Happy Spring!! I’d be willing to bet that you are more than ready for springtime weather. Over the past few months I’ve had a few tastes of REAL winter weather during trips to western Massachusetts to check in on the Mediterranean café I launched with UMass Dining as well as traveling to events in Sun Valley Idaho, where it was so cold that my eyelashes froze. Beautiful as it was, I sure was happy to get on a plane back home to rainy California. To all my friends in blustery cold parts of the country, this newsletter is dedicated to you!!
Growing up in New England, I was always so aware of the seasons and I especially loved spring. Everything seemed so green and the flowers started to blossom. I used to wait to see the daffodils sprout from the ground. Then came the forsythia and lush purple, fragrant lilacs and the best part for me was always the season’s first crop of vegetables and herbs —English peas, fava beans, asparagus and mint. I could live on those vegetables.
In fact, come springtime, I could easily give up my carnivore ways and become vegetarian. With the sun peaking out and weather warming up, I’m ready to lighten things up and go for colorful salads and fresh sheep’s milk ricotta spread on crostini and topped with asparagus and fresh mint. And fresh buckwheat noodles to top with a sumptuous mix of chanterelles, peas and asparagus would certainly hit the spot! Or what about a luscious bowl of risotto with all kinds of spring vegetables?
Now that spring is here, I can’t think of a better time to prepare to take advantage of the change of season’s bounty, so here are some of my favorite recipes--guaranteed to add a bit of Spring to your Step:
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