Do-It-Yourself Caja China Box Pig Roast via Saugatuck Craft Butchery Ryan Fibiger October 15, 2014 Ever wondered how to roast a whole pig at home? Well so did many of our readers who wrote in after Porktoberfest, looking for a recipe and instructions. If you can get your hands on a pig, it's not actually that difficult... We asked Ryan Fibiger of Saugatuck Craft Butchery, if he could give CTbites some pointers on a do-it-yourself pig roast using the popular Caja China roasting box. Here's what he said... The instruction online and on the La Caja China website (http://www.lacajachina.com/whole-pig-worksheet_a/330.htm) are pretty good. I would use these as a starting point and amend with the following: A 40-50# pig will take ~4hrs, 50-60# ~5hrs, 60-70# ~7hrs, 70-80# ~8hrs, 80-100# (max) ~10hrs Craft always brines the pig and inject the larger muscles two days prior to cooking. We use the following ingredients in proportions that differ depending on the pit master: (salt, black peppercorn, garlic, oregano, cumin, chili powder, oranges and juice, limes and juice, lots of ice. Salt is key here, it should be slightly saltier than the ocean to taste) Read More
Chowdafest 2014 Winners + A "Slurp It Up" Photo Recap Stephanie Webster October 14, 2014 This past Sunday, thousands of chowder loving foodies from all over Connecticut converged at Norwalk’s Calf Pasture Beach to determine the state’s best chowder, soup and bisque at Chowdafest 2014. 36 restaurants competed with soupy entries such including traditional New Englands, lobster bisques, Manhattans, even a chicken pot pie soup. But, in the end there could only be a few winners. The very popular Creative Chowder category was exceptionally close as eight restaurants showcased their culinary skills. The Spread from South Norwalk took top honors for their chorizo and shrimp chowder which was also the highest rated entry for the entire event. Voters chose Donovan’s of South Norwalk for their New England clam chowder, winning for the third consecutive year. Gray Goose of Fairfield took first place in their first Chowdafest competition winning the Traditional Chowder category for Manhattan and Rhode Island clam chowders only. Newcomer Soup Thyme of Monroe won the Soup & Bisque category Read More
Martha Stewart & Joe Bastianich Coming to Stew Leonard's in Norwalk CTbites Team October 14, 2014 There's all sorts of celebrity action going down at Stew Leonard's this month. Martha Stewart & Joe Bastianich will make appearances to sign books and wine at their Norwalk locations. Saturday, Oct. 25: Martha Stewart will sign copies of her new cookbook, ONE POT: 120+ Easy Meals from Your Skillet, Slow Cooker, Stockpot, and More. Weather permitting, the book signing will take place outside in our Hoedown (under the red & white striped tent). More info here. Photography is allowed, but in order for the line to move quickly, Martha is not able to pose for photographs. Saturday, Nov. 1: Restaurateur, author, and TV personality Joe Bastianich will visit Stew Leonard’s Wines in Norwalk to sign bottles of his family’s famed Bastianich wines. Stew Leonard's wine specialists will provide samples of select labels from the Bastianich Winery. More info here. Read More
Vegetable Soup Recipe via The Granola Bar of Westport CTbites Team October 13, 2014 Jes, a 28 year old Rhode Island native, discovered her passion for cooking at a very young age. Throughout her young adult life, Jes traveled up and down the East Coast gaining experience from various restaurants. Last summer, fate stepped in and presented Jes with the opportunity of a lifetime--to become head chef at The Granola Bar. TGB owners Julie and Dana worked closely with Jes to create a spin on healthy meals. Read More
Restaurant Re-Boot: Bistro 7 In Wilton CT Restaurant American Farm to Table Wilton Lou Gorfain October 12, 2014 Seven is Breno Donatti’s lucky number. His restaurant, “ Bistro 7” is located on Highway 7 in Wilton. “Seven is God's favorite number,” he told us, “And I also got the inspiration for Bistro 7 in the 7th district of Paris in a place called ‘Cafe Central.’” Well, hopefully we won’t jinx anything by dubbing his re-programed farm–to-fork café in Wilton as “Bistro 7.1.” With a new chef, sous chef, general manager, and a reimagined food and beverage menu, Donatti has updated his operating system, and from what we tasted at a recent Grand Reopening, the app is not just new, but vastly improved: less complicated and well-priced. We began with a Roasted Root Veggie Bisque, blended with slow cooked carrots, butternut squash, parsnips, sweet potato, root spices, and garnished with a bacon chip. Breno claims it’s even better than his award winning Butternut Squash Bisque and we don’t disagree. Read More
Heirloom Hosts Gluten Free Dinner with Del Posto's Executive Chef Mark Ladner Restaurant Gluten-Free Pasta New Haven CTbites Team October 10, 2014 Heirloom in New Haven will be hosting a gluten free dinner with guest Chef Mark Ladner of Del Posto NYC and Iron Chef fame on Monday, October 13 at 7:30 pm. Seats are $125 per person, which includes food, wine, tax & gratuity. The evening has limited availability with only 34 seats, credit card reservtions are required. Please call 203-503-3919. Earlier in the day at 4 pm, Chef Ladner will be joining Pasta Flyer in New Haven for a talk at St. Anthony's Hall. Read More
