PROFILE ARCHIVES

Beechwood House Originals
The Birkett Mills
The Brooklyn Brewery
Brewery Ommegang
Byrne Dairy
Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York
Clarendon Cheesecakes
Faery's Nursery
Flying Pigs Farm
Grandpa Martin’s Gourmet Pickles
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards & Winery
Henry J. Seagroatt Co.
Jack's Oyster House
John B. Martin & Sons Farms
Kreher’s Poultry Farms
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars
Laughing Duck Farm
Mercer’s Dairy
Merrit Estate
Morgia’s Pasta
Mindys
Nelson Farms
New York State Maple Producers Association
O.K. Food Products
Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards
The Quaker Bonnet
The Rogowski Farm
Sackets Harbor
Saratoga Rose Inn
Saratoga Sweets
Singer Farms
Tierra Farm
Yancey’s Fancy

Beechwood House Originals

About 40 years ago, Lynn Fabian began making her own sauce because she didn’t like the prominent hickory flavor in sauces she purchased. Adapting ingredients from the labels of the store-bought variety, she created marinades for fish, poultry and meat.

Two years ago, Lynn’s daughter, Joyce Kiernan, saw a segment on the Oprah Winfrey Show about stay-at-home moms developing their own businesses. Eager to try starting up a business, Joyce remembered her mom’s recipe. The result: Beechwood House Originals, named from memories of Lynn’s youth, spent with her grandparents in the Beechwood House, a Victorian boarding house in Sullivan County.

It didn’t take long for the business to grow to the point where the sauces could no longer be made in Lynn’s kitchen. Today, Beechwood House Originals of Monroe (Orange County) offer fives types of sauces created by Lynn: Original, Hot, Extra Hot, Horseradish and Ginger Wasabi. And, they’re processed and packaged by fellow Pride of New York member, Nelson Farms, part of SUNY Morrisville.

For more information, visit www.beechwoodhouse.com or call 845-782-8454.

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The Birkett Mills

The Birkett Mills, located on Main Street in the Village of Penn Yan (Yates County) was established in 1797 on the banks of Keuka Lake. The mill has been in continuous operation for more than 200 years and today is the world’s leading producer of buckwheat products. Products made at the Main Street plant are shipped throughout the United States, Canada, South America and Western Europe.

Buckwheat is typically identified with pancake flour. Today, The Birkett Mills manufacture a wide array of products including Pocono Foods (including gluten-free and organically grown flour), Wolff’s Kasha (roasted buckwheat kernels), groats and a variety of buckwheat products including pancake mixes and cream of buckwheat.

All of The Birkett Mills’ buckwheat products are certified USDA organic – grown without pesticides or herbicides. Nothing but buckwheat is added during processing and packaging, making the products additive-free.

Their Wolff’s Kasha products are certified kosher by the Union of Orthodox Rabbis.

Buckwheat was one of the first crops to be cultivated in the United States when Dutch colonists brought the crop and planted it along the Hudson River. Today, buckwheat is grown primarily in Northern states, including New York, and is used extensively in Eastern European and Oriental cuisine.

Visitors to the Penn Yan area are invited to stop by to purchase products "fresh from the mill.” For more information on The Birkett Mills and their products, call 315-536-3311 or visit www.thebirkettmills.com.

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The Brooklyn Brewery

For Steve Hindy, home brewing was a hobby. His neighbor, Tom Potter, enjoyed the results when the two watched the Mets’ games in Steve’s Park Slope apartment.

In 1988, Steve (a journalist) convinced Tom (a banker) that the two of them should quit their jobs and start a brewery in Brooklyn. Thus, The Brooklyn Brewery was born with its first product, Brooklyn Lager, bottled by F.X. Matt in Utica.

In 1994, Steve and Tom brought in respected Brewmaster Garrett Oliver to design a new brewery in Williamsburg, an area of Brooklyn rich in brewing tradition. Two years later, they opened The Brooklyn Brewery and began producing a full line of award-winning beers including East India Pale Ale, Brooklyn Brown Ale, Blanche de Brooklyn and Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. In 2005, they won the Gold Medal at the Brewers Association’s Great American Beer Festival in Denver for their French-Belgian-style Saison de Brooklyn.

At its home in Brooklyn, the brewery has a Tasting Room that is open on Friday evenings and offers tours every Saturday. Their location on North 11 th Street is known as Brewer’s Row, a tribute to them and a reminder of a time in the late 1800s when Brooklyn was one of the largest brewing centers in the country.

For more information about The Brooklyn Brewery, visit www.brooklynbrewery.com or call 718-486-7422.

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Brewery Ommegang

The birthplace of baseball also has become home to Brewery Ommegang, with its motto: “Where brewing is an art and partaking is a passion.”
Located in Cooperstown (Otsego County), this unique microbrewery began in 1997 and was the first farmstead brewery to be built in the United States in more than a century. Located on a 140-acre former hop farm, Brewery Ommegang has increased production of its bottle-aged brews during its first decade of operation from about 2,800 barrels of ale to 6,500.
Ommegang has been called “a beer geek’s mecca” and its products have won critical acclaim and a national following.
Ommegang (named after a Belgian festival commemorating a returning king) brews five award-winning ales that are distributed in 34 states. The Belgian-style ales are Rare Vos Amber Ale Ommegang, Hennepin Saison Farmhouse Ale, Three Philosophers Quadrupel Belgian Style Ale and Ommegang White.
For more information, visit www.ommegange.com.

