Shop the Farmer's Market for Thanksgiving
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This Saturday, the Scarsdale Farmer’s Market will offer locally grown and produced food for your Thanksgiving dinner. Stop by to find New York State fruits and vegetables, pickles, wine, cheese, soups, pies, cakes, breads and more.
For Thanksgiving, there will be fresh cranberries, winter squash, potatoes, beets, and greens. You’ll find apple strudel, Bavarian donuts and baked goods from the Big Girl Bakery as well as Meredith’s jams, breads and biscotti.
The market will be held outside at Village Hall this week, November 20, and move inside for the winter to the Christie Place garage beginning on Saturday November 27. Hours are nine am to one-thirty pm.
Market Lady Carol DeLisa wants to thank Scarsdale residents for their support and respect for the vendors and their products. The market has found a warm and receptive customer base here and looks forward to serving you in the future.
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The Buzz on the Moderne Barn
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The Moderne Barn is a grand, sweeping space that feels more like Aspen than Armonk. With a two story, buttressed dark wood ceiling and oversized chandeliers this large, renovated site, once the home of the Modern Furniture Barn on Route 22 can accommodate 200 diners. The restaurant is the latest addition to the Livanos family empire, that includes City Limits in Westchester and Molyvos, Oceana and Abboccato in Manhattan. It is evident that their well-trained staff can handle the crowds that frequent this happening spot.
Though the restaurant was packed last Saturday night, our party of six was greeted promptly and escorted to our roomy table flanked by a banquette. They offered us drinks from a lengthy list of wines by the glass, by the bottle and ales on tap. The menu presents an appealing mix of cuisines including flatbread pizzas, Italian pastas, several selections of fish and seafood, meat, various cuts of steak and comfort food.
A few of the more appealing appetizers the night we were there were the lobster bisque, a fresh lump crab cake and a tuna taquito with jicama, avocado and salsa roja. As it was one of the first really chilly nights of the year, I passed on the salads and opted for Nonna Meatballs, three generous meatballs in tomato sauce, topped with fresh ricotta and basil. They were a meal in themselves and I wish I had the recipe so that I could recreate them at home.
Among the flatbread pizzas, which looked big enough to share, there was basil pesto with beefsteak tomatoes and house-made mozzarella, black mission figs with boucheron goat cheese, prosciutto di parma and baby arugula or white anchovy with garlic spinach, baby artichoke, oregano and taleggio cheese.
It was tough to pick an entrée as many were tempting. Based on the waiter’s recommendation I chose the cracker crusted Atlantic Cod, which was a crispy piece of cod served over a flavorful fish broth of leeks, potatoes, baby clams and small pieces of bacon. Others at the table tried the lobster Cobb salad, and a few ordered steak, choosing from hanger, filet mignon, New York strip or rib eye, with a choice of green peppercorn, béarnaise, horseradish sour cream, bordelaise or chimichurri sauce. From the pasta selections, were a handmade mint pappardelle with braised lamb shoulder ragu and a rigatoni with a Bolognese sauce made from beef, veal and pork.
For those with simpler taste, the menu included a Wagyu beef hot dog on a pretzel bun with sauerkraut and brown mustard, a prime barn burger with a selection of toppings, roasted chicken and even macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes.
Do I dare admit that we also had dessert? One of our companions was at the Barn for her second visit and swore by the old fashion apple crisp with rolled oats, brown sugar topping and ginger topping. Also on the dessert menu is a sugar-spiced doughnut with bittersweet chocolate and raspberry preserves, and roasted 
pear and mission fig tart with mascarpone cheese in a port reduction. The desserts lived up to their savory descriptions as did the entire dinner. And the price was right. A three-course dinner with cocktails was just over $50. It’s not surprising the place was packed.
The Moderne Barn is a destination worth the drive north. Call well in advance for a reservation as they are not easy to come by on weekends.
Moderne Barn
430 Bedford Road (Route 22)
Armonk, N.Y. 10504
914-730-0001
http://www.modernebarn.com
Lunch: Monday-Friday 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Dinner: Monday –Thursday 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday-Saturday 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Sunday 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
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Seth Greenberg's Free Form Apple Tart
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Incomparable baker Seth Greenberg was recently a guest on Martha Stewart’s radio show where he demonstrated how to make a free-form apple tart. A Scarsdale10583 reader listened to the show but was unable to find the recipe. She got in touch with the site and we were able to contact Seth who was kind enough to share it with us. It looks like the perfect fall dessert.
