wagmag August 2011

august 2011

Bauer finds ‘Joy’ in nutrition Tasty Turnarounds

Business pros turn foodies

thought food for

Grape Expectations

Bacchus in WAG Country

farm tables

Styled for chic dining

The love of tennis

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August 2011

FARM TO MARKET 12 THE INSATIABLE PALETTE 15 FROM ICE AGE TO ICE BOX 17 ROOTING FOR THE LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY 18 THEIR JUST DESSERTS 22 TO MARKET, TO MARKET… 24 A PERFECT PAIRING 25 WHERE’S THE BEEF? 26 FIELD FRESH 28 DOING WHAT COMES NATURALLY 30 ROOF TO TABLE 32 OIL FUTURES 33 SERVING WITH STYLE 34 CULINARY CONVERSATIONS 36 SPORTY FEASTS 38 GETTING SCHOOLED IN GOOD FOOD 43 THE JOY OF HEALTH 51 WINTOPIA 54 pressing matters 60 TENNIS fever

Lisa Schwartz of Rainbeau Ridge Farm with one of her goats. See page 18.

Photograph by Bob Rozycki

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august 2011

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The name game.

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We wonder: Do you eat to live or live to eat?

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PUBLISHER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dee DelBello FOUNDING PUBLISHER Mary Ann Liebert EDITOR IN CHIEF Georgette Gouveia EDITOR Bob Rozycki ART DIRECTOR Caitlin Nurge DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY David Bravo SENIOR STAFF EDITOR Kelly Liyakasa CLASS & SASS COLUMNISTS Martha Handler • Jennifer Pappas STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Anthony Carboni • Ryan Doran • Bob Rozycki MEDICAL SPECIALISTS Dr. Michael Rosenberg • Dr. Erika Schwartz FINANCIAL SPECIALIST Scott Weinfeld FEATURES ADVISER David Hochberg CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jane K. Dove • Patricia Espinosa • Bill Fallon • Roger Garbow Geoff Kalish, MD • Barbara Nachman •Dana Ramos Mary Shustack • Jen Wilson • Zoë Zellers PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Alison Kouzmanoff RESEARCH DIRECTOR Alissa Frey CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Sylvia Sikoutris DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING Susan Barbash DIRECTOR OF SALES CONNECTICUT Marcia Pflug SALES REPRESENTATIVE Jed Wilson

WAG A division of Westfair Communications Inc. 3 Gannett Drive, White Plains, NY 10604 Telephone: (914) 358-0746 Facsimile: (914) 694-3699 Website: thewagonline.com Email: ggouveia@westfairinc.com

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All news, comments, opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations in WAG are those of the authors and do not constitute opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations of the publication, its publisher and its editorial staff. No portion of WAG may be reproduced without permission.WAG is distributed at select locations, mailed directly and is available at $12 a year for home or office delivery. To subscribe, call (914) 694-3600, ext. 3020. All advertising inquiries should be directed to Susan Barbash at (914) 358-0746 or email sbarbash@ westfairinc.com. Advertisements are subject to review by the publisher and acceptance for WAG does not constitute an endorsement of the product or service. WAG (Issn: 1931-6364) is published monthly and is owned and published by Westfair Communications Inc. Dee DelBello, CEO, dd@thewagonline.com Marie Orser, Chief Financial Officer Barbara Hanlon, Associate Publisher Anne Jordan, Sales Manager Caryn McBride, Executive Editor Bob Rozycki, Editor

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DAVID BRAVO

JANE K. DOVE

Nick Bollettieri is one of the

most influential people in the world of tennis and a legend who has transcended the sport. In 1978, he founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy (NBTA) in Bradenton, Fla., the first full-time tennis boarding school to combine intense training on the court with a custom-designed academic curriculum. With this proven method he coached 10 No. 1 world players.

John F. Maisano, a retired

president of Revlon in the U.S. and Canada, founded Safari and Beyond as a hobby in 2005. His passion for travel had taken him to all seven continents and some of the most remote places on earth. His favorite was Africa, where he has gone on 23 safaris in 30 years. He has personally planned hundreds of private, custom safaris for clients from all over the world.

Dr. Julie Tobak is a board certi-

fied gastroenterologist at Scarsdale Medical Group practicing out of its Harrison office. She received her medical training at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Montefiore Hospital/Albert Einstein Medical Center. Julie is expert in endoscopy and colonoscopy, and serves on the Board of Advisers of the American Cancer Society.

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PATRICIA ESPINOSA

RYAN DORAN

Bill fallon

Eileen Hochberg is director of

Conservation Outreach at Westchester Land Trust.

She works with landowners, municipalities and community groups on permanently preserving their land through conservation easements, land donations and acquisitions. Together with volunteers, she started WLT’s”Local Land, Local Food” Farmers Network program.

Alissa frey

roger garbow

martha handler

GEOFF KALISH

KELLY LIYAKASA

Jennifer pappas

Dana Ramos

MICHAEL ROSENBERG

ERIKA SCHWARTZ

Mary Shustack

Scott weinfeld*

jen wilson

Bob Rozycki is editor of this fine

publication and has spent many a sleepless night ensuring all the Is are dotted and Ts crossed. He has worked from Schenectady to SoHo and has traveled every road not taken in the Hudson Valley. He finds solace at his home in the woods, taking photographs and staring up at the nighttime skies with his favorite beagle, Flash.

Zoë Zellers brings her edgy, chic and

savvy perspective to WAG through soirées, photos and writing. She will also help envision and embellish the creative direction of WAG and its parent company, Westfair Communications Inc., events. This graduate of New York University Gallatin School of Individualized Studies keeps busy modeling, cooking, painting and living green.

*Scott Weinfeld is investment group director and vice president with Signature Securities Group Corp, a registered broker-dealer, investment adviser, licensed insurance agency, member FINRA/SIPC. FINRA requires the following disclosures: Options: OPTIONS INVOLVE RISK AND ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL INVESTORS. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THE OPTION STRATEGIES PROMOTED WILL ACCOMPLISH THE STATED OBJECTIVES. OPTIONS TRADING IS CONSIDERED SPECULATIVE AND MAY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF A PORTION OF OR ALL OF YOUR INITIAL INVESTMENT, AND/OR FUNDS IN EXCESS OF THE PRINCIPAL INVESTED. PRIOR TO BUYING OR SELLING AN OPTION, YOU SHOULD REFERENCE THE CHARACTERISTICS AND RISKS OF STANDARDIZED OPTIONS, “OPTION DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT” (ODD).

Futures: THE RISK OF LOSS IN TRADING COMMODITIES CAN BE SUBSTANTIAL. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE CAREFULLY CONSIDER WHETHER SUCH TRADING IS SUITABLE FOR YOU IN LIGHT OF YOUR FINANCIAL CONDITION. IN CONSIDERING WHETHER TO TRADE OR TO AUTHORIZE SOMEONE ELSE TO TRADE FOR YOU, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING: IF YOU PURCHASE A COMMODITY OPTION, YOU MAY SUSTAIN A TOTAL LOSS OF THE PREMIUM AND OF ALL TRANSACTION COSTS. IF YOU PURCHASE OR SELL A COMMODITY FUTURE OR SELL A COMMODITY OPTION. YOU MAY SUSTAIN A TOTAL LOSS OF THE INITIAL MARGIN FUNDS AND ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT YOU DEPOSIT WITH YOUR BROKER TO ESTABLISH OR MAINTAIN YOUR POSITION. IF THE MARKET MOVES AGAINST YOUR POSITION, YOU MAY BE CALLED UPON BY YOUR BROKER TO DEPOSIT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL MARGIN FUNDS, ON SHORT NOTICE, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN YOUR POSITION. IF YOU DO NOT PROVIDE THE REQUESTED FUNDS WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME, YOUR POSITION MAY BE LIQUIDATED AT A LOSS, AND YOU WILL BE LIABLE FOR ANY RESULTING DEFICIT IN YOUR ACCOUNT. UNDER CERTAIN MARKET CONDITIONS, YOU MAY FIND IT DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO LIQUIDATE A POSITION. THIS CAN OCCUR, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE MARKET MAKES A “LIMIT MOVE.”

C H R I S B U I L D E R S

O F

A N D

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W R I G H T

H O M E S … B U I L D E R S B U I L D E R S

F O R

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I

n Edna Ferber’s heartfelt Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “So Big” (1924), Dirk DeJong is a farmer’s son who has lost his way.

His single mother, Selina, had raised him to believe that there are only two kinds of people who really matter in life – wheat (farmers, those in touch with the land) and emeralds (artists, those in touch with the life of the mind). But Dirk, who sets out to become an architect, is soon seduced by the charms of the ambitious, materialistic Paula Storm and the lure of big easy money in the stock market of the Roaring ’20s.

That is until he encounters the idiosyncratic painter Dallas O’Mara. Who and what will he choose? The novel has justifiably one of the most tantalizing open endings in all of literature.

As I read what our wonderful Waggers – foodies all – have wrought for our farm-to-market issue, I couldn’t get “So Big” out of my mind. Here are page after page of people who are both wheat and emeralds. In Dana Ramos’ stories on Gwenn Brant, owner of Daisy Hill Farm, and Nancy Kohlberg, owner of The Flying Pig restaurant and Cabbage Hill Farm, you’ll encounter the spirit of Selina DeJong in two women in touch with the land, their customers and their own hearts.

That same quality pervades Bob Rozycki’s take on accountant turned olive-oil importer Ersilia Moreno, Mary Shustack’s study of business professionals who found culinary second acts, newcomer Zoë Zellers’ visit with Jeff Konchalski, owner of the shop Nature’s Temptations, and Bill Fallon’s interview with urban farmer Annie Novak.

That these people have succeeded in various aspects of farm to market is all the more admirable when you realize that food has been a two-edged sword ever since the Serpent tempted Eve with an apple. As guest Wagger and gastroenterologist Julie Tobak notes, even when food’s good for you, it may not be good for you. And the terms “natural,” “organic” and “farm fresh” can be confusing, writes our own Dr. Erika Schwartz.

Mostly, though, our ambivalence toward food lies at the intersection of our

necessity and our will. “We love food.

But we don’t necessarily love healthy food,” says dynamic “Today” show nutrition and health expert and August covergirl Joy Bauer, who helps us sort through the minefield of eating.

Yet despite our ambivalence, we persist in our relationship with food and therefore farming, often soaring to new aesthetic heights, as Kelly Liyakasa demonstrates in her Q & As with chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Stephen Mancini and Eric Gabrynowicz of Restaurant North.

Food and farming are in our national DNA. (See our farm history and food in art pieces.) Still, as everyone knows, it’s more personal than that.

My Aunt Mary, who raised me, was a professional cook. And much of our intense relationship was played out in some of the best meals I’ve ever eaten – Belgian waffles, ravioli, turkey dinners with all the trimmings, cream cheese and apricot tarts.

I could go on. But alas, she didn’t. I could sense the beginning of the end when she lost interest in her cooking.

But by then something strange and almost miraculous had happened: I had suddenly developed the ability to stuff a pork roast. It was as if all those years sitting in the kitchen reading Edith Wharton while she cooked, my brain had back-burnered her recipes and techniques, adding her wheat to my emeralds.

So I cooked for her as she once did for me, and I realized that when you grow food or prepare it, you touch the divine.

How well I remember our last Easter dinner when the portal of her lost mind opened long enough for her to look me in the face and say, “I love you.

Thank you.”

In many ways, food is love.

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The insatiable palette Garden of earthly delights, indeed

By Georgette Gouveia

In a 2009 Nancy Meyers movie, Meryl Streep plays a baker who has a fling with her ex (Alec Baldwin), just as her interest in an architect (Steve Martin) is heating up. Like all Meyers’ films, this one is pure Martha Stewart porn. Though everyone seems to have a demanding career, the characters spend most of their time luxuriating in splendid surroundings – houses, hotels, glass-filled offices – and eating. Streep’s baker bonds with the architect over homemade chocolate croissants. Later, the ex-hubby shows up at her gracious home for a night of rapture, informing their suitably bemused adult kids at the breakfast table the next morning that their mother is a wonderful cook.

The movie is titled “It’s Complicated,” which just about sums up our – and the arts’ – attitude toward what we eat.

“Food is the most profound relationship we have with nature,” says Mia Brownell, a New Rochelle-based painter, and professor of art at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, who specializes in scientifically inspired still lifes. “It’s the intersection of our bodies and agriculture.”

And of our needs and desires. We have to eat. We want to eat. But we also want to eat whatever, whenever we want and still remain miraculously thin, toned, youthful and beautiful – to have our cake and eat it, too, as it were. No wonder artistic depictions of food are more layered than a sandwich at the Carnegie Deli.

It has been thus ever since the 16th century when Dutch painter Pieter Aertsen and his nephew, Flemish painter Joachim Beuckelaer, pioneered the still life with a helping of both spirit and flesh.

“These first images have a moralizing dimension,” says Peter C. Sutton, executive director of the Bruce Museum in Greenwich and one of the foremost authorities on northern Baroque art.

Often these Old Masters paintings juxtaposed huge piles of meat with such biblical stories as Jesus in the house of Martha and Mary, a parable of the virtues of contemplation.

Mia Brownell’s “Still Life with Bird and Bee” (2011), oil on canvas, private collection, New York City, courtesy of Sloan Fine Art, New York City.

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“Here food is a symbol of vita carnali,” says Sutton, curator of “Brueghel, Rubens, Jordaens… Masterpieces of European Painting From the Hohenbuchau Collection” (through Sept. 20 at the Liechtenstein Museum in Vienna), which contains many still lifes and banquet scenes. “It’s food as temporal, food as carnal.”

It wasn’t long, however, before artists loosened earthly food from its biblical moorings and went straight for the sensuous and sensual. The gleaming grapes, spotted apples and striped figs in the paintings of Caravaggio (1571-1610) are as ripe as the heavy-lidded, full-lipped boy toys who offer them to the viewers.

Amid the Impressionist and Postimpressionist foodies, Sutton points to Manet’s brioches, Renoir’s strawberries and Cezanne’s peaches and pears, all caressed in color. (Not one to miss a beat, or a buck, the publishing world has a whole series of books on the Impressionists’ and Postimpressionists’ relationship to food – “The Impressionists’ Table,” “Monet’s Table,” “Van Gogh’s Table,” among them.)

Certainly, Manet’s “Le déjeuner sur l’herbe” (1863) made blatant food’s connection to sex with its nude female subject – picnicking with two fully clothed dandies – as part of a still life that includes bread, fruit, an overturned basket and her discarded clothes.

Paul Cézanne’s “Dish of Apples” (circa 1875-77), oil on canvas, explores the sensuous link between food and art.

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A century later, Hollywood – which never met an orgy scene it didn’t like (“The Ten Commandments,” “Cleopatra,” “Caligula,” “Perfume”) – presented one of its wittiest depictions of food and sex in the Oscarwinning adaptation of Henry Fielding’s ribald novel “Tom Jones.”

Here happy-go-lucky Tom (Albert Finney) and Mrs. Waters (Joyce Redman) share a little culinary foreplay at an inn. As the camera cuts back and forth between the two, they sink their teeth and fingers into moist, juicy (chicken) breasts and thighs, leaving little doubt in the viewer’s mind as to what will be served for dessert.

Lust and gluttony are two of the seven deadly sins and no sin can go unpunished for long, can it? In the vanitas paintings of the Baroque, such as the “Still Life” by Johann Friedrich Gruber (1662-1681), the wine jar lies empty on its side, the cantaloupe has been cut, the orange peel unspooled. The vanitas still lifes take their theme from Ecclesiastes (“vanity of vanities, all is vanity”). Food is perishable, and so are we.

“To look at the way a society treats food,” Mia Brownell says, “is to reveal how it treats itself.”

It wasn’t long before artists loosened earthly food from its biblical moorings and went straight for the sensuous and sensual.

In the 20th and 21st centuries – in which war and technology have combined to create a segmented, mechanized world – food has become a metaphor for the divided self. The joyless performer in Franz Kafka’s short story “A Hunger Artist” (1922) can never be satisfied – neither by any sustenance nor by the attention he receives.

Cuban artist Tania Bruguera’s contemporary performances, which involve nudity, bondage, raw meat, rotting sugar cane and redolent tea bags, suggest not only the oppressiveness of the Castro regime but women’s ambivalent responses to their own bodies.

Even Mia Brownell’s elegant still lifes – with their opalescent grapes, protein strands and chicken carcasses – remind us of science’s uneasy relationship with nature.

But it isn’t all spilled milk and spoiled goods. Sometimes, to rewrite Freud, a cookie is only a cookie. Or in the case of the madeleine delectably crumbling in a cup of tea in Marcel Proust’s “Remembrance of Things Past,” sometimes a cookie is the floodgate of memory.

Think of Lucy and Ethel trying to keep up with the bonbons on the assembly line – and consuming more than they box – in the classic “I Love Lucy” episode; Paul Newman’s Cool Hand Luke defiantly downing those 50 eggs; Juliette Binoche playfully whipping up confections and joie de vivre in “Chocolat.”

And for every Hollywood movie or TV series in which the dinner table is a battleground (“Ordinary People,” “American Beauty,” CBS’ “Bluebloods”) there is one in which it is a foretaste of heaven. Food, like art, is transcendent.

In the 1987 Oscar winner “Babette’s Feast,” the title character – a French maid to two pious spinstersisters in 19th-century Jutland – uses all her lottery winnings to create a sumptuous repast for them and their pastor-father’s strict congregation.

At first, the guests resist the epicurean delights placed before them. But gradually, they – and we – are plunged into an experience of color and life that heals old wounds, revives past loves and replenishes the spirit.

At the end, however, one of the sisters regrets that Babette has spent all her money on the feast.

“An artist,” she responds, “is never poor.”

It is, you see, that complicated.

And that simple.

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Mia Brownell’s “Still Life with Double Helix” (2007), oil on canvas, private collection, Boston.

From ice age to ice box A select history of regional farming

T

By Georgette Gouveia

hey’ll never be mistaken for Iowa. But Westchester County and the rest of the Hudson River Valley, along with Fairfield County, have been historically rich in dairy farms, fruit orchards and fishing – all of which have played a key role in the development of this area and of our nation.

It didn’t start out that way, however. If, as Freud said, biology is destiny, then so, too, is geography.

“This is glacial territory,” says Gray Williams, New Castle town historian.

“Twelve thousand years ago, a glacier came through, pushing the topsoil to what is now Long Island and dropping off stones and rocks in its wake that were a major impediment to farming.”

Nevertheless, the Algonquian peoples who inhabited this region when the English and Dutch arrived in the early 17th century had created a migratory culture

that provided them with a wide variety of nutrients – although late winter was a lean period. The Native Americans here planted beans, corn and squash – the socalled Three Sisters crops – along with Jerusalem artichokes, a type of sunflower whose tubers were used as root vegetables.

They gathered berries and tree nuts. In the warm-weather months, they harvested clams and oysters – some as big as dinner plates – that were then plentiful along the Hudson and the Long Island Sound and fished for sturgeon and shad. In the winter, they moved inland to hunt wild game, including deer, beavers, rabbits and squirrels.

When the English settled in what is now Connecticut and the Dutch West India Company and subsequently the English came to what is now New York, they learned from the native peoples what worked agriculturally and what didn’t.

They had to, says Dorothy Curran, president of the Westport Historical Society,

Preparing the ground on the Cutting Farm in Westport about 1870. Today the ground is part of the Longshore public golf course. Courtesy Westport Historical Society’s archives.

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Students get a lesson in 18th-century farming at Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow, a circa 1750 farm and gristmill that was owned by the powerful AngloDutch Philipse family but actually run by 23 enslaved Africans. Photograph by Anthony Pellegrino.

whose summer-long “Back to Our Roots” exhibit celebrates 350 years of farming. “(The English settlers in Connecticut) needed to make it work,” she says. “They needed to grow food to live on.”

The Dutch in New Amsterdam (New York) had to embrace subsistence farming as well.

“When the Dutch moved in to exploit the beaver trade, they needed to have farmers to supply food as they couldn’t afford to import it,” says Charles Gehring, director of the New Netherland Research Center at the New York State Library in Albany.

But as Gehring notes, the ever-practical Dutch soon saw the advantage of raising cash crops like wheat to make bread and grain alcohol.

“The Dutch always had their bakeries and their breweries,” says Kathleen Hulser, public historian and senior curator of history at the New-York Historical Society Museum & Library in Manhattan.

Soon various types of mills began dotting the region. Among the extant examples is Philipsburg Manor, a mid-18th century gristmill and farm in Sleepy Hollow that was owned by the Philipses, an Anglo-Dutch family of merchants, and operated by 23 enslaved Africans, with a group of European-born farmers serving as tenants.

The importance of mills and farms such as Philipsburg Manor in the 18thcentury cannot be overstated.

“During the Revolution, the Hudson Valley was the breadbasket of the colonies,” Gehring says.

But it wasn’t just wheat that the colonists marketed. Williams says that farmers in Bedford and Somers would drive their 16

cattle and sheep to market in Manhattan, either on sloops boarded at Ossining or Croton-on-Hudson or along the Post roads, where they stopped at drovers’ inns.

Among these inns was the still-extant Wayside Cottage on the White Plains Post Road in Scarsdale.

In Connecticut, too, cash crops and market boats that plied the Long Island

Philipsburg Manor, an 18thcentury working farm and gristmill in Sleepy Hollow, is now administered by Historic Hudson Valley. Photograph by Rob Yasinac

Ulysses S.) Grant would not move the army without his shipment of onions. They flavored food, traveled well and were rich in vitamin C, which prevented scurvy.”

After the Civil War (1861-65), an onion blight spurred Connecticut farmers to move on from the labor-intensive onion to apple orchards. During the Gilded Age that followed, painters like the American

They’ll never be mistaken for Iowa. But Westchester County and the rest of the Hudson River Valley, along with Fairfield County, have been historically rich in dairy farms, fruit orchards and fishing – all of which have played a key role in the development of this area and of our nation.

Sound and a network of rivers became increasingly important at the beginning of the 19th century. What revolutionized farming in the region and ushered in the idea of farm to market, though, was the advent of the railroad in the 1840s.

“The railroad changed everything,” Gray Williams says, enabling dairy farmers to deliver milk, butter and cheese to Manhattan every day on special milk trains.

Orchards, too, sprang up, bearing peaches, cherries and especially apples, which traveled well and could be turned into cider.

But one of the area’s most crucial and intriguing products had nothing to do with dairy or fruit. It was the humble onion, produced in Connecticut fields fertilized by seaweed from the Sound Shore.

“By the Civil War, Westport was the largest producer of onions for the Union Army,” says Dorothy Curran. “(Gen.

Impressionist, and Ridgefield resident, J. Alden Weir turned many of Connecticut’s farms and barns into artist colonies and studios. At the same time, gentlemen farmers like newspaper editor and politician Horace Greeley, whose 78 acres encompassed much of downtown Chappaqua, cut swaths across Westchester County.

“Around the turn of the 20th century, New York City elite made farmers here an offer they couldn’t refuse,” Williams says.

“The hilltopper era had begun with the wealthy building farmhouses on hilltops that looked down on everything and everyone else.”

What really sounded the death knell for local farming, he says, was the rise of the suburb in the early 20th century in the wake of both the extension of New York City’s elevated subway line and the increasing popularity of the automobile.

During the Great Depression, there

was some subsistence farming in the area, while the 1940s saw the development of the victory garden to help sustain the homefront and thus free up produce for the troops fighting in World War II. But the tide had turned. With the rise of frozen foods in the 1950s and ’60s, homemakers no longer had to rely on fresh, locally grown produce. Even the Upper Hudson Valley and the Mohawk River Valley, where dairy farming remained a way of life, had yielded to city developers and horse farms by the 1970s, says Gehring, who worked for 15 years on his family’s farm in St. Johnsville, Montgomery County.

“Now it’s turning around,” he says.

Gehring points to an article in the July 3 (Albany) Times Union that explores how the upstate arrival of Chobani, the No. 1 Greek yogurt producer in the country, has “helped spur a mini-resurgence in New York’s dairy industry.”

Farther south in Fairfield County, farmers markets, community gardens and CSAs (community supported agriculture) – collaborations between farmers and consumers – have been catching on, Curran says. Westport restaurants such as Le Farm, River House and Dressing Room – the last a joint venture between Paul Newman and chef/food activist Michel Nischan – are committed to locally grown produce. So are stores like Stew Leonard’s in Yonkers, Danbury, Norwalk and Newington, which has been priding itself on featuring berries, cherries, corn, eggplant, squash, peaches, peppers and tomatoes from tristate farms since it began in 1969.

