Southforker Stories: Savoring July

Emily Toy is a lifestyle reporter for southforker. A Sag Harbor native and enthusiast for all-things East End, she earned her journalism degree from Buffalo State College and worked as both a freelance and staff reporter for several local publications, most notably The Independent. She’s also had an extensive career as both a bartender and waitress, having survived working at a plethora of establishments across her beloved Hamptons home for over 20 years. Through these two mediums, she’s been able to connect to and serve the people of the East End, no pun intended of course.

Amy Zavatto is the Editor-in-Chief for Southforker, Northforker and Long Island Wine Press. She's a wine, spirits and food journalist whose work has appeared in Wine Enthusiast, Food & Wine, MarthaStewart.com, the New York Post, Liquor.com, SevenFifty Daily, Imbibe, Men’s Journal and many others. She's the author of The Big Book of Bourbon Cocktails, Prosecco Made Me Do It: 60 Seriously Sparkling Cocktails, Forager’s Cocktails: Botanical Mixology with Fresh, Natural Ingredients, and The Architecture of the Cocktail. She has judged regional wine and spirits competitions, and has moderated numerous panels on the topics of wine, spirits, cocktails and regional foodways. She is the former Deputy Editor for the regional celebratory publications Edible Manhattan and Edible Brooklyn, as well as the former Executive Director of the Long Island Merlot Alliance. She is a member of the New York chapter of the international organization of women leaders in food, wine, and spirits, Les Dames d’Escoffier. The proud daughter of a butcher, Amy is originally from Shelter Island, N.Y., where she developed a deep respect for the East End’s natural beauty and the importance of preserving and celebrating it and its people.