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Byrne Dairy

In 1933, Matthew V. Byrne started a dairy business in Syracuse (Onondaga County). Since those early days when Byrne Dairy made home deliveries to customers with horse-drawn wagons, the company has continued to expand and change with the times. As a family-owned manufacturer and distributor of milk, dairy and ice cream products, Byrne has always been ready to meet and exceed customer needs. Today, more than 150 independent farms supply the milk for Byrne Dairy and the company’s production facilities turn out more than 500 products each week.

Home milk delivery ended in 1977 and Byrne sought new avenues to accommodate their customers. They began Byrne Dairy Stores, a growing chain of convenience stores throughout Central New York. Byrne dairy products are also featured in numerous retail outlets.

Today, Byrne Dairy is operated by the third generation of the family, with President Bill Byrne and Vice President Mark Byrne crediting their employees for the company’s successes.

In 2004, Byrne won the AllStar Dairy Association’s "Dairy of the Year Award," given annually to a company that has "set itself apart" in areas of product quality, service, advertising, innovation and community service. The dairy also received the "Exceeding Industry Standards" for its operations at the fluid plant. The AllStar membership represents close to 258 plants in 43 states.

With award-winning products bearing the Pride of New York emblem – from butter to milk and ice cream – Byrne Dairy proudly stays true to its motto, "Milk is Mighty-Fine."

For more information on Byrne Dairy products, call 800-899-1535, or visit www.byrnedairy.com.

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Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York

Originally founded in 1953, the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York continues to keep its members up to date on the latest developments in the industry while providing New York’s families with a wide variety of fresh trees to enjoy.

With more than 32,000 acres of Christmas trees and close to 1,700 Christmas tree farmers in New York, the State ranks 5 th in the nation in Christmas tree production. The trees grown and harvested in the State provide environmental and economic benefits for local families and communities, with sales of $19.6 million in 2003 alone.

New York State’s Christmas tree farmers raise a variety of trees for consumers – from Austrian Pine to White Spruce.

Whether purchased on a lot or at a cut-your-own farm, the Association offers these tips to enjoy a fresh tree to the fullest.

• To help the tree retain moisture after it is taken home, cut one-quarter inch off the base of the trunk. Keep the tree outdoors in a container of water and protect it from the wind and sun until ready to decorate.
• Before bringing the tree inside, make another fresh cut a minimum of one-quarter inch off the base of the trunk. This reopens the tree stem so it can take water immediately. Place it in a stand with fresh water. Do not allow the water level to drop below the fresh cut or the stem will reseal.
• Remember, trees are very thirsty and may drink from 2 pints to 1 gallon of water a day. Use a stand with 1-gallon capacity or more. Check the water level daily and supply fresh water as needed.

For more information about where to buy and how to enjoy a fresh New York State Christmas tree, visit www.christmastreesny.org or call 315-754-8132.

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Clarendon Cheesecakes

Encouraged by her husband to begin a business making cheesecake from her special recipe, Debbie Patt began Clarendon Cheesecakes in Holley (Orleans County) in late 2000.

A member of the Pride of New York Program, Debbie’s work, dedication and ingenuity has made her cheesecake company famous. When the company held a Cheesecake Eating Contest to benefit the Rochester Epilepsy Foundation, it led to The “Today” Show asking for some sugar-free cheesecakes to feature in a broadcast.

Clarendon Cheesecakes are now offered in 70 flavors including the traditional New York Style and a wide variety of other choices – from Apricot Swirl and Apple Streusel to German Chocolate and White Chocolate Raspberry. Each cheesecake is handmade using fresh cream cheese, farm fresh eggs, real cream and pure vanilla.

In addition to the traditional and sugar-free cheesecakes, Clarendon Cheesecakes also offer organic and dairy-free cheesecakes (made with soy-based cream cheese).

For more information, or to order a cheesecake made with the special recipe that has made Clarendon Cheescakes so well known, visit the website www.clarendoncheesecakes.com or call 1-866-74C-Cake.

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Faery’s Nursery

When Jack Faery began Faery’s Nursery in Ransomville (Niagara County) in 1966, he had two goals:

• To grow and sell the highest quality plant materials.



• To offer superior landscape design and installation services throughout Western New York.

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Flying Pigs Farm

Jennifer Small and Michael Yezzi didn’t start out to raise pigs in the Battenkill River Valley. The husband and wife team had two master’s degrees and a law degree between them.

Then in 2000, they purchased “three little pink pigs” to raise pork for themselves, sharing the meat with family and friends. Several years and hundreds of pigs later, the couple raises only heritage pig breeds – Larges Blacks, Gloucestershire Old Spots and Tamworths – breeds that are quite rare. In doing so, they hope to create a market for their pork to help to ensure the future of these very old breeds. The hardiness of these breeds is important since the pigs are outside year-round –
 grazing on pasture, foraging in the woods and rooting in the snow in the winter.
           

The pork from Flying Pigs Farm (Washington County), the couple will quickly tell you, isn’t like store-purchased pork. The varied diets of the humanely raised pigs yield pork that is moist and has a finer grain than supermarket pork.
         

  “A pork roast from Flying Pigs Farm is a revelation. It has a wonderful, rich flavor and satiny, buttery texture,” Business Week reported.
Jennifer and Michael market their products throughout their local area and at the Greenmarkets in New York City. They also sell to several New York City restaurants, including the Savoy and Mas.
The pork products from Flying Pigs Farm – including sun-dried tomato and chardonnay sausage, hormone-free and antibiotic-free center-cut pork chops, smoked chops, bacon, tenderloin, spareribs, and more – are available to consumers on their website, www.flyingpigsfarm.com.

