marked by his humility and respect. "I believe family is at the center of the Mexican experience." Read More
12 Places For Great Coffee in Fairfield County Ingredients Restaurant Coffee Tea And Coffee Best of CT Emma Jane-Doody Stetson July 18, 2014 Let's face it, we all like to get our buzz on. Lucky for us, there are a number of venues in Fairfield County with serious baristas, pulling some pretty epic espresso. For your coffee drinking pleasure we have created a cheat sheet to which you can refer when your craving for caffeine masks your ability to grind your own beans. Here are our Top 11 Places to Get Great Coffee in Fairfield County. Find the venue near you...and enjoy. Buzz Truck, Fairfield County Espresso Neat, Darien and Westport Lorca, Stamford Redding Roasters, Bethel Zumbachs Coffee, New Canaan Coffee Barn, Wilton Sugar & Olives, Norwalk Tusk & Cup, Ridgefield Shearwater Coffee Roasters, Trumbull The Granola Bar, Westport Terrain, Westport Raus Coffee, your local Farmers' Market Read More
Weekly Nibble: Upcoming Food News & Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson July 17, 2014 Cask Republic of Stamford gives you the chance to “Meet the Brewmaster” on Monday July 21. Coverse with Bayerischer Bahnhof Brewmaster Matthias Ritcher. 7:00 PM. $35 pp (all-inclusive). Also on Wednesday, Harry’s Wine & Liquor Market partners with 55 Degrees Restaurant in Fairfield and Vias Imports for a “Tuscany Revisited Wine Dinner.” It will include special Guest Mike Petrizzo, Northeast Manager of Vias Imports. 7PM. $60 plus tax and tip. Details here. The Darien Farmers Market runs on Wednesdays from 11-3. Visit Napa & Co on your way to Stamford Downtown’s Wednesday night Jazz up July series and pick up: cheese & charcuterie, salads, soups or anything from the menu and receive 15% off your take out order. A taste of Napa in the Park! Napa is also giving wine aficionados the chance to enjoy more wines in July with special deals. Enjoy 50% off any bottle of wine from Argentina as well as ½ off wines by the glass Monday-Friday from 4-7 at the bar. Thursday July 24, celebrate the winners of Moffly Media’s 10th Annual Best of the Gold Coast at the Stamford Hilton. Read More
Island Life Cocktail Recipe via The Whelk's Jeff Marron Ingredients Features Cocktails Recipe Bar Jeff Marron July 16, 2014 Jeff Marron is the new Barman and director of all things cocktail related at The Whelk & Le Farm. I like to work closely with the kitchen staff at The Whelk in Westport. The talent in that room is outstanding. I'm always trying to learn something new from them. A couple of months ago, they came to me with with a bottle of coconut white balsamic vinegar from a cool local oil and vinegar store called Olivette in Westport & Darien. It smelled and tasted delicious. As I like to get inspiration from the people around me, I asked Chef Lazlo what the vinegar reminded him of. He said that it reminded him of vacation and suntan lotion. Vacation and suntan lotion. Okay. Well, what vacation and suntan lotion bring to my mind are Pina Coladas, Margaritas and delicious rum drinks. Somehow, I wanted to put all of those drinks in one glass. I wanted to put summer in a glass, in other words. The base of the Island Life cocktail is an expansion on a Rum Old Fashioned which satisfies my craving for summer rum drinks. The aromatics of the foam are what bring all of the other flavors and memories together. Between the grapefruit and orange bitters that tie into the fresh lime juice and lime zest lies the coconut white balsamic vinegar. No one particular flavor stands out. They all play well together. Read More
CTbites' Summer Intern on "Chopped Teen Tournament" via Food Network Kids Bites Kids CTbites Team July 15, 2014 CTbites is pleased to introduce you to our summer intern, Hannah Bukzin. Hannah is a 14 yr old Staples high school student with a passion for cooking. Hannah has her own blog "Small Chef in a Big World," and is a contestant in the 2014 Chopped Teen Tournament on The Food Network. Please welcome Hannah to CTbites and watch her episode on July 29th! Sixteen talented teenagers bring their extreme energy and ambition to the Chopped kitchen, with Chopped Teen Tournament premiering Tuesday, July 15th at 10pm ET/PT on Food Network. In this special, five-part stunt, sixteen culinary whiz kids are aiming for perfect appetizers, entrées, and desserts, as they navigate through three rounds. The teen cooks are given ingredients that could stump even top professionals, with a rotating panel of the Chopped judges, including Amanda Freitag, Alex Guarnaschelli, Marc Murphy, Chris Santos, Geoffrey Zakarian and special guest judge Alex Stupak determining who gets chopped each round. Watch Hannah's episode: Premiering Tuesday, July 29th at 10pm ET/PT Read More
The Chelsea in Fairfield Celebrates 2 Years w/ Special Prix Fixe Menus CTbites Team July 15, 2014 VIEW SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY DINNER AND LUNCH MENUS BELOW Read More
