The Lunch Break Chronicles

ABOVE: Michele Albano, of Michele’s Pies in Norwalk, seen here taping a segment for Good Morning America last year.

MICHELE’S PIES, 666 MAIN AVE., NORWALK

11/10/2009

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay will duke it out in the kitchen with Michele Albano, of Michele’s Pies in Norwalk, tomorrow night on the Food Network.

The Episode of Throwdown! with Bobby Flay will center around Albano’s maple pumpkin pie with pecan streusel.

I can’t say I’ve had the pumpkin pie, but I tried the chocolate pecan last year and it was pretty killer.*

WEDNESDAY, 11/11 ON THE FOOD NETWORK, 9 P.M.

–CP

* Though not any better than Kerry Sherck’s wicked-good pecan pie, she is a good friend of the LBC and deserves a little praise here.

ABOVE: Katie from Counter Culture helps out a student from Dallas in the training lab.

11/10/2009

I’ve been eyeing the espresso training labs offered by Counter Culture Coffee few a couple of years now. Perhaps the largest speciality coffee roaster on the East Coast, Counter Culture, based in Raleigh-Durham, dominates the specialty coffee market out here, supplying many of the so-called third-wave coffee shops in the East.

To serve their wholesale clients, Counter Culture offers training and machine service at several regional training centers, but are also open to the public for a fee.

I recently started working a few hours a week at Darien’s Espresso Neat, so I figured now is the time to finally take one of the classes. Yesterday, 13 coffee geeks, from advanced amateurs to professional baristas and shop managers from as far as Texas attended the Beginner Espresso Lab in New York.

During the day-long course, we covered the history of espresso, the basics of operating commercial machines and grinders and tamping and milk steaming techniques.

After pulling a few shots on the La Marzocco, we headed out to lunch. Fortunately, the training lab is across the street from Hill Country barbecue.

Coincidentally while covering the ALCS at Yankee Stadium a couple of weeks ago, Brad Mangin, who is well known as both an exceptional sports photographer and a barbecue fanatic, clued me in to Hill Country giving me these words of advice: “get the fatty brisket.”

Hill Country is legit.

When you walk into the restaurant, the beautiful aroma from the smokers hits you like a brick wall, this is when you know you are have stepped into a serious barbecue establishment. But when you see that they import their sausage from the world-famous Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Texas and that everything is simply wrapped in butcher paper and slapped on your plastic tray, your suspicions are confirmed.

As it turned out, four people in our group were either Texas natives or current residents, and each and every one agreed this is some of, if not the best, cue in New York City.

My only complaint: no Shiner Bock (they do have Lone Star).

HILL COUNTRY, 30 WEST 26TH STREET, NEW YORK

–CP

GO HERE: Zero Otto Nove.

Trust me. Or them.

–CP

ABOVE: Bendel’s Department Store by Sweet Lisa’s Exquisite Cakes

11/10/2009

UPDATE: Check out Scott Gargan’s Go section article on the exhibit.

A smooth blanket of white fondant creates a snowy scene around pastry chef Michael Joseph’s Whimsical Castle on display at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. No, it is not even Thanksgiving yet, but the museum got a jump on the holidays, launching their “Visions of Gingerbread: The Sweetest Architects” exhibit last Friday.

From a gingerbread representation of the Rome’s Coliseum to a highly detailed confectionary replica of Gaudi’s Casa Batlló, five local pastry chefs and the staff of the Nature Center competed for bragging rights in the contest.

For some inexplicable reason, I was asked to help judge the edible structures along with architect Jeffrey Brown, of Tai Soo Kim Partners, and local artist Kathy Hirshon (who is currently showing at the Bartlett Arboretum).

Upon hearing Jeff expound on the raw beauty of Di Mare’s Coliseum or how the presenting the Nature Center Staff’s Cheshire Barn off-axis in its lexan enclosure contributed to it’s appeal, I realized I was in too deep.

There was much discussion before casting our votes, using a scoring system with five criteria used to tabulate a winner – which we did after deciding a sixth should be added next year: most appetizing.

In the end, Casa Batlló, beautifully recreated out of cake, frosting and candy by Rebecca Martin of Sweet on You Bakery, took the top prize, but none were lacking in originality and all are worth seeing in person at the exhibit, on display until Dec. 20.

VOTE: For your favorite here

–CP

10/6/2009

After a hiatus of over two months, Bennett’s Steak and Fish is reopening as Bennett’s Restaurant. On my way to Mario the Tailor to pick up my winter coat which needed some work, I saw a flurry of activity across the street at the restaurant.

It looks pretty good to me, but as they were still putting on the finishing touches, owner Bennett Salvatore would rather you see for yourself when it’s done. “This is sort of crunch time,” he said, pointing towards all the workers busily setting up the bar and dining rooms.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Rich Lee’s business section article from last month.

–CP

11/6/2009

New Haven’s Fall Restaurant Week kicks off Sunday in the Elm City.

I’m trying to get to Bespoke, which has been highly recommended to me be a couple of friends (and LBC readers), though I’m told there is a bar menu which is similarly priced and available year-round. I could be wrong about that.

Following the overwhelming success of the first two New Restaurant Weeks in November 2008 and April 2009, the City will take the event to new heights in November, with the addition of four new restaurants to its impressive roster.

NEW HAVEN RESTAURANT WEEK is set for November 8 – 13, 2009 and will feature prix fixe lunch and dinner menus at 29 of downtown’s award-winning and internationally diverse restaurants.

After seven new restaurants joined during the April 2009 event, four additional dining establishments enlisted this November, offering even more ways for patrons to sample and save on some of the most innovative cuisine in New England.

Participating restaurants will offer a three-course, prix fixe menu consisting of an appetizer, entrée and dessert. Prix fixe menus will be priced at $16.38 for lunch (priced for the year New Haven was founded) and $29 for dinner.

CHECK OUT: The full list of participating restaurants.

11/5/2009

Check out the Christina Hennessy’s interview with Chef Jaques Pepin, a preview of his appearance at Stew Leonard’s tomorrow.

I’ll be at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center judging Gingerbread houses, so I won’t be able to make it. More on that later.

–CP

ABOVE: Roasted chicken

11/4/2009

It’s been crazy around here (I pulled a 17-hour shift yesterday). But with the election over I’m looking to updating a little more frequently.

In the meantime, check out the Advocate’s review of Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro, an awesome little place in Norwalk that I wrote about last year.

When I stopped in last week to shoot photos for the review, Chef Robert Troilo and his staff whipped up some pan-roasted chicken, an omelet, jambalaya and his famous duck club sandwich.

This is a place definitely worth checking out.

–CP

BELOW: The duck club.