Filtering by Tag: Coffee,Cooking Classes

25 Places for Great Coffee in Connecticut

Restaurant Coffee Tea And Coffee Best of CT

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Have you heard the “buzz”?  Tuesday September 29 is National Coffee Day, and CT is home to some great local coffee spots where you can celebrate.  There's a lot of coffee in this state so we've divided our list into Fairfield County & Beyond FC.  Here are 24 places that serve some of CT’s best java.  One might even say they’re more than just your average “joe….”

If we missed any of YOUR favorite spots, please let us know in the comments section below. 

Fairfeld County Coffee

  1. Buzz Truck, Fairfield County
  2. Espresso Neat, Darien and Westport
  3. Lorca, Stamford
  4. Redding Roasters, Bethel
  5. Zumbachs Coffee, New Canaan
  6. Coffee Barn, Wilton
  7. Tusk & Cup, Ridgefield

Garden of Ideas in Ridgefield: 2015 Cooking Classes

Restaurant CT Farms Cooking Classes Education Ridgefield

Amy Kundrat

Photo: Garden of Ideas

The Garden of Ideas, the outdoor community center and garden sanctuary in Ridgefield, is hosting a series of monthly cooking demonstrations and workshops from May through November with Chef Susie Buckley.

Each class will focus on how to make the most of the seasonal produce, using the bounty of their CSA as a way to highlight the intersection of food, nature, art and science within each workshop. Classes welcome all ages (kids from 8 years and up, and adults) and will feature fresh farm produce, focusing on basic cooking techniques, "nibbles, tastes, and recipes, included." View the complete class schedule below:


Saugatuck Grain + Grape Launches Wine Education Class Series

Ingredients Cooking Classes WIne Wine Tasting

Stephanie Webster

Saugatuck Grain + Grape is going to be holding a series of wine education classes. Classes will be held every other week this spring. The series will cover everything from "Introduction to Wine Tasting, Lexicon, and Labels" to "The World Through Rosé Covered Glasses" as they dive into specific varietals. For those who don't know Mimi and her team, there will most definitely be fun, food and some bad wine jokes in every session.

Classes will be led by Mimi McLaughlin and Jon Carr, the newest member of the SG+G team. There will be nibbles prepared by Mark Hepperman, their in-house chef, so your tummy and taste buds will be happy in a multitude of ways.

Below is a break down of the syllabus, cost and dates. Please call the store to reserve your spot. 


Culinary Getaways at Saybrook Point Inn & Spa

Restaurant Cooking Classes Old Saybrook

Amy Kundrat

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.

Kids & Adult Cooking Classes @ Aux Delices

Features Cooking Classes Education Kids kids activity kids cooking party

CTbites Team

Aux Delices' 2015 Winter/Spring Kids & Adult Cooking Class Schedule has just been announced. Aux Délices offers cooking classes for adults and children at their professional catering kitchen in Stamford. Classes are generally held on Wednesday evenings for adults and Sunday afternoons for children. Classes are hands-on for children and both participation and demonstration for adults. 

Their focus is to teach easy, interesting and seasonal food preparation, utilizing a variety of cooking techniques. The chef instructors are from Aux Délices, as well as from well-known restaurants in Fairfield County and New York City. Lynn Manheim, the Cooking School Director does an incredible job engaging and challenging both children and adults, while teaching students the basics of cooking along the way.  

View the complete schedule below...For more information, click here. 


Winter Cooking Classes @ The Schoolhouse at Cannondale

Features Chef Talk Cooking Classes

CTbites Team

If you're still looking for the unique gift for that special person. Give them a memorable experience that is both fun & useful. Sign them up for a cooking class at The Schoolhouse at Cannondale Restaurant in Wilton Ct. In fact, sign up with them. Chef Tim LaBant & his staff will be sharing their years of experience each Tuesday evening beginning in February. You'll also savor the finished culinary delights after the class. The schedule and focus for each evening is as follows:
 
February 3...Winter Braising and knife skills
February 10...Appetizers and ingredient pairing guidlines
February 17...How to prepare our most favorite soups and stocks
February 24...Duck cookery and grain preparation
March 3...Fish cookery;  wet and dry cooking methods.When to use each method

Chef Pat Pascarella of Bar Sugo to Host Cooking Classes

Features Cooking Classes

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

Chef Pat Pascarella of Bar Sugo in Norwalk announced that he will conduct a new series of cooking classes beginning in Jan 2015! For those readers who have visited Bar Sugo and enjoyed his great meatballs, pastas and entrées, these classes will give the secrets for creating some of these delicious dishes at home. 

