New Hope Mills offers pancakes, syrup at the Fair
GEDDES -- If you come to the State Fair to sample food, the Horticulture Building is a good place to start. The baked potato booth had long lines, but little waiting, through Opening Day, as veteran fairgoers know a bargain.
And, just around the corner, the Pride of New York exhibit offers even more, and for free. Two food producers at a time have samples. On Thursday afternoon, Rosina/Celentano, based in Buffalo, was offering Italian-style meatballs and Buffalo-style (medium spicy) chicken meatballs. They came with close to 3,000 and could not keep them on the serving trays.
Also offering samples on Thursday, Auburn-based New Hope Mills which brought its pancake making machine. Dale Weed says that since his operation moved from New Hope, it's added a Friday cafe' where mini-pancakes from the machine are served. And, the original milling operation has also expanded, with the manufacture of dry baking mixes for institutions and prisons, as well as for private consumption.Weed says they're also doing more organic and gluten free products, under their label as well as private labels, and getting into a new product, chia seed flour. Weed says that to keep a company started in 1823 growing, you have to expand and diversify. They've just acquired a company in New Hampshire that is twice as big as New Hope, and are considering bringing it, and more jobs, back to Central New York.
And, another brother, Donald Weed, has stayed at the family homestead in New Hope (though he has a Moravia mailing address). He runs the Schoolhouse Sugarbush which produces certified organic maple syrup. He says it's the perfect partner to the mill's products, and he also showed us a new look being introduced at this year's fair.
Last year NY announced it was putting more money into promoting maple products. This year, they're introducing a new look, with a new logo, for made in NY maple syrup containers.
Each weekday of the New York State Fair we will bring you our Blue Ribbon winner, a best bet to see at the Fair.
