Category Archives: local business

Wine for Ilion Days

Posted on July 21, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m missing a lot of the Ilion Days events — most notably tonight’s delightfully named Doodah Parade — but Steven and I did make it to a wine tasting at Ilion Wine and Spirits Thursday night.

I started with the Tanto Trabbiano d’Abruzzo 2010 from Italy. It reached my ultimate accolade of “yummy.” The hand-out said it was “floral, fresh and very well balanced.” I’m not sure about the floral — I almost never taste the notes of whatever, either — but I found it refreshing.

I continued on whites with the Indaba Sauvignon Blanc 2010, France. It was yummy, too; I usually like Sauvignon Blanc. I liked the d’Abruzzo a little better, though.

The last white I tasted was the Sauvion Vouvray 2010, France. I got a little silly (who, me?) declaring, “Vouvray! It’s fun to say!” Nobody seemed to mind. The Vouvray was a little sweeter than I like, but other people at the tasting were highly recommending it to each other.

I skipped the last two whites they were offering, because they were definitely on the sweet side. I nibbled some of their munchies, which Steven had already raided (he only comes to these things for the food) before moving on to the reds. Crackers with two kinds of cheese spread (one with horseradish. Yum!) and that divine warm dip with cheddar, onion and mayonnaise, which they have had at the last few tastings.

I started my red sampling with Vina Borgia 2010, Spain. I asked if it was any relation to Lucretia Borgia, but of course I was still being silly. Those Borgias were Italian. The hand-out promised “light peppery notes,” which I think I tasted. I marked that one “yummy” too.

Also rated “yummy” was Snap Dragon Pinot Noir 2010, California. I almost always like Pinot Noir. The other two reds were all right, but I was not loving them.

I don’t always try the “Other Offerings” but decided to take a chance. They were Sips Sparkling Cocktails: Cucumber Mojito and Pineapple Mandarin Tropitini flavors. I know some girls who love this kind of thing. I had never had a Mojito before. Who knew they had mint? I know, probably everybody but me. The Tropitini tasted very orangey to me. Both were bubbly. I’m sure they would be good to serve at a party.

When Steven and I returned to the main part of the store so I could make my purchases, I was delighted to note that all my favorites were quite reasonably priced. We also purchased raffle tickets for an artist-painted Adirondack chair.

I enjoyed the wine tasting very much. As the weekend wears on, perhaps I can take advantage of other Ilion Days events. For a complete listing I can log onto iliondoodah.com.

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Hot Dogs and Hot Rods

Posted on July 11, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I drive by The Domes on my way to work and have been noticing a sign for a car show there every Monday night. The Domes, in case you didn’t know, is a small group of businesses located on State Route 5, just outside of Herkimer. A couple of the buildings are dome-shaped. Last night, Steven and I decided to check it out.

We brought our schnoodle Tabby, because we figured a cute little dog was welcome to walk around a parking lot if she behaved herself. We also brought our appetites, because we had seen The Sugar Shack there and thought we could probably get a hot dog.

We ordered our food first. A variety of burgers and sandwiches are available as well as appetizers and desserts. We were intrigued by Deep Fried Mac and Cheese but decided to order two foot long hot dogs, one order of fries, one soda. I don’t eat many fries or drink much soda so figured I could share Steven’s. We sat down at a picnic table and enjoyed the music a DJ was playing.

A couple had a table set up nearby selling knives and garlic, so we walked over and checked that out. I thought about purchasing a jack knife. They are handy to keep in your purse, for little cutting needs that may arise. I decided to wait. We bought some garlic, though. I love garlic.

When our food came, it was delicious. The hot dogs were well-done, the way I like them, and the buns were toasted on the grill. I don’t know why foot-longs taste different from regular hot dogs. Shouldn’t they be the same thing, only longer? Maybe if I had a blind taste test I would find the difference to be psychological. As it is, I find them distinctive and I love them.

We strolled over to chat with the DJ. It was Sal Stokes, a name I remember seeing at other events, most notably the Elks Club car show in Meyers Park in Herkimer last August. A flier for this year’s car show was taped to the table. I made a note of the date: Aug. 4. If I am in town and I am so there.

Sal introduced himself and his wife, Karen. Steven and I introduced ourselves and our dog. Sal said dog lovers were special people. As we walked away he played a song about walking a dog and said it was going out to Cindy Lou Who.

