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Another Elm City Iron Chef jewel in Chef Prasad Chirnomula's crown

Wed, 08 May 2013 07:46:50 -0400

In the most exciting race ever, the sixth annual Iron Chef Elm City Challenge of the Champions April 28 crowned Chef Prasad Chirnomula of Thali, Thali Too and Oaxaca Kitchen, the champ. Proceeds from the competition, which I produced for Gateway Community College and Visit New Haven, benefit scholarships for culinary arts and hospitality management students at the college.

The sold-out audience enjoyed the showdown at HADCO, the Viking Center of New England, in Wallingford. The secret ingredient for this year’s cook-off was Torrington-based Holly’s Oatmeal. Chef Prasad and competitors, Arturo Franco-Camacho of Waterhouse, Tacuba and Seawich Sandwich Shop in Branford and Ben Gaffney of Atticus Bookstore-Cafe in New Haven, quickly got into action, making appetizers, entrees and desserts. To see the rest of this column and Chef Prasad’s entree recipe, please click on this link

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2013/05/07/life/doc51897baa62bd6857622975.txt?viewmode=fullstory

To see my food and travel column archives, please click on this link

http://www.nhregister.com/shared-content/search/index.php?search=go&l=20&s=recent&r=&d1=12-1-2000&d2=today&q=stephen+fries

Cooking for CASA serves up an evening of nibbling at Amarante’s in New Haven

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:06:31 -0400

Please join me at Amarante’s Sea Cliff, 62 Cove St., New Haven, at 6 p.m. May 8. This seaside spot with unparalleled views of New Haven and spectacular sunsets is the backdrop for the 12th annual Cooking for CASA.

My good friend, cookbook author and restaurateur Claire Criscuolo and I are honorary co-chairs of this event, which will showcase many of your favorites from Amarante’s Sea Cliff, Basta Trattoria, Caseus, Chabaso Bakery, Claire’s Corner Copia, Fig Cooking School, Fresco, Gelato Giuliana, Katalina’s bakery, Union League Cafe, Michael’s Downtown, Sage American Grill & Oyster Bar, Savin Rock Roasting Company, York Noodle House and The Soup Girl. Wine tasting is presented by Mt. Carmel Wine & Spirits in Hamden.

Tosee the rest of this column and Katalina’s cupcake recipe, please go to this link

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2013/05/01/life/doc5180ea36650e3262761792.txt?viewmode=fullstory

To see my food and travel column archives, please go to

http://www.nhregister.com/shared-content/search/index.php?search=go&l=20&s=recent&r=&d1=12-1-2000&d2=today&q=stephen+fries

One man’s trash is another’s 'Magic of Florida Celery'

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 07:34:06 -0400

Collecting vintage recipe pamphlets is a hobby of mine and provides me with inspiration for this column. It seems as if the warm weather is taking some time to welcome yard sale season, causing me to be behind in my never-ending search for these gems of culinary literature.

During the winter months, I get my “fix” scouting eBay and visiting used book and thrift stores. The photography and food styling of years past are as interesting as the recipes within these publications.

When warmer weather finally arrives, we begin to change our eating habits from hot soups and hearty food to salads and lighter fare. I thought “The Magic of Florida Celery,” published by the Florida Celery Exchange, a pamphlet I purchased online during the winter, was timely.

To see the rest of this column and recipes, please click on this link

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2013/04/23/life/doc5176eddcc7220875880874.txt?viewmode=fullstory

To see my food and travel column archives, please click on this link

http://www.nhregister.com/shared-content/search/index.php?search=go&l=20&s=recent&r=&d1=12-1-2000&d2=today&q=stephen+fries

Bisque for those who can’t get to Chef Geoff’s in Georgetown

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 08:20:38 -0400

Found: Louise Montanaro of East Haven wrote, “I was visiting my friend in D.C., and we ate at a restaurant near her home in Georgetown, Chef Geoff’s (www.chefgeoff.com). I had butternut squash soup, and I’d like to know what was used for seasoning. I think it was nutmeg, but I’m not sure. Can you help me with the recipe?”

Louise, the Executive Director of Food and Beverage for Chef Geoff Universal Wil Going, sent the recipe, photos and a bit about Chef Geoff Tracy, who is from West Hartford and attended Choate in Wallingford. He graduated from Georgetown University in 1995 with a degree in theology. It was at Georgetown that he met Norah O’Donnell, whom he went on to marry in June of 2001. She is the co-host of “CBS This Morning.” To see the rest of this column and recipe, please click on this link

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2013/04/16/life/doc516d9dd9d8781083443648.txt?viewmode=fullstory

To see my food and travel column archives, please click on this link

http://www.nhregister.com/shared-content/search/index.php?search=go&l=20&s=recent&r=&d1=12-1-2000&d2=today&q=stephen+fries

April brings us New Haven Restaurant Week, Iron Chef, Worth Tasting tours and more

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:26:52 -0400

People love food, watching food television and attending food events.