All of which demonstrates that while you can take the region off the farm, you can’t take the farm out of the region.

Rooting for the local food economy

By Eileen Hochberg, Westchester Land Trust

W

ith a nod to “Field of Dreams,” the motto for the Westchester Land Trust’s Local Land, Local Food Farmers Network program could very well be “If you build it, he will come.”

The Farmers Network captures the energy of the resurgence of agriculture in Westchester and surrounding counties and focuses on developing and expanding our local food system. With the help of extremely enthusiastic volunteers, the program launched in December 2009 and was an immediate success. It quickly grew to an alliance of more than 200 members representing every component of the food system, including landowners, farmers, chefs, restaurateurs, schools, hospitals, farmers market operators, retailers and nonprofits. In the process, Westchester Land Trust (WLT) has become a go-to organization for anything and everything having to do with local food and agriculture – and we are loving it.

As a premier land preservation organization, it made total sense for Westchester Land Trust to jump into the local food movement and initiate the Local Land, Local Food Farmers Network program. At the heart of our food system is land. How can we develop a food system without it?

Since our inception in 1988, WLT has preserved more than 7,500 acres of land in 28 communities throughout Westchester, from our urban to our suburban and rural areas. We have done this in partnership with private property owners, as well as by helping communities create new parks and preserves and fostering sound landuse planning. Protection of agricultural land has always been an important part of Westchester Land Trust’s conservation strategy. More than two dozen of our conservation easements allow agriculture and WLT has been an integral partner in two successful New York State Farmland Protection grants to protect working farms.

The Farmers Network program was created as a logical outreach program for WLT’s open space preservation mission, whereby we could continue to preserve and build upon the unique agricultural heritage of Westchester County.

The ultimate goal of the Farmers Network for Westchester Land Trust is to persuade landowners to preserve their land for agriculture permanently and/or provide them with the economic security necessary to avoid selling their land for development. One way this goal is being accomplished is via the network’s newly created Landowner-Farmer Match

Linsay Cochran of Back to the Garden at Kitchawan Farm is working to keep her family’s farm in agriculture.

Program, where landowners with land to lease are being matched with farmers looking for land. Lease arrangements are critical to keeping the farmers in business and growing food in or near Westchester, as many farmers cannot afford the price of land in Westchester and surrounding counties and are looking for land to lease.

This summer there are 10 farm operations participating in the program, working on land owned by others. This includes the arrangement Westchester Land Trust has with the Food Bank for Westchester, where we are one of five sites participating in a new Food Bank program of growing fresh produce for the hungry.

Another key ingredient is farmer-chef networking, which is crucial to the farmers’ success. We have held two great events to date that have resulted in relationships not only with restaurants, but also with hospitals, child care centers and nursing homes.

We are holding another one Sept. 27 together with Westchester Country Club, Slow Food, Metro-North and the Chefs Association of Westchester and Lower Connecticut. The “Tasting of our Local Harvest” event, 6 to 9 p.m. at Westchester Country Club in Harrison, is primarily an industry networking event, but tickets will

be available to outside guests who want to get a firsthand look at our food system.

The Farmers Network meets once a month from December through March for educational presentations, networking and group discussions. A highlight this year was a presentation and discussion of the network’s shared responsibility to provide healthful, sustainable, local food to our community, including the traditionally underserved. Presenters included two physicians, a chef from Northern Westchester Hospital and an expert in developing sustainable food systems.

Agriculture is an important conserva-

tion value benefiting the public and the Local Land, Local Food Farmers Network allows us to expand our efforts to preserve agricultural land, help create a local food system that will keep farmers on the land, contribute to the health and nutrition of all area residents and help reduce hunger.

We have enjoyed being able to contribute to these worthwhile causes, while focusing on preserving agriculture and agricultural land in Westchester and surrounding counties.

For more information, call Eileen Hochberg at (914) 241-6346 or email her at eileen@westchesterlandtrust.org.

17

Their just desserts Professionals carve out tasty second acts

Story By Mary Shustack Photographs By Bob Rozycki And Mary Shustack

Lisa Schwartz with her Kerry cow, Destiny, on her farm, Rainbeau Ridge, in Bedford Hills.

18

T

here’s sometimes that temptation – usually after a long and difficult day at work – to daydream about chucking it all. Investigate that field that always intrigued you. Become your own boss. Follow your dream.

The business of food, be it as a farmer, manufacturer or restaurateur, has long lured career-changers.

Just look at Nina and Tim Zagat. The power couple behind the famed Zagat dining guides were both lawyers before they turned their attention to the world of “food, decor, service and cost.”

In addition, Lillian and Miles Cahn sold Coach, the leather goods company they founded in the 1940, and turned to dairy farming at Coach Farm back in 1985. While the Cahns now own the land but not the business, their legacy lives on at the thriving Dutchess County site and in its artisanal goat cheeses and yogurts.

It was a similar move that Nancy and Tom Clark took back in the 1990s, transforming their Columbia County getaway into something more.

Tom, who had started a private equity firm in Greenwich, and his wife, an interior designer who ran her own company in Rye, had a second home in Old Chatham, N.Y. Turning back to something Tom had

enjoyed when growing up in Poughkeepsie, the couple took to farming. They ended up buying one near their getaway, and in 1993 began the Old Chatham Sheepherding Co., which has become the largest sheep dairy farm in the nation.

Known for making award-winning cheeses and yogurts, the couple eventually sold their home in Rye. At first, Tom said, Nancy was based at the farm full-time while he commuted. Several years ago, he made the move up there permanent.

“I got to a point where either I had to take over and run it myself – or get out of the business… I would say it was a good thing.”

And does he miss the days in the investment business, even though he remains active on the board of several companies?

“Yesterday, I was out baling hay and working with the animals,” he said, without a hint of regret.

A HEALTHY OUTLOOK

Lisa Schwartz, who once worked in management consulting, now promotes healthy living and sustainable farming at Rainbeau Ridge Farm in Bedford Hills.

She tends animals, grows produce and also creates award-winning goat cheeses on the property.

On a recent afternoon, she pulls out her camera to show off a photo of a goat.

“I used to have pictures of my children on

my phone but now…” she said with a laugh.

Indeed, a step onto the Rainbeau Ridge property finds a visitor amid goats and cows, turkeys and hens, a llama here, a cat scampering there. The lucky ones get to see a peacock spread his glorious feathers.

As Schwartz said, the farm is a place for “cheese, eggs, produce and lots of animals.”

But it’s also a place of learning, with Schwartz and staff offering cooking classes, cooperative farming and children’s programs.

“People are more sophisticated about the food they’re eating,” she said.

It all began some nine years ago, when Schwartz and her husband, Mark, created the farm on property adjacent to their longtime home. She had spent the previous decade as a full-time mother after a career as a management consultant in retail financial services. (Her husband and partner in the farm remains in the financial world, investing in renewable energy and green businesses).

Schwartz says it’s like the “shoemaker’s children” – for all her background, she started Rainbeau Ridge without a business plan.

“I said ‘I can do this. I built myself a chicken coop. I got myself some one-dayold chicks, and we were off to the races.”

The cheese, which was made commercially available six years ago and has gone on to win numerous awards, is sold in gourmet stores and cheese shops and

served in tony restaurants. It’s all handdelivered by Rainbeau Ridge staffers, including Schwartz.

“We’re out there,” Schwartz said. “We do everything ourselves – sales, distribution. We are it. We jump into our cars.”

And it’s for a reason.

“We are all about the quality of our product, the integrity of our products and the relationship with the customers.”

And it all ties back into the farm’s trademark, “Making Sustainable Living Second Nature.”

“The notion of bringing people together over food is a tremendous thing,” she said.

It’s what finds the Schwartzes at the farmers market in Pleasantville each Saturday – and traveling the world doing philanthropic work, from supporting farming causes in India to AIDS research in Africa.

“This part of my life is enormously fulfilling. And I think just a chapter in the story, not the beginning or the end.”

SOME LIKE IT HOT

Nirmala Gupta’s chutneys – a mixture of spices, fruits and herbs used as glaze, marinade, sauce or spread – were long a favorite of her family and friends.

But, there was a moment when her family recipe became something more.

One of her daughters was visiting her in

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Bombay Emerald Chutney (photograph by Bombay Emerald Chutney Co.) Jennifer O’Connell of The Cupcake Kitchen and Luncheonette in Irvington. Rainbeau Ridge Farm goat cheese.

2003, Gupta said, and asked for (lots) more of her mother’s specialty.

“Are you really eating that much?”

Gupta said she asked. The daughter admitted she was sharing with friends.

And that was the final push to start the Bombay Emerald Chutney Co. A few months later, the Yorktown Heights woman was preparing her specialties for a wider audience, starting with the farmers market in Ossining.

“We didn’t know if we would sell even one jar. We took a chance.”

And today, the company produces a whole line of gourmet chutneys – along with other Indian specialties such as samosas – in a commercial kitchen in Mamaroneck.

It’s become the ideal job as well for Gupta who in 2007 retired after 22 years as a systems analyst in the health insurance business. The background, she said, helped.

“I was familiar with research and all that.”

And she feels great pride in her products.

“They don’t have anything other than fresh ingredients – other than the spices, of course.”

That pride extends to the fulfillment she gets out of every sale, often made through one-on-one contact at a farmers market.

“The customers, they like to meet the owner and the person who’s producing the product.”

And for her, that’s more valuable than any day in an office.

“The feeling is very different. I’m not doing this for money, but I get pleasure 20

out of it. Satisfaction.”

DELI AND DELICACIES

Those who stop by Trotta Foods in Thornwood might find Ed Trotta behind the counter, ready to make them a hearty sandwich for lunch. But they might also find him in the back, overseeing the making of the fresh pasta the shop has long been known for. Other days, he’s out on the truck, making wholesale deliveries.

It’s a long way from his days drawing blueprints and figuring out solutions as a mechanical engineer for Universal Oil Products in Darien. Though he long worked at the family food business – “I never had to look for a summer job” – as it evolved from the Bronx to New Rochelle to Thornwood, Trotta found success in engineering. Ultimately, however, it meant more management and less handson work.

“That’s when I became a little disillusioned about the whole thing. As I moved up, it became more of a cubicle” and not a field job.

These days, he’s the one selecting fresh asparagus at the farmers market for the seasonal crab-and-asparagus ravioli and the one deciding just when he can sneak in a day at the beach.

“I’m hands-on control,” he said. “I don’t have to wait on someone.”

And he’s more than proud to carry on what was begun by his parents, Orlando (Al) and Anna, back in the 1950s.

“It’s funny,” Trotta said. “I think initially my dad was disappointed I left the

Ed Trotta worked in mechanical engineering before returning to his family business, Trotta Foods, which makes fresh pastas and other specialty foods.

engineering. But now I think he would be happy the business carried on.”

SWEET ENDING

Jennifer O’Connell’s place of business is perched high above the Metro-North train station that she passed through – twice a day – when commuting to Manhattan for more than 10 years. The Irvington woman got tired of missing so much of her young children’s lives and felt a real disconnect with her community.

That’s no longer the case, as her charmingly retro dining spot, The Cupcake Kitchen and Luncheonette, finds her close to home and close to residents she now knows quite well as she serves up awardwinning breakfast selections, along with sandwiches and healthy gourmet-style salads, Jane’s Ice Cream and of course, her trademark cupcakes.

“When you look at The Cupcake Kitchen, that’s not what you expect,” O’Connell said.

Today, she has a makeshift office at a rear table but is ready to step up to the grill or cupcake display in a moment’s notice.

“I guess it was always in the back of my mind to have a little place.”

While she still enjoyed her job, she became more and more disenchanted. She’d be on the 7:40 a.m. train and home by 6, on a good night. “I missed everything.”

O’Connell, who grew up in Ardsley, started out studying nutrition at Albright College in Reading, Pa. Her plans to become a dietitian soon fell out of favor as she switched over to studying art and design.

“I decided running around a hospital telling people what to eat wasn’t my thing.”

Instead, O’Connell went on to become a Manhattan-based fashion designer who spent 14 years with an intimate-apparel company, finally leaving when her job as director of design just wasn’t working for her lifestyle. While she still enjoyed the job, “the business itself changed a lot,” leading to what she felt was a bit less creativity.

She spent four years, including working with a career coach, to figure out her next phase.

“I wanted to be closer to home,” she said. “I wanted to have a connection to the community and I wanted to have more flexibility to my life.”

And she has all that – and more.

Those namesake cupcakes continue to fly out the door, with custom orders for the tiny treats, along with all kinds of cakes, from birthday to wedding, a growing segment.

Though only two years old, The Cupcake Kitchen and Luncheonette has garnered a number of rave reviews and awards. O’Connell would like to think that it can become a part of Irvington lore, for local kids to have as “part of their memory growing up.”

And on a recent afternoon, as a young toddler licked the pink icing clean off her cupcake with her mother and grandmother looking on, it looked as if O’Connell has gotten her wish.

And she didn’t have to take the train to get it.

To market, to market …

F

resh, seasonally grown fruits and vegetables produced locally have always been the hallmark of area farmers markets. But the new generation offers much more, including meats, bakery products, cheeses, prepared foods, honey, jellies and jams, plants, seedlings and even crafts, to name only a few goodies.

By Jane K. Dove

Hyde Park Farmers Market

Anyone interested in combining shopping for fresh local produce with a visit to three of the Hudson Valley’s premier attractions –the home of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Vanderbilt Mansion and The Culinary Institute of America – need look no further than the nearby Hyde Park Farmers Market, located in a shady, park-like

Westport Farmers Market

Lorie Cochran-Dougall, market director for the Westport Farmers Market at 50 Imperial Ave. there, said shoppers come from as far away as New Haven for local, organic, sustainable foods.

“We are now in our sixth year and have 30 vendors in our location near Long Island Sound,” she said. “About two years ago, we raised the standards for our vendors and set new criteria for participation, including requiring them to donate food regularly to feed the homeless at The Bridgeport Rescue Mission. The mission prepares 40,000 meals a month, incorporating food from our market.

“Our locally produced foods support the regional economy, preserve natural resources, and taste great,” Cochran-Dougall said.

Some special items featured at the market – in addition to produce and meats – include milk, yogurt, butter, herbs, artisanal cheeses, fresh brewed and loose leaf teas, coffee, homemade soaps and for those who want to dine al fresco on the spot or take something home, fresh-made tamales and wood-fired pizza.

Cochran-Dougall said the market’s clients are welleducated in healthy eating.

“We enjoy interacting with them and discussing the different items available. We also produce a weekly newsletter that has an educational component.”

The market has obtained corporate sponsors, including MXenergy, Educational Homestay Programs, SavATree, William Raveis Real Estate and the law firm of Cohen and Wolf.

“Their support has enabled us to keep our vendors’ fees reasonable and helped the market grow over the past two years,” Cochran-Douglass said. “We look forward to a great future.”

The market is open Thursdays through Nov. 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and is easy to reach from either the Merritt Parkway or I-95. westportfarmersmarket.com.

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munity.

“Each year we use funds left over from the season for a scholarship for a local student interested in studying some form of agriculture or veterinary medicine in college,” he said. “We are proud of our community and want to show our support.”

The market operates Saturdays through October, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (845) 229-9111.

John Jay Homestead Farm Market

Fresh, seasonally grown fruits and vegetables produced locally have always been the hallmark of area farmers markets.

But the new generation offers much more ...

setting adjacent to Hyde Park Town Hall, 4383 Route 9.

“We are a friendly market my wife Dot and I started about nine years ago,” manager Paul Chenevert said.

“The chamber of commerce gave us their backing and our mission was to market strictly local produce and other products as well as create an activity to bring the community together.”

Chenevert said much of the market’s produce is certified organic.

“We have a vendor of gluten-free breads and carry a complete selection of local fruit, vegetables, honey, maple syrup, pickles, desserts and crafts that include handmade soaps, jewelry and lavender-filled pillows. At present we have about 15 vendors, most from Dutchess County, and are hoping to grow as the economy rebounds.”

Chenevert said another attraction for visitors is delectable pulled-pork sandwiches, smoked pork chops and spareribs cooked on the spot in a big portable smoker loaded with fragrant apple wood.

“The aroma is delightful and draws many people to the market,” he said.

Chenevert also believes in giving back to the com-

In just a few short weeks, the new John Jay Homestead Farm Market on Route 22 in Katonah has become a popular community gathering place.

Operating on the front lawn of the landmark site – home of the U.S. Supreme Court’s first chief justice – the market has anywhere from 15 to 23 vendors.

“Our core farms and vendors are all local,” said Jennifer Gordon, market manager. “We have been careful not to have a lot of duplication among vendors and offer some interesting choices, including cold-pressed, unfiltered extra virgin olive oil; an array of organic, gluten-free peanut butters; old-fashioned New York-style pickles, olives and other pickled products; and a one-of-a kind sweet-hot pepper sauce.”

In addition, the market has an array of fresh produce, meats, bakery products, herbs, meats and artisan cheeses.

Gordon said the farm market plans to expand its ties to the community and provide local nonprofits with the opportunity to take turns setting up tables and explaining their programs.

“So far we have booked the Westchester Land Trust, the Katonah (Village) Library and the Katonah Museum of Art.” The market also offers young people with acoustic instruments the chance to perform on the grounds; and plans are in the works to recruit vendors of prepared foods.

“What we have accomplished so far is pretty amazing,” Gordon said. “People love and understand the homestead. It was once a working farm and we believe this was a project that was meant to be. It fits perfectly.”

John Jay Homestead Farm Market is open through Oct. 15 on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. johnjayhomestead.org.

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Nicole Sult, manager of The Flying Pig. Photograph by Dana Ramos

Baby pigs nursing at Cabbage Hill Farm.

Photograph by Samantha Martens, SamanthaMartensPhotography.com.

A perfect pairing Nancy Kohlberg’s farm and restaurant feed each other

By Dana Ramos There is a natural symbiosis between the Flying Pig restaurant and the 170-acre Cabbage Hill Farm – starting with the fact that both are owned by Nancy Kohlberg. Both are also in Mount Kisco with only a few minutes drive between them and the farm supplies most of the fresh food the restaurant serves.

Then waste from the restaurant goes back to the farm as compost that nourishes new plants – and so goes the food cycle.

Barney Sponenberg is the affable young greenhouse manager at the farm and, as he put it, “The PR guy and just about anything else that’s needed.” He takes me on a tour of one of the farm’s pride and joy – the greenhouse – that features aquaponic systems. As he explains, “It’s a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics, growing plants without soil. The plants grow in the same water used by the fish.” This creates a relationship between animals and plants that maintains a stable aquatic environment and also allows for year-round planting.

There are also standard planting fields, all organic. “Everything we raise is with no pesticides, no hormones, no antibiotics and the animals are fed and raised naturally,” Sponenberg points out as we watch free-range chickens milling around their coops where they are put in the evening for protection against predators.

Cabbage Hill sends its livestock to nearby slaughterhouses. But in the 1980s, the farm had a slaughterhouse that was designed by Temple Grandin, who became famous for her humane techniques and was the subject of an Emmy Award-winning HBO movie last year.

The farm has become a leader in the local-food and locavore movements by raising fish and vegetables as well as heritage breeds – traditional livestock breeds that were nurtured before industrial agriculture caused a drastic reduction of breed variety. The farm’s mission is described as the dedication to the preservation of endangered animals and the practice of sustainable agriculture.

24

We climbed into Sponenberg’s truck and drove around the property to get a good look at rare sheep, huge red Devon cattle and a breed of pigs aptly named Large Black Pig that were temporarily turned brown from frolicking in thick mud. Beautiful Shetland ducks with iridescent, glossy black plumage gathered in shade around a lake and adorable lambs were calling to their grazing mothers. Perfectly idyllic.

I spoke by phone to Nancy Kohlberg, wife of the nowretired Jerome Kohlberg of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR), the legendary private equity firm. The Kohlbergs are major philanthropists with a wide variety of interests, land preservation and protection being one of them. In fact, 70 acres of Cabbage Hill Farm have been preserved forever by a conservation easement to the Westchester Land Trust.

When I asked Nancy how she evolved the farm and restaurant into such special Westchester venues, she laughed. “Good question—it just sort of happened!

When I bought the farm 26 years ago, I just wanted to raise sheep for my weaving. One thing led to another, and we developed our original mission – to help save heritage breeds.”

At the time, Shetland geese were nearly extinct and had almost disappeared in the Shetland Islands.

“We were the first to bring them into the United States.

We became involved in a program with other breeders and it was extremely successful.”

Although she modestly refers to herself as an “amateur,” she helped save the Shetland geese, and they are no longer listed as an endangered species due in large part to her efforts – masterful work for someone who started out with more of a hobby in mind.

Over at the Flying Pig, which Nancy bought in 1998, you’ll find a well-lit, Victorian-style building featuring copper-topped tables and a wood and marble bar. The restaurant became a natural extension of the farm, a way

for Kohlberg to help educate people about the food cycle and organic eating.

“We try to use fresh, local and organic ingredients as much as possible,” said Nicole Sult, the restaurant’s manager. “Our chef, Lesley Sutter, is from northern California, where the slow food and locavore movements began with Alice Waters and others like her. Lesley designs the menu around what’s in season.” Right now, that means creative salads and main dishes with vegetables, pork, beef or chicken supplied by Cabbage Hill Farm. I was delighted with the farm-green flavors of the warm goat cheese salad and wild mushroom pizza that I had ordered off the menu.

“Mrs. Kohlberg has final approval on menus and operations. She is very involved,” Sult said.

In addition to supplying food to the Flying Pig, Cabbage Hill also supplies other eating establishments and markets such as Mount Kisco Seafood, Erica’s Kitchen in Bedford Village and the Croton Creek Steakhouse. Cabbage Hill also has a booth at the John Jay Homestead Farm Market in Katonah.

This summer, for the first time, the Flying Pig is offering family-style farm dinners at Cabbage Hill. The fixed price includes a tour, five courses of entirely local and seasonal fare with wine pairings, hors d’oeuvres and live music.

What could possibly be a more wonderful way to experience the freshest foods grown right in the backyard?

The Flying Pig, 251 Lexington Ave. in Mount Kisco, is open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner and Sunday for brunch. (914) 666-7445 The Cabbage Hill Farm, 205 Crow Hill Road in Mount Kisco, offers tours the first and third Friday of the month. (914) 241-2658 Seating is limited for The Flying Pig’s family-style farm dinners at Cabbage Hill Farm. For dates, reservations and more information, call The Flying Pig.

Where’s the beef? At Snow Hill Farm

By Zoë Zellers

F

armers at North Salem’s Snow Hill Farm want to provide customers with a high-quality difference they can really taste.

“We’re not a Better Homes & Gardens farm, we’re an actual working farm,” owner Laura O’Donohue said, half-jokingly.

That’s why she takes every measure to ensure she’s delivering top-notch, grassfed certified Black Angus beef to local markets such as Nature’s Temptations and Country Farmer, to restaurants like Bedford Post and Sweet Grass Grill and to private schools and eateries in New York City. She also takes the role of stewardship seriously, going to great lengths in maintaining on-site composting, tagging

instead of branding livestock, respecting rather than rushing cattle’s maturing period of 24 months before market, and evaluating solar versus electric fencing to keep bulls in and deer out.

O’Donohue didn’t set out in life to be a farmer, but has an obvious insistence on “doing it the right way.” This could be partially influenced by her experience growing up in the San Francisco Bay area, “where the temperament is very different” or by her grandfather, who worked for the Department of Agriculture – “His group was actually involved in the Smokey Bear campaign.”

Whatever the influence, the result is a relentless quest to research the absolute best management practices to put her name behind.

“This is really my vision. We don’t

NATURES’S TEMPTATIONS • highest quality natural and organic foods • best local produce and groceries • knowledgeable and helpful staff • warm and friendly environment • new 6,000 square foot location in Ridgefield • organic kitchen, deli and juice bar • award-winning holistic chef

cut corners.”

Snow Hill has partnered with and meets sanctions set by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (she’s on the board, too), the Watershed Agricultural Council and the National Audubon Society, to name a few.

The farm’s grass-fed beef is “going to taste different than a feedlot operation.”

O’Donohue pointed out, “The meat is leaner and does not have that fatty taste.

This is far more healthful for consumers… and for the animals since we have to be much more thoughtful.”

