Friday Froth: Down With Anchor! Ingredients CT Beer Beer James Gribbon January 16, 2015 A California brewer reached across the country to attack Hartford's City Steam and, distressingly, they've won. At issue? Anchor thinks they own the word "steam." Regular Friday Froth readers may remember when I first mentioned the lawsuit brought by Anchor Brewing against City Steam Brewery Cafe almost a year ago. This week a judge ruled Anchor Brewing in San Francisco can force City Steam in Hartford to chance its name. The lawsuit was upsetting then, and it's dead-fish-on-a-hot-sidewalk repellant now. I'm urging every craft beer drinker in Connecticut to boycott Anchor beer. Just don't buy it. It's that easy. Our voices and and dollars will be noticed. Just this week, Lagunitas dropped a similarly frivolous lawsuit against Sierra Nevada due to overwhelming consumer derision. Let's tell Anchor we in Connecticut are not going to take it laying down. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Mohegan Sun Winefest, Kids Cooking Classes, Whole Hog BBQ & More Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 16, 2015 NEAT Coffee is now offering their freshly roasted beans via coffee subscription! Sign up for your monthly coffee fix be emailing coffee@NEATcoffee.com. AMG Catering has announced the dates of their 2015 Kids Summer Cooking Camps! Join Cask Republic Stamford on Monday, January 19th for a great night of Food & Beer with Allagash Brewing Company. The five course dinner includes dishes like coffee rubbed pork empanadas and house duck pastrami paired with craft brews such as Allagash Bourbon Black. $75 per person. Journey through Italy with Bar Sugo's “Serie Vino” Italian Wine Class & Food Pairing Series. Each one hour class in the series (there are five in total) will focus on a particular Italian region, history behind the wines, and the food that best accompanies them prepared by Chef Pat Pascarella. The series will take place each Tuesday at 7:00pm and this week- January 20- is Campania. Thursday January 22 is the next installation of Walrus + Carpenter’s BrewGrass with Whole Hog BBQ. There will be plenty of delicious food and live music from BrewGrass. Read More
Bacon Recipe Contest @ The Westport Farmers' Market Lori Cochran January 15, 2015 Westport Farmers’ Market is starting 2015 right...with a Bacon Recipe Contest. Westport Farmers' Market is challenging Fairfield County to bring out their best bacon recipe on January 24 to the Westport Farmers’ Market located at 7 Sylvan Lane, Westport, CT (inside Gilbertie’s Herb Garden). At 11:00 a.m. Celebrity Judges will be Chris Hickey, co-owner and Chef Carlos from The Spread will taste their way through the entries declaring a winner at high noon. The winner will receive a market bag full of goodies and a WFM t-shirt. Read More
Arethusa Farm & Dairy Plan New Bantam Breakfast and Lunch Spot Restaurant Litchfield Breakfast CTbites Team January 15, 2015 The former Bantam Coffee Shop along Route 202 or Bantam Road will become the latest Arethusa Farm dining destination, focusing on breakfast and lunch and utilizing Arethusa Farm & Dairy products. This will be the second dining destination for George Malkemus and Anthony Yurgaitis, who also run Manolo Blahnik. Read the full story on Connecticut Magazine. Read More
Best Fireside Dining in CT: 16 ‘Hotspots’ via Connecticut Magazine Connecticut Magazine January 14, 2015 Whether or not April is the cruelest month as poet T.S. Eliot so famously wrote, February is definitely one of the coldest and most forbidding months in New England. Folks tend to hibernate amid winter’s wrath— but we say, “Be brave and go out to enjoy wonderful dinners at Connecticut’s fabulous restaurants.” Are we crazy? Nope. We just know how many hotspots are literally hot— make that comfortably cozy — because they offer true, luxurious fireside dining. Here are 16 "Hotspots" that feature fireplaces for your CT dining pleasure. Read More
WIN TIX for Chocolate, Dessert & Wine Festival to Benefit Shelter for the Homeless Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger January 14, 2015 Join your neighbors and friends for a very special night to support the Shelter for the Homeless, while enjoying over 70 exhibitors serving up Chocolate, Dessert & Wine! Win Two Tickets to this fantastic Chocolate, Dessert and Wine Lovers Festival!!!! To earn a chance to Win two tickets: Like us on FACEBOOK and POST A COMMENT BELOW ON WHY YOU SHOULD WIN! Read More
The 16th Annual Taste of Ridgefield January 25 at Founders Hall Restaurant Events Ridgefield CTbites Team January 13, 2015 A Taste of Ridgefield will be held on Sunday, January 25, 2015 at Founders Hall, located in Ridgefield, CT. The 16th annual event will draw restaurants, caterers, and wine merchants from Ridgefield for two serving sessions 12:30 – 2:30 pm, and 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. This event is hosted by The Rotary Club of Ridgefield and sponosred by Fairfield County Bank and Vazzana Management Consulting to benefit its schoarship fun and support a new fuel subsidy initiative to help needy families in Ridgefield. Participating restaurants include: Read More
