For those of us who shop or live in the Westport area, you could hear a communal groan of sadness when Saugatuck Grain & Grape closed up shop by the train station in 2018. It was audible. Owner, Mimi McLaughlin ran her small boutique wine and spirits shop like a family, and every time you walked in that door, she taught you something, or opened your eyes to something new. Shoppers walked out excited about a new small producer wine label, a local distiller they’d never heard of…or a cocktail, made perfectly. Her passion and knowledge of all things “grain and grape” created a brand that took her love of educating the consumer and made her a leader in her field.
Fast forward to 2020 and…wait for it…Mimi is back. Last week she opened a Saugatuck Grain & Grape pop-up location at 1460 Post Road East. You can still lean on her for that perfect red wine recommendation, but it’s different this time around. McLaughin says ”I am back because I came to a realization during quarantine, that what I really want to do, is support the local community, those who need it most.” She has put her money where her mouth is, as SG&G is giving 15% of ALL SALES to local charitable organizations.
After careful consideration and due diligence through state and local officials, the Westport Farmers’ Market will open this Thursday, July 9 for day-of shopping. During the hours of 10:00 – 2:00 in the 50 Imperial Avenue location, you can find your beloved farmers, bakers, cheese mongers and more.
WFM will take the following actions to ensure safe shopping for all: require masks to be worn at all times, single direction traffic while shopping (one way in and one way out), hand sanitizer stations, social distancing and lots of fresh air.
If not for my friend Micaela, I might have never met Vita Cacciari. Micaela sent me a text one night after she attended a pasta making class at Wakeman Town Farm. She asked if I knew of any commercial kitchen spaces so the woman who teaches these classes could have more options in the area. Micaela’s text, in regard to “the woman,” were of high praise; amazing, hard worker, and nice person were all phrases she used to describe Vita. “She’s Italian” was another.
A slew of photos, video, and a website link followed. I browsed Vita’s site for her cooking class business, Vita Pasta Lab, and was instantly curious. I like to cook. I like to learn. I LOVE pasta. And Vita’s pasta looked stunningly beautiful.
If you’re missing in person cooking classes or simply want to spice up your usual repertoire, Connecticut caterers, chefs, restaurants, shops, and bartenders have the perfect solution: virtual classes! Want to bake a cake? Mix up a cocktail? Cook a savory meal? Get private instruction? Do it as a group? There are opportunities for all of it! Here is a guide to virtual experiences in Connecticut.
Restaurants around CT are creating swag for purchase, with the proceeds either going to help the struggling out of work restaurant industry, essential workers & hungry families. We encourage you to put your money where your mouth is and support those around you who need your help. The CTbites team is ordering everything we can. Thanks to CTbites writer, Andrew Dominick and @StamfordFoodie’s Raenah Marie for proudly modeling their swag.
Trips to the grocery store are becoming increasingly difficult. In addition to the risks associated with heading out into the crowd, shelves are picked over and ingredients are low. In order to make premium foods more accessible, some Connecticut restaurants and food wholesalers are making their meats, produce, and other staples available to the public as groceries. We have compiled this guide to let you know which restaurants have grocery programs and which wholesalers are now offering their goods to the public.
In addition to blazing trails with restaurants (Thali, INDIA, Indian Kitchen) Chef Prasad has begun to make his fans swoon on a more intimate level with a regular cooking school series. What a special treat. I recently went to one of his Sunday classes and came away with a whole new passion for Indian cuisine. And believe me, I’ve already been a giant fan for years. (Jackson Diner, Queens anyone? I lived in Jackson Heights for ten years).
Join the culinary professionals that lead the kitchens of Westport restaurants Terrain Cafe and Amis at Stamford Museum & Nature Center as they show you the joys of sourcing and cooking with the best in seasonal and sustainable ingredients. From salads and appetizers to entrees, pastas and desserts, this six-part series (January 27 through March 9.) takes you through the methodology of creating show-stopping dishes as you also learn how to source the best ingredients right in your own backyard.
Bulk shopping isn’t exactly a new concept but bulk shopping that’s zero waste is something we get excited about. BD Provisions, with locations in Newtown, and now at the Brick Walk in Fairfield CT, takes this familiar concept and gives it a breath of fresh air with a new, environmentally friendly spin.
Less is more, especially here. Less waste means more product which means greater savings and more fun, but you really need to head over to experience it yourself.
It’s a sweltering hot Sunday in July and a dozen of us are standing outside of Hoodoo Brown BBQ at quarter to eight in the morning. A father-daughter duo came in from the Upper East Side, one guy came from Queens, others made a 45-minute drive down from parts of the Hudson Valley or from various parts of Fairfield County, the rest sped over from up the street. At that time, Hoodoo Brown was still over three hours away from opening its doors to customers craving their Texas-inspired barbecue, so what the heck were we all doing there?
You’ve arranged to keep the kids busy all summer long with camps and lessons, sleepovers and maybe a bit of volunteer work here and there, but what about some fun for YOU? Those kids shouldn’t get all the fun. And because we are, eh-hem, adults, learning a few new things alongside that good time is always a welcome bonus. Cooking classes are a unique way to have a memorable evening. You can go solo, with a friend or a group. Choose the flavors or the skills you are interesting in knowing more about. Then walk away with a full belly, new information and probably a few laughs under your chef’s apron. What the heck are you waiting for? Remember too, these are great gift ideas as well. Friend with a birthday during the summer? Treat them! It’s like dinner out but so much better. Pencil in some time for yourself this summer and treat yourself..like a kid.
