Here is an ongoing compendium of area food events, as well as numerous kitchen tips and tricks that expound on information found in the Gazette’s Wednesday food section. Check back for additional postings and feel free to submit your own.
Reader comments are encouraged. Information should be sent to Gazette reporter Elysia Nest at nest@dailygazette.com.
Local food magazine launch
A new local food magazine called Culinary Celebrations will release its first issue next month. The 100-page, full-color glossy quarterly features local chefs, restaurants and recipes. Dale Miller, chef-general manager of The Inn at Erlowest in Lake George, is on the cover of the premiere issue. The cost is $9.95, and $2 from the purchase price of each copy sold will be donated to the Regional Food Bank.
Culinary Creations will be available starting the second week of June at area Price Chopper supermarkets, Barnes and Noble stores, The Book House in Stuyvesant Plaza and select food and beverage shops throughout the Capital Region.
A free launch party is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 19, at The Book House, 1475 Western Ave., Albany.
Unshad country barbecue
The annual Hudson River Shad Bake has been renamed the Unshad Country Barbecue this year because of concerns about overfishing and population declines of Hudson River shad.
The festivities are scheduled for 4:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday, May 25, at Kinderhook Farm, which raises grass-fed beef on more than 800 acres in Valatie.
Among the food offerings are greens from the Farm at Miller’s Crossing, Kinderhook Farm beef, cheeses from Hawthorne Valley Farm and Coach Farm, locally raised pork and more. Demonstrations using locally grown products will be presented by Beth’s Farm Kitchen, the Hudson-Chatham Winery and others.
Exhibits, demonstrations and lecturers will include alpacas, birds, New York State Wildlife Pathologist Ward Stone, hands-on activities for children including a petting farm, and, for adults, fly-tying, stone arch building and blacksmithing.
All-inclusive tickets cost $70 ($40 for ages 16 to 20; $10 for kids 6 to 15) and are available by calling 392-5252.
The event, now in its 18th year, is sponsored by Columbia Land Conservancy. The nonprofit agency works with property owners and communities in Columbia County to protect wildlife habitat, farmland and rural open space and advocates for controlled development.
Cheese stands alone
Coach Farm, the Columbia County-based farm and artisinal goat cheese producer, was recently honored at the 2008 World Championship Cheese Contest, which is sponsored by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association.
A panel of international judges named Coach Farm’s Triple Cream Wheel as Best of Class in the Surface (Mold) Ripened Goat’s Milk Cheeses category.
Coach Farm goat cheeses are available at some local restaurants, including Max London’s Restaurant & Bar in Saratoga Springs and Nicole’s Bistro in Albany.
The Triple Cream Cheese Wheel has been in the winner’s circle before, taking first place at the American Cheese Society awards in 2006 and earning a finalist spot at the 2003 National Association for the Specialty Food Trade awards.
Fly Creek events
The Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard, just northwest of Cooperstown, is open for its 152nd season and has expanded its previous “Taste of Fly Creek Series” events devoted to tasting specialty foods. Many of the items for tasting are grown or processed within the state.
The mill is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.
Here is part of the summer lineup. All events are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
— May 24 and 25: "Grilling 101." The Mill’s Chef Tom will be featuring the Mill’s Apple Cinnamon and Vidalia Onion Barbecue Sauces and a Merlot Steak Sauce. Rubs and meat baths will also be demonstrated as an easy way to add flavor to grilled meats. Recipes and promotions are available. Sampling hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
— June 1: "Danger, Men Cooking." Barbecue, steak and wussy hot sauces will be sampled with special promotions on the entire grilling line.
— June 8: "Fresh Cheese Curds." Palatine Valley Dairy will provide a focused tasting of New York State cheese curds. Learn how these snacks are made during the cheddaring process and sample flavors such as garlic and herb, horseradish and jalapeno flavors.
— June 14 and 15: "Father’s Day Grilling." The Mill’s Chef Tom will be serving Robert Rothschild Farm’s grilling with sauces and marinades as a special treat for Father’s Day.
— June 21: "Finishing Touches." Bittersweet Herb Farm will present Chef Randy for a focused tasting of their flavorful finishing sauces. Learn how these sauces add flavor to many dishes with simple recipes.
— July 4, 5 and 6: "Hot Fourth of July." Five of the Mill’s top selling hot sauces will be featured along with holiday recipe ideas that will spice up any picnic. Learn how to make spicy chicken strips and hot wings.
— July 12 and 13: "Dipz, Rubs & Soups." Known for its fun packaging and flavor packed dips, Cugino’s Specialty Foods will be the focused tasting featuring seven dips and meats grilled with their rubs. Easy to prepare and even easier to enjoy, the dips are perfect for a summer picnic and party.
— July 19 and 20: "Rub with Love Weekend." Pacific Coast Chef and cookbook author Tom Douglas’ rubs are both a fun and flavorful focus of this special tasting. Enjoy learning how to grill salmon with added rub flavor.
