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Friday, 10 February 2017 15:25 Written by Julia Howard
What do the Saratoga Farmers’ Market and Valentine’s Day have in common? Love. Love that is colorful, flavorful, sweet and savory, hearty and light, decadent, delightful and healthy. This Saturday, we invite you to share the love and use the farmers’ market as your venue for creating the best valentines on the planet. I did it myself last Saturday. I created a few valentines for a few of my loved ones – my mother, my partner Sean, and my 2-1/2-year-old daughter Taiga. My mother has everything she needs. But what does she want? Chocolate, for starters. I snagged a few milk chocolate heart-shaped stir sticks from Something’s Brewing, along with a ceramic ring holder from Zoe Burghard and a bottle of Northern Cross Vineyard’s Oak Marquette. Oak leaves from this vineyard help create the earthy taste of this red wine, a romantic twist that appeals to my mother’s artistic side. Next up was Sean, the epitome of practicality. Give him a hammer and gloves and he’s happy. But he’s got a soft spot for infused spirits, and so I chose a maple moonshine from Springbrook Hollow Farm and Distillery. They use New York grains and Adirondack spring water to create their small batch spirits. To Sean’s valentine, I added a loaf of Murray Hollow Bake House bread and basil and garlic cheese curds from the Argyle Cheese Farmer. Practical, right? And finally, Taiga, the love of my life. I can’t shower her with enough gifts, so I had to practice self-restraint. I thought about a honey crisp apple from Saratoga Apple and a basket of cherry tomatoes from Shushan Valley Hydro Farm. Ultimately, I went with a flannel shirt from Feathered Antler that featured a moose hand-painted by artist and owner Gretchen Tisch. For Taiga, I also tucked in a jar of Slate Valley Farm’s beeswax-based Sugar Maple lotion and an oatmeal raisin cookie from Rock Hill Bake House. As market director, I often am too busy running the market to shop for myself, let alone others. But Valentine’s Day creates an excuse to indulge in some love. Shopping for others was a gift to myself. I invite you to give yourself that gift at our market every week. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at the Lincoln Baths building in the Saratoga Spa State Park.
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