Hello my Foodie Friends!

The holiday season is quickly approaching. We still do not know what the holidays will look like this year. (Will we all be in quarantine again? Will it be safe to celebrate with a small group? Will we be eating a big meal on Zoom?). One thing we do know for sure is that more of us will be cooking at home than usual. No matter what is going on, some people will still want to play it safe at home. Getting the right culinary tools to help you with your upcoming delights is important in the planning and preparation of your favorite dishes. Listed below are a small group of “must haves” for your kitchen as you prepare for your holiday cooking. It’s that time of year!!

Rimmed Baking Sheet: A rimmed baking sheet has got to be the most used, versatile and essential item in the home kitchen over the holidays. If you have the space, having at least two half-sheet pans (18-by-13 inches) on hand for baking cookies or roasting vegetables.

Quality Cutting Board: Lots of people underestimate the importance of a good cutting board, but a good one will change your life. It needs to be big enough that you can get the job done correctly and it needs to be made of a material that won’t dull your knives

Silicone Cooking Liners: Greasing cookie sheets becomes a thing of the past once you get your hands on Silpat Silicone cooking liner. The liners prevent you from having to grease pans and cleanup is a breeze. Simply hand-wash and roll the mat up when you’re done baking. 

Mandoline slicer : The single best investment in my kitchen over the past years has been a mandoline slicer. Essentially, it’s an adjustable slicer for fruits and veggies, and it makes preparing salads a breeze. All the intricate slicing you normally have to do for good salads and prepping veggies is so much easier with a mandolin.

Kitchen Scale: If you really want to get into baking high-quality breads or desserts, a kitchen scale is a must-buy. Often stated, “cooking is an art and baking is a science”.  Science depends on math, and good math starts with accurate measurements. Digital scales can assist with weighing ounces, pounds, fluid ounces, grams, and milliliters.

Meat Thermometer: Variance in degrees can separate a good steak from a perfect one. A meat thermometer will be one of the most-used tools in your drawers. Everyone should have an instant read thermometer in their kitchen, as it gives you better control over everything from chicken thighs to caramels. So named because it gives a temperature reading very quickly, an instant-read thermometer is an essential food safety and sanitation tool.

Chef Knife: Most well equipped kitchens have a handful of knives for different purposes. But if you are just getting started, a good chef’s knife is where you want to begin. For almost every job, a good chef’s knife will nearly always do the trick. They are great for chopping veggies, slicing meat and managing most common jobs. 

Also, have your knives sharpened so you do not end up hacking away at your roast. Remember, we have knife sharpening services at Compliments to the Chef. 

These are just a small list of what can help you this season. Getting ready for the holidays doesn’t have to be a struggle! Let us help you prepare for this holiday season. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” Stay safe and well! 

 Take Care,
John & Paula

We are still in a pandemic, which means a holiday season without large gatherings, parties and concerts, or even perhaps meals with loved ones who live separately from us. Given this sad set of circumstances, it might help to consider what we can be grateful for. 

One of my best experiences this year was the early outdoor opening of the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, one week after the COVID-19 lockdown began. I remember that blustery March morning when as a market vendor I pulled into the Wilton Mall parking lot, where I was directed to a space several feet between two others. I rubbed my hands together to stay warm as I unloaded a table, coolers of meat, cartons of eggs, and jars of dry corn. I wasn’t sure customers would come, but within minutes of the market’s opening, you all arrived, looking for fresh local food you could trust. Our farm did well that day, and like the market itself continued to do well all year — thanks to your customer support. That support reinforced the power of interconnectivity and the synergy that comes from being together.

The market is going inside the mall now, where it will continue to offer a safe, healthy space to shop and to gather for brief, socially distanced exchanges. And the market invites you, as our customers and friends, to spend part of this holiday season with us.

