Author: Elizabeth Keyser

Now Trending

Posted on by Elizabeth Keyser

Photograph by ©AlenKadr – stock.adobe.com

First brewed from by-products of sugar making in the English West Indies in the early 1600s, rum was a “hot, hellish and terrible liquor,” one early critic noted. Over the next 200 years, advances in distilling, filtering and flavoring transformed rum into a smooth and sweet spirit. Today, distillers are increasing flavor by returning to traditional methods. Though the market is still dominated by white, spiced and flavored rums, which are less expensive and easy to mix, quality and craft are on the rise, and easy to find.


ABCs of RUM

Rum flavors range from the floral to funky, offering much to explore. To get you started, here are some types and brands to consider tasting.

Aged
Ron Centenario 30 Year Aged goes for $150 a bottle. The Costa Rican distillery’s 20 Year is a bargain at $50 a bottle.

American Craft Rum
High Wire Distilling, in Asheville, North Carolina, ferments fresh crushed sugar cane to make a craft rum in the traditional French West Indies rhum style.

Cachaça
Brazilian rum made from fermented sugar cane has a high-octane punch. White cachaça, mixed with mashed limes, sugar, and poured over crushed ice, is a caipirinha. Try sipping aged cachaça after dinner.

Cask Aged
Mount Gay, the oldest rum brewery, releases annual selections of ten- to thirty-year-old rums, under the Mount Gay 1703 label.

Dark
It’s sweeter than white rum, with caramel notes.

Flavored
Coconut-flavored Malibu is the classic. Who doesn’t love what it does for piña coladas?

Hogo
A traditional method of reusing fermented sediment from the bottom of the stilling pit. This produces high levels of esters, flavor compounds that are deep, earthy and nutty. Try Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still super hogo.

Infused
Rum takes well to being infused with fruit, herbs and spices. Think pineapple, ginger, citrus, or rosemary. Try infusing at home!

Jamaican Rum
This is a traditional, fruitier, funkier style found in Appleton Estate Reserve Blend and Appleton Estate Rare Blend 12 Year, and El Dorado, from Guyana.

Rum
Distilled from molasses.

Rhum
Distilled from sugar cane.

Single Barrel
Don Q 10 Year Aged, and Gran Añejo 9–12 Year Aged, both from Serallés Destilería in Puerto Rico (open again since Hurricane Maria) are favorites of connoisseurs.

Special Wood Finishes
Ron Abuelo, from Varela Hermanos in Puerto Rico, is aged in Oloroso sherry and port casks.

Spiced
Captain Morgan has steered to less sweet Black Spiced Rum and Sherry Oak Finish rum.

White
Clearer and crisper than dark rum. Better for mixed drinks.


SIPPING ENCOURAGED Pairings ideas for before, during or after your meal

APERITIF
Rum is one of the few spirits drunk warm. L’Escale’s hot Cool Runnings, a blend of Dos Maderas rum (Barbados and Guyana rum aged in Spanish sherry casks) and warm, infused apple cider, is a great way to start your evening when dining in Greenwich.

COCKTAIL
South End in New Canaan serves Urusala’s Punch, rum with pineapple and orange juice, and grenadine.

DINNER
At Farmer’s Table in New Canaan, chef Robert Ubauldo suggests having a mojito or rum punch with his Shrimp Mojo, or guacamole and chipotle salsa tacos. He uses Panamanian Caña Brava white rum, aged three years, in his mojito, and Blackwell rum in the punch, a blend of pineapple, orange and lime juices.

DIGESTIF
Because aged rums have complex, rich and sweet flavors, Try lingering and sipping them straight or over ice. You can thank me later.

Elizabeth Keyser has written about beer, wine and spirits for newspapers, magazines and blogs. She has sat on the Yankee Brew News tasting panel and judged craft and European brew contests.