Hot Chocolate Recipe Roundup via Marcia Selden: Nutella, Junior Mint + Dulce de Leche Recipe Kid Friendly Dessert Marcia Selden Catering January 13, 2015 Kick your hot chocolate into overdrive in the month of January because, let's face it, what else is there to do but ski...and eat? Take cocoa from from hum drum to yum yum with these killer recipes from Marcia Selden Catering. What are we talking about? We've got hot chocolate recipes including: Classic (and awesome) Hot Chocolate Recipe, Nutella Hot Chocolate,, Junior Mint Hot Chocolate, Dulce de Leche Hot Chocolate with Toasted Marshmallows. Read More
Lunch Break: Soups & Sandwiches at Wah Lah in Bethel CT Restaurant Soups Bethel Comfort Food Lunch Amy Kundrat January 11, 2015 Wah Lah is the ideal lunch location for a cozy cup of soup or a delicious pressed sandwich, with a side of small town charm. A fast-casual restaurant that focuses on the holy lunch trinity of soups, sandwiches, and salads, Wah Lah sets itself apart thanks to its amiable and talented owner-chef Keith Burke, and a well-executed and consistent menu that honors classic and wholesome recipes. Keith opened Wah Lah in 2010. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, he worked in the foodservice industry for 14 years, traveling across the country before deciding to change his pace and put down roots in the small Connecticut town of Bethel. The fast casual dining concept appealed to him, and he decided to marry that approach to the lunch-friendly category of soups with salads and sandwiches soon following. Wah Lah’s menu is a list of eight to twelve soups made fresh daily Read More
Culinary Getaways at Saybrook Point Inn & Spa Restaurant Cooking Classes Old Saybrook Amy Kundrat January 09, 2015 Who wouldn't love a culinary-themed weekend getaway that is about an hour away (maybe two for those of you up in Litchfield County)?! The Saybrook Point Inn & Spa is kicking off a series of weekend getaways focusing on different cuisines from around the world centered on the Inn's restaurant, Fresh Salt, and led by its Executive Chef Leslie Tripp. Kicking off this series of three events is Italian Winter Holiday from January 30 to February 1, followed by a Taste of New England on February 20 - 22 and a Tour de France on March 6 - March 8. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Iron Bartender, New Haven Food Tour, Live Music & More Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 09, 2015 Cask Republic Stamford has announced an Iron Bartender Competition! It all goes down Monday January 12. Watch some of CT’s best bartenders compete while enjoying drink specials and limited craft brews. For a limited time, enjoy half-priced bottles of wine at Molto in Fairfield on Monday nights. Half Full of Stamford has launched their “Inspirational Series.” Try the brews at Cost Less Wines & Liquors in Stamford on Wednesday January 14. Taste of New Haven Tours start this week. The initial event is the “New Haven Symphony Tour” which takes you from popular restaurants to a concert. Visit The Wine Thief for a wine tasting before heading to Kelly's, Oaxaca, and The Mochi Store. The tour ends at Woolsey Hall in time for the show. Complimentary symphony tickets are provided for guests who do not have them. It takes place on January 15. 18 people can participate at a cost of $45 per person. Finally! Valet parking @ Kawa Ni in Westport on Friday and Saturday nights. Read More
Bar Sugo's “Serie Vino” Italian Wine Class & Food Pairing Series Restaurant Wine Dinners CTbites Team January 08, 2015 Journey through Italy with Bar Sugo's “Serie Vino” Italian Wine Class & Food Pairing Series. Discover the Different Regions of Italy with One Sip & One Bite at a Time Spring break may still be months away, but you can jet set through Italy in the best way imaginable with a glass (or several) of wine, expertly prepped small plates and the rustic, warm environment of Bar Sugo as they present their “Serie Vino” wine and food tasting classes. Each one hour class in the series (there are five in total) will focus on a particular Italian region, history behind the wines and the food that best accompanies them prepared by Chef Pat Pascarella. Read More
Some Mighty Tasty Wings @ Archie Moore's in Fairfield Restaurant Fairfield Pub Bar Comfort Food Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger January 08, 2015 As my search for great burgers in CT continues, I always appreciate the opportunity to combine this pursuit with other culinary options. When I found myself in Fairfield, I decided to stop into Archie Moore’s Bar and Restaurant and sample its Bar Burger and while I was there, why not begin the meal with an order of wings, which are consistently voted some of the best in the state. Read More
Victoria's Wood Fired Pizza Opens in Bethel via Newstimes.com Restaurant Bethel Pizza CTbites Team January 07, 2015 This just in from our friends at newstimes.com. Several years ago Danbury resident Bruce Lyon decided to leave his career in commercial real estate to start his own mobile catering service that specialized in authentic Neapolitan pizza. And after one of his most successful years in the business, Lyon has decided to move part of the operation -- Victoria's Wood Fired Pizza -- into brick and mortar, leasing a storefront on P.T. Barnum Square in Bethel that had been home to several different businesses over the past few years. We've more than doubled our business in the past year alone," Lyon said. "And we've had a huge increase this year in weddings. The rustic, style wedding is really becoming popular, and it works perfectly with our business model." Read the full article on newstimes.com Read More
