Hello my Foodie Friends!   

There are many stories that I love to retell each year.  Here is another story that is very special to me, that I like to tell each start of the fishing season.  I have so many great memories of my father and his love of fishing. It did not matter if it was the ocean or a little creek in Vermont where he grew up.  He loved fishing and my brothers and I loved going with him.  My brothers were more successful than I was at this sport.  I think I talked too much back then as a child where I was kindly told to be quiet during our fishing adventures.

As I reminisce on the experience of fishing with my father, I realize that fishing was a way for him to relax and reconnect with his love for the outdoors. At that time, he worked 12 hours a day Monday through Saturday, which did not allow a lot of time to spend with his family. However, when he began getting one afternoon off during the week in the summer, I was excited when he chose to make that afternoon our special time to go fishing together. 

My father’s prep assignment for his three boys was to dig for worms and have the poles ready to go when he got home. I think that the digging for worms was my favorite part. 

As I got a little older, my favorite part about fishing with my father was the many hours talking about his childhood and my dreams for the future. We didn’t catch many fish, but my memories are a much greater treasure than any mess of fish.

The memories and experience of fishing was something I tried to transfer and share with my son and daughter. When my son John was younger, I would take him fishing as often as I could. It turned out that by age five, he was better at fishing then I was. He would say to me “Daddy, you talk too much and scare the fish away!”

To this day, I still give fishing my best, and consider it a successful day if I can get my son to spend six hours with me. We do share our love of eating fresh fish.  

One important tool that is handy when flipping and lifting fish from a pan is a fish spatula. The fish spatula is an elongated and thinner version of the common metal spatula, designed to easily slip under delicate fillets of fish. It also has long slots that allow any liquid (for example, when poaching) to drain away.  A fish spatula can be used for more than just flipping fish; it’s a versatile tool that can slide as easily under pancakes as it can hefty burgers. The slats in the blade allow any drippings, liquid, or grease to slip through, while the offset helps slide the blade over the edge of the pan and under whatever you want to turn. 

Take time with your family to try out the time-honored sport of fishing. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place. Pick up the gadgets that help you cook up your catches. Try fishing for compliments this spring.  Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 

Take Care, John & Paula

Maple syrup makes a great alternative, natural sweetener.  Local maple syrup can be found at the market weekly throughout the year.  Many vendors at the market collaborate and use each others products in their goods they bring to market; including several of our bakers who use maple syrup in a variety of ways. 

“I mix Slate Valley Farms maple syrup with enough powdered sugar to make a medium thick consistency icing and then spread it on my maple pecan scones and it adds a rich maple flavor to the scone that compliments the pecans perfectly.”
~ Katie Bakes Gluten Free

“At parchment, we love baking with maple syrup!  It’s great on its own, as a compliment to other flavors, or even as an alternative sugar source.  Our maple butter squares are all about that distinctive maple flavor! Our naturally gluten-free crumble bar base is topped with a ring of maple buttercream frosting and filled with a gooey maple custard.  Our chocolate chipotle cookies with maple buttercream frosting use maple syrup to smooth out the spiciness of the chipotle. When baking with maple syrup, it’s critical to balance the natural sweetness with the right level of salt. Sometimes this means using a little less maple syrup, other times this means adding a little extra salt.”
~Isabel, Parchment Baking Company

“Maple syrup is a fantastic substitute for granulated sugar in baked goods. Use ¾ cup of maple syrup for every cup of sugar. Be sure to add 1 tablespoon of flour per ¼ cup of syrup used to maintain your recipe’s texture. We love using real maple syrup in our cinnamon roll icing, a favorite at the market each week!” ~ Sweet Treats by Jennifer

Come and experience the flavor of maple because it’s maple season all year at the market.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is currently open Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., November through April at Wilton Mall Food Court; accessible from the mall entrance across from BJs. The CDTA’s 450 (from Schenectady) and 452 (from Skidmore College via downtown Saratoga) run to the Mall hourly Saturday mornings.

Visit www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Hello my Foodie Friends!   

St. Patrick’s Day is in a few days. Many of us will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with festive and flavorful dishes that bring a taste of Ireland to our table. A hearty homemade meal or a festive potluck spread are all great ways to embrace the holiday spirit. Traditional Irish comfort foods like shepherd’s pie, corned beef and cabbage, and Irish soda bread make the perfect foundation for a delicious meal. However, there is always the dessert or creative green-themed treats to remember as well. I have to admit, I have a sweet tooth and can always indulge in a delicious cake. Why do people love cake? Cakes remind us of happy memories, especially from when we were kids. The delicious smell and great taste of a well-made cake can make people feel happy and remember good times. Sharing and eating cake with loved ones makes us feel closer and helps us remember special times.  Moreover, people love cakes because baking them can help them feel better. Cooking and baking can help you relax and feel calm. Many people feel peaceful and happy when they make something tasty from basic ingredients. This makes baking and enjoying a homemade cake even more satisfying. All in all, people love cakes because of the delicious taste as well. 

One cake pan that has become very versatile and popular is a bundt cake pan. Bundt cakes are a very delicious gift to give when going to see family or a friend.  The bundt pan has become America’s bestselling cake pan (according to Nordic Ware) to create a no-fuss cake. It is a perfect cake to serve a crowd and easy to slice.  

There are many reasons to love a bundt cake pan: 

1. Unique Shape: The Bundt cake pan produces a unique, decorative shape that makes it stand out from other cakes. The circular design with a hole in the center also helps the cake to cook more evenly.