Friday Froth: Holy Schnitzengiggles Friday Froth Beer James Gribbon October 10, 2014 "I wish it was winter so we could freeze it into ice blocks and skate on it and melt it in the spring time and drink it!"Beerfest is a movie by Broken Lizard (the Super Troopers guys), who take the "unlikely hero saves the rec center" trope and get it knee-walking drunk in front of horrified loved ones. I'm a big fan. The action centers on the proprietors of Schnitzengiggle Tavern, a family of German descendants on a quest to regain both a long lost lager recipe, and America's beer drinking honor. The movie is extravagantly crass, usually leaves me sore both from laughing and a hangover, and MAY have been the inspiration for New England Brewing Company's Schnitzengiggles Festbier. Allegedly.Schnitzengiggles pours a distinctly brassy color, with a respectably sticky head. There are more hops to the nose than most märzens, and just a light whiff of malt. It is a beautifully smooth, slightly dry lager, and it has a very nice marbling of grainy richness. The hop character comes through in terms of a fruity flavor, rather than the more staid, traditional bitterness, and I'd say that's to be expected from the brewery that brought us Gandhi-Bot and Coriolis. I could and would drink this by the stein, liter, or glass boot. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Restaurant Weeks; Fall Food Stroll; Oktoberfest; Winemaker Dinners, Cheese Festivals & More Emma Jane-Doody Stetson October 10, 2014 Fairfield Restaurant Week lasts from October 12-18. Participating restaurant will feature prix fixe lunch and dinner menus. Lunches will be $10 or $15 and dinners will be $20 or $30, depending on the location. More info here. It’s also West Haven Restaurant Week from October 13-19. Click here for participating restaurants and their specials. Cask Republic and Two Roads come together on Monday October 13 for a beer dinner in Stamford. It features 5 courses and 6 brews, including 3 “very rare beers”. Brewmaster Phil Markowski will be there as well. $75 per person. Meanwhile, it’s CT Beer Week at Cask Republic’s New Haven location! All week long, they’ll specials on tap and cask conditioned ales from CT breweries. View schedule here. Tuesday, October 14th is the next installation of Fairfield Cheese Company’s fall classes. This time, it’s “Perfect Pairings: The Basics of Matching Cheese with Beer.” $45 per person, 7-10pm. Read More
Walrus + Carpenter & Mecha Noodle Bar Host BO SSäM Dinner!!!! CTbites Invites Dinner Events CTbites Team October 09, 2014 Walrus+Carpenter and Mecha Noodle Bar partner on Thursday 10/30 7 pm for a BO SSäM dinner for $100 pp starring Smoked Pork Shoulder, Kimchee, Oysters, and other East Asian flavors...against the backdrop of 70's cult action films of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. Buy Tix Here. If you were lucky enough to attend the last W+C event..."The Speakeasy", this promises to be "Astonishing, Unstoppable, Mind-Blowing and Delicious"! The mission is to bring together East Asian flavors with Western smoking techniques for one incredible evening, inspired by cult film, "Way of The Dragon", starring the high kicking, fast punching Lee and Norris. Ninja Warrior attire or any fun Halloween costumes are encouraged but optional. Tempting menu items include: Read More
Halloween Recipes Kids & Adults Will Love, via Marcia Selden Catering Kids Bites Features Holiday Recipe Marcia Selden Catering October 09, 2014 Halloween is around the corner, and in honor of this ghoulish holiday, Marcia Selden Caterers have created the perfect menu plan for your Halloween party. These dishes are both adult and kid-friendly, and are simple time-saving delicious meals that will leave you plenty of time for dress-up. This is the first in our series, and really... what defines the real joy of Halloween more perfectly than eatable severed body parts? Enjoy receipes for: Bloody Brains (Dumplings with Sesame Chili Oil); Bat Sh*t Crazy Wings- Honey BBQ Glazed Chicken Wings; Bloody Fingers in a Blanket; Devil on Horseback (Bacon Wrapped shrimp Skewers with Blue Cheese Dip); & Worms in Dirt- Hijiki Salad. Read More
Dinner w/ Amy & Stephanie @ Artisan Restaurant in Southport to Talk About Our Cookbook ....And Eat! Stephanie Webster October 08, 2014 We often say "join us" here at CTbites, but on Wednesday, October 15th 6:30 PM, we really mean join US as Amy Kundrat & Stephanie Webster sit down at the beautiful Artisan Restaurant in Southport to talk about our new cookbook, Fairfield County Chef’s Table. We won't just be talking...you get to enjoy a special meal prepared by Executive Chef Frederick Kieffer (who will also be there to chat). ARTISAN is one of the featured restaurants in Fairfield County Chef’s Table. Make your reservations now for pre-paid tickets by calling 203-255-7756 Ext 501 or email: FairfieldUBookstoreEvents@gmail.com. Event Cost: $50 includes a sit down dinner and 1 copy of Fairfield County Chef’s Table along with book talk by author, photographer and chef. Additional ad-ons are available: 2nd dinner for $25, additional book for $22. Prices include tax & gratuities. Open cash bar will be available. Read More
