The escarole sat crisply in my display bin at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. It caught the eye of a customer.

The escarole sat crisply in my display bin at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. It caught the eye of a customer.

I greeted him, and he asked, “Is this lettuce?” As he did so, his fingers wrapped impulsively around the leaves, cradling them.

“Please,” I said. “Can I ask you not to touch?”

The customer felt bad. I did, too. But as the COVID-19 pandemic continues we all are adapting to new practices of interacting with each other and the fresh foods at the market. Asking customers not to touch products until they have committed to buying them now is among the Saratoga market’s safety rules.

As we celebrate National Farmers’ Market Week this week, we also highlight how not touching fresh fruits and vegetables minimizes damage while also easing the risk of Coronavirus spread. In addition, the food remains safe and healthy with the farmers being the only ones touching the produce prior to purchase.

But how does one buy without touching?

Jason Heitman of Green Jeans Market Farm helps customers choose tomatoes by asking them what sizes they prefer and when they plan to eat them. He checks the bottoms of tomatoes to gauge their ripeness, noting that not fully ripened fruits will continue to ripen until consumed.

Brian Talmadge of Talmadge Farm encourages customers to choose beans that look wrinkle-free and shine. Cucumbers, he says, also have a shine.

Charles Holub of Scotch Ridge Farm brings handpicked berries to market that have attained enough sweetness to be eaten immediately or frozen for later use. 

Such greens as lettuce, kale, and escarole are harvested one or two days before market so they can be washed and cooled for maximum crispness. They might wilt during a market from exposure to sun and wind but will rebound when rinsed in cold water. If stored in a produce bag in the refrigerator, they’ll remain fresh for up to a week. 

I explained to my customer who mistook escarole for lettuce that it was a green from the chicory family and often used to make Beans and Greens. I also noted that it, like many other greens, was delicious sautéed with a bit of olive oil, black pepper, and garlic.

He bought the escarole and, like many others, thanked us for keeping the farmers’ market safe.

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.

After his first day of work at Pleasant Valley Farm, Mike Palulis came home to his wife Jennifer and told her that he had bought a tractor and wanted to try his own hand at farming. Despite his lack of experience in the field, the efficiency and dedication he saw at the farm resonated with him. 

As the owner and operator of The Sushi Bar at Stratton Mountain, Mike’s work was seasonal, and with a growing interest in where his food was sourced, he decided to spend his off-season working with Paul and Sandy Arnold at Pleasant Valley Farm in Argyle, NY. Jennifer, a former gardener, while caught a bit off guard, agreed to dive headfirst into this new adventure with her husband. 

Now in their seventh season of farming at Echo Creek Farm and joined by their three children, the Palulis have worked hard to make their small, family-run farm produce top quality, USDA certified organic vegetables that anyone could feel good about eating.

Jennifer speaks very highly of the Arnolds, who also attend the Saratoga Farmers’ Market every Saturday, describing their help as invaluable over the years. The efficiency of Pleasant Valley Farm is what initially grabbed Mike’s attention and impressed him so highly, that it inspired a change in his career and livelihood. The Arnolds have mentored the Palulis over the years on everything from the timing of planting their seeds to new and innovative structures that will improve growing capabilities in all seasons. The mindful manner of farming practiced by the Arnolds has been one of the strongest impressions that influenced Echo Creek Farm over the years.

When asked why Echo Creek chose to become a certified organic farm, Jennifer replied, “we’re a family farm, growing food in a respectful manner is so important.” With their three young children growing up and playing on the property, Jennifer and Mike knew they wanted the farm to be the cleanest possible environment. While it is not an easy process to become certified organic, the Palulis want to grow produce that they can feel good about feeding their children as well as the rest of the community.

Echo Creek Farm attends the Saratoga Farmers’ Market every Saturday, ensuring their natural, organic produce is accessible to all. Along with an assortment of vegetables and greens, Echo Creek also produces honey, eggs, potted herbs, and flowers. 

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 – saratogafarmersmarket.org/weekly-newsletter.

