Snowy Weather Fund at La Paloma Sabenera (please help out if you can!)

Dear Friends and Customers:

The stormy weather we’ve been experiencing this winter has played havoc with La Paloma Sabanera. We’re struggling right now as we’ve lost several days of business between the holidays, furlough days, and the inclement weather. January is normally a slow month anyway and coupled with the additional off days in sales has severely hurt our bottom line. When we re-opened La Paloma, we did so right at the beginning of a severe recession. We’ve managed to remain open through a difficult economy because of your support. When you need a place to get away from the office, we’re here. You meet your friends and clients at La Paloma because of our friendly atmosphere. You recognize that La Paloma is unique and plays a vital role in Hartford’s artistic community. There is simply no other place like us. We’re a small local business so you know that your support means support for our community and the people who live here. It keeps the Hartford economy growing. However, we are more expensive to operate and don’t have the deep pockets that the chains have. Our business is run much more like a non-profit than a for-profit enterprise. That is why we are appealing to you. There are several ways you can help.

1. We’ve set up a snowy day fund in the store. You’ll see the bright red box on the counter. Please drop off donations of any amount.

2. For those who can donate $50 or more, you will receive a gift card for 10 free coffees.

3. Please stop by Monday - Friday 7am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 3pm and support us by purchasing coffee and food.

4. Encourage your friends and colleagues to come down if they haven't been before.

We wouldn’t ask this of you if it weren’t absolutely necessary. Remember, every drop counts! Thanks and we’re going to get through this together!

-Virginia Iacobucci (owner of La Paloma)

Upcoming tastings at Spiritus

Warm up with wine tastings at Spiritus Wines: 

Thursday, January 20th from 4:30 to 7:00 PM
Saturday, January 22nd from 1:00 to 4:00 PM

2008 Mohua Pinot Noir Central Otago  $20.99

A delicate cool-climate pinot noir comparable to some of the lighter Oregon bottlings. Raspberries and currants, soft and supple with an herbal, smoky character.

2007 Vavasour Wines Pinot Noir Marlborough      $22.99

Delicious, fleshy red cherry fruit with a backbone from nine months in French oak. Very pleasant and easy to drink with a dash of acidity to prevent it from being sappy.

2008 Nautilus Estate Pinot Noir Marlborough   $24.99

Polished and refined, brimming with raspberry, cherry and sassafras aromas and flavors,lingering easily on the bright finish. Very limited quality available. 

2009 Craggy Range Vineyards Pinot Noir Te Muna Road Martinborough  $41.00

This has an adorable ripe red currant, raspberry, wild strawberry and orange sorbet bouquet that soars from the glass. The palate has a ripe, caressing entry with rounded redcurrant and orange zest fruit. 

In the constant search of brunch...I found Cafe Mangia

Brunch is probably my favorite meal, and as such I am always in search of places that I can go. I have two qualms about this. The first is that it is typically only offered on weekends, and the second that on the weekend my options are generally limited to Sundays. Grrrr. Having gotten that off my chest, I have found some really good locations for brunch and thankfully the list keeps growing. Cafe Mangia is a cute local spot in Colchester that I like to go to in the summer only because I prefer eating outdoors on their wraparound porch, and typically go there on my way elsewhere like the beach, Priam vineyard or the casinos. But I am sure it's just as good in the winter too! 

     A favorite item on the menu is the Grilled Polenta Cakes which are topped with sauteed vegetables, marinara sauce and whipped ricotta. Mmmm. Also a huge fan of the option of designing my own omlet, since I am one of those people who really gets off on adding all sorts of funky ingredients and seeing how it turns out, instead of letting the chefs do their job and pick a good combination for me. And speaking of summer, you could go with the Fresh Fruit Crepe for breakfast, and with a mouth full of berries, pretend that it's June. I certainly do.
     Lastly what's even better than a delicious menu? Delicious prices. Most items range from $6.95 to $9.95. That should be reason enough for a spontaneous road trip to Colchester on Sunday morning.

