Food, Music, and Home Prices
The other night, I was at a most wonderful, unforgettable gala benefit, held on behalf of Copland House, a Cortlandt Manor-based organization devoted to championing our nation’s musical legacy and showcasing new works. Not by any means was this gala your tedious, rubber-chicken affair. Uh-uh. It was a heavenly, heady, six-course meal, prepared by famed New York City chef Daniel Boulud, “married” to a witty, six-movement suite written by Grammy-winning composer Richard Danielpour. Before each course—from our luscious foie gras appetizer to our chocolate and vanilla dessert—musicians played a movement as an “introduction.” Divine. And so, not surprisingly, there was lots of talk at my table about food, and talk about music, and talk about…real estate. Uh-huh. Can you ever get away from the topic? I don’t think so—certainly not in our real-estate obssesed area. Thus, with this issue, we give you more real estate info to talk about. Lots more. And lots to think about. See “Where to Buy Now,” which begins on page 83.
Freelancer Tom Schreck, who has written about golf for Westchester Magazine, this month reports on the renovated, reconfigured Empire City at Yonkers Raceway, which is set to reopen sometime this fall, with not only the expected—horse races—but the unexpected—thousands of slot machines. Good idea? Tom is not sure. “I’m a wannabe Rat Packer, a traditional casino guy. I like craps, blackjack, Wayne Newton, Tom Jones, and the vibe of the old-fashioned Las Vegas casinos. I don’t know, however, if a bunch of video lottery terminals is going to attract a whole lot of people.” Are Tom’s worries warranted? Only time will tell. In the meantime, learn about our county’s first “racino,” by reading Tom’s piece on page 132.
Sometimes, the best things come in small packages. In “Small Plates with Big Flavors” (page 126), food writer and culinary educator Dina Cheney discusses the merits of the small-plates trend. “It’s fascinating to realize how—in large part—we owe the idea of small-plates menus to world cuisines,” she says. “For instance, tapas and meze are the ultimate in small-plates eating and ordering a few small plates is my favorite way to eat.” To me, small-plates menus are similar to tasting menus, in which the diner gets to truly experience a chef’s range and talent.” Tastings are Cheney’s specialty; her first book, Tasting Club (DK Publishing), released last month, is a guide to themed tasting parties, such as wine, chocolate, cheese, honey, tea, balsamic vinegar, even apples.
Esther Davidowitz
Editor-in-Chief