Saratoga Farmers' Market

Buy Local, Eat Fresh

Nettle Meadow

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market Is Also A Gift Market

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By Mary Pratt

Saratoga Suds ‘n’ Stuff, photo by Pattie Garrett

The Saturday Saratoga Farmers’ Market in the Wilton Mall parking lot is exceptionally busy. In addition to selecting veggies, meat, fruits, and prepared foods, customers can explore vendors offering gifts to purchase.

It’s easy to start the Saturday market with Something’s Brewing coffee. Beth Trattel roasts her coffee beans and sells many varieties of Battenkill Coffee.

Other foodie gifts include packaged cheese. In addition to yogurt, Dave and Marge Randles, Argyle Cheese Farmer, prepares cheese varieties. “Amazing Grace” won a silver medal at the NYS Fair. Lee Hennessy, Moxie Ridge Farm specializes in cheese from his Alpine goats. You can choose fresh cheese such as chevre or feta, or ripened Valencia and Cannonball. R&G Cheesemakers in Troy uses goat’s or cow’s milk from nearby farms. Sean O’Connor continuously creates new flavors to accompany his goat’s milk chevre, Camembert, and cow’s milk cheeses. Nettle Meadow also has a unique variety of hard and soft cheeses and chevre.

Or for a sweet treat, shop Saratoga Chocolate Company founded by Hank and Allison Rose. They use “only the highest quality chocolate and ingredients. Each selection is paired with complementary flavors that highlight the tasting notes of each chocolate”. Marcie Place, The Chocolate Spoon, bakes notable cookies, teacakes, and other treats that come in giftable packaging.

If your friends enjoy sipping, try a variety of sparkling cider from Slyboro Cider House. Dan Wilson is in charge of their “small dynamic farm, cider house, and farmstand in the foothills of the Adirondacks. His orchard, Hicks Orchard, continues a tradition of direct connection with the local community that dates back to 1905”.

Mugzy’s Barkery, photo by Pattie Garrett

When visiting friends who have dogs, be sure to bring gifts from Mugzy’s Barkery, named after their Old English Bulldog. The Barkery specializes in natural and organic dog treats that are “handmade, healthy, safe, and delicious”.

As you explore the Market, you’ll notice several talented crafters, including Balet Flowers and Design. Suzanne Balet Haight, a second-generation Market vendor makes functional, creative pottery, such as coffee cups, bowls and plates, and lovely containers that hold the flowers and plants they grow.

After you leave Balet Flowers, go to Feathered Antler where Gretchen Tisch will create a portrait of your pet from a photo. She illustrates clothing with birds, deer, moose, or their feathers and antlers. “They stand out as being the most stunning parts of animals who wear them from the sky to the ground.”

Kokinda Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

On her Kokinda Farm, Laurie Kokinda produces vegetables, fruits, jellies, and jams. Equally practical are her sewn products, including aprons and one-piece quilted hot pads. In the future, she’ll bring catnip pillows.

If you’re looking for handmade jewelry, Big Breath Wellness has handmade earrings and pendulums.

Mary Jane Pelzer, Saratoga Suds ‘n’ Stuff, a third-generation soap maker, has been producing a large variety of natural handmade soap in small batches for over 40 years. Look for basic body bars, hand soaps, and soap in special shapes such as lambs, flowers, fish, and eggs.

Cheesemaking is a passion, an art

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Argyle Cheese Farmer, photo by Pattie Garrett

A basic cheese can be easy to make. You heat milk to a particular temperature, stir in an agent such as vinegar or lemon juice to create curds, drain off the liquid known as whey, and wait for the curds to cool.

Making a really great cheese, however, is more complex.

“It is about using old world craftsman methods to produce cheese in a deliberate and careful, hand-crafted way,” says Sheila Flanagan of Nettle Meadow. “It is not overly industrialized or mechanized. It is connected to the animals whose milk is used. It is a way of life.”