Holidays need to be unspectacular this year, for safety’s sake. But unspectacular doesn’t have to be dull. It can be cozy, relaxing, creative, and fun. Here are a few suggestions for making it so:

• Visit the market first, then plan your holiday meals. Doing so will assure that your table will hold the best of our region’s farm-fresh ingredients. It also will alleviate potential disappointments if an item on your menu is out of season or no longer available as the harvest periods for our agricultural vendors wind down.

• Once you know what’s available, develop a menu. Plan around what you love eating instead of what you’re “expected” to prepare. Perhaps the two will come together. For instance, I love making several dozen batches of cheese-and-onion rolls. This involves creating a mixture of onion, hot pepper, and cheese; spooning it into the slit tops of pre-baked rolls; and then warming up the rolls. This year, I might try this recipe with Argyle Cheese Farmer, Moxie Ridge, Nettle Meadow, or R&G Cheesemakers’ cheese. I also might rekindle memories of last spring’s bread baking binges and make my rolls from scratch.

• If you don’t want to deal with a turkey, try something else: A roast duck, a baked steelhead trout, pot roast, or even something like Swedish meatballs over fresh pasta. Giovanni Fresca offers pasta, Pura Vida has fish, Squashville has duck, Elihu Farm has lamb, and many meat vendors carry ground beef, pork, or lamb.

• Sneak in a “secret” ingredient. For the past few years, I have baked pumpkin pies using a Long Island cheese pumpkin, which has a pale orange color and delicious creamy taste. To bring out the taste of the pie, I eliminate the usual pumpkin pie spices — cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice — and instead use about a teaspoon of Saratoga Chocolate’s hot chocolate mix.

• Honor the first inhabitants of our region, the Haudenosaunee, with dishes that evoke the staple foods of their diets — sweet potatoes, cornbread, beans, and squash. 

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market runs indoors at the Wilton Mall on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org/weekly-newsletter.

Saratoga Farmers’ Market at Wilton Mall for Winter Season 

by Madison Jackson

On Saturday, Nov. 7, 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 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 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. 

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. 

Market Vendors: 
Key: Vendors for *Nov-Dec only. ^Vendors new to our winter market.

518 Farms^
Argyle Cheese Factory
Ballston Lake Apiaries
Bear’s Cup
Big Breath Wellness
Bunker Hill Creamery^
Daily Fresh*
Earth to Mind
Echo Creek Farm^
Elihu Farm
Euro Delicacies
Feathered Antler
Fossil Stone Vineyards^
Freddy’s Rockin’ Hummus
Giovanni Fresco
Gómez Veggie Ville
Goodway Gourmet^*
Grandma Apple’s Cheesecakes*
Green Jeans Market Farm
Hebron Valley Veal^
Kim Dolan Designed Jewelry
Kokinda Farm
Longlesson Farm
Mariaville Mushroom Men
Moon Cycle Seed Company
Moxie Ridge Farm
Mrs. Londons
Muddy Trail Jerky Co.
Mugzy’s Barkery
My Dacha Slovenian Cafe
Nettle Meadow
Owl Wood Farm*
Petra Pocket Pies
Pleasant Valley Farm
Puckers Gourmet
Pura Vida Fisheries
R&G Cheese Makers
Ramble Creek Farm
Saratoga Apple
Saratoga Chocolate Co.
Saratoga Garlic Company
Saratoga Peanut Butter Co.
Saratoga Suds ‘n’ Stuff*
Scotch Ridge Berries & Trees*
Slate Valley Farms
Slyboro Cider House
Something’s Brewing
Springbrook Hollow Distillery*
Squashville Farm
Sweetbrier Farms^*
The Chocolate Spoon
The Food Florist
The Vermont Spatzle Co.
Underwood’s Greenhouse / Shushan Valley Hydro Farm
Vital Eats
Yankee Distillers LLC

Hello my Foodie Friends!

