Going with the weather flow and two new vendors

As I write this, the temperatures are in the searing 90s. But, by the time this hits your inbox, the temperatures will have dropped at least 20 degrees and the forecast for the weekend calls for rain throughout this holiday weekend—the official launch of grilling season.

What’s a girl to do? Look, we’ve learned in the last few years that the weather is going to do what it’s going to do, and we can give up on trying to meal and party plan around the weather.

What you can still plan around, although less reliably than in years past, are the seasons. And we are currently in the sweet spot of spring. So gather asparagus and snap peas and radishes while ye may and make the best of it. Since we have two sources of fresh burrata at the market these days (La Trafila and Maplebrook), why not make this bright springy salad which brings rosy breakfast radishes and crunchy snap peas to the party?

If the skies clear up this weekend, you can serve the salad as a side dish to whatever you choose to throw on the grill. And, boy, do we have options: for the meat eaters, Mangalitsa pork brats from Goode & Local, more sausages, lamb burgers, and ribeyes from R&M Farm, pork chops and chicken from Letterbox Farm, and flank steak from Le Roux Trading Co. For those who eschew meat, you’re in luck because the best veggie burgers on the planet will be here under the Plantidote tent.

They will visit us only occasionally this summer, so if you’re a fan of these flavor- and protein-packed lentil burgers, I would recommend stocking up! They freeze so well. So delicious with a red pepper spread from Bonnes Saveurs and fresh arugula from Fresh Meadow Farm. Or why not pair them with some Blackgirl Kimchi, a new product on the plaza this summer? This kimchi sets itself apart by adding a bold twist to a Korean superfood by fusing Caribbean roots and Southern soul with traditional Korean techniques. We’ve tried it. We LOVE it.

And, if the rain forecast moves your grilling plans indoors, you can find solace in this oven-roasted salmon with spring pesto from The Modern Proper. Or get your hands on some spring morels at the Tivoli tent and make this ricotta gnocchi with asparagus, peas, and morels.

It’ll all go down better with a bottle of Chenin Blanc from Neverstill Wines, here for the first time. This trailblazing and award-winning winery in the Finger Lakes region is run by an all-women team. It takes its name from the brackish Hudson River, which was originally known as “the water that is never still.” You can read more about them and their cool wine tasting salon in Hudson here.

As you can see, there’s lots to get excited about. And yes, we’re bringing the baby goats back one last time. What’s so great about living in New Castle—other than our amazing farmers market? Rooted in New Castle wants to know! They’ll be conducting short video interviews at the market on Saturday, May 23rd and June 6th from 10-12 to find out what you love most about living here. We hope you participate!