I have a confession to make. Unlike many of my gender, I have no affinity for fancy furs or expensive jewelry, overpriced stilettos or designer gowns. But show me a big, brawny Viking or sexy Wolf and I get all weak in the knees. I’m not the only one so afflicted. Food writer Julia Sexton, who tells all about her favorite kitchen gadgets and appliances, admits she longs for “a 3,000 pound kick-ass hunk of steel to cook on and a floor-standing Hobart with a bowl big enough to swim in and a gearshift knob to operate it—so empowering!” A woman after my own heart.
So, for those of you similarly smitten with kitchen lust, do we have an issue for you. We revisit our favorite kitchens from the past six years and visit kitchen-design guru Christopher Peacock’s home to see his family’s kitchen (prepare to experience extreme appliance envy. We spend time with celebrated chef Andy Nusser and come away with three fabulous recipes that you can make at home, with the aid of his favorite culinary tool; and we announce the winners of our Great Kitchen Contest.
As much as we love kitchens, this issue has so much more to offer. See how an ordinary raised ranch was transformed into an extraordinary retreat in North Salem. In Solutions, we show you how to turn a drab and overcrowded garage into an organized showplace, and, on our last page we feature a stunning dining room console. We scouted around for new stores and share our finds in our Shop column, look at colors in Trends, visit author Esmeralda Santiago’s Katonah home in Favorites, and our Buzz column is filled with ideas you can use from what’s new in architectural hardware to caterers’ favorite dishwashers.
And, to celebrate the long-awaited arrival of 2010 in style, we suggest you visit any (or all) of the four luxurious and beautifully designed destination spas, all just a few hours from home. We promise you all thoughts of the past year (that we’d rather forget) will dissipate, like the bubbles in your Champagne as you soak in an oversized tub or curl up in front of a roaring fire while pondering the dinner or spa menus. Choices are a good thing.
Here’s hoping for a happy, healthy, and much more prosperous New Year!
Nancy L. Claus
Executive Editor