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chocolate milk

Bunker Hill Creamery brings quality, old fashioned milk

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By Julia Howard

Photo provided by Bunker Hill Creamery

“What the cows are giving is what you drink,” is how Kyle Depew describes the milk that Bunker Hill Creamery produces.

Bunker Hill Creamery, located in Cossayuna, is among the Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s newest vendors. The creamery began bringing milk to the Wednesday market in the summer and then was added to the market on Saturdays.

Depew and his lifelong friend Dan Richards started Bunker Hill Creamery in 2008. Richards and his wife Erin own Richview Farms, which provides the milk to Bunker Hill as well as meat that the partnership also brings to the market.

Richview Farm is home to 300 animals and 75 dairy cows provide milk for the creamery. The creamery is located right on the farm, and milk is processed and bottled in small batches and then distributed for sale.

Photo provided by Bunker Hill Creamery

The milk coming from the creamery is minimally processed and is non-homogenized. What does that mean exactly? Kyle Depew explains that the milk undergoes low-temperature pasteurization that results in creamy milk with no separation of the milk and cream. Processed in small batches, the milk also maintains its nutritional value. This process makes Bunker Hill Creamery’s milk notable.

“We want people to be aware of the value in the bottle,” says Depew. Bunker Hill Creamery offers cream top whole milk, chocolate milk, and maple milk in half gallons and single servings. Their chocolate milk uses high-quality cocoa and is free from carrageenan and corn starch and their maple milk is sweetened with local maple syrup.

In addition to milk, Bunker Hill Creamery brings a variety of cuts of Angus beef, pork, and veal. These products are sourced from their partnership with Richview Farms.

Photo provided by Bunker Hill Creamery

“When we started, we really wanted to do something new and different,” explains Depew. “Our biggest challenge has been finding the right opportunities to get our milk to the community”.

Bunker Hill Creamery is overcoming that challenge. Their milk is currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on Saturdays as well as the Troy and Delmar Farmers’ Markets, numerous Price Chopper and Hannaford locations, several local eateries and stores, and at farm stores at 167 Bunker Hill Rd. in Cossayuna and 144 N Rd. in Greenwich.

Customers can look forward to expanded offerings from Bunker Hill Creamery as they hope to offer reduced-fat milk, heavy cream, half & half, and other dairy products in the future.

This week’s recipe: One-Pot Bunker Hill Mac

Exploring the Sweet Side of the Farmers’ Market

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By Julia Howard

The Chocolate Spoon, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Beneath a dozen eggs and some carrots with sprawling greens lay some of the most delicious pumpkin chocolate chip cookies I have ever tasted. The Chocolate Spoon was the last stop on my list this past Saturday, and the farmers’ market crowd was beginning to swell. Once the cookies were safely tucked away in my basket, I headed for my car.

Indulging in a sweet treat has become a part of my Wednesday or Saturday shopping ritual – a reward for working hard all week. The rewards vary. Last week, it was applesauce from Saratoga Apple. The apples, slowly and gently cooked, have the perfect chunky consistency and balance of sweetness and tart. With no sugar added, I felt like I was doing something good for myself. The week before that, my treat was Mrs. London’s famous buttery almond croissant. And, the week before that, I fondly recall rich, creamy chocolate milk from Battenkill Valley Creamery.

Slate Valley Farms, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Whatever farmers’ market sweets I choose to indulge in, they are always fresh, delicious, and an ode to quality, local ingredients. Perhaps that’s why they have become my shopping tradition. And, they are treats that I don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen preparing myself.

Argyle Cheese Farmer, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Market sweets come in a variety of sizes to accommodate any desire or occasion. Satisfy a small craving with a honey stick from Slate Valley Farms or personal-sized Sweet Greek yogurt from Argyle Cheese Farmer. Looking for a larger quantity to share? Perhaps a pie from The Food Florist or cheesecake from Grandma Apples Cheesecakes. Tiramisu from Giovanni Fresco is some of the best you’ll try, and baklava from Euro Delicacies is authentic and sweetened with local honey. Dickinson’s Delights’ Nutella crepes are filled with seasonal fruit and make for a decadent and gooey dessert that could be eaten for breakfast.

Looking for gluten-free or dairy-free options? Farmers’ market vendors have those too.

What about the unique chocolate craving that we all succumb to? Saratoga Chocolate Company has a variety of handmade cocoa creations to satisfy that specific desire that must be met.

The next time you’re shopping at the farmer’s market, make time for something on the sweeter side. You’ll be glad you did.

For this week’s recipe, I leave you with chocolate chip zucchini muffins. They are cake-like, sweet, and satisfying with a healthy touch.