Eat First

A food lover's day trip: Little Falls Cheese Festival, Utica Bread, Pho Mekong House of Noodles

Cooperstown Cheese Company display at the Little Falls Cheese Festival.

 

 

Do you like to fill your leisure time with food-related activities and pursuits? Check here regularly for Central New York- and Upstate New York-focused ideas and itineraries. And feel free to leave ideas for future visits/posts in the Comments, below. 

 

Destination: Little Falls Cheese Festival

 

The line was so long at the Jake's Gouda stand at the Little Falls Cheese Festival that it would have taken 15 minutes or more to get a sample and make a purchase. That's not a complaint as much as an observation: the annual celebration of New York State-made artisan cheese has become wildly popular.

The festival, now in its fifth year, is held each July on Main Street in the city of Little Falls (Herkimer County; about 65 miles east of Syracuse). This year's festival was on July 13. It featured hard cheeses, soft, spreadable cheeses, fragrant blue cheeses, cheese curds, cow, goat and sheep milk cheeses, yogurts -- and all sorts of things to complement cheese, including beer, wine, cider, crackers, breads, honey, maple products, spices and hand-crafted wooden serving boards. The festival covers about five city blocks and features about 120 cheeses from more than 20 cheesemakers.

 

These are not cheeses one finds in the grocery store, as a rule -- and that's the fun of the Little Falls Cheese Festival. I came home with:

 

• Cooperstown Cheese Company Toma Celena: a rich, Italian-style "table" cheese with a slightly nutty flavor.

• Three Village Cheese Co. dill havarti: A buttery, Danish-style cheese that looks lovely on a cheese plate and also melts nicely.

• Windy Hill Goat Dairy herb garden chèvre: a crumbly, slightly tangy, spreadable goats milk cheese.

• East Hill Creamery Underpass and Silver Lake: These European-style raw milk cheeses are recommended for cheese plates -- and melting on everything.

 

As for Jake's Gouda: I'll hunt them down some Saturday at the Cazenovia Farmers Market.

 

Destination: Utica Bread

 

  Utica Bread was scheduled to be a vendor at the Little Falls Cheese Festival but canceled at the last minute, leaving festival organizers and attendees disappointed. I didn't know that when I made plans to go there. If you've ever had the pleasure of dining at The Tailor and the Cook in Utica, you've probably sampled Utica Bread. A basket filled with several varieties of bread from the bakery makes a great first impression at dinner. The bakery is owned by The T&C's owners and is next door to the restaurant. With a menu that includes baguette, brioche, sour dough, ciabatta, sesame Italian, deli rye, raisin walnut and multi-grain loaves -- plus croissants and other pastries -- it's a carb lover's dream.

 

I arrived at the bake shop about an hour and a half before closing time and the bakery shelves and case were close to empty. Just a few baguettes and a couple loaves of ciabatta and multi-grain bread remained. But I was in luck because I had planned to purchase the multi-grain bread anyway. It's a dense, moist loaf, with seeds on the outside and the inside, giving it a really nice texture and chew. It makes excellent toast. Slather on the butter and fruit jam.

 

Utica Bread is at 106 Genesee St., Utica, in the Bagg's Square neighborhood. It's open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday. Get there early for best selection.

 

Destination: Pho Mekong House of Noodles

 

Usually when we have noodles in Utica, they're the Italian variety: a big plate of pasta or "hats,'' enrobed in tomato sauce or vodka sauce. I wanted to try something different.

 

The menu at Pho Mekong is extensive, with rice dishes, vermicelli dishes and 12 varieties of pho (Vietnamese noodle soup), among other things. To start, I settled on an order of fresh spring rolls, stuffed with lettuce, mint, cucumber, vermicelli, shrimp and chicken, served with a thick peanut hoisin sauce for dipping.

