Are there certain foods that should never be eaten with a fork and knife? Producer Jon saw something at dinner recently that left him horrified!
THE FEED: Drive-In Dishes, Picnics on the Water, and Ice Cream for Dinner
Each Tuesday, Kevin and Jenna talk about all things food in Connecticut with Alex from CT FoodGirly. Alex tells us about all the great, local eats that we should take advantage of before summer reaches it’s official end!
Segment 1:
Southington Drive-In: This ends September 9th and this Saturday they are showing Top Gun Maverick and gates open at 6pm and the movies always start at dark. It’s $20 a carload and you can bring lawn chairs, blankets, drinks and food.
There is a Mexican restaurant nearby called La Catrina, you can get some tasty tacos and margaritas beforehand, or there is Domenic’s and Vinnie’s Pizza, if you want to grab a pie to go and eat that in the back of your truck, and also Fratelli’s Italian Restaurant next door to get some garlic bread, fried mozz and some pasta dishes.
Sleeping Giant Park: Hamden: If you want to hike and picnic at sleeping giant before the summer is over, there are some great grab and go restaurants to make this the perfect day. Now, the park is open year-round, and is beautiful to visit anytime, but there is nothing like sitting on the picnic tables after you have taken the tower path and have seen that 360 degree view up top.
There is Fresh Greens & Proteins right up the hill, which serves amazing rice bowls, salads, and smoothies. I always order the Burrito Bowl with steak and it hits the spot. Also, Wentworth’s Homemade Ice Cream, which is a perfect reward after any hike. If you want to eat at the top of the tower, there is P&M Fine Foods down the street, which has awesome focaccia sandwiches that you can fit in your backpack.
Local Picnic: Pardee Seawall New Haven: It’s a park on the water and you’re overlooking Morris Cove. You can set up your picnic right there and enjoy the day. Light House Point Park is right nearby as well, perfect for swimming, there is a carousel there too for the kids.
Near these two spots you’ll find great food at DelMonaco’s Italian Market and Deli, sometimes the line is out the door to snag a fresh sandwich on their homemade bread. There is also Annex Pizza if you want to share a pie on your picnic.
Segment 2:
Ice Cream for Dinner:
Micro Creamery of Connecticut – Woodbridge
Their business is inspired by the ever-popular microbrewery concept. They offer ice cream from 6 different local vendors with over 70 ice creams from all over Connecticut, so they partner up with these awesome ice cream makers and have so much to offer when it comes to flavors.
Jennifer’s Ice Cream – East Haven
They have a large variety of sundaes, milkshakes, flurries, and amazing ice cream sandwiches and offer them to-go too! They’re perfect if you’re going to a party or the beach that day.
Sweet Claude’s – Cheshire
They offer a lot of specialty flavors, like maple walnut, Mississippi mud, Nutella crunch, salty pretzel.
Ashley’s Ice Cream – Hamden, Branford, Guilford and Madison
Ashley’s has awesome featured flavors, seasonal flavors, and liquor ice cream flavors, and around 100 flavors on their full flavor list.
Lobster Rolls:
Lobster Shack – East Haven (they moved, used to be in Branford across from Stony Creek Brewery)
Lenny’s – Branford (hot and cold) Get their Cesar salad with their style of a cold lobster roll on top
Guilford Lobster Pound – Hot lobster rolls – lobster grilled cheese
Liv’s Dockside Grill – located in the Clinton town marina.
https://www.restaurantji.com/ct/clinton/livs-dockside-grill-lobster-rolls-and-more-/
Lobster Landing – Also located in Clinton. Another famous seafood shack.
Fresh CT Veggies:
For a limited time in the summer ), Frank Pepe Pizzeria has their Fresh Tomato Pie with Fresh Native Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Basil, Garlic, Grated Pecorino Romano & Olive Oil. It’s light and tangy from the tomatoes, and it’s a must have to end your summer days.
Another seasonal vegetable is the squash blossom. Batter these up and throws them right in the hot oil. A lot of restaurants love to stuff them with goat cheese, or anchovies, and they’re a true delicacy. They’re perfectly edible, but very limited on menus, so if you see them now, you must order this appetizer!
Lastly, there are a bunch of spots all over CT, like Belltown Hill Orchards, Lyman Orchards, Dondero Orchards, which offer pick your own fruits. Right now cherries are very in season and possibly some blueberries, strawberries and peaches from early august to early September. Before we know it, we’re going to be picking apple and pumpkins!
Image Credit: Getty Images
The Worst Part About The Beach
Is visiting the beach really that bad? Raven has a list of things he hates seeing when he goes to the beach, and Producer Sean does one of them all the time in the office.
Image Source: Getty Images
What Men Want Other Men To Stop Doing…
What do men wish that other men would stop doing? It was a topic that went viral, but when Anna asked the guys on the show what they wished for, it was certainly eye opening. Catch up with the podcast and let us know what you wish men would stop doing in the comments!
Anna & Raven: The Foley Artists
We discovered that Foley Artists were, and now we believe we can be Foley artists too! Can you guess the sounds we are all making?
Intern History Quiz
Anna and Raven have two fantastic interns, but one of them said something the other day that reminded Anna how young they are! What is a head-scratching generational disconnect you’ve observed?
THE FEED: Drive-In Theaters, Music in the Meadow, and Oysters!
