INCREDIBLE EDIBLES!!

Over the last 11 years we've been full-time RVer's, an important consideration of RV travel revolves around food....always!

Gianelli Sausage (since 1946) - A MUST at the New York State Fair in Syracuse, NY

The Westside Market
Cleveland, OHIO
Oldest market - home to over 100 vendors

The Westside Market
Cleveland, OHIO
Oldest market - home to over 100 vendors

The Westside Market
Cleveland, OHIO
Oldest market - home to over 100 vendors

We also enjoy local-owned restaurants ... like those with lots of vehicles outside all the time.  We regularly visit Trip Advisor about local restaurants because those recommendations are made by people ... like you or me.

Anchor Bar - Buffalo NY
Home of the Original Buffalo Chicken Wings (1935)

Honey Hut Ice Cream Shoppe
Cleveland, OHIO - Since 1974

When we go grocery shopping it is to buy food we love to eat and prepare for our table and we always expect it to be fresh, delicious, and most likely locally produced.  Local farmers' markets and local butcher shops are a plus wherever we travel.  We became satisfied customers of grocery stores like Wegman's, Shaw's, Martin's, Piggly Wiggly, Trader Joe's, Fresh Market, Healthy Market and many other independent stores on a regular basis.

Not only is this an awesome farm - I met some of my relatives in
Ithaca, NY

FOR REAL - Relatives you meet in central NY
THE KNAPP'S

Ithaca Farmers' Market - Gorgeous!!
Ithaca, NY

Honey Farmer - Ithaca, NY

To participate in the weekly Ithaca, NY Farmers' Market
you must live within 30 miles of the Market - since 1973

Parkway Orchards - NIAGARA-ON-THE LAKE, ONTARIO, CANADA

WESTSIDE MARKET - Cleveland, Ohio
Beautiful and over 100 vendors

Finger Lakes Popcorn from Guess Where!?
Popcorn grown in Lansing, NY

 Our Spring/Summer/Fall travels began in April, 2018, and around the beginning of June, in Shipshewana, IN, we began a 4 month journey of great RV travel with our friends, Clay and Frances Croom, Lynette Croom (Clay's 86 year young and  beautiful mother and new RV full-timer), and their Puggle dog, Sadie, accompanied by delicious and exciting regular home cooked meals with our "dueling" Instant Pots, griddles and grills.

RV with Clay, Frances, Lynette Croom
at Country Hills Campground
Marathon, NY

Our meals usually were always with careful planning and completed with minimal effort, which made the end of every day a great time to sit outside, talk about what we had done that day,  and make plans for the next exciting day.

Chef Clay and Chef RV
Preparation of Buffalo Chicken Wings

Chef Clay, Chef RV Preparing Dinner on Griddle
(Sadie is photo-bombing the picture)

The "saute" part of our Instant Pot Dinner

We celebrated birthdays, visited with friends, and always expressed our thanks to God that He had safely delivered us to another destination and blessed us beyond measure.

Celebrating the visit of our friends
Jane and Jean Unger at Essenhaus, Middlebury, Indiana
near Shipshewana, Indiana

Friends getting together in Goshen, INDIANA
Tiffin Allegro Rally 2018

I'm Singing Happy Birthday to Frances....
Too bad you can't hear my singing on this video!
Cleveland, OHIO

At the end of 4 months of travel with the Croom's we sadly departed to travel separate directions, but we will definitely plan to do this again.

Breakfast - Sausage, Pancakes and Vermont Maple Syrup!

Cajun Barbeque Shrimp
Laissez Le Bon Ton Roulet!