Before Bob and I started Elihu Farm, we lived in New Scotland, self-employed writing about acid precipitation and climate change (before it became a ‘hot topic’). 

Eventually one of us said, “We should do something agricultural.” Soon we bought our Elihu Farm in Easton, named for Revolutionary Patriot, Elihu Gifford. Instead of raising vegetables and berries, the book left in our house, “Raising Sheep the Modern Way,” pushed us that way. We’ve raised sheep since 1987. And concentrate on lamb cuts, pastured eggs, and wool.

The way we started has made me curious about how other Saratoga Farmers’ Market vendors began.

Before we joined the Market, we met Marge and Dave Randles. Dave and his brother ran Randles dairy farm, founded in 1860 in Argyle. Dave explained, “Seventeen years ago, the price of milk was abysmal, so we thought of doing value-added products.” 

Making cheese was Dave’s first idea, at Argyle Cheese Farm. But “Marge is a visionary,” he said, “who thought about a variety of products.” 

They offer fantastic yogurt, award-winning cheese, cheese spreads, cultured buttermilk, smoothies, gelato, and more. Check out tzatziki sauce, new breads, doughnuts, and baked goods. 

When the Market needed a new coffee vendor, Beth Trattel, Something’s Brewing, at first shared a small space with Argyle Cheese Farmer. “The Market was a better fit than my coffee shop in Greenwich.” 

“About two years ago, I started coffee roasting.” with sustainable beans. “It’s like making wine, or cooking,” she said. “…more creative and flexible.”

Her Battenkill River Coffee has several varieties, and she blends her own teas, blueberry lavender this week. In addition, she makes lemonade, iced black tea, iced mocha, Italian cream soda.

Mark Bascom and Lindsay Fisk planted Owl Wood Farm in Salem five years ago. They heard owls in woods at a leased farm and their current farm.

They studied environmental science at two colleges, including sustainable agriculture. Lindsay explained, “We started working on farms during summers, and took various apprenticeships after college.”

After the apprenticeships, they decided to raise Certified Naturally Grown vegetables, herbs, and strawberries. Lindsay said, “It’s a grassroots alternative to the National Organic Program, and we do it so we can be third-party verified.” At Farmers’ Market, salad greens are the most popular.

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!

Being Italian and Irish, both my daughter and I love her mom’s homemade sauce as part of the many Italian heirloom dishes made in our household.  Among the most popular food that people associate with Italian cuisine, and sort of a staple in most Italian restaurants in the United States, are gnocchi [nyoh-ki]. These tiny dough dumplings most typically are made of semolina, parmesan cheese, flour, eggs, salt, and potatoes. But before we proceed right to how to make gnocchi, here are some factoids about these delectable dumplings you might want to know: According to historians, the earliest recorded mention of gnocchi was in the 14th century. Mention of them was discovered in Italian cooking manuscripts of that time period. There are many theories as to where gnocchi came from and how they were invented. One theory is that much like the origin stories of many traditional Italian dishes, these dumplings have Middle Eastern origins. The story is that as the Roman Empire expanded their territory, soldiers conquering lands in the Middle East discovered gnocchi, or its earliest predecessor anyway, along the way and liked them so much that they brought the recipe for them back to Italy. On the other hand, some historians also believe that gnocchi have been in existence in northern Italy as far back as the 12th century.

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 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 whatever 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; “Life happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & Paula

Connecting our community with locally produced food is a priority of the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. While this connection supports the local economy, it also ensures that people of all economic levels have access to fresh, locally-sourced food.

With this purpose, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market has partnered with the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), FreshConnect program, and Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program for WIC participants and Seniors (FMNP). 

“These programs are vital for providing our community with food while also supporting the livelihood of farmers and producers,” says Emily Meagher, the market’s administrator. “We are proud to offer these ongoing programs that encourage our community to shop local and eat healthily.”

