Nibble: CT Food Events for Week of February 6-11 Features Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 01, 2017 "First Fridays" kicks off this Friday, feb 3rd at the Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield, featuring a "Contemporary Cocktail Party" and nibbles via Festivities Events.86’D: A Culinary Collision is a surprise on many levels! Two surprise chefs will have a showdown at a surprise host restaurant while spectators feast on tasty appetizers and cocktails. The location will be announced just prior to the competition, which takes place on February 6 at 10pm. On Monday February 6, Wood-n-Tap in Newington presents a Victory Brewing Company Beer Dinner. Bill Covaleski, founder of Victory Brewing Company, will guide guests through a four course meal paired with five brews. Tickets are approximately $60 per person, with discounts for parties of 6 or more. Beer and chocolate? Don’t mind if we do! Still Hill Brewery in Rocky Hill will host a beer and chocolate pairing on Tuesday February 7 from 7-9pm. The event features Fascia's Chocolates of Waterbury. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased online. Read More
Coconut Fudge Recipe via Marcia Selden Catering Features Recipe kids activity Kid Friendly Dessert Stephanie Webster January 29, 2017 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. Read More
10 Questions with Peter Crawford of Darien Butcher Shop Ingredients Features Butcher Darien Amy Kundrat January 18, 2017 Darien native and chef Peter Crawford is the culinary braun behind lower Fairfield County's newest destination butchery, The Darien Butcher Shop. The shop focuses on high quality meat and gourmet specialty products, as well as events and catering, not to mention hot pressed sandwiches if you're looking for a new lunch option. We had a chance to chat with Peter, and wanted to know what this carnivore cooks for himself, his preferred cut of meat, and his most memorable meal. Why did you become a butcher? Read More
Chef Susanne Berne's Ginger Cake with Poached Pears, Dark Rum Zabaglione and Cinnamon Whipped Cream Recipe Features Recipe Homepage Dessert CTbites Team November 20, 2016 In our ongoing hunt for the perfect Thanksgiving dessert, we sought out Chef Susanne Berne, who is, quite simply, one of the finest pastry chefs around. When she is not imagining treats for Match Restaurant, she is developing new ideas for Donut Crazy's doughnut lineup. She has shared her recipe for Ginger Cake with Poached Pears, Dark Rum Zabaglione and Cinnamon Whipped Cream. Enjoy! Read More
Young Shoots Digital Photography Contest Kids 8-18 Features Contest kids activity Lynn Felici-Gallant June 18, 2016 WFM is proud to announce the second annual Young 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. Read More
bfresh Grocery Store Opens in Fairfield with Fresh New Shopping Experience Ingredients Features Fairfield Specialty Market Jessica Ryan November 05, 2015 Not another grocery store… Not something else to create more congestion to our already congested Post Road… These were my thoughts when I heard that yet another grocery store was coming to town. Read More
14 Places For Great Holiday Pies in CT Features Bakery Entertaining Holiday Dessert April Guilbault November 04, 2015 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. Read More
Shortbread: The Queen Bee of Cookies Made Sweet + Savory via Marcia Selden Features Recipe Dessert Marcia Selden Catering October 26, 2015 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! Read More
Junzi Kitchen Opens in New Haven Features Restaurant Asian Chinese New Haven Lunch Amy Kundrat October 23, 2015 Photo: Reed Immer, Junzi Kitchen A chun-bing (spring-pancake), is traditionally eaten to celebrate the arrival of spring in chinese culture. Its origins as a humble culinary tradition are tied to the Qin dynasty (265 - 240 ad), when chun-bing was prepared with fresh spring ingredients to signal the spring harvest and a return to the land. It’s become a year-round staple in northern China where you can find it in street carts, restaurants, and on sunday dinner tables. And now on 21 Broadway in New Haven at Junzi Kitchen which opened this week. Junzi co-founders Ming Bai, Wanting Zhang, and Yong Zhao grew up in a transitional time in northeast China when the population was experiencing many modernizations. Instead of growing food on their own, supermarkets became a predominant food source for families out of convenience, but it was clear that something special was being lost in the process. Nostalgia for the spring flavors of home led the fellow Yale grad students to launch Junzi Kitchen. "I wanted to show people that Chinese food can be simple, healthy, and satisfying, something you can eat every day," said co-founder Yong Zhao. The result is an experience that challenges the way you think about Chinese food. Read More