O’Donohue was excited the farm had 12 calves this past spring, but has learned to diversify beyond beef.

“To make a profit, it helps to have a

widespread number of crops,” she said, especially given animals’ gestation periods.

Since opening in 2004, the farm’s products have expanded to wool, lamb, heritage-breed Berkshire hogs, fruits, vegetables, honey and firewood.

This season, “We’re in this fortunate position, we’re sold out right now,” O’Donohue said of her Angus beef. “The key thing is that we don’t want to expand beyond our capacity, because we’re driven by quality and we also don’t want to offer more than we can produce,” she said, choosing to keep the 140-acre farm “manageable.”

After all, she says, “A farm is open every single day of the week, whether it’s a holiday or your birthday, it doesn’t mean the animals don’t need to be fed, so we all pitch in and help.”

NATURAL FOOD FOR A HEALTHY LIFE

“We are here to serve the community and to help our customers and their families make healthy choices for a healthy lifestyle.” ~Jeff A. Konchalski, owner, Nature’s Temptations

32 PROSPECT STREET, RIDGEFIELD, CT (203) 438-5443 • www.NaturesTemptations.com 25

Field fresh Daisy Hill Farm in Bedford offers nature’s bounty

E

very summer, we get a chance to rediscover what food is really supposed to taste like. In Westchester County, there are many farmers markets, and one of the best and freshest is on seven sundrenched acres in Bedford – Daisy Hill Farm.

The farm is owned and operated by Gwenn Brant, a tall, toned, tan brunette, who opened the place for business about seven years ago and works the land and store with several friendly staff members.

“Amador is the farm manager who lives on the property and he oversees all the animal-care and farm issues,” said Gwenn as she then introduced his daughter, Natalie. “We think of ourselves as a family run farm,” Gwenn said. “My boyfriend helps out, too, and so does Daisy, my 10-year-old daughter.”

Becoming an organic farmer wasn’t Gwenn’s original plan. She grew up in Stamford, majored in hotel management in college and was married to a successful businessman. The urge to build her own business and live in touch with the land came later.

“I didn’t know anything about gardening when I bought this place. It was a property that boarded retired horses. But I’m not a horsewoman. I consider myself a

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Story and photographs by Dana Ramos ‘people person.’ But I do like to drive a tractor,” she said.

“I made mistakes at first. I learned everything just by doing it, trial and error.”

She grew to love the dedication and challenges involved. There is a lot of weeding and culling and extra work because she and her staff never spray pesticides.

Sometimes, like a couple of years ago when the tomatoes got blight, there were disappointing results.

“But all the local farm tomatoes had fungus that year,” Gwenn explained with an undeterred shrug.

It was hot and sunny and we walked past a pen with two large, snow-white rabbits.

“These are the girls,” Gwenn pointed out, then indicated neighboring pens with gray-brown rabbits. “We have to separate the two boy rabbits because they fight.”

Along with the fat and happy rabbits, the farm has mini pigs, sheep, horses, chickens and ducks.

A woman pulled up in an SUV and two young children clambered out and ran over to the pens. This is a part of the farm’s allure – moms go inside to shop and kids get to visit and feed the animals.

The market is named Daisy Hill Farm Stand, which may conjure images of a rickety roadside structure. But

that is far from what you’ll find here. Instead, you’ll drive through a Bedford neighborhood with exquisite homes, turn on to this well-maintained property and discover a large covered space the size of a small grocery store, featuring a wide variety of fresh-picked produce and freshly made gourmet items. There are peppers, tomatoes, squashes, lettuce, beans, beets, and carrots – this is the short list – as well as fresh breads, cheeses and milk from nearby dairies and beef from local grass-fed cows.

“The eggs were plucked from the henhouse this morning,” Gwenn said, then drew my attention to shelves of locally made jams, salad dressings, marinara sauces, granola, pies – a long list of palate-pleasing and wholesome offerings.

“We also sell Blue Pig ice cream, which is handmade in Croton. And once you have this ice cream, you get seriously addicted. It’s amazing.”

As we walked through the garden fields, Gwenn handed me a bright yellow nasturtium.

“Taste it. These are edible flowers and they make a gorgeous addition to salads.” Indeed, the mild peppery taste is like arugula or watercress. She then picked a pepper and a cherry tomato for me to sample.

“Notice the rich aroma. In stores, even those that sell organic produce, the produce is refrigerated, then put on a truck, then refrigerated again. They lose so much aroma and flavor and vitamins during storage and transport. Here, everything is fully ripe and fresh-picked.”

There is no denying the difference once you taste it. And with foods so naturally flavorful, you will usually find no need for salt or butter – or even to cook them. Nature intended them to be sensational and perfect right off the fields and vines.

Daisy Hill also supplies some local restaurants such as The Bedford Post and Café of Love. Whatever is not sold is donated to charitable organizations or used to feed the animals. Nothing is wasted.

“It is important that people know they can get great healthy foods locally, they don’t need to go to a grocery store and settle for flavorless produce,” Gwenn said.

She took a shaded seat in front of the market to wait for more customers and smiled at the sun.

“I love being outdoors on such a beautiful day. This is the best job in the world.

I can’t imagine ever doing anything else.”

Daisy Hill Farm is open through Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. The farm is at 214 W. Patent Road in Bedford. (914) 244-1132.

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Doing what comes naturally

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Nature’s Temptations’ owner Jeff Konchalski at his juice bar where kids line up for organic smoothies.

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Story and photographs by Zoë Zellers

eff Konchalski – owner of Nature’s Temptations, the customer-centric natural and organic food stores in Ridgefield and Cross River – has three different homeopathic doctors. His “regular doctor” is the last person he’ll see. That’s somewhat remarkable, coming from someone born with spinal meningitis and who suffered continual sickness throughout childhood.

Weak immunity kept him off sports teams and garnered him teasing during his teenage years in Yorktown Heights. But this also served as an extra push for Konchalski, one that shaped not just his career, but his lifestyle and friendships.

He recounted how as a 15 year old he wanted to “beef up, because I was tired of getting picked on.” When working out with a damaged immune system proved challenging, he “rode (his) bike to the health food store in Yorktown, sat on the floor and started to read books.” Konchalski prescribed himself vitamins and supplements and “as I got older, I noticed I was getting healthier and healthier.”

His success inspired his passion and formed his Zen focus on well-being. Konchalski opened his first store more than 20 years ago in Cross River where he dished out health tips and treats unfamiliar or unavailable to many in the early ’80s. The business began to attract Ridgefield customers, who begged Konchalski to open a store there.

Finding the town “cute and quaint,” Konchalski decided to lease a little storefront. Today he’s working out of a 6,000-square-foot space in downtown Ridgefield and still runs a Cross River store.

“We’re servicing a community that needs something like this. It’s possible for someone to do all of their grocery shopping here.”

His longtime customers, who are treated more like neighbors or cousins, shop while they send their youngsters to the juice bar for organic smoothies, “just crushed fruit in a blender and that’s the way it should be.”

The aisles reveal both essentials and splurges.

Products are hand-selected by Konchalski and his chef, Liz Gagnon. Shelves are neatly stocked with items such as locally grown parsley and kale, local eggs in tones of Bahamian-blue seawater, goat’s milk butter (they have plain, organic butter, too), Paul Newman’s dog food, grassfed New York rib-eye steak, wild Connecticut red shrimp, ginger ice cream and chili-mango lollipops. Nature’s Temptations boasts a deli featuring fresh choices like avocado and walnutstuffed collard rolls, an on-site health counselor, an extensive vitamin and supplement section and an impressive beauty aisle with a nice, not overwhelming, selection of organic makeup, deodorants, toothpastes – all the basics, a step above the norm. Take for instance their lavender-scented, all-organic suntan lotion. Tempting, isn’t it?

Konchalski dedicates his life to finding solutions for people he cares about like his diabetic father and the allergy-ridden children of customers. He recommends freeze-dried nettles for allergies, says we should all be taking acidophilus – “like yogurt, but not processed” – to put good bacteria back in our bodies and pushes incorporating raw food into a daily diet.

“I will never stop researching,” he promised.

And when it comes to good grub, Gagnon is a walking encyclopedia.

“Did you know that there’s an egg cycle to chickens?” she asked. “The expression ‘spring chicken’ means that all the fertilized eggs are being born so there’s a lull … these eggs here (the blue ones), you can’t get in April. When you get an egg like this, the flavor difference is so clear next to an egg that costs 99 cents.”

So, after being well-versed, experienced and one of the first of its kind in the area, is Nature’s Temptations scared of a little “natural” competition from Whole Foods and Fairway?

Not according to Gagnon, who finds “there’s no comparison, because they’re a big-box market and we’re not that. We’re here to support the community.”

Konchalski and Gagnon met seven years ago at his store. The organic chef wasn’t looking for work, but their conversation ultimately revealed shared values, visions and stories. The same holds true today as they bounce back and forth discussing the “plight of American culture” and how to change it.

Gagnon said their biggest struggle is, “getting people to understand that supporting the local, independent market, whether it’s us or the hardware store down the street, is vital to the survival of the American culture, plain and simple.”

Konchalski, who might just be the last independent standing at this rate, said his problem with stores like Stop & Shop or Trader Joe’s is that they’re actually not U.S.-based.

He prefers his model to that of Whole Foods, focusing on meeting families’ basic needs, with less emphasis on “overloading” with cool, new products.

Konchalski reminds you that it’s up to the shopper to make his experience “very complicated or very easy.”

Gagnon insisted, “You’re going to get a very good product of high quality picked by people who care.”

Shoppers smile when they spot Konchalski in the parking lot, sitting at the juice bar or working the register. He has no plans to expand business, only to “keep doing what we’ve always been doing – loving and taking care of our customer, and working with the best farms we can.”

Konchalski studied holistic healing to treat his childhood ailments and truly, changed his life in an everyday sense. Now the core of his business is transforming the lives of others.

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Annie Novak at her Eagle Street Rooftop Farm in Brooklyn. Photograph by Adam Golfer.

Roof to table Annie Novak’s green acres are three stories up

By Bill Fallon

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nnie Novak’s roots in agriculture could win the “humbler than thou” contest at the Grange Hall – planting bulbs in the family’s suburban Chicago yard before shipping off to Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, where the furrows are on studious brows and not on the lower 40.

At Sarah Lawrence, Novak majored in chocolate, but perish any thoughts of never-ending s’mores in the dorm. Her studies included a year in West Africa, learning the intricacies of fair trade, and that made all the difference. If at that same imaginary Grange Hall they held an agriculture-themed “more clever than thou” contest, the smart money would bet on Novak. She has mastered the trick of farming on the tar beach of urban rooftops.

Three stories up overlooking the East River in Brooklyn, Novak’s Eagle Street Rooftop Farm is growing multiple crops on 6,000 square feet. This is the farm’s third year and, Novak said, word is spreading among individuals and local eateries alike.

“We’re getting a lot of return customers,” she said of this year’s early harvests. “One of the great strengths of urban farming is that people are already interested in 30

eating healthy, fresh food and in supporting the local economy. Creating an educated consumer base is one of our challenges. When they can engage the growing process and what we’re doing, we’re hoping they will take that knowledge to their next purchase.”

This year’s crop includes several hundred cherry tomato plants of the Isis variety. Novak said she is growing the cherry tomatoes specifically because they do not ship well, and the demand is there for cherry tomatoes that do not require crating and long journeys. Fifteen different types of lettuce also populate the rows, along with various herbs, cucumbers, kale and peppers.

Novak credits Gina and Tony Argento with making the farm possible. It’s on the roof of their theatrical stage warehouse in Greenpoint.

The roof was installed by New York City-based Goode Green: Green Roof Design + Installation. Some 200,000 pounds of a special mix makes up the soil. Novak said that when it comes to rooftop farming, most modern commercial construction with a flat roof will do the job. But those interested should talk with an engineer.

Novak’s work has already caught the attention of her alma mater, from which she graduated in 2005. Besides being co-founder of Eagle Street Rooftop Farm, she is also executive director of Growing Chefs, an educational service for gardening, farming and food preparation that operates under the banner “Broccoli is not boring!”

In January, she delivered the keynote address at the college’s farm-and-food symposium, held in conjunction with the Westchester Land Trust. Her topic: “I spoke about connecting urban eaters to upstate growers.”

With the Eagle Street farm, Novak is connecting urban eaters to herself.

For more on Annie Novak, visit growingchefs.org.

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Oil futures From numbers cruncher to olive oil importer

By Bob Rozycki

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rsilia Moreno is the embodiment of everything Italian, from her expressive face and flowing hand gestures as she talks to her tremendous knowledge of all things related to olive oil. (More on this in a second.)

Her name itself oozes Italian culture.

Ersilia, according to mythology, was the wife of Romulus, who with his twin brother, Remus, founded Rome. And not unlike those mythic characters, Moreno has established her own growing mini-empire with the name that says it all, Olive Oil of the World – an importing company whose products can be found online and at farmers markets in New York, Connecticut and Florida.

After 20 years of running her own accounting firm, it was time for il mio secondo tempo – “my second act.”

Around the 16th year of tallying corporate accounts, Moreno wanted to – needed to – do something different that included her love of olive oil.

Her fascination with the oil that Homer called “liquid gold” began when eight months of study in Italy as part of her college education became a two-yearlong adventure that included a visit to the Middle East and a marriage, now long ended.

She began doing “a lot of research and reconnaissance” on olive oil producers around the world. She had only about four products when she began selling at the farmers market in Palm Beach Gardens. She then added a couple more products and started selling at the West Palm Beach market. She recruited her daughter, Vincenza, and her son, Rasheed, to help out. Moreno grew her one “hobby” farm stand to six markets in Florida and then to a full-time business with an online presence.

After balancing her accounting work and farm markets for three years, she closed her firm April 22, 2010.

The olive-oil business is becoming nearly all-consuming for Moreno. She apologizes for being late for the interview at her sister’s home in Newtown – her summer base of operations – by saying she was scoping out a nearby venue for her products.

Such obsession has its advantages: Moreno attributes her trim figure to being constantly on the run, driving from farmers market to farmers market with an SUV packed with a white pop-up canopy and cases of olive oil. She does

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Ersilia Moreno selects olive oils like these personally, visiting the countries in which they’re produced.

Former accountant Ersilia Moreno enjoys her second act, which involves selling imported olive oil at farmers markets.

all the heavy lifting – literally – carrying the cases to and from the markets. She also handles the Internet orders, wanting to create that special connection with her customers: “It’s not selling a bottle of oil and arrivederci.”

People who love good olive oil are not unlike those who have a passion for good wine, she says. (There are even olive oil sommeliers. Moreno spent an intense two days learning from one in Verona.)

“My target demographic are those willing to spend a little more for something better.”

But, she adds, “I see the people who visit my stand. They’re not all uppermiddle class.”

She goes on to relate how one visitor spent $20 in food stamps so she could enjoy good olive oil.

“I’m not going to price my oil out of reach. I don’t want to sell above $25.”

The only time she goes above that price is for novello, which is the first pressing of an oil in a small amount by the farmer. To ensure freshness, Moreno air-ships the special oil, which means a higher cost than the normal transport.

She imports from each of the 26 oliveoil producing countries in the world.

“Italy has special status,” she says, pointing out that there are 16 oil producing “states” in the country. “I have eight of them right now.” Italy also has more than 520 varieties of olives –

“some table, some oil, some both.”

Moreno cultivates personal relationships with olive oil producers in Italy, Turkey, Israel, Greece, Jordan, Morocco and Spain, to name a few. In order to guarantee the authenticity of the olive oil she imports, she visits all the producers.

“I have to go there. It’s that personal connection.”

One particular trip to Calabria, Italy is memorable not only for its length – “seven hours in a car on winding mountain roads” – but what Moreno found on the mountaintop, a delectable chili paste consisting of five different chili peppers and all made by hand. She was sold and now sells the paste.

She also heard of a small farm in Sicily that had 600 olive trees and an owner who never sold his oil outside of Italy. Moreno contacted him, and “he shipped me on his own dime” a bottle.

She loved it and is now going to import his oil.

Thanks to olive oil, il mio secondo tempo is turning into la dolce vita.

“My goal is to take care of myself, pay the bills, live the last part of my life comfortably … and travel.”

To find Ersilia Moreno at one of the area farmers markets, visit oliveoiloftheworld.com/markets/.

Serving with style

By Kelly Liyakasa

In Alison Awerbuch’s industry, it’s about the food and the feeling.

It’s about seeing your guests savor pecan praline chocolate-covered bacon and the smile that comes when they learn the table’s recyclable centerpieces are close to compostable.

“The great thing about catering is that not only do I have the opportunity to create new dishes, I have the opportunity to do so much design work,” said the partner and chef of Abigail Kirsch Culinary Relationships.

Serving fare by way of plate or platter has evolved. Food can come by butler or be shared family-style.

This spring, Awerbuch created a roving cart concept for signature dishes in a sampling format.

There is “a three-dimensional vertical buffet with small shelves that the food sits on in various tiers,” Awerbuch said. “We have used this for elaborate bar snack presentations and miniature dessert presentations.”

That intricacy and continuous invention has kept clients coming back to the caterer’s New York City and Tarrytown venues despite the heavy hit to corporate meetings and events in the tristate region following the economic crash. Reduced quality in the name of cost-savings was never an option.

“All of our costs, including food products, paper supplies, insurance, etc., have increased tremendously,” Awerbuch said.

“Luckily, we have been able to sustain the business changes over the past few years and are now starting to see some upswing in business where our clients are doing more entertaining, having more guests at their events and requesting more food and beverage enhancements.”

This is especially true in the New York City corporate market, she says, with more signs of life on Wall Street.

The recent passage of legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in New York state could also mean an uptick in business for wedding caterers and event planners.

“We’ve not seen any great impact as of yet, but our friends and contacts within the LGBT community have told us to expect it,” said James Warke, event manager at OnTheMarc Events Co. in Stamford.

“Apparently, the coincidence of the bill passing and the start of Pride in New York City this summer led to a massive outpouring of celebration and good feeling just at the implication of the bill passing rather than any mass rush to the altar.”

Warke said the company is looking forward to the effects the bill will have on upcoming wedding seasons.

Changes extend beyond choice in partner. Clients are getting savvier.

“They’re more hands-on now,” said

Greenmarket flatbread salad. Photograph provided by Abigail Kirsch Culinary Relationships.

Craig Pellis, executive chef and owner of Silver Spoon Catering in Mount Kisco.

“People say they have a venue or are looking for a venue where they can bring an outside caterer in… People want control over what their centerpiece is. I just did a wedding where we had orchids and fresh leis flown in from Hawaii. The bride’s mom did all the research.”

Caterers are also moving in an eco-chic direction.

“I’m doing a lot of high-end, disposable bamboo plates and supplementing that with real glassware,” Pellis said.

So, too, is Abigail Kirsch.

“In the past five years, we have done more and more to follow the sustainable movement in many of our day-today operating procedures,” Awerbuch said. “We’ve switched to green cleaning products, use real plates during all of our staff meals instead of disposable plates, switched to low-flow water equipment and implemented the use of recycled paper for our printers.”

The sustainable effort has simultaneously trickled into Abigail Kirsch’s food through its “100 Mile” and “Farm-toMarket” menus, which feature an assortment of artisanal charcuterie, cheeses, fruit and vegetables from Hudson Valley, Long Island and New Jersey farms.

Before Chilean sea bass made the endangered species list, guests requested the fish 80 percent of the time, Awerbuch said. The consumer – and the caterer – adapted by selecting and serving alternatives like tilapia, Alaskan halibut and mahi mahi.

The sustainable revolution – with words of “free-range” and “all natural” –

circulating supermarkets, tastings and primetime television, has only been a positive for the caterer.

A more knowledgeable consumer with diverse taste buds enhances the creative

process. Like the pecan praline and chocolate-covered bacon Abigail Kirsch drums up, Awerbuch said, they’re using more “out of the box” items that may have experienced neglect in years past.

42 nd Fine Crafts Fair August 20 & 21, 2011 on Garrison’s Landing in Garrison, New York 1 hour North of NYC & West of CT

An intimate affair with 90 vendors known for their unique, high quality handmades for body & home New food court, non-stop & diverse live music Free River rides on historic 47 foot sailing sloop

Step off the TRAIN & into the FAIR

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Stephen Mancini and Eric Gabrynowicz at Restaurant North. Photograph by Kelly Liyakasa.

Chef Dan Barber. Photograph by Susie Cushner.

Culinary conversations

By Kelly Liyakasa

Restaurant North

Blue Hill at Stone Barns

Stephen Mancini and chef Eric Gabrynowicz were spoiled in the city. After all, when weather permitted, they had the famed Union Square Greenmarket at their disposal. The young duo cut their teeth in Danny Meyer’s Union Square Café before creating their own culinary baby, the acclaimed Restaurant North on Main Street in Armonk, which features refined farm-to-table offerings. The particular day I pop in, the parking lot is packed.

It’s warm outside and balmy breezes float through the cozy dining room, opening out to tables through French doors. Here are excerpts of our conversation.

Fancy phraseology aside, what’s the true definition of “farm-to-table?”

Gabrynowicz: “It’s creating the closest pathway from the earth to the plate. It’s a matter of sourcing great quality ingredients from good farmers, most of which you try to keep as local as possible. For me, it’s finding sources for the ingredients that care about the ingredients as much as I care about the finished product going to the plate.”

“Top Chef,” The Food Network … how has pop culture changed the consumer?

Mancini: “It’s a dialogue. People actually talking about it brings awareness, which will allow what chef (Gabrynowicz) is talking about to actually happen. Where before it was a ‘niche-y’ group of people who were kind of like ‘food dorks’ talking about it, I think now it’s more mainstream.”

You two met at the venerable Union Square Café (Mancini as wine and spirit director and Gabrynowicz as sous chef ). Was that the glue that 34

A farm-fresh tasting at Blue Hill. Photograph by Antoinette Bruno

kept you together?

Mancini: “I was probably 25 at the time, and it’s actually kind of funny. We’re both Mets and Jets fans, so the horrible performance of the teams has kept us close friends throughout the years.”

old Coca-Cola technique called Corney keg and we carbonate our sodas in-house. …If there’s ever a sweetener used, we use agave syrup and it’s all organic and local: The spearmint and blueberries come from Madura Farms in Pine (Island).”

So you’re both “losers,” then.

Gabrynowicz: (laughs) “Masochists have to stick together.”

Is it easier to remain true to your vision in the summer?

Gabrynowicz: “Oh, it’s so hard to cook in the wintertime! It’s a challenge every season. In the summer – and this is a great problem to have – there’s so much going on that in order to show everything the love that it deserves, as far as ingredients from the area are concerned, that’s a tough thing. In the wintertime, it’s getting the client base to stand behind or to keep reinventing root vegetables for six months. Nobody wants to eat a Jerusalem artichoke or a sweet potato in February, because they’ve been eating it for five months. But that’s what the land has to give you. And I think our job is to keep reinventing dishes and keep giving people new things to be jazzed about.”

You’ve just celebrated Restaurant North’s first anniversary. Talking menu, what’s a hot-seller that you hate making?

Gabrynowicz: “The beauty of owning your own restaurant with a friend is if you hate making something, it doesn’t go on the menu.”

What’s something fun and funky that patrons can expect this summer?

Mancini: “We’re doing homemade sodas with all local-market fruit. We just made a blueberry spearmint soda, so that’s fun and hyper-seasonal also. We use an

Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills crafts its cuisine using produce and livestock from the neighboring Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture’s 6.5-acre working farm and the owners’ Blue Hill Farm in the Berkshires.

As executive chef and co-owner of the Westchester restaurant and Blue Hill in Greenwich Village, (which proudly calls President Obama and the first lady patrons), Dan Barber was recognized as one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2009. An advocate and authority on food and agriculture policy, Barber was also appointed to serve on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.

Where do you go to get inspired?

Barber: “I get inspired by my cooks, my farmers, by visiting a museum. There are a lot of ways to get inspired. I like to think of it as unplanned and tending to be cumulative, so it’s hard to define.”

How has a more educated consumer changed the way restaurants operate?

Barber: “You have a diner who wants to know more about where their food is coming from and more differentiated product. …For good quality, you generally need to go to smaller farms. Smaller, artisan producers give you that. It’s very powerful: The food movement of sustainable agriculture is in part led by chefs.”

You don’t have set menus at Blue Hill.

Barber: “You sit down and have a list of ingredients we have from different farms each evening and sort of change it

every day. It’s an interesting way to look at food, as it’s being determined to a large extent by the farmers and not the chef.