 

 

The Perfect Couple

Posted on by Elizabeth Keyser

Photograph by ©Maksim Shebeko/stock.adobe.com

It may be cold outside, but inside two Fairfield County restaurants, a warm reward awaits. Think hearty, slow-cooked braises, pan-roasted chops and homemade pastas showered with truffles. Now picture red wine to go with all that. When pairing a red that will stand up to a winter meal, narrow the choice by considering the origin of the dish and choosing a wine from the same region. And rely on the restaurant’s sommeliers to further refine how the wine will complement the flavors of the food. Here are some suggestions from the menus of places wine lovers travel to, even on a snowy night.

CLAUDIO RIDOLFI
sommelier and owner, Cotto Wine Bar, Stamford

Dish: Ravioli filled with short ribs braised in Chianti, served with porcini marsala sauce
Wine: Tuscan
“Ornellaia le Volte is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The body and structure stand up to all the rich flavors, but aren’t so heavy that they compete with the dish.”

Dish: Osso buco alla Milanese with saffron risotto
Wine: Amarone or Ripasso
“The richness is a fit for any tender braised shank. My favorite is the Masi Costasera Amarone, especially while slathering the marrow on good charred bread.”

Dish: Pappardelle con Tartufo: pasta, butter, Parmesan and a healthy shaving of fresh, white truffles
Wine: Barolo or Barbaresco
“We have over forty to choose from on our wine list, including Paolo Scavino Carobric, Ceretto Bricco Rocche, Gaja Costa Russi or Sori Tildjin. You cannot go wrong with any of them.”


RENATO DONZELLI
chef and owner, Basso Café Restaurant & Bar, Norwalk

Dish: Grilled rack of lamb au jus, with scallion mashed potatoes and sautéed green beans
Wine: Rioja
“The Palacios Remondo Rioja La Vendimia 2014 has a spicy, fruity nose and full tannins on the palate, and it goes great with our lamb.”

Dish: Pan-roasted pork chop stuffed with spinach and fontina, with grape port sauce, served with polenta squares
Wine: Pinot Noir
“The Seven of Hearts Pinot Noir 2014 from the Willamette Valley in Oregon has fresh berries and summer hay on the nose. The flavor of red fruits gets a lift from a core of citrus.”

Dish: Homemade pappardelle, butternut squash and sage, with shaved truffle pecorino
Wine: Barolo
“Michele Chiarlo Tortoniano Barolo 2011 DOCG from Langhe in Piedmont has layered aromas and flavors of red fruit, spices and mint. On the palate, it has a bright acidity, silky tannin and a long finish. It also goes well with roasts, game and hard cheese.”

RED ALERT
The 411 on all things burgundy

Amarone
Blend of dried corvina, rondinella and molinara grapes, grown in the Veneto region, north-central Italy

Barolo
Nebbiolo grapes, grown in Piedmont, at the foot of the Alps in northwest Italy

Barbaresco
Also made from nebbiolo grapes from Piedmont, but grown in richer soil, making it less tannic than Barolo

Chianti
Sangiovese blended with other red grapes grown in central Tuscany

Pinot Noir
Grapes that originated in Burgundy, France

Pomace
Grape skins, pulp, seeds and stems left after pressing

Rioja
Tempranillo grapes grown in north central Spain

Ripasso
Valpolicella fermented a second time with Amarone pomace

Tuscan
Wines made in Tuscany; some contain Sangiovese, Merlot, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, and other amalgamations

Valpolicella
Blend of Corvine Veronese, Rondinella, Molinara and other varieties grown in northeast Italy, near Verona

Elizabeth Keyser has written about beer, wine and spirits for newspapers, magazines and blogs. She has sat on the Yankee Brew News tasting panel and judged craft and European brew contests.

 

 

Spirits for the Season

Posted on by Elizabeth Keyser

Photographs: shot glass by Karandaev; bottle by Stoleg

FELIZ NAVIDAD
Tequilas that bring the cheer

The world of tequila has blossomed. With its sweet, layered flavors, this Mexican liquor has developed into one of the most expressive distilled spirits. And Fairfield County is home to some restaurants that take tequila seriously. Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grill in Fairfield and Tequila Mockingbird in New Canaan are two of only forty in the U.S. to be certified by the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT), the Mexican tequila governing body. Bartaco in Stamford and Westport is also a great source for sipping tequilas. Read on for the 411 on some of the best bottles around.


