Mara Le Blanc of Stone Ridge tries a garlic sample at the booth of Awesome Country Farmhouse of Boonville. (Photos by Phyllis McCabe)
Large crowds flocked to Cantine Veterans Memorial Complex in Saugerties last Saturday and Sunday to enjoy the food, music, performances, lectures about farming and cooking, handmade crafts and kids’ activities at the 35th Hudson Valley Garlic Festival. The event is a celebration of the harvest of what garlic aficionados lovingly refer to as the ‘stinking rose’ and is hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Saugerties.
Along with traditional garlicky items like garlic knots, visitors enjoyed more exotic foods like garlic ice cream, garlic fried dough and garlic-infused Brussels sprouts. Many of the craft vendors had items that reflected the day’s theme, including a 24-inch garlic bulb by woodworker Brian Harnett of Grahamsville and a garlic grater by Bill Gowdy a/k/a the “Grumpy Grater” of Florida.
Raelynn Yerina, age 9 1/2 of Garlic Delight Farm in Lion, shows off the garlic necklaces she made.Employee Michael Conners of Awesome Country Farmhouse in Boonville holds two of their products.Some of the crowd on SaturdayMaderlene Grandini of La Maison Madber Garlic Organic Farm in PA offered tastings of her garlic products.Darby and Tony Carlotto of Rolling Rock Farm in Sheffield, MA and their granddaughter, Bailey, age 12.Katrina Williams of Voorheesville is deciding which oil to purchase at the Rolling Rock Farm booth.Woodworker, cabinet maker and furniture designer Brian Harnett of Grahamsville with some of his sculptures.Rina and Adrian Domondon of Bayside enjoy garlic ice cream.Country music band Annie and the Hedonists entertain the crowd.Bill Gowdy of Fort Myers, Florida and his Grumpy Grater.Joe Della Chiesa and Rob Foley, The Brussels Boys, of Saugerties. They make fried Brussels spouts with garlic aioli.CEO Raema Obbie of Rockerbox Spice Co. in Schoharie and employee Stephanie Aiello.The Homegrown String Band entertains the crowd.Melissa Aucompaugh of Saugerties, her sister Emily and friend Stephanie Bathsheba model handmade hats made from sweaters by Katrina Grassi of Shokan.A 24-inch hand-carved garlic bulb by woodworker, cabinet maker and furniture designer Brian Harnett of Grahamsville.Maple Hassan Amanna, age 11, holds Judah, age 1 1/2, of Wild Shephard Farm in Vermont.Black garlic is a type of aged garlic that is colored deep brownish-black. It develops notes of licorice, tamarind and caramel.Visitors Alma Withim and Jay Duhl of Grahamsville have attended the festival every year since 2010.
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