Culinary Adventure
Westchester County,
New York’s Golden Apple
The Gateway to
the Hudson
River Valley
Two–Day Epicurean
Experience in
Westchester,
NY
This two-day culinary adventure, the Westchester
Way, includes fine dining, cooking lessons, wine tasting, shopping, and an
unforgettable tour of a farm where the “farm-to-table” movement means that
every day, the very food served in the restaurant inside comes directly from
the ground outside.
DAY ONE
Enjoy a gourmet lunch in Equus, at the
Castle on the Hudson, Tarrytown.
Equus, the recipient of the International Star
Diamond Award for excellence in fine dining, is located on the crest of a hill
with sweeping views of the Hudson River. Call ahead to see if Chef David Haviland
is offering a seasonal “hands-on”
cooking class in the art of food preparation, creation and presentation during
your stay. 914.631.3646.
www.castleonthehudson.com
Enjoy
a tour (guided or on-your-own) at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, 80 rolling acres of gardens,
pastures and woods. A unique, not-for-profit farm, restaurant and educational
center, Stone Barns promotes sustainable, community-based food production.
The Center, in a restored Norman-style barn on the Rockefeller property, houses
Blue Hill, a New American restaurant whose menu reflects seasonal offerings
from the surrounding farm. Stone Barns
also features event space, a summer farmer’s market, and a facility for frequent
wine tastings, cooking demonstrations, book talks and more. The grounds include
a greenhouse, gardens and walking trails. The Center is open Wednesday-Sunday,
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. (Closed Mondays and
Tuesdays). The Café offers a limited
lunch menu; Blue Hill serves dinner and Sunday brunch. 914.366.6200. www.stonebarnscenter.org
Choose luxurious overnight accommodations in nearby
Tarrytown, such as the Castle on the Hudson or the Tarrytown House Estate, or at
the Crabtree's Kittle House and Inn,
Chappaqua, (914.666.8044).
Set out for an evening cooking class at Chef Works,
115 Cedar Street, New Rochelle. 914.632.4900. www.macmenaminsgrill.com
Take
a lesson, then dine on your creation in this innovative culinary center, housed
in a landmark Victorian building. Choose
from an entertaining selection of cooking classes for every skill level,
including “Artisan Bread,” “Classic Comfort Food,” “French Pastry, Pies and
Tarts,” and even “What to Do With Leftovers.”
DAY TWO
Have Sunday brunch at Crabtree's Kittle House and Inn,
Chappaqua
Enjoy a sumptuous meal created by Chef Jeremy
Smoller, using organically and locally grown products. Pair your selections with any one of the
5,500 wine selections in the Grand Award-winning, 1,300-square foot wine cellar
which houses 65,000 bottles. Your dining
experience is enhanced by the beautiful surroundings of the 1790 manor home. 11
Kittle Road, Chappaqua (914.666.8044 www.kittlehouse.com).
Take an afternoon culinary shopping trip to satisfy
your culinary yearnings down Central
Avenue, from White
Plains south to Hartsdale. Along the way, stop at Yaranush in White Plains, a grocery store offering Middle Eastern
and Mediterranean specialties; Golden
Village, an Asian supermarket with fresh, frozen, and dry grocery items
from all over the Orient; and Chef
Central, an upscale cookware and gourmet food retailer.
Stop
in for a snack at Global Gatherings (156 South Central Avenue) in Hartsdale
(914.683.1833, www.globalgatheringsrestaurant.net), a unique blend of an
interior design emporium and eatery. The
imported bistro set that you dine upon is for sale, as are the rest of the
surrounding exotic furnishings and décor!
Before departing Westchester, take a detour to Pleasantville for a tour or tasting at
either
Prospero Winery
for an award-winning red and white table wine made on-premise from California grapes,
(914-769-6870. www.prosperowinery.com) or at the Captain Lawrence Brewing Company
for an award-winning craft brewed beers such as ales and porters (914.741.2337; www.captainlawrencebrewing.com).
OTHER CULINARY
POINTS OF INTEREST:
1) MYOWine, Westchester’s School of Winemaking,
Elmsford.
A
unique new attraction in Elmsford, the MYOWine School of Winemaking is
celebrating its first anniversary. The state-of-the-art school offers
winemaking courses (hands-on from crushing, pressing, and bottling), wine
appreciation seminars and other culinary events. This year, MYOWine will
begin importing wine grapes from Italy
as well as from California.
914.741.5425. www.myowine.com
2) Dining in Downtown
Port Chester.
Explore
downtown Port Chester's downtown international
dining district, and choose a venue for a special meal. The restaurants and cafes reflect the
village's diversity, with Ethiopian, Italian, Indian, Irish, Chinese, South
American, and South African cuisines.
Try Café Mirage for French Caribbean/ Asian Fusion, Hostaria Mazzei for
Italian, Pantanal for Brazilian, Sonora
for “Nuevo Latino” cuisine, or the Willett House for the classic steakhouse
experience.
3) Outhouse
Orchards, North Salem
Up
in the more rural northeast corner of Westchester
is this family owned and operated "pick-your-own" farm stand and food
store, open every day from 8:00
a.m.-5:00 p.m. In addition
to the homegrown produce, Outhouse produces pies and other baked goods, jams,
honey, salsas and relishes. The fresh
cider donuts, made daily, are a popular item. Hardscrabble Road, North
Salem. 914.277.3188
4) Whole Foods
Market, White Plains.
This
centrally-located link in the national chain of food markets offers natural and
organic products, including produce, pantry items, prepared foods, and many
private label products, such as Allegro Handcrafted Coffee. 110 Bloomingdale
Road,
White
Plains. 914.288.1300
5) Walter’s Famous
Hot Dog Stand, Mamaroneck.
Rated
the nation’s “Top Dog” by Gourmet magazine, the sole item on the menu at
Walter’s is a hot dog, split, grilled and served on a toasted bun. Walter Warrington opened the stand in
1919. The funky, oriental pagoda-style
shack is easily recognizable for its architecture, and the line of hungry
customers along the sidewalk. 937 Palmer Avenue, Mamaroneck.
For more Information contact:
Kim Sinistore, Deputy Director of Tourism
Westchester
County Office of Tourism
Phone:
914.995.8502
222
Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 100
800.833.9282
White
Plains, NY 10605
USA Fax:
914.995.8505
E-mail:
kab6@westchestergov.com Website:
www.westchestertourism.com
