Food & Entertaining
Coping with Celiac disease
By Sabrina Katrayan
Do you often find yourself feeling sleepy, full and bloated after eating even a small meal? Do you find that you’re in a lot of pain after eating food except for vegetables and fruits? If you answered yes to these questions, chances are that you’re part of over 100,000 Americans with Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that irritates the small intestine because of sensitivity to gluten.
Gluten is commonly found in wheat, rye and barley. It is rich in protein, whether it stays in its natural form or is an additive in the food-manufacturing process. One of the biggest obstacles people dealing with Celiac disease have is that they have to check every little thing they eat to make sure the ingredients don’t contain gluten.
According to the National Institutes of Health, one in every 133 Americans has Celiac disease, but only three percent have been diagnosed.
When people suffering from the disease remove gluten from their diets, they are giving their small intestines a chance to heal. However, removing the protein from their diets is not an easy task. Grains are used in so many foods, and it’s often hard to tell by an ingredient name what may be in it, so you can easily end up eating a gluten product without even knowing it.
By eliminating gluten from your diet, you will find yourself eating some of these foods: vegetables, rice, buckwheat, chickpeas, fresh fish, fruits and tapioca. And now that manufacturers are creating more gluten-free foods, you can also enjoy bread, baking mixes, pastas, meat, peanuts and many more of your favorite foods. A lot of businesses are also trying to offer gluten-free foods, including Sherry Lynn’s Gluten Free bakery and restaurant in Latham, the only 100 percent gluten-free restaurant in the country.
Owner Sherry Lynn Birch suffers from Celiac disease so she can relate to her clientele.
“They’re frustrated and lost, and I know what they’re going through,” she said.
Seven years ago, there was hardly any information out there about gluten-free diets or Celiac disease. Even doctors had a hard time diagnosing it because they knew very little about it. With the lack of gluten-free food, Birch learned how to do without them.
“I gave up bread for two years before I finally learned how to make my own without gluten. I’d make French toast and then freeze 30 pieces in the freezer.
Like most people with the disease, she missed her beloved food choices, so she decided to open her gluten-free business in 2007, bringing back all those favorite foods like breads and donuts that people with the disease have had to sacrifice for their health.
Customers like 52 year-old Chuck Bleibtrey of Lake George have been thankful for her business.
Six years ago, Bleibtrey experienced itchy elbows and knees which led to painful blisters. It took five years for doctors to diagnose him with Celiac disease.
“The hardest part was changing my eating habits,” he said, “I had to give up my favorite homemade apple pie and Italian dishes. I used to go down to Verdile’s in Troy for their homemade spaghetti every Thursday.”
Bleibtrey tried going to restaurants that offered gluten-free menus, but after one of his dishes was cross-contaminated with flour and he became very sick, he realized that his health was not worth the risk.
That’s when he knew he had to change his dining options to something safer. While meeting other people around the area with Celiac disease, he learned about Sherry Lynn’s Gluten-Free and has been a loyal customer for the past two years.
“Here I found the best pizza I’ve ever had in years! Now I can have Italian food, only it’s a different version because it’s made with rice flour. The hardest part was getting used to the taste.”
People with Celiac disease also have another option. Today, big name grocery stores like Price Chopper and Hannaford stock their shelves with gluten-free products. For example, Betty Crocker recently came out with gluten-free cake, brownie and bread mixes. Delis are offering naturally, gluten-free meats. Many supermarkets also have an organic, natural foods aisle which contains safe pastas, cookies, cereals, wheatless flour, crackers and soups under specialized gluten-free brands. Some frozen meals like Lean Cuisine are also going gluten-free.
Coping with Celiac disease may have been tough five to seven years ago, but today there are a lot more options for people to choose from including restaurants and grocery stores. It’s a pretty good indication that you’re not alone!
For more information about Celiac disease visit www.celiacresource.org.
The rise of vegetarianism
By Sabrina Katrayan
Back in the 1970s, if you were a vegetarian, you didn’t eat any kind of meat or any dish or product that was made from it. Instead, your diet consisted of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and soy products. And you most likely chose this lifestyle because you were against animal cruelty, were concerned about the environment or wanted to be healthier.