Website: http://www.cafemangia.com/sundaybrunch.html

Awesome ice cube trays are indeed out there!

I accidentally stumbled upon a website with a recent post about ice cube trays that caught my eye. Boring you say? These ice cube trays are sure to change your mind! Personally I can't decide if I want the Titanic and Iceberg set or the ones that look like dentures. Either way, they are hilarious and will be a good addition to any beverage.

Check out this website for ordering info and other great ice cube trays: http://www.oddee.com/item_96599.aspx

Taste of Hartford ~ 2011

While the price may have increased by a penny from $20.10 to $20.11, nothing else have changed about this great opportunity to get a three course meal for $20 at participating restaurants in the city of Hartford. Personally I am always psyched when this comes around and can't wait to go check it out. Here is the list of restaurants that are participating and you can check out what their tasting menu will be at the following website: http://tastehartford.com/

Agave Grill 100 Allyn Street (860) 882-1557	bin 228 228 Pearl Street(860) 244-9463	Black-Eyed Sally's 350 Asylum Street (860) 278-7427	Carbone's 588 Franklin Avenue (860) 296-9646
City Steam Brewery 942 Main Street (860) 525-1600	Costa del Sol 901 Wethersfield Avenue (860) 296-1714	DISH 900 Main Street (860) 249-3474	Feng Asian Bistro 93 Asylum Street (860) 549-3364
Firebox 539 Broad Street (860) 246-1222	Francesco's 380 Franklin Avenue (860) 296-3024	Hot Tomato's 1 Union Place (860) 249-5100	J Restaurant Bar 297 1/2 Washington Street (860) 527-7764
Max Downtown 185 Asylum St # 1 (860) 522-2530	O'Porto 2074 Park Street (860) 233-3184	Peppercorn's Grill 357 Main Street (860) 547-1714	Salute 100 Trumbull Street (860) 899-1350
Trumbull Kitchen 150 Trumbull Street (860) 493-7412	USS Chowder Pot165 Brainard Road  (860) 244-3311	Vivo 200 Columbus Boulevard (860) 760-2333	Wood-N-Tap 99 Sisson Avenue (860) 232-8277

Complimentary weekly wine tastings at Spiritus

A completely lovely thing to start doing this winter, if you don't already, is to visit some wine stores that offer free in-store tastings of their collections. One of my favorite places to do so, is Spiritus Wines in Hartford. On my introductory tasting for example, I had the rare occasion to taste 4 incredible wines that were over $100 a bottle. FREE IN-STORE TASTING SCHEDULE Thursday, January 13th from 4:30 to 7:00 PM Saturday, January 15th from 1:00 to 4:00 PM 2009 Bodegas Angel Rodriguez Martinsancho Verdejo Rueda $17.99 a bottle. Pungent notes of exotic fruits such as guava and papaya, green notes and an alluring salty almond aroma, all of these marry with the fresh zestiness of the grape to create an exciting wine for tapas and seafood. 2008 Chateau Graville Lacoste Graves Blanc $20.99 a bottle. This is not lush tropical fare of golden pineapple and honey, but rather light citrus notes of lemon and lime with a dash of melon. The real star in the glass is the expression of minerality from the vineyards gravel soils. If you have enjoyed white Bordeux in the past, I would recommend grabbing several bottles of this cuvee to enjoy with shellfish and poultry. On the other hand, if you are not familiar with such a pleasure, Graville-Lacoste provides an ideal opportunity to broaden your wine experience. 2005 Bodegas Beronia Reserva Rioja $19.99 a bottle. Aged in barrels interestingly composed of both French and American oak, the covers are made from French oak while the staves are American oak. In your glass the wine presents a fragrant perfume of tobacco, red cherry, red currant and leather, while the palate shows ripe red fruit with velvety tannins. 2007 Villa di Geggiano Chianti Classico $24.99 a bottle. This is a certified organic wine using scrupulously hand-picked grapes. The current production demonstrates excellent ripeness with lush yet not oaky overtones, a nicely firm structure, and classic notes of strawberry on the palate. A chianti such as Geggianos constitutes a perfect accompaniment to pastas, game, cheeses and rustic bread.