The world we live in today – the distribution system is so involved. It’s quite easy to get anything you want from any part of the world in any season. The challenge is in ecology and environmental region. … the way that chefs are responding is by being creative about their menus. It’s saying, ‘What does the ecology say that it wants me to use?’ It’s a very different approach to food.”

Where do you eat when you’re not in the kitchen?

Barber: “At home. I don’t really go out to eat since we’re open seven nights a week in New York and five nights a week in Westchester.”

For all you foodies, here are some other great farm-fresh finds: Le Farm, 256 Post Road East, Westport.

(203) 557-3701. lefarmwestport.com.

The Farmhouse and The Barn at Bedford Post, 954 Old Post Road, Bedford.

(914) 234-7800. bedfordpostinn.com.

Crabtree’s Kittle House, 11 Kittle Road, Chappaqua. (914) 666-8044. kittlehouse.com.

Elm (coming soon), 73 Elm St., New Canaan. elmrestaurant.com.

Blue Hill at Stone Barns exterior.

Photograh by Jen Munkvold.

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The Great Hall at Yankee Stadium

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Sporty feasts At the track, the ballpark and on the court, all in a day

aving a complete summer day of sporting events coupled with culinary delights doesn’t just mean a trip to a single borough, but rather a trek through the state from north to south and old to new.

Start with breakfast at the racetrack in Saratoga Springs – 20 minutes north of Albany and south of Lake George Village – a picturesque pastime that offers the right combination of New England time-honored and Adirondack pastoral.

For this taste of true northeastern Americana, rouse yourself early: It’s first come, first served between 7 and 9:30 a.m. at The Porch of the Clubhouse, the only place to watch the ponies stretch and the world of Saratoga Racetrack come alive. The two-story restaurant sits deep in the grandstand and looks out on the great manicured expanse of the track, giving spectators a light breeze and a bit of romanticism.

Sit back in your picnic chair and savor a cup of coffee or two before you prepare a trip to the farm-fresh buffet, laden with sourdough toast, mid-melt butter, crepe-thin ham slices, Swiss omelets or Hollandaise-dripping eggs Benedict.

Casual attire, a pair of sunglasses and a smile are all you need: The track takes care of the rest. Mary Ryan, a lifelong horsewoman and the morning voice of Saratoga, helps to pace the meal by providing expert commentary on the horses’ workouts while you nibble on the remnants of toast or sip deep red Bloody Marys made with locally grown Brandywine tomatoes sent over from The Jim Dandy Bar on the other side of the clubhouse. The running commentary serves as a kind of storytelling or a

36

Story and Photographs by Ryan Doran

Banana cream pie from Champion Bar & Grill at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

point of reference for meandering and happy conversations with friends old and new.

A quick trip back to your room around 9 a.m. to collect your bags, and it’s on the road (specifically, I-87 or the Taconic State Parkway) to the Bronx and the new Yankee Stadium.

You’ll arrive an hour early for the 1:05 first pitch, giving you plenty of time to find parking in Ruppert Plaza or the 153rd Street garage. From each you can pay homage to the former stadium location, which is now Heritage Field. The stroll to the Babe Ruth Plaza entrance could typically warrant the sighting of a tailgating old friend or two and the offer of a mustard-slathered dog and bun.

But if you’re looking for some crisp wheat brew and the satisfaction of a game-day ale to set the tone, take a turn over to Stan’s on River Avenue. There you’ll find some of the most devoted fans and a majority of badge-of-honorwearing Bleacher Creatures.

Once you’ve quenched your pregame thirst, it’s time to

get inside, grab a box of Cracker Jack and settle in. Don’t make the mistake of getting a meal too early in the game.

You’ll have to deal with people finding their seats, long lines and the uncomfortable situation of holding food while trying to stand for the national anthem. What makes baseball the game of dog days and summer dreaming is its pace and length, both of which should be respected. At the start it’s better to sit back, watch the new kid on the mound and crunch on peanuts and caramel corn.

Pick an opening just after the Bombers are at bat to walk the food court that stretches from left field to right.

If you had the time and were settling in for a night game, a sit-down burger, salad or barbecue from The Hard Rock Café at Yankee Stadium, or prime dry-aged beef, fresh seafood and a glass of wine at NYY Steak –the stadium’s in-house restaurants – might have been options. But this is a midday summer game, and that means sampling the finest Yankee fare, the melting pot of concessions. The choices range from Highlanders – where you can find staples like Hebrew National hot dogs, Premio Italian sausages, Bazzini peanuts and New York-style pretzels – to the Hideki Matsui-birthed idea, the Noodle Bowls and Sushi Stand.

Some most-valuable-purveyors include the Garlic Fries Stand; Brother Jimmy’s BBQ, with its inviting southernbarbecued pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches and Lobel’s of New York, where you can find prime strip, filet mignon and prime rib fresh-cut sandwiches, with a pickle on the side, of course. For those of us who downed a dog on the way in, fruit and salads from the Melissa’s Farmers Market offer lighter options.

Vendors have terrific views and multiple flat screens

ensure fans don’t miss a moment of the action. But if you find yourself in the midst of a home-run streak or no-hitter, it can be hard to pull yourself away. For such an occasion there will always be the vendors patrolling the stands to satiate your hankering, whether salty or sweet. The vendors seem to be clairvoyant about cravings and can drop a condiment-furnished dog into your palm at 20 yards.

After breakfast at the track and lunch at the park, it’s about time to round out your gourmet day with some court time. A quick switch from your casual Cano jersey to a Lacoste polo, khaki shorts and Sperry Topsiders will put you right in style for a ride down the Westside Highway and across the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. You’re headed for Flushing Meadows, Arthur Ashe Stadium, and the home of the country’s premier tennis event.

With days of multiple matches scheduled, the U.S. Open is a once-a-year experience, and that goes for the food as well. As you walk along the stone paths and bridge toward the multicourt venue that sits in the shadow of the iconic 1964 World’s Fair globe, the street vendors of Queens give way to the tailored cart operations of the Carnegie Deli, Fresca Mexicana, Fulton Seafood, Glatt Kosher Cart, and Sweet and Savory Crepes. The crowd

at the U.S. Open is decidedly international, and so are the tastes.

For easygoing bites, there are open eateries like Mojito Restaurant and Bar, Patio Café and Bar, the Heineken Red Star Café, Baseline Cocktails, Wine Bar Food or Food Village, where regional cuisines representing the competitors are prepared.

After a long day of sport, though, your appetite must be reignited and for that you’ll need a proper fine meal. Your choices are Aces or Champions Bar and Grill, both on the club level in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Aces has a vibrant atmosphere, with vaulted ceilings that allow you to breathe in the summer night scents while you dine on sushi and other seafood and sample the extensive wine collection. Alternatively, the Champions Bar and Grill has a classic setting, with deep leather and wood accents that evoke the Open’s history. The setting is an appropriate place to wax nostalgic about champions of years past or discuss an up-and-coming player’s serve over prime steaks, fresh seafood and piquant salads.

Whichever your choice, you will undoubtedly have a satisfied palate that will enhance your enjoyment of the keen competition and the New York twilight of a sporting summer day.

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Missy Chase Lapine, an Irvington author (and mother), has long advocated healthier eating for children, as exemplified by her “Sneaky Chef” series of books.

Jamie Oliver, celebrity chef, author and food activist, starred in “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” on ABC. The show put a spotlight on his campaign to encourage healthier eating among American children. (ABC/Greg Zabilski photo.)

Getting schooled in good food

By Mary Shustack

Hot dogs, French fries and chocolate milk – foods that school kids have gobbled up for decades – have come under intense scrutiny in recent years.

With childhood obesity, diabetes and other health problems on the rise, the fillers and the fats, the sugars and the salt of these lunchtime favorites are under the microscope.

First lady Michelle Obama has perhaps most visibly led the way, planting a garden in the White House to demonstrate the benefits of fresh produce, while also promoting “Let’s Move,” an initiative to motivate children to exercise and eat better.

But others are taking up the cause, as well.

Celebrity chef, author and food activist Jamie Oliver transformed his British “Feed Me Better” campaign into America’s “Food Revolution,” with an accompanying ABC show. Oliver’s spotlight has also been credited with helping get the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 passed by Congress.

As students wind down their summers and head back to the classrooms, many will find menus continuing to evolve.

Locally, there are plenty of encouraging signs, said Peter Richel, a Mount Kisco-based pediatrician and chief of the department of pediatrics at Northern Westchester Hospital.

“It does vary, district to district,” he said. But overall, “in some ways, I think that we are ahead of the curve.”

He pointed to school districts that have implemented on-site gardens, offer healthier choices (“less processed and more fresh”) and in some cases, have turned the whole menu “upside down.”

“The healthier food choices in the cafeteria is absolutely the way to go,” Richel said.

“We are taking steps in the right direction.”

And it’s needed.

38

First Lady Michelle Obama hands a spinach plant to a student during the spring planting of the White House Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn of the White House, March 16.

(Official White House photo by Lawrence Jackson.)

“As pediatric clinicians, we certainly see signs of the obesity epidemic in infancy,” he said, pointing out that parents can turn to resources such as Healthy Kids NOW in Northern Westchester for guidance.

The nationwide problem, he said, is due to both familial factors such as metabolism, as well as “our practices in the home.”

Richel said parents need to develop healthy habits for their children, “not allowing them, out of love and good intentions, to graze all day” and not using food to quiet a child.

The good habits need to carry over even more to the schools, though it seems a number in the area have already taken the plunge.

The Greenwich public schools, for example, have long had a health and nutrition committee in place, said Kim Eves, the district’s director of communications.

Another example is the wellness committee in the Chappaqua Central School District.

Lisa Randolph, the school-lunch manager for the past 13 years at the Scarsdale public schools, said her district is in an advantageous position since it doesn’t participate in the federally assisted National

School Lunch program, which offers free and reduced-price meals.

“We don’t have guidelines as strict,” Randolph said. “We’re pretty much free to do as we please and that’s a good thing.

And money is not an issue. We can offer fresh vegetables every day.”

They even bring in vegetarian sushi from a restaurant.

“We stay within our community and try to get healthy and nutritious things from within.”

And things always change, with Randolph holding taste tests before introducing new options.

“The lunch program evolves every year,” Randolph said. “We try to teach (students) to make good nutritional choices.”

That, she said, is supplemented by what’s taught in the classrooms.

She said salad bars, pastas and paninis will always be in the company of French fries – but here they are always fresh-cut and might be made with sweet potatoes.

As kids get older, their tastes also change, Randolph said.

“Most kids are health-conscious. They

watch the calories. I think we have to get them to eat. They want to be thin.”

But they also want to feel good, to have energy for activities in and out of school.

Missy Chase Lapine of Irvington, an author known as “The Sneaky Chef,” has two daughters in the Irvington public schools.

“I’m a mom, and I’m trying to feed my own kids healthy foods,” she said.

Lapine – who has worked with several area school districts (and has her recipes served at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital) – said parents need to be able to team up with schools that, she said, are “not successful enough.”

“I’ve seen them take away (but) not put back good options,” she said. “You just can’t take out the bad.”

There’s no point, she said, replacing favorites with a “moldy old salad bar” that doesn’t appeal.

“Kids should not go hungry at school.

The solution is to take the favorite lunch meals and make them healthier.”

Lapine, whose fifth book, “The Speedy Sneaky Chef” (Running Press) will be released in January, said to look at a childpleaser such as baked ziti.

In Lapine’s world, the dish would be made with whole-grain pasta, reduced-fat cheeses and a marinara sauce infused with cauliflower, sweet potato, carrots and zucchini.

“By doing that, the calories and the fat go way down,” she said. “It still has to look like their favorite meal and it has to taste really very good.”

It’s dishes like these she’d like to see on school-lunch menus to help kids eat healthier and avoid “foggy thinking.”

That way, she said: “They’ll feel better.

They’ll think better in school. We’re a superpower. We need to raise super kids.”

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By Patricia Espinosa

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At Yellow Monkey in Cross River, owner Heidi Johnston mixes old with new, like this 12-foot farm table. The top is 1880 Dutch #158 2011_Layout 1 5/19/11 and theWAG trestleMAG baseJUNE is made of new painted wood. 9:51 AM

rom its humble beginnings as a work surface and dining space, the farm table has found its way into some of today’s most luxurious homes.

Its very unadorned and utilitarian simplicity make it arguably the single most versatile piece of furniture one can own. True to form, this table is at home in the kitchen, breakfast and dining room, home office, potting shed, screened-in porch and covered patio. And like a favorite pair of well-worn jeans, it can be dressed up or down, mixing seamlessly with rustic, classic and modern decor. My favorite way to refresh a wooden farm table is by pairing it with mid-century Bertoia wire metal chairs to create a dramatic contrapuntal look that is both richly historic and cleanly modern.

The American version was first crafted in colonial times by farmers, who out of necessity used inexpensive, readily available wood planks. Sometimes an underneath shelf was added. Rarely was the wood cured or kiln-dried.

Instead, the wood was air-dried, which over time led to the inevitable cracks and twist that are characteristic of Page 1 original farm tables. Small wooden bowties were often

cut into the table across the crack to keep it from lengthening and widening further. These trademark “imperfections” are what help identify antique tables from those made today.

From its humble beginnings as a work surface and dining space, the farm table has found its way into some of today’s most luxurious homes.

As people began to prosper and become more sophisticated, the basic farm table evolved into a more refined state with the addition of turned legs, and more intricate woodworking techniques. Lumber mills began offering kiln-drying and harder woods, such as oak and maple,

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As the name implies, the Brooklyn Farm Table is made of wood found all around Brooklyn.

Balsamo Antiques’ farm table blends 19th century and Modern. The top is Belgian zinc, while the bottom is made from reconstituted 19th-century barn wood planks.

Restoration Hardware’s Salvaged Wood Collection includes this rectangular extension table, handcrafted with unfinished, solid, reclaimed pine timbers from 100-year-old buildings in Great Britain.

This tavern table comes from The Federalist in Greenwich, which specializes in handmade reproductions of 18th-century American pieces.

40

which were utilized by craftsmen to produce more durable and stylish products.

Paints and varnishes were now available.

All served to transform the basic farm table into an elegant dining table.

Antique farm tables are expensive and hard to find. Perhaps that’s why many people opt for new pieces made from reclaimed wood, which are more affordable and environmentally friendly since all the wood is recycled. Another advantage is that size, height, color and wood can be made to order.

Today skilled artisans like Ralph Gorham, founder of Brooklyn Farm Table, can be found meticulously recreating the archetypal farm table.

“The Brooklyn Farm Table in its classic form,” he explains, “is a trestlestyle table with a two-inch thick top, fully crafted from the majestic turnof–the–century wood found all along the Brooklyn waterfront and adjoining neighborhoods.”

One of the many pleasures of having his handcrafted tables is the appeal of “owning a little piece of Brooklyn.”

If you’ve been to the mall in the last year, you’ve likely noticed how great Restoration Hardware looks. It might have something to do with its shift from largescale mass production to offering unique luxury design that is accessible and tasteful. Artisans, like London antiques

dealer and furniture reproducer Timothy Oulton, were enlisted to create the Salvaged Wood Collection. It includes rectangular extension tables, handcrafted with unfinished, solid, reclaimed pine timbers from 100-year-old buildings in Great Britain; $2,595-$3,195.

The Federalist, a Greenwich store specializing in handmade reproductions of 18th-century American pieces, offers an easy-to-use rectangular-shaped tavern table with breadboard ends made of tiger maple and large painted William and Mary turned legs.

“The beauty of buying reproductions is that you can customize the table to your specifications.” says owner John Ehrlich; $1,850-$3,500.

Balsamo Antiques’ twist on the farm table is a blend of 19th century and Modern. Its Belgian zinc-top trestle dining table has a trestle base made from reconstituted 19th-century barn wood planks. The added modern zinc top is seamed and there are decorative nail heads used as accents. The table can be used indoors or out. It is recommended that the table be covered or brought into an enclosed space depending on the weather and location; $7,950.

George Nakashima established himself as one of the most notable 20thcentury furniture designers in the world.

After his death in 1990, his family and

fellow woodworkers continued his tradition of creating exquisite furniture from richly grained hardwoods. The heart of Nakashima’s design philosophy was reverence for the trees used to craft his furniture. Each tree, Nakashima believed, has its own character and soul. It is the craftsman’s mission to express this essence. He allowed the form of the wood to dictate the furniture’s shape. Fixing cracks with butterfly joints, Nakashima maximized imperfections in the wood, allowing flaws to enhance the piece’s distinctive beauty. With its simple contours, Nakashima’s Conoid dining table recalls the free-form lines of those of early American farm tables. Prices on request.

At Cross River’s Yellow Monkey, farm tables abound, from painted Swedish

pine to 19th–century English maple.

“Farm tables have always been popular. But what we’re noticing is a decline in people buying chairs,” owner Heidi Johnston said. “Perhaps it’s because chairs can be costly and people would rather invest in a fabulous table that gives a room warmth and a sense of history.”

Instead, people are mixing their tables with less expensive chairs or modern chairs for a more contemporary look. “It’s all about the mixing,” she explains.

Indeed, Johnston has built an entire business around the concept of mixing old with new, like a 12-foot farm table that seats 14. The tabletop is 1880 Dutch and the trestle base is made of new painted wood; $4,900.

Resource Guide Balsamo Antiques (518) 398-9066 balsamoantiques.com The Brooklyn Farm Table (718) 797-2679 brooklynfarmtable.com The Federalist (203) 625-4727 thefederalistonline.com

George Nakashima Woodworker nakashimawoodworker.com Restoration Hardware restorationhardware.com Yellow Monkey (914) 763-5848 www.yellowmonkey.com

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Joy of The

health

In nutrition and exercise, Joy Bauer seeks the compassionate middle ground

By Georgette Gouveia Photographs by ŠDavid Bravo

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J

oy Bauer has her guilty pleasures – soft-serve Carvel ice cream, chocolate, those oatmeal chocolate cherry cookies she makes that her family adores.

Which is fine. The “Today” show’s nutrition and health expert is here to say that you can have your cake and eat it, too – just not all of the time.

“We love food,” she says. “But we don’t necessarily love healthy food. And that’s OK. We’re not perfect all of the time. …But if we go out of our way to eat healthily 90 percent of the time, then we have 10 percent wiggle room. It’s not an all-or-nothing mentality. The most successful people I work with are people who have found the middle ground. If they have an off moment, they shake it off and get back in the game. They forgive themselves.”

Joy is talking with me about the subject that she has made her life’s mission in a place that is in many ways on the frontline in the battle of the bulge – Starbucks. This bustling franchise happens to be in the Rye Ridge Shopping Center not far from her Rye Brook home. For every “guest” on this warm summer morning who has ordered a grande black (Joy) or a venti decaf skinny vanilla latte (Yours Truly), there are those opting for cold concoctions topped with a Matterhorn of whipped cream. In a place that sees its fair share of cascading flesh, Joy immediately stands out, her petite figure – that of the gymnast she once was – offset by shorts and a tank top as she’s just come from working out.

“I’m a huge recreational exerciser,” says the woman who enjoys biking, hiking and especially wogging, a combination of walking and jogging. “I don’t know if it’s the endorphins it releases or that I’m thankful when it’s over for the day. But it makes me happy.”

As a result, Joy is trim and taut, like the dancers at the New York City Ballet, where she serves as company nutritionist. But not everything about her is spare. She has a mane of thick, dark hair – crowned this day by a baseball cap – and large, luminous, lushly fringed dark eyes that are framed by high cheekbones. The biggest thing about her, however, is her personality – warm, engaging and brimming with an enthusiasm for life that spills over into the way she emphasizes words like “huge” and “love.”

Nowhere is that enthusiasm more evident than in her discussions of nutrition. Still, it is not the fiery ardor of a zealot, but the passionate gift of a teacher who moves you to plunge into a subject that is not without its challenges.

Unlike water and air, food is an essential with which we have a love-hate relationship.

“It’s hard for a number of reasons,” Joy says. “First, there’s the emotional aspect. But secondly, there’s the expense. …

My message is that people can make small changes that can impact their lives in huge ways.

“Start, for example, by including produce – fruits and 44

vegetables – in your diet. They’re high in fiber, so they’ll fill you up and you’ll be less likely to cave to high-fat foods later in the day. Plus, (fruits and vegetables) are loaded with antioxidants. They shower the body with goodness.”

She recommends adding berries to your breakfast cereal, layering that lunchtime sandwich with lettuce, tomato and roasted peppers and starting off dinner with a salad or veggie soup.

Dinner, Joy knows, is a minefield. “It’s daunting to be thinking about cooking at the end of the day.”

Her plan – five simple 20-minute meals that the home cook keeps in his or her arsenal, with the ingredients for at least two of them on hand. That way you’re less tempted to spend money (and even more calories) on the same meal at a restaurant. She offers one of her favorite dishes, chicken parmigiana, as a telling illustration. The breaded version, served at many an eatery, is a 1,000-calorie dish. At home, Joy pan-fries chicken breasts in olive oil, then tops them with low-fat mozzarella and marinara sauce. While that’s baking, she boils up penne. The result is a meal that is half the calories of the restaurant variation.

Even the most nutritious of eaters find, however, that the needle doesn’t always bulge on the scale.

“As we get older, our metabolism slows, we get more sedentary, our body fat increases and our lean muscle mass decreases.”

In addition to doing cardio work and strength training, she suggests moving more throughout the day – including marching in place during commercials. It’s this kind of common sense approach, combined with a sympathy for foodies, that has made her a popular fixture on “Today,” where you’ll find “Joy’s Diet S.O.S.” – just one of her regular segments – at the top of the 9 a.m. hour on Tuesdays.

The same blend of sense and sensibility is also the recipe for the newly revised “Joy Bauer’s Food Cures,” which was the No. 1 New York Times best-seller when it debuted in 2007. The book offers everyday foods for what ails you – among them, a daily ounce of dark chocolate to control your blood pressure and berries to boost your memory.

This is not junk science, Joy says, but the work of a science junkie: “I cite 500 sources and have reviewed thousands of studies.”

Joy came by her love of science the hard way. Growing up in Tappan in a family of musicians, she played the piano and competed in gymnastics. After graduating from

Joy and Ian Bauer with their children Jesse,16, Cole, 14, and Ayden, 11.

Tappan Zee High School, she went to James Madison University in Virginia on an athletic scholarship. Then after her freshman year, she had a severe accident, the culmination of years of gymnastic wear and tear on her feet.

She wound up in Manhattan’s Hospital for Special Surgery with multiple operations on both feet, prompting her wry grandmother to say, “Dahlink, I love you. But don’t take your shoes off till you get married.”

Says Joy of that trying time: “In a twisted way, it was one of the best things that ever happened to me.”

She transferred to the University of Maryland and poured herself into science, getting a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology.

“I felt God had this big plan for me,” she says, “although my parents felt that aliens had taken over me.”

While she thought about a career in pediatric medicine, she decided instead on a master’s in nutrition at New York University. That led to a couple of positions in nutrition at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan, a first book with Simon & Schuster, segments on ABC’s “The View,” a monthly column in Woman’s Day magazine and almost eight years and counting on “Today.”

“It’s really like family,” Joy says of the show. “Everyone is as nice as they appear on TV.” Her home life is equally felicitous. She praises hubby, Ian, who runs their nutrition businesses, as a 50-50 partner who readily pitches in with the kids – Jesse, 16, Cole, 14 and Ayden, 11 – and with the cooking, though Joy ac-

knowledges she tends to micromanage him in the kitchen.

Apart from that, though, she’s not much for sweating the small stuff.

“My philosophy is if two of the three kids are smiling and there’s no blood, it’s a good day.”

Learn more about Joy at joybauer.com.

Seeking to improve your health or merely enhance it?

“Joy Bauer’s Food Cures” (Rodale, Aug. 2, $21.99) has any number of tips. Among them: • Eating egg white omelets for breakfast can help fight type 2 diabetes.

• Snacking on pistachio nuts can lower your cholesterol.

• Adding pureed pumpkin to recipes promotes radiant skin.

• One red bell pepper has twice as much skin-boosting vitamin C as an orange.

• Yogurt and cheese can help relieve the moodiness and bloating associated with PMS. • Drinking coffee and tea may help protect your brain and enhance memory.

• Ginger and turmeric are potent anti-inflammatories that may help relieve arthritis pain.

• Eating lentils and beans can increase your energy and improve your mood.

