The third-annual Wakeman Town Farm Harvest Fest dinner is coming up on Saturday, September 13, @6 p.m. This Farm-to-Table event is held on the farm grounds, under a beautiful tent draped with twinkling lights.
This special evening begins with hors d 'oeuvres and cocktails, and follows up with a full dinner prepared by rock-star chefs including: Artisan, BONDA, Le Farm, The Spread, Oak + Almond, DaPietro's and AMG Catering. Prosecco, beer and wine will be served throughout the night and you'll be rocking to the live band, "Last Call." Much of the seasonal produce at the event is generously contributed by local farmers. Help support the amazing programming and community at Wakeman Towm Farm.
Washington Prime recently opened at the entrance to the SONO “Ironworks” on the corner of Washington and North Water Streets and is already garnering positive feedback and enormous crowds each night. CTbites offered a sneak peek a couple of weeks ago and recently re-visited this high energy and bustling establishment on two separate occasions to sample the food.
Self-described as an Eating + Drinking Well, Washington Prime reflects the collective vision of locals and co-owners Rob Moss and Marco Siguenza. Moss, a native of New Canaan, is no stranger to opening high energy restaurants in Fairfield County, overseeing many over the last ten years. Siguenza is the epitome of the American dream, starting as a busboy at Match Restaurant and now 16 years later one of the owners of Washington Prime, a neighboring restaurant. The kitchen is overseen by Executive Chef Jared Falco, classically trained at the French Culinary Institute. Before moving to Fairfield County, Chef Falco honed his culinary skills at Daniel and WD-50 in NYC. The trio are now working closely to present a vibrant bar scene with delicious interpretations of tradition cuisine.
Citizens For Easton (CFE) is pleased to announce the 6th annual Easton Farm Tour. This celebration of Easton, a local farming community within Fairfield County CT, is a self-guided tour of Easton farms couple with an old fashioned community fun day.
Easton Farm Tour 2014 will be held August 16 from 10am to 3pm. This event begins at the Easton Firehouse Green, One Center Road, Easton, CT 06612. At this location, visitors will receive a copy of the road map, passes to events and incentives offered by farmers and community organizations at the different locations throughout day.
During the homegrown event enjoy the many farming delights that Easton has to offer while you and your family learn where your food comes from. Enjoy food tastings, educational 18th and 19th century farm house living and cooking demonstrations, old-time fun and games, pony rides, hay ride, a petting zoo, greenhouse tours, fruits and vegetables from the farm and pick your own.
The corner of North Water and Washington was alive in South Norwalk this week with the opening of Washington Prime. A soft opening on Thursday led to a throng of over 300 guests wandering in to enjoy the vibrant scene at the bar and the reservation book for Friday filled so quickly, it was shut earlier than expected. This latest addition to SONO is attracting enormous attention and a visit inside and a look at the menu shows why.
The interior includes an enormous “U” shaped bar to unwind and enjoy a beer or one of their specialty cocktails and the dining area that spans the entire length of the right side of the restaurant is heavily focused on woods and foliage. Floor to ceiling windows allow for natural light to illuminate the space, comprised of dark wood tables and “moss” encased booths. All very organic and relaxing.
The ownership of Washington Prime is no stranger to the area. One of its owners, Marco Siguenza, is cousins with the owners of Cava, Harvest, 55 Wine Bar and Scena and worked with them since he arrived in the United States in 1998. The kitchen is under the direction of Executive Chef Jared Falco, spent time in several of Fairfield County’s restaurants over the last two years from Bar Sugo, to The Whelk, and most recently Mama’s Boy Southern Table and Refuge. His opening menu shows a desire to place a modern twist on some classic dishes.
Dining “al fresco” has always been one of joys of summers in Connecticut. From the National touring “Outstanding In The Field” which hosts two Sold Out dinners at The Hickories in September, to local restaurants and farms who partner for special “Farm to Table” dinners, choosing an outdoor dining experience this summer should be on everyone’s Summer dining “bucket list”.
Parallel Post in Trumbull, helmed by James Beard nominated Chef, Dean James Max, is proud to announce the third dinner of their 2nd annual, four-part culinary dining series, Farm-To-Trumbull, on Sunday, August 10 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Held at Gilbertie’s Herb Garden located in Easton, CT, this years dinner limited to just 30 attendees, will once again be inspired by the season, with locally sourced dishes created and led Chef Dean James Max; Executive Chef, Chris Molyneux; and Chef de Cuisine, Ali Goss.
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.