Classic Malts Scotch Dinner: Thursday January 20th at 6:30pm

Dotcom Wine & Spirits along with Abigail's Grille and Wine Bar would like to invite you to a Classic Malts Scotch Dinner with special guest speaker Master of Whiskey John Heffernan. Dinner includes a spectacular four course dinner and dessert with 5 unbelievable scotch pairings for each course.

First Course:
Smoked Salmon with warm dill potato salad and horseradish creme fraise~Glenkinchie 12yr old

Second Course:
Crispy Pan Seared Chicken Thigh with roasted brussel sprouts and pancetta~Cragganmore 12yr old

Third Course:
Grilled Lamb T-bone with smoky Romesco sauce and melted swiss chard~Talisker 10yr old

Fourth Course:
Pan Roasted Venison Loin with English Pea Puree and garlic jus~Oban 14yr old

Dessert:
A frozen classic sticky toffee pudding~Dalwhinnie 15yr old
$75. plus tax and gratuity. Please call Abigail's at 860-264-1580 for reservations or inquire in-store at Dotcom Wines, Seating is limited.

Winters Farmers Market in New Haven

An article that ran in the New Haven Independent that I thought you would might enjoy...


Fat organic carrots were a big seller at Tom Cornell’s stand at the inaugural winter farmers’ market at Edgewood Park on Sunday. Scores of local shoppers stopped by to purchase local food. On a sunny, cold day, with fresh snow on the ground, eight vendors set up shop in the parking lot. Cornell (pictured above on the right, with customer Jamie Volpe), who runs Riverbank Farm in Roxbury, was one of them. Volpe happily listed her purchases: “I’m buying carrots, I’m buying chickens from Stone Gardens, beef from Nunzio at Four Mile River Farm. I buy everything. I buy bread, and now that they cheese here, I’ll probably buy that, too.” One vendor had leafy greens on offer. She quickly sold out. “I’ll have to bring 30 percent more next time,” said Whitney Caporaso of Bodhichitta Farms in Prospect. She was also selling shiitake mushrooms, which are not commonly grown in the state. She said she and her husband Chris grow the mushrooms on logs, which is more labor-intensive than growing on other media. “But they’re preferred ... On the logs they pull things from the log itself that makes them more medicinal and more tasty.” She described them as more delicate in taste than other mushrooms, but “they still have a good flavor for a mushroom.” She recommended them for soups featuring miso or leeks.

 “This is a very neighborhood-oriented market,” said Rachel Berg, the manager for City Seed, the non-profit that runs five summer farmers markets in New Haven and two winter markets. (The other one is in Wooster Square on the first and third Saturdays.) She said the push was on from both customers and vendors at the summer Edgewood Park market to expand to winter hours, because many of them didn’t want to travel across town to Wooster Square, and the vendors at Wooster Square (which opened its winter market several years ago) wanted another outlet for their winter crops, meat and dairy products. Not to mention more processed foods like maple syrup, tomato sauce and salad dressings (pictured) offered by Patrick Horan of Waldingfield Farm in Washington, Conn. The Edgewood market runs on the second and fourth Sundays through the winter. Berg estimated about 200 people came through on opening day. “I think it’ll get busier, especially when people get more cabin fever and want to get out of the house,” Caporaso opined. “And, as we go forward, the daylight hours are longer, people are up a little earlier, they incorporate this into their routine. This is going to be a great market. This is a great neighborhood.” New Haven leads the state in the number of winter farmers markets up and running. Statewide there are only a half dozen, but the trend is definitely upward, said Rick Macsuga, marketing rep for the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. Another indication of growth is a $37,000 grant just awarded to the Connecticut chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Organization by the U.S.D.A. to promote local winter crops. Measures include extending the growing season through the use of plastic tunnels and learning how to store summer-grown crops such as squash, potatoes, onions, garlic, dried beans, turnips, rutabagas, carrots, beets, parsnips ... exactly the kinds of items for sale at the Edgewood market on Sunday.