The New Haven region seems to welcome spring with a plethora of food happenings. My spring rendezvous begins with Worth Tasting’s first culinary walking tour of the season at 10:45 a.m. April 20, which I will host. In three-and-a-half hours, guests will visit nine eateries in downtown New Haven.

The event gives a great perspective of the food culture of New Haven for only $59. Reservations for this tour or the other scheduled dates (June 8, July 27, Sept. 21, Oct. 19, Dec. 7, $69 for this one) can be made by calling 203-777-8550 or 203-415-3519. Go to www.newhavenregister.com to see a previous tasting tour.

Elsewhere, join the bike riders at the Rock to Rock Earth Day celebration, 1-3 p.m. April 20 in East Rock Park’s College Woods. Bun Lai of Miya’s will cook off against Avi Szapiro of the newly opened ROIA at 1:30 p.m. There will also be a “food truck rodeo” featuring some of the city’s best outdoor vendors. More at www.rocktorock.org.

To see the rest of this column with information about Restaurant Week and Iron Chef Elm City, please click on this link.

www.nhregister.com/articles/2013/04/09/life/doc516470883e0f9201340799.txt?viewmode=fullstory

To see my food and travel column archives, please click on this link.

http://www.nhregister.com/shared-content/search/index.php?search=go&l=20&s=recent&r=&d1=12-1-2000&d2=today&q=stephen+fries

'Souperlative' - that’s one way to describe Jessica Hazan's Soup Girl in Hamden

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:00:22 -0400

Found: Jackie Chorney of Hamden wrote, “I have found myself addicted to enjoying the delicious soups made by Hamden’s The Soup Girl (1242 Whitney Ave., www.thesoupgirl.com). She is tempting me to eat healthy and try new foods that are so good.

“My favorite soeup is her gumbo soup. Could you try and see if she would share this yummy recipe?”

Jackie, get out your soup pot, because Jessica Hazan, the owner, was delighted to share this recipe called Tony D’s Gumbo.

Jessica says it is named after a customer who asked for gumbo all the time. She was hesitant to attempt one, so Jessica asked her “foodie” friend Josh for a gumbo recipe. Gumbo is now a best seller among the 80-plus rotating soups in her repertoire To see the rest of this column and recipe, please click on this link.

www.nhregister.com/articles/2013/04/02/life/doc515b3cb21f2cb072584732.txt?viewmode=fullstory

To see my food and travel column archives, please click on this link.

www.nhregister.com/shared-content/search/index.php?search=go&l=20&s=recent&r=&d1=12-1-2000&d2=today&q=stephen+fries

Sorry, Wallingford, it s time to share Half Moon Coffee and Grille Cafe with the rest of us

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:20:14 -0400

Found: Annette Bailey of North Haven wrote, “Were you ever able to get Half Moon’s recipe for their vodka sauce? It is the best I’ve ever tasted.”

Annette, thanks for your patience. I know you have written to me twice for this recipe from Half Moon Coffee and Grille Cafe, www.halfmooncafegrille.com, 50 North Main St., Wallingford.

In addition to gourmet pizza, pasta and paninis, the menu board is filled with full dinner specials. The day I visited to watch the recipe being prepared, these selections caught my attention: sweet potato Florentine soup; pappardelle with scallops in a lemongrass sauce; pan-roasted, mint-crusted Chilean sea bass; smoked salmon wrap with arugula, sun-dried tomato, roasted pepper, artichoke, goat cheese and house dressing. Chef Stefano Panno, who is from Italy, prepares regional Italian and Mediterranean dishes to order using the freshest ingredients. To see the rest of this column and recipe, please click here.

To see my food and travel column archives, please click here.

Make a few more holiday memories with 'Passover Made Easy'

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:22:02 -0400

I know spring is around the corner when ads for gefilte fish, matzah, ham and Peeps appear.

Passover, which coincides with Easter this year, begins at sunset on March 25 with the first Seder and ends April 2. Easter is on March 31.

Although they are different spring holidays, both include meals that celebrate tradition and bring back memories.