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Grandpa Martin’s Gourmet Pickles

For more than 50 years, family and friends in Rochester have been enjoying the pickles Grandpa Robert Martin made.

“As children around the Christmas dinner table, we would fight over who would get the last of Grandpa’s sweet pickles,” said grandson Ryan Martin.

In 1999, Ryan decided to do something about his grandfather’s pickle recipes – share them with the world! After receiving his college degree in business administration, Ryan met Steve Pisa, now his partner in pickling. And a new business was born.

“I told Steve that I wanted to pack the pickles for people everywhere. Steve thought we should give it a try and made room in the basement of his Rochester home to get us started,” said Ryan.

Today, Grandpa Martin’s Gourmet Pickles are in stores across the United States. The pickle varieties are Grandpa’s Sweet Original, Garlic, Onion and Dill, and Hot Habanero.

“No pickle comes close. And, our customers tell us that they are the best in the world,” Ryan said, with a sense of family pride.

Today, the taste of the Martin Family’s prized pickles is available for worldwide enjoyment via two websites – www.nystyledeli.com and www.americanspice.com.

Or, for more information, call 585-594-3162.

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Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards & Winery

 Viticulture has been in the veins of the Hazlitt family for more than 150 years.
David and Clarissa Hazlitt purchased the original 153 acres of land in the hamlet of Hector on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake (Schuyler County) in 1852. In those days, the property’s produce from its fruit trees and vineyards was shipped by wagon, boat and the ever-expanding railroad. In 1860, the demand for Hazlitt grapes increased with the opening of the Great Western Winery in Hammondsport.
More than a century later in 1984, the late Jerry Hazlitt and his wife, Elaine, started the winery. Jerry was an ardent home winemaker and desired to share the fruits of his labors with family and friends.  Today, Elaine and sixth-generation Doug Hazlitt and Leigh Hazlitt Triner, operate a growing winery that garners national and international attention with some outstanding vintages.
Doug has responsibility for daily production operations. Elaine serves as company president and assures that the business expands the heritage and traditions of the family. Their combination of adept winemaking skills and genuine hospitality are shared with anyone who visits their rustic tasting room filled with antique tools, Native American  artifacts and memorabilia.
“We make some complex vinifera vintages,” says Leigh, the Winery’s chief financial officer. These include Dry Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. In 2006, their New York Port took Best of Show at the New York State Fair and their 2005 Homestead Reserve Riesling garnered the gold medal.
“But people also enjoy sweet blends or a fun bottle of our Red Cat,” said Leigh. Red Cat is a Hazlitt family tradition, a well-known semi-sweet blend of Catawba and Baco Noir.
            For more information or to make reservations, visit www.hazlitt.com.

Henry J. Seagroatt Co.

The harvest season never ends at the Henry J. Seagroatt Co. Located in Berlin (Rensselaer County), there are seven acres with more than 300,000 square feet of climate-controlled greenhouses full of color and fragrance. A family business since 1927, Seagroatt’s continues a tradition of offering consumers high-quality, New York-grown flowers.

On any given week, almost 70,000 flowers – including Snapdragons, Lilies, Tulips, Gerbera Daisies, Dahlias, Roses, Spray Roses, Stephanotis and Alstroemeria – leave the greenhouses. From Berlin, they’re enroute to countless florists throughout the Northeast.

Watching over the greenhouses that yield a million flowers each year is the third generation of his family, Stephen Riccardi. “In my high school yearbook, I wrote that I wanted to grow the perfect rose,” Riccardi said, while walking a virtual rainbow of roses in the greenhouse. “I love what I do,” he said, pointing out new varieties that are gaining in popularity.

Seagroatt’s is the largest producer of cut flowers east of the Rocky Mountains. Riccardi said they have witnessed many fellow growers leave the industry because of stiff competition from foreign imports.

“I’m very proud of what we have and of our ability for diversification. And, I’m proud of our dedicated employees,” said Steve.

For more information, call Henry J. Seagroatt Co., at 1-518-658-2729.

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Chef Dale Miller, CMC, AAC
Jack’s Oyster House

Chef Dale Miller, CMC, AAC
Jack’s Oyster House

            Ten years ago, Dale Miller became one of only 61 Certified Master Chefs in the United States. Today, he is executive chef and managing partner of downtown Albany’s legendary Jack’s Oyster House (Albany County) since 1997.
            Chef Miller’s philosophy is to create fresh and honest food, using the highest quality ingredients. He believes cooking is an art form that expresses not only individual personality, but also love that comes from the heart to create a culinary masterpiece. His Progressive American Cuisine is imbued with international overtones.
At age 26, Chef Miller opened and operated the ultra-gourmet Stone Ends Restaurant in Glenmont.  After 12 years, he combined his talents with those of Brad Rosenstein to create new dining traditions at Jack’s, an Albany landmark established in 1913.
            Under Chef Miller’s direction, Jack’s customers may choose selections from the restaurant’s traditional 1913 menu (Manhattan clam chowder, shrimp or lobster Newburg) or more contemporary, fusion-style dishes – every day of the year.  Chef Miller also has Jack’s purchasing more of New York State’s produced meat, cheese and produce. Together with Mr. Rosenstein, the pair has introduced private-label wines including a Chardonnay and a Merlot from Long Island. Jack’s was inducted into the Nation’s Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame in 2005.
Chef Miller is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. This year, he was bestowed a lifetime membership in the Honorable Society of the Golden Toque – the highest recognition a chef can receive in America. He also has been inducted into the American Academy of Chefs, the largest and most prestigious organization dedicated to professional chefs in the United States.
Chef Miller was born in Tribes Hill (Montgomery County) and graduated with high honors in 1979 from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park (Dutchess County). He currently serves as a Fellow of the CIA. 
For more information, visit www.jacksoysterhouse.com.

