Community Corner

Amba Farms Bounty Served Up at LeRoy Neiman Birthday Bash

Fresh produce from the Bedford Hills Farm was selected as part of the meal served at the famous artist's 90th birthday party in New York City.

Oklahoma City chef John Bennett wrote about the experience of planning a birthday party for famed artist, LeRoy Neiman, best known for his paintings of sports events and leisure activities, in the Sept. 11 issue of The Oklahoman/NewsOK.

Featured on the menu? Produce from Bedford Hills' own Amba Farms, operated by Liz Taggart.

Bennett, who first met Neiman on a wine-buying trip in Bordeaux in the 1960s, enlisted the help of friends and fellow Oklahoma City natives Quint Smith, who is executive chef of the Stamford, CT, Yacht Club, and his wife Jackie Smith.

Find out what's happening in Bedford-Katonahwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to the story, the Smiths visited Amba Farms the morning of the event, held in June, and brought it to The Studio, Neiman's home and work space on Manhattan's West side. 

They selected "fresh unusual radishes, baby carrots in three colors, micro flowering herbs, arugula, fresh-picked asparagus and strawberries," according to Bennett.

Find out what's happening in Bedford-Katonahwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The menu, which featured smoked cod dressed with Taggart's vegetables, included "rare vintage Amuse Bouche reds, three other reds and two white wines as well as flower bottles of Perrier Jouet Champagne."

Read Bennett's full story here.

To read more about Amba Farms, read our story on the held there last fall, and about Taggart's involvement in the last spring.

Editor's note: Neiman's name was originally spelled incorrectly. We've fixed the copy.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here