You’ve likely heard of a wine trail or a craft beverage trail. But wouldn’t a food trail be awesome, especially with all the agritourism opportunities in the Adirondacks? That’s just what the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County has been attempting to accomplish, and it looks like the group is going to make it happen.
What is a Cuisine Trail?
A cuisine trail offers a pathway for locals and visitors to follow where they get to partake in tastings at participating restaurants and farms. Other food- or beverage-focused businesses might also be included, such as maple producers, apple orchards, breweries, and distilleries.
Ideally, lodging businesses jump on board as well, offering programs or deals centered around food and the agricultural opportunities in the area.
Approval of the Trails
Initially, organizers were only looking to establish one trail, but the idea grew from there.
“Originally proposed by Cornell Cooperative Extension as one trail in Essex County nearly two years ago, is now a web of trails spreading across three counties,” Jay White, President of CCE of Essex County, told the Sun Community News.
Cuisine trails must receive approval from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
The following trails have been approved: Champlain Valley Cuisine Trail, Boquet Valley Cuisine Trail, and Ausable Valley Cuisine Trail in Essex County; North Cuisine Trail and Champ’s Cuisine Trail in Clinton County; and the Adirondack Lakes Cuisine Trail in Franklin County.
The trails are going to be open year-round.
What’s Next
Coordinators in the three counties where the trails will be are going to formalize an Adirondack Cuisine Trail Association Board of Directors to get the trails up and running. The group will need to establish bylaws, get signage for participating businesses, and other details will need to be fleshed out.
It’s possible the board will receive funding from the state, which has not been shy about promoting agritourism through programs like Taste NY.
While we’re waiting for these six Adirondack cuisine trails to be put together, you can check out a couple of existing trails: the Adirondack Coast Trail in Plattsburgh and the Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail in Queensbury.
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Sources:
- Sun Community News: State approves Adirondack cuisine trails
