Hello my Foodie Friends!   

This week includes one of my favorite holiday stories to tell, since it reflects community, and the genuine feel of downtown holiday shopping. 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 holiday season, 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 and Paula. 

Here is a delicious Holiday Recipe to serve during our chilly evenings to help keep the shoppers ready for an exciting holiday season. 

Take Care, John & Paula

Breakfast is part of the overall holiday experience. In my home, we’ve enjoyed many delicious bites over the years as a family, but we often enjoy keeping it simple and making homemade egg sandwiches. With only a few weeks away, here are a few thoughts to consider as you make your next visit to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market and begin to think about your holiday breakfast plan!  

Are you planning pancakes, waffles, or eggs? Consider fresh buttermilk and milk from Argyle Cheese Farmer and eggs from Grazin’ Acres Farm, Hepatica, or Jireh Organic Farm & Livestock. Of course, you will want to top them off with some delicious maple syrup from Slate Valley Farms. And consider flavoring them with perpetual vanilla from Muddy Trails Jerky Co.

If you are planning omelets or hash browns, don’t forget the veggies from Gomez Veggie Ville, Lovin’ Mama Farm, Owl Wood Farm, or Squash Villa Farm. And, of course, a little sprinkle of cheese from Argyle Cheese Farmer or Nettle Meadow. Kokinda Farm still has potatoes available as well.

Are you looking for savory sides like ham or sausage? Stop by to peek at all the goodies from Grazin’ Acres Farm,  Hebron Valley Meats, Hepatica Farm, and Jireh Organic Farm & Livestock.

Or maybe you’d like a little fruit? Grab some homemade applesauce, dried slices, or fresh apples from Saratoga Apple. 

Consider trying a breakfast charcuterie board as a creative alternative to a traditional breakfast. You can fill it with bagels, specialty breads, muffins, croissants, and other delicious baked goods from Katie Bakes Gluten-Free, Night Work Bread, Parchment Bakery, or The Bread Butler. And, of course, you need something to top them off, like jams from Kokinda Farm or honey from Ballston Lake Apiaries. You may even want some delicious maple Greek yogurt (or another flavor) from Argyle Cheese Farmer.

Don’t forget the sips! Check out the fresh ground coffee from Nally Coffee or fruit-infused probiotic beverages from Junbucha.

There are many fresh ideas at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market to help you plan your holiday breakfasts with delicious local ingredients.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market will be open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. from November through April at the Wilton Mall Food Court, accessible from the mall entrance across from BJs or the mall interior. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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 and some stainless steel pans.  Either will work well for you. 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 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! Stop by for the holiday supplies you need to eat, drink and be merry with family and friends. Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” 

Take Care, John & Paula

Who’s ready? It’s that time of year when we pull out and dust off our recipe books and sort through cards to prepare to bake up a few holiday treats that we only tend to make and enjoy once a year. That ‘once a year’ makes them special; it’s the secret ingredient in creating the nostalgia many of us look forward to and embrace during the holiday season.

What can you find fresh at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market to help you embrace family traditions and create lasting memories with holiday baking?

You can find farm-fresh buttermilk and Greek yogurt from Argyle Cheese Farmer.

Honey, which makes a fantastic sweetener in many recipes, can be found at Ballston Lake Apiaries and Slate Valley Farms, as can maple syrup, which you can also find at Slate Valley Farms.

Applesauce, cider, and fresh apples are always available at Saratoga Apple; equally good alternative sweeteners to consider, and applesauce can be an excellent replacement for oils in many recipes.

Looking for deliciously locally made jams that are perfect for thumbprint cookies, Linzer cookies, and anything jam-filled? Visit Kokinda Farm.

Consider making your peanut butter cookies pop this holiday season with unique flavors from Saratoga Peanut Butter.

Are you making Tiramisu? Grab locally fresh-roasted coffee from Nally Coffee.

And, of course, there are fresh farm eggs at Hepatica Farm, Grazin’ Acres Farm, and  Jireh Organic Farm & Livestock.

