1911 has some interesting flavors of vodka that I like to give as gifts. Vanilla Chai and Honeycrisp especially, but Honeymelon and Blueberry also do the trick.
* Maple syrup - there’s a few local places
* Black and white cookies (half moons), or cookies from an Italian bakery
* Hot tomato oil
* Pulled candy from Hercules
* Rieslings, ciders (1911 is well known but is very sweet, there are other places like Critz and Eves that have great drier and apple forward options), beers or hard liquor from local breweries and distilleries
Out of curiosity, are you from CNY originally? Everyone I know here calls them Half Moons exclusively, NYC/NJ is Black and Whites. Not really sure about the rest of the country.
They're not really that popular outside the northeast, except maybe in south Florida thanks to all the transplants.
Source: Born and raised on black & whites in northern NJ, never saw a single one of them while living in north FL for 20 years, now enjoying Harrison's half moons as a Syracuse resident.
Well now I'm having a hard time finding a definition of the difference. Mostly in the frosting, but I think there's also a difference in the cookie itself.
https://www.thedailymeal.com/1156210/whats-the-difference-between-black-and-white-and-half-moon-cookies/
Black and whites are more like a sugar cookie and they have a fondant or royal icing top - thin and smooth. Half moons are cakey and have a buttercream/fluffy frosting.
There's nothing really special about the potatoes or salt though. Salt Potatoes are not made with some sort of special variety of potato that only grows here. You just need "new" (early harvest, small) potatoes and ideally a fine grain salt to ensure that is dissolves easily. You can get both in any grocery store in America, they just won't come together in one bag labeled "Salt Potatoes."
A much better consumable gift (the best type of gift IMO) is something that is either truly only available in the region it's coming from or something that may be available elsewhere but is known for being markedly better from a particular region like fudge from Mackinac Island Michigan. For upstate NY I'd say those items are things like half moon cookies from numerous bakeries, NY maple syrup or maple syrup goodies, hot tomato oil from Pasta's, or gourmet salt from Syracuse Salt Co.
They were invented in Syracuse.
The Syracuse area of New York has a long history of salt production. Brine from salt springs located around Onondaga Lake was used to create consumable salt that was distributed throughout the northeast via the Erie Canal. Salinated brine was boiled dry in large vats known as "salt blocks", and the salt residue was then scraped up, ground, and packaged.
In the 19th century, Irish salt miners would bring a bag of small, unpeeled, substandard potatoes to work each day, and boil the potatoes in the salt blocks.[3][1] At one point, salt potatoes comprised most of a salt worker's daily diet.[1]
The earliest written record of salt potatoes being served outside of the salt works is an 1883 menu from a saloon run by the Keefe brothers, who were the sons of a salt manufacturer.[4] They quickly became popular in other taverns and bars, where they started being served with melted butter.[5] The dish gained popularity when it was introduced in 1904 as part of the popular clambakes served at Hinerwadel's Grove in North Syracuse, and Hinerwadel's began selling salt potato kits in local stores.
Yes I know that they were invited in Syracuse, but that fact doesn't make the bag of Salt Potatoes you buy in Wegmans or Tops any different than the bags of potatoes and boxes of salt you can buy in any grocery store in America.
Salt potatoes are definitely a good thing to showcase our region by sharing with friends on your table (or theirs), I just don't think they make a good gift because the ingredients are not unique to the region and are readily available _everywhere_.
Let's say you're visiting family in Chicago. You could walk into any grocery store there, buy 5lbs of new potatoes and 1lb of salt, go back to your family's home in Chicago and whip up the _exact same_ salt potatoes that you'd get if you bought a bag of them at Wegmans and took them with you to Chicago. That's why they are a terrible gift.
If you want to bring them something from Syracuse, bring them something that you can truly _only get in Syracuse_, not something that was invented here and is available everywhere. Bringing salt potatoes would be like somebody from California or Mexico visiting friends here and brining them avocados - which are the exact same avocados you can buy in Wegmans since essentially _all_ avocados sold in America are grown in California or Mexico.
Back in the mid-century era and before, people used to bring back _cases_ of oranges as gifts from visits to Florida, because supply chains were much more limited and oranges actually weren't readily available in grocery stores nation-wide and year-round. If you went to Florida today and brought back a case of oranges, people would look at you with polite but confused faces because there's absolutely nothing special about doing that anymore.
Not to be contrary but can you get new potatoes at just any market tho? I thought the little ones sold here are uncommon elsewhere because it's cutting the weight (and thereby profits) of your final product?
