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Shop Local, Eat Fresh

winter vendors

Saratoga Farmers’ Market to remain at Wilton Mall for winter season

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By Madison Jackson

Gomez Veggie Ville, photo by Eric Jenks

On Saturday, November 7th, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market will move back inside the Wilton Mall for the winter season. The farmers’ market will be located in the mall’s food court which is accessible by the Bow Tie Cinemas entrance and within the mall interior. Markets will run every Saturday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm from November through April.

As days get a little shorter and a lot colder, the farmers’ market is grateful to take up our winter home in the Wilton Mall, moving indoors from our summer season in the mall’s parking lot. This indoor location will provide some much-needed warmth for vendors and shoppers alike and the convenience of one-stop shopping for a variety of products.

In order to accommodate proper COVID-19 social distancing and safety guidelines, vendors will be spaced accordingly, hand washing and sanitizing stations will be easily accessible, and crowds will be closely monitored by market representatives and mall management staff to make sure shoppers feel safe and have a pleasant experience. The Wilton Mall has also installed a hospital-grade air filtration system in its high-quality HVAC system. The farmers’ market ensures that only the vendors handle their products until they are purchased. And, masks are required to be worn by all.

Photo by Pattie Garrett

While COVID-19 may have changed some of the ways we operate, we hope to offer a sense of familiarity and comfort to our community through the farmers market. The pandemic has posed some new challenges for us all but with the support of the community, we have remained a safe and reliable source for local foods and products. During these uncertain times, it is especially important to support our local farmers and businesses who are determined to bring their products to customers in the safest and healthiest way possible.

In addition to many familiar faces, we will also be introducing a number of new vendors including Fossil Stone Vineyards (wine), Bear’s Cup (bagels and other baked goods), Hebron Valley Veal (fresh meats), and Sweetbrier Farms (herbal wellness and body care goods). With 50+ vendors bringing a variety of fresh produce, ready-to-eat foods, and artisanal products each week we strive to remain accessible and affordable to our local residents throughout the winter.

Find our winter vendor directory here and our winter market map here!

Mrs. London’s, photo by Pattie Garrett

Wood-fired Pizza Gets “Fired Up” at the Farmers’ Market

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By Julia Howard

Fired-Up Pizza, photo by Pattie Garrett

Wood-fired, artisan pizza might be one of the most perfect foods on the planet. Crispy, cheesy, full of flavor — but it has to be done right. Locals Tina Rafferty and Paul Dudka discovered that the best pizza begins with fresh ingredients and the right oven.

Rafferty and Dudka own Fired Up Pizza that ‘opened shop’ at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market just 3 months ago. In that short time, Fired Up has become well known for its breakfast pizza and classic pepperoni, among other 10” specialty pies available every Saturday.

Photo courtesy of Fired Up Pizza

For Rafferty and Dudka, Fired Up Pizza is a pop-up pizza shop and retirement plan all-in-one. “I love the positivity at the farmers’ market,” says Rafferty. “As a new business, it’s a great place to offer and perfect our products, and customers love to watch their pizzas being prepared.”

At the farmers’ market, Dudka runs their custom-built, wood-fired pizza oven just outside the mall entrance. Dudka burns hardwoods to keep the oven at a constant 600 degrees no matter the weather. For him, this temperature guarantees the perfect, crisp crust with the right amount of char. Meanwhile, just inside the building, Rafferty creates pizzas made to order.

“We truly enjoy working together,” said Rafferty on beginning a business with her boyfriend. “And, we both love the farmers’ market,” she adds.

Photo courtesy of Fired Up Pizza

Pursuing a pizza business has meant a lot of trial and error for the couple. One of their biggest challenges has been perfecting their dough recipe to a consistency that, when dusted with cornmeal, will come off a peel without sticking. A ‘peel’ is the shovel-like tool used to slide the pizza into and out of the oven. Rafferty and Dudka have also had to experiment with cook times and temperature while getting to know their wood-fired oven.

Despite these challenges, Rafferty and Dudka’s goals have remained the same: to offer a great artisan pizza with high-quality, locally sourced ingredients.

What’s next for Fired Up Pizza? “We’re always experimenting and taste-testing,” explains Rafferty. “We are looking forward to expanding our offerings to calzones and pizza rolls in the future,” she says. The couple hopes to attend more local events and to offer catering options for private parties and gatherings in the near future. But, for now, you can find them at the Bow Tie entrance at the Wilton Mall serving up fresh pizzas to hungry shoppers every Saturday.

 

This week’s recipe: Breakfast Pizza