CTbites was introduced to Pastry Chef Susanne Berne at the Community Plates fundraising event in Stamford several months ago and were incredibly impressed with her delectable desserts. After a visit to Vespa Restaurant in Westport where she oversees the dessert menu, and we indulged in more of her creative and outstanding deliciousness, we reached out and asked if she would share a recipe with our readers. She was more than happy to deliver several to our in-box. One immediately caught our eye...Fudgy Brownies. Who doesn’t like brownies, and who would not want to have an entire pan filled with them cooling in the kitchen waiting for that first bite. After tasting a batch that Chef Berne made for us, we all agreed...these are outstanding.
Occupying the old Riverside post office, Ada’s Variety Store was a local favorite. For many generations Ada was lovingly referred to as the old lady who sold penny candy to neighborhood kids; she was a pillar of the community. She has since passed away, but her legacy lives on. Her family remains involved with the little store’s brand new future, keeping her memory alive for many more generations to come.
The shop, now called Ada’s Kitchen + Coffee, is located near the Riverside train station and has been newly renovated by Ada’s nieces and nephews. With the help of friend and local interior designer, Katie Watson, the new Ada’s Kitchen + Coffee has been transformed into a bright, inviting space, melding the old with the new.
We love making homemade treats for our friends and family, especially at the holidays. They’re the perfect way to show our love and joy for the season. Package them in cellophane bags tied with ribbon or raffia and pair them with a nice bottle of bubbly and you’ll be good to go. We love this brittle because it’s super easy to make and yummy to eat. Check out our recipe for "Kitchen Sink Brittle."
As announced in The New Canaanite, New Canaan’slocal news website, Donut Crazy has announced its third location and will open in New Canaan, hopefully by the end of the year.
With two location up the Merritt in Stratford and Shelton, the donut shop that features creatively conceived donut combinations named “Cherry Bomb,” “Cannoli,” “Maple Bacon,” the holiday "Noggin Donut" (Eggnog custard filled, rum flavored frosting, sugar, whipped cream topping, with a pinch of nutmeg) and the “Fat Elvis” (Bavarian cream center topped with peanut butter bacon banana chocolate honey), Donut Crazy will occupy the space that formerly housed the Sweet Shoppe and Merle Norman Cosmetics at 4 South Avenue.
A gourmet doughnut shop with two locations in upper Fairfield County is preparing to serve its savory treats at the former Sweet Shoppe space on South Avenue, mostly recently Merle Norman Cosmetics.
Forever Sweet Bakery is celebrating its third anniversary as one of the most creative bakeries for cupcakes, cake pops, and special occasion themed cakes. Located off the beaten path in a strip mall on New Canaan Avenue in Norwalk, CTbites visited on opening day several years ago and over the last three years the bakery has received numerous accolades including the 2014 & 2015 Best of the Gold Coast Cupcakes. CTbites recently returned to Forever Sweet to confirm the original impression and taste the expanded offerings of cupcakes that owners Sky and Frances Mercede have created.
Over the years, their cakes have been featured at many political victory parties and charity events including the Connecticut Food Bank, the Westport Little League and the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Sky and Frances believe in giving back to the community as often as possible.
Holiday season is heeeere, with its feasts and parties, and let’s be honest, you can’t really have too much pie, now can you? Note: with the brief exception of a kooky aunt who, after a post-Thanksgiving bout on the tread mill, did wearily proclaim “Too....Much....Pie!” but that’s another story for another time. So where to go for the best pies with the flakiest crusts, sweetest streusel toppings and the most flavorful fillings? We’ll be happy to tell you. Get those dessert plates ready and, um...you might want to loosen that belt.
Here are 14 places to buy great holiday pies in CT.
Shortbread is the star of the cookie world—made almost entirely of butter and sugar, we bet you can’t eat just one! Sweet shortbread is perfect for dipping into hot tea while savory ones pair well with soup or are delicious with cheese. Marcia Selden Catering & Event Planning shares two of their favorites with us. These cookies won’t last long when you put them out, so be sure to grab one fast before they are all gone!
Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, although we love to cook it in pies, purée it into sauces, and preserve it into jam as if it were a fruit. Watson's Catering shares their turnover-like take on this vegetable, a fun way to enjoy the sweetness of this tart vegetable.
In a town that offers the best gelato in Fairfield County, New Canaan has been void of the same quality ice cream. That has now changed as Gingerbitz on Elm Street is now selling scoops ofAnnabelle’s Ice Cream from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. When I heard the news I headed straight to Gingerbitz to sample.
Nestled alongside the cakes, pastries, woopie pies and the Stumptown coffee, Gingerbitz offers four rotating varieties. With the scorching temperature this past weekend, there were several people lined up to order a cone or a cup of the current selections; Triple Chocolate, New Hampshire Pure Maple Walnut, Raspberry Chocolate Chip and Salty Caramel. A quick look on Annabelle’s website describes the ice cream a “super premium, 16% butter fat, kosher®, natural ice cream with NO additives or artificial colors.”
