Eat First

Farmers markets are essential: They sure are!

                    The scene on a recent Thursday at the CNY Regional Market in Syracuse.

 

One of the advantages of shopping at farmers markets is chatting with growers and local food producers and getting to know more about them, what they do and and what they have to offer. "Know farms, know food.'' 

 

Things are a little different now. Farmers markets in New York State have been deemed "essential'' during the coronavirus pandemic, but markets are also following stricter guidelines. If you haven't been to a market lately, you will notice there's more room between vendors. Some markets have arrows marking one-way traffic flow. Hand wash and/or hand sanitizer stations have been added. Customers are asked to practice social distancing, wear masks and not touch the produce and other merchandise -- allow vendors to serve you. Shop quickly if you can to limit congestion and help keep traffic moving along.

 

Coming into season now: Homegrown strawberries.

 

The variety of local farmers markets is one of the best things about living in Central New York. Markets are one-stop shopping for produce, locally raised meats and dairy products, maple syrup, honey, baked goods, prepared meals and more. In the market for annuals and perennial plants? Markets are a great place to find them, at very reasonable prices.

 

There's a market almost every day of the week -- break your routine and visit some new-to-you markets this summer.

 

SYRACUSE-AREA FARMERS MARKETS

 

Bayberry Plaza Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday (through Oct. 30) at the shopping plaza on Route 57, Liverpool.

 

Camillus Farmers Market: This market, formerly held on Tuesday, will be held 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Town of Camillus Green, 4600 W. Genesee St. 

 

Cazenovia Farmers Market: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays at the Village Green across from the high school. This is a new location to allow more space for vendors and shoppers.

 

Heirloom tomatoes from Mountain Grown Farm, at the Fayetteville Farmers Market

 

Central New York Regional Market: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, year-round; 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday (through mid-November), 2100 Park St., Syracuse. 

 

Downtown Syracuse Farmers Market: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday (June 9-October 13) at Clinton Square. New this year: Foot traffic will be one-way to encourage social distancing. There will not be any food trucks. Look for a tent featuring food from downtown restaurants.

Greater Baldwinsville Community Farmers Market: Organizers have decided not to hold a weekly market this season. Check the website for information on the Fall Market Festravaganza, a market-style event with produce vendors, food trucks and local artisans and crafters. The event is scheduled for Sept. 15. 

 

Syracuse Eastside Neighborhood Farmers Market: This small market, with just three or four vendors, opens for the season July 8. It's held Wednesday afternoons in the parking lot at Westcott Community Center, 826 Euclid Ave., Syracuse. 

 

Fayetteville Farmers Market: Noon to 6 p.m. Thursday through late October in the parking lot at Towne Center at Fayetteville (near Bonefish Grill). 

 

Kings Corner Market: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday in August, at the intersection of Clinton and State streets in Tully.

 

Freedom Rains Farm at Middle Ages Brewing, photo courtesy of the brewery, on Facebook

 

Pop-up market with Freedom Rains Farm: 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, throughout June (and perhaps beyond) at Middle Ages Brewing Company, 120 Wilkinson St., Syracuse. Freedom Rains Farm is a small, family-owned organic farm near Pulaski. Produce from the farm, as well as market essentials like meat and eggs, will be available. While you're there, pick up a six-pack, get your growler filled or enjoy a Middle Ages beer outside. Several customers at a time are allowed inside to make purchases. 

 

Skaneateles Farmers Market: 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in the Austin Park Pavilion parking lot on Jordan Street. The market is set up with an entrance and exit for one-way customer flow. 

 

FURTHER AFIELD:

 

Auburn Farmers Co-Op Market: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 96 State St. (in the parking lot across from Curley's Restaurant).

 

Clinton Farmers Market: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday on the village green. Note: The first hour of the market is reserved for senior citizens and the vulnerable.

 

Cottage Lawn Farmers Market: 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Madison County Historical Society, 435 Main St., Oneida.

 

Cortland City Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Saturday along Main Street, in downtown Cortland.

 

Greater Oswego-Fulton Farmers Markets: 4:15 to 7:45 p.m. Thursday, starting July 12, on West First Street in Oswego and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, starting July 14, at the Canal Landing parking lot in Fulton.

 

Hamilton Farmers Market: Friends say this market (above; photo via Facebook) is one of the best things about living in/near Hamilton. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday on the village green. 

Homer Farmers Market: Canceled for the 2020 season.

 

Oneida County Public Market: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Utica's Historic Union Station, 321 Main St., Utica. Take some time to explore the inside of this magnificent transportation hub.

 

Owasco Farmers Market: Canceled for the 2020 season.

