CT Food News, Vol. 23: Cheese Month, OktoberYES, Garlic Ice Cream, Beer, Trux + More

Course 1: Halibut and shrimp sangria ceviche

Mooove yo’self fast to the FCC party!

Aside from the recent rain, we’ve had a beautiful start to fall here in Fairfield County. So, it’s only right to take advantage of fairs, festivals, and events that are taking place outside. The weather is just right…not too hot, not too cold…just right. Maybe keep those Uggs in your closet. Actually, on second thought, throw out your Uggs. Yeah. And after you throw them out, check out all the great things going on in the 203 and beyond!

Events and Dinners

10/4 Java Westport will be donating 15% of all sales on World Animal Day to International Animal Rescue. They help to rescue and rehabilitate suffering animals. Drink up, eat up, and put up…

10/5 The Beer Garden SoNo’s Oktoberfest has been moved from 10/4 to 10/5 due to the crazy rain that we will be doused with. To make it up to ya, they’ll have a HUGE screen where you can watch football, drink brews, and chow down on some food.

10/5 Going to Sunday School was never this awesome…LUXE Modern Wine & Cocktails in Westport will be teaching you all about the perfect wines as fall hits us. Stop in or call up (203) 349-5039 to reserve your spot. Tix are $40 per person.

10/8 The people @ The Spread in SoNo are donning their lederhosen (we SO want to see Chef Baez decked out!) for an Oktoberfest beer dinner. Tix are $55 per person with a reservation completely necessary. We’re talking about 5 total courses, all paired with Oktoberfest brews and ending with the popular Half Full Pumpkin Ale. Some of the dishes you’ll devour are Bratwurst with Potato Pancake and Beer Poached Apples, Gruyere & Beer Soup, Sausage & Sauerkraut Fritter, Oktoberfest Pork Shank, and Pumpkin Bread Pudding. Full menu here.

10/11-12 Connecticut Garlic & Harvest Festival in Bethlehem! Um, we’re not sure we need to say anything else! The festival goes from 10-5 pm each day, costs $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $1 for kids under 12. While you’re there taste garlic-infused everything, munch on some food, play some games, and maybe even go on some rides. Definitely let us know how that garlic ice cream is!

10/12 Spend a beautiful fall day at the CT Farm Tasting. Local CT breweries like New England Brewing, Two Roads, DuVig, Firefly Hollow, Black Hog, and Relic will be on hand pouring brews while Mikro, Smoke Box BBQ and other restaurants feed ya some great food. Here are reasons to go: beer pretzels, butternut squash salad, pickled veggies, poutine, apple crumble, BBQ pork, and more. Tix are $65 and can be bought here with a portion of proceeds going going CT Farmland Trust and the Alzheimer’s Association.

10/15 Brasitas in Stamford is hosting another one of their great paired wine dinners, staring at 7 pm. You’ll get 5 courses for $60 pp (tax and tip extra) paired with wines from South America. More info on their FB page.

Celebrate National American Cheese Month at Fairfield Cheese Company with daily specials that they post at noon every single day of October. Buy that special cheese and save 25% off it until they close that day. “Now, that ain’t stinky at all,” said Feta.

Updates/Openings

News 12 reports that Ada’s Candy Shop of Greenwich will be reopening next year. This classic candy shop was loved by so many in Greenwich, so people are excited to see it come back. The family will be mixing things up and opening up a coffee shop and kitchen.

Redding Roadhouse, which closed a few months ago, is slated to reopen this month under new ownership. Needless to say, residents of Redding and the surrounding areas are pumped because the loss of The Roadhouse was tough for them.

Rizzuto’s Stamford is still serving some great, classic, Italian dishes, but they’re taking things in a new direction. Their new theme and focus is sports bar…and they’ve got lots going on to satisfy the sports nerd in you: NFL Sunday Ticket and Red Zone Programming, 15 Large Screen TVs, Tailgate Menu and Happy Hour available during NFL games, weekly football pools and prizes, Monday night poker w/ free sign up, and a private room that’s available. In terms of the menu, there’s pizza, a variety of sliders, and lots of great comfort food apps to keep the party going. Drag your kids (10 and under) in during the weekends and they eat free, too. “Shh, Johnny, Daddy needs to hear what the ref said!”

Shearwater Organic Coffee Roasters is being featured on the Yahoo News homepage today, featured as one of 15 coffee roasters to look out for. Um, duh!

Beer News

Steady Habit Brewing in Haddam is only about 3-4 weeks away from opening. Begin planning your field trips, boys and girls.

In addition to now being open on Sundays, Half Full will release their Pursuit IPA in cans on 10/10 at the brewery. Get you some!

10/2 Farmboys Smokin’ BBQ will be at Firefly Hollow Brewery from 4-8. Also check them out on 10/19 at Two Roads at 1 to celebrate their two year anniversary.

10/3 Bounty Burger will be at Half Full from 6-9, providing you with something damn awesome to pair with some brews!

10/3 DuVig Brewery will release its Oatmeal Stout in their tasting room from 3-8. If there’s any left (people like to drink ya know) they’ll also be open on Saturday from 12-7 and Sunday from 12-5.

10/11 Get all Smoked Up at OEC Brewing in Oxford with smoked and barrel aged beers. They’ll have 31 brews on hand from 12-7, so that’s plenty of time to try them all…right?