Season's Greetings
Spring is in the air! Each season we bring you a guide to our fav seasonal produce, and we’re back to bring you all of our favorite Spring ingredients.
I’s officially Spring, but the temperature is telling us something different. But as it gets warmer and spring sets in, we’re going to see some delicious produce coming in season.
Check it out below to know what to buy, how to keep it fresh, and the best way to prep your Spring harvest.
Look back at our guides to Winter, Fall, and Summer to check out the different produce you can look forward to when the Seasons change.
ASPARAGUS
Let’s be real, asparagus is delicious year-round through global harvesting methods, but early Spring is its JAM. This is when asparagus shoots first break through the soil and reach the optimal 6-8 inches. We love the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, but the high respiration rate makes asparagus more perishable than almost any other veggie. It’s a good thing fresh asparagus is at every farmer’s market right now. Buy a bunch and make yourself some delicious Springtime Asparagus Pasta this evening.
Season’s Greetings – Asparagus is almost always available, but (early) Spring is its’ peak harvest season.
Hey good lookin’ – Pick asparagus that are round, thin and firm. Deep green or purplish tips that are closed will tell you they’re fresh.
Keep ‘em fresh – Store with the ends wrapped in a damp cloth to offset the moisture loss. Eat within 2 days of purchase.
RHUBARB
Rhubarb is often called the “first fruit of the season”, but it’s really technically a vegetable. Either way, we’ll happily eat this vegetable if it tastes so good in pies, jams, and cocktails. It’s super tart flavor (have lots of sugar around) is the perfect antidote to a winter of hearty foods. We love to welcome Spring with a delicious cocktail featuring rhubarb syrup.
Season’s Greetings – One of the first ingredients to sprout in the Spring, rhubarb is best eaten from late March to Early May.
Hey good lookin’ – The best rhubarb has thick, firm stalks with no signs of drying. If there are leaves, make sure they aren’t wilted. Remove the leaves and discard – these are not edible!
Keep ‘em fresh – Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or chop and freeze for several months.
APRICOTS
Later in Spring and into Summer, we start to see some delicious stone fruits come into season. The first one is apricot. We love these sweet orange fruits packed with vitamin C. Our favorite ways to use them? In our Apricot Cherry Pie and as a filling in our Hamentaschen.
Season’s Greetings – Late Spring and early Summer are peak season for apricots, but we even love the dried ones you can find all year long.
Hey good lookin’ – Look for apricots with a rich orange color that are slightly soft.
Keep ‘em fresh – Store at room temperature until ripened and soft.