• Chicken and shrimp help you grow strong, shiny hair.

• Loading up on pumpkin seeds, spinach and sweet potatoes can help combat migraines.

• Exercise can make your brain years younger.

• Berries, broccoli, onions and pomegranates are bursting with cancer-fighting ingredients.

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WATEFRONT FARMHOUSE COLONIAL! Built in 2001 with every amenity to relax and enjoy waterfront living. Enjoy 5400+- SF, 5 BR, 4.5 BA and beautifully appointed with a gourmet kitchen, 4 fireplaces, luxurious master suite, full in-law apartment and a 3 car garage a gorgeous GUNITE POOL!. Situated on 2+ acres with extensive landscaping. $1,499,000

WATERFRONT CHARMER! The warmth of wood and stone is found in this Chalet style waterfront with 3+ BR, 2 BA! Relax in the great room and enjoy the soaring ceilings and two story FP. The updated kitchen has granite counters and access to the large patio with sweeping lake views of the level waterfront! $724,900

30 MILE PANORAMIC VIEWS OF CANDLEWOOD LAKE, mountaintop setting with 50 FT of waterfront, 2065+- SF, 3 BR, 2 BA, sweeping floor plan, walls of windows, vaulted ceilings, kitchen with cherry and granite, family room has stone fireplace, 50 foot deck with breathtaking lake and mountain views, situated on 1.35 acres of privacy! $795,000

QUEENE ANNE VICTORIAN Built in 1888, 3700 SF, custom crafted wood work and stunning stain glass,5 BR 3 BA, professionally landscaped yard perfect for pool, relax on the porch or rear slate patio, barn with 5 CAR GARAGE, loft, short ride to Candlewood Lake $599,000

WESTERN EXPOSURE WATERFRONT Watch sunsets from the patio at water’s edge or the large deck, open floor plan 3+ bedrooms, large great room with vaulted ceilings and skylights, updated kitchen opens to dining room with lake views, new dock, cat walk, heating system & C/A, 2 CAR GARAGE! $569,000

Take a tour of all of our listings at

LEVEL WATERFRONT CAPE Bring the family to this waterfront Cape with loads of space, main level offers, dining and living room with built-ins and a stone fireplace. ML master, 2 bedrooms on the UL with views. LL walk-out has bar, family room and access to patio. Level waterfront with long lake views and a 2 car garage! $719,000

CANDLEWOODLAKEPROPERTIES.COM, also search all available waterfront & lake community listings!

Visit us by appointment in our summer office on Dock D at Echo Bay Marina or call Ellen for a TOUR BY LAKE OR LAND!

800.978.7618

Contact Ellen for a TOUR BY LAKE OR LAND!

way

Born of South Salem farm is lovingly preserved, cherished

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Presented by Houlihan Lawrence

Photographs by Bob Rozycki and Houlihan Lawrence.

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By Jane K. Dove “Old houses have a soul and identity of their very own,” said Jane Epstein of Sassafras Farm, her magnificent 1756 colonial estate in South Salem. “You own it for a while, take the best possible care of it and treasure the time you spend there, in our case, 26 years.”

Harold and Jane Epstein bought Sassafras Farm in 1984 and undertook a major two-year renovation of the 17-room home. “We knew the house was rich in history and wanted to preserve it while bringing it up to date and putting it in the best possible condition,” Jane said.

Today, Sassafras Farm, at 44 Boway Road, is one of the area’s premier historic properties, with a 7,100-squarefoot main house, pool, tennis court, numerous outbuildings and complete equestrian facilities, all set amid 21 rolling acres, with westerly views of “gorgeous sunsets.”

Historic roots

Sassafras Farm was originally owned by the Rev. Solomon Mead, founder of the town of Lewisboro.

“Mr. Mead was a wealthy man interested in farming,” Jane said. “He was also an ordained minister who founded the South Salem Presbyterian Church and served as

pastor there for more than 40 years.”

The Mead family is well-known in northern Westchester, playing a leading role in the Revolutionary War era.

“Reverend Mead ran a successful and profitable farming operation for many years at his home, which then encompassed several hundred acres,” Harold said. “His son Clark Mead later renovated and expanded the original colonial home in the early 19th century.”

As time went by, additional renovations and expansions were completed, with barns and outbuildings added. Sassafras Farm gradually evolved from a working farm to a gentleman’s estate and finally an equestrian center, drawing leading riders to train. They included national champion Buddy Brown, whose father owned the property for a period of time.

“It was a horse farm when we purchased it,” Jane said.

“One of the reasons we decided to buy it was that our daughter, Emily, was very interested in competing in horse shows. In addition to the outdoor ring already there, we put in an indoor ring for her use.”

Emily went on to enjoy great success as a rider, competing and winning at the highest level in hunter, jumper and equestrian events.

The Epsteins bought Sassafras Farm around the same period of time Harold sold his successful paper-manufac-

turing business and retired, so the couple had plenty of time to enjoy all of its amenities.

“This part of Westchester is really gorgeous, with its ponds, lakes and rolling hills,” Harold said. “We moved here from Pound Ridge, so we were familiar with the area and also knew we would be getting excellent schools for Emily in the Katonah-Lewisboro school district.”

Family and friends

The Epsteins said Sassafras Farm has been a haven for family and friends to enjoy over the past 26 years. Daugh-

Sassafras Farm At a Glance • • • • • • • •

South Salem Square Footage: 7,100 Acres: 21 Bedrooms: 6 Rooms: 17 Bathrooms: 5 full; 2 half Amenities: Pool, lighted tennis court, guest house, studio, stables, outdoor and indoor riding rings and fenced paddocks Price: $7,850,000 49

ter Emily is now married and lives nearby with her family in Waccabuc.

“Emily’s three children, the youngest of our eight grandchildren, are regular visitors to Sassafras Farm,” Harold said. “The children love it here, because there is so much to do.”

Jane said the couple entertains regularly, mostly from late spring into fall. “With the pool, terraces and tennis courts, it is perfect for the warm-weather months. We have had many, many parties and two family weddings.”

Harold said one of his favorite ways to entertain is “a big Thanksgiving feast.” Jane said almost everyone can fit into the spacious dining room, with an extra table set up in an adjacent room if needed.

“Sharing Sassafras Farm has been very important to us over the years,” she said. “We believe it’s in the spirit of owning such a large and lovely place.”

True to the soul

When the couple began renovating Sassafras Farm, Harold said they wanted to be “true to the soul of the house,” bringing it into the 21st century while maintaining the important historic architectural detail.

“We used Elder, Angel and Lange of Bedford as our architects, and they did an outstanding job,” Jane said.

Sassafras Farm has experienced several renovations over the centuries. A substantial 1920s expansion transformed the original residence into one with the graceful ornamentation of the grand country houses of America’s “Great Gatsby” era. Later improvements, including the Epsteins’ top-to-bottom refurbishment, added a luxury kitchen, spacious family room, modern baths, a sun 50

room and new mechanical systems that prepared the home for modern living. The end result is an enchanting estate with exceptional architectural appointments.

Entering the home, you are welcomed by a handsome parlor; an oak-paneled living room with egg-and-dart molding and a fireplace; a formal dining room, featuring a vintage fireplace with an early period hearth and beehive oven; a library and a glass-enclosed sun room.

The second floor offers five family bedrooms and an expansive master suite with his and her sitting rooms and baths. The house has five full and two half baths.

The Epsteins transformed the third floor into a spacious retreat with timbered ceilings for daughter Emily as she entered the teenage years. Today, the space can be used for another teenager, guests, in-laws, or an au pair.

Throughout the house, the Epsteins have taken great care to preserve as many original architectural details as possible, including floors, paneling and cabinetry. Everywhere the eye rests, something delightful presents itself.

The entire residence conveys a sense of warmth, harmony and elegance that is both a testament to its rich history and the taste of its owners.

“We wanted to create an atmosphere that was welcoming to family, friends and guests,” Jane said. “Wherever possible we restored what was here. And when we had to replace something like flooring, we acquired vintage boards from other old structures.”

Outside, Sassafras Farm is a showcase of broad lawns, lush gardens, sunny terraces and a romantic attached pavilion, perfect for warm-weather dining. A sparking Shoreline pool and lighted courts will please water babies and the tennis set, while equestrians can enjoy extensive facilities

that include a barn, a seven-stall stable, indoor and outdoor riding rings, multiple paddocks and a run-in shed.

A large circa 1860 carriage house with three apartments, an antique barn/studio; a walled garden and a five-bay garage with a large loft are additional highlights of Sassafras Farm, which also features rights to nearby Lake Truesdale and its sandy beach.

On to Ridgefield

The Epsteins said the decision to sell Sassafras Farm was not an easy one. But they knew the time had come to give up the expansive property.

“We have already purchased a house in the heart of historic Ridgefield that we love and are now renovating,” Jane said. “We have always enjoyed Ridgefield shopping and other amenities, so it will be a smooth transition.”

The new house is only a few miles away from the farm.

“And we will have something we will really enjoy for our walks these days – sidewalks,” she said. “We are comfortable and at peace with our decision and will be able to easily maintain all of our longstanding relationships. We just hope the new owners of Sassafras Farm will love, treasure it and care for it the way we have over the years and maintain it as a happy family home.”

For more information, contact Brian Murray or Anthony Cutugno at (914) 234-0308.

Wintopia Winvian Farm isn’t heaven, but it’s close

By Jen Wilson 51

Executive Chef Chris Eddy

M

aggie Smith loves fireplaces. There were relatively few parameters she gave the 15 architects who envisioned and designed the 18 unique cottages that dot the Winvian Resort property, but a fireplace in each was requisite – and not a gas fireplace either. It had to be a snap-crackling, flame-dancing, romance-inducing, wood-burning, honest-to-goodness fireplace.

“I know it’s certainly not the most economical option,” Smith says, “but there’s nothing like a real fire.”

The owner and matriarch of the Winvian Resort in Litchfield Hills is much like a fireplace herself. A hearth of stone-like fortitude cemented together with unwavering integrity envelops her contained but palpable warmth. Self-reliant, reserved but friendly, Smith reflects New England values as much as rolling hills, stonewalls, slate pathways and wooded countryside reflect New England landscapes.

As I pull up to the white gate that peacefully guards the entrance to the Winvian Resort, I can’t help but feel like I’m driving into a Robert Frost poem. Giant maples flank Winvian Farm Road, creating a leafygreen, sun-dappled tunnel that ultimately transports you to another world. A much, much better world.

After announcing myself through the unassuming intercom, the gate slowly swings open – very, very slowly – as if setting the pace at which you will move

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once inside its white slats. This surely was planned. Every single detail at Winvian is thoroughly thought out – calculated in an effort to provide guests with a surprising, whimsical, relaxing and intriguingly unique experience.

“We try to meet expectations people didn’t even know they had,” Maggie says as we begin our tour of the grounds. It will take visiting a few of the cottages before the meaning of this sentiment becomes clear.

The 113-acre property became part of the Smith family in 1948, when Winthrop and Vivian – Maggie’s future in-laws and namesakes of the farm-turnedresort – bought the gentleman’s farm from country doctor Seth Bird.

Though both Winthrop and Vivian have passed away, elements of their vivacious spirits still charm and allure guests of the resort. A red-banded, cream-colored Panama hat, much like the one Winthrop would wear when tilling the fields atop his tractor, is the resort’s capricious logo. The simple trademark, which always seems to be in motion – as if it were blowing through the wind just before being captured in print – feels like a story in itself, conjuring up images of fabulous parties worthy of Gatsby himself.

Vivian, perched on a white Shelby, playfully pedals across the cards Maggie uses to write a note of welcome to each and every guest. Winthrop and Vivian are as much a part of the Winvian Resort as they were

a part of the original Winvian Farm.

On the way to visit the spa sits a circle of Westport chairs surrounding a fire pit in the middle of a still meadow. The muted rust and sea green tones of the chairs seem to speak of days gone by without saying a word. Everything at Winvian is a tribute to a different person, a different time or place – from the 18 themed cottages, which all pay homage to a uniquely Connecticut entity, to the various structures named in honor of family members no longer here.

The spa building has the power to make one immediately feel the need to unroll a yoga mat and take a series of deep, relaxing breaths. A mixture of aromatherapy oils subtly floats through the air, intoxicating your senses. Like most of the buildings on the property, it feels of the earth. Warm woods of varying honey tones, cool stones, and countless floor-to-ceiling windows make it difficult to tell where the outside ends and the inside begins.

A 60-jet hydrotherapy tub, myriad massage tables, a coed sauna, Italian tiles of the most beautiful sea glass shades of blue and green and a couples’ treatment room round out the Winvian spa – along with, of course, two fireplaces. It’s no wonder that this remarkable retreat attracts actors, politicians – including a former president – rock stars and other notable persons seeking respite from the limelight as well as anonymity – which is guaranteed by a strict confiden-

Winvian’s special fresh salad.

tiality policy.

Nestled on the southside of the property are the Stable, Industry and Greenhouse cottages. In addition to fireplaces, every guest cottage has a screened-in porch, two beach cruiser bicycles (just like Vivian used to ride), two purple umbrellas, a steam shower, topof-the-line technology, king-sized beds with the finest, dreamiest linens and oversized sunk-in tubs.

That is where the similarities end, however. Each cottage incorporates a different Connecticut theme from the Secret Society cottage – a homage to Yale University – to the Helicopter cottage, which was designed in recognition of Stratford’s Sikorsky facility.

From the outside there is nothing particularly striking about the Helicopter cottage. Its barn-red paint with white trim actually makes it blend in with the country landscape rather than stand out. When the door opens, however, and a 17,000-pound restored 1968 Sikorsky Sea King Pelican HH37 – call sign 1484 – unassumingly greets you, it’s impossible to not be stopped in your tracks. The fuselage doubles as the cottage’s lounge and TV room, while the rest of the cottage’s interior touches down on the landing pad.

Three former Sea King Pelican pilots, who could confirm via flight logs having flown this actual aircraft, have been guests of the Helicopter cottage.

The Greenhouse cottage is a bright airy space blooming with natural light that guests can choose to

block out at any time with the touch of a button. The space feels as fresh as the vegetables pulled from Winvian’s organic garden – a half-acre that not only yields enough produce for the onsite restaurant, but a surplus

As I pull up to the white gate that peacefully guards the entrance to the Winvian Resort, I can’t help but feel like I’m driving into a Robert Frost poem.

Giant maples flank Winvian Farm Road, creating a leafygreen, sun-dappled tunnel that ultimately transports you to another world. A much, much better world. that is sold to a handful of other Litchfield eateries.

Chef Chris Eddy, who has been at Winvian since it first slowly opened its gates, couldn’t be more pleased with his garden’s bounty and proudly attributes the hearty harvest to the property’s “happy soil.”

On the north side of the resort, the Woodlands, Treehouse, and Beaver Lodge cottages continue to play

with the concept of bringing the outdoors in. Guests of these cottages sleep under a craftily and painstakingly constructed stick and twig beaver lodge, are lulled to sleep by indoor waterfalls, or sway with the heavy winds high above the earth.

The Camping cottage allows guests to sleep out under the stars literally in complete luxury, while the Artist and Music cottages – appealing to those creative spirits – provide a fully stocked French easel and a variety of playful (and playable) instruments, respectively.

Each cottage offers a completely different experience, which is no doubt why the majority of returning guests choose to try out a new dwelling upon each visit.

Anything seems possible at the Winvian Resort.

Perhaps more accurately, anything is possible at the Winvian Resort. The remarkably friendly and attentive staff revel in the possibility of assisting their guests.

Somehow Smith and two of her four children, Win and Heather, who work at her side, have created an atmosphere that pairs all the familiar comforts of home with luxurious pampering and the utterly unexpected.

The word utopia is defined as an ideal place or state yet literally means “no place” from the Greek ou (not) and tópos (a place). Maybe utopia doesn’t exist, but Wintopia is an idyllic place where expectations people didn’t even know they had are not only met but far exceeded.

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Pressing matters Discover fine wines in our own backyard

by Geoff Kalish, M.D.

P

re-dating the planting of grapes in what is now California by more than 100 years, French Huguenots established vineyards on the sun-drenched hillsides of the Hudson River near New Paltz in 1677. They found the soil fertile for grapes and that the breezes from the river moderated the climate to optimize production, cooling in the summer and warming in the winter. Over the years much experimentation with native American grapes (Concord and Catawba), European varietals (Riesling, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon), and French and American hybrids (Seyval Blanc and Baco Noir) has taken place with all four types currently used to make wine in the region.

Somewhat surprisingly, the area and the country’s first commercial facility, Brotherhood Winery (originally the Jacques Brothers Winery), has managed to persevere in spite of wars, Prohibition, difficult climate conditions, somewhat capricious government regulations, exorbitant licensing fees and ever-increasing taxes. Today, it’s one of the mainstays of the region that in 1982 received official recognition as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) from the U.S. government. Now the region boasts two dozen facilities producing top quality wines that have graced the tables of New York state homes as well as the White House.

The following is a brief discussion of 10 personal favorite wineries in the Hudson River viticultural region.

Capital letters denote outstanding offerings.

HUDSON VALLEY WINERIES

East Side of the Hudson CASCADE MOUNTAIN WINERY AND RESTAURANT 835 Cascade Road, Amenia (845) 373-9021 cascademt.com Hours: Weekends 11a.m. to 5 p.m.

Other days by appointment.

Founded in 1972 by the Wetmore family, this facility offers free tours, tastings, picnic facilities and flavorful fare at a wine and tapas bar. The wines range from French-American hybrids to vinifera varietals. Try the fruity, dry, white SEYVAL BLANC ($12 a bottle) that marries perfectly with shrimp, scallops and other shellfish. Other top choices here include the light magenta HARVEST ROSÉ ($12 a bottle) that’s slightly sweet and fruity, and has a crisp finish, perfect to match with

pizza or Mexican fare; and a Private Reserve Red ($18 a bottle) that’s a fruity blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and other varietals.

CLINTON VINEYARDS 450 Schultzville Road, Clinton Corners (845) 266-5372 clintonvineyards.com Hours: Memorial Day through October, Tuesdays to Sundays, noon to 5:30 p.m.

Mid-March through Memorial Day, Fridays through Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.

Started in 1977 by graphic artist Ben Feder (who died in 2009), this facility has provided wines for a number of White House events as well as the wedding of Chelsea Clinton (no relation). While the production includes a number of “fruit wines,” and a sparkling product, the focus here is a crisp, refreshing SEYVAL BLANC ($18.50 a bottle) that marries harmoniously with shellfish, poached salmon and pasta with white sauce. If you visit be sure to partake in the informative guided tour and tasting.

MILLBROOK VINEYARDS & WINERY 29 Wing Road, Millbrook (845) 677-8383 millbrookwine.com Hours: Daily, noon to 5 p.m. (to 6 p.m.

Memorial Day through Labor Day) Developed and owned by noted politician and businessman John Dyson, this winery offers tours and tastings ($10 - $20 per person) in a barn converted into a facility reminiscent of many Napa Valley boutique producers. More than 10,000 cases of wine are produced annually from grapes grown on 30 acres surrounding the facility. Standouts include a dry, vanilla and pineapple scented 2009 PROPRIETOR’S SPECIAL RESERVE CHARDONNAY ($20 a bottle) and an elegant 2009 GRAND RESERVE PINOT NOIR ($29.50 a bottle), that shows berry flavors matching well with barbecued chicken and veal chops. Also new this year is a vineyard Grille & Café, open for lunch May 28 through October.

West Side of the Hudson ADAIR VINEYARDS 52 Allhusen Road, New Paltz (845) 255-1377 adairwine.com Hours: Fridays through Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

(July and August to 6 p.m.)

Free tours and tastings are offered, with visitors encouraged to walk through the vineyards. Two whites of note are the straw-yellow SOLITARY OAK ($13.25 a bottle) a flavorful blend of Seyval Blanc, Vidal and Vignoles varietals and a crisp, honeysuckle- scented VIDAL BLANC ($14.50 a bottle). Also, the Landmark Red ($15.25 a bottle) is a pleasant quaff to accompany pizza, hamburgers and hot dogs.

APPLEWOOD WINERY 82 Four Corners Road, Warwick (845) 988-9292 applewoodorchardsandwinery.com Hours: March to December, Fridays through Sundays, 11a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tours and tastings cost $5 a person. Try the two dry, SEYVAL BLANC/CHARDONNAY blends ($14 a bottle for the regular and. $16 a bottle for the oaky Reserve). Also the slightly sweet RIESLING ($16 a bottle), makes an excellent match for spicy Asian cuisine.

BALDWIN VINEYARDS 176 Hardenburgh Road, Pine Bush (845) 744-2226 Baldwinvineyards.com Hours: July to October, Thursdays through Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.

April to June, Wednesdays through Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.

Surrounded by 35 acres of vineyards, this scenic facility offers free tours and tastings of more than a dozen wines. The smooth, elegant CLARET ($11 a bottle) offers good accompaniment to fare ranging from game birds to beef. The BLUSH ($11 a bottle) has a bouquet and taste of melons and raspberries and is perfect with mild cheeses and fruit. Also the STRAWBERRY WINE ($14 a bottle) is a rich, fragrant award-winning quaff.

BENMARL WINERY AT SLATE HILL VINEYARDS 159 Highland Ave., Marlboro (845) 236-4265 benmarl.com Hours: April to December, daily, noon to 6 p.m.

January to March, Fridays through Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.

This landmark winery with a super view of the Hudson Valley offers tours and tastings ($6 per person) by knowledgeable guides. Founded by illustrator Mark Miller, who made wine as a hobby, this facility now

More Hudson Valley wineries BASHAKILL VINEYARDS 1131 South Road, Wurtsboro (845) 888-5858 bashakillvineyards.com

GLORIE FARM WINERY 40 Mountain Road, Marlboro (845) 236-3265 gloriewine.com

OAK SUMMIT VINEYARD 372 Oak Summit Road Millbrook (845) 677-9522 oaksummitvineyard.com

BROOKVIEW STATION WINERY 1297 Brookview Station Road Castleton (518) 732-7317 goold.com/wine

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY 1900 Route 66, Ghent (518) 392-2598 hudson-chathamwinery.com

PALAIA VINEYARDS 20 Sweet Clover Road Highland Mills (845) 928-5384 palaiavineyards.com

EL PASO WINERY 742 Broadway (Route 9W) Ulster Park (845) 331-8642 elpasowinery.com

MAGNANINI WINERY 172 Strawbridge Road, Wallkill (845) 895-2767 magwine.com

PAZDAR WINERY 6 Laddie Road, Scotchtown (845) 695-1903 pazdarwinery.com

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ROBIBERO FAMILY VINEYARDS 714 Albany Post Road New Paltz (845) 255-9463 robiberofamilyvineyards.com ROYAL KEDEM WINE CORP. 1519 Route 9W, Marlboro (845) 236-4000 kedemwinery.com

SILVER STREAM WINERY 11 Kennedy Lane, Monroe (845) 783-8660 silverstreamwinery.com

WHITECLIFF VINEYARD 331 McKinstry Road Gardiner (845) 255-4613 whitecliffwine.com

STOUTRIDGE VINEYARDS 10 Ann Kaley Lane, Marlboro (845) 236-7620 stoutridge.com

WINDHAM VINEYARDS County Route 10, Windham (518) 734-5214 windhamvineyard.com

TOUSEY WINERY 1774 Route 9, Germantown (518) 567-5462 touseywinery.com

produces a wide range of wines, including an excellent estate-grown 2010 SEYVAL BLANC ($15 a bottle) that perfectly matches most sea fare and chicken, and a flavorful 2009 CABERNET FRANC ($20 a bottle) that’s ideal to accompany beef and lamb.

BRIMSTONE HILL VINEYARDS 61 Brimstone Hill Road, Pine Bush (845) 744-2231 shawangunkwinetrail.com/brimstone.html Hours: Memorial Day weekend to Columbus Day weekend, Fridays through Mondays, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For the remainder of the year it’s open Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tours and tastings conducted by an enthusiastic staff, with owner Richard Eldridge usually on hand to answer questions. The DOMAINE BOURMONT SPARKLING WINE ($17 a bottle), made from a blend of Vidal Blanc, Seyval Blanc and Chardonnay is an excellent, refreshing, bargain-priced bubbly. And, the 2010 CAYUGA WHITE ($12 a bottle) is a semi-sweet wine that marries well with a range of appetizers like melon wrapped with prosciutto and grilled calamari, as well as with rich seafood dishes.