As a child, when my dad pulled up in his Volkswagen bus with the corrugated boxes of Passover dishes that had been stored at his business, in my mind, Passover began. They arrived at home a couple days before the holiday, where they would remain until my mother unpacked them on the morning of the first Seder. To see the rest of this column and recipes, please go to http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2013/03/12/life/doc513f8bd9cdcbc405126735.txt?viewmode=fullstory

To see my food and travel column archives, please click here.

http://www.nhregister.com/shared-content/search/index.php?search=go&l=20&s=recent&r=&d1=12-1-2000&d2=today&q=stephen+fries

Milford cook’s chili created quite a stir at Savin Rock contest in West Haven

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 09:31:16 -0500

Congratulations to Garry Richetelli of Milford who won the ninth annual Savin Rock Fireworks Committee’s Chili Cook-Off. Proceeds from the event support the July 3 fireworks display in West Haven.

Richetelli, a real estate developer who enjoys cooking, attended the competition five years ago as a spectator. He decided to enter his chili recipes the past four years, placing second two years ago.

He was determined to win and that he did. I asked him what made his chili this year so special, and he said, “It was the homemade Texas spicy sausage he bought at Joe’s Missing Link Sausage Company in Milford.”

The chili prepared by Richetelli and cousin Michael Pickerstein, his “sous chili cook,” had the perfect taste, texture and heat, according to one of the judges, Ned Leginsky, a culinary instructor at Gateway Community College. To see the rest of the column and the recipe, please go to .http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2013/03/05/life/doc51365266d938b788839132.txt?viewmode=fullstory

To see my food and travel column archives, please go to

http://www.nhregister.com/shared-content/search/index.php?search=go&l=20&s=recent&r=&d1=12-1-2000&d2=today&q=stephen+fries

Homemade soup simmers on the stove at Meadow Street Bistro in Branford

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:56:00 -0500

Found: Lois Main of East Haven wrote, “The homemade soups at Meadow Street Bistro (201 Meadow St., Branford, www.meadowstreetbistro.com) are always delicious. I would love to be able to make the Tomato Spinach Soup, which the cook once told me is very easy. Can you get the recipe?”

Lois, get out your soup pot, since Carrie Nicklin, the owner of the restaurant formerly known as the Meadow Muffin, was delighted to share her recipe.

You will find Carrie, her husband, Mark, and son, Winslow, busy preparing the food and serving the guests at the newly decorated restaurant they have owned for the past 14 years.

Open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday, Carrie has a repertoire of 25 soups which rotate on the menu, as well as a variety of muffins, salads, sandwiches and breakfast fare. The blueberry cornmeal pancakes and eggs Benedict with hollandaise are breakfast favorites. The Cinnamon French toast is made from thick slices of bread that Mark bakes fresh daily.To see the rest of this column and recipe, please click here

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2013/02/26/life/doc512d2070cb0bb985611061.txt?viewmode=fullstory

To see my food and travel column archives, please click here

http://www.nhregister.com/shared-content/search/index.php?search=go&l=20&s=recent&r=&d1=12-1-2000&d2=today&q=stephen+fries

Fresh Salt restaurant at Saybrook Point Inn & Spa in Old Saybrook earns high marks

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 08:51:44 -0500

Taste of the Chamber at the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce Business Expo showcased more than a dozen area restaurants late last fall. I was honored to host the event where attendees voted for their favorite dish. Congratulations to Fresh Salt at Saybrook Point Inn & Spa, 2 Bridge St., Old Saybrook, 860-388-1111, www.saybrook.com. Its beautifully presented Coriander-Crusted Stonington Scallops and Roasted Pear Winter Salad With Pomegranate Dressing was the winner.

Overlooking the Connecticut River, Fresh Salt has a AAA Four Diamond rating, a raw bar and a seasonally varied menu. Chef Leslie Tripp and his staff cook with ingredients from local farms and cheese makers.

To see the rest of this column and recipes click on this link.

http://nhregister.com/articles/2013/02/19/life/doc5124066a71eae269136364.txt?viewmode=fullstory

To see my food and travel column archives, please click on this link.

http://nhregister.com/shared-content/search/index.php?search=go&l=20&s=recent&r=&d1=12-1-2000&d2=today&q=stephen+fries

Islamorada - who wouldn’t love a taste of the Florida Keys right about now

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 07:55:18 -0500

Cheeca Lodge & Spa

“Hidden Gems of Florida” is an annual column I enjoy researching and writing. During a recent trip to visit my folks in the Sunshine State, I came across Islamorada, one of the lesser known Keys.

Islamorada, consisting of six islands, is located approximately halfway between Miami and Key West, and is one of those sparkling gems awaiting you to come and discover the Sportfishing Capital of the World, her beautiful coastal waters, myriad watersports, elegant or casual lodging options and the freshest bounty from the sea. Not to mention, enough Key lime dessert offerings to host an annual “best of” competition between the many, “best Key lime pie in the world” restaurants. To see the rest of this column, please click here.