Happy Hour at Elm City Social in New Haven Features Restaurant Happy Hour Editor's Pick Bar New Haven Amy Kundrat October 21, 2015 Elm City Social has entered New Haven’s burgeoning craft cocktail scene with an exhaustive and inventive array of cocktails and a variety dining options from mid-day to late night. Venturing into the Elm City Social bar during Happy Hour, I had but a simple mission – to quickly refuel with a cocktail and a few snacks before an evening event. I knew I had come to the right place when I noticed the cocktail menu was equal to, if not greater than, the dining options. So first, those cocktails. The Rubber Ducky is a shaken cocktail made from a combination of a citra hop-infused New Amsterdam Gin, basil, grapefruit, lemon, with sparkling water. First sip, my eyes quickly narrowing, I found myself put off (turned on?) by the hoppy notes. Second sip, a bit of offense but also wonderment, “how did an IPA get in my cocktail?” From that point until my last sip, I was impressed by the equal parts confusion and compulsion on my palate. Well done. Also, there is an actual rubber ducky floating in your drink. Bonus points for cheekiness. Read More
Holiday Catering Guide: 14 Fairfield County Caterers Who Do It All Features Catering Entertaining Holiday Best of CT April Guilbault October 18, 2015 Holiday party for 4…10…50…100? It all takes effort to entertain well and create a memorable and delicious event for your guests. So, as we embark on another lively holiday season, get a little help. Ok, a lot of help (you’ll be sooo much happier for it!). Have that party catered! Lucky for you, we have assembled a delightful list of area caterers and restaurants that will, literally, bring something amazing to the table. So make the call, invite the guests, and enjoy your holiday season’s get-togethers right along with everyone else. It is our gift to you. We bring you our Holiday Catering Guide: 14 Fairfield County Caterers Who Do It All! Read More
The Stand Juice Company Opens 3rd Location in Westport, CT Features Restaurant Juice Bar Juice Cleanse Westport healthy CTbites Team September 17, 2015 The Stand Juice Company, whose mantra is, Life, Fueled by Plants, is about to open its third location in Westport, CT. Carissa and Mike Hvizdo, are the life force behind Fairfield County’s feel-good The Stand Juice Company. The Stand has been serving up plant based juices, snacks, sandwiches and baked goods since 2005. The business has flourished over the last 10 years and the duo’s standing within the local sustainable food community is palpable among industry jocks, farmers, and loyal consumers. The excitement surrounding The Stand Juice Company’s newest location at 1200 Post Road East in Westport only further celebrates the enjoyment and healthful benefits people have been experiencing since Carissa and Mike first made their mark in the organic juice world in 2005 with their original location on Wall Street in Norwalk. Read More
Hosting a Kids Cooking Party: Tips & Kid-Friendly Recipes via Marcia Selden Catering Kids Bites Features Kids kids activity Recipe Kid Friendly Marcia Selden Catering September 10, 2015 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. Read More
Mini Rhubarb Hand Pie Recipe c/o Watson's Catering Ingredients Features Recipe Dessert CTbites Team August 19, 2015 Mini Rhubarb Hand Pies from Watson's Catering 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. Read More
