While fall gets all the credit for its bounty of edible goodness, spring is another great time of year for a fresh feast. It signals the end of winter and rebirth, in a general sense and also in the garden, among the farms, and in the pastures.
Seasonal dining is the only way to go. It ensures freshness, heightened flavor, and support of the local food infrastructure. And it stretches into other elements of food, too, such as seasonal drinks and cocktails. So get out your farmer’s market tote, start perusing some of the best cookbooks, find out what veggies and fruits are in season now, and get to eating.
While it’s standard these days to be able to buy nearly anything at any time of the year, choosing the meat and produce that are at their best during spring months is always the best option. Not only will everything taste better, but it is also cheaper to buy in the season.
Spring fruits
Rhubarb
Signaling the arrival of spring, these bright red stalks are perfect in many desserts.
Meyer lemons
Meyer lemons are prized for being sweeter and more delicate than the standard lemon. Try preserving the lemons in salt and sugar to use them year-round.
Kiwis
Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, eating kiwi fruit every day can help prevent the appearance of some cancers.
Honeydew melons
The mainstay of the buffet fruit salad, honeydew makes for a refreshing and healthy snack.
Cherries
It’s a scientific fact that sweet varieties, such as Bing, make the best cherry pies.
Pineapple
An essential ingredient in some of the best tiki cocktails, pineapples are also delicious to eat.
Apricots
Apricots are great in both sweet and savory dishes, but when they are in season and impossibly sweet, we recommend eating them raw by the handful.
Strawberries
We look forward to strawberry daiquiris every year and so should you. Perfect strawberries shaken with good white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup are heavenly on a hot day.
Spring vegetables
Asparagus
One of spring’s first sprouts, asparagus is the cheapest and most flavorful in season.
Fiddlehead ferns
With a flavor reminiscent of spinach and asparagus, fiddleheads are a wonderful addition to dinner during spring.
Fava beans
Fava beans have a notoriously short spring season, so act fast.
Carrots
Synonymous with the season, spring carrots are sweet like candy. Enjoy them raw or simply glazed in butter.
Greens
Spring is best for arugula, frisée, dandelion, and watercress. The abundance of fresh produce means it’s time to eat lots of delicious salads.
Green garlic
Milder and sweeter than garlic cloves, green garlic adds a nice subtle punch of garlic flavor without being overpowering.
New potatoes
Small with paper-thin skin, these little potatoes are best boiled in salted water, glazed in some butter, and topped with sea salt and fresh black pepper.
Morel mushrooms
One of the more elusive wild mushrooms, these amazing nutty-tasting mushrooms aren’t cheap but they are definitely worth it.
Herbs
Chives, parsley, and dill come alive during springtime. Most dishes only get better with the addition of fresh herbs.
Peas
English peas and snap peas are two favorites to enjoy all spring. Throw them into salads, saute with butter and herbs, or add them to pasta.
Radishes
Sweet and peppery radishes are at their best during springtime. Dip them in soft butter with a sprinkle of sea salt for a snack.
Ramps
This foraged allium (with another short season) is prized for its onion and garlic flavor.
Spring meat and fish
Lamb
The most tender and flavorful lamb is said to come from those harvested in late spring.
Softshell crabs
Pan-fried or deep-fried, blue crabs from the Chesapeake Bay that have molted their shells are a Mid-Atlantic staple during spring.
Salmon
Pacific salmon season starts around May 1.
Trout
Natural-caught trout is in season in the spring.