 

The drunken noodles, a specialty of the house, will long linger in my memory. The dish features fat, wok-fried egg noodles, tossed with onion, peppers and Chinese broccoli (bok choy) and a chili-garlic sauce that's full of flavor and mild heat. I ordered the dish with minced chicken, but it's also available with beef and without meat.

 

I headed home with enough leftovers to serve as supper for two the next day -- and a Vietnamese iced coffee to keep me cool and wide awake on the ride home. If you've never had Vietnamese iced coffee, it's a tradition and a treat: a strong brew tempered by sweetened condensed milk, served with lots of ice.

 

Pho Mekong House of Noodles is at 601 John St., Utica. Hours are 11 to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Information: 315-797-7171.

 

Note: All photos by Margaret McCormick unless otherwise indicated.

 

 

 

 

In a New York (food map) State of mind

Where do we live?

North of Spiedies. South of Thousand Island Dressing and Croghan Bologna. East of  Beef on Weck, Chicken Wings, Garbage Plate and White Hots. West of  Peppermint Pig, Chicken Riggies, Tomato Pie and Utica Greens.

We live in the land of Salt Potatoes and Dinosaur BBQ. We are firmly planted in soda country, well east of the Empire State’s Soda vs. Pop line.

If you love food and love to discover local and regional favorites, none of this is breaking news. But New York’s diverse food terrain is officially noted on an appetizing and entertaining map, “New York State by Food Regions,’’ created by Shannon Glazer, a Geographic Information Services specialist with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

“Inspired by my visits to all corners of New York State, I recently decided to map different food regions in the state,’’ Glazer notes on the New York State Food Map Facebook page. The map has been “shared” more than 2,500 times. 

“After the first version of my map spread like wildfire, I decided to edit the map based on some of the comments I received. … 

“I'm starting this page to continue the conversation! Post your thoughts on local food here...Check out the "likes" on the page for more info about some of the restaurants and foods on the map!’’

My editor at Central New York: The Good Life Magazine turned me on to Glazer’s accomplishment. The May/June issue features a story on the treasure-filled foodie map, as well stories on Upstate travel destinations in all directions of Syracuse.

I can live without Michigans (a Plattsburgh specialty; hotdogs piled with onions and smothered in mustard and meat sauce) but I am bound and determined (translation: hellbent!) to get to Brooks Chicken BBQ country (Oneonta), possibly on the way to Mozzarella Sticks with Raspberry Sauce (Albany/Capital Region).

Thanks, Shannon. Happy food trails!

Birthday doldrums? Pamper them away at Mirbeau

Your birthday at 20 and 30: You hit so many clubs, mingle with so many people and have so much fun, it’s all a blur. You don’t remember anything.

Your birthday at 50:  You’re greeted with black balloons, “Over the Hill” cards, a bottle of Centrum Silver and a subscription to AARP Magazine. They say your memory is in decline, but you remember EVERYTHING…

Especially the daytrip to Mirbeau Inn & Spa with your sisters and/or sister-friends!

Yes, friends, birthdays call for something special, and MILESTONE birthdays call for something REALLY special. Some people want to paint the town and others prefer a more relaxing, low-key celebration – which we happily arranged for my sister last month on the occasion of a mile-marker birthday.

A visit to to Mirbeau is special, indeed – for the person having the birthday AND for those treating him or her to a day of pampering.

The special treatment can be something as simple as a manicure or pedicure, but we recommend something a little more indulgent, like a 50-minute Swedish massage. Surrender. You’re in the best of hands, pun intended. Nearly every inch of you – from your scalp to your slumped back and shoulders to your over-used typing-texting hands and tired, neglected feet – will say thank you.

For the ultimate in luxury, pad upstairs in your slippers and bathrobe and sit down to an elegant three-course spa lunch. The menu changes regularly, but usually includes a choice of soup or salad, entree (chicken, beef, seafood) and dessert, like crème brulee, Hummingbird cake and the PB&J: chocolate-peanut butter bombe with Concord grape puree and homemade marshmallows.

