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POP Club Calendar 2022

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Sponsored by The Christopher Dailey Foundation

www.saratogafarmersmarket.org

Wednesdays, 3-6 pm

June 29 End of School Celebration

Free Concert by Jack & Steve Zucchini

Pizza garden activity at POP Club

Jodie Fitz & Fidget Plants a Pizza Garden

Crafts with the Saratoga Spring Public Library

Free face painting by Artsy Fartsy Facepaint 

July 6 Explore herbs with Pitney Meadows Community Farm

Smell, touch, and taste various herbs, and vote for your favorite

Tea tasting with mint and lemon balm tea

July 13 Fit food with Cornell Coop. Ext. Food & Nutrition

Bicycle-blend a smoothie with the Fender Blender

Take the 2 Bites Challenge and sample in-season veggies

July 20 Flower power with the Saratoga Springs Public Library

Lollipop flower craft

Flower ID activity

July 27 Buzz like a bee with Little Wings Farm School

Honeybee craft

Learn about our pollinators’ favorite flowers

Try a taste of local honey 

 

Aug 3 Construct with 4-H Robotics

Hands-on robot demonstrations with Ozobots

Giant robot demo on the lawn

Build fruit and vegetable constructs with toothpicks

Aug 10 Musical food with Caffè Lena Music School

Make percussion instruments out of recycled tins and dried beans. 

Learn about beans and their nutritional content

Aug 17 C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios

Activities TBA

Aug 24 Our 5 Senses with The Children’s Museum of Saratoga

Sensory garden activities

Aug 31 Go fishing with the Saratoga Springs Public Library

Paper plate fish craft

Take the 2 Bites Challenge and sample in-season fruit

 

Learning the Power of Produce

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By Julia Howard

 

As Saratoga-area children anticipate their last day of school, the first question on many parents’ minds is, “what are we going to do all summer?” The Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s Power of Produce Club offers children and families a free and easy answer to that question. 

Power of Pop Club, photo by Pattie Garrett

 Power of Produce Club (also known as POP Club) is a 10-week program that begins next Wednesday, June 29, and runs through the end of August. It takes place each Wednesday, 3-6 p.m. at the farmers’ market, and gives both children and their parents a chance to learn about local foods and farming in a hands-on way. 

POP Club is open to children of all ages and abilities. Each time participants visit the Wednesday market, they will receive a $2 POP coin that kids can use to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from a farmer of their choice. The coins are geared toward children between the ages of 5 and 12. In addition, children will receive a stamp on a POP passport. After receiving four stamps, children will be eligible for a prize.

POP Club Coin

The project aims to help children see how food and farming are intrinsically connected to strengthening community ties. By buying produce from our vendors, children form what might turn into lifelong relationships with local farmers. At the same time, children gain basic money skills and participate in weekly activities that offer a sense of how to enjoy local produce when it is at its finest.

Power of Produce Club is made possible by support from The Christopher Dailey Foundation. In addition, educational activities are being organized by numerous community partners like The Children’s Museum of Saratoga, Pitney Meadows Community Farm, Little Wings Farm School, Saratoga Springs Public Library, and more.

The first event takes place next Wednesday and will feature a free concert by Jack & Steve Zucchini and free face painting, activities, and food tastings. Nutrition educator Jodie Fitz will have copies of her book Fidget Grows a Pizza Garden. At POP Club, children will have an opportunity to plant a pizza garden to take home.

Look for the POP Club tent at the Wednesday market, across from the market information booth.

 

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park in downtown Saratoga Springs. Find us online at saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Burgers with Onions & Mushrooms

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Adapted from recipes by My Nourished Home and The Kitchn, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 8

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

For the Onions and Mushrooms:

  • 2 to 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 large sweet onions*
  • 16 ounces mushrooms* (shitake* and/or oyster*)

For the burgers:

  • 2 pounds ground beef*
  • 1/2 small onion*, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 hamburger buns, split

Instructions

For the onions the mushrooms:

  1. In a large saute pan, heat the oil and butter on medium-low. Peel and slice the onions into long, thin slices. Place the onions in the pan, add salt and pepper to taste, and carefully toss to coat all the onions in the oil and butter. Allow to caramelize, stirring occasionally for 20 to 30 minutes. They’ll turn a warm brown color.
  2. Add the mushrooms to the onions, carefully toss to coat them with oil. Continue to cook on medium-low. The mushrooms will become soft and browned.

For the burgers:

  1. Heat the grill. Heat an outdoor grill to high heat (about 450°F). On a charcoal grill, arrange the coals to create high heat and a low heat cooking zone (direct and indirect grilling). Meanwhile, prepare the burger patties.
  2. Season the beef. Place the ground beef on a baking sheet and gently pat it into a log. Use your thumb to make a deep trough in the center. Sprinkle the onions evenly into the trough. Whisk the Worcestershire, tamari or soy sauce, and garlic powder together in a small bowl. Sprinkle this over the onions. Finish with a few grinds of fresh black pepper over everything.
  3. Shape the patties. Pinch the ground beef closed around the onions. Divide the meat into 8 equal portions using a chef knife, a bench scraper, or your fingers. Use your hands to gently flatten each portion into a patty about 1-inch thick. Try not to compact or overwork the meat. Let the burgers sit at room temperature until the grill is ready, about 20 minutes.
  4. Grill the burgers. Place the patties on the grill in a single layer. Cook until grill marks appear about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until grill marks appear on the second side, about 2 minutes more. If using a charcoal grill, move the patties to a lower-heat (indirect) area of the grill. If using a gas grill, reduce the heat to medium. Grill 2 to 3 minutes more for medium-rare burgers, 3 to 4 minutes more for medium, or 5 to 6 minutes more for well-done burgers. 
  5. Assemble the burgers. Place a patty on each toasted bun and serve with toppings.