This year will be unique for many households in how to allow each of our little ones to take part in the festivities that surround Halloween. Throughout my neighborhood, many of the homes have decorated their yards with amazing creativity. It’s safe to say that these folks have been planning their Halloween decorations for some time now. These elaborate haunted house displays are quite breathtaking in their scale and really do bring happiness to all of us during a time when treating may be different for our trick-or-treaters. 

Looking back (many years) at Halloween memories, the Reardon household was the same when we were children as it is now — except back then there were only a few days a year that we were allowed to have candy and bad snacks.  My mother’s kitchen always had bowls of different kinds of fruits and vegetables depending on the season. There was never any candy, potato chips or bad snacks. If we wanted something sweet, it would be an apple or orange or tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden. Candy and snacks had not taken over America yet. When Halloween night arrived, my siblings and I would be almost too excited to eat our dinner before we went trick or treating. 

To get us to eat, my mother would try to do something creative with what we were having for dinner. On Halloween evening after eating dinner, the four of us would be off with orders to stay together “or else.”  I was told that — since I was the oldest ­— it was my job to keep a count on my brothers and sisters or I would lose my candy. When we got home we would brag about how much candy we had.  The next two weeks were spent dipping into our stash of candy. 

As you plan how to approach this Halloween, fill up your trick-or-treaters with something that will keep them warm during the chilly Halloween evening this year. Have fun with being innovative with simple recipes while creating your own Halloween memories with stories that can be told for years. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store to assist with your “scary” treats. Remember my Foodie Friends that “Life Happens in the Kitchen!”

 Take Care,
John & Paula

Visit the Saratoga Farmers’ Market for perfect pumpkins to paint, carve, and cook, and to get a sack full of other Halloween treats too! Between now and October 31, come to the market at the Wilton Mall any Saturday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. or Wednesday 3 – 6 p.m. to pick out products for constructing your own festive Halloween food, drink, and decor.

Halloween’s mascot is the pumpkin, and at the market, we celebrate this special squash in fresh baked goods, hot and cold beverages, decorations, dinners, and desserts; we even have unique, locally made, pumpkin-spiced marshmallows! 

The tradition of carving pumpkins dates to Irish immigrants who came to America to escape famine. Legend says that Stingy Jack was a thief and trickster who even fooled the devil into making a promise not to take his soul when he died. The devil kept this promise, but God wouldn’t let an unsavory person like Jack into heaven. With just burning coal in a turnip to use for a light, Jack’s been roaming the earth ever since. Because of this, children in Ireland put a glowing coal into a carved potato, turnip, or beet to frighten away Stingy Jack.

Once in America, pumpkins made the perfect lanterns. That is where we get Jack-O’-Lanterns. Big pumpkins make the perfect carved jack-o-lantern, while small sugar pumpkins are delicious for roasting to make puree for pies, dips, and pumpkin bread. Save the seeds of either to sprinkle with your favorite spice and roast as a quick crunchy snack.

If Halloween festivities are on your schedule, try these tricks for some healthy and unusual treats: Use a small pumpkin or another gourd as a bowl. Fill it with a sweet pumpkin dip accompanied by sliced apples on the side, or try a savory dip or hummus with vegetable sticks.

Another fun idea is to make kebabs of fruit, veggies, or cured meat and cheese. Stick them in a painted or carved pumpkin. It’ll make a wonderful centerpiece for your table.

And on Halloween itself, visit the Saratoga Farmers’ Market! We will have prizes for festive costumes and our annual guess-the-weight-of-the-pumpkin contest. Before heading home, grab some veggies, a deliciously prepared dish, and a jug of sweet cider for a quick dinner on this spookiest evening of the year. And, follow us on Facebook and Instagram for a chance to win market products in our fall giveaways!

Saratoga Farmers’ Market runs at Wilton Mall 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our newsletter: www.saratogafarmersmarket.org/weekly-newsletter.

What the cows are giving is what you drink,” is how Kyle Depew describes the milk that Bunker Hill Creamery produces.