On a recent Friday, the soup of the day was a puree of romaine lettuce, to which nothing more than broth, salt, pepper and a touch of cream had been added. That might sound a little strange, but if you can make smoothies with romaine lettuce, why not hot soup?

Mirbeau’s Orange Flower Essence Crème Brulee: In a word, divine.

Add a glass or bottle of wine to lunch and you might be tempted to return to the Relaxation Room and stretch out in a chaise. And that’s OK. Visit Mirbeau on a “day pass’’ and you’re encouraged to make full use of the facilities – gym, saunas, outdoor hot tub – and explore the grounds, which, before long will be in full flower. 

Go ahead, enjoy being the Birthday Queen or Birthday King for a day. Breathe, relax and say “Ahhhhh!’’

Mirbeau Inn & Spa is at 851 W. Genesee Street Road (Route 20), about a mile outside the village of Skaneateles. A 50-minute spa treatment and three-course lunch costs roughly $200, depending on treatment and meal options. For more information, call 315-685-5006.

Destination NYWCC: FLX/NY food, wine and fun

 Life's short. Eat dessert first?

Woo-hoo! Another weekend is upon us. But we’re still savoring the soul-satisfying day trip and leisurely lunch we had last weekend in the Finger Lakes.

For Christmas, we received a gift certificate to the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua. As happens with gift certificates sometimes, its expiration date was nearing.

We visited the website and considered signing up for a culinary class or kitchen skills workshop. There are plenty of them, including pie making, bread baking and farm-to-table outing and meal prep in the center’s state-of-the-art kitchen.

In the end, we decided to make a reservation at the Taste of New York restaurant. The restaurant had just introduced its early fall menu, which still features many summer flavors.

Among the things we enjoyed:  

Wine flight ($12; choose three) with Anthony Road dry Riesling, Long Point Ciera (semi-dry rose) and Dr. Frank Old Vine Pinot Noir. I would be happy to have a bottle of each of these wines in our cellar. Robert’s beer flight ($8; choose four) featured a couple pale ales and an interesting fruit ale (blueberry) from Long Island.

Cold smoked salmon with capers, red onion, radishes and arugula salad ($11).

White pizza with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, caramelized onion, pepper Flakes and garlic oil ($11).

Chilled gazpacho with basil, cilantro, avocado and heirloom tomato, swirled with spiced sour cream ($8).

Butternut squash ‘flan’ on a thin layer of spice cake, garnished with what appeared to be browned bits of candied ginger. A dessert made to match the changing seasons.

Canandaigua is a great walking town on a nice day (don’t miss the historic boat houses at the city pier), and we intentionally parked a distance from the NYWCC, in the shopping distance on South Main Street, knowing a walk after lunch would be in order.

It wasn’t our first trip to the New York Wine and Culinary Center, and it definitely won’t be our last. Thank you, Eileen and Dave, for a great day!

The New York Wine and Culinary Center is at 800 S. Main St., Canandaigua, overlooking the pier. Information: 585-394-7070.

 

Stop the car (in the Finger Lakes)!

My ultimate Finger Lakes destination Saturday was a remote cabin on a pond, in the wine country near Keuka Lake, where longtime friends spend summer weekends.

It’s a relaxing two-hour drive from Syracuse, a journey, mainly, along roads less traveled. There’s plenty to see, and we rarely go directly there – or home.

There’s so much to stop the car for!

Such as:

Grape sherbet! I couldn’t drive by this sign at Mr. Twistee’s, County Road 6 (Preemption Road), Geneva, twice in two days without pulling in to investigate.

We’ve sampled wine ice cream before, but not grape sherbet. It’s sweet, light and refreshing – and the color of pale lilacs, as you can see. That’s a SMALL cone, believe it or not ($3). 

 
A new (to us) winery: Keuka Lake Vineyards, one of the newer wineries that surround Keuka Lake, specializes in dry, European-style estate wines. A $5 fee gets you tastings of about 10 wines.