There weren’t a lot of cars there, but we enjoyed the ones we saw. The most striking was a 1938 hearse belonging to Enea Funeral Home. Steven saw a sign on it that said only eleven of that kind were made.

It was a pleasant interlude. The Cruise In (one sign says Car Show, one says Cruise In; I suppose they are same thing) takes place every Monday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Check it out.

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Local Breakfast Before Independence Day

Posted on July 4, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was starting to write a regular post, but then I thought, it’s the 4th of July. Should I not be waxing eloquent with patriotic thoughts on independence?

I guess I don’t wax eloquent in the best of times (I don’t wax my floors or my car either, but you knew I was going to make that joke). The question is: do I have anything useful to add to the 4th of July commentary? Perhaps not, but I do have a plug for a local business. And isn’t entrepreneurship part of what makes this country great? I think so.

So Steven and I went out for breakfast at the Heidelberg Bakery and Cafe, 3056 State Rt. 28N, Herkimer, NY. We’ve gone out there to buy their delicious bread on many occasions. We finally had a chance to try their breakfast.

The cafe has a warm, welcoming decor, all brown and soft orange with wooden furniture. Two of the booths have benches that look like church pews. We’ll have to sit at one of those if we ever go in with a group of people. Tuesday we sat at a cozy table for two.

A cheerful young lady brought us menus and offered coffee, which of course we wanted. We both ordered fried eggs with sourdough toast. I absolutely love Heidelberg Sourdough Bread. The slices were large, and they put on lots of butter, just the way I like it.

We especially enjoyed the coffee, rich and strong. The waitress told us it was Kubal Coffee from Utica, NY.

“Ooh, local,” I said. “We’re all about local.”

“So is our manager,” she said. “Even our flour is local.”

I told her I thought I’d found a new favorite place for breakfast. Of course, I won’t abandon my old favorite places; there are a lot of good places to eat around here.

Heidelberg Cafe also serves lunch and dinner. We’ll have to check those out and report back. They are also open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can call for take out at 315-866-0999. You can also “like” them on Facebook.

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A Bank and a Bake Sale

Posted on June 25, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Saturday I needed some cash and wanted to spend it, so I put Tabby on the leash and we walked down to First Source Credit Union in Herkimer, NY. They are very dog friendly there.

While I was filling out my withdrawal slip, two little boys noticed Tabby and were very interested in her. I told them it was OK to pet her. I explained that first it was a good idea to let her sniff their hands and then pet her on the back. I read that somewhere, that you should pet a strange dog on the back or chest, not on the head. They might get nervous when a stranger pets them on the head. Tabby licked the littler boy’s hand.

“Did she give you kisses?” I asked. After I completed my transaction and picked up the biscuit the teller gave me for Tabby, I turned around to see Tabby on her hind legs, leaning on the bigger boy, being petted. “Did you make a couple of friends?” I asked her. She didn’t let her new friends keep her from eating her treat right away.

We left the bank and walked down a block and across the street to Aubuchon Hardware, where H.A.L.O. was having a bake sale. That was where I wanted to spend a little money.

H.A.L.O. is the Helping Animals Live Organization, a non-profit, no kill cat shelter based in Little Falls. I can’t adopt a kitty due to severe allergies, but I like to support their fundraisers whenever possible. Right away I saw a flier for a great event planned for September: a Chicken Barbecue and Hawaiian Luau Dance. I checked their Facebook page for more details, but it isn’t listed yet. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for that and plan to attend. Steven has lots of Hawaiian shirts.

After I bought a couple of goodies for me and Steven, Tabby and I walked back home. It was quite sunny and warm by this time, so I chose the sidewalks that seemed to offer the most shade. We were glad to get home and near the fans. Just another pleasant little interlude during our Mohawk Valley weekend.

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Just Another Little Taste…

Posted on June 21, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

In addition to tasting wine and cheese at Vintage Spirits in Herkimer, NY, last Friday, I tasted some wine at Ilion Wine and Spirits. Steven accompanied me to the second place.

Ilion Wine and Spirits has a tasting room that is, dare I say, tastefully furnished. On my way back there I snagged a piece of cheese from the table of munchies. Ilion Wine and Spirits puts out an excellent snack table to go with their tastings. I left Steven sampling the goodies and made my way to the wine.

A number of people were already tasting, but not too many to get through. I’ve been to tastings there where the room was packed. However, people are usually nice about making room for each other. I picked up the print out listing the wines.