Over the years, the vegetarian diet has become more popular, perhaps because of its many health benefits. Those following this diet are at a lower risk of developing heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, hypertension and high blood pressure. Today, vegetarianism is broken up into two main groups. The first kind of vegetarian (as defined up above) is now identified as a “strict vegan”, and the newest and most popular type of vegetarian is a “flexitarian”, or a partial vegetarian, meaning a person follows a typical vegetarian diet, while consuming meat occasionally. Both of these groups have different subtypes that have slowly emerged over the years.
From the 70s until now, the one big difference for those following a vegetarian diet is the menu options at restaurants. In 2004, the National Restaurant Association found that up to 50 percent of the nation’s population are seeking more healthful options when they eat out, which includes meatless meals. And restaurants seem to have taken notice. Today, there are many more options other than tofu, salads and pasta on menus, and you don’t have to restrict yourself to only vegan-friendly restaurants like Indian, Chinese and Japanese restaurants where vegetables are a main staple.
Arby’s, for example, offers vegan turnovers and they use vegetarian rennet for their cheeses. Pizzeria Uno Chicago Bar & Grill offers vegan-friendly regular and Uno pizza sauce, breadsticks and marinara sauce and their Muenster, cheddar and mozzarella cheeses are not made from animal rennet. For something sweet, Baskin-Robbins offers dairy-free and gelatin-free products including ices and sorbets.
Still, the concern for many strict vegans is cross-contamination. How do you know that your food was not cooked in a spot where a piece of meat may have been? Lori Sullivan, owner of Mexican Radio, wanted to make sure this doesn’t happen in her restaurants located in New York City and Hudson.
“Mexican Radio has always had vegetarian options and we have always maintained a separate vegetarian deep fryer. I also make sure that our ‘common foods’ like rice, beans, salad dressings and sauces are all vegetarian so that everyone could enjoy them.”
A vegetarian herself since the 1970s, Sullivan wants her customers to know that she is just as concerned as they are.
“One of my personal issues as a vegetarian is fear of what I am eating when I don’t cook for myself. Not just because of the moral implications involved, but because I actually do become quite ill when something is made with chicken or beef stock.”
She wants her vegetarian customers to know that they can rest assured when eating at her restaurant. Her staff is well-trained to understand what it means to be a vegetarian and how important it is to be careful when preparing vegetarian food.
Besides the classic vegan dish, tofu, Mexican Radio also offers seitan (wheat-gluten food, a substitute to soy-based tofu), freshly roasted veggies, Mexican Spring Rolls, guacamole, vegan chimichangas and chile rellenos. All of their sauces, salad dressings, rice and black beans are 100 percent vegetarian. They also have vegan cheese and sour cream. Mexican Radio uses a natural, diabetic and vegan-friendly sweetener called Agave Nectar which comes from Agave plants that create tequila.
“The availability of more veggie and vegan products has helped us expand our menu selections for vegetarians, which is a great help. So perhaps vegetarians feel safer eating out more than they used to.”
Below are two main groups of vegetarians: strict vegetarians and partial vegetarians, and their sub-types. Which one are you?
Strict vegetarians
Vegans – These are the strict or pure vegetarians who don’t eat meat, eggs, dairy products or any processed foods that have animal-derived products, such as gelatin. Many vegans also stay away from foods that used animal products, but don’t contain animal ingredients in the final product such as sugar and some wines. They might also not eat honey.
Fruitarian – These are the people who believe in eating only fresh fruits.
Raw vegan/raw food diet – This diet contains unprocessed vegan foods that have not been heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit or 46 degrees Celsius. Raw food vegans think that food that’s been cooked higher than this temperature has lost a significant amount of nutritional value and that the food could now be harmful to the body.
Partial vegetarians
Lacto-ovo vegetarians – The most common type of vegetarian who don’t eat meat, but will consume some animal products. In some nations where “vegetarian” means “vegan,” they may call themselves lacto-ovo vegetarians. “Lacto” is Latin for milk and “ovo” for egg; hence these people don’t eat beef, pork, poultry, fish, shellfish or any type of animal flesh of any kind, but will eat eggs and dairy products.
Pesco-vegetarians (Pescatarian) – The word “pescatarian” is used to describe people who stay away from meat and animal flesh except for fish. However, they might avoid fatty fish like tuna or swordfish because they’re concerned about mercury contamination. More people are choosing this diet whether it be for health reasons, religious beliefs or as a start to a total vegetarian diet.
