You may know Mike. He’s a bartender at The Shipwright’s Daughter, one of the places that’s making Mystic known as one of the best restaurant destinations in the country.

The Connecticut Restaurant Association (CRA) has announced the honorees and finalists for the 2025 CRAZIES Awards, an annual event which recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s hospitality community.

Meet American Seafood, Stonington’s wholesale operation.

“Tessa has mentored shellfish farmers in Connecticut for over 20 years,” said Gilman, assistant extension educator with CT Sea Grant. “The cool thing about this class is it creates this ecosystem.”

You may wonder, what is a ditty bag? Since the 1700s, sailors have used canvas ditty bags made from used sails to store personal items and tools.

… But agriculture has been changing in Connecticut, a quiet revolution that’s not just about legal marijuana. As the UConn banquet demonstrated, there are changes in what is grown.