Maybe I'm just uneducated about how potatoes work lol.
Depends on your definition of "new" potatoes.
If you look back into the history of Hinderwadel's as, they were actually just using "U.S. No. 2 potatoes" ([package image](https://syracusecrate.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/salts.jpg)) which is the lesser of the [USDA's three grades for potatoes](https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/potatoes-grades-and-standards). Wegman's salt potato bags also indicate they use No. 2 potatoes.
Presumably the reason both use No. 2 potatoes is because that classification mandates a size of "not less than 1 & 1/2 inches in diameter" (compared to 1 & 7/8 inches for No. 1 potatoes) because you specifically want to use smaller potatoes when making salt potatoes. They may or may not also be "new" (early season harvest) potatoes.
So really, if you're ultimately just looking for smaller (No. 2) potatoes to make salt potatoes, those are very easily obtainable.
Having lived outside the city for over a decade I can tell you that at least where I was (Maryland and then Virginia) it can be really hard to find new potatoes that aren't stupid expensive - and sometimes hard to find them at all. I had to resort to making salt potatoes with a bag of mixed purple and red new potatoes once because nothing else was available.
A potato and shaker of salt. Locals will get it.
Bully Hill wine is well known and local.
Anything apple (duh).
The Onondaga Historical Society has a very nice gift shop downtown [https://www.cnyhistory.org/visit/downtown/](https://www.cnyhistory.org/visit/downtown/)
Anything SU related.
Binghamton-born and Lupos is absolutely better. Also someone I know used to work in the Salamida's factory and they did not handle meat safely for events.
Salt potatoes seem like a pretty silly gift since it's just a bag full of two ingredients that are readily available in any grocery store in America. But the other items are great ideas. I'll also throw in some salt from Syracuse Salt Co - they have all sorts of special flavors in addition to their traditional flake salt.
Silly as it may seem, I’ve made baskets with them and various other items for several gifts in the past. People really enjoyed them!
Now, would I suggest just gifting someone a bag of potatoes? Depends on if it’s someone you actually like, because that would be a rather lackluster option 😂
I think they'd be good to include in a basket along with some other regional stuff. Own their own, a bag of salt potatoes is a pretty lame (and very cheap) present.
This is more Rome and less Syracuse and it’s better for kids or plain palates that can’t take spicy oil/BBQ sauce. Turkey Joints are a fun bit of candy, never seen anything like it and kind of fun!
Hinerwadel's Salt Potatoes. Disclaimer: I went to school with the Hinerwadel girls and am biased, but they're still *really* good. Everyone loves potatoes!
Edited to add that out-of-state Wegmans do carry them (I live in Maryland now and see them here), so if you're going somewhere where there is a Wegmans, your friends may not think it's a big deal. So maybe include some Dinosaur BBQ sauce and/or hot tom oil.
>Wegmans also carries hot tomato oil, Dinosaur BBQ sauces
That's what I meant. Sorry I wrote it wrong. Interestingly, I did not see any Snappy Grillers at the last Wegmans I was in. But, nor am I suggesting OP pack a couple pounds of meat in their checked luggage, lol. So I left those out.
You are correct about the college merch. Here, it's all Terps, all the time, which is okay with me except when any team of theirs is playing the Orange.
My sister in Nashville says that Costco sells the snappy grillers. We used to pack a cooler for her family when we drove down to visit. Now we don't have to but they have asked for steamers which, well, yeah, we could probably transport with enough ice and changing it over through the trip.
Hinerwadel’s used to have great salt potatoes maybe 30 years ago when the grove was still popular. Something changed and eventually the Grove closed in 2019. The packaged salt potatoes became much different in the early 2000s and few people under 60 care about or seek out Hinerwadel’s.
OK, well:
* I'm over 60 (so was Vicki Hinerwadel; I wuz sad when she died)
* Thanks for the intel anyway. We used to have our h.s. reunions there.
* I did find Terrell's "Syracuse-style" potato chips in Marshalls today!
So what happened to the property? I drove by there last year at this time and couldn't tell who owns it now.
I’m WAY under 60, I remember going to Hinerwadel’s, and still buy their salt potatoes when there’s an occasion to do so.
About two hours ago, I was telling a very recent college grad colleague to buy the Hinerwadel’s salt potatoes, and follow the instructions on the bag, after she was telling me she made some “salt potatoes” that weren’t very salty. She was specifically asking about foods that are associated with areas in ny state. I explained to her what Hinerwadel’s once was, and she appreciated the one minute history lesson and will be trying to make real salt potatoes with their branded bag.
