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Slate Valley Farm

Getting into the Spirit

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Lake George Distilling, photo by Pattie Garrett

It’s been quite a summer, with COVID-19, nationwide protests and calls for police reforms, presidential politics, school reopenings, and the fate of the U.S. postal service dominating the news.

Still, we’re surviving, thanks to the best local foods and drinks that our vendors bring each week to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market.

In that spirit, we suggest a brief celebration. Visit the market and fill your basket with what you need for your upcoming meals. Top it off with a bottle of a handcrafted artisanal liquor and the ingredients for a cocktail or two.

The market’s three spirits vendors are Lake George Distilling Company, Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery, and Yankee Distillers. Collectively, they bring gin, vodka, and whiskey to the market each Saturday, not to mention fruit- and spice-infused spirits, such as Lake George’s Apple Pie Moonshine and its Lake George Lemonade. A simple quarter-cup pour from one of their bottles over two or three cubes of ice makes a hearty but not too boozy cocktail in and of itself.

If you want something a little more fancy, try these suggestions:

Lavender lemonade cocktail, AdobeStock

● Lavender lemonade cocktail. Yankee’s Steve Hamilton recommends either vodka or bourbon for this beverage made with Slate Valley Farm’s lavender lemonade and freshly chopped cucumber from one of the market’s produce vendors. Stripe off some of the outer cucumber skin with a vegetable peeler and chop the cucumber. Place it in a cup with ice cubes, and add one part spirit and three parts lavender lemonade. The lemonade lightens the intensity of the liquor, while the lavender and cucumber impart a floral freshness. I tried this concoction with bourbon and found it delicious.

Gin & Tonic, photo by Pattie Garrett

● Gin-and-tonic with celery. Springbrook Hollow’s Tara Solomon suggests muddling a bit of chopped celery in the classic gin and tonic beverage consisting approximately of one part gin, two parts tonic, and ice. She also suggests allowing the celery to remain in the glass until the beverage has been consumed for snacking. Cucumber makes an excellent alternative.

Iced Mocha, AdobeStock

● Mocha and mint whiskey. Hamilton suggests a malt whiskey for this cocktail, which is made with coffee and chocolate milk from the market’s new Bunker Hill Dairy vendor. It can be made with a take-home version of the mocha drink that Something’s Brewing offers. A little bit of crushed mint adds a flavorful boost.

Just remember, no drinking at the market.

This week’s recipe: Bourbon Peach Smash

Saratoga Farmers’ Market Brims with Gifts to Suit Everyone

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

The final few days before Christmas can be frantic. Gifts must be found, holiday meals must be cooked, and then there’s the issue of trying to get packages shipped to loved ones who live elsewhere.

We at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market invite you to relax. Come to our market on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., grab a warm drink and a pastry or breakfast sandwich, and stroll through the wide variety of specialty foods products, locally made jewelry and artwork, and delicious farm fresh foods, all under one roof at the Lincoln Baths Building. They are filled with an array of artworks, foods, and other gift items homegrown or homemade to fill a variety of needs.

The following guide gives you a glimpse of some of what we offer:

Treats from Mugzy’s Barkery

Artisanal treats. Head upstairs to the second floor for cured meats, hand-cut pastas, handcrafted jewelry, and journals. If there’s a dog in the family, consider a gift box from Mugzy’s Barkery which features a sampler of their dog treats. Terra Sage Gourmet also offers a healthy vegetarian dog food.

  Also on the second floor are first-year agricultural vendors offering such produce as mushrooms, chicken, dried beans, and nutrient dense microgreens.

A spirited sample. Walk to the end of the second floor, and head downstairs. Stop and sample bourbon-infused eggnog, made with Battenkill Valley Creamery’s award winning eggnog and Yankee Distillers’ bourbon. Both items are available from their respective makers at the far end of the market’s first floor.

Sweets to ship. In the main market, you’ll find produce, meats, jams, chocolates, cheeses, peanut butter, and hummus. Many of these items are suitable for shipping, and Slate Valley Farms makes the job easy. They offer a gift box of honey, maple syrup and maple treats in a Priority Mail package that Slate Valley’s Gina Imbimbo will send for you.

Other gift boxes. Head the front end. You’ll find cheese samplers, peanut butters, and mushroom teas from Argyle Cheese Farmer, Saratoga Peanut Butter, and Mariaville Mushroom Men respectively. And, if you like creating your own gift packages, stop by Kokinda Farms and pick up a wicker basket from Laurie Kokinda. Choose a jar of jam and walk through the market again, filling the basket with your favorites.

The Saratoga Farmers Market is 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at the Lincoln Baths Building in the Saratoga Spa State Park. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and on the FreshFoodNY app.