Farm to Table is a word we in CT try not to take too lightly. The current food movement encourages both chefs and diners to choose fresh produce, seasonal vegetables and fruits and locally sourced meat and fish. Parallel Post, in the Trumbull Marriott, and helmed by James Beard nominated chef James Dean Max, believes in strengthening the farming community and engages local purveyors for a majority of it’s ingredients- seafood from Norm Bloom & Sons in Norwalk, CT, Foley Fish in Boston, meats from Ox Hollow Farm in Roxbury, CT, dairy from Farmer’s Cow in Lebanon, CT and greens from Gilberties Herb Gardens in Easton and Westport, CT.
Definition of a Food Coma: The feeling of listlessness, bordering on sleep, that one feels after eating a large meal, often caused by a rush of blood to the stomach and intestines during food digestion.
Well that explains why I am having such a hard time writing up this recap of today’s Westport Farmers' Market Fork It Over benefit brunch as I must be in a food coma.
As the kick off event celebrating 10 years of the Market under the passionate direction of Marketing Director, Lori Cochran, this first of four planned Fork it Over events was a collaborative effort by Chef Bill Taibe of The Whelk, owner Ryan Fibiger of Fleishers Craft Butchery and owner Mimi McLaughlin of Saugatuck Grain and Grape.
Kick off the summer "al fresco" season at the gorgeous outdoor patio and restaurant at Artisan Southport on Wednesday 6/3 5:30-7:30 with a Happy Hour for $39 featuring creative hors d'oeuvres by innovative Chef Frederic Kieffer and specialty Artisan Margaritas. Buy Tickets Here.
Chef Kieffer has prepared a special menu of passed hors d'oeuvres utilizing the brand new outdoor grill and include:
We all know Westport’s funky back alley BBQ stop, Bobby Q’s, as a casual place for authentic Kansas City BBQ ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and burnt ends. But did you know that a little over 2 years ago, owner Bob LeRose along with his cousin and Pitmaster/Chef, Joey Boucher, felt the burning desire to open a “grab and go” outpost in Old Greenwich on Putnam Ave (aka Route 1/Boston Post Road) called Bobby Q’s Pit Stop?
It was 14 degrees when I pulled into the narrow storefront parking lot, and the unmistakable smell of BBQ hit me the minute I walked through the door. The open kitchen, high top tables and counter felt welcoming and comfortable. Sort of like a diner in the south.
But Pit Stop is really not about BBQ, although one whole page on the menu features Bobby Q’s signature BBQ rib and meat combos, baby back ribs, and BBQ Plates and BBQ sandwiches.
WestportREADS, sponsored annually by the Westport Library since 2001, is once again underway, this time with some of the best fiction ever written in the English language—Dubliners by James Joyce. Help celebrate the 100th anniversary of this classic book in January, which is full of exciting and thought-provoking programs related to the book, Dubliners by James Joyce. WestportREADS is funded by Jerry A. Tishman.
In conjunction with this event, CTbites is co-hosting a curated dinner series, “Dine Around Town: Dublin,” offering the opportunity to dine and sample many traditional and delicious Irish inspired dishes; Irish Beef Stew , Guinness Glazed Short Ribs, Filet Mignon Shepard’s Pie, Wild salmon Marinated in Irish Whiskey, in a private setting with local chefs and in their local restaurants.
A few months ago, CTbites Director of Marketing and Invites Curator, Ellen Bowen, launched MIAbites.com to cover the fast growing food scene in Miami and Miami Beach (taking advantage of the fact that Miami is her 2nd home).
With the holiday season approaching and many CTbites readers heading south for Christmas and New Years break (or going just to escape winter’s wrath ) we felt it only right to keep you in good food during your travels.
Check out MIAbites recent Best Bites Dining Guide, a comprehensive guide to all the good eats in Miami and Miami Beach.
FACT: The President of the United States, the Senate, and some state legislatures, governors and mayors have the authority to declare a commemorative event or day by proclamation. Petitions are introduced by constituents or trade associations to honor industries, events, professions, hobbies...AND FOOD! After the observance day is authorized, it is the petitioner's responsibility to promote to the public. CTbites was not the petitioner, but is excited to promote National Oyster Day on Tuesday, August 5th...a day eagerly awaited by mollusk lovers throughout CT.