Every Friday in The Feed Kevin and Jenna talk to Megan from CampByMama.com about all the great things to do in Connecticut with the family!
1. Community Family Give Back Day! Saturday, August 19th 12-4 at the Lathon Wider Community Center in Stamford. An incredible day of giving that’s free to everyone in the community: Book bags and school supplies giveaways, kids activities, and live DJ.
2. The Original Southington Drive-In movie theater in Southington Saturday August 19 gates open at 6 movie at 7pm the movie Disney Pixar.
3. Movies in Binney Park in Greenwich: Top Gun: Maverick Sunday August 19 @ 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm. Grab your picnic basket, blanket, and chairs.
4. Stamford Downtown presents Summer Restaurant Weeks all wknd long. An exciting experience awaits, as 32 Stamford Downtown restaurants join together to participate. Offerings include prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus at value-oriented prices. Gather your friends, family and try a new venue or just enjoy an old favorite.
5. Music in the Meadow Saturday, August 19 from 6 to 9 PM at
Lachat Town Farm @ 7:00pm in Weston.
Mom quote: Good morning to everyone except to whoever taught my kid to say “Bruh” after every sentence.
image credit: Getty Images
K&J CHATS: Jenny Shea Rawn on Great Bluefish Recipes
We had a chat with Jenny Shea Rawn, Registered Dietician, who is the author of “Coastal Kitchen: Nourishing Seafood Recipes for Everyday Cooking”. Considering the Star 99.9 Surfside Hotel Greatest Bluefish Tournament on Earth is just around the corner, we wondered what tasty meals we could create with bluefish. Here are some delicious bluefish recipes from Jenny’s cookbook!
Find Jenny on Instagram, @jennyshearawn, and pickup her cookbook “Coastal Kitchen” wherever books are sold!
Easy Grilled Bluefish with Lemon and Dill
This simple blue fish recipe allows the full flavor of the fish to shine. The lemon and dill add freshness and brightness and complement the bluefish’s rich flavors. If you’ve never tried fresh bluefish, it is a fatty fish (rich in heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids) and has a strong flavor, not too dissimilar to salmon. Note: the raw flesh of fresh bluefish is brown or a light grayish blue – this is not an indicator of spoiling.
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Course: Main Course
Ingredients:
· 1 1/2 pounds bluefish fillet, patted dry, cut into 4 pieces
· 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
· Juice of 1 lemon
· 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For serving:
· Freshly ground black pepper
· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
· Lemon wedges
Instructions:
1. Add the bluefish to a shallow glass container or resealable bag. Pour in olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic and salt. Let the fish sit at room temperature in the marinade for 15-20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high heat. Clean and oil the grates very well – this will help prevent the fish from sticking.
3. Reduce grill heat to medium high and place fish skin side up on the grill. Cover and grill for 3-4 minutes. Flip and grill another 2-3 minutes until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork in the thickest part of the fresh. Remove from heat.
4. Sprinkle bluefish with black pepper and dill. Serve with lemon wedges.
Bluefish Taco Bites
Grilled blue fish topped with slaw, guacamole, pickled onions, jalapeno and sour cream stuffed into scoop-sized tortilla chips. These light fish taco bites are flavorful, fun and crowd pleasing. Note: the raw flesh of fresh bluefish is brown or a light grayish blue – this is not an indicator of spoiling.
Total time: 25 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Course: Appetizer
Ingredients:
For the bluefish:
· 1/2 pound bluefish fillet, skin on, patted dry
· 1 teaspoon canola or grapeseed oil or other high heat, neutral cooking oil
· 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
· 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
· 1 lime, cut into wedges (use two wedges for the fish, the rest for serving)
For the slaw:
· 3 cups shredded cabbage or cole slaw mix (without dressing)
· 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
· 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
· Kosher salt, to taste
· Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Assembly:
· 50 whole grain tortilla “scoop” chips (approximately half of a 10 ounce bag)
· 1/2 cup guacamole, prepared or homemade
· 1/4 cup quick pickled onion
· 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
· 1 jalapeño, very thinly sliced
· 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
Instructions:
1. Preheat grill to high heat.
2. Place fish on a piece of tin foil. Brush fish with oil and sprinkle with black pepper and salt. Squeeze two lime wedges overtop the fish.
3. Reduce the grill heat to medium high. Place the foil (with fish) on the grill. Cover and grill for 6-8 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork when inserted in the thickest part of the filet. Cook time will depend on the thickness of the filet. Remove fish from heat. Flake fish.
5. Combine cabbage, mayonnaise and vinegar in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. To assemble, place two scoop chips on top of each other.
7. Add a small amount of slaw to each chip. Top with flaked fish, guacamole and pickled red onion. Drizzle with sour cream, then top with a jalapeño slice and cilantro leaves. Serve with remaining lime wedges.
Recipe notes:
· Do not prepare these bites ahead of time, as they will get soggy. Prepare right before serving and don’t allow them to sit.
· Use either whole grain or regular chips, depending on preference.
image credit: Jenny Shea Rawn
The Three Types Of Men
Apparently, there are three types of men in relationships, and every guy on the show fits one of these three categories.
Helping Maui
A wildfire has devastated Maui, how can you help? Jack Gist from KAOI in Maui joins Anna and Raven to share what’s happening on the island and where you can go to help.