wine

Cold-hardy grapes yield soul-warming wines

December 21, 2020 By marketeditor

By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

The Fossil Stone Vineyard bottles of wine almost seem to glitter on display tables at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market: The golden hue of La Crescent, the ruby glow of Marquette, the fiery dark pink of their Rose, a blend of the two.

Fossil Stone is among the market’s newest vendors, joining in late August. But for owners Michael and Kelly Spiak making wine is not new. Their journey, like much of farming, is all about having a passion and the patience to transform that passion into products.

For Michael Spiak, passion began while traveling through New Zealand with the military.

“New Zealand was blanketed with vineyards, which I had a strange fascination with,” he says. “I loved everything about them … the posts, the vines, the grapes, and of course the wine.”

He and his wife Kelly owned land in Greenfield Center. They decided in 2006 to try growing grapevines. Their first wines came from vines planted in 2009, and they began selling wine in 2014. Today, Fossil Stone consists of more than 3,000 wines and a winery barn. A tasting room is set to open next summer.

The Spiaks grow cold-hardy French hybrid grapes developed by University of Minnesota viticulturist Peter Hamstead to produce LaCrescent – a crisp white with hints of apricot – and Marquette – a smooth medium-bodied red with hints of cherry and plum. They also craft a Rose from a 30-70 blend of Marquette and LaCrescent.

“It is darker than most Roses,” says Spiak, “but don’t let that fool you. It behaves very much like a Rose.”

At Fossil Stone, winter is a time to craft wines before the growing cycle begins in late February when vines will be pruned prior to bud break in late April/early May. The grapes grow through late summer and are harvested in fall.

Fossil Stone wines pair well with many winter farmers’ market offerings, such as beef brisket. “I used to work for the Saratoga North Creek Railroad as a locomotive engineer,” Michael Spiak recalls. “The chef on board used our Marquette to make a wine reduction and poured it over a broiled brisket and then paired it with our Marquette.”

“It was delicious.”

This week’s recipe: Marquette-Braised Beef Brisket

Marquette-Braised Beef Brisket

December 21, 2020 By marketeditor

Recipe by Frank Falcinelli and Frank Castronovo for Food & Wine
Active time: 45 mins
Total time: 4 hrs 30 mins
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
*Ingredients available at the farmers’ market
● 2 1/2 pounds beef brisket*, fat trimmed to 1/4 inch
● 2 cups of Fossi Stone’s Marquette*
● 1 cup red wine vinegar
● 4 juniper berries, smashed
● 2 teaspoons white peppercorns
● 2 carrots*, finely diced
● 1 celery rib, finely diced
● 2 garlic cloves*, thinly sliced
● 4 large onions*, thinly sliced
● 1/4 cup canola oil
● Salt and freshly ground pepper
● 2 tart apples*, finely chopped, plus 1/2 tart apple, peeled and chopped, for garnish (optional)
● 1/2 cup raisins
● 1 bay leaf
● 1 teaspoon chopped thyme*
● 3/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth

Instructions
● In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the beef brisket with the Marquette, red wine vinegar, juniper berries, white peppercorns, carrots, celery, garlic, and 1 of the onions. Close the bag, pressing out any air, and refrigerate the brisket overnight or for up to 2 days.
● Preheat the oven to 275°. Strain the marinade, discarding the solids. Pat the brisket dry. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Season the brisket with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the brisket to a large plate. Add the remaining 3 onions and the 2 finely chopped apples to the casserole and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until softened, about 7 minutes.
● Return the brisket to the casserole and add the raisins, bay leaf, thyme, and the strained marinade. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cover and braise in the oven for about 3 hours, until the meat is very tender; turn the brisket halfway through cooking.
● Carefully transfer the brisket to a plate; cover and keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid into a heatproof measuring cup, pressing down on the solids. Wipe out the casserole and add the cooking liquid and chicken stock. Boil over moderately high heat until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Thinly slice the brisket across the grain and garnish with the chopped apple. Serve with the sauce and a glass of Fossil Stone’s Marquette.

Make Ahead: The brisket can be refrigerated in the sauce, whole or sliced, for up to 2 days. Rewarm in the oven.