2. Moisture: The design of the Bundt cake also allows for more surface area to be exposed to the oven’s heat, which can help the cake cook more evenly and retain its moisture.

3. Versatility: Bundt cakes can be made in a variety of flavors, including chocolate, vanilla, lemon, and pumpkin, and can be topped with glazes, frostings, or fresh fruit.

4. Easy to Make: Bundt cakes are relatively easy to make, and require fewer layers and decorations than other types of cakes, which can save time and effort in the kitchen.

5. Shareable: Because Bundt cakes are often larger than traditional cakes, they are perfect for sharing with a group, making them a great choice for gatherings or special occasions.

Bundt cake pans are cake pans that are usually 10” – 12” in diameter and are 5” deep with a hole in the center.  This ensures that deep cakes can bake evenly.  They usually have fluted or ridged designs to make your cake look impressive. A bundt pan has decorative sides and tops.  It is usually used for pound cake and other dense moist cakes such as coffee cake. The bundt pan allows more of the cake to be in contact with the edges of the pan, and therefore the heat is transferred more evenly. The hole in the middle of a fluted pan allows air and heat to rise through the center of the cake, and to cook evenly. 

Looking for something sweet and different to add to your St Patrick’s Day celebrations? Consider making a bundt cake. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place. Let us assist you with your culinary needs.  Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen!”. Happy St. Patrick’s Day.  

Take Care, John & Paula

Hello  my Foodie Friends!   

Eating cookies is a quick way to travel back in time to when you were younger and did not have the worries about bills, fighting traffic, and getting through the hectic day. What better way to give yourself a pick-me-up on a hard day than treating yourself to a cookie? Cookies give us human inner peace all the time. Each gathering you attend or special occasion, there are always cookies!!. No other dessert is as portable as a cookie. You can fit them in a purse, pockets, lunch boxes, gym bags, book bags…the list goes on. 

Stashing my mother’s homemade cookies in my pockets was a common practice for me as a teenager. After wrestling and football practice, I always looked forward to sneaking past her platters in the kitchen and subtly putting several in each pocket to hold me over until dinner. It was an art to graze the table and with stealth moves guide the cookies into my jacket as I made my way to my room after an exhausting practice. It was that treasured moment that I always looked forward to each day. As I look back, I thought I was fooling my mother. However, I know she knew what I was doing and most likely smiled each time I walked by the table. Knowing my mother, she made sure the platter was situated where I could do my masterful strategy. 

One of the cookies that was light and buttery, and easy to eat was a madeleine cookie. Madeleines, if you don’t know of them, are little lemon-scented cake-like cookies. They are traditionally baked in a special madeleine pan that give them a shell form. They are simple and yet elegant. I like them plain with powdered sugar or half dipped in chocolate. Either way, they are winners. This soft, buttery cake is made with eggs, sugar, flour, and butter, and is traditionally baked in a shell-shaped mold, which gives it its distinctive shape. The origins of the Madeleine are said to date back to the 18th century, when they were first made in the town of Commercy in northeastern France. According to legend, the cakes were named after a young girl named Madeleine Paulmier in 1755 who served them to the Duke of Lorraine (frenchwink.com).

To get the soft fan shape that Madeleine cookies are known for, you need a madeleine pan with a shell-shaped cavity that creates that traditional look of this French biscuit.  The cookie will shrink slightly as they back. The cookies are cooked upside down. One side has the ridges similar to a sea shell, the other puffs up slightly giving the Madeleine cookie its signature look. Madeleine cookies are not too sweet and have a very light texture that almost melts on the tongue. You can enjoy them any time of the day; breakfast, snack time, or dessert. 

If you are looking for that special cookie to sneak into your pocket or put in your purse, consider making Madeleine cookies as a treat. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store for madeleine pans, and the essentials you need to make your delicacies. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen!”.  

Take Care, John & Paula

When I decided to share a Glazed Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe this week, I thought it would be fun to share the origins of this delicious meal that has become synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day fare.  What I didn’t anticipate, is the fact that it’s not actually a traditional Irish meal; meaning corned beef and cabbage.  

What is a traditional Irish meal?  And, what are the origins of the dish? It appears it started as a boiled ham dinner, which is served in the same fashion with carrots, potatoes and cabbage; it’s just not as seasoned and flavorful.  I’ve actually had this as a child and was not a fan, but it is inexpensive and can stretch a meal.

In Ireland, back in the day, pork was a less expensive and more readily available than beef.  It was in America, where corned beef, found in the Jewish delicatessens was added to this boiled dinner to create a more flavorful meal.  Corned beef certainly does change the flavor of this meal.  Brining the meat with salt and spices dates back centuries as part of curing and preserving meats and the flavor is an added bonus!  I have also found boiling vs. baking in a Dutch oven makes a big difference in texture and flavor as well.  

What might you find on a St. Patrick’s Day menu in Ireland? It’s probably very diverse but could include any of the traditional Irish meals such as Leg of lamb with rosemary, Shepards pie made with lamb, lamb stew, chicken and lamb pie, soda bread and scones to name a few.

While the food is not what we are accustomed to, the celebration itself sounds like it definitely holds up to the ‘tradition’ that we do know including parades, the pubs spilling into the streets and a lot of green fashion for the holiday.   

Whatever you’re planning for your celebration, check out the market for your St. Patrick’s Day plans…there are plenty of options to fill your plates.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is currently open Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., November through April at Wilton Mall Food Court; accessible from the mall entrance across from BJs. The CDTA’s 450 (from Schenectady) and 452 (from Skidmore College via downtown Saratoga) run to the Mall hourly Saturday mornings.

Visit www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.