If you’re a fan of Seth’s creations but prefer to buy them rather than make them yourself, visit his website where you can order homemade brownies, cookies and sticky buns. They are great to serve to your guests or bring as a gift.
Here is the recipe for the tart, courtesy of Seth Greenberg.
Seth Greenberg’s Just Desserts Free-Form Apple Tart
Yield: One Fabulous Tart
Ingredients:
Dough
- 1 1/3 Cups All Purpose Flour, sifted
- 1 Stick (8 Tablespoons) Unsalted Butter, cold, cut into small pieces
- 3 Tablespoons Ice Water
- 1/2 teaspoons Lemon Zest (1 small lemon’s worth)
- Juice of 1 small lemon (approx. 1 TBL)
Filling
- 4 Large Apples (approx 1.5 lbs) Jonagold or other baking apple
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cold, cut into small pieces
Directions:
1) Cut cold butter into flour until mixture forms coarse meal. Add water, lemon zest and juice. Mix until dough forms. Knead just until smooth. Flatten into a disk, wrap tightly and chill for about 30 minutes.
2) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3) Peel, core and slice apples.
4) On lightly floured surface roll dough into rough 13 in. diameter circle. Roll onto pin and transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Leaving the outside two inches uncovered, arrange sliced apples in concentric circles ending in the center. Sprinkle with the nutmeg and sugar. Dot with the 2 TBL cold butter pieces.
5) Fold the edge of the dough up over the apples. A few moments of time spent here to make a pattern of the folds will show very well in the final appearance.
6) Bake tart for 15 minutes, reduce oven to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 35 minutes, or until apples are tender and dough is golden brown. Remove from oven and slide onto wire rack to cool. Serve warm.
A Taste of Persia on the Post Road
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The vast space that was formerly the family-style Italian restaurant Laguna has now been transformed into a Mediterranean eatery with strong Middle Eastern influences. A bit confused by the mix of lamb kebob and linguine vongole, we questioned owner Par Shakiban about the rationale behind his choices and were treated to an account of his life story and how his past has influenced his newest incarnation.
Originally from Persia, Shakiban came to the United States as a young man to study engineering at Columbia University. Upon graduation he took a job at IBM and quickly realized that he had chosen the wrong field. He made the switch from circuits to real estate and restaurants, eventually opening successful ventures such as Par’s Steakhouse in Armonk, Eclisse in Rye Brook and Stanford, Patisserie Salzburg in Rye, Laguna in White Plains and now Eclisse, White Plains.
He explained that his newest venture features tastes of the diaspora as many Persians fled from their homeland to Italy and the United States, keeping their native recipes while also incorporating ingredients favored in their new homelands. Voila, the menu at Eclisse, which features a mixture of hummus, rakaat, kufteh and dolmeh, next to mozzarella caprese, melanzane rollitini and risotto.
On the three visits we made to Eclisse, we stuck to the Persian fare. We were warmly greeted by the friendly, knowledgeable and professional staff. Due to the sheer size of the space, there was never a problem securing a table. To start, Eclisse offers a tempting array of cocktails and a long wine list. When I didn’t see the rose I like offered by the glass, the waiter was happy to open a bottle and serve me an individual portion.
On our lunch visit, we chose an appetizer sampler and were pleasantly surprised with generous portions of hummus, rakaat – warm cheese rolls with feta, ricotta salata, mozzarella and fresh mint, borani esfenaj, which is baked spinach, onion, garlic, and herbs mixed with yogurt, mast khiar a yogurt cucumber and mint combination plus mirza ghasemi, an eggplant and tomato combination topped with a fried quail egg.
There’s an extensive list of salads and the taboule, a fresh mix of parsley, mint, scallions, tomato and lemon should not be missed.
Main courses include a list of Italian pasta specialties, a choice of kebobs, fish selections and four Persian stews. As we were confused about which way to go, the waiter offered to serve us a tasting flight of the four stews, each unique in flavor.