 

Pulaski Farmers Market and Music in the Park: 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, starting June 19, at Historic South Park in the village.

 

 

 

 

 Photos by Margaret McCormick unless otherwise indicated.

 

 

Social, from a Distance: A Virtual In-Home Dining Experience

When Gov. Cuomo ordered restaurants across the state to limit their operations to takeout and delivery last month in an effort to help reduce the spread of coronavirus, the mandate left restaurants reeling – and scrambling to adapt and survive. It also left many people cooking at home like never before and wondering what they can do to help keep chefs and restaurants afloat.

To remind people that it’s possible to come to the table -- without sitting next to or across from each other -- four Central/Upstate New York chefs pooled their energy and creativity to collaborate on "Social, from a Distance -- a Virtual In-Home Dining Experience.'' In doing so, they showed some love to local farmers and producers and brought nearly 300 people from across the region together, virtually, to celebrate food and community.

"Social, from a Distance'' was held on Friday, April 3 and a second event spotlighting restaurants in the region is in the works. It's scheduled for April 24.

The logistics of the project were "intense," according to chef Sarah Hassler, of Syracuse-based Hassler Hospitality Group, one of the event organizers. Hassler partnered with Luke Houghton of Pure Catering and Events, Auburn, Tim Hardiman of The Tailor & the Cook, Utica, Michael Lanahan of The Cellar Modern Fusion Restaurant, Corning, and food photographer and social media marketing specialist Chris Johnson of We Eat CNY (who served as emcee) to put the event together in a two weeks.

The event sold out and some guests attended the show only (no food) via Zoom and live stream on YouTube. Hassler's brother, Chad, managed all the technology aspects of the night, which went so far as to seat guests at "tables'' together in private chat rooms. Everything went off smoothly, with few glitches.

Tickets cost $35 (or $5 for virtual access only, no food) and meals, meticulously packaged for reheating at home, were picked up the afternoon of the event at designated locations in each city (or delivered, for an extra charge). The chefs planned each course virtually and prepared them remotely. Courses prepared in Auburn were delivered to Corning and Utica -- and vice versa.

We picked up our dinner box (shown above) outside The Sweet Praxis in downtown Syracuse and opened it up to find about a dozen plastic containers and a helpful explainer sheet for all the various ingredients. Most of the items required just refrigeration, reheating, plating and garnishing.

Michael Lanahan's black bean soup was a tasty starter. The soup had a hint of spicy heat on the finish and polenta croutons and lime cabbage slaw added some interesting texture.

Hassler's dish, "Running Hot and Cold'' put braised potatoes and chilled celery root salad on the same plate with delicious results. The salad was cool and crunchy, with a light lemon vinaigrette. The potatoes, finished in the oven, were crispy on the outside and topped with a slightly spicy remoulade sauce.

The main courses by Luke Houghton were long on flavor: cauliflower and mushroom curry (above) and fork-tender braised beef short ribs (below) with kale on the side. Both were served with creamy polenta prepared with coconut milk.

I'm still thinking about Tim Hardiman's "Layers of Flavors" trifle, which combined blueberries, sweet potato custard, gluten-free sponge cake, milk jam and whipped cream, topped with a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.

Hardiman said he had been thinking for a long time about a dessert that included blueberries and sweet potato, and when The Tailor & the Cook closed its doors in March he had eight gallons of milk on hand to put to use. That inspired the milk jam, a mix of caramelized milk and sugar that is cooked over low heat for hours. It's similar to dulce de leche.

The dessert was the only dish we enjoyed straight from the container, in order to preserve the multiple layers of the trifle. The photo below by Chris Johnson of We Eat CNY shows the beautiful presentation it would receive under normal restaurant circumstances.

A Finger Lakes Riesling and Long Island Cabernet Franc were available as add-ons for $20 per bottle. Each meal box contained a small jar of artisan flake salt from Syracuse Salt Company. Hassler suggested adding a pinch or two of it to the celery root salad and Hardiman suggested adding a sprinkle of it to his dessert.

Chef Luke Houghton demonstrates making polenta

Technology allowed guests to interact with and ask questions of the chefs: Hassler from her home kitchen in Syracuse, Houghton at Pure Market & Café in Auburn, Hardiman at home near Utica and Lanahan in his kitchen at The Cellar, where he was in the midst of Friday night takeout dinner service. It also allowed guests to send messages to each other and the chefs.

This comment, from a guest who lives in Utica, sums up the experience: "What you guys did tonight was amazing. ... Thank you so much for organizing this and please do this again and again -- even after all the restaurants are back up and running.''

