Apple of my Eye

No one wants to admit it. It’s the elephant in the room.

Summer is almost over.

While I love Travers and the 3 day weekend of Labor Day, they are the only thing that separates us from the beginning of a new school year and the official end of summer. To cope with this devastation, I choose to focus on what is best about experiencing fall in Upstate NY. Being that this is a food blog, I will start and end the conversation with Golden Harvest Farms in Valatie.

For decades, Golden Harvest has been a local legend as the go to spot for the annual tradition of apple picking, traditionally beginning in early September. Make sure you schedule a weekend trip this fall. Fresh apples, cider, donuts. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Visit http://www.goldenharvestfarms.com/ for more information.

Gem of Downtown Troy

If you've ever gotten the feeling that you're driving past some excellent restaurant or bar but just don't know it, you're not alone. The Capital Region hosts some of the best and eclectic vendors, bars and restaurants in upstate New York. 

From Rolf's Pork Store in Albany to Perreca's Bakery in Schenectady to... get ready, The Ruck in Downtown Troy, N.Y. That's right, The Ruck. Talk about a bar/tavern hidden away but offers some of the best selected drafts in the area, along with the best wings (by far for this reviewer) and bar food.

It's not just the craft brew movement at The Ruck. It's about a good old fashioned bar that delivers character, good vibes and shuffleboard. What more could you ask for? In addition, select breweries use The Ruck as a showcase for some of their best and newly concocted beers. Specifically, Delaware-based Dogfish Head Brewing takes up the taps to throw down their fantastic selection of brews for the regions hop heads. It doesn't happen everywhere and to have it in Troy, N.Y. is even sweeter. 

If you're looking for an opportunity to find a bar that caters to all and gives you all you can ask for in terms of quality and experience, look no further. The Ruck is old school. A watering hole that delivers new world beers while keeping great traditional bar traditions intact. Let's hope they keep it rolling for many, many more beers... oh wait... years....

Want to learn more about The Ruck, check out their site at: http://getrucked.com. Please remember to support your local business community.

Wrap It Up

Sometimes ideas hit you on the head like a tire iron.  I wonder if that’s what happened to the guys who dreamed up DP Dough. 

What if you took every foodie’s first love (pizza) and wrapped other favorite foods in it?

Philly Cheese Steak? Check.

Bacon & Eggs.  Yep.

Sausage & Peppers.  Fuggedaboutit.

They call them Calzones, but that’s to make the meal acceptable to those not from the old neighborhood, if you catch my drift.

You can find DP Dough in Albany and Troy.

So, who knows?  Next time you get a couple of knocks, it could be:  whammo!  A vision of culinary paradise.

Honey, I am in the mood for some chimichanga!

Saturday was a long day. By the time we got home it was late, we were tired, and neither of us wanted to cook.  

Friend: "What do you want for dinner?"

Me: "Chipotle?'

Friend: "Nah, I don’t want a buritto lets comprimise and go to Pancho's."

Me: "To quote the great Bernie Focker, 'Honey I am in the mood for some chimichanga!'"

And just like that folks dinner was decided. So we went to Pancho’s in Clifton Park, right off of Exit 8 on the Northway. It is a nice quiet place, great prices, fast and friendly service, and all the chips and salsa you can eat!

As you probably guessed, judging by the conversation referenced above, I had the chimichanga. Chicken rolled in a flour tortilla, fried and then baked. Topped with nacho cheese, ranchero sauce and served with Mexican rice, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and guacamole! Why would you want anything else? For me, no one and I mean no one does it better than Pancho's. It is always delicious!

Pancho's chimichanga. 

Deep-Fried What Now????

Who isn’t intrigued by fair food? The season is coming and we must prepare. New York Magazine’s “Grub Street” blog has released The 14 Terrifyingly Awesome New State-Fair Foods for 2013. I’ve had the deep-fried butter, Oreos, Twinkies and even the glazed donut bacon-burger, but deep-fried meatloaf? Here’s my will dos and won't dos list:

Top will dos:

Deep-Fried Monte Cristo

Double Bacon Corndog

Grilled Steak Sandwich

Bacon Cannoli

Top won’t dos:

Wine-Glazed Deep-Fried Meatloaf

Comet Corn

Fried Pickles ‘n’ Chocolate

The Great New York State Fair this year is running Aug 22- Sep 2 in Syracuse and The Big E will be in West Springfield, MA on Sep 13- Sep 29. I’m not sure what they will be presenting for food, but new eats are guaranteed.

Glazed and Confused

I wasn't sure at the time exactly what was going to happen to me or what this meant fur my future, if anything, but I knew that I was missing out on a phenomena if I didn't give it a try. The glazed donut breakfast sandwich at Dunkin' Donuts.

The guy behind the counter said he had tried it, but this was the first time he had ever had to make it for a customer. I wonder why? Ham, sausage, egg and cheese between a glazed donut cut down the center. One step beyond bread for the greater good.

What you see in the photo is what you get and what you think is there. I've put the real ingredients below for thought. Regardless of any probable consequences from eating it, it tasted great and if you're feeling up to it, I say go for it.

INGREDIENTS: Glazed Donut: Donut [Enriched Unbleached Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron as Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Enzyme, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Palm Oil, Water, Dextrose, Soybean Oil, Whey (a milk derivative), Skim Milk, Yeast, Contains less than 2% of the following: Salt, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Baking Soda), Defatted Soy Flour, Wheat Starch, Mono and Diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Cellulose Gum, Soy Lecithin, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Artificial Flavor, Sodium Caseinate (a milk derivative), Enzyme, Colored with (Turmeric and Annatto Extracts and Beta Carotene), Eggs], Glaze [Sugar, Water, Maltodextrin, Contains 2% or less of: Mono and Diglycerides, Agar, Cellulose Gum, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Artificial Flavor]; Fried Egg: Egg Whites, Water, Egg Yolks, Modified Corn Starch, Natural Sauteed Flavor (Soybean Oil, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Natural Flavor), Salt, Artificial Butter Flavor (Propylene Glycol, Artificial Flavor), Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Coarse Ground Black Pepper; Bacon: Pork, cured with: Water, Sugar, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Smoke Flavoring, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite.

Cheeseburger in Paradise

One of my favorite things about summer is eating outside. Living in the Northeast, we know this isn’t possible for more than half the year (unless eating in a snowsuit is your thing). So every year around April/May, I start itching to grab a beer and burger while enjoying the beautiful weather. Lately, the weather has been throwing me some curveballs for outdoor dining with the extreme heat and endless run of thunderstorm. But this past weekend I was finally able to make my first trip of the season to one of my favorite local summer spots…RiverFront Bar & Grill in Albany.

Beer, wings, burgers….what more does an Average Joe need? Located at the north end of the Corning Preserve, RiverFront Bar & Grill offers a peaceful and enjoyable view of the Hudson (which luckily did not smell). On this night they did not have live music, but viewing their calendar at the door, they have quite a lineup for this summer with popular local bands like Audiostars and The Refrigerators, as well as weekly trivia on Wednesday nights.

Great atmosphere, great food and you’re not going to break the bank. What are some of your favorite outdoor dining spots in the Capital Region?