Strawberries, sweet corn and pumpkins get much fanfare when they hit farm stands each summer. But before the produce of the sweet, juicy and U-pick varieties return, there’s the arrival of another vegetable: horseradish.
Understated and locally celebrated, horseradish has a rich tradition here.
Now there’s a new way to celebrate the spicy root vegetable that promises to be as memorable as it is delicious. Holy Schmitt’s Horseradish in Riverhead is teaming with Hallockville Museum Farm to host their first collaborative North Fork Horseradish Festival on Saturday, May 4 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the historic museum grounds in Northville.
“Our mission is to connect the community with agricultural history, and horseradish is a big part of that,” Hallockville assistant director Megan Shpak said. “It is great to be working with Holy Schmitt’s Horseradish to bring awareness to horseradish… and how it is used in food and recipes.”
The family-friendly event will feature local wine, craft beer and generous samples of horseradish provided by Schmitt’s Farm, which is synonymous with local horseradish. East End food vendors will also be on hand to serve up horseradish-inspired dishes, such as horseradish mac and cheese, roasted oysters with horseradish butter and hot dogs with sauerkraut and mustard horseradish. There will also be cheeseburgers and bacon on a stick for the non-horseradish crowd.
This year’s vendors include a dozen purveyors from the North and South forks, including Little Creek Oysters, Twin Forks Catering, Bridge Lane Wines, Amagansett Food Institute, North Fork Brewing Co. and Goodale Farms. Horseradish activities such as a root grinding demonstrations and root tosses are also scheduled throughout the day.
Admission is $10 per adult and children under 12 are free. Learn more and purchase tickets at horseradishfestivalny.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the door the day of the festival. A rain date is set for Sunday, May 5.
Hallockville Farm Museum is located at 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead.
