First came the strawberries.
They were from Florida or California, but they still gave off that promising fragrance that makes some want to start dancing in the produce aisle like a nymph of spring.Finally. It seems like it has been ages - well, at least a year - but spring produce is coming.
Oh sure, there are other signals of the season: the vernal equinox, warm weather, flowers blooming, that thick layer of pollen on the car every morning.
But to me, the season's fever is awakened first by the prospect of eating fresh produce that is really only worth eating this time of year.
Asparagus, sugar snap peas, English peas, rhubarb, watercress.
I know you see these things year round, and frankly, I think that's a real shame. We've become far too used to having virtually the entire fruit and vegetable world at our fingertips all year.
Some of you may wax on about the marvels of our food distribution system. Why wait for the season when fruits and vegetables can be shipped from some faraway land halfway across the world, you argue. Ain't it grand?
Call me a stubborn, over-opinionated food snob, but I say NO.
It ain't grand when much of that fruit and vegetable world tastes like it has spent months on a slow boat from New Zealand instead of ripening naturally on the vine.
Ask Joanne Weir, author of "Spring: Recipes Inspired by Nature's Bounty" (Time-Life Books; $21.95), part of a new Williams-Sonoma Seasonal Celebration series, and she'll tell you the same.
"It's amazing to have strawberries other times of the year that look so beautiful, but when you taste them, they're tasteless," she said. "It's so obvious when you taste them in season and they're so right."
When it comes to foods like broccoli, cauliflower, bananas and even carrots, I would defy anyone to taste the difference from season to season.
But spring brings foods that truly belong to this time of year, when there is a noticeable increase in flavor and decrease in price.
Here's a rundown of fruits and vegetables that really should only be enjoyed in spring. Eat them at other times of the year at your own risk:
Strawberries: OK, I know I'm begging for a fight here. I've found the early strawberries from our coastal states less than superior so far this year, but maybe I got a few bum bunches. Still, they're definitely better than the outrageously priced berries of midwinter.
Strawberries are a good source of dietary fiber, and a cup contains more vitamin C than any other berry - and more than a medium orange. The American Institute for Cancer Research also notes that strawberries are drawing attention for being a great source of elegic acid, a potential cancer-fighting agent.
Strawberries will stay fresher longer if stored in a single layer, rather than piled in a bowl. Rinse them briefly before serving. To retain nutritional value, don't cut them until ready to serve.
Asparagus: In "American Taste: A Celebration of Gastronomy Coast-to-Coast," author James Villas proposes recipes for an all-asparagus menu - from the fried asparagus cocktail appetizer to the asparagus ice cream for dessert.
Perhaps that's a bit much.
I would argue that asparagus does not need much in the way of cooking or even adornment. Don't steam it until it's mushy or you may as well just eat canned.
And say goodbye to that sickly Hollandaise sauce. Instead, try asparagus roasted.
Toss a bunch of asparagus with two to three tablespoons of olive oil in a sealable plastic bag and squish around gently. Spread on one layer onto a baking pan and roast at 450 for 10 minutes. Toss with salt and pepper, and, if you like, a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar.
Look for bright green stalks with closed, compact tips. Take a sniff and avoid bunches that smell rotted. Weir recommends checking the bottoms of the stalks to see if they are dried out, which might indicate that they are not freshly cut.
Peas: Here we have two versions to enjoy: English peas and sugar snap peas.
English peas are the lovely green nuggets that are so much trouble to shell but worth every bite. Some grocers now carry bags of already shelled fresh English peas by Frieda's, but the farther a pea is from the vine, the more quickly that pea's sugar converts to starch, and flavor may not seem quite so fresh.
Sugar snap peas, essentially young pea pods that can be eaten entirely, are a cross between English peas and snow peas.
Not to be confused with snow peas, which are flatter, sugar snap peas are plump, sweetly crisp and juicy.
Look for pods that are not too stringy (snap off the top to see if a string pulls down the back) and the smaller the peas inside, the better.