Anchor Bar Chicken Wings
Buffalo, NY

Gumbo with Shrimp, Chicken, and dainty Blue Crab Claws
Now you're talking!
Cleveland, OHIO

Country Fried Steak - To be finished with gravy in the Instant Pot
Junius Ponds, NY

Pork Tenderlions - Saute and finished in the Instant Pot
Junius Ponds, NY

Italian Sausage with peppers and onions
  Delicious cooked on Griddle!
Junius Ponds, NY

Skirt Steak with Homemade Griddle Potatoes

Instant Pot Pork Steaks, Broccoli Salad and Fresh Ohio Green Beans

For the most part our cookware consisted of 2 Instant Pots, 1 electric Calphalon table top griddle, and the Croom's discovered the perfect small gas griddle/grill that was perfect for RV travel - and it came with a stand.  Just like you would do with your grill, the seasoning of the cooktop assured the food never stuck to the grill top.

Clay Croom's Gas Griddle on the portable stand

Hamburger Night on the Griddle

Fried Shrimp Appetizer

Instant Pot Pork Steaks ready to be finished
on the griddle with barbeque sauce

We enjoyed many breakfasts, lunches, appetizers and dinners of unbelievable culinary delights.  And always, without fail, this is what we had at the end of every delicious meal:

No leftovers ever!

FINGER LAKE'N GOOD!

If you've been following our recent blog posts then you can see we are moving at a snail's pace in a northeasterly direction.  This post is about our two week stay in the beautiful north-south valleys of the Finger Lakes region of central New York.  Now we understand why people love the Finger Lakes with its rolling hills and sparkling lakes.... we did as well.  Our next discoveries will be continued in another region of the Finger Lakes....we just couldn't get enough!

The Finger Lakes Region of Central New York

The Finger Lakes Region of Central New York

The Finger Lakes Region of Central New York

We spent 2 weeks in a very lovely old town in Phelps, New York, at a well-cared-for campground called Junius Ponds.  Like so many campgrounds in this area of the country, most Junius Ponds residents clear out by the middle of October.

  

Junius, New York

Small Pavilion at Junius Ponds Campground
Junius, New York

Gnome display at Junius Pods ("Senior" art)

Another "Senior" Artistic Display at
Junius Ponds Campground - Junius, NY

There are lots of little old towns in NY.  Many of them have retained the old architectural downtown buildings.  Cities like Waterloo, NY and Seneca Falls, NY have historical meaning but most of the little towns seemed to run together and we had never heard of many of them until this trip.

Waterloo, New York

Seneca Falls, New York

Scenic Skaneateles Lake, Skaneateles, New York

The Finger Lakes are Skaneateles (which is pronounced "skinny atlas"), Owasco, Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka and Canandaigua.  This region was the home of the Cayuga and Seneca Indians of the Six Nations whose lands were devastated by the Clinton-Sullivan Expedition of 1779.  After this Revolution the area was opened for settlement.

Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes Region
central New York 

View of Watkins Glen, New York
Seneca Lake, New York

Seneca Lake,  New York

Seneca Lake, New York

Farm located near Geneva, NY

After 1830, with the linking of the Cayuga and Seneca Lakes with the Erie Canal, population grew and industry flourished.  

Fertile lands and natural resources developed important products.  Salt is manufactured from brine pumped from wells on the shore of Seneca Lake.  The good soil and gentle winds have combined to make the Finger Lakes outstanding for growing grapes from which are produced champagne and other fine wines.

Reisling Grape Vineyard - Finger Lakes Region
Central New York

Hops Farm - Finger Lakes Region
Central New York

Prejean Winery - Seneca Lake
Central New York State

Fox Run - Seneca Lake
Central New York State

Worthog Cidery - Seneca Lake
Central New York State

Holstein Farm in Central New York State

Pick Your Own Apples and Tasting Room
Central New York State

Canandaigua Lake - Finger Lakes
Central New York State

ART Festival on Lake Canandaigua
Central New York

Picturesque Boat House Row in Canandaigua
Central New York State

Picturesque Boat House Row in Canandaigua
Central New York State

Picturesque Farm in Seneca County
Central New York State

Our visit to the Finger Lakes region was long enough to make many new friends (lots of snowbirds), buy locally grown products in farmer's markets, go to festivals and art shows, and understand why New York is so very proud of such a beautiful region.