Each of them were extra-creamy, dense and full of great flavors. The chocolate was my favorite. The richness of the chocolate was elevated by chocolate chunks and a dark fudge.
Yes, it’s a recognized national holiday, and CT has great doughnuts for sweettooths ready to celebrate! Here are places serving delicious ones. Thank you, readers, for your contributions!
We love a quick bread, they’re a breeze to throw together, freeze beautifully, and are a great activity if you are with your kids and looking for something to do.
Enjoy a slice with a bowl of soup or a steaming cup of tea, and you have all the trappings of a sweet perfect day. The folks at Marcia Selden Catering have shared their favorite sweet and savory quick bread recipes. Enjoy our recipes for: Earl Grey Zucchini Quick Bread; Almond Butter, Honey, Banana Quick Bread; Sundried Tomato and Pesto Quick Bread & Prosciutto & Gruyere Quick Bread.You’ll want to try them all!
Here’s some great news for residents of downtown Stamford…
DiMare Pastry Shop has announced that it will open its third location at 30 Spring Street in Stamford, serving its delicious cakes, pies, cupcakes, pastries, rolls, breads and its ever-popular and outrageous cannoli dip. The location will be named DiMare Pastry Downtown and is convenient to the explosion of apartments in downtown Stamford along Washington, Atlantic and Bedford.
The newest location on Spring Street will be familiar for patrons of Bar Rosso and Volta as DiMare becomes the third occupant in this storefront. The interior design is currently in the planning and development phase and the artist rendering on their Facebook page (above) indicates a sleek design to showcase their outstanding baked goods. Thanks to OmNomCT for confirming the details.
Every year, CTbites pays homage to the first storm of the season with this classic recipe. If you're in the house with your kids and things are getting ugly...why not put that white stuff falling out of the sky to good use and make dessert ? Remember, only use clean snow. Stay away from the yellow stuff. Ick.
Grab your mittens and a spoon and head outside while the snow is still fresh for some "Snow Ice Cream" and "Frosty The Snowman Ice Cream Delight."
In the dessert world, pie trumps all. It's all American, even if it isn't apple, and when done right, it's just plain delicious. Walrus + Carpenter in Bridgeport recently launched a new dessert menu that features...you guessed it, pie. In fact, the menu is ALL pie, 6 different tantalizing options including: Bourbon-Chocolate Pecan Pie, Chess Pie, Key Lime and their signature "Walrus Pie," featuring a bacon-chocolate chip cookie crust, bacon crumble, bacon candy & peanut butter ice cream (Get in the car...there's still time).
In keeping with Walrus' attention to detail, this master of all things smoked meat have put a little extra love into each and every pie. The creative cookie based pie shells, the flakiness of the Apple Pie's cheddar crust, and the gently torched meringue are just a few noteworthy elements. Plus, Walrus + Carpenter is now open 7 days a week, so you can enjoy this 6 pie menu 24/7. View the full Pie Menu Photo Gallery below:
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 yumyum 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.
Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Gift giving-choosing a gift for another person that is resonant of their personality and interests-is a true art. How do we know this? We know this by the sheer number of Yankee Swap and White Elephant parties that we have all attended. You thought those salt and pepper shakers in the shape of ugly, primitive holiday carolers would be perfect for me...um, why? And thus, yet another odd gift enters the rotation of passed-along, re-gifted gifts. On the flip-side, we all hopefully have experienced the joy that comes when we do find that perfect gift. The thrill of watching the unwrapping and the smiles that follow! This holiday season, we would like to help you in your pursuit of That Perfect One....
We bring you the CTbites 2014 CT Food Lovers Gift Guide. Start shopping!
You really can never have too much dessert...especially when it involves warm fruit. Grab yourself some apples and try out this recipe from Chef ChazMazas of Mama's Boy Southern Table & Refuge in Sono. Mama's Apple Crisp never tasted so good!
You’ve finished the turkey, gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, sides galore, apple sauce, cranberry sauce, salads, cole slaw, and maybe a few glasses of cider, wine and beer. In the background, the football games are on the TVs and maybe a little jazz, rock or classical fills the air. It’s been a great Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family. So what’s next? Close your eyes and travel to the South and focus on one of their comfort food desserts, Bread Pudding.
Chef Adam Truelove of Napa & Co. in Stamford was kind enough to share his version with CTbites, and he starts with a simple bread pudding and adds his special twists…bourbon, maple syrup and bananas. Here's Chef Truelove's recipe for Maple-Bourbon Banana Pudding Cake.
CTbites was introduced to Pastry Chef Susanne Berne at the Community Plates fundraising event in Stamford several months ago and were incredibly impressed with her delectable desserts. After a visit to Vespa Restaurant in Westport where she oversees the dessert menu, and we indulged in more of her creative and outstanding deliciousness, we reached out and asked if she would share a recipe with our readers. She was more than happy to deliver several to our in-box. One immediately caught our eye...Fudgy Brownies. Who doesn’t like brownies, and who would not want to have an entire pan filled with them cooling in the kitchen waiting for that first bite. After tasting a batch that Chef Berne made for us, we all agreed...these are outstanding.
