Fairfield County Foodie

Mediterranean Island Feast

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Fairfield County Foodie

Another day of pouring rain in Fairfield county. Joy! :-( It made me want to close my eyes and dream of a warm sunny Mediterranean island. I can almost see myself sunning at the beach as I ponder over what my next meal should be. As my imagination took over my brain, I began craving that wonderful cuisine of the mediterranean islands which boasts lots of fresh ingredients, herbs and delicious spices. Mmm… I must have me some hummus with pita. Yes…yes…. and some olives. Oh! and some pasta and…

While sunning on a Mediterranean island is a dream yet to be realized, I can certainly settle for the next best thing. The food! Osianna in Fairfield is the perfect spot for that fix. A family owned and family run restaurant, the menu is rich with recipes passed down by generations. Their award winning pastas are all home made. So are all their sauces. When a restaurant and its chef take the time to make their own pasta, it tells me about their passion for what they do. I know that they are perfectionists and love to create food that befits their personal high standards.

Osianna just won the Best Mediterranean Restaurant in Fairfield County award by Fairfield County Weekly 2013! It is owned by the same folks who own Quattro Pazzi in Fairfield and Stamford. These restaurants have had die hard following of diners who come week after week for the same delicious food that transports them to another world.

I had a wonderful lunch with some old and new friends at Osianna. The owners Gino and Maria joined us and talked about what this restaurant and food means to them, as they served us some highlights of their menu. We started with the instantly-gratifying Mediterranean Spread which had all the things I had been craving. It was all the superb mediterranean flavors rolled into one appetizing platter. A must try when you are there.

The Sicilian Arancini boasted an absolutely mind-blowing texture. The warm and crisp exterior coating enclosed a wonderfully soft and moist filling of tomatoes and rice. Served with a delicious Kalamata Aioli, it was the most perfect appetizer. I would like some more of this goodness please!

The gazpacho was divine with amazingly fresh flavors of tomatoes and cucumbers. One of my dining buddies ordered it, and the rest of us had to ask for extra spoons to dig in and dig in and …..

For our main course, the Linguini with Fresh Artichokes was calling out to me. I have never had this dish before and was curious about what it would taste like. Lemony, garlicky, crunchy, meaty (from the artichokes) goodness all rolled around the perfectly al-dente homemade pasta. Yum!

For our grand finale, Maria and Gino had us try a large selection of desserts: three different kinds of baklava, two kinds of cookies, walnut cake, and a really really REALLY yummy dessert called Ekmek made of layers of shredded wheat, pudding and whipped cream. This was supremely divine, with delicately soft yet contrasting textures, perfectly sweetened with hints of spices. This is Maria’s mother’s recipe, and I could totally tell why she is so proud to have it on the menu. I am in love with this dessert and it is sure to end up in my mouth every time I visit Osianna.

Osianna’s outdoor patio is now open. Hope you visit them this summer. And when you do, I will be curious to know what you enjoyed there.

Osianna Mediterranean Taverna, Fairfield CT | http://www.osianna.com

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A Dynamite Union

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Fairfield County Foodie

Le Farm, Westport, is in a class of its own. Chef Bill Taibe’s Farm to Table concept, with its commitment to support the local farmers, without compromising on the quality of the food prepared – has been downright infectious. It has inspired tons of restaurants in the area to follow suit. But Le Farm will always be that special place to all of us.

On the other other, Chef Arik Bensimon, with all his culinary skills and indisputable passion for cooking has been creating waves in and around Fairfield County in the past few years. Like Bill Taibe, he is building up quite a following of food-lovers. We loved him at Napa & Co, Stamford. We religiously followed him when he moved to The Spread, South Norwalk. And now, as the stars finally aligned, he has moved to the most perfect of all hotspots: Le Farm, Westport.

Chef Arik Bensimon at Le Farm. What a dynamite Union. The two iconic chefs, chef Arik and Chef Bill, have known each other from their days at Napa & Co. They share the same ideals and inherent understanding of what good food is all about. And, by God’s grace, we get to benefit from this union!

