LOCAL PRODUCE/SLOW FOOD : FEATURED STORY
CLAIRE'S CORNER COPIA & ZINC
The chefs of Greater New Haven take local produce very seriously. Two notable examples are Claire Criscuolo of Claire’s Corner Copia and Denise Appel of Zinc. Creating menus around locally available produce, or growing their own, both restaurants have a reputation for tasty, ecologically responsible dining.
A New Haven landmark since 1975, the folks at Claire’s Corner Copia work hard to buy sustainable and organic ingredients. Combined with Claire’s skills as a registered nurse, they create delicious homemade and nutritious dishes. Claire, with her husband Frank (chef at Basta Trattoria), has a backyard garden where they grow organic heirloom tomatoes, arugula, herbs and melon for both restaurants. From soups to salads, from Bruschetta to Chive and Sweet Pea Pesto Risotto, the local ingredients find a happy home.
Chef Appel’s trademark cuisine features regionally farmed produce and cheeses, hormone- and antibiotic-free beef, veal and poultry and fresh and non-endangered line-caught fish. Zinc celebrates the summer growing season with a Market Menu based on available produce, meats, cheeses, honey and herbs are available at New Haven’s own CitySeed Farmers’ Markets. The Market Menu is typically available mid-June through October.
