There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked desserts to make you feel at home during winter. From ready-to-bake cookie dough to specialty cheesecakes, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market has something  for everyone.

Introduce your friends and family to the beloved Icelandic “Loftkokur” cookie from Parchment Bakery. These delicious dark chocolate and rosemary “air cookies” are traditionally made during Christmas, perfect for teatime or a light dessert. Parchment regularly launches new items and offers samples you won’t want to miss. 

This time of year, Kokinda Farm’s stand is the perfect destination for jams and jellies with seasonal favorites such as cranberry or raspberry-peach jam. Add them to thumbprint cookies, ice cream, or a warm baked brie for a delicious treat. 

Pop by Saratoga Chocolate Co. for their coveted chocolate bars. Their peppermint chocolate bark is a holiday classic, the perfect gift for friends and neighbors. This year, they’re offering three hot chocolate flavors, Mayan spice, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate. We’re looking forward to their chocolate Santas in the upcoming weeks.

For those days when all you need are freshly baked cookies, Pork and Greens has you covered. Stock your freezer with ready-to-bake lard chocolate cookie dough logs. Pair the cookies with A2 milk from the Argyle Cheese Farmer. Their milk comes in four flavors: chocolate, java, strawberry, and plain. You can find both vendors next to each other at the Trusco Bank entrance. 

Bring something special to the party with a box of cookies or rich fudge brownies from Cookie Lab Confections. These adorably wrapped treats are available in seasonal flavors: “Holiday Funfetti” or “Molasses.” Val’s other signature flavors, like her Puerto Rican Mantecaditos, are a must-try. 

Trouvaille surprises us every week with new specialty cheesecake slices – they’re the perfect treat to share with a loved one or enjoy on your own. Looking to share with the whole family? Preorder a Christmas cheesecake on their website. Trouvaille will only be at the market through December, so make sure you don’t miss them!

A house full of guests calls for a house full of goodies! Come by for some last-minute shopping and holiday cheer. We’ll be open on Christmas Eve with our regular hours, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

The Saratoga Farmers Market is 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays in the food court of the Wilton Mall. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for previews of what’s fresh.  

Hello  my Foodie Friends!   

This time of year brings many family reunions, friendship gatherings, and special events that include great food and fun times. The holiday season is celebrated in myriad ways around the world. Every family has their own traditions that are rooted in cultural customs that go back for many generations. However, there is one similarity with these traditions that spans across the globe – food. Different cultures celebrate their holidays in different ways, but cooking and enjoying special foods and drinks is a tradition that transcends throughout the world and all religions. 

Paella is one of our family’s favorite dishes and is the iconic rice dish of Spain. Cooked with care, but not requiring the fussy attention of a risotto, it’s the perfect way to cap off a happy holiday celebration. The dish has the further advantage of customization and built-in appropriateness for a couple of different special diets — it naturally has no gluten and no dairy. Vegetarians may forgo the typical use of Spanish sausage and chicken, using a vegetable stock to cook the rice. Those that love seafood can find plenty to love going all seafood with a seafood stock to complement the required rice, saffron, tomatoes and olive oil.

Paella is a perfect party dish because it’s a one-pot meal, and because it feeds any size group. Paella is a rice dish from Spain that has become very popular and is known around the world. It originated in the fields of a region called Valencia in eastern Spain. Paella is meant to show off the rice itself and to highlight a few special ingredients. These can be vegetables, fish, shellfish or meat including sausage in seafood paella and you may also find chicken in it. Do not forget the saffron — it is the essential spice of the dish.

Whatever paella you make, it should use short- or medium-grain rice, which should be cooked uncovered in a flavorful stock. Spanish Bomba rice is the best to use. It’s fun to make paella over a grill or on the stove. However, it is important that you have the right pan for this dish; the Paella Pan! The Paella pan should be shallow and have sloping sides, which helps the rice cook evenly and develops more intense flavor. As the pans get larger, they grow in diameter rather than depth, which allows for more delicious socarrat. And like all authentic paella pans, they do not have matching lids (since paella is traditionally cooked in an open pan). We sell the traditional carbon steel pans. A good pan has dimples on the bottom to serve several functions. They trap small amounts of liquid and thus promote even cooking, they make the pan rigid, and they prevent warping.

