In the 60’s, when I was a kid, our local grocery store, Pik-Kwik, didn’t carry much by way of bread – just the commercial brands. In our house, we didn’t get Wonder Bread, which was sweet and spongy (perfect for PBJ’s and Fluffernutters, but nutritionally suspect), so through most of grade school, my brothers and … More Fresh Pita and Middle Eastern Delicacies: Noujaim Bakery in Waterbury
On a visit to Bantam Bakery, I met and chatted with a guy named Barry. I wish I’d gotten his last name, because I need to thank him: he turned me on to a wonderful local chocolatier and milk producer: Thorncrest Farm & Milkhouse Chocolates. Barry told me about Kim Thorn, who, with her husband … More ‘Tis Always the Season: Don’t Miss This Chocolate Shop in Goshen
“Mexican food’s great, but it’s essentially all the same ingredients…. As a waiter you’d have to deal with all these stupid questions. They’d be like, ‘What is nachos?’ Nachos? ‘It’s tortilla with cheese, meat or vegetables.’ ‘Oh, well then what is a burrito?’ ‘Tortilla with cheese, meat or vegetables.’ ‘Well then, what is a tostada?’ … More The Truck Stops Here: A Mexican Food Truck Becomes a Restaurant
Even though Meraki is on Litchfield’s busiest street, it’s easy to drive past the café/restaurant without even knowing it’s there, and I would have done just that if I hadn’t stopped to get treats next door at Litchfield Candy Company. Meraki is set back from the road, and there’s no big sign to grab your … More Fresh, Flavorful, Fantastic! Meraki in Litchfield
If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, sorry. This is basically a story about meat (and poultry). Nodine’s Smokehouse store is behind Mr. Nodine’s house on North Street (Route 63) in Goshen. Although it’s a major street in Goshen, it’s quiet, except when the Fair is going You don’t even notice the store from the road, … More Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em: Nodine’s in Goshen
As soon as I walked into AAA Asian Market, I saw something I didn’t expect: Yup, live crabs wiggling around in their baskets! Folks in Northwest Connecticut have a terrific option when looking for Asian produce, snacks or ingredients to cook: AAA Asian Market in Waterbury. I should admit that, though I love Chinese, … More A Great – and Convenient – Asian Market in Waterbury!
On Route 202 (a/k/a Bantam Road) in Litchfield, in a storefront building it shares with a hair salon, an electric company and a pizzeria, is the amazing Dutch Epicure Shop. You might think, “I don’t cook Dutch food. Why would I want to go to a Dutch epicure shop?” Let me tell you why, with … More Earthly Delights: The Dutch Epicure in Litchfield
“I can’t help it if I’m lucky.” Bob Dylan, Idiot Wind. Pure luck brought me to Litchfield Distillery. I was on one of my favorite stretches of Route 202 and almost drove by the building, which is plain and functional. Then I spotted the old horse wagon carrying a whiskey barrel, and the name of … More Litchfield Distillery: The Spirit of the Litchfield Hills
For starters, I know that pizza is a highly personal subject on which people have strong opinions. I’d imagine that folks have come to fisticuffs over who makes the best, so it’s hard to say that my opinions are right. But, of course, they are. In our corner of Connecticut, as in other parts of … More Ramblings on Pizza, and Anthony’s in Oakville
I was raised in a household where we had Arnold’s or Pepperidge Farms white bread (and occasionally Thomas’ English Muffins), which our mom bought at the grocery store and kept in the fridge. In the context of the times, this was pretty good (especially the English muffins). Though I envied the kids who had sandwiches made … More 3 Insider Tips to Keep Your Artisanal Bread at Its Best
