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apple cider vinegar

Bourbon Peach Smash

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Photo by Pattie Garrett

Recipe by the Smitten Kitchen, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Makes 8 servings

This recipe, like most cocktails, is very adjustable to your tastes; use more mint or bourbon or ginger beer, or less of everything, make it the way you like it. You could use more soda or ginger beer instead of bourbon to make it alcohol-free.

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

FRUIT
● 1 large very ripe peach*, pitted, very thinly sliced
● 1/2 cup sugar
● 1/2 cup water
● 1 to 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar*
● Pinch of salt

ASSEMBLY
● A few macerated peach* slices
● 3 to 4 fresh mint leaves*
● Ice
● 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) syrup from peaches
● 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) bourbon*
● Splash of chilled seltzer or ginger beer

Instructions
For the fruit: Place peach slices in a jar, cover with sugar, water, 1-2 tablespoons vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Place lid on the jar, give it a swish/shake until mixed, and let chill in the fridge for 3 hours, overnight, or up to 1 week.

To make a cocktail: Use a fork to remove a few macerated peach slices from syrup and place in the bottom of a glass with a few mint leaves. Muddle them together, smashing them into smaller pieces. Add syrup from peaches and bourbon and stir. Add ice cubes and finish with seltzer or ginger beer.

Pickled Beets

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Recipe by Sandy Arnold, owner of Pleasant Valley Farm
Makes 4 quarts




Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market
● 4 qts beets*, cooked and sliced
● 3 cups apple cider vinegar*
● 2 cups water
● 1 ½ to 2 ½ cups sugar
● 2 tsp whole allspice
● 3 inch cinnamon stick
● ½ tsp whole cloves
● 1 tsp salt
● Onions*, chopped (optional)

Instructions
Combine all ingredients except beets. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Add beets, cover, and simmer 5 minutes. Pack beets in hot sterilized canning jars. Pour syrup over beets and fill to within ½ inch of top. If there is not enough liquid, add a mix of boiling water and vinegar. Seal immediately and process 30 minutes in hot water bath canner. If you are not familiar with canning, you can refer to the Blue Book for instructions or you can place the pickled beets in the refrigerator for several days before eating. They will last several weeks in the refrigerator or several months if canned.

Popular Foods Fill Saratoga Farmers’ Market Stalls

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By Julia Howard

Every year, certain foods find a following nationally among chefs, food writers, and other aficionados. These items often are nutritious, delicious, and add diversity to the daily diet. One place to find such foods is the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. Here’s a quick rundown of the top trending foods available at the market now:

Good for the Gut
At the Wednesday and Saturday markets, look for Saratoga Apple. Their table offers not only their well-known apples but also such products as their own apple cider vinegar, made from fermented apple juice. Apple cider vinegar has been credited with reducing cholesterol and lowering blood sugar levels. Try it in salad dressings or marinades.

One regular purveyor of probiotics is Puckers Gourmet Pickles. Look for them and their jars of fermented vegetables on Saturdays. They offer pickles, kraut, and kimchi — all of which give the body a healthy dose of probiotics, which are live microorganisms that promote healthy digestion.

Junbucha, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Junbucha, a creation of Saratoga Urban Farm may also be found at the market on Saturdays. Jun is made by fermenting tea and honey with a SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast), creating a naturally effervescent and tangy drink that contains prebiotics, probiotics, and amino acids.

Ugly Produce
New seasonal fruits and vegetables appear at the farmers’ market each week. There is one distinct difference between locally grown produce at the farmers’ market and what is found on shelves at the grocery store. Locally grown produce is not perfect, and people are finally embracing misshapen and a-symmetrical as totally edible.

Different Sources of Protein
Squashville Farm is looking forward to bringing goat meat back to the Wednesday market in June. This meat, described as an “ethical meat” by some, is delicious in stews, burgers, or on the grill. Also, look for bone broths at the Wednesday market from Slate River and Ramble Creek farms. Bone broth is being hailed for it’s nutritional value and immune boosting properties.

Oyster mushrooms, photo by Pattie Garrett

Mushrooms
And, finally, mushrooms. Mariaville Mushroom Men and Ramble Creek Farm are offering a wide variety of mushrooms, including shitakes, oysters, lion’s mane, chestnuts and others. These bites of goodness are filled with potassium, niacin, selenium, vitamin B, and carry a flavor and texture that is unbeatable. Try them sauteed with olive oil or butter, roasted with root vegetables, or stirred into a pasta.