Washington, DC - New York’s award-winning wines, farm-fresh products, and fine restaurants traveled to the nation’s Capitol yesterday to tastefully show Congress, the Administration, and others that New York is a major agricultural state, and agriculture is a major part of the state’s economy.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, last night hosted “New York Farm Day” in the elegant Senate Russell Caucus Room at the crest of Capitol Hill. Attendees included other United States Senators, members of the New York Congressional delegation from the House of Representatives, members of the Committees on Agriculture, legislative chiefs of staff, agricultural specialists in Congress and the Administration, members of the New York and Washington media, top area restaurants and fine wine shops.

“Senator Clinton has become a true missionary for New York agriculture, including the grape and wine industry,” said Jim Trezise, President of the statewide New York Wine & Grape Foundation, which organizes the event. “This food and wine showcase is designed to facilitate her strong advocacy of New York agriculture by tastefully showing her colleagues that New York has some of the best foods, wines, and restaurants in the world.”

In the past five years, New York Farm Day has become one of the most popular events on Capitol Hill. As the current edition of US News put it, “It’s that time of year again when lawmakers and top Hill aides eagerly await their invitation to what most call the best industry reception of the year: New York Farm Day, hosted by Sen. Hillary Clinton.” As a reminder of this year’s Farm Day feast, this week all U.S. Senators and New York Representatives will receive a bottle of premium New York wine with a personal note.

“Farm Day is a real labor of love for me as Senator from New York. It is always a unique and important opportunity for us to showcase the best of what New York’s farmers and producers have to offer. Over the past six years we have brought New York to Washington, DC and I am thrilled that this has become such an anticipated event on the Congressional calendar. New York’s farmers and producers are some of the best in the world and this is always a great opportunity to spread the word even further about the quality of our produce. This year’s event was once again a great success featuring incredible wine, food and produce,” Senator Clinton said.

The event is organized according to the State’s major wine-producing regions—Long Island, the Hudson Valley, the Finger Lakes, the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Erie (Chautauqua)—as well as North Country. Each region will have a “Farm Table” showcasing local agricultural products, a “Restaurant Table” featuring a special recipe created from those products, and a “Wine Table” offering award-winning wines to match the foods.

The “Farm Tables” and a centerpiece “Cornucopia” created by Bill Sanok of Cornell Cooperative Extension (retired) on Long Island will include everything from A to Z (apples to zucchini), with a bounty of fresh vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meat and seafood illustrating New York’s diversity as an agricultural state. Though few farmers can attend since they’ll be in the middle of the fall harvest, they generously contribute their products for this event.

From Long Island, there was Fresh Mixed Greens with a Vinaigrette Dressing, North Fork Potato Chips and Tiger Spuds, Fresh Oysters and Hard Clams farmed by Long Island’s East End Marine Farmers’ Association, and Fresh Sliced Duck. Chef/Owner Tom Schaudel of Cool Fish Restaurant offered Smoked Jurgielewicz Duck Breast with Satur Farms Mixed Lettuces, Oyster Ponds Raspberries, and Paumanok Merlot Vinaigrette—accompanied by wines from Bedell Cellars, Corey Creek Vineyards, Martha Clara Vineyards, Peconic Bay Winery, and Wolffer Estate.

The Hudson Valley region was represented by Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Hudson Valley Fruit Project, which featured a variety of locally produced fruits and vegetables with vinegars and dressing from the Hudson Valley, and Black Currant Iced Tea. Hudson Valley wines included Brotherhood, America’s Oldest Winery, Clinton Vineyards, and Rivendell Winery.

Appropriately located between the large apple-producing regions of the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes, the New York Apple Association featured Freshly Harvested Gala and Honey Crisp Apples, Fuji Apple Juice, Freshly Pressed Apple Cider, Cranapple Cider, and Raspberry Apple Cider.

From the Finger Lakes region, farmers and chefs involved with “Finger Lakes Culinary Bounty” displayed an abundance of fresh produce and specialty items created upstate, including Roasted Asparagus with Keuka Lake Coffee Roasters’ Java Rub, Meritage Blend Coffee, Java Bark Samples, Franjo Farms Onion Jelly, Crackerman of Etna Crackers, Nunda Mustard, Chutney Fever Chutney, Marc Anthony Specialty Foods Sausage, Cowlick Farms Artisan Cheese, Bronson Hill Creamery Artisan Cheese, Whole in the Wall Pesto, and Nordic Farms Jams & Pickles.