Is bread pudding on your holiday menu? Grab that main bread base from Katie Bakes Gluten-Free, NightWork Bread, or The Bread Butler.

And check out Muddy Trail and their Perpetual Vanilla; it’s fantastic. They also have nine convenient baking mixes to browse and explore!

If you don’t want to bake, that’s A-OK, too! The Saratoga Farmers’ Market has the non-baker, ‘need a break,’ or ‘need something quick’ covered too. Just visit one of the pre-made sweet treat vendors: Goodway Gourmet, Katie Bakes Gluten-Free, NightWork Bread, Parchment Baking Company, Sweet Treats by Jennifer, Perogi, Pierogi, Pyroogi.

Whatever you decide, we hope you have a ‘sweet’ holiday season of discovery at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market will be open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. from November through April at the Wilton Mall Food Court, accessible from the mall entrance across from BJs or the mall interior. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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. This year is especially difficult in that Paula and I lost her mother this past year. I told this story (in classic Irish style) at her funeral among many other heart warming and funny stories. Marie always made me laugh. 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. To begin; let me explain I am a Giants fan and so is my mother-in-law. Therefore, watching the Cowboys 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. It has been called the greatest Thanksgiving Game ever played. As the game ended, my mother-in-law continued working with my 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

In all reality, every Saturday is Small Business Saturday at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market! The Saratoga Farmers’ Market comprises locally grown goods by local growers and locally produced goods by small businesses right here in our area. You are supporting small businesses every time you visit the Saratoga Farmers’ Market to shop.

We have a wide variety of items on any given Saturday, from fresh vegetables, meats, eggs, and dairy, along with baked goods, honey, maple syrup, wineries, distilleries, crafts, snacks, and so much more. 

This holiday season, consider not only visiting our amazing vendors but also purchasing gift cards for the Saratoga Farmers’ Market to share with loved ones. It’s a fantastic gift because the market itself is a shopping experience with weekly musicians and various activities throughout the year. Gift cards can be used on any and all item(s) at the market with no expiration date, including ready-made foods; it’s a win-win for everyone!  

But, if you want to purchase a little something other than baked goods, produce, meats, and dairy to go along with your gift card, consider some of the following items:

Artisan cheeses from Argyle Cheese Farmer and Nettle Meadow

Candles from Reliquias

Dried florals from Halfmoon Harvest and Lovin’ Mama Farm

Christmas wreaths, garlands, and kissing balls from Scotch Ridge Berry & Tree Farm

Coffee beans and ground coffee from Nally Coffee

Gift packs from Muddy Trail, Saratoga Peanut Butter, and The Peanut Principle

Gift items from Eat with Aliens

Handcrafted cutting boards and decorative items from Megs Media

Handmade soaps at Saratoga Suds n’ Stuff

Honey from Ballston Lake Apiaries and Slate Valley Farms

Immune boosters from Awakened Tonics

Maple syrup from Slate Valley Farms

Pickles from Puckers Gourmet

Pup treats from Mugzy’s Bakery and The Peanut Principle

Wine & spirits from Galway Vineyard & Winery, New Scotland Spirits, Yankee Distillers, and Slyboro Ciderhouse at Hicks Orchard

We are not only local, but we support local too. We will be hosting holiday pop-up fairs in addition to our regular market activities as follows:

Saturday, December 2: Local Crafters Fair

Saturday, December 9:  Local Artist Fair

Saturday, December 16: Local Authors Fair

We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming markets. If you want to participate in one of the pop-up fairs, email sfma.manager@gmail.com. You can purchase gift certificates at the market information table weekly.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market will be open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. from November through April at the Wilton Mall Food Court, accessible from the mall entrance across from BJs or the mall interior. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Hello  my Foodie Friends!   

Do you have a favorite family story that you tell during the holidays? How many times have you heard or told the same story over and over again? Story telling is an important part of family tradition, and they preserve family history. The holiday season is a time that we gather around the table and share our favorite stories and moments with each other. 

