Experience a New England tradition: turning sap into syrup! Ambler Farm will host two Maple Syrup Open Houses. The history and process of making syrup is fascinating. Kids and families will have an opportunity to tap a tree, take the maple syrup taste test, learn about Native American, colonial, and modern methods of making syrup and, of course, taste Ambler Farm’s very own maple syrup over vanilla ice cream. DATES: On Saturday, March 4th and again on Saturday, March 11th (both from 1-2pm).
Bottles of Ambler Farm Maple Syrup will be available for sale. This event is free and open to the public.
ndeed, there is something so deeply relaxing and enjoyable about the ritual of afternoon tea. That one hour in the middle of the day where you take a break from whatever it is you were doing. That chance to get away from the race we call life. An excuse to share quality time with family and friends… or, heck! even a little bit of “me” time.
Ah! Don’t you just love the pampering and all the delightful eats on those dramatic 3-tiered servers. The beautiful china, the dainty bites of food, the soothing hot tea of your choice – made especially for you. How divine!
Coconut fans get ready to find a new favorite treat. Made from shredded and desiccated coconut, this is deeply flavorful and almost "healthy." Warning: This fudge is so deliciously decadent that you may not be able to stop eating it.
About six years ago, I began teaching cooking classes out of my home in Westport. Long after culinary school, a couple of years catering at Abigail Kirsch and many years catering on my own, the classes became a perfect way for me to share my love of food and cooking. Initially it was mostly friends and acquaintances but word quickly spread and before I knew it I was booking 2-3 classes a week from people all over the tri-state area. Here is a behind the scenes look at Chop Shop Cooking.
A cooking class usually starts with an email: “I’m interested in a cooking class in December… “
Sometimes they have already done some homework and looked at my demonstration class schedule and it’s very straightforward: “I have 2 people and want to sign up for the Holiday Bites class on Thursday the 8th.” Easy! Great! Done!
But more often, people like to create their own, tailored experience.
Autumn is here and Connecticut Farms have delicious seasonal produce ready to be harvested! Last week, CTBites told you where you can pick your own apples. While apples are delicious, pumpkins truly epitomize the fall. From jack-o-lanterns to pies to pumpkin flavored everything, the gourd has many uses. Here are 12 places that offer pick your own pumpkins! Be sure to call ahead to confirm availability.
Harris Hill Farm, New Milford: On weekends during the month of October, Harris Hill Farm in New Milford opens the farm and its pick-your-own pumpkin patch to the community.
Castle Hill Farm, Newtown: Castle Hill Farm in Newtown has a 4 acre pumpkin patch. They also have hay rides and a corn maze.
Lyman Orchards, Middlefield: Lyman Orchards in Middlefield has a 24 hour hotline so that you can get updates on the crops and conditions.
Bishop's Orchards, Guilford: Great picking of all kinds at Bishop's + a corn Maze on the weekends from 10-5.
Holmberg Orchards, Gales Ferry: Pumpkins are in season from September-October at Holmberg Orchards in Gales Ferry. On weekends, enjoy a corn maze, tractor rides, cider donuts, and a wine
Kids and Summer vacation: No homework! No school! No tests! The beach! Playing with friends! Sleeping in! More friends! Camp! Baseball games! Swimming! Fun! Fun! Fun!
Parents and Summer vacation: WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE KIDS?!
Rest easy. Chill. We have some ideas that you will benefit from in more ways than one. Day classes, culinary camps, learning about where food comes from and then what the heck to do with it-you’re little (or big) foodie will be in their element. With any luck, junior will be able to make *you* a back-to-school breakfast by the end of the Summer. Ohhhh, yeahhhhh.
Choose your week, choose your cuisine. Proceed to cook and eat your way around the world. Well, in an almost-Anthony-Bourdain kind of way. At AMG Catering in Wilton, traveling the world is the theme for the summer cooking sessions that will introduce your “Chefs in Training” (CITs for those in-the-know) to a wide array of dishes. These hands-on classes will have the CITs working in a professional kitchen and learning cooking skills that will have them creating “Street Food”, “Regional Dishes” from across the U. S, and a variety of “Small Plates”. The junior chefs (ages 10-15) will top it all off with a cooking competition on the last day. Watch out, Food Network. A word of note: these kitchens are not allergy-free kitchens. Everything and anything (nuts, shellfish, dairy) is cooked here. Cost is $475 per week, $900 for two weeks, or $1350 or three weeks.
WFM is proud to announce the second annualYoung Shoots digital photography contest for budding artists ages eight to eighteen. The competition, jointly sponsored by the Westport Arts Center and Westport Farmers’ Market, provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their creativity through the digital photography medium while showcasing the local color and vibrancy of the Westport Farmers’ Market.
Lori Cochran-Dougall, Executive Director of the Westport Farmers’ Market, says that “partnering with the Westport Arts Center on the Young Shoots competition is the perfect way to mix food, youth and art while having a good time. We are thrilled to celebrate our local youth photographers again this season.”
Photo submissions are due by August 14th, with this year’s winners to be displayed at Norwalk’s Sugar and Olives. Young Shoots photographers will find submission guidelines at the Westport Arts Center website.
“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, dear,” my maternal grandmother told me over and over again when I was growing up in the Midwest. Grandma, may she rest in peace, always had berry patches in her backyard for pies to please the most hard-hearted male guest, but if she could have seen the scale and abundance of Connecticut berry farms, she would probably, as we used to say, have fainted dead away. Prairies are not made for berries; woodlands are. Since it’s true that the way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach, too, I’ve developed a passion for the annual ritual of visiting local pick-your-own farms for strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
The argument for going to pick-your-own farms, when one has the time, is unassailable. It does not get more local than this, unless, like my Grandma, you want to grow your own (another unassailable idea but beyond the scope of this article). Berries in season are at their peak of freshness and nadir of price, and one also has the satisfaction of knowing that one is supporting farmers in one’s community.
The holiday season is coming fast. The search for the unique gift for that special person can be easier this year. 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. Chef Tim LaBant & his staff will be sharing their years of experience each Tuesday evening beginning in February, through March. You'll also savor the finished culinary delights with wine pairings after the class. Classes range in topic from Winter Braising to Fish Cookery to Knife Skills.
The schedule and focus for each evening is as follows:
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."
Marcia Selden Catering & Event Planning, a top caterer in Stamford, CT, loves kids and enjoys teaching them all about food. They host cooking parties for kids and adults in their commercial kitchen space and they know a thing or two about cooking and partying at the same time. Kids cooking parties have become a super popular birthday party theme, and it’s easy to see why. Children love to be part of the action especially when they get to ‘help out’ in the kitchen. Food is one of life’s pleasures, and preparing it is tons of fun too. Here are some of their top tips for having a fun, interactive party for kids between 6-12 that won’t leave your kitchen looking like a war-zone.
Pick-Your-Own Blueberries is NOW OPEN at Bishop's Orchards in Guilford CT. Today is Opening Day with weekday hours 8am-1:30pm, Saturday8am-4pm, and Sunday9am-4pm. Blueberry season lasts about 6-7 weeks, up until late August. Blueberry admission is FREE into the field. You MUST pay for what you pick, by the pound. The field location for Blueberry picking is at their Main Orchards located off of New England Road.
Remember to always call their PICK line before heading out at 203-458-PICK. Weather and crop availability are always a factor so hours and locations can change at anytime. If strawberry season was any indication of what is to come with blueberries, we are all in for a real treat!
The Garden of Ideas, the outdoor community center and garden sanctuary in Ridgefield, is hosting a series ofmonthly 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 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.
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."
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.
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.
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 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