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John B. Martin & Sons Farms

The Martin family has been farming in upstate New York since 1919. Today, with three generations of Martins overseeing production on the 3,000-acre operation in Brockport (Monroe County), Martin Farms is one of western New York's largest and best-equipped growers, packers and shippers of cabbage for storage and fresh market. The farm also grows apples, dry beans, acorn and butternut squash.
Martin Farms ships produce every day of the year and averages 15 to 20 loads a week, much of it hauled in their own fleet of refrigerated trucks. Customers include major processors and food handlers located from New York City to Chicago and beyond. 
Martin Farms works closely with Cornell University to stay on top of changes in farm technology and horticultural practices.  The farm features common, cold and controlled-storage warehouses that can hold up to 15,000 tons of produce.
Part of the fresh-cut industry since 1995, Martin Farms processes up to 40,000 pounds of squash each week for the retail market, packaged in cartons of whole squash, fresh-cut retail packs and foodservice packs.  Their Martin Farms Golden Acres label boasts, “Our Squash is A-Peeling.”  
Martin Farms is a member of the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, the Leafy Greens Council, and the International Fresh-Cut Produce Association (IFPA). For more information, visit www.martinfarms.com.

Kreher’s Poultry Farms

Kreher’s Poultry Farms, in Clarence (Erie County), is one of New York State’s largest poultry farms and a recognized industry leader in health, food safety and organic farming.

Founded in 1924, Kreher’s is a third-generation family farm with over 625,000 laying hens. The farm raises pullets, operates a feed mill and raises a variety of grain crops. Kreher’s Farm also grows almost 3,000 acres of organic crops, making it one of the largest organic farms in New York State.

Kreher’s has been producing and marketing Eggland’s Best Eggs since 1993. Today, Kreher’s is working in the industry to produce better and safer eggs, in conjunction with New York State’s regulatory agencies and Cornell University.

The farm serves retail and restaurant businesses throughout western and central New York, including Wegmans, Tops, P&C, and Giant Foods (Binghamton).

In 2002, Kreher’s was named Producer of the Year by the United Egg Producers and received the Business of the Year 2003 from the New York State Agricultural Society.

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Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars

Headquartered in a Greek Revival building overlooking Seneca Lake, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars offers estate-bottled vinifera wines in Lodi (Seneca County).

The original vineyards are on land recognized in the 1800s as ideal for grape cultivation. Superior soil content, gently sloping hills, and proximity to the deep waters of Seneca Lake are all considered important components in the production of first-class grapes needed to yield first-class wines.
Established in 1990, Lamoreaux Landing’s owner, Mark Wagner, comes from a grape-growing family and has spent his entire life working with grapes.

Today, he uses his experience to cultivate European vinifera grape varieties to produce premium, award-winning wines.
In 2005, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars continued to add to their numerous national and international competitive awards. Their 2002 Chardonnay won a Double Gold and Best of Class in the 2005 New York Wine & Food Classic. The winery’s 2002 Riesling Ice Wine won a Double Gold and Best of Class out of 3,600 entries in the 2005 Indy International Wine Competition.

Lamoreaux Landing offers an exceptional selection of fine wines in an unforgettable setting – a setting chosen by New York State Governor George E. Pataki in 2005 when he signed legislation into law permitting the direct interstate shipment of wine in New York State. 
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars is open all year for tours, tastings and sales. For more information, call 607-582-6011 or visit www.lamoreauxwine.com.

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Laughing Duck Farm

Eve and Don McCormick had been gardening for many years. They used only sustainable organic practices to produce most of the food they grew, which they shared with family, friends and neighbors. It was their desire to have fresh vegetables year-round that led them to become keenly interested in greenhouse technology. Today, they have what they consider to be the ideal, sustainable, year-round growing system at Laughing Duck Farm in Westport (Essex County).

Their farm was established in 2003 and raises fresh fish, herbs and a wide variety of microgreens. Six additional employees and the use of hydroponics and aquaponics allows the McCormicks to grow year-round in an environment that uses the ecological connections between the plants and the fish they raise.

Laughing Duck Farm utilizes a 4,000-square-foot greenhouse as the main infrastructure on the farm. The greenhouse is powered by the force of the Boquet River Falls and uses 4,000 gallons of fish culture and 3,000 square feet of field in a multi-tiered layout based in the principles of permaculture. Permaculture focuses on designs for small-scale intensive growing systems that use biological resources rather than fossil fuels.

The farm raises Tilapia – a firm, white fish with a mild taste that is the second most-popular fish in the world. Laughing Duck Farm also raises fresh-cut natural herbs, specialty greens and 30 types of microgreens – from China Rose Radishes, Purple Kohlrabi and Popcorn Shoots, to Baby Basil and Red Russian Kale.

Laughing Duck Farm delivers fresh Tilapia to restaurants and their website features a Chef’s Web Garden that invites chefs to create their own garden choices for delivery of favorite fresh specialty herbs and microgreens.

For more information about Laughing Duck Farm, visit www.laughingduckfarm.com.

