Who Makes the Best Pizza in Ansonia?

Volunteers Needed for Earth Day Clean-up

ANSONIA - Mayor Dave Cassetti is seeking volunteers to assist in his third annual Earth Day Cleanup of litter on select streets in the City. 

The event is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon April 27. The meeting place is 9 a.m. at the Ansonia Armory, 5 State St. Reflective vests, pickers, and trash bags will be provided. Over the past two Earth Day events, more than 1,000 lbs of paper/cans/bottles have been collected. All volunteers participating will be treated to a post-cleanup pizza party too! 


Those interested should contact the Mayor’s office. 203-736-5900 or email at: gmartin@ansoniact.org

The rain date is April 28.

Help Clean-Up Mother Earth

Pizza Eating Contest to Benefit Project Purple

Casa Bianca Pizza Opens in Ansonia

Sharing from City of Ansonia's Facebook Page:

ANSONIA-  A large crowd of customers and city officials attended the grand opening of Casa Bianca Pizza Nov. 29, including Mayor David Cassetti, Valley Chamber President Bill Purcell, 6th Ward Alderman Josh Shuart and Economic Development Commission President Bill Luneski.

Food samples abounded as confetti flew to celebrate Casa Bianca’s second location. The Ansonia location is being developed as a prototype franchise.

Casa Bianca, located at 669 Main St, offers pick-up and delivery daily and extra late hours.

Valley New Year on Tap

Start your Valley New Year with a pre-game party at BAD SONS! We'll be opening early at 12pm with two specialty cask beers:  Berry Pie Cask Cranberry Gose, Graham Crackers, Cinnamon and Lemon Twist. Bad Billy Bump Cask Brown Ale, Three Bridges Espresso, Double Chocolate Scone and Lactose. Plus we'll have free Apollo Pizzas, first come first serve, temporary tattoos and sticker giveaways, and Lucky Dog food truck from 2-9pm. And don't forget to grab a fresh 4-pack, crowler or growler for turkey day - Buy one 4 pack get one ½ off on to go purchases!

OPEN A NOON! WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 21

Copyright © 2018 BAD SONS Beer Co., All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website. Our mailing address is: BAD SONS Beer Co. 251 Roosevelt Dr. Derby, CT 06418 Add us to your address book

Mayor to Pour Drinks for Furry Friends

Register for Dodgeball Tournament

Ansonia DTC to Host Pre-Election Pizza Party Fundraiser

WHAT:                             The Ansonia Democratic Town Committee (ADTC) presents their pre-election fundraiser supporting this year’s slated candidates.

WHERE:                          Rosa Mina Pizzeria – 384 East Main Street, Ansonia

WHEN:                             Saturday, October 21 – 5:00pm to 7:00pm

 Join ADTC for a "Pre-Election Pizza Party" annual fundraiser to support Ansonia Dems' slated candidates running in this November's municipal election. We are also expecting attendance from multiple Democratic candidates who are running for Governor as well, including new candidate Dita Bhargava (learn more about her by clicking here). Meet the candidates, and enjoy locally made food!

Cost is $30.00 per person, and includes unlimited pizza, tossed salad, coffee, tea, and soft drinks. Children 10 and under are free. Cash bar will also be available.

Please remit your personal check, payable to "ADTC", along with SEEC Form P (which you can find here) to:

Jo Lynn Flaherty

28 Pinecrest Avenue

Ansonia, CT 06401

 
Payments and forms can also be submitted upon arrival at the event. If unable to attend, please consider making a donation to the campaign by clicking here. Mayoral candidate, Tarek Raslan, and all Democratic candidates are working tirelessly to ensure success on Election Day... ADTC is counting on you!

Please contact Jo-Lynn Flaherty with any questions about the event at (203) 982-3419

*Paid for by Ansonia Democratic Town Committee, James Hubbard, Treasurer

(This is a press release from the Ansonia DTC)

Eat, Drink & Be Merry

Valley's Iconic Italian Festival to Mark 50 Years

Alycia Filippone and Sal Aconfora prepare meatballs for the festival

  

ANSONIA-  Holy Rosary parish will sponsor its 50^th annual Italian Festival, Festa! 2017, starting Thursday, Aug. 10 through Saturday Aug. 12 from 5 to 10 p.m. on its church grounds, 10 Father Salemi Drive. 



The festival is a celebration of Italian heritage as the parish recalls its roots as an immigrant parish in the early 1900’s.  The current church (and festival) is located in the old Powe Street neighborhood that once housed a vibrant Italian enclave from 1900 to the flood redevelopment era of the 1960’s.

 

The festival features freshly prepared Italian foods such as suffrito, lasagna al forno, porchetta, pizza fritta, ravioli fritta, fried calamari and more.  All food items are freshly prepared in the parish hall kitchen by parish cooks each day.  The recipes used are established, tried-and-true and finished with love.  Special dessert items are Italian pastry treats like cannoli’s and sfogliatelle and gelato made by the award winning Gelato Giuliana of New Haven.

