Tag Archives: Upstate

Recipe: Smashed Salt Potatoes

Salt potatoes are a thing in upstate New York. Stores sell a bag of white potatoes which includes a sack of salt, and charge more than the items would cost separately. Michele, our hostess at Orchard Slope airbnb in Amherst … Continue reading

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Recipe: Maple Apple Butter

When windfall apples are all over your yard and you have a gallon of maple syrup in the pantry, you make Maple Apple Butter. The long caramelization plus the mystery spice (it’s cardamon) produce a grown-up cousin to applesauce. Spread … Continue reading

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Eating tavern-style wings without the tavern

Our friend Daniel over at FussyLITTLEblog maintains that tavern-style chicken wings are a different experience than wings consumed in a generic setting or ordered to-go, and has organized several local tasting tours to prove this theory. Troy, Schenectady and downtown … Continue reading

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Eating our way through the Wilton, NY bicentennial

Public records describe Wilton as an “active county subdivision that is not coextensive with an incorporated place” abutting Saratoga Springs, where I reside. When locals think of Wilton they think of shopping malls, fast food outlets, big suburban homes and … Continue reading

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Recipe: Boston Brown Bread with Sourdough

This is a “thirded” Boston brown bread, meaning it is made with equal amounts of whole wheat and rye flours and cornmeal because wheat was too scarce and expensive to use on its own in colonial times. It is cooked … Continue reading

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No reason not to eat at Burger 21

After posting the results of our Tour of Better Burgers, I was invited back to try the seasonal specialties at Burger 21 in Latham. This gave me a chance to learn more about the business model of this store that … Continue reading

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Five top foods in Saratoga Springs, NY

I have been sitting on this post awhile because I didn’t really know what to call it. “Best eats in Saratoga” is a little presumptuous because I haven’t tried everything at all the high end places, plus I’m not going … Continue reading

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One simple trick to avoid a “nothing burger”

I stopped in at Country Drive-Inn, a locally famous spot in Clifton Park NY, to pick up some food for a road trip. I ordered their legendary onion rings plus a cheeseburger. Couldn’t resist a nibble of the rings before … Continue reading

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Battle of the tiny tube steaks: mini-hot dog taste test

In honor of National Hot Dog Day we attended a mini-hot dog taste test, comparing five prominent vendors in upstate New York. Interns from Gramercy Communications sped to the five locations and brought back their payload at roughly the same … Continue reading

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New York Bakery Bites at Queens Day in Albany

Last Monday I attended the first ever Queens Day in Albany, sponsored by the Queens Chamber of Commerce and a number of Queens-located businesses. (Queens is one of the seven five boroughs of New York City.) A busload of Queens … Continue reading

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