Running a small business can be both liberating and challenging. While new and established businesses have different priorities, knowing and understanding customers’ needs is always at the center. Vendors at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market observe this first-hand. 

“In my opinion, it’s the best place to incubate new products and ideas,” said Shane Avery in an interview on his businesses Junboucha and Earth to Mind. “You get instant feedback, and customers’ reviews are honest, accurate, and high-quality.” 

Many business owners at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market share Avery’s sentiments. Customer interactions provide an excellent opportunity to create a positive experience and build relationships that are the foundation of a successful business.

Lindsay Fisk of Owl Wood Farm shared similar feedback in a past interview. “We like the idea of farmers’ markets because we get to meet the customers and get to know them, and they get to know us,” said Fisk. “We also decided on farmers’ markets as an outlet when we started because we felt we could have more flexibility with what we could bring and not feel the pressure from pursuing wholesale outlets.”

This year marks the Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s 45th anniversary, an achievement that can be attributed to the diverse business community with that they have had the opportunity to grow. They hope to inspire new and established businesses to explore vendor opportunities in their markets.

The online application for the summer season of outdoor markets on Wednesdays, 3-6 p.m., and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at High Rock Park is currently open. These markets will run from May through the end of October. The Clifton Park Farmers’ Market, their affiliate, is also accepting applications for Mondays, 2-5 p.m., at the Shenendehowa United Methodist Church parking lot. The application for these three markets is open until January 31, 2023.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is known for hosting various businesses. Local farms, artisans, crafters, and specialty and ready-to-eat food makers are welcome to apply. Businesses must be within a 50-mile radius of Saratoga Springs, and all products must be made or grown locally.

For more information, visit saratogafarmersmarket.org/vendor. You will find detailed information on the farmers’market, seasonal application dates, and a link to the vendor application.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Wilton Mall Food Court. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

Hello  my Foodie Friends!   

Happy New Year in 2023. Making New Years’ resolutions and resolving to change and improve yourself and your life is an almost unavoidable part of the transition to a new year. One definition of the word resolution is: “a promise to yourself that you will make a serious effort to do something that you should do.” 

However, it is important to remember that the New Year isn’t meant to serve as a catalyst for sweeping character changes. It is a time for people to reflect on their past years’ behavior and promise to make positive lifestyle changes. For some people, that might mean to start cooking, period. For others, it might mean to stop eating out so much and get back into the kitchen. For still others, it might mean finally tackling that challenging recipe you’ve always meant to try but have never had the motivation or nerve. 

Why should you cook? Cooking is good. Cooking is pure. Cooking is one of those human things you can do that will improve almost every aspect of your life, and there’s nothing quite like the feeling of having mastered some dish where you know you could make it blindfolded if you had to. Just about anything you concoct in a kitchen is going to be healthier for you than what you might order in a restaurant, even if it’s the cheesiest, most pepperoni-laden pizza you can dream up.

Consider using cast iron for the hearty winter dinner recipes you make this year. Cast iron has had a resurgence in demand. These pans are extremely versatile and can last a lifetime. Everything from frying eggs, cooking a stew and baking a pie can be done in a cast iron pan. With a little care, these pans can become a hand-me-down family heirloom. Owning one can open up a whole new world of cooking, and the flavor that a cast iron pan can add to food is amazing.

In order to be successful when using cast iron, you have to know how to care for it, basically what to do and what not to do to your pans. If you treat them right, they will be so easy to cook with and will quickly become your go-to pan. First, season your pan. Seasoning is basically oiling the pan to give it a nonstick surface and prevent rusting. Even though most pans are sold “pre-seasoned,” you’ll still want to season it before its first use. Give your new pan a good rinse with plain old water and then heat it on the stove over medium heat. Once the pan is warm, add a small amount of oil. Using a cloth, work the oil all around the inside bottom and sides of the pan. Give it a good coat, about a teaspoon for a 10-12 inch skillet, but not so much that there is standing oil in the pan. Then let it cool to room temp. You’ll want to repeat this process a few more times until the surface is glossy, but not sticky. and if needed, scrub lightly. A properly seasoned pan is naturally nonstick; however, if there is stuff stuck to the pan, you can scrape it and scrub with a hard bristle brush. After washing or scrubbing if necessary, make sure to fully towel dry your pan to prevent rusting.

