I went for a haircut this morning and afterwards I visited the farmer's market downtown.

I bought a free-range chicken from a local farmer and some fresh herbs and flowers.

A report by our correspondent Dawn Elliott.

A recent visit to Adams Fairacre Farms in Kingston, New York was a bit of a Dutch food vacation. This grocery store in upstate New York carries a large number of unusual international items including quite a few Dutch products. Originally a roadside farm stand in the early 20th century, Adams has grown to a three-store chain with other locations in Poughkeepsie and Newburgh.

Chocolate letters and koffie hopjes

Dennis and Dorris in the candy department explained that their ordering is driven by customer requests. The store's Dutch customers created a demand for items such as koffie hopjes and drop. In the past the store has even carried chocolate letters for Sinterklaas.

Products include stroopwafels, kruidenkoek and hagelslag. Items not on the shelves can often be special ordered; typically they would be ordered in the smallest case available. Dorris said she would be happy to help anyone interested.

Paul in the cheese department is clearly passionate about Dutch cheese, but said that with what he is able to order "the selection really is not there." Young Gouda is almost the only type of Dutch cheese their distributor carries. You won’t find specialy cheeses such as brandnetel kaas here, but overall you won’t be disappointed with the choices of local and international cheeses.

Dutch since the 17th century

When asked why the store carried so many Dutch products, manager Mike Paesano smiled: "This has been a Dutch area since the 17th century," a fact often pointed out by Kingstonians. Formerly Wiltwijck, the town of Kingston still has remnants of its Dutch past apparent today in its old houses, local family names, and museums.

Adams Fairacre Farms
Stores in Poughkeepsie, Kingston and Newburgh, New York.
(845) 454-4330
www.adamsfarms.com

Drop! Venco - Salmiak Rondos, Dropmix Zout, and Dropmix Zoet. Klene - Salmiakriksen, Bodemvondsten, and Gelukzoekers. Katje - Kokindjes.

Droste cacao.

Conimex sambal oelek and other products such as ketjap manis, sweet chili sauce and nasi goreng.

The store carries several Dutch cheeses, including the almost obligatory Gouda cheese (smoked and not), "Dutch Leyden" and Parrano cheeses. Kaasschaven are for sale as well.

Jules Destrooper cookies - Almond Thins and Butter Crisps, Belgian cookies. The store also carries Droste Pastilles in four different flavors and Belgian Chocolate Biscuits (made in Belgium).

Other Dutch products include:

• Stroopwafels (Made with 100% butter)
• Kruidenkoek
• Roggebrood
• Quince paste, sweet meats for Groninger koek and marzipan
• De Ruijter Chocolade Hagel Slag (Melk en Puur)
• Smoked mackerel
• Many different types of worst

Today Sasha is wrapping up a successful internship. She gave a closing presentation on Wednesday that was very well received. A good feeling. I'll go for lunch at her work today.

Tomorrow we'll travel back to Durham! We'll miss the cats.

The release that I'm working on for work is coming to an end and we're starting to do planning for the fall release.

The house we're staying in has an apartment in the basement, and the two dogs of the owners are living there now. Someone comes in twice a day to feed them and walk them.

Every now and then I go downstairs to play with them. They look intimidating but they're very sweet.

When I went downstairs after lunch I heard a cat meowing, and after I put the dogs back in their apartment I looked for the cat. It turned out that the lazy cat was stuck in the cleaning closet. It must have hidden there yesterday when the cleaning ladies were here.

The cat was stressed out after a night in the closet and very happy that I let him out. Sure enough, the first thing he did was run upstairs to his food.