Now what the heck is socarrat?  When you make paella, socarrat is the caramelized bottom layer of rice that sometimes forms on the pan. Many people consider the socarrat the prized part of the paella. Also, there is speculation that socarrat has aphrodisiac powers, and that it is what fuels the passion of those renowned Spanish lovers. I myself am Irish, French and Italian so the passion is taken care of by the French and Italian parts. But I might like a little Antonio Banderas side of me to crop up from time to time! How about: tu es muy bonita Paula? If you are not sure what dish to serve for your holiday meal; consider Paella. 

At Compliments to the Chef, your neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery Store is located at 33 Railroad Place. We sell Paella pans and other cooking tools to help you with your holiday creations. Create your holiday traditions. It’s beginning to taste a lot like Christmas! Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

Take Care, John & Paula

Parents know that every stitch matters when it comes to clothing for children and babies. Trendy Empress Boutique, a new children’s clothing company based in Fort Edward, introduces a clothing line focusing on functional, wearable goods made with high-quality fabrics with fun prints.

Jessica Gerber, owner and creator of Trendy Empress Boutique, started the business one year ago when she received a sewing machine as a Christmas present. “I sewed so much that the machine broke in two months,” Gerber laughs. This happening did not deter Gerber from her love of creating clothes.

“Ever since I was little, I have always loved fashion,” explains Gerber. A busy mother of two young boys and an engineer by day, Gerber works at designing and creating clothes in her free time. 

“I wanted to make comfortable and sturdy clothes for my kids because there isn’t very much variety for boys in stores,” says Gerber. Even though she is new to sewing, she dedicates herself to the task. Gerber enjoys the process so much that she brings her handmade creations to the community as a new vendor at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market.

 Gerber primarily makes kid’s clothing, hats, scarves, and hair accessories for newborn to teen sizes. Her designs include dresses, rompers, shirt and pants sets, toddler underwear, boxers, and briefs. 

Her styles vary; some are simple, classic pieces, while others have fun character prints like Bluey. Gerber also makes gender-neutral clothes with charming patterns and prints for babies and toddlers.

Trendy Empress Boutique offers festive children’s holiday outfits emphasizing wearability, function, and comfort. The holiday line includes red velvet dresses with faux fur trim, Santa shirt and pants sets, and dresses and tops made with festive Santa and reindeer patterns paired with black pants.

For Gerber, the quality of the material she works with is crucial to the integrity of Trendy Empress clothing. “I try to source most of the material from small, women-owned businesses,” says Gerber. She works with cotton, bamboo cotton, and some cotton-poly blends – all breathable, soft materials that wash and wear well. “It’s important that my clothes are functional for parents, too,” Gerber says.

You can find Trendy Empress Boutique on Saturdays at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, and Gerber accepts custom and upcycle orders by email at trendyempress@gmail.com. Trendy Empress Boutique’s website is under construction, but you can find the company on Facebook and Instagram @TrendyEmpress. 

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!   

It is amazing to think that the holiday season is here. Planning for family gatherings and meals can be a stressful time during this time of year. We strive for the Norman Rockwell experience of perfect times, perfect food and respectful conversation. Reality is for many people, family gatherings during the holidays are rarely stress-free.  I tell my Thanksgiving story every year because it is one that we reflect on and smile. I also do it to pay homage to my 90-year-old mother-in-law for allowing me to tell this precious story each year. Thanksgiving would not be complete without my real-life story of Grandma and the Turkey.  It was 1993 when our children; Johnny age 2 and Aubrey 5 months old at the time, would make the annual trek with Paula and I to Grandma and Grandpa’s house to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner and watch football. Let me begin the story by explaining that I am a Giants fan and so is my mother-in-law. Therefore, watching the Cowboys play is not one of our favorite things to do. However, her son is and so is my sister-in-laws husband.  Yep, two Cowboy fans in the same house and they do not like each other!  I love football so I watched but the room was silent because the two brother-in-laws do not speak to each other.  They were holding their feelings down to make my mother-in-law happy.  As the game was being watched, my mother-in-law was busy making a huge feast for all to enjoy.  She was very nervous because she wanted everyone to get along.  We always ate after the game and this particular game one was a tight one. Most Cowboy fans may want to stop reading now.  With just seconds left in the game, the Miami Dolphins lined up to make a game winning field goal and it was blocked by the Cowboys. The brothers-in-laws were silent. I wanted to groan with disappointment, but held back because of the tension.  All of a sudden one of the Cowboys (Leon Lett) chased the block field goal and touched it. Oh nooo! Well, the Dolphins got another chance to kick the field goal and won. Half of the house wanted to celebrate but my mother-in-law and I remained solemn. This game has been called the greatest Thanksgiving football game ever played. 

