Restaurant Relief Funds: Donate To CT's Unemployed Restaurant Workers Features COVID-19 Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 26, 2020 With restaurants forced to suspend their dining-in options and others closing their doors completely, COVID-19 has left many in the service industry without work. In order to help, several restaurants have come up with fundraising relief efforts to help those laid off in this crisis. From GoFundMe pages to gift card incentives, here is a guide to how you can help beloved local restaurants and their employees during these tough times. Read More
Hot Dish Podcast: "It's A Woman's World" Morning After Convo Features Podcast It's A Woman's World Interview Stephanie Webster March 25, 2020 Since we all have a little more “down time”, we thought it might be nice to have a listen to a short conversation recapping the “It’s A Woman’s World” event that feels like it occurred a life time ago. This “Morning After” podcast features Chef Jes Bengston (Culinary Director for Amis & Terrain), myself, Stephanie Webster (Editor for CTbites) and our host with the most, Marysol Castro. If you couldn’t score tickets to the March 2nd event, have a Listen here. If you were in the room, maybe we have things to say about you. Enjoy! Read More
CT Restaurants and COVID-19: UPDATED Guide To Delivery, Pick-Up, Alcohol... Restaurant Features News Homepage Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 22, 2020 Connecticut restaurants are pivoting to continue to serve consumers in the wake of COVID-19. This guide will be ongoing and continually updated to reflect changes to in house dining, delivery options, special family meals offered, and updated menus. CT restaurants work hard to serve this community of diners, and will continue to do so throughout this global crisis. They need your ongoing patronage. Please consider ordering out from a restaurant near you. Read More
3 Local CT Distilleries Shift To Manufacture Hand Sanitizer Features News COVID-19 Stephanie Webster March 19, 2020 Three local distilleries have shifted gears to help the community in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. SoNo 1420, Litchfield Distillery and Fifth State Distillery are now manufacturing FDA approved hand sanitizer. SoNo 1420 and Litchfield are giving theirs away for FREE (some rules apply based on priority for high risk individuals), and Fifth State can be purchased in large 750 ml bottles for $35. (Bonus: Fifth State has a version that smells like the best Gin & Tonic you've ever had.) Visit their social media accounts for the most up to date information about availability and pick up. Read More
Chefs Doing Good Things: Ways YOU CAN HELP Others in This Crisis Features News Fundraiser Homepage Stephanie Webster March 19, 2020 We interrupt your daily dose of horror to tell you how a few chefs are changing the landscape and helping people in the community WHO NEED YOUR HELP NOW. Whether they are feeding school children, providing meals to people out of work in the restaurant industry, or donating meals to first responders and hospitals, these are a few programs we can ALL get behind. If you have the resources, please consider making donations to these incredible programs, and celebrate those just doing good work.If YOU have a program that you would like to tell us about, please contact us. Read More
60 Connecticut Breweries Still Open For Take-Out And Delivery Ingredients Features CT Beer Brewery Beer Take Out James Gribbon March 18, 2020 The wave of local breweries made this new world possible, but for now their doors are mostly closed. Here's what we can do to see them open again.Breweries are still allowed to sell to-go orders, offering pickup or curbside delivery options. This post will list info on breweries, their hours, and links to order online. I won't be able to find them all, so I encourage readers, brewers, and reps to include further info about their operations in the comments section below. Most breweries are small businesses, and all depend from some degree or entirely on in-person sales. Let's help the brewers and staff keep the Connecticut beer culture we love going. Read More
Need Groceries? CT Farm Stands Are Open! (via CT Food and Farm Magazine) Features Local Farm Grocery Store Specialty Market CT Farms Farm Stand Homepage CTbites Team March 15, 2020 Can’t find the groceries you need in a store near you? Would you rather shop outdoors vs indoors? Or would you like to just support our local farmers? We bring you this exhaustive list of Connecticut Farm Stands offering tons of local produce, generously compiled by Connecticut Food and Farm Magazine. Take a road trip to a farm stand near…or far. Read More
Muscle Up Protein Bars: The Official Bar of Team USA Weightlifting Was Born in CT Features Ingredients Special Dietary Needs Protein Bar Fitness Local Artisan Stephanie Webster March 12, 2020 A few months ago I started buying Muscle Up Protein Bars at my local smoothie joint. The packaging advertised them as the first bar to be based on the beloved sweet potato, featuring grass fed whey protein, and all of the ingredients are clearly recognizable…nothing artificial. I sampled the varieties, settled on the Peanut Butter & Cacao Nib as my flavor of choice, and went in deep. After stock piling these bad boys for weeks, said smoothie shop owner informed me that the creators of Muscle Up were actually CT residents, and had developed these right around the corner. Also, turns out, the bar of my dreams is the official bar of Team USA Weightlifting. Who knew?? Read More
