McIntosh Apples
Crisp and tart with a red and green skin, McIntosh apples have been a trademark of Clinton County for hundreds of years. You cannot drive a stretch of road on the Adirondack Coast without seeing an abundance of apple trees taking over a field with their gorgeous white blossoms in the spring and apple covered limbs in the fall. Each orchard in the area offers different varieties of apples, but McIntosh apples are always a constant at:
Apple Jack's Orchard & Country Gift ShopBanker Orchards Farm MarketChazy OrchardsEverett Orchards Farm Market & CideryForrence Orchards, Inc.Northern Orchard Co., Inc.Rulfs Orchard
Cider Doughnuts
Many of the orchards mentioned take these apples and turn them into pies, turnovers, candied apples, caramel apples and so much more. A few orchards go a step further and press these apples into cider, which is then used in their doughnut mix to make a delicious concoction we call cider doughnuts. You don’t have to even be inside these roadside stands to know they are making cider doughnuts, you can smell the aroma from about a mile away! Just follow your nose.
Maple
Syrup, candy, soda, cotton candy, ice cream…however you eat it, maple on the Adirondack Coast is a don’t miss treat! Sugar shacks start really heating up in early March and are kind enough to open their doors to the public to witness this amazing transformation of sap into the “liquid gold” we love so much. And you cannot miss Maple Weekend…March 19-20 & April 2-3, 2016! You can find these maple products at:
Bechard's Sugar HouseHomestead MapleParker Family Maple FarmMoon Valley MapleNENY Maple Producers AssocMaple Weekend
Cheese
Photo by North Country Creamery
Crumbly cheese, soft cheese, semi hard, semi soft, Swiss, Chevre, yogurt, caramels, soaps, the list goes on and on…who knew you could do so much with cow and goat milk? Cheese is a growing market on the Adirondack Coast and the creameries that are doing it here have dedicated so much time, energy and passion into making some of the most outstanding farm fresh dairy products. Find some of these great products at the following locations (oh and if you visit them at the farm, don’t forget to say hi to the cutest, most well taken care of animals you’ll ever meet!):
Asgaard Farm and DairyNorth Country Creamery
Poutine
Now take some of the cheese mentioned above, put it over some French fries, pour a little gravy over it and you have the next can’t miss food on the Adirondack Coast…Poutine! One of my favorites, poutine has made its way to the Adirondack Coast from its original Canadian home in Quebec (just an hour north of us). The original form of this Canadian junk food uses homemade fries, cheese curds and a brown, gravy like sauce. However since its rise in popularity in Canada and the northern parts of the U.S., people have been making poutine in all different varieties…pulled pork, lobster and so on! Look for poutine at the following restaurants on the Adirondack Coast:
Livingoods Restaurant and BreweryGino’s PizzaGus’s Red HotsMichigan’s PlusMcSweeney’s Red HotsOlive Ridley’sThe Naked Turtle
Michigans
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Photo by McSweeney's Red Hots
You know what that poutine goes great with? Michigans! You can’t visit the Adirondack Coast without trying a local favorite, the Michigan. Also known as a red hot, this steamed hot dog is served in a steamed bun, smothered with meat sauce and topped with mustard and onions. There are almost as many varieties of Michigan sauce as there are stories about its origin. One theory is that the original Michigan sauce was created by George Todoroff in Jackson, Michigan. In 1914, Mr. Todoroff took his recipe to Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York and opened his first restaurant. This story claims that a Canadian, possibly a salesman, traveling between Montreal and New York City, would stop in Plattsburgh and spend the night at the Witherill Hotel. Apparently, he would bring back several of Todoroff’s "Jackson Island Conies" and get the cook at the hotel to warm them. The cook liked the flavor so much that he created a similar sauce that caught on with the local restaurants, and the "Michigan" hot dog was born.
Though there are many restaurants serving Michigans, most local residents can’t agree who is top dog, so you’ll have to judge for yourself! You can try a Michigan at the following locations:
Gus’s Red HotsMichigan’s PlusMcSweeney’s Red Hots
Wine, Cider and Beer
Ok, yes I know these are not technically foods, but they are just too delicious not to include! The Adirondack Coast is becoming more well known for its unique wines, hard ciders and craft beers. With historically inspired names, the use of local products and the overall deliciousness, these beverages should be considered a new food group!
Amazing Grace Vineyard and WineryELFS Farm Winery & Adirondack Cider CompanyEverett Orchards Farm Market & CideryThe Champlain Wine Co.Hid-In-Pines VineyardVesco Ridge Vineyards, LLCLivingoods Restaurant and BreweryPlattsburgh Brewing Co.Valcour Brewing Company