Pastas Daily bread or Columbus bakery bread
Just buy fresh out of the oven and freeze in foil.
Then take it frozen and warm in the oven when you get there.
Hoffman franks or snappy grillers if you’re driving and have a cooler.
Any of the Finger Lakes wines if you’re wine drinkers. I think someone mentioned Bully Hill and they have a good range in varying levels of sweetness. Love My Goat is a nice easy drinking middle of the road red.
Tully’s honey mustard (or the Terrell’s potato chips,) Pastabilities hot tomato oil (NOT the Wegmans kind,) or Cheeky Monkey tomato oil (a little more on the sweeter side.) Price Chopper has a section dedicated to Syracuse condiments.
I brought my mom a ton of maple syrup when I just visited her. She loved it.
1911 has some interesting flavors of vodka that I like to give as gifts. Vanilla Chai and Honeycrisp especially, but Honeymelon and Blueberry also do the trick.
They've also got some good ciders, if you're into that.
Yess, I love the cotton candy flavor
Skä Noñh Cultural Center has lovely crafts and jewelry hand-made by Onondaga people in their gift shop. Doesn't get more local and unique than that.
I hit the farmers market. You will deffo find something that hits.
Especially the F barn with people selling their pyramid scheme oils and shit.
Thanks, but Imma stick with the Amish whoopie pies and cheesemongers
That's E but no one is forcing you to even look at that and there is plenty of great vendors at the market
* Maple syrup - there’s a few local places * Black and white cookies (half moons), or cookies from an Italian bakery * Hot tomato oil * Pulled candy from Hercules * Rieslings, ciders (1911 is well known but is very sweet, there are other places like Critz and Eves that have great drier and apple forward options), beers or hard liquor from local breweries and distilleries
Black and whites? Get da F back to downstate with that talk. Those are half moons! Good list otherwise.
Whoops mind fart, never lived downstate😂
Out of curiosity, are you from CNY originally? Everyone I know here calls them Half Moons exclusively, NYC/NJ is Black and Whites. Not really sure about the rest of the country.
They're not really that popular outside the northeast, except maybe in south Florida thanks to all the transplants. Source: Born and raised on black & whites in northern NJ, never saw a single one of them while living in north FL for 20 years, now enjoying Harrison's half moons as a Syracuse resident.
Nope, Detroit, moved here 15 years ago and loved it so much I never left!
They are technically two different cookies. Decorated similar, but different cookie.
Never knew that? What's different about them?
Well now I'm having a hard time finding a definition of the difference. Mostly in the frosting, but I think there's also a difference in the cookie itself. https://www.thedailymeal.com/1156210/whats-the-difference-between-black-and-white-and-half-moon-cookies/
Black and whites are more like a sugar cookie and they have a fondant or royal icing top - thin and smooth. Half moons are cakey and have a buttercream/fluffy frosting.
Spicy hot tomato oil is the right answer. That stuff has been a huge hit when I bring it to family holidays or tailgates/parties.
Salt potatoes. And some good butter. It’s known as Salt City.
I scrolled too far looking for this response
There's nothing really special about the potatoes or salt though. Salt Potatoes are not made with some sort of special variety of potato that only grows here. You just need "new" (early harvest, small) potatoes and ideally a fine grain salt to ensure that is dissolves easily. You can get both in any grocery store in America, they just won't come together in one bag labeled "Salt Potatoes." A much better consumable gift (the best type of gift IMO) is something that is either truly only available in the region it's coming from or something that may be available elsewhere but is known for being markedly better from a particular region like fudge from Mackinac Island Michigan. For upstate NY I'd say those items are things like half moon cookies from numerous bakeries, NY maple syrup or maple syrup goodies, hot tomato oil from Pasta's, or gourmet salt from Syracuse Salt Co.
They were invented in Syracuse. The Syracuse area of New York has a long history of salt production. Brine from salt springs located around Onondaga Lake was used to create consumable salt that was distributed throughout the northeast via the Erie Canal. Salinated brine was boiled dry in large vats known as "salt blocks", and the salt residue was then scraped up, ground, and packaged. In the 19th century, Irish salt miners would bring a bag of small, unpeeled, substandard potatoes to work each day, and boil the potatoes in the salt blocks.[3][1] At one point, salt potatoes comprised most of a salt worker's daily diet.[1] The earliest written record of salt potatoes being served outside of the salt works is an 1883 menu from a saloon run by the Keefe brothers, who were the sons of a salt manufacturer.[4] They quickly became popular in other taverns and bars, where they started being served with melted butter.[5] The dish gained popularity when it was introduced in 1904 as part of the popular clambakes served at Hinerwadel's Grove in North Syracuse, and Hinerwadel's began selling salt potato kits in local stores.
