Amy Sowder

New York

Retail Editor at Produce Market Guide

Freelance Writer at Freelance

Managing editor of @westchestermag; published in @bonappetit, @womenshealthmag, @upworthy, @greatest, @WestchesterMag, @usatoday, @thepacker, @farmjournal

Articles

4 Sustainable Wedding Gown Brands for Hudson Valley Brides

Jan 15, 2025 | hvmag.com | Amy Sowder

More than 5,000 bridal gowns are purchased for Lower Hudson Valley weddings each year — and that’s a conservative estimate. Often, these dresses are worn only once. With more than 100 pounds of used textiles per person in the U.S. ending up in landfills each year, according to Boston University School of Public Health, future brides are increasingly making more sustainable choices.
9 Apple-Flavored Fall Foods to Savor in Westchester

Sep 19, 2024 | westchestermagazine.com | Gina Valentino |Bethany Babchik |Julia Paino |Amy Sowder

Can’t get enough of all things apple now that fall has arrived in Westchester? These seasonal treats will hit the spot. 379 S Riverside Ave, Croton-on-Hudson; 862.0874Classic apple pie at its best is what to expect at Baked by Susan in Croton-on-Hudson. You can go big for a traditional nine-inch pie with the golden crust or try a mini version that’s five inches in diameter in case you want it all for yourself for a meal. Hey, apples are good for you.
Get These Lucky Foods on Friday the 13th in Westchester

Sep 9, 2024 | westchestermagazine.com | Amy Sowder

We’re not all-in on superstitions, but we like any excuse to return to our local favorite foods. In most years, Friday the 13th happens twice a year, but in 2026, it occurs three times. Considered an undesirable date for centuries, this date has inspired two mouth-twisting terms to describe the fear of this supposedly unlucky day: paraskavedekatriaphobia and friggatriskaidekaphobia.
Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry Elevates the Shopper Experience

Sep 5, 2024 | westchestermagazine.com | Amy Sowder

Pantry: a room or closet in which food, groceries, and other provisions, or silverware, dishes, etc., are kept. The Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry: So much more than that. On a recent rainy morning, women, men, and children trickled toward the line winding around United Methodist Church in the heart of Mount Kisco. It was time to grocery shop. The price? Zilch.
The Pleasantville Farmers Market Is a Local Culinary Gem

Aug 26, 2024 | westchestermagazine.com | Amy Sowder

Stroll through the Pleasantville Farmers Market to mark the seasons and micro-seasons. The sea of gleaming heritage and cherry tomatoes in wooden pints and mounds of soft, blushing peaches among the market’s 55 vendors are shining proof that it’s late summer in the lower Hudson Valley. On a recent late August morning, arugula, beets, scallions, and cucumbers, plus berries, cantaloupe, and plums weighed the tables down as visitors lined up to fill their canvas totes.
Try These Cold Coffee Trends From Westchester Cafés

Aug 16, 2024 | westchestermagazine.com | Amy Sowder

In the warm months, we love a good, cold caffeine kick to perk us up like the next sleep-deprived person. But any ol’ hot-brewed coffee watered down with ice cubes won’t cut it. Cold brew is worth the extra price for its smoothness and, with the (fluffy) rise of cold foam and all its flavors, it has never been more fun. And it’s even more playful lately.
Ramen Musashi Expands to Ardsley

Aug 8, 2024 | westchestermagazine.com | Amy Sowder |Davi Schulman |Mia Altamuro |Olivia Dower

When you open the door of Ramen Musashi’s new Ardsley location, you might be greeted by a two-foot Hello Kitty stuffie nestled among others behind a glass wall. Then your eyes may graze across the rows of colorful Japanese food products on the mini Fuji Mart shelves. But swivel your head to the left to experience where the fragrant food happens, against the mural backdrop of a bowl of ramen, the noodles cascading out into a noodle-y sea across the dark gray wall.
Scarsdale Welcomes Not One, But Two New Gelato Spots

Jun 20, 2024 | westchestermagazine.com | Amy Sowder

Last summer, we didn’t have these two gelato-scooping gems in Scarsdale, and that alone makes the summer of ‘24 pretty sweet already. Not all chilly, creamy confections are created equal. In the genre of frozen dairy desserts, gelato aficionados appreciate the craveable qualities that differentiate it from ice cream. “You have to be very careful with gelato: the crystallization, the temperature, and it has to be fresh,” says Tal Campana, co-owner of Mimi’s Gelato in Scarsdale.
Blue Heron Tea & Coffee Opens in Westchester

Jun 13, 2024 | westchestermagazine.com | Amy Sowder

As the Harlem line train squeals to a stop a penny’s toss away, step into a bygone era for a curated cup at Blue Heron Tea & Coffee. The sultry sound of a crooning Ella Fitzgerald winds its way over the 1905-patented Victoria Arduino espresso machine hammered in copper, across the polished hardwood floors, by the vanilla-and-sage wainscoted walls, and under the original pressed-tin ceiling with garland crown molding.
The Croissants at These Westchester Bakeries Are Crazy in the Best Way

May 24, 2024 | westchestermagazine.com | Amy Sowder

Anyone with a penchant for pastries would notice an avalanche of crazy croissants in Westchester: rolled, stuffed, flattened, dipped — even hollowed out and filled with hot chocolate. When did this croissant madness first erupt in Westchester? Looking to that big ol’ city just south of us provides context: Maman in Tribeca had the croissant cube stuffed with pumpkin pie cream last fall.