 KLV’s Rieslings were nice and the Vignoles was a pleasant change of pace. We also were impressed by the labor that went into this sign in the tasting room, made entirely from corks. The winery is on County Route 76, a couple miles north of the village of Hammondsport.

A market bursting with fresh produce: Some people are drawn to Naples for grape pie. I’m drawn to the picturesque village by Joseph’s Wayside Market, a large, open-air market and country store with an in-house bakery.

 

On Sunday, the place wore the perfume of ripe peaches and tables were laden with homegrown tomatoes, corn, raspberries, blueberries, beans and more. Check back for an upcoming post on Joseph’s.

A flower cart in the country: This cart on Route 245, a couple miles south of Routes 5 and 20, near Geneva, is like a dollar store for small bunches of fresh-cut flowers, like gladiolus, cosmos and Japenese lanterns.

Leave a dollar bill or two in the honor box and take home a fragrant reminder of your Finger Lakes travels.

 

 

 

Anyela’s Vineyards: A grape escape close to home

Think Finger Lakes wineries and you probably think of Seneca Lake, with more than 36 wineries to explore, and Cayuga Lake with 15. Try to visit them all in a day: No way.

Closer to home (home being Syracuse and vicinity) is Skaneateles Lake, which has just one winery, at least for now: Anyela’s Vineyards. It’s a perfect staycation or daycation destination, either on its own, as part of a leisurely drive around the lake or pleasant detour from the village of Skaneateles.

Anyela’s is owned by the Nocek family, who grow grapes for their wines at this property, with stunning lake views, and near Fredonia, in Western New York.

The tasting room is open noon to 5 p.m. daily, with extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays in the summer. From a list of eight whites and eight reds, select your choice of five samples for $2. 

Wine connoisseurs we are not, but we know what we like: dry whites and reds that pair well with what we like to eat: pasta, grilled meats and seafood, salads, homemade pizza, paninis, etc. 

I sampled two whites (2009 dry Riesling and 2010 semi-dry Riesling), as well as the 2006 Rose of Pinot Noir, 2008 Pinot Noir and 2008 Noiret. 

My favorites of the five: the crisp and clean dry Riesling and slightly pepper/spicy Noiret, a new variety of grape developed at Cornell University’s Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva. Our pourer said it pairs nicely with spicy dishes, like Thai food. 

Part of us wanted to head home with something other than Riesling, the region’s signature white wine, but Anyela’s version was so refreshing on a hot summer day we bought a bottle to enjoy outside (they gladly will recork what you don’t finish) and a bottle to enjoy another time. 

Our tasting took place in the wine cellar – the upstairs tasting room was closed due to a private party.

During the week, you can purchase cheese plates to enjoy with a glass or bottle of wine. And lunch, featuring fresh fare from Anyela’s gardens, is served from noon to 3 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday (in season). 

If you summer day trip itinerary includes a hop over to wine country, don’t forget about Anyela’s.

Anyela’s Vineyards is at 2433 W. Lake Road, about five miles south of the village of Skaneateles. Information: 315- 685-3797.

 

 

F. Oliver's Oils and Vinegars: Liquid assets in Canandaigua

The Finger Lakes are home to close to 70 wineries -- and a newly opened boutique that specializes in "sour wine."

F. Oliver's, in downtown Canandaigua, is a tasting and shopping destination with just two things in stock: fine olive oils (and other specialty oils) and balsamic vinegars.

The word vinegar comes from the French vin (wine) and aigre (sour). But the vinegars at F. Oliver's are a far cry from the supermarket cider and wine vinegars (can you say tart and acidic?) most of us have in our pantries -- and an especially far cry from distilled white vinegar. Leave that for cleaning, not cooking.

My tasting, similar to a wine tasting, began in the back of the store, between rows of stainless steel vessels holding flavor-infused white balsamic vinegars with names like Blushing Peach, Farmstand Strawberry, Sunny Pineapple and Summer Blueberry. An associate asked what fruit flavors tend to appeal to my taste buds and poured small tastes of various vinegars into tiny plastic cups.