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Merritt Estate

Merritt Estate Winery, in Forestville, was the first farm winery organized in Chautauqua County when the Farm Winery Act was passed in 1976. William T. Merritt turned the small vineyard and homestead that dates back to the 19th century into a fully functioning winery in the largest grape-growing region of New York State. 
            In 1998, his son, Jason C. Merritt, joined the family operation. Today, the father and son team devote their time and energy into producing quality fruit for their award-winning wines. The Merritts harvest, crush and ferment local grapes under the highest standards in order to produce fine wines. At the 2006 New York Wine & Food Festival in Canandaigua, five of Merritt Estates wines won awards. Taking the gold was their Chambourein – a dry, full-bodied, oak-aged red. Three silver medals also were garnered, including one for their Cabernet Franc, another for their Merlot and a third for their Bella Rosa, a sweet Lambrusco-style red wine. Taking a bronze medal was Merritt’s Late Harvest Delaware. This year, Bella Rosa won a gold medal and was nominated for Best of Show at the 24th Annual San Diego Wine Competition. At the winery on the Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail, visitors are encouraged to tour their facility and the vineyards and enjoy a glass of wine in the on-site Hospitality Room. Merritt Estate is open all year offering free tours and tasting. For more information, visit www.merrittestatewinery.com.

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Mindy’s Restaurant

Manhattan Restaurant Introduces New Menu Showcasing New York State Products

Mindy’s Restaurant, located inside the renowned New York Helmsley Hotel (New York County), recently unveiled a new menu featuring creative dishes inspired by and made with New York State products. Executive Chef John Walsh and Food and Beverage Director Rafael Riquelme developed the New York-centric menu, and purchase all ingredients from New York State farms and purveyors, including many Pride of New York members. The menu is complemented by a lengthy wine list offering diners more than 40 wines from New York State vineyards—one of the most extensive selections offered by a restaurant in New York City.

Chef Walsh, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a native New Yorker, is actively involved in the Pride Program and recently participated in the “Celebrating Great Taste: Pride of New York 10th Anniversary Food and Wine Festival.”

“Using only New York products, we’ve designed a dining experience that will continually evolve to fit the season and allow us to highlight regional specialties,” said Chef Walsh. “We wanted New Yorkers, as well as visitors from out of state, to be aware of all the incredible products -- from locally grown produce and syrups to pasta and baked goods ­-- that can be found right here in New York State.”

Mindy’s signature dishes featuring Pride of New York products include:

• Salmon River Salad with freshly caught salmon from the eastern region of Lake Ontario
• Roasted Saddle of Venison from Millbrook Venison Farms in Millbrook, served with wild huckleberry chutney
• New York State American Lamb from Mountain State Rosen Lamb and Veal in the Bronx, served with warm berries
• Hudson Valley Farms Foie Gras, Lobster and Papaya Salad with goat cheese produced by Coach Farms in Ferndale  
• New York Hereford shell steak from Gagliardi Farms in Poughkeepsie, served on Mindy’s exclusive “Pretzel Bread Baguette” invented and produced daily by Chef Walsh.  
• New York State Apple Crisp served with Five Borough’s Ice Cream from Astoria

Mindy's is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The New York Helmsley Hotel is located at 212 E. 42nd Street. For information, call 212-490-8900 or go to newyorkhelmsley.com.

Mercer’s Dairy

In 1951, Earl Mercer purchased a dairy farm in Boonville (Oneida County) with a milk plant and a two-and-a-half gallon ice cream machine. By 1963, Earl, Robert and James Mercer, along with Harlan Belllinger, had become partners in an equal-share corporation named Mercer’s Dairy Inc. They opened stores in Boonville, Stokes and Lyons Falls.

Throughout the years, the business continued to grow and Mercer’s ice cream became a North Country favorite.

In 2002, the now widely known Mercer’s Dairy was purchased by Quality Dairy Farms, Inc., a group of nine Lewis and Jefferson County dairy farm families who were looking for an outlet for their milk.

Mercer’s, under Quality Dairy Farms’ ownership, continues to provide its customers with the great tastes they have enjoyed through generations, including 36 flavors of ice cream that are distributed to more than 300 outlets in northern New York.

“The difference between our ice cream and many other brands is similar to the difference between eating a packaged chocolate chip cookie and your mother’s chocolate chip cookie,” said Mercer’s Marketing Director, Roxaina Hurlburt.

In their Boonville store, Mercer’s Dairy carries not only ice cream, but also almost any dairy product imaginable – milk, butter, yogurt, sherbet, fat-free and no-sugar-added ice cream and more.

In Washington, D.C., Mercer’s Vanilla Ice Cream topped with pure New York State Maple Syrup is a popular Pride of New York dessert at U.S. Senator. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s annual New York Farm Day.

Quality Dairy Farms, Inc. farmsteads have received the prestigious Empire State “Super Milk” quality awards (given to producers who consistently go beyond the already high quality standards maintained by New York dairy herds) and have been recognized by the American Dairy Association with Dairy of Distinction Awards.

For more information, visit www.mercersdairy.com.

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Morgia’s Pasta

It started as a family tradition – having homemade pasta for dinner every Sunday. Then, it grew into a full-time, family-operated business known today as Morgia’s Pasta.

At first, the Morgia family of Watertown (Jefferson County) would make pasta and take it to their church for dinners. When several restaurants heard about the family’s pasta, the Morgia’s began a home-based business to meet the requests. And, the word spread.

In 1990, Morgia’s Pasta became a full-time business – and, it just keeps growing. Since it began, the company has had to relocate several times to larger facilities.

