Culinary Tourism: Finger Lakin' Good

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Travel memories are funny things. We bring home photos of grand vistas,
t-shirts emblazoned with the name of a city or national park; but how often do you catch yourself remembering what you ate? Ever have a grape pie? Culinary Tourism is a concept that seeks to "celebrate food and drink as part of the travel experience." Whether on a day trip or a weeklong vacation, everyone has to eat and often the foods we enjoy or take home recall adventures as well as or even better than a snapshot. Regional wines, produce and prepared foods can signify an area's unique qualities, and the Finger Lakes will pique the culinary tourist in you.

Before hitting the highway, a must for any visitor is a stop at the dazzling New York Wine & Culinary Center at the foot of Canandaigua's City Pier. This brand new attraction features "continuously new and unique ways to experience the bounty of New York State wines, culinary delights and agricultural products." The lodge-like structure holds a complete wine tasting center, demonstration kitchen "theater," gourmet kitchens for cooking classes, a wine bar and gift shop. Large, high-definition video screens in the exhibit hall showcase New York's wine and agricultural industries with flair and pride.

With its rich agricultural heritage, Ontario County farms produce a diverse array of seasonal crops from winter's thaw to autumn's bountiful harvests. In late February, the maple syrup producers spring into action as daytime temperatures rise above freezing and the sap starts to flow. The flowering fruit trees of April bear assurance of the delicious cherries, apricots, peaches and apples to come. From Clifton Springs to Naples a kind of berry zone exists which will keep you picking from June to September. Strawberries that turn your fingertips red, blueberry bushes and raspberry canes laden with fruit, put to shame those imposters that too often pass for the real thing. Farm markets and roadside stands overflow with fresh-from-the-field fruits and veggies. Even the lowly cabbage takes on a new dimension as it is transformed into sauerkraut and celebrated each year at its own festival in Phelps, "the sauerkraut capital of the world." Autumn brings mounds of pumpkins, winter squash and......grapes. Grapes are probably the produce most associated with the Finger Lakes, and for good reason. Long ago the locals realized that our soil and climate were similar to some of Europe's best wine regions, and a vineyard economy was born. Tucked among the hills and lakes are many vineyards and establishments producing world-class wines. One can spend days touring from one winery to another indulging in tastings and savoring all that Finger Lakes wine country has to offer. Clearly, the many wineries are the main event where grapes are concerned, but there's much more to the story than a Riesling or Traminette.

Naples is the center of the universe for all things grape-ey. Baskets of purple, red and green grapes fill the air with their piquant aroma. Indeed, some people have been known to take a basket home just to let the house fill with their wonderful scent. Jams, jellies and preserves are produced for sale throughout the area. A recent addition to the pantheon of grape products is Arbor Hill's ‘Healthy Purple', sort of an uber grapejuice sure to pack a punch and bulk-up one's immune system. Many have searched Florida for the Fountain of Youth, but leave the alligators behind and find it right here in Ontario County. Another Naples sensation is the world-famous grape pie. Pie makers abound throughout the area, but one of the best known is Monica herself, proprietress of Monica's Pies. What started with a cooler and a cash box on the front stoop has blossomed into a full-fledged pie mecca rising alongside State Route 21 north of town. Grape pies are always available, as are other varieties according to the season. Monica has a pie-of-the-month club and ships her tasty tarts anywhere you wish. Three years ago, when our family made reservations with a B&B in Vermont, the owner asked if we might possibly bring along "one of those grape pies from Naples." Once they've had one, people never forget a grape pie. The season culminates with Naples' annual Grape Festival each September. The entire village is consumed with two days of pie baking contests, grape stomping, musical entertainment, crafts and grapes galore in this extravaganza devoted to that sublime fruit of the vine. And no, you're not seeing things; the fire hydrants are painted purple.

There is a definite entrepreneurial spirit at work in the Bristol Hills. Naples Valley Brand Products are known for their mustards, garlics, sauces and condiments. Mountain Rise Organics produces culinary herbs and vinegars but is perhaps best known for its chunky organic granola. Angelic Gourmet sends any chocolate lover into a swoon with its ‘Decadent Dippers,' a.k.a. ‘The World's Best Dressed Pretzels.' These products can be purchased at specialty shops in the area, one of the most complete being the Arbor Hill Grapery in Bristol Springs. Since 1987 Arbor Hill has been producing wine and grape products along with salad dressings, sauces and gourmet foods. Stop in and try-before-you-buy some of the area's best locally produced treats. While you're in Bristol Springs, have a bite at The Brown Hound Bistro. This cozy spot is one of several restaurants included in the Finger Lakes Culinary Bounty, a network that connects chefs with local farmers enabling menus to reflect seasonal specialties and Finger Lakes wines.

It must be said that one hasn't truly lived until experiencing that venerable upstate mainstay, the chicken barbecue. On any given weekend spring to fall, somewhere volunteer firemen or local church members are racking up split chickens on long cinderblock fire pits. What may seem at first blush to be a rather ho-hum affair is nothing of the kind. The moment that smoky tang hits the nostrils, it becomes apparent that the chicken barbecue has been elevated to an art form. Should you come upon one, go ahead and pull over. It's tradition, good fun and comfort food all in one.

Try folding Culinary Tourism into your next itinerary. What an antidote to those all too frequently tasteless meals that we've come to accept! As you escape your routine and explore the Finger Lakes check out the many edible extras that the brochures leave out and create some tasteful memories of your own.

By Beth Aquadro Johnson