Today, iced cold oysters are the perfect summer food...high in protein and low in calories. There are over 150 varieties of oysters, but only five species, each traditionally named after the body of water or bay where they are grown. Varieties are known by a myriad of names such as Wellfleets, Blue Points, Kumamoto and Kuushi. The flavor varies by the conditions or Terroir they are grown in; rocky soil, tidal or brackish water, etc. with the Northeast areas of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine providing some of the most delicious and accessible oysters.
CTbites sat with Chef Geoff Lazlo of The Whelk on a sunny summer afternoon to sample some of these delicious delicacies while receiving an education about choosing and enjoying oysters. Lesson #1: tasting oysters is akin to sampling wine. Connoisseurs discuss the salinity and complexity of each oyster, the finish, the hints of melon or cucumber, and of course the juice, aptly named the “liquor.”
When The Spread co-owner, Chris Hickey, first approached CTbites with the idea of co-hosting a party on a roof of a Norwalk garage, we admittedly were pretty skeptical. A parking garage roof? For a sit down dinner party? The popular CTbites Invites program has co-hosted a slew of unique culinary events, but never one in a parking garage.
But skepticism turned to enthusiasm, as talented Executive Chef Carlos Baez, began sharing his ideas for the creative menu and we toured the space on the top floor of the North Water Street parking garage across from the Maritime Aquarium.
An open sky above, panoramic views from all sides of Norwalk Harbor, Downtown SoNo and even a glimpse of competitive rowers in the Norwalk River lent itself to a great venue for an evening dinner and viewing of the City of Norwalk fireworks scheduled for Thursday July 3rd.
It is a unique place that can transform itself from a casual, family friendly lunch and dinner spot to a young and hip late night stop after a dinner of popcorn at the movies. Romanacci Cafe (which translates as “From Rome”) on the Norwalk-Westport border is such a place, offering Artisan pizzas, salads, Focaccia paninis, crepes and freshly made Italian pastries.
Tucked into a strip center on the Post Road, Romanacci is the handiwork of two brothers, Graziano and Maurizio Ricci. Both hail from Rome, where they attended culinary school and worked alongside their parents as well as in other family-run restaurants.
Graziano migrated to the US almost 18 years ago and eventually oversaw the kitchen in New Haven’s Hot Tomatoes. He subsequently convinced his younger brother, Maurizio, to join him as its maître d’, and they finally chased their dream of owning a restaurant. When the owner of Norwalk’s Osteria Romana decided to sell his business, the brothers decided to purchase the restaurant with the intention of bringing a younger attitude and clientele to complement Graziano’s fresh pastas, breads, and sauces. Osteria Romana continues to thrive with a loyal and regular crowd, outdoor seating and a cozy bar area.
As the back door opened a crack, a tuxedoed man eyed me and said, “What’s the Password?”… “Bees' Knees” I hesitantly whispered, palms sweaty, and only then I was ushered into the Walrus + Carpenter back room “Speakeasy” for a Throwback ThursdayCTbites Invites event on May 8, 2014, of Prohibition cocktails, silent films and the food and music of the Roaring 20’s.
Owner Joe Farrell and GM Adam Roytman were on hand to greet the 30 attendees of this sold out evening, most who chose to follow the Invites suggestion of dressing for the period…every where I looked were Al Capone look-alikes dressed in pinstripe suits and fedoras…Fancy “molls” in fringe dresses, sequined headbands, multiple strands of pearls and fur boas.
On the day after Michel Nischan sadly announced the closing of The Dressing Room, I was sitting in the cozy dining room off the kitchen of Chef Pietro Scotti’s home talking with Pietro and his wife, Janine, about the changes in the restaurant scene and in particular dining in Fairfield County.
An anchor in Westport for over 25 years, Da Pietro’s Restaurant on Riverside Ave was one of the first “fine dining” establishments in Fairfield County, and immediately become popular as the “go to” place for special occasions and romantic dinners. Reviewed as “Perfection ” by The New York Times and “Excellent” by Wine Spectator, the intimate 25 seat restaurant specializes in fresh pastas, creative starters and hearty and seasonal entrees.
Pietro, known for his big smile, warm personality, and unfailing generosity to local community events and causes, has helmed Da Pietro’s since the beginning and can still be found in the tiny restaurant kitchen every day during both lunch and dinner.
By request….CTBites is trying out a new column, TravelBites, for our readers heading out of the great state of CT. These articles will feature popular vacation/business travel destinations for local CT residents, but if you have a suggestion for a TRAVELbites, contact us.
