Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
It’s National Corn Month, and we think that is something to celebrate! We’ve been partnering with local corn farmers here in the Northeast since 1932. Corn is one of our region’s top agricultural products. Our farmers love to eat this local treat fresh-off-the-stalk, and so do we!
Leading up to the month of July, our corn takes quite a journey. During the month of May when local farmers are tending to their fields, we will tap into Florida’s sweet corn season and supply those delicous ears. Fast forward to June and we start to move up the coast into the state of Georgia. While we are getting corn from here, our local corn has started to sprout. Exciting things await!
Finally, the month of July comes and we are popping with excitement (pun intended)! The first half of the month, we move even further up the coast to North Carolina and Delaware, since their corn season is in full swing. However, by mid to late July, our local sweet corn season is finally underway! This lasts only until mid September, but we enjoy every minute of our corn season. Let’s take a look at a few local suppliers.
Shaul Farms:
We are proud to partner with Shaul Farms located in Fultonham, New York. Amazingly, eleven generations have worked on this farm. They produce cider and vegetables.
Paul Mazza Farms:
We are proud to partner with Paul Mazza Farms located in Colchester, Vermont. For 38 years, Paul Mazza Farms’ goal is to connect the community to fresh local foods.
Check out some summertime recipes you can make with our locally sourced corn!
Mexican Street Corn: Have you ever tried Mexican Street Corn? Well, now you can with this easy and delicious recipe!
home.grown. Corn Fritters: This meal is similar to fried dough with a savory cornmeal-based batter. Try our PICS Cheese varieties or PICS Maple Syrup to go on top.
Grilled Shrimp, Corn, & Tomato Rolls with Lime Mayo: This will be a summertime favorite! Top with fresh cilantro for a burst of flavor.
Summertime Steak Lettuce Wraps: Craving a taco but don’t want the shell? Try these lettuce wraps with similar ingredients as your traditional taco. As always, feel free to add or omit any item.
home.grown. Farm Feature: Paul Mazza's Fresh Produce
Jack Marquette
Marketing Intern
The Operation
Paul Mazza owns over 250 acres of farmland in Essex, Jerico, Williston, and Colchester. After visiting only the Essex and Colchester locations, we could tell each acre was used with purpose of growing some of the freshest produce in Vermont. An operation like this takes a group of employees who love to work for Mazza’s Fresh Produce and provide for their families in the snow seasons. Using busses, they can easily transport them around the farms. This operation leaves Paul working long days and is a reason why his Fruit and Vegetable Farmstand in Essex is so trusted.
Community Connection
We visited the Essex Farmstand location on a Wednesday afternoon and still there were cars consistently pulling in and purchasing the fresh produce from the stand. The community relies on trusts and respects Mazza’s stand and his work for delivering great produce. Their website, paulmazzas.com, displays that their mission statement has not changed. For 38 years they still want to “connect our community with fresh local foods.” Their website provides information on most services covered in this blog, but with much more detail. We encourage you to check out their website to learn more.
Pick-Your-Own
Even with the massive success of the stand, Mazza still says the people’s favorite is the “Pick-Your-Own”. You have the availability of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and apples. They encourage everyone to make memories along with collecting fresh produce at a great price. More information can be found on their website.
Overview
Paul Mazza offers many options to his loyal local customers. Whether it is his Fruit and Vegetable Farmstand in Essex, the popular Pick-Your-Own, or the hard work that goes in behind the scenes, there is a reason the community trusts the farm. Building through a community is something Paul Mazza and Price Chopper both take pride in and is one of the many reasons why he still provides fresh produce in our stores today.
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
Looking to add a touch of Southern charm to your cooking? Look no further than our buttermilk selection! Our collection of delectable buttermilk recipes includes everything from classic fried chicken to tangy salad dressings. With buttermilk, you can make your favorite dishes even more delicious. Whether popcorn steak bites with buttermilk, pancakes or scones, buttermilk adds a richness that can’t be beaten. Impress your friends and family with our easy buttermilk recipes that will have everyone asking for seconds.
