Your friend that loves to cook should be easy to shop for, right?
Not so fast. They already have all the best knives, the best pans, all the accessories. Over the years, you have given them cookbooks, kitchen towels, kitchen utensils, fancy bowls of all sorts. It’s been done, they have it all.
Don’t despair. The Hudson Valley is blessed with awesome food creators. There will always be options.
Here’s one: Why not round up all the best sauces made right here in your neighborhood for a taste basket that no chef, or anybody with taste buds, can resist?
Barbecue sauces
Ric Orlando, local chef and former owner of New World Home Cooking, is known locally for creating intense flavors. Now they are available in a jar! Ric joined forces with Albany’s Nine Pin Cider to make two delicious BBQ sauces.
The Signature Sauce is described as “sweet, tangy and golden,” while the Ginger is described as “dark and complex with a little bite.”
Get both! They are available at an array of stores including Sunflower, Woodstock Meats, Catskill Mountain Pizza, Adam’s Lighthouse Style, Stone Pony Deli and more.
Go to https://shop.ricorlando.com/collections/bbq-sauces
Six varieties of pesto
Not long ago, while waiting for my latte at the new Bread Alone in Boiceville, I was looking at their selection of food items. I came across a divine locally made pesto.
Mark’s Kitchen Pesto comes in six different varieties including vegan options and is right here in Woodstock. Its ingredients list starts with Parmigiano Reggiano DOP.
Not being a chef myself, I decided to figure out what this DOP meant. It basically means it is the real deal! It guarantees that the cheese was made by artisans in the region of origin, using only local ingredients and made using traditional age-old methods. Nothing but the finest ingredients.
In addition to Bread Alone, it is also available at Cheese Louise, Emmanuel’s Marketplace, Migliorelli farmstands, Bistro To Go and other locations.
Go to https://www.inmarkskitchen.com
Tastes of India
The Hudson Valley meets India in Coconut & Fresh Coriander Simmer Sauce from Calcutta Kitchens. Its store is at 448 Broadway in Kingston.
Calcutta Kitchen sauces might be familiar to you. They could be found at local farmers’ markets in the area for years before they recently opened their store.
This sauce is described as “bold and vibrant with a slightly nutty flavor from almonds. It pairs perfectly with meat, fish, vegetables and meat alternatives.”
Stop by the store for the full experience. You can also get fresh takeout and drinks.
Go to https://www.calcuttakitchens.com
Hot ginger sauce
Looking to add a little spice to someone’s life? You can’t go wrong with Horseshoe Brand Korean Ginger Hot Sauce, located in Milan in Dutchess County.
Horseshoe bridged the Hudson River gap by teaming up with ImmuneSchein Ginger Elixirs in Saugerties to make this particular sauce.
“We start with an umami-rich, savory blend of gochujang, doenjang, and shiitake mushrooms, and then brighten it up with ImmuneSchein’s Organic Ginger and Classic Ginger elixir,” they explain. “Paint your skewers, submerge your dumplings, or douse your ramen. You can’t go wrong!”
Sounds about right. A nice packaging of four of their sauces make a convenient little holiday gift. You can find Horseshoe Brand at Sunflower Natural Foods, Mother Earth, Greig’s Farm, Otto’s Market and other locations.
Go to https://www.horseshoebrand.com
Holiday chutneys
Thinking about holiday leftovers before the holiday even gets started? Beth’s Farm Kitchens Cranberry Lime Chutney would pair perfectly with leftover turkey. It is made with all-natural ingredients in small batches in Old Chatham. Beth’s offers a variety of other chutneys, jams and condiments to complement this chutney or to make a more complete gift set.
Join the family! 