The Thrifty Foodie: Online Steal or Too Good to be Real???

I was recently tipped off to a website called http://www.restaurants.com/ that appears to sell gift certificates for restaurants at a discount of 50%- 70% of it's face value. I have been checking it out this week trying to figure out what it's flaw is. So far, I can only see two things that could be seen as a negative, but they are minimal in my opinion. The first is that most of them have a minimum purchase requirement, but it's usually only $5-$10 over the gift certificate amount. The second is that they add 18% gratuity to your check, so if you are a poor tipper you will find this to be offensive. Other than that, I am psyched to try this out! And for people who are outside of CT, check this out as well, it seems to be nationwide!!!

Just doing a random search of Hartford turned up the following:
El Sarape Restaurant $25 GC for $10.00
Churrascaria Braza $25 GC for $17.50
Papacelle $25 GC for $10.00
La Fonda $25 GC for $10.00
Vito Pizzeria $25 GC for $17.50


New Haven Deals:
John Davenports $100 GC for $40.00, $75 GC for $30.00
Downtown at the Taft $25 GC for $10.00
The Kitchen Table $25 GC for $10.00
Istanbul Cafe $25 GC for $10.00
Bru Cafe $10 GC for $5.00


Could be an excellent method for saving money in 2011 on dining out, which we all love to do. I am curious, I am wondering if anyone has tried this website yet? Thoughts? Problems? Success stories?

Cooking Lessons at "The Kitchen" as promised...

The Kitchen offers a broad range of cooking classes, led by chefs from The Kitchen, Firebox, and surrounding restaurants. Choose from the current class schedule, or book a private class and dinner with your friends, family, clients, or colleagues.

Cake Decorating / Sunday, January 16th, 1:00-3:30 pm $75 (kit included)
Instructor: Audra Weisel
Learn from a pastry chef with 20 years experience making custom cakes how to smoothly ice a cake, and to pipe flowers, borders, writing, and other designs that will make your cakes look fabulous! We will provide you with a cake to decorate and bring home and all the tools you'll need to get started. Price of class includes a cake decorating kit of essential tools. All you need to bring is your imagination!


Protein Packed Meat-Free Entrees/ Wednesday, January 19th 6:00-7:30 pm $50

Instructor: Samantha Drake
Learn to make healthy main courses without meat or dairy but with plenty of protein. If you would like to eat less meat or just eat healthier, these recipes are high in flavor and low in fat. Learn how to prepare whole grains, high protein beans, calcium rich greens, and what to do with tofu. A sugar free dessert will also be explored.


Raw Treats to Eat / Wednesday, January 26th, 6:00-7:30 pm $50/
Instructor: Jessica Soleil
Ever feel tired after a big meal? Well, it’s because our bodies are working double-time to process the food devoid of living enzymes. Try a raw food diet which contains all the living enzymes that cooking foods over 116 degrees depletes, and is higher in nutrients! Asides from experiencing improved energy, weight loss, detoxification, a sturdier immune system while saving electricity, “cooking” raw is fun and easy! Granola Bars, Neapolitan Macaroons, Spinach Spread and Indian Carrot Soup all raw!

(This is just the classes for January, the schedule online is posted through March. Check it out and sign up!)

Website: http://www.billingsforgeworks.org/kitchen-classes

The Kitchen Cafe

      A nifty place has popped up in Frog Hollow, Hartford, that you should definately know about. The Kitchen was opened with the innovation of providing job training and employment opportunities to residents of Frog Hollow and Billings Forge. It is a small community operated bakery/ cafe that is open to the public, and also runs a farm-to-table catering business on site. The staff is comprised of trainees with the exception of the extremely accomplished Executive Chef, Julie Carrion who makes sure that the food that makes it out of the "kitchen" and into the cafe is edible. Phew!

Besides the fact that this approach to running a business is innovative, it also has huge social ramifications. The trainees learn hands on job skills, are provided an opportunity to earn a living, and are even guided through creating food service focused resumes while learning fundamental computer skills. You have to ask yourself, why haven't other places thought of this?