I started with a Petra Unger Gruner Veltliner 2010 from Austria. I asked should there be two dots over the u to make that “eueu” sound. There should be. I seem to remember hearing the word Veltliner before and liking the wine. I like the word, too. It’s fun to say. Try it. I liked this Veltliner, although it did not reach my ultimate accolade of “yummy.”

My other favorite of that tasting was the Medinet Blanc from France. They described it as semi-dry, well balanced. I just liked it.

By now Steven was sitting on the couch, observing the proceedings (he thought he should refrain from eating everything on the munchy table). I would get my taste, go sit down next to Steven and sip it, then ask him to hold the glass while I wrote in my little book about it. It’s a very pleasant way to do a tasting. I must get Steven to accompany me to other tastings with couches.

This was a very friendly tasting, with everybody chatting and comparing notes on what they had tried and what they had liked. I refrained from trying the Smirnoff Savannah Tea, but participated in a discussion about Long Island Iced Tea and how it can be difficult to find one made properly. We discovered that several of our fellow tasters were headed to Herkimer next for St. Anthony’s Festival. As that was Steven’s and my next destination, we promised to look for them. I also recommended the tasting at Vintage Spirits.

“Tell them Cindy sent you,” I said, although I doubt that anyone did.

I actually did not buy anything I tasted, but I found a bottle of Twin Vines Vinho Verde, which I like, and Steven pointed out some Baco Noir from Domhnall Vineyards in Herkimer, NY. I don’t like to take advantage of a free tasting and not buy anything.

Ilion Wine and Spirits is located at 10 E. Main St., Ilion, NY, telephone 315-894-8142.

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Yummy Wine

Posted on June 20, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

So Friday I was at Vintage Spirits in Herkimer, NY, where I tasted some yummy cheese from Three Village Cheese Company. I tasted some wine as well.

A lady I know from work recommended I try what she was trying, the Renee Junot White. However, Bronson said I must try the Youquem Torrontes 2011 first. I like being a regular at places. They know what you like and make recommendations. I wrote in my little book, “Oh yeah, yummy,” so obviously Bronson was right. The Junot, which of course I also tried, was fruitier and sweeter.

I will interject here for the benefit of readers who have not read one of my wine posts yet: it may be obvious by now I am not a wine snob. I do not hesitate to describe wines I like as “yummy.” Sometimes I get more descriptive, as you’ll see, but I have absolutely no oenophile cred (I had to look up how to spell that word).

I thought the Zios Albarino 2011 was a very summer wine. The driest white in the tasting was the Bigi Orvieto Classico 2011. Another good summer wine.

I also tried the Martini Prosecco. It was OK, but I like drier bubblies better. Bronson said Proseccos are dry compared to Astis. I remember having a great deal of fun at a wedding where Asti Spumante was being drunk. That was years ago, when my tastes ran sweeter and, quite frankly, so did my personality (but only relatively speaking).

Among the reds my favorite was Lapostelle Casa Carmenere 2010 from Chile. It was the most complex (ooh, there’s an oenophile word! and it gets better:). I tasted notes of pepper. I was so excited! I never taste notes of anything! Imagine my chagrin when I looked at the printout and read that the wine has notes of spice and tobacco. So once again, I was on the wrong note.

When I told Steven about it, he said he didn’t quite get why notes of tobacco would be a good thing in a wine. He likes to smoke his tobacco. On reflection, though, I say it’s not so far off. In Arabic the word for smoke (a cigarette) is the same word as to drink (a beverage). So in Arabic speaking countries, they drink their tobacco.

Anyways, I bought a bottle of the Lapostelle, thinking a larger glass and more leisure would better reveal whatever notes were present. Or I may just drink it and say, “Yum.”

Vintage Spirits is located at 246 Mohawk St., Herkimer. Phone number 315-866-6800.

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More Cheese, Please

Posted on June 18, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

No, this is not a post about the cheesy horror movies I adore. It is about actual cheese. But I guess I do need to get onto watching more silly movies…

Be that as it may, on Friday I went to a Wine and Cheese Tasting at Vintage Spirits in Herkimer, NY. The cheese was provided by Three Village Cheese of Poland, NY. I did take notes on the wine I tasted, but today I want to talk about the cheese. Yum!