The menu at Le Farm always amazes me and comforts me. Really complex flavor profiles are conceived, using fresh local ingredients – with great ease. One of my all time favorites is the Grass Fed Beef Marrow. OMG! Love that dish. It brings back so many happy memories of my childhood. Even though we used to eat goat rather than beef back home – the satisfaction I get each time I bite into the beef marrow at Le Farm is one of the closest feeling to my yesteryears. My mom and aunts used to cook goat curry and I used to watch my dad and uncles practically fight over the marrow with so much passion and enthusiasm. One of my uncles loved the flavor so much that not only would he eat the marrow – but then he would chew the bone down until it became mush. I am not making this up, people!

Chef Arik is bringing his personality into the Le Farm menu while keeping the integrity and respect for what Le Farm is all about. Each dish we tried during our lunch at Le Farm, was successful in surprising us, all the while delighting us. Like the Beef Bavette Sandwich, for instance. Or the Hazelnut Pot de Creme! Simple divine! We were quite amazed by the fact that each dish felt rich and well-balanced in flavors, each excited our palates, the desserts were creamy and smooth in textures – yet nothing tasted overly fatty or too heavy to consume. I believe, this is where the genius sets in…and this is why this restaurant and these two chefs may be forever revered.

Le Farm, Westport | http://lefarmwestport.com

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A Surprisingly Refreshing Experience

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Fairfield County Foodie

Harlan Social in Stamford opened its doors to public about a year ago. Ever since then I kept hearing mixed reviews from all my foodie friends. Some folks loved it. Some were left un-impressed. Some undecided. It made me wonder if I should bother making the trip to check it out for myself….. I admit that it had certainly moved low on my list of priorities for all this time.

It was rainy yesterday. We had to visit Fairway market for some speciality food shopping – and by the time we got done buying all the food, we were hungry for some serious food. Where shall we eat? Which place will be easily accessible in this horribly rainy weather?!!! These were some important questions that needed immediate answers. But, as soon as we stepped out of Fairway with those questions on our minds – the answer was as clear as the sign right outside. Harlan Social!

A hip and trendy interior with wonderful warm aromas greeted us as soon as we stepped in. The chilly and yucky weather outside was immediately forgotten as soon as we took our first taste of the creamy tomato bisque topped with whipped burrata. Hearty and tangy soup played beautifully with the creamy burrata. I was struck by how brilliant that choice of cheese was for a soup like this….it blended in beautifully without leaving any stringy sticky mess. I would have never thought of this pairing. Mental note to try this at home – check!

For some reason rainy days make me crave fried food. The Rock Shrimp Tempura, offered an unusual flavor profile with a spicy mayo and soy vinaigrette. The texture of this dish was unbelievable. Ever so delicate and crisp on the outside and ridiculously light, tender and airy inside. It was pure mastery over the tempura batter and treatment of the shrimp.

The Harlan Burger is a must try. Bathed in cheddar ale sauce and topped with bacon onion jam – it covered all the important food groups in my book: beef, cheese, onion, bacon.

We also tried the Italian Panini. Delicious rich flavors from three kinds of cured meats, creamy textures from the fresh mozzarella and touch of smokiness from the roasted peppers made for a very satisfying lunch time option.

As I enjoyed each of these dishes I wondered why I heard so many mixed reviews. I think it may have something to do with an unusual menu and its unique structure. I wonder if people get thrown off by the unexpectedness of it. This is a gastropub offering lots of small-plate options as well as some wholesome main dishes. The menu is divided into unusual categories like Mozzarella Bar, Fromage, Charcuterie and such. While most people may find it initially unsettling, I felt it made for a very accommodating dining experience. Order as much or as little as you wish depending on how hungry you are.

Often times, I feel like enjoying a glass of wine with some friends over a nice cheese/charcuterie platter instead of feeling obligated to consume a full-blown 3 course meal at a restaurant. In such cases I usually opt for hosting the get together at my own home. This is mostly because I don’t know of too many restaurants that offer such an option. How wonderful, that I can now count on Harlan Social, for a simple yet delicious meet-up with friends.

Each dish we tried was unique and creative in its own way. So, if you are an adventurer like me, I hope you go with an open mind and appreciate what Chef Stephen Lewandowski has to offer with his creative culinary vision. Happy eats!

Harlan Social, Stamford CT | http://www.harlansocial.com

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A Most Entertaining Evening

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Fairfield County Foodie

If you follow my Facebook posts at /FairfieldCountyFoodie or my Tweets @FCFoodie_CT, you would know that I am absolutely obsessed with Anthony Bourdain’s latest show on CNN: Parts Unknown. What impresses me the most is the extraordinary experiences he has had with unusual places traveled and unique foods eaten.

