Shop Local, Eat Fresh at the Saratoga Farmers' Market | Food, Crafts, Music in Saratoga Springs

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Mid-Summer in bloom at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

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By Caroline Moran

 

In celebration of the mid-summer bounty that our local farmers have to offer, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market will be hosting its first-ever Flowers and Fruits Festival on Saturday, August 19th.

From 9 am-1 pm, market-goers will be greeted with a fresh flower by market staff while supplies last. And, of course, farmers’ tables will also hold beautiful bouquets for purchase if just one flower isn’t enough!

August’s botanical offerings of raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, apples, melons, and dates will occupy tables throughout the market. Shoppers will also find other fruity and floral treats such as lavender lemonade, fruit smoothies, jams, various berry yogurts, cherry scones, blueberry honey, berry granola, blueberry chevre, apple sauce, and more.

Scotch Ridge Flower Farm is well known for its bundles of peonies, dahlias, and snapdragons. Burger’s Market Garden is always ready to supply customers with various hanging baskets, outdoor plants, and bouquets. Balet Flowers & Design, Lovin’ Mama Farm, and Old Tavern Farm bring stunning floral arrangements to spruce up your kitchen table and brighten your home.

For those looking to create their own unique arrangements, Amy Hoge of Bark Hill Farm will host a free floral arrangement workshop from 10-10:45 am, with limited spaces available. Email julia@saratogafarmersmarket.org to register.

An abundance of the season’s produce can be found at our farmers’ stalls, with summer delicacies like heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn, and green beans waiting to be grilled, turned into soup, or added to your next salad.

Kids in attendance will be able to meet vendors as they complete a market-wide scavenger hunt. Those who complete the task will have their names entered in a raffle for market goodies. Market-goers can enjoy lawn games, such as cornhole in the prepared food area, with talented local musicians performing nearby.

No shopping experience compares to the feeling of walking away from the farmers’ market with a bundle of fresh flowers and a carton of juicy blueberries, so stop by High Rock Park this Saturday! Join us in enjoying the beautiful August weather with the farmers and crafters of the Saratoga region.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Wednesdays from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at High Rock Park in Downtown Saratoga. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

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Adapted from the recipe by Lisa Longley, featured in Simple Joy

Makes 6 servings

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For Strawberry Spinach Salad

  • 10 ounces fresh baby spinach*
  • 1 quart strawberries*, quartered
  • 1/2 red onion*, sliced thin
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 4 ounces goat cheese

For Balsamic Poppyseed Dressing

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup honey*
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1 tablespoon red onion*, minced

Instructions

To make the salad dressing

  • Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar.  Shake well until the honey is dissolved and the dressing is combined.

To Make the Salad

  • Combine all the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl.  Very lightly dress the salad right before serving, reserving the rest of the dressing on the side for people to add more.

World Flavors: India

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By Andrea Grom

 

Preparing and sharing delicious, wholesome vegetarian Indian food is a labor of love for Sneha Narayanan and Sathya Raghavan of Daily Fresh. 

Sneha and Sathya came from Chennai, South India, and began their cooking journey while living in Atlanta, Georgia, where Sathya studied. Because Sneha couldn’t work or study then, she developed her passion for cooking, inspired by her parents, brother, books, blogs, and travels. Eventually, Sneha compiled over 150 tasty, tried-and-true recipes on her cooking blog, Cook with Sneha (https://www.cookwithsneha.com). 

Daily Fresh, photo provided

The vibrant international student community at Georgia Tech was the first to fall in love with Sneha’s cooking. During festive weekends, the couple held informal gatherings at their home and cooked for as many as 50 people, with home-style Indian dishes frequently taking center stage. These events fostered community and connection.

In 2014, they moved to the Albany area, and in 2018 Sneha and Sathya began their cooking and catering business, Daily Fresh. They joined the Saratoga Farmers’ Market in 2019. Sathya also works full-time as an engineer, and they are raising three young children. 

Sneha prepares all her dishes from scratch, using fresh, preservative-free ingredients. Her sauces are homemade, and she grinds her spices by hand. 

Daily Fresh, photo provided

Daily Fresh offers specialties from both North and South India. North Indian food has dynamic flavors, including onions, tomatoes, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and garlic. South Indian dishes stand out in different ways, highlighting vegetable stews, lentils, rice, and flavors like coconut, fenugreek, curry leaves, and tamarind. For example, dosas, flat savory flourless/eggless crepes made of rice and black lentils (urad daal), are 100% South Indian. This summer, Daily Fresh will again offer their fresh dosas and rotis (whole wheat flatbreads) at the market. 

Recently, Sneha and Sathya moved to a new commercial kitchen, which has inspired them to expand their business. They will attend four markets this year! Sneha and Sathya are excited to share more of their food with the community and are grateful for everyone’s encouragement and support. Find Daily Fresh online at https://www.dailyfreshfood.online/.

