apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Summer tomatos! A friend just planted hers and it reminded me of the ones I buy at the farmers' market.

Rhubarb, strawberries, and ramps!

I am looking forward to asparagus and rhubarb! Hoping to make some rhubarb preserves and I love asparagus cooked on the grill, or even simply steamed!

tomatoes and stone fruit. mmm.

Erik!!! Which is a type of plum that grows in Mediterranean countries and some parts of Middle East. I can't find it in the US so I'm waiting anxiously when it's avaiable for a couple of days online.

I'm looking forward to the farmers' market coming alive again. The farmers' market near me is open all winter, but most of the organic stands aren't there in the winter and the pickings become generally a little slim. I love when the market starts getting traction in the spring, my beloved stands come back, and all the lovely spring produce starts showing up - I'm waiting for it all! And the wheel of the seasons starts to turn and with it the waves of different types of produce appear in their turn. My favorite time of year.

The rhubarb reminds me of when I was a kid, we'd pick rhubarb from the garden and eat it dipped in sugar. I haven't had that in years - I should try it this year.

Asparagus, morels, meyer lemons, fresh figs (well, more of a summer thing, but I can't wait!), sugar snap peas....

and fresh lilacs in the apartment. Oh, the smell of lilacs!

Oh, green garlic. I started seeing it this weekend, so I'm super excited to using it again!

I'll be happy to get anything that's locally grown! Sadly, it'll probably be May before anything around here is ready for market.

That rhubarb is beautiful! Yep, that's what I'm waiting for.

And asparagus, and radishes, and fresh tiny lettuces.

Chard! I had it for the first time last year when I joined a CSA and got some every time it was available at the farmers market! Also looking forward to Easter Egg Radishes, because they're so springy and colorful, and for lilacs and honeysuckle to be in bloom.

I've already bought local fresh garden peas still in their pods, and am so in love with lilacs that I have been wearing lilac perfume since February (En Passage), so probably the thing I am waiting for all the extra fancy French strawberries that are shaped long and thin. They are amazing! (although I had some strawberries from Provence on Saturday that broke some sort of fragrance and taste record for me -- there were so fragrant, and tangy... should have bought some fraises des bois too...)

in florida (where i live) much of the farmers market's primo stuff is gone by mid-april. in fact, the local, organic CSA only runs for 20 weeks from december to april. i guess you could say i'm enjoying spring right now!

We live in California so we are a bit ahead of you all.

We have peas, pea and fava tendrils, rhubarb, and strawberries. Still getting chanterelles.

Expected this week favas and green garlic! HURRAY.

Most anticipated: cherries and apricots.

The strawberries are already looking amazing here in SoCal. The fava shoots are delicious, as are the spring peas and the early asparagus. I found some tasty rhubarb at Whole Foods over the weekend, but haven't see it at the Farmers' market yet.

I can't wait for the cherries!

Asparagus means spring...It's haunting my dreams. And it's still at least a month or more away here :(

Tomatoes, strawberries, peaches. That rhubarb in the picture looks great too!

For spring produce that would have to be favas, sugar snap and snow peas. Luckily I am in Northern California so we've had asparagus, strawberries and artichokes for a few weeks now but the three listed above are nowwhere to be found. Also looking forward to rhubarb so I can make a pie and compote.

Lots of tomato lovers out there. Me too, but we don't get them until August.

I'm looking forward to anything local. I'm looking forward to this last bit of snow to be gone. (Of course, it will probably snow at least once more.)

Mostly- rhubarb, asparagus, and radishes.

Okra---cut when no bigger than a lady's middle finger. Cut in 1/4 inch slices, toss with corn meal, then toss again. Let sit until the okra juice bonds with the corn meal so it's a bit sticky. Fry until crisp in corn oil. Eat until you founder.

Alternate eating: cut okra when at lady's pinkie finger size. Steam the whole pod (do NOT cut in slices) until tender/crisp. Bite the whole pod off up to the cap. Chase with a bite of fresh diced tomatoes.

Asparagus. I refuse to buy it until it's local to Seattle.

asparagus, strawberries, and beets

Fiddleheads. Here in northern New England for a very short period of time you can get these young fern shoots and when cooked right are delicious.

I'm always so envious when I read about my English friends harvesting rhubarb in February! I looked in my blog archives and realized I was cooking rhubarb in June last year. Ah, the midwest. Here's my recipe for thyme shortcakes with rhubarb ginger compote.

Asparagus, no question.