BROTHERHOOD WINERY 100 Brotherhood Plaza Drive, Washingtonville (845) 496-3661 brotherhoodwinery.net Hours: April to December, daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

(Saturdays until 6 p.m.)

January to March, Fridays through Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Guided tours of America’s oldest winery include a memorable walk through museum-like cavernous cellars and conclude with a tasting of five wines and a souvenir glass ($10 a person). Be sure to sample the topquality GRAND MONARQUE CHAMPAGNE ($25 a bottle) and a pale yellow, fragrant, fruity slightly sweet RIESLING (a bargain at $10 a bottle), that marries well with pâté and blue-veined cheeses. And, the soft, fruity MERLOT, which has the rich taste of cassis and violets on the palate, is a great buy at $15 a bottle.

WARWICK VALLEY WINERY & DISTILLERY 114 Little York Road, Warwick (845) 258-4858 wvwinery.com Hours: Daily from 11a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tastings are conducted in a large room renovated from an old apple-packing facility that overlooks a goose pond and fruit orchards ($5 per person for a sample of six wines and a souvenir glass). Try the BLACK DIRT BLUSH ($10 a bottle), an apricot-scented blend of New York state native grapes that goes well with Chinese or Mexican fare and the award-winning BRANDY and CORDIALS.

CONNECTICUT WINERIES

Those interested in a detailed history of Connecticut’s wineries should read the excellent, recently published book “A History of Connecticut Wine” by University of Bridgeport English professors Amy Nawrocki and Eric D. Lehman. Suffice it to say that the state has come a long way from 1789, when 200 farmers founded one of the first temperance associations. It wasn’t until 1978 that the state passed a “winery act,” allowing the commercial production of wine. Now the state is home to more than two dozen commercial vintners, which are listed below with brief discussions of the features of those in Fairfield County.

Fairfield County Wineries DIGRAZIA VINEYARD 131 Tower Road, Brookfield (203) 775-1616 digrazia.com Hours: April to Dec. 31, daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

January to March, Saturdays and Sundays, 11a.m. to 5 p.m.

This facility, founded in 1984, offers tastings daily and guided tours of the production area Saturdays and Sundays. The dozen and a half wines produced range from Anastasia’s Blush ($16 a bottle), a semisweet wine with full fruit flavors and a tangy finish, to Fieldstone Reserve ($16 a bottle), a dry red with a cherry and black currant bouquet and taste, to Harvest Spice ( $16 a bottle), that’s fermented with pumpkin, honey and spices.

JONES WINERY 606 Walnut Tree Hill Road, Shelton (203) 929-8425 jonesfamilyfarms.com Hours: April to December, Fridays through Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Established by sixth-generation farmer Philip Jamison Jones in 1999 and located in the scenic White Hills of Shelton, this winery offers guided tastings ($6.75 per person to sample six wines).

Products offered range from a dry, soft 2010 Pinot Gris ($20 a bottle) that’s made from 100 percent estate grown grapes, to Ripton Red ($20 a bottle), that’s a flavorful blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and other estate-grown varietals, to a number of dessert wines made from strawberries, raspberries and other fruits and berries.

MCLAUGHLIN VINEYARDS 14 Albert’s Hill Road, Sandy Hook (203) 426-1533 mclaughlinvineyards.com Hours: Daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Open to 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

This family-owned winery is on 160 acres of land that includes 15 acres of vineyards, hiking trails, sugar maple trees, a sugar house (with demonstrations of maple syrup production conducted early February to the end of March) and a 50-acre wildlife and bald eagle sanctuary.

Tastings cost $8 a person and include a souvenir glass.

Offerings for purchase range from a pale yellow, semidry Snow Goose ($18 a bottle), made from 100 percent estate-grown Connecticut grapes, to a dry, smooth Merlot ($20 a bottle) to jugs of Grade A Dark Amber maple syrup ($12 a pint).

WHITE SILO FARM AND WINERY 32 Route 37 East, Sherman (860) 355-0271 whitesilowinery.com Hours: April to December, Fridays through Sundays, 11a.m. to 6 p.m.

In addition to a number of dry and sweet fruit wines, like blackberry and raspberry, this facility offers “pickyour-own” strawberries in September and October.

Tastings cost $7 a person.

more Connecticut wineries BISHOP’S ORCHARDS WINERY 1355 Boston Post Road Guilford (203) 458-7425 bishopsorchardswinery.com

GOUVEIA VINEYARDS 1339 Whirlwind Road Wallingford (203) 265-5526 gouveiavineyards.com

HOPKINS VINEYARD 25 Hopkins Road New Preston (860) 868-7954 hopkinsvineyard.com

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55

wine&dine

Iberian flair for farm-to-table fare

By Geoff Kalish, MD

Classically Iberian table wines show great affinity for food, particularly fresh, creative cuisine. Therefore, it’s not surprising that a more than 70-percent increase in U.S. consumption of these reds, whites and bubblies this past year parallels the rising popularity of farm-to-table fare.

And based on a recent series of tastings, it appears that a growing number of bottles with less than simple names or those hailing from regions or grapes not well-known to most American consumers provide some of the most harmonious food-wine combinations. The following is a brief discussion of some locally available, well-priced winners:

SPARKLING

nv German Gilabert Cava Brut Nature Reserva ($14) Served by the glass at farm-to-table dining mecca Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, this vibrant bubbly hails from the Penedès region of Spain (located

about 25 miles southwest of Barcelona).

Made by the traditional méthode Champenoise from a blend of Macabeo, Xarello and Parellada grapes, this wine shows a straw yellow color, a floral bouquet of apples and spice, a steady stream of tiny bubbles and a dry, citrusy taste perfect to pair with shellfish and grilled octopus. nv SeguraViudas Brut Rosé ($10) Ideal for mating with an array of hors d’oeuvres or salads, this wine is produced in Spain’s Penedès region by the méthode Champenoise from a blend of Trapat (80 percent), Monastrell (10 percent) and Garnacha (10 percent) varietals. It has a salmon color, a continuous stream of bubbles and a bouquet and taste of ripe cherries and raspberries, with a touch of sweetness in the finish.

WHITE

nv Casal Garcia Vinho Verde ($10)

Served well-chilled, this light, crisp, and slightly fizzy Portuguese quaff accentuates the flavors of fresh fruit and vegetables and adds a bit of zest to boiled shrimp and raw oysters and clams.

2010 Albeti Noya Xarel-lo Classic ($12) Xarel-lo (pronounced “sha-rel-lo” or “cha-rel-lo”), the grapes use to fashion this elegant white from the Penedès region of Spain, are macerated soon after harvest, fermented for a month and then lightly clarified and filtered. The final product has a pale yellow color, a bouquet and taste of grapefruit, herbs and gooseberries and a smooth, fruity finish. Try it with brook trout, chicken and even pork loin.

RED

2007 Val Llach Embriux ($30) Made in Spain’s Catalonian Priorat region, this complex product is a blend of Garnacha, Carinana, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and

Syrah grapes. Embriux (pronounced “embroosh,” Catalan for “bewitching”) has a ruby red color, a bouquet of blueberries and plums, a robust taste of fruit and oak and a hint of licorice in the finish. Ready to drink now, this wine ages extremely well, with older vintages showing a bouquet and taste of crushed violets – reminiscent of top-tier, well-aged Bordeaux reds. Mate this wine with grilled duck breasts, rack of lamb and dark-veined cheeses.

2007 Niepoort Redoma Red Wine ($45) Better known for rich, long-lived vintage Port, Dirk Niepoort is now also producing world-class red table wines. With a bit of aeration, this powerful blend of Portuguese grapes (primarily Tinta Amarela, Tinta Roriz, and Touriga Franca) shows a deep purple color, a bouquet and taste of ripe plums, currants and chocolate with a long memorable finish. Mate it with hearty main course items like roast suckling pig, grilled loin of lamb and veal chops.

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Etro , not retro A legend whets your appetite for fall fashion

C

By Zoë Zellers Photographs by Bob Rozycki

ount on Etro to steal the show quietly this upcoming season with bold motifs, commitment to color blocking, and prints from around the world for boys and girls.

This fall, Etro is encouraging fashionistas to embrace color thoughtfully in saturated shades of wine and berries with fun, bright kicks of magenta.

This season’s collections for men and women balance seriousness and delicacy. The house succeeds in presenting strong, one-of-a-kind garments that are sure to stand out from Greenwich Avenue to Seventh Avenue. But it’s important to remember, fall-winter 2011 is not about shock value. Look forward instead to donning a subtle element of surprise that won’t wear you.

“Men and women alike will find the dream of the Etro runway an easy transition into the reality of their wardrobe,” predicted Ken Downing, fashion director of Neiman Marcus. Etro is all about personal taste, something he reminds shoppers to value over trends. “Fashion is the shell in which we house our true being,” and in Downing’s world wearing Etro says, “I am an individual with great confidence and style.”

Etro’s long-sleeve coat dress in an elaborate paisley print with ivory shows off personality and the intersection of fashion and function. It’s practical. It’s printed.

It’s perfectly sophisticated and just a little playful, with

tight tailoring and structured shoulders. Front pleats in the skirt flatter trendsetters with strong, clean lines. Traditionally, the paisley print has been noticeably and interestingly well-executed by Etro. This season’s clingy, stretchy charmeuse floral-print dresses make no exception, taking the dramatics of couture for a spin on the funky side with unexpected, eye-catching printed trims. Neiman Marcus carries the hip-hugging silhouette dresses in a variety of multicultural prints, necklines and sleeve lengths.

Downing said this season Etro continues to “find it’s way into the closet of the über-fast fashionista and the classic chic. The ability of the collection to speak to so many customers of any age, style and body type makes it perfect for so many.”

Etro’s color-block toggle coat is decidedly a fall favorite, offering a modern take on the return of color blocking.

The pairing of brown, purple and deep blue, the bracelet sleeves and sweet, round neckline, the functional flap pockets, the single brown leather toggle and the luxurious wool all come together so elegantly and sensibly, making this beauty a good investment piece for seasons to come. “Etro has transcended trend in many ways,” noted Downing. Consider how effortless it is to dress this statement coat up or down. Cut the fuss: Underneath its lure of geometric minimalism, moody tones and a feminine cut, cropped pants ($555) and booties will suffice. Au-

drey Hepburn certainly would have packed this piece – along with Cary Grant – for Paris in September.

“Etro is a collection for the creative, the confident and the style-minded,” said Downing. “It is seen by many as art. Etro is collected, not just purchased season after season. Each item is cherished and becomes a good friend in a customer’s wardrobe.”

Surprise, surprise, yet again fur will find its way back into fall closets with the theme of wild opulence playing the star role in Etro’s runway show. The designers of the men’s and women’s collections, who are actually a brother-sister team, were on the same page this season. Both encourage a lavish mix and match of textures and fabrics like fur and velvet, wild yet neat and ever so extravagant. Women seeking something tame but entirely unique should look to the mink-vest drawstring shirt ($1,985). It’s made of natural Finnish mink, features Japanese influences with abstractprint charmeuse sleeves and a waist-cinching self-belt.

Hoping to make a daring entrance? Try this on for fit: Etro’s shaggy faux-fur coat in green and tan with brown leather trim. The coat captures a wilder take on two trends – fur and color blocking – but maintains a sense of grace with front slash pockets, again, a round neckline, and a two-button front.

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59

Tennisfever It spreads quickly at U.S. Open time

By Jen Wilson

E

very spring I come down with a bad case of tennis fever. As the weather turns, so do my sights from the indoor courts that sustain me through the long New England winter to the outdoor world of hot, breezy summer play.

And I’m not alone. As the U.S Open sweeps into Flushing Meadows at the end of this month, area tennis professionals confirm the epidemic.

Scott Robinson, general manager of Sport and Wellness in Danbury, says, “We definitely see an influx of matches here when the Open comes to town.”

Jon Bott, head professional at Riverside Yacht Club in Greenwich, not only confirms an increased interest in play as the Open descends upon us, but observes more aggressive attitudes from his players.

“It’s an energy,” Bott says. “(The Open) makes them want to play better, harder. They’re seeing the matches on TV every night or even at them. It

Beach tennis — hot, hot, hot.

becomes contagious. My junior players get especially amped up.”

It’s not all that surprising to see tennis experiencing a resurgence of sorts if history is observed. Frank Lorenzetti,

rackets director of Redding Country Club in Redding, explains that in the 1970s tennis was one of the top 10 sports in the U.S. Now, a handful of decades later, those who contributed

to its popularity are returning to the courts with their kids in the hopes that future generations will develop their own love of the game.

The United States Tennis Association, headquartered in White Plains, has also launched an aggressive initiative to grow the game fittingly referred to as “10 and Under.” With new, lighter equipment, including lower-compression balls, and smaller court dimensions, the 10 and Under program tailors the game to budding players in an effort to get future USTA members hooked at a young age. Perhaps more importantly, 10 and Under is about playing – which is ultimately what these little racket swingers really want to do.

In addition to seeing more young players on the courts, all the pros Wag spoke to confirmed the steadfast popularity of a relatively new program universally referred to as cardio tennis.

Cardio tennis – as implied in its name – keeps hearts pumping as players go

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60

Winter at Four Seasons.

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61

Nick’s crystal ball On the eve of the U.S. Open (Aug. 29-Sept. 11 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows), we talked to guru Nick Bollettieri about the tournament and his predictions: “Wimbledon and the U.S. Open are the two greatest Grand Slams yet very different. Wimbledon is quiet and polite, and they have 1,000 ball boys and girls try out. They select only 164. Then they train them for six months. Also, the outside courts are hard to watch matches at Wimbledon. The U.S. Open by contrast lets you see great matches in the outside courts. It is rowdy and exciting. There are qualifiers that are fighting for their lives to make it into the main draw. “ Bollettieri highly recommends going to these early days: “You can even see the best in the world practicing.”

He suggests not watching their strokes as much as their ability to change strategies, the pace of the ball and serve placements.

These are the things we can all learn from.

Bolletieri predicts the 2011 U.S. Open will be a fierce battle. Why? • Rafael Nadal has not slept one night without having nightmares losing to Novak Djokovic in the finals of Wimbledon.

• Roger Federer must prove to the world he can win another Grand Slam.

• Andy Murray is trying with all his might to win a Grand Slam.

• Don’t forget about Juan Martin Del Potro, and some of the young ones – Milos Raonic, Grigor Dimitriov, Ryan Harrison and Bernard Tomic.

• Venus and Serena Williams are in their domain and want to prove they can win another Grand Slam. Serena Williams is not seeded so she has to come into the Open as a protected seed. Can you imagine? One of the best American women to play is entering this way. She could be an early upset to a top-seeded player as the top seeds will have a go at her early.

• Will Petra Kvitova prove that Wimbledon is only the beginning of her many future Grand Slam wins?

Finally, Bolletieri offers these tips to would-be Nadals: When you practice, run for every ball whether it’s out or in. You must not think if the ball will go in but react to the ball before it lands on your side.

Andre Agassi gave a few simple tips, including the first one, which he spoke at his recent International Tennis Hall of Fame induction. He said, “You don’t have to be perfect to win, you just need to be a little bit better than your opponent.”

through a series of drills.

Whitney Kraft, director of tennis for the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (NTC) – the site of the U.S. Open – notes that cardio tennis is particularly successful because it bridges levels better, which makes for happier, less-frustrated players.

Cardio tennis represents just one ball in the tennis center’s hopper, however.

As Kraft notes, it has a “full slate of programs for womb-to-tomb players of all levels and all abilities.”

Unlike other parts of the country where courts will often sit vacant for entire days, court times in the New York and Connecticut areas are highly coveted. Having worked on and around courts for more than 30 years, Kraft attributes the packed courts of Westchester County clubs and tennis facilities to the shorter season and New Yorkers’ incredible time-management skills.

“Time is money. Players here have a sense of urgency to make the best use of their time.”

Kraft should know a thing or two about making the most of his time. In addition to directing the tennis programming for NTC, he is a competitive beach tennis player.

Though relatively new to the United States, beach tennis is hugely popular

Leave the aches and pains to your opponent.

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62

in other parts of the world, including Italy, Brazil, Holland and Australia.

Marc Atlheim, founder of Beach Tennis USA (BTUSA), is the man responsible for bringing the sport to the U.S., with the first tournament taking place in Charleston in 2005.

Beach tennis has since steadily spread to all sandy – and ironically, snowy – corners of the country. Tournaments are held on the beaches of Hermosa, Calif., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and Long Beach Island, N.Y. – as well as in snow-drenched Buffalo. Despite its name, beach tennis can actually be played on any surface, in any weather condition.

This summer, Atlheim estimates that more than 5,000 people will stop by the BTUSA World Championship tournament Aug. 20 and 21 in Long Beach. There they’ll watch professionals from more than 25 countries – including Westchester’s own Whitney Kraft – vie for $10,000 prize money and perhaps more importantly, points toward their world ranking.

With beach tennis, a Grand Slam tournament, an X-Games version of the sport and countless programs in the offing, tennis enthusiasts are sure to find a cure for whatever ails them this summer.

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Tennis everyone

W

hen we think of tennis, we think of the modern game of lawn tennis, which originated in 19th century England.

But the medieval game of tennis actually began across the English Channel with the Brits’ traditional rivals, the French. Indeed, the word “tennis” comes from the French verb “tenir,” meaning “to hold.”

(It has the same roots as our word “tenacious.”) Meanwhile, linguists and historians split on whether “love” in tennis is derived from “l’oeuf,” the French word for egg, which resembles a zero.

There can, however, be no quibbling about the fact that the early French game was akin to handball, with rackets being introduced in the 16th century. Henry VII was a fan. And perhaps his daughter, Elizabeth I, saw Shakespeare’s “Henry V,” in which the French ambassadors insult the playboy prince turned serious monarch by offering him a barrel of tennis balls. No doubt this was the beginning of tennis’ association with the effete elite, as in the expression “tennis, anyone?” which, legend has it, was first uttered in a Broadway drawing room comedy by a callow juvenile who would go on to far greater things – Humphrey Bogart.

For a time it seemed that tennis would remain a sport of kings. In 1874, American socialite Mary Ewing Outerbridge laid out a tennis court at the Staten Island Cricket Club, having been inspired by a meeting with Maj. Walter Clopton Wingfield, the man credited with developing the modern game in England. The events now compris-

Arthur Ashe Stadium. Photography courtesy of USTA/Getty.

ing the Grand Slam followed in short order – Wimbledon (1877), the U.S. Open (men’s 1881, women’s 1887), the French Open (1891) and the Australian Open

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beachtennisusa.net or call 516-328-0000 64

(1905). Great stars emerged, proving that whatever its blue-blooded origins, tennis required the four Ts – talent, training, technique and temperament.

But it wasn’t until the Open era (1968-), when a new spate of charismatic stars were allowed to go pro, that tennis became a game of the masses, fulfilling its complex potential.

Not surprising for such a rich sport, tennis has found its way into the fine arts and pop culture, though its influence is nowhere nearly as pervasive as that of baseball or football. Nevertheless, its intricacy served as a metaphor for the real game of love in “Jeux,” the 1913 ballet Vaslav Nijinsky created for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in Paris.

Tennis has figured in the novels of British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli and the literary works of David Foster Wallace, himself a player. But where the game has really shone is on the big screen, nowhere brighter than in Hitchcock’s 1951 masterpiece “Strangers on a Train.”

Here tennis’ mirror imagery, its doubling, serves as the framework for a story about a tennis hero (Farley Granger) and his murderous alter ego (Robert Walker). The scene in which Hitch “volleys” back and forth between the pivotal tennis match and the murderer’s foul deeds is unforgettable in its tension.

Woody Allen might’ve had “Strangers” in mind when he made “Match Point,” in which the tennis champ and the murderer are now fused into one (Jonathan Rhys Meyers).

Like Granger, Rhys Meyers looks great in tennis gear.

Hey, there’s something about a man in uniform.

“Beach Tennis is the X-games of tennis” - Murphy Jensen

worthy

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Marc Powers of Stamford takes a backhand swing during a Yale tennis match.

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By John F. Maisano

A

n African safari is not only a delight for the eyes and imagination, but a feast for the palate of the culinary explorer who wishes to enjoy fine dining in one of the most magnificent settings on earth. Fresh vegetables and fruits arrive from nearby farms while seafood and meats are flown in daily. European-trained chefs have been hired by the finest camps to create the ultimate experience for their guests. Here at Safari and Beyond, we have uncovered some of the very best.

After landing in Nairobi, Kenya, our first stop is the Giraffe Manor. At this English manor house, built in 1932 by a British toffee magnate, you immediately feel as if you’ve stepped back in time. This luxurious boutique hotel is very inclusive: Guests share the manor with members of the resident herd of Rothschild giraffes, who pop in through French doors and wide open second-story windows.

The shaded patio overlooks the Ngong hills. Here guests feast on crisp, fresh salads, smoked meats and local fruits for lunch. Dinner is served under the stars, lit by silver candelabras and concludes with chocolate delicacies.

Moving on to the famed Masai Mara, we land at the

exquisite tented camp of Il Moran. Hidden under ancient trees, the 10 tents that comprise the camp line the banks of the Mara River. These en-suite tents include Victorian tubs to help soak the day’s dust away.

During the day, fresh fruits along with hot, freshly baked artisan breads and a dazzling breakfast are served in the shade of giant trees. Later, dinner is prepared by Cordon Bleu-trained chefs and served deep in the bush by candlelight. Nowhere else on earth can you get so far from civilization yet stay in such style.

Speaking of style, it’s now time for Tsavo National Park and Finch-Hatton’s Camp. Robert Redford played Denys Finch-Hatton, one of Kenya’s greatest adventurers, in “Out of Africa.” The film accurately portrayed his aesthetic sense. No matter where he set up camp, he brought with him fine china, crystal, silver and Mozart.

Here in Tsavo, where he lived and died, this tradition lives on. Guests can relive the golden age of elegant safaris in five-star comfort, dining on the finest cuisine served in the African wilderness while listening to Wolfgang’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.”

The sea beckons us as we fly to Mombasa on the Indian Ocean. Some of the greatest seafood on earth can be found here. Ignoring some fine restaurants, we prefer

dinner served aboard an ancient Arabic vessel known as a dhow, where you will gently sail while enjoying an exquisite meal of fish caught daily, the freshest of vegetables and bright citrus to awaken your palate.

Your next stop will be the famed Serengeti in neighboring Tanzania where you will float over thousands of animals in a hot air balloon. After you land, a Champagne breakfast magically appears. Enjoying this delicious meal in the early morn with this beautiful menagerie nearby is one memory that will stay with you always.

The Crater Lodge on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater completes our culinary excursion in a breathtaking location that Discover Africa calls “Versailles meets Masai in the game lodge at the edge of the world.” This lusciously appointed, intimate camp has suites with views of the crater from each room. Every need is attended to by your own personal butler whose charge is to bring you Kenyan tea in bed, stoke your fireplace, draw your bath and scatter the water with rose petals. The five-star dining is complemented by fine wines, exquisite desserts and aged cognac to sip as you watch the animals silently walk below your terrace.

Is this heaven? No, it’s Africa.

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wise

trading on food futures

By Scott Weinfeld

D

uring these dog days of summer, it’s not hard to stumble across a farmers market or open-air food festival of some sort in WAG country. But these are not the only venues in which potential profit can be made on the products of our country’s farmland. Today, dozens of agricultural products are traded every day on various commodity exchanges here and throughout the world.

One way to earn profits in agricultural commodities is through a futures contract.

Two parties exchange a specified asset, quantity and quality for an agreed upon price today (strike price,) with delivery occurring at a specified future date (delivery date). These contracts are usually executed by trades on a futures exchange.

The “buyer” of the underlying asset in the future is said to be “long” and the party agreeing to sell the asset in the future, the “seller” of the contract, is said to be “short”. This terminology reflects the ex-

pectations of the parties. Buyers hope for an increase in the price of the underlying asset while the seller hopes for a decrease.

It is said that the first market for futures was the Dojima Rice Exchange in Japan in the 1730s, which had been established to meet the needs of samurai who were paid in rice and needed to protect themselves, after a series of bad harvests, against the volatility when converting rice to money.