We tasted Ghourmeh Sabzi a beef stew, flavored with dried lemon plus parsley, scallions and herbs, Khoresh Bademjan a veal stew with split peas and tomato sauce topped with eggplant, Khoresh Fesenjan, miniature meatballs in a pomegranate paste with walnuts – reminiscent of sweet and sour meatballs and Khoresh Gheymeh, stewed veal in a tomato sauce with potato, split peas and dried lemon. Tasting each did not help us decide what to order, as all four were unusual and flavorful.
On several visits, we went for the simpler kebobs which are served in a choice of 
chicken, lamb, Barg (steak) kobideh (ground lamb) or lamb . All are served with your choice of rice, taboule and grilled tomato and were delicious. The regular menu include a good choice of fish dishes, including spicy shrimp tagine, black cod with sour cherries, and chilean sea bass with tumeric and mint. We tried the salmon with zataar, a Middle Eastern spice and couscous, a welcome departure from the usual broiled salmon.
Desserts include baklava as well as a frozen hazelnut parfait, a light and refreshing way to end the meal.
Prices are reasonable with appetizers from $6 - $10 and entrees around $20. At lunchtime, you’ll find the same menu at considerably lower prices.
With refreshing new flavors, a novel menu, easy parking and ample space, Eclisse is sure to be a hit in White Plains. Try them for lunch or dinner, before or after the movies or any night of the week.
Eclisse is open for lunch, Tuesday through Friday from noon to 3 pm, for dinner, Monday through Thursday from 5 to 10 pm and on Sunday from 4 to 10 pm. The parking garage next door is closed, so valet parking service is available.
Eclisse
189 East Post Road
White Plains, NY 10601
914-761-1111
www.eclissewp.com
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Ooh La La ... Look Who's Coming to Town
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In just a few months you won’t have to drive more than ten minutes south on the Post Road to enjoy the finest cuisine of the south of France.
Two Scarsdale residents are pleased to announce the opening a new branch of their New York restaurant group in Scarsdale. Yoram Shemesh and Ed Somekh are now in the process of renovating the former location of Smith and Hawken in the Lord and Taylor shopping center and are planning a major new destination, with seating for 135 indoors and another 50 on the terrace outside. The interiors will be similar to the photos shown here, and the spacious layout and high ceilings should provide a very comfortable setting.
Those who are familiar with Fig and Olive in the meatpacking district, on East 52nd Street and Lexington Avenue at 62nd Street will cheer the restaurant’s first foray into the suburbs. The menu is centered on artisanal extra virgin olive oils, paired with imported Mediterranean ingredients from the south of France, Italy and Spain.
The restaurant will include a 25-foot bar, a large communal table for 16 as well as regularly-sized tables where you can enjoy lunch and dinner seven days a week and a special Sunday brunch. My favorite item on the menu is the selection of crostini, which are small open-face sandwiches which come with manchego and fig spread, shrimp and avocado, and mushroom artichoke and truffle parmesan to name a few. We also enjoy the Jamon Iberico which is Iberian ham that is served with manchego cheese, olives and pan con tomate.
Among Fig and Olive’s most popular salads are the Provence Vegetable Chicken Salad, that features free-range rotisserie chicken marinated in Herbs de Provence, lemon and garlic. Also in the salad are grilled zucchini eggplant, tomato, asparagus, red onion, avocado, arugula, parmesan, and pine nuts – all tossed in a dressing of Picholine olive oil and 18 year balsamic vinegar.
And there's more...
For entrees, they offer thyme chicken paillard, grilled branzino, rosemary lamb chops and the Fig and Olive Mediterranean Tasting which includes grilled chicken, lamb and shrimp skewers and too many other ingredients to list. You’ll also find a Penne Funghi Tartufo, which is pasta with truffle oil.
Desserts are all made in house by the Fig and Olive Pastry Chef whose specialties include warm caramelized apple tart, chocolat pot de crème and dessert crostini.
The owners are extending a special welcome to readers of Scarsdale10583 and invite you to be on the list for one of their opening parties in January. To add your name to the guest list, email scarsdale@figandolive.com -- and if you can’t wait to try Fig and Olive here, visit one of their locations in New York in the interim. Check them out at www.figandolive.com.
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