Hudson Valley Harvest: A Food Lover's Guide to Farms, Restaurants, and Open-Air Markets

By Jan Greenberg

Book Overview

The only comprehensive guide to the foods, farms, and restaurants of the Hudson Valley: a food-lover's guide to the farms, local foods, open-air markets, restaurants, and regional cuisine of New York's historic and bountiful Hudson River Valley. New York's scenic Hudson Valley, a bucolic land of farms and vineyards, is often compared to California's Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Each year more than 1 million people visit the area, drawn as much by its culinary and agricultural attractions as its spectacular scenery, historic architecture, and opportunities for outdoor recreation. The small family farms, vineyards, and orchards of the Hudson Valley produce artisanal cheese, pasture-raised poultry and meats, handcrafted wines, and organic produce. They supply local restaurants and farmers' markets and the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, as well as the restaurants and Greenmarkets of New York City, only 90 miles away. Hudson Valley Harvest is a sourcebook for those who live, weekend, and vacation in the Hudson Valley. Interviews and profiles of farmers and specialty producers round out specific information on farm festivals, events, and family activities. The author provides an up-to-date guide and schedule to farmers markets and seasonal farmstands, as well as a guide to regional restaurants. 10 black & white photographs, index.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0881505269
• ISBN13: 9780881505269
• Release Date: June 2003
• Publisher: Countryman Press
• Length: 282 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

A must have when visiting the Hudson Vally

Jan Greenberg's guide came in handy last weekend when I took my visiting family - kids, grandparents and everything in between - on a two day trip through the Hudson Valley. This is a great area but it is hard to get off the beaten track , particularly if you want to do more than just look at historic sites and state parks. Even though it was early in the season, this book got us to some beautiful farm and country sites; the restaurant recommendations were right on; and we actually learned a lot as well. Don't visit the Hudson Valley without this book.

Must have for Hudson Valley travel

This is THE book for anyone who lives, works, visits or is even thinking of a trip to the Hudson Valley, this bucolic but agriculturally threatened area, just an hour north of New York City. Jan Greenberg not only tells where to buy and eat these outstanding (and tasty) products but in a non-preachy way makes the reader understand why it is important to support these local farmers and producers. Her profiles and stories of the farmers who grow the fruits and vegetables and raise the livestock are truly heartfelt and gave me, and will do the same I think for anyone else who reads them, a new understanding of what is like to be a grower where everything, from weather to the economy, is out of your control. This is the high risk profession!! It makes Wall Street look safe.Above all, though, this is a book about enjoying food --buying it, serving it and tasting it. As Danny Meyer, owner of New York City's Union Square Cafe and other restaurants known for their support of local farms, writes - "This book deserves a place on the bookshelf (or in the glove compartment) of every itinerant aficionado of New York's bounty." He's right.

We loved it

We bought this book before a weekend trip to the Hudson Valley and can't imagine traveling to the area without it. It has everything you would want to know about the farmers and what they are growing and producing. It tells you where and what to eat and how to use what you buy at a farmstand or local farmers market. It also made us really think about the people who grow the food. Their stories are uniformly interesting, even moving. The author has a pleasingly gentle touch when she writes about issues so much in the news today like organics, the humane treatment of animals and keeping small farms viable. Even if you aren't visiting the Hudson Valley, this is definitely a worthwhile book to have and read.