The CulinaryWoman Newsletter, 8/6/23

Feeding and watering the crowds and crew at Saratoga

My Week At Saratoga

Greetings from update New York! I spent the past week in Saratoga Springs on a bucket list visit to the famous racetrack, whose annual season runs from mid-July to Labor Day.

Sadly, there was a tragedy at the track on Saturday. Maple Leaf Mel, a lovely gray filly, went down at the finish line in front of a huge crowd. She suffered a catastrophic injury to her right foreleg and was euthanized on the track. Her jockey, Joel Rosario, was thrown but not seriously injured.

This has been a bad couple of seasons for horse racing, with multiple deaths at Santa Anita and at Churchill Downs. Saratoga has prided itself on operating a safe track and as I saw last week, it certainly seemed like an enjoyable place.

When I bought my tickets to Saratoga this spring, I wanted to sample different locations at the vintage track, which has been around since 1863 (yes, it began operating during the Civil War).

On Wednesday, I sat on the Porch, a vast dining area with a great view of the track. On Thursday, I went back for breakfast there (my favorite meal at the track) and got a tour of the stables. Later that day, I sat in the Cutwater Stretch, an open air section just below the area where owners have their suites, complete with individual video screens.

On Friday, I sat on the clubhouse terrace, which did not have a view of the track, but overlooked the paddock from which the horses were ridden in for each race. Saturday, I had a grandstand ticket for The Whitney, one of the two biggest races here each season. The track was very crowded as you might expect, and people were in line when the gates opened at 8 am.

Feeding and watering everyone in the stands is a vast undertaking. But just as big a task goes on for the 1,000 people who work behind the scenes, many of whom live at the track.

A variety of choices

Saratoga has always been a place to see and be seen. Although raving is called “the sport of kings,” there is a real sense of egalitarianism here. Much of the race track grounds are open to anyone who pays the $10 admission fee. You can bring chairs, coolers, tailgating shelters, or use the picnic tables and park benches are scattered everywhere, including rows right next to the rail.

There are food stands and food trucks selling wood oven pizza, meatballs, Mac and cheese, fried chicken, ice cream and lots of drinks. Representatives from New Zealand’s tourism organization were giving out kiwi fruit. There are stand up bars and sit down bars and free samples from New York State food producers.

TV monitors and loudspeakers mean you never miss any action, whether you actually witness a race. And that is outside the main event.

After four days of watching the Saratoga dining operations from inside the pavilions, I concluded it was like a combination cruise ship and summer resort, Despite the different venues, the basic menu is essentially the same, with just a few difference.

The extremely friendly staff includes high school and college students, servers and bartenders from elsewhere who come here for the six week summer season, and locals who have worked here for decades.

Food orders are sent by tablet to commissary kitchens scattered around the property. Servers collect them and deliver them to diners, along with endless bottles of Saratoga water and alcoholic drinks.

The food was on a par with Panera Bread or a baseball stadium. Tasty enough, with an effort to feature some local produce, but nothing memorable. Then again, these are big crowds. Sade, my server on The Porch, said that area alone handles 750 guests on a typical day and 900 for The Whitney.

Breakfast and a tour

As I mentioned above, my favorite meal was breakfast at the track, which cost $30. It was set up buffet style, with big bowls of fruit, a selection of cold cereal, eggs, bacon, sausage, baked goods, biscuits and bagels. About 350 people show up during service, which lasts from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. It was simple but satisfying and gave us the fuel we needed for our behind the scenes tour.

A sightseeing tram used in the 1964 World’s Fair took us back to the stables, where there is a separate track used for exercising horses. (There’s an even farther away area called Oklahoma with another modest track.) While members of my group were busy watching a farrier shoe a horse, something else caught my eye: a long building marked “Backstretch Kitchen.”

Our tour guide explained that these were cafes for the “horsemen,” the antiquated term for anyone connected to the horses. On racing days, no one has time to leave the track to eat. So the two kitchens, one at either end of the complex, offered very reasonably priced food.

The cooks have to deal with one restriction. Saratoga doesn’t allow the use of open flames near the vintage barns. Everything is wooden, and a fire could cause a catastrophe.

This is why racing is suspended during thunderstorms, as happened on Friday, Horses are easily spooked by thunder and lightning and the animals who race here are among the most valuable in the world.

Although my week ended on a sad note, I’m glad I had a complete Saratoga experience.

A Fifth Anniversary For The Owner Of A Beloved Coffee Place

I stayed about 20 minutes down the road from the race course near the quaint town of Ballston Spa. I kept passing a funky looking purple cafe called Coffee Planet, and decided to stop in.

I immediately spotted a display congratulating owner Kim Tribley on five years of ownership. In fact, she told me, the anniversary was that day. The shop celebrated with a festive ribbon cutting.

Kim bought the shop in 2018 from the previous owner, Cliff Baum, who started it 20 years ago. Both measurements are milestones in the challenging world of small businesses. Three of five are gone in five years. Only 20 percent survive to 10 years, so 20 years is even more rare.

Kim only got to operate for 18 relatively normal months before Covid hit. While she was closed inside, she was able to sell coffee drinks, bagels and lunch items through a walk up window facing the street.

A flip through the store’s Facebook page shows the sense of community and Joie de vivre here. Take a detour to Coffee Planet if your travels bring you to this part of New York State.

Detroiters Rejoice At Sanders’ Return

If you grew up in the Detroit area, you know all about Sanders milk chocolate hot fudge topping. Fans were understandably distressed last summer when it disappeared. They snapped up any jars they could find, sending eBay prices soaring.

But Sanders is about to make a comeback, as I wrote for The Takeout. Read all about the Sanders saga here.

https://thetakeout.com/sanders-detroit-milk-chocolate-hot-fudge-topping-return-1850706142

A Giant Chick-Fil-A Is In The Works

Chick-Fil-A can be a polarizing fast food brand. Some people swear by its chicken; others do not eat there because of the franchise’s past donations to anti-LGBT groups.

But there is no denying its popularity, at least in Atlanta. On social media, the brand announced it will open a store next year whose drive through is capable of handling 75 vehicles.

Cars will enter in four lanes, sort of like the setup at a Costco gas station. They will then funnel into two lanes, one for mobile orders, the other for those placed on site.

Chick-Fil-A is working on a separate urban concept that it plans to test in New York City, according to Nation’s Restaurant News. It will primarily serve customers who order in advance via its app, and come by simply to collect their food.

This is similar to a set up that Starbucks has implemented in NYC as well as Toronto.

If you’re wondering, “Who in the city goes to Chick-Fil-A?” it turns out there are 10 locations, and one, in the Financial District, is five stories high.

Keeping Up With CulinaryWoman

I am now off to Toronto for a few days. It’s my first visit since Christmas, 2019, and I’m interested in seeing how it’s evolved post-pandemic.

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Website: www.michelinemaynard.com

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I’ll see paid subscribers tomorrow with Red Beans and Advice, and everyone else next Sunday. Enjoy your week.