Macrobiotic – This diet is highly valued for its healthy and healing aspects and includes unprocessed vegan foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and the occasional consumsuption of fish. The biggest part of the macrobiotic diet is the high consumption of Asian vegetables which includes daikon and sea vegetables such as seaweed. However, these vegetarians stay away from sugar and refined oils.
Flexitarian/semi-vegetarian – The term “flexitarian” recently emerged as it describes people who mostly follow a vegetarian diet, but occasionally eat meat. For example, they might not eat red or white meat such as beef, pork, venison, etc., but will eat fowl or fish.
Food from their own backyard
By Rebecca Eppelmann
It’s a rainy, overcast day at the Governor’s mansion in Albany and for many the mood reflects it. Earlier in the week, the tomato plants at the mansion were ripped out of the ground because of late blight, a disease that has attacked plants across much of the northeast. For Executive Chef Noah Sheetz however, the outlook for both the remainder of the gardens and for food in general remains optimistic.
A native Texan, Sheetz is methodical in his speech and movement, a characteristic one might not immediately connect with a chef in a busy kitchen. His underlying confidence may rest in having worked in a kitchen since he was a teenager, though it seems that Sheetz was accidentally thrown into the cooking world.
“I just always did it,” he said. “When I was about 16, my girlfriend at the time got me a job working at a restaurant. After that, every time I needed a job it was in the restaurant industry.”
As a young adult playing in a band, Sheetz moved to Memphis where he met his wife. After the musicians broke up, it was she who suggested cooking school, and the couple moved so he could attend the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY.
After he graduated, he had a short stint of running his own bakery for a year and then working as a chef at an assisted-living home before his path eventually led him to becoming executive chef at the Governor’s Mansion on Eagle Street in Albany. Over a series of several months Sheetz went through interviews and cooking demonstrations. Among those in attendance for cooking interviews were then first lady Elizabeth Pataki, the deputy commissioner and the executive director of the mansion.
Now, Sheetz and a team of cooks prepare food for Governor David Paterson, his family and their visitors with much of the food coming from the gardens right behind the mansion. According to the chef, the gardens have been around for 30 years which is a point of pride for the staff because “the White House just put one in and we’ve had ours forever.”
Having worked for the Pataki, Spitzer and now the Paterson administrations, Sheetz said that the focus has always been on healthy eating. “With this administration, more so than ever, the first lady’s mission is fighting childhood obesity and wellness. She has a background in nutrition and we take our lead from her.”
There are two vegetable gardens and one herb garden on the premises.
The herb garden contains two different types of basil and parsley, lemon balm, savory, oregano and fennel. The vegetable gardens, which were expanded at the request of First Lady Michelle Paterson, include cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, potatoes, beans, zucchini, yellow squash, cauliflower, lettuce and radishes.
What isn’t grown on-site is purchased locally as often as possible.
Buying local is part of the mansion’s “greening process”, which started a few years ago and is part of the innovation credit. “By buying locally we’re reducing our carbon footprint by reducing pollution that comes from shipping,” said Sheetz. They also compost and grow as much as they can in the greenhouse.
For the first time this summer, frequent cooking demonstrations were held at the mansion. As part of the first lady’s initiative on healthy eating, groups of children were brought in to learn about healthy eating and, perhaps more importantly, where food comes from.
“We try to hammer the idea home that food doesn’t come from a frozen bag or package,” Mansion Chef Tom Santimaw said. “We’ll ask them what they think this plant is and people have no idea. It’s interesting; it brings it full circle when they can identify a plant.”
Dishes the chefs have made with the children include quesadillas, pesto, pizza with fresh veggie toppings and curried cauliflower soup. About the soup, an interesting pick for a kid’s menu, Sheetz said it went over relatively well and he’ll probably serve it again.
While the mansion has a staff to maintain the gardens, Sheetz has recently started taking care of his own plot in a community garden, about a block away from his job. “I’ve always dabbled in the past, but this is the first year I’ve had a community garden plot that’s my own,” he said.
The first tip Sheetz offers for someone who has never had a garden is to join a group like Capital District Community Gardens. His own involvement started with Santimaw’s urging.
“Having a community garden plot is the best way to go; they structure it for first time gardeners. They have so many resources available; they have classes, mentoring programs and workshops in the garden where seasoned gardeners will show you how to plant things.”