I found them all, including the traditional dark balsamic vinegars aged for 12 years in oak barrels, to be bright and fresh-tasting, with just a hint of tartness. I was surprised by how delicate, sunny and smooth -- almost drinkable -- the fruit vinegars are. Tasting some of them -- like the Blushing Peach and Raspberry Treat -- is like having a party in your mouth. 

The tasting proceeded to a section of the store holding vats of flavored extra virgin olive oils. We began with some of the lighter flavors (Fresh Bright Basil, Fresh Pressed Meyer Lemon), continued with a tasting of several single varietal olive oils (made using one particular type of olive) and concluded with the specialty oils, including Roasted French Walnut Oil and Earthy Porcini.

The associate swirled samples of oil and vinegar together -- fig vinegar and EVOO, walnut oil and strawberry vinegar -- to highlight the many wonderful flavor combinations and give an idea of what possible salad dressing duos would taste like.

Most of the oils and all of the vinegars at F. Oliver's are imported. They're stored in tanks and bottled on site.

I walked in to the shop not knowing much about vinegar and came away with a better understanding of oils and vinegars as cooking ingredients -- and a bottle each of Persian Lime EVOO and Blushing Peach balsamic vinegar ($14.95 each). The staff is friendly and helpful without being pushy, and purchases are packaged beautifully. 

The most I've done with so far with my fruit-forward oil and vinegar is to make a light and refreshing vinaigrette dressing for a salad of romaine, baby greens, rainbow peppers, tomato and avocado. I'm looking forward to drizzling the lime oil on grilled fish, like salmon.

F. Oliver's is at 129 S. Main St., Canandaigua, a few doors away, I couldn't help but notice, from a restaurant that serves crepes (Simply Crepes). Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Bring your imagination (and your wallet!).

Corn Hill Festival: See you next year!

The 42nd annual Corn Hill Arts Festival in Rochester's lovely and historic Corn Hill neighborhood featured more than 400 artists, an emerging artists expo, live music, a beer and wine garden and other attractions.

There was beautiful glasswork, jewelry and fine furniture, photography, paintings, pottery, weaving, woodworking -- art in every shape, size, color and medium you can think of.  There also were plenty of consumable crafts, like soup and dip mixes, handmade soaps and herbs, spices and sauces.

We couldn't ignore "crafts" of the edible variety, which included everything from those completely addicting cinnamon-roasted nuts and fresh-cut sweet potato fries to barbecue, crab cakes and ethnic specialties. Among the things that got our attention:

French macaroons in traditional pastel colors...

 ...plus cookies and cupcakes from Rochester's Newbury Park Pastries.

The aroma of grilled meat in the food court came from a booth selling Greek specialties...

... like this traditional gyro with the works, which was big enough for two to share.

An Italian bakery from Queens was on-site with a stunning array of cookies (almond, almond paste, pignoli, anise, lemon and more) and cannolis.

Corn Hill is Rochester's oldest residential neighborhood, and strolling its streets is part of the fun of the festival. The neighborhood grew after the building of the Erie Canal in the 1820s, but many of its historic structures were lost to Urban Renewal in the 1960s.

Today the neighborhood is a combination of the old (stately Victorians and brick homes) and the new (single-family houses and townhouses). It has the feel of a village in the city, like Eastwood in Syracuse, but more elegant and leafy.

My good friends Cathy and Marie are moving to Corn Hill soon from the Rochester suburbs, and I can't wait to explore their new neighborhood with them. The arts festival returns next July.

No saws, sanders and screwdrivers at this hardware store

A trip to the hardware store? It's necessary on occasion, but not my definition of a good time.

But a hardware store that serves pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, paninis, soups, salads, muffins and coffee?

I'm there! 

I'm talking about the Hardware Cafe and General Store. It's in a circa 1874 hardware store in the center of Fair Haven, about a 50-mile drive from Syracuse.

