The Art of Entertaining with Emma Hearst of Forts Ferry Farm Shoppe
If you have visited Hudson and walked down Warren Street recently, there is a good chance you have found yourself inside the wonderland that is the Forts Ferry Farm Shoppe. Over the last year, the Shoppe has become a favorite for STAIR clients and staff, with their expertly curated assortment of prepared foods, farm fresh produce, and antiques.
We were thrilled to collaborate with Emma Hearst of Forts Ferry Farm Shoppe to celebrate our Art of Entertaining sale, taking place on September 25th, 2024 at 10am. We chatted with Emma about her time in Hudson, tips for hosting, and what is on her auction wish list. Emma recently published her cookbook Flavors From the Farm.
Preview the sale online now or visit us in Hudson for preview now through sale date, and be sure to stop by the Shoppe and say hello.
What drew you to Hudson to open up the Farm Shoppe? What do you love most about being part of this community?
Hudson seemed like the perfect location for the vision we had for Farm Shoppe because of its amazing history and community. It’s an embracing “anything goes” kind of city filled with open minded and talented individuals. We are SO incredibly lucky to be a part of it.
This sale is all about the Art of Entertaining. As a seasoned host, what are your tips for the perfect shared table?
Keep it simple and make recipes that can be prepared in advance so you, as the host, can enjoy the most important part– the entertaining! My new book, Flavors From The Farm, is all about easy recipes meant for group entertainment and enjoyment. It also is filled with tidbits on how to make the most of your kitchen so you can execute the ‘art of entertaining’ with graceful ease.
The Shoppe sells produce, prepared foods and treats straight from Forts Ferry Farm, and you also have an impressive array of gifts and antiques. What’s on your wish list for filling the shop?
We have loads of new and delicious prepared foods headed Hudson’s way this fall and winter! I am always on the lookout for the best, most useful pantry items, and as far as antiques go I adore anything Trompe l’oeil. I’ve had an obsession with fake (and real) food since the age of 3 and love the trippy Alice In Wonderland vibe they bring to the store.
It’s the end of September and seasonal produce is at the center of all that you do: is there a recipe from your cookbook that would sit perfectly on an end-of-summer dinner table?
We grow the most amazing garlic on the farm and have been cultivating the perfect garlic seed for years now. My go-to for this time of year is a recipe out of my book called 40 Clove of Garlic Chicken where our garlic takes center stage. I also love outdoor wood-fired cooking for this time of year…smoked sausage, peppers, and onions, OH MY!
Do you have a favorite lot in the sale?
The cows head cheese server and crab box (Lot 23) might be my favorites, but I am also in LOVE with the sweetmeat wheelbarrows (Lot 4)! Anything that uses the word sweetmeat = automatic in love for me.