Anthony Bourdain: famous for his apparently crass and downright mean personality. What makes him tick? What is it about him that keeps him going on a perpetual quest for unexplored cultures and undocumented foods? I am truly intrigued and I want to learn more.

So, when I received and email notifying me that Anthony Bourdain will be coming to Hartford, CT with Eric Ripert for a special tour they call Good vs. Evil, I just HAD to go.

For a foodie like me, it was the most entertaining evening packed with references to famous restaurants, cooking shows, and celebrity chefs. Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert are the most unlikely of friends. It was so interesting to see how they are so different in their outward personalities, one very shy and diplomatic while the other outspoken and overly opinionated. Yet, as you listen to them talk, you realize that they they are so alike. They both genuinely love food. They care deeply about beauty of ingredients and the magic of cooking. And the chemistry between them is really really entertaining.

An interesting difference between the two chefs was that while Eric feels that the art of cooking is where your take high-quality ingredients and prepare them in a fashion that maintains their initial integrity intact (or close to it)….while Anthony feels that art of cooking is to take sub-par ingredients and turn them into something phenomenal. Poles apart, don’t you agree?

Anthony Bourdain has no illusions about himself. He openly talks about his prior drug addiction. He admits that he has not worked in a professional kitchen in years. Yet he insists that his life experiences qualify him to be the food critic that he is today. He is a huge fan of Mario Batali and would eat Mario’s food anytime. He feels that there is no one whose accomplishments match that of Julia Child. He admires how effortlessly Julia Child brought the art French cooking to America and made it appear so simple and un-daunting. It was interesting to hear both Anthony and Eric claim that in today’s time Nigella Lawson is the only one who comes close to Julia Child in what she has been able to achieve.

It was funny to hear the stories involving various celebrities and political personalities at Eric Ripert’s restaurant, Le Bernardin. It was cool to know that Eric is at his restaurant most days. When you dine there – you are very likely to see him circulating between the front as well as the back of the house. He maintains high standards for his kitchen as well as service staff – in an effort to bring the most memorable dining experience to his guests.

Hysterical questions were posed, mostly by Anthony. Like, if you had to pick between Mario Batali, Guy Fieri and Bobby Flay – which one would you kill, which one would you sleep with and which one would you marry! Not kidding. Anthony’s answer to his own question was predictable: he would marry Mario, kill Guy and sleep with Bobby. Hee! Hee! I could not believe half the stuff that was coming out of his mouth that evening. At one point Anthony asked Eric what his kitchen staff is expected to do when they have an itch in their “unmentionable” body parts. Eric’s facial expression was priceless. LOL!

At the end of the evening, the audience was able to ask questions. A passionate discussion about GMOs gave me a chance to learn more about the subject. According to Eric, all GMOs are not necessarily a bad thing and the initial intent was for the greater good….. he is against the unethical use of that technology.

I laughed a lot that evening. And I learned a lot too. I left there feeling enthusiastic to learn more, read more and experience more….after all, isn’t that what life is all about?

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An Afternoon In Williamsburg

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Fairfield County Foodie

It was gorgeous spring day. We were in the mood for exploring, and of course eating! I am so glad my friend “Elbow” talked me into going to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She clearly knows me well because she knew that I will fall in love with this neighborhood at first glance. With a lively, hip vibe Bedford Ave area in Williamsburg is studded with tons and tons of shops, eateries, expresso bars and more.

The Bedford Cheese shop will make you gasp as soon as you enter. First the irresistible smell of cheese will hit your nostrils and then you will start to take in all the other wonderful goodies jam-packed in this store. Cold cuts, breads, spreads, cheeses, varieties of olive oils and vinegars – you name it! Elbow was right when she commented that you could just make this one stop and have yourselves a delicious and hearty dinner.

With tons of espresso bars and coffee shops to choose from, we settled on Vittoria. They make killer cappuccino. So deep and rich in flavor and somehow very very smooth to sip. Yum!

The highlight of our trip was The Meatball Shop. Ever been there? What a place! They ARE the meatball masters. Their recipes have been named the Best Of The Best by Food and Wine magazine. Just read all the rave reviews on their website and you will know what I am talking about. The menu centers around five varieties of absolutely delicious meatballs. Meatballs sandwiches, meatballs with your choice of six different kinds of sauces, meatballs on your salad … you getting the idea? I am not much of a meatball fan – but this place made me a believer. I loved the spicy pork meatball with parmesan cream sauce. Oh! wait, I think I loved the beef meatball with spicy meat sauce more. Oh, help me God!

The Meatball Shop has 4 locations in NYC….do check them out if you haven’t already. It is so worth it.

I saw Ramen Noodle Bars, Japanese restaurants, Polish restaurants, Indian restaurants, Cuban Restaurants, Italian restaurants. Ah! so much food and so little time.

These are truly the times when I wish my belly was an infinite, bottomless pit – and I could just keep eating everything that strikes my fancy…. whenever. Alas, that is not meant to be. And so I guess I will just have to make many more trips to get a full taste of Williamsburg. And let me tell you a secret – I can’t wait!

The Meatball Shop | www.themeatballshop.com
Bedford Cheese Shop | www.bedfordcheeseshop.com
Vittoria | 166 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn NY

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Ideal Marriage Of Food Wine And Song

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Fairfield County Foodie

That is goal of The Fez restaurant in Stamford- and they have mastered it. With a highly curated wine list primarily featuring wines from South Africa and Lebanon, picked for the wondrous pairings they create with the deeply rich flavors of each and every dish on menu, along with a backdrop of great music – The Fez is sure to transport you into an old world culture where every meal is a celebration.

Eric Monte, the manager, takes great care in setting the right mood, the right lighting, the right wine selections and scrumptious food – to give you an experience never to be forgotten. His inherent charm, wit and warm personality will instantly make you feel right at home and while you are with him he will check on you regularly to make sure you are having a great time.

After talking about it for long enough, last week we finally went to Fez for dinner with some friends. The food was everything we expected and more. Complex flavors married together into beautiful symphonies. The warmth of the many layers of spices, the succulent tenderness of the meats and cool-finish of the side sauces (mostly yogurt and mayo based) – created a celebration in our mouths to match the one that was happening around us at The Fez.

Primarily a Moroccan menu with a subtle infusion of some Indian flavors you can’t go wrong with most dishes on this menu. Here are some of our favorites: Everyone at our table LOVED the Spiced Lamb Chops with Anchovy Breadcrumbs and Spiced Mustard. The lamb was so tender and delicious. We could not eat it fast enough, and so we all decided to put down our forks and knives – and just pick these babies up with our hands for faster delivery. That good!

The Caramelized Cauliflower with Golden Raisins and Toasted Pine Nuts was such a delicious rendering of an otherwise ordinary vegetable. The Grilled Marinated Chicken Lollypops with Roasted Garlic and Tamarind Yogurt was distinctly Indian in flavor and finger-lickingly good.

The Sag and Feta rolls with Kalamata Olives were good but paled slightly in comparison to the dominant flavors of the other dishes around them. Perhaps, they will sing in their own right, if consumed solo. I guess I will just have to go back and confirm that theory.

For our main course, we ordered a Lamb Tagine with Sauteed Vegetables over Couscous. I usually make chicken tagine at home and was so curious to taste the lamb version. Excellent choice. It was, oh! so-so good. The meat was extremely tender and moist. The spices created a complex flavor, coating every minute part of the dish without overpowering the glorious taste of lamb meat. The slight nuttiness of the couscous was the perfect compliment to the dish. For anyone planning to visit The Fez in the near future, take my word for it – this is a must try!

As I savored each dish I felt a constant sense of excitement. I mentally patted each of us on our backs for ordering so perfectly. Satiated. Satisfied. …. Ah! but never too satisfied for dessert, mind you! And it was just as well. Our friends wanted to try the Chocolate Lave Cake. I was not in the mood for that after such distinctly ethnic meal. The Briwats caught my eye. They are the Moroccan version of Baklava. Except, this felt lot more delicate and much crisper. Phyllo dough layered with honey and orange blossom, wrapped around a delightfully delicate filling of mixed nuts. You could distinctly taste and feel the crunch of pastry as you bit into it. The orange blossom and honey made for a lovely and floral accent. Folks at Fez will tell you that its better than Baklava. I totally agree. This is another must try people!

Hope you check out The Fez and love it as much as I did.

The Fez | 227 Summer Street, Stamford CT | http://www.thefez1.com/index.html

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Farmer. Forager. Farah.