It is a great time to reminisce and bring up the stories that are told time and time again. Many family traditions have to do with holidays and holiday food and the stories that soon become part of our traditions. These traditions can strengthen family bonds, contribute to your children’s identity and well-being, and create lasting memories. So, I am going to tell the “Bogie” story that I have shared before – a story we treasure. This is way back many years ago when our first baby was our dog, Bogie. He was named after Humphrey Bogart, and he loved to roam between our house and our neighbors next door. This was before invisible fences, and we didn’t have the money for a regular fence.  Bogie was a German Shepherd/Black Lab mix puppy when we rescued him. His color was pure black, and he grew very fast to 100 lbs of muscle. He was the happiest dog in the world and loved by both our family and our friends next door, Ron and Deedy, whose children were now grown. Bogie could make anyone feel like they were his favorite person in the world. He would go over to visit Ron and Deedy every day. They were passionate foodies and were always cooking something fabulous. Bogie would wander over to their house and always came back carrying leftovers which were usually a big steak or a ham bone. They loved him as much as we did. Bogie would, however, test your love from time to time by taking food that wasn’t offered to him. There was the Halloween party that stopped dead in its tracks as all of our guests watched in amazement as Bogie took an entire pizza down the hallway and quickly devoured it. He never stole food from Ron and Deedy, until one day when his thievery reached legendary status on Thanksgiving 1989. There was a knock on our door, and it was Ron. He had his head down and in a sad voice he said, “John, Bogie stole two of the mincemeat pies I had baked for Thanksgiving.” I responded to Ron with a mixture of denial and embarrassment; “are you sure, how do you know”?  Ron said he put his pie on the roof of his brand new 1989 Mercury Marquis, which had three miles on it, in the garage to cool. When he opened the garage door to go out, he forgot to close it. When he came back, there were no pies. However, there were paw prints on the hood of his beloved Marquis. Those prints then headed in the direction of our house. Ron and I then found the empty, perfectly cleaned, pie tins. I apologized and offered to pay for the pies, but Ron laughed and told me not to worry. He said he would have to think of a new place to cool his pies and remember to close the door next time. Although it has been many years since this happened and Ron has passed away, we can still hear Ron’s voice as he would always tell this story like it happened yesterday.  

Wondering what Bogie did that infamous day after eating the pies and where did we find the dog after his caper? He was curled up by Paula’s legs in the kitchen sleeping it off. I think this was “the start of a beautiful friendship.”

At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, we carry everything you need to make your favorite pie or dessert this season, including cooling racks (versus the roof of a Mercury Marquis), pie chains, pie plates, and all of your cool baking tools. Keep your pies safe! Enjoy the holiday season baking and making forever interesting memories. Stop by and shop for your traditional holiday season culinary needs at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs. When you get a moment, raise a glass and proclaim: “Here’s Looking at you Bogie!” Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” 

Take Care, John & Paula

What’s the word on the street at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market regarding Thanksgiving side dishes? Most of us agree that they have equal status to the main course!

Stuffing

The stuffing flavor has a lot to do with the bread you choose, and that’s just it…you can choose something different! We have a wide variety of bread available with everything you can imagine to help you start with the primary ingredient, but don’t forget that these breads are also great as part of your dinner and leftover sandwiches:

The Bread Butler offers whole wheat, Italian, and sourdough and claims that even croissants make delicious stuffing.

Katie Bakes Gluten Free sells gluten-free baguettes, multi-seed artisan loaves, and dinner rolls.

Night Work Bread, an all sourdough-based bakery, has a wide variety, including seedless country, sandwich bread, country olive bread, seeded bread varieties, focaccia, and even date cardamom, which would add a world of flavor. 

There are so many ways to make stuffing uniquely flavorful. If you make sausage stuffing, consider visiting Grazin’ Acres Farm, Hebron Valley Meats, and Jireh Organic Farm & Livestock of NY to explore your sausage options.

What about adding mushrooms? Yes! Grab some at The Mushroom Shop to sauté in homemade, clarified ghee from Daily Fresh with some onions, shallots, or scallions from one of our vegetable vendors. 