A view of Little Sodus Bay, Lake Ontario.

Fair Haven, in Cayuga County, is one of my favorite summer haunts. It's a gorgeous village on the shore of a great lake -- I mean a Great Lake, Lake Ontario -- and is a magnet for swimming, boating, camping, fishing and just plain relaxing.

The nice thing about the Hardware Cafe is that you can stop in for something as simple as a cookie and cup of coffee to go, or linger over lunch at a table outside and enjoy a snapshot of life in a small town as it unfolds on Main Street: kids walking dogs and skateboarding; couples window shopping; people stopping by the bank or just out for a stroll.

 My lunch: A veggie panini with pesto mayonnaise ($7.50), plus a pickle and chips on the side.

The Hardware Cafe was doing a nice lunch business on the Friday I visited, but was not overwhelmingly busy. 

It's also a gift shop, featuring jewelry, scarves, purses and other accessories, candles and home decor, kites and beach gear.

I was tempted to have a dish of ice cream for dessert -- they have a dozen or more flavors of Gifford's, from Maine, and Gifford's makes what's reputed to be some of the best vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream in the country.

But I can't stop in Fair Haven without making my way down Fancher Avenue to the Fly By Night Cookie Company for a Famous PMS Cookie (a soft chocolate cookie with chocolate chips and minty chocolate icing).

The Hardware Cafe and General Store is at 566 Main St., Fair Haven. It's open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily during the summer months. For more information, call 315-947-6700.

 

Rudy's: Hot fun even on a cold day

Rudy's doesn't usually look like this from the outside. Usually, people are jostling for seats at these picnic tables on some prime real estate overlooking Lake Ontario, in the town of Oswego.

But it was downright cold when we visited last week, with a whipping wind to boot. I like my food piping hot and so does my friend, so we grabbed a booth inside, conveniently close to a heater that was cranked up, and dove in to our red plate (haddock, $7.95) and pink plate (shrimp, $6.79) without shivering.

Rudy's  is a seasonal stand and a lakeside magnet attracting droves of diners for its classic summer stand menu. It's common for a line to snake out the door, and it's the type of place, like Heid's in Liverpool, where people chat with their neighbors in line while they wait.

Members of the Livesey family have operated Rudy's since 1946, making it not only a stand but a landmark, not only a landmark but an institution. Read the "guestbook'' at the Rudy's website and you'll see lots of entries from transplanted Oswegonians longing for a taste of Rudy's food and atmosphere.

A trip there is a rite of spring or summer, and on warm summer days they go through gallons of ice cream and hundreds of cones. Warning: Gulls are drawn to Rudy's, too, and they will drop in for any food morsels you might leave on those tables.

A Rudy's "red plate'': Haddock pieces with fries.

The place specializes in simple fare: hot dogs, hamburgers, fried haddock, clams, shrimp and other seafood; "guppy plates" for the little ones. Suzanne had the shrimp plate and I had the haddock, which is served in pieces rather than one big slab. Plates come with "chips" (fries) standard and your choice of a second side: macaroni salad, applesauce or coleslaw.

He wasn't able to join us Friday, but my "other,'' who used to live in Oswego and ride his bicycle to Rudy's, recommends their Texas Hots: hot dogs topped with Rudy's special hot sauce, made with ground beef, onions, tomato sauce and a special blend of spices and seasonings. The spice mix is sold by the packet, so you can make Texas, white (coney) and fish "hots" (people do it, I'm told) at home.

The next time I go to Rudy's, the temperature is going to be at least 70-something, and I'm going to time my visit for taking in a spectacular Oswego sunset -- or a return trip to Ontario Orchards Farm Market, down the road. Or both!

In season, Rudy's is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. It's a couple miles outside of the city Oswego, just west of the college campus. From Route 104, turn on Fred Haynes Boulevard and follow to the end.

The gulls will show you the way there.