On Our Minds

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 01 February 2016; Created: 01 February 2016; Last Updated: 02 February 2016; Hits: 5745

According to Scarsdale's firemen, "picky eaters don't do well" at the firehouse, where firefighters break bread together for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Scarsdale's paid firefighters are on duty 24/7 at the Public Safety Building and at two more Scarsdale fire stations – or outhouses – as they are called by the men. While on duty, the men have to pay for their own meals, and rather than order in, they take turns shopping and cooking for each other. They say it's healthier and more economic to do it themselves. Since heart attacks are the main cause of death among firefighters, the men seek to eat well and stay in shape.

Ann Starer of Fox Meadow invited the squad to Scarsdale Library on Saturday afternoon January 30 to share their recipes and cooking secrets with the community. She met them when they came to check out her house after a funny smell was coming out of the dryer. They agreed to come to the library where they did far more than impart information. The crowd was treated to a meal featuring firehouse favorites and served a glass of wine to wash it down.

The genesis of the event was Starer's idea to create cookbook club at the Scarsdale Library to showcase chefs, cookbook authors, and food writers with a possible potluck component. She lining up speakers for future events and down the line, she's hoping to host a Scarsdale Smorgasbord where food purveyors share samples of their food.

At this first event, we had the treat of meeting the men who serve us and learning what they like to cook. These firehouse chefs are skilled at cooking for a crowd and rarely use a measuring cup. They re-create family favorites or go online to the Food Network site where they can find recipes that are easy to make for a crowd. They shop at DeCicco's – who donated all the food for the event. The following day we spotted two firemen at DeCicco's buying ingredients for a spinach omelet brunch for the team.

But on Saturday the menu was more elaborate. As we sipped a smooth and hearty carrot soup, one of the men demonstrated how to whip it up in a blender. Another delicious course was "Lava Mac and Cheese," rich, creamy and spiced with a jalapeno pepper. Also on the menu was Parmesan encrusted chicken with glazed carrots – a recipe I plan to make myself --and another firehouse standby, Chicken Scarp, short for Chicken Scarpiello with hot Italian and peperocini peppers and potatoes. All were good, hearty fare.

What happens when the alarm goes off? The fire truck was parked at the library – just in case. And the firemen said that everything they make has to be able to sit for a bit in case they all get called out on an emergency while the meal is in progress. So if you find that dinner is often interrupted by carpools and trips to the train station, check out the firemen's recipes below – they're sure to keep while you put out your own family fires.

Lava Mac & Cheese maccheese
Courtesy of Scarsdale Firefighter Jon Maxwell

Ingredients:
1lb elbow macaroni
Whole milk
1 8oz sharp chedder cheese
1 8oz extra sharp chedder
1 8oz pepper jack jalapeño cheese
1 raw jalapeño

Shred cheese into 3 separate piles and set aside.
Chop jalapeno up finely.
Boil salted water and cook elbow macaroni to al dente and drain.
Spread a layer of elbows in a 9" by 13" three-quart cooking pan (size is roughly that).
Layer 3 cheeses on macaroni evenly to fully cover and sprinkle some chopped jalapeno. Repeat layer of macaroni and layers of cheese till elbows are used up. Finish with final layer of cheese.
Poke a hole with your finger in one corner leaving depth about 1/2" short of the bottom of the pan.
Pour milk into far opposite corner slowly until milk is visible in bottom of the hole.
Bake uncovered in oven at 365 degrees for 45-60min. It is done when top is browned and crispy. Check often.

Parmesan Encrusted Chicken chickenparm
Courtesy of Scarsdale Firefighter Jeremy Stempel

(serves 8 to 10)

Ingredients:
4 lbs. boneless chicken breast
Equal parts bread crumbs (plain or panko) and parmesan cheese, enough to coat chicken
Dijon mustard regular or country style
Garlic to taste.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Take chicken breast and slice to make cutlets (two or three) per breast
Dice garlic
Mix bread crumb and cheese
Cover chicken with garlic. Coat chicken with mustard then coat with bread crumbs/ cheese mix. Press bread crumbs on chick so it sticks
Place on baking pan and bake till done. Usually 15-20 minutes. Cooking time depends on how thick chicken is. Be careful to not over cook.