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Fairfield County Foodie

Last week I met a very impressive young woman who is playing a key role in how we think about the food we eat. From the moment she came from India to America for her college education, she refused to settle for the mass produced, poor quality, chemical-ridden food products that every one around her was happy to consume – without asking any questions. Unable to find healthy, organic fruits and vegetables around her college campus, she started to grow her own in her backyard. Now a bonafide farmer and forager she owns her own farm in Wilton called Farah’s Farm. She is also the official farmer-lady for Barteca Restaurant Group.

True Story: When Ria, Barteca’s Marketing Manager, first told me about Farah Masani, I was intrigued and I wanted to know more. An appointment was set. I was to meet Farah at Barcelona Fairfield one day last week. So I took my iPad, my notepad, my voice recorder, my pen, my camera …and off I went. Well! we must have spent all of 3 minutes making initial introductions when Ria suggested we go outside to check Farah’s vegetable garden on the grounds of Barcelona Fairfield. Sure, why not! I figured, it will be a 5-10 minutes tour, 15 tops, and I should be able to get a few good shots while I am out there. And then I expected to have a relaxed conversation with Farah indoors.

Imagine my surprise when Farah hands me a shovel and tells me start loosening the dirt in one of the planting beds. Say what?!!!! Me in my non-farming attire, complete with heels! Is she serious? To my dismay, indeed she was. Now, I don’t have a “green-thumb” and so I usually try to stay away from any innocent plants before I cause them any undue harm. Needless to say, I was worried. Yet we spent the rest of the afternoon pulling weeds, digging, seeding, planting, watering – you name it. We planted kale, arugula and radish in four of the beds that afternoon. Farah declared that one of the arugula beds is now officially mine since I worked on it single-handedly (Hee! Hee!). The deal is that in 21 days, when that arugula has magically grown (with a helping hand from a certain Farmer Genie), I am to go back to Barcelona Fairfield to have Chef Helton prepare a special salad for me. Yup! I can totally live with that.

Funny picture of Farah and Ria toiling away as Helton looks on. :-) BTW: Can you tell that all three of them are camera shy?

As we worked away on the planting beds, Ria included, I learned so much from Farah. The right way to shovel, the art of planting, the gentle raking at the end to mix the seeds in with the dirt so that the birds don’t pick on them. We even discussed simple recipes to get the most flavor out of various seasonal vegetables like ramps and garlic scapes. Farah has tremendous passion for what she does. She wants to urge every one to grow their own fruits and vegetables if they can. She wants everyone to know that it is not hard to do so. It is the best way to take control and prevent any pesticides from going into our bodies. Yes, she is truly inspiring.

After toiling on the planting beds all afternoon, Farah picked some chives from the garden and took them to Chef Helton who planned to showcase it in many recipes over the next few days. I love how all the Barcelona chefs embrace Farah’s efforts and feature her locally grown produce on their menus. This is clearly not just for kicks – they truly believe in locally farmed and foraged food. It was funny to catch Farah threatening the bartender at Barcelona, not to order any mint for Mojitos because there is plenty of fresh mint right outside in the garden. As a frequent diner at Barcelona, witnessing these exchanges have made a lasting impression on me.

I am a total novice when it comes to concepts like organic farming. But I am getting exposed to a lot of conversations on the internet lately. Just this week I came across an article that made me shudder as well as feel inspired. BTW: After reading this particular article, I may never be able to eat mass-produced potatoes again.

We here in Fairfield County are lucky to have great chefs like Michel Nischan, Bill Taibe, and Tim LaBlant along with folks like Analiese Paik and Farah – starting these conversations in our communities and promoting the idea of organic, sustainable farming to enable healthful eating. And it is so wonderful to know that an entire company like Barteca is promoting local farms and locally foraged foods in all their restaurants as well. Heck! They even have a farmer on their payroll!!!

As for me, I am going to continue to learn more and bring about a change in how my family and I eat. Thanks Farah, for planting the initial seed (idea) in my mind.

Farah’s Farm | https://www.facebook.com/farahsfarm

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Farm To Fridge

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Fairfield County Foodie

I love this new wave of awareness that is spreading in our communities about consuming farm-fresh foods and questioning where our food is coming from in general. We are more conscious of eating what is in season and eating foods that are sustainably grown. It is a wonderful way to live, isn’t it? But I will be first to admit that it is not easy to do so. Most of us are always on the run, and are too busy to be on a constant quest for fresh and healthy. When weeknights get hectic, we often feel tempted to take the easy route – and just order pizza or some other take-out. And that’s when our wonderful intentions go straight out the window!