Chicken Quest: My Search for the Best Fried Chicken Sandwich in CT (via CT Magazine) Restaurant Features Best of CT Fried Chicken Sandwich Lunch Connecticut Magazine March 11, 2020 Popeye’s introduced its new chicken sandwich late last summer. After a week of rave reviews, long lines and poultry passion, Chick-fil-A took to Twitter, without mentioning Popeye’s by name, to remind the public which chicken sandwich they fell in love with first. Popeye’s taunted back in the afternoon, “... y’all good?” The beef over chicken was on.Normally one to avoid chains, I was compelled to get to Popeye’s. I had to try this life-changing sandwich. I pulled up to the drive-thru with hangry anticipation only to hear, “We’re sold out.” Gut punch. I simply drove off. Nothing could satiate me in this dark moment over white meat.Eventually I returned to eating, but the craving for a great chicken sandwich never left. It became my mission. Chains be damned, I have to find the best fried chicken sandwich in Connecticut. -Mike Wollschlager Read More
Barcelona Wine Bar Hosts "Women In Wine" Events Across CT Features WIne Wine Dinners Stephanie Webster March 09, 2020 Barcelona Wine Bar is celebrating National Women’s Month with a wine focused series titled, “Women in Wine.” This uncorked event will feature 30 different wines from female wine-makers across Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Uruguay all paired with a chef-prepared culinary experience. They will host these events at all of their locations across CT. It is worth noting that these wines by women are always available at Barcelona but they wanted to take a moment to celebrate some badass women in the wine biz.Tickets to each event are $55 and are available for purchase via Eventbrite (links below): Read More
45+ Restaurants, Bars & Events for St. Patrick’s Day in CT: 2020 Edition Features Holiday St. Patrick's Day Bar Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 05, 2020 St. Patrick’s Day arrives on Tuesday March 17, and Connecticut bars and restaurants have specials that will have you Dublin over with glee! Some spots aren’t even limiting the holiday to a day. The Tasty Yolk serves up its “Corny Yolk” breakfast sandwich for the entire month of March and at pubs like O’Neill’s the celebration spans the whole weekend. So get out your green and be ready to sham-rock and roll! These 50+ places invite you to Irish breakfasts, concerts, pub crawls, and more. Read More
Guide To Healthy Eating in CT: 2020 Edition Features Restaurant healthy Juice Bar Organic Vegan Vegetarian Special Dietary Needs Specialty Market Healthy Eats Gluten-Free Best of CT Homepage April Guilbault March 05, 2020 Resolutions, goals, lifestyle changes-whatever the reason, it’s never too late or bad of an idea to try to eat healthier. As the winter starts to fade into the distance and with it goes the heavy comfort foods that satisfied us on brisk evenings, our focus can start to turn now towards lighter, healthier options. Turn to the sun! Sometimes, though, the hardest part is simply figuring out what to eat. But wait, what about dining out? Is it possible to eat out and still stay on a healthy track? Yup, yup, double yup. There is a virtual cornucopia of healthy eating spots so, lucky for you, that guesswork has been removed from the equation. Now you only have to decide what you are craving. Branch out, try some new food and drinks and be happier knowing that what you are eating is not only enjoyable but better for you.Check out these 20+ Spots for Healthy Eats in Connecticut. Read More
Nibble: Boozy & Tasty CT Food Events for March 8-15 Events Features News Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 04, 2020 Meatball lovers unite- National Meatball Day is March 9th! To celebrate the holiday, Culinary Director Diego Burgos of the newly-opened MJ23 Sports Bar & Grill in Mohegan Sun, is unveiling a special Meatball menu. Highlight dishes include Meatball Sliders, Meatball Pizza, Meatball Sub and a classic Spaghetti & Meatballs served with signature garlic bread. The meatball menu will be available every Monday for Meatball Mondays.On March 9, visit Sweets on Main in Branford for a BYOB St. Patty’s Day themed Piñata Cake decorating class! You will frost and decorate a 3 layer 6 inch cake.Niantic & East Lyme Restaurant Week returns March 9 – 16, 2020. Restaurants like Lyme Tavern, Castello of Niantic, and The Black Sheep are offering a range of specials throughout the week. Visit the website to see the list of restaurants and their offers.Join the Chef Team from Terrain Cafe and Amis Trattoria, Westport for teaching and tasting culinary journey at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. On March 9, make Pink Peppercorn Tonarelli with Regional Executive Chef, Jes Bengtson. Learn to roll with the best as Regional Executive Chef Jes Bengtson teaches the class how to handroll pasta to create a special twist on the classic cacio e pepe. Read More
Continuum Distilling Opens In Waterbury With Craft Spirits Made From Beer Ingredients Features Beer CT Beer Distillery Spirits Local Artisan James Gribbon March 03, 2020 Because they apparently didn't have enough on their plates with Black Hog brewing, Ordinary cocktail bar, OLMO, Caseus, and The Stack in New Haven, Jason and Tom Sobocinski and Tyler Jones have launched Continuum Distilling in Waterbury. The distillery logo features a hop surrounded by the tricorner symbol for recycling, an emblem of their process, which takes the often discarded "trimmings" from area breweries, and reduces them to an unusual, boozy essence.I made it up to Continuum last weekend for their grand opening, and my first impression was that it shares a building with Brass Works Brewing. Neat! I'd had several Brass Works beers before, but I'd never been, so a single trip can be a BOGO for the efficiency-minded drinker on the go. Read More
