The Fifth Annual Taste of the Town on Thursday tickled tastebuds and tempted shoppers as they strolled through downtown, stopping in stores to sample some food (even in stores that don’t sell food) and get a checkoff on their special map to get a chance for a prize.
A “Lobster Off” from 5 to 6 p.m., which emcee Chef Plum called a “Lobster Roll Off” had three judges from town pick which food establishment in town made the choicest lobster roll, with five nominees to choose from. The overall winner: Nube Siguenza of Cava restaurant.
These other contestants also won prizes:
- Sandy Baldanza of Baldanza’s Cafe: “Best Looking Lobster Roll”
- Scott Kaluczky, co-owner of Silvermine Market (which plans to offer pizza, starting in September): “Meatiest Lobster Roll”
- Justin Sullivan, a chef from Fjord Fish Market: “Most Classic Lobster Roll”
- Fish Tales: “Best Balance of Flavors”
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Some of the best samples of the night came from Peachwave frozen yogurt store on Forest Street — where you could get a small cup of yogurt or even a small waffle cone and then get your own frozen yogurt to put on top.
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And Peachwave was so good that we wanted to show you store employee Christina Ronzitti with her wares.
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Chef Plum (standing), who cooks in New Canaan and appears on many television programs, emceed the "Lobster Off" event just before the Taste of the Town Stroll.
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The judges, from left: First Selectman Robert Mallozzi III; Luke Venner, chef at Elm Restaurant; Tucker Murphy, director of the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce
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First Selectman Robert Mallozzi III munches on a lobster roll as a judge in the "Lobster Off" contest just before the Taste of the Town Stroll.
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Chef Nube Siguenza of Cava took the award for "Best of the Best" lobster roll.
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Once participants in the stroll gave a donation of food for the New Canaan Food Pantry, each received a map with which to visit at least 12 stores, including all the stores in green, for a chance at a prize. At the stores, mapholders would get a check marked next to that store on the map. At the end of the stroll, maps were turned in (with contact information) as an entry in a raffle contest.
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A band plays outside the Candy Scoop and New Canaan Music Store.
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From left: Colette Poirier, a sales associate at Jade, a clothing store on Elm Street, with owner Maxine Berg. They are each holding a cookie with the store's name on it. (Very good cookies, by the way, made by The Painted Cookie" in Wilton).
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The crowds would thin out to nothing during the night, and then, said Meri Hopkinson, owner of Suburban Couture, "It comes in waves of 150 or so."
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At Scott & Molly's, a new clothing store at 108 Elm St., from left: Catherine Verklin, a sales associate; Amy Gray, co-owner; Tanya Matilainen, manager; and Olivia Huvane, co-owner.
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Dang Truong of Pound Ridge, who commutes through the New Canaan station, met his wife, Rebecca and daughter McKinley downtown. "We wanted to get some food; he takes the train back from the city," she said, so the Taste of the Town seemed like a good idea.
The week before the Stroll, Walter Stewart’s Market sold “pre-packaged” bags to donate for $15 and $25 each (they had a retail value of $25 and $40, respectively, and were made available thanks to the local market’s generosity). “Strollers” who spent more than $200 in stores on the evening of the event had a chance to win prizes, including a Grand Prize from Le Boudoir Salon on Main Street.