When I think of food in New York, the first things that
pop into my head are huge slices of pizza, crazy large cannoli and plates of
perfect pasta. And from a Southern
perspective, I can vouch that those are
in fact, some of the tastiest things I’ve sampled since moving here. But after having the opportunity to attend
the Pride of New York Harvest Fest, my eyes (and taste buds) are open to a
whole new world! We joined just a few people to check out some of the best of the best of NY tasty treats.
This weekend marks the big event at the Empire State
Plaza in Albany. With our tickets
courtesy of the Pride of New York Harvest Fest, my husband Brett and I set out
to explore a path of New York wine, beer and produce. We were amazed at just how much the state had
to offer! Our first stop was to get our wine tasting glasses…and then it was off to the races!
I had a vague idea that New York had vineyards only
because on our cross country drive from Mississippi we happened to cruise by a few
around the Niagara area. I had no idea
that New York ranks second in the
nation in production of Concord grapes!
We really enjoyed tasting all the different wines and got a crash course
in the New York wine regions. We tried
wines that tasted like cinnamon, like chocolate, like every fruit you could think of and even some that were like crushed up little
angels they were so good!
New York’s breweries didn’t disappoint either. Personally, I was impressed with the several
varieties of pumpkin ale that I got to try!
It was like Fall Happiness in a cup!
Learning about the Empire State’s produce was a tasty
education. We sampled sausages, pulled
pork, olive oil, fruits, herbs, cookies, sauces, dips and tons of cheeses! Hard to believe that farms in New York occupy
23% of the total land area! I will say
we did get a chuckle when we tried the sorghum sample. The exhibitor explained that sorghum was big
in Tennessee and Kentucky and had made its way to New York. Practically raised on the stuff, I couldn’t
help but laugh, “Y’all are finally catching up!”
The Pride of New York Harvest Fest was a terrific way for
us to learn about what makes New York taste so great. If you have a chance, stop by Sunday. It’s going on from noon to 5:00 at the Empire
Convention Center in Albany. Y’all won’t
be disappointed!
