Saratoga Farmers' Market

Momma's Secret Salad Dressings

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.

Spätzle or Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad

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Recipe created by Tami Cohan of Momma’s Secret Salad Dressings & Marinades

* Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

1 cup Spätzle* or Quinoa, rinsed and cooked (try gluten-free Spätzle from The Vermont Spätzle Company)

1 sweet potato*, rinsed and cut into ½ inch cubes

1/2 Tablespoon of Olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts – roasted

2 Scallions*, sliced

1/3 cup dried cranberries

½ cup crumbled goat or feta cheese*

Momma’s Secret house dressing*

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss sweet potato in olive oil and spread on baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Mix cooked Spätzle or quinoa, sweet potatoes, cranberries, pine nuts and scallions in a bowl. Sprinkle goat or feta cheese on top. Pour Momma’s Secret house dressing over and gently mix. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold.

Spicing Up Your Summer Meals

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By: Mariah Rankin

Summer is a time when we find ourselves enjoying the company of others while dining on the fresh and vibrant ingredients that the season brings. Nothing embodies this more than a barbeque, and here at the Saratoga Farmers Market, we have just what you need to “spice” yours up. Three of our vendors specialize in spices and marinades that will help you transform your summer meals.

Momma’s Secret Salad Dressings & Marinades, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

 

Salads are a seasonal favorite, and Momma’s Secret Salad Dressings offers amazing gluten-free dressings made from all-natural ingredients. “Momma’s House Dressing” is a market favorite that also doubles as a marinade. It will add a special touch to any salad or meat. With just a small amount of their dressings, your food will explode with flavor. A portion of their proceeds is also donated to the Alzheimer’s Association.

 

 

Muddy Trail Jerky Co., photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

 

Grilling is another summertime favorite, and Muddy Trail Jerky Co. offers 15 different spice mixes specifically for grilling that will leave your meat bursting with flavor. Their classic “Steak Seasoning” is a customer favorite that contains a delicious blend of onion, garlic, and a variety of herbs and peppers. Along with their other spice mixes, it will give any beef, lamb, pork, or poultry dish a flavorful kick.

 

Saratoga Spicery, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

 

Each week the owners of Saratoga Spicery look forward to hearing their customers share the unique ways they use their products. There are no set rules or guidelines on how to use their spice mixes, the options are limitless. These “spiceries” are unique because almost all of them can be turned into a delicious dip by combining two tablespoons to 4-parts sour cream and 1-part mayo or Greek yogurt. These tasty dips will be sure to please at any summer barbecue.

 

To learn more about these products and get some of your own for your next summer gathering, stop by our market on Saturdays.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open from 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-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.

Grated Carrot Salad

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Adapted from recipe featured in Milk Street Magazine

Serves 6

 

Ingredients

*Ingredients available at the farmers’ market

  • 2 Tablespoons balsamic maple dressing* (Momma’s Secret Salad Dressings)
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
  • 1 Tablespoon minced shallot*
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ cup olive oil*
  • 1¼ pound carrots*, peeled and shredded
  • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley*

 

Preparation

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, tarragon, shallot, honey, and cayenne. Let sit for 10 minutes. Whisk in the oil until emulsified, then add the carrots and parsley. Stir until evenly coated. Season with cayenne pepper. Serve or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.