IN GOOD TASTE
Not sure where to begin? We asked two experts to suggest what flavor profiles to look for and what to order next.

GRETCHEN THOMAS
Wine and spirits director, Barteca Restaurant Group

123 ORGANIC TEQUILA TRES AÑEJO
Yam, baked apple, cedar, vanilla, dried flowers, volcanic earth

CASA NOBLE REPOSADO
Yam, vanilla, dried flowers, baking spices

FORTALEZA BLANCO
Yam, aloe, citrus peel, grassy, volcanic earth

LIBELULA JOVEN
Yam, citrus peel, jasmine, dried roses, baking spices

RIAZUL AÑEJO
Yam, vanilla, chai spices, baked apple


TIM SCOTT
Co-owner, Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill

AMATE REPOSADO
Light caramel taste with a hint of vanilla

CASA NOBLE AÑEJO
Aged nose, elegant balance from French oak

CASA NOBLE BLANCO
Fresh agave nose with a natural sweetness

CLASE AZUL REPOSADO
Sweet, rich on the tongue, with background notes of the sherry barrel

DON JULIO 1942
Butterscotch and vanilla, rich caramel and roasted agave

FORTALEZA AÑEJO
Caramel, butterscotch and vanilla, cooked agave aroma

TEQUILA 411

SOURCE
Agave
A succulent that grows in semi-arid land

Blue Weber Agave
The species of agave that tequila is made from, also known as agave azul.

Mixto
An agave distillation that can have up to 49 percent sugars from sources other than agave.


AGING
Añejo
Tequila aged from one to three years

Blanco
Aged for up to forty-five days in oak barrels

Reposado
Aged up to one year

Ultra (or Extra) Añejo
Aged more than three years. There’s no limit on aging.

 

 

Scotch vs Bourbon

Posted on by Elizabeth Keyser
Photograph: Serghei Platonov by istockphotos.com

It’s quite simple, really. Scotch and bourbon are whiskeys (spelled whisky in Scotland) and are distilled from malted grains, usually barley and/or rye. They are both aged to mellow and to create flavor. That is where the similarity ends. Bourbon, an American whiskey, tends sweet, with caramel and vanilla notes, and is a good introductory “brown spirit” for the American palate. Scotch is made in Scotland, and its nuanced flavors range from elegant to earthy. Peated Scotch is an acquired and beguiling flavor. Sales of these spirits have exploded in the U.S. recently, making them elusive. “As collectible, super-rare Scotch and bourbon became nearly impossible to find—or being resold at ten times their original price—it started to trickle down to where everyday stuff is hard to find,” says Andrew Estey, manager of Fairway Wines and Spirits in Stamford. Case in point: A bottle of Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve, 23 Year, goes for $3,000. But you can find a good bottle of bourbon in the $35 range. Below, see what Estey and Mark Abramson, owner of Mo’s Wine & Spirits in Fairfield, suggest you sip.


SCOTCH

  • Made in Scotland
  • Made of 100 percent malted barley
  • There is no requirement for type of cask.
  • The most popular are aged in bourbon, sherry and port casks, which impart a range of flavors.


BOURBON

  • Made in the U.S.A. (more than 91 percent of all bourbon is made in Kentucky)
  • Made of 51 percent corn. Rye and barley are also used.
  • Aged in new, charred oak barrels for at least two years—Jim Beam is aged for four years—and up to thirty.
  • No additives (such as caramel), except water to dilute the alcohol proof.

Malted
When grains are sprouted, then dried

Single Malt
A single distillery (rather than a blend)

Single Cask
Approximately 225 bottles from a single cask will have a one-time-only flavor

Peat
Mossy decayed organic matter of coastal regions of Scotland used to fire the kiln to germinate and dry the malt. It imparts smoky, earthy and iodine flavors.

