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Exclusive Farmers’ Market Favorites

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By Julia Howard

Despite cloudy skies, daylight poured into the Wilton Mall illuminating tables filled with locally produced goods this past Saturday. Amongst boxes of carrots, piles of cabbages, and stalks of Brussels sprouts are distinct, yet lesser-known fruit and vegetables. These varieties have unique flavors and unusual patterns and colors. They reflect the variety that grows in our region and they can’t be found in grocery stores – making them exclusive farmers’ market favorites.

Romanesco from Gomez Veggie Ville, photo by Pattie Garrett

Romanesco, a relative of broccoli and cauliflower, is chartreuse in color and has a striking fractal pattern. When compared to a traditional cauliflower, its texture is far more crunchy and its flavor is delicate and nutty. Romanesco can be blanched and added to salads, veggie trays, and cold pasta dishes. It may also be roasted or sauteed in olive oil.

Kohlrabi from Owl Wood Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

Kohlrabi is another unfamiliar brassica. With a taste and texture that is similar to a broccoli stem or cabbage heart, it’s flavor is milder and sweeter. The young stem can be as crisp and juicy as an apple, although much less sweet. The bulbous part of this vegetable may be used raw in salads or slaws. Even the leaves are edible and can be used in place of collard greens and kale.

Lion’s Mane from Mariaville Mushroom Men, photo by Pattie Garrett

Lion’s mane is one of the most interesting-looking and beautiful mushrooms. Its flavor and texture are similar to crab or lobster meat: a sweet-savory flavor, and meaty texture. To prepare, tear the whole mushrooms into bite-sized wedges. Heat a large skillet and dry sauté the mushroom pieces until the edges begin to brown. Add a pat of butter and a clove of finely chopped garlic to the skillet and toss to coat. Cook the mushrooms until they are golden brown and finish with a pinch of sea salt.

Yellow tomatoes have thick skin and are succulent and meaty in texture. Yellow varieties of tomatoes are rather sweet, and often taste milder and less acidic than red tomatoes. Yellow tomatoes are exclusively available at Shushan Valley Hydro Farms throughout the winter.

On your next trip to the farmers’ market, shop spontaneously and try something new. Ask your farmer about these lesser-known fruits and vegetables and how to prepare them – it’s easy!

Farmers’ Market Mushroom Burger

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Adapted from the recipe by Jolinda Hackett featured in The Spruce Eats
Prep & Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 5-6

Ingredients

*Ingredients available at the farmers’ market
● 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
● 1 small yellow onion, diced*
● 1 clove garlic, minced*
● 3 green onions, diced*
● 1/2 teaspoon cumin
● 3/4 cup fresh mushrooms, diced small*
● 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans
● 1 teaspoon parsley*
● Salt (to taste)
● Black pepper (to taste)
● 2 tablespoons olive oil*

Instructions

  1. Sauté the diced white or yellow onion and garlic in vegetable oil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onions are soft.
  2. Add the green onions, cumin, and the chopped mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are cooked. You can add a bit more oil if needed. Set the onion and mushroom mixture aside.
  3. Next, use a fork or potato masher to mash the beans until well mashed. You can also pulse them in a food processor until smooth if you prefer.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the mashed beans with the onion and mushroom mixture and add the parsley, salt, and pepper. Make sure the ingredients are well combined.
  5. Shape the mixture into patties about one inch thick. If you make them too thin, they may fall apart, but if you make them too thick, it will be more difficult to get them to cook them all the way through.
  6. Heat about two tablespoons of oil and cook each patty until the veggie burgers are done, about 3 minutes on each side. You can also use an indoor grill pan to grill your veggie burgers if you have one. The onion and mushroom flavor is excellent when grilled.
  7. Serve with your choice toppings!

Growing Love on the Farm

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Ann and Josh Carnes met in September 2015 at a fire department pig roast near Josh’s farm in Laporte, Colorado. Ann was growing edible flowers and herbs in nearby Wellington. Josh had just retired from the fire department and had a handyman business and a garden on a three-acre homestead. They fell in love and began farming together the next spring. 

In November 2017, they uprooted their lives and moved to New York to start Ramble Creek Farm. They joined the Saratoga Farmers’ Market in 2018, selling mushrooms, pork and poultry. Late last summer, amid preparations for their first autumn on the new farm, they married.

Their story highlights an important but not always talked about aspect of farm life – its reliance on interdependence. Nine out of 10 farmers farm as families, often as couples. While hard work and low profitability can strain such relationships, these factors also can make the romances more resilient. Nationwide, farm couples divorce less than others. Shared commitments to making farms grow often also help such relationships grow.

For Ann and Josh, that has meant a division of roles alongside frequent consultation. Josh does most of the animal care and the “building and fixing of things.” Ann’s creative talents put her in charge of marketing and branding. She represents Ramble Creek at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. Josh once a week rises at 2:30 a.m. to drive to New York City for the Union Square Greenmarket.

Both love the work and try to not let it take over their lives completely.

Josh and Ann Carnes on their wedding day

Their wedding illustrated that. 

It took place on their farm on the last sunny weekend before the turn toward cooler weather. They said their vows in what they now call “the wedding pasture,” before friends and family from all over the country. A friend officiated, and as Josh put it, “we all drank, ate, and danced our butts off.”

“Neither of us are sure why we decided to stack a wedding on top of starting our new farm and everything that comes along with that,” says Ann, “but we wanted to make it official.”

“And here we are,” adds Josh, “doing our best for our land, our animals, and ourselves.”

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 with Mushroom Cream Sauce

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Recipe courtesy of the Vermont Spätzle Company

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • 1 pint of mushrooms*, sliced
  • 1 white onion*, diced
  • 2 Tablespoons of butter*
  • 1 Tablespoon of flour (gluten free, if desired)
  • 1 ½ cups of beef broth*
  • ¼ cup cream* or half & half
  • 2 Tablespoons parsley*, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Tablespoon butter*
  • 1 12 oz. package of Vermont Spätzle Company spätzle

Directions

In a large skillet, melt butter on medium heat and add the onions. Add the mushrooms and saute until onions and mushrooms are soft. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour onto the onions and mushrooms. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth and simmer for 5 minutes.

Melt better in a sauté pan and sauté spätzle according to package directions or until desired crispness.

Add the cream and simmer on low for about 5 minutes until it thickens. Add the chopped parsley. Add spätzle to the mushroom cream sauce or top spätzle with mushroom cream sauce on a serving plate . Sprinkle with more parsley if desired and serve immediately. 

Check out more spätzle recipes at www.vtspatzlecompany.com