Saratoga Farmers' Market

chocolate

Sweets, Meats, and Other Easter Treats at Saratoga Farmers’ Market

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By Emily Meagher

Easter evokes images of eggs hunts and other community events. We invite you to make next Saturday at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market a part of these events. On Saturday, April 20, arrive early and fill your shopping bags and baskets with our fresh, locally grown, raised and produced foods.

Kokinda Farm Eggs, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Near the market entrance, look for the eggs. Not the edible ones – those come next – but rather the reusable gift containers, available while supplies last. Inside each will be a coupon offering a discount from one of the market vendors.

 

Now, for real eggs. Elihu, Kokinda, and Squashville farms are offering them in abundance. Check out their hues and try them for their fresh, farm-raised flavor. Keep an eye out, too, for rich duck and giant goose eggs.

Saratoga Chocolate Co. Easter Basket, photo courtesy of Saratoga Chocolate Co.

This weekend, the market also will be featuring chocolate eggs. Further in the market are such treats filled with maple cream and maple marshmallow at Slate Valley Farms. Other sweet treats include homemade marshmallows from The Chocolate Spoon, chocolates formed into nest and bunny shapes from the Saratoga Chocolate Co., hot cross buns from Mrs. London’s, and cheesecakes in a range of sizes and flavors from Grandma Apple’s Cheesecakes.

That’s dessert. Now, let’s look for vegetables and main course meats.

Many vendors are offering Easter specials on their farm-raised meats: At Lewis Waite Farm, fresh and smoked ham roasts and steaks are five percent off. Longlesson Farm is offering 10 pounds of ground beef for $60 (instead of $80), and Mariaville Mushroom Men is taking 20 percent off its pork. If poultry is your preference, try Ramble Creek Farm’s turkey or Squashville’s chicken.

And there are the early spring vegetables to consider: Pea shoots from Saratoga Urban and Pleasant Valley farms, along with Pleasant Valley’s super-sweet spring parsnips. Storage vegetables remain abundant at Gomez Veggie Ville and Pleasant Valley, and mushrooms at Mariaville and Ramble Creek.

Looking for libations? Try Saratoga Apple’s farm-brewed hard and sweet ciders, spirits from Yankee Distillery, cyser from Ballston Lake Apiaries, Battenkill Valley Creamery milk and Something’s Brewing’s home-roasted coffees.

And, there’s more: apples, pickles, cheeses, and cured meats.

 

Mayan Spice Chocolate Chili

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Shared by Saratoga Chocolate Co.

Serves 8-10

Prep time: 20

Cook time: 1 hr

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • 1.5 lb ground Longlesson beef*
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 orange pepper, diced
  • 1 yellow pepper, diced
  • 2 large onions*, diced
  • 2 jalapenos seeded and minced
  • 3 cloves garlic*, minced
  • 1.5 Tbsp Chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • 1-15 oz can of diced tomatoes (locally grown & canned if possible!)
  • 1 small can tomatoes paste
  • 2 cups beef broth, more water if needed
  • 1 can red kidney beans
  • 1 can pinto beans
  • ¼ cup Saratoga Chocolate Co. Mayan Spice Hot Chocolate mix*
  • Salt & pepper to taste

 

Instructions

  1. In a well oiled dutch oven brown beef on medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes, dusting with salt and pepper for flavor.  
  2. Set aside beef in a bowl. In the same Dutch oven, add a touch of oil and saute onions, pepper, and jalapeno until softened.
  3. Add back the beef, and sprinkle the mixture with spices. Cook for 2 minutes. Add in beans, tomatoes, tomato paste and broth and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle in the hot chocolate mixture and stir well. Cover a let simmer for 1 hour.
  4. Serve over rice, topped with cilantro, sour cream, and/or an over-easy egg. Enjoy!
Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

A Little Bit of Chocolate with Your Veggies?

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

 

Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

As much as we hate to admit it, chocolate is neither a fruit nor a vegetable. But, as Alli and Hank Rose are demonstrating each Saturday at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, it is versatile, somewhat healthy and very delicious.

The Roses own Saratoga Chocolate Co., one of the newest vendors at the farmers’ market. They offer handmade and hand-wrapped chocolate bars, barks, truffles, and hot chocolate mixes.

Chocolate-making began as a “foodie passion” and “kitchen experiment” for Alli about 15 years ago, after her day-job in clean energy was done. She created treats for her family, gifts for friends, and occasionally larger orders for weddings, caterers, and wine bars.

Then, Hank’s job ended. “We always talked about doing something more on our own, where we could work together,” says Alli. “The time was right.”

The couple launched Saratoga Chocolate Co. in November 2016, after a year of structured, conscientious planning.

“We tasted about 500 varieties of chocolates being sold locally,” said Alli, “and tested almost as many blends on our own. We had these enormous spreadsheets where we kept track of the results, trying to get a feel for what tasted best to the palate.”

Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

The Roses are not “bean to bar” chocolate makers, though that is a future prospect. What this means is they do not start to make their chocolate from the cacao bean itself. Rather, they make their chocolates from carefully sourced couverture, which is a high-quality chocolate produced by grinding the bean to a finer texture and adding a higher percentage of cocoa butter to the finished product. Couverture is especially suitable for creating the bars, barks, and truffles that Saratoga Chocolate features.  

The Roses’ work with chocolate in a region that does not grow the cacao beans, but this helps convey an understanding of how making local products might convey global consciousness. For instance, they are careful in trying to select chocolate that is not only of a high quality but is responsibly sourced, harvested, and often processed in a single country of origin. From there, the Roses blend their favorite chocolates and ingredients to coax the flavor they seek in each of their confections.

Alli calls chocolate a healthy food in moderation. It lifts the spirits and contains some health benefits. And of course it tastes delicious.

Visit the Saratoga Farmers’ Market 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at the Lincoln Baths Building in Saratoga Spa State Park; follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram; and contact friends@saratogafarmersmarket.org for volunteer opportunities.

Holiday Hot Chocolate

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Recipe courtesy of Marcie Place, owner of The Chocolate Spoon

Makes 2-3 servings

Prep time & cook time: 10 minutes

 

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

  • 3 cups of chocolate milk* (Battenkill Valley Creamery is the best!)
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4-6 oz. semi-sweet or dark chocolate* pieces coarsely chopped
  • Marshmallows* from The Chocolate Spoon

 

Directions

In a saucepan, mix together the milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk over medium heat until milk steams and sugar dissolves. Whisk in chocolate pieces, stirring until dissolved. Top with a homemade marshmallow by The Chocolate Spoon. Enjoy!