Our favorite and best-selling cast iron is Lodge. Lodge is pre-seasoned cast iron cookware so they begin the seasoning process for you. Lodge provides the pre-seasoned cookware with no synthetic chemicals; just soy-based vegetable oil. The more you use your cast iron, the better the seasoning becomes. Lodge is MADE IN THE USA and has been making cast iron cookware in South Pittsburg, Tennessee since 1896. With over 120 years of experience, their cast iron is known for its high-quality design, lifetime durability, and cooking versatility and is FAMILY-OWNED.

For 2023, cook something new each week. Everyone wants to eat healthier in the New Year, but you should also try to eat more diverse foods. After all, variety is the spice of life. This year, choose an easy dinner recipe you’ve never tried before at least once a week. Sing, dance, play music really loud, and have fun eating your very own creation. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place, for the cool tools to help make your cooking resolutions a reality. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” Wishing all a Happy New Year for 2023,

Take Care, John & Paula

The cold winter months call for hot, comforting foods, so just in time for National Soup Month, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market is showing some love for soup. There are infinite combinations of stocks, vegetables, and proteins that, when simmered together, create flavorful and lively liquids that make us feel nourished and satisfied.

Making soup from scratch can be a simple process with satisfying results. While there are culinary rules to follow for specific recipes, soups allow creativity in the kitchen and when shopping for ingredients. We recommend strolling through the farmers’ market for fresh, in-season ingredients.

First, let’s talk about aromatics – combinations of vegetables, herbs, and meats that are the foundation of your soup. Some options are onions, carrots, leeks, mushrooms, garlic, sweet potatoes, and squash. Vendors’ tables have even more stored vegetables. Chicken breast, veal, goat, and beef stew meat are excellent options for protein. Let your palette guide you and build a soup with what you love.

Sautée aromatics in fat like olive oil, coconut oil, or butter. If beef, goat, or veal are on your ingredients list, brown this first over medium-high heat and set aside. You may cook vegetables and herbs together, adding minced garlic once the vegetables soften. If using chicken breast, cook it along with the vegetables. Embrace the mouthwatering smells during this process.

Next, add stock and water and perhaps some diced hydroponic tomatoes. Bone broth is available at the farmers’ market or use any broth of your choice. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 20-25 minutes. The vegetables should be tender, and the meat, if used, should be thoroughly cooked. At this point, you can adjust the taste with salt and pepper.

How about some health-building greens like kale, chard, or Chinese cabbage? Greens pack flavor and nutrients into homemade soups and should be added in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking to soften but maintain their texture.

Building a soup can be fulfilling using what’s available from local farms at the farmers’ market. Perhaps you have something specific in mind, like your mom’s chicken noodle soup or a borscht recipe on your favorite food blog – visit the farmers’ market for all your soup-making needs.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Wilton Mall Food Court. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

Hello  my Foodie Friends!   

Each of us may have our “good luck” traditions for bringing in the New Year. Throughout the globe, each country has its own way of bringing in the New Year with the “good luck foods” and other cultural traditional ways that carry importance for the New Year. No matter what way you choose to bring in the New Year, we could all benefit from some fortune coming our way. Bringing in the New Year gives us a chance to reflect on what we have faced in the year and the things we are grateful for. 

For us at Compliments to the Chef, we are thankful for family, friends, and all of the wonderful acquaintances that have helped us throughout the year. As Clarence said to George Bailey in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “No man is a failure who has friends.” We have foodie friends which is even better! So many great people have come through our door with questions and some with suggestions. We believe that we have a great extended family who shares in our joy of cooking and creating our own masterpiece meals. We have introduced many great tools in our store as a result of customer suggestions. For me, coming to work every day and being part of our incredible Saratoga Springs community in one of the finest cities in America is a pure joy. Now that we are at the end of another successful year, it’s time to gather in our kitchens and raise our glasses to our family, friends, past and present, and to the new friends to come. 