At the farmers’ market, SNAP participants and veterans, service members, and their immediate families may use their Benefit card at the market information tent on Wednesdays and Saturdays where market staff can exchange EBT money for farmers’ market EBT coins. These coins never expire and may be spent directly with farmers’ market vendors. Vendors are not able to give cash change for purchases; however, they will make up any difference in product.

EBT coins may be used to purchase EBT allowable foods including fruit and vegetables, bread and baked goods, meat, fish, and poultry, dairy products, honey and maple products, and value-added foods like soup mixes, sauces, and jams and jellies. Herb plants and plants that produce food may also be purchased with EBT coins. 

In addition to participating in the SNAP program, the farmers’ market also offers FreshConnect coupons. For every $5 a customer spends with their EBT benefits, they will receive a $2 FreshConnect coupon to spend at the farmers’ market. 

Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (WIC and Senior) coupons may also be used to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at the farmers’ market. FMNP senior coupons are given to individuals age 60+ who are living on a limited income. The Saratoga County Office for the Aging will be handing out booklets of 5, $4.00 FMNP coupons (limit one per person) to eligible seniors on Monday, July 27, 2-5 p.m., at the Clifton Park Farmers’ Market and Wednesday, August 5, 3-5 p.m., at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. No proof of income or identification is needed; individuals simply sign a paper attesting that they are over the age of 60 and their income is under the limit.

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

Hello my Foodie Friends!

We are living during difficult times because of the coronavirus pandemic. Those challenges can affect us both physically and emotionally. 

Staying active during the COVID-19 pandemic is important for both our physical and mental well-being. During our recent times of social distancing, increased outdoor activity has been a positive trend; especially taking advantage of the beautiful Adirondack area we are part of. 

Lace up your shoes and get on the trail. Whether running, biking, or simply taking a scenic stroll through the woods, this activity is safe and provides a wealth of health benefits. Chances are that your eating habits have changed a lot in the past few weeks. Along with the focus on our physical activity is our dietary approach to being home. Rather than downing chips—chocolate or potato—it is possible to look at this time at home as an opportunity to adopt or even improve healthy eating habits. Making healthier food choices can help with improving the quality of your diet.  However, regulating the size of food portions is a simple process that can help with weight loss or avoiding weight gain. Weighing out food before it is eaten is a convenient method of controlling portion sizes and is something you can easily do at home with basic kitchen equipment. A digital kitchen scale can help with measuring. 

A pointer to assist with weighing:

Weigh out the desired portion size. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a standard portion for most meats and fish is 3 ounces. Look for portion size information on packages and use online resources such as MyPyramid.gov to learn about the recommended portion size of other foods. Weigh the food before it has been washed or cooked. Place the plate of food on the scale. The calibrated scale will measure the weight of the food only. Remove or add more of the foods until you reach the required portion. You can remove the plate as many times as you like provided that you do not press the tally button for a second time. For Food Safety reasons, you need to wash the plate thoroughly with hot water and detergent between weighing different foods. 

We are cooking more at home now. Cooking puts you in control of the ingredients that end up in your meal. Many of us are really experiencing the joys of eating together with family regularly. Stop by  Compliments to the Chef, your neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, located at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs to select a digital scale to assist with weighing ounces, pounds, fluid ounces, grams, and milliliters. As we continue to scale the mountain during this time, use a scale at home to help you with your dietary and food management approach. Kitchen scales make cooking and baking much easier. Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & Paula

Sweet, sour, tart, juicy — berries are a highlight of the summer season. At the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, local farms bring the very best. The variety includes gooseberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and saskatoon berries. 

These locally sourced berries signify the diversity that grows in our region from late spring to early fall. Berries are known for their health benefits and antioxidants, but it’s their taste that makes them a coveted summertime treat.

Gooseberries are produced by a thorny shrub and are easy to grow, according to Laurie Kokinda, owner of Kokinda Farm. “Pick off the stems, rinse, and you can freeze them whole or cook them down first,” explains Kokinda. Gooseberries have a strawberry-grape flavor and are popular in jams, pies, and as a dessert topping. 