Our first article features Chef Dena Marino and MC Kitchen in sunny Miami….one of the fastest growing “foodie” hubs in the US.
Hot culinary spots are opening in hotel restaurants like SLS South Beach with Katsuya or The Bazaar by Jose Andres as well as Soho transplant, Lure Fishbar in the Loews. Funky hipster dining options are popping up practically daily in the emerging fashion and art neighborhoods like in the Design District , Midtown and Wynwood…Miami and Miami Beach has something for everyone.
MC Kitchen, opened a little over a year ago, is the passionate creation of Chef Dena Marino and her friend, Brandy Coletta Hence, the M and C ). Chef Dena, who actually hails originally from northern New Jersey, moved to Miami a little over three years from her executive chef position at Ajax Tavern in Aspen to head up the kitchen at the now defunct Danny Devito’s restaurant, Devitos.
Shortly after docking in Le Harve, Julia Child had the lunch that changed her life. It was sole meuniere, and Julia said "It was the most exciting meal of my life. " Julia and Paul Child lived in Paris and Marseilles from 1948 to 1954, and it was during that time Julia developed the love of French food and the skills that made her famous. Paul fell in love with Julia because she was always herself, and America fell in love with her for the same reason. My Life in France tells the story of Julia Child's life: how she came to be an expert on French cuisine, revolutionize the writing of cookbooks and become the world's first celebrity chef.
Each January, The Westport Library selects a book and an author to be celebrated by the entire community through their popular WestportREADS program.
This year’s selection, the iconic autobiography , My Life in France,byJulia Child, tells the inspiring, and at times humorous story of a young woman’s discovery of France, fine food, and a passion for cooking.
In conjunction with this event, CTbites is holding a curated dinner series, “Dine Around Town With Julia,” offering the opportunity to dine and sample many of her most famous dishes; Boeuf Bourguignon, Coq Au Vin, Poisson Meuniere, and Cassoulet in a private setting with local chefs and in local restaurants in celebration of what would have been Julia Childs 100th year. The dinners, priced at $100 pp, include 3 courses, 2 glasses of wine, tax and tip and are limited availability. A portion of the proceeds benefits programming for the Westport Library.
The upstairs loft room at Westport’s Matsu Sushi was the scene of the most recent CTbites Invites Sushi and Sake Tasting on Wednesday 11/20. CTbites Invites is an exclusive feature that offers unique “curated culinary experiences” to CTbites readers, that are both tasty and informative, and this evening was no exception. The twenty-six very spirited attendees enjoyed an evening presented by Matsu Sushi owner, Paul Teoh, Bottlerocket Wines & Spirit representative Rachel Halperin, and Chris Dircks, creator of Oktopusake, a new small batch sake made in New Haven currently still in launch mode.
Each guest was greeted with a signature Blue Saketini, a potent drink made with Vodka, Sake, and Blue Curacao topped with fresh shredded cucumber sticks.
So usually when one speaks of “the white stuff”…they mean snow…, which New Englanders know, will at some point be headed our way… But true food experts think “white truffle” when they hear “the white stuff”…and yes…white truffle season is also upon us.
A subterranean fungi, “truffles” are round, warty, and irregular in shape and vary from the size of a walnut to that of a man's fist. The French black truffle from the Perigord region of southwest France is popular shaved over pizza and pasta and as an additive to butter and in making foie gras.
The jewel of Italian gastronomy, the "white truffle" or "trifola d'Alba" comes from the Piedmont region in northern Italy and, most famously, in the countryside around the cities of Alba and Asti. It can also be found in Molise, Abruzzo, and in the hills around San Miniato, in Tuscany.
They are harvested by expert “truffle foragers” with trained dogs or pigs who are able to detect the strong smell of mature truffles underneath the surface of the ground usually during the months of September and October before being sold at “truffle fairs” and released to those craving the delicacy. Pricing has climbed over the years reaching a high in 2012 of $3000 a pound for the coveted Alba white truffle.
Westchesterites and Nutmeggers...CHAR in Byram is open!
In the crazy scene that was this year’s Culinary Village at The Greenwich Wine+Food Festival there were a few major culinary stand outs…and one was a Grilled Octopus with Garlic Confit prepared by CHAR. From that single bite I knew that a visit to this Greenwich newcomer was required.