 

Holy Rosary’s Italian festival is rare in that the food items are freshly prepared on site  by parish cooks.  Alycia Filippone, festival co-chair, credits the success of the festival to this main point. 

 

“When you visit our festival you will find no private vendors selling dinner foods.,” she said.  “We take the food too seriously to leave it in the hands of others.  We prepare everything ourselves. Every dish is made as if we are serving our own large Italian families.  That’s why our food is so good, the love comes through!”

 

The festival also offers live musical entertainment each night.  Great artists like I'Liguri will entertain on Thursday, the Navels play on Friday and our Three Tenors:  Rich DePalma, Mark Lanzieri and Tony Santoli will perform the Saturday show. 

 

Rainbow Amusements provides rides for the children – Thursday is bracelet night.  Visitors can try their hands at the games of skill and games of chance.  An Italian Marketplace will sell Italian gifts and novelties ideal for the holidays or anytime.

The festival is located on flat paved grounds providing easy access for everyone. 

Admission is free so bring a chair, stay all night and enjoy! 

More information is available at:  www.holyrosaryfestival.com.

Pizza Eating Contest for a Cause

Register for Pizza Eating Contest

Celebrate Earth Day in Seymour

Local Pastor Tries Hand at Pizza Making for "Festa!"

Father Stephen Krugel of Holy Rosary Church, Ansonia, prepares pizza for the church's 49th annual Italian Festival, Festa! The popular festival, which draws thousands of folks each year to the church grounds, located at 10 Father Salemi Dr., Ansonia, runs from 5 to 10 p.m. August 5-6. Admission is free.
 

 

Ansonia mayor enjoys pizza clinic

Ansonia Mayor David S. Cassetti and his son, David, make a pizza during a clinic for children hosted by The Original Antonio's restaurant in Ansonia. / Contributed photo

Chris Setaro, owner, The Original Antonio's, joins Cassetti and his son at a recent pizza clinic. Setaro hosted several clinics on Saturdays during the summer as part of the celebration of Ansonia's 125th birthday. There are two more clinics planned, at noon Saturday and Aug. 30. / Contributed photo
 

This is a press release from Ansonia 125 coordinator Melissa Torres.

Restaurant gets into Ansonia 125 festivities with pizza clinic

ANSONIA - In honor of Ansonia’s 125th Anniversary, The Original Antonio’s is hosting a Kid’s Pizza Clinic from noon to 2 p.m. Saturdays from June 28-Aug. 30.


Bring your child to the restaurant at 314 Main St. for a unique opportunity to create a pizza pie.

Pizza chefs, Jack and Jay, will lead the demonstration and give step-by-step instructions while your child follows along to make their own savory masterpiece.

This hands-on event has limited seating; call 203-732-8882 for further details and to reserve a spot.

“Any child who enjoys cooking or simply loves pizza will not want to miss this event,” said Chris Setaro, owner of The Original Antonio’s. “Take a break this summer and sit down to lunch with your child and their own culinary creation.”

Ansonia 125 event coordinator Melissa Torres said, “This is a special way for Antonio’s to give back to our community. The Original Antonio’s has been a hot spot in Ansonia since they’ve opened in 2010; with outdoor seating, it’s the place to be this summer.”


This is a press release from Melissa Torres, Ansonia 125 event  coordinator.

Arts council readies Thursday opening at Derby restaurant

Marco Pizzeria & Restaurant in Derby has joined with the Valley Arts Council to host 'Delicious!' a food-inspired art exhibit.
The opening reception - featuring pizza - will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday. The event is free and open to the public.

About 40 works will be on display, from paintings to photography and sculpture.

The restaurant is tucked into the far corner of the Walmart Plaza, 656 New Haven Ave.

New restaurant in Derby gets Valley welcome

Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri, fifth from left, helps owner Tom Andrew Wednesday cut the grand opening ribbon at Marco Pizzeria & Restaurant, 656 New Haven Ave., Derby. Next to Andrew is his wife, Janet.

Tom Andrew, a North Branford resident, also owns Marco Pizzeria in Branford. He is a Seymour native. Celebrating with Staffieri and the Andrews are employees, family, and friends.



My thanks to Sheila O'Malley, Derby's chief administrative officer and economic development director, for sending me this photo. My camera battery died at a most inopportune time.

Fortunately I was able to get this photo off a video I took of restaurant manager Jordan Mann of Branford with owner Janet Allen. They are showing off thin crust pizzas fresh from the oven, which Tom Andrew described as "Wooster Street style."

I wish the Andrews the best of luck at their new location. 

