The Culinary Tourist: A Grape Escape

The economy's in for one rough ride, but that doesn't mean you can't hit the road. Take advantage of the temporary decline in gas prices and fill up your tank, roll down the windows, and breathe in the fresh, fall air. A drive in the country will do you a world of good.

One of our favorite getaways takes us only 20 minutes from our house to Westfield, New York, just over the Pennsylvania border. Located along the shores of Lake Erie, Westfield is home to a lively farmers market, antique shops, art galleries, boutiques, one-of-a-kind restaurants and wineries.

Half the fun is getting there, especially at this time of year when the outdoors smells like the inside of a Concord grape jelly jar. We're approaching the end of harvest now, but with 30,000 acres of the luscious purple fruit spread out before you, there's no escaping the sweet aroma.

Growers harvest more than 400,000 tons of Concord grapes here every season. Packing twice the natural anti-oxidant power of orange juice, 100% Concord grape juice is the sought-after ingredient for cancer-fighting, heart-healthy juices, jams, salad dressings and other products. You can almost taste the goodness.

Wine grapes grow in abundance, too, supplying a thriving wine industry that supports 21 wineries along the Chautauqua Lake Erie Wine Trail.

You might be tempted to stock up on samples at the Crossroads Market a co-op of more than 40 vendors, bring back cases of award-winning wines, or splurge on an heirloom antique. But we've found the best mementos from this Victorian town are the conversations we strike up with the locals.

Meet people like Tony Franchina who runs the old-fashioned shoe repair shop founded by his grandfather. Steve and Helen Baran who carry on the grape-farming tradition at the original Welch's homestead. Theresa Bowser and Sharon Fuller who serve the best spaghetti sauce in town on Wednesdays at the Westfield Main Diner. And Tony and Rebecca Pisicoli, two talented entrepreneurs from L.A. who fell in love with this place and decided to stay.

Like everyone else who lives here, they are as honest as the day is long, and that includes Abe Lincoln, who, at the corner of Main and Portage Streets, extends a bronze hand to Grace Bedell, the 11-year-old girl from Westfield who in 1860 suggested the presidential candidate would improve his prospects if he would grow a beard.

Volunteers at the McClurg Museum watch over Westfield's rich history, carefully preserving the stories and collections that trace the region's past to the Native Americans who discovered this place long before the French arrived in 1679. You can almost feel their presence on the Old Portage Road that connects Lake Erie with Chautauqua Lake.

Plan your trip
Check out the three, short video tours we produced for Westfield at
www.westfieldny.com





Attractions
McClurg Museum
Crossroads Market
Chautauqua Lake Erie Wine Trail
The Portage Hill Gallery
Sapore restaurant, coffee and wine bar
Johnson Estate Winery
Landmark Acres Antiques






America's Grape Country
Westfield, NY, is the gateway to America's Grape Country, a 50-mile stretch of vineyards and the oldest, largest, Concord grape growing region in the world. The region spans two states, Pennsylvania and New York, on the shores of Lake Erie.

Photos © Rich and Lisa Gensheimer

The Culinary Tourist appears twice a month in Gather Essentials: Travel. Go exploring with award-winning documentary producer Lisa Gensheimer as she discovers the fun, food and people she meets along the way. Whether you're visiting the home of a faraway friend, stopping for directions at a roadside market, or on holiday in an exotic location, richly layered experiences await. Read more about Lisa's work at Main Street Media or join Lisa's gather network.