The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the Finger Lakes is the scenery; after all, that is what they are most renowned for. But despite the scenery, it is actually a well-known and reputable food and drink destination. This reputation didn’t come about by accident. There is a good reason for that. The area around the lakes is filled with fertile farmland, all with a long and substantial agricultural tradition.
One that played a big role in developing its food and drink scene that is known today.
From vineyards and orchards to farm markets, breweries, restaurants, and small food producers, the Finger Lakes are a place with a culinary identity; one that’s tied very closely to the land itself.
To get a clearer picture of all this, we need to look at both the geography and the history of the whole area.
The Land and The Agriculture
| The northern Finger Lakes region has 25,329 bearing-age acres of apples, ranking it No. 1 in the Eastern U.S. and No. 3 in the entirety of the U.S. in terms of apple production. – New York, Wayne County |
As we mentioned, the landscape around the Finger Lakes is a big factor and one that has closely shaped its agriculture.
The region’s long growing season and fertile soils support a variety of crops, all within a very distinct local climate; one whose temperature is moderated by the great bodies of water.
This moderation greatly helps agriculture that is sensitive to extreme changes in temperature. More specifically, it’s a place that’s very suitable for growing grapes and other fruit – predominantly apples, since NY State (Finger Lakes specifically) is a major apple-producing state (the No. 1 apple-producing region in the Eastern U.S.), but also cherries, peaches, pears, plums, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
Because of this, agriculture isn’t just another economic activity, but instead it’s part of the Finger Lakes life, part of its character. One that involves farms, orchards, vineyards, and various other agricultural communities that are all part of the same stretch of countryside.
Any visitors today can see the working farms alongside restaurants, farm stands, wineries, and breweries that are part of that culture.
The Finger Lakes Wine Industry
| The Finger Lakes American Viticultural Area (AVA) has 10,790 producing acres of vineyards, 832 of which are Riesling. – Finger Lakes Wine Alliance |
When it comes to food and drink, namely the drink part, we have to talk about wine. Throughout most of history, the Finger Lakes were not a ‘wine place’ like some other places in the United States were. That said, as time went on and with the help of the area’s climate and geography, the areas around the Finger Lakes slowly developed a wine industry – and a successful one at that.
The depth of the lakes allows these bodies of water to retain heat and release it gradually; this creates a condition that is beneficial and one that helps grapes grow. With some experimentation and time, the farmers found suitable grape varieties for that specific climate, which were key in developing the wine industry.
Today, that very same wine industry attracts a lot of tourism and visitors.
Many visitors come for tastings, scenery, meals, and all sorts of different events. Not to mention the opportunity to learn the history behind it all.
Food & Wine Together
The development of one helps the other.
Any visitor who comes to the Finger Lakes for the vineyards also needs places where they can stay, eat, and places where they can spend time and enjoy themselves. Restaurants are also businesses that can take advantage of the local agriculture and its products, and wineries can incorporate that very same food into their tours and experience.
It’s a symbiotic relationship where one helps the other and one that encourages one another.
Tourism, of course, changes with the relationship with local food.
Farm products that once primarily served local communities and markets now work on a much wider level.
Vineyards are especially important in this transition because they give visitors a reason to visit and spend a bit of time in the more rural parts of the area. One winery visit is not just a visit but a destination and an experience. It’s very much the same with other businesses.
Farm stores, cideries, breweries, restaurants, and specialty producers all benefit from visitors interested in experiencing something that is part of the whole region in general. This, as a result, makes the tourism economy bloom.
It’s the same with any place, really.
Someone visiting Portugal or more specifically Porto, for example, might discover Porto through food and wine, especially when you think about the city’s super rich wine history – Port wine produced in the Douro Valley (east of Porto), as well as Douro table wines which’ve been around for more than 2,000 years!!
The world of wines is an exciting and interesting one, and in the U.S., Finger Lakes is one of the best-known wine regions, competing with giants such as Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Paso Robles, and Santa Barbara County.
It’s places like Finger Lakes that give people a reason and the necessary appeal to learn more and an incentive to do so eagerly!
Conclusion
Through a combination of its geography and agriculture, the Finger Lakes have become the food and drink destination that they are today.
The lakes helped shape the climate and the terrain, which helped farmers shape their agricultural traditions that were specific to the region. Ever since then, winemakers, restaurants, breweries, cideries, orchards, markets, and all sorts of other businesses expanded and flourished within the area, leading to the creation of a unique and well-known culinary identity.
The industry continues to evolve, and all its attractions remain an important part of that; one that forms the foundation of the Finger Lakes and the scene there.
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