Derby girl pens prize-winning essay, creates pizza at Antonio's

Bradley School students dream up patriotic pies 
 

By Christine DiGrazia

Principal 

Bradley School, Derby

The presidential candidates were asked all kinds of burning questions during the many months leading up to Tuesday’s Election Day: What will you do to improve the economy? How will you create jobs? Will you raise taxes?
Even Pizza Hut tried to get their opinion on their favorite pizza topping: sausage or pepperoni?

But one related question the candidates weren’t asked was recently put to Bradley School third, fourth and fifth graders as part of an essay-writing contest to help promote an Election Day fund-raiser at The Original Antonio’s, an Italian-themed restaurant in Ansonia: “Which pizza toppings would you want the President to choose for the ‘Official Pizza of the United States’? And explain why.”

Fifty students submitted essays that showed as much creativity and cuteness that 8, 9, and 10 year olds could muster using a list of 21 pizza topping ingredients from Antonio’s, the site of the Election Day fundraiser.

The toppings included artichoke hearts, mozzarella, peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni, eggplant and others.
The 10 most creative and well-written essays were given to Antonio’s owner Chris Setaro to judge for three top prizes.
First place went to fifth grader Natalia Wyszkowski, 10, of Derby who combined artichoke hearts, extra mozzarella, onions, peppers, tomatoes and eggplant to create her “Our U.S.A. National Pizza.”

Natalia won the opportunity to make her prize-winning pizza from scratch in Antonio’s kitchen with Setaro and then eat it with her parents, Grace and Jaroslaw, who moved to the United States years ago from Poland, and her brother, Gabriel, a Bradley School first grader.
Natalia is in Cindy Klabonski's fifth-grade class.

First, Setaro showed Natalia how to toss the dough to make the crust; then he helped her spread the sauce on top. Next, she added all the toppings and Setaro helped her put the pie into the oven.

Ten minutes later, Natalia was sharing her special creation with her family as dozens of Bradley School students and their families ate at nearby tables.

Below is the contest question, followed by Natalia's essay:

 “Which of the following pizza toppings would you want the President of the United States to choose for the”Official Pizza of the United States?”


The pizza toppings I would want the President of the United States to pick are artichoke hearts, extra mozzarella, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant.
Each of these toppings has a reason behind it and is yummy for the “Official Pizza of the United States.”
I chose artichoke hearts as a symbol to ensure everlasting love in this wonderful country and fondness for each other.
I believe extra mozzarella would stand for us (people) because no matter what cultures, we are one big nation and should “stick” together, like the cheese that keeps all the toppings together.
Onions would also be important. They would maybe cause us to shed tears to honor the soldiers, the wounded and especially the ones who lost their lives that many families are grieving for.
Peppers are spicy and would symbolize our toughness and dedication to the United States.
Tomatoes would provide pride and strength in the American blood that flows through our veins.
Finally, eggplant so we can plant crops.
Eggplant also promises that we have a tough exterior, but that we are definitely kind and friendly softies on the inside no matter what our stories are.
Together, these seven toppings make us the best of the best and this “Our U.S.A. Nation” pizza is symbolic of who we are and where we stand.
They are the reason we also offer helping hands, and I actually think that with these toppings, any pizza will be outright delicious!

“I read her essay and the tears were coming down,” said  Grace Wyszkowski as she watched NataIia make the pie at Antonio’s Tuesday. “I was in shock, it was so beautiful.” 

Wyszkowski said her daughter is “a big reader. She reads in the car. She reads in bed. I have to tell her to shut the light, that it’s time to go to bed.”

Natalia said the essay she entered was the first draft she had written and that she wrote it without help. She said she chose the toppings first and then thought of how each would apply to the president or the United States.

Second-place winner Claire Douglas, a fifth-grade student, was cited by Setaro for her “Liberty Pie,” a pizza shaped like the Liberty Bell. 

On her pie were red bell peppers, “which represent American farmers, who are so important to our country” and “onion for the many layers of American society.”

Claire’s sister, Amelia, a third grader, won third place for her “All American” pizza, which was shaped like the Statue of Liberty. On it would be jalapeno peppers, “because you have to be brave to eat them and barbecued chicken, because Americans love to grill.”

The other students whose essays made the top 10 were: fifth grade, Vanessa Adamski and Manuela Zapata; fourth grade, Cole Boulton; third grade, Shayne Kichar, Benjamin Smith, Alyssa Iorfino, and Piotr Drozdz.

As Natalia was sharing her pizza with her family, she looked up and noticed a classmate at a table on the other side of the restaurant. “That’s the boy who won the contest the first year,” Natalia said. Sure enough, at the table sat Arthur Newberg, a fifth-grader at Bradley School who had won the first pizza essay contest for Bradley School in 2011. 

Arthur’s entry, “The Fun Guy (Fungi) Meat Pie,” had been Setaro’s top choice in that contest and Arthur got to make that pizza in Antonio’s kitchen that year. 

As Arthur joined Natalia in the kitchen at Antonio’s Tuesday night, the cameras flashed for him once again.