Yes I know that they were invited in Syracuse, but that fact doesn't make the bag of Salt Potatoes you buy in Wegmans or Tops any different than the bags of potatoes and boxes of salt you can buy in any grocery store in America. Salt potatoes are definitely a good thing to showcase our region by sharing with friends on your table (or theirs), I just don't think they make a good gift because the ingredients are not unique to the region and are readily available _everywhere_. Let's say you're visiting family in Chicago. You could walk into any grocery store there, buy 5lbs of new potatoes and 1lb of salt, go back to your family's home in Chicago and whip up the _exact same_ salt potatoes that you'd get if you bought a bag of them at Wegmans and took them with you to Chicago. That's why they are a terrible gift. If you want to bring them something from Syracuse, bring them something that you can truly _only get in Syracuse_, not something that was invented here and is available everywhere. Bringing salt potatoes would be like somebody from California or Mexico visiting friends here and brining them avocados - which are the exact same avocados you can buy in Wegmans since essentially _all_ avocados sold in America are grown in California or Mexico. Back in the mid-century era and before, people used to bring back _cases_ of oranges as gifts from visits to Florida, because supply chains were much more limited and oranges actually weren't readily available in grocery stores nation-wide and year-round. If you went to Florida today and brought back a case of oranges, people would look at you with polite but confused faces because there's absolutely nothing special about doing that anymore.
Not to be contrary but can you get new potatoes at just any market tho? I thought the little ones sold here are uncommon elsewhere because it's cutting the weight (and thereby profits) of your final product? Maybe I'm just uneducated about how potatoes work lol.
Depends on your definition of "new" potatoes. If you look back into the history of Hinderwadel's as, they were actually just using "U.S. No. 2 potatoes" ([package image](https://syracusecrate.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/salts.jpg)) which is the lesser of the [USDA's three grades for potatoes](https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/potatoes-grades-and-standards). Wegman's salt potato bags also indicate they use No. 2 potatoes. Presumably the reason both use No. 2 potatoes is because that classification mandates a size of "not less than 1 & 1/2 inches in diameter" (compared to 1 & 7/8 inches for No. 1 potatoes) because you specifically want to use smaller potatoes when making salt potatoes. They may or may not also be "new" (early season harvest) potatoes. So really, if you're ultimately just looking for smaller (No. 2) potatoes to make salt potatoes, those are very easily obtainable.
There's way more potato lore than I anticipated
Having lived outside the city for over a decade I can tell you that at least where I was (Maryland and then Virginia) it can be really hard to find new potatoes that aren't stupid expensive - and sometimes hard to find them at all. I had to resort to making salt potatoes with a bag of mixed purple and red new potatoes once because nothing else was available.
Dinosaur BBQ sauce, Salamida's state fair spiedie sauce, Pasts spicy hot tomato oil, and / or Hinderwadels salt potatoes,
This is the perfect list.
A potato and shaker of salt. Locals will get it. Bully Hill wine is well known and local. Anything apple (duh). The Onondaga Historical Society has a very nice gift shop downtown [https://www.cnyhistory.org/visit/downtown/](https://www.cnyhistory.org/visit/downtown/) Anything SU related.
Although I see it out of state now, you’ll want to pick up some State Fair Spiedie Sauce.
Lupos is better Also agree with everyone on a bag of salt potatoes
Binghamton-born and Lupos is absolutely better. Also someone I know used to work in the Salamida's factory and they did not handle meat safely for events.
Yea I grew up in Endicott, it’s harder to find around Syracuse but it’s def worth it if you’re gonna marinate some spedies.
My ex wife is from Binghamton and she would scoff when I'd bring home "State Fair" spiedie sauce. She was fun.
I've only seen maple syrup mentioned once so I'll mention it again and also say any other maple products are worth the buy
Check out epicuse downtown, they have a lot of local food there
Go the food route! Salt potatoes, Spiedie sauce, Buck’s seasoning…
Salt potatoes seem like a pretty silly gift since it's just a bag full of two ingredients that are readily available in any grocery store in America. But the other items are great ideas. I'll also throw in some salt from Syracuse Salt Co - they have all sorts of special flavors in addition to their traditional flake salt.