Bunker Hill Creamery, located in Cossayuna, is among the Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s newest vendors. The creamery began bringing milk to the Wednesday market in the summer and then was added to the market on Saturdays. 

Depew and his lifelong friend Dan Richards started Bunker Hill Creamery in 2008. Richards and his wife Erin own Richview Farms, which provides the milk to Bunker Hill as well as meat that the partnership also brings to the market.

Richview Farm is home to 300 animals and 75 dairy cows provide milk for the creamery. The creamery is located right on the farm, and milk is processed and bottled in small batches and then distributed for sale.

The milk coming from the creamery is minimally processed and is non-homogenized. What does that mean exactly? Kyle Depew explains that the milk undergoes low-temperature pasteurization that results in creamy milk with no separation of the milk and cream. Processed in small batches, the milk also maintains its nutritional value. This process makes Bunker Hill Creamery’s milk notable.

“We want people to be aware of the value in the bottle,” says Depew. Bunker Hill Creamery offers cream top whole milk, chocolate milk, and maple milk in half gallons and single servings. Their chocolate milk uses high-quality cocoa and is free from carrageenan and corn starch and their maple milk is sweetened with local maple syrup. 

In addition to milk, Bunker Hill Creamery brings a variety of cuts of Angus beef, pork, and veal. These products are sourced from their partnership with Richview Farms.

“When we started, we really wanted to do something new and different,” explains Depew. “Our biggest challenge has been finding the right opportunities to get our milk to the community.”

Bunker Hill Creamery is overcoming that challenge. Their milk is currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on Saturdays as well as the Troy and Delmar Farmers’ Market, numerous Price Chopper and Hannaford locations, several local eateries and stores, and at farm stores at 167 Bunker Hill Rd. in Cossayuna and 144 N Rd. in Greenwich.

Customers can look forward to expanded offerings from Bunker Hill Creamery as they hope to offer reduced-fat milk, heavy cream, half & half, and other dairy products in the future.

Saratoga Farmers’ Market runs at Wilton Mall 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our newsletter www.saratogafarmersmarket.org/weekly-newsletter.

Hello my Foodie Friends!

Home cooking is on the rise nationwide, whether people are naturals in the kitchen or not. We’re getting creative, too, adapting recipes, and trying our hand at new skills. From the family that is now spending more time eating together to the novice cook learning to prepare more complicated meals, it’s a time of experimentation in the kitchen that isn’t without its risks. The kitchen might be a more dangerous place than you think. With a variety of sharp items like knives, blades, slicers, or chopper and heating tools that you have to use to prepare a meal, there is a risk of being injured anytime. Based on current statistics, cuts, punctures, slips, abrasions, and burns are among the most common injuries that you may suffer in the kitchen when your hands are not protected. What should you do to prevent these happening?

Making the best cut-resistant gloves always available in your kitchen is the best way to protect yourself and your family from sustaining injuries when doing the cooking.

Cut-resistant gloves protect the wearer from lacerations and some punctures caused by handling sharp items, such as metal and glass. Knit gloves are made of materials that protect against a range of cut risks, from handling light cardboard to appliance assembly. Leather cut-resistant gloves have a liner or cut-resistant stitching to protect workers’ hands. Keep in mind – cut-resistant gloves are not cut proof however will save your hand from lacerations. Wear cut-resistant gloves when you’re using knives—particularly for more intricate knife work or when cutting something awkward like a knobby piece of ginger—or when cleaning food out of the blade of your food processor. I personally wear a cutting glove every time I use my mandoline slicer and my Microplane grater and sometimes when I’m feeling cautious using a knife.

We carry various brands of cut resistant gloves. One of our favorites is the Microplane cut-resistant glove. No more shredded knuckles when you grate or zest. This knit mesh glove is made of a unique synthetic fiber that resists cuts to protect your hands, and it’s made of a seamless, wire-free knit material that resists cuts. The glove fits either hand and one size fits most.

