Details

Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 10 August 2016

Created: 10 August 2016

Last Updated: 12 August 2016

Hits: 5505

More than 600 people, including many Scarsdale women, shopped for a good cause at UJA-Federation of New York's tenth annual Hamptons Trunk Show on Thursday, August 4, at the Bridgehampton Historical Society. Hosted by UJA Women, the trunk show featured more than 70 vendors selling designer clothing, jewelry, accessories, and home décor, with twenty percent of the proceeds benefiting UJA-Federation, which cares for Jews everywhere and New Yorkers of all backgrounds. Vendors included, Jane Och and Sharon Prince who were demonstrating their new Guac-Lock guacamole storage container, Current Home of Scarsdale (with a pop-up shop in Southampton), Jill Abraham and Ellen Rose from the Chintz Giraffe and Lynn Jacobs and Laurie Kimmelstiel from Cast on Knit.

About UJA-Federation of New York
For nearly 100 years, UJA-Federation has inspired New Yorkers to act on their values and invest in our community for the biggest impact. Through UJA-Federation, more than 50,000 donors address issues that matter most to them, pooling their resources to care for New Yorkers of all backgrounds and Jews everywhere, to connect people to their Jewish communities, and to respond to crises close to home and around the globe. Working with nearly 100 beneficiary agencies, synagogues, and other Jewish organizations, UJA-Federation is the world's largest local philanthropy; our reach spans from New York to Israel to more than 70 other countries around the world, touching 4.5 million people each year. For more information on how to donate or volunteer, please visit our website at www.ujafedny.org.

Details

Written by Judie Dweck

Published: 25 August 2016

Created: 25 August 2016

Last Updated: 25 August 2016

Hits: 6595

Italian restaurants come in all shapes and sizes, from casual to formal, featuring dishes from north and south of Italy and each spot has its own style. In Larchmont, Anna Maria's Restaurant adds charm to Chatsworth Avenue which reminds one of a European restaurant row. On warm summer days, outdoor tables line the street with many dining options. On a recent evening I decided to visit Anna Maria's Restaurant, celebrating its tenth year. The space has been renovated and now has a comfortable bar and a modern look, with leather chairs and wood tables. It is owned by Anna Maria Santorelli and her partner, Jennifer Esposito. I was greeted warmly by Ms. Santorelli, who arrived with handfuls of freshly picked herbs and squash blossoms. I guess that squash blossoms would be a special in the evening.

Santorelli has a dynamite personality that lights up the room and she oversees every aspect of the restaurant. "With my name on the door, I have to deliver. Everything here is fresh and of high quality. We do not use any shortcuts." She came here from Naples when she was ten years old. "I helped my mom in the kitchen and mastered the preparation of many Neapolitan classics. My mother is my greatest gift. Many of her dishes appear on my menu. If you can't prepare a fine tomato sauce, you are out of business. My mom inspired me to attend culinary school, and upon graduating from The New York Restaurant School, I eventually worked my way up from prep cook to assistant cook and eventually to executive chef at Gracie Mansion, where I cooked for Mayor Dinkins, Mayor Giuliani and Mayor Bloomberg. I cooked for many dignitaries and celebrities." In 2006, Santorelli opened Anna Maria's in Larchmont, where she continues to be attentive and on top of everything. She is truly a kind and gracious restauranteur who is passionate about her work and grateful for her success. "It is a great feeling to know that people love my cooking. My customers are like family. In a few words, I describe my restaurant as homey, cozy and welcoming. We embrace changes with several innovative dishes, but we keep the traditional favorites. This way, we keep our original guests and encourage new ones as well. You can dine at our bar now, where we serve Italian tapas."

Joining Santorelli in the kitchen is Chef Angel Bonjanovich. He traces his roots to Cuzco, Peru where his family owned a restaurant. "I attended college in Mexico where I cooked for my friends. I attended culinary school in Argentina. I worked in many Manhattan venues as well as in Antipasti in Westchester. I love every aspect of cooking and enjoy cooking for everyone. Perhaps I will open my own place in the future."