There are currently six scheduled classes: 

  • Fresh Pasta Workshop – Saturday January 24th at 11:00am
  • Mama's Kitchen: Meatballs 101 – Saturday February 7th at 11:00am
  • Art of Braising – Tuesday March 3rd at 7:00pm
  • Pizza Workshop – Tuesday April 7th at 7:00pm
  • Farmer's Harvest & Feast – Saturday May 16th at 11:00am
  • Cooking with Seafood - Tuesday, June 2nd at 7:00pm

Chocopologie Re-Opens in Downtown SoNo with Espresso, Dessert & Lunch

Restaurant Coffee Norwalk SONO Lunch Dessert

Kaila Finn

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.


The Granola Bar in Westport Launches Dinner Menu & NEW Kid Friendly Fare

Restaurant Coffee Westport healthy Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly

Nancy Kleeger

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.


Mozzarella Making Workshop w/ Chef Pietro Scotti @ Wakeman Town Farm Nov. 15

Restaurant Cooking Classes

Christy Colasurdo

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. 

Learn Truffle Making from Master Chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt @ Clarke, Nov 13th

Cooking Classes

CTbites Team

A Rare Opportunity to Learn Truffle Making from the Master!

When Master Chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt opened his artisan chocolate business, Gourmet magazine named his mouth-watering classic truffle, "One of the Top Three Truffles in the World!" 

He is truly a master and you can learn his sweet secrets on Thursday, November 13th at 6PM at Clarke, New England's Official Sub-Zero & Wolf Showroom and Test Kitchen, right in South Norwalk in a class called, "World's Finest Truffles."

In this hands-on class, you will work side-by-side with Fritz to create his award-winning truffles. You will discover the secrets of the ingredients and participate in creating the creamy ganache. Learn why 71% Ecuadorian single-bean dark chocolate is the key to this delightful treat and experience the delicious changes you can create by adding herbs and spices to the ganache and cocoa powder. 

You'll taste as you go and enjoy a glass or two of Fritz's favorite wine while you prepare these heavenly treats. And, of course, you'll take home samples and the recipe to allow you to create these for your family and friends!


Fairfield Cheese Company Fall Class Schedule

Restaurant Cheese Cooking Classes Education Wine Tasting

CTbites Team

Fairfield Cheese Company classes are back in session and school has never been this delicious. Whether you are a cheese novice looking for a anintroduction to the basics, or a cheese-aficionado seeking to expand your knowledge on a specific variety, they've got the class for you. 

I jumped at the chance to attend one of these sessions back in October and spent some time with owners Laura and Christopher who lead these entertaining and informative evenings. If you would like some background on Fairfield Cheese Company, check out our review, "Cheese 101."

With wine pairings from Harry's Wine & Liquor, this is the perfect way to break out of that dinner-and-a-movie date night rut. 


NEAT Opens in Westport: The Art of the Beverage from AM to PM

Restaurant Cocktails Coffee Westport Bar Breakfast

Amy Kundrat

Coffee bar by day, craft cocktail bar by night, NEAT is now open at 6 Wilton Road in Westport from 7 am to midnight, seven days a week.

If you are familiar with NEAT’s location in Darien, the approach will feel instantly familiar, if distilled into a much fuller and complete café experience. NEAT retains its unpretentious devotion to the art of the beverage, extending its reach into the evening as your palate naturally shifts from caffeine to spirits, seamlessly maintaining its full attention to the craft beverage experience.


Canning, Preserving & Pickling Workshops at Millstone Farm

Ingredients Cooking Classes

CTbites Team

What to do with your overly bountiful harvest? Millstone Farm has a few ideas. How about canning, pickling and preserving those gorgeous veggies and fruit? Seems daunting? Not at all. Just sign up for one of the workshops below...

Canning & Preserving Tomatoes
Sat. Sept. 27: 10am – 1pm
Join Annie Farrell and others at Millstone Farm and learn how to preserve your summer tomatoes so they can last you all winter long. Learn the basics of canning, freezing, and methods of storing tomatoes. Come prepared to chop, cook, can, and taste.  We will use water bath method, and discuss pressure canning.  We will tour the farm if time and weather allow. Up to 20 participants. $30 per person.