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store for those cool tools for cooks. Remember to be safe when “making the cut.”  Stay safe and healthy. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends!

Many of us are spending more time in the kitchen practicing or creating our favorite recipes. There is a tool that is very essential in the kitchen especially when using the oven – the oven mitt and gloves. Baking activities can prove to be quite strenuous and you will often find that you need to engage in the use of baking mittens or gloves in order to make your favorite cake or your favorite pizza. There are a number of reasons why wearing such gloves is so essential.

The most important is to keep your hands protected from the heat of the oven.

The baking gloves are those that protect you from the heat of the oven. Unless you wear these gloves at the time of taking out and inserting baking trays, you are more than likely to scorch your hands, which can prove to be most unpleasant. Oven mitts and gloves give your hands the grip needed for holding baking trays and other pans that you are using to cook with. The baking gloves give you a firm grip which would not have been the case had you been holding the item with your bare hands. You need to be holding backing trays and various pans in a certain way so as to be able to get these in and out of the oven in a certain manner. Thus, if you keep these points in mind, you will understand the vitality of wearing oven gloves when engaging in activities of any sort for both the oven and the stove top. Keeping our hands safe while cooking is important; no one likes to get burned. 

In conducting a bit of research, we believe the history of the oven mitt may have begun like this:  “The oven mitt was invented in 1884 by a man named Francis Mitts. He owned a small bakery in Jersey City, where every day seamen and dockers would drop in to get their fill of Frank’s freshly made breads and coffee. Frank’s daughters were helping out in the kitchen and were working in direct contact with the ovens. In order to keep his young daughters’ hands from getting singed, he designed heavily insulated mittens, which evolved over time into what we know today as the oven mitts.”

Actually, mittens have been in use for over 1,000 years for a wide range of purposes – including those of protecting your hands from hot ovens. Today, however, technological advancement has allowed an incredible amount of heat resistance to be built into each mitt. We use oven mitts for many different occasions whether it be based around a special occasion, or when you are in the mood for cooking up something amazing like a birthday cake, or for a poolside BBQ, friends gathering or simply an evening with your family(my brothers and sisters and I used to use them for indoor baseball with a beach ball when it rained). For all of these moments, the oven mitt is there to help you get the job done taking care of the heat while you are busy preparing your incredible creation. The traditional oven mitt has outer layers that are typically made of cotton, while the inner layer is filled with an insulator-type material. However, over time it starts to fall apart, lose its shape, become singed and stained from all the wear. So why not get a brand new mitt or two to help your creative juices flow next time you are ready to cook up a storm? 

At Compliments to Chef, we offer a really cool cooking glove by Kitchen Grips Inc. This innovative line of kitchen gloves and hand safety products are made of a unique material called FLXaPrene™. This material is not only heat and stain-resistant but is also very flexible and comfortable to use. This patented product is available in different styles and colors not only for the home but also for commercial use. This is also the material used in scuba diving suits. Kitchen Grips® has created a safer oven mitt with increased insulation and grip that is comfortable on the hands and offers a cook more control with a non-slip grip and greater flexibility. The mitts feature a uniquely designed, raised nub pattern that adds insulation, protecting the hands from hot & cold temperatures (500 degrees F/260 degrees C to -134 degrees F/ -92 degrees C). The FLXaPrene material makes the mitt both water repellent and stain resistant so they will stay looking good and perform well for many years. The oven mitts are machine washable or can be washed with hot water and mild detergent and air-dried or can even be washed on the top shelf of the dishwasher. 