Win 2 Tickets to Big Brew New York Beer Festival + 10% Off For CTbites James Gribbon January 07, 2015 Win Two Tickets to Big Brew New York Beer Festival, Or Get $10 Off Tickets With CTBites! To earn a chance to Win: Like us on FACEBOOK and POST A COMMENT BELOW ON WHY YOU SHOULD WIN!The Big Brew New York beer festival will return to the Westchester County Center in White Plains on February 7th over 250 craft beers in one gigantic session, and we've got an inside line on your tickets. CTBites readers can also save $10 on tickets by going to the BigBrewNY ticket page and entering promo code CTBITES. General admission tickets are $60 for unlimited beers, while VIP tickets will be $85 and add food provided by Mambo 64 of Tuckahoe, an extra hour of tasting starting at 4p.m. and access to an exclusive all-cask ale tasting area. All ticket prices will rise after January 23rd. Read More
Bowls of Love Cookbook by Stamford Resident, Ali Rakowski: Paleo & Gluten Free Cookbooks Special Dietary Needs healthy CTbites Team January 07, 2015 One of the first Paleo soup cookbooks to hit the stands, Bowls of Love by Ali Rakowski is a seasonal soup cookbook with dozens of fresh, healthy recipes that are 100% Paleo, gluten-free and dairy-free.Bowls of Love takes the concept of holistic health from the stove to your bowl, combining vegetables, locally sourced meat and homemade stock to create a plethora of soups that are both healthy and delicious. Based on the Paleo Diet, the recipes in this cookbook consist of lean meats, fruits, vegetables, healthy oils, nuts and seeds.Unlike other Paleo cookbooks on the market, Bowls of Love has one main distinction – it focuses on the fact that every food we eat has a story. Each meal has a memory attached to it, and every plate and bowl holds those stories. Read More
Cookbook Author Terry Walters at Stamford's Deane Inc on January 15 Restaurant Cookbooks Events Stamford CTbites Team January 06, 2015 Deane Inc. & Elm Street Books are hosting an evening with bestselling cookbook author Terry Walters at the Stamford location of DEANE Inc. on January 15th, 2014 at 6pm. Terry Walters will be discussing and preparing recipes from her new book and copies will be available for purchase and signing. Deane Inc is located at 1267 East Main Street in Stamford, CT. For more information or to RSVP, email staff@imagesanddetails.com or call 203.966.8203. Read More
18 Places to Eat Healthy in 2015: Juice Bars, Restaurants, Organic Markets, Food Trucks & More! Restaurant Juice Bar Juice Cleanse Organic Vegetarian healthy Vegan April Guilbault January 04, 2015 After six weeks of overdoing the bubbly and those cheesy hors d’oeuvres (sooo good), ‘tis time to turn that calendar page and welcome all things cleaner and leaner. 2015 is here, with new delights to entice us and healthy flavors and dishes to keep our immune systems fueled, our skin glowing, and our bellies from bulging. This year, as you treat your body well, will cauliflower be the new kale? Will that little green nut, the pistachio, reign supreme with its antioxidants, vitamins and protein? There are so many ways to treat our bodies well and, luckily, we have found a great offering of area resources that will satisfy our tastebuds and help keep our bodies healthy. Happy New Year! Here are 18 Places to Eat Healthy in Connecticut for 2015: Juice Bars, Restaurants, Organic Markets, Food Trucks & More! Read More
Lunch @ The New Harvest Wine Bar in New Haven Restaurant American Wine Bar New Haven Lunch Amy Kundrat January 04, 2015 The New Haven outpost of Harvest Wine Bar is the fifth restaurant for siblings Kleber, Nube, and Vincente Siguenza, the the trio behind Cava in New Canaan, 55 Degrees in Fairfield, Scena in Darien, and sister restaurant Harvest Wine Bar in Greenwich. CTbites reviewed the Greenwich location almost a year ago, and many of the same culinary observations apply to this newly opened New Haven outpost on Chapel Street. I stopped in recently to experience the restaurant’s $19 two-course prix fixe lunch, perhaps one of the best downtown lunch options among New Haven’s fine dining restaurants. Read More
Weekly Nibble: Vegetarian Wednesdays, Healthy Cooking Classes, Whole Foods Events & More Emma Jane-Doody Stetson January 04, 2015 Good news. Walrus & Carpenter in Bridgeport is now open 7 days a week! Enjoy their infamous fried chicken, smoked meat and burgers, 365 days a year. Vegetarian Wednesdays are back at The Schoolhouse at Cannondale January 7th - March. Check out the first menu here. This year’s edition of WestportREADS centers on Dubliners by James Joyce. CTBites will hold a dinner series in conjunction with the event. “Dine Around Town: Dublin” kicks off with Terrain on Tuesday January 6 at 7pm. Sugar & Olives “Vegetarian or Bust” cooking class Wednesday January 7th, 7-9pm. They’ll teach you how to make hearty vegetarian meals like quinoa paella and farro and risotto. $80 per person. Friday January 9, Half Full Brewery in Stamford invites you to one of their famous open houses! For just $15, enjoy open taps while playing corn hole and life-sized Jenga. Feel free to bring your own food! Read More