Don’t forget the fresh herbs for your holiday side dishes and turkey roasting needs! We have an assortment of vendors that still have them available, like Shushan Valley Hydro Farm. Muddy Trail Jerky Company has dried seasonings, including a turkey brine combo.

Veggies, potatoes and more…

We have many vendors that are well stocked with fresh vegetables, squash, and potatoes that have cool storage and/or are grown in greenhouses year-round: Gomez Veggie Ville, Lovin’ Mama Farm, Owl Wood Farm, Shushan Valley Hydro Farm, and Squash Villa Farm.

Remember to pick up your fresh apple cider for the table from Saratoga Apple and desserts from one of our vendors, including gluten-free pies at Katie Bakes Gluten Free.

However you slice, dice, and roast it… it will be a delicious Thanksgiving meal with fresh ingredients as part of the mix.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market will be open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. from November through April at the Wilton Mall Food Court, accessible from the mall entrance across from BJs or the mall interior. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Hello all my Foodie Friends!   

Now that we are in the month of November, it seems like it will be “go-time” from now until January. Thanksgiving is right around the corner. There is so much to do to gear up for the holiday season. 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. 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, I’ll personally teach you how. One of our favorite instant-read thermometers is the Thermo Pop by Thermo Works.

The second recommendation for a must have is a Flavor injector and there are many types. Adding some flavor can really set your Turkey apart from Mom’s recipe. 

Our third 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-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. There are various sizes and styles of gravy separators. Among the types is a 1 ¾ cup gravy separator that is made of FDA-approved, BPA-free polycarbonate and plastic. This gravy separator strains out fat, seasonings, and lumps for flavorful gravy, broth, soup stock, au jus, and sauce with lower fat and calories. The BPA-free polycarbonate and plastic structure resists breakage and is heat-safe to 248-degrees Fahrenheit. It has a large handle that allows for a safe grip. The pierced lid strains out lumps and larger food bits with a low-set spout that pours flavorful liquids without the fat, drip-free spout for easy, mess-free pouring. The fat separator also has a wide-mouth opening and markings in milliliters and cups (from ½-cup) makes straining and measuring easy; microwave safe for easy reheats. The fat separator is easy to use and is great for everyday or holiday meals and is dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.

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. 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

It’s hard to believe, and maybe I’m a bit in denial, that the big day is only a couple of weeks away!
So…it’s time to grab that shopping/planning list and get to work organizing your dinner plans.

Whether you’re cooking the entire dinner, in charge of the side dishes, or on the list to bring dessert, the Saratoga Farmer’s Market has a lot of options to consider and offer. Vendors at the market even have you covered if you’re going vegetarian for the holiday; farmers at the market are well-stocked with a plentiful array of fresh vegetables. However, it’s the typical main attraction that we are really ready to talk about: the turkey! Yes, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market can even help you with farm-fresh turkeys that have been locally raised.  

Who sells locally grown turkeys at the market? When you visit the market this week, stop by one of these vendors to find out more about how to order, pick up, and store one of their farm-fresh turkeys for Thanksgiving;

• Grazin’ Acres Farm

• Hepitica Farm, LLC

• Jireh Organic Farm & Livestock of New York State

Is it too early to pick up a turkey? Not if you’re planning to pop it in the freezer. If you pick up your turkey from the farmers’ market the weekend before Thanksgiving, the vendor(s) can guide you on what to do with your turkey.

How many days does it take to thaw a turkey? Plan on placing your wrapped turkey on a baking sheet, breast side up, in the refrigerator, and plan for approximately one day for every four to five pounds. 

How big of a turkey should I buy? Plan on 1-1/2 pounds of uncooked turkey per person when planning your turkey purchase.

How long does it take to cook a turkey? Cooking directions should be located on the packaging. The length of cooking time depends on the size of the bird and whether you are stuffing it or not. However, you should plan on baking your turkey at 325 degrees, and the meat thermometer should read 165 degrees in the center for it to be fully cooked.

Did someone say stuffing? Look for next week’s article to learn a little more about our thoughts on this yummy side dish.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market will be open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. from November through April at the Wilton Mall Food Court, accessible from the mall entrance across from BJs or the mall interior. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.