Lucky for us, a terrific company based in Vermont, is on a quest to help us facilitate our goals for healthful eating, with the least amount of stress. Graze Delivered brings fresh ingredients from the farms in Vermont, straight to us. Milk, cheese, eggs, yogurt, veggies, meats – you name it. Too rainy or too cold or too busy to go food shopping? With a painless online ordering system, Graze Delivered makes deliveries in Fairfield and Westchester counties a cinch. Fresh and healthful foods, delivered weekly, right at your doorstep. How cool is that?

To simplify our weeknight meals, Graze Delivered also offers a variety of ready to cook one-skillet meals as well as heat and serve meal options. The offerings change weekly and the recipes are created with adults as well as children in mind. With Graze, we can no longer blame our unhealthy eating habits on our busy schedules.

The one-skillet meals come totally ready to go. Based on whatever the recipe calls for: crisp and fresh veggies are chopped and packaged separately, meats in their respective sealed packages, clearly marked. Easy to read labels on all ingredients along with a recipe card make it totally idiot-proof (not that any of us are idiots, mind you!).

Last week I sampled some of the items that Graze Delivered delivers. I got a delivery of eggs, milk, bread, quinoa salad with crunchy vegetables, yogurt and a one skillet meal package (it was a Stonewood Farm Sweet Italian Sausage with Primavera Vegetables, Parmesan and Farfalle Pasta). I was so impressed at how prepped it came. No chopping, no peeling required. Even the cheese came shredded, for goodness sake! The handy-dandy recipe card enclosed in the package was easy to follow with few very basic steps. I was able to prepare this delicious dish in less than 20 minutes. It was hearty and wholesome, colorful as well as flavorful.

Graze also offers a CSA program – from all organic Vermont farms. Home delivered. Free of charge. You can add to your weekly CSA deliveries if you are expecting company or suspend the service for a few weeks if your are out of town. Did I say its totally customizable? Visit http://www.grazedelivered.com/about/organic_csa for more information on the Graze CSA program.

Online orders have to be placed by Thursday, for delivery on following Mondays – and you are all set for your week ahead! I urge you to check out the Graze Delivered website and see how many ways you can tailor your food-shopping needs with your weekly eating habits.

Graze Delivered | http://www.grazedelivered.com

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Sunday Suppers at Butcher’s Best

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Fairfield County Foodie

The idea of Underground Dining is quite the rage these days. Its an “alternative” dining experience – almost like a supper club. The idea being that chefs or talented home-cooks put together secret closed-door dining events which are by invitation only. Word of mouth or social media sites are used to spread the word. Venues could be the chef’s home or some other location which is not typically a restaurant setting. The concept has fascinated me for quite some time.

I was so excited when I got a tweet from Chef Plum (a local culinary talent) announcing his upcoming underground dining event: “Sunday Suppers at the Butcher’s Best” in Newtown CT. One look at the menu and I tweeted him back saying that I am SOLD!

Butcher’s Best is a fabulous, really spacious butcher shop in the heart of Newtown. They are closed on Sundays, and Chef Plum came up with the brilliant idea to convert the space into a dining venue.

Chef Plum. Yes, thats his name. He is a really fun-loving guy with a great sense of humor. An avid football fan with killer cooking skills, he is sure to give you a highly memorable dining experience. He delights in quality produce and locally sourced ingredients. On the day of our underground dinner, chef Plum was so excited to have discovered this amazing spinach at Holbrook Farms. He could not stop talking about it. He insisted that I taste it when I went to visit him in his kitchen. The spinach was indeed remarkable. Buttery soft and very smooth with an easy bite. Chef Plum decided to showcase the spinach in a salad with candied strawberries, spiced almonds and a vinegar reduction. The tang of vinegar, the spice of almonds and the sweetness of the strawberries created the most perfect showcase for this buttery, soft spinach.