To see my food and travel column archives, please click here.

Key lime pie was a treat at MA’s Fish Camp, Islamorada, FL

Bob of “Bob’s Bunz,” serves up the largest cinnamon buns.

Colossal Key West shrimp at Lazydays restaurant

Say it with chocolate - Valentine truffles and other trifles

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:05:00 -0500

(Photos courtesy of “Truffles” by Dede Wilson, Harvard Common Press)

What better way to show your valentine and loved ones how special they are on Feb. 14 than by giving a gift of chocolate truffles or other confections you made special for them?

Throughout the year, but especially this time of year, I find myself putting my nose to the glass cases in gourmet boutiques showcasing those decadent mouth-watering chocolates. I feel like a “kid” in a candy store viewing the assortment of truffles, those intensely flavored bonbons, each one just a bite or two of rich, velvety chocolate with a creamy filling.

During my food travels, I have had opportunities to see how chocolatiers such as Norman Love (yes, this is his last name) Confections and William Dean Chocolates create their craft.To see the rest of this column and recipes, please click here.

To see my food and travel column archives, please click here.

For your valentine, Cannoli Tart from Take the Cake in Guilford

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:57:52 -0500

Found: Patricia Ann DeChiara of Guilford wrote, “Take the Cake, a wonderful bakery in Guilford, has stopped making its Cannoli Tart, which my daughter loves, and we always serve around the holidays. Is it possible that they would share the recipe?”

Patricia, you are in luck because Nancy Purcell, owner of the bakery located at 2458 Boston Post Road, Guilford, www.originaltakethecake.com, was delighted to share the recipe. Although this cake is not a regular item in the bakery’s repertoire, they will gladly make it upon request, with advance notice.

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I can attest it is surely a sweet treat for your significant other. I asked Nancy to name Take the Cake’s most popular item, and she said, “The Black Satin Mousse,” which she describes as “a sinful dessert and a chocolate lover’s delight, layers of light chocolate cake filled with decadent chocolate mousse, iced in a semisweet ganache.” To see the rest of this column and recipe, please click here.

To see my food and travel column archives, please click here.

Open 2013 sensibly with 'Nourishing Traditions' by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 11:35:11 -0500

The new year has begun, and I thought it would be appropriate to share some hints I found about healthful eating, one of the more popular resolutions, come Jan. 1.

It is a resolution one typically makes this time of year, but finds difficult to keep. I was talking with a chef friend of mine Cristina Chang-Bryant, who will be opening Sweet Pea: Real Foods To Go on Feb. 13 in Cheshire, about healthful eating and cookbooks that help make that kind of eating a way of life. She couldn’t have spoken more highly of “Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and Diet Dictocrats” by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, Ph.D.; $27, New Trends Publishing, 877-707-1776.

With more than a half-million copies sold, I had to check it out. The statements on the back cover of the book support an idea I learned a few years ago: “Recalling the culinary customs of our ancestors and looking ahead to a future of robust good health for young and old, ‘Nourishing Traditions’ offers modern families a fascinating guide to wise food choices and proper preparation techniques.” To see the rest of this column and recipes, please click here.

To see my food and travel column archives, please click here.

Jane Stern of 'Roadfood' fame to teach food-writing at Gateway Community College in New Haven

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:45:47 -0500

One of my favorite things about being a food columnist is meeting people from the food world. A favorite of mine is Jane Stern, whom I met a few years ago when I was looking for an Iron Chef Elm City judge.

She has written about food for more than 40 years and has New Haven roots, graduating from Yale with a master’s degree in 1971.

An encyclopedia of food, especially regional American cuisine, she is author of more than 40 books, including the best-selling and beloved “Roadfood” series that she writes with her former husband, Michael Stern.

I am always asked how I began writing about food, and “how can I learn how to write about food?” Well, here is your chance to learn from Stern. She’ll be teaching “Special Topics: Food Writing” at Gateway Community College from 5:15-8:05 Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 29. For more information, call 203-285-2010 or go to www.GatewayCT.edu. To see the rest of this column and recipe, please click here.

To see my food and travel column archives, please click here.

Welcome in 2013 with wine, chocolate and you know who

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 10:30:57 -0500

Picture this. It is cold outside, the fireplace is roaring, it is cozy in your home, and it’s New Year’s Eve. Perhaps it is the perfect night for a dinner for two with that special someone in your life. An elegant dinner you prepare together will make you feel you are out on the town. So light a few candles, put on festive music, slip into comfortable clothes and get chopping, dicing and sipping.