Strawberries can be found in bountiful harvests in the early summer with additional everbearing varieties that produce berries into late September. Locally grown strawberries are often smaller than those found in stores, however, they have much more flavor. 

Blueberries are just beginning to ripen and at Butternut Ridge Farm, Debbie Stevens reports that their harvest will begin in 1-2 weeks. Sweet, juicy, and loaded with antioxidants, blueberries are ideal for eating fresh, or in sauces and baked goods. 

Raspberries are cold-hardy and long-lived. They produce sweet, flavorful fruit suitable for fresh eating, sauces, and preserves. “Our raspberry and blackberry bushes have been on our farm for generations,” says Andy Burger of Burger’s Market Garden. “We hand-pick these all-natural, small-batch crops fresh for every market, and our purple raspberries are really wonderful.”

Blackberries are renowned for their nutritional value as they are packed with fiber and vitamins C and K. The delicate fruit is popular in desserts, jams, seedless jelly, and sometimes wine. “Get them while you can because their growing season can be short-lived depending on the weather,” advises Andy Burger. “Freezing these berries is as easy as spreading them on a baking sheet to freeze overnight and throwing them in a zip-lock freezer bag.”

Saskatoon berries are exclusively available at Scotch Ridge Berries & Trees. Saskatoons are similar to blueberries in their composition and nutrition, though they are more closely related to the apple family. Many describe their taste as having a sweet, nutty almond flavor. They typically ripen in late June or early July depending on the seasonal climate.

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

Hello my Foodie Friends!

I love to tell this story especially during the summer and thinking about being at the ocean. Our family has precious memories of our summer experiences being on the coast of New England. Prior to moving to Upstate New York, we lived on the coast of Connecticut. Our good neighbors and friends, Ron and Deede, owned a fifty foot “boat” named “The Graduate” that they docked in West Greenwich Rhode Island in Narragansett Bay. 

Weekend excursions included boating to Newport Rhode Island or just hanging out on the boat. Ron is a master captain in boating and comes from a military background in the Navy. He is also a master chef. Ron was always very proud driving “The Graduate” and serving his crew incredible seafood dishes. Ahh…what fabulous memories of our rides. Our children were very young at the time of most of our adventures. There was one very special time when Ron allowed three-year-old Johnny to take the helm and to sit in Ron’s chair to drive the boat. Johnny sat proudly with a very determined look in Ron’s captain’s chair, holding firmly onto the boats’ steering wheel and exclaimed “big boy driving the boat!” It was precious. Each summer that we were able to join Ron and Deede on “The Graduate,” Ron would allow Johnny to take the helm and be the “big boy driving the boat.” These are among the special memories of being on the water, with amazing friends, breathing in the sea air and feeling it on your skin. With boating brought the feasting on spectacular seafood meals made by Ron and Deede. Clams and oysters were one of Ron’s favorite seafood items to create delightful dishes with. Special tools that Ron would use included a clam and oyster knife and a cut proof glove. The clam knife was important for proper shucking of the clams. Once you learn the basics, shucking clams and oysters is not difficult. Practice makes perfect and the reward is delicious. It all starts in the preparation.

1. Make sure the clams you’re going to be shucking are alive. A clam shell that is open or opens easily by hand is dead. Throw away any open clams.
2. Clean your clams using a stiff brush under cold running water to remove any sand and salt.
3. You may skip this step but soaking your clams will flush through any sand they may have inside. Use 1/3 of a cup of salt per gallon of cold water. Stir the salt until it dissolves. Soak the clams for 30-45 minutes then drain.
4. Either refrigerate your clams for at least an hour or pack them in ice for 30 minutes. This puts them to sleep and makes it easier for you to open them. I prefer the ice method.
5. Make sure you have a towel and a clam knife. 

This summer make some seafood meals to remind you of the ocean and those precious memories you have made with friends and family. In my mind, I am dreaming of being the “big boy driving the boat!” Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place for your seafood tools and other cool tools to help you with your summer cooking. Remember my Food Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen” with good times, friends, and great food (gathering safely).

