Sage Infused Turkey w/ Pomegranate Juice & Chestnut Sausage Stuffing via South End Features Entertaining Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe CTbites Team November 21, 2014 One of the most important guests at any Thanksgiving table is the turkey. In our ongoing Thanksgiving recipe coverage, Nick Martschenko, Executive Chef at South End, New Canaan, has kindly shared his recipe for Sage Infused Turkey Basted w/ Pomegranate Juice & Chestnut Sausage Stuffing. Sure, anyone can toss a turkey in the oven, but Chef Martschenko has given his bird the love and attention it deserves. Check out his incredible recipe which will likely end up an annual tradition. Read More
Thanksgiving Recipes from The Chefs @ Westport Farmers' Mkt Features Chef Talk Farmers Market Thanksgiving Recipe Lori Cochran November 20, 2014 We, Westport Farmers’ Market, wanted to find a way to say thank you for the support our communities continue to provide us, so…… We have collaborated with the best of the best in Fairfield County to bring you a local, delicious and certainly special Thanksgiving menu. You might even say it is a celebrity chef Thanksgiving menu created just for WFM. We've gathered recipes from the likes of: Bill Taibe, Matt Storch, Mischel Nischan and so many more. View The Complete Recipe Guide Here & view the list of chefs below. Looking for the perfect recipe - heck, the perfect menu? Look no further! Each recipe will include a grocery list for Saturday's market at Gilbertie’s Herb Garden in Westport. Celebrity Chef Thanksgiving Menu Read More
Chocopologie Re-Opens in Downtown SoNo with Espresso, Dessert & Lunch Restaurant Coffee Norwalk SONO Lunch Dessert Kaila Finn November 20, 2014 Very shortly, Fritz Knipschildt, owner of Chocopologie, will be swapping his old 12 South Main St. location for an up-to-date Chocopologie at 133 Washington St. The new Chocopologie has maintained some aspects of the old café like the European flair (yes, I’m thinking about the savory buckwheat crepes), the open chocolate-making station, and their trademark exposed brick walls. But don’t be fooled; the light-washed wood flooring, trendy antique furniture, and a simple chalkboard menu point to a decidedly new style. Knipschildt described the new restaurant’s theme as “doing less with more.” Their “less is more” thinking has inspired their chow as well. Knipschildt and Manager Joseph Trepanowski are not fans of the nuevo, hipster movement, and said that “these hipster places put on good faces but it’s a facade,” adding that they want to be cool but have substance. A primary focus of the 133 Washington St. location will be the espresso. Read More
Delicata Squash Soup w/ Coffee Roasted Carrot Coulis Recipe via Boulevard 18 Features Entertaining Holiday Soups Thanksgiving Recipe CTbites Team November 19, 2014 It's time to dust off those recipe books or re-visit that Pinterest board. Thanksgiving is almost here, and in honor of our favorite culinary holiday, we have asked a few local chefs to share their favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Boulevard 18 in New Canaan is the first up with a delicious Delicata Squash Soup with Coffee Roasted Carrot Coulis and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds. Stay tuned for additional recipes as we will be posting new ones up until the big day.... Read More
Meet The Whelk's New Chef de Cuisine, Anthony Kostelis Interview Restaurant Chef Chef Talk Westport Stephanie Webster November 19, 2014 How does it feel to be hired as the new Chef de Cuisine for one of Fairfield County’s most successful restaurants? Chef Anthony Kostelis, of The Whelk in Westport, would say it is like a dream come true. In fact, ever since Kostelis started working with Bill Taibe in 2010, he knew he didn't want to be anywhere else. Kostelis’ love of food began at the ripe age of 15 when he started work in a Manchester pizza restaurant. Half Greek, half Italian, and the son of a food purveyor for high end ingredients, Anthony seemed fated to head down a culinary path. By age 20, he was working in New Haven as a server and bartender at Ibiza, when he decided to leave college and pursue his real passion, cooking. Working his way through the CIA, he was mentored by Executive Chef Jeff Caputo of Scoozzi, also in New Haven, who took him under his wing and “set me up for success,” says Anthony. Read More
