Fall Cooking Classes are at Williams Sonoma stores

Some great classes this fall for FREE at local William Sonoma stores. Call one near you to register!

Sunday, September 11
Pasta—it’s all about the shape!
We’ll show you how various pasta shapes marry well with different sauces, how to make perfect baked pasta and expand your repertoire with some tasty recipes.

Sunday, September 18
Pizza—it’s all about the crust!
The key to great pizza is how to make exceptional dough. In this class we’ll focus on the crust, teaching you step by step how to master pizza dough. Then we’ll talk toppings.

Sunday, September 25
Discover liquid gold—olive oil
Learn how to make the most of olive oils, whether you’re using them for cooking, finishing or flavoring foods. We’ll taste a variety of olive oils and discuss how just the right oil can elevate your cooking.

And the ones that cost money....

Thursday, September 8, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Farmers' Market: Fall Dinner, $ 50
Even when the summer produce is gone, local farmers' markets are full of peak-of-season produce well into the fall. This dinner menu features some seasonal favorites that will delight your dinner guests. On the menu. Shaved Fennel and Radish Salad, Parsnip and Potato Puree with Chives, Pork Medallions with Roasted Figs, and Rustic Apple Crostata.

Thursday, September 15, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Food Made Fast: Baking, $ 50
Using these easy recipes from our Food Made Fast series, you can prepare delectable home-baked treats in no time. They're guaranteed to be a hit, whether served as an afternoon snack for the kids or presented as a hostess gift. On the menu. Cherry Turnovers, Raspberry Lemon Muffins, Apricot-Ginger Scones, Brown Sugar Blondies, and Cinnamon Coffee Cake.

Wednesday, October 5, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Make-Ahead Fall Dinner Party, $ 50
This dinner party menu shows off autumn ingredients at their seasonal best, including wild mushrooms, hearty root vegetables, and sugar pie pumpkins. Best of all, you can do some of the prep work in advance. On the menu. Celery, Pear and Toasted Hazelnut Salad, Porter-Braised Chicken Thighs with Root Vegetables, and Brown Sugar Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Pecan Crust.

Wednesday, October 12, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Dinner in Paris, $ 50
This classic dinner with transport you to the City of Lights! We'll show you how to prepare some favorite Parisian recipes that are simple enough to create a French-inspired dinner party with. On the menu. French Onion Soup, Steak Frites, and Crème Brulee.

A little bit of Hooker and you...

Thomas Hooker

If you are a local reader then more than likely you are familiar with the city of Hartford's founder, Thomas Hooker and the brewery that appropriates his name with a quirky play on words as The Hooker Brewery. As a former bar manager, trust me when I say that the beer's popularity is due to more than its clever name, although patrons continually are amused by the sound of "I'd like a Hooker", "2 Hookers please" or the endless string of combinations one can come up with. So it is with Hooker in mind, that I thought I would throw a few things your way from dinners to brewfests to tastings. First up, the Pond House Cafe, located in Hartford's historic Elizabeth Park is hosting a beer dinner which is as follows: 


Hooker Beer Dinner/ The Pond House Cafe

Friday, August 12, 2011    Time: 6:30 PM
$47.62 per person
Passed Hors D'oeuvres - Blonde Ale
Grilled Pineapple and Tomato Salad - Watermelon Ale

Steamed Red Snapper - Munich
Pit Smoked Pork Tenderloin - IPA + Irish Red Ale
Homemade Donuts with Pineapple - Double Bach

Tapping into Twain/ Mark Twain House

Friday, Sept 23rd / Time: 6-9pm 

Annual Oktoberfest with a selection of brews and microbrews, scrumptious food from local restaurants, and rockin music to mix it all up with.

Harvest Bounty Wine and Brew Fest/ Litchfield Community Center

Saturday, Oct. 22nd/ Time 4-8pm

The Litchfield Community Center will host their 5th annual fest with multiple brewers, food vendors offering some culinary delights and live performances. A diverse selection of wines will also be offered to taste from the Village Wine Cellar of Litchfield.


Finally on any given Friday or Saturday, head over to the Hooker Brewery and treat yourself to a tour of the facility and a beer tasting at their open houses. Fridays from 5-8pm and Saturdays from 12-5pm. And if, for kicks, you would like to stop by and pay the original Hooker a visit, his grave is located in the Ancient Burying Grounds at 60 Gold Street in downtown Hartford. Website: http://www.theancientburyingground.org/


Hooker Brewery is located at 16 Tobey Rd, Bloomfield, CT 06002. Website: http://www.hookerbeer.com

Return of the Midweek Hangover: Sisson Tavern

Patio in back of Sisson Tavern

In the sudden realization that it is now August and that my postings in July were rather, uhm, sparse...I decided it was time to revitalize the "Return of the Midweek Hangover" discoveries that I had started writing the blog with. While last night found me at Bocca Rossa enjoying a balmy night, sidewalk tables, conversation with strangers passing by, cocoa flavored cigars and half priced bottle night. Tonight I shall most likely make my way to my new favorite Wed night spot. The Sisson Tavern has quietly grown in popularity as a local watering hole in Hartford's West End. It's the kind of place where the bartenders quickly learn your name and make a fuss over you when you stop by. The highly varnished bar and tables inside remind me of the cabin of my dad's sailboat in my youth. The drinks are cheap and strong. You can even find drum and bass night there on Thursdays. It's a place brimming with local personality. But it's most redeeming quality to me, is it's unparallelled offer of "free drinks" for Ladies Night on Wed (hence this post today) from 8pm to 10pm. Just when I thought nothing was for free anymore, Sisson Tavern comes to my rescue.  

UPDATED Word to the wise: Turns out that the Sisson Tavern was VERY quietly closed and sold this week. Here's hoping that the new owners continue the traditions that were begun. Ah, the quirks of a small, local bar....


Sisson Tavern: 86 Sisson Ave, Hartford, CT 06105
Ph. 860-956-5008
Open till 1am most nights, 2 am on Fri and Sat.