To learn more about future "Social, from a Distance'' events, follow chef Sarah Hassler on Instagram and Facebook or visit the Dining Inside Out website.

 

Food truck roundups in Syracuse

The Syracuse Food Truck Association launched in 2015 with three members: Nick Sanford of Toss & Fire Pizza, Dennis Souva and Cindy Baker of The Chicken Bandit and Pat Orr of PB&J's Lunchbox. In four years, the organization has grown to include nearly 30 mobile food entrepreneurs.

 

In Syracuse, it has been a bit of a rocky road for them. In the past, the city used a lottery system that gave the trucks standing locations on city streets. At one point, expensive licensing and permit fees drove many of the trucks out of the city. Fortunately, Syracuse Common Councilor Michael Greene introduced legislation this year that reduced the cost for food truck operators to set up shop -- and gave them the green light to set up on a first come, first serve basis on certain blocks downtown.

 

The city also dedicated a day to weekly food truck round-ups in Clinton Square. Judging from a visit on a recent Wednesday, the Clinton Square Food Truck Rally is a success -- and a great lunchtime addition to downtown. And Wednesday isn't the only day the trucks roll in. You can enjoy lunch from local food trucks most Fridays at the Everson Museum of Art and have a food truck supper on some Fridays at the Syracuse Inner Harbor, to benefit In My Father's Kitchen.

 

Food trucks contribute to a vibrant local food culture -- and are a fun and affordable way to experience different cuisines. August is upon us. Be sure to check out these seasonal events.

 

Clinton Square Food Truck Rally

The Clinton Square Food Truck Rally continues from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays into the fall. Six food trucks are on site each week and the spots rotate among the nearly 30 members of the Syracuse Food Truck Association.

 

On the day I visited, Wolf's Patio Pizza, Cluck N Burger, Cue-Dogs, Skippy's Ice Cream, Byblos Street Grill and the Papa Gallo Taco Truck were present. I was torn between wood-fired pizza and tacos but the tacos won. From a menu of about 10 tacos and burritos, I ordered the Pollo Verde street tacos ($10) from the Papa Gallo truck. These featured seasoned chicken, corn, black bean and red pepper salsa and a cheese blend stuffed inside three warm flour tortillas. Two people could easily share the tacos -- and something else from another truck.

 

Food Truck Fridays at the Everson Museum

There are just a few Fridays left to catch this event, held 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. most Fridays on the plaza at the Everson Museum of Art, 401 Harrison St., Syracuse.

 

Four food trucks are on site each week, offering everything from barbecue to Middle Eastern food to waffles and ice cream. Also on hand is the Syracuse Farm Fresh Mobile Market, which brings fresh produce at reasonable prices to accessible locations around Syracuse. The mobile market is a project of the Southside Interfaith Community Development Corporation.

 

The final Food Truck Fridays of the season are scheduled for August 3, 10, 24 and 31. Click here to see what trucks will be there.

 

Food Truck Friday Roundup at the Syracuse Inner Harbor

Two of these popular food truck gatherings remain: August 16 and September 20. Hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Proceeds  benefit In My Father's Kitchen, a non-profit that offers assistance to the homeless and refugee community through street outreach. Diners are encouraged to round up their tab to the nearest dollar, five dollars, 10 dollars, etc., and support a great cause. Parking is available in the Aloft lot on West Kirkpatrick Street, across from the Inner Harbor location.

 

At the first event of the season, we finally had the opportunity to sample specialties from two food trucks we've been wanting to try: Bold Coast Lobster Co. and Conundrum (foods with a cone under them). The New England style clam chowder from Bold Coast ($6 for a cup) was full of flavor and clams and the Connecticut-style lobster roll ($18) was served with drawn butter only (no mayonnaise), on a toasted New England-style roll. Lobster and butter -- what's not to love? The roll was absolutely delicious.

 

From a menu of about six items at Conundrum, we decided on the Ginger Pig Cone ($12; seasoned shredded pork, cooked in coconut milk, with ginger, garlic, lemon, basil and honey and served with a slaw of red cabbage. All of the above ingredients were stuffed in a waffle-style cone. I feared it would collapse -- so we turned it on its side on a plate and ate it with fork and knife. The cone was a somewhat sloppy symphony of flavors.

 

 

 

To find out where local food trucks are, go to Street Food Finder or download the Street Food Finder app.

 

All photos by Margaret McCormick unless otherwise noted

Autumn in Central New York: 3 tasty ways to enjoy the season

Fall is here. September has been summer-like, but darkness comes sooner each day. The evening air is cool and leaves are slowly starting to change color. Farm crops are being harvested and roadside stands are aglow with the red and orange of apples and pumpkins.