Scotch Picks

Bowmore Islay Single Malt Whisky, 12 Year Asylum Fifth State Corn Aged Whiskey
Mark Abramson

Highland Park Whisky, The Balvenie DoubleWood Whisky, Springbank Scotch Whisky, Glenmorangie Scotch Whisky
Andrew Estey

Bourbon Picks

Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace, Basil Hayden
Mark Abramson

Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon E. H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Bourbon
Andrew Estey 

Elizabeth Keyser has written about beer, wine and spirits for newspapers, magazines and blogs. She has sat on the Yankee Brew News tasting panel and judged craft and European brew contests.

 

 

Rise of Rosé

Posted on by Elizabeth Keyser

Rosé is the summer wine. With pretty pastels ranging from blush to peach; crisp, dry, refreshing minerality; and light, berry flavors, rosé evokes dreams of the South of France. And at an affordable price—you can find good bottles from Provence between $12 to $15.

In 2014 imports of Provencal rosé climbed by 39 percent in the United States, and we’re starting to drink rosé all year round. (Count me in.) Rosés with the Côte de France appellation are the classic example of this ancient European wine made with red grapes. But today rosé is vinted all over—France (Provence, Rhône or Loire valleys, and the Languedoc), Italy, Spain, Austria, United States (Oregon, California), Argentina, Chile, South Africa—and shows a range of flavor profiles.

Experts’ Pick
Rosés to Explore

Château d’esclans
Whispering Angel
a blend of grenache, rolle and
cinsaut grapes

Piano Piano
an Italian rosato from Terre de Talamo
in Tuscany; half cabernet
and half sangiovese.
(14 percent ABV)
Betty Swietek, comanager
Bev Max, Stamford

Lieu Dit Rosé de Pinot Noir
Santa Barbara County

Gobelsburg Cistercien Rosé
faint effervescence when first opened.
85 percent Austrian zweigelt and 15 percent St.
Laurent and pinot noir
Peter J. Troilo, managing director,
Nicholas Roberts Fine Wine, Darien

Château Miraval
Côtes de Provence,
a blend of grenache and cinsaut.
(13 percent ABV)

Mouton Noir Love Drunk,
an Oregon pinot noir
Jeb Fiorita, owner
Val’s Putnam Wines, Greenwich

Guide to Drinking Pink

TALK THE TALK
French—Rosé
Spanish—Rosado
Italian—Rosato

TASTING PANEL
Strawberry, Cherry, Peach, Citrus, Lime Grapefruit, Stone, Watermelon Rind, Minerals and Green herbs

PREP METHOD
Red grapes (remember, they have white juice) are crushed, then sit with their skins briefly, no more than three days. The skin color bleeds into the juice.

GRAPES
Regional, ranging from 100 percent pinot noir to blends of grenache and sangiovese, with syrah, mourvèdre, carignan and zweigelt

PARTY MIX
A rosé makes a refreshing spritzer. Muddle seasonal fruit—strawberries, raspberries, peaches or plums— add rosé, ice, and a splash of seltzer.

WARNING
Rosés range from 11.5 percent to 14 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), and can sneak up on you. My friends and I aren’t ashamed to put ice cubes in our rosé.

FOR BOYS, TOO
Though women have driven the rosé market, “BRosé” is now a thing. Try a Spanish or Argentinean rosato by itself or with whatever you’re grilling.

PAIRING TIPS
Rosé also goes with food, from aperitif to dinner. Pair it with cheese, fruit, fish, vegetables, paella, grilled meat. Recently, I’ve enjoyed a glass of Provençal rosé with raw Blue Point oysters at Rizutto’s in Westport, and a glass of Les Valentines with sea bass with Jerusalem artichokes at The Modern in NYC. At the Greenfield Hill Liquor store, I was steered to a bottle of Juliette rosé. I brought it to a friend’s, and we drank it with Mediterranean vegetable soup topped with Parmesan croutons. 

Roman Holiday

Posted on by Elizabeth Keyser

Photographs by Julie Bidwell
Above left: The Cotto dining room and bar; right: Elio Filippino wines are among the highlights of Cotto’s extensive wine list.