Here is our Guide To Adult Cooking Classes in Connecticut.
Bulk shopping isn’t exactly a new concept – we’ve been filling the trunks of our cars and SUVs with oversized products from those mammoth box stores for years. But bulk shopping that’s zero waste is something we don’t often see. BD Provisions, in Newtown, takes this familiar concept and gives it a breath of fresh air with a new, environmentally friendly spin.
Less is more, especially here. Less waste means more product which means greater savings and more fun, but you really need to head over to experience it yourself.
At BD Provisions you’ll find 270 carefully curated products sold by the pound in massive sustainable containers. Products range from dehydrated and powdered superfoods. You won’t want to pass by the creative, flavored rice, quinoa and soup blends that will enhance any weeknight dinner. Of course there are plenty of healthy snack options from the most beautifully colored wasabi coated soybeans, beautiful and delicious dried, crunchy beets, spicy chick peas, a wide selection of nuts both raw and flavored. Gorgeous beans and pastas. Beautiful aromatic spices, a generous selection of the most beautiful tea blends.
Hot summer days and you don’t feel like cooking. The stove, oven, even the grill…it’s all so hot. But hold on a minute there, maybe *you* don’t have to! With a little foresight (read: now), your kids can learn to cook this summer, get inspired and whoa-oh, looks who’s not in the kitchen anymore?! Beyond your parental joy, though, kids will enjoy learning cooking skills, whipping up some pretty cool menus from around the globe and even having a cooking competition or two just to test their mettle. Just be sure to sign up your aspiring chefs soon, these classes and camps fill up quicker than hot grease will jump out of a pan!
Denise Davies of D2 Interieurs dishes on great gifts for your Valentine. Let your gifts speak from the heart AND the taste buds. The list has something for everyone, from the chef to the foodie this curated go-to is sure to please even the pickiest Valentine.
Have you heard this lovely little conversation often during the summer months? Kids young and old let that horrifying phrase fall from their lips at an astounding rate. Are you just cringing thinking about how you will derail these declarations for 10 weeks? Well, now you can consider yourself informed and prepared to battle the cries of blahs and beat the little buggers at their own game! We’ve got some tasty ideas so that you can wave goodbye to boredom, and say hello to a creative and fun summer (not to mention, delicious). Maybe your kids will even treat you to a meal or two along the way. Maybe you’ll get the last laugh this summer…
It’s not warm enough to totally be outdoors and you’ve got a wicked case of cabin fever after this roller coaster of a winter. What’s a food loving, experience-hungry, knowledge-loving person to do? Take a class! Specifically, a *food* class!From breads to butchery, cheeses to fondant, we’ve assembled a class list that will have you hungry to learn, so to speak. Using the skills offered in these classes, you (and your friends, if a group activity if something you are looking for) can learn a wide variety of culinary skills that will allow you to have fun in the moment but then take that fun back to your own kitchen and share it. Learn to cook for a crowd, perfect skills you’ve been thinking you need a smidge of help with, or just do something different for an evening. Break out of that bread box! Strike a new (knife) pose! Any way you slice it (see what I did there?), you are going to have a grand time…learning! Who knew?
In 2016, Forbes Magazine claimed to have discovered the “secret to happiness.” “Spend money on experiences, not things,” they told their readers. CNN took it one step further. “That's in part because the initial joy of acquiring a new object, such as a new car, fades over time as people become accustomed to seeing it every day…,” they reported. “Experiences, on the other hand, continue to provide happiness through memories long after the event occurred.”
Those looking to invest in a meaningful experience can find a solution tucked away in Wallingford, just off the highway, but hidden from view. Southern Connecticut Wine Company, located in an unassuming garage-like building behind the railroad tracks, affords people the unique opportunity to create their own wine over the course of a season. I had the chance to be an honorary co-op member for the day and witness a little bit of what they have to offer.
Wanna learn how to make your own wine? Wallingford’s Southern Connecticut Wine Company www.soconnwineco.com is Connecticut’s first micro winery and they have a few spots open in their fall SoConnWine CoOp. The CoOp kicks off on Saturday, September 16th with a full day of crushing grapes from 12pm - 4pm at SoConn. No barefeet required — the winery has machines for that Crushing will continue every Saturday through October 7th. CoOp members can come once, or come all four Saturdays. Lots of sips of wine are included at every CoOp event.
Summer is on its way!! In just a few weeks, the kids will be out of school and looking for their next adventures. Why not a culinary endeavor? These Connecticut caterers and venues are offering up kids cooking camps and classes throughout the summer months. Check their web site for complete details.
AMG Catering and Events, Wilton: This summer, youngsters can sign up for the Kids CIT (Chef In Training) Camp at AMG Catering. There are four weeks to choose from, but book quickly because they are already selling out!
Bishops Orchards, Guilford: New this year, Bishops Orchards in Guilford has announced Summer Camp Programs for kids! The summer is broken down into four two day long sessions where kids can explore a different farm theme.
Wakeman Town Farm, Westport: In addition to learning about life on a farm, participants in the Junior Chef Summer Camp get to work alongside local chefs and counselors to pick the freshest ingredients around from the farm, see how organic fruits and veggies grow, and learn to cook and create fun fare, from pickles to smoothies to stir-fries, in our brand-new farm kitchen classroom! It's seed-to-plate culinary fun with a homegrown spin.
