By Alison Rooney

Christine Kaufmann and Eileen Lahey have worked together behind the counter at The Main Course in Cold Spring for the past decade.

Can you tell in advance what someone is going to order?
Eileen: Most of our customers come in here all the time, so we don’t even bother to ask.
Christine: If we don’t know, I know the questions to ask to help them figure it out. We have a lady who arranged for her physical therapy to be done in Cold Spring just so she could stop here.

What scone do you wish more people would try?
Eileen and Christine (in unison): Key lime ginger!
Christine: Also, the raisin pecan. People don’t know it because we don’t have it that often. Those two, definitely.

Eileen Lahey (at left) and Christine Kaufman (Photo by A. Rooney)

What’s the longest anyone has taken to order?
Eileen: It can go 10 minutes.
Christine: It’s because our entrées and sides change each day. We hear a lot of “You gotta give me a minute.”

How do you stay sane, working so closely and on your feet all day?
Christine: You learn the dance.
Eileen: You come to know each other. And we have good shoes: I wear Keens and she wears Columbia. Plus, we have padded mats.

What’s the oddest question you’ve been asked?
Eileen: I use the word hence a lot, as in, “Yes, there’s chicken in it, hence the name Chicken Caesar.”
Christine: Some of the questions are … [trails off]. But we don’t shame people. We just bring things to their attention.

Behind The Story

Type: News

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Rooney has been writing for The Current since its founding in 2010. A playwright, she has lived in Cold Spring since 1999. She is a graduate of Binghamton University, where she majored in history. Location: Cold Spring. Languages: English. Area of Expertise: Arts

10 replies on “5 Questions: Christine Kaufmann and Eileen Lahey”

  1. I live for their orange/cranberry scones and salmon cakes with mustard dill sauce. I will even call ahead to ask when those salmon cakes are available. When they have the pear scones, I absolutely lose my mind. I once ordered 25 mini pear scones for my daughter’s baby shower because they were so perfect. It’s all one of my client’s fault for getting me hooked on turning into their parking lot a few years ago.

  2. Favorites: The key lime scones, the pea soup and the tarrogan chicken salad, just for starters.

  3. Love, love The Main Course! Great scones, best lasagna, terrific empanadas. Recommend Main Course to everyone, wonderful help as well.

  4. And what about the peanut cookies? One a day for me makes my day. Blueberry scones are another favorite. Crab cakes sinful – I could go on, but Main Course food is divine and Eileen, Christine, Kevin and the entire staff are wonderful. Eileen and Christine will even clean your glasses if they see the glasses are dirty.

  5. Eileen and Christine know what I want before I even say a word, especially if there’s sautéed broccoli rabe on the menu.

  6. OK, I have a question: I see some hints in the earlier comments, but is there or could there be an online menu, or at least a list of typically available items or a range of such items?

    Also, what are the hours of operation?

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