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A Successful Benefit for the Audubon Center at Bent of the River, Southbury
Saturday, February 26th, 6:30-10:00pm -The Heritage Hotel, Southbury
We Had A BLAST!
Masked ladies Mayda Capozzi from Bethlehem, left and Rossy Gutierrez from Watertown were enchanting!
John Pittari, right; Leslie Kane, Audubon Center Director and Charlie Monagan, editor CT Magazine
 
A new Carribean twist on Chef Carol's Bombay was a crowd pleaser!
Anthony and Julia Crisci
from Newtown enjoyed a
glass of local Hopkins
Vineyard wine.
Other featured vineyards were Woodbury’s Walker Road and White Silo Farm & Winery of Sherman, not to mention Coffee, Tea, Etc. of Goshen
Guests were greeted by assortment of festive Mardi Gras masks at the door.
Greg Madden and Cyndi Sutherland
of Middlebury captured the spirit of
Mardi Gras!
Rachel from Hopkins Vineyard poured wine for hundreds of Chocolate Carnival guests.
The Zydecats rocked the house!
Norma Carey-Golden (below) was our
raffle winner for tickets to this event!
She poses here with Jane Pittari.
The Zydecats took their show on the road to the main dining room where they brought the crowd to the dance floor, including our own John and Jane!
Attendees raved about Chef Carol's inspired Creole cuisine.
Gina and Ken Daniel were delighted by the beautiful kestral perched upon Erin O'Connell from the Sharon Audubon center. This event was after all, for the birds!
Charlie Monagan editor of
CT Magazine addresses
the crowd.
And they danced and danced and danced!
More about Chocolate Carnival:
When the holidays wind down and winter sets in-it’s natural to look for something fun to do. This year, the Chocolate dinner falls on the Saturday before Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras origins trace back to a mid-February festival celebrated in ancient Rome. Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday marks the days immediately preceding Lent. In many parts of the world, Mardi Gras is the time to clean out the pantry and party until all the cream and sweets are gone.
Many people associate Mardi Gras with New Orleans. New Orleans foods include Creole-style cooking- married to recipes from Cuba and the Caribbean. This year’s event features Creole cuisine with dark chocolate accents of the Caribbean- created especially for the evening by Executive Chef Carol Byer-Alcorace of New Morning Natural & Organic. Check out the menu! For special diet needs, call Jennifer at 203-264-5968, before February 18th.
A Chocolate Dinner? Chocolate has been insinuated into almost every aspect of the meal, in surprising ways - from unsweetened cocoa powder, to raw unprocessed cocoa nibs, to a delicious 80% dark organic. Keep an eye out for a brand new hors d’oeuvre called: Carnival Chocolate, Guava and Cheese Torta with Crackers and Crisps. For dessert, decadence has a new name: All Fools Chocolate Cake with Purple, Yellow, and Green Icing- in the traditional colors of Mardi Gras. Look for surprise King Babies inside and you may win a prize. True to New Morning’s unwavering commitment to clean, local food production, many ingredients have been sourced locally- from vegetables to dairy to pork from Rowland Farm in Oxford.
Audubon & Chocolate Each year, the menu draws from a locale where cacao is grown. Even in its 6th year, people continue to ask the same question, “Why chocolate and Audubon?” Audubon’s dedication to the preservation of habitats for birds and wildlife is well known. As the snow flies in New England, so fly the birds- to warmer climate and, to the lands where chocolate originated. Bird migration, habitat protection and community engagement are integral to Audubon’s mission. The Atlantic Flyway Initiative (AFI) is a strategic Audubon initiative that targets bird habitats needing preservation from South America to Canada. The Flyway is the migration route for millions of birds each season.
The Bent of the River
The Audubon Center at Bent of the River lies on 660 acres in Southbury, Connecticut, near the historic village of South Britain. It’s an inviting, outdoor sanctuary with 15 miles of walking trails and an environmental education center with inspiring programs. Please come and enjoy yourself, learn more about the important work of the Bent, and discover the value you’ll gain from a relationship with the Bent.
We welcome Chocolate Carnival host, Charley Monagan, a writer and the Editor of Connecticut Magazine since 1989. Charley’s work has appeared in such publications, as Harper’s, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe. He has an abiding interest in Connecticut and has written extensively about the state over the years, culminating with Connecticut Icons, a collection of 50 pieces first published in Connecticut Magazine. Monagan won the coveted Gold Medal for Reporting in 1999 for an article on Aetna Casualty Insurance Co, and has been a multiple winner of annual awards from the Connecticut Society of Journalists.