The inspiration for this column came from seeing ChocolatRouge in a wine shop. The dark red bottle says, “a fine red wine blend with dark chocolate flavors.” Being the dark chocolate chocoholic I am, I bought a bottle. After a few sips, I got thinking, this would be a great ingredient for baking.

To see the rest of this column and recipes, please click here.

To see my food and travel column archives, please click here.

'Desserts in Jars' - a sweet notion at the holidays or any time

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:58:07 -0500

“Are you ready for Christmas?” I am asked this question, very often by my students, acquaintances and sometimes even strangers I meet in a store. I recently thought about this question.

What do they mean? Is the tree up? Are the multitude of cookies baked? Is the holiday feast planned? Is the house decorated? Is all of the shopping for those on the gift list done?

As a child, and sometimes, even as an adult, I like it when Hanukkah coincides with Christmas. This year, Hanukkah was over well before Dec. 25, but I got to thinking, why was I never asked, “Are you ready for Hanukkah?” So, are you ready for Christmas? I bet you have a few last-minute gifts you still need. To see the rest of this column and recipe, please click here.

To see my food and travel column archives, please click here.

One or two cookbooks should help with the holiday gift-giving

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 11:29:05 -0500

I know I am not alone when it comes to reading cookbooks the way one would read a novel.

The cookbooks that interest me tell a story about the recipes and the author or have a unique theme. This is the time of year when so many cookbooks are released, just in time for gift-giving season. Going through my ever-increasing collection, I picked some for you to consider as a gift for the cooks on your list. I am sure you will find one or two for the cook in you, too. To check out the rest of this column with cookbook suggestions please click here.

To see my food and travel column archives, please click here.

Tasteful gifts for those who feel at home in the kitchen

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 09:19:24 -0500

I look forward all year to writing this column on food gifts for the holidays. My file with the items to include is again bursting from collecting information throughout the year from the many trade shows and events I attend.

It gives me great pleasure to help you find just the right gadget, cookbook and food products for the foodies in your life, actually for any special person. Don’t forget to include yourself as well. To see the rest of this column and recipe, please click here
To see my food and travel column archives, please click here.

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Another Elm City Iron Chef jewel in Chef Prasad Chirnomula's crown

Cooking for CASA serves up an evening of nibbling at Amarante’s​ in New Haven

One man’s trash is another’s 'Magic of Florida Celery'​

Bisque for those who can’t get to Chef Geoff’s​ in Georgetown

April brings us New Haven Restaurant Week, Iron Chef, Worth Tasting tours and more​

'Souperlative' - that’s one way to describe Jessica Hazan's Soup Girl in Hamden​

Sorry, Wallingford, it s time to share Half Moon Coffee and Grille Cafe with the rest of us

Make a few more holiday memories with 'Passover Made Easy'

Milford cook’s chili created quite a stir at Savin Rock contest​ in West Haven

Homemade soup simmers on the stove at Meadow Street Bistro in Branford

Fresh Salt restaurant at Saybrook Point Inn & Spa in Old Saybrook earns high marks

Islamorada - who wouldn’t love a taste of the Florida Keys right about now​

Say it with chocolate - Valentine truffles and other trifles

For your valentine, Cannoli Tart from Take the Cake in Guilford​

Open 2013 sensibly with 'Nourishing Traditions' by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig​

Jane Stern of 'Roadfood' fame to teach food-writing at Gateway Community College in New Haven

Welcome in 2013 with wine, chocolate and you know who​

'Desserts in Jars'​ - a sweet notion at the holidays or any time

One or two cookbooks should help with the holiday gift-giving​

Tasteful​ gifts for those who feel at home in the kitchen​

Cooking for CASA serves up an evening of nibbling at Amarante’s in New Haven

One man’s trash is another’s 'Magic of Florida Celery'

Bisque for those who can’t get to Chef Geoff’s in Georgetown

April brings us New Haven Restaurant Week, Iron Chef, Worth Tasting tours and more

'Souperlative' - that’s one way to describe Jessica Hazan's Soup Girl in Hamden

Milford cook’s chili created quite a stir at Savin Rock contest in West Haven

Islamorada - who wouldn’t love a taste of the Florida Keys right about now

For your valentine, Cannoli Tart from Take the Cake in Guilford

Open 2013 sensibly with 'Nourishing Traditions' by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig

Welcome in 2013 with wine, chocolate and you know who

'Desserts in Jars' - a sweet notion at the holidays or any time

One or two cookbooks should help with the holiday gift-giving

Tasteful gifts for those who feel at home in the kitchen