Sweet Pea’s Baking Company: Greenwich Bakery Serves Breakfast & Lunch w/ International Flair

Restaurant Bakery Coffee Greenwich Lunch Dessert

Jessica Ryan

Sweet Pea’s Baking Company is not just another small town bakery – it’s much more. Owners Rafael and Katjia Pita met as young students in Paris. There, on their first date, they shared their mutual dream of one day opening a bakery. Their journey brought them to Francisco, Paris, and Brazil, New York, and finally to Old Greenwich, Connecticut, where they decided to settle down with their 4 young children and finally pursue their dream.

Their storefront shop initially offered only artisanal breads, pastries and a few other select items along with their own in-house roasted coffee. In the year since they opened, they’ve transitioned from a small bake-shop to a café with an impressive offering of both prepared and made to order breakfast and lunch items. Katjia describes herself as the baker – loving the precision and exactness of it all, and refers to her husband, Rafael, as the creative one. Together their science and art created a winning combination. 

Whether you want a small treat and a cup of their wonderful coffee, or something a little more substantial you’re guaranteed to find something that fits your mood.


12 Places For Great Coffee in Fairfield County

Ingredients Restaurant Coffee Tea And Coffee Best of CT

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

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.
  1. Buzz Truck, Fairfield County
  2. Espresso Neat, Darien and Westport
  3. Lorca, Stamford
  4. Redding Roasters, Bethel
  5. Zumbachs Coffee, New Canaan
  6. Coffee Barn, Wilton
  7. Sugar & Olives, Norwalk
  8. Tusk & Cup, Ridgefield
  9. Shearwater Coffee Roasters, Trumbull
  10. The Granola Bar, Westport
  11. Terrain, Westport
  12. Raus Coffee, your local Farmers' Market

Espresso Neat to Open 2nd Location in Westport: Coffee by Day, Craft Cocktails by Night

Restaurant Cocktails Coffee Westport Bar Breakfast

CTbites Team

Coffee and cocktail drinkers unite at the latest hotspot in Westport, C.T. From the owner of Espresso NEAT in Darien comes NEAT, the collaborative concept experience where coffee enthusiasts can enjoy Connecticut’s finest during the day and cocktail drinkers can wind down at night. NEAT will be located at 6 Wilton Road in Westport as part of the National Hall re-development. The bar is expected to be open in early August from 7:00 a.m. -12:00 a.m.

Customers will receive the exceptional, distinctive coffees and popular offerings that they have come to expect from Espresso NEAT by day, as well as innovative breakfast and lunch offerings prepared in-house. By night, patrons will be able to enjoy well-tailored cocktails. Both coffee and cocktails will be crafted in the constant pursuit of excellence with regard to ingredients and skillful preparation.

The NEAT bar will have an innovative spirits program including artisanal beer featuring seasonal craft beers and carefully selected wines that allow patrons to “take a trip around the world” in order to expand their palate. A selection of simple and locally cultivated house crafted bar snacks will also be available with new takes on traditional bar food.  There will be live music from local artists with a strong focus on Jazz, Bluegrass and Folk.


Guide to Kids Summer Cooking Camps & Classes in Connecticut

Kids Bites Features Restaurant Cooking Classes Education Kids kids activity kids cooking party

April Guilbault

Is May about the newly arriving crocuses (crocii?)? Or about the greening of our lawns after the longest winter ever? Nah. Let’s get down to business-it’s about finding camps for your kiddos before the summer hits and all of those spots are filled! The emails have begun flying and the scramble is beginning. What’s new? What’s fun? How about forgoing the traditional Camp Gitchigoomee canoes and bonfires and, instead, fan the flames of summer creativity in some area kitchens with cooking camps for kids! 

Here is a list of 8 Kids Cooking Classes & Summer Camps for 2014:


The Buzz Truck: Mobile Coffee Truck in Fairfield County

Restaurant Coffee Fairfield Food Truck Westport

Jessica Ryan

Have you heard the buzz? If you haven’t and you live in the Westport and Fairfield areas you’ll not only hear it but you’ll see it any day now! The Buzz is The Buzz Truck, the brainchild of Jessica and Alex Grutkowski. Sleek, hip and sharp, this handsomely renovated school bus will have tired moms and dads cheering with delight. But it’s not just for parents - this little black bus has something for everyone.

The idea was conceived about a year ago when Jessica Grutkowski wondered why there wasn’t an ice cream truck for grownups. Only her ice cream truck wasn’t going to sell ice cream, it was going to sell coffee. “I was waiting on line for my coffee,” she told me, “and there was this person in front of me placing this ridiculously long order. I knew I was going to be late in picking my kids up from school.” Her eyes kept darting to the clock as she debated whether to ditch the line or not. And that was when the idea of the coffee truck came to her. “I knew right away that it would be called the Buzz Truck.”