Charley will be sharing his personal reflections on chocolate. Thanks to Charley, we’re happy to co-opt, if only by name, an association with Charley and the Chocolate Factory- a must-read/view for any chocolate aficionado. Prior to this appointment as event host, Charley and wife, Marcia, have hiked the Bent. Charley might have some thoughts to share on the importance of maintaining a relationship with the Audubon Center in Southbury, given one of his book titles, The Reluctant Naturalist. Charley and his wife, Marcia are longtime residents of Waterbury, where they have raised three children.
Local Wines, Chocolate and Jam
Enter the elegant rooms of co-sponsor, Heritage Hotel for the wine tasting, and discover the delightfully smooth, raw chocolate truffles created by Julie of ChocAlive! of Patterson, NY. ChocAlive uses only the finest quality organic ingredients. A most special welcome to Kelly from Knipschildt Chocolatier of South Norwalk with hand painted artisan chocolate eggs. Local wines from three Connecticut vineyards: Hopkins of New Preston, Woodbury’s Walker Road and White Silo Farm & Winery of Sherman. Coffee, Tea, Etc. of Goshen will be serving their new: Spiced Hot Chocolate made from Organic and Fair Trade Cacao powder with bits of dark chocolate, evaporated cane sugar, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and chili prepared with local milk from Arethusa Farm.
We will also be featuring a deliciously decadent treat from Winding Drive Jams and Jellies. They will be sampling their Raspberry Chocolate jam on a tartlet with fresh whipped cream and a fresh raspberry on top, this combination of raspberries and Belgium chocolate is sure to send your taste buds soaring!
Live Birds of Prey
The staff from Audubon Sharon is bringing some of their birds of prey for guests to learn from. Bring your cameras and questions, as expert bird handlers will be available for discussion.
Hot Music
It’s Mardi Gras! Meet the Zydecats, a local band of five talented musicians playing a hot mixture of Louisiana Cajun, Creole, blues and R&B. The Zydecats augment their repertoire with original compositions, with accordion, fiddle, steel guitar, harmonica and drums. Are you a Zydeco dance fan? The Zydecats are playing February 5 in Wethersfield.
http://www.hcdance.org/cajun.htm
Mask Yourself!
This year, we hope you’ll get into festival mood and wear a mask. The most elaborate one will take home a prize- don’t be shy, it’s Mardi Gras! If you don’t have the time to bring your own, we’ll have some for you.
Tickets
This event sells out. Please make sure to buy your tickets right away If you have questions, would like to sit with friends, or reserve a table, please call Jennifer at 203-2634-5098, or email: Jnorden@audubon.org.
Chocolate Carnival- Menu
Hors D’Oeuvres
Passed
Crayfish Étouffée in Phyllo Cups
Traditional New Orleans Style Muffaletta
Grilled Pork Kebabs with Cuban Cocoa Rum Glaze
Cheese, Spinach, Chilis and Chocolate Stuffed Bread Slices
Displayed
Carnival Chocolate, Guava and Cheese Torta with Crackers and Crisps
Simple Crudités and Tortilla Chips with Mardi Gras Peppery Cacao Nib Dip
Entrées
Griot – Marinated and Cocoa Caramelized Baked Pork
Jicama and Mango Salsa
Chunky Gumbo Style Chicken and Vegetables with Okra
Cajun Catfish
Vegan Styled Red Beans and Brown Rice
Vegetables
Gandules con Coco – Pidgeon Peas and Coconut Sauce
Sprinkled with Dark Chocolate Confetti
Festive Olive Salad
Romaine Hearts and Cucumbers Tossed with Fresh Tomato, Onion
Vinaigrette, Topped with Caramelized Pecans
Rolled in Raw Cacao Bits
Dessert
Fresh Fruit Salad
Chocolate Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies
New Orleans Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
All Fools Chocolate Cake with Purple, Yellow, Green Icing
Raffle Items:
1 week of summer camp at The Audubon Center at Bent of the River Southbury, for 1 child
Day cruise for 4 on board the Schooner Mystic Whaler from New London
Basket of local wines from Chocolate Carnival with an assortment of Chocolove Chocolate Bars
Tres Jolie gift certificate - includes a Tres Jolie Facial, Manicure and Make-up application
Best Mask:
1 hour massage courtesy of Dembski Chiropractic and Rehabilitation
King Baby prize:
Rathskeller gift certificate - $25
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