The flier I picked up refers to it as Farmstead and Artisan Cheese. It is made on the farm from pasteurized and raw cow’s milk. I tasted Tomme, Feta, Havarti, Swedish Farmer’s Cheese, and Dill Havarti. The Tomme was the most unusual to me. It was the hardest cheese; in fact, I think Tom, the guy from Three Village Cheese, said “tomme” means hard. It was substantial. Tom said it would be good with a robust, red wine. He was quite right. I liked it a lot by itself, too.

The other cheese that was new to me was the Swedish Farmers’ Cheese. This was a softer, friendlier cheese. The flier says it can be used for breakfast, sandwiches, grilling or sauces. How about a breakfast sandwich fixed on the grill covered with cheese sauce? Or am I being silly (how unusual of me)?

The problem was, Vintage Spirits could not sell me the cheese. In fact, to purchase it I would have to go out to Tom’s truck and pay him cash. Everybody was making silly jokes about deals in the parking lot. I had no cash. Tom said I could just come out to the farm; there is a handy map on the flier. I said I would if I could not get my husband to come back with me later. He has all the cash this week for some reason.

When I got home I looked at Thursday’s paper and saw that Ilion Wine and Spirits was also having a wine tasting. Imagine my delight when Steven returned home and expressed his willingness to accompany me to both places.

Tom was happy to see me return. Steven tried all the cheeses and liked the Dill Havarti best. Steven does like dill. So do I. We went out to the parking lot to make our purchase.

Three Village Cheese is located at 2608 Newport Rd., Poland, NY. Phone number is 315-794-9545. You can also find them on Facebook.

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The Meating Place

Posted on June 14, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

The other day as I was driving home, I remembered that Steven and I had not planned anything for dinner. This has happened a lot lately, and we’ve either gotten delivery or just not eaten very well. Then I remembered that I drive right by Mohawk Village Market on my way home. We still had macaroni salad that I had made earlier in the week. All I needed was some meat.

A long time ago in this blog, I noted that on the outside of Mohawk Village Market, they advertise themselves as “The Meating Place.” Another sign declares, “You Never Sausage a Place.” I do love a good pun (although some sources say there is no such thing). I had heard from several people that the Market had a good butcher section. I would check it out.

The meat counter runs across the whole back wall. The selection was excellent. I had barely started pondering my choices when a man asked if he could help me. I had been thinking sausage (because of that sign), but some quite beautiful pork chops caught my eye (Steven loves pork chops).

“But they’re so big,” I said.

“So only eat one,” he suggested.

I could probably eat half of one and be content, but I got two. I don’t think our finances are so bad that Steven and I need to be splitting a pork chop for dinner. While the man was wrapping them, I noticed some Spiedie Beef and Pork Chops. I love Spiedie meats! (Although I’m not clear on how to spell “Spiedie” and we have since thrown away the package.) I got the beef, so as not to be getting too much pork.

When I got in line to check out, the other customers were making funny jokes with the cashier. They were obviously all acquainted. I do love a small town atmosphere. I was quite pleased with my purchases. We fried up the Spiedie Beef right away and froze the pork chops for future consumption.

Mohawk Village Market is located at 24 West Main Street, Mohawk, NY. Phone number is 315-866-3344.

Final note: I searched “spiedie meats” on my computer when I typed this in. Spiedie is the correct spelling.

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My Feet Will Thank Me

Posted on June 9, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

Monday I finally made it to the Sneaker Store in New Hartford, NY, to purchase new running shoes.

I like to get two pairs, so I can alternate them, especially if I run on consecutive days. Scott suggested I look at the clearance table first.

“Of course, it’s pretty picked over,” he warned. I know: you snooze, you lose. How long have I been meaning to do this?

I liked the first pair I tried on, but Scott said they were more of a cross trainer. Still, if I also got running shoes, I could mostly wear the cross trainers for walking. I set them aside and kept looking. I had been looking for size 7 1/2, but found a pair of Aasics in an 8.

“I can rock this,” I said. In fact, it felt better than the cross trainers had. Then Scott found me a pair of New Balance. I liked those, too.

“Could it be this easy?” I asked. Apparently it could. I was glad of that, because Steven had graciously accompanied me, and I did not want him to get bored while I tried on fifty pairs of shoes.