The Chicago Board of Trade listed the first standardized exchange traded, futures contracts in 1864. By 1875 cotton futures were being traded in India and within a few years, futures expanded to edible oilseeds, raw jute and jute goods Agricultural products like corn, oats, soybeans and cocoa are popular with commodity speculators as are pork bellies and the infamous frozen concentrated orange juice. Who can forget the movie “Trading Places,” in which Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd’s characters thwarted the attempt to corner the market on orange juice fu-

tures by the wealthy yet penny- pinching Duke brothers. The Dukes (Don Ameche, Ralph Bellamy) had hoped to gain an advantage with advanced notice of the orange crop’s health for the recent growing season. However, the film’s heroes outwitted their rivals by providing them with a false crop report stating that the orange crop had in fact been severely damaged by the unusually cold winter.

There have been numerous real attempts to corner the futures market over the years. In 1955, two onion traders, Sam Seigel and Vincent Kosuga, cornered the onion futures market on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. They bought enough onions and onion futures enabling them to control 98 percent of the available onions in Chicago. Threatening to flood the market with the huge amount of onions they had amassed, they convinced onion growers to begin purchasing their inventory at inflated prices. Using onion futures, the two men successfully shorted

the onion market and began to release vast amounts into the marketplace, driving the price of 50 pounds of onions down to 10 cents a bag. Months earlier, the price was as high as $2.75 per bag, creating millions of dollars in profit. In 1958 the Onion Futures Act became law, banning the trading of futures contracts on onions.

The loss of this lucrative trading product was devastating to the Chicago Exchange. Trading in eggs, turkeys and potatoes was not large enough to support the exchange and led to the emergence of new exchange-traded products, including futures contracts on pork bellies and frozen orange juice. The popularity of these new products restored profitability to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange once again.

You may contact Scott Weinfeld at: sweinfeld@signatureny.com.

Signature Securities Group Corp. is a registered broker-dealer, investment advisor, licensed insurance agency, member FINRA/ SIPC.

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wheels

Early Sunday morning, the P4/5 Competizione was back up to speed on the graffiti-covered 16.2-mile Nürburgring race circuit.

Enthusiast extraordinaire Jim Glickenhaus is the ultimate car guy

R

eferring to Jim Glickenhaus as an auto collector would be accurate but wholly inadequate, something akin to calling Walt Disney just a filmmaker. Glickenhaus is a visionary, a dreamer and most of all, a serious enthusiast. Take a tour of Jim’s spacious and spotless Westchester shop and you begin to get an idea of what makes him tick.

The facility – in a quiet residential area – looks more like a sculpture gallery than a garage. The walls are hung with sensuous car bodies. The floors are polished to a high luster. And the cars themselves are simply spectacular. They include the 1967 Daytona 24-Hour-winning Ferrari P3/4, a massive Duesenberg J446, a Stutz DV-32, a Ford GT40 Mark IV J6 long-tail, and a 1947 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa.

Jim’s latest acquisition is Steve McQueen’s legendary Baja Boot off-road racer – a fire breathing V-8-powered beast that won the Baja 500. Jim’s daily driver and station car? A limited-production Alfa-Romeo 8C Competizione – the first one sold in North America. Unlike most collectors, Jim actually drives all of his cars. Even the racers have license plates.

By Roger Garbow

After the checkered flag fell at the Nürburgring, the Stars and Stripes flew. From left, Veronica, Meg, Jesse and Jim Glickenhaus alongside trusted friend and mechanic Salvatore Barone.

Jim’s most famous car, and the one that made him a worldwide automotive star, is the Ferrari P4/5. Inspired by his beautiful P3/4, Jim wondered what a modern version would look like – as if Ferrari had continued to produce the car over the ensuing four decades. So in 2005, he commissioned Ferrari design house Pininfarina to build a one-off body on the chassis of Ferrari’s greatest supercar to date – the Enzo. A year later,

the Ferrari P4/5 debuted at Pebble Beach on the world’s biggest collector car stage.

The car was an instant global sensation.

Following in the true spirit of the P3, Jim decided to take his creation racing.

But the P4/5 was too wide for international GT competition, so he needed to build a completely new car. Thus, the P4/5 Competizione was conceived. The team was led by Paolo Garella, formerly the special projects director at Pininfa-

rina, where he worked on the original P4/5. The race car was built on a Ferrari 430 Scuderia chassis with bodywork closely matching the street P4/5, using lightweight carbon fiber body panels.

When Jim first set eyes on the Competizione in unpainted carbon fiber, he decided to keep it that way. The black woven panels make the car appear sinister – like a futuristic Batmobile.

While the P4/5C was built to GT racing specs, it was not eligible to race in most sanctioned events, because it was not based on a production or “homologated” vehicle. Therefore, after the P4/5C was completed this spring, Jim entered it into the experimental class in the Nürburgring 24.

The N24 is a grueling round-the-clock race for GT cars, featuring 250 entries in 15 classes on the famed German racing circuit. At 16.2 miles, it is the world’s longest and toughest racetrack. Just finishing the race is considered to be a major accomplishment. And the P4/5C would be going up against factory teams with huge resources.

But this was not a solo journey for Jim – his day job as a partner in Glickenhaus and Co., the legendary investment firm, gives him the freedom to follow his passion – his family is right there by his 73

The Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus team works feverishly on repairs to the damaged P4/5 Competizione to get the racer back on track.

The stunning red Ferrari P4/5 sits in Jim Glickenhaus’ spotless shop alongside the yellow Ford GT40 Mark IV J6 long-tail.

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side. The racing team is named “Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus,” in honor of Jim’s wife, Meg Cameron. Meg’s a real enthusiast, too: She even has her own V8-powered, custom-built street rod parked in the garage. Jim and Meg’s two children, Jesse, 29, and Veronica, 23, are also part of the team, sharing the ups and downs of racing. Jesse handles most of the photography and was trudging through the Nürburgring mud to get “the shot.”

The actual event, held at the end of June, was like a combination of Formula 1, Nascar, Oktoberfest, and Woodstock, with a little Cirque de Soleil thrown in for color. Some 250,000 fans set up camp days in advance of the race. With beer ¬– lots of it. But, these fans were knowledgeable, lining the fences for the whole race, rooting for their favorites and enjoying every minute of the drama unfolding.

The P4/5 C qualified well, in 36th overall. Considering the lack of testing

and development time leading up to the race with an all-new car, this was very respectable. The driver lineup was impressive, too – three Italians, including Ferrari’s former F1 test driver Nicola Larini, and Finnish F1 legend Mika Salo. Larini took the opening stint and moved the car up to 29th. The drivers cycled through the car, and each was impressed with the performance.

Unfortunately, as happens in endurance racing, contact from another competitor forced considerable repairs in the garage. The crew worked tirelessly during the night and got the carbon fiber beauty back on track. By this point, the P4/5 C had dropped out of the top 100, so the drivers had considerable work to do. But they battled back to an impressive 39th finish overall (2nd in class), at which point Glickenhaus was given a standing ovation, not just by his team, but the surrounding crews as well.

It was truly a dream come true.

well

When good food makes you feel bad

By Julie Tobak, MD

“Why does my stomach hurt?”

“Why am I bloated?” “Why do I feel burning in my stomach?” “What makes me gassy?” “Why do I feel drained after eating?”

If you ever wanted to ask those questions, you are not alone. They are a few of the more common concerns I hear every day from patients.

The answers are not simple. Each solution is usually individual and cannot be easily generalized. A lot of times, the answers may lie in what we eat and our lifestyles.

Are there “good” and “bad” foods? Of course, there are foods that have more nutritional value than others. Beyond that, it’s complex. Common foods that we consider “healthy” may be a cause of one’s symptoms. Take tomato sauce, for example, which is a staple in the American diet. What could be bad about it? Yet many individuals with heartburn and reflux cannot tolerate it and should try to avoid it. The same could be said about

76

orange juice, onions, garlic and caffeine.

Let’s talk about abdominal pain, gas/ bloating and bowel problems. These are by far probably the most common complaints from my patients. Many times foods that we consider “good” can be inciting factors. While some fruits and vegetables with hard to digest skin – foods rich in insoluble/crude fiber, such as popcorn, corn, cabbage, grapes and cucumbers – are “healthy” and can help with constipation, they may also cause or aggravate a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, including pain and bloating. People who have “sensitive stomachs” can choose to cook their broccoli, celery and cauliflower to a softer consistency and cut their vegetables into smaller pieces, peel them and eat “hard to digest” foods in smaller quantities.

Carbonated beverages are another common cause of gas, bloating and abdominal pains. Certain foods, like beans and prunes, can cause gastrointestinal symp-

toms as well. A certain amount of gas is normal. The average person produces one to four pints a day and passes gas 14 times.

It’s also normal for the consistency and frequency of your bowel movements to vary somewhat. However, if you are experiencing frequent abdominal pains, gas, a change in your bowel habits or if your gas, diarrhea or constipation are interfering with your normal activities, you should see a doctor. It could be caused by something simple like lactose or other food intolerances that are commonly overlooked, or by more complicated conditions such as celiac disease, bacterial overgrowth and a variety of systemic illnesses. You should never ignore persistent discomfort.

Very often what you eat can determine how you feel. Protein found in lean meats and certain nuts may help increase energy levels. Along with protein, you also need carbohydrates, a main source of fuel for your body. Just choose them wisely. The

key is to avoid sweets that cause your blood sugar to spike and plummet, which in turn may lead to fatigue and moodiness.

Look for whole grains instead, which are absorbed slowly and keep sugar levels steady. Fiber slows digestion and may provide a more steady supply of energy. Other good choices are salmon (rich in omega 3 fatty acids) and folate-rich leafy greens, which may reduce the risk of depression.

Other tips to remember: It’s important to eat breakfast and approximately five other small, relatively evenly spaced meals throughout the day. Also try to avoid energy drinks as much as you can. And don’t forget water. It’s important to drink plenty of water and unsweetened beverages at regular intervals.

Most of all, you need to learn to trust that inner voice that tells you what feels good and what doesn’t. Your body usually knows the answers to many of these questions, although your mind may not like to hear them.

well

The Youthfulness sculpted face without the knife

H

aving discussed the muscle relaxants and fillers, I would like to complete this series with a review of an intriguing, new approach to nonoperative skin rejuvenation.

To correct the loss of contour and fullness associated with aging, this injectable fills in depressed areas by stimulating the bodies’ own production of collagen to replace the missing tissue. The most commonly used treatment in this category is Sculptra, and because its effects can last up to two years, it is becoming an increasingly popular choice in cosmetic surgery.

Interestingly, Sculptra was originally developed for the treatment of the volume loss in medical conditions associated with a gaunt facial appearance. Because the amount required to correct the loss in these patients was so high, the available

By Michael Rosenberg, MD fillers such as collagen and hyaluronic acid were prohibitively expensive. By using a biostimulatory agent that could induce the body’s own replacement of the missing tissue, good results were achieved without using excessive amounts of fillers. Based on the extensive safety data gathered in this patient group, the FDA approved Sculptra in 2009 for use in facial rejuvenation for correction of the nasolabial folds, and the amount of Sculptra being used has increased tremendously.

Sculptra contains poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), a biocompatible material that has been used for years in sutures that dissolve and has been used cosmetically in Europe since 1999. The PLLA gradually stimulates collagen production in the dermis, the skin layer just under the outer epidermis. This newly formed collagen replaces the collagen that is lost during the aging

process. The replaced collagen then forms the foundation for filling out the wrinkles and creases in the nasolabial fold or other depressed areas in the face. Clinically, the patient sees a gradual improvement in contour, and since the change occurs slowly over time, other people aren’t aware that the patient’s improved appearance is not natural.

Treatment sessions take about 20 minutes each, and usually three sessions are required to complete the course of treatment. The Sculptra is mixed with local anesthesia before injection to minimize any discomfort during the procedure. The result can last up to two years, after which the treatment cycle can be restarted. Areas that are treated include the nasolabial folds, cheeks, and temporal area (where the effects can be particularly dramatic).

Afterwards, there are no limits on activi-

ties, though patients are asked to massage the area for five minutes, five times a day, for five days (rule of fives). Like any other procedure, there are potential side effects, which should be considered before proceeding with treatment. In addition to redness, discomfort or bruising at the injection site, small lumps can sometimes be noticeable under the skin. Thus it’s very important to investigate the background and training of your treating physician.

For the well-chosen patient, treatment can restore a more youthful appearance with minimal downtime. Each treatment session costs from $800 to $1,200. Along with a good skin-care program, and where necessary laser rejuvenation and Botox, Sculptra can play an important role in nonsurgical facial rejuvenation.

Please send any questions or comments to mrosenberg@nwhc.net.

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well

The name game

By Erika Schwartz, MD

What goes around comes around – especially with regard to food.

Just note the grand revival of the farm fresh foods as the centerpieces of healthy eating, along with the emergence of terms like “farm fresh,” locally grown,” organic” and/or “natural,” which have created a very confusing picture for the average human being who just wants to eat good food and enjoy it, too.

The ability to preserve foods via freezing, chemical processing and the addition of antibiotics and hormones dramatically changed what and how we eat. Supermarket shelves are chock-full of foods that pretty much last forever. The outcome is a nation of overweight people suffering from many diseases directly connected to the overabundance of processed foods.

Fortunately, scientists and public health advocates have taken notice of the dangers of too much processed food. Science has proven that preserved, processed, chemical or hormone-laden foods wreak havoc in

our bodies. Thus, as a nation we are now moving toward purer, cleaner and less toxic ways of eating. Ironically, the move is taking us back to natural, farm-fresh foods.

Along with the rediscovery of the health value of farm-fresh and pure foods, a new vocabulary has also become part of our daily lives. So let’s make sure we know what these terms mean, shall we?

Locally grown foods are just that, geographically close to where they are sold.

Many supermarkets now carry these, which are healthier and less likely to contain preservatives and chemicals, because they don’t travel far to get to your table.

Farm fresh is a confusing term, because unless you are buying directly from the farm, you don’t really know how fresh it is.

Most likely, this food is fresher than frozen or processed food. But the term doesn’t tell you much. A bit of caution is in order here.

Natural is another tricky term, because you think “natural” means no processing.

However, most natural foods you buy in a jar

have to be processed to keep them from rotting. So please read the label. Avoid products that contain substances with unpronounceable names, sugar, salt and/or corn syrup.

Organic implies the product was grown without antibiotics, hormones or chemicals. It wasn’t sprayed with pesticides and its soil was untouched by chemicals. Organic products are always more expensive.

The terms farm fresh and natural do not guarantee the product is organic.

Although the FDA has strict rules for labeling foods, not everyone abides by them, which leaves us consumers in charge of making decisions with less information than we’d like to have.

To help you navigate your way through the brave new world of healthy eating, here’s my advice: 1. If you can afford organic, buy from reliable sources. Most towns have great organic food sources and caring storeowners.

2. If you buy from the supermarket, try buying locally grown.

3. Buy only vegetables and fruit in season.

Stay away from the exotic and unique: They may not be worth the price.

4. Don’t freeze foods you buy fresh. Buy enough for a few days only.

5. Fruit and vegetables lose their flavor when they are more than a few days old, so eat them fresh.

6. Don’t buy overripe fruit or vegetables.

They ripen in your home so you are better off getting them before they peak.

7. Stay away from cured meats even if they come from the farm. The curing process includes chemical preservation and has been linked to cancers.

8. Eat as many cruciferous vegetables as possible. They protect you from cancer and heart disease and keep your mind sharp.

Food is medicine, so if you are committed to eating fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, don’t waste the benefits by overcooking them or adding chemicals or preservatives.

Follow Dr. Erika on her Facebook page “DrErika Schwartz” or Twitter@Dr. Erika.

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Wells Fargo’s symbol may be a stagecoach, but the vehicles at Wells Fargo Advisors’ recent shindig had considerably more horsepower. The financial firm’s Matthew True and Scott Kelly hosted an evening with clients and friends at Dragone Classic Motorcars in Westport to view autos ranging in price from $50,000 to $3 million. Owner George Dragone was on hand to give the multimilliondollar tour.

Photographs by Jed Wilson (All photograph identifications are from left unless otherwise noted.)

Matthew True and James Barker

George Dragone with a 1936 Delahaye 135s Figoni and Falaschi

Bill Mackey, Mark Montgelas and Jim Lefebvre

Brian Meckley and Stephanie Esteves

Scott Kelly

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Mark Montgelas and Peter Daniels

Stuart Schwerin and Joseph Maida

Jen Eriksen and Kathy True

Loredana Giovinazzo and Jerry Giovinazzo

Silvery soirée

David Swope of Club Fit and Assemblywoman Sandy Galef

Mike Curry, David Ross and Sonja Bartlett

Sherry Roark, Agnes Holzberg and Kathleen Boyd

Erik Porcaro, Richard Freire, Joe Rutigliano and Michael Greenman

Lindsay Farrell, president and CEO of the Open Door Family Medical Centers in Ossining, recently marked her 25th anniversary with the organization at an event at The Playhouse on the Rockefeller estate in Pocantico Hills. The honors don’t end there: Farrell was also named 2011 New York State Woman of Distinction.

Photographs by Lynda Shenkman-Curtis

Lori Fishman, Lindsay Farrell and Anne Nolon

Kathy Gilbert and Keith Safian

Marco Ovalle, Tony Rizzi, George Foland and Fran Porcaro

Funny business

Comedian, actor and author Robert Klein came to The Club at Briarcliff Manor, a senior community, to give a VIP performance for more than 100 future residents and guests. From left, Bob Stein; Robert Klein; Matt Phillips, president and CEO of Integrated Development Group, the developer of The Club at Briarcliff Manor; and his wife, Santhe.

Sandy Richel, Peter Richel, Leanna Richel, Amy Richel and Craig Kelly

Dan Ollen, Jane Carmody, Mike Carmody and Jim Lamonda

A swinging event

Supporters of Arc of Westchester recently teed off at the organization’s 11th annual Golfing for Kids outing at Brynwood Golf and Country Club in Armonk. The event raised more than $140,000 for The Children’s School for Early Development, which provides support for children with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Elly Rice, Wendy Ross and Randy Hall

Keepin’ it green

The Sundial and Fountain Gardens at the John Jay Homestead in Katonah provided the historic setting for a glorious party thrown by The Friends of the organization. Houlihan Lawrence sponsored the night’s festivities, which raised more than $20,000 in support of garden and grounds projects at the homestead of the Founding Father whose dizzying accomplishments include co-authoring the Federalist Papers and serving as the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

81

watch Grillin’ in Greenwich

It was quite the occasion at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park when 3,500plus Greenwich residents turned out for the inaugural Greenwich Town Party. The spectacular 12-hour event featured tunes from legends The Temptations and Buddy Guy with food, fun and a barbecue grill-off for all.

Photographs by Kari Campano and Bob Capazzo

Aysen Gerlach, Yonca Gerlach, Anne Friday, Paul Gerlach and Jean Gerlach

Blues Legend and six-time Grammy Award winner Buddy Guy

WABC senior meteorologist Bill Evans interviews Ken Hays

Frederic C. Rich, Douglas Thomas and Scenic Hudson Board Member Ambassador Nicholas Platt

Sylvia Spitalnick, Mary Henwood Klotz, Nyna Giles, Barbara Venturi and Crista Tucker

For love of the land

It was quite the picturesque evening when Scenic Hudson held its 2011 gala at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills. The event honored Frederic C. Rich for his outstanding leadership of Scenic Hudson as board member and chair, as well as board chairman of The Scenic Hudson Land Trust. More than 250 guests saluted Rich and Scenic Hudson’s environmental efforts.

Photographs provided by Scenic Hudson.

The Temptations

Ned Sullivan, president of Scenic Hudson, and wife, Tara Sullivan

Lisa Oz, Rick Rakow and Potoula Gjidija

Li’l bit of soul

The “Sounds of Motown” rang out at a recent benefit for Friends of Karen, a Purdys-based provider of emotional and financial support for families of children fighting cancer. The event, at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, raised more than $200,000 for the organization, with “Dateline NBC’s” Kate Snow serving as the gracious emcee.

Pictured, Kate Snow, Sharon Weiner and Judy Factor, executive director, Friends of Karen.

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Ya gotta have heart

Lisa Oz stopped by the Brynwood Golf and Country Club in Armonk to help raise money for the Westchester-Fairfield American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement. Oz is a writer, producer and co-host of “The Dr. Oz Show” on Oprah Radio, Sirius and XM. Photographs by American Heart Association

Irena Strauss of BMW and guest

Chef Derek Wagner

Jill Waller and Ellen Silberstein

Amy and Ryan Kundrat

Neither rain, nor …

Touch of glass

People who live in glass houses should definitely throw parties. The Philip Johnson Glass House in New Canaan celebrated its fifth anniversary in culinary style with Dine With Design. Five renowned chefs were invited to celebrate the museum’s milestone – five years since its public opening – with a farm-to-table theme.

Photographs by Tom McWilliam

Not even torrential downpours and bouts of hail could keep the hearty – and hardy – friends of the Greyston Foundation from a party at Xaviars X2O on the Yonkers waterfront. But then, how could Mother Nature compete with chef Peter Kelly’s scrumptious creations? There was also some imbibing we hear, all in the name of Greyston’s community-development programs.

Photographs by Kelly Liyakasa

Baker Mark Furstenberg

Sheila Reardon, Charles Mallory and Burt Knox

Amy Scarella and Meghan Bell

Bruce Beinfield

John Jacobsson and Allison Sullens

Beth and Steven Weis and Rick Wahlstedt

Yonkers Mayor Philip Amicone

Executive Chef Frederic Kieffer

Jill Fitzburgh and Trevor Mahony-Crow

Groovin’ by the seaside

The well-heeled and hungry gathered July 12 at the Delamar Hotel in Southport for cocktails and appetizers to celebrate the opening of Artisan, a farm-to-table restaurant generating a lot of buzz. Guests could be seen grooving to lounge beats on outdoor garden couches, watching the sunset with co-workers, getting lost in Jonas Wickman paintings with friends, and enjoying an open bar, oysters and clams on the half-shell, mini basil icecream cones, and so much more! Artisan is well-conceptualized, featuring local selections seasoned with international inspiration in a clean-cut yet luxurious setting by the shore.

Photographs by Hildi Todrin

Kris and Renata Hopkins

Tom Appleby

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watch Maggie Delany, Melissa Stod, Olga Papkovitch and Dr. Shireen Fernandez

A winning day

The Greenwich Polo Club’s annual Victory Cup event held July 10 brought out the pooches, the Anglophiles, celebrity party-crashers and horsepower of both the four-legged and mechanical kind. More than 1000 guests enjoyed two matches, along with a Ferrari Club Breakfast and Road Rally, the Lil’ Miss and Mr. Perfect Dog Parade and the Best Dressed Award.

Michaele Salahi, White House party crasher and star of “The Real Housewives of D.C.,” and hubby, Tareq, judged the fashion show, and yes, they had an invite.

The Churchill Centre was a team sponsor and hosted Winnie’s descendants and members of the British Assembly of Notables.

The multifaceted event was a fundraiser for New Yorkers on the Ball, a group that supports Republican New York state Sen. Greg Ball.

Photographs by © David Bravo.

Erin O’Brien, Jerard McKeon and Sabrina Meltz

Lori Griffin and Konstantine Wells

Richard and Cathrine Greene with their son, Alexander

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Greenwich Polo Club Grace Forster with her dogs Portia and Rosie

Anthony Rubio with his dog, Bandit

James Parker, Debra Bisaccia and Craig Lennon

Wayne Miller and Larry Amanuel

Danielle Zwernemann, RJ Risteen and Lauren Cuomo

Danise Talbot and Dan Mitchell

Krista Gobins, Senator Jim Alesi and Ali Skinner

Tyler Moss, Sean Butler and Christina Rossomndo

Tareq Salahi, Kathleen Napoleon, Ronda Colker, Michaele Salahi and Senator Greg Ball

time WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17

Dazzling dahlias Steve Nowotarski, dahlia expert explains his secrets of preparing winning blooms for shows that take place in the region, 10 a.m., Garden Education Center of Greenwich, 130 Bible St., Cos Cob. $40; $30 members. (203) 869-9242, gecgreenwich.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20

Lunar delight The 45th annual event features a tribute to our only satellite with traditional Japanese music, pre-ordered food and lanterns lighting the Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden. Gardens open at 6:30 p.m. Tea ceremony introduction 7 p.m. Concert 8:30 p.m. $20; $15 members; $15 food. 28 Deveau Road, North Salem. (914) 669-5033, hammondmuseum.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 TO SUNDAY, AUGUST 21

Fine crafts fair Riverside entertainment, with 90 vendors featuring arts and crafts for the body and home, live music, gourmet food and rides on the 47-foot historic sloop Woody Guthrie, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Garrison’s Landing, on the Hudson adjacent to the Metro-North line. (845) 424.3960, garrisonartcenter.org. E-PHOTO

FRIDAY, AUGUST 26

Clockwise, Jason Moran and the Bandwagon, John Scofield, Renee Rosnes and Christian McBride.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5 THROUGH SUNDAY, AUGUST 7

Jazz at Caramoor Packed with jazz legends and innovative voices, 8 p.m.