16 CT Restaurants Open For Thanksgiving Dinner Restaurant Holiday Thanksgiving Emma Jane-Doody Stetson November 18, 2014 Not in touch with your inner Martha Stewart? Or would you rather enjoy a festive night out than serve up a Thanksgiving meal at home? That's perfectly alright- these CT restaurants are open on Thanksgiving and offering specials for the occasion. Whether you want traditional fare or modern twists on the classics, these venues are sure to make the night memorable. Be sure to make your reservations soon- these restaurants are booking up fast. David Burke Prime, Foxwoods Harbour House, Mystic Café on the Green, Danbury Bar Rosso, (Thanksgivng "eve" party on 26th) Stamford Carmen Anthony’s Steakhouse, New Haven Cask Republic, (bar only opens @ 7pm) Stamford Boulevard 18, New Canaan Bernard’s, Ridgefield Mill on the River Restaurant, South Windsor L’escale, Greenwich Elm, New Canaan The Brewhouse, Norwalk Artisan, Southport Rive Bistro, Westport Capital Grille, Hartford & Stamford Red Barn, Westport Read More
6 Stamford Breakfast Sandwiches Ya Gotta Try via Hey Stamford! Restaurant Stamford Breakfast CTbites Team November 16, 2014 Our friends over at Hey Stamford! did some breakfast related research we thought you might enjoy... Breakfast is one of our favorite meals. While my wife, Sandy often makes one hell of a breakfast at home, it’s just simply not that easy to always get a home cooked meal when you’re in a rush to the office during the week…or sleeping in for a lazy weekend (AKA hungover). Stamford Magazine just shared a great list of 12 great spots to grab breakfast in Stamford and we agree with every single one of them. Not only do they include some of the best breakfast spots in town, but in most cases, you’ll get a well rounded meal at any point in the day. Let’s be honest, you could find a tasty breakfast sandwich at almost any deli or dinerin town – it’s really tough to screw up a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. But, when you take those ingredients and kick it up a notch, that is when we’re really going to notice! That’s why, in an effort to provide a good will to you, we scoured the area to help you, the reader, make the right choices. After all, that’s what we do. You’re welcome. With that, here are 6 INCREDIBLE breakfast sandwiches you just can’t ignore in Stamford. Read More
CT Beer Week Recap Finale: A Look At Gose + Rare Beers @ Half Full Brewery James Gribbon November 15, 2014 The third act is here, the lights are low, and the curtain is set to drop. This is the final post on the Connecticut Beer Week that was, 2014 edition. The first two focused on food and beer pairing, while these last two recaps are more food-accompanied beer events. Make sense? No? Good, because there's no use in telling the audience a story they already know.Let's ease back into the narrative where we left off in act two, with sours, and the ancient art of brewing beers we callgose. This tart, slightly salty beer is at least 1,000 years old as a style, evidenced by the fact it was actually mentioned in writing by the Holy Roman Emperor Otto III, who ruled during the last millennial turnover. The name gose (say "go-zuh," like Janine Melnitz pronouncing the first name of the Gozerian), comes from the town of Goslar in Saxony, which is slightly famous for its medieval old town, and for introducing this refreshing beverage to neighboring Leipzig, where its popularity exploded. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Thanksgiving Cooking Classes; Winter Markets; Stew Leonard's Turkey Brigade & More! Emma Jane-Doody Stetson November 14, 2014 Greenwich Restaurant Week continues through November 19 with dining specials and events. Join Cask Republic of Stamford as they team up with Stony Creek Brewery on Wednesday November 19. Stony Creek will debut new beer that they have been brewing on their Brew Magic System. Attendees can enter to win a mug membership at the brewery as well. It starts at 6pm. Festivities Catering has moved into the cafe at Lillian August in Norwalk. Executive Chef Bill Kaliff will host a Holiday Entertaining Class on Wednesday, Nov. 19th 11-11:45 AM. The Holiday Table class will cover holiday table fashions with a twist. Sugar & Olives in Norwalk has launched FARMS AND A MARKET. This indoor, rain-or-shine market runs every Friday through February (except after Thanksgiving Christmas and New Year’s) from 3-7. It offers locally produced edibles, including milk, eggs, cheese, honey flour, grains, produce and meats. Learn how to do Thanksgiving Barcelona style! Each cooking class is $30/person plus tax & gratuity and will take place at these locations on the following days: Read More
Positano's To Take Over Dressing Room Restaurant Space @ Westport Playhouse Restaurant Westport CTbites Team November 13, 2014 In case you missed this bit of news, Dan Woog, of 06880 Westport news blog, recently reported on the new restaurant going into the old Dressing Room in Westport. Old Mill’s loss is the Westport Country Playhouse’s gain. Positano’s — the much-loved-but-too-seldom-visited restaurant kitty-corner from Elvira’s — is closing at its Old Mill Beach location. “06880″ broke that news 2 months ago. But it’s reopening in February, next to the Westport Country Playhouse. That’s the space was occupied for 8 years by The Dressing Room. The Paul Newman-created restaurant closed last January. Positano’s has been owned and operated by the Scarpati family for more than 15 years. Owner Giuseppe Scarpati was born on the island of Ponza, Italy. He learned to cook from his father, who studied with master chefs in Italy and was one of the island’s leading fisherman. Giuseppe focuses on all-natural cooking. Read the full article on Dan Woog's Blog, 06880.com Read More