Interview with 3 Local Chefs, Now James Beard Foundation Awards Semifinalists Features Interview Awards Chef Celebrity Chef CTbites Team February 27, 2020 A now seven-time nominee from Connecticut and two chefs from Westchester County have been named Best Chef semifinalists in the 2020 James Beard Foundation Awards. Tyler Anderson has carried the torch for Connecticut since 2014 at Millwright’s Restaurant in Simsbury. Newcomers David DiBari from The Cookery in Dobbs Ferry and Eric Gao from O Mandarin in Hartsdale are showing the nation that what is happening in Westcheter’s kitchens should be paid attention to.Last year, the James Beard Foundation announced it was redefining the regions that make up the Best Chef awards since 2012. Once its own category, the five New York City boroughs will now contend with the rest of the state, which used to fall under the New England region. A statement says this is an effort to begin to “level the playing field” and recognize just how rich the dining world is across America. This year, NYS has 20 semifinalists; just four are outside of NYC.“In a small town in Westchester, and you’ve been cooking for 11 years, you just didn’t really think that this is something you’d be noted for,” DiBari says. “And it really honestly feels absolutely amazing.”“WTF!” was DiBari’s response upon hearing the news through a relative on social media. “Everyone knows the James Beard awards have to be the Grammys of the hospitality industry,” he says. Read More
Arethusa Dairy Farm: Saving CT Farmland Through Exceptional Dairy Features Ingredients Bantam Litchfield CT Farms Local Farm Local Artisan Dairy Farm ice cream Cheese Homepage Jessica Ryan February 26, 2020 CTBites and Terrain were recently invited to Arethusa Dairy Farm for a behind the scenes tour of their dairy farm and cheese making process. But before we get all cheesy, I want to share the wonderful story of a once little known dairy farm.It all began in 1999 when the Webster family put their 150 year old family farm up for sale. Worried that their view would be obstructed, and to preserve the historic property, neighbors George Malkemus and Anthony Yurgatis stepped in to purchase the farm once named for a small pink orchid that grew in a swamp on the land. Malkemus and Yurgatis promised to restore its original name, and such were the humble beginnings of the Arethusa Dairy Farm. Read More
Turning Sap Into Syrup At Ambler Farm's Tap-A-Tree Program Ingredients Features Farm to Table Local Farm Ingredients kids activity Kid Friendly Natalie Levitt February 24, 2020 It was a warm February morning and my son and I joined a group of families as we gathered at Ambler Farm in Wilton, CT to kick off the maple sugaring season. We were greeted by Program Director Kevin Meehan and received an introductory lesson on how to tap a maple tree. Most of us stood in awe as the sap started to drip out of the tree upon tapping it. Many cheered with excitement for what was about to begin was a fantastic winter farming adventure and a great lesson in farm-to-table. We then received our buckets from Assistant Program Manager Jennifer Grass and proceeded to carefully select our “Giving Trees” on the farm. We hung our buckets on the trees and captured photos to commemorate the day. (Our tree was number 42 and pretty far from the sugar shack! It was an adventure after all!) Then we waited. We waited a week. During that week, many of us wondered just how much sap we would find in our buckets when we returned to the farm. Read More
And The Winner of The Taco Daddy Cocktail Naming Contest Is... Features Contest Giveaway Stephanie Webster February 22, 2020 The Taco Daddy team has crowned a winner for their Cocktail Naming Contest. It was tough. There were some solid names from people all over CT, but we are pleased to announce that...The winner of the Taco Daddy Cocktail Naming Contest with her winning name "Let The Beet Drop" is Nicole Thornton. Congrats Nicole!A huge thank you to all those who participated, and we will be back soon with another Cocktail Naming Contest soon Read More
Clam Chowder Recipe from Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill Recipe Features Seafood Recipe CTbites Team February 22, 2020 It’s the day you’ve all been waiting for…February 25th is National Clam Chowder Day! Yup. It’s a thing. But seriously, any excuse to get Chef Arturo-Franco Camach to share his Clam Chowder Recipe from the Connecticut’s seafood favorite, Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill, is a good one. Enjoy! Read More
Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events For February 23 to March 1 Events Features Events News Wine Dinners Emma Jane-Doody Stetson February 19, 2020 Wednesday February 26 marks the final installation of The Schoolhouse at Cannondale’s Plant-based dinner series. The 4 course menu costs $48 and is a tasty way to “veg” out. Make your reservation online.CT Eats Week lasts from February 24-March 1. CT EATS WEEK is the ONLY statewide restaurant week in Connecticut. Restaurants from communities all across the state will participate during this week long celebration. Over 150 restaurants are participating, including Brick + Wood (Fairfield), Engine Room (Mystic), Cactus Rose (Wilton), GZen (Branford), and more.On Monday February 24, learn all about “Becoming a Sustainable Bartender.” Gyph, the world’s first molecular whiskey, and Highland Imports, are teaming up for this workshop, which sill take place at Hub & Spoke. Read More