While making your toasts this New Year, keep in mind some tools that can help to make your celebration run smoothly. Tools such as the foil cutter, waiter’s corkscrew, cocktail shaker and strainer, and champagne saver/pourers can be very useful this time of year. 

Whatever your needs, I hope that our store can continue to be your first thought for your culinary and wine supplies. And when you come through our door, you will notice that a bell rings…and we all know what happens every time a bell rings! Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place. 

This New Year, make some noise, get a kiss at midnight, make a New Year’s toast, or stir up your favorite good luck food to make your new year the best yet. Here is to new beginnings, hopes, and realizing that anything is possible. Wishing you and your nearest and dearest a very Happy New Year. Cheers to 2023! Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” 

Take Care, John & Paula

Many start a new year with fresh resolutions for a healthier, happier self. If you can’t get your healthy food resolutions to stick, perhaps change how you approach them. Instead of cutting out foods you love and feeling guilty if you fail, alter your diet with fresh, healthy ingredients to nourish your body and mind. Here are a few tips on what to look for at the farmers’ market.

Listen to your gut

A healthy balance of gut bacteria aids in the digestion of the foods we eat, helps our body to absorb nutrients, and uses those nutrients to fuel and maintain our body. Probiotic-packed fermented foods like kimchi and kraut from Puckers Pickles are packed with fiber and are delicious snacks or side dishes. Yogurt is another food known to add beneficial bacteria to the body. Argyle Cheese Farmer brings Greek and traditional yogurt in various flavors. Kombucha is a refreshing fermented tea drink full of good bacteria and is available in several flavors from Junbucha. 

Powerful produce

Incorporating produce into your diet doesn’t have to mean eating salads vs. the comfort foods we love, but it does require cooking creatively. For example, when making mac and cheese, mix half the roux in the recipe with roasted and pureed butternut squash. Kale pesto packs powerful nutrients to fuel your body, and it’s delicious on pasta, toast, or in an omelet. Incorporating root vegetables like potatoes, turnips, and carrots into meals like pot pie, stir fry, soups, stews, and even meatloaf can boost the flavor and lessen the need for rich ingredients like cream and butter.

Lean meats and meat substitute

Regarding meat, certain types and cuts tend to be leaner. Veal is lean meat on par with chicken and turkey, and Hebron Valley Veal brings ground veal and various cuts and roasts. Longlesson Farm’s Christophe Robert suggests trying beef shanks. It is a less fatty cut of beef that benefits from being cooked low and slow in a crockpot or dutch oven.

If you are trying a no- or low-meat lifestyle, mushrooms can provide a fantastic, bold alternative. From lion’s main “crab cakes” to mushroom burgers, The Mushroom Shop has a wide variety of mushrooms for versatile and satisfying meals.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Wilton Mall Food Court. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket

The farmers’ market considers farmers and producers to be the ultimate foodies. They are on the pulse of what’s in season, follow food trends (and sometimes start them), and have a wealth of cooking knowledge for the foods they make and grow. At the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, vendors and farmers share their favorite foods to eat during the holiday season.

“During the holidays, I love eating struffoli, also known as honey balls, topped with colorful sprinkles,” says Jessica Arceri, owner of Saratoga Peanut Butter. “My mom makes them every year, and I just love her recipe and the tradition,” Arceri adds. “I’m also partial to Saratoga Peanut Butters Mistletoe and Catch Me peanut butter.”

“During the holidays, I love eating desserts and sweets,” says Laurie Kokinda of Kokinda Farm. “My family made pierogies during the holidays, but I was always interested in the pies, chocolate, and cookies – I’m a sweetaholic!” Kokinda adds with a laugh.

“During the holidays, I love eating mac and cheese,” says Max, the salesperson for Yankee Distillers. Comfort foods are often at the center of our cravings this time of year. Between the sentiments of the holiday season and the dip in temperatures, cream sauce and carbohydrates are just the things to warm our hearts and fill our stomachs.