Guide To Thanksgiving Planning & Recipes via Marcia Selden Features Entertaining Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe Marcia Selden Catering November 13, 2014 Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Don’t panic. Let us be your guide to creating the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy a traditional meal with family and friends, right? For some people Thanksgiving turns into an all-out crazy fest in the kitchen filled with ranting’s and multiple trips to the supermarket. Never again! Read on for our simple, fool proof guide to hosting a stress free Thanksgiving meal. If this all seems like too much for you, we’d be happy to help you…just call! Not only do we have an up to the minute timeline for your Thanksgiving prep, but we have the quintessential recipes for: Marcia’s Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey & Old-Fashioned Southern Pecan Pie. Ready, set...Go! Read More
Washington Prime in Sono Launches Sunday Prime Brunch Buffet Restaurant Brunch Norwalk SONO Steakhouse Breakfast Jessica Ryan November 12, 2014 Washington Prime opened just a few months ago to rave reviews, and a steady stream of satisfied customers as a result of the visions of owners Robb Moss and Marco Siguenza and the creative innovations of Chef Jared Falco. This past Sunday, at the request of many of their patrons, Washington Prime decided to do something new – the Sunday Prime Brunch Buffet where, for $29.90, you can select from a complimentary Mimosa, Bloody Mary or Moscow mule as you indulge from an incredible buffet. Select from a raw bar, artisanal cheeses, salads, a prime rib and omelet station as well as the traditional fare - a selection of bacon, sausages, French toast, Eggs Benedict, miniature bagels with smoked salmon and the works, assorted pastries and Danishes, yogurt, granola and fresh fruit. Read More
The Chelsea in Fairfield Launches New Menu Brunch Fairfield Lunch CTbites Team November 11, 2014 Many restaurants update their menus seasonally, but The Chelsea in Fairfield has made some significant changes to the menu...changes so significant that we felt they bear mention. Chef/Co-Owner Matt Storch says, The Chelsea has made “some really delicious additions to the menu this go around, we wanted to create a unique menu that makes us stand out as having some of the best and most diverse food in Fairfield." The Chef de Cuisine, Eric Felitto, has worked in The Chelsea kitchen almost since its inception, and has moved up the ranks to assume this new role. Felitto has a great background in Asian Cuisine, and this passion influenced many of new menu items such as the China Ribs & Vietnamese Chicken Soup. For lunch, we loved the bánh mì inspired Porchetta Sandwich, slow roasted crispy pork, on a soft roll. Eric has also worked closely with Chef Matt Storch to perfect some of the exciting new dishes you can see pictured above and described below. Read More
Westport Farmers' Market Moves Indoors To Gilberties November 15th Ingredients Features Farmers Market Westport CTbites Team November 10, 2014
Tipsy Cones Ice Cream Food Truck: Alcohol + Ice Cream = Yum Restaurant Food Truck ice cream Dessert Jessica Ryan November 09, 2014 A new food truck is rolling into Fairfield County and this is some serious scoop! How many times have you come up with a brilliant idea, only to dismiss it or put it on the back burner never to revisit it again? Most of us do this, but not so for Brooke and Jon Albers of Stratford. Like all great ideas, It all started out innocently enough - over coffee one morning, while sitting on the couch, half asleep still, watching the news, half paying attention to a story about stout beer and ice cream. At that moment a bell went off in Brooke’s head – She had a revelation. She wondered, what would happen if you took some ice cream and some booze and put them together? And so she set off to find out. Brooke purchased a small ice cream machine and set it on her kitchen counter. Soon the machine would start cranking away, blending vanilla ice cream and whiskey. The result was Whiskey Bean, an instant success. The favors paired perfectly. And Tipsy Cones was born. Read More
