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Earthly Delights from Buffalo Wings and Bullheads to Handcrafted Beers and Chardonnay
By Andrea & Chris Cooke

The Seaway Trail meanders leisurely through mile after mile of scenic vineyards, orchards, and rolling farmlands, linking both quaint villages and cosmopolitan centers. Reflecting this vast and beautiful landscape are the many foods produced along the way. Join us as we take a gastronomic tour along this bounteous inland coastline.

Chautauqua County is the second largest grape growing region in the United States (second only to California). In celebration of this fact, communities here host numerous grape and harvest festivals, such as the Festival of Grapes in Silver Creek each September where award-winning Chardonnays, Reislings and specialty fruit wines can be tasted. While in the area, plan a trip Woodbury Vineyards or any of the county's eight wineries for year round tours and tastings. The Lake Erie viticultural area, with its sea of Concord grapes, is the headquarters of the National Grape Cooperative Association, which owns Welch's Foods. All this contributes to making New York the largest grape juice producer in America. Just off I-90 (NYS Thruway Exit 61), travelers can sample free grape juice and learn about New York's grape growing industry and its many wineries.

Harvest festivals of many types are held in many areas along the Seaway Trail and Chautauqua County is no exception. Strawberry festivals occur in early summer offering such treats as chocolate covered strawberries and strawberry shortcake in abundance.

A great sense of history prevails throughout this region—even in the realm of food. The quaint Busti Cider Mill still uses an 1890 cider mill and holds its popular Apple Festival in September. Maple syrup is also abundant in Chautauqua County, as are many fruit butters and preserves. At the Sugar Shack in Westfield you can see firsthand how luscious fruit & maple syrups are handmade on an old fashioned wood stove. How sweet it is!

In summer and fall, farm markets (some very sophisticated) dot the roadsides, making their fare available to you at its freshest. Cross Roads Farm & Craft Market in Westfield, for example, hosts 150 indoor vendors on Saturdays, May through December. Offerings include fresh fruits and garden produce, baked goods, free range chicken, emu jerky (the county has over 100 ostrich and emu farms), and so much more.

Moving up Lake Erie and into Erie County, the city of Buffalo boasts an eclectic range of ethnic and casual eateries, but remains most famous as the birthplace of Buffalo Chicken Wings, served throughout the city in varying degrees of heat. Another Buffalo stalwart is the hot roast beef sandwich served on a kummelweck roll better known as Beef On Weck. The city's fairly new microbrew-eries are a great place to enjoy these savory and spicy items. Buffalo is also home to the famous and amazing Broadway Market with 50-some vendors of fresh and exotic meats, cheeses, wholegrain breads, sweet potato pies, cannoli and dozens of other Old World specialties—a culinary excursion into other places and other times.

The Taste of Buffalo festival held in July gives you the chance to taste the offerings of 55 restaurants and 4 wineries representing culinary traditions from Indian, Cajun and Caribbean to German, Asian and Italian.. No wonder it has evolved into the second largest culinary festival in the country!

Niagara County is best-known for its apple and fruit orchards. In October, Lockport's Apple Country Festival features apples prepared in a seemingly infinite ways, including apple sausage, pork and apple kabobs, apple bread pudding and the local specialty, `frapples' (delicious deep-fried apple fritters). The region's many farm markets are wonderful places to fill up the picnic basket before heading to Old Fort Niagara or to view the world-famous Niagara Gorge. (Incidentally, Lewiston's Village Bake Shoppe was proclaimed `best bakery' at the 1996 Taste of Buffalo.)

The whole family will love the real farm experience at Becker Farms in Gasport—especially during their strawberry, raspberry, apple and pumpkin fiestas.

    In the heart of the Western New York Fruit Belt, harvesting continues in Orleans County throughout the summer and autumn—from strawberries in mid June to apples in the fall, with cherries, raspberries, apricots, nectarines, peaches and plums in between. Hurd Orchards Farm & Market in Holley specializes in unusual peach and apple varieties. They offer pick-your-own facilities throughout each season, plus fresh orchard and herb lunches.

    Watt Farms Country Market in Albion specializes in homemade fudge in countless flavors including Raspberry Chocolate Swirl made with their own delectable purple raspberries and other seasonal favorites. You'll find all varieties of fresh produce there, as well. Browns Berry Patch in Waterport offers a fresh harvest of strawberries, sweet cherries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, elderberries, fall raspberries, apples, quince and pumpkins to buy at their farm market or to pick yourself—along with family events and harvest festivals throughout the growing season.

    Genesee Beer (crafted by the country's largest family owned brewery), famous Zweigle's hot dogs, and French's Mustard all originated in the city of Rochester. Zweigle's are available at stands throughout downtown, or can be paired with a local brew, such as the Empire Brewing Company's award-winning Hefe-Weizen, a German-style unfiltered wheat beer.

    On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings, head for the Downtown Farmer's Market where locally grown produce, cheeses and seafood are sold to a discerning public. The local corn is one of summer's joys— especially the `Silver Queen' or `Butter & Sugar' varieties. Summertime festivals offer a wide variety of ethnic cuisine. Such is the case at the Lilac Festival in beautiful Highland Park and the Corn Hill Arts Festival in one of Rochester's architecturally rich neighborhoods.

    Casa Larga Vineyards in Fairport are open year round for tours, tastings and special events. They anxiously await the release this fall of the vineyard's Due Mille 2000—a 1996 meritage of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc—blended in celebration of the new millennium. Each limited edition imported Italian glass bottle will be handpainted in silver. with the millenium logo.