Inside the cafe, you will find a smattering of small tables, inviting cushioned chairs and a picnic table to sit at. The menu is boldly enblazened on a chalkboard in vivacious colors, and the counter displays tantalizing pastries in sparkling glass jars. The menu is pleasingly healthy and simple. Lunch offerings range from salads to quiches, with some creative sandwich offerings in between. My favorite so far has been the Curry Chicken Salad with Mango chutney and pea shoots. Mmmmm. Did I mention that you get to choose a side dish with the sandwich? Yup, with yummy choices like Asian Sesame Noodles and Zucchini & Tomato Gratin.

     Every night of the week, they offer "Dinners-To-Go" which change daily and are posted on their website. Some of the typical dinners that they feature are: Chicken Breasts with Sundried Tomatoes, Lemon and Capers, Seared Salmon Steaks & Salsa Verde and Crispy Pork Shoulder. Also note worthy is that they bake artisanal breads daily which are always a necessary item to pick up.

If you have been inspired to try the Kitchen Cafe, and you end up loving the food, then you might want to check out one of their cooking classes in the near future. I promise to post the list of classes up on the blog asap!

Open Mon-Fri 9am-7pm
Ph. (860) 727-8066
Website: http://www.billingsforgeworks.org/cafe-menu-hours

Upcoming Foodie Events in January

It just seems fitting with the cold weather that the upcoming events are surrounding tasting and celebrating wine. What a great way to spend a day trying to warm up!

Sun Winefest -- Uncasville, CT

January 28, 2011 to January 30, 2011
As the largest Wine & Food show in Connecticut, this event includes it all. From a whiskey and bourbon tasting and a celebrity chef dine-around, to oyster bars and chocolate and champaign pairings, this 3-day event has something for every taste. Location: Mohegan Sun Resort Casino, 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard. Times and fees: see website for details. Information: 888.226.7711 or visit www.mohegansun.com.

Winter Festival / Beaujolais Release -- Litchfield, CT
January 29, 2011 to January 30, 2011
The Winter Festival / Beaujolais Release celebrates the first tasting of Haight-Brown’s Nouveau Foch. This is a light bodied, fresh, and new red wine. The festival consists of a guided tasting followed by a joyful culinary reception. Saturday evening culminates with a good old fashioned bon fire out by the vineyard. Location: Haight-Brown Vineyards, 29 Chestnut Hill Road. Time: guided tastings at noon, 2 and 4 p.m. Cost: $25 per person. Information: 860-567-4045 or visit www.haightvineyards.com.

Laotian-Thai at East West Grille

Funny how you can pass a place by for years and years and not think to stop and give it a try. Sadly, that was what I did to East West Grille, a brightly decorated diner on New Park Ave. Luckily that changed when a friend of mine started working there and asked me to come over and check it out for lunch this week. I was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere that greeted me when I opened the door. A bright, sparkling clean space that was bathed in warm sunlight. Paper lanterns hang from the ceilings, and straw hats adorn the retro coat racks. Smooth sultry singers croon in the background. 

The combination made me feel like I was somewhere in California, definitely not in the quasi industrial section of West Hartford. The menu is almost overwhelming with how many options are offered. The menu is split between Thai and Laos, and even more interestingly, if you come from 7-12 you can get an American breakfast as well. I would call this place the embodiment of an "American" restaurant, as it is truly a fusion of many cultures. We decided to sample  some classic dishes, and ordered the Drunken Noodles with Tofu and the Seafood Pad Thai. Notably, and quite important...the food was deliciously flavorful and full of spice! I was also amazed with how quickly the food was prepared, without sacrificing quality. With the lovely spiciness, it is advisable to order a traditional Thai iced coffee or tea to cool your palate. 

For dessert I just had to try one of my favorites, the coconut sticky rice with sliced mango on top. Mmmmmm!!! Served warm atop a banana leaf, it is simply irresistible. 


Website: http://www.eastwestgrille.com/