Carrot Soup
Courtesy of Scarsdale Firefighter Chris DiMichele

Ingredients: chickenscarp
3 Tablespoons butter
1 pound of carrots peeled and sliced
1 small onion peeled and quartered
1 medium potato peeled and cubed
½ tsp salt
Dash of pepper
½ tsp sugar
3 cups chicken broth (pref. College Inn)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)

Melt butter in soup pot, add carrots, onions, potato, salt pepper, and sugar.
Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add broth and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until carrots are soft.
Let cool.
Puree in blender.
If too thick, add a little more broth, or, in a pinch, add a little more water.
Reheat, garnish with parsley and serve.
Serves 4 comfortably, 6 if you stretch it.

Chicken Scarp
Courtesy of Scarsdale Firefighter Doug Mignone

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken breast
1 lb hot Italian sausage
1 large jar of peperoncini peppers
1 large jar sweet red pepper hulls in vinegar
1 large container chicken broth
3 large potatoes
Flour to dredge chicken and make rue

Cut potatoes into bite sized pieces
Mix with olive oil and put into 375 degree oven in a big pan
Cut chicken into bite size pieces,
Dredge in flour and put into frying pan with hot vegetable oil.
Sear chicken on all sides
Transfer chicken into pan with potatoes in oven.
Deglaze pan with chicken broth and dump into chicken and potatoes.
Put more oil into frying pan and sear sausage on all sides.
Cut sausage into bite size pieces.
Deglaze pan with more broth and add sausage and broth to potatoes and chicken in oven.
Place peppers and remaining broth in frying pan and heat .
Once hot add to pan in oven and cook for 30 minutes.

Details: Written by: Preeti Singh; Published: 28 January 2016; Created: 28 January 2016; Last Updated: 29 January 2016; Hits: 7460

axel Fifteen year-old SHS student Axel Ahdritz has grown up with music. His father is a music publisher and plays the saxophone. His mother is adept at classical flute, his older brother is studying classical piano and composition, and his younger brother is receiving training in piano and the violin.

Axel has been playing the guitar since he was seven. When he moved to Scarsdale from London in 2008, he joined the Hoff-Barthelson Music School and later switched over to study contemporary music at the Lagond Music School in 2009. Axel has performed with his Lagond band on the guitar (the Bitter End in Manhattan and The Haven, Elmsford), with a vocal ensemble from Lagond (at Garcia's, Port Chester) and his own creations on guitar and vocal (Coffee House at Scarsdale Middle School, Scarsdale High School, Scarsdale Teen Center and at Berklee in Boston)

Here Axel Ahdritz tells us more about himself, and what he will play at the Scarsdale Salon on Thursday February 4 at 7:30 pm at the Scarsdale Library.

What music will you play at the Salon?

I will probably play 2 of my original pieces and also "Tears In Heaven" by Eric Clapton. One of my pieces is called "Puppeteer" and it is about the struggle between ones obsessions and obligations to life, love, family, school etc. It is a driving piece that really moves forward. Another one of my pieces is more of an emotional piece called "Dark" that I have never performed for anyone before. It begins small and rises to a large chorus. It was originally arranged as a piano piece but I transposed it into guitar.

Who are the musicians you admire, and what are your favorite music pieces?

I don't necessarily have any specific music pieces that really stand out and stay with me. I explore many different genres of music and my favorite songs stay with me relatively briefly because once they stop achieving that emotional response and connect, they lose their excitement. I might listen to some Neighborhood, Eminem, Eric Clapton, the Foo Fighters, Guns and Roses, sometimes Miles Davis with my father, old 50s orchestras, Led Zeppelin and Skrillex. I can go on for days. It just really depends on how I'm feeling at that time and how effective the music is. For instance, right now I'm in a "muse" phase and I adore them.

How many hours in a day do you practice?

I may practice guitar and piano for about 2-3 hours a day, but I sing all day to myself so there is no counting the hours I spend singing. Then I also may write songs for about 3 hours a day on top of the guitar, piano, and vocal training. So in total about 5 hours of music related activities every day after school.

Why do you prefer the guitar to other instruments?

I personally prefer the guitar to the majority of other instruments because the guitar is streamlined and versatile. I can carry it everywhere with me, and its music can be applied in many different settings (school, family, performances, personal enjoyment/ entertainment, fun thing to do with friends). I can also take it to other countries or bring it with me on road trips and just play with nothing more than my fingers or a pick. I also love the different styles of music that one can play where the change of just one finger in a chord can evoke a completely different emotion. It is also a much more personal and intimate instrument, and it can achieve a true connection with every individual in an audience.

