Small Plate Tasting at NIXS Evergreen in South Windsor

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A Small Plate Sampling at NIXS new location  - NIXS Evergreen

Last weekend I had the opportunity to travel to South Windsor CT and visit NIXS new location in the Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk. This was my first time at this picturesque shopping district and it won't be my last. Such unique little shops, with plenty of parking, and lots of great food places to try...like NIXS Evergreen!

Needless to say, as soon as I received the invitation to visit for a sampling with a group of some other CT foodlovers, I was in!

The interior is beautiful with a hip industrial whimsical vibe.
I know. I know...
It doesn't sound quite like it goes together, but trust me, it does!

Polished concrete floors and comfortable overstuffed seating  in beautiful teal jewel tones, with steel gray side chairs, and basic black linens and silver accents.

With a great bar that features some cool blue accent lighting. And some great drink specials too!

And, speaking of drinks we each jumped right in and ordered some of the fun NIXS specialty cocktails, with names like Bazzle Dazzle, Dirty Rotten Scoundrel, Bad Wolf, and more.... !!!

That's my Bazzle Dazzle on the far left. It was great. A hearty cocktail with a gin base. 

We started off with some shared small plates for the table.

Pictured below are the Buffalo Wings, but they also offer a Honey Dijon and Ginger Soy.

NIXS Evergreen Buffalo Wings

And we ordered a couple of cheese trays for the table!

NIXS Evergreen Cheese Tray
Assorted Cheeses with Fig Jam, Almond Brittle (OMG SO GOOD) drizzled with honey
Toasted Crostini

Then we each ordered a smattering of small plates to divulge in all by ourselves!

NIXS Evergreen Veggie Quesadilla 

NIXS Evergreen Salad

And Chef Sean De LaRosa himself came out to visit and say hello to our table!

NIXS Evergreen Naked Spicy Tuna Tartar

NIXS Evergreen Buffalo Mac Attack

NIXS Evergreen Fish Tacos

And this was my selection  - The Tuna Tartar Tacos! These had a nice warm heat that was tempered by a bit of guacamole. Yup. They were soooo good!

NIXS Evergreen Tuna Tartar Tacos

NIXS Evergreen Sliders

And not ready to call it a night - we went with some desserts as well! Delicious ice cream sandwiches and some s'mores dip!

NIXS Evergreen Homemade (!!!) Ice Cream Sandwiches

NIXS Evergreen Smores Dip

We had such a great time sampling some of the great items NIXS Evergreen has to offer!

Assorted Small Plates at NIXS Evergreen

Be on the look out for some great Happy Hour specials, like the one they are currently featuring
Five for Five which offers five specialty appetizers at only $5.00 each and $5.00 drink specials too!
See details about their Happy Hour Special ==> HERE

Be sure you Play Nice and visit NIXS Evergreen soon!

NIXS Evergreen

The Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk

538 Evergreen Way

South Windsor, CT 06074

http://www.nixsevergreen.com/

Follow them on twitter https://twitter.com/NIXSEvergreen

Like them on facebook https://www.facebook.com/Nixs-Evergreen

 Nixs is part of The Bostonian Hospitality Group, with locations in Boston, Nantucket, Hartford, South Windsor, Plymouth, and Newburyport. For more information, visit  http://www.nixsevergreen.com/.

 The Legend behind The Curse of William Fly

Nix's Mate is one of the smaller islands in the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. In 1726, upon his arrest, officials brought pirate captain William Fly to Boston, where he was executed. His body was then gibbetted on Nix's Mate to serve as a warning to sailors not to turn to piracy. Before his execution, Fly famously scolded the hangman for incorrectly securing the noose, then retied it himself. His body, with those of two other pirates, is buried on the island. Pleading not guilty to the end, one pirate predicted the Island would sink into the sea to prove his innocence. Since 1803, the island has disappeared each day in high tide.

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Disclaimer: I was invited to the sampling by members of NIXS marketing team, however all opinions are my own.

Elm City Market New Haven - April 2015 Tasting Events

April 2015 at Elm City Market: Grilled Cheese, Global Fare and Craft Beer Events

All are welcome to drop by the market for National Beer Day,

National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day, 

Soul de Cuba, Cheese 101, Earth Day, 

and a Global Food Cruise

Elm City Community Market, Inc., an employee-owned marketplace located in the heart of New Haven, Conn., today announced that it will be holding several tasting events and celebrations throughout the month of April.  At these events, patrons are invited to enjoy foods and celebrate special days throughout the month while learning about the history and preparation of several dishes from around the world. In recognition of Earth Day, the market’s sale flyer for the week of April 19-April 25 will include only all-natural, non-GMO, and organic/local items.

“This month, we’re helping our customers celebrate special days with new grilled cheese recipes on National Grilled Cheese Day and great discounts on National Beer Day and Earth Day,” said Elm City Market event organizer Alexa Apotria. “Customers will also get to taste dishes from around the world at our Global Food Cruise and this month’s Cheese 101.”   