The first course was a Seared Sashimi Tuna with black garlic and lemon miso rice threads. The tuna was so fresh and delicious, and that black garlic with a decadent aroma was even more fabulous to taste. For second course we had Pork Balls which was pork belly with pickled ginger green rice (yup! green rice) and a sweet and sour green onion sauce with red chili. This was a delicious dish inspired by asian flavors. The spinach salad was our third course. Then we enjoyed a Smoked Pacific Salmon with fried watermelon, pickled rind, dill fronds and parsnip puree. As I savored each course, it struck me that Chef Plum manages to introduce unique cooking techniques and flavor-rich ingredients to delight as well as surprise the diner at every turn. My favorite course was Lamb Lollipops with mint pesto, roasted asparagus and poached pepper. Everyone at our table could not resist putting our cutlery down and simply picking up the lamb lollipop with our hands to make sure we get every morsel of tender meat off the bone and into our mouths. Yeah! that good.

The dessert course was mind-blowingly delish! A simple concept with and execution that made you want to keep on eating. It was a grilled cheese sandwich made with pound cake, filled with mascarpone and a side of apple confit and Baileys cream. I cannot tell you how incredible this was. An amazing balance of soft and crunchy textures as well as sweet and tart flavors. The grilled pound cake made us feel totally sinful but the light and creamy mascarpone filling took us straight to heaven!

Chef Plum, a CIA graduate and owner of Plum-Luv-Foods, has over 18 years of experience as a chef. He has featured on ABC’s The Taste, Better Connecticut as well as on The Food Network. If you google him you will find tons of his cooking videos on YouTube. And you may just find yourself totally enamored by his sunny personality and superior cooking talent. The only way to enjoy his culinary skills in real life, however, is to join him on his special dining events. He is currently coordinating a wonderful event in New York called the Gridiron Chef. Its a cook-off between New York Giant’s Stevie Brown and Washington Redskin’s Rob Jackson. The event will benefit Sandy Hook Promise. Check out his website for details.

http://www.plumluvfoods.com/index.html

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Effortless Expertise

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Fairfield County Foodie

… was my impression of Lynn Manheim at Aux Delices.

We all love the delicious food served up at Aux Delices all over Fairfield County, don’t we? It is the perfect place to go to if you are watching what you eat or even if you are not, and like me – you just like to eat! I have been salivating over everything I have ever seen or tasted at this eatery and wanted so desperately to learn a skill or two from the wonderful chefs behind this enterprise.

One time, after I couldn’t take it anymore, I asked Debra Ponzek’s husband Greg if I could learn the secret behind their yummy and amazingly fluffy ham and gruyere quiche. Greg smiled and pointed me to Lynn… the wonderful and talented lady who runs the Aux Delices cooking school in Stamford, CT.

Lynn Manheim runs tons of classes year round at their Stamford kitchen – for adults as well as children. Topics vary based on seasonality, but each class is sure to enlighten, delight and satiate you. Classes vary from demonstration-style to hands-on experiences. I feel they have something for everyone and every level of expertise.

Now, fish is one of those ingredients that I cook a lot but still feel that I need to master it further. Because fish typically has such a delicate flavor, I always wonder about the perfect seasonings and sauces that will go well with it. I have tons of questions about telling the doneness, cooking times, figuring out freshness of the fish, best temperature for cooking, choice of fish for various cooking methods etc etc. Did you know that perfectly cooked Salmon is rare in the center but a fish like Cod should be cooked through because it may have worms in it? Yikes!!!

With a thirst for knowledge, I chose to attend the “Fish Fish Fish” cooking class. The course description promised four different styles of fish: Pan Seared Wild Striped Bass with Chimichurri Sauce, Fried Panko-Crusted Cod with Remoulade Sauce, Lemon Sole Meuniere and finally Salmon Korean Style with Vietnamese Cucumber Salad. What a great variety of cooking techniques and flavors, I thought. This is going to be awesome!

And it was! Lynn is such a patient, warm and wonderful person. Of course she is super talented! With great ease, using wonderfully basic fresh ingredients, she guided us through all the recipes demonstrating and explaining each step with amazing patience. I loved each style of fish we tasted. Each delicious and unique. I wrote down so many ideas and now I cannot wait to implement them in my kitchen.

I learned the tricks to keeping fried fish crispy and to making it ahead of time without damaging that crispy texture. I learned that mint goes really well in a chimichurri sauce (I normally use parsley and cilantro) – and that it adds a really interesting dimension to the flavor profile. Lemon Sole Meuniere is such a cinch to make, who knew!!!

We were offered complimentary white and red wine as well as an Aux Delices dessert at the end of the evening. What a deal! Check out Aux Delices website for all their upcoming classes.

Aux Delices | http://www.auxdelicesfoods.com/index.aspx