“During the holidays, I love a good beef roast,” says Sean Dean, the salesperson for Nettle Meadow and Ballston Lake Apiaries. “It’s the time of year to make something special that you wouldn’t typically make for a weeknight meal.” Beef roasts make for a memorable holiday feast that doesn’t have to be complicated. Just prepare it with garlic and herbs. 

“During the holidays, I love eating chickories,” says Himanee Gupta, co-owner of Squashvilla Farm. Chickories are bitter greens like frisée, escarole, and radicchio varieties that grow in the spring and fall. Pairing rich sides and hearty meats with a fresh, healthful salad offers balance to a heavy meal and aids digestion. 

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market will be open on Saturday, December 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Stop by for fresh ingredients for your favorite holiday staples.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Wilton Mall Food Court. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

Hello  my Foodie Friends!   

During the holiday season, what do you most look forward to? For many of us it is big family meals, sharing family stories, visiting those we love, and creating lasting memories. During the holiday season, I find that it reminds of what I am grateful for. The holiday season is the time of year when we give, share, reflect, and express appreciation for the life that we have been given.

The holidays are filled with the warmth of family, friends, decorations, food, and traditions. It can be a stressful time of year when planning seasonal foods, desserts and gathering events. When you think of the holiday season, what do you envision? It could be a house full of family and friends, a dining room table filled with a holiday feast, and the sounds of holiday music in the background. The holiday season offers a time to celebrate cultural food traditions. It gives us an opportunity to get into the kitchen and prepare old family recipes, try new recipes, and celebrate through the rooted culture and tradition of food. One of our favorite things to do during the holidays is to share our traditions and favorite foods with those that we visit throughout the season. There is no better gift than to share one of your favorite recipes by bringing a baked good to a family member or friend when visiting. Bringing a favorite baked good is always a welcomed gift. 

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.  

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 can be used for pound cake and other dense moist cakes such a coffee cakes. 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. 

Embrace your love of food this holiday season. Show your love and thanks for what others do. Show gratitude during family meals and help clean the dishes; give lots of hugs; cook a surprise meal for a significant other; and eat food that makes you feel good from the inside out.  Celebrate the holiday season through your family, friends, and drawing upon the traditions that have been handed down for generations, or build new ones for future generations. Give a gift from the heart with sharing a favorite baked good. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place. Pick up the culinary gifts, and tools that can help you celebrate with food. Consider the gift of new cookware, knives, or a much-needed gadget that someone needs.  Maybe offer the gift of having their knives sharpened. Let us assist you with your culinary needs.  Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. Happy Holidays!

Take Care, John & Paula

Enjoying a festive meal with family and friends is at the heart of every holiday celebration. But before serving up a crowd-pleasing feast, planning is required, and the Saratoga Farmers’ Market can help.

Local farms and businesses have delicious, flavorful products to consider when brainstorming dinner ideas. We recommend finding fresh ingredients at the farmers’ market before gathering recipes so that your meal comes together quickly and effortlessly. Let’s begin with the main course.

The main course should be a show-stopping dish, and local farms have various options. Grass-fed and finished beef roasts, brisket, and classic cuts like NY strip steak and ribeye are available, as well as veal cutlets, steaks, and roasts. Beefitswhatsfordinner.com has many recipes, like a maple-glazed rib roast, round roast with chocolate-port sauce, and classic braised beef brisket.

Goat roasts, rib roasts, riblets, chops, and shanks are available at the farmers’ market, making goat another delicious main course option. 

For poultry, whole turkeys are available, half turkeys, and parts for smaller gatherings. Farms bring whole chickens for roasting, and seasoned chickens are available from King Creek Farms. Squash Villa Farm brings fresh ducks, and they recommend preordering. Ask the farmer for the best cooking methods and cooking time per pound.

Pork makes an excellent holiday main course, and pasture-raised pork tenderloin, roasts, and chops are available from Pork and Greens and Jireh Farm. 

