A cheesy first at Lambertville food festival

Last year, some people giggled at the notion that caterer Rob Mitchell was running a food truck devoted to Wisconsin-style cheese curds. That was, until he parked the Cow and the Curd outside bars or at various food festivals and these people actually got to try the snack.

Mitchell has a whole new whey to enjoy cheese curds. His second truck is devoted to that Montreal specialty, poutine.

Basically, poutine consists of fries topped with cheese curds and a splash of gravy to reinforce the notion that this is not a green salad.

Mitchell will roll out his poutine truck, cleverly called The Cow and the Curd 2, at a new food festival planned for the evening of June 12 (5-10 p.m.) in the quaint burg of Lambertville, N.J., across from New Hope.

Lambertville NiteFare, which is intended as a semiannual event, will feature entertainment and food from Lambertville restaurants and regional food trucks, as well as a Yards beer garden. It will be set up along four blocks of North Union Street from Bridge to York Street. It's free to wander, and pay as you go. (Rate date is July 10.)

Restaurant participants include: Annie's Gourmet, Bent Spoon, Café Galleria, Deanna's, Dish Catering, El Tule, Fulper Farms, Giuseppe's, Homestead Farm Market, The Lambertville Trading Company, Marhaba, O Wow Cow and Tortugas Cocina, Triumph Brewery.

Food truck participants include: Aroy-D The Thai Elephant, Callahan's Hot Dogs, The Cow and The Curd, The Cow and The Curd2, Delicias, Empanada Guy, Farm Truck, The French Quarter, Lil Pop Shop, Nomad Pizza, Oink and Moo BBQ, Brent Celek's Prime Stache truck, Say Cheese, Surf and Turf Truck and Sweet Box.

Yards will offer three varieties - pale ale, brawler and saison - and a $20 bracelet will allow a wearer to buy three beers. (Buy bracelets here, or wait till the day-of and buy them at Bridge and North Union, York and North Union and the Chamber of Commerce table at Church and North Union.)

Alongside the Chamber of Commerce table, in front of the Community Church of Lambertville, First Presbyterian Church on North Union and Church Streets, guests will find local non-profits selling iced tea, lemonade and root beer. The Community Root Beer Garden will benefit the Lambertville Area Education Foundation, the Lambertville Ramblers Youth Football, Friends of Healey Park and other local nonprofits.

Parking will be available ($10 per vehicle) at New Hope Solebury School at West Bridge Street and the 4H Agricultural Farm County Fairgrounds at 1207 Route 179. A trolley will transport guests.