The delightful menu begins with about one dozen piccoli morsi, or small bites. We just couldn't resist Mamma Santorelli's Melanzana. It is Anna Maria's mother's recipe and is among the best I have tasted. What is the secret? First, the eggplant is sliced paper thin. The frying oil is just the correct temperature. This multilayered treasure with over a dozen layers, alternating with cheese and the fresh basil infused tomato sauce is excellent. To its credit is the fact that the eggplant doesn't absorb any of the oil. Simple and delicious was the fried calamari. These crisp tender morsels served with wedges of lemon and a perky house made marinara sauce were a great starter, as well. I look forward to trying Maria's flatbread with a variety of toppings, as well as burrata, that creamy centered mozzarella with prosciutto di parma, tomato and truffled balsamic. For lighter starters, several salads are offered.

A side bar on the menu has several food related quotations. A Neapolitan meal includes a pasta course. In the words of Frederico Fellini, "Life is a combination of magic and pasta "The pastas I sampled here were magical. How could you pass on a dish called Deliciousness? Here, pennoni pasta is tossed with caramelized whole Cipollini onions, peas and olive oil with shredded ricotta salata on top. It was a bowl full of "deliciousness" Sophia Loren is quoted, as well. "Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti." While I certainly can't guarantee that a dish of Anna Maria's pasta will make you look like Ms. Loren, you certainly will be happy with the tastes. We especially loved the signature dish of linguini with seafood and shitake mushrooms tossed in a light tomato shrimp sauce. I would be proud to have my signature on that dish. Other tempting options are gnocchi in the Neapolitan style, Mama's cheese lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs and homemade pappardelle with truffle oil and wild mushrooms.

Of the main dishes we sampled, Chef's Chicken was a modern delight. The sautéed chicken breast rested on a bed of risotto studded with meaty wild mushrooms, goat cheese and a light Dijon, cognac sauce. Salmon AL Sorrento, grilled branzino, veal Marsala and even a Chatsworth burger are other entrée choices. Specials are prepared each evening, as well.

Among the desserts are tartufo, tiramisu, Italian cheesecake and gelato. We completed our meal with zeppole. These ricotta fritters were served with a touch of Nutella and a generous sprinkling of confectioners' sugar.''

Enjoy dinner at the warm and welcoming Anna Maria's Restaurant, where you will be greeted like family.

Anna Maria's Restaurant
18 Chatsworth Avenue
Larchmont, NY
(914) 833-0555

Butternut Squash Ricotta Gnocchi with Mushroom Mascarpone Sauce
(Serves 8-12)

For the Gnocchi
16 ounces ricotta cheese
2 cups jarred butternut squash
2 eggs
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Dash nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt plus 1 Tablespoon
5 cups flour {a little more if needed}
Pepper, to taste

Put all the ingredients except the tablespoon of salt in a food processor. Process until a dough forms without over mixing. Remove dough and knead it by hand for a few minutes. Divide into fist sized pieces. Roll each into long logs as thick as your thumb. Cut the logs into 1 inch pieces. Use 2 fingers to press the middle of each piece rolling toward you to create a half moon shape. Fill a large pot with water. Add a tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. Add gnocchi and remove with a slotted spoon as soon as they rise to the top. Drain, add the sauce and serve.

Sauce
½ cup olive oil
16 ounces crimini mushrooms, stems discarded and caps cut into thin slices
4 Tbsps. unsalted butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese
½ cup grated parmesan
½ cup fresh, chopped parsley leaves

Heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring until mushrooms are tender. Turn off heat, and stir in the mascarpone. Toss until well combined. With the mushrooms. Put sauce over gnocchi. Top with grated cheese and parsley and serve immediately.

Judie Dweck has been writing about restaurants and food for many publications. She teaches creative cooking to children at Scarsdale elementary schools. Through the years, her articles have appeared in Jack and Jill Magazine, Spotlight, The Pleasure of Cooking and The Scarsdale Inquirer. She balances her restaurant tastings with daily ballet classes.

Details

Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 28 July 2016

Created: 28 July 2016

Last Updated: 28 July 2016

Hits: 6493

A film directed by Scarsdale resident and Emmy winner Brian T. Brown will be shown at the Jacob Burns on Tuesday August 2 at 7:30 pm. The Last Gold is the "greatest untold story in Olympic swimming history," detailing the efforts of the 1976 women's Olympic Team to overcome disappointing results, a critical media, and their systematically-doped opponent—the East German team. Narrated by Julianna Margulies, the film is a great tale of determination in the face of adversity.

