Chow Chow Relish

Ballston Spa, NY

Ballston Spa Lake by Vicki Smith

Hello,

In the 1960s my dad attended an estate auction in Ballston Spa, NY, and bid on the contents, sight unseen, of the attic with a friend of his. Theirs was the winning bid at somewhere around one hundred dollars. Hanging in my living room is a beautiful scroll map from 1833, found in the attic, showing Arkansas and Missouri as territories. He also brought home a somewhat tattered two-volume set of The Soldier in our Civil War. My dad saved the clipping from when Bauman Rare Books listed a more pristine set for sale in 2007. I don’t know if my dad and his friend had any issues dividing up the contents. There were probably more items from that attic floating around our house that I was unaware of. I recently came across literature from the Brookside, a resort in Ballston Spa that re-opened in 1897, having first opened in 1797 and an exercise brochure tucked away in an album. I am assuming they were unearthed from that attic. Our workout clothing may have changed, but it seems that resistance bands (or some facsimile) have been around for some time.

Ballston Spa is just south of the more famous small city of Saratoga. They are both known for their mineral waters, but Ballston Spa is the oldest watering resort in New York state and has the only spring with carbonated water west of the Rockies. Drinking and bathing in mineral springs for their healing properties was popular in the 1800s among the upper class. It was referred to as “taking the cure” and an entire social scene developed around the springs. Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon’s brother, was a visitor to both Ballston Spa and Saratoga. James Fenimore Cooper mentions the mineral springs in his novel The Last of the Mohicans. The brochure from the Brookside is dated June 1, 1897. In their own words, the resort is “An ideal spot for rest, recreation, and health.” They tout the fresh food served and their proximity to the D&H train stop, a mineral spring, and several local lakes.

The springs were eventually depleted due to overuse. Businesses pumped out water to extract carbonic gas to use in soda. Iron Spring Park is still open to the public in Ballston Spa to sample the water. I have tasted the mineral water that is pumped through a fountain in Congress Park, near a carousel, in Saratoga. It had better be healthy because its strong sulphuric smell makes it unappealing. My grandfather would spend time soaking in the mineral baths at the Roosevelt Baths, still operating, in Saratoga to soothe his back. There is no longer a train that stops in Ballston Spa, and the Brookside is now a museum but if it were functioning as its former self, I’m sure it would be popular today.

Chow chow is listed on the Brookside dinner menu, along with pickles, tomato catsup, olives, sliced cucumbers, and radishes. I was unfamiliar with chow chow, but when I looked it up, I discovered that it is a relish with different ingredients in different parts of the country. It is typically prepared and canned at the end of the summer as a way of preserving the season’s bounty. It is quite common in southern states and amongst the Amish of Pennsylvania. Just as with any relish, it can be used on hot dogs, burgers, fried fish, cornbread, or a bowl of beans, basically anything that could use an extra kick. Even though mine is pictured in canning jars, I did not go through the process of sterilizing the jars, so we will be using it directly out of the refrigerator. I followed an online recipe for my first batch that featured the traditional green tomatoes and green peppers. Even though I cut the recipe down to one-quarter of the original, it still made an enormous quantity, and I found the sickly green color to be unappetizing. For the next two batches, I switched out the green pepper for a red one and added corn fresh off the cob. The second batch I froze, so we’ll have to see how that turns out.

Chow Chow Relish

Ingredients

1 large green tomato, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1/4 large yellow onion, diced ( about 1/2 cup, chopped)

One ear of corn

1/2 t. salt

2 T. chopped green chilies, finely minced

1/4 c. apple cider vinegar

1 t. horseradish

1 t. pickling spice

1/2 t. turmeric

2 t. brown sugar

Directions

Place green tomato, red pepper, onion, and salt in a bowl. Allow it to sit overnight. Drain. Remove the kernels of corn from the cob. Put all ingredients in a medium size pot. Bring to a simmer, turn to low, and cook for 10 minutes. Make sure that all the liquid does not cook off. If it does, add an extra touch of apple cider vinegar.

Yield: 3 cups

Chow chow should be refrigerated unless you are canning it in sterilized jars.

Thanks for reading, liking, commenting, and sharing!

Vicki