The Granola Bar in Westport Launches Dinner Menu & NEW Kid Friendly Fare Restaurant Coffee Westport healthy Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Nancy Kleeger November 08, 2014 If you love the cozy, familiar space of The Granola Bar for your lattes, lunch or gluten free baked goods, well, you can now love them for another good reason. Dinner—is served! With beloved Chef Jes Bengtson at the helm of The Granola Bar’s kitchen, a full menu of healthy, delicious items, familiar, new and seasonal, are now available to you and your family Wednesdays through Saturdays. Owner Julie Levitt speaks passionately about her mission of bringing a healthier food movement to focus, and the restaurant’s kitchen has no fryers…or even a stovetop! The produce is organic and whenever possible, locally sourced, a nod to Levitt’s commitment to support local farms. The menu aims to capture the tastebuds of every member of your family at a favorable price point, so when you have that pang of guilt for not having the time to cook and put dinner on the table, TGB is the locals’ no brainer. There are some new additions to the menu, such as Candied Turkey Bacon Deviled Eggs, which were divine. Read More
Friday Froth: Recap of Sourcopia w/ Chef Plum & Two Roads Brewing Co. Restaurant CT Beer Beer James Gribbon November 07, 2014 OK, ok: I know I've gone all 2Roads2Furious on you, but I did say these events arrive in pairs. Connecticut Beer Week ended as it began this October, with me sitting at a table and listening to brewmaster Phil Markowski explain his newest beers, this time beside Chef Plum, of Plum Luv Foods and The Taste. The event, Sourcopia, was the pre-release party for Two Roads' new collection of sour beers, a kriek, a gueuze, and the concoction 2R calls "Philsamic" against - it should be noted - the wishes of one Phil. He was pretty, pret-tay clear on that last part. This was a beer dinner, but the portion sizes Chef Plum provided were more akin to a tasting menu. I appreciated this, since I've walked out of some previous pairing events in dire jeopardy of tipping over like a one legged T. Rex. I'm not sure if this was the plan all along, or it was a result of Chef Plum et al. having to work in an ad hoc kitchen on site. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Dinosaur BBQ, Game Dinner, Home Brewing, Greenwich Restaurant Week + Emma Jane-Doody Stetson November 07, 2014 Starting on Monday November 10, Dinosaur BBQ of Stamford offers you the chance to “Drive-In and Pig Out.” During regular restaurant hours, you can put in a request for take out and have the Dino staff bring your food right to your vehicle. Join Craft 260 on Tuesday November 11 for a DC Brau Tap Takeover. Not only will there be 5 beers from the brewery… it’s the launch Wings of Armageddon in CT! The 99 point Imperial IPA is available in limited quantities only and this its first time outside of DC. Also on Tuesday, Bar Sugo of Norwalk will host a game dinner from 6-9pm. It includes rabbit, pheasant, deer, quail, duck, and boar! $85 per person, plus tax and gratuity. On Wednesday November 12, Cask Republic of Stamford will host a Home Brew Competition. Call 203-348-2275 to reserve your spot in the event. Judging starts at 3pm and the party starts at 5pm. Please not submissions must be dropped off by Monday November 10. Greenwich Restaurant Week takes place from November 12-19. Throughout the week, 35 Greenwich restaurants will be offering dining specials. Read More
Bailey's Backyard in Ridgefield Hosts "An Evening in the Berkshires" with Berkshire Mountain Distillers and 109 Cheese & Wine Restaurant Dinner Events Amy Kundrat November 06, 2014 Bailey's Backyard in Ridgefield will be hosting, An Evening in the Berkshires, a fall-themed spirits dnner on Thursday, November 13, 2014, with Berkshire Mountain Distillers and 109 Cheese and Wine. Hand-crafted cocktails will be paired with a four course tasting menu alongside guest speaker and distiller Michael Sharry. Bailey's chief mixologist, Bryan Walsh, has compiled an impressive lineup of cocktails paired with Executive Chef Forrest Pasternack's locally-minded menu. Price is $75 per person plus gratuity. Read More
Mozzarella Making Workshop w/ Chef Pietro Scotti @ Wakeman Town Farm Nov. 15 Restaurant Cooking Classes Christy Colasurdo November 06, 2014 Mild and milky, smooth and silky: any way one stretches it, people love fresh mozzarella! And in this hands-on crash course, participants will learn to make it at home. On November 15th, from 10:30 -noon, Chef Pietro will explain coagulation as how milk turns from fluid to firm curds. Then, participants will roll up their sleeves to turn curds into the beautiful balls that are known as fresh mozzarella. Taste several samples of fresh cheeses (think mozzarella, burrata!). Local Chef Pietro Scotti, of DaPietro's in Westport will teach the ins and outs tof making fresh mozzarella and burrata in this Saturday Cheese-Making Workshop at Wakeman Town Farm. To register, simply email wakemantownfarm@gmail.com and provide the name and number of people in your party. Class is $45 per person, and limited to 12. Respondents will be notified of acceptance into the workshop and will pay at the door. Read More
