Hands On

Single-malt whiskies and triple-cream cheeses are the stuff New York's Hudson Valley is made of.

- Aaron Hicklin

THE HUDSON VALLEY has long drawn New York City dwellers in search of clean air, spectacular hikes, and upstate culture. Now a budding community of artisans-young farmers, bakers, vintners, distillers-is turning the region into a modern breadbasket.

It is a tightly woven ecosystem that also extends to restaurants and hotels. At Tenmile Distillery, in the town of Wassaic, for example, the grain used to make whiskey comes from a farm in Tivoli, 30 miles away, while the gin and vodka it produces are served at stylish addresses like the Troutbeck (doubles from $580), a hotel in Amenia, and the restaurant Stissing House (entrées $22-$155), in Pine Plains.

Being upstate has other advantages, too. "Our plan doesn't have to be about growth," says Nora Allen, who runs Mel the Bakery, which moved to Hudson from Manhattan last year. "There's no better feeling than looking outside and seeing people enjoying their pastries on a sunny day with their friends or their family, or just their dog."

Here are five Hudson Valley makers behind food-and-drink establishments that are special enough to plan a weekend around.

TENMILE DISTILLERY

Joel LeVangia, a former filmmaker and developer who grew up in the Hudson Valley, discovered his passion for whiskey after trying a glass of Yamazaki 25. "It was $1,500 a bottle," he said. "I thought, 'Well, that's stupid, I can buy a bottle of scotch for $100 or $200, and it would be just as good as the Japanese stuff." Except he couldn't find anything that came close.