— July 26 and 27: "Barbecue Bath." A focused tasting of Fly Creek marinades and barbecue baths. Sauces to brine and flavor meats before grilling will be sampled and paired with the Mill’s Hard Ciders for a fun summertime tasting.
Poach it up
Spring’s delicate produce means it is time to re-introduce poaching to your kitchen repertoire after all those months of braising and roasting. Poaching is best defined as cooking in water over low heat, slightly lower than a simmer. You want small bubbles to appear around the outside of the pan, but they shouldn’t break violently. Poach foods, like fish, chicken, fruit or out-of-shell eggs, which you wouldn’t want to boil, as the rapid heat of boiling would cause them to toughen up and become unpleasant to eat.
Foods can be poached in anything from water to broth to wine to butter. One of the major rewards of poaching is the gently flavored broth that results from longer poaches; once the food is removed, the broth can either be reduced and used for sauces, or used as is for a soup base.
Where to imbibe before
you die
All About Beer Magazine has compiled a list of “125 Places to Have a Beer Before You Die.”
Coming in at 19th are the clubhouse box seats at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, the best showing among New York places. Others on the list from around New York State include:
34. Spuyten Duyvil, Brooklyn
48. Blue Tusk, Syracuse
65. F.X. Matt Brewery Tasting Room, Utica
86. Brewery Ommegang, Milford, near Cooperstown
98. Clark’s Ale House, Syracuse
99. Mahar’s, Albany.
102. McSorley’s Ale House, Manhattan
116. Anchor Bar (home of the original Buffalo wings), Buffalo
Return of rhubarb
Rhubarb is starting to make its way into the market right now. While it’s an obvious choice for dessert, be it in a pie, crumble or crisp (and on its own or with strawberries) it’s also fantastic with richer, savory meats like pork chops, game or grilled sausages.
Buy thinner, brightly colored stalks that are firm but not dried out at the ends. There shouldn’t be any leaves; if there are, cut them off before cooking, then slice the stalks horizontally (against the grain). Even if you’re going savory, you’ll need to add quite a bit of sugar, as rhubarb can be quite acidic — or try cooking it down with ginger and star anise for an easy, complex condiment.
Spice of life
Setting up a spice cabinet for the first time? Or just ready to spring clean your old one? Here are the herbs and spices the experts say are must-haves for every home cook.
— Basil
Fresh basil is best for pesto and salads, but dried basil is excellent for slow-cooked dishes, such as stews and casseroles, says Ian Hemphill, author of “The Spice and Herb Bible.”
Dried basil also is a staple for Italian foods, such as tomato sauces and soups, as well as pizza and garlic bread.
— Bay
Bay leaves add a complex, earthy flavor to chicken soup, tomato, and seafood dishes. It’s also the secret ingredient for French bouquets garnis, Indian garam masala, many Italian and Turkish recipes, and even a good bloody Mary mix. Buy the leaves whole to simmer and remove, or grind them to a powder as needed.
— Chilies
Every good cook needs at least one jar of pure chili powder or flakes. Cayenne and red pepper flakes are the most popular. Chili adds kick to any dish, whether the cuisine is Mexican, Thai, Korean, Indian, Tex-Mex or North African.
— Chili Powder
This blend of chili, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, paprika and other ingredients is great for seasoning tacos, bean chili, fajitas, meat, steak and many other Southwestern and Mexican favorites.
— Cinnamon
Sweet cinnamon is essential for American baking, but also makes an appearance in almost every region of Asian cuisine, Indian curries and masalas, Moroccan tagines, Mexican chocolate, tea blends, and as an accent in Cajun dishes.
Powerful cassia cinnamon is the preferred version in America. Seek out true “vera” cinnamon for a more delicate, sweet seasoning. Vietnamese cinnamon offers intense flavors.
— Cloves
This potent American cookie and pastry spice crosses as many borders as cinnamon. Cloves appear in many spice blends, including curry and masalas, Chinese five-spice powder, and those used for mulling, tagines, chai and pickling.
Take a hint from the French and simmer half an onion stuffed with cloves in meat stews or soups, suggests Aliza Green, author of “Field Guide to Herbs & Spices.” Remove before serving for a subtle clove flavor.
— Cumin
Cumin is a crucial savory spice for Mexican, Tex-Mex, Indian, Middle Eastern, Indonesian and North African cooking, says Amanda Bevill, owner of World Spice Merchants in Seattle. The seeds can be used whole to infuse rice dishes and breads or ground for stews and chili.
— Curry Powder
True Indian cooks prefer to create their own blends of spices for curry, but prepared blends have become a staple for Westerners looking to replicate Indian dishes. It provides instant flavor and brilliant color to rice, stews, sauteed onions, and, of course, curries.