As the game ended, my mother-in-law continued working with Paula to complete the many dishes all cooking at once. There was a shout from the kitchen and Grandma announced that she had lost her glasses and could not see without them. Immediately, each of the brothers-in-laws was pressed into service to find the glasses. These were not just any glasses; they were big and black and hard to lose but there were no glasses to be found. We looked everywhere. Grandma was close to tears when she asked me to check on and baste the turkey.  This was a big turkey at 28lbs and it smelled great.  I grabbed my son Johnny and the baster, which he took charge of, and opened the oven to show him the turkey.  He said “look Daddy, the turkey can see better”. Yep, he found the glasses neatly melted in perfect harmony with the bird so it looked like he had eyes!  I started laughing and everyone joined in. Needless to say, we had ham and lasagna but no turkey.  It didn’t matter because the rest of the day was perfect. 

Through the fun and sometimes stressful events that can happen during the holidays – especially when we want it to be perfect; it can turn out to be a wonderful family gathering. Among our greatest and most treasured memories are the ones that are based in the kitchen or around a meal. As you get ready this season for your festivities and feasts, stop into Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place. Pick up roasters, basters, thermometers, and more for your meals. You can have that Norman Rockwell family gathering. Have a beautiful Thanksgiving Day. Remember, my Foodie Friends that “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” 

Take Care, John & Paula

The holiday shopping season is here, and what’s better than finding unique, local gifts for your loved ones? Finding them in one convenient place at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. We offer a bright, spacious shopping environment featuring 40+ local businesses in the food court of the Wilton Mall.

Vendors offer plenty of locally made giftable items, stocking stuffers, and holiday home decor. Here’s a preview of gifts for everyone on your list.

Scotch Ridge Berry & Tree Farm has handmade wreaths, kissing balls, holiday swag, and tabletop Christmas trees. Gorgeous greenery makes a memorable and personal gift, even more so when it’s locally made.

Zoe Burghard Ceramics has a stunning variety of pottery, including vases, fruit bowls, colenders, spoon rests, rign holders, mugs, and other functional dishes – all created with Burghard’s unique style and brilliant glazes. 

For the spirits connoisseur on your list, Yankee Distillers proudly stands out as an NYS Farm Distillery, where they use 100% unmalted New York State Grain to produce outstanding bourbon, rye, and vodka. 

Feathered Antler is well known for unique giftable items with a creative flair – all custom-made by Gretchen Louise Tisch. Feathered Antler brings nature-inspired, hand-painted mugs, hats, flannels, baby onesies, jewelry, paintings, stationery, wood art, and home decor items. 

New this season; Trendy Empress Boutique brings high-quality children’s clothing and accessories that are hand-made in Granville, NY. Select from rompers, unique tops, bottoms, and lounge sets featuring soft fabric in fun and fresh prints.

Kim Dolan Designed makes handcrafted jewelry from gold, silver, and gemstones. Her wearable art includes earrings, necklaces, chains, and rings. Dolan also brings hand-dyed shirts, hoodies, and tunics.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is best known for its selection of local foods, so perhaps a gift basket of various goodies would be perfect. Find local cheeses by Argle Cheese Farmer and Nettle Meadow. Puckers Pickles’s award-winning products will be happily received. Muddy Trails Jerky Co. has a variety of jerky, spices, and olive oil gift sets. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market also offers gift certificates and merchandise for farmers’ market enthusiasts.

Many holiday season vendors offer pre-orders for easy pickup and online ordering. Find their website and ‘like’ them on social media to stay up-to-date on their products and specials. 

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.

Stocking Stuffer Ideas from Small Businesses at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

Chocolate Santas & holiday truffles from Saratoga Chocolate Co.

Corn toasties, aprons, jams, and jellies from Kokinda Farm

Jerky & spices from Muddy Trail Jerky Co.

Peanut butter gift sets from Saratoga Peanut Butter Co.

Dog treats & PuPkin pies from Mugzy’s Barkery

Honey sticks, baby honey bears, and candles from
Ballston Lake Apiaries

Cookies, cinnamon rolls, hand pies, apple galettes, and shortbread bars by NightWork Bread Co. 