 

Let’s connect to our history, traditions, and community with flavorful food! On Saturday, March 25, from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, celebrate world foods at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s International Flavor Fest at the Wilton Mall food court. Our friends at the World Awareness Children’s Museum invite children to make paper fortune cookies, and families and market-goers may pick up a passport for a “journey around the world,” earning a prize when filling it with stamps from vendors. Learn more at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

Simple solutions to the dinner dilemma

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By Julia Howard

 

While there are usually easy meal solutions for breakfast and lunch, simple, healthy dinner ideas are challenging. Finding a recipe your family will enjoy is only a part of the struggle. We crave a quick fix for dinner, a wholesome meal that doesn’t take hours to prepare and cook and won’t require piles of dishes. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market has meal motivation and locally sourced ingredients to get you through these dinner difficulties.

 

Sheet Pan Dinners

For an effortless, delicious meal with minimal cleanup, sheet pan dinners are one of our favorite approaches to dinner. Choose your favorite seasonal vegetable(s) and pair it with a protein like chicken, pork, or beef. Think steak with Brussels sprouts and potatoes, sausages with apples and carrots, or chicken with mushrooms and leeks. The internet has many ideas, and finding the right ingredients is super simple between your pantry and the farmers’ market.

Farmers’ Market Frittatas

Frittatas can be very easy to make and are a great way to clean out your refrigerator. Ingredients include eggs, vegetables, fresh herbs (optional, and returning to the market in Feb.), cheese, and bacon or sausage – or omit for a vegetarian option. Simply sautee the vegetables, add cooked bacon and herbs, pour whisked eggs over the mixture, top with cheese, and broil for 3-4 minutes. We love M&A Farm’s recipe, and remember that you can put just about anything in your frittata.

Carrot and ginger soup, photo by Pattie Garrett

Simple Soups

Soups are one of the most satisfying, healthy, and easy one-pot meals. Simply chop up your vegetables, sautee the aromatics (leeks, onions, carrots, garlic, but the list goes on), add chicken or vegetable stock and simmer, then puree or leave chunky depending on the soup and your preference of texture. Some ideas are vegetable soup, potato and leek soup, mushroom soup, and butternut squash soup.

Beef Stew

Slow Cooker & Instant Pot Meals

Slow cookers and Instant Pots have turned complicated, time-consuming meals into one-pot wonders. A quick Google search can reveal recipes from tacos to pot roasts to soups and stews. Once your ingredients are in the pot, you typically don’t need to pay attention to them until the meal is cooked and ready to serve. 

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Wilton Mall Food Court. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

Pepper-Encrusted Beef Tenderloin with Braised Red Cabbage

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A pepper-encrusted beef tenderloin can be served with braised red cabbage and Saratoga Garlic aioli. This main course is perfect for a small gathering and pairs wonderfully with Galway Rock’s Reserve Riesling.

 

Adapted from the recipes by Dixie Elliott and Holly Nilsson

Makes 6 servings

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

For the braised red cabbage:

  • 6 cups red cabbage*, chopped
  • 1 apple*, peeled and slice
  • ½ onion*, slivered
  • ¼ cup cider vinegar*
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • ⅓ cup water (you may need more)
  • ⅛ teaspoon cloves
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the beef tenderloin:

  • 1 tbsp cracked black peppercorns
  • 2 tsp sea salt 
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 2 ½ lb beef tenderloin*

Instructions

For the braised red cabbage:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook covered for 90 minutes stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the beef tenderloin:

  1. Combine peppercorns , salt , cumin , paprika , coriander , cinnamon , cardamom and nutmeg in a bowl. Rub 1 tablespoon of oil over beef. Coat beef all over with spice mix.

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken with a Summer Vegetable and Kamut Salad

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Recipe by Marisa Kerkvliet of lemonthymekitchen.com

Prep Time: 35 minutes, plus four hours of marinating time 

Cook Time: 1 hour 

Servings: 4 servings 

Ingredients:

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

 

For the chicken: 

1 cup plain Greek yogurt * 

½ lemon, juiced 

2 cloves garlic* 

1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves* 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast* 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

 

For the salad:

1 cup kamut 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1-pint cherry tomatoes*, cut in half

1 small cucumber*, thinly sliced

½ red bell pepper*, thinly sliced

½ green bell pepper*, thinly sliced

½ small red onion*, thinly sliced

½ cup crumbled feta cheese* 

¼ cup chopped fresh dill* 

 

For the vinaigrette:

1 lemon, juiced 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 

½ teaspoon kosher salt 

1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves*, minced

1 clove garlic*, minced 

1 teaspoon honey*

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil