Anyone who reads this website, follows me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or knows anything about me, knows that I absolutely love farmers markets. They are a great place to learn about the local area, support small businesses, find new products and of course buy some of the freshest produce that doesn’t come from your own garden.
I was so excited when I heard about the new Spa City Farmers Market, in Saratoga Springs. In addition to bringing more opportunities for small businesses and others in the area to reach a new audience, it’s also dog friendly and was started by a group of women!
Last Sunday, at the urging of Tina, from Tina’s Hair Affair, who has been going since they opened, my dog Toby and I headed down to Saratoga to meet her and check it out.
It was amazing! Literally everything you would expect from a farmers market, and more. They not only had local produce, but had fresh-pressed juices, fresh meats, dog treats, local wine, local beers and more.
There were also a number of healthy items like fresh pressed juice, vegan peanut butter in every flavor you could imagine and fresh kombucha. Yup, fresh kombucha!
Although, I didn’t try any, the breads looks amazing, and the Toby seemed to love the homemade dog treats!
The two wineries and one brewery that were there, are ones I had never tried, so it was nice to be able to sample, and of course buy, some new bottles for my house. I love serving local beers and wines when people visit, because it gives them a chance to experience the amazing products that come out of New York State.
This market is a good size already, and is expected to grow every week. It’s absolutely worth checking out.
My favorite find that day, might have been the fresh mushrooms, which I have never seen at any farmers market. They were fabulous. I created a delicious vegan, gluten-free pasta dish with them, that you can find here: http://www.theadirondackchick.com/2013/07/shiitake-mushroom-lemon-wine-pasta.html
My mother stopped by here a week or two ago and came home with the most delicious mini pecan pies. They did not last long, to say the least!
jess
La Quaintrelle