Almost every day I go out with anticipation, to check the garden to see what plants have reappeared or have new buds on them! The rhubarb has sent up its shoots and what’s not to like about rhubarb pie or a crisp? There are always chores to be done; plants that need to be moved to a new spot because they hate where they are and so forth but it’s the simple joy of seeing all the new, fresh, green growth that’s the best part of being a gardener!
Are you looking forward to all the yummy produce that is about to pop up in your local Farmer’s Markets? We sure are in our house. Last fall and winter, we tried, quite successfully to eat locally grown veggies that were in season. There’s still squash about but…I am kinda done! Enough with the squash!
I will be buying stinging nettles at the Farmer’s Market to make Stinging Nettle Tagliatelle with Asparagus and Peas**. Yum! Thinking when I next blanch and puree stinging nettles I could make a risotto and perhaps top a pizza with pureed nettles or maybe gnocchi, or…. or…. or . Local watercress is now available at the Farmer’s Market; I love watercress especially those little cucumber, watercress tea sandwiches!
Pretty soon there will be local asparagus. We love asparagus, so can hardly wait. I will be making pasta, risotto, soup, salad, asparagus with a poached egg on top, asparagus tart and best of all roasted asparagus! Local asparagus is like a completely different veggie than the imported asparagus, so delicious! I’ll be busy!
**If you would like to make the pasta, please go to Stinging Nettle Tagliatelle.
**Check out my “Spring, What’s In Season” post.