CBD salves and lotions from Earth to Mind

Dried flower wreaths from Lovin’ Mama Farm

Seed kits from Moon Cycle Seed Company

Cookies and cinnamon buns from parchment baking company

Holiday-themed soaps from Saratoga Suds ‘n’ Stuff

Apple chips from Saratoga Apple

Cookies from Cookie Lab Confections

The best way to stay healthy during cold and flu season is to take preventative steps before you feel that first sniffle. If you become sick, resting, staying hydrated, and getting proper nutrition are some of the most important things you can do to feel better and recover faster.

Many locally grown and sourced foods are packed with immune-boosting nutrients to keep your body strong, healthy, and ready to fight infections.

Vitamin C is primarily associated with a strengthened immune system and may help to reduce cold and flu symptoms. Brussels sprouts, potatoes, tomatoes, and fresh herbs like parsley and thyme are high in vitamin C and currently available from local farms.

Pasture-raised chicken is available at the farmers’ market and can be boiled down to make nutrient-dense broth. Bone broth/stock is rich in minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids and has many health benefits. To get started, place 1 gallon of water, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2-4 pounds of bones and meat, and salt and pepper in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 12-24 hours. The longer it cooks, the better the broth will taste and the more nutritious it will be.

Freshly harvested leafy greens like spinach and kale can also help boost your immune system as they contain vitamins E and C. A green smoothie or a raw salad can offer a daily dose of these essential, health-building vitamins.

Whether you’re looking to alleviate a cough or boost your immune system, honey is an excellent food to consume on its own or in a cup of tea. Honey is known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Bee products such as propolis and bee pollen are high in zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins.

Garlic has been used in alternative medicine for centuries. Scientists have found that plant compounds in garlic are immune-supportive and anti-inflammatory even when consumed raw in small doses. 

Turmeric, a spice well known as an ingredient in curry, contains a chemical called curcumin, which might reduce swelling. Tumeric is also regarded for its antioxidant and antiviral properties. It’s also grown locally!

While no food alone can cure sickness, eating the right foods may help support your immune system and relieve certain symptoms. 

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!   

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. It is time to start the preparations of items needed to create your fabulous feast. At Compliments to the Chef, we have some gadgets which can make your Thanksgiving prep and serve a little easier. Good tools are essential to good cooking just like good tools are helpful to a carpenter building a house. 

One tool I think a lot of foodies don’t have or know how to use is the thermometer. It is one of my must haves in a kitchen. Undercooked Turkey is a recipe for Salmonellosis! Your turkey should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees for 15 seconds. You should check the temperature in at least two places and in the thickest part of the turkey. Do not discount how much this tool means to not just you but your whole family. Pre-school age school children’s immune systems are not yet developed, and elderly people’s immune systems are failing. 

Our recommendation is a simple Bi-Metallic stemmed thermometer. There are others, such as digital but this is the simplest, easiest and most cost-effective choice. It’s easy to calibrate and if you stop in to our new place, I’ll personally teach you how. One of our favorite instant read thermometers is the Thermo Pop by Thermo Works. Another holiday recommendation is either an open roaster or a roaster with a lid. Roast meat, poultry, and vegetables to perfection with a large roaster. Open roasters can hold up to a 20-25 lb. turkey. The heavy-duty stainless-steel roasting pan features tall, straight sides, which help prevent splatters and spills, while its upright handles ensure a secure hold when transporting the pan to and from the oven, even when wearing thick oven mitts. The open roaster comes with a V-shaped nonstick roasting rack that elevates large cuts of meat to promote even cooking.

Another cool tool for your feast is a gravy/fat separator. One of our favorites is the OXO fat separator. With the OXO Good Grips Fat Separator, making gravy has never been easier. Place the stopper in the spout, pour pan drippings into the Fat Separator. The strainer filters even the tiniest bits and the fat will rise to the top. Remove the stopper and pour, the cooking liquid comes out first, leaving the fat behind. Measurement markings make following recipes simple, and the splatter shield prevents splashing while you pour. When you’re done, this Separator is dishwasher safe, and there’s on-board stopper storage, so the stopper doesn’t get lost. Available in 2-Cup and 4-Cup sizes.

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. Consider brining your turkey this year. We carry brining bags and brine mix. 