Chef Debra Whiting of Red Newt Cellars Winery & Bistro, Chef Jack Carrington of Sheldrake Point Vineyard & Café and Chef Frank Caravita of Fox Run Vineyards & Café demonstrated how Finger Lakes wineries have taken the lead in creating fine cuisine in that agriculturally rich region by offering, respectively, Remembrance Farm Pumpkin Soup with Red Jacket Orchards Apples and Sabols Sausage Meatballs; Grilled Polenta with King Bird Farms Chorizo, Stick & Stone Farm Zucchini, and Lively Run Goat Cheese; and Sweet Grass Beef with Asian Slaw.

Participating Finger Lakes wineries included Americana Vineyards Winery, Anthony Road Wine Company, Casa Larga Vineyards, Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery, Chateau LaFayette Reneau, Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars, Fox Run Vineyards, Fulkerson Winery, Glenora Wine Cellars, Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards, Heron Hill Winery, Hosmer Winery, Hunt Country Vineyards, King Ferry Winery (Treleaven), Knapp Winery, Lakewood Vineyards, Prejean Winery, Red Newt Cellars, Sheldrake Point Vineyards, Standing Stone Vineyards, Thirsty Owl Wine Company, Wagner Vineyards, and Widmer’s Wine Cellars.

A new addition to Farm Day this year was the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua, a world-class facility to educate people about New York wines and foods from throughout the state through wine tastings, hands-on cooking classes, staff training and other programs. Executive Chef Dan Martello prepared a Country Plate with Rosecrest Farm Pork, Naples Valley Mustard, and Johnson Estate Port Wine.

The Lake Erie region, where “Concord is King!”, and the Niagara Escarpment was represented by National Grape Cooperative/Welch Foods, and featured Concord and Niagara Sparkling and Still Grape Juice as well as Welch’s Fruit Snacks. Wines from Merritt Estate Winery, The Winery at Marjim Manor, and Warm Lake Estate were featured as well.

Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences highlighted its work in identifying compounds in foods with health benefits, the Food Venture Center and tart cherry juice produced and marketed by CherryPharm.

Rosa Mexicano, a popular Manhattan restaurant that has a Washington presence, offered Guacamole en Molcajete featuring New York Onions, Tomatoes, and Cilantro; and Long Island Duck Quesadillas.

Right next to the popular Mexican restaurant stood displays of Saranac Beer and McCadam Cheese, which was rated America’s finest at a national cheese competition in Wisconsin. Offerings included Extra Sharp Cheddar (Best American Cheese, and State Fair Grand Champion), Pepper Jack, and Horseradish Cheddar.

The New York Maple Producers Association presented a broad array of products including maple syrup, maple cream, candy, and maple seasoned nuts.

North Country, representing the Adirondacks and Thousands Islands, offered a potpourri of products including Golden Maple Shanty Sweet Shot; Harvest Herb Company Hand Blended Oil/Herb Dipping Sauce; Heavenly Treasures Bake Shop Sunflower Bread; Upstate Growers and Packers Cooperative Fresh Vegetable Soup; and Surprenant Berry Farm Strawberry Chipotle Jam on Kraft Cream Cheese.

Mercer's A La Port Wine Ice Cream, a perennial favorite, was joined this year by Riesling and Merlot flavors, both combining New York cream with New York wines. Accompanying Mercer’s Wine Ice Creams were Ice Wines from Casa Larga Vineyards, Hunt Country Vineyards, Sheldrake Point Vineyards, and Standing Stone Vineyards.

As visitors left the reception, they were given literature and a flash drive from the Pride of New York program, whose display greeted them on their way in.

New York Farm Day was sponsored by Constellation Brands, Farm Credit of Western New York, First Pioneer Farm Credit, Long Island Farm Bureau, MasterCraft Glassware, New York Apple Association, New York Farm Bureau, New York State Restaurant Association, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, Pride of New York (New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets), and Yankee Farm Credit. The event was organized by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation in conjunction with numerous other organizations and individuals who contributed their time, products and services for the good of New York.

Farming is vital to New York’s economy. About 25 percent of the State’s land area, or 7,500,000 acres, is covered by 35,000 farms. New York is among America’s major agricultural states, ranking #2 in apples and maple syrup, #3 in dairy, grapes, wine, and corn silage, #4 in pears, and #5 in floriculture. The wine, grape and grape juice industry alone contributes over $3.4 billion annually to the State’s economy, and is the fastest growing industry in the agriculture and tourism sectors.

“New York has it all – great foods, great wines, great restaurants,” said Trezise. “When most people think of New York, they think of the Statue of Liberty, Broadway, or Times Square. But New York is much greater than those wonderful attractions, and it’s fun to watch people discover that fact. We applaud Senator Clinton for using New York Farm Day to raise awareness among her colleagues, the media, and others that New York State produces some of the world’s best foods and wines, which some of the world’s best chefs turn into mouth-watering magic.”

 

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