Best of Wines Recap: Greenwich Wine + Food Festival 2014 Ingredients Features Greenwich Wine + Food Festival WIne Wine Tasting Emma Jane-Doody Stetson October 07, 2014 The Greenwich Wine + Food Festival feels a lot like a rock concert. People from across the state come by bus, train, cab, and car to Roger Sherman Park. This year marked the 4th year of the festival. Although I have attended the event for the last three years, it never gets old. Each year, Greenwich Food + Wine evolves with new guests and changing formats. This year, the first thing I marveled at was the organization. The number of demonstrations and participants had definitely increased, but guests were evenly distributed throughout the grounds. As wine correspondent, I enjoyed the food (understatement!) but focused on the wines and drinks served that day. Wine is central to the festival; demonstrations not only include the best chefs, but also revered mixologists and sommeliers. Here are my selection for some labels to watch: Read More
2014 Greenwich Food & Wine Festival: Best Eats of Culinary Village Restaurant Greenwich Wine + Food Festival Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger October 07, 2014 This year’s Greenwich Food and Wine Festival was held from Thursday through Saturday, September 26-28, with the final day the beneficiary of a breathtaking location overlooking the harbor, temperatures in the 80s, and a cloudless sky. With the main tent offering liquid libations and food, other areas emitting smoke as the precursor to burgers, pork and ribs, a grass parking area for numerous food trucks and the CTbites' Blogger Lounge shadowing the main stage where Alabama would perform in the evening, it was ripe for a perfect culinary adventure. I arrived early to wander through the main tent, stopping at each of the booths to have a quick chat with the chef and sample their creations. From crudo to bisque to steak, some were delicious and deserve special mention. These were the favorites: Read More
Behind the Scenes @ Fresh & RIPE: Connecticut's Craft Juice Movement Ingredients Features Special Dietary Needs Specialty Market New Haven Amy Kundrat October 07, 2014 We are in the midst of a craft food and beverage movement. Craft cocktails, craft beer, craft butchers, so why not craft juice? The New Haven-based FreshBev Craft Juicery, best known by its RIPE bar juice and Project Fresh product lines, is seeking to define the craft juice movement, one cold-pressed bottle of fresh vegetables and fruits at a time. I had the opportunity to visit the New Haven factory (read: I was nosy and curious, so I invited myself over) to meet the folks behind the juice, taste some juice, and was excited to find a Connecticut business succeeding in the emerging and highly competitive juice market. First a little history. In 2008, frustrated by the abundance of preservative-laden shelf-stable cocktail mixers, founders Michel Boissy and Ryan Guimond took to their kitchen to create a natural and fresh juice for cocktails, beginning with everyone’s favorite cocktail staple, the margarita. Read More
Porktoberfest 2014 @ Saugatuck Craft Butchery...A Piggy Photo Recap Butcher Events Oktoberfest Stephanie Webster October 06, 2014 Saugatuck Craft Butchery's 2nd annual Porktoberfest came and went this past Sunday in Westport, with great weather, epic pig action and plenty of beer from New England Brewing. People lined up to grab photos and gawk as each beautiful Berkshire pig was lifted out of its Caja China roasting box. Austrian tunes played, kids ate s'mores and a generally good time was had by all. Thanks to Saugatuck Sweets for the seasonal desserts as well as the newly opened Garelick & Herbs for some tasty sides. Enjoy the photos and see you next year. Read More
Q's Restaurant: Vietnamese PHO & BBQ in Norwalk Restaurant Chinese Delicious Dives Norwalk Soups Vietnamese Sarah Green October 05, 2014 What's PHO lunch today? As autumn quietly slinks in, there's nothing like a truly authentic PHO to ease us into the chill that awaits. Head on over to Q's Restaurant at 172 Main Street in Norwalk (the old Valencia Luncheria spot) for the real McCoy. Recently opened (about 3 months and counting) and charmingly tiny, Q's is the love child of husband and wife duo Charles Eaton and XiaoNing Liu. Eaton, a Vietnam Vet, met Liu (a native of Old Nanking Province in China) while he was serving a tour of duty in Asia. Together, they have brought a small menu featuring Pho as well as other Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine to their wee, little kitchen. Read More
Cast Your Vote in Connecticut Magazine Readers' Choice Restaurant Awards CTbites Team October 03, 2014