That way of life is reflected in the broad array of cheeses that Nettle Meadow brings each Saturday to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, along with R&G Cheese Makers and Argyle Cheese Farmer.

R&G Cheese Makers, photo by Pattie Garrett

The cheeses are made from goat, sheep, and cow milk. They include soft chevres, camemberts, cheddars, mozzarellas, manchegos, blue cheeses, and more.

Artisan cheesemakers such as Flanagan, Argyle’s Marge Randles, and R&G owner Sean O’Connor draw on historic customs to create cheeses with minimal machinery. Often, recipes are unique to the cheesemaker and evolve over years.

For instance, Dave Randles’s favorite cheese – Mercy – evolved out of a recipe that Marge found in an old British cookbook, accompanied by several farmstead processes for making cheddar cheese.

Nettle Meadow, photo by Pattie Garrett

Flanagan notes that many Nettle Meadow cheeses are complicated to make. “Those complexities make them stand out.”

One favorite – Briar Summit – is made with goat, cow and sheep milk with raspberry leaf tea and cream added in. The ratios of milk vary by season. Two cultures plus a coagulant create the cheese.

“After two hours, the curd is cut and then we wait an additional two hours to pour the cheese by hand into pyramid molds,” Flanagan says. “The next morning, we flip the molds and let the cheese fall out of them and place them on a tray where they travel down to the again cellar to rest for two days.”

Flanagan applies salt and a a mold powder to help ripen and flavor the cheese. She turns it every few days while it ages.

Flanagan says, “It is a true cheesemaker’s cheese.”

 

This week’s recipe: Farmstead Macaroni & Cheese

Local Businesses Expand Roots in the Community

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By Julia Howard

At the farmers’ market, Saturdays are an opportunity to stock up with local products for the week to come. But what if you didn’t have to wait for Saturday to stock up on your favorite farmers’ market foods? Mangiamo, Saratoga Chocolate Co., Nettle Meadow, and Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery have big news to share as they work to ease access to their products by opening new locations and expanding their offerings locally.

Mangiamo

Mangiamo, photo provided

Mangiamo, a business offering a variety of homemade pasta, has recently opened shop in Grant Plaza at 75 Woodlawn Avenue in Saratoga Springs. “The only reason I was able to open a retail shop was because my market customers were looking to buy pasta during the week,” explained Rose Contadino, owner of Mangiamo.

Contadino began Mangiamo in May 2018 and sold her fresh pasta exclusively on Saturdays at the farmers’ market.“My customers have been very supportive of me opening the shop, and I am extremely grateful for all their wishes to see me succeed,” said Rose.

Mangiamo’s new location is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store enables Rose to make pasta on the premises and also to expand her offerings as the business grows. “At the shop, I offer a variety of weekly flavored pastas like roasted garlic and herbs and I always have cheese raviolis and a special ravioli for Friday and Saturday,” she explained.

Saratoga Chocolate Co.

Saratoga Chocolate Co., photo provided

Saratoga Chocolate Co. will bring sweetness to downtown Saratoga Springs when their new shop opens on the lower level of the Saratoga Marketplace this spring. “We’re excited to create a space where people can experience and enjoy chocolate,” said Allison Rose.

Chocolatiers Allison and Hank Rose started Saratoga Chocolate Co. in 2016 and have worked to grow the business while balancing an active work and family life. At the farmers’ market, Saratoga Chocolate Co. quickly earned its reputation for hand-crafted truffles and decadent chocolate bark and bars.

This spring, the store location will offer a variety of their chocolates, and shoppers may also watch the sweet confections being made. “The farmers’ market community has really supported us and helped us to develop our business,” Allison explained. In addition to chocolates and truffles, the Roses are planning to offer a variety of cocoa infused food and drinks at the new location.