Aug. 5, Spanish Courtyard; 3 to 8 p.m. Aug. 6, 1 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 7, Venetian Theater, 149 Girdle Ridge Road, Katonah. Aug. 5: $40, $30; Aug. 6: $57, $45, $33; Aug. 7: $57, $45, $33. (914) 232-1252, caramoor.org.

MONDAY, AUGUST 8

Swinging for Habitat A day of golfing with lunch, dinner, silent auction and prizes, to benefit Housatonic Habitat for Humanity, 11 a.m. registration; 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. lunch; 12:30 p.m. shotgun start; 5:30 p.m. dinner and awards, Ridgewood Country Club, 119 Franklin St., Darien. $1,200 foursome; $300. (203) 744-1340, housatonichabitat.org.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10

Samba in the evening Music and dance of Brazil with performing arts company Grupo Ribeiro, 5 p.m., Caramoor, Friends Field, 149 Girdle Ridge Road, Katonah. $10; $5 children. (914) 232-1252, caramoor.org.

Cool sounds in the garden Bebop and jazz music with a solo performance by percussionist Billy Martin, joined by guitarist John Scofield, 6:30 p.m., Katonah Museum of Art, Sculpture Garden, 134 Jay St., Katonah; in the event of rain: Katonah Village Library, 26 Bedford Road, Katonah. $20; $10 members. (914) 232-9555, katonahmuseum.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13

Just peachy A peach festival with hayrides, live music, peach picking, and a recipe contest, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fishkill Farms, 9 Fishkill Farm Road, Hopewell Junction. (845) 897-4377, fishkillfarms.com.

‘Sculpting’ on canvas Pop artist Leslie Lew introduces guests to the art of “sculpting paint,” 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Katonah Museum of Art, 134 Jay St., Katonah. $20; $10 members. (914) 232-9555, katonahmuseum.org.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14

Hot wheels Benefit featuring classic cars (pre-1980) from the greater metro region, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mahopac Volunteer Fire Station, 741 Route 6, Mahopac. Preregistration required.

(845) 628-4213.

MONDAY, AUGUST 15

Museum fundraiser A benefit for the Museum of Jewish Heritage, golf: 10 a.m. driving range open; noon tee-off and lunch on the course; tennis: 1 p.m. clinics; 2 p.m. matches begin and lunch courtside; leisure: 1 p.m. pool and gym open; 1 to 4 p.m. ongoing mah-jongg, bridge, canasta games and lunch poolside; dinner: 5 p.m. cocktails, buffet and desserts, presentation, awards, raffle and auction, Old Oaks Country Club, 3100 Purchase St., Purchase. $700 golf; $300 tennis; $300 leisure; $200 cocktails and dinner only. (646) 437-4338, support. mjhnyc.org/outing2011.

Summertime blues Beyond the Blues performs music influenced by rock, soul and R& B, 6 to 9 p.m., Grove Street Plaza, 20 Grove St., Darien (203) 656-0500, ext. 180, dariensummernights.com.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 28

‘Old Fashioned Flea Market’ The 4th annual market features antiques, collectibles, jewelry, household items, furniture, clothing and more, with American barbecue and home-baked goods, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, 295 West Ave., Norwalk. (203) 838-9799, lockwoodmathewsmansion.com.

THROUGH SATURDAY, AUGUST 20

Art in bloom Summer exhibition of works inspired by nature in a variety of media. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, Kenise Barnes Fine Art, 1955 Palmer Ave., Larchmont. (914) 834-8077, kenisebarnesfineart.com.

THROUGH SUNDAY, AUGUST 21

Taste of Spain “Spanish Paradise: Gardens of the Alhambra,” an exhibit exploring the collaboration of nature and dramatic design, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays; cooking demonstrations with food from the al-Andalus region of Spain, 4 p.m.

August 21, The New York Botanical Garden, Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx. $20; $18 seniors and students; $8 children. (718) 817-8700, nybg.org.

TUESDAYS, THROUGH AUGUST 30

Green acres “A Farmer’s Life,” an interactive presentation on what it takes to run a farm, 2 to 3 p.m., 39 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford. Free for members; nonmembers free with gate admission: (203) 322-1646, stamfordmuseum.org.

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worthy BEDFORD CORNERS: DAISY HILL FARM STAND 214 W. Patent Road Bedford, NY 10549 Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

(914) 244-1132 BETHEL FARMERS MARKET 67 Stony Hill Road Bethel, CT 06801 Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

June 19 to Oct. 30 bethelfarmersmarket.org BRIDGEPORT – COURT HOUSE FARMERS MARKET 26 Baldwin Plaza Bridgeport, CT 06607 Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

July 6 to Oct. 26 BRIDGEPORT FARMERS MARKET United Congregational Church 877 Park Ave. Bridgeport, CT 06604 Thursday, 2 to 6 p.m.

July 1 to Oct. 28 (203) 268-2716

FROM FARM TO MARKET

DARIEN FARMERS MARKET Municipal parking lot at Mechanic Street Darien, CT 06820 Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

May 12 to Dec. 25 (860) 350-3276, darienfarmersmarket.net FAIRFIELD – BRICK WALK FARMERS MARKET 1189 Post Road Fairfield, CT 06824 Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon May 29 to Oct. 30 FAIRFIELD – GREENFIELD HILLS FARMERS MARKET 1950 Bronson Road Fairfield, CT 06824 Saturday, 12:30 to 4 p.m.

June 5 to Oct. 30 FARMERS MARKET PEPSICO PURCHASE 800 Anderson Hill Road Purchase, NY 10577 Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. year round (845) 520-6502

BRONXVILLE FARMERS MARKET 81 Pondfield Road Bronxville, NY 10708 Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

May 29 to Nov. 20 (914) 479-2246

GREENWICH FARMERS MARKET Horse Neck Parking Lot 4 Horse Neck Lane Greenwich, CT 06830 Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., May 20 to Dec. 23

CHAPPAQUA FARMERS MARKET Chappaqua Train Station 35 S. Greeley Ave. Chappaqua, NY 10514 Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., May to November chappaquafarmersmarket.org

HARTSDALE FARMERS MARKET 223 E. Hartsdale Ave. Hartsdale, NY 10530 Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

June to October (914) 993-1507

CITY CENTER DANBURY FARMERS MARKET 186 Main St. Danbury, CT 06810 Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

July 8 to Oct. 28 (203) 792-1711 CROTON FARMERS MARKET Municipal Lot at Riverside Avenue (across from 1 Municipal Place) Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520 Wednesday, 1:30 to 6:30 p.m.

June 1 to Nov. 23 DANBURY FARMERS MARKET 186 Main St. Danbury, CT 06810 Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

July 9 to Oct. 29

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HASTINGS FARMERS MARKET 7 Maple Ave. Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706 Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

June to December (914) 478-8068 ST. JOHN FARMERS MARKET 1 Hudson St. Yonkers, NY 10701 Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

July through November (914) 963-3033 JOHN JAY HOMESTEAD FARM MARKET 400 Jay St., Katonah, NY 10536 Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

June 25 to Oct. 15 (914) 232-5651 johnjayhomestead.org

KATONAH/LEWISBORO FARMERS MARKET John Jay High School 60 N. Salem Road Cross River, NY 10518 Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

June to Nov. 22

PORT CHESTER FARMERS MARKET N. Main and Adee streets Port Chester, NY 10573 Friday, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

June to October (914) 939-0740

STRATFORD FARMERS MARKET DeLuca Field 2725 Main St. Stratford, CT 06615 Monday, 1 to 6 p.m.

June to October

LARCHMONT FARMERS MARKET Metro-North Parking Deck No. 3 1 Railroad Way Larchmont, NY 10538 Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

June to Dec. 17 communitymarkets.biz

POUND RIDGE FARMERS MARKET 65 Westchester Ave. Pound Ridge, NY 10576 Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

April through October (914) 764-0015

TARRYTOWN FARMERS MARKET Adjacent to Tarrytown Public Library 121 N. Broadway Tarrytown, NY 10591 Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

May 28 to Nov. 19 communitymarkets.biz.

MOUNT KISCO INDOOR WINTER FARMERS MARKET Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester 351 Main St. Mount Kisco, NY 10549 Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

January to May NEW CANAAN FARMERS MARKET Old Center School Parking Lot corner of South Avenue and Maple and Main streets Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

May 15 to Nov. 20 newcanaanfarmersmarket.net NEW ROCHELLE FARMERS MARKET 47 Lawton St. New Rochelle, NY 10801 Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

June 17 to Nov. 18 communitymarkets.biz OSSINING FARMERS MARKET 100 Main St. Ossining, NY 10562 Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

May 28 to Dec. 17 communitymarkets.biz PEEKSKILL FARMERS MARKET 5 Bank St., Peekskill, NY10566 Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

June to Nov. 19 (914) 737-2780 PELHAM FARMERS MARKET 109 Fifth Ave., Pelham, NY 10803 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

May 28 to Nov. 19 communitymarkets.biz PLEASANTVILLE FARMERS MARKET 42 Memorial Plaza Pleasantville, NY 10570 Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

May to Dec. 17 communitymarkets.biz

RIDGEFIELD FARMERS MARKET 88 Danbury Road Ridgefield, CT 06877 Friday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

June 11 to October ridgefieldfarmersmarket.org ROWAYTON FARMERS MARKET Pinkney Park, 177 Rowayton Ave. Rowayton, CT 06853 Friday, noon to 5 p.m.

June 4 to October rowaytonct.com/farmersmarket. html RYE FARMERS MARKET Behind 73 Purchase St. Rye, NY 10580 Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

June to November communitymarkets.biz SCARSDALE FARMERS MARKET Scarsdale Village Hall lower-level parking lot 1001 Post Road Scarsdale, NY 10583 Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. year round (914) 456-9744 SHELTON FARMERS MARKET Corner of Cornell and Canal streets, Shelton, CT 06484 Wednesday , 3 to 6 p.m.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

June 19 to November STAMFORD HIGH RIDGE FARMERS MARKET High Ridge Shopping Center 1000 High Ridge Road Stamford, CT 06905 Wednesday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

June 18 to Oct. 29

TRUMBULL FARMERS MARKET Long Hill Green, 6500 Main St. Trumbull, CT 06611 Thursday, 2 to 6 p.m.

June 17 to Oct. 28 WESTPORT FARMERS MARKET Municipal Parking Lot 26 Imperial Ave. Westport, CT 06880 Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

May 23 to Nov. 3 westportfarmersmarket.com WHITE PLAINS FARMERS MARKET 255 Main St. White Plains, NY 10601 Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

May 11 to Nov. 23 (914) 422-1336 WHITE PLAINS INTERNATIONAL OPEN AIR FARMERS MARKET 255 Main St. White Plains, NY 10601 Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

May to November (914) 422-1411 WILTON FARMERS MARKET The Wilton Historical Society 224 Danbury Road Wilton, CT 06897 Wednesday, 2 to 6 p.m.

May 25 to Sept. 28 wiltonfarmersmarket.com YORKTOWN HEIGHTS AT HILLTOP HANOVER FARM STAND 1271 Hanover St. Yorktown Heights Fridays and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., through October (914) 962-2368 hilltophanoverfarm.org

class&sass

By Martha Handler and Jennifer Pappas Photograph by Sarah Kadagian

I will confess a dirty little secret: I don’t enjoy cooking. Guess I’m missing the chip that entices you to make savory things for others. I’m also not very good at it as I find it impossible to cook and speak at the same time. Something ends up in flames – either dinner or the conversation.

So, if you ever come to my home as a dinner guest, you’ll be eating at your own risk – a kind of buyer beware thing. I do love to dine out, however. You ask for things, they bring them to you and then you get to leave without doing the dishes! How great is that? And there are such a wide variety of fabulous restaurants to choose from.

Trust me: It’s no secret that you M don’t enjoy cooking! I do actually, but here’s my problem. I’m a social person who’s chosen a solitary profession (writing, in case you hadn’t guessed), so by the end of the day, I’m in serious need of face time.

Preparing family dinners works because the kitchen is our home’s hub of activity.

But when I entertain friends at our home, they want to wine, dine and socialize, not hover in the kitchen watching me cook and attempt to synchronize my various dishes (which becomes increasingly more challenging after I’ve had a glass of wine or two). That being said, I much prefer dinner parties to going out due to the dearth of decent restaurants in our area (strange given the plethora of sophisticated palates and fat wallets) and the fact that my hearing is shot (along with a lot of other things), so when there’s ambient noise, I can’t hear a thing (though I nod and pretend I do, which leads to a whole host of other problems).

The other reason I prefer dinner parties is because I’m 100-percent confident about the cleanliness of my kitchen. As waitressing during my college years taught me, what one sees (or doesn’t see) in the dining

J

area is not always indicative of the sanitary conditions in the kitchen!

OK... I will concede to you on the J point of cleanliness. I often suffer from bowel discomfort after a night of eating out. But fine dining is still one of my favorite recreational activities. For me, the issue is that I often feel intimidated by my waiters, but am afraid to call them out on bad service or overseasoned food for fear of repercussions. I’ve heard horror stories about what happens in the kitchen if your waiter feels he/she’s been offended.

One friend of mine told me that she’d witnessed a waiter dropping a steak on the floor by “accident” and then picking it up and putting it back on the plate to be served. (I guess he was applying the ol’ three-second rule.) And, I have a real problem with bathroom attendants. Do I really need a stranger standing and staring at me while I’m primping, rearranging things (hair, breasts, undergarments), covering up blotches from one too many glasses of wine, or making a weird face in the mirror as I attempt to dislodge some foreign green matter that’s gotten stuck between my teeth? I leave feeling as if she should be tipping ME for the free entertainment that I‘ve just bestowed upon her!

I abhor those Ladies of the Loo. M Personally, I’d prefer coin-operated toilets to those unnecessary voyeurs. It’s pure lunacy. We’re expected to tip the valet attendant, the coat check girl (or guy), the sommelier and the waiter, and now they want us to pay to pee? Plus it’s far from a one time payout if you’re like me and have a bladder that screams to be emptied every 15 or so minutes. What kind of job is “bathroom attendant’ anyway? Technically, I guess it’s not a job, because the attendants aren’t on the restaurant payroll. They sur-

vive solely on the kindness of our hearts (and wallets), while the restaurants make out like bandits, because they don’t have to pay a cleaning crew. When bathroom attendants first started appearing, I simply boycotted the restaurant. But now it’s almost impossible to find a decent eating establishment in all of New York City (with bathrooms that aren’t the size of broom closets) without one. So now I’m forced to leave my purse (i.e., lipstick, breath mints, floss, blush, etc.) at the table and feign ignorance, lest I appear cheap. The only exception I’ve found to this scenario is at Beauty and Essex (146 Essex St.) where the bathroom is so large and luxurious you feel like you’ve entered a really cool all-girls club complete with flowing champagne and adorable, chatty young ladies who treat you like a glamorous celebrity. love the scene there. You walk J Ithrough a quaint little pawnshop, slither through a secret door and voila! – you’re transported back in time to the elegant, wild and crazy days of Prohibition and speakeasies. I love feeling like I’m in a place that I shouldn’t be in, doing things that I shouldn’t be doing! That’s right up my alley...

That’s the definition of a naughty M girl!

lunch, shop, etc. You’ll return renewed and energized and hopefully he’ll feel the same and then…

Q. – When throwing a dinner party, should you call the invitees to find out if they have dietary restrictions?

A – In Emily Post’s day, if you weren’t happy with or couldn’t eat what you were served, you politely pushed the food around your plate while complimenting the host. But these days things have gotten much more complicated. Many people have serious food allergies, are on doctor-prescribed, seriously restrictive diets, or have chosen alternative lifestyle diets, such as vegetarian – be it vegan, lacto, ovo, lacto-ovo, pesco, pollo, or fruitarian!

Short of making different meals for every guest, it can be next to impossible to find a menu that works for all. If you choose not to ask your guests beforehand if they have any dietary restrictions, you risk receiving a last-minute call, wreaking havoc on your menu plans. But if you do ask, you could be opening yourself up to an impossible situation. My advice is to let your guests know generally what you’re planning to serve and ask them to notify you (by a specific date) if they have any serious concerns/issues with the menu.

Q – I often feel like a sports widow. How do I get my hubby to pay attention to me and not the television?

A. – Accept that your man needs a little downtime and try not to hassle him about it. For many men, it’s a form of therapy, and honestly, he could be doing something way worse. Just ask him beforehand which games he plans to watch so that you can plan accordingly and find something fun and entertaining to do yourself. Go for a hike, grab a friend and have a nice

WAG Up • Colorful wedge sandals.

• TABLE in Bedford Hills for fresh, locally grown produce and more.

• Five Napkin Burger.

WAG Down • Those ridiculous, hanging strings they’re now attaching to the shoulders of most shirts and dresses.

• Tattoos.

• Restaurants with “Kid’s Menus” that have uninspired, fattening, unhealthy options.

wit wonders:Do you eat to live or live to eat?

“Both, with having a family home (farm) to escape to in the Catskills, activities always centered around growing fresh organic vegetables and fruit and preparing great meals. Many recipes are found in my book “Eat Fit, Be Fit Health and Weight Management Solutions.” My slogan is ‘Good nutrition is a weigh of life’.”

– Linda Arpino nutritionist/owner, Life Focus Nutrition, Stamford resident “The answer is both. Eating should be a pleasurable experience, in flavor, color, texture, smell, plating – all of it. Our fast-paced life has taken a hurry up, on-the-go eating style and so it’s all about understanding how to experience amazing dishes – slowing down and using all your senses.

Once you do this, you will ‘live to eat,’ because food tastes better this way. Just be sure to splurge consciously when it comes to dessert. The ‘live-to-eat’ mind set does not mean you will be overweight and out of shape. I might start the day with a boot camp, then Zumba and yoga, mom stuff from work to play. It all comes down to math and science. It’s calories in, calories out. Why just eat to live? That’s mediocrity. You must eat well to live well.”’

– Lisa Avellino CEO, certified master personal trainer, author, fitness DVD host, Scarsdale resident “We all eat to live. Real food is the sustenance of life. My old favorite saying, ‘You are what you eat,’ simply states that our health relies on not just eating, but eating well.

The quality of what we eat directly relates to our quality of life, so just like the food I eat, I make every effort to be responsible, natural and local.”

– Cynthia Brennan co-owner, TABLE Local Market, Bedford Hills, Katonah resident “I definitely eat to live.

What goes into your body can either make you feel better or worse. I would say six days a week I eat healthy and one day a week I allow myself treats.

It’s hardest to keep to this during holidays, and in the summer the appeal of a barbecue and great company usually leads to a bit of overindulgence. Being over 40, your metabolism slows down and I cannot eat as much as I used to when training and burn it all off so quickly. Luckily I’m still busy on the squash court teaching and enjoy cycling and playing golf to stay fit and be outdoors. When dining out there 88

are lots of great restaurants locally and I generally look for local or organic produce on the menu.”

– Mike Callaway director and owner, Squash Club, Port Chester resident “I live to gain vitality from Mother Earth’s magical infusion of nutrition. What’s better than stepping outside in the morning to a rich garden oasis of bountiful vegetables, herbs and weeds filled with vitamins and minerals?”

– Colleen Cohan Burren Farm, Katonah resident “I used to live to eat but realized as I got older that way of eating did not serve me best. Now, I eat to live and really have learned to enjoy food for sustenance, energy and overall wellness.”

– Amy Heavey manager of client services, Apogee Pilates & Wellness Center, Ossining resident “For me, food is my source of fuel and nourishment. While I do love to eat, I believe eating food that is good for the body is necessary for optimal health, energy and happiness.

Chocolate chip cookies are enjoyable but the feeling and health consequences afterwards aren’t too desirable. Selecting local food from the farmer always puts a smile on my face from start to finish.”

– Alison Held clinical nutritionist, Healthful Direction, Westport resident “Food is fashion. You are what you eat and living well is the best revenge.”

– Rebecca Kirhoffer owner, Rebeccas, Greenwich resident “My first instinct is to answer that I live to eat, but I really live to cook... before I eat... or present food to people I know (friends and family) or people I do not know yet (clients of my restaurant or my catering).

Since I opened restaurant Jean-Louis in 1985, food at large and food supply in particular has changed tremendously for the better. Look at all the farmers out there producing amazing – yes, I said amazing – veggies, poultry and now local beef and pork. Because of their evolution and dedication to better ethics, we the

chefs, can create better and healthier dishes. I am not a big fan of all the so-called organic claims or labeling as most of them are jokes. I believe in local farmers doing a good job at growing stuff that is going to make my food better.”

– Jean-Louis Gerin executive chef and owner, restaurant Jean Louis, Greenwich resident “Eat to live or live to eat?

Neither. We all eat to live, and many people live to eat, but we say to you ‘live to TASTE.’ Absolutely anyone can make food that can keep you alive.

However, cooking the food that helps people feel alive is the challenge. Food is our life. Charlotte’s kitchen does not cook anything that our community ‘just eats to live.’ We create flavors that make our neighbors live to experience it. Eat to live and live to eat expresses the acceptance of culinary mediocrity. If the cooking is not appetizing, the kitchen has failed. Creating the culinary ideal makes us live to taste. No one should accept anything less.

Charlotte’s is proud to change the mind of one person at a time from ‘eat to live’ to ‘live to taste’.”

– Mikael Moller owner of Charlotte’s Restaurant, Millbrook resident “As a certified clinical nutritionist I recommend the 80-20 rule so that if you eat healthy and balanced, most of the time, you can eat whatever you want, maintaining a healthy life style without dieting or guilt.”

– Renee Simon nutritionist and owner, Total Wellness Nutrition, South Salem resident “Eating is one of my favorite pleasures. A lot depends on what I am eating, why I am eating it and the setting, whether it is rushed or drawn out.

Thinking about it now, many of life’s great pleasures share these qualities. Sometimes they are pure function, sometimes pure indulgence and sometimes a wonderful combination of the two. The bottom line is I eat to live so that I may live to eat another day.”

– David Starkey owner, Tomatillo and Sweet Grass Grill, Sleepy Hollow resident “Do I ‘live to eat’? Most definitely. Some of my clients think that because I am a personal trainer, I count calories and restrict myself to ‘healthy choices.’ Fooled them. Actual-

ly, I am a big foodie who is always exploring all kinds of cuisines. My active lifestyle helps me maintain my weight despite my ‘food and wine’ hobby. Whenever I travel nationally or overseas, I fire up the search engine on my computer. Am I looking for the local gym? Hell, no – I’m searching for the best local restaurants.”

– Vadim Vilensky owner and personal trainer, Vadim Fitness Studio Ltd., Scarsdale, Dobbs Ferry resident “Being a registered dietitian I am sure people would expect that I ‘eat to live.’ But to be honest, I ‘live to eat.’ I look forward to preparing tasty and healthy meals and enjoying them with my friends and family.

Dining out with my husband and friends is one of my favorite things to do. I just make sure I order food prepared the way I see nutritionally fit, which most restaurants are happy to comply with. I definitely spend a lot of time planning what I will eat as well as helping my clients find the foods that are delicious yet still healthy enough to help them meet their weight and wellness goals. It is important to realize that food provides our body with fuel and nutrition of course but finding enjoyment in the tastes, textures and smells of food is one of life’s great joys.”

– Barrie Wolfe nutritionist/owner, Barrie Wolfe Nutrition, Millwood resident “I ‘eat to live’ during the week. But on the weekends, I will be honest and say I have to live; so I ‘live to eat’ (anything and everything). It keeps me sane and working hard at training. Gotta have motivation, right?”

– Nicholas Serio manager and director, Sports Performance, Kombine Sports Performance and Fitness Center, Mount Kisco, Mount Kisco resident “I live to eat. Food is my absolute passion and eating should bring forth nothing but pure pleasure. When you know where your food comes from, when you actually know the farmer who grew the beautiful, clean food you are preparing and feeding to people, that means something and is so important. We need our small farmers.

They are the ones who should be feeding us, not Monsanto.”

– Erica Wallace owner, Erica’s Kitchen, Bedford resident – Compiled by Alissa Frey Contact her at afrey@westfairinc.com

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