Since it opened five years ago, Cotto Wine Bar has been a Roman outpost. Urban and contemporary, it boasts a menu that hits collective taste memories of Italy: porchetta sandwiches, Roman fried artichokes and pastas with texture. Tucked in on Bank Street, Cotto today is devoted to Italy’s regional foods. And in an ongoing wine dinner series, Italian vintners will pair Cotto’s dishes with regional wines.

Cotto’s narrow dining room is flanked by a long, white, eat-in bar, where one can order from a 400-bottle wine list or contemporary cocktail menu. A recent dinner with Elio Filippino was a tour of Italy and its regional artisan products, which the winemaker matched with wines from his family’s estate in the Langhe hills of Piedmont in Northern Italy. The barbera, nebbiolo and dolcetto vines are like cousins to the Filippino family, which has been growing grapes since the early 1900s and making their own wine since the 1950s. Their wines are DOC and DOCG certified as having been grown in specific traditional regions.

To begin, two appetizers to share with the table: bright, lemony tuna tartare all’arancia with crisp Sardinian flatbread to scoop up the cool, fresh cubes of tuna and rich, ripe avocado. A board of salumi, thin slices of cured meats, folded, twisted and draped, presented a range of colors, textures, flavors: fruity, meltingly soft prosciutto; smoky speck; tender mortadella studded with pistachios; disks of dry salami and bresaola, air-cured beef. The meats were from Levoni of Castellucchio, in Mantova.

Right: Spaghetti alla carbonara, one of Cotto’s more popular pasta dishes
Left: tuna tartare
Left below: Antipasti board with salumi, prosciutto, mortadella, speck and more

To pair, the Dolcetta D’Alba, DOC “Sori Capelli” 2015, was fruity and light. Made from 100 percent dolcetto grapes, harvested by hand, and briefly aged in stainless steel vats, it’s a wine you could drink every day, says Elio Filippino, whose Italian was translated by a colleague. And with the salumi, “a perfect pairing.”

Pasta was served as a primi piatti, as it would be in Italy, except this is the USA and the chef wanted to show off a little, so three pastas were served, revealing the most important lesson of Italian pasta: texture. Spaghetti chitarra—a fresh pasta rolled and cut on a stringed instrument that gives the strands a square rather than round shape—was made by Pastificio Bacchini in Italy, and the tomatoes that clung to the pasta were filets of Strianese tomatoes, DOP-certified San Marzanos grown in the Sarnese-Nocerino region. Bucatini all’Amatriciana, thicker long strands of pasta with a center hole, was a spicy and hearty Roman tomato sauce made with guanciale, cured pork jowls. To drink with the pastas, Langhe Nebbiolo, which had notes of cherry. It’s aged a year in oak, and another six months in the bottle. It’s a wine for pastas or meat dishes.

The chef couldn’t restrain from serving a third pasta, vongole veracci, little clams imported from Anzio on the Mediterranean Sea outside of Rome, simply cooked with garlic, white wine, parsley and lemon. The clams were served on spaghettoni, a thicker pasta made in Abruzzo using older bronze dies that leave a rough texture on the pasta so that it catches the sauce, which coats each strand.

The secondi had one of the best skirt steaks I’ve ever eaten, with flavors of the grill, against pink, tender beef draped in a Barolo reduction, with sautéed porcini mushroom and black truffle from Spoleto. The name Spoleto called forth a memory of eating grilled lamb chops on an outdoor patio. And Cotto’s second secondi were little grilled lamb chops with those same simple elements of fire and a little salt.

The secondi was served with two wines: Barbera D’Alba DOC “Vigna Veja” 2013, made with 100 percent Barber, a garnet-hued, fruity, high-acid, low-tannin wine, briefly aged in oak. The most special wine of the evening was Barolo DOCG “Castiglione Falletto” 2011, made of 100 percent nebbiolo, aged in oak for two years, and in the bottle an additional year. Filippino noted its “excellent quality,” fruity, elegant, with a structure that could allow for twenty years of aging.