We are proud to say that our buttermilk is a home.grown. product of the Northeast! It’s produced in New York from the milk of Northeast dairy cows.Take a look at our recipes below, and be sure to grab a bottle of buttermilk the next time you visit your local Price Chopper and Market 32 locations!
Oven-Fried Chicken: Nothing tastes better than the delicious crunch of hot fried chicken. Be sure to pair this meal with Market 32 grab n’ go coleslaw, pasta salad, or potato salad.
Golden Raisin Irish Soda Bread Muffins: Even though St. Patrick’s Day has passed, nothing says you can’t make these fabulous Golden Raisin Irish Soda Bread Muffins! They are simple & delicious.
Popcorn Steak Bites with Buttermilk: You’ve heard of popcorn chicken, and even popcorn shrimp…but popcorn steak? Yes, you read that right! Biting into the crunchy fried breading and then the tender meat will have your mind blown!
Skillet Classic Peach Cobbler: With Mother’s Day right around the corner, you will want to save this recipe! Serve with PICS vanilla ice cream to complete this dessert.
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
Apple cider and apple cider donuts are a staple this time of year. The warm smell of apples fills the air and overloads our hearts with joy. Apple cider products are so well loved, that it has its own day – November 18th! Naturally, we are super excited about this day for many reasons, but one of the biggest reasons we are celebrating is because our M32 cider is produced from Northeast-grown apples. We partner with a variety of local cider mills in our region, like Vermont’s Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Beak and Skiff in Lafayette NY and more! Let’s check out these two below.
Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Waterbury Center VT
From apple cider to desserts to a full food menu, this cider mill has it all! During their peak autumn season, roughly 15,000 donuts and 4,000 gallons of apple cider will be made each day. Yes, you read that correctly!
Beak and Skiff, Lafayette NY
It all began in 1911 when Andrew Beak, a dairy farmer, and George Skiff, an onion farmer, teamed up to establish the very popular Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards. While many harsh weather conditions challenged their business over the years, the two men never stopped doing what they loved. Today, five generations have passed and Beak and Skiff is a booming business. Here you can find apple picking, cider tasting, a very large gift shop, and a café for apple cider donuts and many lunch items. Beak and Skiff Apple Orchard has something for the whole family!
We are proud to partner with these two local cider mills! Take a look at this delicious recipe below made with our Market 32 Apple Cider!
home.grown. Locally Grown Apples Sold Here!
Mia Teal
E-Commerce Marketing Department
It is no secret that September and October are the prime months for apple picking. Whether you are baking apple pie, making applesauce, or just want a sweet snack, apples are certainly your go-to this fall season. Here at Price Chopper and Market 32, we are proud to partner with a wide variety of apple orchards, farms and cider mills in our region, to bring you the best of the Northeast each year. These include the four farms highlighted below. Not only are our Market 32 tote apples orchard-grown here in our region, but our Market 32 Apple Cider is milled in New York from Northeast-grown apples! The next time you pick up apples from your local Price Chopper and Market 32, you will know that these apples are home grown.
Hudson River Fruit Distributors: Milton, NY
It all began in 1932 when first generation Isador Albinder started selling apples out of a pushcart in Brooklyn. When his son Harold Albinder joined him in 1963, the Hudson River Fruit Distributors was founded. Now for almost 60 years, the Hudson River Fruit Distributors have continued to grow their family business. They are proud to have multiple generations working hard to carry on the family legacy, and their goal is to leave the world a better place than they found it.
Sunrise Orchards, Cornwall VT
Located in Cornwall, Vermont, Sunrise Orchards has been 100% solar powered since 2016. Their mission statement is as follows:
“At Sunrise Orchards our mission is to grow an amazing apple – an apple which puts a proclamation into the eater’s eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. We do this through a commitment to quality, the environment, and community that embody our forward-thinking Vermont farm.”