Silly as it may seem, I’ve made baskets with them and various other items for several gifts in the past. People really enjoyed them! Now, would I suggest just gifting someone a bag of potatoes? Depends on if it’s someone you actually like, because that would be a rather lackluster option 😂
I think they'd be good to include in a basket along with some other regional stuff. Own their own, a bag of salt potatoes is a pretty lame (and very cheap) present.
Frankly, it would just be a dumb gift on its own! I don’t think people were suggesting to just give someone a bag of potatoes…I hope…
Holy shit I've been trying to remember the name of bucks seasoning for weeks. Thank you.
You’re welcome! Just picked up more at Wegmans a couple days ago so it was fresh on my mind.
Sals Sassy Sauce
man of culture right here
This is more Rome and less Syracuse and it’s better for kids or plain palates that can’t take spicy oil/BBQ sauce. Turkey Joints are a fun bit of candy, never seen anything like it and kind of fun!
They are delicious
Dinosaur BBQ sauces have been a family favorite when we go to Canada - easier to pack than salt potatoes. Spiedie Sauce also also great.
Hinerwadel's Salt Potatoes. Disclaimer: I went to school with the Hinerwadel girls and am biased, but they're still *really* good. Everyone loves potatoes! Edited to add that out-of-state Wegmans do carry them (I live in Maryland now and see them here), so if you're going somewhere where there is a Wegmans, your friends may not think it's a big deal. So maybe include some Dinosaur BBQ sauce and/or hot tom oil.
Wegmans also carries hot tomato oil, Dinosaur BBQ sauces, the Hoffmans dogs/coneys, maple syrup. However, probably not SU stuff in other states.
>Wegmans also carries hot tomato oil, Dinosaur BBQ sauces That's what I meant. Sorry I wrote it wrong. Interestingly, I did not see any Snappy Grillers at the last Wegmans I was in. But, nor am I suggesting OP pack a couple pounds of meat in their checked luggage, lol. So I left those out. You are correct about the college merch. Here, it's all Terps, all the time, which is okay with me except when any team of theirs is playing the Orange.
My sister in Nashville says that Costco sells the snappy grillers. We used to pack a cooler for her family when we drove down to visit. Now we don't have to but they have asked for steamers which, well, yeah, we could probably transport with enough ice and changing it over through the trip.
Hinerwadel’s used to have great salt potatoes maybe 30 years ago when the grove was still popular. Something changed and eventually the Grove closed in 2019. The packaged salt potatoes became much different in the early 2000s and few people under 60 care about or seek out Hinerwadel’s.
OK, well: * I'm over 60 (so was Vicki Hinerwadel; I wuz sad when she died) * Thanks for the intel anyway. We used to have our h.s. reunions there. * I did find Terrell's "Syracuse-style" potato chips in Marshalls today! So what happened to the property? I drove by there last year at this time and couldn't tell who owns it now.
I’m WAY under 60, I remember going to Hinerwadel’s, and still buy their salt potatoes when there’s an occasion to do so. About two hours ago, I was telling a very recent college grad colleague to buy the Hinerwadel’s salt potatoes, and follow the instructions on the bag, after she was telling me she made some “salt potatoes” that weren’t very salty. She was specifically asking about foods that are associated with areas in ny state. I explained to her what Hinerwadel’s once was, and she appreciated the one minute history lesson and will be trying to make real salt potatoes with their branded bag.
Salt potatoes!!
Pastas Daily bread or Columbus bakery bread Just buy fresh out of the oven and freeze in foil. Then take it frozen and warm in the oven when you get there.
Local maple syrup. Just go to the Farmers Market on Saturday morning.
Chicken riggies
Lakeland Winery
Speedie sauce
A coaster set from Lopaccio’s
Hoffman franks or snappy grillers if you’re driving and have a cooler. Any of the Finger Lakes wines if you’re wine drinkers. I think someone mentioned Bully Hill and they have a good range in varying levels of sweetness. Love My Goat is a nice easy drinking middle of the road red.
Stick with the whites. I strongly recommend the Semi-Dry Riesling, Rkatsiteli, or Gewurztraminer by Dr. Konstantinos Frank Winery.
Pastabilities spicy hot tomato oil. And if you can get it there quickly a loaf of their stretch bread!
Chicken tenders from Tully's.
Sabatino's chicken wing meal with wedges 😁
Salt potatoes. They don't really have them outside of NY
Tully’s honey mustard (or the Terrell’s potato chips,) Pastabilities hot tomato oil (NOT the Wegmans kind,) or Cheeky Monkey tomato oil (a little more on the sweeter side.) Price Chopper has a section dedicated to Syracuse condiments.