“Our pastas and sauces are all family recipes,” Mary Jo Richards said. “My grandmother was from Italy and made all the family’s pasta. She passed the tradition on to her children.”

Today, Mary Jo and her parents, John and Rosalind, make and package Morgia’s products for a growing audience. And, each item they sell bears the Pride of New York emblem.

Morgia’s Pasta Products are all natural, have no preservatives and their sauce is fat free. The family also makes Italian cookies and ships gift baskets all over the world. As the Morgia’s say, “The PASTAbilities are endless!”

“Having your family name on the door is the most satisfying. At the holiday season, we work from eight in the morning to midnight. But, when people say we have an excellent product, it makes us feel good,” said Mary Jo. “We take pride in what we do.”

For more information regarding Morgia’s Pasta and their other products, or to place an order, call (315) 788-3509 or visit www.morgiaspasta.com.

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Nelson Farms

At Nelson Farms, each day brings the opportunity to take a family recipe and use it to create new revenue for New York’s farmers and entrepreneurs.
Located in the former Nelson Inn in Cazenovia (Madison County), Nelson Farms is a uniquely collaborative project that allows home-based operations to grow and thrive in a supportive incubator environment.
Part of a support organization – Morrisville Auxiliary Corporation of Morrisville State College – the mission of Nelson Farms is to provide entrepreneurial agri-business opportunities to small, specialty food processors and farmers, and growers throughout New York State.
Established in 2003, the non-profit organization has helped hundreds of people develop their recipes into value-added products. With its a state-of-the-art, one-stop facility for small-scale food processors, Nelson Farms’ facility is licensed by the State of New York and adheres to FDA regulations.  Their services include product development, dairy incubator, processing/co-packing, distribution, marketing and sales.
In conjunction with Morrisville State College, Nelson Farms also offers on-going training and educational opportunities.
Products made at Nelson Farms range from barbecue sauces and marinades to juices, jams, pancake and muffin mixes and more.
Nelson Farms has an on-site Country Store that highlights some of the products made in their kitchens, as well as a wide assortment of Pride of New York products from all regions of the State. The Country Store also custom packs gift baskets brimming with Pride of New York products.
For more information, visit www.nelsonfarms.org.

New York State Maple Producers Association

The first and sweetest harvest of the year is underway. In New York State, more than 1,500 maple producers are tapping trees, working to bring more than a quarter of a million gallons of maple syrup to tables everywhere.

Warm, sunny days and cold, frosty nights are ideal for sap flow with the typical sugaring season usually running from late February through early April.

New York State is the fourth largest producer of maple syrup in the world and ranks third in the United States – behind Vermont and Maine. In 2005, New York State produced 255,000 gallons of syrup – about 17 percent of the syrup in the United States.

The New York State Maple Producers Association, with membership throughout the Empire State, works closely with the Pride of New York Program to ensure that the best quality products show off the Pride label.

And, these maple producers proudly share their skills and knowledge. Each year, over 100 maple producers open their sugarhouses to the public on one or two weekends in March for “Maple Weekend” in New York, a statewide event devoted to the recognition of the State’s maple industry.

In 2006, Maple Weekend takes place March 18 – 19 and March 25 – 26. With the saphouses open to the public, maple producers share the process of syrup making from tree to table. The public is invited to take free, self-guided tours and to see the process first hand. Some sugarhouses offer pancake breakfasts, gift shops and more. For more information and for a list of participating sugarhouses, visit www.nysmaple.com.

And, to indulge in the sweetest harvest, there’s no better way than to serve some of New York State’s maple syrup, maple cream, maple sugar, maple candy, maple jelly, maple butter… the possibilities are endless.

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O.K. Food Products

Ken Van Allen, founder of O.K. Food Products’, takes great pride in his meat marinades, meat toppings, grilling and barbecue sauces. Ken’s sauces are a homegrown New York product, developed and manufactured in Kinderhook (Columbia County).

O.K. Foods takes its name from the 8 th President of the United States, Martin Van Buren. Van Buren was born and raised in Kinderhook and was known as “Old Kinderhook” in a popular slogan during his second election bid.

After preparing sauces and marinades for family and friends for many years, Ken decided to take his creations to the marketplace. What started as a small operation in 1996 has grown steadily and is now distributed across the country.

O.K. sauces and marinades bring out the best in everything from beef and pork to venison, chicken and more. O.K. Foods has also added a line of beef jerky.

In 2003, Ken opened O. Kenny’s Express in Valatie serving lunch and dinner. The signature menu item is O.K. Roast Beef, marinated in Ken’s special sauce.

For additional information, visit www.okfoodproducts.com or call 518-758-2491.

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Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards

On 90 acres of Long Island’s North Fork (Peconic, Suffolk County), vinifera grapes grow under the wings of the soaring osprey – the mascot of Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards.

Voted the 2005 Winery of the Year at the New York Wine and Food Classic, Osprey’s Dominion is home to state-of-the-art equipment, a comfortable tasting room, special events and award-winning wines.

Originally called, Hermitage Vineyard, Osprey’s Dominion began in 1983 on 25 acres, with a focus on specialty wines including strawberry, cherry and spice wines. In 1993, Frederick “Bud” Koehler and Bill Tyree became partners and changed the name to honor the ospreys, the large hawks that fly over the vineyards. Together, they have expanded the vineyard to 90 acres with a determination to offer products of superior quality. They began with growing Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, then added Merlot and Riesling. They also have expanded to include more estate-grown wines.

Several years ago, Bud Koehler hired Adam Suprenant, an experienced Long Island winemaker. The 2001 wines were Adam’s first vintage at Osprey’s where he watched over the blending and bottling of these new wines – with winning results.