This blend often includes coriander, cumin, chili, turmeric, ginger, mustard, as well as some sweeter spices such as fenugreek, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Blends vary widely according to region, dish or manufacturer.
— Ginger
This rhizome provides warmth to American baking recipes, Asian stir-fries, Jamaican jerk, barbecue blends, and Indian curry and tandoori mixes. Dried ginger is much more pungent and hot than minced or grated fresh ginger, which has a milder, almost lemony flavor.
— Paprika
This mild, bright red chili pepper comes in numerous varieties. The classic sweet Hungarian paprika is a central ingredient in goulash and an accent for tuna salad and deviled eggs. It also plays a pivotal role in Mexican, Cajun, Middle Eastern and Moroccan cuisine. Try smoked paprika to add deep, savory notes to your cooking.
— Nutmeg
Just a bit of freshly grated nutmeg complements almost any recipe where cinnamon also is used. It provides complex, sweet vanilla-like undertones to baked goods and ethnic cuisines. It’s best to buy nutmeg whole, then grate as needed.
— Oregano or Marjoram
Oregano and marjoram are used widely in Mediterranean and European cuisine. Pungent oregano is a critical ingredient in southern Italian and American recipes, such as pizza, pasta, meatloaf and roasts.
Marjoram — a sweet, mild variation on oregano — is popular in subtler French cuisine including stuffing, poultry, egg, fish, and vegetable dishes.
— Rosemary
This savory, resinous herb is used in European and American cuisines. It goes well with many types of meat, including game, poultry, and lamb; poultry stuffing; potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and squash; zucchini and eggplant; and quick breads. Dried rosemary needs long cooking in liquid or baked goods to soften.
— Thyme
While thyme does not have the same cross-cultural range as other herbs and spices, it still plays an important roll in traditional French, Italian and American dishes. It’s a critical ingredient in bouquet garni, herbes de Provence and Italian blends for use in meat rubs, roasts, poultry and stuffing, tomato-based dishes, soups, stews, and potatoes.
You’ve stocked up on the basics, so now it’s time to splurge. Here are some herbs and spices for adding an eclectic — or just more worldly — touch to your spice cabinet.
— Cardamom
Sometimes call the “Queen of Spices” in India, cardamom is used in sweet and savory blends for Danish pastries, desserts and sweet baked goods, rice, chai tea and curries. Try adding a pinch of cardamom to homemade cranberry sauce for a sophisticated, sweet note.
— Coriander
While coriander — the round, tan seed of the cilantro plant — is rare in American cooking, it’s a staple in African, Australian, Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern and Mexican cuisines. Toss a teaspoon of ground coriander into meat rubs and stews for an earthly, lemony flavor.
— Fennel
The sweet anise-like flavor of these seeds provide a distinctive taste to Italian sausages and meat, Indian curries, Asian dishes, Cajun blends, and American and European baked goods. Try a teaspoon of whole fennel seeds sauteed with Italian herbs in ground beef, turkey or sausage for a meat marinara.
— Grains of Paradise
This West African spice is increasingly popular with fusion chefs as an alternative to black pepper. “These little seeds pack an exotic pepper-like kick that goes brilliantly with game,” says Ian Hemphill, author of "The Spice and Herb Bible."
— Juniper Berries
Piney tasting juniper berries — which give gin its distinctive flavor — complement wild game as well as duck, lamb, pork and fish. Use a few whole berries in beef stew or pot roast.
— Mustard Seeds
These tiny round seeds are a staple of western and southern Indian cooking. Ground mustard’s hot flavor is called on for curry, baked beans, barbecue sauce and pickled vegetables.
— Ras el Hanout
This increasingly popular, complex Arabic blend of herbs and spices seasons Middle Eastern and West African lamb, game, tagine, and couscous dishes. Try it on grilled flatbread brushed with olive oil.
— Saffron
Purchase only whole crocus stigmas to ensure quality for this often adulterated and extremely expensive spice. Only a few threads are needed to infuse dishes with a bittersweet flavor and brilliant orange-red color. It is common in Spanish, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes, including paella and many rice dishes.
— Star Anise
Exotic-looking whole star anise seedpods can be infused in dishes and removed before serving for its sweet licorice flavor. It’s essential in Asian cuisine and the primary ingredient in Chinese five-spice powder. For a sweet stir-fry, add one or two whole stars to the oil as it heats. Remove the stars before serving.
— Turmeric
This spice is often misunderstood as just being a coloring, says Hemphill. While turmeric does impart bright yellow color to any dish, it also provides a warm, earthy base for Indian and Thai curries. Add a pinch to poultry-based soups for subtle flavor and golden color.
— Vanilla
No, not the extract. Whole beans amp up the sweet, creamy vanilla flavor in ways an extract can’t. Use it in desserts including ice cream, creme brulee, baked goods and homemade sweet liqueurs. Keep a few whole beans in your sugar canister to infuse extra flavor.