Desserts imported from Amalfi included candied pear and ricotta tart, paired with glass of golden, fragrant, floral Moscato d’Astic DOCG. Perfect for those with a sweet tooth.

More dinners are planned through the year. Check the website for updates.

COTTO WINE BAR
51 Bank St.
203-914-1400
cottowinebar.com

CUISINE
Italian

HOURS
Mon.–Wed. 11:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m.
Thu. 11:30 a.m.–11:30 p.m.
Fri. & Sat. 11:30 a.m.–midnight
Sun. 11 a.m.–10 p.m.

 

 

Spirit of Mexico

Posted on by Elizabeth Keyser

The world of tequila has blossomed over the last eight years. A shot of jet fuel no more, this Mexican liquor has developed into one of the most expressive distilled spirits, crafted for enjoying its sweet, layered flavors. “Sipping tequila” is another name for good-quality distillations of 100 percent blue Weber agave. The best tequilas are created by cooking the agave hearts—known as piñas—in traditional brick or clay ovens with steam, which breaks down the sugars, creating a distinctive sweet-potato aroma, and round, smooth flavor profiles.

Fairfield County is home to some restaurants that take tequila seriously. Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwestern Grill in Fairfield, and Tequila Mockingbird in New Canaan, are two of only forty in the U.S. to be certified by the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT), the Mexican tequila governing body. (Geronimo’s Tim Scott is also certified.) Bartaco in Stamford and Westport is also a great source for sipping tequilas, with a staff that can guide you, says Gretchen Thomas, Barteca’s wine and spirits director. Talk to the bartenders, tell them what you like to drink, and they can suggest a flight that will start you on your sipping journey.


TEQUILA 411

AGING

Añejo
Tequila aged from one to three years

Blanco
Aged for up to forty-five days in oak barrels

Reposado
Aged up to one year

Ultra (or Extra) Añejo
Aged more than three years. There’s no limit on aging.


SOURCE

Agave
A succulent that grows in semi-arid land

Blue Weber Agave
The species of agave that tequila is made from, also known as agave azul.

Mixto
An agave distillation that can have up to 49 percent sugars from sources other than agave.

In Good Taste
Not sure where to begin? We asked two experts to suggest what flavor profiles to look for and what to order next

GRETCHEN THOMAS
Wine and Spirits Director, Barteca Restaurant Group

123 ORGANIC TEQUILA TRES AÑEJO
yam, baked apple, cedar, vanilla, dried flowers, volcanic earth

CASA NOBLE REPOSADO
Yam, vanilla, dried flowers, baking spices

FORTALEZA BLANCO
Yam, aloe, citrus peel, grassy, volcanic earth

LIBELULA JOVEN
Yam, citrus peel, jasmine, dried roses, baking spices

RIAZUL AÑEJO
Yam, vanilla, chai spices, baked apple


TIM SCOTT
Co-owner, Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwestern Grill

AMATE REPOSADO
Light caramel taste with a hint of vanilla

CASA NOBLE AÑEJO
Aged nose, elegant balance from French oak

CASA NOBLE BLANCO
Fresh agave nose with a natural sweetness

CLASE AZUL REPOSADO
Sweet, rich on the tongue, with background notes of the sherry barrel

DON JULIO 1942
Butterscotch and vanilla, rich caramel and roasted agave

FORTALEZA AÑEJO
Caramel, butterscotch and vanilla, cooked agave aroma

Matching Tequila with Food

Tequila can be sipped before, during or after a meal. Tequila’s natural sweetness pairs well with spicy foods. Try BLANCOS and REPOSADOS before or with food. AÑEJOS can be enjoyed after dinner, or with dessert.

 

 

Meals on Wheels

Posted on by Elizabeth Keyser

Above: One more must-try The Breakfast Reuben: pastrami brisket, Swiss cheese and house-made Thousand Island dressing with a sunny-side up egg, all encased in a Portuguese muffin

In what seems like no time, food trucks have become standard fare on main thoroughfares around Stamford’s downtown and Harbor Point. Turn the corner and you’ll run into another one parked near you, offering specialties that satisfy a craving you didn’t know you had. Hard to keep up, for sure, so we thought we’d tell you about the latest generation of trucks out there, each housing one of our city’s own rising culinary stars (to find them, follow them on social media). Though each menu is something worth revisiting—from morning to late night—here’s our take on what you should try first, no matter the time of day.