The Central New York calendar is full of all sorts of fairs and festivals and other events to celebrate fall. Here are three events coming up this weekend that are sure to please local food enthusiasts.

Photo courtesy Baltimore Woods

Family friendly brunch – and a walk in the woods

Pancake breakfast meets Sunday brunch -- with a French accent -- when Baltimore Woods Nature Center, Marcellus, hosts its first Homegrown Community Brunch on Sunday (Oct. 4). The event takes the place of the EnvIRONmental Chef autumn fundraiser of past years. That event is on hiatus, according to marketing coordinator Stacy Drake, but could return another year. The goal this year was to offer a fundraiser that draws families.

Guests will enjoy French-style waffles and frittata prepared by chef Joelle Mollinger, of Joelle’s French Bistro, Skaneateles. Other locally sourced menu items include pancakes, sausage, apples and apple cider, coffee and milk. Children attending the brunch can order the Miss Hiss Secret Special, a menu item inspired by Baltimore Woods’ resident pine snake. Food producers donating goods and ingredients to the menu include Simple Roast Coffee, Kriemhild Dairy, New Hope Mills and Byrne Dairy.

After breakfast: Get outside and enjoy the autumn splendor. Baltimore Woods is home to more than six miles of trails that encompass woods, meadows, streambeds, ponds and scenic overlooks. Proceeds from the event will support educational programs at the nature center.

Details:

Time: Two seatings, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. or 10 a.m. to noon Sunday (Oct. 4)

Place: Baltimore Woods Nature Center, 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus

Tickets: $9 for adults, $6 for children ages 5-12; kids four and under eat free. Purchase tickets in advance at www.baltimorewoods.org. A limited number of tickets will be sold at the door.

Autumn Barn Party with local (and Philadelphia) flavor

Cazenovia native Jen Capozzi, a self-described “baker, herbalist and hostess,” returns to Central New York on Saturday (Oct. 3) to celebrate the harvest at an Autumn Barn Party hosted by Greyrock Farm.

Capozzi owns and operates Barlume Apothecary, a kitchen and storefront in South Philadelphia where she cooks up events and hosts private dining events. She is collaborating with local producer Food & Ferments on the barn party, which will feature craft cocktails, savory and sweet small plates and music. Food & Ferments is owned by Carly and Dave Dougherty, of Truxton. They produce fermented foods (sauerkrauts, kimchi, kombuchas, beet kvass and other products) for sale at the Central New York Regional Market, Cazenovia Farmers Market and other locations.

The evening begins at 6 p.m. with cocktails and horse-drawn tours of Greyrock Farm, a year-round, full-diet CSA. Capozzi’s menu for the evening is vegetarian and gluten free. Expect savory plates like kobucha squash-ginger risotto topped with fennel pesto, cider butternut squash soup with sage millet sweet bread and rosemary roasted portobello mushrooms, with arugula, lentils and Food & Ferments beet kvass-balsamic dressing. Capozzi’s twist on s’mores for the evening’s bonfire will include homemade rosehip marshmallows, black cumin dark chocolate truffles and pistachio shortbread cookies.

Details:

Time: 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3

Place: Greyrock Farm, 6100 E. Lake Road, Cazenovia

Tickets: $65, must be purchased in advance. Tickets will not be available at the door. Purchase tickets online at http://www.barlumeapothecary.com/

Photos courtesy of Mighty Whimp - the Stazzone Family Farm

Open house at Mighty Whimp – the Stazzone Family Farm

What do two working fathers, one an educator and one a Realtor, do in their “leisure time?’’ Move from the city of Syracuse to Oswego County and start a farm!

On Saturday (Oct. 3) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mighty Whimp – the Stazzone Family Farm, will hold its second annual “Whimpfest.’’ That’s an open house, where visitors can sample goat milk (12 p.m.), goat cheese (1 p.m.) and goat milk ice cream (2 p.m.). Other items produced on the farm, including eggs and goats milk personal care products, will be available for sale.

Mighty Whimp - the Stazzone Family Farm is owned and operated by Daniel Stazzone and Raymond Trumble-Stazzone. Guests are invited to explore the farm property and visit the goats, lambs, chickens, turkeys, ducks and llamas.

Details:

Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 3); rain date Sunday, (Oct. 4)

Place: 36 Pine Tree Road, Hastings, 13076

RSVP: If you plan on attending the open house, email Daniel and Raymond at [email protected] 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT MIGHTY WHIMP – THE STAZZONE FAMILY FARM