If some apocalyptical event ruptured the nation’s food distribution system, New York might just be okay. A day at the 2019 Adirondack Wine & Food Festival confirms that there are plenty of beverages and foodstuffs produced within the State’s borders to quench any thirst and fill any belly.
This was the fifth year for the event, which was held June 29 and 30 on the Festival Commons in Wood Park, and its size has grown each year with new vendors, demonstrations and activities. The Adirondack Winery of Lake George presents the Festival, which brings more than 100 vendors and several thousand foodies and craft beverage fans to town each June.
“It’s one of the best festivals I’ve attended, and we go to many,” says Chef William Cornelius. Cornelius spent much of the weekend in the Culinary Tent telling stories, cracking jokes and demonstrating recipes. The entertaining celebrity chef incorporated New York produced wines, beers and spirits into his dishes adding mustards, sauces and spices brought in by the Festival’s vendors. His demonstrations highlighted cooking techniques and the wide variety of flavors available from New York producers.
The Locavore Movement, which encourages the use of locally sourced products, has been growing over the past decade. Advocates cite the health, environmental and economic benefits of buying local. The movement may also be seen as a pushback against over-processed, chemically flavored, sweetened and colored foods and drinks.
While economies of scale make it possible for national corporations to churn out cheap products, mass-produced food and drink are reliably uniform with tastes and textures targeted for the largest possible market. The rise of the craft beverage and artisan food industries has exposed to consumers the richness of variety that has been diminishing since the 1950s when Swanson introduced the first frozen TV dinners.
Made in New York was the overriding theme
The 2019 Adirondack Wine & Food Festival featured 33 wineries, and most wines sampled in Wood Park this past weekend were made from grapes grown in New York soil. Another vendor, Finger Lakes Wine Flour, collects the pomace, the pulp leftover from the winemaking process, from local wineries to create flavorful flours that enhance baked goods. One of the most popular vendor tents, B’s Cheeses, offered an array of cheese samples made with milk from New York cows. Joanne Rose of Sweet Rama’s Soap creates soaps, lotions and shampoos with milk from her goat farm in the state’s Catskill region.
According to Gina Mintzer, Executive Director of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce and CVB, local producers are driving small business creation in the area. “I’m so proud to be working with these producers who are doing it all themselves,” says Mintzer. The Lake George Chamber is very involved in marketing locally produced products.
In 2018, the Chamber took over the Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail initiative from the Adirondack Regional Chamber and has since been promoting the Lake George Area to craft beverage fans. The Chamber also operates the Taste NY aspect of the new Adirondack Welcome Center on the Adirondack Northway, which has vending machines stocked with locally produced craft sodas, fresh milk, jams, honey, cheeses and maple products.
Sunday of the 2019 Festival featured new activities. For an additional fee, attendees could participate in wine and chocolate pairing classes with Barkeater Chocolates. Sip & Canvas offered painting classes and Wax ‘n Wix of Lake George held wine glass candle-making sessions.
Under the Culinary Tent on Sunday, Chef William Cornelius and Queensbury Hotel Chef Colin Miner competed in an Iron Chef-style competition. Both Chefs were given eggplant, redfish, local wine, beer, cheeses, mustard and use of a Big Green Egg grill with which they prepared their entries. Chef William won the friendly competition, which he characterized as “…old school versus new school,” adding it was a pleasure to work with such a young and talented chef as Minor.
In total, there were more than 120 vendors at the 2019 Adirondack Wine & Food Festival. In addition to the 33 wineries, there were 15 distilleries, 7 breweries, 7 cideries, a meadery, 12 food trucks, 28 artisan food vendors and 19 craft and specialty vendors.
Photos: 2019 Adirondack Wine & Food Festival
Examiner Associate Sarah Winter samples wine from Eagle Crest Vineyards of New York’s Finger Lakes Region. 
Finger Lakes Wine Flour uses pomace, the leftover grape skins and seeds from winemaking, to produce flour and grapeseed oil. Photo: Sarah Winter 
Festival attendees had the opportunity to sample from a wide variety of hard ciders. Photo: Sarah Winter 
Merritt Estate Winery’s 5 O’clock wine, because it’s 5 O’clock somewhere. Photo: Sarah Winter 
Many craft beverage producers offered cocktail recipes. Photo: Sarah Winter 
Apple Grove Farms sells a variety of seasoned olive oils. Photo: Sarah Winter 
Festival attendees sample cheeses from Palatine Dairy. 
Specialty vendor Bayside Wood Products offers unique wine glass holders and intricate cutting boards. 
Ledge Rock Hill Winery of Corinth, New York brought a variety of fruity wines to the festival. 
Wicks from the Sticks offers wine glass painting. 
A panel of judges review dishes created by Chef William and Chef Colin for the cooking competition. 
Chefs William Cornelius (left) and Colin Miner pose together after the Iron Chef-style cooking competition.
Your articles are are always so well-written — thoughtfully worded and interesting. Just love Chef William’s fancy “toque noir.”
Happy Fourth of July!