For mouth-watering side dishes, we look to healthful, locally-grown produce packed with flavor. Farms are bringing everything from fresh salad greens and herbs to root vegetables, and options are boundless if you create a menu from what’s available at the farmers’ market.

You can make latkes with russet potatoes or sweet potatoes and onions. Roasted carrots are easy to prepare and pair well with any main course. Parsnips and rutabagas make creamy purees that can be enhanced with garlic and fresh herbs. A tray of crispy, savory smashed potatoes is easy to make and a holiday favorite. Even local apples and honey can make a sweet rice kugel side dish.

Shaved carrots or Brussels sprouts sing with simple vinaigrettes for light side dishes. Salads with bitter greens balance rich meats and starches. And microgreens and shoots offer a refreshing burst of flavor to holiday foods.

Other must-haves for the holiday table are kimchi and pak dong from Puckers Pickles, artisan sourdough bread from Night Work Bread, and applesauce from Saratoga Apple, just to name a few.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Wilton Mall Food Court. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

When I was a young boy the holiday season was my family’s favorite time of year. Of course, my parents used it to its full potential to keep three boys and two girls in line. Our biggest thrill was the chance to go downtown and peek into the store front windows seeing the latest toys and letting Santa, Mom, and Dad know what we wanted under the tree. For myself and my brothers, it was especially hard to refrain from becoming the Three Stooges avoiding our usual antics and teasing of each other. If we didn’t get along then we risked getting nothing and my Dad was a man of his word. We also loved this time of year because Mom and Dad became a dynamic team and focused on our happiness instead of the day-to-day problems they faced with finance issues that were typical of the middle class back then. It seemed like Mom and Dad knew every shop owner by their first name and all the shop personnel always fussed over their children. 

Shopping downtown was a magical event for us. The snow-covered trees, merchants’ store fronts decorated with animated figures, holiday lights, decorations, and music. Each of us would run free to pursue the treasures that we wanted from Santa. We loved every store. For us a clothing store was a place that kept us from the toys. However, the clothing store Mom loved was located on the top floor of one of the downtown buildings and you needed an elevator to get to it. An ELEVATOR!!! Do any of you remember what the older style elevators were like? It was like a carnival ride. It even had an elevator operator (what I wanted to be when I grew up). At the end of our shopping day, we would have a wonderful meal as a family, sitting exhausted filled with memories that would last a lifetime. 

Consider shopping local this season. Shopping locally helps you connect with the people in your community and learn more about what is going on around you. When people come in my store during the holidays, they call out to me and exclaim; “Hello Mr. Reardon! We are some of your Foodie Friends!” Economically, spending money locally, gives back to the community. Why not make holiday shopping a family event? Shopping should be an enjoyable experience with interactions that leave us feeling good versus feeling like we have to do a chore. I find that’s far more likely to happen when I’m patronizing local independent businesses. Learn and experience product quality and durability, getting expert advice without having to waste time doing your own research. Aside from the experience, physical contact with an item makes people feel more certain about a purchase decision. When you go to a store, you know what you’re getting. The price is there. There’s no shipping fee. You can see the item, hold the item, and get the instant gratification you desire from buying the item. Savor the sights, sounds and smells of the season while shopping. During the holidays the shops are filled with festive decorations, sounds and smells. When you step through the doors and hear “Jingle Bells” or “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” playing throughout the store, you can’t help singing along as you walk around. 

Another great experience of shopping in your local shops is to spend time out shopping with the family. Your holiday tradition may involve shopping with your children, your spouse, or your friends or an event to shop for gifts then go to your favorite restaurant for lunch or dinner. This holiday season; visit our beautiful city of Saratoga Springs and all of the unique shops within the city for those special treasures. Make it an event where you actually spend time with people (and not the computer) to select those special gifts to give. 

Cherish your moments together and stop by and fulfill your holiday culinary needs at Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located of 33 Railroad Place, Saratoga Springs. This holiday season, shop local and nab those ideal gifts for the ones you love. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

Take Care, John & Paula