1. The Brunch Box
American

2. Nosh Hound
New American

3. Hapa
American with Asian Influence

1  The Brunch Box
There’s no better way to start the day than with The Brunch Box’s breakfast sandwich, a bacon, egg and cheese (and tomato and lettuce) with what’s been missing: hash browns and sriracha mayo. Encased in a soft, slightly sweet Portuguese muffin, this breakfast sandwich has got it all in every bite—the protein of egg and cheese, smoky saltiness of bacon, freshness of lettuce and tomato, crunch and comfort of a ring of hash browns, and creamy heat of seasoned mayo. It’s a damn good sandwich you’ll find yourself craving at lunch, too.
There are also healthy options at The Brunch Box, including oatmeal, or Greek yogurt with house granola and seasonal fruit. But an eggs Benedict sandwich at your desk can ease the Monday morning blues, while Lox Box, a smoked salmon sandwich with cream cheese, tomatoes, red onions, capers and dill, can make the transition to lunch a lot better.

To drink, locally roasted Bonjo coffee, brewed by the drip method, is a big draw. Organic lemonade, brightened by fresh mint and ice, is a refreshing option.

The Brunch Box, whose chef/owner JIMMY MARCELLA is a Stamford native, can be found downtown and at Harbor Point from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.


2  Nosh Hound
Nosh Hound makes devourable sandwiches and snacks with contemporary, New American and global influences. Its signature is the Korean Cheesesteak, which gives the Philly classic some Seoul with grilled Bulgogi, marinated shaved steak, caramelized onions, American cheese and sriracha mayo on a brioche roll. The Southern Sammie, chicken breast soaked in buttermilk, battered and fried, and layered with Nosh Hound’s sweet pickles, slaw and Cajun-spiced mayo, is one of the most popular sandwiches. You can order either from Nosh Hound’s Lunch or Hangover menus.

This truck’s sides are fun. Churrasco Cali is fried mashed cauliflower nuggets, served with a dollop of spicy, fresh green chimichurri sauce, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and crunchy crushed hazelnuts. Not your usual street snack. And for truffle oil lovers, there are Fungus Fritters, deep-fried potato-mushroom sticks, flavored with truffle oil and served with a lemon-truffle mayo.

Warning: Don’t arrive at Nosh Hound too close to 2 p.m., or you may discover that the Peking Duck tacos (braised duck, sweet hoisin sauce, cucumber salsa and sour cream with scallions) are sold out.

Nosh Hound, started by Stamford native SAM RALBOVSKY and MAYCIE MARINGER, can be found at Veterans Park and Ridgeway Shopping Center several times a week.

More to try
clockwise from top right: Hamburguesa Americana— chorizo spiced beef, American cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, house-pickled jalapeño and chipotle “special sauce;” Korean Cheesesteak; patatas bravas with smoked ketchup and garlic aioli); and the Southern Sammy


3  Hapa
With a menu inspired by the Pacific Islands, the Hapa food truck has a strong and original identity. Chef-owner CHRIS GONZALEZ was born in the Philippines, raised in the U.S., and lived in Hawaii before moving to Stamford.

News flash: The Hapa Burger is one of the best burgers in all of Fairfield County. First, there’s the unusual bun, baked a lurid shade of purple as it’s made of ube, a purple yam popular in the Philippines. The roll has a slightly sweet flavor and cushions the burger, a well-seasoned, hand-formed patty of grass-fed beef, and spot-on toppings of pork belly—which adds texture and richness—caramelized onions, cheddar, lettuce and tomato. It’s a juicy burger worth following. Get it with long skinny fries sprinkled with furiake, a mix of seaweed and sesame, and drizzled with spicy-sweet mayo.

