Summer is full of fun things to do and good eats. Here are a few cool ways to beat the summer heat at a few local food hot spots.
Seafood Special
If you like mussels (which I recently discovered I actually do), then you need to get down to Parallel Post in Trumbull. Every Thursday from now until September 4th from 5 to 10pm you can enjoy all you can eat Spicy Mussels with Grilled Bread for only $16.
Quench Your Thirst
If seafood isn’t your thing, then how about sipping one of Barcelona‘s latest cocktail creations? Gretchen Thomas the Wine + Spirits Director at Barcelona has created three new cocktails using fresh herbs and unique ingredients.
Bees Wings is a modern take on the classic Prohibition era drink Bees Knees with Bar Hill Gin, Yellow Chartreuse, agave nectar, orange blossom water, lemon juice and pasteurized egg whites. Bar Hill Gin is a small batch gin made in Vermont by Todd Hardie, a bee-keeper for over 50 years.
Whiskey Root is made with Byrrh Quinquina, fresh ginger, basil leaves, lemon juice, and Buffalo Trace Bourbon. Byrrh Quinquina is an interesting fortified wine that is similar in flavor to angostura bitters with a base of cinchona bark as the main flavoring ingredient.
And finally, there is Tarragona made with house-made tarragon syrup, lemon juice, Rhum JM Blanc, and Blume Marillen Apricot Eau-de-Vie.
They all sound so refreshing. Perfect to relax on a hot summer evening while enjoying some of Barcelona’s killer tapas.
Look Forward To Fall
Brick + Wood is set to open early this Fall in the former Ponte Vecchio location at 1275 Post Road, No. 7 in the center of Fairfield, CT.
Paolo Cavalli and his wife Clara are excited to open Brick + Wood as a celebration of Italian culinary heritage. The restaurant is the product of Paolo’s childhood in Italy and growing up in the family’s restaurant business here in Fairfield County.
Brick + Wood is home to the area’s first all-tap wine service; its 26 taps highlighted by a wooden wine cask backdrop. The food is reminiscent of Italian Street food. The dining experience begins with a real Mozzarella Bar where hand-pulled mozzarella will be prepared throughout the day. This wonderfully fresh and milky cheese is presented in a variety of flavorful incarnations, including mozzarella rollatini and burrata with truffle. Imported dried and cured meats such as capocollo, mortadella, prosciutto and salami are thinly sliced on an old style Italian meat slicer.
And then there is their wood-fired thin crust pizza. Their “perfect pizza” is a labor of love and is certified by the Associazone Pizzaiuoli Napoletani (APN), an association formed in Naples by pizza makers to preserve the authentic Neapolitan pizza values.
Traditional finger foods are what one might see people eating out of a paper cone or wrapped in parchment, while strolling in the streets or piazzas. Some of the Cavallis’ favorites that will be featured on the menu include; Arancini – deep fried risotto balls stuffed with a variety of fillings; Potato Crocchette with various toppings; and a selection of toasted panini and fresh salads. The sweet side of the menu features dessert pizza with toppings like Nutella, homemade seasonal tiramisu, and flash fried zeppole.
Lots to enjoy as we enter August and to look forward to this Fall. I’m hungry just thinking about it.