Northern
WINTER
DESTINATION
Savor the Farm to
Table Revolution in
New York State
TOP LEFT: DYLAN BUYSKES; BOTTOM: JIM BUSH
NEW YORK STATE has been a leader in America’s
farm-to-table culinary revolution, and driving through
its seemingly endless stretches of farmlands,
orchards and wineries, it’s easy to see why.
N
early one quarter of the state’s
total land area is devoted to
farming. Although only 27th
among the states in terms of size, New
York ranks among the nation’s biggest
producers of many agricultural products including dairy, fruits, berries,
maple syrup, and many vegetables including sweet corn and pumpkins, and
third in grape and wine production.
what the great restaurant chefs already
know: nothing beats homegrown,
hand-crafted and local food and beverages. Plus, a new statewide initiative,
Taste NY, has created a website (www.
taste.ny.gov) with at-a-glance info and
links to New York farms, orchards,
wineries, breweries, distilleries and
other food and beverage producers
that sell directly to the public. The
site also lists special food events such
as farmers’ markets and festivals, and
new Taste NY stores and kiosks at
Thruway rest stops, airports and other
hubs that will be opening to sell local
products.
Here are five delicious ways to take a
tasting tour of the Empire State.
Discover the great state of grapes.
Nearly 1,500 family vineyards are
tucked into almost every region of
But make no mistake: in New York
State, farming is about quality, not
quantity. For example, New York is
among the top states for organic farming, it produces world class wines and
craft beers, and a growing number of
highly skilled cheese makers are creating quality, artisanal cheeses.
Throughout the year, food and beverage “trails” make it easy to discover
WINTER 2013 | FOOD TRAVELER 49