The Korean short rib taco and Philippine chicken adobo taco are packed with the soft, flavorful, long-simmered meats. The short rib is topped with purple cabbage slaw, and the chicken adobo with fresh salsa. Tacos are served in a box with a side of sticky white rice sprinkled with furiake.

Something healthy but just as mouthwatering? The poke rice bowl is fresh and colorful, with chunks of marinated yellowfin tuna and topped with pico de gallo, pomegranate seeds, yuzo sauce and trout roe.

Hapa, started by Stamford resident Chris Gonzalez, can be found at Veterans Park, 300 Atlantic Street and Half Full Brewery.

Best-selling Favorites The Korean short rib taco (lower right) with three Philippine chicken adobo tacos, and a side of sticky white rice

Photographs courtesy of The Brunch Box, Nosh Hound and Hapa

 

 

What’s on Tap

Posted on by Elizabeth Keyser

Photograph: Beer by Nitr – Fotolia © adobe.stock.com

Beer tasting isn’t bogged down by the seriousness of wine tasting. Sure, there’s lots to learn, but it’s fun. Here’s a collection of my favorites along with some from ANDREW FIORINI, general manager at Cask Republic in Stamford and Norwalk, and RYAN SLAVIN, managing partner at Local Kitchen and Beer Bar in Fairfield.


ELIZABETH KEYSER

Dupont Saison
It opens with the gentle sigh of a bottle of sparkling wine. This classic, crisp, complex, balanced brew reveals the beauty of Belgian Farmhouse beer.

Monk’s Café Flemish Sour Ale
Right now, I’m into sours. This Flanders Red Ale has a tart cherry flavor, soft effervescence and a pleasing crisp tannic finish. It’s made from fresh and aged-in-oak beer.

Leipzinger Gose
Hazy and alive, and tart with complex flavors and hints of spice (brewed with coriander and salt), this is an excellent bottle-conditioned beer from Germany.


ANDREW FIORINI

Ommegang Glimmerglass
This is a light, citrus-forward, spring saison.

New Belgium Citradelic
A juicy, citrus IPA, with a lot of hoppy bitterness cut by tangerine sweetness

Lawson’s Super Session
A light, crisp, low ABV, with the smaller-scale hoppy bitterness of an IPA

Dogfish Head Festina Peche
A light, mildly tart Berliner weisse brewed with peaches to balance sweet and sour.

Founders KBS
This is a sought-after beer. It’s a rich, bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout.


RYAN SLAVIN

Allagash Saison
An amber with a citrus-fruit, peppery, dry finish. It is brewed from malted rye, barley and oats.

Allagash White
A pale Belgian-style wheat beer that is spiced with coriander and orange peel.

Uinta Ready Set Gose
It’s organic, delicate and light, with mild lemon tartness and low ABV.

HOW TO TASTE BEER: Look at the color, clarity and foam. Smell it; note the aromas.
Taste it: Roll it around in your mouth­, note the flavors, weight, body, effervescence. Enjoy. Repeat.

BEER 411

  1. ABV Alcohol by volume
  2. BERLINER WEISSE a Champagne of beers—light, mild, fruity, tart
  3. IMPERIAL STOUT Rich and full-bodied, with coffee and chocolate flavors and high ABV
  4. IPA (India Pale Ale) A hoppy, high-alcohol brew that has evolved since its origin in 1600s England.
  5. SAISON A hazy, fine bubbled, well-balanced beer with complex hints of fruit and bitterness and a dry finish. It is brewed in cool weather in Belgian farmhouses using available grains, hops and spices.
  6. SOUR Fresh beer blended with aged beer to created a tart flavor
  7. STOUT Traditionally English and brewed in warm weather. Use of roasted grains gives it its dark color and coffee and chocolate richness, which replaces the bitterness of hops. Light ABV
  8. WEISS (a.k.a. weissbier, hefeweizen, white beer) A pale, unfiltered ancient German wheat beer, with a bite of clove and coriander spice.

Elizabeth Keyser has written about beer, wine and spirits for newspapers, magazines and blogs. She has sat on the Yankee Brew News tasting panel and judged craft and European brew contests.