Nettle Meadow

Nettle Meadow, photo by Pattie Garrett

Nettle Meadow began the year with exciting news of their new cheese plant, aging space, and retail space at the historic Hitching Post restaurant on 9N in Lake Luzern. “We will have a much larger retail space for customers to come and try our cheese and buy cheeses and other local products at a more convenient location,” said Sheila Flanagan, one of the farm owners.

Nettle Meadow started selling goat cheeses on a small scale around 1992. Sheila Flanagan and Lorrain Lambiase bought the business and expanded production in 2005. “Farmers’ markets are one of the most important aspects of our business because it gives us direct interaction with our customers,” said Flanagan. “We look forward to reaching more people through tastings and direct sales at the new location in Lake Luzerne.”

Nettle Meadow’s new location plans to open on Memorial Day weekend with a Grand Opening celebration. The retail location will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and the tasting room will be open Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery

Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery, photo provided

Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery has completed plans for a new taproom and production facility directly off of Rt. 149 in Queensbury. The expansion is planned to be completed by the end of 2020 and will feature a 100-person taproom where patrons may enjoy local cider, wine, craft beer, and a variety of Springbrook Hollow’s hand-crafted, artisanal spirits including vodka, gin, moonshine, and award-winning limoncello.

Springbrook Hollow Distillery opened in 2014 and has expanded its reach throughout New York, Vermont, New Jersey, and Connecticut. “We love the hands-on experience of sharing our products and our story with customers and want to enhance this experience on-site,” said Matt Colucci, one of the distillery owners. For Springbrook Hollow, this new facility means more production, upgraded equipment, and a place for people to gather and enjoy local beverages.

While these businesses work to offer customers new shopping experiences and a wide variety of products, you can continue to find them together in one place every Saturday at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market.

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.

Pack a Spring Picnic at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

 

Spring takes its time coming to the Saratoga area. Still, as we near the end of April, we can feel the change: balmier breezes, spots of sunshine, receding snowlines and daffodils and crocuses starting to bloom.

With the beckoning of better days, we invite you to visit the Saratoga Farmers’ Market for the final two Saturdays of our indoor market with picnicking in mind. Fill your basket with our vendors’ newest items and head into the Saratoga Spa State Park for a feast.

 

Here are a few of our newest treats to consider:

  • Apple Cider Elixir. This beverage prepared by Beth Trattel of Something’s Brewing features all natural ingredients and no added sugar. It blends sweetness with a twist of tart for a thirst-quenching sensation. Try it with a lemon garnish.
  • The Everything Croissant. For a starter snack, try this newest offering from Mrs. Londons. It takes the concept of the “everything bagel” and applies it to the croissant, creating a light yet savory pastry that features a cream cheese swirl and an “everything” topping.
  • Fermented veggies. Puckers Gourmet Pickles’ Kelley Hillis has been delighting market goers with her lacto-fermented pickles, kim chi, and sauerkraut for years. This year, she has unrolled something new: crunchy crisp vegetables preserved the natural way. Stop by the Puckers table for a jar of asparagus, dilly beans, and even beets.
  • Buck Mountain Cheese. Nettle Meadow Farm is introducing this goat cheese with an Adirondack touch for spring. Buck Mountain is fresh and unaged, symbolizing the newness spring, and encrusted with juniper, sumac, rosemary, and thyme. The herbs embody the fresh smell of the thawing ground.
  • Vanilla Ricotta Tea Biscuit. No spring picnic is complete without a sweet touch at the end. For that, try Marcie Place’s latest creation at The Chocolate Spoon. The biscuit is light and fluffy as a biscuit should be but decadently delicious like a dessert should be as well. If you’ve finished your elixir, try pairing it with a cup of Upper Hudson Coffee from Something’s Brewing or a glass of milk from Battenkill Valley Creamery.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market will be 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 21 and 28. at the Lincoln Baths Building in the Saratoga Spa State Park. The outdoor season at High Rock Park begins 3-6 p.m. Wednesday, May 2, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 5.