IMPATIENCE

I’m having a harder time than usual this early-spring, a harder time waiting for the first local crops to come in.

I’m hankering to have fresh English peas and mint and chives to use in a risotto or maybe even to top a bowl of little pasta shells. If I can score a few fresh morels – ohmigosh – that’d make it all the better.

When Vidalias come in from Georgia (I always seem to prefer them to the other sweet-onion varieties, probably because the Vidalia was my first sweet onion and it’s easy to be forever sweet on your first sweetie), I love adding them to any mix of local peas and mint, or peas and wild mushrooms. It’s then that the warm season begins for me.

When baseball starts next week, I think it’s going to get even harder. Heck, do you know I even popped the cork on a rose the other night? It was hardly a bone-chilling winter, but I’m ready for spring. Spring vegetables.

What crop jump-starts spring for you? (Any farmers who’d like to chime in with any forecasts would be much listened to, much appreciated. Any chefs planning local-crop specials at their restaurants also should feel free to jump in.)

Cheers,
Andy
3.29.07