What do you do in your free time?

Well to be honest I don't do much else other than music as I never really watched much TV and I stopped playing video games a while back. I might hang out with friends a couple times a week, but that is it. If I have any free time I use it to write songs and expand my chances at being able to work with music when I get older.

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 06 January 2016; Created: 06 January 2016; Last Updated: 12 January 2016; Hits: 5525

nativeplants

The Scarsdale Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) wants you! Its mission is to advise the Board of Trustees on issues affecting the Village's environment and the maintenance of its natural character. In recent years the CAC has undertaken a review of the Village's tree ordinance, explored leaf collection alternatives and it is now reviewing landscape guidance for new construction while also preparing a policy on use of renewable technologies in Village capital projects.

The CAC's approach is to carefully research and discuss policy alternatives and to craft recommendations that attempt to respect the legitimate concerns of all stakeholders. It meets once monthly for lively and often creative discussion. To insure independence of thought, it relies on diversity; it requires no particular background and places modest demands on its members.

Want to improve the Village your kids live in? Mad about those trees that got chopped down? Worried about climate change? Want a low-commitment introduction to Village Government? Or do you simply want to engage in good discussion over a slice of pie? Click here to learn more.

CAC Recommends Landscaping Guidelines

What are best practices for landscaping when planning renovations and construction projects in Scarsdale? The Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) has designed some guidelines for keeping the green in the Village in a Park and they are asking the Board of Trustees to consider distributing them to residents and builders who apply for permits in the Village.

Lee Fischman says that the CAC hopes to raise awareness about landscaping among residents and developers early in the construction process, so that they can consider trees, shrubs and planting at the same time. Though following these suggestions will not be a condition of approval for construction, these criteria could serve as guidelines both for the BAR and the applicants.

natives

Here are just a few of their recommendations:

Plant canopy trees to provide shade, soak up water and cool your property
Plant a lawn garden to diversify your yard, attract birds and butterflies and provide greenery year-round.
Use native plants as they require less maintenance, are colorful, well adapted and require less fertilizer.
Consider alternatives to arborvitae for screening – such as evergreens, deciduous hedges and small trees.

Learn more by attending a meeting at 7 pm on Tuesday January 12 at Village Hall where the Conservation Advisory Council will present their recommendations to the trustees.

canopy Tree

Details: Written by: Stacie M. Waldman; Published: 15 December 2015; Created: 15 December 2015; Last Updated: 15 December 2015; Hits: 5059

schoolofrock Given Scarsdale's proximity to Manhattan, tickets to a Broadway show are a popular gift idea for those who prefer to give "experiences" as an alternative to a durable gift. Lots of people have been asking questions about the brand new Andrew Lloyd Weber musical "School of Rock." They want to know whether its appropriate for kids and if the show is worth seeing without the former lead, Jack Black. I trekked into the city this week, just after opening night, to check it out and report back.

Andrew Lloyd Weber has returned to the Winter Garden Theater after a long hiatus, (his hit Broadway show "Cats" played there for more than a decade and a half,) and some would say he's better than ever. Not that he hasn't been busy with his other shows like "Phantom of the Opera" and and "Evita," among others. This time, his show is based on the well-received 2003 movie "School of Rock" and includes a mostly original score and a cast full of super talented kids. The lyrics are by Glenn Slater ("The Little Mermaid"), the book is by Julian Fellowes ("Downton Abbey"), the show is directed by Laurence Connor ("Les Miserables"), and the music is by Lord Andrew Lloyd Weber himself.

"School of Rock" stars Alex Brightman as Dewey Finn, the iconic role played by Jack Black in the film by the same name. It features a bunch of fourth-graders who attend the snobbish, uptight private school, Horace Green Prep. Dewey Finn is a wannabe guitar-playing rocker who gets kicked out of his band at the beginning of the show. He's behind on his rent and his roommate named Ned Schneebly, (played by spencer Moses) and his roommate's girlfriend (played by Mamie Parris) pressure him to pay up. Dewey has no job and is completely focused on winning the local Battle of the Bands even though he was booted from his band. He's often hung over. An underachiever and an opportunist, Dewey accepts a job at the local prep school as a substitute teacher under the guise of his roommate. Instead of teaching school, however, Mr. Schneebly/Dewey turns his classroom into a rock and roll mecca and convinces 13 prim-and-proper, classically trained but musically talented students to join his one-man band for the Battle of the Bands contest at a local dive bar. brightman

The parents, the teachers, and the principal (played by the stellar Sierra Boggess of "The Little Mermaid" fame) are not pleased with what they see of this substitute teacher but he convinces them that he's qualified to teach and pulls the curtain over their eyes. The kids begin to trust him and loosen up and thus create their band, the "School of Rock."