Sure, oven mitts can come in many fun and unique shapes. Long gone are the days when the top priority was matching the kitchen towels; the best mitts available today combine stay-cool comfort, fantastic dexterity, and a no-nonsense grip and made of the high-performance materials The most important thing when selecting the best oven mitt for you is to protect your hands from the heat when moving product from the oven to the table. Be sure to select the oven mitt that fits your hands and protects you.  Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store and put up your mitts and don’t get burned! Remember Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & Paula

We know how busy life can get. Whether packing school lunches or struggling to find time to eat during the workday, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market makes it easy for you to eat healthy, locally produced food even when you’re in a rush. Here are some of our favorite snacks at the farmers’ market this month.

Fruit Smoothies & Sweet Greek Yogurts: Argyle Cheese Farmer has probiotic-packed smoothies and mini sweet Greek yogurts in flavors you will love. Smoothies include vanilla chai, mocha, ginger pear, and others. Mini sweet Greek yogurts include chocolate raspberry, maple, blueberry, and others. 

Apple Chips: Saratoga Apple has some of our favorite fall treats and we think their apple chips make a great healthy and mess-free snack option. 

Crackers with Toppings: Saratoga Cracker Co. has prepackaged crackers in flavors like garlic parmesan, everything, rosemary olive, and many more. Pair with some artisan cheese from Moxie Ridge, R&G Cheesemakers, Nettle Meadow, and Argyle Cheese Farmer.  Freddy’s Rockin Hummus makes a variety of dippable hummus with organic chickpeas. Saratoga Peanut Butter Co. has many flavors to spread on those crispy crackers.

Jerky & Snack Sticks: Muddy Trail Jerky Co. makes hand-crafted beef jerky and meaty snack sticks in 13 flavors like teriyaki beef, jalapeno lime beef, and more. Vital Eats offers their plant-based, probiotic, vegan Zen Jerky in hot ranch buffalo and BBQ.

Honey Sticks & Maple Sugar Candies: Ballston Lake Apiaries offers wildflower honey sticks that satisfy any sweet tooth. Slate Valley Farms has a variety of honey sticks in flavors like tangerine, wildflower, cinnamon, and raspberry. Slate Valley Farms also has maple candies that are a delicious melt-in-your-mouth treat.

Granola & Seed Squares: The Chocolate Spoon offers freshly baked and individually wrapped granola and cookies that make sweet grab-and-go treats. Moon Cycle Seed Company has seed squares that contain your daily dose of seed blends in a tasty on-the-go bar made with natural and organic ingredients. These bars are specifically prepared to help women rebalance their hormones. 

Fresh Fruit & Vegetables: This list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning some of the fresh snackable fruits and vegetables at the farmers’ market. Snap off a stalk of crisp celery or snack on sweet carrots. Cauliflower florets and cherry tomatoes also make healthy and satisfying snacks. Apples, pears, and plums are still in season and can be easily tossed into lunch boxes or briefcases.

Saratoga Farmers’ Market runs at Wilton Mall 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our newsletter www.saratogafarmersmarket.org/weekly-newsletter.

For Jeff Killenberger, growing mushrooms began as a hobby and transitioned to a family farm grounded on natural and sustainable farming methods. Meet 518 Farms, new this year to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on Wednesdays. Jeff, his wife Megan, and 3-year-old son Finnegan make up the farm team bringing fresh gourmet and medicinal mushrooms, grow kits, and also lavender to the market each week.

“This life is about everything we care about: nature, sustainability, and understanding where our food comes from,” says Killenberger. “We also like a good challenge,” he adds. 

For the past three years, the Killenbergers have been growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms on their farm, 518 Farms, in Hoosick Falls. 518 Farms recently expanded beyond their 500 sq. foot growing space to outdoor cultivation in order to expand the variety of mushrooms that they offer.

Throughout the year, 518 Farms grows and sells a wide variety of mushrooms including Blue Oyster, Golden Oyster, Lions Mane, Nameko, Reishi, Shiitake, Chestnut, King Oyster, Morels, Miatake, and Wine Caps. The mushrooms come in pre-packaged, half-pound portions to maintain freshness and also to minimize handling. 

“All of our products are GMO-free and grown using organic methods. Even the packaging is biodegradable,” explains Killenbeger. 

