Hillary's Blue-Ribbon Farm Day

It's that time of year again when lawmakers and top Hill aides eagerly await their invitation to what most call the best industry reception of the year: New York Farm Day, hosted by Sen. Hillary Clinton. "It's magical," says organizer Jim Trezise, president of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation. Come September 18, the ornate Senate Caucus Room will be filled with fresh Empire State fruits and veggies, wines, and fancy restaurant finger food from the state's major farm regions. It's Clinton's ongoing bid to show that New York is more than Broadway and Times Square. "She's really become a missionary for us," says Trezise. What to look for: maple cream, blue potatoes, and Mercer's Riesling ice cream. Trezise says Clinton took a hesitant first taste of Mercer's port wine ice cream at a previous farm day, trying just a little spoonful. "Then she ate the whole thing," he says, "and came back for more."