I mentioned seeing the new Saucony sneakers on the Sneaker Store’s Facebook page. Scott told me how they were moving to the next generation of running shoe. It seems the sneaker manufacturers are going for more of a barefoot design. I know actual barefoot running is a big thing these days, but I quite frankly can’t imagine my feet, legs and back liking such a thing. I also have to think: before people wore shoes, there was no pavement. They ran on dirt, grass, sand. Sometimes stones, I suppose. Then too, they went barefoot all the time, and they didn’t go for pedicures where they got their callouses shaved off with pumice stones. Well, I’m sure the sneaker manufacturers have smart designers and shoe engineers working for them. They must allow for that sort of thing.

Be that as it may, I was very happy with my old school sneakers, purchased at clearance prices. In fact, when I got them home, I realized the New Balances were the exact pair I had purchased last year. I was very happy with them and expect to continue to be so.

While I was shoe shopping, Steven had noticed a Bosco t-shirt he totally wanted. Bosco, of course, is the parrot that lives at the Sneaker Store. The first time I was ever there, I couldn’t figure out who kept saying hello.

Alas, the t-shirt was not for sale. The owner had had it made, but had not decided whether to sell them or have his staff wear them or what. Steven voted for selling them. I suggested the owner sponsor a race and offer the t-shirts to the runners (thus ensuring I would get one and
Steven would have to borrow mine).

“Oh, he does sponsor a run,” Scott said and handed me a slip of paper with “Bolder Inspiration of Trenton Falls” printed on it. I read, “5 Mile Run, 1 Mile Kids Run…August 4th, 2012.” I “liked” Bolder Inspiration of Trenton Falls on Facebook a long time ago but for one reason or another have never run it. It’s on my calendar now.

So is the Boilermaker. As Steven and I drove through Utica en route to New Hartford, I looked over at the Running Hall of Fame for the Boilermaker count. 33 days. As I type this, it is one month from today. Eek! Good thing I got new shoes!

The Sneaker Store is located at 4490 Commercial Dr., New Hartford, phone 315-736-9237; www.the-sneaker-store.com. For more information on Bolder Inspiration of Trenton Falls go to www.bolderinspiration.blogspot.com.

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Decked Out

Posted on June 7, 2012 by mohawkvalleygirl

One of the chores I had put off on Saturday for my marvelous history tour was working on the container garden for my deck. I still had time Saturday afternoon so I set out for Tripple’s Produce in Schuyler to see what I could do.

I had heard that the best selections for plants was the previous two weekends, but I wasn’t particularly worried. If there was less to choose from, it might make my selection process easier. I might even be able to keep from going overboard as I tend to do. So much for that hope.

My selection process is actually pretty easy: I want them all! I tried, I really tried to be conservative, but I ended up with two cardboard boxes of flowers. As I carried one to my truck, I saw that a nice young man had picked up the other. Tripple’s is a good place to get plants.

My next stop was Aubuchon Hardware in Herkimer to get dirt. A nice young man named Kyle helped me there. As usual, I was not sure exactly what I wanted (yeah, yeah, yeah, dirt. But there’s dirt and there’s dirt). Kyle showed me a bag. It was 1.5 cubic feet to 2, which I remembered I had gotten before. Kyle already had the 1.5 cubic feet bag on his shoulder when I saw the stuff I had gotten last time. I decided to stick with what I had. Well, what Kyle had.

“After all, it’s already up on your shoulder.”

“Oh, that’s all right.”

It turned out to be on sale, too, so bonus. I drove home, wrestled it out of the back of my truck and got to work.

And ran out of dirt before I ran out of plants. Steven was due home for lunch, so I seized the opportunity to take a break. When Steven returned to work, I put Tabby in the truck to return to Aubuchon. I knew it wouldn’t take long and she so likes to go with.

I told a girl (didn’t see her name badge) what I needed (I had memorized it from the bag this time). She asked Kyle to get it for me. It was not the same guy. As I questioned my memory, Kyle 1 showed up.

“I came back for more dirt,” I told him. “The other guy is getting it for me.”

“You got helped by both Kyles today,” the girl said. I was glad to have that mystery cleared up.

When Kyle 2 carried my dirt outside, I said, “It’s the truck with the cute little dog looking out the window.”

“Oh, you can bring your dog in the store,” he told me. I’ll remember that for next time.

I have to confess, I ran out of steam before I ran out of plants. They’re still waiting for me in their little plastic holders. Only a few more to go, and my deck already looks considerably less lonely. However, I think I will need to go someplace and buy a few more flowers. I’m not going overboard; I just think the deck needs a little more purple.

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