On a sunny day in late July, Kimmy and I finally had some time to visit the Lake Placid Farmers Market. Our weekends and weekdays busied up with work, researching land, attending conferences and visiting with family downstate did not give us a chance until now to patronize our local artisans at the farmers market.
Ashlee Kleinhammer whom I’ve read a great deal about on the Young Farmers Bootstrap blog, her North Country Creamery seems to be doing really well. Not only is she licensed to sell raw milk, she is making some delicious artisan cheeses. We bought the Couronne, a sharp tomme and a creamy Farmer’s cheese that I’m sure give her grass-fed Jersey cows a great sense of pride.
We tasted more cheese, this time goat cheese from Asgaard Farm & Dairy. Having already bought some cheese, we indulged in their Sea Salt Caramels. These salty sweet gems were recently featured on the Go Eat Give blog – so I will allow her to give the tasty details, namely because we too found them very addictive!
Abundance on display
“Always In Abundance” is the phrase I would use to describe Fledging Crow Vegetables where we bought some tasty swiss chard. We served it raw in salads and also lightly sautéed the chard with some organic purple garlic we scored in Maine that was sublime.
Equally abundant in her hand-thrown pottery, we also spent a while with Sue Young from Young’s Studio & Gallery. We talked about food and the other markets in the area. We had actually met her about ten years ago during the Jay Studio tour. Like all the vendors at the Lake Placid Farmers Market, she is very friendly and her passion shows in her craft.
Now when we start our bread business, I will be sure to collect a few of these behemoth beauties from Ken Gadway. Talk about kneading dough or serving up some fine food in one of these bowls – I would say they are a necessity for any true localvore.
What’s for dinner?
Always a hot topic at our house. This was solved by Harmony Hills Farmstead from Duane, NY. Michelle, pictured above, suggested to us to have one of her fresh free range chickens. After a quick google search for recipes, we decided to try a beer can (“beer butt” in some locales) BBQ-style recipe. I did a dry rub, put some pads of butter under the skin, and filled the beer can (a Magic Hat #9 as I figured some of that peach flavor would pair nicely with the spicy rub) with the rest of the rub and melted butter. Slowed cooked at 275° for about 3 hours, it was tender, moist and full of flavor.
Farmers’ market envy
Getting all these great offerings at the Lake Placid Farmers Market only makes me more “chomping at the bit” to get out there to market along side these kind folk. I am somewhat envious and we are trying our best to get out there. Anyone who regularly reads my blog knows that it hasn’t been for a lack of trying. But for now I’m doing the next best thing – supporting my local artisans and sharing in the great bounty!
