QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Along the Adirondack Northway, the Adirondacks Welcome Center offers travelers some respite as they approach the city of Glens Falls. This month, those who visit will get a taste of something extra-festive for the holiday season.

This week, the center’s Taste NY area welcomed a 9-foot-tall balsam fir, sourced from River Bend Christmas Tree Farm in Lake Luzerne. The tree is there as part of the annual New York State Grown & Certified tree topper competition, joining other welcome centers around the state.

The theme for all trees this year is cuisine and beverage trails around the region – something the North Country has no shortage of. The tree is decorated with red and white in keeping with the “I Love NY” logo, and features ornaments fashioned to look like gift-wrapped packages. Each package has a tag featuring a producer around New York, with QR codes that can be scanned to find out more.

Businesses represented by ornaments include:

  • Adirondack Pub & Brewery
  • Adirondack Winery
  • Battle Hill Brewing Company, LLC
  • Bolton Landing Brewing Company
  • Common Roots Brewery
  • Cooper’s Cave Ale Company, Ltd.
  • Lake George Distilling Co.
  • Ledge Rock Hill Winery
  • Mean Max Brew Works
  • Northway Brewing Company
  • Paradox Brewery
  • Slickfin Brewing Co.
  • Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery

Food and beverage trails from around the North Country are featured on bottle caps, labels and other items tucked into the tree branches. They include:

  • Adirondack Coast Wine Trail
  • Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail
  • Adirondack Lakes Cuisine Trail
  • Ausable Valley Cuisine Trail
  • Boquet Valley Cuisine Trail
  • Capital Craft Beverage Trail
  • Champlain Valley Cuisine Trail
  • Lewis County Cuisine Trail
  • New York’s Ice Cream Trail
  • North Country Cuisine Trail
  • Upper Hudson Wine Trail

The tree topper, placing the tree in the contest, is a red farm truck full of products that represent the region. In order to vote for the topper among all others around the state, visit the welcome center on Facebook.

The welcome center’s menu of local goods includes many seasonal offerings, as well as some special tasting events. In December, two special tastings will be held:

  • Friday, Dec. 9, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
    • Caliva Cookie Co. of Ballston Lake will offer apple pie biscotti and caramel chocolate biscotti
  • Friday, Dec. 23, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
    • Kimmy’s Krakkers of Triple Green Jade Farm in Willsboro will offer five seeded maple and fig and kalamata olive crackers

Regardless of when you stop by in your travels, you can pick up something produced locally, whether from the Albany area or the Adirondacks. Seasonal items on sale at the center this winter include:

  • Kimmy’s Krakkers from Triple Green Jade Farm (Willsboro, NY) 
  • Fig & Honey Fromage Frais, Mixed Herbs Chevre, and Honey Lavender Fromage Blanc from Nettle Meadow (Lake Luzerne, NY)
  • Sundried Tomato & Chive Cheese Curds, Basil Garlic Cheese Curds, Dill & Chive Cheese Curds, and Java Milk made with farm fresh milk from Ideal Dairy Farm by Argyle Cheese Farmer (Hudson Falls, NY)
  • Rhubarb Preserves with Vanilla Bean & Earl Grey and Concord Grape Preserves from Les Collines (Craryville, NY)
  • Amaretto Jam, Spicy Red Pepper Jam, and Pineapple Habanero Pepper Jam by Fat Crow Gourmet (Troy, NY)
  • Old Fashioned, Wood Smoked Beef Snack Sticks by Adirondack Beef Co. (Croghan, NY)
  • 100% Grass Fed Beef Snack Sticks by Acabonac Farms (Yaphank, NY)
  • Sleigh Ride Nitro Cold Brew Coffee by Sail Away Coffee (Deer Park, NY)
  • Java Jampit Nitro Cold Brew Coffee and Cold Brew Latte made with Battenkill Valley Creamery from Kru Coffee (Saratoga Springs, NY) 
  • Apple Pie Biscotti and Caramel Chocolate Biscotti by Caliva Cookie Co. (Ballston Lake, NY)
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies and Mini Apple Pies by Lake George Baking Company (Lake George, NY)
  • Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies by Apt. 3 Bakery (Saratoga Springs, NY)
  • Maple Pecan Cookies by My Big Fat Cookie (Calverton, NY)
  • Pure Maple Candy by Mapleland Farms (Salem, NY)
  • “The Peppermint Pig” by Saratoga Candy Company (Saratoga Springs, NY)
  • Peanut Butter Cup Fudge by The Speach Family Candy Shoppe (Jamestown, NY)
  • I LOVE NY Knit Hats, Coffee Mugs, and Cappuccino Mugs