Kosher Felafel Day
at the Saratoga High Rock Farmers Market
sponsored by Saratoga Chabad's "Taste of Tradition"

Saratoga Springs
Farmers Market gets new flavor
by Tatiana Zarnowski, Gazette Reporter

It wasn't exactly like the felafel he had in Israel, but Michael Ostrelich pronounced it good nonetheless. "I've been to Israel three times, and I know what felafels are all about, " said the Saratoga Springs resident before taking a bite of his pita filled with fresh vegetables, the fried mashed chickpea balls and tahini sauce.

Rabbi Abba Rubin from Chabad Center made the Kosher felafel recipe in his kitchen, and two staffers at the Cornell Cooperative Extension with Saratoga County served the "fast food" for free to people at the Saratoga Springs Farmers Market on Wednesday afternoon.

"I thought this would make people interested in what is kosher and what is not kosher, " said Rubin, who sells kosher food, usually potato kugel, honey-cake and challah, each week at the market. "I sit next to the Cooperative Extension, and they always give out free food, " he said. So, he and nutritional educator Diane Whitten decided to make Wednesday "Kosher Day" at the Farmers Market.

After watching people take and eat the felafel-filled pitas for a couple of hours, nearby vendor Anna Mae Clark of Ballston Spa said the event was good for exposing people to other cultures. "We need to be able to educate the public."

"There was a daughter that didn't want one at first," she said. Her father gave her a bite of his, and she ended up finishing it, Clark said. "We have to be willing to try something a little bit."

Whitten said most people were open-minded about trying the Felafel. "They've all loved it. People have come from far ends of the market that heard about it," she said.

Rubin is thinking about selling the felafel balls at his stand but isn't sure because making them is so time-consuming. "You have to fry it right and hopefully it comes out good. It's just a very messy food."

Whitten found that out when she tried frying them at home, too, and discovered that the oil has to be very hot or it won't work.

The people at Cooperative Extension make a variety of recipes to serve at the market. "Usually the main ingredient is something that is available at the market," Whitten said.

Chabad promotes Jewish culture and has sold food at the market for four years, Rubin said. The organization has a festival in Congress Park on August 5, from 11am to 4pm.