Saratoga Farmers' Market

Battenkill Valley Creamery

Red Carpet Winners at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

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By Kristin Cleveland

Roll out the red carpet! Oscars season is approaching, but you don’t have to wait for the announcement of nominees to bring the stars into your home. Move over Lady Gaga, make room for prize-winning pickles, cheesecakes, yogurts, whisky, milk, mushrooms and more, all available every Saturday at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market.

Award winning pickles, photo by Pattie Garrett

Just over a month ago, at the 21st Annual Rosendale International Pickle Festival, longtime Saratoga Farmers’ Market vendor Puckers Gourmet won two ribbons, placing first in the sweet pickles category and second for pickled vegetables. This past summer, Grandma Apple’s Cheesecakes won the President’s Choice award at Saratoga’s All-America Dessert Festival, and at the 2018 Ballston Spa Chocolate Fest last February, her cheesecakes tied for first place in the Judge’s Choice category and won the Fan Favorite Award.

Gold medal yogurts, photo by Pattie Garrett

Several of the Greek yogurts made by the Argyle Cheese Farmer have taken the gold medal at the New York State Fair in recent years, and their Amazing Grace aged cheese won a silver. Another local dairy, Nettle Meadow Farm, has won multiple awards for its soft cheeses made from combinations of goat, sheep and cow milks. These include a gold medal at the 2016 World Cheese Championship for Nettle Meadow’s Kunik, and a first place award at the 2017 U.S. Cheese Championships for its Briar Summit cheese.

At the Great American International Spirits Competition held in May of 2018, Saratoga County’s own Yankee Distillers took medals for its malt, rye, wheat, and bourbon whiskeys. Battenkill Valley Creamery is a recipient of the Highest Quality Milk in New York State award, and Saratoga Apple was lauded by I Love NY for the cider it makes from a blend of apple varieties. 

In addition to individual vendors’ awards, the Saratoga Farmers Market itself is a winner! In 2016 the market was named the “number one must-visit farmers’ market in New York State” by I Love NY. It has also earned the American Farmland Trust’s award for number one market in New York State and second in the entire country, and it regularly tops polls of regional customers.

Best of all, these winners can be enjoyed close-up! Come to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from 9 am – 1 pm year-round to sample these award winning pickles, cheeses, cheesecakes, whiskeys and many other tasty local treats.

Traditional Meals for Traditional Holidays

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By Mary Pratt

As we approach our traditional winter holiday season, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market offers delicious selections for traditional preparation. Whether you’re gathering guests or enjoying a quiet celebration, the Market supplies ingredients from appetizers to entrees to desserts. Scotch Ridge Trees and Berries completes your home with holiday decorations.

What better cocktail to serve in New York State than a Manhattan made with Yankee Distillers rye whiskey, made from 100 percent Saratoga grains. You can top it with a fermented black cherry from Pucker’s Pickles.

Battenkill Valley Creamery makes eggnog that’s ready for adding optional liquor. Or prepare homemade with their dairy products, and Market eggs, using SimplyRecipes.com.
For appetizers, check the holiday cheeses from Argyle Cheese and Nettle Meadow. Argyle’s annual gift baskets will work for a cheese platter along with yogurt dips for Market vegetables. Nettle Meadow’s holiday cheeses include pfeffernusse, cranberry, and eggnog fromage frais. Pura Vida expects to have Peconic Bay scallops, and try their blowfish, either sautéed or fried like chicken wings. Add Freddy’s Rockin’ Hummus to your appetizers, and serve with Saratoga Crackers and Mrs. London’s breads.

For entrees, Longlesson Farm and Lewis Waite Farm offer glorious beef rib roasts. You can pre-order three or four rib, or whole roasts. Elihu Farm will have fresh lamb again, including bone-in or boneless legs, whole or half racks, and loin strips. Mariaville Mushroom Men features gift baskets and teas, along with grow kits. Their mushrooms make an excellent side dish with beef or lamb.

Don’t leave the Market until you pick up salad greens, tomatoes and herbs, potatoes and vegetables, and Momma’s Secret Salad Dressings. For an alternate starch, try Mangiamo’s pasta. And add Saratoga Apple’s hard cider to your basket.

Finally, no meal is complete without dessert and coffee. The Chocolate Spoon offers cookies and cakes all year, and for holidays one can order fruit or cream pies and cheesecakes. From Saratoga Apple you can choose varieties to make baked apples and apple pie. Grandmas Apple’s also makes cheesecakes. In addition to serving cup after cup of coffee at the Market, Something’s Brewing now roasts organic coffee beans in several flavors. Add this, and treats from Saratoga Chocolate, to complete your basket of products for holiday celebrations.

Wandering to the Washington County Cheese Tour

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by Mary Pratt, photos by Pattie Garrett

September is a relaxing month to wander through farm country to the Washington County Cheese Tour, http://thecheesetour.com, a self-driving, free event. The land is full of maturing corn fields, greenest hay fields, and livestock grazing lush pastures.

Four farms (Argyle Cheese, Moxie Ridge, Dancing Ewe, and Battenkill Creamery) also participate in the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. While you visit, tour the farms, sample and purchase products, and enjoy demonstrations

Argyle Cheese Farmer

Dave and Marge Randles, Argyle Cheese Farm, make yogurt and cheeses on their family’s dairy farm, which dates to 1860. In addition to NYS Fair prize winner Amazing Grace, they offer more cheese, gelato, buttermilk, and yogurt smoothies. Try breakfast, grilled cheese sandwiches, and deep-fried cheese curds.

Moxie Ridge Farm, the newest Tour cheesemaker is also in Argyle. In 2016 Leah Hennessy bought her farm from Liza and Dave Porter, former Market vendors. Today Leah continues to make goat cheese and will debut an aged cheese. Watch hand milking, and meet the goats.

While Jody Somers, Dancing Ewe Farm, was in veterinary school, his family bought a farm in Granville. Soon he switched and studied sheep milk cheeses in Tuscany, where he met Luisa. When she came to the US and visited Dancing Ewe, she never left. Today they produce Italian style cheeses and cured meats. You can make lunch or dinner reservations.

Battenkill Valley Creamery

This year, Battenkill Valley Creamery, Salem, has joined the Tour. Don and Seth McEachron produce delicious milk, cream and ice cream. In 2010 they won a prize for best milk in New York State.

 


In addition to the Farmers’ Market members, other places to visit are:

Consider Bardwell Farm, Eastern Washington County and West Pawlet, Vermont. Angela Miller and Russell Glover produce cheese from goat and cow milk. Learn the history of the 1860 cheese cooperative; see cheese making demonstrations.

Victory View Vineyard, Easton. A perfect compliment to the cheeses are red wines handcrafted from their marquette, maréchal foch, frontenac, and other grapes.

RS Taylor and Sons Brewery, Misty Bleu Farm, Hebron. The Taylors built their tap room in 2015. Three generations of the family live, brew, and cook there

 

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays at High Rock Park. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and check us out on the FreshFoodNY app. E-mail friends@saratogafarmers.org for volunteer opportunities.

Saratoga Farmers' Market