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Food & Drink in Saratoga

Beekman Street BistroSARATOGA SPRINGS, NY | August 2010 - Saratoga has been on the New York Times' mind again - or maybe it would be more accurate to say, on its palate.

Two New York Times articles, written on the same day by the same author, concern Saratoga Springs, NY, not just for its racing, tourism, and famous springs, but for its edibles.

As the birthplace of the potato chip and the club sandwhich, Saratoga is no stranger to the strong impact and draw of good food. One article claimed that nearly a third of all the income from tourists in the area was spent on eats.

Adelphi Hotel and Cafe

In the same line, the story mentioned that restaurants in the region receive a significant amount of their business in the six weeks of track season alone - at the time "when Saratoga seems more Saratoga than at any other time of year", reads one article.

No wonder, then, that both articles mentioned food at the Saratoga Racetrack.

"In Saratoga Springs, Catering to the Horse Set" focused heavily on two polarities of track-related eating: the haute-couture patrons of Siro's, and the thousands of seasonal track workers, called "backstretchers."

Could these two worlds ever collide? It seems they can, over quite common ground - taste buds. Increasingly popular track dinners, where track workers and high society intermingle over free chef-crafted food, are held to show appreciation for backstretchers, or as John Henrickson calls them, "the unsung heroes of Saratoga."

The other article, titled "Where to Eat in Saratoga Springs", explored food at the track and further into Saratoga, giving recommendations, personal insights, and comments from owners and chefs about where anyone in Saratoga - tourist or local - can go to enjoy a meal.

Several kitchens and watering holes of Saratoga were singled out and mentioned by name:

But why take the word of some old black-and-white? Go for yourself, and really get a "taste" for Saratoga Springs, NY!

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Read the New York Times articles, "Catering to the Horse Set" and "Where to Eat"