A strong proponent of knowing where your food has come from, Sheetz often visits local farms and farmers markets for food used at the mansion. In his mind, “knowing the people who are producing your food is a really great idea.”
Acknowledging that shopping at a farmer’s market can be a bit more costly, he is quick to point out that the benefits easily outweigh the costs.
“Obviously the freshness and the nutrition quality of what you’re buying, especially when it comes to produce, is exponentially higher than it is with something that’s coming from halfway around the world,” he said.
Having his own garden plot has afforded him the ability to stop on the way home from work to pull some beets or clip some Swiss chard, and cook them that night.
Of course, the question has to be asked, does he cook at home every night? “I go through phases,” he said. “[At times] I just want to eat Subway and I go through phases where I love [to cook at home].”
Understanding that sometimes people don’t have time or energy to make a big deal over dinner, Sheetz offers tips.
“Couscous is very easy to make, it’s a one to one ratio with water. You don’t even need hot water, just throw some in a ziplock bag with water before you go to work and when you get home just throw it in the microwave.”
Soaking brown rice during the day can take out a large portion of cooking time, as well.
“Soaking something like a brown rice is a good idea. Cooking time might take 35 minutes, but if you soak it, it takes maybe five to 10 minutes to cook.”
In the grocery store, he adds, buyer need not always beware. “There are some convenience products that are very good and are designed to make cooking healthy and easy,” he said. “Kashi has a seven grain pilaf that comes in a bag, you just throw it in a bowl with water and it’s ready to go.”
When trying to differentiate between the good and the bad foods, convenience or other, Sheetz has one final tip: “I always like to think of food as whole food. Look at the ingredients label on the packaging. The fewer the better.”
Food 411
Your food questions answered by the area’s top chefs
If you’re throwing a dinner party for 12, what would you recommend serving?
Well, it depends the time of year and season. In the fall or winter, serve beef Wellington. In the summer, serve a cold poached salmon dish or refreshing cold-plated dinner. You could also use grilled dishes. Ask yourself what you are looking for in your party: gourmet versus comfort. Pay attention to the different factors: casual versus formal.
Chef Dale Miller of Dale Miller, Albany
What are the key pantry staples everyone should have on hand at all times?
Salt. Not only does it dry your food and enhances its flavor, it’s also needed in almost everything we cook!
Some kind of fat. This can be corn oil or whatever oil you think works best. In the North American diet, most dishes you cook need some kind of fat. Whether it’s a healthy fat or non-healthy fat, it’s a basic lubricant for heat. Fat is essential.
Some kind of dried pasta. It’s the easiest thing to prepare for a quick, simple dish. You can make it with basic butter and oil or use a really nice cream sauce. Pasta is a quick, accessible home product.
Mrs. Dash seasoning. Great alternative seasoning for those who can’t cook with salt. They have nice combinations of seasonings to pick from.
Rice. Another quick, accessible home product. Stock up on your favorites. It’s so easy to prepare. You can make a meal or a side dish out of it.
Chef Mark Graham of Mezza Notte Ristorante, Guilderland
On the Food Network, it’s all about presentation – what should the average person know about presentation at home?
Keep it simple. Don’t waste your money on presentation. Remember that presentation is superfluous. It’s flavor and satisfaction that counts when you’re feeding your family.
Try and be colorful by using fresh herbs or flowers from the garden. Don’t add garnish to your budget when shopping. Garnish comes from the food itself. It’s part of the dish.
Chef Ric Orlando of New World Bistro Bar, Albany
What are some key buffet items to serve at a party?
Start off with a shrimp or seafood cocktail
Next, have something with beef. Everyone loves beef except those who might not eat beef, which is why it is a must to have a vegetarian dish available as well (pasta is the most versatile).
Also, it is important to have a beverage of some sort-alcohol or non-alcohol. It should pair with the season.
Lastly, an over-the-top dessert-the best way to finish your party off.
Chef Michael Niccoli of The Century House, Latham
Are there any gadgets you suggest every at-home cook should have on hand?
A palm-held vegetable peeler. It allows peeling for larger vegetables such as turnips, squash and carrots.
Pairing knives. I can never find enough pairing knives when I’m cooking in other people’s homes. They don’t know what it is and when I show them, they say, “Oh… that makes life a lot easier!”
Most importantly, when you’re buying anything for the kitchen, remember to pick good quality items. Inexpensive ones won’t work because they won’t last.