Lynn Kennedy-Tilyou, the chef at La Tourelle, uses sugar snap peas in the place of green beans in an amandine dish. She places butter in a skillet until it just begins to brown, tosses in sliced almonds and the sugar snap peas and sautes lightly for just a few minutes until the butter becomes a bit more brown - but you want the peas to remain slightly crisp. She serves them with a dash of lemon juice.
Rhubarb: This is one vegetable (no, it's not a fruit) that really only appears in spring. It's sweet and tart and perfect for pies.
Be sure to trim off the toxic leaves before using the stalks. And watch out for cooking in aluminum or cast iron pans, which will interact with the rhubarb's acid and darken both the pot and the rhubarb.
Watercress: Often dismissed as a garnish, watercress is among the most nutritious of salad greens, offering a wonderful peppery flavor complemented by citrus in particular. Look for crisp leaves and bright green color, skip bunches with yellowed and wilted leaves. Wash thoroughly in cool water; dry before serving.
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RECIPES
STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB CRISP
For the topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Dash salt
6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup rolled oats
For the filling:
2 pint baskets strawberries, stemmed and halved
3 cups rhubarb slices, 1/3 inch thick
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
For the topping: In a large bowl mix all ingredients except butter and oats to blend thoroughly. With pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in oats; set aside.
For the filling: In another large bowl, mix 4 cups of the strawberries (reserve remaining strawberries), the rhubarb, sugar and cornstarch to blend thoroughly. Spoon into shallow 2-quart baking dish. Cover evenly with topping. Bake in center of oven about 40 minutes until filling is bubbly and topping is lightly browned. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with reserved strawberries. Top with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired. Makes 8 servings.
- Nutrition information per serving: 323 cal., 10 g fat, 23 mg chol., 128 mg sodium, 58 g carbo., 3 g fiber, 3 g pro.
- Recipe from: California Strawberry Commission
SUGAR SNAP PEAS AND MINT SALAD
1 1/2-2 pounds sugar snap peas, ends trimmed
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, cut into thin strips, plus mint sprigs for garnish
Have ready a bowl of ice water. Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full
of salted water to a boil. Add the sugar snap peas and simmer until bright green and almost tender, 11/2 to 2 minutes. Drain immediately and transfer to the ice water to halt the cooking. Let stand for 5 minutes, then drain and set aside.
To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallot, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, place the sugar snap peas and thin strips of mint in a bowl and drizzle with the dressing. Toss to coat the ingredients evenly. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with mint sprigs. Serve immediately, arranging salads on each plate, if desired. Serves 4-6.
ASPARAGUS GUACAMOLE
4 cups (1 pound) cut, trimmed, fresh asparagus
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 cup canned, chopped green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped, seeded tomato
Cook asparagus in small amount of water until tender. Drain well and cool thoroughly. In a food processor or blender, process asparagus, garlic, lime juice, chilies, salt and cumin until mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape bowl frequently. Remove from processor bowl and stir in onion and tomato. Chill thoroughly before serving. Serve with tortilla chips, cut vegetables, chicken or seafood. Makes 2 cups.
- From the California Asparagus Commission
WATERCRESS GRAPEFRUIT AND PAPAYA SALAD
2 grapefruits, white, yellow or pink
1 papaya, about 1 pound
2 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed, carefully rinsed
Into a small bowl, grate zest from 1 grapefruit to measure 1 teaspoon. Set aside.
Using a sharp knife, cut a thick slice off the top and bottom of each grapefruit to reveal the flesh. Then, standing each grapefruit upright on a cutting surface, cut off the peel and white membrane in thick, wide strips. Cut the grapefruit crosswise into slices 1/4-inch thick, then cut each slice into quarters. Place in a bowl and set aside.
Peel the papaya and cut in half through the stem end. Scoop out seeds and discard. Cut crosswise into slices 1/4-inch thick. Place in bowl with the grapefruit slices.
To the bowl containing the grapefruit zest, add the grapefruit juice, vinegar and olive oil to make a dressing. Whisk together, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, place the watercress in a serving bowl and drizzle with the dressing; add grapefruit and papaya slices. Toss lightly and serve immediately. Serves 4-6.
- Source: "Spring"