Good2Gourmet - New Meal Delivery Service in New Canaan & Darien Features Darien Delivery Service Home Delivery New Canaan CTbites Team August 04, 2015 Tired of cooking? Looking for something less expensive than take-out from a restaurant? Then a new venture on Vitti Street in New Canaan, GOOD2GOURMET, may be an alternative. The brainchild of local resident and mother of four, Lisa Strupp, GOOD2GOURMET offers a variety of soups, salads, and entrées for families to enjoy. Teaming with business partner Kevin Schmudde, the two enlisted the culinary skills of Executive Chef Eric Ulbrich to create a menu that includes soups, salads, pastas, and entrées. Customers go to the website (they do not take telephone orders), place their order, choose a 1-hour delivery window (curbside pick-up at the store is also available) and the food will be on the front stoop as requested. Alternatively, customers can visit and purchase a selection of items at the store. Read More
The WattyMelon Flip Flop Cocktail c/o Watsons Catering Ingredients Features Cocktails CTbites Team July 28, 2015 Summer means cocktails – preferably accompanied by fresh fruit, flip flops and a not a care in the world. Watson’s Catering has a refreshing take utilizing RIPE, one of our favorite craft juices, called the Watty Melon Flip Flop that is sure to become one of your summer evening staples. The WattyMelon Flip Flop Cocktail Yield: 1 cocktail Ingredients: ½ shot glass of Tito’s vodka 1 shot RIPE margarita mix (lime sour) Read More
Guide to CT Wine & Spirit Shops for Summer 2015 Ingredients Features CT Beer Cocktails Specialty Market Wine Shop April Guilbault July 15, 2015 If there is one sound that can make you think of a hot summer day, it is the clink of ice in a big, tall glass. Ka-chink, clink, clink. Does a fizzy sound follow on the heels of those ka-chinks? Is there a ker-plop of a citrus wedge tumbling into that cool pool of refreshing, fizzy goodness? Ahhhh...and this is the sound that follows all of those...Ahhhh. Hello, icy cold craft beer, hello tart and tingly gin and tonic, hello creamy pina. It’s so nice to see you again. To make you overflow with summer lovin’, we have found spirit shops around the state that will put the ka-chink-clink-clink in your future... Read More
Miya's Sushi Announces CSA/Fishery Limited to 12 Memberships Ingredients Features CSA Fish New Haven Amy Kundrat July 12, 2015 Photos: Andrew Sullivan Miya's Sushi in New Haven, led by Chef Bun Lai, is launching a first-of-it's-kind CSA/Fishery set to launch this August. Membership includes a monthly delivery of 6-8 servings of seafood for 5 months at a cost of $800, with delivery included (free to New Haven area, additional costs may apply to regions beyond). Here is the announcement and details from Bun Lai: Miya’s Sushi is thrilled to announce the first installment of the member-driven Allies in Sustainable Food. This first season will be limited to a dozen memberships, beginning in August and ending in December of 2015. By being a member of Allies in Sustainable Food, you are supporting the experimentation and research of a small, local, innovative restaurant. Due to high food and labor costs, Miya’s operates on a thin margin, so your financial support will go directly into the development of our most groundbreaking off-the-menu approaches to sustainable eating. Read More
Pick Your Own Blueberries Opens Today @ Bishop's Orchards in Guilford CT Ingredients Features Local Farm Pick Your Own kids activity Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster July 10, 2015 Pick-Your-Own Blueberries is NOW OPEN at Bishop's Orchards in Guilford CT. Today is Opening Day with weekday hours 8am-1:30pm, Saturday 8am-4pm, and Sunday 9am-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! Read More
Clearing the Air: How to Select Overhead Ventilation for Your Kitchen (sponsored post) Features Kitchen Gear CTbites Team July 03, 2015 Homeowners often tell us that one of the elements in designing a new kitchen that is the trickiest for them is selecting ventilation. There are many kinds of ventilation to consider and, in this post, we'll be looking at the most popular, overhead ventilation. Overhead Ventilation...why do we need it? There are four by-products that are created when we cook: heat, grease, steam & smoke. The purpose of your ventilation is to remove these by-products from your kitchen so they are not deposited on your ceiling, walls, cabinets, fabrics, etc. How do we achieve this? There are four basic factors in selecting the right overhead ventilation for your project. 1. Choose Canopy Size and Design Read More
