The indoor Riverhead Farmer’s Market returned Saturday to downtown Riverhead and featured fan favorites like Gula Gula Empanadas and several new items, including Furnace spicy hard cider.
The weekly event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday through the end of April at the former Swezey’s department store, located at 117 East Main Street in Riverhead — the same place it was held in winter 2014.
Dolores and Walter Wilson of Bay Shore first attended the indoor farmer’s market last year and said they’re happy it’s back.
“All this fresh food is wonderful,” Ms. Wilson said. “We’re out here a lot and love to stop by to see what’s new.”
The couple decided to purchase some Herbie’s Crumb Cake, which was developed at the Stony Brook Business Incubator at Calverton.
NoFo Crunch Granola was another product featured at the market that was also created at the incubator.
As for drinks, Jason Laan of Sag Harbor launched Furnace earlier this year and said he decided to join the market because he believes it’s a good opportunity to further promote his small batch hard cider, which includes ginger, red pepper and lemon.
Rachel Adams of Saint James Brewery, a Holbrook company that offers Belgian-style ales made from ingredients grown in New York state, said she enjoys the market because local produce is the key to her business’ success.
“We love it out here because this is where we get our hops and fruits,” Ms. Adams said.
Other vendors at Saturday’s market included: Browder’s Birds, which featured fresh eggs, yarn and frozen chicken feet; Goodale Farms produce; Chez Hedwige’s organic breads that are available in gluten-free and vegan varieties; Mecox Dairy’s artisanal cheeses; Papa Pasquale’s Ravioli & Pasta based in Brooklyn; fish from North Fork Smoked Fish and Alice’s Fish Market; Old School Favorites chocolate sauces; Tend’s organic coffee; and handmade products by Southampton Soap, among other vendors.
Many of the returning businesses said they believe the market is the best place to promote their goods during the off season, as well as develop friendships with other growers.
“We love coming here because we don’t have a market or a stand in the winter,” Lucy Senesac of Sang Lee Farms in Peconic said while munching on an organic carrot. “It’s a nice place to bring customers and businesses together.”
Top photo: Donna Bugdin of Goodfood., a pastries and empanadas restaurant that opened earlier this year in Mattituck.