Chef Jason Tostrup of Weathersfield Inn, VT
So many TV chefs have their own line of cookware, do you have any recommendations on what to use?
As a chef, the type of equipment, utensils and knives I use at home are very similar to the ones I use at work. I’m not exactly brand-specific, but when looking for equipment such as saut pans, sauce pots, etc., I tend to look for copper bottoms because they hold a more consistent heat and have a decent thickness and, of course, I look for bargains. Marshalls, for example, usually has good deals if you know what you’re looking for and you can often find the cookware of professional chefs that is the hot trend right now.
However, I tend to stay away from equipment with plastic handles as my cooking style calls for finishing dishes in the oven and plastic handles will melt in that intense heat.
When it comes to my knives, I use and look for full tang knives (where the tip of the blade goes all the way through to the base of the handle-usually held on by rivets which makes it easy to identify.) My favorite brands are J.A. Henckels and Wsthof. Most German knives are constructed better and hold a better edge. Even though they are a little pricier than some other brands, they are definitely worth the investment.
Chef Ryan Huneau, Hollywood Brown Derby, Albany
In this economy, are there any tips you can suggest to cut costs in the grocery store, while not compromising quality?
What costs the most when shopping for food is protein, so look for cheaper sources like eggs
and cheese.
Buy produce in smaller amounts. Typically we overbuy on produce. I see that a lot in home cooks. Some overbuy in tomatoes and lettuce and the rest gets thrown out because it sat too long
Stay away from prepared food items and push yourself to make your own
Using local farms will also give you an advantage not only economically, but also local food is grown organic and gives you more energy. It also has a better economic effect. You’re more likely going to see the cash flow going back to your own economy rather than fueling the big manufacturers.
Stop drinking bottled water. Water filtration systems are great alternatives.
Chef Daniel Nilsson, Da Ba Hudson
What is the one tool that every person should have in their kitchen?
A saute pan and a good knife because they’re versatile items.
With a good Teflon All-Clad saut pan, you can not only saut, but you can also make an omelette as well as other things.
Having a good Henckels knife makes cutting ingredients easy.
Chef Widjiono (Yono) Purnomo of Yono’s Restaurant, Albany
Is there one to-die-for holiday dish that you recommend everyone serve?
Cold Water Lobster and Tarragon Deviled Eggs.
Ingredients
1-1 lb cold water lobster
Small white onion – diced medium
1/8 lb unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves – diced small
lemon
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon – coarsely chopped
1/8 cup mayonnaise
4 eggs
Salt & pepper
Dash of sugar
Method
Cook lobster for 4 minutes in large pot of salted water. Remove from pot and set aside to cool. Once cool, remove all meat and cut into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
Hard boil the eggs and let cool. Once cool, remove shells and cut in half. Put all yolks in mixing bowl.
In a medium saut pan, melt butter. Add onion and caramelize with salt, pepper and sugar. Once caramelized, let cool.
Add onions, lobster, mayonnaise and tarragon into mixing bowl with yolks. Gingerly fold in the mixture, being careful not to mash. Salt and pepper to taste.
Neatly scoop the mixture into egg whites, garnish with tarragon leaf and serve.
Chef Frank Tardio of Angelo’s Tavolo, Scotia
Harvest festivals
Albany County
September 12-13
Fall Harvest Craft Fair – $4; under 18 free. 10am-4pm. 875 Watervliet Shaker Road, Colonie. For more info: 456.7890.
Columbia County
September 26
Lindenwald Harvest Day – Celebrate the importance of agriculture to Martin Van Buren and the voyage of Henry Hudson to the river that bears his name. Learn gardening techniques from a master gardener, observe farm crafts and skills like churning butter, explore the agricultural history of President Van Buren’s residence and check out other special treats like musical entertainment. Free. 1pm. Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, Kinderhook. For more info: 758.9689.
Essex County
September 19
Pig Roast, Apple Fest and Concert – 5pm-10pm. 1812 Homestead Farm & Museum, Willsboro. For more info: 963.4071.
Greene County
September 26-27
Microbrew & Wine Festival – Sample craft beers from dozens of micro-breweries in the Hudson Valley plus a variety of gourmet vendors offering specialty foods and delicacies. Hunter Mountain Ski Bowl, Hunter. For more info: 800.486.8376; www.huntermtn.com.