At the 2005 awards at the New York Wine and Food Classic, Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards wines included: Double Gold for 2001 Meritage and 2001 Cabernet Frank (also Best of Category for Red), Gold for its 2004 Vin Gris (also Best in Class for Vinifera Rose), Silver for its 2001 Merlot, Silver for its 2001 Reserve Chardonnay and Bronze for its 2001 Fume Blanc.

For more information about Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards, visit www.ospreysdominion.com or call 631-765-6188.

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The Quaker Bonnet

As a child growing up in Buffalo (Erie County), Liz Kolken looked forward to going with her grandmother to The Quaker Bonnet Eatery for a wonderful treat.

In 1978, Liz purchased the Buffalo business that held such fond memories of her childhood. With no experience except her love of cooking and entertaining, friends were concerned if Liz would make it. “But, I’m too stubborn to fail.” she said.

Today, The Quaker Bonnet has two locations. At its Chanango Street site, The Quaker Bonnet has kitchens for its catering service and makes a variety of creations. The Kolkens proudly say they’re the “only manufacturer of Buffalo Chips (macaroons dipped in chocolate), Wooden Nickels (peanut butter shortbread cookies) and Elephant Ears (crisp, sweet cinnamon Danish).” The world knows about these delectable confections with more than 20,000 Buffalo Chips leaving The Quaker Bonnet for international enjoyment year-round.

The most recent addition to the business is the return of The Quaker Bonnet Eatery, opened by Liz and her son, Ben, in Buffalo’s historic Allentown section.

Here, the Kolkens have updated the experience Liz enjoyed as a youth. “The all new Quaker Bonnet café offers soups, sandwiches and other goodies to a new generation,” said Liz. “We like to say that it's the place where you can have your cake and eat lunch too!”

Many of The Quaker Bonnet’s selections are created from recipes that its founder, Harold Hayes, passed down to the business. Hayes started The Quaker Bonnet in the 1930s and the business gained a reputation for having some of Buffalo’s finest confections. Hayes based his creations on recipes handed down his grandmother’s Quaker heritage and named the shop after the family’s 120-year-old Quaker bonnet.

Today, Liz Kolken and her family proudly carry on The Quaker Bonnet tradition.

For more information, call 1-800-BUF-CHIP or visit www.quakerbonnet.com.

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The Rogowski Farm

The Rogowski Farm is a second-generation family farm located in the “black dirt” region of Pine Island (Orange County). Over the years, the farm has transitioned from one of Pine Island’s traditional onion farms to a diverse produce operation of 150 acres with crops you might expect — and others you’d have to search far and wide for – if it wasn’t for Cheryl Rogowski’s way of thinking fresh. In 1993, Cheryl’s father, Walter, started selling produce at the Greenmarkets in New York City. In 1994, Cheryl partnered with her father, planting all kinds of specialty produce including 50 varieties of chilis, 20 different types of garlic, herbs of all kinds from cilantro to lemon grass to thai basil, sweet tender lettuces, mustard greens, squashes from the Americas, Japan, and France, berries including currants and gooseberries, and wild edibles like lambs quarter and verdolaga.
            And not only does the Rogowski Farm grow the unexpected, it long ago performed the unexpected, delivering a truckload of vegetables each week to its CSA members in Brooklyn who otherwise might not enjoy the harvest.
            In fact, it is partially this responsiveness to the needs of her customers — many of whom are low-income or ethnic families or senior citizens— that earned Cheryl a national award from the Glynwood Center. Honoring this farmer for her creativity in “connecting urban communities to the agriculture they depend on,” Cheryl was the recipient of the Macarthur “Genius” Award, the first farmer to receive the award.
            “It’s given us hope for the future — all of us — that people can get good food at a fair price, and that farmers can make a fair living,” says Rogowski.

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Sackets Harbor

Everyone should enjoy a taste of New York!
With that thought, Mark Pacilio and Dan Menapace established Sackets Harbor Trading Co. in Sackets Harbor (Jefferson County) –  a marketing and distribution firm for high-quality specialty products grown, manufactured and crafted in New York State.

The company distributes products to retail shops throughout the State and offers gift packages to consumers and corporations, as well as fundraising packages to schools and community organizations.
Sackets Harbor has salsas, pastas, jams, New York maple syrup – a wide variety of products from Pride of New York members.

A gourmet gift basket for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day? Sackets Harbor has them available: Chocolate sauces, barbecue delights, gourmet goodies and much more – all with that special taste of pride that comes only from New York.
For more information, visit www.sacketsharbortradingco.com or call 315-779-7560.

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Saratoga Rose Inn

The Saratoga Rose Inn and Restaurant in Hadley (Saratoga County), is an 1885 Queen Anne Victorian home set on a rural hilltop in the foothills of the Adirondacks. Besides its spiraling tower, stained glass windows and formal gardens, Saratoga Rose is known for offering guests true culinary experiences that are “just a stairway away” in one of the inn’s four dining rooms.
In 2004, Claude Belanger of Quebec City and Executive Chef Richard Ferrugio of New York City purchased Saratoga Rose, bringing their skills together to create this retreat. Chef Ferrugio was one of the owners of The Food Gallery in Manhattan, a premier New York caterer that provided full-service special event catering for clients such as the New York City Ballet and former Mayor Koch’s Office of Special Events.
His passion to create fine food continues at Saratoga Rose. Breakfasts include homemade pastries, fruit and a special entrée. The Inn’s seasonal menus and daily specials feature fresh, local ingredients. Recent specialty desserts were the parfaits made with Finger Lakes wine sauces. And, there are special events including wine and beer tasting dinners as well.
Executive Chef Ferrugio notes that in addition to a number of heart healthy food options, they also can cater to specific dietary restrictions.  
For more information, visit www.saratogarose.com

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Saratoga Sweets

In 1986, Mike Fitzgerald and his wife, Chris, opened a neighborhood candy store on Caroline Street in Saratoga Springs.