 Take Care,
John & Paula

Hello my Foodie Friends!

This Fourth of July weekend during Covid-19 restrictions will hinder but not stop our family and friends from getting together safely. Our gatherings will be more thought out and the right people will be with us. A toast or two will be made and what will you be holding?  The drink I will be requesting is the Mojito! If you like Mojitos, and you’re like me, then they have to be made right. This is a classic summer cocktail and if it’s made correctly it’s delicious. 

An essential tool to use to make a Mojito is a “muddler.” The muddler is basically a stick you use to smash ingredients into a bottom of a glass. It is used like a pestle to mash or muddle fruits, herbs, and spices. The classic muddler is a rod with a slight flare on one end and a flat surface or teeth on the other side. Both the flat surface and the teeth surface are appropriate for “muddling.” The purpose to “muddle” is to release fresh flavors to the liquid that will enhance your drink. Bartenders use a muddler to crush ingredients such as lemons, limes, and mint against the glass before pouring ice in. The muddler can also be used to stir a drink. Here are some tips of “muddling.” 

• In most cases, the point of muddling is not to smash the ingredients into a messy pulp, but to gently caress the essence out of it and this is where a lot of new bartenders go wrong. 
• Place your ingredients in the bottom of a cocktail shaker or mixing glass. Some cocktails are muddled directly in the serving glass as well.
• Gently press down and give a half turn of the muddler.
• Release and continue this motion until sufficiently muddled. This will generally take about 4-6 turns.
• Don’t muddle in a shaker that has a plastic bottom because they are prone to cracking, even under the lightest of pressure.
• Muddle before adding ice or you are just crushing ice, potentially over diluting the drink, and not properly muddling the ingredients that need it. 

Ahhh…I love summer. 

Being outdoors and enjoying fun times with family and friends (safely) creates those memories that last a lifetime. 

This Fourth of July weekend, don’t get caught trying to “muddle your way through” making a Mojito without a muddler. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, Saratoga Springs’ true kitchen essentials store located at 33 Railroad Place to pick up the tools you need to make your weekend an enjoyable one! Remember; “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” Happy Fourth of July!

 Take Care,
John & Paula

What are we having for dinner? This daily asked question requires a different answer each time, but the response must always sound delicious, nutritious, and most of all, be easy to make.

These exact requirements crossed Mary Song’s mind before she started Healthy Gourmet Kitchen. Prior to opening her business, Song worked as a business analyst designing large scale computer applications. She helped improve life for people around the world, but she never met any of them. She was working long hours and found it challenging to cook healthy dinners.

This inspired Song to create her business selling packaged seasoning blends, dips, soup mixes, and meal starters that can be made in a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or simmered in a saucepan for those who are too busy to spend much time cooking.

“I’ve loved to cook my entire life,” says Song, recalling how living in the Middle East and France influenced her cooking style. In the Middle East, she lived in an international expat community, where cooking was “like an art with a lot of heart.” While in France, she was taught traditional French cuisine and to use the freshest ingredients, stating that the process was “a bit fussy – but this was the 1980s after all!”

Song learned to combine the Middle Eastern and French food cultures and not to be afraid of spices, herbs, and flavor. She advises her customers to step outside their comfort zone when it comes to food, so rather than offering bland mixes, Healthy Gourmet Kitchen invites you to make flavorful and exciting dishes like a “Coconut Curry Chickpea Stew” or “Chicken Marengo.”

Everything is blended and mixed by hand and packed into clear packaging so customers are able to see the ingredients they are buying. Plus, there are no unnecessary added ingredients like you find in store-bought mixes. “When I first started Healthy Gourmet Kitchen there were few or no low sodium, low-fat options that also tasted great,” says Song, “I felt there was an opportunity to create healthy, delicious meal starters that didn’t rely on salt, sugar or chemicals for flavor.”

When she created her business, Song knew she wanted to participate in the Saratoga Farmers’ Market to finally be able to meet the people she helps. Healthy Gourmet Kitchen attends the market on Saturdays and will be back at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on July 11!

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