French Onion Soup

December 14, 2020 By marketeditor

Recipe by The Kitchn, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 8

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 2½ pounds yellow onions*
● 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
● 2 Tablespoons olive oil
● 1 teaspoon salt
● Freshly ground pepper
● ½ teaspoon sugar
● 8 cups of beef, chicken, or vegetable broth
● 3 Tablespoon flour
● ½ cup white wine*
● 8 baguette slices, toasted*
● 1½ cup to 3 cups of shredded Gruyere cheese (1/4 to ½ cup per serving)

Instructions
1. Cut onion into thin evenly-sized half-moon slices. Should yield about 6 cups of onion slices.
2. Melt butter with oil in a pan over medium-low heat.
3. After the butter foams up and then settles down, add the onions and stir to coat with the butter.
4. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes on low heat.
5. Remove the lid. The onions should have wilted down. Stir in salt, a generous amount of pepper, and sugar.
6. Turn the heat up to medium and cook, uncovered and stirring every few minutes, until the onions are deeply browned.
7. As the onions turn a deep walnut color, heat the broth in a separate pan.
8. Add 3 Tablespoons flour to the caramelized onions and cook, stirring for about 1 minute.
9. Add the hot broth to the caramelized onions and bring to a boil. Add wine if using. Lower the heat and partially cover the pan. Cook gently over low heat for at least 1 hour or until the broth is slightly reduced.
10. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide the soup between oven-safe bowls or use a deep casserole dish. Top each with a slice of toasted baguette and sprinkle grated cheese in a thick layer over the bread and up to the edge of the bowl.
11. Place the bowls on a baking sheet or in a casserole dish, if not using oven-proof bowls. Bake until the cheese is thoroughly melted.
12. Turn the oven from bake to broil and broil the soup for 1 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is browned and bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes:
Top with minced shallots, onions, or crispy bacon. Add thyme with wine and sprinkle over the soup before baking.

Wandering to the Washington County Cheese Tour

September 3, 2018 By marketeditor

by Mary Pratt, photos by Pattie Garrett

September is a relaxing month to wander through farm country to the Washington County Cheese Tour, http://thecheesetour.com, a self-driving, free event. The land is full of maturing corn fields, greenest hay fields, and livestock grazing lush pastures.

Four farms (Argyle Cheese, Moxie Ridge, Dancing Ewe, and Battenkill Creamery) also participate in the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. While you visit, tour the farms, sample and purchase products, and enjoy demonstrations

Dave and Marge Randles, Argyle Cheese Farm, make yogurt and cheeses on their family’s dairy farm, which dates to 1860. In addition to NYS Fair prize winner Amazing Grace, they offer more cheese, gelato, buttermilk, and yogurt smoothies. Try breakfast, grilled cheese sandwiches, and deep-fried cheese curds.

Moxie Ridge Farm, the newest Tour cheesemaker is also in Argyle. In 2016 Leah Hennessy bought her farm from Liza and Dave Porter, former Market vendors. Today Leah continues to make goat cheese and will debut an aged cheese. Watch hand milking, and meet the goats.

While Jody Somers, Dancing Ewe Farm, was in veterinary school, his family bought a farm in Granville. Soon he switched and studied sheep milk cheeses in Tuscany, where he met Luisa. When she came to the US and visited Dancing Ewe, she never left. Today they produce Italian style cheeses and cured meats. You can make lunch or dinner reservations.

This year, Battenkill Valley Creamery, Salem, has joined the Tour. Don and Seth McEachron produce delicious milk, cream and ice cream. In 2010 they won a prize for best milk in New York State.

In addition to the Farmers’ Market members, other places to visit are:

Consider Bardwell Farm, Eastern Washington County and West Pawlet, Vermont. Angela Miller and Russell Glover produce cheese from goat and cow milk. Learn the history of the 1860 cheese cooperative; see cheese making demonstrations.

Victory View Vineyard, Easton. A perfect compliment to the cheeses are red wines handcrafted from their marquette, maréchal foch, frontenac, and other grapes.

RS Taylor and Sons Brewery, Misty Bleu Farm, Hebron. The Taylors built their tap room in 2015. Three generations of the family live, brew, and cook there

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

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