Fulton/Montgomery Counties
September 27
Interrupted Harvest Great Raid – An encampment of Patriot and Crown forces. Volunteer reenactors from several military units will participate. The raid is set up for late in the morning. 12pm-1pm. Ft. Klock, St. Johnsville. For more info: 568.7779.
Otsego County
September 12-13
Harvest Festival – A popular annual event, it’s a celebration of the season’s “bounty” that brings together all kinds of performers, artisans, exhibitors and vendors in an old-time agricultural fair. Traditional music, canine agility demonstrations, horse-drawn wagon rides, harvest foods, crafts, historic games and races and so much more! Adults $11; seniors $9.50; children 7-12 $5; under 6 free. Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. For more info: 607.547.1400.
September 12-13
Harvest Festival – The traditional, old-time agricultural fair is back once again! Celebrate the season’s bounty and experience traditional crafts, foods, entertainment and so much more. 10am-5pm. The Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown. For more info: 607.547.1450; www.farmersmuseum.org.
September 19-20
AppleFest – There’s plenty do here with apple and cider sampling, a large display of antique tractors, a variety of children’s games, pumpkin painting, scarecrow making and live musical entertainment. Benefits the Cooperstown Rotary Club’s programs. $2; children under 12 free. Saturday 10am-5pm; Sunday 12pm-5pm. Fly Creek Cider Mill, Cooperstown. For more info: 800.505.6455; www.flycreekcidermill.com.
September 26-27
Pumpkinfest 2009 – See 1,000 pound pumpkins, giant gourds and humongous watermelons compete for the largest pay-out in the country! Also check out the craft show, food booths, the Farmers’ Market, pumpkin carving demonstration, pumpkin tasting, musical entertainment and children’s activities On Sunday, come out early to the Lake Front Park and watch the giant pumpkins get hollowed out and made seaworthy for the Pumpkin Regatta on Otsego Lake. Saturday and Sunday 10am-4pm. Doubleday Field Parking Lot, Cooperstown. For more info: 607.547.9983.
Rensselaer County
September 12
Crailo Harvest Faire – A fall festival inspired by the 17th & 18th century agricultural fairs that highlights the bounty of the Hudson Valley combined with environmental groups, re-enactors and demonstrators including oxen teams, falconry, colonial dance, games and they all coincide with the Hudson 400 celebration! $4 donation. 11am-4pm. Crailo State Historic Site, Rensselaer. For more info: 463.8738.
September 26-27
Harvest Festival at Knickerbocker – Breakfast, chicken dinner for lunch, bake sale, tours of the mansion and cemetery throughout the day, Devil’s Chimney Walk, you just couldn’t ask for more! 8am-4pm. Knickerbocker Mansion, Schagticoke. For more info: 664.1700; www.knickmansion.com.
Saratoga County
September 12
Second Annual Oktoberfest – Event will feature German brews and food as well as the annual silent auction. All proceeds will go towards Brookside Museum’s education programs. $40 per person; $75 for two people. 6pm. Brookside Museum, Ballston Spa. For more info: 885.4000; www.brooksidemuseum.org.
Schoharie County
September 26
Fall Harvest Craft Show – 9am-5pm. Sunnycrest Orchards Farm Market, Sharon Springs. For more info: 284.2256; www.sunnycrestorchard.com.
Warren County
September 26
Oktoberfest – Music, games, children’s activities and of course beer tasting! Rte 9N, Hague. For more info: 543.6347.
Washington County
September 12
2nd Annual Salem HarvestFest – In conjunction with the Cheese Tour, this festival celebrates the season’s bounty with local corn and produce, artists and craftspeople and retailers. Taste, enjoy and experience all that Washington County has to offer rain or shine. Afterwards enjoy a local harvest dinner and barn dance under the stars. Festival free; dinner tickets $20. Festival 10am-6pm; dinner 6pm-10pm. Salem Art Works, Salem. For more info: 854.7674; www.salemnychamber.com.
September 26
Greenwich Harvest Festival – Family activities, downtown shops open with special events and sales, live entertainment, great food, horse & wagon rides throughout the village, Rough & Ready Firefighters Museum, children’s activities, pumpkins and other fall ornaments on sale- you couldn’t ask for more! Free. 10am-4pm. Main Street & Livery Square, Greenwich. For more info: 692.7979.