Be sure to click on the “About” section on their website to see weekend lunch specials and other events throughout the month of October!
Patch Orchards, Lebanon NH
At Patch Orchards in Lebanon, New Hampshire, eight generations have carried the legacy of this wonderful orchard. Not only do they sell a variety of produce, but many maple products are also sold. These include maple syrup, maple candies, pure maple sugar, and maple cream. There are many family fun activities to do while you visit Patch Orchards, so be sure to check out their website below.
Beak and Skiff, Lafayette NY
It all began in 1911 when Andrew Beak, a dairy farmer, and George Skiff, an onion farmer, met at a farmer’s market. The two teamed up to establish the very popular Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards. While many harsh weather conditions challenged their business over the years, the two men never stopped doing what they loved. Today, five generations have passed and Beak and Skiff is a booming business. Here you can find apple picking, cider tasting, a very large gift shop, and a café for apple cider donuts and many lunch items. Beak and Skiff Apple Orchard has something for the whole family!
Websites of the orchards highlighted:
Unsure of what to make with all your apples? Check out some of our recipes below!
Apple Pie with Homemade Crust: What is fall time without an apple pie? Try this recipe with our very own homemade crust recipe!
Chicken & Apple Kale Slaw Wrap: Try this quick and easy wrap that is bursting with flavor! Be sure to buy our Market 32 Grab n’ Go rotisserie chicken in the food court section.
No-Churn Brown-Butter Apple Pie Ice Cream: What a better way for the family to spend time together after apple picking than to make homemade ice cream! Try out this recipe above.
Cinnamon Waffles with Apple Pecan Topping: Sunday morning breakfast is served with this warm and hearty cinnamon waffle breakfast. Be sure to use your fresh apples for this meal.
home.grown. Prolong Your Garden with Pickling!
Mia Teal
E-Commerce Marketing Intern
Summer is the best time of year for fresh produce. At Price Chopper and Market 32, we partner with a wide variety of local farmers in the region, but we know that many Northeasterners enjoy growing their own produce. If you fall into this category, your garden may just be overflowing, and you can only give away so many tomatoes! Pickling could be a good alternative for you and your veggies. We have exactly what you need from mason jars and lids and other canning and pickling essentials like large-size vinegar. Read below on how to pickle if this is new to you, and then stop in your local Price Chopper or Market 32 to get the supplies you need!
What exactly is pickling, and is it just for cucumbers?
Pickling is the process of preserving food in a brine solution in order to extend its shelf life. By brining certain foods, bacteria are not allowed to grow. There are so many food products that can be pickled, and just a few are listed below. Some may even surprise you!
Cucumbers, garlic, pork, beets, carrots, eggs, strawberries, blueberries, radishes, shrimp. onions, squash, peppers, beef, and mangoes.
History of Pickling:
Pickling foods is nowhere near a new concept. According to archeologists and anthropologists, they believe that ancient Mesopotamians pickled. Later, pickling was a necessity for families to have food throughout the winter months and was crucial for sailors on long voyages.
How to Pickle Your Garden Veggies:
Fresh vegetables without bruises from your garden are ideal to pickle. The shape you choose to cut your produce is up to you, but cherry tomatoes are best when left as a whole and carrots work well when cut into spears.
- Prepare your mason jar by washing it with warm, soapy water and then rinsing out completely. Dry thoroughly with a towel.
- Cut your vegetables into the shape of your choice and trim the ends. Add in any spices if you choose or garlic.
- Pack your vegetables tightly in the mason jars. Ensure that there is some room from the top of the vegetables to the rim of the jar.
- Prepare your brine by following the steps below:
- Combine: 1 cup water, 1 cup vinegar of choice, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar
- Poor into a small pan over high heat and bring to a boil
- Continue stirring to ensure the salt and sugar dissolve
- Pour brine into mason jars
- Let vegetables cool for at least one hour before enjoying. The longer they sit in the brine, the better.
Happy Pickling!