Situated along the river in Byram on the NY border, CHAR is owned by experienced GM, Jimmy Rucova, and his two brothers who also run Dolphin and Cafe Hudson, both in Yonkers. CHAR has a warm, but "cool" interior, with multiple dining spaces all outfitted with beautiful reclaimed wood. The wall coverings are former floor joists from old buildings in Brooklyn and the flooring is water-logged white oak from Alabama. A stone fireplace provides the focal point in the main dining room and antique brass fixtures dot the faux-tin ceiling to provide a casually hip environment.
At CTbites, we love to meet with chefs and restaurant owners and hear them tell about their inspiration and taste their creative food and wine pairings. Recently, we noticed that many of our favorite and most successful places have an added story to tell…that of working alongside…or in some cases around the corner or in the next town from a loved one.
Be it a sibling, a spouse, or an in law, we asked a few questions about their experiences and heard some amazing and inspiring stories about love, family, and a passionate commitment to what they do and thought these ” pairings “ were worth highlighting!
Here is the first taste of a series about the personal side of CT dining!
Osianna and Quattro Pazzi- Fairfield, CT and Stamford, CT
Twenty years ago, Biagio Riccio, known to all as Gino, put down roots in CT and began to grow quite the foodie family tree! I will try my best to do justice to all of the family heritages, both Italian and Greek, but as the parade of family members kept joining us on my visit to Osianna, I found myself actually drawing a large family tree in my notebook.
Surrounded by candles on a wet Tuesday evening in April, Master Chocolatier, Fritz Knipschildt, of Chocopologie, and his talented Danish born and trained chefs; Christian Wilki and chef/manager, Christel Marie Moerck introduced 35 CTbites guests to the Nordic cuisine of their homeland, Denmark.
Inspired by the New Nordic Cuisine of Scandinavia, and Rene Redzepi's "World's Best Restaurant," NOMA in Copenhagen, this special 12 course meal turned into an amazing four hour event curated as part of the CTbites Invites program.
The evening itself was so well received, and so much fun for the chefs and the guests, that this Chocopologie creative team was inspired to offer as part of their new Fall menu some of the traditional Nordic dishes and techniques they had been trained in and missed preparing here in the United States.
“En Plein Air” is a French expression which means "in the open air"…and on July 10th and 11th, BONDA Chef/Owner Jamie Cooper braved the threat of thunderstorms and hosted two dinners at the Greenfield Hill Grange #133 in Fairfield, one of only five Granges left in Fairfield County.
The evenings, both sold out events, featured not only Jamie’s signature style of preparing unique dishes using local ingredients and creative seasonings and pairings, but also the 120-year-old Greenfield Hill Grange, a historic nod to the days when local farmers met to trade or sell their produce and livestock. The Grange, or officially, The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, is a fraternal organization in the United States which encourages families to band together to promote the economic and political well being of the community and agriculture, wastruly the “original” Farmers Market!
The Westport Downtown Merchants Association presents Art About Town and “ArtCrawl 2013.” Now in its third year, Art About Town kicks off its three-week art installation event in downtown Westport restaurants and retailers with an Opening Night Street Party on Main Street on Thursday May 23 from 5:30-8:30 pm.
Featuring local and not so local art displayed in the windows and throughout downtown businesses, Art About Town runs from May 23-June 16.
This year’s Opening Night Street Party will include art demos, live music and dance performances, a fire pit, kids’ activities, and pop-up cafes set up right on Main Street featuring specials from Blue Lemon, Bobby Q’s, Villa del Sol and Moja.
To continue the buzz of Art About Town, this year in collaboration with CTbites, the WDMA will host “ArtCrawl 2013,” a specially curated food and art tour on Tuesday June 4 from 6:30-8:30 pm.
Farm to Table is a word we in CT try not to take too lightly. The current food movement encourages both chefs and diners to choose fresh produce, seasonal vegetables and fruits and locally sourced meat and fish. Parallel Post, in the Trumbull Marriott, and helmed by James Beard nominated chef James Dean Max, believes in strengthening the farming community and engages local purveyors for a majority of it’s ingredients- seafood from Norm Bloom & Sons in Norwalk, CT, Foley Fish in Boston, meats from Ox Hollow Farm in Roxbury, CT, dairy from Farmer’s Cow in Lebanon, CT and greens from Gilberties Herb Gardens in Easton and Westport, CT. 