Cherish your moments together. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place. Let us assist you with your holiday culinary needs. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

Take Care, John & Paula

In the Christian Bible, Jireh is a referent to “God provides.” In the Bible, Abraham describes a place as Jehovah Jireh, where it states that the “Lord will provide.”

Lou Russell worked for more than four decades in supply chain management. He spent 32 of those years in the Navy. In civilian life, he has worked with a pharmaceutical firm, Global Foundries, and Kellogg. Now, with his farm Jireh Organic Farms & Livestock, his goal also is to provide.

Lou started his farm in 2021. Now, as one of the Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s newer vendors, he sells eggs and chicken raised on his 26-acre farm in Galway and a site he owns in Fultonville. His philosophy is rooted in self-sufficiency, regenerative agricultural practices, and face-to-face interactions.

“As I think about what a farming community is, I think of it as a way that people look after each other, help one another out.”

Working with supply chains helped him understand the importance of efficiency within corporate food and other systems and the danger of what might result if the chain broke down. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as shortages of food and such basic essential items as toilet paper in grocery stores occurred, he decided to move forward.

Lou bought his land, established a flock of chickens, and began selling eggs out of a cooler. Neighbors and others purchased the items on an honor system. When he joined the Saratoga Farmers Market last spring, he did so in a quiet way. He set up a simple stall consisting of a table, banner, informational materials, and a cooler filled with eggs. People found him, bought his eggs, and came back.

Lou lives at his farm with two dogs, a few cats, his flock of chickens, and a herd of cows. The herd began with two Angus crosses that he purchased in 2021. One of them soon produced a calf, said Lou, adding, “I was so green I didn’t even realize she was pregnant.” The calf turned out to be a male. He bought two more Angus crosses last spring, one of which came with a calf. The other one produced a calf a few months later, giving him a herd of seven, and plans to offer beef to Saratoga marketgoers sometime in mid-2023.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market will be open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. from November through April. The market is held in the Wilton Mall Food Court, accessible from the TrustCo mall entrance, across from BJs, or the mall interior. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. 

Hello my Foodie Friends!    

Many of our foodie friends love to experience new flavors and approaches to cooking. Recently, I had a conversation with a fellow foodie on their discovery of making gnocchi [nyoh-ki]. I shared my love story with these tiny dough dumplings that are most typically made of semolina, parmesan cheese, flour, eggs, salt, and potatoes. It began while watching the matriarchs of my family make them. I grew up watching my grandmother, mother, aunts, and cousins get together and create the dishes that were reflective of our Italian heritage and customs. I loved sitting at the table watching them make gnocchi while talking half Italian and half English (I am sure the Italian parts were what they did not want me to understand!). They would roll the gnocchi by hand in preparation for our large family. I would pay close attention to their hands as they would make the perfect dough. Sometimes, if I was good, I was allowed to stand on a chair and help them roll out long ropes of dough. Back then, they used gnocchi boards that were identical to the ones made today This simple gadget is still around and is a perfect tool in creating the shape of the gnocchi which is important for the sauce to cling to it. The ridges made by a gnocchi board are characteristic of classic gnocchi. When making gnocchi and using a gnocchi board, you place a small piece of dough on the board and roll the dough away from you using your thumb to press gently against the ridges. This will cause the gnocchi to roll into a slightly curved shape and leave an impression on the dough. While using the gnocchi board, generously flour the board to keep the gnocchi from sticking. Since the board is made of wood, we do not recommend putting it in the dishwasher. Instead, hand wash it. 

At Compliments to the Chef, we carry gnocchi boards to assist with making homemade gnocchi. The Gnocchi Board easily forms pasta dough into authentic Italian gnocchi. The ones we carry are made in Italy from natural beechwood; easy-grip handle maintains the perfect angle and keeps board steady for easier use. The board has ridges that help shape pasta and add texture which will hold more sauce; works nicely as a cavatelli maker, too. The gnocchi board forms a more consistent shape than using a fork; won’t flatten delicate dough; same size pieces cook more evenly and make a more attractive presentation. The board is easy to use and clean; wipe with a dry cloth or brush. Once you make your gnocchi, you can add it to what ever your favorite sauce is. Be creative and have fun creating some unique combinations. 

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, located at 33 Railroad Place to assist you with finding the cool tools to help with your culinary creations. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life happens in the Kitchen.”

Take Care, John & Paula