During that first holiday season, the local historical society approached the Fitzgeralds about a lost holiday tradition in the city called the Peppermint Pig. An honored Victorian holiday custom, the Peppermint Pig is a symbol of good health, happiness and prosperity. It was enjoyed after the holiday dinner when the Pig – cast in pink hard candy – is cracked with a tiny hammer and shared by all in the hope of good fortune for the coming year.

Using borrowed molds and the original recipe, Saratoga Sweets produced about 100 pigs that they sold on Christmas Eve Day – the first seen by city residents in over 50 years. Today, the legend of the Peppermint Pig has spread with Saratoga Sweets making and selling more than 120,000 last year.

To accommodate their growing business, Saratoga Sweets moved into larger facilities in the Saratoga County Town of Halfmoon. Today, their on-site candy kitchens produce not only the Peppermint Pigs, but also chocolate and hard candy for wholesalers and retail outlets throughout the United States and Canada.

For more information, visit www.saratogasweets.com or call 518-373-0073.

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Singer Farms

In the early 1980s, Jim Bittner partnered with a dairy farmer near Niagara Falls. When his partner retired, Jim decided to convert the dairy farm into a tree fruit farm. He and his wife, Margo, began planting fruit trees on 100 acres they had purchased in 1981and rented another 100 acres of mature trees.

In 1991, Jim met Tom Singer, whose family has been raising apples, peaches and pears in Appleton since 1915. Singer Farms, a 90-year-old farm entity, is now owned by both the Singer and Bittner families. With Jim as President and General Manager, the farm has adapted over time to meet changing market trends by growing new “specialty” fruits. Further investments in modern packing and presorting lines and computer-monitored and controlled-atmosphere storages improve the quality and quantity of fruit being produced.

“Farming is my living,” Jim says, with a sense of pride in his work. “Consumers prefer the fresher, real tree-ripened fruit that we can grow and deliver to market. It makes a difference that customers notice.”

Today, Singer Farms is a 600-acre fruit farm. With plantings of new varieties and better strains of existing varieties, they now offer over 20 varieties of apples, 10 varieties of peaches, 10 varieties of cherries, 20 varieties of plums, 4 varieties of pears and 3 types of quince.

Singer Farms is one of few producers of certified organic apples for commercial sale in the Northeast. When fall arrives, the farm serves up its own Certified Organic Apple Cider. Singer Farms also sells apples and cherries to a dry house which convents them into dried fruits, available for mail-order sales from Singer Farms.

For more information about Singer Farms, visit www.singerfarms.com.

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Tierra Farm

As a graduate student at the University of Albany, Gunther Fishgold became interested in organic farming. He started an organic vegetable farm in the Finger Lakes region and ran an organic CSA for over five years. During that time, he began processing nuts, seeds and dried fruit to supplement the off-season lack of income. As the business grew into a thriving year-round endeavor, he purchased Tierra Farm in Valatie (Columbia County) and built a processing facility.
This Certified Organic nut and seed roasting company and dealer of 100% certified organic dried fruits, specializes in delivering quality products.  All of the roasting, mixing and processing of organic foods takes place in their peanut-free roasting and processing facility in Valatie.
Tierra Farm offers a wide range of products, selling to natural food co-ops, independent and health food stores and directly to consumers via the Internet.
Among their products, Tierra Farm offers almonds, cashews, apple and pear rings, dried apricots and cranberries, granolas and much more, including trail mix and gift tins. 
While the “winter business” continues to grow, Gunther continues his interest in organic farming. He travels several days a week to the Skaneateles farm to work with other organic farmers who harvest and market the produce.
For more information, visit www.tierrafarm.com.

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Yancey’s Fancy

By all means, say cheese – as in Yancey’s Fancy – producers of some of the finest and most unique cheeses anywhere.
            Yancey’s Fancy began when Leo Kutter, a German immigrant, established a cheese factory in Cowlesville in 1926. Following World War II, the operation moved to a new factory in Corfu (Genesee County) where Leo was joined by his two sons to continue the family tradition of making Swiss, brick, cheddar and Limburger cheeses.
            In the early 1960s, the Kutters began a business relationship with the Yancey Family, owners of the original Heluva Good Cheese Company. New products were added, including the company’s first horseradish cheddar.
            In 1998, Yancey’s Fancy was established when John Yancey, cheesemaker Brian Bailey and long-time business associate Mike Wimble bought Kutter’s cheese business and factory.
            Famous for its New York handcrafted cheddars, Yancey’s Fancy now makes a wide variety of Euro-style cheeses and an unprecedented line of flavored cheddars including Roasted Garlic, Jalapeno and Cayenne Pepper, Buffalo Wing Hot Sauce, Peppadew (a sweet piquant pepper) and cheddar with Finger Lakes Champagne. The company is also the largest manufacturer of fresh cheddar cheese curd (cheddar before it is pressed into a block) on the East Coast. And, all products are all made with farm-fresh New York State milk.       
            For more information, or to purchase products directly from the factory, visit www.yanceysfancy.com.

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