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Springtime brings warmer temperatures and an abundance of delicious, fresh fruits and vegetables. We often think of spring as the season of renewal, when plants that have been dormant through the winter start to wake up and grow again, or when seeds are planted for summer harvest. It is the perfect time to look for “new” or “baby” vegetables, like carrots and potatoes. Although most produce is available year-round in our markets, if you look for locally-sourced, seasonal fruits and veggies, they will have more flavor and be more special because they only appear for a few months of the year.

Here are some of my springtime favorites:

Artichokes: Look for the greenest ones, without much discoloration.

Asparagus: Yum, a true spring veggie.

Beets: If you can find them with their green tops still attached, use those too!

Carrots: I don’t mean those two-inch stubs that come ready to eat – those are great for lunch or a snack on the go – but I’m talking about new little spring carrots fresh out of the ground.

Leeks:  Again, look for young leeks that are not much bigger than a scallion.

Peas:  Fresh spring peas that you have to shell are a real treat, and your children will enjoy popping them out of their “sleeping bags.”

Potatoes:  New “baby” potatoes are small and their skin is thin and delicate, so don’t even TRY to peel them.

Apricots:  Available toward the end of spring and into the summer.

Cherries:  Like apricots, the best ones start appearing in late spring.

Kiwis:  Did you know they grow on a vine, like grapes?

Rhubarb:  Under-appreciated by many, but one of my all-time favorites, even though they need a lot of sweetening. This really IS a seasonal fruit and isn’t around for long.

Strawberries:  We tend to get blasé about this fruit that we find year-round in our markets, but try some of the locally-sourced little berries in May or June – so much tastier than what is available in February!

By: Carla Jolis, Director of Cooking for Gymtime, Early Learning Foundations and York Avenue Preschool

Photo Credit: Simon Howden