The film documents a resurrected story that, 40 years ago, went hidden in plain sight, and which is as resonant as ever, covering the history, the mechanics, the side effects, and the human cost and moral corruption of doping. Many of the central players – American and German --are people of enormous character, steadfast and shining; people who kept hope alive against what seemed like mountainous, ceaseless futility, being applied by forces overwhelming, sinister, and global.

Greenacres resident Brian T. Brown has more than 25 years of experience as an award-winning television writer, director, show runner and executive producer. His work has appeared on CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, PBS, TBS, ESPN, HBO, History, and Discovery Channel. As a Senior Producer, and with his work on the Olympics and Super Bowls, he has been attached to many of the most-watched shows in American TV history. Acknowledged with 15 Emmys, he has been attached to projects with Tom Brokaw, Bob Costas, Billy Crystal, Mary Carillo, James Earl Jones, Ryan Seacrest and Brian Williams. Brown was head writer for Discovery's Skywire Live with Nik Wallenda – as the noted tightrope walker became the first to cross the Grand Canyon on a tightrope. Broadcast in more than 200 countries, topping out with a U.S. audience of 13 million, the event is the highest-rated live show in Discovery's history. Brown also wrote and co-produced the Olympic documentaries Mercury of the Mountains (on the life of legendary Italian bobsledder Eugenio Monti, voiced by Ray Liotta), The Great Race (recounting the classic 1994 Lillehammer cross-country relay duel between Italy and Norway, voiced by Sam Waterston); and The Wonders of Rome (on five extraordinary Olympians from the 1960 Rome Games, including Muhammad Ali; it was narrated by Bob Costas).

We asked Brown a few questions about his experience and the film, and here is what he shared:

How did you get the idea to make the documentary?

I was approached by USA Swimming to direct the film. As an organization, they have long been seeking to amplify the truth of what happened to American swimmers -- and all Olympic swimmers -- when they had to compete against doped athletes from East Germany. Forty years ago, at the 1976 Montreal Games, the East German sports machine announced itself to the world as a suddenly new sports dynamo. One of the most notable performances was by its women's swim team, which dominated the competition. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the world came to understand the depth and scope of East German doping. There were not only detailed records, but there were also court cases in which East German doctors, coaches, and officials were convicted of, essentially, child abuse. The documentary is a kind of second draft of history.

 How did your work experience lead you to make the movie?

I have worked as a writer, director and producer on 12 Olympic broadcasts, mostly with NBC. I was knowledgeable about the period and the East German doping, but even so, as we researched the story, I learned that the manner, extent, and inhumanity of the doping was even more horrific than I imagined. It was always our intent in making the documentary to explain how the East German athletes were victims, too. Doping began as soon as age 11, or 12 and it was done without notice, consent, or any kind of explanation. These athletes were guinea pigs in a science experiment using human subjects.

 Do you see parallels between the movie and the Olympics in Rio this summer?

Yes, very much so. Over the past few months, Vladimir Putin's Russia -- astonishingly -- has gone back in time and reconstituted East German state-sponsored doping. Thus far, at least 100 Russian athletes have been banned from Rio because they have been clearly implicated as dopers.

Why did you move to Scarsdale and how long have you lived here?

When we had our second child, our Manhattan apartment got very small very quickly, and Scarsdale -- with its superb Metro North train service -- is the best of both worlds: space and easy commuting to the city. We've been here for 17 years -- my wife Maryellen works for the Today Show as a director and assistant director; my daughter Marisa is now at Barnard; my son Luke just graduated from Iona Prep and is headed to Marist. But both Marisa and Luke continue to have especially fond memories of their schooling at cozy Greenacres elementary!

What do you like about living here?

I had the chance to serve on the Scarsdale Library Board of Directors, and before that was a member of the Friends of the Library. I was so impressed by the diligence and care I saw from all those who volunteered with me. There is an extraordinary community spirit of involvement here that is very special.

The screening is a part of the Jacob Burns Local Elements program, an ongoing series which provides a public showcase for new work, fosters emerging talent, and helps build a strong community among area filmmakers.

Learn more and buy tickets here: