Monthly Archives: October 2016

Catskills Pie: Bull & Garland’s Pot Pie

© J.N. Urbanski

© J.N. Urbanski

Chicken and Tarragon Pot Pie on the menu at Bull & Garland in Hobart, New York. Deliciously light for a pot pie and buttery with an ethereal crust. You won’t ordinarily get two crusts. We took our pot pie to go, after a filling tour of the exceptional starters, and scored a free crust and some extra mashed potato. This is a pie to love.

Daily Catskills: 10/29/16

55F by noon, overcast, gusty and humid. 60F by mid-afternoon.

© J.N. Urbanski 2.50pm

© J.N. Urbanski 2.50pm

Catskills Pie: Holiday Biscuit Co’s Sausage Pie

© J.N. Urbanski

© J.N. Urbanski

Found at the Pakatan Farmers’ Market which runs through November: Holiday Farm Biscuit Co’s sausage pie. This delicious pie comes in two varieties, egg/sausage and chorizo/manchega. Light and crumbly crust with subtly flavorful filling, it’s not so heavy that you’ll feel stuffed afterwards. Served warm, it’s makes the perfect winter breakfast. Get some.

Catskills Conversations: Diane Galusha

© J.N. Urbanski

© J.N. Urbanski

Accomplished Catskills historian, Diane Galusha, is author of Liquid Assets: A History of New York City’s Water System, which has recently been updated and expanded to include the last ten years of advancement in the delivery of the NYC water supply. It’s published by Purple Mountain Press.

What first brought you to the Catskills?

Love. What else? [Laughs] I was living in Hamilton New York, up in Madison County working at Colgate University and I met a man who lived in the Catskills. I made a move down into the Hudson Valley to be closer. Then just decided to take the leap and move to the Catskills to be with him. I had a relationship with him for eight years.

Where are you from originally?

From Broome County, a town called Windsor. I’m a small town girl and I love these small towns and these hills. I was raised about a couple of hours from here.

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Daily Catskills: 10/25/16

41F by mid-afternoon and windy with rolling cloud.

© J.N. Urbanski 4.40pm

© J.N. Urbanski 4.40pm

Daily Catskills: 10/24/16

48F by noon and overcast with high winds.

© J.N. Urbanski 3.30pm

© J.N. Urbanski 3.30pm

Root Vegetable Soup with Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes

© J.N. Urbanski

© J.N. Urbanski

If you never truly appreciate something until it has gone, then I was really very much appreciating the Saturday Summer farmer’s market until I found out it was extending until the end of November. Owing to an Autumn that was warmer than usual, local farmers have more produce to sell. I haven’t been to the market as often as I have liked this summer and am grateful to have another three or four opportunities. On Saturday, in addition to kimchee and fresh ginger, I picked up a box of assorted root vegetables. Plus, I planted the rest of the fresh ginger as it had a couple of green shoots. There’s nothing like firing up the wood stove for the first time and watching a fresh, organic root soup simmering for the evening. Fall is almost finished and the landscape is swaddled in a thick blanket of caramel oak leaves, the last trees to turn.

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Round Barn Saturday Farmers Market in Halcotsville Extending Through November

© J.N. Urbanski

© J.N. Urbanski

The Pakatakan Farmers Market in Halcotsville on Route 30 is extending its Saturday market through the end of November. Today there was a limited edition of what you’ll normally find there, but if you’re looking to stock up on local vegetables, Lucky Dog and Straight Out Of The Ground were present. Madalyn Warren’s famous kimchee is delicious. She also had fresh ginger, heirloom tomatoes, pumpkins, Jerusalem artichokes and other greens. Lucky Dog had all its usual green vegetables and herbs. Owing to the late Summer/warm Autumn combination (yesterday it was 70F), there will be more to sell for the next month. Under the large awning there was local chicken for sale, more vegetables, a bakery, soups, coffee, tea, local cheese and Catskill Funghi. Open 10am-2pm every Saturday from now through November. The final market will be on November 19th but a special holiday market will take place on November 26th. Today was dismally freezing with a biting wind, but it’s worth braving the cold to get such excellent produce. Support your local farmers.

Daily Catskills: 10/21/16

An overcast morning, with sunshine emerging midday. 70F by mid-afternoon with rolling cloud.

© J.N. Urbanski 3.40pm

© J.N. Urbanski 3.40pm

Daily Catskills: 10/20/16

70F by mid-afternoon and overcast with lunch-time rain.

© J.N. Urbanski 4.30pm

© J.N. Urbanski 4.30pm

Daily Catskills: 10/19/16

64F at 8.30am, warm, cloudy and wet after overnight rain.

© J.N. Urbanski 9.30am

© J.N. Urbanski 9.30am

Daily Catskills: 10/18/16

70F by 8.30am, rising to 80F by mid-afternoon. Strong warm breeze filling the air with multi-colored confetti.

© J.N. Urbanski 1.10pm

© J.N. Urbanski 1.10pm

Daily Catskills: 10/17/16

57F at 8.30am and humid with moody skies. Update: 70F by mid-afternoon with periods of sunshine.

© J.N. Urbanski 10.30am

© J.N. Urbanski 10.30am

An Evening Tasting & Tour of Wayside Cider

© J.N. Urbanski

© J.N. Urbanski

Wayside Cider is opening their new cidery and tap room opening in Andes this month. The tap room is based in a barn on Redden Lane, beautifully restored, with as much attention to detail paid to it as was to the cider, which is as light as a breeze. There is a courtyard with a firepit. Future plans for the adjacent carriage house include a banquet hall and store. They anticipate a soft opening on October 22nd.

© J.N. Urbanski

© J.N. Urbanski

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Daily Catskills: 10/12/16

67F by mid-afternoon with mostly sunny skies.

© J.N. Urbanski 10am

© J.N. Urbanski 10am

Daily Catskills: 10/10/16

55F by 3pm with clear skies and a cool breeze.

© J.N. Urbanski 3.45pm

© J.N. Urbanski 3.45pm

Daily Catskills: 10/07/16

50F at 8.30am, nippy with thick fog steaming out of the valleys.

© J.N. Urbanski 8.30am

© J.N. Urbanski 8.30am

Fall Festivals in the Catskills

© J.N. Urbanski

© J.N. Urbanski

On Friday October 7th from 4pm to 7pm on Main Street in Margaretville, come and enjoy a harvest festival with a range of activities including pumpkin carving with the Catskill Mountain Artisans’ Guild; demonstration on how to press your own cider apples; a costume parade and contest for adults, kids and dogs.

Union Grove Distillery will be offering samples of their vodka. Stick in the Mud will have waffle dogs as well as their super fun Belgian waffles on a stick. There will be chili and cornbread for sale from local chefs. Catskill Candies and Confections will offer samples of their chocolates. The Margaretville Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop will be open late and running a special bag sale.

Plein Air painter Alix Travis will be creating artwork depicting the evening’s activities. Entertainment will be provided by Ben Rounds. Stores will be open late as part of this First Friday event sponsored by the Business Association of Margaretville. Admission is free.

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Art Opening: The Tail Wags The Dog by Steve Burnett

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On Saturday October 8th from 6pm to 8pm, Rachel’s Framing and Fine Art will show a selection of striking metal sculptures and watercolors by Steve Burnett. 68 Main Street, Delhi, NY 13757. The exhibition will be up from October 8th to October 29th.

Catskill Center Hosts Fall Gala

© J.N. Urbanski

© J.N. Urbanski

The Catskill Center is hosting a fundraising gala at the Catskill Interpretive Center in Mount Tremper on Saturday, October 9th from 5pm to 8pm. Find tickets here.

The Catskill Center promises an evening of delicious local cuisine, libations and musical performance by Spirit of Thunderheart, five native American drummers, Donna Coane, Debbie Fichtner, Brenda Martin, JoJo Griffin and Wynona Decker. Spirit of Thunderheart are awardees of the 2014 Native American Music Awards’ Best Traditional, 1st place and the 2015 Best Group of the Year, 2nd place. There will also be music by Skye, which is Celtic cellist Abby Newton, guitarist Lynn Hrdy, and keyboardist Selma Kaplan.

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Daily Catskills: 10/01/16

57F and cloudy at noon with mist over the mountains. Update: 61F by early afternoon. Perfect autumnal day for apple foraging in the Catskills.

© J.N. Urbanski 10.45am

© J.N. Urbanski 10.45am

© J.N. Urbanski 11am

© J.N. Urbanski 11am