Wayne County

    Nothing compares with a day's fishing on the waters of Lake Ontario in Wayne County, renowned for producing trophy size salmon, trout, bass, pike and walleye. Locally grown produce—everything from apricots to zucchini—are available at roadside markets. While in the area, a `must-stop' is a trip to the Heluva Good Cheese Country Store in Sodus, featuring a huge selection of cheeses, gourmet foods, seasonings and gift baskets. Yummy!

    A trip to Long Acres Farms, in Macedon, could find you winding your way through the `Amazing Maize Maze' as well as filling up the car with fresh produce and fresh bakery items. Try a Moonlight Maize Maze during summer `full moon' weekends!

Cayuga County

    Cayuga County lists 41 farm markets and rural heritage sites, including everything from a garlic merchant to an old world bakery that uses a wood-fired brick oven and traditional baking methods. There is also an organic fallow deer farm in New Hope, and a water-powered grist mill operating since 1823. Farm markets offer everything from honey and mead (honey wine) to maple syrup, dairy products and fresh produce. And ask about Cayuga wineries.

Oswego County

    On the Cayuga-Oswego county line is Ontario Orchards, a year round market offering local produce, fruits, baked goods, cheeses and preserves, plus herbs, flowers, vegetable seedlings, trees and shrubs. The Oswego Farmer's Market occurs every Thursday afternoon in downtown Oswego with all sorts of fresh foods, crafts and garden items.

    Further north in Oswego County, Pulaski has earned its title as `Salmon Capital of New York State.' For anglers wishing to preserve their catch, local fish cleaning stations, smoke houses and taxidermists are all happy to help. The Colosse Cheese and Butter Company, in Pulaski was founded at the turn of the century and still offers cheddar cheese and fresh curd (a north country specialty) either plain or flavored with jalapeno pepper, horseradish or chives.

Jefferson County

    Jefferson County is next on the tour. Dairy farming is strong here, with Holstein cows dotting the countryside. Local fare includes cheddar cheese, maple syrup and maple candies, honey and a wonderful summer sausage known as Croghan Bologna—actually from neighboring Lewis County. Along the St. Lawrence River, visitors can still experience the famous traditional 1000 Islands Shore Dinner—the day's catch fried to perfection, salt potatoes, a green salad with 1000 Islands dressing, and corn on the cob in season. While you're waiting for your main course, the meal starts off with several tasty little bacon or salt pork or BLT sandwiches (depending upon exactly where you are on the river). Dinner is topped off with French toast, local real maple syrup and a cup of steaming camp coffee—all prepared over an open fire by your guide after a day of glorious fishing on the river. Now this is heaven.

    If tasting craft-brewed beer (or root beer) is your passion, you won't want to miss the Sackets Harbor Brewing Company on Main Street where you can eat inside or out with a great view of the harbor. The brewery serves its own beer bread, also found at area groceries. In search of the unusual? Various cuts of healthy buffalo meat are available at the Pleasant Valley Buffalo Ranch near Cape Vincent.

    Each September, Watertown invites you to enjoy the annual Bravo Italiano festival with its al dente pastas, rich sauces, sweet pastries, cultural displays and ethnic entertainment.

    April and May bring not only showers and flowers, but blueplate specials—mounds of three or four tender bullhead, a local fish now imported from Canada, and fried in a light beer batter, traditionally served with potatoes, cole slaw and bread. The Eastern Shore of Lake Ontario is especially famous for these feeds.

St. Lawrence County

    In the spring, all-you-can-eat bullhead dinners are popular in St. Lawrence County, too, sometimes presented by local service organizations—the most popular being at the Brier Hill Fire Company. if you're interested in preparing them yourself, local markets sometimes stock up on fresh, cleaned Canadian bullheads. Saute them with a light dusting of seasoned flour, and serve with lots of fresh lemon.

    Elsewhere in St. Lawrence County you'll find excellent maple syrup products for your sweet tooth. 1999 is an especially good year, we're told. Other regional fare includes old-fashioned cheese curd, buffalo and venison from fallow deer. For fun, get a long time resident chatting about childhood memories of smoked eels, pea soup, spring leeks, frog legs and wild mushroom hunting—all still enjoyed by many.

Erie County • PA

Erie County, Pennsylvania, back at the far western end of the Trail, is nationally recognized for its Concord grapes and annual harvests of wine grapes. As you arrive, roll down your windows and drink in the aroma of ripening grapes near the towns of Northeast and Harborcreek. The area's lakeside wineries (among them Mazza, Penn Shore and Heritage) specialize in dry reds, fruit wines, ice wines and fine table wines. Northeast's annual Wine Country Harvest Festival in late September is a feast for the senses. One of the largest and best stocked farm markets in this region is Erie's Mason Farms—a great place to stock up on fruits, produce and ice cream as well.

We hope that this brief glimpse at the earthly delights of the Seaway Trail will entice you to explore it for yourself and to enjoy the many homegrown foods, regional specialties and handcrafted beverages we have to offer. For complete information contact regional tourism professionals (see inside back cover). They will be able to suggest a host of culinary adventures such as ethnic and cultural festivals, sites, tours, and restaurants. Happy tasting!

Andrea & Chris Cooke are enthusiastic tasters of good food, fine wines and handcrafted beers. They spend many hours transforming fresh Seaway Trail fruits and vegetables into delicious preserves and sauces to share with their family and friends—and living up to their name. The Cookes reside in Rochester, New York.