 

 

Top Fathers’ Day Finds at the Farmers’ Market

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By Julia Howard

 

Dads take the spotlight as we prepare for Father’s Day on Sunday, June 19.  If you’re looking for the right gift, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market has a variety of giftable items for the foodie in your life. There are also practical gifts, local libations, ready-to-eat foods, and so many ideas that we’ve compiled a gift guide to help you.

Food for the Foodie

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is an agricultural hub best known for its incredible variety of locally produced foods. A gift bag or basket with strawberries, cheese, bread, jams and jellies, marinades and rubs, and even a steak may be just the thing to make dad feel appreciated. And there is so much more! 

Muddy Jerky Trail Co., photo by Graciela Colston

Muddy Trail Jerky Co. has grilling rubs, seasonings, and jerky galore for all the dads out there. Ballston Lake Apiaries makes a delicious honey balsamic marinade. Puckers Pickles award-winning pickles and fermented products always make great gifts. Nettle Meadow has a variety of cheeses that pair amazingly with NightWork Bread or Saratoga Crackers. Rum cakes from Goodway Bakery make a giftable sweet treat, as do goodies from Happy Cupcake. Not to overlook any plant-based dads, seasonal vegetables are aplenty, and several local farms bring bountiful harvests to the farmers’ market every Wednesday and Saturday. 

Functional and Practical

For the dad that appreciates function and practicality, Feathered Antler has buttoned-down shirts with handpainted flair. Saratoga Suds ‘n’ Stuff has handmade soaps like exfoliating ‘True Grit’ or ‘Rub a Dub Scrub.’ And Sweetbrier Farms has a variety of useful, handcrafted salves, tonics, and topicals. Plan a visit to Mister Edge Sharpening at the Wednesday market, and have his favorite knives and tools sharpened.

Saratoga Suds N Stuff, photo by Graciela Colston

Local Libations

If beer, wine, and spirits will make Father’s Day more festive, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market has a variety of local wines from Old Tavern Farm and Galway Rock Vineyard and Winery. Springbrook Hollow and Yankee Distillers bring high-quality local spirits from bourbon to gin. And, Mean Max Brew Works has beer to satiate any beer-lovers palette.

Galaway Rock Wine and Vineyards, photo by Graciela Colston

Among all the products and possibilities to show dad your love, perhaps plan a trip to the farmers’ market together. Enjoy the morning or afternoon, sharing the farmers’ market experience: live music, lunch in the park, and local festivities.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park in downtown Saratoga Springs. Find us online at saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Rosemary Cheddar Irish Soda Bread

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Recipe provided by Trouvaille Eats & Sweets

Prep time: 10 min

Bake time: 30 min

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¾ tsp cream of tartar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp of fresh chopped rosemary*
  • 2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese*
  • 1 cup of buttermilk*
  • 1 whole large egg*

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease and flour a round baking tray.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, pepper) with rosemary & cheddar cheese. In a separate bowl, combine eggs and buttermilk.
  3. Using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
  4. Flour your work surface and knead the dough into the shape of a ball. Cut an “x” on top of the dough ball and place it on the baking tray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

 

*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

 

Trouvaille Eats & Sweets Brings New Flavors to the Farmers’ Market

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By Caroline Moran

 

“Trouvaille in French means a positive, unexpected find.” For Courtney and Andrew Howe, this word perfectly sums up both their professional endeavors and the entirety of their journey together. After leaving behind 16- and 12-year-long careers in the restaurant industry, respectively, Courtney and Andrew first explored the idea of starting a food truck.

“When the pandemic hit, our ideas began to shift,” Courtney explained when discussing how the pair instead chose cheesecakes as a vessel in which to channel their culinary creativity. From basil and sage whipped creams to graham cracker and cinnamon bun crusts, the couple has no shortage of dreamy flavor combinations–certainly enough to satisfy any palate.

Pulling inspiration anywhere they can, Courtney is constantly jotting down flavor ideas when ingredients and products catch her eye. “We want each layer of the dessert to bring out different flavors that pair together perfectly,” she explained. The separation of flavors between the toppings, fillings, and crusts created a “layered experience,” resulting in an ideal bite.

Each week, the pair selects their most seasonally appropriate flavors and carefully crafts each component of their cheesecakes. “We make our sauces, jams, [and] graham crackers,” said Courtney. They individually garnish and package up each slice, knowing that customers can “taste the love and effort” poured into the process. 

This coming July marks two years of Trouvaille’s decadent desserts, with Courtney and Andrew looking forward to reintroducing gluten-free and vegan cheesecakes and experimenting with other cheesecake-based desserts.

“We truly enjoy working from our commercial kitchen for the time being,” the couple said. “We will keep running new flavors weekly to ensure our customers continue to have unique desserts to brighten up their weeks.”

Customers looking to enjoy a mouthwatering slice of Trouvaille’s cheesecake outside of the SFM’s hours can find them at the Schenectady Greenmarket and the Colonie Farmers’ Market, along with several local restaurants (the Mohawk Taproom, 10 McGillis, and Pinhead Susan’s) for a treat any day of the week. Pre-ordering options are also available on trouvailleeats.com, with options for both pick-up and delivery.

One of Courtney and Andrew’s favorite aspects of the business? “…converting people from non-cheesecake lovers to cheesecake lovers!” If you’re not yet convinced, stop by the SFM to check out this week’s flavors—we’re certain you might just find a new favorite dessert.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at High Rock Park in downtown Saratoga Springs. Find us online at saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. 

*Parking available in the City Center Parking Garage- free for the first hour then $1/hr after that*