Does Alex Brightman compare to Jack Black? The energy Brightman puts into the role is contagious and he has the audience laughing and clapping wildly. It's hard to knock a highly-pleased audience's response. Mr. Brightman told another publication that he loses two pounds per show and is on a strict diet to maintain his weight, which tells you something about the effort he puts into the role. Mr. Brightman doesn't just steal the show with his over-the-top performance, he also connects with his child co-stars on a musical, comedic, and dramatic level which will please all types of theater-goers.

Fourteen years after the movie, "School of Rock" on Broadway has been updated with present-day references to gluten intolerance, women earning 70 cents to the dollar, and an exaggerated tuition increase at the prep school. The kids cast in the show actually play their instruments. Although the kids are exceptionally talented in many ways, the lyrics are sometimes difficult to hear and understand because the background music is too loud (although one could hardly call it "background"). "Stick It to the Man" is one of the catchier musical numbers and is certainly one you'll be hearing for awhile. "If Only You Would Listen" is a beautiful number performed in Act I in which Horace Green kids are shown asking their parents to listen to their needs and wishes; it is heartbreakingly beautiful both in terms of lyrics and music. The Reprise of that song is special as the kids sing it to Dewey after it is discovered that he is not the real Mr. Schneebly. The kids really add to the fun and wow factor of the show: Bobbi Mackenzie, who plays the quiet and shy Tomika, surprises with a highly trained voice; Carly Gendell and Taylor Caldwell are adorable back up singers with all the right dance moves; Evie Dolan is the bass player with a highly entertaining bass-face; Brandon Niederaurer is the electric guitar player who has a fantastic voice as well; Luca Padovan is the "stylist" who is adorable and adds humor to the show.

The clapping at the end of the show was almost as deafening as the guitar solos but it is also evidence that this show is immediately creating a following and will be around for awhile. In fact, a West End production and national tour have been announced. So right after people accept the fact that Alex Brightman can play the heck out of Jack Black's character, audiences will have to be convinced that other potential Dewey Finns exist out there. Or do they?

Of the reviews I read about "School of Rock" I was shocked that I didn't read anything about the set design. I was blown away by the intricacies of the set design. Scenic designer Anna Louizos transforms the stage to a prep school, into a roadside bar and then into an apartment and the changes were magical.

As far as the show being kid-friendly, there is some profane language (including d-bag and some curse words as well as references to drinking and being hung over), but it's not terribly in your face and would likely go over many kids' heads. Unless your child is sensitive to bright lights and very loud music, most kids 8 and up would likely understand "School of Rock" and find it to be fun and even inspirational. Kids will love seeing the head-banging back-up singers and the cast of the show rocking out. That being said, it's certainly not a musical just for kids. Adults who enjoy rock and roll or loved the movie will find the musical version on Broadway to be a lot of fun. As with any Broadway show, it helps to familiarize yourself with the music and the story line beforehand.

School of Rock is on stage at the Winter Garden Theater; $145 top. Opened Dec. 6, 2015. Running time of 2 hours 20 minutes. Click here for tickets and showtimes.

Details: Written by: Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 08 December 2015; Created: 08 December 2015; Last Updated: 09 December 2015; Hits: 4555

xmastree A crowd of Scarsdale kids, parents and carolers came to Boniface Circle on Friday December 4 to meet Santa Claus, eat s'mores, drink hot chocolate and watch the lighting of the Scarsdale's Christmas tree.

Warm weather brought out a large group who cheered when the majestic tree lit up and then lined up to meet Santa and tell him what they wanted for Christmas.

The event was sponsored by the Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce with refreshments from Lange's, candy canes from Imagine Candy and gift bags from LF.

The village is now collecting letters to Santa Claus from good little girls and boys. Letters can be dropped off at Santa's mailboxes by the Chase Bank on East Parkway, the Post Office on Chase Road, in front of Metro Deli on Palmer Avenue and in front of Scarsdale Village Hall.

The deadline to submit letters is Monday December 14th. Send one soon and expect to receive a personalized letter from Santa in return.