Best Local Ice Cream Shoppes in Lower Connecticut: 2014 Edition ice cream Best of CT Kid Friendly Dessert Lou Gorfain July 13, 2014 We have expanded and updated last year’s popular roundup of the best ice parlors in lower Connecticut. New flavors abound for 2014. One of our favorite scoop shops melted away, but thanks to our readers, we found a truly magical hidden gem in an unexpected place. Here's the updated list of BEST LOCAL ICE CREAM PARLORS IN LOWER CONNECTICUT. Ice cream fans, don't miss our companion piece, the 2014 Edition of BEST DAIRY FARM ICE CREAM IN CT. Read More
Farmer's Salad Recipe from Chef Martschenko of South End Features healthy Recipe CTbites Team July 12, 2014 Nicholas Martschenko, Owner and Executive chef of South End in New Canaan will be the guest chef @ The Westport Farmers' Market on Thursday, July 17th. Nick will demo and serve up (yes!) a beautiful locally sourced Farmers' Salad complete with a fried duck egg from Farah’s Farm in Wilton, CT. You can find the complete recipe for Chef Martschenko's Farmers' Salad below. Nick has worked alongside Chef/Owner Tom Colicchio at the famed Gramercy Tavern in in NYC, as well as i Trulli also in New York City and Solaia in CT. Over the past two years, Nick has poured his heart and soul into South End in New Canaan Read More
Fried Chicken & Beer Night w/ Charter Oak Brewery CTbites Team July 12, 2014 This summer, Ridgefield Academy will be host to some very special dinners. The Fried Chicken & Beer dinner will be held on the scenic grounds of Ridgefield Academy, either indoors, in the former ballroom of the historic Lynch House; or outdoors, overlooking a view many describe as the best in Fairfield County, this dining experience will feature a superb menu prepared with the freshest local ingredients by Chef Paul Desiano (formerly of Cello Restaurant, Ridgefield). Our Fried Chicken and Beer dinner can be reserved for $65/pp. Dinner will begin at 6:00pm. This exquisite dining experience is limited to 50 guests. Please note that because Chef Paul focuses on sourcing local and sustainable ingredients, these menus are subject to change. Read More
Blueberry Season in CT: Here's Where To Pick Your Own Ingredients Local Farm kids activity Kid Friendly CTbites Team July 11, 2014 Strawberries are wrapping up their season in CT, but those beautiful blues should be ready to pick in a matter of days. If you're looking for a fun family friendly activity, here's a great guide to CT farms that offer "Pick Your Own" blueberries. Make sure you call the farm before you head over as picking schedules vary daily. Scott's Farm Deep River Roses Berry Farm Litchfield Hills Blueberry Farm Jones Family Farm Bishops Orchards Read More
Weekly Nibble: Upcoming Food News & Events BBQ Food Truck Specialty Market Beer Emma Jane-Doody Stetson July 10, 2014 Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain at Mohegan Sun now offers a three-course pre-fixe menu for $38 from Sunday-Thursday. You can also add sommelier wine pairings for $18. New Canaan Taste Tours begin Tuesday July 15th with three of Elm Street’s favorite restaurants; elm, Picador, and Chef Luis before finishing the evening at South End. These special will continue for four weeks offering special menus each Tuesday and Wednesday with either a 6:30 or 7:30 start time. Dinosaur BBQ continues its Wednesday night “Rock n Roasts,” a party on the Dino Patio featuring a whole, smoked hog with a sound track of live rock'n'roll. This week, enjoy music by Jeff Tuohy. NEW Lunch menus every week @ Match: Every two weeks Matt changes the menu into either one of his favorite restaurants or destinations to eat lunch. From Super Duper Weenie in Fairfield to his old high school job and hang out Tacos or what to an ode to the classic roadside clam/lobster shack. Next week...ASIAN! Every Wed, Thurs & Friday from 11:30 to 2ish @ Match. Also on Tuesday the 15th, Barcelona Greenwich invites you to a night of “Summer Sangria, Cocktails & Light Bites.” Read More
Recap: The Spread & CTbites Host Rooftop Fireworks Party Restaurant ellen bowen July 10, 2014 When The Spread co-owner, Chris Hickey, first approached CTbites with the idea of co-hosting a party on a roof of a Norwalk garage, we admittedly were pretty skeptical. A parking garage roof? For a sit down dinner party? The popular CTbites Invites program has co-hosted a slew of unique culinary events, but never one in a parking garage. But skepticism turned to enthusiasm, as talented Executive Chef Carlos Baez, began sharing his ideas for the creative menu and we toured the space on the top floor of the North Water Street parking garage across from the Maritime Aquarium. An open sky above, panoramic views from all sides of Norwalk Harbor, Downtown SoNo and even a glimpse of competitive rowers in the Norwalk River lent itself to a great venue for an evening dinner and viewing of the City of Norwalk fireworks scheduled for Thursday July 3rd. Read More
Olivette Opens in Westport: Ultra Premium Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar Ingredients Features CTbites Team July 09, 2014 The olive oil craze continue with the announcement that Olivette is opening a second tasting room at 24 Railroad Place in Westport. Akin to its sister in Darien, the second location will also offer the freshest, ultra-premium, extra virgin olive oils from around the world and authentic balsamic vinegars from Modena. The grand opening is scheduled for Thursday July 17th from 4-7PM and guests can sample a wide variety of full line of olive oils and vinegars while enjoying light refreshments. “We are very proud to offer our customers exclusive products of superb quality. One of the many outstanding olive oils we carry was recently named one of the top 10 extra virgin olive oils in the world. It is a thrill to be able to offer such delicious, high quality products to our customers” said Alina Lawrence, owner of Olivette. The philosophy of Lawrence is to provide only the finest artisanal products that are never mass produced, and a “culinary experience that delivers unsurpassed sensory and health benefits to its customers.” Guests are always encouraged to taste before they buy and discuss food pairings and recipes with the staff. Read More
Vegan/Vegetarian-Friendly Food Evolution Now Open in Ridgefield's Marketplace Restaurant Ridgefield Vegetarian Vegan Amy Kundrat July 09, 2014 Food Evolution, a gourmet plant-based café, has recently opened in Ridgefield's Marketplace located at Copps Hill Plaza, 109 Danbury Road, taking over the space formerly occupied by a vegan cafe. The new owner of Food Evolution is Ridgefield resident Elizabeth Berney, a passionate vegan and elementary school teacher for the past 18 years. Berney and her omnivore husband purchased the restaurant from its original owner, a local real estate developer eager to sell the restaurant to owners dedicated to maintaining a plant-based menu. Read More
Winvian in Litchfield Hills: Farm Dinner & A Little History Hotel Litchfield Road Trip Travel Cindy Hartog July 09, 2014 Ever since a friend mentioned to me his unforgettable experience visiting Winvian in Litchfield Hills, Connecticut, I have always kept it on my “to do” list. In fact, when my daughter and I perused the website, she prematurely decided that it was to be her future wedding venue. So, when I received an email announcing a farm dinner event, my daughter and I jumped at the opportunity. Arriving at Winvian on June 11, 2014 was reminiscent of the approach to a French chateau, along with the service, culture, and class that such an experience entails. In 1775, Dr. Seth Bird, an eccentric but respected physician known for bringing a coffin along on his house calls, built a home for himself and his family in the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut. It was a white clapboard beauty, aproned with meadows and woods, and a comfort and sustenance for the generations. In 1948, the Smith family bought the historic Bird estate and named it Win-Vian, a combination of the first names of Winthrop Smith and his wife Vivian. They raised a son, bounteous fruit and vegetables, and livestock on the property (today the luxury Spa stands where the pigpens once did but offers a rather nicer kind of mud treatment). Read More
Crumbs Bake Shop Chain Closes Its Doors CTbites Team July 08, 2014 Just in case you hadn't heard...Crumbs has closed all of its CT locations as of this Monday. As reported in The Daily News as well as dozens of other publications, Crumbs Bake Shop, famous for its 600-calorie, 4-inch, frosting-topped sweets, notified employees Monday that the popular chain had run out of dough. The chain’s 48 stores across 10 states closed Monday, the same day employees were notified they were losing their jobs, the Wall Street Journal reported. Crumbs’ sales had been sinking for several years. Its 48 stores across 10 states closed for good this Monday — the same day employees were notified they were losing their jobs, the Wall Street Journal reported. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/crumbs-bake-shop-cupcake-chain-closes-stores-report-article-1.1858063#ixzz36sUrVw9K Crumbs had been touted at the world’s largest gourmet cupcake business with 70 stores globally — but its sales had been falling off for several years. Read More
Uncle Leo's Not Just Coffee & Donuts in Redding Restaurant Doughnuts Redding Breakfast Kid Friendly Dessert Amy Kundrat July 08, 2014 A top secret doughnut recipe, a father and son business, and a dozen or so different types of doughnuts and New York-style bagels mean that mornings in Georgetown just got that much better, thanks to the arrival of Uncle Leo’s “Not Just” Coffee and Doughnuts. Norwalk residents Leo Spinelli III (age 22) and his father Leo Spinelli, Jr., recently opened Uncle Leo's in the heart of Georgetown, at 19 Main Street, in the former Swirl Ice Cream location. The shop is a second coming for the father and son and the familiar Spinelli surname, who previously owned Spinelli’s Not Just Bagels in Norwalk that closed in 2009. Read More
