Taste NY at the races will include rotating selection of New York State products
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that more of the state’s best food and drink products will be available every weekend of the 2014 meet at Saratoga Race Course. Now taking place each Thursday, Friday and Sunday in the Saratoga Pavilion, Taste NY will focus on New York State wine, spirits, craft beer, cider, and artisan food.
“New York is home to a wide variety of world-class food and beverages producers, and by showcasing their tremendous products at the Saratoga Race Course every week we are helping to raise the profiles of small businesses from all across the State,” Governor Cuomo said. “This is shaping up to be another exciting season in Saratoga, and I encourage everyone who attends the races to taste what they’ve been missing from New York’s best growers and producers.”
The all-new series featuring wine and spirits on Thursdays and craft beer and cider tastings on Fridays is an expansion of Taste NY at Saratoga Race Course, which launched in 2013 with a lively artisan market on Sundays. The Thursday and Friday tastings will feature a rotating selection of New York State wineries and breweries; while the Sunday marketplace will be comprised of up to 19 regular vendors.
New York Racing Association CEO and President Chris Kay said, “As one of the leading suppliers of agricultural products in the nation, New York has a proud history of producing quality, locally-made wine, beer and food. We are thrilled to welcome these outstanding wineries, breweries and food producers to Saratoga Race Course in partnership with the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets. Our goal is to increase tourism by highlighting the many fabulous food and beverage products that are made in New York State. We are confident that Governor Cuomo’s newly expanded Taste NY series will increase awareness of New York products, entice new visitors to Saratoga Race Course and enhance the experience for our dedicated guests.”
Thursdays will center on New York State wines and spirits, and will offer track patrons the opportunity to sample varietals of wine from a number of wineries across the state for $30 from noon to 4 p.m. Patrons will also be able to purchase bottles of wine from each participating winery through their representatives on track each week. Participating wineries include:
· Adirondack Winery of Lake George
· Amazing Grace Vineyard and Winery of Chazy
· Heron Hill Winery of Hammondsport
· Hudson-Chatham Winery of Ghent
· Lakeland Winery of Syracuse
· Ledge Rock Hill Winery and Vineyard of Corinth
· Miles Wine Cellars of Seneca Lake
· The Saratoga Winery of Saratoga Springs
· Swedish Hill Winery of Saratoga Springs
· Thirsty Owl of Saratoga Springs
· Thousand Island Winery of Alexandria Bay
· Vesco Ridge Vineyards of West Chazy
On Fridays, patrons will be invited to a craft beer and cider tasting from noon to 4 p.m. featuring more than a dozen New York craft breweries. Admission is $20 and includes 20 sampling tickets. Breweries include:
· Adirondack Brewery of Lake George
· Brewery Ommegang of Cooperstown
· Brooklyn Brewery of the New York City Metro area
· Brown’s Brewing Co. of Troy
· Captain Lawrence Brewery of Elmsford
· Empire Brewing Company of Syracuse
· Keegan Ales of Kingston
· Ithaca Beer Company of Ithaca
· Lake Placid Brewery of Lake Placid
· Olde Saratoga Brewing Company of Saratoga Springs
· Saranac Brewing Co. of Utica
Wine and beer tastings will also feature complimentary offerings each Thursday of Cabot Creamery cheese sourced from New York farmers, and complimentary offerings each Thursday and Friday of kettle chips from Saratoga Chips.
Sundays will feature an expansion of the New York food and artisan market, where track patrons will be able to sample and purchase products made in the Empire State from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Now in its second year, new participants include:
· Arthur Marc’s Specialty Foods of Fultonham offering sauces, oils and stuffed olives;
· Kernel Cravings of Albany offering popcorn and nuts
· Oliva Provisions of Spencertown offering kale and walnut pesto
· Our Daily Eats of Delmar offering nuts, seeds and granola
· Red Jacket Orchards of Geneva offering juice and cider
· R&G Cheese of Cohoes offering cheese
· Sundaes Best Hot Fudge Sauce of Wilton offering ice cream and dessert toppings
· Whalen’s Horseradish Products of Saratoga Springs offering horseradish, sauces and cheese spreads
· Worldling’s Pleasure of Watervliet offering cheese spreads and dips
Returning vendors include:
· Battenkill Creamery of Salem offering milk
· Dutch Desserts of Kinderhook offering tarts and baked goods
· Joe’s Jerky of Sherrill offering jerky and hot sauce
· Mountain Winds Farm of Berne offering maple syrup
· Peanut Principle of Cohoes offering nuts and snacks
· Pixie’s Preserves of Waterford offering jelly
· RAD Soap of Cohoes offering soap and lotion
· Saratoga Crackers of Saratoga Springs offering crackers
· Saratoga Garlic of Saratoga Springs offering garlic and aioli
· Saratoga Sweets of Saratoga Springs offering candy
New York Commissioner of Agriculture Richard A. Ball said, “Governor Cuomo’s Taste NY provides an important linkage between those who grow and make our food, and those who consume it. We are growing our agricultural economy from the inside out and making new fans at home and around the world. This expanded program at Saratoga Race Course will earn new customers for our top-quality products, just as it has everywhere else the Taste NY banner has flown.”
Saratoga Springs Mayor Joanne Yepsen said, “This is a great opportunity to promote new local products at a major event during the summer. With thousands in attendance every day I am eager to partner with the Governor to promote locally produced and grown products. This is an economic priority and enhances the vitality of this region.”
Chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Paul Sausville said, “Agriculture is of the three most important sectors of Saratoga County’s economy. We have a variety of niche producers here, many of which will be featured at the Race Course this summer. Agriculture dovetails with another important sector – tourism. Governor Cuomo’s Taste NY program melds both agriculture and tourism together and we are proud that it is returning to Saratoga Race Course this year.”
Taste NY grew out of Governor Cuomo’s promise to better market and promote New York State products. That promise has expanded to cover dedicated Taste NY stores at New York State Thruway rest stops, Taste NY events at large gatherings such as Saratoga Race Course, the PGA Championship, and the New York State Fair, as well as visibility at major trade shows. The effort has been backed by a large advertising and marketing campaign. Meetings with leaders of various sectors of the food and drink industry have produced a long list of regulatory changes that have improved the business climate and fostered the start of scores of food and drink-related businesses.
The summer meet at Saratoga Race Course begins on Friday, July 18 and concludes on Labor Day, Monday, September 1. For more information about Saratoga Race Course, call (518) 584-6200 or log onto www.nyra.com.