Photo Courtesy of Elm City Market's Marketing Team

Special tasting events include:
 

• April 3 – On9 Art Music Design: On9 New Haven is a collaborative open-house evening in a neighborhood famous for innovative art, food, music and experiences. From 6 – 8 pm on the 3rd, Elm City Market will have a tasting event with uniquely shaped food displays to create a tasting experience that tempts all the senses, not just the palate. 
• April 7 – National Beer Day!: Elm City Market’s beer department offers an amazing selection of local and regional craft beer. Customers will have the chance to meet local vendors and learn about the brewing process from 5 – 7 pm. They will also receive 10% off of the market’s most popular, best-selling beer brands (no tastings at this event due to liquor license laws). 
• April 12 – National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day: From 11 am – 2 pm, customers are invited to join Elm City Market in sampling different kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches, from Nutella Brie to spicy crunchy nacho bites. Deli and cheese items will also be available for purchase at a discounted rate. 
• April 16 – Global Food Cruise Tasting Event: Elm City Market will host a storewide tasting event from 5:30 – 7:30 pm for patrons to explore a mix of décor, food and fun. Customers will enjoy exotic cultural samples from Spain, Italy, India and more. 
• April 16 – Soul de Cuba @ ECM: Soul de Cuba returns to Elm City Market to stir up some culturally inspired dishes through the Cuban and African tradition of food and art. Patrons are invited to enjoy this cooking demonstration at 5:30 pm. 
• April 22 - Cheese 101: Cheese in Paris!: At 6:30 pm, Elm City Market invites customers to learn about and taste a variety of cheeses from Paris, France. 
• April 22 – Earth Day: From 4 – 6 pm, Elm City Market will offer samples of natural local products. Special guest Munk Pack Company will be in attendance to offer super foods that are a good source of fiber and make the perfect breakfast or snack. 

About Elm City Market
Elm City Market is an employee-owned, customer-centric marketplace located in the heart of New Haven, Conn. The market provides a large selection of fresh, sustainable and organic options, as well as day-to-day food staples and groceries, including meat and seafood, produce, bulk foods, baked goods, dairy, frozen foods, cheese, craft beers, vitamins & supplements, and body care.  The market employs over 75 full and part-time employees. Located at 777 Chapel Street, the store is open 7 days a week from Mon., through Sat., 8am to 9pm and Sun, 9am to 9pm.  Visit www.elmcitymarket.com or find the store on Facebook at ‘Elm City Market.’
 

The Red Bee Farm and Honey Tasting Workshop in Weston CT

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Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting the Red Bee Apiary in Weston CT to attend a Mini Honey Tasting Workshop. Yes, that's right. You read that correctly, not only did we have a mini sampling tasting, but we also had the opportunity to learn about the different flavors and varieties of honey, and have an educational workshop on the hives, honey production, and honey bees.

The Red Bee Apiary Farm in Weston CT

Red Bee Farm is flanked by a classic New England  Boundary Rock Fence

Red Bee Farm is owned and operated by the lovely Marina Marchese, the queen bee of all things honey in Connecticut. All joking aside, Marina truly is the authority on single origin honey, having trained both in Italy and in the States, and is the author of two books on honey, The Honey Connoisseur and  Honeybee Lessons from The Accidental Beekeeper. In addition to her work running the Red Bee Apiary Farm, Marina is the founder of Marina’s Honey Sommelier™ a consulting service for restaurants as well as food and beverage industry professionals to guide them on selecting and pairing honey with food and drink. Marina's tastings and workshops are wonderful ways to educate groups on the background of honey and honeybees.

The passionate Marina explains the origins of her honey to our group

The Mini-Tasting I attended led us through a rainbow of different honeys, alfalfa, thistle, wildflower, red currant, blueberry, and buckwheat. As you can see, the honeybee's diet, greatly affects the shade of their honey production. In addition, it impacts the honey's flavor. The honey colors ranged from a pale golden to a rich dark caramel color.

Sensory Tasting and Pairing

Marina led us though a sensory workshop, instructing us to experience the honey through smell, memory, and taste. In addition, she paired each individual honey with a variety of foods, fruits, cheeses, and chocolate.

With Marina's expert recommendations we paired spicy butterscotch-like thistle honey over a pungent aged cheese, red currant honey drizzled over a rich cheese filled date, and more. The highlight was breaking open a virgin-honeycomb and pairing the freshest honey possible with a rich dark chocolate and bread.

Yes, you can eat the wax from a honeycomb!

Red Bee Hives

Red Bee Honey

Of course, I purchased my very favorite of the day, the Red Currant Honey, and every time I sit at the computer to write this post or edit the pictures, I crave a little taste. I've learned from my Red Bee Tasting to pair it with various foods, and now use my honey frequently as a condiment or dip to bring out the flavors in other foods I'm eating. I've always known about the medicinal purposes for honey. When I have a sore throat or feel a cold coming on I up my intake of organic honey. Now the Red Bee workshop has enhanced my knowledge of honey use and challenged me to pair honey with more and more foods!

You can purchase Red Bee Honey online HERE.

I loved visiting with Marina on her rustic farm in scenic Weston Connecticut. She is a down to earth businesswoman, astute and knowledgeable about her art and craft, and committed to her passion of promoting a natural and eco-friendly way of life, and, of course, beekeeping.

Take an opportunity to participate in one of her informational workshops. See her calendar of events HERE.

Red Bee Apiary

Weston, CT

For more pictures of my visit to Red Bee Apiary visit the Home Place facebook page HERE

Disclaimer: I was invited to the Red Bee Honey Tasting Event, however, the views and opinions expressed herein are my own.