Forget the hangover jokes. Some days you just start out slow.

We make our Bloody Mary’s light, with premium Saki, and just the right spices to kick your poor brain into gear. Clear out the cobwebs and start your morning right!

Since this is Carmen’s, we also make them NA. You should always be able to have a taste even if you don’t want the wine.

Home Smoked Pork— and don’t worry, we left out the chemicals and preservatives— tops a Burger on a Brioche. We slather the Barbecue with Caramelized Onions and finish it with Cheddar Cheese.

What a flavor pop! The tang of the Barbecue, the sweetness of the Onions! Wow, it doesn’t get better than this.

Menands Farmer’s Market Administration Building

Our friend Gail suggested we go to the local Farmer’s Market to get the freshest food. Not a retail market, like the ones in Albany or Troy or Schenectady or Saratoga, but the co-op owned by the farmers themselves, the one in Menands.

Story is, back in the old days there was a big open air market run by the City of Albany, somewhere near where the Times Union Center is now.  It was crowded, expensive, and access was poor.   So the farmers

The Farmer’s Market at Dawn. We got here late, the farmers had been here for almost two hours.

took it on themselves to go way north to Menands and buy some land, where they built an administration building and some stands.  In the 1930s they opened the Cooperative Farmer’s Market, where they go Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

So we got up early (for us, about 5:30).  Of course, the farmers had already been onsite for an hour.  We got there late and had to play catch-up.

It’s exciting to get up earlier than you are used to.  We’d talked about the market the night before, but figured we would need the sleep.  However, we were awake enough to move, so we dared each other to be in the car in 15 minutes.  We made it in 20.

Many of the good things were already taken.  And since this was our first visit, we’d already done some of the shopping from our usual suppliers (you wouldn’t believe how many places we buy from).

Our Haul This Week!

So here we go.  The peaches are farm fresh from Stone Ridge, NY, a scant hour away.  The Yukon Gold potatoes are fresh, but not so local:  they come from a grower’s cooperative in Pennsylvania.  And the onions likewise:  they are from  Washington State.  Still, a bit fresher than if we’d bought them from the supermarket.

Will we go again?  Sure!  It was fun and we met some nice people.  And as Gail told us, the more you go the better you get to know them.  The more you understand who grows what, who has the very best, and where you want to shop.

Next time we’ll get there at 5, when the best deals can be found.  And order ahead:  some people only bring what they already have sold.

Menands Farmer’s Market:  Definitely worth a trip.

Topped w/ Black Bean Spread, Two Eggs Easy, Veggie Hash, sprinkled w/ Manchego Cheese

Yesterday I had it with Scrambled, and asked to substitute Bacon from the batch he just made. Fantastic!

Since we make all the Bacon, Chorizo Sausage, Hash, and even the Chili Sauce, it’s all fresh, free of chemicals & preservatives, and, simply, just AMAZING

Mango Coconut Pancakes… 10

Breakfast Herbed Flatbread… 10

Grilled Flatbread…  10

Topped w/ Hash (Chorizo or Veggie), Black Bean Spread, Two Eggs (your style), Homemade Chili Sauce & Manchego Cheese

Cubano Burger w/ Yucca Fries… 11

All the joys of a Cubano Sandwich wrapped up into a Burger!

Beef Tamales (2) Served w/ Rice & Beans… 14

Grilled Perch topped w/ Mango-Black Bean Salsa… 14

Served on a Bed of Greens

Sauteéd Chicken Served w/ Rice & Beans… 12

Homemade Deep Dish Peach Cobbler Pie… 6

Made w/ Fresh Picked Peaches! Amazing Yumm! Add Ice Cream for only 1

It’s been hard to keep walking past this one without dipping into it. Deep Dish Peach Cobbler Pie!

Good thing we are having my favorite, Grilled Flatbread w/ Sun Dried Tomato Tapenade, Grilled Mixed Veggies topped w/ Manchego Cheese, because Carmen sez I have to finish my veggies first.

Tonight’s Surprise Dessert—

Deep Dish Peach Cobbler Pie