In addition to fresh mushrooms, 518 Farms offers medicinal Breathe Easy Powder and Forget Me Not Powder made from pure reishi and lions mane, and a variety of grow kits for those that want to try their own hand at mushroom cultivation. Grow kits are available year-round, and Jeff Killenberger is happy to share his growing knowledge with interested cultivators.

Fragrant lavender “Munstead” is a new addition to the family farm. Plants are sold as starters in the spring and summer and then as bunches in the summer and fall. 

With so much growth within 3 years, the Killenbergers are grateful. “We’ve learned that there is never just one way to do something,” says Killenberger. “Keep an open mind and think like a mushroom,” he laughs.

518 Farms can be found at the Wednesday market through the end of October, and the Saturday market beginning in November. They can also be found at Cambridge and Kingston Farmers’ Markets. For additional information and online ordering, visit their website at 518Farms.com and follow them on Instagram at @518_Farms.

Saratoga Farmers’ Market runs at Wilton Mall 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our newsletter www.saratogafarmersmarket.org/weekly-newsletter.

Hello my Foodie Friends!

During this unprecedented time of social distancing, so many foodies are challenging their skills in baking. While cakes, cookies, noodles and pastas are all proving popular, bread has emerged as the baking project of choice. Time is a necessary ingredient for bread, and the extra time at home has prompted bakers to attempt things they may not have before – such as bread. The joy of baking lies in producing something tangible amid a pandemic in which so many things, from socializing to school, have shifted online. So many foodies are finding pleasure in learning a new skill, especially something tangible, as opposed to all the things we do virtually. There is a beauty and satisfaction to transforming flour into a beautiful loaf of bread coming out of the oven.  Bread is playing that role for many people these days. There are people baking for the first time, there are people baking with their families and sharing a common loaf, the same way we share a common culture. There is one food that definitely unites most of the civilizations of the world: bread. Prepared in a thousand different forms for thousands of years, in very different and distant parts of the world, it is a staple of the human diet across many cultures. Bread is integral to the Italian diet, in fact it has become an essential part of Italian life and is eaten with almost every meal, whether it’s a chunk of bread to mop up pasta sauce or served with an antipasto before dinner. When making bread, transform a delicious homemade loaf of bread into a unique work of art by using a bread lame to score your bread. 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “SCORE” A LOAF OF BREAD?

Did you know that bread scoring was born many, many years ago when villages only had access to a community oven? Families would “score” or slash their bread so that they could identify their loaves at the end of the communal bake. Nowadays, we use bread scoring to transform ordinary loaves into a unique work of art by scoring our own creative designs. 

From baguettes to boules, there are common cuts for every type of bread. The bread lame is used to score or slash bread right before it hits the oven. The reason for this is simple: The openings control the direction the dough expands during baking. They’re like little chimneys, allowing steam to escape and the bread to take shape. The goal here is to encourage the loaf to expand upward—a cut down the middle does just that. Score once, lengthwise, and then make evenly-spaced diagonal slashes on one side of the loaf, starting at the end furthest from you, until you reach the bottom. 

At Compliments to the Chef, we carry Mrs. Anderson’s Artisan Bread Lame. This bread lame is specially designed for professional and artisan home bakers to easily score dough to control expansion of each loaf as it bakes. Scoring marks also create a pattern in the dough for homemade loaves of bread with an artisan beauty and professional finish. Made from 18/8 stainless steel and Romanian Beechwood, this specialty bread baking tool is strong and durable to outlast thousands of uses. The bread lame includes the Bread Lame Tool plus 15 double-edge dough scoring blades. Blades can be rotated to different corners to maximize their uses. It’s super easy to use. 

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Culinary store located at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs. We carry cool tools to assist you with your culinary creations. Your family may be keeping score as to how many loaves of bread you make!! I love warm bread with butter..mmmm….Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & Paula