This summer, Chef Brian Lewis brings the tables of elm restaurant to Millstone Farm to share the flavors of the season with a new series of farm dinners under the stars. Millstone’s beautiful landscape will set the stage for a 4-course feast of seasonally-driven cuisine. Each event will begin at 6 p.m. with small bites, lawn games, live music and farm tours for the entire family. See dates below:
Tickets are $35 per child and $135 per adult, BYOB, tax and gratuity included. Limited family-style seating. Reserve at info@elmrestaurant.com or call 203.920.4994. Reservations will be accepted one month prior to each event. For more information, please visit the event page at www.elmrestaurant.com.
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
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:
What better way to celebrate the conclusion of an entire month of enjoying some incredible hamburgers than announcing the 2014 CTbites' winners of the Best Restaurant Burgers of Fairfield County. More burgers challenged last year’s winners and three were successful, Olio, Mama’s Boy and Bar Sugo.
For the second year in a row, the winner is:
The Whelk– 2014 Best Restaurant Burger in Fairfield County
1 - The Whelk (Westport) – The Whelk Burger combines a blend rich flavored meat, sweet pickles, cry baby Swiss cheese, two varieties of bacon, crisped onions and onion mayo on a brioche bun. The dry aged blend of short rib, brisket and chuck from Craft Saugatuck Butchery was fantastic. The cheese covered, thick patty sat atop two different varieties of bacon that added saltiness and smokiness, while slices of sweet pickles, a slice of frisée and the onion accented mayo brought additional flavors and textures. Sitting atop the plump patty was a handful of crisped onions.
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.
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.
After months of planning and a sleight of hand two week renovation, Match restaurant in South Norwalk is poised to reopen this week with a blow-out opening cocktail party celebrating the new Match on Thursday, March 20 at 5 pm. Beginning Thursday at 7:30 pm, reservations will be accepted for dinner with business as usual for SoNo’s beloved restaurant.
Match opened up its still very dusty doors to CTbites over the weekend before the reopening, giving us a behind the scenes look at what to expect from the new Match, from its décor (purple!), new brand (relaxed and modern), to its new menu (more is more) and glimpses of a handful of reimagined and darn good looking dishes.
A steady fixture in the Fairfield County dining scene with chef/owner Matt Storch at the helm for the past fourteen years, Match has built a loyal following and a menu of popular dishes along the way. In fact, when Match first announced it would close temporarily for renovations, many people reacted with equal parts fear and excitement, worried they would lose their beloved dishes such as Carpetbaggers and Wasabi Tuna (or was that just us?), but also looking forward to the restaurant’s facelift.
Millstone Farm in Wilton has a few workshops coming up that you may not want to miss. These events range from Pig Carving 101 with Chef Tim LaBant of The Schoolhouse including lunch & cocktails to a three-hour workshop on Mushroom Cultivation. Can you think of a better way to spend your afternoon? I think not. Details are below...
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:
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
For our readers who are calling to reserve a table at NOLA Oyster Barto enjoy the fantastic cuisine of Chef Dan Kardos, please have a little patience. The restaurant is temporarily closed.
Over the last few months Kardos has been overseeing the cuisine at both NOLA and Local Kitchen and Beer Bar in Fairfield. Given the rapid success and crowds that flock to Local, the decision was made to modify the menu and focus at NOLA to more align with Local. According to Kardos, “Our new Fairfield restaurant has been silly busy. We're going to make NOLA more like that.” With Kardos guiding the cuisine it should be another exciting new culinary adventure.
With the anticipated re-opening scheduled in a couple of months, stay tuned as CTbites follows these changes at NOLA Oyster Bar.
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.
CTbites re-visited NOLA Oyster Bar a few months after its opening to enjoy some of the newest additions to the menu. Chef Dan Kardos is clearly in charge of the kitchen and his culinary talent is evident as he creates some of the most delicious cuisine in Fairfield County.
The Seafood Tower, a dedication to cold shellfish (plus tuna), was the first course served to our table. The generous portions included Cherrystone clams, snow crab legs, Copps Island oysters, shrimp, and charred Hamachi crudo. A house made mignonette sauce accompanied the oysters. All of the items on the Tower were delightful. The crudo was marinated in white and dark balsamic vinegar plus a combination of lime and tangerine juices; it was tantalizing. The crab legs and shrimp were sweet with just a touch of seasoning to emphasize the natural flavors. The Copps Island oysters were a little bitter with very little salinity, but the addition of the mignonette sauce drastically changed the flavor profile from bitter to delicious.
With a name that is creatively based on the French for "knowledge of food," Savoir Fare offers an evolving collection of cookware, bakeware, stemware, cooking tools and fine French linens.
With an impeccably curated assortment from these fine brands, you are assured that only the highest quality items are in this collection:
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.
